Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard.

by TDR

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna, Original Character, Comedy, Adventure
Length: 628281

The Gardens of Canterlot contain more than their fair share of stories. And more creatures than just Discord.

Twilight discovers the true purpose for the Canterlot Royal gardens, much to Princess Celestia's annoyance. Knowing her student will seek answers with or without her permission, the Princess gives Twilight a new subject to study, the story of five of the garden's occupants, their connection to Nightmare Moon, and the dark days of the War of Night.

Warning: Comments are encouraged, but spoilers are present in the comments.

Fic is currently undergoing a very slow revision. Revised chapters will have a (R) in the title.
I've also added chapter numbers for a bit more ease of navigation. Mostly on my part.
This is a project that I will slowly be working on Bringing my first major story up to snuff. I shall also be fixing plot holes and clearing up some issues that certain parts have that may contradict the lore later on.
This will only be worked on sporadically unfortunately as I need to be in certain mind sets to do this.

Original story was posted in 2011.

Tags: Action, Historical, Sad, Humor, Roller Coaster, Violence, Singing, Some Romance

Part 2 is here.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/71261/stories-in-stone-memories-of-twilight

WOOOT featured on Jan 5th 2015 at 2:47 am, 4 years after it's initial publishing!

Published 2011-11-01 19:46:09 UTC
Last updated 2020-11-03 15:23:19 UTC

Memories in the marble.[ 1 ]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Chapter 1
Memories in the Marble

Twilight sneezed. The dust that had settled on her bangs rose back into the air, billowing out into a cloud above her head. Another series of sneezes quickly followed the first. She had spent the whole morning in the Royal Library basement. There were books down there that had not seen the light of day in centuries, so the entire place was covered in several layers of dust. She could tell that many ponies had been here before, judging by the number of hoof prints which disturbed the dust on the floor. Evidently they had come to claim something out of a large chest in the corner, considering that the hoof prints invariably stretched right up to it and back. Curious, she pondered the question of what the chest might contain. Perhaps it was something that was being restored that she could check out later? She tucked another book into her saddle bag and headed up the stairs. She wondered briefly if the other pony had been one of the princesses; Celestia said no one had been allowed down there in ages.

It had been two weeks since she had found out about the Canterlot Gardens and what slept there. The whole time, she could not help but to want to know more about the figures on top of the monument. The Princess’s story had been interesting, but it left far too many blanks for her analytical mind to let go of.

Celestia had admitted herself that her recollection of the details was a bit hazy, and that many of the things she had spoken of were related to her second hoof. Twilight wanted to know everything. However, she was astute enough that, rather than try to find out for herself again, she decided to ask the princess if she could look into it.

Princess Celestia was hesitant at first, unsure as she was of how her sister would react to such an intrusion into her past.

However, if Twilight was aware of what had happened, she might be better able to help Luna. While the events of Nightmare Night had cheered up the Princess of the Moon, that cheer had not lasted long before she retreated into seclusion. Celestia suggested that Twilight investigate the Royal Libraries' vaults for any books that might prove useful while she pondered the situation. Twilight had nearly squeed with the thought of learning more about a time in history that in most old books had been ignored or censored. It had been hard enough to find anything on the Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon when she had really needed it. She planned to put everything she could find in a book, or at the very least, a series of documents in order to preserve the history her teacher had lived through. She trotted to her parents’ house to pick up Spike before catching the train back to Ponyville, eager to start on this next great project. She spent the entire train ride bouncing about like Pinkie Pie, barely able to wait to crack open the old books and learn everything.

=============================================

Three days later, all the books she had recovered from storage lay scattered across her library. As she read through the last, her expression darkened even further. Anything that prevented her from learning something in a timely manner frustrated Twilight, and this was further complicated by the realization that these old books were useless for what she wanted. Spike always tried to be elsewhere when she got in moods like this. As he slipped out, he mentioned something about going to see what Rarity was up to.

“GAH!! Crop yields, tax reports, and gruel recipes from a thousand years ago? What is this rubbish?" Twilight shouted.

"Where is there any sort of basic history? The only mention of anything that could even count as information is that Velkorn did not have to pay taxes in Equestria as she was considered an ambassador from the Zebra Lands. If they were so important, why is there nothing about them anywhere? I mean, look at this crap: a song by some singer named Platinum, a marriage certificate for a Biggs Hosen and some mare named Faux Pelt, a shipping report for supplies to a Camp Geode, and this is just a book full of names with numbers beside them. This stuff is junk!”

She was about to go back through the books again to see if perhaps she had missed something when a knock on her door completely derailed her thought process. Storming over to it, fuming, she flung open the door with her magic. Standing there was a rather surprised looking gray pegasus with a blond mane and a saddle bag full of mail.

“WHAT!?”

The mare blinked, narrowing her eyes a bit, her amber orbs not quite both looking at Twilight, but the glare was easily felt. She pointed a hoof at a large crate marked with the royal seal resting beside her before reaching back to pull a clipboard from her saddlebag and shoving it into Twilight’s face. The gray mare muttered something around the clipboard she held with her mouth that sounded like, “Sign here, meanie.”

Twilight scrawled her name on the clipboard, apologizing to the mail mare repeatedly. After about the fourth apology, the mare seemed to accept it. As the pegasus flew off to make the rest of her deliveries, Twilight looked over the crate curiously.

The princess had mentioned that she might have something else that could help Twilight with her studies. This must be it! Her magic wrapped around the crate to lift it. She takes a step forward, but was yanked backwards as her hooves keep going but her horn stayed in place. The crate had yet to budge. How much did this thing weigh? She tried again with her magic, the crate barely shifting. She poured more power into it, struggling mightily to lift the crate an apple or two off the ground, enough for her to finally bring it inside. How in the world did that pegasus carry this?

She set the crate down next to her desk. Removing the wooden top was a much easier affair than lifting the crate itself. Inside, the crate was packed with hay, a scroll, and a letter in the princess’s writing. Setting those aside, she started digging into the hay and found a wooden box inside the crate. The box was about nineteen or twenty apples long and was made out of what she thought might be maple, or perhaps fine oak. Set into the middle of the lid was a small rectangle of brass, etched into the metal, in Old Canterlot Script, was a name:

“The Waning Moon”.

She flicked open the clasps holding the box closed and lifted the lid to look inside. The scents of oil, old leather, and an acidic coppery smell she could not identify filled her nose. Another brass plaque on the underside of the lid was etched in the same script as the first, but with a different message:

Gifted to Royal Guardian Jer'rahd Kaisur,
from Her Royal Majesty, Princess Luna.
“May it serve thee well in thine duty as well as thee have served us.”

It took Twilight a moment to wrap her mind around the idea of Princess Luna writing in Traditional Royal Canterlot as well as speaking it. Her gaze dropped to the item half-covered in a fine midnight blue silk that would have made Rarity jealous. It was a weapon, a large knife. No, a sword? Twilight had never seen a real one outside of a museum or pictures in books, but this one seemed different from the few she had seen. There was a handle bit in the middle, which was also wrapped in silk, though less fine, that looked worn and was likely not the original grip. There was a good chance the wielder gripped this in their mouth and had the blades on either side of their head. Two blades extended outward from the weapon's grip, one on either side, both curling back, the weapon's full span describing a soft arc that resembled a crescent moon. Each blade was six apples long, with the grip in the middle being two apples long. The blades were unadorned and free of any sort of markings whatsoever; The metal itself was unblemished, as if the weapon had never been used. On the whole, the thing seemed more like a decorative piece than an actual weapon, more like art, even as simple as it was.

She wrapped her magic around the blade to lift it out for a better look, only to have the weapon resist her. She blinked, looking down at the sword, inklings of a headache building the longer her magic touched the blade. It had actually fought against her lifting it? Was it because she was not its owner? Was it somehow sentient? Her magic seemed to be deflected or eaten by the blade, the strain of her attempts was making her horn hurt. She tried again, feeling the blade struggle to remain in its case before it finally seemed to relent, allowing her to lift it out of the box.

The blade practically sang as she moved it. Despite her gently lifting it, the blade seemed to slice through the air, eager for more than just the wind to cut. Twilight set the weapon on the table, a soft chime echoing in the room as the impact with the wooden surface caused the metal to resonate. She knew next to nothing about metallurgy, but this seemed like it could have not been forged by any normal pony. It also didn't look like any steel she had ever seen.

She slapped her face with a hoof and grumbled, having gotten very far ahead of herself with this. Sighing, she picked up the letter, unfolding the parchment to read what her teacher had written.

====================================

Dearest Twilight,

This blade once belonged to Jer'rahd Kaisur, who I spoke of, and was presented to him as a gift by Princess Luna after a time of service. The weapon itself is composed of two items: the broken remains of Jer'rahd's grandfather's sword and ore from a fallen star. He carried this blade in one form or another for most of his life, and I believe that this is the only thing left of the five's possessions that still exist outside of stone that I can send to you. Very few things will survive a thousand years and remain intact, even in storage.

Luna went as far as to track down a dragon smith to work the metal of this blade before presenting it to him herself. Be careful with it, however. Though it was forged for combat, its strength only matches its wielder’s will, and Jer'rahd's will was strained greatly in his last days. It is likely still under that duress even in stone. It may be more fragile than it seems. I have also included a personal spell of mine which shall enable you to scry the events of the past using the weapon as a focus.

You will be limited to the holder of this blade, but you may pick up on his thoughts and feelings after a bit of practice. The spell should eventually pick up on what you wish to see, but it is unable to show you events beyond the point when you started viewing them without you watching them unfold. However, if you have seen the events once, you may go back and view them again. I expect this will help you with your studies and I hope to be able to read what you write to remind myself of what I may have forgotten or heard incorrectly. Do not let this distract you from your study of the magic of friendship, however, Twilight. That should still be your primary focus.

Princess Celestia.

=========================================

Metal from a fallen star? Twilight shook her head, looking at the weapon, and reread the message. She unrolled the scroll and read through it, giggling about having a new spell to learn, and one given to her by the princess at that. She studied the scroll carefully, making sure she understood before even attempting to use it on the blade.

There was no telling what she might find from this scrying. Would it tell her about Jer'rahd, perhaps his grandfather, maybe even where the metal came from in space? Spike was due back in a few hours, so they could go join in on the Apple family gathering. After last year, Applejack had invited her to come for dinner this year, too.
She smiled, thinking of everything that she could learn from this; there was all of that lost history, perhaps some things that were forgotten that might be useful even now, even forgotten spells. She danced about in excitement, preparing to cast the spell. A little bit of time was better than none, and her curiosity would kill her at dinner tonight if she did not at least take a peek.

She took a last look at the parchment as her horn started to glow. The princess had also seen fit to attach a translation spell to the scrying. That was a big relief, now she wouldn't have to worry about trying to get through all the “thees and thous” of old Canterlot speech; The spell would take care of that for her.

Twilight’s horn flared. The room seemed to shimmer, fading out and leaving her standing in front of the old guard house in Canterlot court. Her gaze shifted as the spell changed its focus, dragging her though the streets suddenly and throwing her against, and into, a young, dark-gray-pelted unicorn with a blade on his side.

“Honestly, Rhede, I don't know why you are going to do this as well. You never had any interest in joining the Guard before.”

The unicorn glanced over at his friend, a tall earth pony with a crimson coat and a long, seemingly perfect black mane and tail. Not a single hair was out of place. His blue eyes seemed unusually bright and cheerfully amused at everything they saw. At 17 apples tall, he towered above most of the other ponies gathering in the courtyard. Not overly muscular, his body seemed to be a strange cross between that of a runner and that of a farmer. His cutie mark was a cluster of three arrows, each with a little heart on the end instead of a point.

“Oh, that's an easy answer, Jer." Rhede chuckled. "Mares love a stallion in uniform.”

“Like you need a uniform to help with that," Jer smirked, "What’s the matter, running out of good lines already?”

“Not even close,” Rhede replied.

Jer's real name was Jer'rahd. He was a unicorn with a deep gray coat that almost seemed blue. His mane and tail were a brownish yellow like that of amber. They were nowhere near as well-groomed as his friend’s, nor as well trimmed. The pony seemed like he had simply woken up, cleaned up, and then come out here without even seeing a brush. He was a great deal more muscled than his friend. However, he stood four or five apples less in height than Rhede, despite being the older of the two, even considering the added height his horn gave him. A leather strap hung over his shoulders, securing a worn scabbard and a sword with a well-used grip comfortably to his right side. His cutie mark was a silver kite shield with the black curved horse head of a chess board's knight in the center.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head at his friend’s antics. His green eyes turned back to regard the crowd gathering at the doors of the keep.
“Besides, Jer, I plan to go for the officers’ training after basic. It’s likely more suited to my special talents, after all,” Rhede proclaimed.

“Smooth-talking your way out of a fight with the mare you've been courting’s mate is considered a special talent now?”

“You wound me, my friend, to think I would willingly try and cozy up to a mare that was spoken for.”

“I don't need to think it; you did that last night at the tavern.”

“Yes, well, she had taken off her wedding anklet, so I was not at fault there.”

“I will give you that one. Just that one.”

“Why so serious all the time? You should have joined the festivities; it was your last night of freedom for a while. At the very least, you could have sought a willing mare. There were a plenty at that tavern. I am quite sure I could have hooked you up with one or two.”

“Hah, not a chance. The first mare you hooked me up with tried to kill me, believing I was cheating on her, and the last eventually wound up being bedded by you after she broke up with me.”

“How many times must I apologize for that? I had no idea Peach was crazy. And as for Silphy... well, once I found out she only dated you to get to me, I refused to have anything more to do with her. Honestly, both of them were years ago. How long are you going to hold that over me?”

“At least for a few more apologies, and maybe a statue in my honor for putting up with you.”

“Oh, great and merciful Jer'rahd, I can only hope to pray your forgiveness for wooing the mare from your side with my roguish good looks and charm," Rhede started shouting at the top of his lungs, "Perhaps one day, your ego shall be appeased by my humble requests of forgiveness. Either that, or you’re still going to be bringing it up when we both sit at the old ponies’ home so you can cheat at chess against me.”

Jer'rahd smirked at his friend’s sarcasm. He had long ago forgiven him, though busting his flank on it had become an old joke of sorts between them. The old familiarity of the argument was somewhat comforting, particularly with the looming challenge of trying to become a Royal Guard before them.

The line shifted as the crowd tapered into a pair of doors leading inside the Guard house. A large statue of a fully-armored stallion sat in the middle of the courtyard, towering over all the ponies present. Not all here were petitioners for the Guard; most were reporting crimes, problems with neighbors, or just there to complain. The pair’s turn finally came up and they trotted inside to the desk, behind which a rather bored looking older stallion sat, half-hidden behind paperwork.

“NEXT!! State your business with the Guard,” he called.

“I...”

He glanced back at Rhede, not even sure the older stallion had even looked up from the papers on the desk.

”We wish to join the Guard,” Jer stated.

“Sign these and head though the double doors in the back for your evaluation. NEXT!”

Rhede trotted over as Jer'rahd floated one of the books of paperwork and a quill to him. Thankfully, somepony had seen fit to add a table off to the side so they could fill everything out without a problem. By the end of it, his magic felt weak just holding the quill, and Rhede was complaining of cramps in his jaw. He had never seen so many things to fill out. How was the Everfree Forest not completely clear cut if every Guard had to sign all this stuff?

Gathering up the Great Equestrian Novel, they headed back through the double doors. After dropping the paperwork in a bin that bore a small, worn sign that told you to put applications here, the pair waited some more. The guard posted there eventually sent them along a blue line in the floor for their medical checkups. In this waiting room, they finally saw a few of the other ponies who had signed up, including a light gray coated, purple-maned pegasus mare that had Rhede's full attention until she was brought into the back. Jer'rahd ignored his friend’s comments of wishing he was a doctor to poke and prod that before Rhede was called back as well. Jer'rahd, thankfully, did not have to wait much longer before he was called back for an examination.

========================================================

Several hours, more needles, and groping than he figured even Rhede would be comfortable with, they were on their way again, following a red line on the floor to the mental evaluation. Rhede looked a little ill, though considering that he had spent the last few hours being felt up by a nurse old enough to be his grandmother, it was sort of understandable, particularly since she seemed to take delight in watching Rhede squirm.

“Cold hooves; by Celestia's magnificent rump, those were hooves forged in the very source of winter itself. That mare had to be part windigo.”

“You’re getting more creative with the swearing Rhede, though keep in mind who we will be working for. It might be in your best interest to create ones that are not quite so… specifically gratuitous.”

“Please, I have yet to meet a mare alive that did not enjoy someone flattering their form.”

“There’s a lot of mares you have yet to meet.”

“And I hope to change that. Every mare should know the joys that are available when you know Rhede Pelt.”

“Nice to see you’re back to normal already, Rhede.”

“Yes, back from the scary, cold place that we shall never speak of again.”

The next room was more paperwork before he was brought into the office of a graying stallion who looked even more bored with his job than the one at the front desk. Rhede went in first and came back out following a green line, waving a hoof as Jer'rahd went in.

============================================================

“You’re Jerrad Kraiser? “

“It’s pronounced ‘Jair~ rod, Kay~Sure’ …umm, sir, “Jer corrected.

“Right, Jer'rahd. So then, why are you looking to join the Guard? I hope it’s not to get castle duty, ‘cause that cushy post is for ponies that have proven themselves or know the right nobles. Not rookies.”

“No, sir. My father was in the Guard, as was my grandfather. He fought in the great war.”

“Being the grandson of a Dragon War veteran’s not gonna get you anything here, son.” The pony states his eyes traveling the length of the sword on Jer'rahd side.

“I didn’t expect it to, sir; you asked why I was joining. I grew up with their stories and influence guiding me until my father was killed.”

“Sergeant First Class, Amano Kaisur. Killed in action in a border skirmish with the griffons ten years ago. You must have been what, eight at the time?”

“Nine, sir.”

“Here to seek revenge for him, then?”

“No sir; because of those battles and the princesses' negotiations, the griffons have become our allies in recent years. My father dying in the line of duty doing what needed to be done to bring about peace does not mean I want to start another war to seek revenge.”

“That his sword?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You any good with it?”

“My grandfather was better. Sparring and training dummies do not have the same risk or required skill level he attained through experience.”

“Unicorn on your mother’s side then. How many spells do you know?”

“Just two, sir.”

“Just two?”

“Yes, sir. I know the normal manipulation spell every unicorn learns to move things around with, and a shield spell.”

“How strong is the shield?”

“Never had a chance to test it fully, sir, though it can support my weight if needed.”

“How do you wield the sword: mouth or magic?”

“Both, sir.”

“Hmm, alright, that’s something, at least. Always a good thing to not be set in any one way to fight; it limits you. Alright, this all seems to be in order. You’ve not had any other training and no background problems. Any next of kin?”

“Not for at least six years, sir. My mother passed away when I was young, and my grandfather died six years ago. No other blood siblings.”

“Sorry to hear that, but I suppose you get that a lot. You're in the clear on this end, next up’s basic training. Pass that, and you’re in the Guard, son. Good luck.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You’re welcome. Follow the green line, and we'll get you shipped out to the Marea 51 training facility soon enough.”

============================================

Following the green line brought him to where Rhede was: in yet another waiting room.

“Hurry up and wait; honestly, Jer, one would think they would streamline this a bit more.”

“I don't really mind. Gives us some time to relax before the next part.”

“You think your dad and grandfather were pulling your tail with those basic training horror stories?”

“No, grandpa was not much for making things up.”

“Now that worries me.”

The scrying faded as the pair arrived at the military training base. Twilight pulled back, letting the image fade out fully as she heard the door open and Spike come in.

“Hey, Twilight. Doing better I hope? Hey, is that the thing the Princess was gonna send you? What is it? Kinda makes me nervous for some reason,” Spike questioned.

“Yup. It just got delivered a few hours ago. It's some sort of sword. The princess sent me a scrying spell too, this is to use as a focus for observing the past. It is a bit odd, but there’s no reason you should be nervous about it. I am a little miffed that all I have gotten so far is a Guard waiting room.”

“Well, you have to start somewhere, right?" Spike shrugged. "Come on, let’s head to Applejack’s; I’m starving.“

“Right, let me put this back in the case and we can get going,” Twilight replied.

“Wooo... gaaaahh, watching you lift that thing is making me feel even more nervous. It feels like it wants to eat me or something.”

Twilight lifted the blade, finding it a bit easier to move this time, though the weapon still seemed to try to resist her magic. She placed it back in the case, draping the silk over it again before closing the clasp. She stretched and rubbed the ache from the base of her horn before she pulled the crate’s lid over the top of the box, and headed for the door, pausing a moment to let Spike hop onto her back.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, Spike. The sword doesn’t even have a mouth. Did Applejack want us to bring anything?”

“Just our appetites. Remember what happened last time there was an Apple family reunion?”

“Ugh, I do... I am amazed I was even able to walk after that, let alone get all that stuff done for the Summer Sun Celebration.”

Author's Note

I had a bit of difficulty with distances a foot would not have gone over very well as a unit of measurement even though they have used that before in the series. Like wise, being american I am not entirely familer with the metric system enough to use it so I made my own references of scale.

For those keeping track an apple is being used as a marker for the standard horse height indicator of hands which are 4 inches each. Measurements on horses are also done to the shoulder so Rhede is 5 ft at the shoulder with an extra two foot or so to ear tip when standing upright thus making him near 7 foot overall . Jer'rahd is closer to 5 foot something overall putting him at just a bit larger than the average pony mare. Of course measurements are never really given in the show so its hard to judge. The current belief for the show is that all the ponies are 4 to 5 feet tall.

Apple= 4 inches
pony = 5 foot = 15 apples
1 story building 10 foot.= 30 apples

and so on.

[edit] Please note that this scale was made before Hearth's warming came out and the term foot being used for the candy canes.]

Editing by Jphyper and StormyVenture.

Rock Solid Experiences [2]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

Chapter 2
Rock solid experiences

Twilight offered a quick prayer to Celestia that she would not explode on the way home. The Apple family reunion had gone quite well, though this was the first time she had been able to see it in full swing.

The food she had been offered the first time was dwarfed by the massive meal that was present this time. She hadn't seen much of Applejack aside from having been greeted when she arrived. After that, the rest of the Apple family had swarmed over to both of them. They all wanted to chat and to suggest that she try somepony’s new recipe, or to ask how she liked living in Ponyville. There were a few rather off-hoof comments that brought some laughs from the mostly farming ponies, and she knew she was being hit on by a few of Applejack's cousins, though it was all polite, if loud.

After a few hours, and more food than she ever wanted to look at again, she found Applejack and let her know she was leaving. Spike opted to stay longer and help clean up, though Twilight was unsure if he meant the dishes or what was still on most of them. Where he put it all never failed to surprise her. Applejack had been disappointed to see her go, but she knew Twilight was in the middle of studying something, and aside from AJ's usual offer of help if it was needed, she let her go without any fuss.

On the way back, Twilight had to smile thinking about how Applejack's family had all but adopted her the first time they met. Perhaps she had just come at the right time, though she still believed that AJ might have gotten into the apple brandy a little too deeply that day. Normally, AJ wasn't so generous to ponies randomly showing up on her farm. It wasn't that she was hostile, but there were 'No Trespassing' signs around the orchard for a reason.

Pushing open the library door, she nearly collapsed onto the floor, groaning loudly at the pain from her distended belly. She had sworn she'd never eat that much again the last time, and, well, that hadn't helped in the slightest. Most of the time, such little promises tended to get lost in the bustle of major events, like the Apple family reunion. Although, considering how good all the food was, the odds were stacked against her.

Twilight's gaze fell on the crate. With another groan, she pushed herself to her hooves once more. She stumbled around the house, lighting a few more candles. The moon’s light had shown her the way home, but inside, it was still too dark to see. Maybe finding out a bit more about the weapon would take her mind off her belly, thought Twilight. It was still early, at least by her standards anyway.

Setting everything up kept her mind from the pains in her belly quite well, though she took a quick visit to the little pony’s room before trying to cast the spell; she didn't know how long she would be watching this time, after all. She really didn't want to have to stop in the middle of something interesting to answer the call of nature.

As she was settling down, she glanced over at the blade. It glimmered in the faint light, which made her pause for a moment. Was it blue before?

She moved closer and the faint blue glow faded. She backed away and the blade lit up again— not enough for it to shed any light, but a very noticeable outline. If the room was darker, the blade would clearly be seen in the darkness. But why did it stop when her shadow was on it? She glanced behind her and up, seeing the full moon shinning into one of the windows.

Twilight smiled at having figured out something else about the Waning Moon. The blade had been gifted, and likely enchanted, by Luna herself; little wonder that it would react to the moonlight somehow. She moved back to the other side of the table, so she did not block the moonlight from her window, to examine it closer.

From this side, she could see that the light collected around the weapon, dancing over the blade and giving it a soft, blue glow. She smiled, greatly impressed by the subtle, yet beautiful, magic, though she still could not figure out the purpose of it. It did not seem to be combat-oriented, and the glow was too soft for a light spell. Best to find out from the past, even though Jer'rahd had not received the blade yet. She cast the scrying spell, letting the world around her fade as she was thrust suddenly into the gray unicorn's body once again.

“WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR PROBLEM, WORM!? DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? I SAID YOU WILL RUN, AND BY CELESTIA, YOU WILL RUN OR I WILL END YOU!!!”

Tales of dragons that belched fire and beasts that could rend a pony in half, creatures that would pull limbs off of ponies with their minds abounded as horror tales to scare foals. As Jer'rahd and Rhede tore down the track alongside the other ponies, the short, squat, light brown unicorn in the wide-brimmed fedora screaming at them was more terrifying by far than anything they had ever heard of in the old tales. The brick of a pony trotted along, a little farther away from the group of them, dropping back to scream at anypony falling behind, herding them all towards a stable on the far side of the Marea 51 training compound.

“COMPANY, HALT! THAT MEANS YOU, MAGGOTS. LINE YOUR SORRY FLANKS UP. I WANT TWO ROWS, MY LITTLE PONIES, TWO, AND IF YOU PARASPRITE DROPPINGS CANNOT COUNT THAT HIGH, THEN YOU BEST CRAWL BACK TO WHATEVER ROCK YOU WERE UNDER AND LIVE THERE, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT YOU IN MY GUARD.”

The short stallion paced back and forth in front of the group as every pony lined up facing him. More than a few were panicked; the rest looked around, wondering what was going on. Jer'rahd had been told tales of fearsome ponies like this by his grandfather, but he was completely unprepared for actually meeting one.

The stocky pony's light brown coat had more than a few old scars. His mane and tail were cropped very short, and the black hair that was left bristled almost as if some sort of bush or angry feline had inspired the style. His cutie mark was, of all things, a bear; A very angry looking bear that seemed ready to jump off his flank and attack anything it didn't like, which was apparently everything. He wore an olive green harness, adorned with the markings of his rank, and a short blade in a scabbard hung at his left side. The strangest thing about the unicorn was his wide brimmed hat. It had the chevrons for sergeant on the front, and there was a hole for his horn and another two for his ears to poke through, although he seemed to be missing one ear. His eyes were a bright blue, more so than Rhede's, and they seemed to burrow into the skull of whatever pony’s gaze he met, forcing them to turn away. The intensity in that stallion’s gaze was enough to reignite the sun if it ever went out.

“I AM DRILL SERGEANT STONEHOOVES. THIS IS THE FIRST COMPANY STABLE. I OWN YOUR FLANKS FROM THIS POINT ON, UNTIL YOU ARE PROVEN WORTHY OF THE GUARD. EVEN THEN, I DO NOT THINK ANY OF YOU ARE WORTHY OF SO MUCH AS SPIT SHINING THE HORSE SHOES OF A REAL GUARD MEMBER. YOU WILL ONLY ADDRESS ME BY MY RANK OF DRILL SERGEANT, AND I WILL ADDRESS YOU IN ANYWAY I SEE FIT. YOU WILL DO EVERYTHING I TELL YOU TO AND YOU WILL END EVERYTHING YOU SAY TO ME WITH MY RANK. ARE WE CLEAR?”

There were a few muted affirmations and a few who were too shocked to respond or realize he was talking to them. A few at least caught on and shouted back with a “Yes, Drill Sergeant.”

“WHAT WAS THAT? I HAVE HEARD LOUDER FARTS FROM A BUNNY RABBIT. WHAT DID THEY GIVE ME, WET RABBIT FARTS TO TRAIN THIS TIME? SAY IT LIKE YOUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT, BECAUSE MAKE NO MISTAKE, FOALS— IT DOES.

“Yes, Drill Sergeant “

“WELL ISN’T THAT CUTE. BUT IT'S STILL WRONG!!! YOU BARELY MOVED UP FROM A RABBIT FART TO THE PLOP OF WARM MANURE HITTING THE GROUND. NOW LOUDER!”

“Yes, Drill Sergeant!! “

“LOUDER!!”

“YES ,DRILL SERGEANT!!!”

“STILL CRAP, BUT I SUPPOSE THAT WILL HAVE TO DO. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GIVE YOU MAGGOTS SINGING LESSONS. NOW THEN, I NOTICE A FEW OF YOU HAVE BROUGHT SOME PLAY TOYS WITH YOU. I SHUDDER TO THINK THAT ANY OF YOU EVEN KNOWS WHICH END OF THOSE THINGS IS THE POINTY END. NOW THEN, YOU WILL DUMP THAT SORRY EXCUSE FOR WHAT YOU THINK YOU WILL BE WIELDING AS A WEAPON ON THE GROUND RIGHT HERE...”

Stonehooves paused and grinned, his forehoof tapping on a spot before him.

“...UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE SKILLS WITH WHICH TO USE THOSE TRINKETS. I WILL MAKE A LITTLE DEAL WITH YOU BRAIN DEAD ROCK TROLLS: YOU COME UP HERE, GIVE ME YOUR BEST LITTLE SHOW, AND IF ONE OF YOU MANAGES TO SO MUCH AS NICK MY HAT, I WILL LET YOU KEEP THAT LITTLE TOY YOU HAVE. HECK, I MIGHT EVEN BAKE YOU A CAKE, BUT SINCE IT’S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, YOU CAN FORGET THE CAKE. NOW WHO'S FIRST?

Only three of those gathered took the challenge. The few others that had brought weapons simply dropped them into the pile. Jer'rahd did not really want to face the Drill Sergeant, but he had no idea what would happen to his grandfather's sword if he left it with the others in the pile so he was, at the very least, going to try.

The first earth pony mare had barely drawn her sword when the weapon was knocked out of her mouth by the Drill Sergeant. Jer'rahd blinked, having barely seen the unicorn move. He glanced back to the others in the group. From their wide-eyed expressions he was certain no one else had seen him move either.

Stone hooves said nothing, letting her pick the sword up again before it was sent flying once again. The earth pony was getting frustrated and went to pick it up again, though as her teeth closed around the grip, she herself was sent flying and dropped her weapon as she hit the dirt in front of the pile.

“THAT'S THREE. DROP THAT TOY ON THE PILE AND GET BACK IN LINE. NEXT!!”

“That was not even fair, you didn't let her pick it up before the third time.” Rhede blurted out.

Trust Rhede to come to the defense of a mare. Jer'rahd sighed.

“OH, I AM SOOOO SORRY THAT I AM NOT PLAYING FAIR, PRETTY COLT. MAYBE YOU CAN ASK THE DIAMOND DOGS OR THE DRAGONS TO GO EASY ON YOU WHEN YOU’RE OUT THERE. I'M SURE THEY WILL CLEARLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH LETTING YOU GO AND PICK UP THE WEAPON THAT THEY JUST KNOCKED OUT OF YOUR GRIP WITHOUT SHOWING YOU YOUR INSIDES. THIS IS NOT A SPAR, MY LITTLE PONIES; THIS IS TO PREPARE YOU FOR A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. FAIR IS NOT IN THE VOCABULARY. YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO EXPECT ANYTHING ALL THE TIME. NOW UNLESS YOU GOT SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY, NEXT!”

Jer'rahd winced as the other pony who had moved forward with him tossed his spear into the pile without even trying and stepped back in line, leaving Jer'rahd up there alone. He exhaled deeply, striding forward and pulling the blade from the scabbard with his magic, eyes locked on the pony in the hat as he bowed a bit before he slid back, leveling the blade, his eyes never leaving the Drill Sergeant.

“WELL, WELL SEEMS ONE OF YOU MIGHT KNOW A THING OR TWO AFTER ALL. NOT LIKE THAT'S GONNA MATTER, BUT SINCE YOU’RE THE LAST ONE WITH ANY BALLS HERE, I MIGHT AS WELL MAKE A DEMONSTRATION OUTTA YOU.”

Jer'rahd leveled the blade before him as the light brown unicorn’s horn flared blue as he drew his own weapon, a thick curved blade, from its sheath at his side. A kukri, now that was an odd choice. Jer'rahd had never considered that something that was more of a brush clearing tool would be used a weapon.

That thought barely had time to register before he was already on his back with that same weapon resting against his neck.

The sergeant backed up as Jer'rahd picked up his blade with his magic, still not taking his eyes off the other pony. He switched styles, holding the blade in his mouth and noting the smirk on the drill sergeant’s face. Like before, he was not sure how it happened, but he was seeing stars as his chin was crushed to the ground with a hoof resting on his head, that curved blade nearly poking his nose. He saw his own sword a few feet away on the ground and realized he was not even facing the group after landing this time.

He was let up once more and he floated his blade over, taking the handle into his mouth again. There had to be a trick to this. What had his grandfather said? Ah, “watch the hooves.” His gaze shifted to the pony’s hooves this time, waiting for the attack. Even watching them, he barely saw the drill sergeant move. His horn flared, a green box of energy forming in the air before the sergeant’s attack. The unicorn’s eyes widened as his blade glanced off the hastily-made shield.

The Drill Sergeant recovered quickly and moved, closing in for another attack without leaving any easy opening. Jer'rahd had already accepted that this was going to hurt and spit out the blade just as the sergeant’s hoof caught him in the jaw; he gripped his sword rapidly with his magic, fighting the stars he was seeing, and brought it up swiftly before he crashed into the ground for a third time.

He groaned lightly, looking up, eyes widening at the drill sergeant’s face taking up his entire field of vision as the brown pony stared down at him, the stallion’s blue eyes searing into his own green ones. A tiny quarter apple cut had been made in the side of his hat brim; the sergeant’s own blade had whipped around to block the blow when he knocked Jer'rahd down, but it had not quite been quick enough.

“Well now, you are a clever pony. No pony has so much as made a breeze against my hat in years. Seems there might be hope for at least one of you. Granted, you cut my hat, so that makes you my new special friend. It won't be long ‘til you wish you were not such a clever pony. BACK IN LINE NOW, AND SHEATH THAT BLADE. NOW THAT THE SHOW’S OVER, I WANT ALL OF YOU LOT TO HAUL FLANK DOWN TO THE END OF THIS ROAD. IF I SEE SOME PONY LAGGING, I WILL ADD A FEW MORE LEAGUES TO THE RUN. NOW MOVE!!!

He let go of Jer'rahd, watching him scramble back into line and take off running with the rest of them.

“Aww, how cute, Jer. You made a friend already. And here I thought you weren't the sociable type,” Rhede chimed.

“Stuff it, Rhede.”

==================================================

The next three months consisted of more screaming and running than Jer'rahd had even thought was possible to fit into such a short time. Every single pony in the troop had lost any fat they had shown up with and they were well on their way to putting on muscle.

They hauled rocks, peeled potatoes, ran up hills, ran down hills, and ran in rain, shine, snow, and half a dozen other weather conditions brought about by weather pegasus guards. The fliers’ sole purpose seemed to be making the most inconvenient weather possible for those training.

Out of the initial thirty recruits, however, they were down to twenty-one by the end of the second week. Most of the pegasi had quit after being told that flying was banned and they had to run everywhere. A few of the unicorns quit when the same ban was put on magic. The last couple left due to injuries in some of the training; thankfully, none of them serious, but they would not be back for a while.

Jer'rahd nearly quit, himself, at least once; being the drill sergeant's special friend meant if any other pony messed up, he got their punishment as well for failing to provide a proper example. If he messed up, the whole troop suffered for it. More often than not, he was set up to fail as well. By the end of the first month, he was almost as hated as the drill sergeant by the rest of the trainees. The verbal and emotional abuse from both Stonehooves and the rest of those training wore down on him heavily.

Thankfully, Rhede remained unchanged and managed to talk him out of quitting, mostly by complaining that if he was putting up with this crap, Jer would be, too, for dragging him into it.

“Don't pin this on me, Pelt. I asked you at the start why you were joining. You told me it was to attract mares with the uniform,” Jer'rahd cursed, half-buried in the blankets of his bunk.

“Yeah, there's still some mares in the stable, but I am way too tired to even think about chasing them, so it's moved on to a need to impress them. I mean, if I quit, word might get out I let some mares do better than me, and we can't have the fillies thinking my virile self is weak, now can we?“ Rhede smirked.

“Heh, congratulations, Rhede. I think you just managed to talk me out of quitting.”

“Oh? Afraid to leave your best friend behind?”

“No, I just want to see if you crack from the strain before I do.”

“HA HA.”

==============================================

By the time they had moved on to the combat training, several more had quit or been injured, leaving them at sixteen. The remaining troops had been told to make groups of four, though only Rhede willingly paired with Jer'rahd. The numbers became uneven as another was lost.

The last to leave had been an earth pony who had sunk so far into depression from the abuse, physical labor, and reconditioning that he had tried to take his own life.

The sole remaining pegasus mare had saved him from leaping off the roof of the stable. The sergeant had the pony sent to receive help, and spent the rest of the day yelling at the pegasus for breaking the no flying rule. From that point, the squad had another Special Friend of the Drill Sergeant’s aside from Jer'rahd: the pegasus Starfall. She was a bit older than most of the other recruits, maybe in her early twenties. She was still rather attractive, if angry all the time. Her coat was light gray to the point of being silver; her purple mane and tail were streaked with darker gray, though both were cropped short for the training. Her eyes matched her mane, though they seemed to sparkle like crystal. The cutie mark gracing her flank was a six pointed star with a multicolored trail arcing across her flank, like a shooting star or comet.

To say that she wasn't happy to be the sergeant’s new special friend would have been an understatement. When she'd saved the earth pony, it had made all the groups odd-numbered. The two others who had been in Rhede and Jer'rahd's squad were moved to take the places of Starfall and the suicidal pony in the other groups, leaving the mare with the pair. For the same reason the others did not like Jer'rahd, they were not fond of Starfall, either. Once she became a special friend, the same rules applied to her as they did to Jer'rahd. Both of them messed up at the same time once, and only once.

The three day drill the rest of the squad was forced to endure because of that screw-up made everything else they had done up to the point seem like a tea party.

Several agonizing weeks later, they moved into the next part of training; the physical work eased up a bit at that point. They were still driven hard, but the sergeant seemed content that they would follow his orders and toned down his aggression, if not his volume.

Weapon training started with simple moves, and then went to sparring with mixed weapons and among the troops as a whole. Other stables of ponies were brought in, along with their drill sergeants, and a few mixed bouts of sparring were set up among the trainees. Starfall beat Jer'rahd to place first in their group, though she placed third overall. She grumbled quite a bit that she only lost due to the no flying rule.

Several older guards were brought in at this point to fine tune some of the training on weapon specifics. While the pony teaching blades was impressed with Starfall's ability to use two short blades with her wings, hooves, and mouth, he was equally impressed by both Jer'rahd's weapon and that he could use it both with and without magic. It seemed that this was not often the case with unicorns.

Rhede seemed to fall to the standard armament of spears, where he was little more than average with the weapon. While he was average in melee, he proved quite smugly that he could bull’s-eye a target at two hundred paces while in a dead run.

Even Jer'rahd was surprised at his accuracy, as his friend had never showed any interest in training with anything before.

“Where the heck did you learn to do that, Rhede?” Jer'rahd questioned after the day’s training, noting that even Starfall seemed a little curious, though she remained quiet.

“What do you mean? I am quite adept at using long, hard things to hit small targets.”

Starfall's eyes narrowed as she glared at the earth pony as he chuckled. “I cannot believe that he just said that out loud,” she groaned.

“Unfortunately, I can indeed believe he said that, Starfall. And now I really do not want to know any more about it,” Jer'rahd snorted.

===================================================

The weapons training went on for another week before the groups were split again. Jer'rahd had picked up on a few more tricks with his blade by then, but Starfall had proven herself better than he was by the end of the sword training.

He was sent to magic training with a mixture of other unicorns from the other units. Starfall was pulled aside with the other pegasus, and Rhede and the other earth ponies went off to some other sort of training. Jer'rahd, however, was nearly thrown back to the earth ponies’ training, as he could not even manage a simple attack spell.

Three things kept him from being washed out of the unicorn training: his knowledge of spell craft, his ability to seamlessly join into a battle group of other unicorns (though the power he added was negligible), and the versatility of his shield spell.

He could put the shields up with a thought, even the larger versions, as well as shape them somewhat into other forms, though anything more than just a simple flat rectangle or square took more effort than it was worth to make. It was also found that, at full power, the shield could support the weight of about twenty ponies before it finally started to collapse as the magical strain became too much. Something like this could easily be of tactical use as a bridge or a temporary barricade. They proved nearly useless for attacking, however, as, even if he made the shield into the shape of a sword, it was locked in space where it was formed.

Attempts were made to force him to learn other spells. At first, the instructors thought it was simply failure to understand how the magic worked or how to use it. However, after Jer'rahd had recited a few theories and spells that even the instructors didn't know, they considered it a mental block. He had spent a great deal of his foalhood studying magic and knew a good bit about it, but could not access it in any way aside from the usual unicorn telekinesis and his shield.

The shield was brought into question when he told the instructors that he had only been able to cast it once he gained his cutie mark. That drew more attention than he would have liked as the senior unicorns tried to figure out how to reproduce the spell and failed to manage anything even close to it.

It also surprised the instructors that he could easily join a link of spell casters. His power could barely be felt when linked, and he could not use the others’ power to boost his own, but he linked with an ease that was used as an example for the others.

Even after the training, he was not allowed to use what he had learned, except when it was raining. Then he was required to keep a shield up over the drill instructor to keep him dry. Celestia help him if the sergeant got wet.

====================================================

The final week brought more paperwork, a mental exam, and a physical examination to see if they could handle a forced march in triple gear. This would be followed by a three day exercise that turned them loose into a section of the Everfree Forest and expected them to survive. Rhede aced survival training, so Starfall and Jer'rahd planned to simply follow his lead. Their own scores weren't bad, but after Jer'rahd mistook poison joke for something to aid in healing, and Starfall chose a toxic mushroom for dinner, it seemed safer to listen to Rhede.

“So what are the supplies they are giving us again, Starfall?”

“Three flasks of water, one meal of dried oats each, our weapons, rain and cold gear, three medical kits, and a flare scroll in case it gets too bad out there, or one of Everfree's resident monsters comes looking for a snack and it’s bigger than we can handle,” the pegasus replied, the last bit coming out in a slightly sarcastic tone.

“I figure we might have gotten something else considering we are the only three-pony group going.”

“I figured you would be happy just to be able to fly again for a bit without some pony screaming at you to slow down.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“There's that, too.”

Jer'rahd glanced up as Rhede trotted back over carrying the intel bag each group leader was given. Each pack contained a compass, a map, and a lot number to where they would be going. Again, both Starfall and Jer'rahd felt slightly more comfortable letting Rhede be considered the leader in this, mostly because he seemed to want to be lead and neither of them wanted that sort of responsibility. This would be the last event of their training aside from more paper work and graduation ceremony. Over the course of the training, Starfall had become at least a little friendlier with the pair, though she seemed to have no inclination of keeping up the association after graduation. What bothered Jer'rahd was Rhede's lack of hitting on the mare.

“I've got the map; the camp site for our group is in this section here.” Rhede unfolded the parchment, pointing a hoof at a small square on the map labeled “85”.

“We're going to be the furthest group into the forest. That has to be some sort of compliment. It's like they are saying they can trust us to be the least likely to screw things up,” Starfall muttered.

“Well, if we have everything, shouldn't we get going? It will take us most of the day to get there, and that’s if we don't run into anything,” Jer'rahd remarked.

“Bad luck to say such things, you two, though I agree; we've been cleared to go whenever— no sense hanging about.” Rhede shrugged.

Rhede trotted back over to the drill sergeant, leaving the map with Jer'rahd, to let him know they were on their way to the site. The gray unicorn looked down at it, surprised, as three markers appeared in their location on the map. The spell was a navigational aid to assist them in making their way to the site. However, part of the training was that the map would stop working once they reached the check point so they would need to find their own way back out of the forest.

=======================================================

A few hours later, Rhede and Jer'rahd were sitting at the edge of a ravine, beside them a path lead down into it. Starfall had flown off ahead to find a trail up the other side of the ravine, leaving the two of them alone for the first time since they'd left.

“So, any reason you haven't been hitting on her since you first met?”, asked Jer'rahd, glancing over at his friend.

“She's still in mourning,” Rhede responded.

“What?”

“Her mate was killed in a battle with the griffons a few years ago. She refused the money for her and her foal that is normally granted to a soldier’s widow. Claimed she refused to take a handout. She enlisted and sought to work for a living. Left her daughter in the care of her sister to join. Foal’s only about two years old.”

“How the heck did you find all this out, anyway? She barely talks to anyone.”

“I have sources. Plus, I pay attention, Jer. She writes her foal and sister every single night, talks to herself occasionally when she thinks no one’s listening, and is usually crying when she’s on watch. She's a strong pony, but stubborn. I could work on her and get her to open up to me and maybe do some things to take her mind off her loss, but that’s not the way I work; you know that. If she was looking for someone else, she would find them herself. She needs someone who's not going to be a one night stand like I would.”

“She doesn’t show she's in pain about anything.”

“She won't; she fits this little group fairly well. She’s stubborn, I'm handsome, and your hard-headed,” Rhede quipped.

“I think you mean you're an idiot, Rhede,” a voice from above stated.

“You find us a path up the other side, Starfall?” Jer'rahd smirked.

“Yeah, it’s right over here. Follow me. Eyes off my rear, Rhede, before I kick you,” Starfall snapped.

“Butt of course, m'lady.”

“Puns now... I thought you were better than that, Rhede,” Jer'rahd chuckled, trotting down the path on this side of the ravine.

“Hey, I can steal your shtick occasionally, Jer.”

=============================================

It was nearing nightfall when they made it to the site. The place was little more than a small clearing of land surrounded by trees with a wooden pole jutting from the middle of the ground, etched with a sloppily-painted sign marked “85”.

They moved about, setting up a perimeter, then gathered sticks and fallen logs for a fire in the middle of the camp. The first night had Rhede taking first watch as the others slept, and then waking Jer'rahd for the midnight watch. He then woke Starfall for the last. The second day passed uneventfully, aside from gathering food and finding a small stream for water.

They took turns staying at camp and foraging, one of them remaining each time to make sure the fire stayed lit. While it wasn't very cold out, there was enough of a chill in the air that the warm fire was welcome after foraging trips through the damp air of the forest.

Starfall and Jer'rahd went out on the final trip of the second day, just as the sun was setting, to gather more firewood to make it through the night. Rhede remained behind, figuring the two could pick up sticks without the help of his survival skills.

“So, Rhede told me about what happened. I am sorry for your loss,” Jer'rahd said, gathering up a few sticks with his magic.

“Stow it. I have heard that from every pony from here to Haygas, I do not need pity.”

“Not my intent to offer pity. I lost my father and grandfather not long ago as well. Just because you hear it from everyone doesn't mean that some ponies don't know how you feel.”

“Really? Your dad leave you to raise a foal on your own, too?”Starfall snapped back.

“Nah, just his goldfish. It died about a week later, so I suppose I didn't do so well with it.”

“Heh. Fine; I suppose I shouldn't snap at you for it,” Starfall sighed. “You're at least trying to be sympathetic. But I still do not want my business spread everywhere.”

“Rhede won't tell anyone else. I am rather surprised he told me. I suppose he only did because I asked... sorta.”

“Every pony’s got a secret they want to keep from others. “

“True, but it’s hard to get to know a pony if there's a major one keeping them from trying to be friends.”

“What makes you think I want to make any friends here?”

“Like secrets, every pony needs a friend or two. Be nice to think the ones I will be counting on with my life can at least be that, hmm?”

“And here I thought Rhede was the smooth talker,” Starfall chuckled.

“I've known him for years; it’s only natural that I should have picked up a little of his skill, even if I don't use it to be the biggest tail chaser in Equestria. Anyway, if you don't want to talk about anything, that’s fine. Can't say I'm too comfortable regaling ponies with my life up to this point, either. But we will be here if you feel the need to bring it up sometime, provided we aren't late to get back and the drill sergeant kills us all.”

“Right; I will keep that in mind if I ever feel like gushing like an old gossip mare. We should have enough wood now, anyway, so we might as well head back to camp.” Starfall smirked as she hefted a pile of lumber between her wings.

Entering the clearing back at camp, they both noticed immediately that something was wrong. Rhede stood where they had last seen him, staring into a now-dead fire. The moonlight filling the clearing showed the scavenged food and their packs scattered everywhere, torn open and looted. Jer'rahds ears perked at a low hiss emerging from the darkness of the bushes.

“Rhede, what the hay is going on here? What..?! Jer'rahd! Get over here! He's been turned to stone.”

Starfall backpedaled away from Rhede in midair, the earth pony’s expression frozen in a look of shock facing the bushes on the other side of the fire. The hiss grew louder, along with an angry growl that sounded oddly like a chicken with something caught in its throat.

“Starfall, get the flare scroll and send it up.”

Jer'rahd's blade was out in a moment and tilted at an angle as he faced away from the fire, allowing him to watch the bushes in the weapon’s reflection. He really hoped the stories his grandfather told him were right.

“If you see something move, don't look at it directly. Use the reflection of your blade.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Will that even work?” Starfall questioned, a hint of panic in her voice. “What the heck did this even?”

She yelled out, hastily digging through the bags and the scattered contents further.

“They used cockatrices in the Dragon War. My grandfather used to tell me how he killed a bunch of them with this trick. I think this might be one; cockatrices have to meet your eyes directly to turn you to stone, and only they can reverse the stoning, supposedly.”

“I can't find the flare scroll. By Luna's gaze, where is it?! Oh BUCK ME... JER’RA-” Starfall shouted, her voice cutting off as the petrification slid back over her head, her wings fanned out in a panic before turning to rock as well.

Starfall had lifted her head and met the gaze of the large chicken like creature that slipped from the bushes in front of her. Its lizard like tail whipped behind it as it hissed, quickly turning to Jer’rahd. He winced, at the gaze feeling his muscles stiffen even through the reflection, though he remained flesh and blood.

He didn’t hesitate, and knew he couldn’t; he whirled, screaming out loudly with his eyes shut tight, charging where the cockatrice was. He impacted hard into the surprised beast, knocking it down with a loud squawk. The two struggled, both trying to get the upper claw or hoof, the creature’s claw digging a gouge in Jer'rahd's shoulder as they fought.

He finally managed to get atop the beast, shoving his hoof down on its head and driving its beak into the dirt before it so much as managed to glance up. The cockatrice continued to try and struggle under him. He magically drew his blade and pressed the tip to the side of the monster. The beast growled, though it froze, feeling the point of his sword pricking its side.

“Good. Seems you do know what that blade means. Which means you are likely smart enough to understand me. Now, grandpa filled my head with a lot of old stories about things that turn people to stone. The main thing he mentioned was that unless you had a powerful unicorn nearby, only the creature that turned some pony to stone can reverse it. So here’s the deal: you are going to turn both of them back to normal, or I am going to put more and more of my weight on your head until that tiny brain of yours mushes out of your beak.”

He leaned forward a bit, hoof driving the bird’s beak deeper into the ground. He could not see the bird’s eyes, but he felt its gaze trying to turn his hoof to stone.

“I wouldn't do that, either. You manage to turn me to stone, and you just get smashed quicker. Now change them back before I need to clean your blood and brain off my hoof.”

The bird seemed to whimper, likely from the pressure he was applying to its skull, though the stinging on his hoof stopped.

“-HD, IT’S RIGHT... here?!” Starfall finished, looking around in surprise and seeing Jer'rahd perched atop the bird, driving its head into the ground. She turned away quickly, shivering and moving behind the pair.

“Now the other one,” Jer'rahd snarled.

The earth pony slowly regained the normal color of his coat and fell back on his rump with a huff, looking around confused.

“What in the name of Luna's dainty hooves was that?!”Rhede gasped.

He took stock, seeing Jer'rahd, and turned his head away from the bird, moving behind the pair as Starfall had done.

“Oh crap, a cockatrice. Figures I would get blindsided. What the hay happened here, you two?”
Jer'rahd didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, looking down at the top of his hoof and the bird under it.

“Thank you for your cooperation. But no one, and no thing, threatens, let alone attempts to kill my friends,” the gray unicorn snarled.

He shoved his hoof down, putting all his weight onto it. The bird screamed out in pain, the cracking of its skull filling the clearing, along with its death cry. Blood and the remains of its eyes burst from under his hoof as it finally slammed into the ground, the avian bucking hard underneath him trying to squirm away even with its head turned to paste. He drove his blade though the beast’s side, spearing the heart, before he moved away, its thrashing stilled save for a feeble twitch of its tail, before that too, remained unmoving.

Jer'rahd sat back hard, staring at the corpse. He had never killed anything before; never really wanted to, but any fear he had, any reluctance, was gone the moment his companions were harmed by the bird. He intended to kill it, whether it cooperated or not. He exhaled hard, slowly rising back up to his hooves, staring at the blood on his hoof as the others approached him.

“Well now. I suppose this means I owe you again. One of these days, Jer, this little tally you have over me is gonna get cleared. The deal with Silphy, and now I owe you my life, too,” Rhede groaned.

“Not sure who Silphy is, but I do owe you my life, Jer'rahd. Thank you,” Starfall added.

Jer'rahd shrugged, his tail whipping as he pulled his sword from the beast’s side, cleaning the blood off on its pelt before sheathing it and wiping the blood from his hoof.

“It's nothing. I am sure either of you would have done the same if the roles were switched. And I thought I asked you not to mention that mare’s name again around me, Rhede. Why do you even remember it?” Jer'rahd questioned.

“You always remember the ones that hurt a friend, Jer. Makes it easier to know who to screw over.”

“So should we send a flare up now? There might be more of them.”

“Nah, cockatrices are solo hunters, though this one’s a little farther north than it should be this time of year,” Rhede commented, looking up at the moonlit sky. “The smell of blood, though, will attract other predators. I don't fancy meeting a maticore out here. At the very least, we should head back, but first...”

The earth pony moves over to the bird, drawing a knife and kicking the beast’s body over onto its back. After a bit of work, he sliced off one of the scaled legs, flicking it over to Jer'rahd's hooves with the blade.

“Tuck that in your pack, Jer. Give them a little proof that you're a badass back at base. I doubt you'll live it down from the drill sergeant, but we're nearly done with training anyway, and some sort of proof this camp was a dangerous one would be good. Though I do not relish heading back now; it’s been a long day, and a hike at night won't be pleasant.”

Jer'rahd looked up at the full moon with a smirk as he floated the claw into his saddle bag.

”Maybe Princess Luna will protect us on the trip back. We're likely the only ones awake out here; we might be of interest for her to watch over.”

“Awfully faithful of you to believe our sad little lives are important enough to garner the attention of the moon goddess, Jer'rahd,” Starfall quipped with a slight smile.

=====================================================================

The trip back took far longer than the trip there. With no map, and half of it stumbling around in the dark, it was to be expected, though. Morning had come and gone, and the sun was just passing noon when they exited the forest, nearly crawling back into base camp. They were not the only ones who had trouble, either; a group had tossed up their flare the first night after one of their number had taken a bad fall into a ravine. Most of the other groups were back already, though there were still some left in the woods.

As Rhede predicted, no one believed the report the three gave until Jer'rahd produced the blood-soaked claw. A bit of an investigation was made into it, and all three of them were questioned thoroughly while site 85 was investigated. The reasons for checking it out were not explained, though most of the officers seemed tense until it was declared a rogue bird. Even with the Dragon War so far in the past, the idea of a controlled cockatrice hunting trainees was enough to worry the older officers.

Jer'rahd's actions were commended, and he was to be promoted upon graduation. The remaining week of training went by rapidly, finally ending in a large ceremony with all the ponies’ achievements and awards being granted to them, along with their duty assignments. Afterward, they were given a week before they were to report to their duty stations. Much to his dismay, Rhede was being assigned to a private sector near Manehatten due to his test scores, though at the least, Starfall was going to be in the same location as Jer'rahd, if in a different unit.

The three of them hit a bar as soon as the ceremony concluded. Starfall knew of a little place in Canterlot called Siebte Empyrean, run by a half-pegasus, half-zebra named Star Cloud. She figured it would be less crowded than the other bars closer to the parade grounds.

The place was still full, though Starfall was correct in that it was not as bad as the other bars. The pegasus stayed with Rhede and Jer'rahd for a time before her sister and daughter showed up.

She introduced the two to Rhede and Jer'rahd, and like Starfall, her sister, Starshine, showed no interest in Rhede. Leaving the trio be, Jer'rahd dragged the disbelieving Rhede away from their table as the earth pony tried to flex and impress the pair. Sitting back down to his own drink, he half ignored Rhede's rant.

“Honestly, am I losing my touch, Jer? Has all that time I spent in training made me less of a stallion? Have I... oooh, look at her. Why hello, lovely; what brings such a delightful mare like you out into this cold night alone...?” Rhede commented, trotting off after a crimson earth pony mare with a book cutie mark.

Ignoring Rhede's flirting, Jer'rahd sipped from his mug, watching Starfall play with her foal, the little filly staggering a bit as she walked around the table top, batting around Starfall's dress uniform beret as his friend spoke with her sister.

A smile cracked his lips as he took another drink, his mind chasing ahead to what might become of them now. It was nice to have made a new friend, but with them all being separated, how well would that friendship hold out?

Then, too, there were the rumors. He shouldn't worry, but talk of attacks along Equestria's borders continued to trickle in, and it was on the lips of most of the bar’s patrons.

War. Another war with the dragons, maybe? He shuddered softly, comforted by the feel of his grandfather’s blade still pressed to his side, the blade’s straight edge nicked and scratched from the combat it had seen. Skirmishes had been going on for years. The official end of the first dragon war was not quite a hundred years ago, his grandfather barely out of colthood when he signed up to fight. The war ended and he married; after a time, Jer'rahds father was born. His father followed rather closely in his grandfathers’ hoofsteps, enlisting before he was really old enough to do so and somehow managing to slip by the age check. He fought in the War of the North with the Griffons as well as skirmishes with several other factions. Somewhere along the way, he met Jer'rahd’s mother, married, and then had Jer'rahd.

He couldn't remember his grandmother on his father’s side, and he had never met either of his grandparents on his mother’s side. His mother died not too many years after he was born, so he barely remembered her, just the funeral. Years later, his father was killed in a conflict, and then his grandfather died of sickness. He spent the last few years of his life before he was of age staying with Rhede's family, friends of his grandfather.

After both of their deaths, was it now his turn to join the conflict, the constant wars that his family lived in, and seemed to thrive in? While his grandfather never spoke of his father before him, it was often implied that he was a soldier as well.

Would there ever be a time of peace in Equestria? Would he live to see it? If there was, would he want to see it? His father was always tense when at home, like he wanted to be back on duty. He had never been comfortable, particularly after his wife died. His grandfather was the same way; even after he retired, he always had to be doing something. He never wanted to slow down. Jer'rahd looked down into the drink he had, annoyed at the deep thoughts rolling around in his head.

“I need a better drink.”

Twilight blinked awake as Owlowiscious hooted again, breaking her from the spell. She looked over at the owl sitting on the corner of her desk, the room nearly dark, as most of the candles had burned down.

A small bit of parchment bearing the Apple family crest was dropped in front of her by the owl. Unrolling it, she looked it over, wincing at Applejack's nearly illegible scrawl. From what she could make out, Spike had passed out after eating more than twice his own weight in food, and would be staying at the farm that night.

“Thank you for keeping an eye on Spike, Owlowiscious, though he clearly needed somepony to stop him from eating, not just watching him. I think I should probably go to bed now, myself. Please take this back to Applejack and then take the rest of the night off.” Twilight yawned.

She wrote out a note thanking Applejack for letting her know about Spike and to just send him home when he woke up. Lifting it to Owlowiscious, she watched as he took it and flew back out the window into the night, heading back to the Apple farm.

Twilight yawned again, her stomach feeling better now that it wasn't screaming at her anymore. She stayed up long enough to write the events of the scrying in her book, making notes of the commendation Jer'rahd received, as well as some other interesting points, before blowing out the last candle and heading to bed.

Author's Note

Rewrite. After going back and redoing this chapter i was reminded of how bad my writeing was in the begining. Still kinda bad now, but no where near as bad as these early chapters.

Any one who is rereading this will reconize the apperence of some pony who has a big part later in the series.

Editing by Jphyper and StormyVenture

Stone in My Hoof [4]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Chapter 4
Stone in my Hoof

This was insane; Granted, most things involving Pinkie Pie wound up hitting that point sooner or later. The fact that Applejack and Rainbow Dash had gone along with this as well made it clear they had not talked to Rarity and Fluttershy about what she was doing.

“I told you both, I am fine. Now let me go already.”, fussed Twilight.

“Now, no need ta worry Twilight, ay'll untie yah just as soon as we're sure you aren't gonna hole back up in tha library again tha moment yer free.”, responded Applejack.

“I WAS studying!” shouts Twilight.

She squirmed, hogtied by AppleJack and dangled from a rope held by the flying Rainbow Dash. She was being carried who knows where, but it was clearly something Pinkie Pie had set up. The Pink pony had lured her out of her house with a supposed problem only for the other two to jump her. The pink pony had run off after telling them where to meet up at leaving AJ and Dash to bring her along.

“Yeah well your gonna get all dusty doing nothing but reading all the time. Seriously you need to get out more. Spread your wings... err horn or whatever.” Rainbow dash interjects.

“Yes, thank you Rainbow I feel so much better now that I'm outside and swinging like a pendulum. What exactly did you three plan?” Twilight shouts struggling from the rope.

“Nothin much mostly trying to get you into the fresh air, afore winter hits us. Kinda warm now, but Granny says the snows likely to come early.” AJ comments.

“She's right, it is on our schedule to have first snow fall in a couple of weeks. But the future weather report's a secret after some ponies tried to stop the snow from coming a few years back. How does she know about it?” inquired Dash.

“Claims her knees tell her.” AJ explains.

“While that's all well and good it does not explain why I am being hoof flown some where, or to what I am being flown too.” Twilight complains.

“Oh well to be honest sugar cube ay don't rightly know m'self. Pinkie Pie has something set up but ay.... oh boy....” AJ trails off looking at something over the rise in the road.

Twilight hit the ground with a thud as Rainbow Dash dropped her. She winces glancing up to see AJ and Rainbow slack jawed looking at something. Rolling over off her back she lifted her head looking down the road towards what they were staring at, her own eyes widening at the sight.

The entire field was covered in garish multicolored lights, streamers, and booths. There were rows of the small buildings, each of them trying to outdo the other with colors and sounds or flashing strobes.

The far side of the field held a creature carousel, what looked to be a house of mirrors, a horror ride, some spinny things, and a giant wheel towering into the sky with little buckets for ponies to ride in.

Twilight wasn't even hungry and the smell of festival cooking, candy, and other delicious things filled the air wafting together in a mouthwatering mix. Cries of joy and of terror filled the air coupled with buzzers and ringing bells and the roar of the rides. Alarms sounded as prizes were won or tried for in the plethora of game booths set up around the field.

“What in the world is this?!” Twilight mutters.

“It's the first ever Pinkie Pie FUN FAIR!!”, shouted Pinkie, bursting out of the trees.

“The what?!” the trio of them chorused as Pinkie untied Twilight.

“The first ever Pinkie Pie Fun Fair. I've had the idea for a while of one big party that travels around with rides and games and food and lights and music and shows. Recently I met a couple of ponies who liked the idea and we got together talking about it. Well to make a long story short we set up the plans and asked around and one of them knew a pony who had this. Another one knew a pony who could get rides, or could do, this or knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony, who knew some pony......”

Reaching up, Twilight tapped the side of the pink pony's head.

“Thanks Twilight, I got stuck there for a moment. Any way we got everything together and here it is. I wanted to make it free but the others didn’t think we could get as much done like that. We settled on a few bits to get in and ride anything and the food and games cost a few bits as well. But still I got every one tickets and Fluttershy and Rarity are already here with Spike. I figured this would be a great way to spend the last few days before winter. Come on this is gonna be FUN!!” Pinkie bubbled.

Pinkie was indeed correct this looked like a great deal of fun. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike where waiting at the main gate as Pinkie bounded around giving them their tickets before heading into the gate

The entire field was filled with ponies on the rides, playing games, and running about enjoying themselves. The seven of them joined the flurry of activity readily.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash's rivalry starting almost instantly with the games as they constantly one upped each other with prizes. That stopped the instant Fluttershy walked past carrying a giant plush bunny prize larger than she was that she had won on her first try

. Pinkie was everywhere trying out every bit of food on the menu and trying to share as much of it as she could with all the others. Luckily most of the event staff seemed to know she was at least some what the reason for the event and did not charge her.

The rides were next Fluttershy declined to ride many of them though she watched and held what they had won along with her bunny. Rainbow seemed bored with the Ferris Wheel while the rest of them were rather amazed that you could see Ponyville from the top of it. The fun house and spinny rides were also avoided by Fluttershy, though she had to be dragged off the carousel, for wanting to ride all of cute animals that were bouncing around on it.

By the end of the day all of them save Pinkie and Spike were tired and full from all the food. Pinkie was still bouncing around like always and Spike was already asleep across Twilight's back. They joked and talked having a fun time still even on the walk back to town.

“Pinkie, the next time you want me to come out with you to something, just ask.” Twilight chuckles.

“Oki doki loki, though if you were asked to come out, you would have asked why; Then I couldn’t have told you and you would have said no. If I had told you it wouldn't have been a surprise and you might have said no anyway with all that studying you're doing.” Pinkie rambles.

“I doubt I would have said no to this, no matter how interesting my studies are.” Twilight chuckles

“Oh, Twilight how has that been going?” Fluttershy questions.

“Not too bad, but I keep having to revise everything I write. When I look again I keep seeing new things of interest that I have to make mention of, so it's taking me a week or more to just finish a small part of it.”

“Well alright, but I still want to read it, if that’s alright, with winter coming all the animals tend to go to sleep or fly south so it gets very quiet and a bit boring.” Fluttershy muttered.

“I will be sure to let you know when I talk to the Princess again.”

As the sky grew dark, they split off, saying their goodbyes and heading home while Twilight returned to the library. She quietly put Spike to bed along with the plush dragon he had won.
Twilight briefly pondered sleeping as well, but the pull of her studies was too strong.

She looked over everything making sure it was all set up before casting the spell and fading into the form of Jer'rahd. It was odd but she seemed to be picking up what he was thinking much more clearly as though she was scrying from him rather than his sword.

Jer'rahd whimpered at his shield failing, the strange dagger clatters to the floor as he lay there panting, no longer able to support it..

He slowly caught his breath again before opening his eyes and picking up the blade in his mouth forming another shield with his magic before him. He flinches as the tip of the dagger touched his shield. He shoved the blade harder trying to pierce the glowing barrier. It resisted more this time though his shield still shattered, the back lash of his magic breaking sending a current of pain back into his horn. The dagger falls from his mouth as he cries out loudly, falling to the floor once more.

A slight rap sounded from the door of his room. He snatches the dagger up with his foreleg shoving it under the sheet of his bed as the door opens admitting a pretty white unicorn mare in a nurses outfit.

“Sergeant? Are you OK in here?” the nurse questions.

“I'm fine. “Jer gasps. “Shifted wrong on my leg is all. Nothing I can't deal with.”

“Well if you are sure. Starting to worry us, you were doing fine after the surgery though you seem to be getting worse now. It may be some sort of combat stress disorder. We can set you up with a psychologist if you like.” the Nurse states.

“No, no, its fine, a bit stressed, but nothing to worry about. Boredom mostly, my brain is just as messed up as its always been.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Well if you say so.”

“Any chance I can get a room with a lock on it?”

“Considering how antisocial you tend to be I'd say no, I really don't want to have to yell at you though a door. Besides in your state we still need to keep an eye on you.”

“Ah I see. So what's on the agenda today? More therapy?”

“I'll have to look at the list. Come to the desk if you can manage and I'll let you know.”

“Right, thanks.”

It had been three months since he had taken the dagger under the Princess of the Moon's order. Three months since he had been shipped back to Canterlot along with Starfall. Three months of therapy and surgery to get his leg back to normal. Princess Luna's magic had reattached it, stopping him from losing the limb, but it had been a hasty job. The bone in his leg was still fragmented and bits of shrapnel had to be pulled from his side.

He would never have made it up the hill with out the aid of Starfall. The Princess had thanked him for his aid, making sure that both he and Starfall received a promotion and commendations for their heroic actions before she left after finishing whatever task she came there for. The other survivors of the train had received similar awards for their service, though most of them were still in Camp Geode. The ones that survived any way.

The effect of Starfall's actions had been called numerous things, the one that seemed the most popular was The Sonic Rain Boom followed by the Sonic Rain Crash. The impact of that explosion left a sizable crater in the ground, but had no ill effects on Starfall. Some of the smarter ponies had mentioned a buffering effect from the sonic light nimbus that had surrounded her. It was all just talk to Jer'rahd, although he was asked a great many questions about it and he figured Starfall was getting grilled somewhere as well.

Between the questioning he had been tended to at the best medical facility Canterlot had to offer. The meals were by far better than he had had in months and not having to share a room with ten other ponies almost seemed a foreign concept. He had not however, heard anything from Princess Luna about the blade she had told him to hide. The waiting was inter spaced between therapy, questions, and long periods of boredom. Eventually all he had to occupy himself was just therapy and boredom. Curiosity got the better of him in all the down time and he started to experiment with the weapon.

The blade of the weapon was a two apple long jagged hunk of unworked metal. It was still rather sharp and never seemed to lose its edge. Otherwise there was nothing different from it and any of the other Bone Hound weapons he had seen, save the lack of gems. He thought to test it, remembering the pain he felt when he blocked it with his shield. Forming one of the square panels he lightly jabbed the blade into it.

His cry had roused the doctors and nurses patrolling the hall to burst into the room. He barely had time to kick the blade under his bed before they stormed in to see what was the matter. Thinking quickly he made some lame excuse about sleeping on his leg wrong. Since then he had been in a rather thick brace that did not allow him to bend his leg at all, even when he slept. The only time it was removed was when he was in some sort of physical therapy.

He had tried again with the dagger managing to keep his cry silent this time. It took most of the time he was stuck bedridden to be able to hold the shield up for nearly a full minute before the pain forced him to stop. He found he also tended to feel some pain just holding it with his magic, though that went away the longer he practiced with it.

He had also developed another hobby in his boredom, at least once he could move around on his own and had the nurse's patrol schedules down.

=====================================================================

Glancing back at the darkened door to the gym he felt confident that he had not been spotted coming out to the training hall this late at night. He was still under orders for bed rest, though that was all he had been doing for months now. He needed to get out, to move around a bit before he went completely crazy. He could put his weight on his leg enough to try and do this so long as he didn't stress it too hard.

This was his fourth trip out. The past few nights had wound up being little more than practice at falling on his face. Stepping around the gym he gathered up a few training dummies positioning them as he remembered the fight.

Moving to where he had memorized the princess having been, he started forward trying to mimic her motions. Like every other night he wound up on his rump or face often without having struck a single target. He growled trying it again before the pain and the exertion forced him to rest.

Tonight was a little different as a realization struck him and he wound up slapping his face with a hoof at the simple obviousness of it. He finally figured out why he could not manage to glide across the battle field like she had. No wings. He cursed his own stupidity and tried to adjust for this problem and only fared a little better, though still not showing near the grace Princess Luna had.

=====================================================================

After a month sneaking out to train he could manage not to fall on his face and could take out all the targets, but it was clear his little dance number would not work in combat to do anything but make the enemy laugh at him.

He pondered continuing to try grace, before finally scrapping the idea. He was neither as nimble nor graceful as the princess. It was time to go with what he did know which was brute force and sword play. Of course being a much nosier training exercise, it had gotten him caught and put under a Nurse's watch to make sure he stayed in bed, until the doctors said so.

Thankfully his new stint as a prisoner was short lived, as only a day or so after he was caught he was summoned to Canterlot Castle by the Princess.

Dressed in his best uniform and a new brace, as the old one had been damaged fairly heavily from his nightly dance offs. He strapped his grandfather's sword to his side. He drew the gracefully curved blade free of its scabbard, briefly admiring the new dark blue wrap about the handle and the metal that had been polished to a shine in his boredom, before sheathing it and tucking the dagger into his saddlebag before stepping out the door.

A chariot with a pegasus Guard sat outside waiting for him to take him to the castle proper rather than letting him walk. Chatting with the soldier was a nice change from the doctors. The gray pegasus seemed to have a little trouble with his flying though not enough to worry Jer'rahd. While thanking him for the trip he did notice the pony's eyes didn't seem to point in the same direction as where he was looking.

As the pegasus flew off Jer'rahd was met by a small blue mare with neatly bunned pink hair dressed in a maid's outfit with a doily for a cutie mark. She proceeded to guide him though halls of Canterlot Castle.

The place was adorned with tapestries and crests of Royal Houses. A number of stained glass windows cast a rainbow glow across the floors of the great hall. He paused to catch his breath looking up at a window a pair of unicorns seemed to be working on that looked rather familiar with the rainbow colored ring taking up most of the top of it.

A slight cough from his guide spurned him back into motion. The maid seemed rather annoyed at having to wait up for him or keep the slow pace he was setting though she kept her comments to herself considering he was still wearing the brace on his leg.

Eventually she opened a pair of double doors leading to a small garden courtyard on the out side of the castle pointing him to a pair of figures resting on a dais that looked out over a larger garden behind the castle. Both figures had their gazes lifted skyward watching something in the air.

He started to glance up to see what they were looking at but all of a sudden the realization hit him just who he had been brought before.

The pair of graceful looking ponies were almost complete opposites of each other, a purple and black mare with a crescent moon on her flank sat next to a pure white mare with a golden sun adorning her flank.

His eyes widened as he watched the idle fluttering of the white mares' wings and the wavy motion of lights and colors that their manes and tails created for a second, for the first time wanting to be back in the hospital.

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, both of the Goddesses of ponykind, rested on the dais before him. He stood there frozen, for a moment, before a light kick to his back leg brought his eyes around to the small maid shooing him forward as she closed the door with a loud crash at his back hooves. He nearly jumped at the sound as the two regal forms glanced back spying him standing there.

“AH, SERGEANT KAISUR, WE ARE GLAD YOU COULD COME. PLEASE APPROACH US.” Luna all but bellows.

“I do not think you need to use the Royal Speech here, Sister, he seems in a state of proper shock and awe as it is.” said Celestia, chuckling.

“BUT THIS IS HOW WE.... this is how we are supposed to speak to our subjects. Tia.” Luna protested.

“When addressing more than one of them perhaps, but with this matter I doubt that being heard all the way to Ponyville would be wise.” Celestia smiles.

“You are correct as usual sister.” Luna sighs.

Princess Luna glances back in the air as Jer'rahd approached hesitantly. He was doing his best not to hobble, but the brace was on for a few more days at least and it was hard to walk properly with your leg stretched out fully. Princess Luna was by far the smaller of the two but that still put her a head or two taller than he was. Princess Celestia however likely would have towered over Rhede. He moved closer sinking down into a formal bow his horn nearly brushing the top of the grass.

“You..., you sent for me your Majesties?” Jer stutters.

“Do you still have the blade sergeant?” Luna questions directly.

“Of course Princess Luna I have kept it as you asked.”

“Good, please set it on the table there before us.” commanded Luna.

He nodded rising a bit glancing back and letting his magic wrap around the blade pulling it from his pouch and moving it to rest on the table as instructed. Both of the Alicorns' eyes widened as his magic set the blade down carefully before them.

“What?! How did you do that?” Luna questions.

“Oh, this is interesting. I think some pony might have been playing around with this item a bit, hmm sergeant?” Celestia chuckled.

Both of the Princesses turned to stare so intently at Jer'rahd that he felt like he was going to faint. He quite fervently wished they would either look elsewhere or else that the ground would swallow him up, anything that would let him fade back into obscurity.

“Well have you?” Luna questions.

“I … Ihaveabit PrincessLuna, IapologizebutwhenIfirstencounteredthisweaponmyshieldwasallbutshatteredbyit. ItbarelyheldtogetherenoughtodeflectthebladefromstrikeingyousoIhavebeenpracticeingwithitincaseIrunintosomethinglikeitagainsoicanblockitandkeepyoufrombeinghurtwithalittlemoreskillthanjustluckiamsorryifIwasnotsupposedtodoanythinglikethatbutyoudidnottellmewhatishouldbedoingand.......”Jer'rahd blurted out.

“Breathe, Sergeant, breathe. And do calm down a bit, neither of us are going to gobble you up or anything like that. Calm down and try that again. Make it like a report to a superior officer if you feel more comfortable.” Celestia said comfortingly.

Jer'rahd blinked at her words, exhaling deeply trying to collect his thoughts so he would not ramble in front of the Goddesses again.

“I am sorry Princess Luna, Princess Celestia. When I first encountered the weapon I used my shield to try and deflect a blow the Bone Hound directed at Princess Luna. The weapon shattered my shield and was barely slowed at all. Since then I have been testing the blade against my shield and have been able to hold it together for longer and longer periods of time. If I continued to practice with it perhaps in time I will be able to hold it off completely in case it is encountered again.” Jer'rahd states trying to keep from rambling again.

“Interesting, your personnel report said your magic was not that powerful.” Luna responds.

“It is not, Princess. I am only able to muster two spells one of which every unicorn knows and the other a shield spell.”

“Show me.”

“Yes Princess Luna.”

Jer'rahd's horn glowed as a large green panel formed between himself and the princesses Both of them regarding it idly as if trying to see something in the spell. Eventually though Celestia's gaze turned skyward again.

“Not bad Sergeant. You might only know two spells, but they are useful for your chosen field.", she paused for a moment, "The reason power was mentioned is because this metal tends to cancel magic that touches it. Only very powerful spell casters can even wiggle a piece this size. How long have you been able to move it with your magic?” Celestia asked.

“I do not know Princess. Usually, I simply hold it and stab at my shield I used to get a head ache from lifting it, but eventually that went away. I never really considered it something to think about before. I was trying to block the weapon, not wield it.”

“STARFALL, PLEASE COME BACK DOWN TO US WE HAVE A GUEST!"

Jer'rahd looks up finally seeing the silver form of his friend dropping down from the sky sweat glistening on her bare form. Panting, she landed hard and knelt before the Princesses before rising. Seeing Jer'rahd on his hooves, she smirked slightly.

“Nice to see you again, Jer'rahd, at least intact anyway. You do look like your about to pass out though.” Starfall chuckles.

“So do you. Either that or you have been flying through rain clouds.” Jer remarks.

“Oh good, I was right, you two do know each other. Starfall please take a rest and get some water before trying again.” said Celestia.

“Yes, Princess Celestia.”Starfall comments trotting over to the far side of the garden where a table had been set up with a bit of food and drink

Jer'rahd glances back watching her head off, before realizing the two alicorns were staring at him again. He froze snapping back into attention noting the smirk on the Princess of the Sun's face and the even stare of the Princess of the Moon.

“Do you know each other well Jer'rahd?” Celestia all but coos as Luna rolls her eyes.

“We trained together Princess Celestia. We also served together against the Bone Hounds.”

“Oh, is that all?” Celestia asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

He barely caught the hint that there might be something more to her question, though this was the Sun Goddess, surely she wouldn’t be implying things. He must be mistaken.

“Yes Princess Celestia we have been friends since training.”

“A pity, well that was not it then.” grumbled Celestia

“I am sorry, Princess I do not understand.” Jer'rahd blinks rather confused.

“What my sister is saying in a roundabout way is that Senior Airmare Silvertail has been unable to perform this Sonic Rain Boom a second time. The belief that you might have had some sort of romantic link to her and that she rushed to save you as she claimed had been considered. Though if your statement is true then that cannot be the case.” replied Luna.

“I see. No, Princess Luna, at best it might have been she felt she owed me for saving her from a cockatrice in training. Otherwise we are only friends.” Jer'rahd replies.

Starfall takes back off again climbing into the air with another nod to Jer'rahd.

“That might be an idea then. Sergeant Kaisur do you trust me?” Luna mutters tapping on her chin with a hoof.

“Of course Princess Luna. You trusted me enough to bring you that blade Princess. It would be unfair not to trust you the same.”Jer'rahd replies nearly automatically.

“Good please try to carry on a bit and make yourself more noticeable.” Luna replies her horn glowing.

“I am sorry Princess Luna I do not und.ERSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

Jer'rahd had not noticed her magic surrounding him suddenly launching him into the air with such force that his leg brace and his sword were left spinning in place where he had been standing before they fell to the ground next to the Princesses.

“That was a bit uncalled for, Lulu.” Celestia chided.

“If it works, it was not. Besides if it does not work he will still land in the lake.” Luna responds.

“Honestly Lulu, you should not have done that, he seemed to like you.” Celestia smirks.

“What!?!”Luna questions glancing from the sky and the screaming Kaisur to her sister then back.

“Oh, you didn’t notice? He was clearly watching your flank when he approached. I can't imagine why, as mine is so much better.” Celestia falsely pouts.

The sound of the air tearing can be heard as Starfall chases after the falling Jer'rahd.

“I do not know what you are talking about Tia.” Luna said with flushed cheeks trying to ignore her sister.

“Sure you don't, it seems you're somepony's favorite princess.” Celestia teases.

“Tia please....”

Luna's blush fades as the sound of Jer'rahd's screaming is drown out by a loud sonic boom followed by a wave of rainbow colored light before the lake explodes in a shower of water and steam, a multicolored cloud of mist rising from it. The aura ring radiating out from the point where the air was broken.

“You are right, that is pretty.” Celestia observes.

“And quite effective. The Diamond Dogs will surely surrender now that they see we can repeat the effect. She needs to work on control however. I doubt crashing into the ground every time is healthy.” Luna comments.

“Well so long as it stops the conflict I am quite content to allow you to use it. The leader was dealt with by you personally so the insurgent group of Bone Hounds is all but gone. Peace might be achievable once more Luna.” Celestia smiles.

“I suppose so, but when it is peaceful there is so little for me to do.” Luna sighed.

“Mmmm, well take a stallion, or a mare if your preference has changed, enjoy your self a little. It has been a long time.” teased Celestia.

Luna blushed again.

“There is still far too much to do to even bother thinking about that sort of thing..... even if I wished to.”

Celestia sighed, rising from the dais, the small, distant dots of a silver pegasus lifting a water logged unicorn out of the half emptied lake holding her interest briefly.

“You are still not over him and it has been over two thousand years sister. Every pony dies but us and even that is no longer certain if more of these weapons are made. No matter what happens you cannot seal yourself away from the pain. Avoiding the good things because there might be bad later is no way to live. I know you have been as you are for far shorter time than me, but I would have thought that as smart as you are you might have figured it out sister. Allow me to pass on something my predecessor told me. Do not give up your tomorrows because all of your yesterdays were bad, sister. What happens in the future will be here one day and what has happened in the past cannot be changed. Even we can only live in the now. “

“That is not easy advice to live by Tia.” Luna grumbled.

“Of course not, but it does mean that if some handsome stallion is trying for your attention you shouldn't avoid them or scare them off.” Celestia teased.

“Just being myself scares them off sister. I am a goddess of night, war, and all things normal ponies wish to avoid or hide from.”

“Not everyone is afraid of you sister.” Celestia smiles.

“Right. Even the stallion you claimed was watching my flank was trembling when I spoke to him.” Luna snaps back.

“Believe what you wish Lulu, but I do not like seeing you become more and more withdrawn every year.”

Princess Celestia headed back into the Castle leaving Luna alone with the approaching and quite waterlogged pair. Starfall's mane hid most of her face, but the grin on what was visible spoke volumes. Jer'rahd was simply trying to cough out what felt like half the lake.

“Trust is one thing Princess Luna. A bit of warning is another and would have been quite nice.” Jer'rahd coughed sounding a bit annoyed.

“My apologies to you both, but it had the desired effect. Do you know how you did it this time?” Luna questions.

Jer'rahd coughs as Starfall nods her grin seeming to get wider.

“Good, take the rest of the day off both of you.”

Princess Luna tilts her head slightly looking at the stallion as he shakes himself lightly trying to dry off before putting his sword back in its scabbard.

“Sergeant you may wish to put in for another dress uniform, that one seems to be disintegrating.” Luna commented.

He glances down at the tattered remains of his dress uniform cursing as Starfall laughs.

____________________________________________________________________

Twilight shook her head a bit dropping back out of the spell as her clock chimed twice. She was not expecting such a personal conversation from the princesses. Celestia's comment that there was another goddess before her, as well as the comments that Luna had come long after Celestia confused her. She knew Princess Celestia was older than Princess Luna but this vision indicated far more time than most thought. All her studies had shown that there was no one ruling before the sisters. Granted she also had not known about Princess Luna until a few years ago, so perhaps she had missed something or it was in the sealed book archive. Of course there was also the lack of information on the Five Beasts of the Moon, so perhaps there were no books before that time remaining where she could find them.

Arrgh!! Every time she learned something, five other things came in and brought even more questions.

She replaced the blade in its case, the reason for the familiar struggle with the weapon having been made clear by this vision, but the why of it still eluded her. Resolving to investigate further when she could, she blew out the candles and headed off to bed.

Author's Note

reworked and re posted aug 27th 2013

Editing assistance by StormyVenture

Red Sand [5]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Chapter 5
Red Sands

Twilight checked under her bed again, darting over to look in the closet, Nothing. She then went tearing around the house, she locked doors, closed and bolted windows, drew the curtains, closed the chimney flue and galloped back into the main room. She lit candles after blocking out the bright day outside and rechecked everything again to make certain it was secure.

Every single time she had tried to study lately someone or something always interrupted. This time though she was ready for anything. She sent Spike to help Pinkie Pie for the day, posted a big do not disturb sign on the door and sealed everything off so no one could get in.

This time she was going to get started on her studying early so she had more time to learn more about the sword and it's owner. Moving to the table she set up the spell and held it waiting , her ears perked. The noise from outside was the usual hum of ponies going about their daily business and none of it was loud enough to make out more than a murmurer. No Pinkie bursting in, no Rainbow Dash wanting to show her new tricks, no Cutie Mark Crusaders ransacking her library. It was still, it was quiet, and it was perfect.

She froze once more after thinking that expecting that she had jinxed herself, but when nothing happened she relaxed a little. She let the rest of the spell form and dove into her work.

============================================================================

The 42d legion, Luna's Hoof. A group of battle hardened ponies that could trace their companies history through every major battle all the way back to their formation in the Discordian War. The unit was under direct control of Princess Luna herself.

Other Guard units often were forced to answer to nobles or high ranking officers that had never even seen a battle field. The units were often mired down in legality and red tape. The 42nd had nothing of the sort. They were Princess Luna's personal forces, while much smaller than any other Guard unit they were the most feared by the enemies of Equestria, and even the other Guard units.

The 42nd was the strike force unit. They were the first into any situation, scouting and attacking the targets, testing the defenses and sometimes even ending the battle before the regular troops even got there.

The usual gold and blue of the Guard armor was replaced with black and dark blue, gothic sweeping points and spiked plate. The protection was the same as a normal Guards, but the armors design seemed to change how normal ponies looked making them seem much more demonic than they really were.

The unit was small because of what was required to get into the unit. In addition to needing to have served a combat tour, entry required a six month training session that made the Guard basic seem like a foal's summer camp. Despite this , every year saw nearly a hundred ponies attempt to gain entry into the unit. Whether for the prestige, the pay, or their dedication towards Equestria the unit never ran out of willing bodies.

Out of the mass that entered the training however it was not uncommon to have five or less pass and gain entry into the unit each year.

The group Jer'rahd Kaisur was part of, managed twenty three, breaking all known records by at least a bakers dozen.

A year after his recovery Jer'rahd had been invited personally to participate in the training for the 42nd.
He had no idea how to respond to the missive, and couldn't see himself saying no to the Princesses requests any way.

After he was examined and then cleared by medical he was thrown into a trail by fire type of training , where failure meant you were out.

Running, magical training,running,weapons training, running, weapons training,running, and pain tolerance to name a few of the ordeals. By the time everything was said and done Jer'rahd was the youngest pony who was still in the program and that was only by the skin of his teeth. He was nearly thrown out for his lack of magical ability as a unicorn, but he managed by surviving the earth pony training in better shape than the few unicorns who were left.

The real test came in the form of the squad matches. Having scored well enough on several leader ship tests he was placed in charge of a small force of nineteen other trainees and put through a gauntlet along with three other teams of ponies in the program.

A mock battle was set up in the wilds of the ever free putting the teams against more than triple their number of standard troops. His team followed the example of a few of their number and adopted a guerrilla tactical fighting style that was a mixture of Guard training and what he had seen the Bone Hounds practice. It was mostly hit and run as well as dirty tricks that most of the Guard ponies considered dishonorable at best, but the instructors allowed it to continue until the end of the time.

Jer'rahd's team had only lost two of their number in the mock combat, and another three were injured by the beasts of the Everfree. His team also had the highest 'kill' count in the mock battles and had also killed six cockatrice, three matacores and a hydra during the three weeks of the Gauntlet.

After another few tests, the record number of ponies to pass the training found out what the 42nd was really looking for in it's soldiers.

Skill was important, but above all else the 42nd wanted ponies who had no qualms ,nor hesitation to kill what ever their enemy was.

Ponies were not meant for war, most could barely stand the thought of hurting pest animals, it was therefore impossible to think many would be able to kill creatures that could think and speak like they could.

Ponies were not predators, they were not warriors. The rare killings from things like anger or jealousy were often thought flukes, as the average pony could not even contemplate killing another unless their friends or loved ones were threatened

The 42d wanted ponies who could put aside their morality to do terrible things, to become the stuff of nightmares, so that the rest of Equestria could sleep safely.

After graduation and a promotion the rank of Sergeant for his abilities shown during training the graduates were given a week down time. During the lull Jer'rahd found out what happened to Starfall, though not Rhede.

The pegasus had been sent back to the Diamond Dog front after mastering the Sonic Rain Boom. Most of her time was spent repeating the maneuver and blasting the country side with the effects shaking the very foundation of the hidden Bone Hound encampments, and most of the Diamond Dog Territories as well.

The Dogs complained and threatened the pony ambassadors, demanding the sonic attacks cease. Finally having a position of bargaining power over the dog the ambassadors took full advantage of it. The ambassadors simply claimed the testing was done over Equestrian lands and they had no reason to cease until the Bone Hounds were all defeated. The arguments barely lasted a week before the Diamond dogs started agreeing with whatever was asked just to get the high pitched noise to stop. The remaining Bone Hounds were rounded up and turned over to Equestrian forces, many of them having simply given themselves up to get away from the noise. Most of their will to fight was already gone after the death of their leader and the sonic attacks simply drove the point home.

With the War on the Diamond Dog front all but concluded, Jer'rahd was shipped to another hot bed of conflict along the borders of southern Equestria and into the Zebralands.

He was assigned to a unit of the 42nd that was on route there.

The Zebralands were a vast stretch of scrub plains and deserts, dotted with large swaths of jungle around all the water ways. It was one of the largest countries on Equus, but also the most unstable politically. For most of it's history there was no one leader, simply a large number of warlords who fought each other for power and rose and fell from said power some times in a matter of months. Most of the population for this country was along the wide rivers flowing through the country or in one of the oasis that dotted the scrub land. The landscape was mostly flat though a few tall mountains did break the surface soaring into the air higher than even Canterlot's own Maneterhorn. The few explorations of the place conducted by ponies showed a number of these mountains were volcanic in nature, though most were dormant. A great deal of the jungles had been cleared, some of them for crops , some for towns or fortresses, though with the turbulent change that happened often in the region there were a great many ruins around.

All of that changed five years ago with the rise of Warlord Zal'Torack. For the first time in centuries all of the Zebralands became united under one leader. Zal'Torack created an army never before seen in the zebra lands as he was more than willing to allow mares to fight, and have a say under his rule. His ranks swelled with a number of mares who wished a change in the way things in the country were run. His opponents laughed and dismissed his forces at first thinking a host of mares with only a few real male soldiers would be a easily dismissed force, something to defeat with barely any effort.

The first few years of the Zebra wars showed this was not the case. Zol'Torack's army rode over his opponents forces like a sand storm and left nothing bout bodies on pikes in their wake, accepting any that would follow the Warlord and destroying any that refused.

At the end of the Zebra War there was only one Warlord left in the Zebralands. Zol'Torack took a seat of power in the center of the Zebralands and had a castle built atop an old Mesa that had once been a shrine in the middle of the jungle. He set about writing new laws and expanding education and learning across the Zebralands. He also took a number of wives and sired a host of foals from them.

All of this changed near the end of the fourth year. Zol'Torack decided that there were large swaths of fertile land than could be claimed in the name of the Zebra Empire that would make excellent farm land for his subjects.

He didn't seem to mind that the lands he wanted were already claimed by both the Diamond Dog Empire and Equestria. His plan was to take control and fortify the lands he stole while Equestria and the Diamond Dog Nation were distracted by their own conflict.

However the sudden appearance of the Sonic Rain Boom collapsed the Diamond Dog front and left The Equestrian Guard to focus all their attention on the warlord.

The Diamond Dogs did nothing forcing Equestria to deal with these attacks on their own. The first encounters with the Warlords forces were unlike anything Equestria had faced before. Zebra's had very little magic on their own and had thus relied on alchemy and Shamanistic natural hedge spells for their offense and defense.

The more foolish of the Guard's leaders though the 'savages ' would be no match for unicorn magic and enchanted weapons. The airborne poisons and acids that were used in a strange sort of chemical warfare decimated most of the initial border Guard units.

It did not take long for counter spells to be made available just in time for the weapons to change and a new counter needed to be developed. The 42d was deployed in the middle of all this, spear heading the push deeper into the Zebralands. The vicious nature of the attacks and support from pegasi air units pushed the Zebra's back to the warlords home city.

For every league gained many lives were lost, the 42d taking the majority of these losses, turning an already small unit into a skeleton of its former size. Luna halted the rush opting to dig in and cut off supplies from the warlord rather than push into the jungle itself. Barriers and trenches were set up in the lands surrounding the city and its thick forest. The siege had begun,with the warlords forces holed up in the thick jungle. Zal'Torack was not finished however and his own forces dug in just as deep refusing to allow another gran of sand to be lost to Equestrian forces.

Which brings us to now.

“DRAG HIM BACK INTO THE TRENCH KEEP YOUR HEADS DOWN !!”

Another spell explosion rocked the earth flinging dirt and sand into the air, bits of rock and sand showering over the green shield half covering the trench Jer'rahd walked along. A small group of troops darted up over the wall and grabbed a screaming earth pony yanking him back into the trench

A direct hit had broken through one of the shield spells over the trenches and sent a number of ponies flying out of cover. The barrier had been enough to shield them from the worst effects of the spell bomb, but there were still severe injuries.

He looked into the sky at one white cloud floating high above the battle field and stepped aside as the injured pony was carried into the bunker. Several others who had been flung out of the trench were nursing wounds, or in two cases, being covered with their own blankets to keep the flies away from their cooling forms.

He could cover a large section of the trench with his own shields but direct hits or even near direct still broke through. What ever the zebra's were using was strong enough to punch through most magical defenses.

The trenches they were in were within clear sight of the forest along what once had been the main road that ran to the warlords castle as a major trade route. The bunker was set up to stop movement along the road and the river that ran along side of it into the forest. Unfortunately the fortification also seemed to be one of the prime targets for the Zebra's artillery.

After several weeks at the front Jer'rahd had received two battle field promotions and was currently the second highest ranking pony in the unit.

The highest ranking pony was currently perched atop of the wall screaming curse words at the zebra's attacking while the artillery shells rained down around them.

Jer'rahd offered a look back at the screaming earth pony, Purple Candy he believed. The colt should survive, he would lose the mangled stump that remained of his left forelimb , but he would live, if any of them did.

“Sir, would you come down please before one of these rocks hits you?” Jer'rahd shouts up at the cussing pegasus.

“So Staff Sergeant . Are we having fun yet ?” the pony smirks looking down at Jer'rahd before hopping back down the wall with a flutter of his one wing.

The graying commander had a wide grin that was usually only seen on the truly mad plastered across his face. He was called, The Major, what his real name was no pony but he and Princess Luna likely knew, but everyone in the Guard knew who The Major was. He had served in the 42d longer than any other pony save the Princess and her Generals, having been with the 42nd since the end of the Dragon war. He was a teal pegasus with a coat streaked with gray and scars including a very large one where his left wing had been before a griffon had ripped it off in the northern war. He seemed content to be ground bound only occasionally making comments that made one think he would love to fly again. The Major had claimed to know Jer'rahds father and had taken him under his wing so to speak, getting Jer'rahd transferred under his squads command. Jer'rahd eventually proved to the older pony that not only could he hold his own but had a head for leadership. The Major made Jer'rahd his second in command though the duties mostly would up being carrying messages to the troops and preventing the Major from doing something insane. And of course there was also the time he saved the pony's old flank when The Major decided to launch a daring midnight raid on a zebra outpost by himself because it might be fun. Of course The Major had taken down half of the outposts guards by the time Jer'rahd led the rest of squad to his rescue, so perhaps, while the pony was nuts he clearly was skilled and had the luck of the Goddesses. The Major had on several other occasions proven he was crazier than any one else as well. Charging through explosions, leaping off cliffs,and generally doing anything he could to make Jer'rahd's job of keeping him alive a near imposable task.

“By Celestia's pearled horn, you are crazy sir.” Jer'rahd states as if it was known fact.

“Whats yer point sergeant?” The Major questions.

“Got one on my head, but that’s about it sir. Any word from command.”

Jer'rahd nodded to the com box next to the Major , the older pegasus pony simply shrugging.

“Same crap, as always. Seems the Stripes are pulling this up and down the lines,constant bombardment. Nothing new. Hows the shield holding up, seems to be keeping out the rain at least.”

“I've got this area covered and I’m good for a few hours sir, mostly bored. Still these shields can't take anything heavier than the rain it seems.”

“Bah, still glad for that, I'd be picking pebbles and dirt out of my mane for a month with all this stuff flying about. Spotter noticed anything yet ?”

“No sir, Hes still in the air being kept up by the AA weapons .”

“Stripes probably bought those damn things from the dogs.”

Jer'rahd gestures up with a hoof to the lone cloud floating above the battle field . A weather pegasus spotter his eyes on the battle field below ready to signal with lightning the moment anything was noticed. Most ponies had been trained to recognize lightning flash code, this method of communication was a rather recent idea but had helped immensely with communication among forces, removing the reliance on the gem com units.

“Bet hes doing well for himself must be nice and cushy up on that cloud.” the Major muttered to himself in a some what wistful tone.

“Dunno sir but........, hang on. “ Jer'rahd states looking up at the cloud at the roll of thunder that was barely heard over the explosions. The flashes of light seemed random, however by this point he could read them like a second language.

“Forces incoming Zebra line advancing.” Jer'rahd reads off.

Climbing back up the slope to look over the top of the trench a force of black and white stripped individuals could be seen rushing across the battlefield as the spell bombs slowed to a stop with a last few crashes.

“Ready the troops Sergeant we need to meet them just after they hit the fence line. There's too many holes in the fortification if they get closer than that they can get into the trenches and there's too many wounded in here right now that would be easy pickings. Sound it off sergeant.“ The Major states flatly.

“42nd ON YOUR HOOVES! WE HAVE INCOMEING, PREPARE TO MEET THE CHARGE KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE LINE.”Jer'rahd bellows his ears perking at the return shouts from among the troops.

“LETS SHOW THEM HOW MUCH WE ENJOYED THEIR FIREWORKS, SARGE!”
“BOUT TIME!”
“WAS GETTING A BIT BORED SITTING IN THIS HOLE SARGE.”
“REALLY? BUT I JUST SETTLED IN FOR A NAP WITH HOW PEACEFUL ITS BEEN.”
“TIME TO GIVE THESE PARTY CRASHERS THE BUCKING THEY CAME FOR!”

Jer'rahd smirked at the return shouts. To serve this long under the Major was to give up a little bit of sanity.

“On your word sir.”

The major watched, dark eyes shifting over the charging group, his teeth grinding a bit on the stalk of wheat he was chewing, eyes narrowing as they ran past the fence line closing on the trench line.

“NOW!!! MOVE MOVE MOVE!” The Major hollers.

A good fifty some ponies rose up over the embankment including Jer'rahd and the Major, galloping forward across the crater filled landscape towards the attacking zebras.

This far into the conflict left Jer'rahd with enough sense of things that the Major practically let him run the unit. Every pony there knew who he was and what he could do , just as he could name each and every one of them as well as a number of notable things about them. Such as Bluesy Tone being a skilled trumpet player, or Green Gable having a husband and a foal back home she left to serve. While it made the bond between the group stronger it also made the morale worse when one was injured or killed.

This was only a small part of the overall 42nd, a scant fifty five ponies out of the hundreds of 42nd and thousands of regular Guard. Jer'rahd had worried greatly about being dumped into all this , but the major called it a learning experience and wasn't too hard on him when he screwed up, unless he repeated a mistake.

Jer'rahd had great respect for the pegasus, he had yet to let a crippling injury, nor age stop him from serving, usually from the front. He was the sort of leader that was easy to identify with and one that easily earned respect by not thinking himself above anything he would have his own troops do.

The line of ponies charged over the short span of scorched earth to meet the charging Zebra's .Weapons brandished, horns powering up and brought to bare against the raging stripped forces. The attacks were completely ineffective as the first blow dissolved the zebra to green mist more blows revealing the same.

“ITS A TRAP!!ILLUSION, PRESS FORWARD!! DON'T STOP GET UNDER THE ARC OF FIRE!!” screams the Major as the high pitched whistle of the incoming artillery spells were heard.

Jer'rahd kept rushing towards the tree line along with the Major the troops right behind him all of them ignoring all sense of caution as they galloped head long towards the jungle's edge. Explosions crashed down behind him taking out a few of the ponies who had been shocked by the illusions and didn't move fast enough or hesitated thinking to return to the cover of the trenches. Most of them however were used to the insanity displayed by their leader and rushed towards the woods without even pausing to think about it. The spell bombs exploding behind them did not even receive a glance as the remaining troops plowed into the tree line meeting the real force of zebra's there ready and waiting for them.

The soldiers of the 42nd screamed out with roars and cries like demons and they plowed into the zebra ranks blades and magic ripping into their foes.

Jer'rahds sword drank deep of zebra blood as he and the Major spear headed the attack moving like a dervish against the striped defenders. They pressed on harder pulling away from the brunt of their troops the pair broke into a clearing just as a large wooden machine launched another bomb. Several other machines like it were being manned by a number of zebra's loading bombs and firing the catapults They had found one of the artillery sites.

A slight nod was given to Jer'rahd as the Major rushed the machine as it was reloading leaving Jer'rahd to charge the guards around the device. His magic flared , a panel forming giving the Major a ramp to leap off of onto the zebras manning one of the devices. The remaining troops caught up laying into the zebra's surrounding the others.

Things were going rather well, the unit had surprised the crap out of the zebras by rushing on ward instead of falling back. However surprise doesn't last for ever and more zebra's were pouring out of the jungle. One of the zebras managed to grab the major by his remaining wing as they fought for control of the catapult and yanked him down into the device just as another yanked the lever flinging The Major, the zebra he was fighting , and another spell bomb into the air.

“Major!!” Jer'rahd screams out his blade whipping about ending the life of the zebra mare who had fired the device.

He turned back glaring at the on rushing forces noticing a injured zebra hobble over to the collection of glowing, pony sized barrels of liquid. Jer'rahd's eyes widened as he watched the wounded zebra bring up his hooves and slam them down cracking and shattering the cask , a gout of flame engulfing the zebra was the only warning he received.

He threw up a series of shields quickly trying to protect himself and his remaining troops as the entire pile of barrels exploded in a hell of magical flame and heat.

The force of the blast setting off several other bomb piles and vaporized the machines and anything near them. He felt his shields shatter as he wand the others were flung back away from the blast. Soaring through the air he knew he hit what felt like every tree in the damn jungle before one of them finally broke his flight and he crashed to the ground at it's roots.

The first thing he noticed was the ringing in his ears. He felt sure he blacked out at some point, though he could hear the sounds of movement around him in the rubble. He heard a number of curses in Equestrian and smirked to know he had managed to save at least some pony.

He slowly pushed himself up to his hooves, his whole body wracked in pain, one of his eyes already swollen shut. He tentatively reached out with his magic , feeling for his sword and finding the blade embedded in a tree nearby. He barely managed to yank it free of the wood before his horn fizzled out forcing him to pick the weapon up and sheath it with his teeth.

He shifted his gaze around noting one or two of his unit were laying near by one groaning soft curses, the other at least breathing. Taking a sharp breath that sent another wave of pain along his chest he couldn't help but smirk slightly at the blue flames lapping at the edge of the clearing. One less artillery piece for the zebras to use. Although the cost might have been too much in terms of lives, he needed to find out where every one was and get a head count enough to fall back before more of the zebra's arrived.

His good eye narrowed seeing movement coming out of the remaining tree line already, a hooded figure, clearly a zebra judging by the striped muzzle and exposed hooves. It didn't seem armed but that hardly mattered. The figure looks over the wreckage with a shake of their head. The figure glances down pushing something on the ground lightly, a moment later it pulled a unicorn from his unit out from under some debris. The pony seemed to be breathing, for now at least, and Jer'rahd was going to make damn sure he stayed that way. Like hells he was going to let a solider from his unit die like this while he could do something about it. He ignored the pain and rushed forward across the clearing towards the zebra, if nothing else he was was going to gore the damned creature with his horn.

The zebra looks up, a few locks of strangely bouncy hair falling from under the hood as the face of a mare stares blankly at him as he thundered down atop of her.

The next moment she simply wasn't there any more. He tried to stop stumbling and nearly falling over himself. He dropped down to a foreleg with a wince straining to push himself back up right and look around for the mare. Where the buck had she vanished too?

A few light taps along his blinded side between the rents blown into his light armor caused him to whip to the side suddenly lashing out with a hoof , to strike nothing but air, the zebra mare standing just out of his reach looking at him. He moves to rush her again when his legs seem to stop working , forcing him to crash dropping him with a hard crash to the ground that brought enough pain from his chest that all he saw was red and the approaching blackness of unconsciousness . He lifts a head managing a growl at the zebra as she looks down at him.

“Admirable that the pony, seeks to help his kin, But such a mess he left here, where can I even begin.”the zebra mare chimes.

And then the world went dark.

Jer'rahd awoke to screams, blood curdling cries that seemed the very thing of nightmares. He jerked upright tumbling off to crash into the ground with lances of pain coursing through his causing him to tense up and freeze in place where he collapsed on the ground. Another scream got him moving again , though his body protested against his determination. He swears loudly pushing himself to his hooves barely managing to open his eyes against the jolts of pain. He only manages one eye as the other wasn't responding, skewing his depth perception, granted the darkness of where he was didn't help.

The was a faint light that his eye quickly adjusted too from a few small lamps and the silver glow of the moon that lit up the top of what appeared to be a large tent. He glances down at the cot he fell off of then over to the pony that was on the cot next to his. The mare's whole left side was wrapped in cloth, the linen stained dark with blood as the mare struggles. His gaze turns hearing move meant around him, noting a number of other ponies he didn't recognize , all with various injuries laying on the cots around him in the tent.

Moving closer to the screaming pony he visibly winced looking down at the injured pegasus mare . She was not from his squad though there was a ruined set of Guard armor at the end of her bed dumped into a box. The steel appeared melted along one side, hinting at the injury she had sustained.
The unit patch on one side was intact marking her as a member of the 63rd , something that was a bit of a surprise as he was unaware the 63rd airborne was involved in this war yet. Starfall was a part of that legion and they were still on the Diamond Dog front.

“She had been through much pain, she is over the worst, all she has left is gain.”

Jer'rahd whirls around and promptly falls back to the floor with a thunderous crash, he inhales sharply at the pain, the effort seeming to make the anguish double. He shook on the floor not able to stop a coughing fit, a coppery taste meeting his lips. A brief glance down showed the splatters of blood on the floor and his forelegs.

“Although your blood ruined several bibs, the powder I gave you is healing your ribs.”

He lifted his head, ears flattening as he looked up into the face of the zebra speaking. She looked like the typical zebra to him, black and white stripped with some obscure sort of symbol as a cutie mark on her flank. She wore no jewelry, unlike most of the other zebra's he had seen and her hair was not up in the usual spiky or braided mane styles he was used to seeing, but was instead falling in waves over her head and was almost what one could call 'poofy'. Her tail was the same way , though cut shorter than her mane, and aside from a red bandana that held her hair from her face, she was unadorned.

The mare seemed to ignore him after her speech, moving around his fallen form,carrying a tray across her back with some steaming bowls. She shifted suddenly the tray seeming to float a moment where she had stood before she whipped back catching it in her mouth setting it on the edge of the screaming mares bed.

“So what we're all zebra prisoners now.”Jer'rahd growls.

“Not a cell to be seen in sight, why must you ponies always seek a fight?” the mare responds not even looking at him as he struggled to stand again.

“And whats with the rhyming.”

“The pony language is absurd, the rhyming helps me to find the proper word.”

Jer'rahd pondered that a moment moving closer to the bed and watching the zebra pour the broth from the bowl down the throat of the whimpering mare. The zebra did have a point, there were no cells here and he had to spare a second glance around, but his armor and blade were sitting in a basket at the foot of the cot he had been on. This was something very strange.

“Who are you?” he questioned.

“She's the Goddess blessed Specter, Sarge.” states a voice behind him.

He turned slowly, shuffling as he tried to ease the pain of his movements. His eye locked on a pony raising a hoof from one of the beds nearby waving him over. Leaving the zebra to feed the unicorn, he hobbled over to the stallion on the bed recognizing the gold maned earth pony from his unit. His injuries seemed some what minor compared to his own and the unicorns, mostly a few burns and his leg in a cast. He scanned the room noting many others covered in bandages or with blankets pulled over their heads trying to hide from the screaming.

“Nice to see some one else survived that explosion Corporal.”

“Pie Sergeant. Just call me Pie.”

“Isn't your first name Banan...”

“Just Pie will do Sergeant if you don't mind. I think with the exception of The Major, just about every one who went in with him survived the blast. I think she only brought the worst of the injured here though. We're missing a few I know I saw moving around back there. From what I’ve seen she's already sent a few back that she patched up. I honestly wasn't sure you were gonna even wake up. It's been four days. Thought you might be as bad off as the lieutenant over there.”

“Four days? I've been out for four days” Jer'rahd asks in a bit of shock. “What in the name of Celestia's mane is going on, Pie? You said she was the Specter? You mean that supposed ghost of the battle field that’s been reported?”

“Yep in the flesh as it were.” Pie smirks. “ Her name as near as I can tell is Velkorn there was a lot of zebra gibberish mixed in when she told me and that’s all I could pull out as a name, probably the rest was titles and so forth, I dunno how they do it. From what me and some of the others here can tell she's been grabbing any one off which ever field she's near. She brings the ones she can't patch on the spot back here for healing Whatever sort of crap she puts into that stuff she feeds us works wonders even if it tastes like moldy hay.”

“So what your simply sitting here being ministered by the enemy? “ Jer'rahd grumbles

“She ain't the enemy sarge, she's not with us, but she's not with the Warlord either. Seems to be a neutral party in this conflict. She helps whoever needs it. Not every pony in this tent is a pony, quite a few zebras in here too. Most of them are in no shape to start a fight, but I’ve seen one that did. Watched her barely touch the stripe and he fell over out cold. He was turned out soon after, guess she figured if he was healthy enough to fight he was healthy enough to leave.“

“I find it hard to believe shes been doing this on her own, the reports of the battle field specter have been going on since this conflict began. “

“Sounds crazy but you also have to think of how many reports of missing ponies there are that have turned back up after vanishing from a battle. I remember there was quite a few AWOL reports till it was made clear they all had been injured, and then healed. That mares become something of a legend for both sides. She's got a few patients sticking around a bit to help out, that’s how we all got back here. “

“Not a lick of this makes any sense. Corporal”

“And yet here we are in a strange tent in the middle of the night being tended by a strange zebra when by all rights we should be dead in a field somewhere. Not much of a off the wall sort of thinker are you Sarge.” Pie smirks.

“I prefer facts to guesses .”

“ After all the time you spent with the Major, well I guess some one needed a level head out of the pair of you. Still you should ask her directly then, She doesn't seem to mind answering questions so long as you don't get violent about it, she'll likely kick yer busted up flank from here to Cincinagi. Your best bet though is to head back to bed, its late enough as it is. She's likely only even awake to tend the Lieutenant.”

“I would like more answers first before I am comfortable enough to sleep.”

“Suit yourself Sarge.”

Jer'rahd turns using his magic to lift his sword from the basket to at least put it on a bit blinking a moment as his horn flares weakly the green glow barely forming around the sheathed weapon before fading out. He tries again with the same result.

“What the...?”

“A unicorns magic is dangerous ,this is true, It has been muted with the help of my brew.” Velkorn states.

What?!”

“The medicine shes been giving subdues a unicorns magic power. Not a bad idea in truth we do it too, can you imaging if some one as bad as the LT there still had access to their powers in a feverish state? They'd likely wreck the place.” Pie chimes in.

“You're way to calm about all of this Corporal. And a bit more knowledgeable than you should be.”

“Sarge, I know a lot of stuff and I hear a lot more. Its been a rough three days for you pretending to be dead and all. Settle down before you hurt yourself more, your already sweating from the effort. Sides what ever she gave me for the pain has got me not feeling a bucking thing sarge. You should try to get some sleep, demanding answers isn't gonna change anything for you.”

Ignoring this Jer'rahd moves over to the basket hiding his wince slinging the harness over his head letting his sword hang loosely at his side not feeling the urge to tighten it on over the bandages. Moving closer to the Zebra mare as she finishes pouring the potion down the unicorns throat.

“So what happened to her? Wheres the rest of her squad?” he starts to demand, though his tone softens a bit towards the end.

“In Zal'Torack's death spell she was caught, for her teammates I could do naught.”

The Zebra watched him fiddle with the straps a bit more shaking her head at the action.

“For three full days you utter not a peep, now you wake when I want sleep.” Velkorn sighs.

He narrowed his eye watching her put the bowls back on the tray flipping the wooden server up and onto her back again. She trotted off to the edge of the tent dropping them into a small pile of other dishes. She glanced back at Jer'rahd who had yet to do more than follow her with his gaze.

“I understand your bit of fright, but no harm will come to you this night.” Velkorn placates

She kept her gaze level with his a moment before she finally sighed with a grumble in her own language and ducked out of the tent. Jer'rahd pondered a bit looking over the sleeping forms in the tent before glaceing back to the panting pegasus as what ever drugs were in the broth started to take effect and her breathing eased.

Out of the twenty five cots in the tent, he could see only three were empty, eight held zebras and the rest held ponies. All of them were in varying stages of injury, some snores here and there. A few of them lifted their heads to look over at him for a moment, one or two offered slight waves or half salutes before laying back out on their cots. Two of the zebras kept their eyes on him as if waiting to see if he was a threat. When he finally sat back down the pair viably relaxed and dropped back down onto their cots.

He slowly shifts himself onto the cot, trying to lay back down comfortably and mostly failing, though at least there were no more lances of pain. He doubted that this was as idyllic as it seemed, regardless of some how living three days while asleep. If it was true he owed the mare his life, if it was some sort of a trap, well best to be ready regardless.

He had been through a great deal because of the zebra's, while he knew not all of them served the warlord most of them avoided having anything to do with the conflict. To have one go out of their way to help and save anyone they could seemed like a fantasy. No one did that sort of thing in the middle of a conflict. This zebra either had some sort of ulterior motive or she was the most compassionate creature on the the planet.

For the second time he woke with a start, though not from screaming. This time it was from the clank of dishes and the smell of food cooking.

Jer'rahd had not meant to doze off but it had seemed inevitable he would after finally managing to get comfortable, at least he didn’t hit the ground when he woke this time. Raising his head a little, he watched a few of the more mobile patients moving about cleaning or checking on the ones that were bed ridden. Bedpans were changed as well as dressings and bed linens, pony's and zebra's went about the tasks without seeming to care who they were helping. There was little talking between the ponies and zebras but they still managed to go about the tasks, as if it was a unspoken rule to get as much done as they could. He could see he wasn't the only one wearing a weapon, though most, it seemed chose not to be armed despite having their weapons in the basket at the end of their cots. He slipped off the cot seeing a few of the ponies approaching him, he saw no sense in being ministered by others when he was awake enough to do it himself now. He didn’t recognize their unit though they offered a polite nod evidently not much for talking, or it might have been more they were not sure how to address him at this point in a non combat situation. He had made a bit of a ruckus last night and he was not sure what his standing could be considered here. He let the ponies go about their work checking on the unicorn LT, seeing she was still asleep, and not showing signs of pain.

He hobbled over to where Corporal Pie had been, seeing the cot empty, but neatly made. One of the zebras that had been watching him before pointed him towards the flap the zebra mare had gone into the night before. Nodding a bit in a reflexive thanks he managed a few steps before starting to wonder if he was still drugged with something. Despite the war he couldn't bring himself to harbor any ill will towards the zebra's in the tent. He paused a moment thinking about The Majors death and felt the rage building, he stifled it just as quickly, ruling out the drugged option wondering if simply seeing them as something other than the enemy had something to do with the lack of urge to fight.

Pushing the flap open and walking gingerly into the room beyond he was surprised by the sight of a few more patients moving around a modern, if piece meal, kitchen. Another set of flaps to the right were pulled open and lead out to a large fire pit with a large metal slab over the flames. Pots and pans bubbled and simmered over this large outdoor grill, that looked as if it had been made by dragging stones from the surrounding area. The large metal grilling surface seemed to have been part of a zebra anti air catapult in its previous life. The enclosed portion of the tent held a pump sink stacked high with dishes and various hodgepodge cabinets of different make and build that seemed over flowing with various plants and herbs. Nothing he readily identified, but he was neither a cook nor a doctor. A pegasus and a zebra were working on the dishes as he passed, heading towards the outside. Once there he noted a braided black tail whipping lightly as the zebra mare wandered among the pots. A few of the other patients milled around helping her as she prepared the meals mixing potions into certain things and just working on broth with the others. The patients did not bother with the pots and pans working instead to keep the fire going occasionally taking a breather as injures got to be too much.

“Morning Sarge. Don't suppose you're here to help, though I doubt with the shape you're in you would be up for chopping wood.”

He greeted the corporal with a blank stare, simply watching him for a bit as if he was some sort of exotic creature, before hobbling out and away from the cook pit wandering along the side of the tent. His monocular gaze scanned over the jungle around them, and the lay out of the camp, taking in everything he could. The Corporal shrugged, kicking another log on the fire. Jer'rahd glanced back before rounding the corner of the large tent noting the zebra mare was watching him.

Jungle lots of jungle, that was all that seemed to be any where around this place. The tent itself was much like the kitchen, a great many different types of canvas sewn haphazardly together to make the whole thing bigger. A few trees brushed over the tops of the tent offering it cover from the air as well as shade, granted with the colors chosen one would have to be close to know this tent was not jungle itself.

Rounding the next corner to what he assumed was the front, he found he needed to take a small breather. While it felt good to be moving his chest ached painfully from even that slight exertion. The front of the tent faced a small river, a wooden raft rested on the bank pulled up enough to be out of the current. A few ponies and zebras sat on the bank holding what looked like fishing lines dipped into the water. Observing for a while, content to catch his breath he watched one of the injured zebras pull a fish from the river yanking it deftly off the hook and dropping it into a basket. A wounded pegasus caught something as well but was no where near as skilled with his hooves to remove it as neatly as the zebra did.

When his sides and leg stopped acing he pushed forward again, stopping at the tent flap and looking up at the mass of symbols stitched into the front flaps of the tent. He recognized only one of the over two dozen symbols sewn onto the flap, the red cross of the Equestrian Medical Services. One of them he was sure was the same mark as was on the zebra mares flank, however he was unsure what it was called. He managed another few steps before his body decided that was enough for now. He managed another few steps before sinking down in what seemed like a cozy looking spot of grass, his eyes closed as he tried to ignore the pain running through him. His head snaps up at a loud cry above him and he caught site of a rather large black bird of some kind, either a crow or a raven, he really had no clue which might live around here.
His gaze left the bird at the faint thunder of hooves from beside the tent, the zebra mare quickly rounded the corner skidding to a stop with a glance to the bird and then to him, before she started approaching him slowly.

“So you have a bird watching me ?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Not afraid you would run away, more afraid you might somehow extend your stay.” Velkorn responds looking down at him.

“I've had worse.”

“I do not think that a ideal boast, you look much like a cat's scratching post.”

“ Been called worse too. So what is this place? Why bring everyone here and better still how are you keeping them from trying to kill each other?”

“Once again to my chagrin, so many questions, where to begin. All of that which your eye sees, is hidden deep within the trees. To aid the others is my goal, to do otherwise would stain my soul. Peace is easy without price, just remove the ones who won't play nice.”

He mulled over that a little, working on deciphering it.

“So what, do you have this little talk with everyone who comes here? Or just the ones you knock out?”

“You did not halt to save your own skin, even injured you rushed to kin.”

“They are part of my squad under The Major.... well under my command now I suppose. I couldn't allow them to be captured while I could still move...... lot of good that did me.”

“Four broken ribs, a wounded eye, where you not afraid to die?”

“No, more afraid some one else would die if I didn't do something.”

“Do or die, triumph or bust, is there a reason for such trust.”

“Here I thought I was supposed to be asking the questions. Besides I am not sure if your asking me to trust you or why I serve. So I'll just answer the first . What ever it is your putting in my food to cut out my magic, stop it. For right now I can only go by what I see and whats going on. Quite a lot of this is suspect to me still, if you are what it seems, then it's a Celestia blessed miracle. Though its my job to expect the worst first and go up from there as more information presents itself.”

“No violence from you I will expect, if your magic I do not affect.”

“I promise I won't instigate anything, but I will also promise that I will defend Equestrian troops if some one else does.”

“I suppose that will have to do, at least it seems your words ring true. I will cease the use of that special brew, though I must go now, too much to do.”

“Right I plan to sit here a while, if you need anything else.”

“Now that I know you are not hostile, you should relax, you will be here a while.” Velkorn turned trotting away with a last glance towards him before she rounded the tent corner.

He closed his eye with a sigh almost deflating as he tried to position himself in the warm patch of grass where it would cause the least pain. The sunlight filtering in through holes in the canopy felt good against his back and shoulders.

This was his fourth day here. Did every one already think he was dead like the Major? Would any one really be that torn up by it aside from Starfall and Rhede? Would they even hear about it any time soon? In his condition there was little he could do about it anyway. He wasn't sure he believed this Velkorn just yet, there was just as much reason to trust her as there was not to.

The Specter of life. Interesting title placed on the mare, how much of what was said about her was true? She didn't seem to have so much as a mark on her yet there were several reports of her being in the middle of an explosion or spell blast only to be seen later dragging some other soul away.
Taking him down like she had he knew she was quick, but he didn't see how she would be quick enough to not get killed in the middle of a war zone while pulling some one else out. Forget The Major's luck, this Zebra had to have been thrice blessed by both Goddesses to have lived this long.

Several weeks passed and true to the zebra's word, Jer'rahds magic slowly returned. He was managing to get around better and had not coughed up blood again since that first day, the unicorn mare was looking better as well, sleeping easier at least and not waking up screaming as often. Jer'rahd had taken to administering the unicorns medicine himself when she did wake up at night, letting the zebra sleep. If nothing else it gave him something to do.

Occasionally Velkorn would take the raft up river along with a few of the less injured patients. Some times she would return with supplies or more wounded. More often than not some of the ponies that went with her did not come back. It was during one of these trips that Pie left. Jer'rahd was rather sad to see him go , though he wasn't allowed to give the earth pony a report to deliver for him.

In time he was well enough that he tagged along on on of these trips. The river connected to a larger river that likely was the one that ran along side of where he had been stationed. They stopped on a sand bar as they heard some shouting in the distance in zebra. He watched as she blew a handful of powder into a pair of zebra's faces leaving them stunned for a moment on the shore as she climbed back aboard the raft and pushed off, drifting down river and out of sight.

“What was that about?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Not anything they will regret, though my tents location and their treatments they will forget.” Velkorn responded.

“That explains why no one remembers where they were.”

The rest of the trip was spent in silence and seemed to be nothing more than gathering herbs. Velkorn pointed a few strange blue flowers out to him he needed to avoid though pointed out another type for him to collect that was a burn treatment. The other zebra with them still limped along with Velkorn carrying what he could while the mare gathered. The silence was rather uncomfortable after a while.

“Pie told me your name was Velkorn?” Jer'rahd states.

“An apt translation it would seem, the full of it is Wind Talkers Dream.”

“That’s what Velkorn means?”

She offered a nod stuffing another few herbs into the saddle bag he carried as well as some strange looking berries and fruit before sighing and heading back towards the raft with the zebra and Jer'rahd following. Seems he wasn't going to get much information out of her at this point.

It was the following day that things got rather interesting. The first of which was a number of zebras that looked to be part of a patrol stumbling upon the camp. They were fully geared with arms and armor and immediately moved into positions to secure the camp knocking a number of injured ponies to the ground and shouting at them. Velkorn moved out of the tent as soon as the first shouts started.
Jer'rahd was unsure of what was being said, though one of the injured zebra's near by where he was was willing to translate for him.

[ “What is this you dare harbor the enemy in the lands of your lord!!?”]

[“He is not my lord and these are patients, not the enemy, you will do well to leave them in peace”]

Jer'rahd sighed ignoring the gibberish watching as the zebras fanned out a bit more, one of them moving over to Jer'rahd spot on the lawn sneering down at the one eyed unicorn. Jer'rahd met his grin with one of his own shifting a little to keep his sword hidden at his side, shifting to nearly lay atop of it. This was not going to turn out well.

[“I do not know who you think you are mare, but you will not stand in the way here. You will be brought before the warlord and hung for treason, the rest of this rabble dies here. Kill them all!”] shouts the apparent commander of the squad lashing out with the butt of his spear to knock aside the zebra mare.

The words had barely left his mouth when Velkorn moved easily avoiding the spear. She lifted up onto her rear hooves lashing out and striking the squad leader the resounding crunch of bone snapping filled the air as the commanders leg twisted at a impossible angle, with bone jutting from the wound.

This was rapidly followed by the stallions scream and a sudden flurry of movement around him. Of the six squad members two were hesitating at the order, one of the others was moving to attack Velkorn. The sneering guard had whipped out his ax and was bringing it down at Jer'rahd. The sneer left his face as a green shield formed over his head deflecting the ax to the side before fading. Jer'rahd rose quickly at the sound of the leaders other limb being broken and the loud clang of a cook pot impacting one of the other soldiers heads.

The sneering zebra turned his head to swing his weapon back around, though the unwieldy weapon gave Jer'rahd time to move and whip his sheathed blade around slamming the scabbard against the side of the zebra's head dropping him to the ground in a heap.

Velkorn had taken down another of the guards , but the pair of surprised zebra's turned to rush her one of them getting a hoof to the head for his troubles though the second lunged forward spear aimed at Velkorn's exposed flank.

The mare winces expecting to feel the bite of the weapon though was instead greeted by a loud thud as the soldier impacted a green glowing panel shield and collapsed to the ground.

Her gaze swept the area as did Jer'rahds, noting the small unit was all down, and although two were crying and screaming in pain on the floor, they were all still alive. Walking past the one he had dropped, Jer'rahd offered it a swift hoof to the jaw silencing his whining while Velkorn tapped a spot on the others neck knocking him out.

“We are one for one last time I checked, I thank you pony for saving my neck.” Velkorn exhales moving to gather supplies to treat her new patients

“Not a problem. So what do we do with them?” Jer'rahd questions as some of the other patients move around looking at the damage done.

“While they only came to cause me grief, now they are patients in need of relief.”

“They attacked you and you're going to help them? That is a great deal more mercy than they were going to show you.”Jer'rahd states.

She moved over to the panting zebra who had swung the pot. His actions had reopened one of his wounds and she made sure he was the first one she treated.

“This is a task you might find hard, do not kill them just stand guard.” Velkorn states

“You're far nicer than you should be, but as you wish.” Jer'rahd replies trying not to move much. He wasn't hurt nearly as bad as he was when he first arrived here, but that didn't mean he was fully healed yet.

“Velkorn. The pegasus is awake.”” one of the Guard troops shouts from inside. Velkorn shouts a few things to some of the other zebra's who move to start basic treatment on the soldiers as the mare rushes into the tent. Jer'rahd glances back before following suit.

The yellow pegasus mare was sitting up on her cot panting heavily with several of the other Guard hovering around her.

“Sir are you alright? You need to lie back down.” a young unicorn states.

“Screw that, who's in charge here?” the mare curses, holding her good ear with a hoof. “And what is going on?”

“I suppose that would be me sir, I'm the highest ranking one here at the moment. Sorry about the noise, I’ll try to keep my next fight quieter.” Jer'rahd states moving up noting Velkorn had rushed back into the kitchen.

“Name and Rank soldier......” the pegasus groans out.

“Staff sergeant Jer'rahd Kaisur, 42nd infantry under The Major. Sir.”

“What am I doing here? Where is here”

“Same as me sir you got the shit kicked out of you, as for where here is …. that is a bit harder to explain.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “Suffice to say it is safe..... well relatively any way.”

Jer'rahd sits down on his cot explaining what was going on to the mare as Pie had done for him, though a little more eloquently. Velkorn checked the pegasus over briefly before going out side to tend to her newest patients.

“I find that story a total load of manure sergeant.” the mare grumbles.

“I said the same when I first woke sir, only with less grace. But all of it is true to the best of what I have observed.” Jer'rahd explains

“Even so I need to report back to base we found a hole.“ the mare winces.

“A hole sir?”

“Sergeant if was in any more control of this situation I would not be telling you a damn thing. But if I have been out as long as you say we might be out of time. Still I am not even remotely sure you are even who you say you are.”

“What? You want me to recite the Guard's oath? Maybe swear on Princess Luna's cutie mark?” Jer'rahd snarks.

“That’s enough sergeant, for the moment I will accept who you are. Even if you are the enemy you likely know this information any way if you got any of my ponies to talk.”

“Far as I know sir you are the only one of your team left. I was unaware the 63rd were even in this conflict until I saw you.”

“Really? Well that's good enough proof you're one of our grunts., there's playing dumb and then being dumb.”

“Yes, thank you for that sir......” Jer'rahd grumbles

“ Alright listen up solider I’m only gonna say this once. My team managed to infiltrate the enemy city . That's the easy part, most of the inhabitants of the lower city are refugees or those weird untouchables, the upper city rests on top of a plateau....”

“Untouchables?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Buck if I know sergeant all I know is they look like zebra's and some of them have red cutie marks, do I look like a bucking zebra historian? They're called untouchables and the other zebras don't like to be near them that's all that's important.”

Jer'rahd rolls his eye though the effect is lost on the ranting mare.

“On the north side of the plateau there's a crevasse. Some one on the inside tipped us off to investigate it and we sent in a scout. The crack in the mountain leads into a burial chamber of some kind and supposedly there's a way up to the castle from there. The contact inside claims to have left us a map and some supplies in the catacombs by what they called the tomb of the dirty king. There was a plan in place to take the warlord down but my team was ambushed before we even got to the city. That was weeks ago it might all be wash by now.”

“Not the best plan sir, but if it's still there we could get back and inform the rest of the 42d and we can act on it from there. “

“Do you think your 'Specter' would even let you do that?” snaps the pegasus. “Even if you did get back there's a jungle teeming with zebras between here and there.”

“Likely she would not sir. So then I suppose that leaves us with very few options.”

“It leaves us with nothing Sergeant.”

“No sir, we can go ourselves.”

“Sargent I feel like I am dead just laying here, I am in no shape to walk much less fight.“ The pegasus snaps

“There’s more than a few of us here Sir, who are up for a bit of ultra violence.” a injured yellow unicorn states from nearby with a small smirk on his face.

The pegasus turned her head, looking at the assorted wounded who had come in from tending the small field of crops, or fishing. Some of them felt a little annoyed they missed the fight. Only twelve of them were in any shape to do anything, though they all had over heard and they all were intent..

“A filthy lot of farmer ponies, yes some good that will be. “

“A dirty dozen of them true sir, but all of them are Guard sir, not farmers. And nearly all of them are healthy enough now to be back in combat.” Jer'rahd smirks. “ Thirteen counting myself.”

“No no , I forbid this strife, I did not cure you so you can waste your life” a voice shouts stomping into the tent pushing between the soldiers and glaring at Jer'rahd and the wounded pegasus.

“Lieutenant this is Velkorn the Specter of Life. Velkorn The LT.”

“Charmed I am sure.” the pegasus snarls

“You just barely now are fit to wake, yet more lives you wish to take?”

“Listen stripey I have a mission and I will be damned if I let you ...” the mare coughs, wincing and trembling as pain wracks her form and she falls back onto the bed with a wheezing shudder.

“The LT does have a point Velkorn. We have to do this. It's our one shot to win this war without making this siege go even longer and more ponies and zebras suffering. Its a long shot, that hole might have already been plugged, but it is still worth a try.”

“This loss of life I cannot condone, but you seek the warlord in his home!?!” Velkorn rants. “Do you have any idea of the danger you would be in, there is not a snowballs chance in the desert you would even win!?”

Jer'rahd smirks, doing his best impersonation of The Major .

“If it wasn’t dangerous, it wouldn’t be fun.”

“It is clear you are insane, I obviously should have checked out your brain!”

“Look its simple. We go in kill the warlord, and the war ends. No more conflict, no more suffering because of it. It all ends with him. Even if the thirteen of us are killed, if we manage to take him down it would be worth it. He's the one who gathered all these zebra's together and if he's gone they will be fighting each other to see who takes his place. Princess Luna moves in during that, stops the conflict and puts some one there who can keep the peace and work towards making everything better here. As a doctor you should be looking to save as many lives as you can before you need to drag them out of combat zone.” Jer'rahd rants.

“Your leader is the mare of night , what makes you think she will not press the fight?”

“No answer to that. But its the warlord that's spurring the forces against Equestria. If he hadn’t attacked us we would have left him alone. He struck first, that’s more than enough reason to end him. “

“I see now what you try to do, you are so sure this is the answer, fine, then I am coming too.” Velkorn states flatly.

“Wait, what? No, I’m not having any stripes on my damn team.” shouts the pegasus between fits of coughing.

“Stuff it LT. Your part in this op is done, I'm taking over.” Jer'rahd snaps back. “besides if she wanted to turn on us she would have had plenty of chances to do so already.”

“That’s insubordination Kaisur, I will have your hide for this!!”

“Welcome to it. If we fail we'll be dead and I won't rightly care, if we succeed we'll be heroes and you still couldn't touch us. Velkorn's capable enough in a fight. Since most of us are injured any way a medic would fit in fine. Besides if the ones today found her tent, then likely others will too and they might not be so civil to come and talk first before attacking. I suppose you have another reason to want to tag along aside from that Velkorn ?” Jer'rahd questions.

“You seek to end the war it seems, could one not hope for such better dreams. If you are correct at all these things, I will look forward to what this brings.”

“Fine we could use your skills but first get this patch off my eye, it itches like crazy and its got to be healed by now.” Jer'rahd whines.

“Your all mad. Especially you Sergeant.” the pegasus states

“Nah, oddly I am feeling rather chipper for once. Not angry at all.” Jer'rahd retorts

“Oh you are definitely one of The Major's squad,” the injured mare snorts in disgust.

The twelve others took a few more days to get ready, Velkorn spent most of her time checking all of them out team took a few days to get ready. She also had a few of the others who were not going make sure they knew what to do for all the injured , making them rehearse it a bit before she seemed to be confident.

Per Jer'rahd's request she removed the eye patch, washing out the tincture of herbs and then giving him time to get used to having depth perception again. She was a bit alarmed that the mixture had turned the iris of his eye from green to red, though it didn't seem to hamper his vision any other way, and the color seemed to be all that changed. The rest of the time he spent repairing his armor and making sure the rest of the team was fit to go.

The group of them set out on Velkorn's raft as Celestia's sun sank below the horizon.

The small force followed the LT's directions slipping into and snaking through the lower city without any trouble. It took them some time but they found the crevice that the LT had told them about. It seemed little more than another large crack like many others across the plateau's surface.

One trail ran directly over the crack and had a number of zebra's patrolling the path. At the top they could just make out the walls of the castle and the main gate. Anti air weapons and catapults dotted the walls making any direct attack an suicide charge at best. It seemed that LT's unit was not close enough to the cave for any of the zebra's to think it needed a guard.

Slipping into the tight crevasse, the small force trekked deeper away from the entrance before the other two unicorns lit up their horns, illuminating the way ahead. After an hour of trekking through the stoney caverns and wondering several times if the LT's information was correct they found the first Zebra sarcophagus.

Velkorn muttered something that sounded like a prayer as they passed though she had been silent up until that point. Beyond that first they found more and more coffins, and bones, walls stuffed with skulls in macabre displays. Bones littered the ground in small unkempt piles,stalagmites spun up into the darkness above decorated with zebra skulls, shelves were carved into the rock face simply to hold the sightless eyes. The cavern seemed to glow a ghostly white as the unicorns light spells reflected off the pale bones.

“Sarge this is damn creepy.” a black pegasus states under his breath along with a few other mutters of approval of the statement

“Cut the chatter, keep an ear open for any other voices. We should be getting close to the dungeon entrance. Keep an eye out for something that might be a dirty king as well.“

The scant trail between the bones finally led up to a pair of half destroyed doors covered in dust and mold. The ancient wood and iron entrance was slightly ajar, drag marks on the floor showed it had been used recently, though no hoof prints were left in the thick dust of the cavern floor. He waved a hoof, fanning the group out to look around the new chamber. The room looked more like a church than anything else with six sarcophagi on each side of the cavern walls and a large alter at the end of the room. There were still no hoof prints aside from their own, but he let the group fan out to search for the clue they were given. It didn't take long before one of the others waved him over.

“What is it?” Jer'rahd mutters

“I found the dirty king.” the earth pony mare smirks trying to contain a laugh as she points up to the carvings over one of the sarcophagi.

Looking closer at the symbols on the side of stone they all seemed to be a images of a zebra stallion standing on a pile of bodies holding a massive club as a weapon in one hoof. At first glance it seemed to be a conqueror image, though looking closer all of the bodies were of rather voluptuous mares, they were not drawn dead as some seemed to be clinging to his lower legs in obvious erotic poses. Also …. that was NOT a club.

“Well dirty king indeed. Right this has to be it.” Jer'rahd sighs shaking his head. Seems he inadvertently found a zebra ancestor of Rhede.

Jer'rahd's horn glows rightly the stone top sliding open thumping softly to the earth on the far side of the stone box. As the dust settles he leans over the top peering inside along with the earth mare who found it and one of the unicorns with his horn lit.

“Not much in here sarge.“ the unicorn comments

A scroll, a set of keys, and a collection of ten potions marked in Equestrian as invisibility spells. He gestured to a few of the ponies and the two unicorns

“Its enough, and more than I expected with as late as we are. Private stow this gear, we need to hurry“ He pulls open the scroll looking at the map before stepping out the door and following the map to a half hidden staircase carved in the rock.

He floats the scroll up looking over the map taking note of the marks on the sides of them with interest.

“Our source knows his stuff, guard patrols and a bee line right for the warlords chamber. There's note on the potions too. They only last thirty, you attack something or some one touches you, spells gone. Velkorn you alright?” Jer'rahd commands glancing back at the quiet zebra with them.

“This place is full of so much dead, rarely a body but always the head.”

“We'll be out of here soon. You can stay with the rear guard if you want.”

She shook her head ending that idea. She did seem distracted and Jer'rahd hoped it was only from the crypt, If she turned on them it would be a much worse situation. He hoped the trust he had placed in her was justified.

The small group moved up the stairs Jer'rahd stopped and waved at the two unicorns to douse their lights before he moved up the steps more inching around old piles of trash and things he would rather not identify. Following the map again they moved forth along into the sewers disgust evident on all their faces until they came to a iron grate that had been pulled off the wall.

Moving up another set of stairs they came to what appeared to be an old cell without a door. Glancing out into the small room beyond there was one Guard half asleep standing by a door on the far side of the room. As Jer'rahd watched his head bobbed a bit more and he closed his eyes.

He pointed Velkorn to the guard and she nodded darting over striking the zebra on the neck making the nap last a lot longer.

He motions one of the earth ponies to pull him out of sight as he moves along the wall of door s checking in each cell. There were a number of ponies who looked like they were tortured and a couple of zebra's as well. Jer'rahd lifts a hoof up shushing the ones within waving over the earth pony who found the dirty king, and one of the unicorns.

“I want you two to take this lot out of here. Move back through the city to the raft and take them all the way down the river, don't stop til you get to one of our outposts, just follow the current and watch out for patrols.”

“Sarge , we wanna stay here.....” the pegasus starts.

“Don't argue some of these ponies are bad off and some of them possibly have important information that we might need if this mission fails. The zebra's are here for some reason too. Keep them safe the rest of us can handle this. Now go, some of them are going to need help making it out of here.”

The pair nodded and moved to start helping the prisoners back down out of the cells. Jer'rahd stripped the guard of everything he had and shoved him into one of the cells before locking the door. They were down two ponies now, making an even dozen along with Velkorn.

He looked over at the zebra mare as she watched the prisoners be escorted out, she had done all she could to treat them but she wasn't sure if they would make it.

“Rooms clean Sarge we need to move before the guard changes.” states a pegasus.

“Lotus pod how's your zebra?” Jer'rahd questions.

A white earth pony blinks as his name is called.

“Errr, I don't speak it at all Sarge.” Lotus Pod states nervously.

“Good enough, put this gear on, some one find some grease or something to put stripes on his face and any where exposed. Velkorn can you pass as some one whose supposed to be here?” Jer'rahd questions.

“I doubt I am welcome in this place, but it is unlikely any will know my face.” Velkorn admits.

“Good we only have ten of these potions and there's twelve of us. You two are going to have to make do with disguises the rest of us will down the potions and hope they don't kill us outright.”

“Way to help cheer ponies up Sarge,” mutters a orange pegasus.

“Not here to cheer ponies up corporal, I’m here to fight this war now pass me one of those vials and every one else chug one.”

“Alright, every one ready? This is it.” Jer'rahd hisses pulling open the door to the hall way beyond the rest of the troops. Velkorn and Lotus Pod leading the way with Jer'rahd right on their heels whispering directions to them.

Slipping along the wall's they group passed guards and servants with no one so much as batting an eye at them. They made their way deeper into the fortress with out mishap and where nearly to the door when their luck ran out.

Moving around one corner the pair bumped into a couple of zebra guards, literally. Lotus pod and the lead guard staggered back , the guard shouting something in zebra and rubbing his nose in pain. The other two with him start fussing at Lotus Pod and Velkorn , not obviously seeing through the disguise though the guard that hit him looked down at his hoof in surprise then up at Lotus Pod , reaching up suddenly and brushing his hoof though a black line on the others face smearing it.

The first guard bellows out an alarm though the three of them were dead before they could draw their weapons as a trio of the Guards materialize near each of them yanking their blades free of the new corpses. Another shout from down the hall was followed by a series of shouts from all over and the rapidly approaching thunder of hooves.

“Damn it, this is too soon. We're almost there, just down the next hall way. Weapons free ponies, we're going loud use the spells to your advantage if you can, if something gets in our way trample it. Move!”

The troops broke into a run tearing down the hallway, crashing into and through a few small groups of guards and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake as one by one the rest of the spells were used. Velkorn ran along side Jer'rahd as they came about the last corner to the Warlords room. The guards had already swarmed the entrance way seeking to protect their leader . Jer'rahd curses not even slowing down , the troops behind him doing the same as they galloped down the hall smashing into the barricaded line before the zebra's had a chance to retaliate. Spells began flying about as the ponies took control of the make shift barricade of tables the zebra's had set up, just in time for the rest of the zebra guards to run around the end of the hall.

“Finish this Sarge, we got this lot!” Lotus Pod screams out whipping to the side and flinging one of the fallen zebra's spell bombs down the hall with his tail.

Jer'rahd nodded shoving on the door and pushing into the room, his blade drawn. Velkorn moves in next to him as they scan the massive room for the Warlord.

“What in the name of Luna's twitching ears?!” Jer'rahd mutters.

The throne room was extravagant, rich silk drapery, paintings, statues encrusted with gemstones, objects of art, trophies of various beasts stuffed and mounted, and well made weapons of war on plaques and racks scattered about the room. The place was like a museum, that also held more grisly trophies, there were a few ponies heads on pikes around the door as well as a diamond dog or two and what might have been a griffon before it rotted away. At the end of the room was a massive golden throne and what looked like a bedroom behind some hanging silks behind it.

It was the throne that held most of his attention, more precisely it was the massive zebra corpse pinned to the throne by a spear imbedded in it's throat. A large zebra stallion stood next to the throne watching the last twitches of the one on the throne.

Jer'rahd clamped his teeth tighter on his blade horn glowing ready to raise shields. Velkorn stood back as Jer'rahd advanced her eyes locked on the corpse with a small shudder and a muted whimper.

[It should not have ended like this brother......]

“Bout time you ponies got here, almost lost my cover on this one. I figured that shapely pegasus mare had survived that ambush, gave you a bit longer than I should have really. Ah well, better late than never.” the zebra stallion sighs not looking back at the pair.

The stallion turns spitting out a small gem onto the floor before stomping his hoof down on it hard.
The gem turns to dust and the zebra stallion can be seen to be mouthing a countdown from five, when he gets to two the whole castle shakes, the sky outside lighting up with explosions.

“Damn cheap magic gems, that was supposed to be a five count. Ah well that might have been a bit much, but it got the point across.” The zebra looks over at the pair his blue eyes scanning rather appreciatively over Velkorn's form. “So who did they send this time, any way? The stallion approaches and stops dead at the sight of the gray unicorn with the sword.

“By Celestia's gooey plot...... JER?! What the buck are you doing here? Your unit was supposed to be guarding the mouth of the river... Oh wow, this is rich, I never expected this. Oh they are not going to be happy in the slightest, that makes this sooo much better.”

“What are you talking about? Are you the contact!?!” Jer'rahd shouts back.

“Well yeah that's kinda obvious by this point, but hold on, this things itchy any way.” The zebra explains

The stallion lifts his hoof teeth gripping a small gold band around his foreleg, yanking his head back tearing the metal free. The zebra coloration flickers fading away from the tall stallion and a much richer coat of red covers his form, his mane and tail remain black , though his cutie mark changes from some plant to a brace of heart shaped arrows on his flank.

“RHEDE?!?!”Jer'rahd states incredulously his sword falling from his mouth in shock.

“In the flesh, and who is this pretty little thing you brought with you? Tisk tisk Jer going native? Not the thing to do in a war zone … of course I managed a bit of time for it myself, but then again, this is me we are talking about here and I was a zebra for a little while there. Aww what did you do to upset her? “ Rhede blinks finally getting a good look at the mare his cheerful expression fading. “..... Oh I see it's you. Sorry..... I had hoped you wouldn't be around for this.”

He glances to Jer'rahd then the door before switching to speak to Velkorn in zebra.

[I thought you might be back eventually. Bad luck it had to be now, for what its worth I’m sorry it had to end this way, but you know he would not have come quietly.”]

[“I am unfortunately aware of that fact.”]Velkorn sighs.

“ What did you say? What are you doing here?!?! For Bucks sake what is happening?!? “Jer'rahd rants.

“Relax Jer, it's all good. There's no way the Princess could have missed that signal and the main force is gonna be hitting this place like a hurricane in a moment or two. Oh yes need to borrow that sword of yours a moment Jer.” Rhede snarks.

Trotting over Rhede kicks Jer'rahd's blade up off the floor where it fell from his open jaw. The earth pony catches it in his tail and looks back over at Velkorn with a sigh before trotting over to the corpse on the throne. [“Sorry about this Velkorn. We tried to talk him out of it.”]
The earth pony lashes out with his tail lopping off the zebra's head with a deft slice before flinging the bloodied blade back over to Jer'rahd who snatches it from the air with his magic.

“Now I know you are all dis a pointed Jer that I didn't use my mouth , but you'll just have to miss out on getting that second hoof kiss from me and settle for kissing my tail.” Rhede smiles. “besides you're cute lil mare friend there might have issues with a indirect kiss from some one as handsome as me.”

“Don't tempt me to burn the handle bit Rhede now what the hay is going on and why are you here?.” Jer questions

“Need to know information, ooh that zebra with you does have a cute blush, any way here they come catch Jer. Try to look heroic.”

“What the buck are you on.......”

Rhede ignored him yanking the spear from the zebra's throat and snapping off the blade dropping it into one of his saddle bags before kicking the stick to the side. Jer'rahd barely caught sight of the bloodied spear head noting it's resemblance to the star metal dagger he had trained with. Rhede rears a hoof back and punts the warlords head to Jer as the body slumps from the throne. He snatches it from the air with his magic blinking at the severed head before glaring back at Rhede, about to demand answers once more when a great many things happen all at once.

The ponies that came with him shoved open the door falling back into the room dragging a few injured and fighting off what seemed to be half the zebra army crowding the hall. The mass of zebra's freeze in place as Jer'rahd is seen, holding the severed head of their leader, blood dripping from his sword.

Before they could do anything else but stare, the wall behind Rhede exploded inward showering the room with rock and debris that the earth pony some how dodged by standing perfectly in front of the throne.

The dust had not even settled when there was a sudden cry and a swarm of ponies tore into the room from the ruins of the bedroom rushing into the mass of zebra's forcing them back , or cutting them down where they stood. Glancing back Jer'rahd could see a number of pegasi dropping off earth ponies and unicorns into the ruins of the room. Jer'rahd glances back as Rhede pulls Velkorn out of the way and back against one of the walls as the swarm of Equestrian Guard tears through the room slamming into the zebra's in the hall.

The zebra's begin to recover to fight back with a crackling bolt of lightning blows a hole in the ceiling over the throne, Rhede's position had again allowed him to avoid getting hit with anything.

A dark form floated down into the hole ignoring the melted puddle of slag that was all that remained of the throne behind her. The figures eyes glowed white as energy flickered along her lithe form highlighting the crescent shaped moon adorning her flank. More explosions sounded from outside illuminating her form in a fiery glow.

“SURRENDER NOW OR BE DESTROYED UTTERLY.” bellows Princess Luna, her voice likely heard all the way back in Canterlot.

The amassed zebra troops shifted their gaze between their leader's head, still held aloft by Jer'rahd and the Goddess of war before them with a massed Equestrian Guard. Nearly as one they all screamed out , dropping their weapons and fleeing enmasse back down the hallway.

“WE SAID SURRENDER FOALS, NOT FLEE LIKE CHICKENS!!.... ugh.... ROUND THEM UP KILL ANY WHO STILL RESIST.” Luna shouts.

Velkorn had dropped to the ground hiding under her hooves from the fury of the Goddess of Night, Rhede simply remained where he had moved, making sure none of the Guards confused Velkorn for a soldier. The earth pony looked far to amused with himself. Jer'rahd simply stood there in the middle of the room holding a severed head and his sword staring in awe at everything going on.

“Well well, look at this my little pupil survived just fine, figured that little explosion wouldn't have taken care of you for good.“ states a voice from one of the guards still filtering in.

“Wait, Major?!” Jer'rahd stammers.

The one winged pegasus trots up, a stalk of wheat clamped in his mouth as he chuckles. He glances back as the pegasi continue ferrying more troops in all of whom immediately rush down the hall working to secure the castle, the path open now that Rhede had destroyed all the anti air defenses.

“What? Did yah think I was dead? Takes more than a fall from the sky fighting a zebra on the back of a bomb to take me out.” the old pegasus cackles. “Glad you made it out alive. So what happened to yah? You get bored and decide to win the war on yer own? Perfect!! Knew you were the pony for the job. Squads yours now, I’m retiring after this nonsense. Me and Azalea petal are tired of this war crap. Been pooling our resources got a nice split level cloud love nest fer just the two of us. And that Pegasus is buff enough he can fly me around with out any problems. The Major grins and Jer'rahd notes the pegasus stallion nearby blushing a bit, Jer'rhad recognized him as the spotter for their group. Anyway your The Major now pony, enjoy being a war hero. I need to go get me a few stabs in before retirement.“ The Major shouts galloping off with the others laughing manically.

“Wha... what?” Jer'rahd stammers.

“SO WE MEET AGAIN SERGENT.... WELL I SUPPOSE IT IS MAJOR KAISUR NOW. A BIT OF A RANK JUMP, WE IMAGINE, BUT HERE YOU ARE AGAIN IN THE THICK OF THINGS. KILLING THE CAUSE OF THE WAR WITH YOUR OWN HOOVES THIS TIME. AND YOU SAVED ONE OF OUR MORE VALUED, WELL EQUESTRIA'S MORE VALUED, AMBASADORS AS WELL. WE SHALL TALK AGAIN BUT THERE IS MUCH TO DO NOW. WE ARE CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THIS ZEBRA IS DOING WITH YOU BUT IF YOU VOUCH FOR HER THEN WE SHALL ACCEPT HER.”

“Bwehuh?”Jer'rahd stammers one ear drooping.

The soldiers that came with Jer'rahd stand there almost as dumfounded as Jer'rahd was. Rhede ignored most of it and was speaking with Velkorn in zebra, judging by the red coloration of her face he was flirting up a storm as well.

The Princess steps out the door shouting orders and occasionally lashing out with a spell at something. A few more Pegasi filter in , gathering up the wounded and carting them out along with the rest of his squad, Rhede and Velkorn.

There was a momentary silence broken by a few wing beats as a Pegasus lands next to the gray unicorn standing alone in the throne room with the severed head of a zebra and a bloody sword held in his magic.

“Are you ready to go sir?” the pegasi asks.

“WHAT THE HAY JUST HAPPENED?!” Jer'rahd screams.

=======================================================================

Twilight closed her eyes lifting a hoof to rub her head a bit. That had taken longer than she expected it to. While it was nice to see the spell translated zebra, she was more confused than ever now. What had happened, why was Rhede there, and on some sort of terms with Princess Luna. Was Velkorn the warlords sister or was it some other terminology, why was the Princess always so loud? So much stuff to write down. So little time. Her ears perked hearing a scream of some kind from behind her. Whipping around she came face to face with Pinkie Pie and offered a scream of her own.

“Hiyas Twilight. Are you done because your done, or are you done because we bothered you?” Pinkie questions

“Pinkie what are you doing here?” Twilight gasps.

“Oh well Spike and I went and visited Canterlot today making a delivery for Mrs. Cake and we found a little shop that had the best sponge cake..It's hard to make a good sponge cake , trust me I know, so I went to ask the lady for the recipe and and we got to talking and turns out she was a baker too, which was kinda obvious since she worked in a bakery , but she said the sponge cake was an old family recipe and she couldn't part with it ever so I asked again in several different ways and she still wouldn't though she was willing to trade me in several cup cake recipes.....”

“Pinkie!!!” Twilight shouts for the third time finally being heard over the rambling bouncing mare.

“Yes Twilight?” Pinkie asks her mouth coming to a dead stop.

“Why are you in my house right now?” Twilight questions “Oh Spike and I also saw one of those new Coltari game systems. These things are popping up everywhere and I thought it looked fun so I bought one and then Spike wanted to play it too so I brought it over here when we came back and we've been playing since.”

“What.... A Coltari? Video game? You shouldn't play those, I hear it rots your brains. “ Twilight complains

“You mean like people say too much reading does?” Pinkie asks innocently enough though her eyes scan over the mass of books behind Twilight.

“Complaint with drawn....” sighs Twilight.

Author's Note

This one has been redone but not yet edited for mistakes

Gemstone in the Rough.[5]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Chapter 7
Gemstone in the rough.
Part One

“Honestly Twilight, you're making a far bigger deal of this than you should be.”Spike sighs.

“Really Spike? So does that mean I don't have to worry about you trying to restyle my mane while I'm asleep and doing something creepy?” Twilight snorts with half hidden amusement.

“With how your mane normally looks when you wake up if I did something to it, it would be an improvement. I can't help having a fancolt reaction when my two favorite ponies suddenly look so much alike.” Spike explains firing a taunt back at the unicorn.

“Suuuuuuuuuuuuure, that's all it was...... I'm telling you, there were little hearts and everything.” Twilight snarks.

“Grah, fine.... you let this go Twilight and I’ll drop the whole Smartypants thing.” Spike's eyes narrow as Twilight meets the glare with one of her own.

“That sounds like a deal.” Twilight grins.

She offers a hoof to the dragon who takes it, shaking it.

“Alright then so whats the plan for the rest of the day then Spike?” Twilight asks

“I don't know about you. but I plan to head over to Sugar Cube Corner and try and finish that game. Pinkie was gonna leave it here, but you practically threw us out last time.“ Spike grumbles.

“Spike neither one of you slept… and neither did I really, for two days. Pinkie was fine but you were seeing humans every where and I couldn't focus on anything with all that fus roh whatever going on.” Twilight sighs.

“Yeah, well I will admit that might have been a bit much, but you didn't help matters by yelling at us. Heck that was loud enough to be a dragon shout on it's own.”

“It was Royal Canterlot speech actually. I learned how from Princess Luna. I’m just glad it worked. To much of that play system thingy's going to melt your brain.” Twilight explains

“You're one to talk about obsessions rotting your brain. I mean you've been focused on that sword of yours for weeks now. That cannot be healthy either.” Spike retorts.

“Yes, but the sword is real history, not something based off a Trotkin novel.”

“Equestria's been at peace for nearly a thousand years, the only place most ponies have even seen something like a conflict is in a game or a novel. “ Spike explains.

“All the more reason to study it. To find out the truth of things.”

“If you say so, any way, I’ll try to be back for dinner, or sooner if Pinkie got grounded by Mrs. Cake.”

“Both of you have caused some trouble lately. I wonder whats gotten into her. All those riots on Nightmare Night and then you trying to start one today.” Twilight grumbles.

“I wasn’t trying to start a riot, I was just being honest and forgot how easily some ponies are spooked.” growls Spike. “Especially the Flower Trio. I could tell them that Princess Luna once saw some pony who sneezed and it would be epidemics and death all over with them.”

“Well you are right about that I guess and here I thought Rainbow Dash jumped to conclusions easily. Well since every things calmed down I might as well get back to it.” Twilight nods.” At least before the CMC destroy something else today.”

“It was mostly Applebloom this time. Anyway see yah Twilight.”

As the little dragon left she started preparing the spell once more, the more she cast the scrying spell the easier it got, though she wasn't ready to fiddle with it yet just in case. She removed a book from the stand, replacing it with her notes on the past flipping to the next blank page. She glances at the cover of the book she removed before putting it back on the shelf with a sigh. It had been only partially useful in dealing with the cutie pox. She really should get Supernaturals, back from Fluttershy, so much stuff kept happening and she really needed to sit down and read that book all the way through one day. Luckily Zecora had show up in a surprisingly timely manner, to fix everything yet again. Really that zebra seemed to have a knack for being where she was needed most, with exactly what was needed to fix the problem. She had pointed out that Supernaturals also had the cure for the cutie pox in it on top of the Poison Joke cure.

Twilight filed that away in her mind for another time as she pulls the sword box from under the table pulling it open to put the Waning Moon on the table as she set everything else up around it.

She figured while every pony else was calming down and the Cutiemark Crusaders were off trying something at Sweet Apple Acres she would have a little time to study this before the next disaster.

Besides now she was even more curious about what Rhede was doing in the Zebralands and what had happened to Jer'rahd,and Starfall. Four of the five beasts had been revealed, but Velkorn didn't seem that friendly with any of them yet, and she didn't see any real spark of friendship between any of them aside from Jer'rahd and Starfall. Rhede seemed distant even when he was talking to his foal hood friend and it was fairly clear that he and Starfall did not get along that well.

She set her notes straight ready to write everything down the moment the spell ended and cast it, fading into the past.

Five years, well just over five years any way, had passed since he finished his basic Guard training and been sent to the western front for the Bone Hound Incursion. In that time he had gone from a nameless Guard recruit, to a Guard whose name was known by nearly every pony in Equestria. He had gone from a unicorn with barely any note worthy talents to a Major in Princess Luna's personal Guard unit.

Granted he still had an abysmal skill with magic, and had no real clue how he had managed to get this far, but hey at least he was getting better with his shields.... that was something right?

Word of his leading a small group of injured soldiers to take out the Zebra warlord had spread like wildfire in a drought stricken grassy plain that grew matchsticks. Each time he heard the story told by some pony it grew more and more ridiculous. 'It was a suicide mission', 'he took on the whole zebra army by themselves', 'he killed a zebra god in hoof to hoof combat', 'he had seduced the zebra queen to help kill her brother', it was all nuts.

Despite the other ponies in the attack being well known, the media decided to focus all their attention on him, mainly because no one but he, Velkorn, and Rhede seemed to know what really happened, and Rhede had made a rather lengthy report that it was all Jer'rahd's doing. The tall earth pony had also managed to charm or sway Velkorn into saying the same thing, likely the former. Though given the zebra mare's rather reclusive nature it probably didn't take much to get her to pass the fame to him.

The media caught wind of the report and had set their sights on making him the hero of the hour, ending the war in one heroic blow.

It was all making him ill.

It didn't help that all the media coverage suddenly made him the most popular pony to see or be seen with. Nobles invited him to parties, higher ranking officers actually asked him things and listened to what he said, well pretended to any way. Ponies he had not seen in years suddenly were his best friends. In truth he could have dealt with that just fine if an old ex-mare friend that nearly crushed him hadn't suddenly reappeared.

He forget what the event was, they all blended together after a couple of months, though he had gotten to the point where he might be developing rather pricy tastes in alcohol.

He didn't know how she had gotten into the rather posh event but she had come up to him and immediately tried doing her best to be as sweet, kind and loving as she was when they first met. The Nobles around him were suddenly quite interested in the mare, who was fawning over their war hero and clearly loving all the attention she was suddenly getting from the act.

By this point Jer'rahd had been annoyed with it any way and Silphy's appearance was the straw that broke the ponies back and set him off.

“So who's this lovely young mare you have at your side today Major?” one of the noble ponies asked, there were a few reporters milling about him so Jer'rahd assumed he was some sort of media mogul, though by this point he didn't care.

“She's an evil hag who ruined my life once and is evidently dead set on trying to do so again.“ Jer'rahd growls. A few of the ponies that were crowded around the stepped back away at the venom in his voice, a few of them remarking something about his eye.

The mare however clearly didn't hear it and turned to try to say something to him stopping dead her eyes wide as he glared death at her.

“Silphy, buck off and die somewhere.” he snarled the name like he was spitting a foul taste from his mouth before he turned and left.

It was quite clear that the reaction was not one any of them had expected and when he stormed off after the statement, as for once no one tried to follow him. Considering up until that point he had been as polite and nice as he possibly could no matter how inane the questions asked,it was a shock for their 'hero ' to suddenly spout that much venom against one mare took every pony aback.

Of course they then had a field day digging into Silphy's back ground and tearing her apart in the news. To be honest he couldn't think of any pony who deserved it more. He supposed could have been nicer, he felt a small glimmer in his heart when he first saw her and she started fawning over him like she used to. But all he had to do was remember how she had treated him, and why she likely was even paying attention to him again, and any sweetness he might have had was gone. All that was left was a dark little pony in his head who was cackling with glee that she was finally suffering for her actions, but he mostly felt numb otherwise.

==========

On a happier note, there was the situation with the Major, or as he was actually named, Sunbeam. He had retired the second they made it back to Equestria, to much cheering of the higher ups who were tired of his antics, along with Azalea, their pegasus spotter. He hadn't thought the Major or Azalea were gay, but the two stallions seemed happy with each other so it really wasn't his business what their preference was.

Sunbeam's last act before he retired was to force the field promotion of Jer'rahd to the rank of Major for his actions. That act skipped him up several ranks and threw the entire structure of promotions out the window, but Princess Luna signed off on it, so he was a Major now.

Jer'rahd and much of the 42nd were also invited to the pairs wedding. Gay couples were rather uncommon and high profile ones like Sunshine were rare. The media still enjoyed bashing Colt Cuddlers and Filly Foolers when they could, as it sold more papers, though when word got out Jer'rahd was invited, the wedding was suddenly the event of the century.

Speculation ran high on which way Jer'rahd swung after his treatment of Silphy, and his acceptance of the wedding. None of the media was interested in the truth, so Jer'rahd didn't bother to try and correct them. He did have to stop himself from punching in one rather vile and particularly degenerate reporters face, but aside from that his attendance at Sunbeam's wedding went off without any issue.

There were not even the usual anti gay protesters in attendance, rather odd for such a high profile wedding. None of the reporters crashed the wedding either, all kept a respectful distance from the ceremony. It may have been that Princess Luna herself had agreed to preside, or it may have been that the entire 42nd had shown up in full uniforms, armed, armored, and looking for any pony who might want to cause trouble.

Aside from the absurdity of two grown stallions exchanging vows in excessively frilly white wedding gowns, it could have been considered a normal wedding of military personnel. Of course after the kiss, in true Major fashion as well, the old goat started a food fight with the wedding cake managing to some how cover the entire battalion in frosting. Princess Luna had vanished before it started and so she missed out on the chaos. The whole concept was rather sweet, if messy, still if two ponies of war could find love on the battle field then any pony could.

=========

Velkorn was another strange matter, or as he was supposed to call her now, Queen Velkorn the first. As far as he knew Rhede and Princess Celestia were in the Zebralands trying to get the new Queen settled in. From the reports he had heard, that was turning out to be nearly impossible.

Despite the iron clad rule of you keep what you kill the warlords seemed to favor in the past. Her brother had left everything to her in a will he drafted years prior. This was unheard of before this point, as mares tended to be viewed as second class citizens in the Zebralands, that one suddenly was in control of the largest military and seat of power in the Zebralands, unnerved a great many.

Still there were plenty who easily accepted it. Despite what evil he did, the Warlord Zal'Torack had done more for equality in the zebra lands than any one else before him, going so far as to allow female soldiers in his ranks. So despite the general unrest, most were willing to let Velkorn have a chance to rule. At least until his eldest son Baelit was old enough to take the position. Princess Celestia and a number of other advisers had gone there personally to make sure her transition into rule went smoothly and that a new peaceful era between the nations could begin. Most of the Zebralands, even those factions that opposed the rule of Zal'Torack or were opposed to mares in power, were still in favor of peace.

Velkorn however wanted nothing to do with it.

Ninety percent of the advisers days were spent tracking down where the new Queen had run off to during any given moment.

The doctor had no desire to rule anything in the slightest and primarily wanted to be left alone to do what ever she did without a horde of injured soldiers to tend.

Princess Celestia finally stepped in directly and had a fair sized section of the jungle cleared on the spot where Velkorn's medical tent had been. She brought in the best pony engineers she could and had a state of the art modern hospital and medical college designed and built in just under five months. It was staffed by ponies at first though the idea was in time to train and staff if with zebras. Over the next few years this area of the forest was widened and spread with housing and other structures to eventually become the first stable city of the Zebralands. Velkorn of course spent enough time in the college and the hospital that the new city became the capitol rather than the warlords fortress.

With Velkorn primarily in one place now, Princess Celestia worked on trying to convince the new Queen to get her country in order. This was met with middling success as Velkorn eventually agreed but only if 'after a set amount of time an elected council took over and she could be away from this foolishness.' The advisers made the arraignments but it would still take a few years until everything could be done. A few trade agreements and other things were finalized and Princess Celestia came back to Equestria after a few months of leaving Princess Luna in charge.

Rhede and a number of others were left as liaisons between the two countries and her first official act as Queen was to name the new capitol of the Zebralands.

She named it Asclipius.

====================

Rhede, of course, was being his strangely dodgy self. Jer'rahd had cornered him a few times during his trips back to Canterlot to report on what was happening in Asclipius, but he never got a straight answer from the stallion.

Jer'rahd was particularly curious as to why Rhede passed on being the hero. Given the attention he was getting from mares he figured that would be right up his friends ally. Jer'rahd himself had received quite a few propositions, both tame and outright lavacious, though most were obviously only interested in him due to his fame, something he doubted would have bothered Rhede.

With everything as it was Rhede was stuck in Asclepius most of the time and only came back to Canterlot when the Queen visited or one of his other mysterious visits that didn't seem scheduled. Still he was more than happy to sneak off to have a drink with Jer'rahd when he had the time.

“So still not going to tell me why you were there?”Jer'rahd grumbled over his drink, asking the same question for the umpteenth time.

Rhede took a sip of his drink, eyes wandering watching a few mare’s pass by. The tavern was by no means busy and it was in one of the less popular sections of town for the Guard and nobility. This made it a good spot to avoid being recognized, something Jer'rahd loved about it more than the cheap drinks. Rhede complained there were not enough mares, but he did agree the peace was nice.

“Maybe one day, but that’s not today ….. tomorrows not looking so good either.” Rhede grins.

“Alright so then how about why you pinned it on me?”Jer'rahd questions swirling his drink in the glass.

“What not happy with the fame? ….... OK, OK, cut out the death glare. I suppose, I didn't think too far ahead about how ponies would react.” Rhede placates backing away from Jer'rahd noting the reddish glow to his injured eye.

“For you thinking itself seems a stretch sometimes.”

“I am wounded my friend... well not as much as you have been obviously. Seriously your cutie mark should have been a band aid.” Rhede smirks.

“I've not gotten hurt that much, there's likely some pony out there who has been messed up far more often than I have.” Jer'rahd admits.

*****************************************************************

In another place, in another time a young pony named Lil'Pip sneezed.

*************************************************************

“Well considering I won't always be around to protect you Jer,I figured some public exposure would keep you in the lime light, perhaps even safe for a while.” Rhede states, his tone a bit more serious.

“Pfft, I’m a caged bird right now Rhede. The nobles and higher up barely let me piss by myself for fear I might tarnish their built up image of a war hero. I'm more a icon for ponies to rally around than some one who did something. I am not comfortable with this or the lying you and the Princess are having me do either. Also I don't need protection ,from some nebulous construct you refuse to elaborate on.”

“It's not a lie Jer, your blade took the head of the Warlord. No one ever asks if you were the one holding it. Besides it's gotten to the point now that even if you say you didn't do it no pony would believe you. I mean I know things have gotten a little out of hoof.....”

“There is a novel out there that has me seducing Queen Velkorn just so I can then get into the bed of the Princesses.” Jer'rahd snarls.” Not one or the other, but both of them.. at the same time......”

“Pfft, no pony reads that sort of trash,.....”

“They are making it into a stage play......”

“No one takes off Bardway plays seriously......”

“It's ON Bardway.....”

“Okay so it's a lot out of control. Fine look at it this way, Equestria has been in some war or another for years. We got out of the Dragon War just to get into the War of the North with the Griffons, We barely finish that one and the Bone Hound conflict starts. THAT gets finished and this Zebralands nonsense starts. Sure the last two of those only lasted maybe three years each, but still the public’s tired of war, tired of conflict. You and Starfall were put on pedestals for a reason. The Dragon and Griffon wars lasted generations, you two stopped a conflict in next to no time by all accounts on your own, the public eats that stuff up. Doesn't Equestria deserve a bit of peace? Someone to thank for stopping a conflict before it really even begins? You are giving ponies hope, and putting fear into the hearts of any who would attack Equestria. Doesn't that amount to something?”

Jer'rahd sighs “I suppose you are right, though I find it hard to think of you as being generous enough to give up the chance to be a hero.”

“What and go through the same nonsense you are? Pfft forget that, besides your story will look better in the history books. Daring hero storms the keep of the enemy with a handful of solders and manages to succeed where countless other, better armed forces, failed. Family with a history of conflict raises Equestria's next great hero. Seriously? We have that or we have 'random tail chaser ambassador some how manages not to screw up'. Yours sounds much better on paper.”

“Yes, the whole thing reeks of a action novel right down to the secret Queen helping out.” Jer'rahd admits.

“Another reason you're the hero in this story. If any other pony had asked she probably would have refused, it seems she knows you, she was willing to come back into that place after she fled it to help you. You do tend to inspire ponies to go and do stupid things sometimes.”

“Likely, she felt sorry for me and all the others that were suffering for this battle and wanted to see some one end it.”Jer'rahd growls.

“That’s it exactly, to be honest. Every pony is sick of war. More than a few are blaming Princess Luna for getting them into these conflicts. Flower Foals bah, They cannot even see that Equestria hasn't started a single battle, everything has been a response to an attack.”

“I've had more than a few of them yelling at me in some of these damned press conferences and public events that have been foisted on me.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “Rather vicious with their words to be 'ponies of peace.'

“Yep, any way despite being in Canterlot I suggest you remain on your guard. You are still a member of the 42d, and a high ranking one now too.” Rhede smirks.

“Still wondering about that, I jumped from enlisted right over to officer and not even a minor officer either, all without any training.”

“Luna's Royal Guard works differently than the normal Guard. Her officers are made such on merit, not time served, schooling, or who their fathers are. You can lead, you can follow, and you can fight, that's all that matters to them. You've managed to pull off two rather impressive feats in a very sort amount of time. You might have been over shadowed by Starfall in one of those, but the important ponies know you were responsible for Princess Luna still being alive. You've managed more medals in five years than most Guards will see their entire career.” Rhede chuckles.

“What about you Rhede, manage any medals? And you can cut the 'simple ambassador' stuff I am not buying that. You have information you shouldn't if you know about me saving Princess Luna.”

“A few. They keep them in a basement some where in Canterlot. If I feel like going to look at them I’ve got to sign some waivers.”

“What?”

“Don't worry about it, it doesn't matter, lets just say the right ponies like what I do and be content with that. I can't stay too long tonight though, I met a pretty filly over in the east end who would love me to do a painting of her.” Rhede grins.

“You still use that lame painting line? Your art work sucks, you know that right?” Jer'rahd scoffs. “Better than your singing, but not by much.”

“I am offended by that, but at least I am getting me some play Jer. I go with what works. Though as I said Jer, don't get too complacent here. Rumor mill is that somethings going on in the east. Most likely you will be going there.”

“The only thing in the east is the Darklands. Lovely. What do you know Rhede?” Jer'rahd sighs

“Not much, just the rumors, a couple of settlements have been attacked out side the wall. A couple people claim they have seen trolls, one or two claim giant monsters as well.”

“Maybe some Discordian monsters have formed packs or something. I figure the 8th division would have reported in if it was anything important.” Jer'rahd shrugs.

“Maybe, might be that, might be some bandits taking advantage of the legend. Still I would suggest you consider it to be more than something simple. Discordian monsters don't randomly gather into packs unless something stronger forces them too. Chaos and all that. There's a standard destroy on sight with all of his creations. Even the harmless seeming ones tend to be horrific, like the parasprites.”

“At least we know there's a reason why the Guard has a full time marching band.” Jer'rahd chuckles remembering that bit of info from the training.

“Luna is likely going to send at least part of the 42nd, most are going to be allowed some down time but some are going to meet the 8th to investigate things. It's a pretty safe bet she's sending General Mustang......”

“Must be important if she's sending one of the Generals.” Jer'rahd whistles.

“She's also going to be sending you.”

A good portion of Jer'rahd's drink wound up on the bartender who had come over to see if he wanted a refill. The ale soaked earth pony glares at Jer'rahd as the unicorn chokes on his drink after the spit take.

“Why cough the buck would she be sending me?”

“Results most likely. Between you and Mustang she expects something to get done. The 8th is filled with a bunch of noble foals whose parents bought their spots to get them out of the way and still keep them safe and out of actual combat. Those that aren’t noble tend to be the trouble makers that other regiments don't want. The 8th is a shady unit to say the least. You're probably going to be spending most of your time arguing with some stuck up so and so about things. On the plus side you might also be in luck, I hear the ESO is setting up a show out there in Dullahan Keep here before long.” Rhede explains offering the bartender a napkin.

“Well that's nice to know that the trip won't be total shit. I finally get to see the dragonling that made Starfall laugh.” Jer'rahd coughs again clearing his throat.

“Where is that fine pegasus any way, I wanted to say hello, maybe flirt a bit.” Rhede grins.

“We both know that would never go anywhere. It's been five years and she's still fixated on her late husband. She's clearly one of those mares that mates for life Rhede. Took her vows seriously. She's in the same place she always is when shes off duty.” Jer'rahd smirks.

“How's Cloud Dancer doing any way?” Rhede grins.

“From what Starfall says the little filly is driving her sister crazy, trying to mimic her moms rain boom before she can even fly.”

“Wow, that foal is going to be a nightmare when she gets older. Daughter of a war hero and the only pegasus know to preform that maneuver.”

“Sounds like she's one now to me.” Jer'rahd smirks sipping from his refilled glass and glaring at the bartender who had watered it down heavily as a bit of pay back for the mess.

“True enough. Speaking of lost loves Jer, I understand you're a bit bitter still, but you shouldn’t have done what you did to Silphy.” Rhede sighs.

“Heard about that hmm?”

“All of Equestria and probably most of the rest of Equss has heard about that. The poor mares not likely gonna ever live it down. To be told to drop dead by the war hero currently in the media spotlight. I didn’t think you had that level of nasty in you. It was like you were spitting poisoned ice.” Rhede gestures dramaticly.

“Nope just ale. My good ale........” the bartender points out setting down another pair of full glasses before moving away with another glare at Jer'rahd.

“Hey I’m paying for it I should be able to do what I want with it!” Jer'rahd shouts after him before looking back at Rhede. “Maybe I am still bitter, but it didn’t help she came back only due to my new fame. You know damn well all the crap she pulled with me and all of it was just to get to you. That shit doesn't sit well with me at all. I may not be proud of what I did , but damned if letting her have it didn't feel good.”

“You sure that was it Jer? Right death glare again”Rhede grins taking note of the soft glow from his friends eye again. “ You are right though, she always was the flighty sort. You did always have a massive deal about betrayal too. Still, with that sort of comment to a mare ponies might get the wrong idea about you. That and your attendance of that wedding......”

“Honestly the only idea ponies should have about me is I am a member of the Guard doing whats needed to keep them safe. What ever fantasy they want to write about me for their little story books is all on them. Once I'm dead, I really don't care what the books will say about me.”

“Very dark, very morbid talking like that. Gonna dye that sandy hair black, start writing bad poetry and cutting yourself?” Rhede mutters.

“What?”

“Nothing, nice to see you're still not up to date on youth culture. Well off to go paint a sexy mare, see yah around Jer. Try not to get hurt on the next assignment, I really don't need to see you name inscribed on a monument some where.” Rhede smirks rising from his stool.

“I can say the same for you.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Heh, don't worry if I die doing something, no one is ever likely to know I was even born.”

“What the hay is supposed to mean Rhede.... Rhede? ”Jer'rahd turns on his stool. He scans over the crowd blinking in surprise not seeing his friend any where. He sighs and looks down spotting a bit of paper on the bar top, a Greece for the current tab the pair had set up as well as a sizable tip for the bar tender.

“Damn Rhede. You're only suppose to vanish like that if you don't pay the tab. Ah well I guess I’ll see you again when I do. Hopefully.”

============================================================

It was not long after that night that Rhede's information had proven to be right on the bits. Despite still being at the height of his popularity and under a number of orders to attend various functions and parties, he was called into the Guard HQ and briefed on a new mission.

To be honest he was more than happy to be getting away from Canterlot. He had a standing order from six or seven minor nobles to be their escort to the next Grand Galloping Gala and if he refused any of them it was going to be a rather big fuss, so this was a nice legit way to avoid it all. Besides he was so sick of the damn parties he was about to request a transfer to the Zebra lands just to get away for a while.

It was here he met General Mustang for the first time. The old gray earth pony was a legend in the Guard. He had fought in the Dragon war almost a hundred years ago when the Dragon Lord Forge Scale was defeated, He had fought in the War of the North with the Griffons and he had been commanding the majority of the forces for both he Bone Hound Rebellion and the war in the Zebralands. In every battle he had been in he managed to be part of one or more decisive battles. It was a lesser known fact that he was immune to magic, or as near to immune as a pony could get. Spells simply fizzled if they were cast any where near him, often dramaticly enough that the caster wound up with a splitting headache. This was both a blessing and a bane as healing spells didn't work on him either, luckily he seemed supernaturally tough and had climbed the ranks rather rapidly to the point where now the only ponies he had to answer to where the Princesses themselves. General Mustang was known for one thing above all others, getting results, even if he had to go and do it himself.

Meeting the General he immediately noticed that Mustang seemed to be much larger than he actually was, his voice boomed as if a dragon was shouting and despite the fact he was old enough that no one but the Princesses likely knew what his original coat color was, he was still spry enough that he could be confused with a pony a quarter of his supposed age. He wore heavy Guard armor at all times colored with the Black and Purple of Luna's Personal Royal Guard marked with five silver stars denoting rank.

Jer'rahd had no idea how any pony could compare him to this stallion, despite his own rather rapid rank climb.

“So yer Kaisur, huh? Not much to look at, with the way all these yahoo's have been going on I expected you to be ten stories tall, covered in spikes and spitting fire. Let me tell you something right now before you even say a damn word you bucking media darling. This hero shit you seem to be known for? Doesn't mean a load of parasprite drippings while you are under my command. You understand Major? I am not happy to have you with me, if my last commanding officer had not been killed during all that crap in the Zebra lands I wouldn't even be talking to you.” Mustang rants.

“Yes sir. I am quite happy to be getting out of Canterlot any way.” Jer'rahd responds flinching a little as Mustang turns around to glare at him, the ponies jade eyes seeming to try and burn themselves into his face.

“Awww what's a matter lil toy soldier, the lime light not good enough for yah? Don't like the idea of every mare and filly fawning over your every word?”

“I'm a Guard sir, simple as that.” Jer'rahd quickly responds trying not to watch the General pace around him like a tiger waiting to eat him at the first sign of weakness.” I was more comfortable in a trench getting bombarded than have have been in Canterlot since I came back Sir.”

“Feh. We'll see about that by the time this is all over. What do you know about this assignment?” Mustang snorts.

“Nothing official sir.”

“Humor me Major.”

“I've heard there is something going on at the wall and we are to investigate it , sir.”

“That's more than any one is supposed to know. This is supposed to be a bucking inspection assignment where we check everything out for the ESO tour coming through. And that's all you tell any one. It's a perfect job for a media face like you so no one will even bat an eye.”

“Errr what about you Sir?”

“I'm doing what ever the buck I want, just like I always do. I don't need a damn cover.”

“Yes sir.”

“Here's the skinny, you are being put in command of about thirty members of the 42nd. Your official task is to oversee the preparations for the show, but what you are gonna be doing is looking for anything out of place, or that doesn't make sense in regards to what's going on at the wall. Then you are going to tell that to me.”

“Yes Sir.”

“We have gotten a number of reports about trolls forming up in large groups and hitting settlements near the wall, a few of the towns were wiped out completely. The 8th command has not so much as uttered a peep to anyone about these events. When questioned they claim them as nothing more than rumors or bandit attacks. Which is bull shit, we have a few survivors who came to report the issue directly to the Princesses after getting no help from those at the wall. So something is up, particularly when they described trolls perfectly. Most ponies have seen trolls in books or illustrations, but these survivors described the stench, and nothing smells like a troll but a troll. I want to know what the 8th is doing, If they are up to something they are gonna be doing their best to keep me away from anything interesting, so that's where you come in. No one's gonna give a crap about what the Guard's poster colt is doing to set up for a show every pony wants to see.”

“Won't the 8th command have issues with my poking around? The majority of the ones in charge still outrank me, sir.”

“Then don't let them notice, every one thinks your a moody flake any way, play that up.”

“News to me on that sir.” Jer'rahd sighs. “There are others who would be more suited to this task I am sure sir. I don't do subtle very well.”

“ You served under the Major, I don't expect subtle was in that stallions vocabulary. Besides colt, I'm a fan of hedging my bets.” Mustang chuckles.

“What do you mean sir?”

“Colt you have wound up being in critical spots during the last two conflicts, so critical in fact that they pretty much ended the conflict in our favor. That is completely unheard of in terms of bad luck. The sort of luck that borders the bucking divine hoof of the universe poking you with a stick. Now I figure yer a clever pony, so you can figure out what that means. If something's gonna happen at the wall there's a damn good chance it'll happen while you're there. Princess Luna believes that as well, so you're going. Despite my arguments to the contrary she wants to see how you'll do with an operation of your own.”

“It's your command sir, I'm only here to help.”

“Damn right it's my command. And I don't want any crazy shit you might have picked up from your predecessor to seep into that head of yours. We do this my way or else you clear?” Mustang agrees.

“Yes sir.”

“Good, go get prepped Major, we ship out tomorrow and its a long march. Dismissed!”

==============================================================

General Mustang was not kidding. The march itself took over a week to run from Canterlot to the eastern side of the country where The Wall stood, it took another three days to travel along it to Dullahan Keep situated in the middle of the structure.

The Wall was a twenty story towering solid mass of obsidian jade. It stretched from a mountain range in mid Equestria all the way to the north east where it bordered the mountain range to the Dragon lands blocking off a mountainous peninsula from the rest of Equss. During the Discordian war the land on the other side of the wall was the last refugee of the Chaotic god Discord. The very landscape warped and twisted to his strange whims, becoming a place that was any thing from simply offensive, to deadly to all normal life. The section of the world was situated between two massive mountain ranges to the north and the south , and the open sea to the east. The west was sealed by The Wall. Even this long after Discord's defeat, the land was twisted. The Princesses decided the best action was to seal it off, and the pair of them pulled The Wall from the very depths of Equss itself to do so. The Princesses then placed a branch of the the Guard at the wall to monitor it and guard against intrusion. The 8th Division was born of this command. Even during the Dragon War The Wall was left untouched despite Dullahan being the closest Equestrian military base to the Dragon Empire

The dragons had suffered under Discord as well and The Wall was marked as a non combatant site during the conflict to prevent any damage to the structure.

The very nature of The Wall itself seemed to deter any of the Discordian creatures from approaching it and as such it was considered a relatively low risk duty assignment. Unfortunately this meant that the children of rich or noble birth who wanted to join the Guard for their own ambition were often placed here. As were the troops that had records, or were simply problem ponies to the Guard at large, but not enough to kick them out. It also helped matters that despite the conflicts Equestria had with other nations, the wall had a set number of ponies that needed to staff it's length and none of them could be pulled away for other conflicts.

Still it was not one hundred percent no risk. Certain things from the Darklands on the other side of the wall enjoyed testing the walls defenses. A number of things could also fly or burrow which meant that the Guard on the wall had plenty to do. This made the recent attacks more curious as there had been no investigation by the 8th. Of course this could be more due to incompetence or laziness than any sort of malice given the compensation of the 8th.

The settlements around the wall were something neither Princess liked, but they were some what a necessity. A number of Gem mines had been in the mountains before the Dragon war, and after ward the crystals became much more sought after as their inherent magic was strengthened by the chaotic magic from the near by Darklands. There was also a number of farms that grew food for the Guard at the wall. Of course the nearness to the Darklands produced a number of strange but harmless crop variations such as foal carrots and rainbow colored apples. Most of the tainted crops however were ruined which led to the farmers having large farms with a multitude of various crops as it was unlikely that all of them could be ruined.

Those living by the wall also had a unusually high fertility rate. There was also the added chaos that a pair of earth ponies often found that their gave birth to a pegasus or unicorn. Something which a number of the more hide bound racist ponies couldn't stand. Still despite the added fertility and variation that some parents might seek for their foals, the dangers of being that close to the Wall kept the population mostly to farmers and members of the 8th.

The entire Wall and the surrounding area was the sole responsibility of the 8th division, while the main command of the 8th was in Canterlot proper, it was usually only the older semi retired brass that stayed in Canterlot, the rest remained at the Wall in various outposts along it's length.

In the middle of the length of the wall sat the largest structure, Dullahan keep. The fortress was nearly as tall as the wall it self and was built so that one side of the keep actually was made up of the wall, leaving a massive open air courtyard in the middle surrounded by thick walls that contained living and work space for everything from a blacksmith, to a 8th division run post office.

Dullahan Keep was named after the first General of the 8th legion It's said that during one of the last great battles of the Discordian war while the Princesses sought to raise the wall, he was beheaded in combat while trying to keep the monsters back . The legend states that despite this he continued to fight on and help push the Discordian forces back before he finally bothered to stop and die. Years later there are ponies who say he still can be seen on dark nights galloping across the fields on the other side of the wall fighting the Discordian armies and looking for his lost head.

It was up to the massive gates of this keep that they finally arrived, and the moment General Mustang trotted through the gates the battle was met.

Not a single one of the officers in charge wanted the 42nd any where near their keep, excuses and lame reasons were met as to why they couldn't be housed in Dullahan or that they didn't have time for inspections or even the ESO presentation that they themselves had requested.

Most of the officers seemed to simply be passing on some one elses orders as a number of them were in command of the other outposts along the wall and where only in Dullahan for a scheduled officers meeting. Something Jer'rahd was sure General Mustang had planned for.

The arguing died down to passing the buck as General Mustang made quite clear he would have none of this back talking shit and had a number of officers demoted or shipped back to Canterlot for reassignment,and he had one particularly persistent first lieutenant thrown in a cell to cool his hooves for a few days. The rank and file troops of the 8th did their best to not get involved and simply tried to stay out of the way. Jer'rahd did notice the guard and postings were excessively lax in some places and he exercised his own rank to try and get a few things fixed up still running in his mask of setting up for the ESO show.

He had not managed much organization or review when he had his first personal encounter with the keep's Commander. Colonel Claymore.

The Colonel had avoided the attention of General Mustang, mostly by placating him or giving him what he wanted, though he also did his best to hinder or distract the General. And if he couldn't, he usually changed anything that was altered back to how it was before when the General moved on to something else. This left Jer'rahd to come back again and try and fix things once more which pissed the Colonel off to no end when he found out.

“You, Major!! What the buck are you doing there?!” Claymore shouted storming into the office of the jailed officer that Jer'rahd had taken as his own for the time being.

Jer'rahd winced inwardly hoping the reaction did not show, or at least not enough to be noticed by the irate Colonel. The earth pony stormed into the room his black mane was cut short and streaked with silver and gray, though not likely from age as he wasn't that much older that Jer'rahd. His sandy yellow colored flank was marked with a dull gray sword that seemed roughly made. His ears were back against his head and he some what reminded Jer'rahd of Rhede in that he had the sort of face that he figured mares found attractive for some reason.

Granted at the moment the stallion was shoving Jer'rahd aside with more force that Jer'rahd expected and yanking the papers and maps he had been looking over out of the unicorn's grasp.

“What the buck is this?” Claymore yells in Jer'rahd's face a bit of spittle splattering on his face.

“The rearranged patrol schedules as per the Generals orders. Given the number of civilians that will be present sir we need a tighter schedule than what was assigned....” Jer'rahd starts to explain.

“And what the in the name of Celestia's plot is this crap, you're sending out patrols into areas we do not cover, and you're putting officers into patrols as well? Officers don't do patrols, that's grunt work. Not like I expect some showboat fancy famous pony like yourself to know a damn thing about the proper way to do things.” Claymore bellows.

“With all due respect sir, the patrol route is full of holes, there are more than a few areas that should be watched given their locations near some of the towns and other outposts. None of the new patrol routes have weakened defenses in any areas. With this set up twice as much ground can be covered and adding the officers into the routes makes more sense as more eyes will be better in the long run and a command structure on the ground will help in any surprise situations.”

“Like buck am I going to allow this to happen. You idiots in the 42nd think your all hot shit because you get into a lot of fights. You're all just a bunch of barely contained pyscos who need to be put out of every one elses misery. You have no idea how things are done here yet the first thing you do when you get here is try and change everything without even bothering to find out why it is set up the way it is. It's even more proof that you ponies have no respect for real military law when some waste of ass wipe like you manages to skip half the ranks and is just given the rank of Major. Makes me sick seeing what the Guard's come to. It used to be you had to freaking earn your place, not any more clearly.” Claymore rants as he flings the papers back in Jer'rahd face.” You want to do these patrols Major, then you and that group of thugs you brought with you can do them yourselves. I'm not giving you a single one of my ponies to do so. We have a wall to protect here and we've done if fine for several thousand years with out any help.”

“Sir with the number of reports of villages being attacked in the area, I have a duty to make sure the ESO has a safe......”

“I don't give a shit about the ESO and I know all about the attacks. The General has the reports and if he doesn't see fit to tell you that it's been isolated bandits, a poisoned well, and a bunch of drunk villagers seeing wolves then that's his issue not mine. Why don't you go back to your gilded spot light and leave the soldiering for real stallions Major, now get out of my officers room. You are Dismissed.”

It went on like that every time Jer'rahd attempted to do anything at all. It got to the point that General Mustang had to get directly involved in a few cases and both times as soon as the General left what ever had been changed went back to normal.

While Jer'rahd was apologetic as he could be to the General for his having to get him involved, the General was strangely understanding of the effort needed to deal with the Colonel. It seemed even he could not manage to do anything permanent to Claymore. The Colonel had his own contacts in Canterlot and even Mustang would be hard pressed to remove the stallion without some sort of backlash.

When another village was attacked, General Mustang sent Jer'rahd along with the 42d's expert on Discordian creatures to the site.

First Sergeant Buttercup was a pegasus mare with a lime green coat and purple mane. Her cutie mark was a strange one that set her path for her long before she even knew what the creature was, a cartoonish troll with little x's for eyes. She had studied Discordian creatures and monsters and myth since she was little and with the supposed exception of those on the wall there didn't seem to be any one who knew more.

They went along with the 8th's patrol to the town to investigate, much to the officer in charges annoyance. While the 8th talked to the ponies who lived there and looked around, Jer'rahd and Buttercup did their own investigation.

Nearly half of the town's food supplies were stolen and everything else was either defiled or covered in troll droppings. The buildings were ripped apart or burned down and more than a few ponies were injured. There were at least six confirmed deaths in one case a pony was partially eaten.

Buttercup confirmed everything pointed to trolls though she did not recognize some of the larger claw marks found further from the town in the search. She believed that what ever made them might have been what was directing the trolls. Colonel Claymore however had sent his own 'expert', a gold and brown spotted pegasus named Quickling. He and his own team trod on evidence, ham hooved anything that could have been taken as proof and claimed very loudly that this was the work of a feral maticore.

Sergeant Buttercup called it bullshit and told Quickling such right to his face. If Jer'rahd had not intervened the First lieutenant probably would have bucked Buttercup back down to private right there.
Jer'rahd might not have the authority to deal with Claymore or any of the other officers at his rank back in Dullahan, but he was the highest ranking officer in this investigation. Despite that he was largely ignored and told to keep his mouthy subordinate in line before they went back to whatever they were doing.

“This is total crap sir these ponies can't tell their plot holes from a mine shaft let alone what happened here. I mean seriously sir. They have even managed to confuse the ponies that saw the trolls into questioning what they saw.” Buttercup snarls.

“It's fine Sergeant, all we need to do is report what we found to General Mustang. The 8th might be idiots, but at least they are helping the ponies here rebuild what was damaged. I'll see that some excess supplies get moved here as well to help the wounded and replenish the food stores so they can get by for the winter. Still is it just me or was this place attacked differently than the others in the reports. The tactics seem odd.”

“Yeah, I’ve never heard of trolls stealing food before sir. You saw the store room, there's no way they could have eaten all that was taken that was a seasons worth of crops in there.” Buttercup mutters.

“Put it all in the report, something is going on here.” Jer'rahd mutters.” The 8th might even be a part of it with how hard they are fighting this. Still, never attribute to malice what could be little more than stupidity.”

==========================================================

Mustang filed the report and sent it back to Canterlot, but the General had let Jer'rahd know that the Colonel had also sent out a report just before theirs that made a claim that the 42nd was attempting to undermine the 8th's authority and was falsely accusing his troops in order to gain more popularity with the population, and cited Kaisur's assignment to the post as proof of that. How it was proof neither Mustang nor Jer'rahd could figure out, but they were sure some pony would find or make a connection.

It seemed to them both as if the Colonel was worried more about his own appearance and status than anything else. As such he seemed to be doing his best to discredit any sort of investigation or change anything any one else did.

The rank and file of the 8th however didn't seem to care about how they were viewed and were in some cases thrilled that Jer'rahd was there. Not because of any changes he was trying to make, but because his presence was a herald of the ESO performance that all of them were waiting for. The rumor mill was spreading quite rampant about what the performance would entail, though nearly all of them were sure that the star performer Platinum was going to be at this show. A few of the 42nd , who had been to her shows near the front, swore she had a voice like praise from Celestia and a form beautiful enough to make Luna jealous.

Accompanying her would be the usual round of acts for the show and much to Jer'rahd's amusement the comedic stylings of the dragonling Bleu Scale. If things went well enough he might actually be able to catch the show for once and see what Starfall found so amusing about it.

Well he had hoped that at least until General Mustang pulled him aside with another assignment.

“Slightly changed mission for you Kaisur. You, ten of the 42nd , and ten of the 8th are going on a little trip to Cincinagi.”

“Are you sure sir? That's going to take about a week round trip and everything here's not settled yet.” Jer'rahd protests.

“Bah, I figure you would be thrilled to get away from Claymore. Besides not much can be done. This is a personal request from some one fairly high up for you to go with a small force. Pick some of the ones you think you can trust, or at least ones who don't like Claymore from the 8th.” Mustang responds.

“Shouldn't be a problem. None of the mares here like him at all. Seems hes some what a misogynist.”

“I've heard that complaint too, but no proof that I could find directly. Any way get your team together you ship out in the morning.”

Yes' sir.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“What the bucks the matter now colt? Figured you'd be happy with a bit of a vacation.” Mustang narrows his eyes.” It's the show isn't it?”

“Yes sir. Rather curious about it honestly sir, I have yet to actually see one and a few friends of mine recommend it highly. “ Jer'rahd explains trying not to sound whiny.

“I wouldn't worry about it . The shows still a good ways away and you'll be back before it starts I can promise you that. As a side note Kaisur I still don't think your up to match my last XO, but its too late to track down some one better. Dismissed Major.”

“Yes Sir.”

Author's Note

Given the size of this chapter before editing i decided to split it into 3 parts.

Gemstone in the rough, Part 2 [6]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Gemstone in the rough.
Part 2

The next morning twenty two ponies thundered out of Dullahan Keep in full gallop. General Mustang had added a last moment addition to the mission with Sergeant Buttercup. She had some how managed to piss Colonel Claymore off even more than Jer'rahd had and the Colonel had been doing his best for the last few days to make her as miserable as possible. Mustang figured it would be a good idea to get her out of the Keep for a while until the Colonel could cool down.

The few days trek to Cincinagi was uneventful, as not even the most fool hearty of bandits and monsters wished to mess with a large group of ponies geared for war. They were welcomed at the small Guard outpost and presented with quarters in the nearly empty outpost. Cincinagi was far enough inside Equestria that anything more than a skeleton crew of Guards being posted there would be a waste and the outpost was used more for recruitment than anything else.

After checking in with the base commander Jer'rahd found the briefing was scheduled for the the next afternoon. After giving it a bit of thought Jer'rahd gave his squad a ten hour leave to enjoy the city, provided they were all back by nine the next morning and none of them got into any trouble. Even after the long run they were all eager to hit the city and he was quite sure he had just become a favorite officer to a number of them.

While he was amused at the reaction of the soldiers, he was quite ready to hit one of the local bars himself and see if there was a local brew he hadn't tried before.

He decided to simply choose the bar closest to the outpost rather than looking for the sort of out of the way dive he usually liked. The last drink he had was with with Rhede months ago. One of these days he needed to get Rhede, Starfall and maybe even Velkorn together for a drink, though he doubted his chances of getting the Zebra Queen into one of his preferred watering holes.

He had only known the zebra for a fraction of the time he knew the other two, but he found he rather missed her company as well as that weird singsong rhyming speech pattern she used. From time to time he even caught himself using it, but thankfully no one seemed to notice.

The Roaring Maticore was the tavern he wound up at thanks to some directions from a local Guard. It was a fairly high class place by his standards, not too fancy, but more the sort of place he might take a date rather than drink alone in. Still the drinks were cold, the meal was tasty, and every pony was content to leave him alone. Either they didn't recognize him or didn't care, and he was okay with both of those. He made a mental note to the thank the local guard who sent him this way as he finished up his meal, almost having forgotten what anything other than oat bars and mess hall chow tasted like. The cooks could have served him plain toast and it probably would have been a delicacy after all that.

He was far too stuffed by the end to even bother with the loaf of garlic bread that was left and decided to just nurse his ale for a while, bask in the ambiance of the place, and relax before heading back to the outpost. He made a note to return here the following night as well. Despite it's some what fancy nature of the place the prices were reasonable. It was not like he had really spent any of his pay on anything any way.

“Ah hello there, I don't suppose this seat is taken Major?”

He blinked, looking up in surprise, not able to help a shiver run up his spine at the soft tone of the voice. It was like some pony had managed to make silk and honey blend seamlessly together into a sound and then presented it to a mare to use as her voice.

And what a mare! As his gaze lifted up, his own mismatched red and green eyes met a pair of sparkling amethyst ones. She stood across the table from him making him unsure how she had managed to walk up on him with out his eyes simply being drawn to her. The lavender unicorn before him was clearly amused by the surprise he displayed, judging by the small curl of her lip hinting at a smile but trying to be polite so he didn't think she was laughing at him. Her face was framed by a darker purple mane with pinkish streaks running through it. Her spiraled horn emerged up from the the tight curls of her mane and he couldn't help let his gaze drift down to the rest of her form, briefly pausing on her flank at the collection of six pointed stars that made up her cutiemark. Her tail was loosely braided with a bit of silver and blue strings running through it that fell nearly to the floor brushing across the back of her long legs. He quickly yanked his gaze back up to her face, noting the silver and white crystal pendant dangling around her delicate neck. It was quite a struggle to keep his eyes on her face and with a glance he could tell a great many other stallions in the room didn't have that sort of self control. A tall crystal glass half filled with some liquid or another floated beside her bathed in a silver glow that also flickered around her horn The golden liquid within swirling lightly as her magic shifts the glass a little.

“What? Oh, no, no its not taken at all Miss...?” Jer'rahd stammers.

“Sparkle, Silver Sparkle.” Silver answers with a light chuckle.

He suddenly realized he had risen up to his hooves and quickly pulled the bench out for her to have a seat before clumsily sinking back down in his own chair nearly missing it and hitting the floor. Another glance around gained him quite a few angry glares from some of the other patrons of the tavern, as well as the sight of a few colt friends and husbands trying to placate their companions after they had been caught staring.

She sets her glass lightly on the table, looking him over curiously pretending not to notice the other stares or the fact he nearly fell out of his seat. He did note that she seemed to be looking him over the same as he had done to her, though he was certain he had not been even half as subtle as she was. Still he couldn't help feeling a blush forming from her appraisal of him that he did his best to stave off.

“I have been rather eager to meet you Major, since I heard about your achievements.” Silver states.

Blush averted, he sighs softly to himself sitting back in the chair a little annoyed with himself. He should have known it would be another pony out to make a name for themselves using his own fame to increase their own. Still, even expecting some offer or another from this mare, he wondered if it might be worth letting himself be used for a bit, just to stay close to her. He didn't think too much on it though, as the little dark pony in the back of his mind was still ogling her flank. He had to clear that nagging little demon out before he chose to do anything. He found that not looking directly at her was only effective if she didn't speak.

“Please Miss Sparkle, I am off duty, just call me Jer'rahd. Forgive me if I seem rude, but what is it you want? There are a number of ponies who seem to want to meet me with ulterior motives and I tend to be skeptical of random ponies intentions after a while.”

“Not one for the price of fame then?”Silver asks seemingly not even put out by the off hooved accusation.

“Like I keep telling ponies, I did what needed to be done. Any Guard would have if given the same chance. I wouldn’t have even managed it if not for the information and help from the others. For some reason I was made famous while the media can't even recall their names.”Jer'rahd snorts.

“Humble, a bit too humble to seem real however. It almost seems scripted.” Silver shrugs and effect that Jer'rahd could have sworn was seductive though he wasn't sure how he thought a shrug could be.”Either that or you don't think you deserve this recognition for some reason. You should just accept the compliments given to you.”

“Why's that? Are you planning on giving me more?”

“Perhaps.” she smiles. ”That depends on you really. I do want to clear up a few things before I decide what I am going to do. Just a few tasteless rumors I want to know the truth of,”

Jer'rahd rolls his eyes grumbling. She might be a reporter with a line like that. Still he didn't have anything else to do tonight and she clearly went to some effort for this. Still he knew what rumors she would bring up. Also with her voice he might wind up enjoying hearing them again , if for no other reason to hear her speak.

“I gather you know which rumors then.”Silver states.

“Ugh, I was waiting for them to be brought up again somewhere.” Jer'rahd mutters. “To be quaint and tactless, the barn door doesn’t swing that way, so there's the first rumor..” He notes a slight nod as well as the perking of her ears at that, granted given his reaction to her he probably could have skipped answering that one.

“As for Silphy, well that’s a long and rather painful story. I won't bore you with all the details. Simply put she was only interested in me before because she was using me to get to some one else she wanted and this time because of what I had become not who I was. It's something I tend to wonder with every mare that walks up to me out of the blue nowadays. So tell me Miss Sparkle, is an attractive female like you also only interested in me for the publicity?”

“A bit jaded as well as humble I see.” she frowns

“I have my reasons to be.” Jer'rahd nods taking another drink from his glass. He didn't really want to be rude to her, but some spite he had slipped out, still she didn't seem that put off. There was clearly something else to this.

“Well, you needn't be too snappy, I have enough fame of my own that I have no desire to accrue more of it from some one else. I merely wished to know if you were in the same situation as I am. That is, not wanting anything to do with all the baggage that comes with being famous.

“I mean no offense, but I have not heard of your name being mentioned any where before.”Jer'rahd admits.

“We tend to exist in different circles of ponies Major, suffice to say if I so much as sneeze wrong in a place with the media they are all over it with some insane story or another.” Silver grumbles, some how managing to make that bit of annoyance in her expression adorable.

“I know that feeling, So does another friend of mine. At least she can out fly them to get away.” Jer'rahd chuckles lightly.

“You mean Wing Commander Starfall I assume? Hmm I don't suppose you two are a thing as has been rumored?”

“No, she's a friend. I went though basic training with her and we served at the same outpost during the Bone Hound rebellion. Nothing more than that.”Jer'rahd perks his ears looking at the edge of the table.

“Well fame is not all bad. Sometimes you do meet interesting ponies.” Silver smiles.

“I do agree with that. It's not completely bad. As a side note Miss Silver, do you realize there is a little dragon trying to steal your drink?” Jer'rahd deadpans.

Silver Sparkle's eyes widen at that and she quickly looks down as the claw holding the glass vanishes under the table. Her magic flares and she pulls a little bundle of green scales and wings out from under the table holding it in the air before her. She glares angrily at the small dragon who grins wide, downs the glass of wine and then tosses the crystal glass into it's mouth munching on it happily it's tail wagging.

“Bleu!!” Silver hisses.

“Hey, if I’m gonna get in trouble for something, might as go all the way right?” The dragonling chuckles.

“Excuse us major. I need to have a rather strong word or two with some one...” Silver growls moving away from the table and to an empty booth at the end of the bar.

Jer'rahd chuckles a little as the pair start discussing something he couldn't make out. He expected Silver had placed a muting spell over the pair of them because the dragonling didn't seem to be trying to whisper.

Still by her tone before she wandered off she didn't seem thrilled with the dragonling. Dragons were rare in Equestria, particularly after the war. Most were content to stay out of pony lands. Occasionally there would be an ambassador here and there or a merchant, but most of the dragons, particularly small ones, were students of Princess Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. Given that they seemed rather familiar with one another, despite Silver's annoyance, he expected that the little dragon was her partner. This worried him a little, only powerful spell casters could hatch the dragon egg as part of the test to enter the school. Nearly all unicorns took at least the first part of the test at some point in their lives. His grandparents were not too thrilled when his parents signed him up for it for some reason, though he never even made it past the first part of the testing to even try and rose an egg.

Most of the dragons, or dragonlings as they were called, stayed with their partners until their partners died. After that the ones that didn't die of grief or kill themselves were sent to the Dragon Empire, some sort of deal involving the eggs he wasn't sure of the full details really. He had heard of it happening once after the dragonlings partner had been killed in an accident. The dragon had gone on a rampage destroying anything that even came near it's partner. It took most of the Guard and a number of full grown dragons to calm the grief stricken creature down long enough to recover the body.

He was some what curious though how the dragonling had the name of Bleu when it was green scaled with purple spines and bright green eyes. Something seemed off about them both to be honest and he couldn't quite put his hoof on it.

Still if she was a skilled caster it might explain a few things like why she was almost supernaturally attractive. Granted her voice coupled with her darker coloration would have been attractive to him even if she was an earth pony. That noted maybe it wasn't any sort of magical charm any way, at least nothing every other mare in Equss didn't have.

He studied the two of them as they bickered and realized most of his attention was directed towards the rather shapely flank of the purple mare. She wasn't wearing anything beyond that necklace and the way her tail was whipping.....

He shut his eyes quickly and perked his ears up a little hoping to hear the conversation through the muffled spell while he wasn't distracted. It only helped a little as he could see her rear on the backs of his eyelids at this point.

“....on't care, I told you to stay at home Bleu.” Silver growls, her voice still faint , though he could make out most of her words now.

“Pffft like that was every gonna happen. I watched you all get made up and giddy to come see this pony and you think I was gonna stay in place like a good little dragon? I'm not a good little dragon even when I’m not insanely curious as to who my sister is running off in the middle of the night to see.”

“Bleu, I did not want you to be a embarrassment or a distraction or a .....”

“...Or a cock blocker....” Bleu mimics Silvers voice almost perfectly.

“Or a co.....”Silver catches herself. “That isn't...... see that... that is what I am talking about. You are being a bother and a nuisance like this. You always do this.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I thought I was supposed to be your assistant not your burden.” Bleu whines.

“I didn't mean it like that and you know it. “ Silver huffs.”Stop trying to be offended by something I say when you are the one in the wrong here. As I told you before I am trying to figure out if I was correct about him and you appearing is not going to help me figure that out, only give him more questions I don't want yet.

“Well, hes got the looks I suppose, no chance hes gonna appear in Playfilly any time soon but hes got that rustic solider thing down pat. I didn't think you were into that. Better be careful then or he'll figure it out if he's got any brains, and can get past the fact you flash him every time you whip your tail.” Bleu explains.

There is only so much self control one stallion can have and hearing that Jer'rahd couldn't help open at least one eye to glance over to where they were standing. Instead of getting another glimpse of Silvers near perfect rump he instead was greeted to the sight of a dragonling a hairs breadth from his face staring at him..

Letting out a rather undignified yelp Jer'rahd tumbles backwards, crashing the floor as he falls out of his seat.

“Yep, he was listening. And this proves he's straight too, win win for me!“ Bleu shouts.

“Delightful, yes thank you for that Bleu. Do you have any other plans to embarrass me tonight or are you winging it as usual?” Silver growls her lavender face tinged in red as she tries not to look at the gray unicorn pulling himself up from the floor.

The green scaled and purple sniped dragonling laughs stretching herself out on the table, her serpentine form moving like a house cats before she sat back on her haunches in the middle of the table where Jer'rahd finally got good look at her. She had a pair of small nub horns sprouting from her temples and a row of rounded spines going down her back. Her face was a bit more rounded than it likely would be when she was an adult , though her mouth was fairly wide and filled with sharp teeth. Her thin tail whipped across the table as she regards him, a pair of what seemed to be over sized wings flared from her back with a flourish and a bit of an up draft as she looks back at Silver.

“Oh I’m winging it of course.” Bleu looks at Jer'rahd. “ Get it? Winging it cause of the wings.....?”

“I'm sure he got it Bleu, but like most of us I’m sure he didn't find it funny.” Silver grumbles moving back to the table.

“Oh come on that was gold.”

“Puns are not gold......” Silver protests.

“Says you.... I horde them for a reason....”

“Because they are horadable.... oh by the stars you have me doing it.....” slapping her face with a hoof as Bleu laughs.

Jer'rahd rolls his eyes. “I'm starting to feel like a piece of furniture here with all this talking around me. Now before some one comes and tries to dust me , would you mind explaining where the dragon came from Silver?”

“Well when a mommy dragon and a daddy dragon love each other very much..... AKKKK!” Bleu begins though a yank on her tail by the still flushed Silver cut that rant short.

“That is NOT what he wanted to ask what he wanted to know is why you are here with me!” Silver growls.

“Oh that, well boss lady was looking for some well hung stud to take back home and BLARRGLE!” Bleu blurts out only to be interrupted by a beet red Silver shoving the hunk of garlic bread he hadn't eaten into the dragonlings mouth possibly attempting to choke her.

Jer'rahd leans back a little as Silver snorts in rage, her hair some how having gotten mussed up enough to be sticking out at odd angles.

“Shut up Bleu.....” she growls

“Ummmm.” Jer'rahd begins.

“Nothing, she said nothing, its just gotten far past her bedtime and we really should get going. I suppose I will see you tomorrow Major.”

“What?” Jer'rahd stammers.

The dragonling gasped having spit out, or swallowed most of the bread. She flails gasping for air and trying to get away from silver who seemed to be looking for something else to gag the lizard with.

“ Ahh, cough, boss lady, err your yah know, Silver?.” Bleu gasps before being choked off by another chunk of bread snatched from a nearby table.

“Oh right, I see. Umm, I mean if you want t meet again tomorrow I can come back here if you like.“ Silver stammers

“I would like that. You have definitely raised a good many questions.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Bet that's not the only thing she raised , Huh? solider colt? Ehh, Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more!?”Bleu blurts out making both of the ponies faces turn red.

“Gaaaah!” Silver cries out grabbing the dragonling in her magic and rushing away from the table and out the door. The little green lizard blowing kisses to all the bar's patrons as she was rushed out.

Jer'rahd watches them leave then meets the stares of a number of the bar patrons showing everything from disgust, to jealousy, to amusement. His gaze drops t the mess on his table and then to his empty ale mug with a dragon sized bite taken out of the crystal tankard. He shakes his head slightly wondering what that was all about any way, before he lifts as hoof to the bar tender.

“Check please.”

============================================================

The next day brought one of the Guards most well known past times, 'hurry up and wait.' The group of the 42nd and 8th that was with him all filed into a briefing room in the Guard outpost. None of them were too thrilled to be waiting around in the sterile gray room, particularly after the night of freedom they had previously. The conversations were hesitant at first with an officer present, but after the first hour most of them were comfortable enough that they started to act like he or Sergeant Buttercup were not even there. Buttercup told them to quiet down a bit when they got too loud, but other wise neither of them stopped the troops from talking.

Some of the conversations were the usual, 'I met this mare/stallion,' affair though some of them started talking about the ESO tour and the acts it had. One earth pony stallion was particularly focused on the singer Platinum having claimed to have been to all her shows since all the way back to when she first started under a different stage name. Of course a number of them challenged this by tossing a number of questions at the colt trying to get him to get one wrong. Some of the questions answered were borderline stalkerish from the fan colt, still it was something that was more interesting to listen too than the usual who got laid the most nonsense that tended to feature heavily in soldier’s down time after a night out.

By the second hour nearly all of them seemed to have forgotten he was even there with how wild some stories and complaints were. Even Buttercup gave up trying to get them to quiet down seeming to hope the noise would get who ever was in charge out here quicker. Jer'rahd was fine with that as he still wasn't sure he even deserved the ranking he had so he wasn't comfortable telling any one what to do unless he had to. It may also have had something to do with the fact he was stuck in the room same as them, usually officers were briefed first, separate from the rank and file and much more quickly. It was one perk of rank he didn't mind at all.

Still despite the wealth of interesting information about the ESO and Platinum in particular, he was getting restless, the briefing was supposed to have started an hour ago.

The officer in charge finally burst in, his wings wide holding stacks of paperwork and pens, his saddlebags were filled to the brim with more books and even a few in his mouth. Despite the harried state of his documents his white mane and tail were immaculate almost seeming silver. The rest of his coat glistened as well as if he had just shampooed and conditioned the russet colored fur and was just out of the shower. His cutie mark looked like some sort of golden scepter,at least what Jer'rahd could see of it poking out of the newly ironed dress uniform he wore. Jer'rahd would bet money this was some nobles son given how clean and well groomed he was, he would also bet that doing all that was why the lieutenant was late.

Another pony entered along with him. A mauve pegasus with sky blue hair who was dressed in a rather smart gray pinstriped suit and had a pair of saddlebags that looked like some expensive name brand or another. He seemed some what disinterested in the struggles of the other pegasus before scanning the group and settling his blue eyed gaze on Jer'rahd. Judging by the ESO logo pin on his lapel Jer'rahd assumed this one was a civilian.

The lieutenant finally seemed to get his stuff together long enough to look out at the group of Guards still talking to one another, if in slightly more hushed tones and developed a rather sour expression.

“What is this? Is this what counts as chain of command in the 8th? When a officer enters a room you jump to attention, grunts.” the pegasus fusses.

Sergeant Buttercup snapped back in annoyance not even waiting for Jer'rahd to respond.

“While that is the case Lieutenant, it's not done when there is a superior officer present who has already called at ease. You should be the one jumping to attention in his presence, Sir.”

The Lieutenant whirled to stare at Buttercup about to start yelling when he noticed Jer'rahd sitting next to her and more importantly, the rank of Major pinned to his uniform. Jer'rahd could swear the pony turned fully white and nearly choked to death on his own words. Jer'rahd glanced briefly to Sergeant Buttercup, who seemed to be enjoying Jer'rahd's rank more than he was before he looked back at the lieutenant as the pony dropped some of his papers again as he snapped to attention.

“M..m..m.... Major … Major Kaisur, sir, what … what are you doing here this was supposed to be a troop briefing.”

“At ease. This was where I was told to come yesterday when we arrived. There was nothing said about an officer briefing being separate.”

“But there was not supposed to be any superior officers in this unit, just enlisted...... “ the lieutenant rambles on.

The civilian cut off the stammering officer with a wave of his hoof before speaking, his voice was smooth, almost snakelike in the ease is slipped from his lips. This one was a lawyer pure and simple.

“It is quite alright, Lieutenant Scepter. Major Kaisur here was a last moment addition to the selected team, a personal request by our VIP. Will this be a problem for either of you?” the lawyer questions

“I go where I am told by my unit commander, so long as the Lieutenant gets on with it and there's no more delays I’m fine with staying put.” Jer'rahd explains sending the Lieutenant into another fit of snatching papers as he tries to hurry.

“Of course sir sorry sir. I really do apologize sir....”

“LT....... get on with it.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Right right getting on with it sir. “ He clears his throat as if to announce the briefing had begun , though every pony had already shut up at the first exchange. “I will try to make this as brief as possible. The mission briefing is as follows. This is a personal request from the Equestrian Service Organization, hereafter refereed to as the ESO for a Guard unit to act as escort to Dullahan Keep, the first stop on the current tour. Due to the rise of bandits and other attacks in the area of The Wall, the ESO feels some protection for their performers and crew are warranted. While under normal circumstances the Guard is not responsible for personal civilian protection, this has been deemed a special case by our superiors and adjustments have been made. This is why you all are here. When the ESO moves from Dullahan this unit will accompany them until they reach Canterlot for their next performance before they return to their normal duties. Mr. Puff was there anything you wished to add?”

Jer'rahd raised a brow at the rapid fire, no nonsense, straight to the point, and quick speech. There might be some hope for this pony after all.

“Actually Lieutenant Scepter you just covered nearly everything I was to say. I will admit there was a great deal of discussion about canceling this show outright. Generally we don't like sending our performers into area's of danger. There were a number of important ponies however who said this needed to happen and they arraigned for all of you to be here. On behalf of the ESO I would like to thank all of you soldiers for your hard work and let you know that we appreciate the work you do protecting Equestria and apologize for adding to your work load with this escort. We sincerely hope that you enjoy the effort we put into the show, for those of you on this escort detail not only will you be guaranteed to see the show , but the performers will sign autographs for each of you as you like... within reason of course. We don't want a repeat of that time some fan asked Platinum to sign his flank......” Mr. Puff trails off his eyes narrowing as he stares at some on in the group and Jer'rahd could hear the fan colt slide down in his chair further under the glare.

“We have also arraigned to have you all granted leave for the two weeks it will take us to get everything ready to leave. That is if Major Kaisur has no problems with that.”

Jer'rahd's ears droop feeling every eye in the room suddenly focused on him. He could tell the entire squad was trying to give him the biggest puppy dog eyed faces they could in an effort to sway his decision. He risked a glance over to Buttercup and regretted it as the mare was doing the same thing as the others.

“So long as no pony does anything stupid and every one reports back in for roll every day. No, I do not have a problem.”Jer'rahd states.

The resounding cheers at that comment shook the room and Jer'rahd couldn't help smirk at the response.

“Well that went over well. Major if I might have a word with you once this is over?” Mr Puff asks.

“Of course.”

==============================================

There really wasn't much to say beyond a few minor details of the route and a bit of paper work. There would be a squad of civilian pullers assigned to the wagons the escort detail only had to watch out for threats. Jer'rahd wondered briefly if General Mustang sent him on this detail knowing caravan duty was his primary task during the the fight with the Bone Hounds. The route wasn't a direct shot, though it swung wide to take a safer path that would add a few days to the travel time. Jer'rahd was a little worried about that, but General Mustang hadn't given him a set time to be back. It was also set to be a straight trip with only two stops along the way to rest. He wished he had known about this so he could have ponies check the areas out a little earlier, but he could always send a scout patrol ahead by a few hours. The few pegasi on his team could cover more ground a great deal faster than the others could. Still he had a few weeks to go over the route as well as send a message to General Mustang.

More importantly, it gave him a few weeks to try and figure out the strange unicorn mare and her partner. Thoughts and theories about those two had been nagging him all day.

He easily found his way back to the same bar again that night, arriving a little earlier than he did the night before, despite a few of his squad trying to get him to come out for drinks with them. One of the bars they suggested seemed right up his ally in terms of what he liked , but he had a 'date' to keep.

Unfortunately since he seemed to be stuck in the mindset that it was sort of maybe a date, he left his armor at the out post, though as always he brought his grandfathers sword strapped into it's harness. He sighs looking at himself in the mirror, fidgeting with his mane and tail a bit , though there wasn't much he could do about it with as short as he preferred it cut. He wasn't sure why he bothered as Silver seemed not to have any issue with how he looked last night, at least if her reaction to Bleu's comments was any indication.

Silver had wanted to be inconspicuous it seemed and he was fine with that. He took a spot in the back of the tavern , near where he was before though more out of sight of the rest of the place and settled in with a ale to wait.

After a few hours of nothing he was starting to believe he had imagined every thing from the previous night, only the glare the bar tender gave him and the claw marks on the table he had been seated at before showed it was real. Still one could only wait so long and it was nearing the time when he had left the previous night. He rose from the table figuring he could place an order of food to go and wait a few more moments before heading back to base, give her at least a little more time.

He didn't even make it all the way out of his seat when he spotted her again. Her ears perked and she sighed with relief at seeing him quickly making her way across the room towards him as he settled back down.

“I was starting to believe I had a few to many drinks last night and dreamed everything.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“ Wow. Missing me already?” Silver smiles.

“Just happy that the meeting was not just a pleasant dream.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Oh? I'm your dream mare huh? Are you always such a suave talker?” Silver laughs slipping into the seat across from him.

“Only to the mysterious beautiful mares who show up and shove a loaf of bread down a dragons throat.” Jer'rahd snarks. “You cannot pay for that sort of entertainment.”

She snorts a bit in annoyance, the faint glare and pout clearly meant to show she was annoyed , but it still only made her look cute.

“Yes I’m so glad we amuse you. Clearly that is what we were here for....” she glares at him and he does his best to try and not snicker at the expression she was making , though she broke first with a small laugh.“I do apologize for all that, she's been like that since she hatched. So where were we any way?”

“Aside from you grilling me for answers we didn't get very far. It was actually your friend that stopped me from leaving. Pretty mare or not, I’m not a fan of being kept in the dark. I'm even less a fan of some pony evidently trying to puzzle out how to use me for her own ends.”Jer'rahd sighs.” You've asked a lot of questions but I still have no idea who you are aside from a student of Princess Celestia's School.”

“Hmm, understandable, but do you always make yourself up for an interrogation?” Silver smirks.

Jer'rahd blushes rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. “ Well I did mention the pretty mare part …...”

She laughs lightly the sound almost musical. “I am sorry , you're right. I haven't really been forthcoming on a number of things, though I wanted to be sure about a few things first.”

“Like?”

“Not all ponies act the same way to fame, the majority fall into two groups. Some let it be their whole reason for being, doing everything they can to remain in the lime light all the time. Others use it to their own advantage as much as possible either to gain bits, eye candy, or power. There are exceptions of course, but usually even a pony who only knows some one famous winds up being one of those two groups. I wanted to find out which group you belonged to.”

“I think I understand a little. So which one is it?”Jer'rahd blinks rather curious where she was going.

“You seem to be one of the exceptions. You were made famous from your own work and want nothing to do with it. You've used it to your advantage a few times though mostly you simply want to be left alone. You are almost too humble to be true.”

“There's a story behind that, that I’m not at liberty to actually tell by Princess Luna's order.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “ But you are spot on that I don't want anything to do with it. Why did you need to know this?”

She slips into the seat across from him finally giving him a rather nice, if brief view of the five pointed star on her flank before she speaks again.

“ We all have our secrets, don't worry about it. As I said last night Major, I have enough of my own fame I don't want more. I have however read about you and you did catch my interest, I have read of a number of your exploits which only made me a little more interested.”

“So you are only interested in me because I became famous and don't like it?”

“And you only are still talking to me because I’m pretty and have a dragon?”

“Right, I’ll shut up now.”

She rolls her eyes. “Look from what I read about you I wanted to get to know you better and see if you were real, to be honest. I wanted to see if you might be something I might like in pony. Aside from the snarkiness and distrust, I still find you interesting Major.”

“Jer'rahd.”

“Hmm?”

“Call me Jer'rahd Miss Sparkle. Particularly if you are attempting to ask me out like I think you are. Though I might be reading that wrong.”

She turns a bit red and shakes her head.” No no... Bleu said I should have been more direct , but that is it right there. You are very astute Maj.... Jer'rahd.”

“Thank you Miss Sparkle.”

“Call me Silver.”

The rest of the evening went by fairly fast. Primarily however most of the conversation was centered around him, not because he wanted it to be , but because most of the questions he directed to her were met with short answers, or unskilled misdirection. He was a little annoyed by her lack of trust in trying to hide things from him, but she opened up on a number of other things not related to her job that left him more confused than angry. Every pony had secrets, though most were not as obvious about what they were hiding as she was, clearly she wasn't used to concealing it, so that made him feel a little better .

The discussion unfortunately turned to Silphy at one point, despite his not wanting to think about it,he still found himself coerced into talking about it. Strangely he found that Silver took his side of things in it, she seemed to have a bit of difficulty wrapping her head around why Silphy went to all the trouble of using him to get to some one else who she probably could have gone after to begin with without any effort. Of course she did point out that the tabloid papers had a number of their own theories and several had interviewed Silphy. This bit of information did little but sour his mood some.

Moving past that she asked about his job as a Guard. He reluctantly started to tell her though the more he talked the easier it became and the more he enjoyed her rapt attention to it and the detail oriented questions she asked. There were of course things he had to leave out due to orders, and she already knew everything that was public about the Zebralands conflict.

She seemed rather enamored with the idea that he liked his job, defending Equestria from threats and protecting ponies,who often didn't even realize it. Often times it was better that they didn't know, as a number of things that needed to be done sometimes would be enough to make a normal ponies stomach curl.

Before he had to explain that he decided to shift the focus a little.

“So you said you and Bleu are partners. I assume that means you are ESO as well?” Jer'rahd asks taking a sip of wine and gauging her reaction. It went exactly like he expected.

“Wha what? How did you know that...?” Silver stammers.

“A friend of mine saw a show she did in Camp Geode. There's a few things different about the description though the name and how she acts are perfect matches, the rest I can attribute to Starfall probably being pushed back far enough to not see the stage. I was looking forward to seeing the show with someone who could make Starfall laugh.”

“Gah, you recognized Bleu... I told her to stay home. Seems she was right you weren’t staring at my flank....” Silver sighs.

“Just.” Jer'rahd mutters around his glass.

“What?”

“I wasn't JUST, staring at your flank.” he admits getting a small blush from her.

“I know I wanted honesty but that might be a bit too honest.” Silver smirks.

“So is that the big secret? Your part of Bleu's comedy act? She does call you boss after all.” Jer'rahd continues trying not to meet her gaze after his own admittance.

“What...? Oh yes right that's it... well not the boss part, that's all Bleu, I have no idea why she does it, she used to call me Sis and then when we started working together it became Boss.”

“So she's a bit of a strange one. So why try to hide this, it's not terribly shocking or even something you have a reason to hide.”

“Yes well the ESO is kinda a big thing around here since Cincinagi is where it started. Anyone involved with the show is kinda a instant celebrity. No matter what their job is.” Silver sighs seeming relieved , though Jer'rahd got the impression something was still not right.” Still , I hope you're not disappointed.”

“In what way?”

“The fact I am not some super famous pony, like Platinum.”

“I'd not really considered that. It's just been interesting to talk to you like this. I really don't care about the fame and truth be told I’m not even sure what Platinum looks or sounds like. I never even knew she existed until I got to Dullahan.” Jer'rahd shrugs getting a look of disbelief from Silver.” Don't give me that look, do I really seem like the kind of pony who knows anything at all about the music scene?”

“No I suppose not, though that might be a crush to her ego if some famous Guard doesn't know her.” Silver smiles.

“She'll get over it. It's not really my concern what others think most of the time.” Jer'rahd droops his ears a bit. “ That said , I am rather glad you don't seem to have a problem with what I do....”

“Oh? Well you are a good stallion Jer'rahd . I don't know why any one would have issue with what you do for a living.”

“And you are a interesting and lovely mare, why should I be disappointed that you are not some one else?” Jer'rahd finishes.

She flushed deeply but seemed bothered by something and did not raise her beautiful eyes back to meet his gaze.

“ I…... It is getting late. Shall we meet again tomorrow Jer'rahd?” Silver sighs. ” I will try to get here a little earlier than I did tonight.”

“Of course Miss Sparkle.”

“Hey no fair, you got me to stop calling you Major, you need to call me Silver, like I said. “

“As you wish Miss Silver.”

Her ears flatten as she glares at the grinning gray unicorn before her.“...... OK, close enough, for now. Till tomorrow then.”

He grinned wider watching her walk out along with nearly every other stallion in the bar and a few of the mares. He had just spent the evening chatting with a mare that looked that good and was interested in him. Perhaps he should rethink his whole resistance to being famous.

“I recognize that grin, classic hate to see you go, but love watching you leave.”states a voice from nearby.

Jer'rahd looked around quickly, finally looking upwards after the bartender met his searching gaze and pointed a hoof up. A small red dragonling swung idly from one of the ceiling beams staring down at him.

“Who are you?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Aww forgot me already? Well I suppose yesterday I had a loaf of bread stuffed halfway down my throat. I was green too I think. Or was it purple.”

The dragonling drops to the table sitting down and curling her long tail about her legs before reaching over and snatching up the crystal glass Silver had been drinking from and crunching happily on it, much to the annoyance of the bartender. Her scales were red with orange spikes that seemed to glow with a inner fire. Still the attitude and voice gave her away.

“Bleu?”

“Got it in one, give the pony a prize, Ron tell him what he's won.” Bleu's voice deepens a bit .” NOTHING!!!”

“Who's Ron?”

“Don't worry about it solider colt. So what did the coloration slow up the guessing?” Bleu grins

“Yes considerably, particularly since you were green and purple yesterday. What are you doing here anyway? Miss Silver just left.” Jer'rahd sighs not sure how to deal with the dragon.

“OK, green and purple need to remember that, combination sounds really cute. Yeah, I know shes gone that's why I'm here. Didn't want to have to choke on wheat grain again, tasty to eat not so tasty to try and breath.” the dragonling shrugs before leaning closer to him her eyes narrowing. ”You do realize she hasn’t stopped babbling about you since she first read about you. You know by now most ponies would have considered her a stalker, lucky shes so good looking ehh? Pity shes got to resort this old storybook crap though.”

“Really she does?” Jer'rahd asks before his brain catches up to the fast talking dragon's words “What are you talking about, story book crap?”

“Hmm? Oh I mean this delightfully clique trick shes pulling. Right out of a old romance novel it is. Will the heroine find true love or will the love she seeks forever elude her due to her fame? Will the handsome …..mmm well, will the fairly decent looking stallion ever figure it out? “Bleu continues ignoring Jer'rahd's protests about that last part.” Will her partner pull out her own spines in frustration? Will that stupid Timmy kid stop falling down wells?”

“I was sort of with you till the last part.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“That’s the problem with comedy Major, sometimes the jokes fall flat. Best chance you have of pleasing everyone is make them quick, fast, and rapid. The censors can't catch half of the dirty ones at that rate either, we are rated E after all.” Bleu rambles “ OK here's the deal. You seem a nice enough stallion so I will put this out here easy enough that even some pony with head trauma can understand.. Boss lady is a sister to me, you hurt her, I rip off you doodad and feed it to you with a side of beets got it?”

“Well that was blunt.” Jer'rahd responds, not really threatened, but amused that Bleu would be doing this regardless.

“Sometimes I need to be, cause subtle doesn't always work. I can tell you like talking to her, and I only hope its not just for her plot. I mean, I like a nice rear as much as the next color changing dragon thing, but boss lady needs more than some fling after some of the crap she's dealt with.”

“I'm not Rhede.”

“OK, now you have me saying 'what', stop throwing me off I’m supposed to be running this conversation here.” Bleu rants.

“A fiend of mine, he.... never mind. Just know I don't do flings. And for right now,while the two of you are enjoyable company, you have me on edge with the secrets. I don't like that. Every little thing I find out just raises more questions.”

“She does that out of necessity. Well more like a bit of romantic nonsense, and past trauma. I gather you already know who I am then?” Bleu sighs seeming to be annoyed with it as he was.

“Maybe, a friend of mine caught your show for Camp Geode on the Diamond Dog border. I was told you were blue however.”

“I am Bleu … oh right the color. That’s generally how I preform, otherwise I don't stay on any color as that would get dull. Bleu is my name not my coloration, most of the time.“

“I also thought you would be a bit bigger.”

“Bigger is never a issue, getting this small however, that took me years.” Bleu states changing in size suddenly to be slightly larger than Jer'rahd was. The table creaks in protest as she fans her wings a little , her scales changing to brilliant blue with her spines tinged a slightly brighter electric blue. Just as quickly as she changed she was back to the tiny red form. “ Any way you got the warning, but for being such a good sport about it, I leave this hint to bug and harass you, cause I’m a jerk like that. Silver Sparkle was her first stage name. Now you might have a hint, but its so vague you'll never get it since she only used it once. Oh, I am clever, I told him with out telling him HAHAHHAHAHA. She can't blame me now.”

He blinked a moment at that.

“Her first stage name?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Yup.”

He smiles, the bits falling into place. He grins at the dragonling who seems oblivious to his knowing grin.

“So do you think she was going to tell me she's Platinum any time soon, or wait until we were on the road?”

“ Never gonna get.. wha!?! GAK! What?” Bleu whips around staring at him in shock.”How? … I told you to stop surprising me, how did you figure that out? She hasn't used Silver since before she hatched me!?”

“One of my squad is a massive Platinum fan. He ranted trivia about her all morning while we were waiting for a briefing. When you're sitting around waiting for military progress anything becomes interesting. It is a little bit worrying he knows the length of her tail down to each individual hair , but your hint kinda gave it up. Sorry.”

“Creepy. Trust a die hard fan to remember that though. Cursed fan colts.” Bleu smacks her head on the table. “ So you figured it out then whatcha gonna do about it. Better still, you're not gonna tell her I gave that hint?” Bleu looks at him trying the sad puppy dog eyes look, she was much better at it than his troops.

“Nothing. And no.” Jer'rahd finally states.

“Oh?”The little dragons gaze lifts as Jer'rahd stands shaking his head, his short sandy colored mane whipping a little.

“It's her choice if she wants to tell me or not. In case you haven’t been paying attention, I'm not that good in dealing with females I'm interested in. At best I can speak to them like I would any one else provided my eyes can remain where they are supposed to. I tend to let them take lead with what they want and hope they bother to tell me.”

“Woo, the big bad war ponies a sub.“

“That is NOT what I meant. All I mean is she came to me in secret, i guess to find out more about me with out having me freak out at who she was. Not that I would as I had no idea who she was any way , but that's not the point.” Jer'rahd sighs. “Never mind. Shouldn't you be getting back before she notices you're gone? I need to be getting back to the base myself.”

“Wha crap … yeah your right.” Bleu fans her wings pausing a moment and hopping up onto Jer'rahd's back as he heads to the door to pay the tab and leave. “One last thing for promising not to tell her about my hint. Violets. There’s a reason she chooses a purple disguise.”

“Thank you, have a good night Bleu.” Jer'rahd states stepping out side, feeling Bleu launch from his back to hover over him.

“It would be a better night if I could find a nice male some where with a big .. well you know.....” Bleu rambles.

“Yes, well I will pretend I do not know what you mean. For the sake of my sanity.”

“Hey I'm not as young as I look you know. I got needs too.”

“Go home Bleu.” Jer'rahd sighs heading out the door himself.

Author's Note

Given the new size of this already massive chapter i decided to split it into 3 parts

Gemstone in the Rough part 3 [7]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Gemstone in the rough.

Part 3

The next weeks passed in a blur. He met 'Silver' at the tavern, they ate and went out to visit some of the cities nightlife. Most often however they simply walked and talked. He had taken Bleu's advice after that second night and brought a bouquet of violets for her. The reaction of joy and her smile was more than enough for him to consider getting the little dragon a pile of gemstones next time he saw her.

While she still kept to herself who she really was their conversations broadened to cover everything from their pasts to politics. He got to the point where he could tell if she was avoiding talking about something, though aside from being Platinum and some of her old colt friends she didn't seem to be holding anything back. He knew why on the former, and suspected she had her own issues with past love interests same as he did, so he didn't press the latter. Though she liked to tease him a bit too much about his.

“So getting off the topic of my previous love life......”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“But its so interesting, sorta tragic too though, it does give new understanding to why you told her to go buck herself. Besides, I told you about my tragic love life.” Silver smirks.

“Kissing a colt you kinda liked in magic kindergarten barely counts as a tragic love life. Neither does avoiding most other contact to focus on your career. That thing you let slip about Proudmore is more fitting for tragic pasts.”

“I really don't want to bring that up. The whole situation was a mistake any way. “ She mutters her whole tone changing.

Jer'rahd winces not expecting her mood to change that quickly. “That’s fine, but since bad subjects seem to be the topic for now, shall we switch to something else bad then? Like how you met Bleu?”

“That’s a bad subject?” Silver questions clearly not sure if he was serious or not.

“With as much as you talk about her disasters, it sounds like it.” he states with a grin.

She smiles at that, and once again seeing her smile he decided to press it to bring out more than a brief smirk.

“I took the entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns when I was a little filly. The test to gain entry is to hatch a dragons egg. Well it's more complex than that, it's more a test to see how you go about trying to hatch the egg more than actually hatching it, but anyway. Most of the eggs they use are left over from the Dragon war, captured in raids or found after key members of the opposition were killed. Celestia could not bring herself to to kill the unborn,who had no say in what their parents did. She had them gathered from all over the formerly occupied territories and brought to Canterlot. “

Jer'rahd listens not having heard this particular back story, though he did know the bit about eggs being gathered after the war.

“It seems that dragon eggs are like rocks in that they last nearly forever, they won't hatch unless exposed to a certain level of raw magic, usually a dragons breath or the like. I'm not sure who managed to hatch the first one, but the hatched dragonlings will imprint on whoever hatched them like a surrogate parent. There's a bunch of political nonsense involved between the Dragon Nation and Equestria involving the eggs and a dragonling can leave it's partner at any time to return to the dragon lands. Most tend to stay around until their partner dies before they leave, in accordance with the politics any unpartnered dragon is usually shipped out immediately. I'm not sure what made the Princess decide to use the eggs as a entry exam but I don't profess to know how she thinks.”

“I've met them both and I don't think either of them think on the same level as we do.” Jer'rahd interjects.

“I met Princess Celestia and I do agree. Any way if a unicorn couldn't get them to hatch there was no harm done either way, which worked out for me because no matter what I did I couldn't get the egg to hatch. I had already been marked as a failure when I swore I saw the egg move. I was only nine at the time and loved books on nature, I recalled reading about how sometimes baby birds had trouble hatching and needed their parents to help them out of the egg or they would die before they were born. When I saw the egg twitch again I did not even hesitate running over and smacking my hooves onto the shell as hard as I could. “

“I doubt that went over well.”

“The term international incident was tossed around quite a bit afterward,” Silver sighs.” I was yanked away before i could hit it again, but I managed to punch a hole in it. After a moment a little claw could be seen tearing at the shell until the hole opened for a tiny blue lizard head to pop out and yawn at me staring up at me as I floated in the magic that had yanked me away from the egg.”

“That's one way to hatch an egg.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“True , but not the correct way, I wasn't accepted into the school. Even so Bleu had already imprinted on me and princess Celestia wasn't going to try and separate us. We practically grew up together like sisters. She used to make the cutest little churring sounds before she learned to talk, once she could however.. well you saw how she is. Mouth goes off like a hummingbird, she rarely shuts up. The Princess suggested that her mother had been the dragon forces Air Commander Starscream. Evidently the nonstop chatter is a family thing her mother was guilty of too.”

Jer'rahd had listened, watching her as they walked. Regardless of how ill she spoke of the little dragon Silver always had a smile on her face when she talked about Bleu.

“Really? Starscream? My grandfather told me about her, she had a massive count of ponies killed, but she was honorable to a fault. Refusing to attack civilians and not attacking any one who was not ready for a fight.”Jer'rahd comments.

“That's what I was told. She was supposedly like that until she was slain.” Silver nods. “ Why do you know about her? I didn't think they taught draconic history in the Guard.”

“My grandfather was a veteran of that war. He claimed his unit was the one to take her down in the end. My sword might have actually been one of the ones used to do so. I rather hope Bleu is not the vengeful type.” Jer'rahd mutters glancing back at his blade.

“She might hold a grudge here and there, but i wouldn't worry about this Jer'rahd. Bleu would more likely try and eat the gem in the hilt than anything else. She doesn't have any interest in a mother than she never met and died a long time before she was even born. I found out for myself about Starscream because I was curious, Bleu doesn't care. It's a little sad she doesn't know or care about what family she might have had as a dragon, but she seems quite content despite that. I suppose dragons are left to fend for themselves after they hatch.”

“I couldn't tell you anything about dragon society. The few times I talked with her she used a rather vulgar dialect.”

“Well we have spent a lot of time around soldiers in the ESO. She picks up anything dirty she can and repeats it like a parrot.... wait...you talked to her a few times? More than that first night?” Silver questions stopping in mid stride.” When did she ….. oh no she came back the second night too didn't she I knew she was faking being asleep when I got back. Ugh,what did she even say?”

“I'm not supposed to tell you.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Tell me or I will kick you.” Silver threatens.

“OK, OK, but only because I am against physical violence..” Jer'rahd agrees smiling and ignoring Silvers snort of disbelief.”She didn't say anything of any real importance, aside from a rather colorful description of things that might happen if I upset you.”

“Threats now... delightful. I can't believe her.”Silver growls. “Finally manage meet some pony and she...... never mind.”

“ Didn't you just threaten me too?” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Yes, well. She doesn't pick everything up from soldiers.”

“So it would seem. Still I'm not going to let one small dragon making threats deter me. I've been enjoying this time immensely.”Jer'rahd admits.

She stopped a bit of red touching her cheeks. He stops a few paces ahead looking back to her.

“Something wrong Silver?”

“It has been a great time Jer'rahd and we both have to head out to the wall soon.” She frowns her ears flattening.” I feel a bad for hiding something from you.”

“Oh? Well I didn't expect to get your every little secret in this short of time.”

“Yeah well, this ones kinda big and likely has a chance of really screwing things up. Do you mind? If I tell you that is? I kinda have to eventually , but … I mean...”

“So long as it doesn’t turn out to be that you're really a stallion, some how related to me, or Princess Celestia in disguise playing some sort of prank, I think I'll be fine.” Jer'rahd admits .

“What, wait she really does that? I had heard she liked pranks, but wouldn't something like this be a little over board for her?” Silver asks completely derailed.

“Well, there was one point she changed a stallion noble into a mare for a few days. Nothing serious happened and it was a laugh afterword, but a great embarrassment to him and his wife for a few days. Of course the noble had started that particular battle of the prank war. Seems he changed the Princesses' coat shampoo with one that was used for dyeing manes.”

“Oh? You were there for that? I remember hearing that she went around bright pink for about a week. I didn't think some one would prank the princess though.”

“Neither did any one else, but evidently the two had been having a prank war for a good many years, the shampoo was payback for something else, but I am not sure what. It happened right after my last bit of officer training before I was shipped out. I got to see the results first hoof and she was definitely pink.”Jer'rahd chuckles. “Though we are off subject now.”

“Oh right, and no, its none of those....maybe its better to just show you.”Silver admits.

She glanced around not seeing any other pony within sight in the park they had wandered into. Their walk having taken them off the normal path and closer to the small duck pond in the parks center. Luna's moon hovered over head, lighting the park much more brightly than the gas lanterns along the walkways and the soft light bathed Silver in it's radiance.

Silver exhaled softly as he watched her horn start to glow softly. The silver magical glow around her horn remained the same coloration though her mane grew much longer changing to a pure silver coloration instead of the darker purple. Her lavender coat quickly darkened turning a shiny onyx color, her cutie mark itself changing from the stars to a white octave cleft symbol. Her tail remained braided though the silver coloration of it seemed to mirror and reflect the colors of the string woven into it giving her tail a more colored look than the rest of her.

Jer'rahd's jaw dropped at the sight. While he had figured out who she was, to see her change, and then to see what she really looked like, brought about much the same reaction as when he first met her in disguise. The rumors of her challenging the Princesses in her beauty were in no way shape or form an exaggeration. It was only vaguely remembering Princess Luna's graceful, if murderous dance, that kept the scale from tipping to out right beating them both to nothing.

“Well that’s actually the expression I expected to see.”Silver, now Platinum chuckles.

She reaches over pushing his jaw up lightly with a hoof closing it. The action brought to his attention how close she was to him, as well as the lightness of her touch.

“Can you blame me for the surprise? To find out the gorgeous mare, who seemed to like my attention, was hiding the fact she was a even more gorgeous mare, who still seems to like me for some reason.” Jer'rahd finally manages to say.

“ I showed up to talk to you because you seemed to be in the same situation I was in. Made famous for doing something and not really liking the things that came with that fame.” Platinum sighs. “ Can you blame me for the caution?”

“It's really is not the same sort of fame. I was made famous for killing some pony. You are famous for bringing joy to ponies with your voice.”Jer'rahd mutters.

“And yet your actions have proven to be a far better thing for everyone than any song I could ever write. You ended a war, and saved countless ponies and zebras from dieing because of it. All I do is sing.”:She sighs.

“And how many have you inspired to take up music? How many war weary ponies have you inspired to continue to fight making them believe their actions can bring about a better Equestria for everyone.
I might have missed your previous concerts with the ESO, but the troops still talk about them. I knew a few who hummed your songs while they hid in a hole they dug in the ground to keep from getting blasted by artillery. They remember you in the worst of times, reminding themselves that outside the blood shed and battle there are still beautiful things. All I did was manage a final blow in just one conflict. Your voice has kept many more ponies from losing hope in dark times. ”

Her jade eyes watched him watering a little as she smiled again. A small smirk crossing his face as well at her reaction.

“Very pretty speech there Jer'rahd. I almost thought you might have rehearsed that one.”

“I have maybe, just a few times, practice makes perfect and all. It does not mean it is any less true. Thank you for showing me your secret. So what do I do, keep calling you Silver, or should I call you Platinum?”

“Platinum is my real name, any way don't get too comfortable. You're not off the hook yet. I shared mine time for yours.”

“My what? Wait a moment I didn’t agree to share anything.”

She pouted a bit that smile leaving her face again and the puppy dog look she gave him had him caving in instantly.

“Alright, what do you want now?” Jer'rahd sighs cursing the lack of resistance.

“Your horrid little secret, every pony seems to have one, so whats yours Jer?”

He blinks shivering a bit, why was it that the shorted name his friend had called him for years sounded so intimate coming from her.

“Why would I tell you something like that?”

“Well I would think all secrets being out in the open now might help the relation ship along.” Platinum smirks.

“Aside from the fact you seem to have found a way to get me to do what you want with a look? If you must know, I believe I am the anti dancer. I am so horrid at it I believe time runs backwards just to stop me before I start.”

“You cannot be that bad. Granted, I have yet to meet a stallion who was good at dancing, though come on what else you have hiding? That secrets lame.”

“ No ,I am serious I am likely the only pony alive to have tripped over his own tail when it was cut short.”

“OK, that might be a bit bad. I can teach you. If you want. Might take a while though.”

“I most certainly will not mind the extra time together.”

“That still doesn't count though.“

“Dang. That's the best I have.”

“Oh come on, here I am showing who I really am and you can't give me any sort of counter to it or even anything close to the value of that surprise.”Platinum chuckles though she perks her ears glaring at him suddenly. “Come to think of it aside from the initial reaction you don't seem that surprised or shocked. Bleu didn't tell you did she?”

“Nope.”

“Are you lying?”

“Nope.”

“Hmmmmm.”

She pokes him lightly in the side as they start walking again, though they quickly stop as he nearly walks into a tree for the third time. He was focusing more on her than where he was going.

“Fine. Dark secret...... right ….. well this ones some what weak too I guess.”

“Tell me....”

“Fine, still surprised the media didn't find out, small advantage to having no known living relatives i suppose. I'm a half horn.”

“Seems it's all there.”

He blinks noting her gaze on his horn and chuckles ignoring the other dirty thoughts he had from that comment, he spent too much time with Rhede.

“Guess that sort of insult is mainly used in Canterlot then, I haven't heard it since I was a kid any way. It means only one of my parents was a unicorn. My father was an earth pony and due to the mixed parentage my magic is sort of limited.”

“Oh how limited?“

“Two spells and I have not been able to learn any others, no matter what I do.”

“Mm, well that is something, I have heard the slur of half wing, but not half horn.”

“Might have just been something ponies thought up to try and insult me.”

“Well Canterlot is full of nobles. I have found them to be rather stuck up and looking for any way to make them feel better about themselves. Your parents didn't have any problems with it?”

“Dad was never there and my mother died when I was a foal. Never met mom's parents. I was raised by my grandfather for the most part. And then by Rhede's family after my grandfather passed and my father was killed.”

“Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. It is a rather tragic upbringing.”

“Not really, I was only with Rhede's family a few years before we joined the Guard. I don't remember my mother or grandmother, and my grandfather doted on me more than a army of family. Dad said grandpa was the one who actually named me.” Jer'rahd shrugs.”

“I still feel bad for you even with all the time passed. I would love to hear more about your grandfather seems you have great respect for him.”Platinum comments.

“How did this turn from dark secrets to family ?”

“Because I want to know all I can about you and I have ways of making stallions tell me everything I want to know.”

She bats her eyelashes the effect making him feel like his heart skipped a beat, also it made him hit a lamp post this time.

“And that is one reason why I do hate to cut this short, but we both need to be ready to leave in the morning and I still have to round up any of my squad still missing.” Jer'rahd admits.

“Well after the show, I would be happy to show you how to dance, though you are supposed to be my personal guard for the trip to the wall and while there. Maybe I will have a chance to show you on the way back. We will need a guard then too.” Platinum smiles.

“I look forward to it.”

She leans forward planting a light kiss on his cheek blushing deeply as she changes back into the purple mare trotting off rapidly leaving him standing there in a bit of shock.

“See you tomorrow Jer. Get some sleep, its a long run.”

“Have a good night Platinum.” He responds turning to head back to the barracks once she was out of sight after he hit another tree.

============================================================

The trip back to the wall took longer than expected, or at least it felt like it. Being this close to Platinum and not able to really speak to her felt like torture at this point. Even at the few breaks she was still swarmed by some of the ESO workers and he had his own duties to take care of so they couldn't do much more than offer a glance to each other here and there.

There were a few points where he had expected something. A gathering of ponies near the road who were doing their best to look casual, sighs of a previous ambush , likely of bandits in other places, hydra tracks, but nothing bothered the caravan. Probably due to the faces most of the Guards made, coming back after so long on break they were all looking for trouble and something to vent their annoyance of going back to work on.

On schedule they arrived back at the wall and made their way to Dullahan.

In his absence a large stage had been build against the black jade of the wall at the back of the keep.

Once every one was secure inside the walls Jer'rahd went t make his report only to find the only pony in charge of Dullahan was a rookie Lieutenant, General Mustang had gone back to Canterlot along with some of the remaining 42nd that had come with them initially, and Colonel Claymore was on a long patrol investigating something on the far end of the wall and wouldn't be back for a while.

Jer'rahd briefly wondered if the two events were related,but a note Mustang left for him gave orders to stick with the ESO group for the time being, something Jer'rahd was more than happy to do. He left the lieutenant in charge of the keep for the most part. According to is log he planned to be back before the show, Jer'rahd was not looking forward to that , but it meant the command was pretty much his until then.

With the help of Sergeant Buttercup, and the lieutenant, he managed to keep everything running smoothly for the ESO and 8th legion troops for the next several days.

While moving about the court yard during an inspection, a sudden weight dropped onto his back from above. His ears flattened and his blade was drawn before most ponies could blink, a shield raised almost as quickly to protect his head, his back armor could protect him for the second he needed to remove his attacker.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there captain cutty just me, the friendly little dragon.” shouts a voice as he feels the weight shift back wards away from the shield.

“You should not drop in like that.” Jer'rahd mutters.

He glances back dropping the shield and slipping the blade back into its sheath. As the yellow dragonling stretches a bit resting on his armored back.

“I've been told that before. So then busy? Seems like you're busy, perfect time to bug yah I think, So you in charge of the place now too, nice.” Bleu states settling on his back.

“I'm not even gonna ask how you keep so up to date on information. Did you need something Bleu? I do have a bit of work to do still. Shouldn't you be assisting with the set up?”

“Nah, the performers don't do much before the show. Gets a little boring, so I tend to go out and hang with some of the troops before hand. Platinum tends to practice and sleep a lot before a show. Though she was watching you gallop the whole trip back. Sweat soaked and well muscled form running along side the carriage, at ease with the movement, like a majestic beast of the wild..... She's probably clopping to that.” Bleu comments with a wave of her claw.

Several of the other Guard had paused to watch Jer'rahd and the dragon as they passed, at this comment they were treated to their commander stumbling suddenly and nearly crashing into a wall.

“Is there a point to this? besides tormenting me I mean?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Yeah, boss lady is crushing on you hard firm flank, figured you might wanna know. What exactly did you do that last night in the city?”

“Talked.”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Riiiight, I need more to go on than that if I'm gonna plan for a wedding.”

“We have only known each other a few weeks Bleu. Marriage has not been considered yet.”

“Nope, at least not until I just put that idea into your pointy little head, now its gonna be stuck there, forever!” Bleu rants

“What are you talking about.....”Jer'rahd begins to say before picturing Platinum in a wedding dress suddenly and slapping his face with a hoof.”.... buck it lizard......”

“Bwahahahahaha, mine is an evil laugh.” Bleu cackles.

“I might be thinking about the idea now, but I figure we need more time together first, I don't want to seem desperate to the most courted mare in Equestria. The media would have a field day.”

“Yeah well you better hurry, there’s a massive line formed to snatch up the bosses' dainty hooves in holy matrimony.”

“She seems to know what she likes. I shall endeavor to make sure that stays me.”

“That’s a clever pony, go for it, sweep her off her hooves like some dime store trashy novel.”

“Please don't call me that, every time someone calls me a clever pony I wind up going through hell.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“So kinda like if some one says, they have a bad feeling about this?Or what could possibly go wrong?” Bleu asks goading him.

“You really are trying to jinx me Bleu. I really cannot think of any other reason for this line of talk.”

The dragonling spent most of the day riding around on his back, tossing out snide comments, insults or quips to him, or any one else who would listen. She left him alone for a few moments, to participate in a insult fight with one group of guard ponies. Usually she managed to either embarrass them or leave them stumped as how to respond. It always ended with a raucous round of laughter though, with even her target joining in on it. Jer'rahd often thought he had slipped away during the contests though she always found him again. He figured if he and Platinum became serious he would be stuck with her, though despite her banter he was enjoying Bleu's company, so it likely wouldn't be that bad.

“I am amazed at how well you seem to bring smiles to ponies faces Bleu .” Jer'rahd comments.

“Its a gift. I've seen what a laugh can do. It can transform unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful. That’s why I've taken more of a comedic route than what the boss does. Her singing works miracles. But laughter can do works of wonder on its own.”

“That was deeper than anything you've said since I've met you”

“Meh, I've got many layers, wanna take a couple licks and see how many it takes to get to the center?”

“And back to normal just like that.”Jer'rahd sighs at the blatant innuendo.

The last few days before the show had more than a few issues for Jer'rahd. There had been no word from the General and the Colonel had only returned to post the list of soldiers who had duty on the walls during the show. It was a little odd really, not only was he civil to the point of actually being polite to Jer'rahd, but he left as soon as the list was posted with a small number of officers and a couple of other troops. He mentioned off hoof that he intended to be back in time for the show, but gave no other reasoning or explanation as to what he was doing.

Jer'rahd made a note to inform the general of his odd behavior. He took note of the list as well, the wall was reduced to a skeleton crew, mostly officers from Claymore's little circle. Either the General had managed to get something on him, or perhaps he really was this nice to his troops and Jer'rahd only saw him at a bad time. In truth Bleu's suggestion that he finally just got laid made more sense than anything else Jer'rahd had come up with.

Bleu had spent most of the time hanging around with Jer'rahd , either tormenting him our using him as a impromptu stage to joke with the other troops. Every so often she just talked about Platinum or bothered him with specific questions. He had the idea some of these were from Platinum herself who had spent the last few days in a bit of practice or what ever it was she was doing. He had seen her a number of times , though with his duties and her own preparation the interactions had been brief.

“So wait, if you do marry her, and shes like a sister to me, will that make you like a brother? Cause I always wanted a brother to tease. Though then it will be sort of a weird incest thing and your foals will likely be earth ponies in drab colors with long faces and no cutie marks. Or weird blue cyclops ponies.” Bleu rambles half stretched on Jer'rahd's back, her tail thudding against his side as she ponders at random.

“For the last time Bleu. I have made the offer to continue to try and see each other after the concert. At best another date, date , not a date to get hitched.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Well its a start, you two are too slow.”

“it's only been a few weeks now Bleu , I still barely know her and for half that time she was another pony.”

“Yeah, yeah. You can't tell me you're not thinking about her when you're not near her. She's the same way All you talk about is each other when I’m around. I'd find it sickeningly sweet if I wasn't trying to egg it on as much as I could.”

“That's because you keep bringing Platinum into the conversations. I get the feeling she threw you out of her carriage because you kept bringing me up. Probably more than once.”

“Not always, sometimes I just randomly say things and your mind goes to that happy place. Also sometimes I leave before she throws me out so I can come bother you and since I'm a guest you can't get rid of me as easily. Any way, you should see her when shes wet she looks even better, go walk in the rain next time. Trust me on this.”

“Well, you were right about the flowers.” Jer'rahd grumbles picturing Platinum with a wet mane briefly only to have Bleu poke him in the back of the head with her wing.

“HA!! SEE, right there. Still thinking about her.”

“You are having way to much fun with this Bleu”

“You bet your gray pelt I am. You should have seen her blush on the trip here haha.” Looking out watching yer firm flank running along side the cart, she got da vapors HAHAHAHA.”

Jer'rahd had no idea what that meant but he was getting used to that with Bleu. He went over the patrol schedule again and checked up on the progress of the rest of the event preparations. He really wasn't supposed to be here and some how he had the post of Dullahan keep just given to him. He did his best to try and make sure things ran smoothly and didn't change terribly much in the day to day of running things, though he was accepted rather quickly. It seemed Claymore was not well liked, particularly by the mares in the base. He did what he could to keep himself busy. As much as he was looking forward to the show, he could not yet bring himself to relax. At the very least the busier he kept himself the faster the time would go.

Bleu had left him before he did a last check of the stage before the show started .The dragonling suggested he come see Platinum before the show, or else. She darted off when he agreed, honestly he had never seen her practice so he wasn't sure what Bleu was going to do.

The stage itself was little more than a large raised platform just shy of ten apples high, extra gear and supplies were tucked under the stage and the colors of the Equestrian Princesses, White and gold, and midnight blue and silver hung every where. Nearly everything was adorned with either Luna's Crescent, Celestia's Sun, or the logo of the ESO, which was little more than the three letters stylized in white on a blue background.

At the back of the stage a great curtain was drawn that hid most of the main wall and counted as the back stage for any acts and crew to move unnoticed. He looked over the relatively compact court yard knowing this place was going to be packed a number of ponies from other outposts along the wall were coming in as well.

Right at the front of the stage a few small boxes were being sex up with a bench and enough room for a couple of ponies to sit without getting stomped on by the crowd that would be around them. He moved up curiously to take a look at them and was told by a worker they were officer boxes. He smiled a little at that.

With the General gone to Canterlot and only the off hoof comment that the Colonel would return some time for the show he might get one of the boxes all to himself. He had never been more thrilled with a officer perk than he was at that moment.

With only an hour or so until the seating began he went to the section of living quarters given to the ESO, dodging rushing workers on his way to Platinum's room. He glanced down the hall to see a number of performers trying to get in some last moment rehearsing. The returned his look, though he had been there often enough that most of them knew him on sight and if they hadn't seen him before they probably had heard Bleu talking about him.

He paused at the door, considering a moment whether he should leave her be or not. Finally he sighed and knocked lightly on the door with a hoof.

A yelp and a crash sounded from inside, the sound making him wince as the door was flung open, showing a half dressed Platinum looking a bit annoyed until she saw who it was.

“Wha?who!?.. Oh, Jer'rahd, something wrong?” the onyx furred mare asked

“No, just came to wish you luck.”Jer'rahd smiles blinking as Platinum winces a little.

“What? No, no, no, the term is break a leg.”

“Why would I want to wish that? I've broken my leg before, it's not a pleasant experience.“ Jer'rahd admits as Platinum face hooves.

“Its just a stage expression, but....... oh never mind. I suppose I will have to explain stage terms another time, along with the dancing. I’ve got a lot left to do still, but luckily I'm going to be the last performer tonight, despite how hard it is to follow Bleu sometimes.”

She smiles, suddenly darting forward kissing him briefly, her lips lingering a little more than the short peck she had given him before. Her horn brushed lightly against his sending a visible shudder though them both. She pulls back a obviously reluctantly, looking down laughing at the stunned expression on his face.

“ Bweaah?!” Jer'rahd asks, sorta.

“I figured I could steal a kiss for luck to offset everything else. Though sooner or later You might need to get used to being kissed. At least enough for coherent speech afterword.” Platinum explains blushing a little.

“Feel free to steal as many of those as you like. If you need the luck or not.” Jer'rahd finally manages.

“I think I will take you up on that, but for now I need to finish getting ready.”

“Right, I will be waiting for your singing. Front row at that.” he grins.

She smirks ducking back inside. Jer'rahd exhales a little the smile still on his face tough that flashes away briefly as he turns and winds up face to face with a group of Guards, a number of stage hooves, some other performers and even some civilians who were allowed to attend the show. He blinks as they stare at him turning a bit redder than he already was.

“Whats the matter, never seen a Major wish someone good luck before?!” he snaps at the gawking Guards

“Depends Sir. Which answer will get us a invite to the wedding?” one of the Guards asks with a grin.

“I am going to skin that dragon.....” Jer'rahd grumbles as the group breaks into laughter.

========================================

Making his way through the crowd later on had more than a few of the other Guards laughing offering congratulations and speculations on things best not discussed. He might have yelled at some of them but he still felt as if he was floating from the kiss and could not bring himself to do much more than walk to the boxes set aside for the officers. The courtyard was packed, the battlements and the main buildings roof had flocks of pegasi perched on them. A few unicorns dotted their ranks as well having
levitated themselves up there and one parapet neat the stage held a small group of earth ponies that had some how stolen one of the better vantage points from the fliers.

Several ponies had their heads out of windows watching as well though most of the crowd was bunched around the stage with only a few standing back where there might be a bit more breathing room.

Jer'rahd felt like he had been swimming upstream trying to get through the crowd of ponies to the officers box, granted he could have ordered some of them aside and out of his way, but with the general raucous of the crowd he doubted he would be heard. Besides he was in too good of a mood to try and spoil some one elses by chewing them out .

There was still no sign of the Colonel and it was not likely he was going to get past the crowd to make it to his box now. Jer'rahd managed a sigh, forcing himself to relax, the other boxes were still empty , but he doubted the crowd would let them stay clear the whole show once they figured out that Claymore and General Mustang were not going to be here.

There was still security with a number of ponies from the surrounding villages coming in as well for the show. He had assigned the logistics of crowd control to Sergeant Buttercup. The pegasus was less than thrilled at having to work, but being a pegasus she could get around and direct traffic a little better than he or the Lieutenant could, plus she was one of the few here he trusted of any notable rank. Besides once the show started she was free to sit where she wanted any way, He told her that if she could not find a seat she could have one of the boxes unless the Colonel showed up. She declined claiming to have stallion somewhere holding a spot for her.

Once every pony was settled in, the lights over the stage dimmed and a hush fell over the crowd. An older mare in a suit trotted out from the blue and white curtains, her red mane brilliantly striking against the dull orange coloration of her coat and the bright blue suit she wore. She glanced down nodding to Jer'rahd in the box with a wide smirk before noting most of the other boxes were empty with a hint of disappointment. That was gone in a flash as she looks out at the crowd with a wide smile on her face. She then went on a rather short speech thanking the Guard for their service and hoping that they enjoyed the show. She explained the performers would hang around for a bit after the show signing autographs if they wanted, as well as the location of the emergency exits and a few other random tidbits of ESO history.

Jer'rahd really didn't envy the mare, most of those here wanted a show, not a lesson, though she evidently knew this and kept everything brief.

When the speech ended the front of the stage exploded in a puff of multi colored smoke and fireworks signaling the first act.

The first act was a group of unicorn magicians, preforming slight of hoof tricks and a few illusions such as cutting a mare in half. Most of the audience seemed more interested in the mage's mare assistants than the actual show. No one really thought much of the act at all, after all unicorns did magic, this wasn't that special. That was until the end of the act, when, with a great flare for the dramatic, all three bowed and then pulled off their fake horns with a hoof. The crowd all stared in shock as the trio of earth ponies tossed the horns in the air where they turned into doves that flew off before the three of them exploded into multi colored smoke and vanished off the stage, ending the act. It took a moment for the shock to wear off before the the crowd roared with applause.

The next act immediately brought out a loud groan from Jer'rahd, he ducked his head sinking down into the box, realizing why the announcer had smiled at him. He had been set up, likely by Bleu, okay definitely by Bleu.

The next act was a play, one that detailed his exploits in the Zebra lands. He visibly winced to the righteous laughter of the entire base once they realized what the play was.

Apparently some pony had gotten the idea to do a heavily erroneous, and rather racy version of the events that had made him famous. There were ponies dressed as zebras, a great deal of over the top action, bit store novel dialog, props falling all about, bad puns, jokes about various plot holes in the story, usually resulting with someones rump getting slapped, and a musical number in the middle entitled 'Thrust your sword for Equestria'.

He swore outright to never let Velkorn see the dance number about the zebra medical code. The bit finally ended with a giant wooden zebra representing the warlord, being pushed over by the pony representing him, who took a wood saw to cut off its head. The acting was so bad it was good, the singing was so good that even with as bad as the song was it was still funny. Embarrassment aside the disaster was a great success. After the last line, the Stallion playing him moved to the end of the stage shouting and waving the wood saw.

“Some of you might believe that this story is false, but we swear to you is nothing but Trollestia's honest truth. But if it is not, than I am sure this pony here will be more than happy to come up on stage and correct me?”

He waved the saw pointing it directly at Jer'rahd who put a hoof over his face feeling the entire Keep looking at him as several spotlights focused on him.

“Close enough.” Jer'rahd muttered.

“Excellent,You all see he admits it happened this way. This is a lucky stallion right here my friends, he saved Equestria and has some how managed to woo one of the starlets in this very show. Truly an amazing stallion indeed.” The actor continues taking off the blond wig and bowing while giving it a flourish as if it was a hat. “So a last question for you sir, the crew indeed wishes to know and its likely something every pony here has been asking themselves all day.”

“What's that ?” Jer'rahd asks already seeing where this was going , but unable to figure out how to escape it.

“When's the wedding?” the actor smirks.

“I have need of making a blue dragon skin rug first.” Jer'rahd growls.

The pony danced back to the riotous laughter as the entire troupe bowed again and darted off stage. Jer'rahd wondered if he changed colors to bright red with all the catcalls and cheers he was suddenly getting in the intermission. Thankfully that was short lived as the spot lights moved off him and lit up the sunset tinged sky. A quintuplet of pegasus ripped across the air over head, trailing smoke, fire, and some sort of glowing streamers as they ripped through the sky. They flew missing each other by inches, buzzing the crowd at high speeds, and weaving among the watch towers. The show was quite impressive, though Jer'rahd was a little under whelmed. Of course that likely was to having witnessed and been in several sonic rain booms. That set the bar for flying acts rather high for him.

The lights went back to the stage after one last maneuver that left a glowing yellow sun fluttering in the sky the magic sparklers falling down onto the stage and onto a rather large umbrella being held by a Little Blue Dragon in a top hat who rested in the middle of the stage. She closed up the umbrella wielding it like a cane and to tap dance spinning the cane for a moment before she tossed the umbrella aside and reached up grabbing the top hat and yanking it down over her head, the dragonling vanishing into the silk hat which fell with a light thud onto the wooden stage.

The silk top hat remained still a moment before suddenly bouncing crazily about the stage and finally exploding in a shower of confetti and lightning, leaving a pony sized blue dragon, with a wide grin on her face and a silver amulet of some kind about her neck standing in the middle of the chaos.

“Goooooooooooood evening Royal Guard! Are you enjoying yourself so far?” Bleu screams out her voice amplified by the amulet.

A loud chorus of yes echoed in the courtyard as the dragon blinked looking out at the crowd.

“What was that ?”

“YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

“Still can't hear you, oh wait, hold on.” Bleu comments.

Bleu tilted her head to right slapping the left side of her head, a burst of confetti shooting out of her ear before she did the same to the other side and a couple of doves flew free.

“OK try it now.”

“YEAH!!!!!!!!!”

The dragon tumbled back wards over her self before standing back up on her hind legs tail holding her up right as she fanned her wings .

“Alrighty then, good to hear it. I am always impressed with you Guard types, a buddy of mine said that you never forget your friends. He said an old squad member of his was in a financial bind, so he decided to help him out. The squaddie told him he'd never forget his kindness. And he didn't. He's in a bind again and he just came looking for him. “

This brought a few laughs. Enough for Bleu to tap the amulet.
“Is this thing on? Tough crowd I suppose, but then you all have to be. I’ve seen some bad situations in my travels. I met one pony who got his whole left side blown off in a fight. He's alright now.”

“Honestly though if you don't like the joke, don’t worry another one will be along soon.”

“Traveling with the ESO I’ve watched you Guards go on leave. You spend the first six days sowing your wild oats and the last day praying to Celestia for crop failure.”

“Two stallions walk into a bar, you figure one of them would have ducked.”

The jokes brought more than a few laughs as did the occasional tumble as she all but bounced around the stage never staying in one place or talking to any one side for long. She fired them off just as fast as she could the first joke barely ending before she was off on another one.

“Two dragons were eating a clown, one turns to the other and asks,
Does this taste funny to you?”

“A earth pony takes his dog to the vet and says,
"My dog's cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him? "
"Well," says the vet, "Let's have a look at him."
So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then checks his teeth.
Finally, he says "I'm going to have to put him down."
"What? Because he's cross-eyed? "
"No, because he's really heavy."

After about twenty minutes of jabs at things or swift jokes she finally exhales and smirks as she steps back with a bow.

“OK our next little skit was supposed to be just fifteen minutes of me throwing pies at Colonel Claymore, but since he decided not to show we decided to do it on Equestria's second favorite past time after making foals, hoof ball.”
She bows tumbling off stage a moment before the unicorn that had been playing Jer'rahd walks on stage dressed in a Canterlot Royals managers uniform and Bleu walks back in wearing a reporter outfit and a Scarlet Sox's hat.
“So Jake I heard you got a job as coach for the Canterlot royals.” Bleu asks.
“Yep.”
“Look Jake, if you're the coach, you must know all the players.”
“I certainly do.”
“Well you know I've never met the ponies. So you'll have to tell me their names, and then I'll know who's playing on the team.
“Oh, I'll tell you their names, but you know it seems to me that lately they give these ball players peculiar names.”
“You mean funny names?”
“Strange names, pet names...like Dizzy Dean...”
“His brother Daffy.”
"Daffy Dean”
“And their cousin from Prance.”
“ Prance?”
“Goofè.”
“Goofè Dean. Any way lets see the list of players here, Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third...”
“That's what I want to find out.”
“I say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.”
“Are you the manager?”
“Yes.”
“You gonna be the coach too?”
“Yes.”
“ And you don't know the fellows' names Jake?'
“Well I should.”
“Well then who's on first?”
“Yes.”
“I mean the pony's name.”
“Who.”
“The pony on first.”
“Who.”
'The first base pony.”
“Who.'
“The pony playing...”
“Who is on first!”
“I'm asking YOU who's on first.”
“That's the ponies name.”
“That's who's name?”
“Yes.”
“Well go ahead and tell me.”
“That's it.”
“That's who?”
“Yes.”
…..
“Look,Jake you gotta first base pony?”
“Certainly.”
“Who's playing first?”
“That's right.”
“When you pay off the first base pony every month, who gets the money?”
“Every bit of it.”
“All I'm trying to find out is the pony's name on first base.”
“Who.”
“The pony that gets...”
“That's it.”
“Who gets the bits...”
“He does, every bit. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.”
“Who's wife?”
“Yes.”
…...
“What's wrong with that Bleu?”
“Look, all I wanna know is when you sign up the first base pony, how does he sign his name Jake?”
“Who.”
“The pony.”
“Who.”
“How does he sign...”
“That's how he signs it.”
“Who?”
“Yes.”
…..
“All I'm trying to find out is what's the pony's name on first base Jake.”
“No. What is on second base.”
“I'm not asking you who's on second.”
“Who's on first.”
“One base at a time!”
“Well, don't change the players around.”
“I'm not changing nobody!”
“Take it easy, buddy.”
“I'm only asking you, who's the pony on first base?”
“That's right.”
“OK.”
“All right.”
…..
“What's the pony's name on first base Jake?”
“No. What is on second.”
“I'm not asking you who's on second.”
“Who's on first.”
“I don't know.”
“He's on third, we're not talking about him.”
“Now how did I get on third base?”
“Why you mentioned his name.”
“If I mentioned the third base pony's name, who did I say is playing third?”
“No. Who's playing first.”
“What's on first?”
“What's on second.”
“I don't know.”
“He's on third.”
“There I go, back on third again!”
…..
“Would you just stay on third base and don't go off it Jake.”
“All right, what do you want to know?”
“Now who's playing third base?”
“Why do you insist on putting Who on third base?”
“What am I putting on third.”
“No. What is on second.”
“You don't want who on second?”
“Who is on first.”
“I don't know”.
Both of them suddenly yell out Third base to sudden riotous laughter.
…..
“Look, you gotta outfield Jake?”
“Sure.”
“The left fielder's name?”
“Why.”
“I just thought I'd ask you.”
“Well, I just thought I'd tell ya.”
“Then tell me who's playing left field.”
“Who's playing first.”
“I'm not... stay out of the infield! I want to know what's the pony's name in left field?”
“No, What is on second.”
“I'm not asking you who's on second.”
“Who's on first!”
“I don't know.”
“Third base!”
…..
“The left fielder's name Jake?”
“Why.”
“Because!”
“Oh, he's center field.”
…..
“Look, You gotta pitcher on this team Jake?”
“Sure.”
“The pitcher's name?”
“Tomorrow.”
“You don't want to tell me today?”
“I'm telling you now.”
“Then go ahead.”
“Tomorrow!”
“What time?”
“What time what?”
“What time tomorrow are you gonna tell me who's pitching?”
“Now listen. Who is not pitching.”
“I'll break your leg, you say who's on first! I want to know what's the pitcher's name?”
“What's on second.”
“I don't know.”
“Third base!”
…..
“Gotta a catcher?”
“Certainly.”
“The catcher's name?”
“Today.”
“Today, and tomorrow's pitching.”
“Now you've got it.”
“All we got is a couple of days on the team.”
…..
“You know I'm a catcher too Jake.”
“So they tell me.”
“I get behind the plate to do some fancy catching, Tomorrow's pitching on my team and a heavy hitter gets up. Now the heavy hitter bunts the ball. When he bunts the ball, me, being a good catcher, I'm gonna throw the pony out at first base. So I pick up the ball and throw it to who?”
“Now that's the first thing you've said right.”
“I don't even know what I'm talking about!”
…..
“That's all you have to do Bleu.”
“Is to throw the ball to first base.”
“Yes!”
“Now who's got it?”
“Naturally.”
…..
“Look Jake, if I throw the ball to first base, somebody's gotta get it. Now who has it?”
“Naturally.”
“Who?”
“Naturally.”
“Naturally?”
“Naturally.”
“So I pick up the ball and I throw it to Naturally.”
“No you don't, you throw the ball to Who.”
“Naturally.”
“That's different.”
“That's what I said.”
“You're not saying it...”
“I throw the ball to Naturally.”
“You throw it to Who.”
“Naturally.”
“That's it.”
“That's what I said!”
“You ask me.”
“I throw the ball to who?”
“Naturally.”
“Now you ask me.”
“You throw the ball to Who?”
“Naturally.”
“That's it.”
“Same as you! Same as YOU! I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the pony runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another pony gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don't know! He's on third and I don't give a darn!”
“What?”
“I said I don't give a darn!”
“Oh, that's our shortstop.”

The thunderous applause was deafening and the pony and dragon took a bow before the first mare came back to announce a small break while the stage was set up for the final act of the show. Despite that not a single pony went any where and the crowd continued on yelling and laughing about what they had seen so far. Jer'rahd remained as well, he had to admit while the last skit was a little long winded watching Bleu get worked up, even if it was only part of the show was amusing, it was pretty clear why Starfall had enjoyed the act. He might have enjoyed it more if it didn't seem to be focused on teasing him, well that and he was far more interested in this last act.

The band slowly gathered and set up, a number of drummers, a small piano and a earth pony mare with a harp as well as a few others. They were all well dressed and positioned themselves at the back of the stage. There were a few instrument checks before every one settled in and the lights dimmed again the dark starlit sky above the only source of light as Princess Luna's moon had not yet risen far above the horizon. One spot light lit up showing a circle of white in the center of the stage.
The crowd went silent,as the light sound of hooves echoed through the keep amplified by magic, a shadowed form approached the light walking gracefully into it and causing Jer'rahd's and most of the other males in the crowd's jaw to drop.

Her silver hair fell in waves down over her shoulders and back, her onyx coat glittering in the light as if she was the night sky filled with stars,the spotlight catching on every bit of glitter in her fur. Her horn glowed with a soft silver light touching a necklace like Bleu's that graced her neck, amplifying her voice. Silver jewelry and gemstones dotted the gauzy gown she wore, her forelegs were graced with green and purple gems dangling from silver threads wrapped around them. She lifts her head amethyst eyes opening slowly, focusing soly on Jer'rahd where he sat in the front row. She smiles softly to him before lifting her gaze some what reluctantly to look out over the rest of the crowd. She shifts her stance tensing a little before she lets out a long held breath preparing to sing.

Twilight yanked her head back suddenly letting the image stop before the mare started her song. This was going to be a song preformed live by a singer from a thousand years ago. This was an opportunity that could not be passed up let alone conveyed in just words on paper. She pranced around in circles at a loss of what to do, her hooves clicking on the wood floor in excitement.

“Spike, SPIKE! take a letter!... Spike!... Spike? Oh crap hes still at Pinkie's “
She darts to her desk grabbing a parchment and ink on her own starting to write.

“Dear Princess Celestia.
I have recently discovered in my study of the sword that a concert by a famous singer from a thousand years ago by the name of Platinum is going to preformed before the weapons bearer. It is my belief that this is a grand opportunity to let ponies every where hear some thing from the past that has been lost to time. The only thing I have ever seen about the pony Platinum in books are a few comments on how wonderful her songs were, but there were never any written down or ever recorded. Unfortunately while I am certain I have a way to record the song into a gemstone, that would only allow unicorns to hear it and I would have to record what I saw as well. This may be a problem if what I am studying is really something you do not wish to get out. Despite that I feel that this is something that should be available for every pony to hear. I have no idea how to make a recording that would allow that, if you know any pony I can contact to help bring this song back to life please let me know.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle”

The door swings open with a crash as Spike wanders in carrying a box.
“Hey Twilight, Mrs. Cake gave me some goodies to bring home, you want some?” Spike states seeing Twilight standing there.
“Spike, perfect timing. I want you to send a letter to the Princess.”
“OK lemmi just put this down and ...” Spike states setting the box aside before taking the scroll and exhaling green flames over it.“So find anything interesting this time.”
“Yep , Jer'rahd has met Bleu and her partner from the gifted unicorn entrance exam, ” Twilight states
“Wow, they had those a thousand years ago too?”
“Seems so, though Platinum and Jer'rahd look like they might wind up being something together, there’s already talk of marriage.”
“Platinum is Bleu's partner?” Spike asks.
“Yep. With as bloody as some of this story has been, its nice to see something happy happen for once.” Twilight sighs.
“Wait, didn't you say that this Jer'rahd pony had a thing for Princess Luna?”
“That’s what Princess Celestia told me, but there’s been a lot of things that I have found that doesn't really match up with the story she told me in the garden. I asked her about it last time we had tea and she admitted that even she tended to forget exact details at times. Well, that, and a great deal of what was going on at the time she was not even present for, she was only told about it later.”
“ Oh I see.. hurk...BRAAAAAAAP!!!”Twilight blinks as the little dragon burps out the letter shaking his head and catching it before pulling it open to read it.

“My Dearest Twilight
Your idea to record such a singer from the past is commendable. It is always a pleasure to see work towards expanding the scope of the arts. Having been to some of Platinum's concerts myself, it would be delightful to be able to hear her voice again. I enjoy the music of today well enough, but the songs of the past had something about them that many artists seem to lack nowadays. I am certain my sister would love to hear it as well as she was a rather big fan of Platinum back then. As to your recording issue I know just the ponies who can help you transfer it from a crystal.

However now that all of that is said I must warn you. If my memory is correct on which concert you speak of, you might wish to scry it before you record it. It might not wind up being what you think.

Princess Celestia.”

“What does she mean by that Twilight.”Spike asks.
Twilight’s ears flatten as she glances back at the blade.
“I don't know, I thought it was just a concert. How can it not be what I think.”

As Tears Go By [8]

Stories in Stone
Luna's royal Guard.
By TDR

As Tears Go By

Twilight flinches at the knock on the door, they were here earlier than she expected. While normally a good thing for her schedule, right now Twilight's nerves were frazzled from the editing she had to do to isolate the song from the rest of the story.

She hears the door creak open and some muffled greeting from Spike and a response from the guest. The sound of the thudding of hooves caused her ears to perk, she had only expected one guest , but there were multiples.

Twilight looks up from the table as Spike leads the two ponies into the main room.

The first was a gray mare with a black mane and tail, she had an air of aristocracy about her that made Twilight feel she and Spike had not cleaned the library enough to suit her. She wore white dress collar with a pink bow tie, her cutie mark was some musical note though Twilight was unsure which as music had not been something she studied very thoroughly she was ashamed to admit. The gray earth pony had a pair of simple yet some how elegant brown saddle bags draped over her back likely filled with the recording equipment.

The white unicorn mare that followed had shock blue mane striped with darker blue that, at first, seemed unkempt. With the way it stayed in its spiky shape no matter how she moved it was more likely stylized to be wild looking. She all but trotted in like she owned the place poking, listening to a rather deep beat coming from the large set of headphones about her neck. Her cutie mark was a different musical note, though once again Twilight was clueless on what it was called. It was already dark outside, but the unicorn sported a pair of dark purple sunglasses. She carried a couple of bags as well both of them rather well used and ratty as well as covered in stickers and banners of various bands Twilight had never even heard of.

“You must be Octavia Melody and umm sorry I didn't expect any one else. I'm Twilight Sparkle and this is Spike.”

The little dragon waved as he headed towards the kitchen clearly not interested in hearing the song again.

“It is nice to meet you Miss Sparkle. I was rather surprised by the letter you sent, I am ashamed to admit if the letter had not been from Princess Celestia's personal student herself I might have simply ignored it. This is Vinyl Scratch, and while I am greatly excited to hear what you have found, my enthusiasm has been dulled by my need to bring her along. Though your letter did explain that a unicorn would be needed.” Octavia

“Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you sweetheart, don't mind Tavi here, still trying to teach her to loosen up. Besides a lost track from a thousand years ago? Something like this would make an awesome remix, I couldn't pass that up. So where can we set up?” Vinyl grins.

“Um on the table there.”Twilight stammers a little.

“You will do nothing of the sort Vinyl. Something from such a far flung era must remain as it was intended. I may need your assistance in this but I will not allow you to sully something of this importance by adding it to that noise you call music.”Octavia fusses.

“Hey babe, keep in mind I am the only pony who’s gonna be able to transfer it to a record. I bucking invented the trick fer crying aloud. You'll get a untouched copy, but what I do with my copy is my business.” Scratch snarks.

“Bah, I will do my best to make sure you do not sully such a compilation with your …... skills.......” Octavia snaps.

Twilight winced a bit as the two bickered back and forth. At first it seemed the pair really didn't like each other. Though the pair of them moved seamlessly setting up the equipment throwing out jabs and personal insults as if the whole thing was simply one ongoing joke for the both of them. It was rather similar to how Rarity and Applejack were.

“Excuse me, I don't want to interrupt you, but after I sent the letter I actually viewed the concert..... its not exactly …..what I wrote it was. “ Twilight winces.

“So The Legendary Platinum does not sing?” Octavia pouts.

“Oh no, she sings and it is the most beautiful song I have heard in a long time, but.......” Twilight begins.

“Hows the sound quality?” Vinyl asks lugging a wire into a box.

“Perfect honestly, the memory is from someone who was quite close to the stage and was actually on it at one point.” Twilight stammers

“Well that’s all I need, you got us set up with the crystal then Grape flavor? Cause I am ready to get this show on the road.” Vinyl grins as Twilight looks a little confused mouthing the words 'grape flavor' in confusion..

“While not as brash as Vinyl here I must say I too am quite excited to actually be able to hear a song by Platinum. The musical world has many records of her existence and rumors of her talent, but aside from the Princesses, no pony alive has ever heard her sing. There are a few precious songs written by her that have been found however. Though I do wonder if any one who has preformed them has done them justice.” Octavia muses.

“Well I looked into that too, and this song is not one of the written songs.” Twilight admits nervously.

“Ooh a B side.” Vinyl chuckles.

“More like …....never mind...... The crystal I have over there has got everything in it. All you need to do is activate it with a bit of power Miss Vinyl and you should have a front row seat. “ Twilight sighs. “ I wasn't able to clear out the visions that come with it so you will be seeing a bit of the past......”

“Sounds perfect Purple Smart, lets rock.” Vinyl snaps cutting off Twilight before she can continue. The white unicorns horn glows as she activates the crystal, as well as several of the devices they brought with them.

====================================================================================

Platinum screamed out, her voice amplified by her amulet as the great obsidian wall exploded on either side of the stage behind her. The tons of onyx and jade fragmenting out,destroying the watch towers and leaving two gaping rents on either side of the stage. Almost half the gathered Guard were buried under the fallen rock and nearly all the rest had been hit with some debris from the walls collapse. The dust had barely settled when the first trolls and half bloods poured through the holes.

The gray skinned monstrosities fell on the Guard ponies that had not been killed by the explosions. Their claws and fangs finding any open flesh on the fallen ponies, ending their lives there if they were not already dead. Strange dragon like creatures of varying scaled hues moved among the trolls shouting orders in draconic to the foul gray skinned beasts. They looked like ponies that had merged with dragons. Their coats were a mix of leathery scales and colored fur, they had rows of spines and horns for manes instead of hair though no two of them seemed exactly alike in this regard. The strange draconic creatures orders were near undecipherable,screamed out in an almost guttural roar of words and sounds. Flame and acid licked from their maw's as they advanced occasionally sending a gout of flame or worse to incinerate whole groups of the ponies crowded in the courtyard.

The Guard that survived the initial attack started to rally back almost instantly. The pegasi who had been on the roof were largely untouched by the walls collapse and dove into the melee as others tried to flood out of the keep itself.

Jer'rahd rushed onto the stage towards Platinum as the mare shakily got back to her hooves. Then the creature that had caused the wall to collapse made its presence felt. Jer'rahd had barely made it onto the stage when his body suddenly refused to move, terror unlike anything he had felt before swept over him. He managed to turn his head a bit seeing the rest of the counter attack stalling as some ponies fainted, froze like he did, or tried to flee suddenly stampeding against the walls crushing others in their attempts to escape. The trolls and dragon horses seemed unaffected and continued the advance only slowing to kill those who were frozen.

Barely a minute had passed and the Guard had gone from routed to routing and back to fleeing. He lifted his head at the crunch of stone above him. A massive green scaled dragon dug it's claws into the remains of the wall looming over the court yard perching on the middle section of the destroyed keep its mouth open in a soundless scream that seemed to be the source of the madness over taking the keep. A song of fear and chaos that would end the show and the lives of all those present.

“A falling star,
Fell from your heart.
And landed in my eyes........”

The voice cut across the battle field, slicing through the dragons spell like a hot blade through butter. The stampede slowed as the voice reverberated. Even the attackers paused a moment at the sudden clear tones filling the court yard. The frozen band fell into the groove of their rehearsed parts almost instinctively. One tentatively stroking a harp letting loose a small string of notes that echoed in the brief silence.

“I screamed aloud,
As it tore through them,
and now its left me blind.”

The piano started up as well as the harp continued. Platinum stood up right, her silver mane pulled loose from the clasps holding it, a breeze from the other side of t wall causing it to flow about her form like a silvery halo. Her purple horn glowed brightly,the light radiating from her in waves her long mane and tail flowing from her along with the energy.

She stamped her hooves as the drums struck the echo shaking the already crumbling wall further. The trolls and half dragons surged forward a battle surrounding them on the stage, but Jer'rahd only heard the song. He drew his blade in a whirl, cutting down a troll that had lept at the singer in mid air before raising the blade with his magic bringing it down towards the advancing forces, a silent order for the Guard to attack in tune with the very music that now filled the keep. The Guards paused in their panic for a moment before turning nearly as one and rushing back to meet the attackers with near silent rage spurred on by the song. Platinum's voice picked up the tempo as the drum beats reverberated sounding out over the clash of soldiers.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

He felt a weight on his back, a clawed hand gripping his weapon harness a moment before the weight left leaping off of him. A blue scaled reptilian form crashing into a troll and ripping it apart with claws and a barrage of insults directed to its mother. The blue dragonling rolled to its clawed feet a blast of lightning escaping the pony sized dragons maw striking several of the dragon horses and frying them where they stood. A wry grin and a quip that could have come from an action novel followed. Jer'rahd returned the smirk and offered a blade salute though his ears still only heard the song from the onyx coated mare. The dragon and pony set themselves back to keeping Platinum guarded. The whole battle starting to take the tempo of the song.

“And in the dark,
I can hear your heartbeat.
I tried to find the sound.
But then it stopped,
and I was in the darkness.
So Darkness I became.”

His shield flashed to life blocking a troll from striking a band member, Bleu was on the troll and past it before the harp player had even known it was there, much less that it was little more than a twitching corpse now behind her. The band played as if they were hardened soldiers themselves, neither flinching nor missing a note no matter how close they came to death.

The drum beats echoed again accompanied by the doors to the courtyard exploding from the other side. A compliment of Ponies in some strange red draconic armor charged in attacking the Guard ponies closest to them. One in the back flipped down his visor, but Jer'rahd caught sight of the sneering muzzle that had been underneath it. Jer'rahd growled as he recognized Colonel Claymore. The bastard had finally arrived to the show and was leading more attackers. Flanked from both sides the surviving Guard in the courtyard were being pushed back to the stage the numbers of attackers starting to overwhelm the remaining defenders.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

His shield flared again several of them forming at once starting to make a barrier around the stage so that they could only be attacked from the front, and the Guard would have something to press back against so they would not be attacked from behind. He whipped around both his back hooves connecting with a dragon horses throat, he felt the give of the scales and the sudden whip of the creatures head, The angle of its neck as it fell was enough to be sure it was not going to rise again. Platinum had not yet stopped, her voice sure and stable as she sang, her magic continued to flare holding back the dragons spell.

“I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map
And I knew that somehow I could find my ay back.
Then I heard your heart beating
You were in the darkness too
So I stayed in the darkness with you...”

The sudden fading of her voice and the music made Jer'rahd whip around fearful of something having slipped past him to get to her. She simply stood there bathed in the glow of the stages lighting her Violet eyes meeting his, she smiled as if she was singing just for him. He whipped his head back reluctant to let his gaze leave her but he could not hesitate. The heroic surge as the song picked back up again had the guard holding back the attackers with far more force than the rapidly dwindling force should have been able to muster.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,
I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

The uplift of the drums brought a sudden change. Platinum's magic flared out suddenly lighting the whole courtyard in brilliant light. The trolls and Dragon ponies as well as the red armored traitors reeled back blinded and stunned. The Guards on the other hoof were filled with a surge of energy. The remaining forces charged, changing again from defending to attacking. The new surge allowed them to tear into the enemy felling them like a scythe through grain. The traitors at the gate were prime targets and were nearly wiped out in the unexpected rally.

Another troll fell to Jer'rahd's blade as the sudden elation of song from Platinum song drove the Guards into a frenzy, It was a larger push than when she had first started her song the build up of the music allowing power to surge from her.

Jer'rahd spared a glance up to the dragon as it stirred noting it spell was no longer having any effect and ceasing it's casting. When the oppressive fear spell stopped the true power of Platinum's song filled the entire company of guards bolstering them far beyond what should have been possible due to their wounds and the overwhelming force against them. The attackers started falling back to the holes in the wall, their supposed easy prey had turned into near invincible warriors bent on their destruction.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,
I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

The dragon however had evidently realized where the source of the new power had come from and dove off the wall. Jer'rahd flung up a shield pouring everything he had into it holding it above the stage.

The great beast was barely slowed, plowing through the shield and slamming hard into the stage. Its tail lashing out behind it destroying the band as it landed. The stage buckled sending Platinum into the air like a tossed ball. Her mane and tail flowing behind her giving the impression of angelic wings. She closed her eyes as she rose, her magic flowing across the battle field still.

The dragons claw whipped across before it, impacting the mare through the shield Jer'rahd tried to raise. The strike sending the silver maned unicorn flying across the courtyard,her blood flowing in a arc from the wounds deep in her onyx flank before her limp form crashed into the stone wall of the keep with a sicking crunch.

The silent scream from Jer'rahd and Bleu were only drown out by the roar of the dragon and the crash of the instruments.

Rage flooded Jer'rahd's vision in a haze of red, the flare of similar hate was felt from the other side of the stage as Bleu roared, a sound rivaling that of the giant beast between them.

Neither hesitated, the two of them moved as one becoming a whirling dervish of death with a single goal between them. Lightning tore into the green beasts side, as Jer'rahd's own magic gripped blade carved gash through the creatures underbelly, his charge ending with his hooves connecting hard with the beasts leg, shattering scales and drawing blood. He barely paused to hear the green dragon scream, his red bathed blade ripping through the thick scales of the green dragon as if they were not even there.

The creature took off into the air with a roar of pain and Jer'rahd once again felt claws grip his armor straps, hoisting him up into the air as well. Bleu rose carrying him up, chasing after the fleeing dragon. Even with Jer'rahd's weight her rage fueled wings caught up and surpassed the wounded beast rather easily. Flying above it she dropped Jer'rahd onto its back before attacking it's head. His blade torn into the creature's wings rending them to ribbons as he ran along the creatures spined back. His hooves ripping into the dragons scales as he moved using his own shields to keep himself on the dragons writhing form.

A great slash sliced through the dragons wing completely, ending its flight, the beast screamed as it fell. Jer'rahd was flung clear as it spiraled down and was again caught by Bleu who took dropped down after the creature tears streaming from the blue dragons eyes as rage continued to build in Jer'rahd's his red eye glowing like a falling star as it streaked through the sky.

The green dragon crashed to the ground, pushing itself back upright as quickly as it could completely destroying the rest of the stage. Jer'rahd shrugs free of Bleu's grasp falling straight towards the creatures head. Four armored hooves slam into the top of its skull driving the green dragon's head into the cobblestone covered ground, the snap of its jaws and shower of shattered teeth bursting from the bloodied maw echoed across the courtyard like the sound of drums striking in time.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,
I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

Jer'rahd's eyes widened at the weak chorus as he shakes off the impact of the blow , his legs feeling like jelly despite his landing being softened by the dragons head. Bleu slams down onto the dragon's head as well, claws gouging free the great beasts scales as she rips along it toward its slowly opening eyes. The terror evident in the massive beast's gaze was short as one orb was filled with a blast of lightning and the other destroyed utterly by a blade stabbing through it deep into the creatures head.

The beast thrashed its own death throws scattering the stages remains about the courtyard. Jer'rahd and Bleu were already off the creature, ripping through any thing in their path towards where Platinum had fallen.

Another thunder of drums sounds followed by the beat of wings, signaling the approaching brunt of the remaining 8th, reenforced by the the might of the 42d air wing. General Mustang charged at the head of the unit as it poured into the courtyard. The reinforcements slammed into the forces of the attackers that remained, giving no quarter and killing or trampling everything on this side of the wall, not letting a troll, dragon horse, or traitor live more than a few dozen paces past the wall.

Jer'rahd and Bleu skid to a halt at the side of the crumpled form of the onyx mare just as the harp player manages the final notes of the song with a last few strums on the strings of her battered instrument before finally succumbing to her wounds as well.

Bleu falls to the ground her form returning to the blue dragonling as she howls. Her voice carrying the time of the last harp notes as she cradled the still form of Platinum.

=======================================================================

The White unicorn falls back from the crystal crashing back on her rump head phones slipping from her neck to the ground. Twilight winces as Vinyl Scratch falls back. She's nearly flung aside by Octavia rushing over to where Vinyl fell, the white unicorn staring at the crystal on the table.

“What did you do to her !!?”Octavia shouts.

“I didn't do anything. I said the song was not what was expected, but I didn't think she'd get hurt by it! I've watching it a score of times with nothing going wrong.”

“Then what happened...!?!” Octavia snaps.

“It's OK Tavi, I’m fine.” Vinyl stammers putting her hoof up to disrupt the fighting.” Wooo! A bit more than I expected there grape flavor. “

The white mare whips her head, blue hair fluttering around it as she reaches a hoof up pushing her glasses up over her horn. Her red eyes glistening with tears a moment before she wipes them away with the back of her fore hoof. She looked from Twilight to a concerned and very surprised Octavia.

“Rather potent little thing you have there. Not sure I care much for the theatrics or want to know what other sort of depressing stuff your researching here.” Vinyl mutters.

“It's not all depressing. This just turned out to be rather intense.” Twilight admits.

“Yes well, will you two please tell me what the heck is going on!?!” Octavia grumbles

“Its Platinum 's swan song Tavi, she died singing it......I... I ..I can't touch this. Doesn't matter how good it would sound. Damn. Looks like you get your wish Tavi. Its too dark for any mix I have.” Vinyl sighs pulling her glasses back over her eyes. ”Did the copy take?”

“It did and what.... what was it Vinyl? Are you sure your alright?” Octavia asks

The unicorn grins sheepishly standing back up and putting her headphones back over her neck.

“I'm fine though I think I wanna just head back home for a while. Lets pack it up. Alright sweetheart I’ll get on making copies of this. I take you want one and likely the Princesses will as well. This stuffs gonna sell like cupcakes at a fat foal convention, any idea where you want those kinda bits going?”

“You two would likely know better than me. Maybe there's a music school worthy of donations? I think she might have liked that.”Twilight mutters

“I know a few that might, Miss Twilight. Who shall we say the donation is coming from.” Octavia asks

“Its coming from the pony that sang it. Platinum” Twilight smiles.

“Heh, care of a nearly forgotten songbird. I like your style sweetheart consider that done. Should have your copy in a few days. This was definitely an experience. And not one I really care to repeat. Though I will if you find another song in this little study group of yours. Something a little less dramatic next time though.” Vinyl grins.

The pair head out after collecting everything. Octavia commenting on something that sent Vinyl laughing, which seems to annoy the earth pony greatly. The bickering started again though neither seems to be putting any force into it as they head out.

Twilight levitates the crystal back into the small box closing it and sliding it onto the shelf with the other material from this research. She exhaled deeply having a whole new interest in the former Bearer of the Element of laughter and a great deal of pity for her and the former Bearer of Loyalty.

Author's Note

Song is Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine.

Update.

There are two paths before you right now in this story.
Read on with Luna's Royal Guard for the canon version of the story.

or read Tip of the Scales
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/405889/tip-of-the-scales

for a different path.

Where the River Goes [9]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Where the River Goes

Twilight looked down at the sword, everything was prepared to go back into the past to see what had happened after the battle at Dullahan Keep. Everything had been ready for the last six hours and yet it still sat here. Spike was upstairs reading, opting to leave her alone, but still be around if she needed something. Her need for information and preforming the task she was given required her to go back in to find out what went on after ward, but her heart had yet to hardened enough to go into the aftermath of the singers death. She had seen that two weeks ago.

She had been correct however, Platinum's final song, once it had been cleaned of the background noise, did indeed rapidly become one of the top sellers in Equestria nearly overnight. Octavia and Vinyl Scratch had proven good to their word as well. Several musical schools received massive donations in Platinum's name. One school even going so far as to rename itself after her using the donations to accept budding musicians from all trots of life.

She had received her own record soon after and so had the Princesses she suspected. Twilight had listened to the song non stop after she had gotten her copy, managing to annoy Spike to no end. He liked the song, just not on full loop for two days.

She had gotten to the point of wanting a distraction of some sort. Fluttershy had come by to ask if her and Owlowiscious were still coming out to the pet play date that weekend . She nodded her agreement, rapidly deflecting any questions about the history she was studying. If this sort of thing depressed her, then likely Fluttershy would have been in tears and then Twilight would have been bawling right along with the yellow pegasus. Then there would have been the fallout of what Pinkie would have done for making Fluttershy cry. It was just better if Fluttershy did not every have any tears. That ate up a few days but so far there was nothing distracting her from studying today.

The thing about the universe is however, if you wish for something hard enough and the universe thinks it's funny, you might get it.

Such as the sudden knock on the door that had Twilight all but falling over herself to answer if nothing else but to give her an excuse not to go back into the past. Granted as soon as she opened the door she immediately wished she had not.

A trio of black armored Guard ponies stared down at her from the other side. The pair quickly pushed past her to search around the room as if checking for threats, one of them looking over the blade and judging by the sudden yell one of them had found Spike.

“What is …..?” Twilight began.

“They are rather enthusiastic about our safety. The needn't be, but we see no reason to countermand their orders.” states a voice from behind Twilight.

The purple mare flinches whirling around to see a tall regal looking figure in a hooded cloak staring down at her. The figures face was partially hidden in shadow though it's eyes glowed under the hood as they watched Twilight.

It didn't take more than a moment or two for her brain to catch up with her and she quickly bowed before the Princess of the Night.

“Guards stand outside. We wish to Speak with Twilight Sparkle alone.” Luna commands

“Yes Princess.” The Guards state with a salute the three of them rushing back out the door one of them dragging a protesting spike and several comic books with him. The last one shuts the door after the group leaving Luna with a panicked and still bowed Twilight.

Luna ignores her for a moment pulling back her hood and walking over to the table to look down at the sword laying atop of it with a mix of anger and sadness.

“Our sister did not think we would recognize the last song Platinum had ever sung. That mare was our favorite singer a thousand years ago, she was also the cause of more than a few problems for us.” Luna sighs looking over at Twilight finally. “We had thought thou were simply out in the garden to talk to our sister and that we were mistaken about one of the statues expressions changing. The charred grass as well, perhaps we thought, thou had learned a spell thou did not have control of yet dealing with fire. But thou almost freed some pony didn’t you.”

It was clearly not a question though Twilight still offered a small nod in response, though Luna had shifted her gaze back to the blade.

“That thou hast the Waning Moon resting on thine table is proof enough our sister knows what thou are really doing. When we confronted her, she remained as cagy as ever and only let slip it was some one she trusted whom was looking into the past that found that song.” Luna sighs. “ There is a very small list of those Tia trusts. That list is even smaller when one considers whom on that list would have any interest in the past. What hast thou learned here. Twilight Sparkle?”

The princess leaned forward eyes narrowing looking more and more like Nightmare moon with each inch closer as she stared down at Twilight.

Twilight finally cracked and gave a rather intense and rapid fire summery of everything that had happened over the past few months with her studies including everything she had learned and more than a few things that had happened to her including her own breakdown and the cutie pox incident She also continued and listed every list and meal she had had over the course of time and simply kept talking well past running out of anything to say.

Princess Luna had taken a step back from the rapid fire rambling and panicked dialog, her head tilting a bit one eyebrow raised as Twilight continued.

“Um........” Luna interjects.

“ and I don't even know where they got the air raid sirens and the hazmat suits....”

“Twilight........” Luna starts.

“.... I stole my uncle Max's toupee and glued it to my face to play Starswirl the Beared in my fifth grade school play.....”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE YOU WILL BE SILENT NOW!” Luna booms.

Twilight yelps covering her head with her fore hooves as the Princes rolls her eyes and tries to calm herself.

“Please rise Twilight Sparkle. We are not sure we needed all of that. But at least we know where thine are in our history. We would ask thou to calm .ye... yourself.”

“I but I thought you would be angry at this.” Twilight mutters.

“ Furious. But it is directed at our sister not at you. We cannot blame thou, you, in your quest for knowledge. We, I , gather you have an opinion of the situation with the five of them then.”

“You forgave your sister for sending you to the moon, but not your friends, even though they are still waiting for you.” Twilight blurts out covering her mouth with her hoof.

“It is a different and complex situation with them Twilight Sparkle. We have known our sister for far longer then those five. We will be in her presence far longer than we would with mine Generals.
She was their for me when my first friends died and she was there for me when my first love was killed. These five were the first friends I was able to make in over two thousand years Twilight. Their betrayal cuts deep, even if it was done for the good of all. The ones I trusted the most, the ones I trusted even more than mine own sister, turned on me. There are more factors than simply that of course, but that is the one that stays my hoof from any action. It is one reason We are here.”

“You want me to stop the research? I under stand Princess, I will have the blade put away and ready for you to take it in a moment.” Twilight sighs.

“No.” Luna shakes her head.

“What?”

“Do not stop thine research Twilight Sparkle. While we do not place our trust so easily in you as my sister does we do respect what you have done and your skills have proven to be of a high quality as well. Continue the study, pay attention to everything. When you are done we want your opinion on what we should do with them.“

“What, why mine?” Twilight stammers.

“It was a dark time Twilight Sparkle. We did many things we regret now, but at the time we saw them as necessary. I am sure all of us did. That sword's story follows its wielder and to a lesser degree the others of the five, as well as myself.. You will see what we did to achieve peace, what we endured and what we became. All the victories and short comings. I want an unbiased opinion of them. After all this time there are none left who know the past as it happened save my sister. And her opinion is far from unbiased when it comes to that point in time. Bear in mind, as well, the difficulties I have had adapting to the world of today. The peace of this time might not even be a be fit for ones such as the five. It is certainly difficult for me to adapt to it.” Luna sighs.” We want copies of thine notes, as well as a report on this. We are asking that you send the reports on this to me rather than my sister from this point on. It will be bad enough for you to know all of what went on. There are some things that I would never live down if Tia were to hear of them.“

The princess flushes a bit suddenly, but it fades so quickly Twilight thought she might have been mistaken.

“As you wish princess, but Spike can only send letters to Princess Celestia. “

“A dark gemstone floats up resting lightly on the desk. Let him eat that, it will allow him to send messages to me as well. Spike is not the first dragon to possess the green flame. Do not take this request lightly Twilight, Unlike my sister who is simply feeding your curiosity by allowing you to study the past, I am ordering you to do it......” Luna pauses her ears flattening as Twilight flinches at the tone of the command. “At your own pace of course, but I would like the opinion when you are done.”

“Of course Princess Luna.”

“Good, we are glad to have this talk Twilight Sparkle. It will likely ease your mind as well that you no longer need to skulk about like a thief with this information around me. Now that that is said I will return to Canterlot with luck you should not have any more interruptions. If you have need of something else of me feel free to send a message though I cannot promise we will be awake to respond during the day.”

“Yes, umm there is one last thing though.” Twilight points out hesitantly.

“Hmm what is that ?”

“My friend Fluttershy is some thing of a history buff as well and she would love to read what I am writing. She might help some with the editing of it as well.”

“Fluttershy.... the pink haired pegasus who we sought aid from on nightmare night if I am not mistaken?”

“Yes Princess.”

“Agreed, she aided me in my endeavors once so if you trust her and she wishes it then we will allow it, we would like her opinion as well.”

“Thank you Princess. Though her opinion will likely be easy to guess.”Twilight sighs.

“Not if she reads everything you have seen. Her answer might not be what you think.” Luna sighs her ears drooping. “I would hope you do not think less of me for what we have done, but we do not see that outcome as favorable.”

Luna heads to the door pulling her hood up and stepping back out into the night. A moment or two later Spike trundles back in fussing and trying to put one of his comics back into it's bag.

“So help me if the dirt messed up my copy of radioactive stallion number one those guards are gonna pay......” Spike mutters. So what did Princess Luna want? She finally take that sword away from you?

“ No... in fact she added more stress to my work load.” Twilight rubs her temples. “Though she did leave you a gift on the desk there.”

“What?? Oh Wow! Twilight this is Night Star opal. Do you know how rare these are?” Spike stares.

“She said for you to eat it so you could send messages to her as well as Princes Celestia. I wasn't aware that was possible.”

“I get to eat a Night Star opal!??!? I bet there’s dragons who have been around thousands of years who have not even seen one.“ Spike stares at the gem his comics forgot in a pile on the floor as he darts over grabbing the gem. He barely hesitates before eating it in three bites. His eyes water as he swallows before he falls over on his back belching a black flame into the air that changes into a green coloration before fading and groaning.

“SPIKE!!” Twilight rushes over to him hesitant to get too close in case he belches again.

“Ohhh, ewww. It tastes like Alfalfa.” Spike whines. “ I hate alfalfa.”

“Did it work?” Twilight rolls her eyes.

“Ugh that’s a taste that’s going to be with me for weeks. And yeah I can feel something, it';s kinda the same feeling I get when I wanna send something to Princess Celestia, though it feels a little colder. Blargh, I’m gonna go see if there’s any rubies left to get rid of this taste.”

“And I think I am ready to start on this again.”Twilight smiles slightly looking over at the blade.

Twilight moves over to the table , tuning out Spikes complaints and starts to cast the spell once more.

==============================================================

His hoof struck hard sending the ponies Guard helm flying off her head and knocking the white mare off balance sending her tumbling back down the stairs.

“Major you stand the buck down, and surrender right now!!” bellows General Mustang from the foot of the stairs.

“Like Tartarus I will General. She just lost the only family she had, and I will not let you or any other pony remove her freedom as well.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Its the damn royal law, you know that, no unbonded dragons allowed in Equestria. Buck we need to make sure she didn't have something to do with this attack, she's a freaking dragon herself. That unbonded law is in place for reasons you don't even begin to understand and it's only getting worse with this attack. She needs to be shipped back to the Empire. How many soldiers you gonna hurt to protect that lizard Kaisur!?!”

“Depends General, How many did you bring? I can do this all bucking day.” Jer'rahd growls backing a little further up the tower steps. The stairs went up to a ruined section of the keep so he couldn't escape that way, the General had him cornered and he was already wounded and exhausted from the battle while the troops the General had access to that gathered around the base of the stairs were still mostly fresh.

A small bundle of blue scales floated over his back. Bleu had fainted after they found Platinum, the singer was obviously dead, he could not even think of how she might have sung the last lines of her song given the condition her body was in. The dragonling had reverted to her tiny size and fallen into a sobbing fit, before blacking out. Some of the Guard that came with the reinforcements had found them and were going to kill Bleu before he stopped them, perhaps with a bit too much force. It went from killing her, to imprisoning her when it was explained that she was partnered with Platinum.

Mustang had ordered her locked up regardless and Jer'rahd would have none of that.

Another pony rushed at him from above, a pegasus that had slipped in from a hole in the wall further up the stairs. The attacker was met with a hoof to the chin and a roll down the stairs that took out another Guard that had run up to help. Jer'rahd moved up the stairs further knowing he was backing himself into a corner in this tower, but having run out of options.

“Do you know the penalties for striking a fellow solider Major?!?” Mustang shouts.

“Of course I do, but if you're still calling me Major, I have to assume that I have not done enough damage yet.” Jer'rahd snaps back.

“Only cause you're pulling your strikes and just bruising them. Keep it up and some pony’s gonna get hurt. I know what that mare meant to you, but stand down !!” Mustang orders.

“She meant more to Bleu. If you think that I am gonna stand aside and let her be thrown into a cell or kicked out of the land she was born in after she lost everything and still helped to defend this keep as a civilian, then you better have brought something a lot better than a bunch of Guards to take me on.”

“WE WILL HANDLE THIS GENERAL, PLEASE STAND ASIDE.” a voice booms.

“I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.” Jer'rahd sighs

“Princess Luna?!?! Of course Princess. Be careful though, the fools not in his right mind.” Mustang growls

“JER'RAHD KAISUR, We meet again. I do wonder how you manage to be at the center of every major event that has happened in the last few years.” Luna states moving up the stairs closer to him with Mustang right behind her.

“Unlucky I guess.” Jer'rahd growls.

“ So it would seem. I ask personally that you stand down and give yourself and the dragonling up.”Princess Luna orders.

“As I told the General, Princess Luna, Go Buck yourself. I will not see a friend suffer more because of an damn rule that should not even apply to her.”Jer'rahd growls his eye glowing faintly red something which Luna took note of.

“Commendable loyalty, but it is bordering on treasonous to disobey a direct order, particularly from your Princess. Do you think you would be able to stop me if I simply decided to take her?”

“Amazing what one pony can do when pissed off. Just ask the green scaled lump of meat out in the court yard about that .” Jer'rahd growls.

“Perhaps, though you are not the first pony to fell a dragon and it seems you will not be the last. A goddess however is a different matter. Particularly one who knows your weakness. Do I need to bring up Starfall Silvertail and Rhederic Pelt up on charges as well for being friends to a traitor? Guilt by association?”

“Threats now? Do I need to bring up a strange dagger I learned a thing or two about?” Snarls Jer'rahd.

“NOW IT IS TREASONUS KAISUR.” Luna booms.

“You threaten my friends and I don't care who the buck you are. So blow it out the middle of your cutiemark!” Jer'rahd growls, he was out of ideas at this point. He didn't doubt Luna might do something to his friends, perhaps nothing drastic,but likely enough to ruin what goals they had, well maybe not Rhede's that would take a gelding. Still this sort of thing was fairly common in basic, one pony screws up every one suffers. Staring down Luna and general mustang he could see his life flashing before his eyes and the memories of old stories his grandfather used to tell him. One in particular....

“ You need to make a choice now where your loyalty lies Major. To the Guard and Equestria or to this dragonling you have barely known a month? This is the last chance I will give you to choose your fate.”

Jer'rahd didn't even turn his head as he lowers Bleu onto his back his magic ripping the rank and 42nd patch from his uniform practically flinging them at the Princess.

“I refuse to give loyalty to a group or a Princess that would fight just to make some one who saved them suffer more.” Jer'rahd growls. Mustang slaps his face with a hoof, though Luna remains impassive. “ Though since you came all the way out here Princess. I suppose I can see if grandpa knew what he was talking about or was just bullshitting me.”

Jer'rahd draws his blade resting the dragonling on a stair behind him as his magic pulls it from the scabbard.

“A fine blade, Kaisur, we do not see many of the old Dragon slayers around any more. It will not be enough to aid you against me however.” Luna's eyes narrow.

“Its not for you.” Jer'rahd snaps.

Luna's eyes widen as he turns the blade holding it to his own neck a thin line of blood already starting to run down the weapon as he nicks his neck a crazed grin on his face.

“Seems there used to be an old rule my grandfather told me about. An old law a pony could invoke with the Goddesses of the sun and moon. Something to force them to grant a hero a dying wish so to speak. I think he called it the Rule of Three, or something. If a pony has done at least three great services for Equestria he gets to make a wish of the goddesses themselves before he dies.”

“Where the hell did you learn that Major. That's just crap Ruin spouted.... He's nuts.!!” Mustang yells.

“Silence General. It is interesting that you even know of this old code. It has not even been mentioned since the Discordian war and was brought up only briefly by General Ruin in the Dragon War. It is not something one invokes lightly as it dooms your soul as well as forfeits your life to even consider it. Though you seem quite determined. Very well on your fool head it is , make your demand. I can consider the tasks you think to be great deeds as such for the moment.” Luna states flatly.

“Glad to see grandpa wasn't making stuff up again. What I want is simple, I want no harm to come to any of my friends from this, Bleu, Rhede, Starfall, or Velkorn. This includes letting Bleu decide what she wants to do rather than simply shipping her off some where, buck the treaty.” Jer'rahd snarls.

“ Agreed. I shall see to it that they do not suffer for your actions, no matter how treasonous they are.” Luna states flatly

“Heh,well that was easier than I thought, I figured you would have tried to get out of it. Tell Rhede I’m sorry we won't be able to get another drink.” Jer'rahd sighs.

Jer'rahd yanks hard with his magic expecting to feel the bite of the blade on his throat. Instead he got nothing his magic was pulling but the blade was unmoving. Out of the corner of his eye he catches the blue glow of the Princesses' magic holding the blades hilt still freezing it in place.

“THE PACT IS ONLY HONORED IF YOU DIE KAISUR. AND THAT WILL NOT BE TODAY.” bellows Luna.

“Oh buck.”Jer'rahd mutters.

Luna whirls almost faster than he can see. Her rear hoof strikes his temple like a snake and his head jerked back sending him flying up the stairs before he even felt the hit strike his forehead. He pushes himself up a moment long enough to see Luna holding his grandfathers sword before he passes out tumbling down the stairs to lie limp next to Bleu.

“i can't believe this shit” Mustang growls. “ Don't worry Princess I’ll see this idiot swinging from a rope within the hour.”

“No. Prep him and the dragon for transport back to Canterlot.” Princess Luna.

“I don't see a need to allow this traitor to ever see the city again....” Mustang growls.

“General Mustang do you still disrupt the flow of magic around you?” Luna begins. “ No do not answer that, I can feel you still do.”

“So what of it?”

“How did a unicorn who is so weak he can only cast two spells completely ignore that aura of yours?”

“What...? Hmmmmm.” Mustang considers.

Jer'rahd's ear flicks a little. There was a burning sensation on his forehead bothering him. He reaches a hoof up to rub it, his limb catching on something. He moves his other leg, hearing a jangling of chains.

The gray unicorn opens one eye with a wince as the dim light of the room pierced into his skull.
He tries turning his head away from the light, finding that he was unable to do that either. He braces himself and slowly opens both eyes trying to adjust them to the light.

All he saw were chains. They wrapped his head, his limbs, his neck, the trunk of his body leaving him much like a mummy encased in steel. The familiar buzz of his magic was gone as well, like it had been with Velkorn's mix of herbs. He could still feel it slightly however as if it was only deadened rather than gone as it had been from the mixture. There also seemed to be something akin to a strap of leather gagging him. From what he could see he was bandaged up quite a bit under the chains although he figured he had been out for a while as all the soreness of the fight hit him at once causing him to groan into the gag.

“Honestly did you have to gag the poor pony too?”mutters a voice.

“I am sorry sir, but it was feared he may start speaking ill of the Princess again.” states another. “ Or try and bite off his tongue.”

“Well he can be an idiot, but take that out of his mouth, it looks like you prepped him for some sort of kinky S&M fetish ball.” chuckles another voice.

That was Rhede no doubt about it, Jer'rahd sighs.

“So how's his damage this time Queeny?” Rhede asks.

“It is always a wonder that he is still alive, despite all the wounds, he yet again will survive.”

And there was Velkorn, oh this day was getting better.

“You going to let him out now or do I need to go get some one here who will? And give me that sword before you break it. Honestly his swords probably older than your mom is.”

Starfall too, oh goody now all we need is Bleu and all the people he was trying to save would be together in one place. Oddly that whole kill himself to save them seemed a lot more sensible at the time then it did now.

He felt the gag pulled out and winced trying to spit out the foul taste of it.

“Hey Jer. If we let you out, your not gonna do anything stupid are you?” Rhede asks.

“Depends, you gonna stop flirting with every female you come across?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Well he's fine then. Neither of these idiots can do either of those things. Let him out Lieutenant.”Starfall sighs.

“Yes Sir.”

He felt the chains loosen a bit before they slipped off his form as the lieutenant unbound the spell holding the chains. Jer'rahd slowly rose to his hooves feeling the blood rush back into his limbs and felt his whole form protest the movement. His body suddenly locked up in the pain and he collapsed on the ground blacking out again.

“Well that was graceful Jer.” Rhede sighs.

“MEDIC!!!!” shouts the lieutenant.

“Do not yell in my ear, I am already here.” Velkorn grumbles

“Oh right. Sorry.”

Jer'rahd woke again after an unknown amount of time, in a bed this time however. The faint chink of metal on metal told him there was a Guard or two nearby without him even having to open his eyes.

He slowly tried to sit up, failed with a grunt of pain and then tried again managing to make it upright this time. The increase in noise from the metal wearer told him he was noticed. He kept his eyes closed not aware of any spot on his body that was not protesting his movements without screaming in barely dulled pain.

He slowly opened his eyes squinting at the glare from the white washed walls reflecting the glowing sunlight from a small window high on one wall. In one corner of the room near the door a Guard stood though Jer'rahd could tell the stallion was nervous. He could see the blue unicorns horn glow lightly when Jer'rahd finally looked at him.

“Where am I?” Jer'rahd asks noting the stallion jump as he spoke.

“Can.. Canterlot Hospital sir.” the Guard stammers.

“Looks different than last time I was here.... brighter.”Jer'rahd looks around noting a potted plant of some kind in a corner. “ And with more foliage....”

“The Zebra Queen has been going on a tear with how the rooms were set up. She mentioned something about lifeless cells and demanded something more uplifting be done to increase recovery time. Sir.”

“Sounds like Velkorn, You should have seen how her tent was set up in the jungle. So why are you here?”

“Precautionary measure sir.”

“ Understandable. I gather you are not exactly trilled to be in here. Do I scare you for some reason? You're rather jittery.” Jer'rahd sighs. “And why are you calling me sir? I didn't think I had any rank any more.”

“Terrified Sir.”

“Why?”

“The reports say you killed a full grown dragon by yourself , lead a hopelessly out numbered group of Guards in defending a keep that had all but fallen. That you picked a fight with General Mustang and a group of his Guards, beat them and then challenged Princess Luna herself and were only stopped then. “the Guard swallowed. “ And beyond that sir you should be dead.”

Jer'rahd stares at him a moment before falling back into the bed with a small wince.

“I had a lot of help with that and a number of good ponies did not make it that should have, the rest is exaggeration. What do you mean I should be dead? And you still haven’t answered why you are calling me sir,.”

“Sorry sir. It's just that all four of your legs are broken you have a skull fracture at the base of your horn, at least three broken ribs including a punctured lung there are strips of your skin simply hanging off of you and the swelling over your eyes just went down yesterday. I'm calling you sir because we haven’t gotten any orders about any demotion. I'm.. I’m only supposed to let some one know if you try to move. Sir.”

“Oh Velkorn is having a field day with this.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “ How long have I been here?”

“About a week and a half sir.”

“Buck me....What about the Queen, her adviser, and Starfall? And Bleu Scale, wheres the dragonling?”

“Air commander Starfall is on duty, and the Queen and her adviser are running around the hospital some where. Sorry sir, but I am not sure of the current where about of Bleu Scale. I can have some one let them know you are awake sir.“

“Please. Though just one more question.”

“Sir?”

“Why are you wearing My grandfathers sword?”

“Wing Commander's orders , the guard on duty is supposed to carry the weapon, though not use it. Nor are we to let you retrieve it. It seems the Queen felt that having something familiar nearby would be comforting. “

“Oddly it is. Thank you.”

Jer'rahd closes his eyes again as the Guard pokes his head out the door to speak with some one before coming back in and standing in the corner again some what less jittery now it seemed since Jer'rahd was lying back down.

He felt like a mummy and only by lying completely still was the pain dulled enough that he dozed off again.

He wasn't sure how long he was out though he awoke to hear the Guard, no it was a different one a pegasus judging by the shift of wings, speaking to some one

The next thing he knew he heard a resounding slap and the chuckle of Rhede.

“I know I said you could do worse, but I did not mean to hit on the nurse.” Snarls Velkorn.

“Really, but she is so cute. I love those little white uniforms.” Rhede grins.

“So how is this idiot as an advisor working out for you Velkorn? Has he managed to repopulate your country with his children yet?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Oh delightful the stallion of the hour has returned........, you know what, forget hour, you have taken the whole bleeding year Jer. “ Rhede laughs .

“Oh joy, more fame. Or is it infamy this time?” Jer'rahd growls not bothering to get up or open his eyes.

“Don't you worry which little Jer, you big brother Rhede will take care of you .”

“I am two years older than you Rhede.”

“Is he awake, better still is he well enough that I can kick his flank yet?” growls another voice pushing into the room with the sound of the door slamming against the wall.

“Is that any way to treat the mentally deficient Starfall. Careful he might throw out some old law at you.” Rhede laughs.

“Goody so you heard about that too.”Jer'rahd sighs.

“You threatened one most royal, to most that is considered disloyal.” Velkorn shakes her head.

“But he did it for us, isn’t that sweet BUT ITS WRONG!!! You are an idiot Jer'rahd.” Starfall snarks.

“Yes, but he is indeed a loyal idiot. That has to count for something.” Rhede laughs.

“Any pony should be willing to die for their friends.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Willing yes, eager no, remember that Jer..” Rhede fires back.

“Yeah, I love you all too no matter how big of jerks you can be. On that note, any of you know where Bleu is?” Jer'rahd sighs.

“The dragon of that Blueish hue? She has a room here, we thought you knew?”

“First I have heard of it. So how is she?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Well lets see first day she remained in a ball crying, second day she trashed the room, third day back into a weeping ball, but attacked any one who came in, fourth day she hit on the guard and felt him up a bit before going back into a corner of the room and sulking Repeat that pattern over and over, then add in today and she should be back to weeping and attacking. You know how to pick your friends Jer.” Rhede scolds.

“Keep in mind I have been friends with you the longest, Rhede. So I’ve been out a week or so?”

“That’s it Jer'rahd keep the play stallion's ego in line. And its been three weeks.” Starfall sighs.

“I just woke up a bit ago and the Guard said a week...”

“Despite what you think you know, that was still two weeks ago.” Velkorn points out.

“Son of a bitch.....” Jer'rahd growls.

“We have been told a story of you, left out was the connection to this Bleu.” Velkorn asks.

Jer'rahd sighs his ears try and flatten though the bandages keep that from happening. He started the story of what had happened over the past few months. The three of them sat in rather rapt attention though Velkorn asked Rhede to translate the meaning of something for her occasionally.

“DAAAmn Jer, when you put your mind to picking up mares you go BIG. I mean really big, Whats next, gonna try to hit on one of the Princesses? Cause that only sorta works. I can tell you from experience.” Rhede muses.

“Stuff it Rhede. Sorry to hear about the loss Jer'rahd for what its worth.”Starfall consuls.

“Thank you, coming from you that actually means a great deal Starfall Bleu is suffering more for her loss than me. I only knew Platinum a couple of weeks at best. It might have become more and it likely was going to, but I will never know now.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“A tragic tale I do agree, but life gets better, you will one day see.” Velkorn mutters.

“Let's hope Bleu can be convinced that. So then whats my standing now any way? Prisoner? Civilian? Rock farmer?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Brigadier General.” Starfall sighs.

“Stop screwing with me Starfall.” Jer'rahd growls.

“I'm not. Turns out you kicked so much flank at Dullahan, the 42d jumped you up again. Personally I think it's because every ponies too terrified of you so they're hoping to placate your broke ass so you don't get mad at them.”

“I beat the snot out of twenty plus Guard ponies, Cussed out General Mustang, and threatened one of the Princesses life.” Jer'rahd states incredulously. “ How the buck does that get me a promotion?”

“Yeah kinda strange, seems Princess Luna was impressed with all that. You also took down a full grown dragon who could cast a fear spell that filled a entire keep, destroyed countless trolls and half bloods by yourself, defended your post of command against a force easily six times greater than yours. Then even after the reinforcements arrived you fought off, by yourself twenty three guard ponies from the 42d, plus General Mustang, and THEN after all that had the balls to tell the Goddess of War to go buck herself. All of it while looking like a walking corpse.” Rhede whistles. “Balls of steel ,brains of custard. Rumor mill officially has you at one of the most dangerous creature in the world right now. You rank just higher than a full grown hydra and just under a Ursa Major. If you thought the fame you got from killing the Zebra Warlord was bad, you don't even want to know what is happening out there right now. We had to tell the press you are being treated in Asclepius , just to stop the hospital here from being swarmed.”

“I really do not even remember getting hurt.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“You had bits of skin just hanging on, when I first saw you I though you were gone.” Velkorn agrees.

“Seems you got torn up really bad in that fight, the little dragon did too. Crap Jer'rahd there were two hundred plus ponies stationed in Dullahan, easily fifty more from the ESO were there as well. Not counting the traitors, and including you and the dragonling, there's tops, thirty some odd survivors and six civilians from the ESO. The body count of the enemy was nearing a seven hundred dead by the time the corpses were sorted. And the reinforcements only encountered maybe a hundred of those There is not a single pony who lived through that who was not torn up beyond all sense of the word. Most are crippled and every damn one of them has some sort of story about you.” Starfall rants.

“Not true Starfall. There is one who wasn't hurt at all.” Rhede chuckles.

Both Rhede and Velkorn smile at this as Jer'rahd and Starfall look at them.

“One was caught who tried to run, General Mustang saved him for your fun.” Velkorn comments.

Jer'rahd blinks at this looking between the pair of them.

“Take me to Bleu.”

The door creaked open as Jer'rahd peered into the dark room. Everything that he could see from the light cast by the doorway was destroyed , burned shredded or simply knocked over. The hospital room looked like a tornado had blown through. A pair of Guards here at the door along with his friends. He had staggered out of the wheel chair much to Velkorn's protests and hobbled into the room barely standing on his casts.

His ears perked, well one ear perked and what was left of the right one tried to, Velkorn said she could fix it but right now that was not a concern for him. There was sobbing coming from a corner of the room where a large nest of blankets had been made. He took a step closer his hoof crunching the remains of a glass vase.

“GET OUT!!!!” screams a voice.

He blinked, ear flattening, barely reconizeing her voice. Rhede, Velkorn and Starfall peeked their heads around the door, the stance made them look like an odd totem pole of heads. Despite their interest none of them were quite willing to face a dragon that had the same rep now as he did. Honestly he was half tempted to duck back out of the room himself at this point. Still he managed another shaky step before sitting down with a wince on a frayed cushion.

“I don't think I will take your advice this time Bleu.” Jer'rahd states.

“Jer'rahd?” the voice changed slightly, becoming a little less threatening. The light caught on a pair of eyes gleaming as they peered up from the nest.

“Know any one else who puts up with your crap?” Jer'rahd chuckles

“No … not any one else now.....” Bleu mutters sinking back down into the nest.

The nest all but exploded causing the ponies behind him to duck back out of the door way as Bleu impacted with him likely recracking his set ribs. The little dragonling buried her face in his chest and started bawling as she hugged him.

“She's dead Jer'rahd, she's dead. They wouldn’t even let me go to the funeral, I couldn't save her.....”Bleu sobs.

“We couldn't save her....... we tried.... though with the mess you made of this room you would have been worse at the funeral.”

The dragon continued to cry into his chest he could feel his bandages soak up the tears.

“I was told you were here too, but no one would tell me what was going on with you. It was weeks. I was told nearly every one I knew from the ESO was killed as well. You're the only pony left I even know ….... “ Bleu sobbed

“We forgot the beets...”Jer'rahd mutters.

“What? “ Bleu looks up confused.

“When we killed the dragon after it harmed Platinum. We didn't make it eat its own wang with beets” Jer'rahd explains. “It's what you threatened me with.....”

Blue pulled her head away staring up at Jer'rahd with a half puzzled expression and then a frown.

“Your comedic timing is terrible.”

“That’s why I chose the Guard as a profession.”

“Still I’m glad you came. I'm not sure how much longer I am gonna be here. You look torn up to crap though. “

“Like you are one to talk. Looks like you played in a meat grinder yourself. What do you mean how much longer, why are you leaving?” Jer'rahd asks

“This attack has brought a lot of old hatreds to light against dragons. The nobles are enforcing the unregistered dragon act with extreme prejudiced. Any dragon that’s not a registered familiar gets detained and deported.” Bleu mutters. “ They sent me a flier....”

“Yeah well I would like to see them get past me to do it.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Jer'rahd I do have your sword and the Queen here can knock your flank out in two seconds flat.” Starfall shouts out.

“As skilled as you think of me, a blow like that would take three.” mutters Velkorn.

“Well you heard her.” Starfall admits.

“Seriously, do I have to come to the rescue again?” Rhede sighs.

Rhede steps fully into the door way and Bleu perks up a bit looking at him over Jer'rahds shoulders before muttering in his ear.

“OK who is the fabulous hunk of horse flesh and how much you renting him for?” Bleu whispers rather loudly.

“Um, I did hear that.” Rhede mutters ignoring the wink Bleu gave him. “Anyway like I told Jer on the way up here, he can register you as his familiar with out to much effort. Given his current rank and status, he likely can bypass the test by simply looking at the testers funny. Of course with that one red eye of his it should be easy to scare the tail off some academic.”

“Wait what? You would do that?” “Bleu asks.

“With all you have done, gladly. She was dear to us both Bleu, but I did not have nearly the connection you had to Platinum, I regard you as a friend and would not see any one she cared for suffer if I can stop it. I suppose this does mean you get a brother of sorts. Well if its alright with you any way, I’m not much a substitute.” Jer'rahd admits.

The Dragonlings grip tightens as she cries into his fur again using one of the bandages to blow her nose.

“Like I would pass the chance to annoy the crap out of you.” Bleu mutters.

Jer'rahd smiles though the grin seems to have a darker turn as his voice changes to one of barely hidden malice.

“And there is more good news as well Bleu.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Wha? More?” Bleu blinks rather confused at his smile.

“Oh yes, they caught the mastermind behind the attack and we have been cleared to have a little chat with him.” Jer'rahd chuckles softly.

Bleu stares up at him a moment before grinning wide herself rows of fangs crackling with a blue lightning as she looks to the door. Jer'rahd turns back as well his red eye glowing with the electric grin below his head. The darkness of the room leaving only the glowing reflection of red and blue dancing over ivory visible as a face in the dark.

“OK Jer, Bleu, I am not officially very close to pissing myself and we really need some ground rules about that sort of thing.”Rhede comments taking a step back.

“I shiver to think what might soon befall, what is it you think of this Starfall?” Velkorn comments her ears flat against her head.

“Umm Starfall?” Rhede asks looking back.

Jer'rahd's sword was left spinning in the air,as a loud boom echoed around the hospital as Starfall managed a rain boom some where outside fleeing from the face in the dark.

A few days later the door to the room burst open and a still very bandaged Jer'rahd bursts in trailed by Velkorn, Rhede, and Starfall. Jer'rahd shifts uncomfortably in the dress uniform of his new rank only really able to wear the vest at this point. Starfall still had his sword and was dressed in the uniform of her rank with in the 82nd. Velkorn had some how gotten a white nurses uniform to wear and Rhede had donned a suit and slicked back his hair looking all the world like some kind of shyster.

Jer'rahd glanced at the prisoner, Colonel Claymore, bound in chains and secured to one side of the small room.

“Well if it isn’t Equestria's star maggot, what brings filth like you into my little tomb Major? Ran out of rotten flesh to crawl in?”

“General now, so feel free to call me sir.” Jer'rahd comments taking a seat on the bench before the chained Claymore with Starfall and Velkorn standing behind him. Rhede moves to a small table near the door pulling out a saddle bag and digging through the papers in it.

“Not a chance in the Darklands I would do that. So who are these little shits. I recognize the flying bitch, but not the dopey one or the stripe. Come to have a little laugh at me?” Claymore snarls

“No not at all Colonel. These are however friends of mine and the tall one in particular is here to help you for some reason.” Jer'rahd comments in a low tone.

“I don't need any help from any of your bucking acquaintances maggot. Soon as I get a lawyer I am out of this cell. This is cruel and unusual punishment for one of my standing and I won't sit by and let you jackasses treat me this way and sully my name.”

“Understood, Squad Commander Starfall, please let the record show that the Colonel has turned down the only lawyer in Equestria still compassionate enough to be willing to represent him in court. And as such shall now be forced to represent himself. As such, I would like to hire Mr. Pelt myself to remain and explain the legalities of this meeting as well as the charges being filed.”

“Noted Sir.” Starfall states flatly.

“What sort of Kangaroo court bullshit is this?!?”

“It is not any sort of kangaroo court Colonel Claymore. I was indeed the only pony to pass his bar exam that was willing to even have anything to do with your defense. The list of your charges has been made public despite the Guard's efforts to quiet the information. High treason, over two hundred counts of murder, sixty plus counts of attempted murder and assault, and about three score more of lesser charges just from the attack on Dullahan alone. Piecing together all the reports from before that we can add a number of sexual assault charges, sexual harassment, rape, dereliction of duty and countless other lesser charges. In short there is no pony on Equss that is willing to try and defend you.” Rhede lists.

“That’s total crap what about fair and due process of Equestrian Citizens!?! I demand a lawyer!!!” Claymore shouts.

“You are correct Equestrian citizens are quite entitled to such representation. You however gave up that right when you led a terrorist attack on a key military installation, essential to the safety of Equestria and Equss itself. The Princesses banished you, as it is you are no longer a citizen of Equestria.” Rhede pulls out another scroll marked with the Royal Seal.

“They Can't do that!!!”

“They did, all your lands and assets have been seized and divided up and sold to aid in the restoration of the keep as well as to help the victims families of those who died or were harmed in Dullahan. This includes a rather sizable number of accounts that were traced back to false names and stand ins. Your wife and children have been left with a small stipend and have been offered a place in another city as well as name changes and new citizen ship in order to hide who they were. They all accepted eagerly though we were unable to find your eldest daughter, your wife claimed she left when the news came out. Well they were granted this once they were cleared of any wrong doing. The only thing you have left is your rank in the Guard.” Rhede explains.

“The Guard does tend to have rather odd rules some times. After all I threatened a Princess and got promoted for it, to General no less. Go figure.” Jer'rahd shrugs. “The point is though you are not counted as a Equestrian citizen any more, you are still counted as government property.”

“No bucking way.” Claymore snaps.

“Some days I love the legal system. As we all know you cannot be tried for torturing property for information. It's sort of a non issue.” Jer'rahd snarks. “But before you wet yourself in terror, allow me to introduce another friend of mine, Queen Velkorn. She is here to keep you alive as long as she can. And look she even brought some pain killers for you so you can have a bit of a break to recover between our gouging you for information..”

Jer'rahd uses his magic to lift a bottle out of the zebra's bag waving it a moment with his magic before flinging it to the side letting it smash into the wall.

“Oops, well that’s not good, seems I haven't quite shaken off the effects of the medicine I was taking due to my own injures from the attack. Oh well I am sure she has some more right Velkorn.” Jer'rahd asks.

“I disagree you clumsy lout, that was the last bottle , I am fresh out.” Velkorn grumbles.

“Ahh well Colonel here's a tough pony, he can handle a bit of pain. So then what do we ask first? Oh, Sorry Velkorn you can step out side if you want. I figure this sort of thing is against your ideals as a doctor.” Jer'rahd responds.

“If I was given half the chance, I would use honey, and some ants.” Velkorn growls

“Wait, what is that stripe head talking about.” Claymore snaps

“I remember that form of torture sir.”Starfall pipes in.

“Oh? What is it Commander?” Jer'rahd asks

“You smear some honey on a body part then let some of the jungle ants from Velkorn's homeland loose on them. They go right for the honey usually what ever the honey is on they take the skin right off with it along with the fur. Tends to leave the muscle bare beneath it unless the honey drips.”Starfall describes. “From what I’ve heard the ant's bite is like driving a nail into your flesh to the bone. Something about venom or such.”

“Oh, I like that. Do we have any of these ants?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Plenty, but at the moment, we are out of honey.” Starfall states.

“Pity, what else we got?” Jer'rahd sighs. “ Garlic salt and a filet knife?”

“You … you fools can't touch me, even if I'm property you'd all end up in jail for so much as cutting a hair on my mane. This kinda shitty bluff doesn’t mean, shit.” Claymore growls.

“Really? How many are suffering because of what you did? I am not even counting those who died. How many mothers and fathers, sons and daughters blood is on your hooves Colonel!?! How many children are now orphans because of you, how many parents are weeping over the graves of their children, how many loves CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF YOUR DAMNDABLE EGO AND QUEST FOR POWER, HOW MANY COLONEL!!!?” Jer'rahd roars. “ YOU THINK I GIVE A SHIT ABOUT JAIL TIME FROM HURTING YOU!?”

“Buck you maggot. Your not getting shit from me.” Claymore snarls.

Starfall moves as Jer'rahd lunges, shoving him back down onto a bench standing between him and the Colonel as the earth pony laughs.

“You think you scare me foal? Your little torture tricks are nothing to me. You can not touch me. “Claymore rants. “You're to damn hot a item. Word gets out that you tortured me and the entire Guard loses face. After that disaster that was Dullahan you buckers can't afford bad press.”

“I do hate to admit you are correct on that. I cannot touch you, not a hoof, not a hair.” Jer'rahd growls calming himself some and waving Starfall off. “Even a General can get into a great deal of trouble damaging such important property such as you. Though on another subject. Do you realize that one of the ponies to die in that battle was the singer Platinum?”

“What of it, you think I care about some stupid bitch using her plot and a pretty voice to get by?”

“No, I did not think you would, however she did have a familiar a dragonling, and due to my connection with her. I adopted her as my partner.”

“What of it maggot?”Claymore snaps.

“Rhede if you would, inform the Colonel here of the situation with new partners of dragonlings?” Jer'rahd states.

“Lets see section six..” Rhede mutters digging through the files.

“Here we are. .. Due to the as of current unpredictable natures of dragon hatchlings, hence known as a dragonling, and the unicorns bonded with them, any new student of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Hereafter known as the SGU. Shall be granted a large stipend weekly to pay for any damages to property or persons resulting from this unstable connection with said dragonlings. This is only granted to those who receive the certification to keep the dragon hatchling however...... and it goes on for a while there. Suffice to say General Kaisur here received that certification today. And looking at the bits allowed for property damage, well lets just say to go over the limit allowed there would need to be at least four of you to turned into paste Colonel.”

“Ahh yes. Enjoyable Legaleeze, who would have thought it? Did you hear that Bleu?” Jer'rahd looks back over his shoulder.

“Of course I did Boss. And I am feeling rather destructive towards things after my sisters and friends deaths.”

Bleu sits up on Velkorn's back her scales shifting to the normal bright blue coloration rather than the black and white pattern she had taken to hide on Velkorn's back with. She leaps off the zebra fluttering once to land on the chains holding Claymore in place her claws digging in to his bare back as she grins leaning around so that her teeth were the only thing the Colonel could see from one eye. Her clawed hand running over the other side of his face in a slow caress that drug her claws through his fur nearly cutting it.

“She is right, you should have seen her hospital room. Oh yes, on a side note did you bring the beets like I asked Velkorn?” Jer'rahd mentions.

“Hey boss does he need both these eyes?” Bleu growls.

“Likely not, the creature that shat him out saw fit to give him two for some reason. He won't miss one, just make sure he can still talk breath and hear the questions I am going to ask. You have three minutes until I ask the first. Begin.” Jer'rahd states flatly.

The Colonel's screams were likely heard all the way back at the great wall.

[ Six hours and bath for the dragon later.]

“I still say that was a bit much you two.” Starfall sighs as the small group walks down a side street in Canterlot avoiding the crowds as they head back to the hospital on hoof after Jer'rahd refused to get into a wagon.

“And I say it was not enough Starfall, but I did promise you he would live.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Should have just let me kill him boss.” Bleu mutters. “ Woulda been over sooner.”

“No, you agreed to do things my way Bleu. Still we got all the information he had and it is not nearly enough. Princess Celestia said directly he was never going to bother any one again where he was going. You will have to be content with that Bleu.”

“Actually Jer, what he said was quite enough to go on. We have the name to look for that was the contact.” Rhede grins. “ That coupled with a few other things narrowed down the search greatly.”

“Remind to never get on your bad side, it would do no good to run and hide.” Velkorn mutters looking at Jer'rahd and Bleu.

“You do not have anything to worry about that Velkorn, unless you plan to get an entire keep full of ponies killed for a mad grab at power.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“I do not want the power I have got, do anything for more I surely will not.” Velkorn snorts.

“I think you have changed a great deal for the worse Jer'rahd. I never would have thought you had that in you. Not only to sit and watch, but to offer suggestions on what to remove next?” Starfall sighs.

“He killed those under my command. His actions murdered friends, he made all those who survived suffer. If what was done in there makes you worry about my morals Starfall, then pray you never have to see what would happen if some one sought to harm one of you.”

“MORRRRBIDDD. Black clothes and cutting yourself is next for you, I can see it, and you already started the cutting part.!!” Rhede snarks.

“Yes, thank you for the yelling again, Rhede. I am less than two feet from you. How you holding up Bleu?”

The little dragon lay curled up on his back Her scales cleaned and her injuries rebandaged by Velkorn.

“I feel sick, I thought I would feel better after giving the bastard some pain, but it didn't help. I think I actually feel worse.” Bleu mutters.

“That's fine, I would be more worried if you enjoyed it.” Jer'rahd nods.

“The question is Jer did you enjoy it.?” Starfall growls.

He glanced back at Rhede who was looking at him rather concerned .Velkorn and Starfall were giving him much the same look. He continued on for a few more paces before turning down a side ally.

“If I enjoyed it, I would not be looking for the bar so I can get drunk enough to forget it and the rest of last month.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Well yeah, he seems back to normal enough for me.” Rhede chuckles.

[ One Month Later.]

“Sixty, sixty one, Anddddddd. A half........ OK round down, that’s sixty one of these things you made boss what was the last count? Fifty three? Nice jump there. How many did you make the last time you did this?”Bleu asks.

Jer'rahd pants in the training room, sweat running down his form, sixty one free floating shields locked in the air around him all about the size of a pony. Bleu bounced among the glowing green panels landing hard on a few of them and leaping off as they held the weight of her pony sized form with out breaking. He was out of the hospital and the splints by this point, though Velkorn made Bleu promise not to allow him anything physically strenuous until he was fully healed.

“Never did a count before this, never had any help with it. “ Jer'rahd mutters.

His horn was glowing hot at this point, feeling to burn the flesh around his temple. He was still wrapped in bandages including one that wrapped over his forehead where Luna had kicked him. He had yet to see the Moon Princess, or her sister, but he knew a meeting was coming, likely with both of them.. Bleu continues to bounce among his shields glancing down at Jer'rahd.

“You sure you wanna keep this up? You're still injured and sweating like your on fire.” Bleu comments

“STICK AROUND HIM A LITTLE LONGER BLEU SCALE. INJURED SEEMS TO BE A CONSTANT STATE FOR HIM.” A voice booms.

The sudden volume and surprise from the voice knocked his concentration loose enough for the shields to drop forcing Bleu to flap her wings to keep herself from falling to the floor.

“I, huff, had expected to see you days ago Princess.” Jer'rahd mutters as Bleu lands before him shrinking down and looking up at the dark alicorn.

“ROYAL DUTIES TEND TO TAKE TIME.” Luna bellows.

“Honestly, Volume down lady it kinda echos in here.” Bleu curses.

“Ah my apologies. It is nice to see you have awoken and seem at least in better spirits, Bleu was it?” Luna questions.

“Yeah well, awake yes , better spirits.......... not even close.” Bleu mutters.

“What is it you need Princess? I thought you would want to meet some where less open to yell at me.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Why would I yell at you?” Luna blinks.

“The threats, the fighting, the demands, that sort of thing. A massive promotion was the last thing I expected after waking up. Well OK, the last thing I expected was this to be a really long dream and I’m still in basic, but the promotion was a close second.” Jer'rahd snarks.

“The pair of you held back a force far larger than you should have been able to. Even if the inspiration to push back came from Platinum's voice you lead the charge and kept her safe long enough for the attackers to be routed. The two of you killed a full grown dragon by yourselves. My main regret is that we could not make it in time to save more ponies, for that I truly am sorry.” Luna admits.

“Not your fault Princess, Rhede filled me in on the gist of that. Nobles and politicians bogged down everything because of lack of information from the General. We finally got something when the remainder of the 8th stationed here ignored the orders to stay in Canterlot and you brought the 42d to 'return them'. We all would have been dead if that had not happened. Again Bleu.”

“Right boss.” Bleu nods taking to the air.

Jer'rahd began raising his shields again, Bleu fluttered up to bounce on them as she counts.

“You still seek to down play your own skills, if it was something any pony could have done then any pony would have done it.” Luna states.

“Still some what mad at you for the threats Princess is there a point to this?”Jer'rahd sighs. “There is something going on here with you and that has me on edge.”

“I had no intention of harming any of your friends.”

“I figured that out when I calmed down Princess. It's also why I just accepted the rank with out much question. The Goddess of War must have had a good reason for promoting some one willing to fight her, then kill himself for a pair of ponies, a zebra, and a dragon.”

“I do indeed.”

A few shields drop at that though Jer'rahd manages to raise them again.

“OK, I was just making things up as I went. You actually had a plan to promote me because I was threatening you?”

“Of course not. Not because you threatened me. But because of the reason you did. War is on the horizon Jer'rahd Kaisur, my sister believes that you and your friends will be key to achieving victory in it. Provided you all can complete what tasks are set before you. On a personal note I also wished to apologize for striking you but you were leaving me little choice at the time.”

“Well, I have been out of trouble a few months now, getting back into it sounds about right.” Jer'rahd sighs. “ And yeah. I agree now, I was going a little overboard at the end of that.”

“The primary key among these missions is trust Jer'rahd.” Luna states flatly.

“Only fifty eight this time boss, you're getting tired. “ Bleu shouts.

“Keep bouncing. I trust my friends with my life and more often than not, my sanity Princess. Trust I doubt will be an issue among us.” Jer'rahd comments.

“I do not expect it to be an issue between them and yourself Jer'rahd. The trouble will be getting you all to trust me.” Luna states watching Bleu hop among the shields.

“You're one of the Princesses. I follow your orders.”Jer'rahd snaps back in proper tone.

“That is the solider talking. I will need you to trust me, as if I was not just your princess.” Luna responds getting an odd look from Jer'rahd.

“Like paper boss.” Bleu shouts pushing through a number of his shields.

“Lets call it then. I am not sure what you mean by that Princess. You want me to put the same level of trust in you that I have in my friends and that they place in me?” Jer'rahd considers . “You might have saved my life directly and reattached my leg, I will admit I am thankful for that, but the last time I said I trusted you you flung me into the air in an effort to get Starfall to preform a sonic rain boom. After that the next time I see you, you threaten my friends right after I lost one of them, and another one was suffering greatly. That sort of thing does not raise a trust level to that of what I have with the others.
Rhede has proven he trusts me on numerous occasions telling me things he shouldn't, and I trust him to do what is right with what I tell him in turn. Starfall trusted us enough to tell us what was going on with her family and we have trusted her to accept the two of us as we are. Velkorn trusted me enough to put her life in my hooves to return to deal with her brother, and I trusted her with my life as well as the lives of the squad that took that plateau by agreeing to bring her along. Bleu trusted me enough to agree to become my partner and I trusted her enough to follow her advice with Platinum and then offer her the opportunity to be my partner. There are a great many other things building off of those major items, but they all build to how we mesh. Starfall and Rhede are already content with Velkorn and they are getting used to Bleu, Velkorn already seems to like her a great deal and the others are slowly warming after the interrogation. It's taken a while to get to this point, I have fought and bled with all of them, but I have done the same with countless others that I can only call acquaintances.”

“Then it is not something that I might simply seek.” Luna nods. “It has been a long time since I have tried any sort of personal interaction. This will likely take time.”

“I figured something like that Princess.” Jer'rahd nods.

“Call me Luna.”

“Excuse me?” Jer'rahd questions.

“If it is not an official situation Jer'rahd. Call me Luna.”

“So hows the boss supposed to know if its an official situation?”Bleu asks.

“WE SHALL SPEAK IN ROYAL CANTERLOT OF COURSE.” Luna bellows

Jer'rahd winces and Bleu tumbles back across the floor bouncing off the wall.

“Got it!!” Bleu hollers back.

“Well Princess...... I mean Luna, why would you would need my trust specificity?”

“ While I am aware of the irony of not being able to trust you with this. I am sorry that it is not something I am able to speak of yet fully. but it does involve the five of you becoming my personal Guards.” Luna glances down at him.

“I am already a member of the 42d. I already am one of your personal Guards.” Jer'rahd points out.

“No Jer'rahd. You are a solider in a personal Guard unit. If this comes to pass you five shall be the highest military authority under Celestia, myself, and my Generals.”

“Do the what now?” Bleu asks.

“I offer you this much information, only because I seek your trust. Have you heard of the Elements of Harmony?” Luna asks.

“What pony hasn’t? There were the artifacts that you and Princess Celestia used to seal away Discord and end the Discordian war. I recall hearing that an effort was made to find them during the Dragoon war as well.“ Jer'rahd mentions.

“A close enough tale to the truth of the events. The task involves the recovery of said artifacts.” Luna nods.

“They are lost?”Bleu asks.

“All but one, the sixth one, but it is useless without the others. Celestia believes that you five will be able to retrieve them. And she has yet to be wrong about the past wielders of the Elements at least that I have seen.” Luna states.

“So why us?” Jer'rahd asks.

“That I do not know, but she claims you all bear a spark of what is needed. I hope that this is a sufficient enough answer to quell any doubts about my intent?”

“Yes.”Jer'rahd mutters.

“Nope.”Bleu states flatly.

“What? Bleu what do you mean?” Luna asks a little taken aback.

“Information might be fine for the boss here, but I want something else from you if you want me to even think about starting to trust you.” Bleu glares standing on Jer'rahd's head to be eye to eye with the Princess.

“Bleu ….” Jer'rahd mutters trying to shake her tail from his face.

“Stay out of this stoplight eyes.” Bleu snaps.

“What?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Fine then, what is it you want?” Luna questions.

[Outskirts of Cincinagi ]

A light rain fell from the night sky striking on the green glowing shield raised above the three of them. The ground was soaked and the white marble monolith pushed up from the soggy earth like a ivory tower, a striking contrast against the gray sky and driving rain. There were a number of other markers as well. All belonging to the same family, while they were not happy with their daughters choice in profession, it seems her family was more than willing to allow her to be buried as such.

Jer'rahd stood a bit back with Luna mulling over whether the great monolith was a political move on the part of the Scale family or not. They refused to have anything to do with Bleu, though they erected this as a grave stone. He wondered if he was simply jaded of nobility and reading too much into it.

Bleu sank down before the stone, a clawed hand running along the named etched in the grave marker. She placed a wreath of violets against the stone before she leaned against it sobbing softly, talking to it.

“Hey boss lady, sorry it took me so long to show up, had to keep your colt friend in line and save his sorry flank. Just wish we could have saved yours. Sent the bastard to hell who did this to you …..sent the guy who set it up too. That really was the best concert you ever preformed. Beat out the Prance one by miles. “ Bleu stammers. “I'm doing okay. You picked a winner with this one, he invited me to work with him. I didn’t think you would mind to much since you were the one who wanted him first. Sorry I doubted your choice boss lady. Sorry about a lot of things. I wish you were here still, you two would have made the ugliest foals ever, and I would loved to seen them. I'm sorry that it had to end like this boss lady. I really am.”

Luna glanced between the two and the stern expression on Jer'rahd's face as Bleu continued talking to the monument.

“ Forgive my ignorance, but is this not something you should be crying over?” Luna asks softly.

“I have not really wept over anything since my grandfather died years ago. Even at my fathers funeral I couldn't bring myself to cry. I know I should, and I feel like I should be. But I don't.” Jer'rahd states flatly.

“I feel as if my sister an I have failed you some how due to this. That we have let our lands be so ripe with strife and suffering that ponies cannot even express grief any more.” Luna admits.

“ Don't worry about it. It's likely just me. Thank you for teleporting us out here Princess. I am not sure when we would have been able to make it back to Cincinagi with all that was happened.” Jer'rahd admits.

“It was no trouble, It takes a good bit of energy to travel this far, but not enough to be a bother this time. As I said call me Luna.”

He nods watching Bleu press a kiss against the singers name etched in the stone and then stand up looking to the sky. She started to sing hesitantly, her voice cracking, though sounding very similar to how Platinum's had.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

===========================================================

Twilight pulls her head back with a wince turning and vomiting in her trash bin before collapsing onto the floor. The entire scene with the Colonel had been in there and she was still shuddering from what the little dragon had been capable of, as well as what the others had been able to watch before telling her to stop. She herself had no idea how she managed not to tear herself away from it, the nightmares of a stallion being flayed alive bit by bit likely would haunt her forever. No matter how much he had deserved it, that was far too much. Spike came over stopping to rub her back as she lost what little bit was left of her dinner.

“Twilight what happened ?! Whats wrong.”Spike asks.

She didn’t say anything though she wrapped her fore hooves around the little purple dragon hugging him.

“Oookay while I appreciate the hug Twilight whats going on?”

“There were horrible things this time....... It was worse than before.......”

“Give it up then, send the sword back to Celestia. Stop the research, you've been all sorts of out of it since that thing got here.” Spike growls.

“No Spike, as bad as it is, I have to know now. Princess Luna even ordered me to continue the research and send her what I found.” Twilight states firmly.

“Twilight....”

“I said no Spike..... I am going to hold off a few days though, Maybe just sleep tomorrow.”

“But tomorrow is the sister hooves social, we were gonna go watch Apple Jack and Apple Bloom compete. “

“Go on without me Spike. I'll Apologize to AppleJack and Apple Bloom later.”Twilight sighs. “ I'm not really feeling up to it.

“If you say so......”

“Goodnight Spike.” Twilight mutters headed up to her bed.

“Night Twilight.”

Pebble Strewn Path [10 ]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Pebble Strewn Path

Twilight waited nervously for the knock on her door that signaled her friends arrival. Fluttershy had been elated to find out that Princess Luna was allowing her to look over the history, well as elated as the timid pegasus got. She had come by a few days ago during Twilight's 'break' from her studies and practically run off with the book Twilight had been filling with what she saw.

Twilight was fine with that. She still was not feeling up to delving back into the memories the blade held. She was quite worried for her friend, while the pegasus could not experience the same things Twilight had with the scrying spell, the book had a rather detailed description of everything Twilight could put to paper. She had let Fluttershy borrow her copy of Platinum's song as well just to make sure her friend had everything.

She was now waiting for the pegasus to show up today to return her books and the record, quite expecting the sensitive mare to be a total mess when she got here. A faint tapping on the door signaled Fluttershy's arrival, normally Twilight would have missed such a soft knock , but she was expecting it today.

Twilight darted to the door expecting to find Fluttershy as big of, or close to, as big a wreck as she was.
The pale yellow pegasus however simply stood there looking as she always did, though with the added accompaniment of Angel bunny weighed down with the book.

“Fluttershy, are you all right?” Twilight asks looking down at the annoyed rabbit then back up to the rather serene face of her friend.

“Oh course, why wouldn’t I be?” Fluttershy asks.

Before Twilight could say anything else the annoyed rabbit belted her with the historic tome and then again with the copy of Supernatural's before hopping in followed by Fluttershy.

“Hello to you too Angel.” Twilight growls picking up the books with her magic.

“Oh I am sorry about that, Angel has not been the nicest as of late, but he did carry all these books back for me.” Fluttershy comments.

“It's fine … I don't mean to question it really Fluttershy, but I kinda expected you to be distraught or even stressed from reading this, but you seem fine. That makes me wonder if maybe I’m too sensitive, or my writing doesn’t convey as well as it should.” Twilight sighs “ maybe I should study that creative writing book series again.”

“Oh no, it did, that’s why Angel carried them back for me. The whole story is quite tragic and a great deal more violent than I expected it to be. Still most history tends to be far less glamorous then most legends and stories tell.” Fluttershy comments.“There is nothing wrong with your writing, it painted a very vivid picture.”

“What?” Twilight pauses looking at her friend.

“Oh it's the classic hero dilemma, you can die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Of course then there is also the test of a true hero. When one falls the real story begins when they try to climb back up. Though I am not sure that really counts here as that's mostly fictional heroes, though history has shown a few real ones like that.” Fluttershy continues on despite Twilight's stare. “ I mean for that time period, death and loss were common place with all the wars Equestria was forced into just to survive. Even before that for the longest time Ponies were considered a food source by the Dragons, Diamond Dogs, and Griffons, not to mention so many other predators. Only with the creations of the earth ponies the improvement of the magic of the unicorns and the skill of the pegasus did we manage to survive the dark ages before the Discordian war. There is very little about that time as well as most of what we know of the time before Princess Luna and Celestia is in little more than old legends some scattered notes and one or two books that were translated from other languages. Te time period between the first Dragon war and the War of Night is even more mysterious as there is even less information for a hundred year span. Oh dear I’m rambling again.”

Twilight blinks slowly, her ears perked at the pegasus history lesson. Fluttershy flaps her wings a bit floating over to pick up the copy of Supernaturals.

“ I'm sorry this is just so interesting and just what you have written is more history of that era than any one else aside from the Princesses have even seen. I can see why you are stuck though, especially with that last bit with Colonel Claymore. I don't think you needed to be that detailed there....” Fluttershy murmmers as Angel bounces another book off Twilight's head as if to drive home the point. “Spike did tell us you were depressed, which was why Pinkie Pie wouldn't leave you alone for a few days there. History is full of dark places like that, where those who should be above it do something dark or out of what should be their character in order to accomplish something, or in a time of great duress. But that doesn't mean that's what defines them , or even that it's their nature. This book sorta proves my point, and I never would have made the connection if not for your history book.”

Twilight looks at the copy of Supernaturals Fluttershy was holding.

“What does Supernaturals have to do with anything? Its a modern book. It was only written about thirty years ago.”Twilight asks.

“I suppose I have had it for a while, look at the author.”Fluttershy admits.

“It was written by Professor Lotus Blossom what does that have to do.......”

“Twilight for some one who seems to love books you do not read all of them do you read it again.”

Twilight looks back at the cover her ears flopping a bit at the soft scold from her friend.

“It says translated by Professor Lotus Blossom. I still don't see.......wait.... translated? From what ?”

Fluttershy flips it open to the back cover showing the reference sources.

“Translated and condensed from the original source material including the notes and books written by.... Queen Velkorn the First? WHAT!?” Twilight blinks.

“When I read what you had written, I knew I had seen the name before. Velkorn is responsible for nearly everything that was put into this book, and supposedly this was only based on the first volume of what she wrote. I talked with Nurse Redheart and found out that a great number of medical books have this same sort of note in them. It seems that most of pony medicine today has come from her, and the books she wrote. This information likely has saved countless lives throughout the history since they were written. Even with all you might see, and no matter how mean or cruel they might have done, they also did things like this. They were not bad ponies Twilight, at least not all the time.”

She sets the book down on the table and floats over picking up Angel before landing setting the bunny on her back. She looks to Twilight for a moment who was still staring at the pegasus,

“Umm. I'm running a bit late for my meeting with Rarity at the spa. You um...take care Twilight I do hope you continue, this was a very interesting read and will make a lovely conversation next time there’s a historical convention.”

“Thank you Fluttershy, have a good time. “Twilight shakes her head snapping out of it.

“Oh we usually do, oh no. I forgot your record, I'm sorry Twilight.”

“Don't worry about it just bring it next time Fluttershy”.

Twilight sighs as her friend leaves lifting Supernaturals and sliding it back into its space on the shelf. This was a interesting turn of events. She had never even considered looking for the names of the Five Beasts in any source material other than historical. Fluttershy was right too, just because she couldn't handle the sudden one two punch of depression and revulsion that the last chapters hit her with, didn't mean she should stop. If she could not handle pushing past this little bit how would she be able to handle the rise of Nightmare Moon? She just needed to steel herself better. She was Twilight mother bucking Sparkle, she dealt with Nightmare Moon, Parasprites swarms and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She could handle this.

It didn't take her long to set up the sword and spell, she was getting better at casting it every time she used it.

She exhaled deeply as the now familiar flare of magic took hold, pulling her to the blade.

“You wished to see me Princes Celestia?” Jer'rahd asks with a sharp salute.

“Yes, come in General Kaisur, hehe it's going to take me a little time to get used to saying that. So nice to see you doing well again. It seems every time I see you, you are suffering some sort horrific injury or another, you truly should take better care of yourself. “ Celestia smiles. “ How long have you been in the hospital this time five, six months? You still have a few bandages on you as well I see, still rather quick recovery given what I have heard your injuries were, I suppose Queen Velkorn had something to do with that. So how is Bleu?Staying out of trouble I hope? It was a little difficult to get her classified as a hatching again for you to have her as a familiar, but given the situation I believe it was the right call.”

“ I appreciate the trouble you have gone through for her sake Princess Celestia. Though I cannot claim she has been keeping out of trouble in all honesty.”Jer'rahd states sharply.

“Oh do relax , I don't bite. Lulu has been known to however so watch yourself there. At any rate I plan to speak with all of you eventually about the mission, though this is more of a social visit than anything serious. Tell me do you happen to play chess? I know not ever ponies cutie mark means what it seems to, but still with a black knight on your flank it is a valid question.“

“I do play, though it has been a while since I last did so. My Grandfather taught me as a foal and allowed me to enter a couple of competitions. I never won any however it was just fun to play.” Jer'rahd states.

“Well don't worry I am not that good either, Lulu always beats me. Still it is always interesting to play others. I was given a new board as a gift a bit back and I have not had much chance to break in yet. Please have a seat.” Celestia gestures to the cushions across the table from her as she floats over an oak box from the corner.

“Of course Princess.”Jer'rahd stammers, watching as the Princess of the Sun set up the game.

The board was a work of art. Gold and silver framed the board that was made of some sort of almost ruby colored wood, each corner was marked with the symbol of Celestia's sun or Luna's moon. Each square was carved of pearl or dark sapphire. The pieces themselves were carved of pearl and onyx The queens looking very much like Luna and Celestia. Jer'rahd flinched a little at the sight of it ,the whole set looked like it cost more bits then he would ever see in his lifetime.

The Princess was of course playing the white pieces representing the sun. He smiled slightly, some what amused that he would be representing Princess Luna on a chess battle field as well. Celestia made her first move and once they started the only sound was the light clack of the magically moved pieces shifting about the board for a few dozen moves.

“Check.” Jer'rahd states.

“Ooh not bad, Lulu usually gets me with something sneaky like that. Hmm well lets do this.” Celestia mummers.

She shifts her rook to take out the threatening piece allowing him to bring his queen across with his rook.

“Check mate Princess.” Jer'rahd utters, not exactly sure if he should feel proud of this win or not.

“Oh so it is … ah well you won that one feel free to ask a question.”Princess Celestia comments off hoofedly.

“Princess? “

“Oh yes, I suppose you wouldn't know. This is something my sister and I came up with a while back. During any sort of game we play the winner can ask something of the loser. While it usually devolves into a game of truth or dare between the two of us, several nobles have picked up on it as well. The winner of a game gets to ask a question of the loser. The loser does have to answer honestly however. Though if you do not wish to play that was it is fine. Of course I am quite sure you must have something to ask, you do seem to be the curious sort.” Celestia rambles off like it was no big deal.

“I suppose we can play that way if you wish Princess Celestia. You are correct that I have a few questions. My most pressing question is why us? Why choose my friends and I to search of the Elements of Harmony?”

“Because you fit what is needed to wield them. Either by product of will, or by deed you are the most likely group to be able to succeed. Though to be honest I did not choose any of you but Rhede and Starfall, the rest of you rather fell into place. Shall we play again.”Celestia asks.

The second game went a bit quicker, Jer'rahd recognized the strategy she was using fairly early and simply moved to counter it.

“Ooh you are quite good, maybe not as good as Lulu, but still better than I am, well ask again.” Celestia chuckles.

“What are the Elements of Harmony?”

“A rather good question though I do not know exactly. They have been around longer than I have and their power changes depending on the wielders. My sister and I were the last to wield them, but there were others before us as well. There is a great power within them that only can be brought out by the sixth element. Friendship and trust are the keys to wielding this power. Both of which are a rare commodity in an age where ponies will turn on each other simply to advance themselves. Shall we play again?” Celestia asks.

He knew something was wrong only a few turns into the game. Celestia's whole strategy had changed and she was easily countering his every attempt to gain ground. Her check mate happened as he was working on countering a completely different strategy that she had set up.

“Ooh, I got lucky that time .. or you let me win didn’t you. Rather sweet of you. Hmm lets see a question, ahh yes. Where did you learn about the rule of three.”

He blinked her voice deepening a bit bringing with it a little bit of menace that was not in her usual joyous expression.

“From my grandfather....... he told me he researched it in order to save my mother, but neither my father nor he had managed the three great feats for Equestria.” Jer'rahd stated a little taken aback by the sudden change in tone.

“Interesting. Again then .”Celestia states.

Check mate in twenty six.

“I know what you hoped to accomplish, but did you even think through the consequences of it, do you even KNOW what those are?”

“The forfeiture of ones life for the wish or request to be granted, I think there was something about damnation if the request was selfish or lacking in something....” Jer'rahd blinks trying to remember .

“That was foalish, Jer'rahd, no pony should want something so bad they are willing to forfeit their soul like that.”

“Soul what..?”

“You didn't win so no questions from you. Again.”

Check mate in Twelve. Something had gone very wrong here.

“What even possessed you to try.”Celestia asks a rather menacing glare developing in her eyes.

“.... Desperation.... fear.....The threats your sister made about my friends. I don't know it just sort of popped into my head when Princess Luna arrived .” Jer'rahd stammers.

“Again” Celestia demands.

Check mate in four, how was that even possible?

“Do you want to know what it was you actually tried to do?”

“Eeeer….Yes......?” Jer'rahd manages.

“Then let us give up the pretense of this game so you might listen fully. The rule of three as you evidently have heard it, is the glamorized and hyped nonsense that I have been very much trying to get rid of. There is no need for the asker's death and there is no need for the three things to be accomplished. All of it is legend and hearsay built up from the few times we have granted a dieing request to a loyal subject. The rule of three is the bastardization of a holy pact, Jer'rahd. One that bonds your soul to the god or goddess that agrees. If you died your soul would have been taken by Luna and her power would have increased. Any hope of you ever reaching an after life along with your friends or the mare you had interest in would be gone. Your spirit would have been as dead as your body. You lived because she saved you, but the pact was still sealed between the two of you. That wound you still have bound on your forehead is proof of that pact. What you have done is make our lives a good bit more difficult. As in accepting you have darkened my sisters own soul with yours which is still owned by her even though you lived.” Celestia growls the room darkening as she rants. His eyes widen as, Celestia's eyes narrow. She had lifted up a bit leaning over the chess set glaring at him.

She suddenly crosses her eyes and blows a raspberry at him,as the room brightens up again. He yelps falling back off the cushion to the floor as she laughs.

“That,.... that was not a funny!” Jer'rahd growls.

“Oh I thought it was hilarious. Besides a bit of humor before I tell you want you really did will take the edge off. It does have to deal with that mark though. A crescent moon scar I gather. It has been a while since Luna had a Wu.” Celestia chuckles.

“A what, a Wu? I apologize if I seem a little skeptical after the last joke but that does not even seem to be a real word.”Jer'rahd grumbles

“It is a term from the old tongue, General Kaisur. It means nothing or void. It stands for the soul you lost and I now have. The agreement has passed your soul to me forming a connection. If I die, you die. As long as I live so will you. If I some how become a regular pony you shall do so as well. But for all purposes I own you General.”Luna states from behind him.

“Ah, there you are sister. I was just explaining what your new pet here has done. Though you do it so much better than I could. Should we go shopping for a collar and leash later for him? I am thinking green, it matches his eyes.... well one of them any way. Still having doubts General? Not believing both of us?” Celestia grins.

She floats a mirror from some where to in front of his face. A faint crescent shaped glow, easily seen from under the bandage over his head seems to pulse. His eyes widen.

“Since your new owners close its letting you know.”Celestia grins as Jer'rahd's eyes widen further.

Jer'rahd's head whipped back and forth looking at the two of them in panic. Celestia's small smirk and the dead pan expression on Luna's face terrified him. The both seemed to watch his rising state of panic before the Goddess of Night smiled and the Goddess of the Sun fell off her cushion laughing again.

“ You, this, wait, wa,Wa....what!?!” Jer'rahd stammers.

“I will admit Tia, that was a better reaction than I thought he would have. It was a fairly good touch with the glowing as well.”Princess Luna smiles.

“I had to do it, this was too easy. Hah hah. The look on his face.” Celestia cackles.

“Another joke? Did that rule mean anything at all then?!” Jer'rahd snaps.

“Not a thing General. The rule of three is a very old mares tale that never had any truth behind it. In the past some requests were granted to those who had done a great service before they died. Though those were little more than honoring a friend or loyal servant of their last desire. Some ponies thought that we would grant any demand to such heroes as they died. There was no real reason to squash the rumor as it did inspired ponies to extraordinary lengths to seek a wish. One of our more confusing Generals did promote the rule heavily during the Discordian war ,but the meaning changed often during even that time. In all it has been more beneficial to not deny the rule of three as false. Still it is something we are also content to let die, so we were rather surprised you knew of it.”

Celestia sits back up on the cushion chuckling softly a bit looking at Jer'rahd sits there dumfounded his mouth agape and ears flat against his head.

“There is one thing however Jer'rahd. I am aware you helped in saving Luna from the Bone Hounds. I am also aware that if not for you, Queen Velkorn, and yes even Rhede Pelt, the zebra war would have lasted much longer. Do not look so surprised I know his part in all that General. “ Celestia smiled. “I have been made keenly aware that you managed, with the aid of Bleu and the singer Platinum, to take down a dragon mage and saved Dullahan Keep and by extension most of the eastern lands of Equestria from what might have crossed the wall after ward. I am even slightly amused that you fended off three squads of Guard by yourself without injuring any of them unduly, all while severely injured yourself. But.....”

Jer'rahd was suddenly yanked from the floor by Celestia's magic, spun around in the air and floated barely a hoof length from her face upside down. His blade slips free of the sheath clanging to the chess board as his legs kick feebly in the air to find purchase as he faces a suddenly very pissed off looking Celestia..

“I am not OK with your attempt on your own life. You have unfortunately some how made yourself too valuable to my plans. But if you EVER threaten Luna or try and kill yourself again I will see to it what was done to Claymore will seem like a sponge bath compared to what will be done to you. I will then make sure you live just so I can make you a statue, one I can point out to any one else as the end result of the folly of suicide or threatening my sister. Being a statue will also make it easier to keep you around for when I feel like smacking something. ARE WE CLEAR GENERAL KAISUR!?” Bellows Celestia

“Yes....yes.... Princess Celestia.........” Jer'rahd stammers.

“Good, I think I am quite done with you for today, Good bye Jer'rahd.”

She barely moves though her magic whips suddenly flinging him across the room and out a magically opened window that slams shut behind him.

“That was a little much Tia.” Luna sighs rubbing her ears from her sisters use of the Royal Canterlot voice.

“He will land in the lake. Excellent bladder control on him as well. I may have been harsh, but he is one of the hard headed ones. He has had too much carrot, a little stick will not damage him unduly. Besides if he is afraid of me, he is more likely to warm up to you.” Celestia sighs a small smile crossing her features.

“I know that look. Stop attempting to play match maker sister. Still you are correct that he does need to be taught a bit of respect. Perhaps I promoted him a bit too fast.” Luna sighs.

“Oh ?Going soft sister or is there something else going on I should know about, hmm?” Celestia grins lifting up Jer'rahd's sword looking it over.

“I do wonder if you are losing your mind at times Tia.” Luna sighs.

“Not at all sister. Regardless of how I act, I can quite clearly see what is coming from this attack. And if I choose to indulge myself in a bit of fun now, I will be able to see my way through to what is to come much easier. A dragon Slayer blade? He is a interesting one, this weapon shouldn't even exist any more.”

“There are a number of odd things about him.” Luna admits. “ The least of which is his horrid luck.”

“Perhaps to some ponies points of view, but that luck has helped Equestria several times now by putting him in the right place at the right time. Even after our first meeting I never even considered him despite my choice of Starfall Silvertail. And as such fate threw him back in my face until I did notice him. I know you have duties you wish to attended to sister, though when you are finished bring this blade to Jer'rahd. I doubt he will want to come back in here again for a while. Though on your way out please send in Pelt.”

“I did not expect you sought that sort of fun.” Luna teases.

“Well seems you are in a good mood , though despite how he looks that is not my intent.”Celestia chuckles.

=================================================

Twilight pulled back shaking her head a little at that, she was following along well enough, but she had to stop for a moment and wonder how Luna had not known the meaning of fun when she arrived in this age, but she spoke of it to Celestia? Twilight thinks a moment adjusting the spell to cease translation as she reviewed the scene.

============================================

“We did not expecteth thou sought that sorteth of merriment.” Luna sasses.

“Tis apparent thou art in jovial spirits, though despite his fair visage, tis not mine intent. ”Celestia chortles.

====================================== Twilight pulls back again, shaking her head and rapidly turning the translator back on to ignore all that old tongue. Question answered, head ache gained .

==========================================

“I did not expect you sought that sort of fun.” Luna teases.

“Well seems you are in a good mood , though despite how he looks that is not my intent.”Celestia chuckles.“That is two jokes in one day sister. That's a record for you.”

“I take my duties as a ruler a bit more serious than you do Tia.” Luna snorts.

“You take everything,too serious.”

“Yet I also know the strain of having to follow your code in this time of turmoil. You are relying on me more than you wish to. “

“Are you alright with that?”

“It will take more than having to deal with conflicts such as these to bother me. But you Tia, I know it tears you up every time those lists come in.”

“It does, and it always will sister. I am not suited for war and death such as this. Which is why I leave the conflicts to you. You are strong enough to handle what I cannot.”

“Only due to the strength you have shown in the past sister, neither of us would be here if not for that. If there is anything I can do to help....” Luna questions.

“You already are with this latest task sister. If you succeed this will be over before it begins.”

“It has already begun Tia. But perhaps we can cut it short before too many lives are lost.” Luna sighs , turning and heading out the door.

“Wait you forgot , oh never mind I doubt he will need it in the lake anyway.” Celestia smirks floating the blade to a table behind her and setting up the pieces of the board again. She could still hear her sisters hoof falls echo in the hall. Luna had to put forth an effort to be heard when she she moved so it was likely for the pony listening at the far doors sake she made any noise at all.

A few moments later Rhede sauntered into the room his hoof beats striking loudly on the floor as if he was trying to make sure she knew he was coming as well. She rolled her eyes at that.

“Greetings Princess. And how is the lovely sun goddess today?” Rhede smiles.

“Quite well Rhede. Ever the flatterer I see. I would suggest you not attempt anything overtly flirtatious with my sister. She won't be as receptive I'm sure. I do not suppose you would be up for a game of chess?”

“Hmm, that is more Jer's game oh sorry Jer'rahd, but I know a little. I suppose you would want to play palace rules? I've heard it said that you usually play that way? I shudder to think of what you might ask me.” Rhede smiles. “ Though certain measurements I would gladly show you even without a game....”

Celestia blinks then smiles a little shaking her head.“Perhaps another time, though are you not up for the game?”

“Now, I would never turn down a invitation from such a lovely mare. Though I doubt you are going to ask for a simple report if I lose.” Rhede grins.

“Not at all, that defeats the entertainment of it, though feel free to tell me the business over the game. It has been some time since we actually talked.”

“Of course.”

Rhede settles down across from the Princess cracking his neck a bit as he shifts his robes around him waiting for her first move. He begins speaking the moment the first white pawn is moved.

“The Colonel let slip the name Silverclaw. Last I checked he was a young dragon with ties to the Flame Party. From what was said he offered the Colonel a chance to oversee a great deal of land during the dragons rule if he aided them in taking the keep. Standard evil villain fair, get the peon to do the dirty work. Of course Silverclaw has close to twenty or thirty alibis that all swear hes never been any where near the wall. The Flame party also denies all rumors that they wish to restart the war. Which is complete and utter shit as they have been pressing for another invasion for years. Still they are gathering sizable forces under the name of defensive purposes.”

Her magic shifts a piece when Rhede was not looking.

“What about the green dragon that attacked the keep?” Celestia asks.

Rhede moves a piece, knocking one of hers into the sleeve of his robe and moving it off the field out of her sight.

“Not sure on the name, seems if she was anything her name was stricken from the records. Unfortunately, my contacts have not found anything on her at all, not even a family. She was too old and too skilled a dragon to have not been noticed by some one. Public sources from the Dragon's say she was a hermit who just went senile. She was not any where near old enough to go senile and she was using more than just draconic magic in that fight. Also all of the weapons and armor we found on the half breeds is brand new specificly made for this attack it seems. Claymore and his group were wearing the same sort of gear. I'm still not happy Mustang killed all the others before we could question them.”

One of his pieces slips into the table with out his notice as she moves something on the other side of the board. His own tail flicks around setting a new piece onto the board in an advantageous position.

“General Mustang may have been a little excessive but the message their death sent is just as effective to others who might consider betrayal. So they say she was a hermit hmm?That sort of information will be good to let out for panic control, A rogue and a traitor. That would explain everything but the trolls. What was the explanation for that large a group of them Rhede?”

“Random attack, I suppose we could set something up where the trolls were running from the dragon and the half breeds. Get some one important to announce it. Or at least some one who knows their stuff. One of the survivors of Dullahan is an expert on Discordian creatures. She can explain it how we want it to be told. She served under Jer'rahd as well so she can add to what was told about him.“

Celestia changes one of her pawns to a queen as she moves a rook.

“Is there anyone important your friend does not have a connection to? And there we have Checkmate Rhede.”

“I doubt he knows the Seapony Princess Aqua, at least not yet, give him time I'm sure he'll be dating her or something before long. Hmm, so it is. I guess I owe you an answer.”

“So what is your connection to Velkorn, and do not be coy I can tell there is one. “

He starts setting up the board again.

“That is a bit complicated. She is a sweet mare, but then again you know my job, and you know how I am. After what happened I have no intentions of trying anything with her despite how much she seems to be fixated on me. She needs to work it out of her system and find some one else to fawn over, it's getting quite hard to ignore her.”

“That you try speaks volumes Rhede.”

“I learn from and take responsibility for my mistakes Princess. Including this one. She wound up being one of Jer'rahd's friends, same as the rest of us. Because of that I am doing my best to make sure she does not get hurt, unlike Starfall, if I flirt with her she will take it as a sign of my interest. I don't want to give her that notion. I do not need anything to drive a wedge into the group. If I gave in it would cause problems. Ignoring her is also causing problems though it is something that I should be able to handle however.”

“Giving up everything for your mission still?”Celestia chuckles.

He slides a pawn forward for the next game.

“Would you have chosen me to seek Generosity if I did not?” Rhede grins.

“No, Though you were only given that due to your connection to Starfall and now to him. I had you pegged more for Loyalty until Jer'rahd came along and blew that option out of the water. Still if The Order is following you suggestion. It might be helping him out in the short run, but in the long run you are causing more harm to your friend than good.”

“I am aware of this. I am also quite aware how he is, if he had to suffer to help others he would not even hesitate. He was placed where he was to get him out of the way, but if he had not been there many more would have suffered. The Order is more than surprised that he has survived where their other choices have not. While the Order did leak to the Bone Hounds that your sister would be in that wagon, I doubt they knew about the dagger or that Jer'rahd would be the only one to do something. He was not even on their watch list until that point. The ones they chose either died or did nothing of note. Starfall's part in that was unexpected. But that was what got her selected by you, something The Order couldn't refute, hard to argue the choice of a pony who did something no one had ever seen before.”

“I have seen one before.” Celestia adds moving one of her pieces.

Rhede raises an eyebrow at that though he continues. “The unicorn who was head of the first attempt to breach the warlords keep was The Orders chosen. Some pony who would follow their orders, their rules. They knew of Jer'rahd though they wrote him off as dead when he went missing. When their first choice failed they were prepared to start again, they told me to kill him so they could start over. Then Jer'rahd arrived with Velkorn and he was made the hero in place of their first choice. I got into a great deal of trouble for that. The events of the wall cemented his position in their eyes if reluctantly. Like Starfall it's hard to argue the choice of a pony who could slay a dragon and defend against impossible odds.”

She moves another piece the soft click of gemstone all that was heard for a bit.

“The Order did not plan for Jer'rahd to be a bearer then?”

“Not at all, he only came to their attention after the Bone Hound incident.”

“And you?”

“Given my … unique testing I was always on the list. Seems I was considered a perfect mole to be placed and sway what the Element's of Harmony did once they were found. Given that including your sister they have no sway over any of the others my worth just shot up to untouchable for a while. Heck , if they even tried to talk to Jer he would probably do the opposite of what they told him just out of spite.”

“I do appreciate you still choosing to serve me over them.”

“You look a lot better than most of their mares.”

The soft click continued half the pieces vanishing or reappearing on the board the whole ordeal seeming less like a game of chess and more like a game of who could get away with cheating the most.

“We both know, while sweet, that is not the reason.”

“ And what pray tell is the reason? Check mate.” Rhede grins.

“Your friends. Go ahead an ask your question Rhede.” Celestia smiles.

“Would you do me the honor of allowing me to be your escort to the next Grand Galloping Gala?”

Celestia Blinks eyes narrowing at him a bit before she smiles looking at the insane grin the earth pony was giving her.

“On that I will get back to you. I still have others to speak with.”

“Of course Princess, I do eagerly await your response.”

He rose, a great many chess pieces from the set as well as some extras, falling from his robes onto the cushion under him.

“Oh dear, now how did those get there. Ahh well have fun with your talks Princess. Try not to throw any one else out the window?” Rhede grins.

“I believe I am past that point. Though only if you leave now Rhede.” Celestia sighs looking at the massive collection of pieces on the cushions.

He bows, heading out whistling lightly, flicking an extra white queen into the air with his tail as he walks.

-============================================================

They had been staring at each other over the board for easily a hour now. Granted this was how nearly all of their meetings had gone. The Queen of the Zebralands simply had no idea what she was supposed to be doing, and Princess Celestia could talk for hours and only get maybe a nod or a head shake from her at most. If she had not been suggested by Rhede let alone some how wound up in Jer'rahd's little circle she would have thrown her hooves up in frustration months ago and not had anything more to do with the zebra mare.

Rhede had told her that Velkorn tended to be quiet most of the time so it was not just her. He was not sure if it was out of shyness or having no idea what to really say if the topic strayed out of her field of expertise. Unfortunately most topics for leaders tended not to cover healing and medicine. Granted, Velkorn also had a fondness for birds so Philomena was a starting place, but it was not enough for a long conversation, nor was there a way to segway it into something else. She had explained the situation as politely as she could though her own skill at speaking zebra was rather lack luster. Velkorn seemed to understand, despite the errors Celestia's translation provided. Still she offered no response aside from a small smirk and shake of her head when Jer'rahd or Rhede were mentioned.

[“If I might ask do you understand what is going on? You have not said more than five words to me since your arrival.” ] Celestia finally sighs blurting out.

The zebra queen perked up suddenly as if thinking of something, Celestia leaned over the chess board eager to finally hear her say something.

[“I do indeed get the general idea you are proposing. As for my silence, well...,it is hard to rhyme Celestia.”]

The Princess face plants into the chess board.

=======================================================================

“….....we had her portrait done so I could take it with me and she smiled the entire time it was being painted she's gotten big enough that shes just starting to fly for a bit at a time and every time I go home she flutters around me like my own little escort of cuteness and shes even been trying to mimic the rain boom after she was told about it though at best she can maybe fly a few feet hopping along but shes making this adorable little humming noise trying to mimic the sound, I mean can you believe how big she's gotten in just a few years shes taking after her father though shes already trying for her cutie mark even though she isn't old enough to even be in school yet......”

Celestia let Starfall ramble on making a small note to herself as the pegasus continued about her daughter barely pausing for a breath let alone letting her get a word in edgewise. When dealing with Starfall never try to beak the initial ice by asking about her child. While it might work to get her talking, she also wouldn't stop.

“Starfall, I do have a few things to tell you about the Elements.......”Celestia began.

“Oh not a problem at all, but you should have seen her, we just went to the zoo for the first time yesterday and she fell in love with the little turtles they had there in the petting section of it she wound up riding along on the back of on of the bigger ones and the whole place was just going daww over the whole scene.......”

Celestia's eye started to twitch.

=======================================================================

“You ate them all? How did you even manage that? I stopped looking at you for a moment.” Celesta gasps.” Even the extra ones?!”

“I did not eat them all.” Bleu grumbles, pointing to a pair of the extra piece that had teeth marks in them.” Those two are wax copies.”

“My entire chess set is gone except the board Bleu and there's tiles missing from that even. There you just ate the white rook!!” Celestia fumes.

“I did not eat them all..... I have a couple left for later.... you don't happen to have any ketchup do you?” Bleu asks.

Her head impacts the chess board again in a face plant causing the white queen to fall out of where she had hidden it behind her crown.

“Hey you gonna eat that?” Bleu questions.

-=====================================================================

“I do apologize for that. I think there might be enough left in the property damage fund to cover at least some of the chess pieces.” Jer'rahd mutters trying to keep away from the clearly annoyed Princess.

“Not even close General...... at least I know what to ask for on my birthday this year.” Celestia sighs.

“So aside from that, why did you ask me back after flinging me out the window Princess? Not that I am upset with having something of a normal conversation now, but starting it with the amount of damage that Bleu caused does not calm me any.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“How do you manage to handle them?”

“Handle who?”

“Rhede,Velkorn, Starfall and that filly of hers and now the dragon?”

“Handle them?”

“I have spent my entire day Kaisur attempting to tell them what they need to know about what I am sending them to do. The only one other than you who got it was Rhede who then asked me to the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Oh crap, you didn't accept did you? I will never hear the end of it then. Honestly his ego is big enough as it is....” Jer'rahd rambles.

“THAT IS NOT THE POINT.”

Jer'rahd leans back as Celestia composes herself a bit after the outburst. He had been teased, been the brunt of a joke, and the target of her ire. He was well beyond sure exactly what she might do.

“Seems I am missing the point then.”

“Are you all intentionally trying to make me frustrated, because as much as that takes you are getting close.” Celestia growls.

“Have any friends yourself Princess? Other than subjects I mean?”

“I do, I have had many, though none I can recall having had as clashing as personalities as your friends do. All of them seem to get along fine regardless of that.”

“Not really, I don't handle any one I simply accept them as how they are and they do the same. There are issues though. Rhede and I argue all the time, same with Starfall, Velkorn's hard to talk to, and Bleu is well.... Bleu.”

“And yet you still do well enough together.”

“We do. It is not as if it is easy we all have strong beliefs in what we think. Arguments and heated discussions are common. I mean some of us have only known each other for a couple of months. But for some reason all of us get along well enough to enjoy each others company. It is like some sort of odd friendship magic or something.” Jer'rahd rambles.

“That sounds like some task I would give a student. Study the magic of friendship.” Celestia snorts.

“Yeah well, I would like to apologize for before Princess. I do realize you mean well by the threats. I regretted what I had done when I calmed down and woke up...... the third time.... You do not need to worry about me seeking to take my own life or threatening Princess Luna again.”

“Good at least one thing has gone right today. My sister was worried I might have been too heavy handed hammering that home. Life is a gift and it greatly angers me to see any one wish to end their own before their time for no reason, or a stupid one.”

“However.”Jer'rahd continues ignoring the Princess's look of anger at that small statement. His sword floats over from the table behind her sheathing itself on his harness.

“I will say this Princess. Particularly since you seem rather annoyed at them all right now. I cannot read your intent, and you have proven you can very easily confuse me with what you do. So I will put this out as plainly as possible so you don't find a loophole or something. If you intentionally hurt or threaten my friends, I will find a way to make you pay for it.” Jer'rahd states his eye flicking with a bit of red.

“Luna was right you do have a rather sizable pair on you General.” Celestia stares at him simply surprised at his gall.

“It's just how it goes Princess. You have made your rules known and I made mine.”

“You do realize that it is still treasonous to threaten royalty do you not?”

“Yes well, I was banking on being able to get away with it this time since you needed me for what ever you had planned.“

“Well aren’t you a clever pony........”

“Oh buck, don't say that....” Jer'rahd whines.

“You are right though. Having you locked up or executed would be counter productive to my plans. Though there are great many things I can do to you that would still leave you in a shape to complete what is needed and yet still make you wish your father never met your mother, luckily for you I seem to have found another use for you that I like better. Very helpful in relieving stress.”

“What!? Oh no, let me at least tie my sword in plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaceeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”Jer'rahd screams

The magic gripped Jer'rahd again flinging him out through a open window that shuts tight behind him, his sword once again clattering to the floor. Celestia smiles picking it up and floats it over to Luna as she enters.

“Did you throw him out again?”Luna sighs taking the sword from her sister. “ He is never going to fully heal if you keep doing that.”

“ Yes. It seems to be very therapeutic. I feel much better now. Would you mind taking this out to him? It is time for some tea.” Celestia states with a odd chipperness that made Luna want to leave much quicker.

===================================

Luna appears at the lake just as Jer'rahd manages to climb out of it shaking off the water like a dog. Bleu, Rhede, Starfall and Velkorn sit off to the side watching him.

“Hah, ten minutes pay up Pelt.” Starfall laughs.

“Jer you are costing me bits I had you in there for at least fifteen.” Rhede snarls tossing Starfall the bits.

“You know boss for a unicorn you sure take to the air a lot.” Bleu smirks.

“Didn’t you know, coughs, I always wanted to be a pegasus.” Jer'rahd grumbles wringing out his tail.

“You're doing it wrong Jer'rahd. The whole angle of your body was off with all that spinning and yelling. Might help if you had wings as well.” Starfall adds.

“Yes thank you Starfall I shall endeavor to remember it next time. Straighten form, grow wings I think I have it now.”Jer'rahd snaps.

“I do apologize for my sister, she has had a bit of a rough time of it as of late.” Luna comments finally being noticed by the others who bow.

“No need to apologize Princess Luna. Besides if the worse I get when I talk to her is a little wet I think I am ahead of the game.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Do not forget, though most absurd, you tend to wind up soaring like a drunken bird. Your return to the lake was rather curt, are you alright or are you hurt?” Velkorn finally asks

“I'm fine..... just wet....... again.....” Jer'rahd sighs.

========================================================================

[ Three days later]

“Score?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Twenty seven to five, boss she's kicking yer flank across the field.” Bleu chuckles.

“Again.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Much as I enjoy smacking you around Jer'rahd. Haven’t you had enough for one day?” Starfall asks

“I've had worse.”

“I'd say you lie, but I saw you at Camp Geode, not to mention how you looked coming back from Dullahan. Fine, I figure I have a few more rounds in me.” Starfall grins. “ After all how many ponies can say they can knock the crap out of the Demon of Dullahan consistently?”

“ Don't call me that and just start already Starfall. Not like there is much else to do while waiting for what ever we are supposed to be doing.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Fine, you asked for it.” Starfall grins.

She darted forward leaving a rainbow like trail behind her. Jer'rahd growled, the trail tended to throw off his vision if he looked at it. He tossed up a shield to his right head whipping about to block her swing from the left. She kicked away, going air born, the strike of their wooden swords heard only after they had split apart from the blow.

She was toying with him, Jer'rahd could tell that, but it was not like he could do much about it. She was not overconfident any more after he managed to win one or two by taking advantage of that. She was still toying with him though. She could have been much faster and hit a great deal harder. He knew he had left a great many openings that she could take advantage of with her speed. She was avoiding the easy strikes. The spar was set to the first to hit won so she should have just pressed an ended the match.

Jer'rahd smirks knowing why she didn't. It wasn't a decent spar if you didn't push yourself, she was going for something tricky or difficult to push herself as well. He had tried to keep it interesting for her, boxing her in with his shields, changing stances, anything to keep her pushing herself and at the same time it pressed him as well coming up with new tactics.

Princess Luna had watched for a few rounds mentioning her style seemed akin to the swashbucklers of pirate novels that relied on quick movements and fast attacks. She claimed Jer'rahd's was more of the eastern pony style, that relied heavily on powerful strikes and blade weight. Luna had continued on a bit about it until Bleu pretend to fall asleep causing the Princess to leave in a huff.

It started as a simple ground spar though the more losses Jer'rahd took the more serious he took it. At one point he had grabbed six or seven other training blades with his magic to try and catch her off guard. That slowed him down more than it helped him and added another loss. His use of magic also signaled the end of the ground only portion of the spar.

Starfall slid back to the far side of the circle, spitting out her blade and catching it with a hoof picking up a second training sword as well. This was her usual style, duel short blades, if she was taking this stance Starfall was done playing. He had yet to figure out how she managed to hold her blades with her hooves, he only knew a few ponies who could do that, including Rhede and Velkorn......and the princesses.... OK he knew a lot of ponies who could do that. He needed to learn that trick one day.

He lifted his blade up over his head with his magic, a high stance, he could easily strike from any angle like this without having to sweep the blade across his body if she attacked from another side.
She moved suddenly and he caught his blade in his mouth as it fell, forming shields every where along her path trying to force her into a set direction though that was little more than something to slow her a bit. She whipped among them, like they were no challenge at all to doge, however she did seem to be moving in the direction he wanted her to move.

He brought his blade down suddenly striking at her, the blade stopping as it smacked her back. He smirked at the win, then blinked in surprise at the feeling of a pair of wooden blades smacking into his flank. Glancing back he saw Starfall floating behind him, his own weapon having hit an afterimage of her and connected with his own shield. Damn rainbows.

“Twenty eight to five and that’s ball game. Mostly cause I am not gonna watch this embarrassment any more.”Bleu throws up her hands flinging her score keeping notes in to the air.

“Another new trick?” Jer'rahd asks

“Of course. I hold my cards close Jer'rahd. The Princess might have said I was honest or something, but that doesn't mean I have to tell every one everything I know. You do that better any way. You make shields and you throw stuff around. The sword trick with all of them was neat but you didn’t think to practice with it and just used it when you got ticked off. That temper of yours is not good either Jer'rahd.” Starfall taunts.

“I am working on keeping that in check.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Least you ego's healthy, and you're not too concerned about losing.” Bleu chimes in from the other side of the arena.

“Its been crushed rather badly lately, but no its still there.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Well, happy to help you train up a bit now that Velkorn has cleared you. I have been meaning to ask though. How you holding up other wise. You were a great deal of a mess after Dullahan, so was your sidekick. I know its been a year now but still.” Starfall asks putting her weapons back on the rack.

“I will live, still hurts to think about but not nearly as much. I know Bleu still cries at times, when she thinks I don't notice.” Jer'rahd glances at the little dragon as she ran around trying to collect the papers she flung into the air his voice lowering. “ I barely knew Platinum a month and I feel like this. I do not even know how I would have survived what you went through.”

“It has yet to get any easier for me Jer'rahd. Its been five years now and I still have to distract myself. If it had not been for my daughter I likely would have died as well.” Starfall sighs.

“On that, you have done more than your share of service Starfall. Why haven’t you left the Guard and gone back to her?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“I made a promise to serve when I signed up and I have made more since this whole Elements of Harmony stuff was explained. Regardless of what the news says I believe Princess Luna when she says that attack was only the start. With as long as she has been around and what she has seen I would think she would know. If there is going to be another war and there is some way I can help to keep it away from my little pony, I will do it. I promised I would. I do not break my promises.”Starfall states quietly.

“You do not listen when ponies say your promise has been fulfilled either, you still think you owe me your life.”Jer'rahd snorts.

“I do.”

“What about the train ambush? You broke open the very sky to come and rescue me and it worked too if you had not likely both I and the Princess would be dead.”

“That was not a rescue that was an accident that turned out to be good.”

“You keep telling yourself that and I will keep telling you other wise. We are even let it go.”

“Not likely.”Starfall grins.

“Yah, know as much as you two softly talk to each other over here I would think you were trying to set up some secret meeting to knock horseshoes or something .” Bleu interjects.

“GAH!!!” Starfall yelps

“Bleu.....” Jer'rahd sighs.

“What ? You think I mind? Be nice to see a few of my friends hook up. Sure I egged him in one direction before, but circumstances changed that and despite all the gray showing up in his mane he's still a young stallion, stupid and slow to do anything sure, but there’s got to be some mare out there again who might like him.” Bleu lists.

“Bleu what?” Jer'rahd stammers

“Simple boss. I have been thinking this over a lot lately, its been a year since Platinum died. You have been doing nothing but sitting on your duff here, training occasionally, and avoiding the world at large.” Bleu points out.

“So have you. And you know we have a mission coming at some point and I hate the media that hounds me any time I go out.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“I'm your bloody partner, what am I gonna do run out side to frolic after a 'rogue' dragon panics everyone?” Bleu grumbles making little quotation marks in the air with her claws.

“She has a point Jer'rahd.”Starfall chuckles.

“Yeah but shes frollicing around it.”Jer'rahd snarks.

“I told you to leave the jokes to me Boss. See this is where slow gets added in. Everyone of you ponies are the most depressing messes of horse flesh I have ever met. Well with the exception of Rhede he actually is one of the nicest pieces I’ve seen.....”Bleu murmurers.

“Is that drool?”Starfall asks.

“Never you mind!! Even if it kills me I am going to see to it that you lot of idiots actually cheer the buck up. Maybe find some nice new mare friend for the boss here too.” Bleu comments.

“Hey wait a moment......”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Oh I know its gonna be tough, I mean there’s so little to work with! An abrasive personality, stubborn streak, short temper, scarred flank.....” Bleu lists.

“Large ego, no sense of self preservation, blood thirsty.......”Starfall adds.

“Stop encouraging her Starfall...” Jer'rahd groans.

“Yeah all that too, but some where out there is some one who won't give a crap about that. The biggest problem is finding some pony who's standards are low enough, but is of a high enough caliber to compete with his last mare friend.” Bleu ponders tapping her chin.

“Don't look at me. He's not my type. I prefer Pegasi.” Starfall waves a hoof at Bleu.

“I'll keep that in mind but for now Boss needs more help then you.”

Jer'rahd simply stares at the two of themas they start naming off ponies left and right, finding reasons to shoot them down as if he was not even there.

“Wait what makes you two think I am even looking for another mare friend?” Jer'rahd growls after they start adding fictional characters to the lists.

“Ehh? What switched sides on us? That is horrifyingly romantic. Mare friend dies, so to honor her memory the stallion becomes a colt cuddler....” Bleu croons.

“THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“Really so you are interested in mares still then?”Starfall quips.

“YES!” Jer'rahd growls.

“Good, then be a good pony and let us discuss the plans to completely pick out your future.”Bleu snarks patting his head.

He drops his head with a groan ,ears flattening as they continue to discuss potential matches. He did not need this.

“Ooh, I got it Starfall. What about Celestia?” Bleu points out.

“What? I don't know if that would work her being a goddess and all.” Starfall adds.

“And she enjoys flinging me out windows.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Well she's supposed to be a combination of all types of ponies and boss here's at least two types.”

“She threw me out of a window.”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“That may be, but I do not think she actual seeks company like that.” Starfall considers.

“I landed head first in a very cold lake....”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Hey I might no know the full details of how ponies operate, but she's a mare he's a stallion, she seems to like everyone, and shes a goddess, you really cannot get much higher than that in standards.” Bleu offers.

“I had a trout stuck to my horn......”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Be that as it may i have no idea how we would get the two of them together.”Starfall muses.

“I would have to develop a fetish about being flung skyward.....”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Maybe we could get him to invite her to the Grand Galloping Gala.” Starfall suggests.

“Rhede beat me to that.......”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“WHAT!?!” the mare and Dragonling yell.

“Wait, you were actually listening to me? “ Jer'rahd blinks.

“Forget that, whats this about Rhede inviting her to the Gala?” Bleu demands.

“Velkorn's not going to like that.” Bleu winces.

“Wait why would Velkorn care....”Jer'rahd stammers

“Typical clueless male.” Starfall grumbles. “Any way Jer'rahd, how do you know Celestia was invited by Rhede.”

“She told me..... before she flung me into a lake again.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Did she accept?” Bleu demands.

“She didn't say, now whats this about Velkorn?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Well, it's likely nothing then though that might take Princess Celestia out of the picture. What about Princess Luna?” Bleu mutters.

“That could work. She seems to at least tolerate him.”Starfall adds

“Not this again...... why do you two insist on talking over me, when I am taller than you both?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Well she does have that fearsome Goddess of War thing going on.” Starfall comments

“Yeah but boss has his own titles Hero of the Zebra war, Demon of Dullahan.” Bleu lists

“ I still can't believe they are actually calling him a demon now.”Starfall sighs.

“Yeah, that whole dragon thing kinda put the fear of what one solider could do into pretty much every pony. News had a field day, I didn't even get mentioned, though I am quite fine with that to be honest. OK, she seems to tolerate him that’s a start.” Bleu notes.

“Princess Luna threw me into a lake as well.....”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“She still fits all the high standard criteria that Celestia has.” Starfall points out, blissfully ignoring Jer'rahd.

“She also kicked me in the head......”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Yes, but she seems a bit more reserved than Princess Celestia does. I am not sure she would even consider it. Princess Luna does seem more the business type.” Bleu adds, also ignoring Jer'rahd.

“She made me think I was a zombie pet too.....”Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Boss does seem to have a thing for dark mares, so it should not be too much a problem to get his interest up.”Bleu notes.

“If he's not lying about being into mares it likely wouldn't take much to get his 'interest up' Starfall smirks getting a cackle from Bleu.

“OK, that is it from both of you! I am not going to stand here and let you insult me to my face and talk over me.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Good point boss. Why don't you go stand over there.” Bleu chuckles.

“No, just stop, you two have been going on about this for far to long. I am not ready to be looking for another mare friend and even if I was it would not be Princess Luna. There is no chance in all of Equestria that I would, she is not a mare I would be interested in!!” Jer'rahd snaps.

“You are not a prize yourself General.” states a cold voice.

Jer'rahd stiffens a look of horror on his face as Princess Luna lands lightly across from the three of them.

“My sister wishes to see you all now. We would not keep her waiting unless you seek another bath General.” Luna comments just as coldly before spreading her wings and flying off again.

“I am an idiot.”Jer'rahd mutters.

“Yep, boss you are.”

“A complete one at that Jer'rahd.” Starfall sighs shaking her head.

=====================================================================

[Later in Celestia's meeting room]

“I have an assignment for you all. It will mean a return to Dullahan, and a trip into the Darklands. I need you all to go to the Castle of Discord.” Celestia states flatly.

The group of them muttered rather surprised at the directness as well as the order itself a few of them were just confused as to what any of it meant.

“I have heard of tales of that place, most say it appears and vanishes without a trace.” Velkorn mutters.

“It does, but the means for reaching it has been found. In the early years of the Discordian war, Discord scattered maps all over Equestria. The maps had different meanings, some were set up as treasure maps others as invitations to power, or even mining routes. What ever would be most enticing to the pony that found a map is what the map showed. All of the maps truly showed a ever changing safe route through the Darklands, always leading to the keep where Discord could capture and play with the one who followed the map. More often than not, I assume he turned these adventurers into powerful allies to his cause of chaos, few that have ever gone there ever found their way back. Still we have found one such map.” Celestia explains.

“Does it still work Princess?” Starfall asks.

“As far as we can tell yes, the map is currently at Dullahan in the hooves of the new Commander of the 8th Wing Commander Buttercup.” Luna adds in.

“Ahh nice to see Sergeant ...errr Commander Buttercup lived, and it in charge now too.” Jer'rahd smiles.

“There were not many survivors of that attack General, but those that did have been reenforced and the wall repaired. You will not be there longer than a day before traveling on. Just enough to get the information and move on.” Celestia explains.

“Just us five then Princess? Would not a whole company of Guard's be more suitable to traveling there?” Rhede asks.

“No, the maps are designed that the difficulty of the path goes up the more ponies there are. Discord planned for an invasion using the maps. A skilled group of six is optimal for survival to and exiting the castle. It is not the best, but it is all we have to go on at the moment. “

“There are only five of us and only two of those five are really military combatants.” Starfall points out.

“I am fully aware of what you all can do. Also Luna will be accompanying you.” Celestia notes Jer'rahd wince at that , though Luna remains impassive.

“ So a pair of Guard heroes, an ambassador, a zebra queen with more medical knowledge in a tail hair than most ponies have in their entire bodies, The Goddess of War, and a cute lil' baby dragon. Yeah this will end well.” Rhede sighs.

“A baby dragon, who ripped apart a full grown dragon, and has no trouble flying a fully armored stallion into the air.” Jer'rahd adds in.

“Awww, you called me cute, I knew you cared Rhede.” Bleu chimes in.

“Ummm.”

“What is it we are looking for Princess.”Starfall asks.

“A book.” Luna states.

“A book?” Bleu asks.

“It is unlikely you have heard of it by name, but given how odd this groups knowledge base is I would not put it past you that one of you may have heard of the title.” Luna comments.

“The Book of the Blue.” Celestia states, noting a small frown on Rhede's face though the others seem clueless.

“What is this book Princess Celestia.” Jer'rahd asks.

“Rhede if you would.” Celestia asks.

“ Fine, though most of what I know is fifth or sixth hoof. The Book of the Blue is supposedly an ancient tome, formed of chaos by Discord with the sole purpose of finding the Elements of Harmony in order to destroy them. From what I know he managed to steal Laughter and Magic, though he couldn't destroy them and the Elements were stolen away from him and then used against him ending the Discordian war.” Rhede states.

“That is close enough to the truth for the details to matter little. “ Luna states glancing at her sister who remained impassive.

“OK, so how do we know it still exists.” Bleu asks.

“We do not. But for right now finding that book might be our only chance at reclaiming the Elements of Harmony.” Celestia states.

”Hold on I am not any expert on pony lore, but didn’t you and Luna use them to defeat Discord? How did you lose them in that short of time?” Bleu rants.

“They were not lost. They were stolen. Just as we recovered the Elements from Discord to defeat him , they in turn were taken from us. “ Luna states clearly not happy.

“Who would do that?” Jer'rahd asks.

“The Order. Well what would become the Order, I do not know what they first called themselves.” Celestia admits.

“Well crap, this is like a really bad novel, secret organizations, thievery, all we need is a handsome stallion to slay the evil princess and rescue the fair dragon.” Bleu states.

“Other way around Bleu.” Starfall comments.

“Sez you. So whats the Order then stud muffin?” Bleu asks.

“Stop calling me that...... “Rhede grumbles. “ The Order supposedly started out as a group of religious zealots who worshiped the Elements of Harmony as if they were gods of their own right. Something about one of the Elements speaking to a founder of the Order or something.”

“Sounds like some of your followers Princess.” Bleu grumbles.

“BLEU!!” Jer'rahd snaps.

“What? We were all thinking it.”Bleu snarks.

“While it is true that many ponies worship my sister and myself neither of us has ever encouraged such practice and we refuse to allow any temples or churches in our names to be built. We are leaders not omnipotent beings that oversee every aspect of every ponies lives. The more infallible we are made out to be the greater to issue when and if we do fail.” Luna adds.

“The Order did not start as a religious cult. It started because ponies worried about the amount of power that could be harnessed by the Elements and what it could do in the wrong hooves. After the five Elements were stolen they were placed in temples filled with traps and hidden around Equestria where the ones worthy of them could find them if the need ever arose again.”Celestia explains.

“Unfortunately this meant those that they deemed worthy, and The Order did not even see myself or my sister as worthy to wield them. That was one of the main reasons The Dragon War lasted so long. With the Elements of Harmony hidden there was no way to quickly end the conflict. It was not until Forgescale came to attack Canterlot and us directly that we were able to deal with him. His over confidence that he had won was his downfall, had he remained hidden and not pressed the attack himself the war might still be going on.” Luna states.

“Princess Celestia could we not just find the members of The Order and make them tell us where they are?” Starfall asks.

“The Order is not quite the same as they once were, but their influence is still felt. If they wanted they could do a great deal of damage if provoked.” Rhede chimes in. “But still none of them know where the temples are, that information died out with the ones who built the temples and hid the Elements, in the first place.”

“We have know that the thieves as well as a number of the founding members sealed themselves within the temples as if to serve as guardians or prevent what they knew from getting out.” Celestia states sadly as Luna winces.”In the end days of the Discordian war so much rebuilding was going on and so many went missing that no pony bothered to question a few hundred more vanishing or the amount of supplies that had to go into the building of the temples. Where ever they were hidden though it has managed to remain so for the last few thousand years.”

“When the Elements were no longer collected, did you not still feel spiritually connected?” Velkorn asks.

“The Elements have rules which govern them Velkorn. They are little more than artifacts that anyone who meets these rules can wield. Any one can hold them, though they are useless baubles unless that creature is worthy of them. Just because you are worthy of one Element does not make you worthy of all of them. “ Celestia explains.

“So who were the thieves?” Jer'rahd asks. “ They were members of the Order as well I take?”

Celestia looked to Luna whose ears were flattened and didn't respond.

“Sooooooooooooooo Grave robbing to save the world, not sure I am OK with that Princess Celestia.” Bleu throws out breaking the awkward pause.

“The items were stolen Bleu, the temples were built to be opened when some one worthy came along. It's not grave robbing its recovering lost artifacts that might help to end the coming war before it begins. I doubt even the dragons would be willing to invade if Equestira were to acquire the Elements of Harmony again.”Celestia explains.

“Then if it keeps more ponies from dieing, it is a risk that needs to be undertaken. Alright Princess I'm in.” Jer'rahd says his eyes on Luna.

“If boss is in so am I.” Bleu chimes.

“Well I certainly cannot let Jer run off on his own with only Bleu, who knows what sort of trouble those two would cause on their own.” Rhede snorts.

“If Rhede is going, than I am too, you will need a healer this is true.” Velkorn adds.

“Crap, well if you all agreed I might as well, some pony's got to fly your flanks out of the fire when you get into it.”Starfall sighs.

Celestia smiles clapping her hooves together.

“Excellent. It should not take more than a week to get ready for the trip. I suggest you take care of anything you need to in the meantime. Now go away all of you shoo shoo.“ Celestia orders.

=====================================================================

The lot of them are suddenly standing outside of the palace in the garden, all except Jer'rahd who was standing a few feet above the pond in mid air. He yelps suddenly as he drops into the water.

“How did we get out here?” Bleu asks.

“Looks like she teleported the lot of us out.” Rhede mutters.

“That explains why I feel ill.” Starfall curses.

“And why I am soaked.... again.” Jer'rahd sighs climbing out of the pond.

“With all you do in the air, to be sicked by magic is not rightly fair.” Velkorn adds looking over Starfall.

“So I guess a bar trips out then?” Jer'rahd sighs.

“I have a few things to attend to if you do not mind.” Rhede grins

“Oh, I do mind indeed Rhede. Every time I see you lately your either rushing off or spouting things that not many ponies should know. I want to know what you have been doing since basic.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“What's the matter Jer? Don't trust me?” Rhede grins.

“I trust you far more than I should at times, I think.” Jer'rahd snarks.

“I only trust him as far as I can throw him.” Starfall states

“With that to be said, you could likely get a good distance if you flung his ego inflated head.”
Velkorn taunts.

“Hmm...” Starfall considers.

“Fine, I promise I will tell all of you what has happened … another time. Besides Velkorn didn't you want to talk to Jer'rahd?” Rhede points out backing away slowly.

“It is not as important as this quest, but I can bring him along as a guest.” Velkorn nods

“Do the what now? Bleu asks.

“Worry not Bleu , you may come too.” Velkorn smirks.

===================================================================

“How do I let myself be talked into these things?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Boss I was right here and I don't even know. I guess your just a nice pony. But I am getting out of here.” Bleu states taking to the air and getting away from the gray unicorn.

“On my mark foals get ready to throw, here’s the count three, two, one, go.” Velkorn cheers out as Bleu lands on her back.

The sudden rain of hoof balls being thrown had his eyes widening, and shields flaring to life every where at once as he worked on reflecting the balls. He slowly turned his body, his head whipping back and forth trying to keep his concentration up as the foals flung the rubber missiles at him. This was the fifth time this had happened.

It all started when accompanying Velkorn to the foals wing of the hospital. They had been out in the courtyard when a stray ball had been flung his way and he reflexively tossed up a shield blocking it. The bright green panel had attracted the attention of all the foals in the outside play area. It had not taken long till others had started tossing things at him to have them blocked. Velkorn had come up with a game on the spot offering a sweet roll to any little pony who managed to get a ball past his shields.

It had gone down hill for him from there. There were a large number of foals here and it turned into a massive game with the foals becoming rather persistent and determined. He kept tossing up shields with just enough energy to survive a single hit from a ball. He was getting much better with making the shields due to all the training he, Bleu, and Starfall had put in and this was sorta like training to him as well.

Bleu had taken the ones not healthy enough to play aside and was entertaining them... hopefully with some of her cleaner jokes. He turned his head to the left just in time to have a ball smash directly into his nose a cheer going up almost immediately, though a few balls were still being flung. He reached his hoof up rubbing his nose ,a bit of blood left on his hoof.

“OK target injury, time out children.... ow, OK who threw that one any way.. you had some power on that one, you should try out for the hoof ball league.”

After having a nurse put what felt like a roll of gauze in his nose he returned back outside to see Bleu and Velkorn talking.

“..... and then he says he is an idiot and we had to agree.” Bleu mutters.

“Slipped away from his clutch, though your plan might have been a bit much.” Velkorn nods.

“Still going on trying to plan my future Bleu? Wasn’t seeing me make a foal out of myself once enough?” Jer'rahd growls glaring as the pair of them stifle a giggle at how his voice sounds with the wad of gauze on and in his nose.

“Are you kidding you cannot plan for that sort of gag you fell into.” Bleu cheers.

“Ugh, That whole situation is bad, after her whole talk on trust as well...”Jer'rahd sighs.

“Hmm?” Bleu asks

“Nothing. What was was it you wanted to talk about Velkorn?” Jer'rahd yawns a little sitting down noticing a unicorn foal in a wheel chair had won the sweet roll.

“As much as I would like to ask, it seems Bleu has taken your task.” Velkorn admits.

“What?”

“It's covered boss, sure you don't want the foals to use you as a target again, looked sorta like training.” Bleu grins.

“Pass, too many bad flashbacks of school.” Jer'rahd mutters. “ And one foal caused bloody nose is enough for today.

“I have yet to know a unicorn that was not traumatized by magical kindergarten. Seriously, that stuff needs to be investigated.” Bleu huffs.

[“ Are you sure Jer'rahd should not be told of my intent?”]Velkorn mutters in zebra.

[“He's a good pony, but likely he would find some way to screw it up, or actually, Celestia forbid, talk to Rhede about it. Nah, best not to involve him.”] Bleu chatters back.

“I was unaware you spoke Zebra Bleu.” Jer'rahd mutters

“That whole layers thing again.” Bleu grins.

“You get me out to the hospital after getting mobbed by the media then simply tell me Bleu took care of it .” Jer'rahd growls softly.

“Think of it as training, you should be used to the lack of explaining. I would think you to go that extra mile, just to see the children smile.” Velkorn states.

Jer'rahd flattens his ears looking at the zebra's usual deadpan expression and the manure eating grin on Bleu's face and decided to just give it up. Velkorn had the perfect poker face and Bleu had the worst. In either case he was not sure he would want to hear it now any way.

“Fine, fine, I give. I'm going to head back to the palace before any one else comes around to ask me the same five questions I have been hearing non stop from reporters since I got back from Dullahan.” Jer'rahd groans.

Velkorn looks a little confused and Bleu chimed in.

[“How did you do it, are you currently seeing any pony, what was your relationship with Platinum, do you have any words for the public, are you gay?”] Bleu translates.

“That is quite a lot to say, why is it they think you are gay?” Velkorn asks curiously.

“Attended a wedding, yelled at a ex mare friend, and have rejected most of the offers made to me. Popular opinion went crazy from there.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“I have noticed ponies do tend to speculate, about with whom their famous associate.” Velkorn nods.

“It annoys me. Any how I will see you two back at the castle. I am thinking a nap might be in order for me at this point.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Right boss you sure you don't want me to fly you back?” Bleu asks.

“No, I will walk, though Queen Velkorn here might want to avoid the press.” Jer'rahd points out.

“Thankfully I am no longer the queen, another ruler has the throne, to it we have seen.” Velkorn admits.

“That does explain how you two are spending so much time here now.” Jer'rahd nods. “ Good to have you around though. See you two later.”

“Later boss.”

“Safe travels along your way, though I suppose the proper term is simply good day.”

=======================================================

Jer'rahd stepped out of the front door hospital with a pair of armored Guards flanking him as an escort. He made his way into the crowded street, shields being tossed up around the three of them as he walked along, clearing a path to between the throngs of ponies demanding answers and interviews.

He mostly ignored them, his shields and the two guards that had been assigned to him with his new rank were doing quite well at keeping the throngs of ponies off of him. He didn't feel he even needed the Guards, but Princess Luna had insisted, possibly more worried about his doing something to the reporters then any danger he might be in personally.

The reporters persisted until he reached the Castle gates, he left the Guards to make sure none of them thought to follow. He had barely made it two steps past the wall when Starfall grabbed him and all but drug him off towards the castle blacksmith.

It seemed Luna had been thinking this trip through much more than he had and was having new armor crafted for the lot of them. Three suits of armor already rested on a few wooden horses for the final adjustments and one was just set on a table, there not being a wooden dragon to put Bleu's on. Starfall pointed out the features and such on everything as if they were all new toys.

Bleu's suit was fairly light, just a few straps, with a little armor plating here and there and pouches to store things. It was all designed not to interfere with her movement. The entirety of it was also enchanted to adjust to her body size as it changed. However, she could shrink smaller than the suit could match, meaning she could slip free of it if she needed to. It was mostly composed of silver and steel plates with black dyed leather straps. A crescent moon over a shield was etched into one plate along the shoulder.

Rhede's armor was very unlike the ambassador robes he had been wearing. The entire outfit was little more than straps of soft, well worked leather of a very dark brown coloration. It left a great deal of him still exposed and seemed little more than a storage harness much like Bleu's was. The symbol of a crescent moon on a shield rested on a strap on his shoulder.

“Why is he even bothering to wear anything if this is what he is going to wear? At least Bleu has scales.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“Who knows with him .” Starfall sighs.

Velkorn's armor was at least armor. It was a lighter version of the normal Guard armor done up in deep blues and blacks. The plating was lighter than a standard Guards and only seemed to cover vital areas, much of the rest of it was loose enough to offer her a full range of movement for her own sort of fighting style. Steel hoof covers came with this that covered up to the bend on all four legs. The only thing about this that screamed Velkorn was the sheer amount of bags sewn onto the armor. All of them decorated with the mass of medical symbols that had adorned her tent from every race that had need of such services. There was a helmet as well that was little more than a head covering that strapped under her chin. The crescent on the shield was also one of the symbols on her bags.

Starfall was already in hers by the time she finished explaining it, as she worked out the last few kinks. Her armor covered her full body, metal hoof and shin guards set with spikes so she could use them as weapons. The rest of the outfit was purple and black over lapping leather. Her Guard rank of Commander was displayed on her shoulders. She had a pair of goggles hanging about her neck, but her head was otherwise unarmored. The Symbol of the Shielded Moon was over her flanks covering her cutie marks.

The final completed piece drew his attention more than the others. It was obviously designed for Princess Luna. The helm was a steel skull cap with a spot for a horn to slide though that covered her head leaving her ears exposed as well. The Blueish gray metal fell in scales down the dummy’s neck to its back protecting her spine, a breast plate with a crescent moon in the center of it covered the models chest curving along the underside of the form as well, though leaving plenty of room for her legs to move. The wooden horse also had armored hoof and shin guards that seemed sharpened almost into blades themselves. Her back would be covered but her flanks and most of her legs would not be. Of course with her being a goddess it would not be likely she would need to worry much about injury any way. Plus with the little bit of her fighting ability he had seen, she preferred to move around a good deal.

“Well what do you think Jer'rahd?” Starfall asks.

“Well Rhede is an idiot, yours is practical and should do well enough, I rather want to see what the Princess's looks like on her, Bleu really doesn't need anything and Velkorn might have too many bags.” Jer'rahd lists.

“What was that middle part again? Something about wanting to see Princess Luna in it?” Starfall asks grinning wide.

“Have you seen the Princess Fight? I am curious if this is designed enough to allow the movement she needs.” Jer'rahd rambles on not noticing the pegasus's look.

“Oh. Right.”Starfall sighs.

“I did tell you to stop match making. I expect it of Bleu, but not of you Starfall.” Jer'rahd mutters finally catching on.

“What, is it a surprise I want a friend of mine to be happy?” Starfall growls.

“Only with how you are putting my happiness over your own. Have you not even thought of remarrying? Or at the very least dating?” Jer'rahd snaps back.

“I have. But I also have yet to find any pony who has even comes close to making me feel like Loc did. I have no desire to look either, with all my time spent either with my foal or on duty it is not as if I need to dwell on it that often. Unless my annoying friends decide to bring it up.” Starfall snaps back glaring at Jer'rahd as he grins.

“Turn about is fair play, considering what you and Bleu are doing with me. I simply hope that little outburst you tricked me into earlier did not hurt her feelings much.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

He had been standing still letting the smith take his measurements and occasionally commenting on the design while speaking to Starfall. With as often as he got hurt something thicker than normal would be nice. If no one else was going to bother with heavy armor he would take it. It was quite plain that he was probably the least graceful out of all his friends, so since he could not dodge better to have something that could soak up the damage. It seemed Luna had already made arraignments for something like that already as the blacksmiths only needed to make a few adjustments to what Jer'rahd had originally assumed was a pile of scrap iron.

The helm nearly covered his whole head, it had a hole for his horn, but kept his ears covered, a single slit ran from his ears to just over his nose allowing him to see with little hindrance. A chin guard was put into place as well to protect his throat but leave his mouth exposed to allow his use of his sword. Interlocking plates fell over the back of his head and neck protecting his spine. A undercoat of chain mail rings covered him from throat to tail and down to his hooves. A thick breast plate and shoulder pauldrens all adorned with the shielded moon symbol covered his upper body and the interlocking plates covered along his sides and flank as well looking for the life of him like a great armored blanket draped over his back. His cutie mark was hidden, but the metal plate that covered it was stamped with the single star of his rank. His legs were encased in armor as well, various joints worked into it to allow movement. His suit was enchanted as well, though with little more than a spell to muffle the noise of all that metal he wore and lighten it a little. The chain mail under armor was silver but the rest of the armor was black and dark blue. The crafting had taken the earth pony Black smith and his assistants most of the day and used all the metal they had left. He was rather surprised it had only taken them that long but evidently his two unicorn assistants had some spells to help speed up the crafting.

“Can you even move in that thing Jer'rahd?” Starfall asks tapping the armor with a hoof.

“Ooh this is nice. Rather comfortable oddly. Bit more weight than what I’m used to though, lets see what it affects.”Jer'rahd states with a smile.

Jer'rahd charged forward suddenly prompting Starfall to leap out of the way as he went barreling outside into the training area. One of his shields formed a ramp which he ran up and leapt off of, crashing hard atop of a training dummy. The dummy all but exploded under him sending him rolling across the ground as straw and splinters of wood scattered around the yard leaving little sign that they had ever been part of the same construct. As he hit the ground he was already flowing into the next attack his sword drawn and slicing one in half as he bucked another one clean off it's base and then shoulder checked a third pulverizing it. A number of Guards, servants and the blacksmiths joined Starfall in staring at the heavily armored pony crushing through a line of training dummies like a foal playing in the rain stamping puddles.

He finally stopped, panting and grinning wide his green and red eyes glinting under the shadow of his helm.

“The bit of weight is a little slowing, but I barely felt any of the impacts. I LIKE IT.” Jer'rahd laughs.

“Great, just so long as you remember that straw horses don't fight back.” Starfall rolls her eyes.

=================================================

Twilight opened her eyes exhaling a bit at the massive load of information she had just gleaned about the others in the group. Served her right for being curious about them before. It had not exactly been the same as her meeting her friends, but in both situations danger brought them together. Though her friends were not brought together as violently as what brought the five together. It seemed Princess Celestia's memories were wrong again. Jer'rahd seemed more interested in Starfall than Luna. But there was likely a great deal left to go. The second dragon war had not even started yet and aside from the way Luna's armor looked, there was no hint that Nightmare Moon was even a thing.

She sighed and started to write down everything she had seen. There was a lot to process so she found herself going into the sword to rewatch snippets here and there. At the very least nothing horrid had happened this time. She was however a little worried at her teachers sense of humor and attitude in this. Very unlike her, perhaps it had been stress, the Princess had been known to shift rather easily from annoyed to some what silly. But her attitude here was just outright flippant and not at all what she expected. Still, she had not been around her teacher that much since Luna returned. Maybe controlling the sun and the moon for a thousand years had mellowed her out a bit. Still Twilight did notice there was a under current of worry between Luna and Celestia when discussing the Order. Was there something about them that worried the pair?

It was more to add to her list of ever growing questions. She paused considering whether she should ask Princess Luna now that she had the opportunity, but opted instead to finish finding out what she could from the blade first. There were no short cuts to proper research.

Landslide [11]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Landslide.

Twilight chuckled a bit, her magic peeling off the cloak and suit of Mare-do-well, bundling the entire costume up as she stretched. It had been rather good to play the hero for a while, she could see why Rainbow Dash was attracted to the prospect. It was however, no reason to act like The Great and Powerful Trixie, just because you saved someone. The point had been made and the town had been saved. Of course with the short memories most of Ponyville seemed to have, Mare-do-well would be probably be forgotten in a week, if it took that long. Panic attacks, a seemingly ever changing landscape, and constant dangers seemed to pop up all the time. It was amazing the town had lasted this long, even with Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash living here. Twilight's initial belief that all the ponies in this town were crazy had yet to be proven wrong. Rarity had wanted every one to hold onto the costumes, just in case they would be needed again. Twilight didn't think she would ever bother to wear it, at least not as a hero. Though she might as her next Nightmare Night costume.

She was also not quite sure where Pinkie and Spike had run off to. She also had no idea why they suddenly scared that easily. Though with Pinkie it was hard to tell if she was scared or just wanted to run about in a panic for a little while because it was fun.

She shook her head, fluffing her mane back up from being under the hood. Since she was likely going to be alone until the next disaster, perhaps it was time to once again to investigate the blade. Nothing was better after a long day of adventure than some quiet studying. Or in this case some fascinating , if tragic at times, visual trips to the past.

Thanks to the Mare-do -Well nonsense it had been over a week since she had the time to look into the blade and she was long over do at getting back to it. It was more time constraints than dread at this point, though she still had to keep reminding herself that all of them got out fine in the end.

Pulling out the materials and the blade, she paused a moment smirking and putting on the Mare-do-well's hat one more time. She rather enjoyed the hat, perhaps she could ask Rarity to make one for her that was not part of the costume, the color fit her mane rather well. Pulling the hat off and setting it to the side she let her magic flare, feeling pulled into the sword once more.

============================================================

The blow caught Jer'rahd by surprise, sending him staggering to the side, hooves moving quickly, almost in a dance, as he sought to avoid running into Bleu. He barely pulled it off before gravity caught him and he toppled over regardless crashing into the dirt. He pushed himself back up to his hooves quickly watching the other Guards tackle and pile onto his attacker, pinning the blue earth pony to the ground.

Jer'rahd whipped his head, working his mouth as he made sure his jaw still worked. Starfall was hiding her face under a hoof, Rhede was trying hard not to laugh, Velkorn looked concerned that he might be hurt, Princess Luna simply watched as unreadable as ever, and Bleu had barely noticed, though she had good reason.

Bleu traced the name carved into the Obelisk, her claw dragging lightly over a single name etched in the monument. A single name in a list of two hundred and forty three Guards and civilians, all victims of Dullahan's attackers. The stone stood in the center of the keep, carved out of a chunk of the broken wall and situated right where the front of the stage had been. Barely two steps from where the last performance of Platinum had been.

“You gonna do that again solider?” Jer'rahd grunts ears flattening.

“No sir.”

“Let him up.”Jer'rahd grumbles

“I am sorry sir. I had no idea he was going to do something like that.” A dark blue pegasus mare stammers.

“It's alright, Commander Buttercup just let him up. What's your name solider?”

The other Guards backed off letting the nearly crushed earth pony back up to his hooves his gaze meeting Jer'rahd's with out the slightest hint of fear of what his actions had caused.

“Sergeant Talbain sir.....”the earth pony mutters.

“Good hit there, let me guess you were one of the Guard who tried to stop me last time I was here?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Got it in one sir.”

“Figure that since I pissed you off enough knocking around you and your buddies you'd have a go next time you saw me? Tartarus with the consequences and all that?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Pretty much sir.”

“Well your lucky I think I deserved it, or there likely would be hell to pay for that hit. Granted I have no intent on stopping what your superior here might do to you, and if any one else wants to take a swing it better be because they want to see the cute nurse in the medical wing. Cause that’s where they will end up. You understand Sergeant?”

“Perfectly Sir.” Talbain stammers thinking this might not have been the best idea after all.

“Good, got it out of your system? Now get out of my sight.” Jer'rahd snarls.

“Yes sir.”

The stallion offers a brief salute before being escorted away by a few of the other Guards. He glances back down to Bleu who simply smirks shaking her head, her attention still on the monument.

“Seems you make new friends every where you go Jer.”Rhede chuckles.

“Seemed to hurt quite a bit, should I go back to get my kit?” Velkorn asks.

“No I'm fine Velkorn. Been hit worse, just surprised is all.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“I gather that was one of the ones you knocked around? Big no no to hit a superior officer.”Starfall comments.

“I got a 'get out of brig free card' once or twice for practically the same thing. Least I could do for him, might ease any tensions I cause for being around here. Half of them think I am some sort of hero the other half are sure I am some sort of monster. Besides there’s not a lake in range that I could fling him into.” Jer'rahd chuckles recalling Celestia's methods of punishment.

“You and your companion here did kill the largest dragon most any one has seen and left it in the middle of the courtyard, before after and during taking care of a host of half dragons and trolls. “ Buttercup explains. You then proceeded to mop the floor with at least three squads of uninjured reinforcement troops, while wounded and carrying a injured dragonling. It took Princess Luna to finally bring you down. You are a monster..... sir.”

“I am aware of what I did Commander. I am also well aware of what I have left to do. I … we, just needed to see this. I am glad there is something standing here to remember those that fell. If I had not felt the need to look at this, that little altercation would have never happened.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Understandable sir. I have all the information for the trip to the Darklands. Do you mind telling me who your companions are however. I recognize Air Commander Starfall and Bleu Scale, but not the others. Sir. This isn't exactly unclassified.”

“This is Ambassador Rhede Pelt, former Zebra Queen Velkorn, and a student of Princess Luna herself. Professor Imbrium.” Jer'rahd grumbles at the last.

The gray unicorn glances back at the black pelted blue haired unicorn, who nods in response to her name being said. Jer'rahd was some what disgusted to be honest, the disguise was lame, there was no other word for it. Her coat color had changed a little to solid black, from a nearly black purple, her hair no longer looked like it was made of magic but it still fluttered on it's own at times. Princess Luna wore a blanket and saddle bags over her wings and of all things a simple pair of glasses. Her armor, body size, stature, and cutie mark had not been changed at all. She looked just like herself with black fur instead of purpley blue or what ever that color was.

The worst part was it worked, no pony seemed to know who she was. The first few times Jer'rahd just thought they were playing along, but entire groups of ponies they had met during their stop overs on the way to the wall did not recognize her. A few were even bold enough to hit on her until a glare from himself or Starfall ran them off. Of course Rhede was not helping, often he wandered off with some mare that caught his eye and needed to be dragged back to the group. Usually Velkorn did it as she seemed more than happy to ruin his flirting attempts. He understood why the Princess did not want to be known to heading off with such a small group, but at the same time it was driving him mad how no pony was seeing through this lame disguise?

“She trust worthy?” Buttercup leans in and whispers causing Jer'rahd to flatten his ears that even the normally sharp pegasus was fooled by the disguise.

“Princess Luna would not have sent her along if she was not Commander.” Jer'rahd sighs. “If I didn't say it already, congratulations on your promotion.”

“ If you say so sir, and thank you.” Buttercup nods. “ This way then I have the map room already set up.”

The Ready room in the keep had been rebuilt after it was destroyed in the battle. The new place was more like an auditorium with seating for nearly a hundred ponies. The idea was that Callahan might be used as a forward base if Equestria was attacked again. The added space would be for the officers to easily be addressed in mass.

The raised front of the room had all the maps and documents spread out over several tables. Unfortunately at first glance every single one of them seemed to be for completely different places until one noticed that the mountains and the wall were present on every map. Jer'rahd sighed at that remembering his crash course in how the Darklands shifted and changed randomly as befitting it's former master. There were even some claims from the dragons that the force that attacked was one lost in the Darklands from the first war given that time itself didn't seem to flow properly there. No one believed it in the slightest mind you particularly with the information gleaned from Claymore, but some draconic ambassadors were pushing for that to be the truth.

Nothing seemed to be of any use to them until Buttercup moved a bookcase aside and pulled free a section of the wall with her wings revealing a safe. She opened it rather quickly pulling out a simple rolled parchment, setting it on the table and unrolling it.

“You have no idea how hard it was for us to acquire and contain this thing.” the pegasus mutters as Jer'rahd moves closer to look down at it.

Etched across the top of the map was a interesting script, spelling out.'The power to save them all.' The rest of the map was little more than a well detailed starting point and directions to follow to get to the X at the maps end. The colors and images on the map around the line shifted but the small details around the line remained fixed.

“What the buck? Boss, what is this ?” Bleu grumbles.

“The map is showing you what it is you want to see, what you most want to find. No matter how unrealistic.” Buttercup comments. “It's telling me about a wealth of knowledge about the Discordian creatures.”

“Well now that would be a nice bit of thing to find, dare I ask what you seek Jer?” Rhede chuckles.

“Right now an Ice pack. Jaw's gonna be sore for a bit.”Jer'rahd mutters.

“I want to get this over with quick Boss this whole place is bothering me, the map now too.” The dragonling sulks glancing to the map with a small shudder.

Jer'rahd didn't need to wonder what sort of perversion the map was telling his friend about. And he expected Bleu saw something about Platinum, judging by her tone. Starfall's expression was the same she adopted when some one mentioned her husband, so it likely had something to do with that. Velkorn and the Princess expressions however were both unreadable.

“How did you find this map Commander?” Luna asks

“One of the Guards going through Claymore's stuff found it. He brought it to me claiming it said the location of Claymore's meetings with his support from the dragons. It was different to me and I recognized what it was. Any one else who saw it saw something else and there were a number of attempts to steal it made.”

“Rather simple find then.” Starfall comments.

“These maps were not designed to be hard to find. The only reason they are so rare now is due to most of them being found and destroyed. That one still exists at all is worrying, particularly after all this time. They are tickets that allow travel through the Darklands. It should lead you right to Discord's Castle, where ever it is.”

“Where ever it is?” Bleu asks.

“The landscape in the Darklands has very few static structures or land marks. The Castle of Discord has been spotted just about every where, at one point it was seen not a mile from the wall before it was gone again. With the map you should be able to find it, not so much as that the map will guide you to where it is, but more that where it is will move the path you are on to where it will be.”

“She is correct. These maps are quite powerful keys to access the keep . Artifacts that Discord made on a whim when he was seeking allies, or playthings.” Luna states.

“Perfect then we have everything we need once we load up on supplies. I want to waste no time heading out of here. No offense on your command Buttercup, but we have to many bad memories of this place to stay for longer than necessary.” Jer'rahd states gesturing with his head to the small sulking dragon on his back.

“Completely understandable sir. For what its worth I feel for both your losses.” Buttercup nods.

“Thank you, though I get that a great deal.” Jer'rahd pauses ears flattening a little. “Did you actually manage to get a good spot for the show? “

“I had the second best in the house sir.” she smirks,” A bit lumpy but warm.”

Her soft smirk said volumes.

“Mind if I ask what that seats name is? I gather it made it through intact?”

“I do mind sir. Might get complicated. But yes it did.”

“Understood. Enjoy yourself Commander, likely more trouble coming.” Jer'rahd nods.

“We will Sir, good hunting out there.” Buttercup salutes.

“Thank you Commander.”

=========================================================

The giant claw came crashing down destroying the ground that he had been standing on. Jer'rahd threw himself to the side as the rock and dirt rained down on the shield he tossed up. Rolling
to his hooves he took off again before the creature could strike again.

The beast looked like a turtle, a giant turtle, a giant turtle that could hold a fair sized town and some fields on its back. His shields barely slowed down the blows and this thing was fast, far faster than it should have been, it was supposed to be a bucking turtle, or tortoise, whatever. Luna, Starfall, and Bleu had taken to the air blasting at the creatures armored head and neck jabbing at any soft spots they could. So far, aside from a bit of blood and some singe marks nothing seemed to phase the thing.

Luna had called it a Tank, then listed off some meaning that he missed most of thanks to the creatures cries, cries that sounded exactly like a tiny kitten meowing. It was horribly distracting. Its whole body was covered in thick spiked armor that nothing seemed to be able to get through. Starfall had taken to attacking the softer skin near where its legs and neck came from under the shell. While clearly wounding it and splattering the ground with the thick blue icor of it's blood, that smelled strongly of oranges, it did little other than piss the creature off.

The group had barely left sight of the The Great Wall when they came across this creature. The supposed safe path had led right up to a large patch of clear land with a hill in the middle of it. Said hill got up as they entered the clearing, mewing cutely and attacking ferociously. Rhede and Velkorn seemed to have been its first targets though a few slashes at its eyes with his blade and Jer'rahd became the new target of choice. It had seemed like a good idea at the time to allow Rhede and Velkorn to get out of the way, but now he had a very large and very angry turtle, or tortoise, trying to kill him.

The idea that Discord had made these things, named them Tanks, and made more than one, was downright scary. The only reason that this thing had not managed to take them out yet was due to the groups fliers distracting it and that Jer'rahd was just faster than it was, barely. If he had not already been keeping his tail short this thing would have given it a military cut any way.

He had serious doubts to Commander Buttercup's claim that the maps showed a safe path.

He glanced up as the creatures head snapped at Starfall, the pegasus losing a few tail hairs to it's over sized beak. Nothing this big should have been fast enough to even come close to touching Starfall. He whirled his blade up, magic arching the sword at the Tank's exposed eye now that he had a clear shot. Blinding it would either drive it off, or make it angrier. Only one way to find out which though.

The armored eyelid shut tight suddenly, his grandfathers blade impacting the scaled lid and shattering. His eyes widen as the metal rained down like tears from the creatures eye. The sudden shock of the loss of the blade distracting him enough that he didn't have time to dodge as the creatures maw opened and snapping down on the surprised unicorn.

“JER'RAHD!!!” screamed out Starfall.

*****************************************************************

Twilight screams.

The purple unicorn falling back to the ground thrashing clutching her head as her horn sparks and flickers sending blasts of multicolored light everywhere smashing into book cases and punching holes in the libraries walls and floor as the glow around her horn grows brighter

The light engulfs the room, her brain feeling on fire from the spells foci sundering. From outside the entire library tree seemed to shudder as beams of light poured out of every window and made new ones with the stronger arcs of energy.

“....so then I said, 'Oatmeal, are you crazy!?'” pinkie explains as Spike snorts in laughter.

“Oh wow that story never gets old..... hey whats with all the lights?” Spike comments looking up at the brilliantly glowing library.

“Its coming from the library … TWILIGHT!!” Pinkie gasps

The pink pony grabbed the dragonling, flipping him up onto her back and charged towards the flickering building. She had barely made it to the door when her ear twitched and hoof itched warning her to jump aside as the door suddenly exploded outward along with all the buildings windows, and a few more chunks of the tree itself. The energy flared once more and then died away with a soft crackling sound.

Darting into the hole that was once the door, Pinkie and Spike were greeted by the remains of a charred library. Some of the books were still on fire and the sword was buried in the side of the wall with most of the tables contents scattered about it.

“Twilight!? Twilight!?! Twi......lights?” Spike calls out freezing in place at the sight before him.

“What?”
“Owie.... hey who licked me?”
“THAT WAS AWESOME”
“waaaaaaahhhh”
“Hmm, I do taste like grape.”
“GET THE BUCK OFFA ME!!”

A piled placement of perplexed, pouty, and pissed pretty purple ponies was plastered ponderously against the prorated and peeled parlor portal. None of them seemed to be hurt although, they all had a faint glow of another color around their horns and eyes.

A sudden flare and scream of rage from the bottom of the pile sent the others flying in a burst of red energy. The Twilight from the bottom of the pile stood there panting, eyes and horn flaring red energy, her hair whipping about her head with the flow of power, before she screams out another few curses and charged suddenly through the nearest wall. The groan from the great tree as yet another hole was punched through it made Spike and Pinkie wince expecting the whole place to come down atop of them.

Another Twilight, her horn flaring green pulled on the Mare-do-Well costume along with a somewhat singed hat before giving chase.

“Worry not, citizen! I shall stop her!!! AWAY!!” the green one shouted.

This one promptly took off out of the room chasing the still screaming red Twilight.

One of the others rises to her hooves from where she was flung whipping her head a bit and sauntering over to wards the two slack jawed observers. Her hair fell far longer than Twilight's should have nearly brushing her hooves. Her flank swayed as she walked eyes half closed, tiny pinpricks of pupils seeming to bore into both Pinkie and Spike as she regarded them moving closer.

“Twilight whats going on... wash”Spike asks, then yelps.

Spike falls back onto his rump as Twilight pushes him aside with a brief flicker of pinkish magic. The touch oddly feeling more like a brief caress than a shove.

“Sorry Spikey, you're a little young for me, although....” the pink twilight murmurs.

Twilight suddenly turns to the surprised Pinkie Pie one foreleg wrapping over the back of her neck as she kisses the pink mare deeply. A trickle of blood oozes from Spike's nose as his eyes widen. Twilight breaks the kiss a moment later, dropping a gibbering Pinkie Pie to the floor, the party ponies eyes swirling.

“Mmm pity.... she tasted sweet,like candy. I suppose that was too much for her. Ahh well I am sure there’s more fun to be had out there. Don't bother waiting up Spike...” the sultry twilight chuckled.

Twilight saunters out past the stunned Pinkie Pie and the quite freaked out spike her tail lifted flicking lightly over her own rump.

“Oh no, ponies might get hurt from this. I'm sorry about that Spike, Pinkie. I will try to get make sure she does not do any damage.”

Another Twilight darts out almost daintily, her horn glowing a soft white as she follows the red one as well.

“Wha, what, What is going on here?!?!” Spike shouts.

One of the remaining Twilights picks herself up. Her short hair framing her face and a pair of glasses rested on her nose as she regarded Spike and the rest of the destroyed house. Her magic flares, purple energy arching over the room putting out fires and repairing the damage done to the library.

“At the current time I am unaware of the situation of theoretical flux to have caused this incident, but rest assured Spike this situation will be resolved. It should be little more trouble than to trace the flow of the ley lines and scrolls script back to the error to uncover the reasoning behind it. In any event with the current variants of myself causing unknown havoc in the township it would be best to inform the Princess of the situation and request aid.”

“What?”Spike asks.

The glasses wearing Twilight presses a hoof to her face and sighs.

“Spike take a letter. Dear Princess Celestia. Help. One sixth of your faithful student Twilight Sparkle.”

“Oh got it.” Spike admits.

He quickly gathers the scroll and quill jotting down the note and sending it off. AppleJack, , and Rainbow Dash all arrive at nearly the same time getting briefly stuck in the doorway.

“What happened to Pinkie Pie?” Dash asks.
“What in tarnations going on with all those lights?” AppleJack questions.
“Not to be rude. but will you all move!” Rarity shouts shoving the others through the door before composing herself and walking in herself.

“How did you all get here so fast?”Spike asks.

“Whole buncha swirly lights coming from tha center of town? That's practically a signal that Twi's doing something that she'll need help with.” Applejack admits. “ Now what's going on here?”

This set off another round of rapid fire questions from the others to Spike, and the purple Twilight, who ignored most of the comments.

“Please be silent this is a library and I am attempting to figure out what issue has occurred now. The only conclusion that can be made is too much unstable energy entering into the spell itself which offered too much feed back when the foci was sundered.” the glasses wearing Twilight shouts.

“What?”Rarity questions
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash asks.
“Ummm.” Applejack mutters.

“She said she put too much power into a spell, that spell had a mistake in it and it exploded when the sword broke.....mmmm yup definitely grape...” Pinkie sits up licking her lips.

“Pinkie Pie! Are you alright?” Spike asks.

“Yeah just a little stunned, I didn't expect Twilight to do that! Nor did I expect her to be that good at it... what HAS she been studying lately?” Pinkie Pie comments.

“How many are there then darling?” Rarity asks Spike.

“Six.” Pinkie answers.

“Well two are here where did the others go?” Applejack asks.

“Not sure I kinda got knocked out by one of them....” Pinkie admits. “ But what a way to go.”

“Look guys I just sent a letter to the Princess we should be OK once she gets here. And when she does she can take that blade back with her.” Spike growls.

“Spikey what do you mean?” Rarity asks.

“Ever since it got here Twilight's gone from mopey to depressed to angry and back again and now this. This study is dangerous and needs to stop.”Spike grumbles

“I might only be one sixth of myself Spike, but I am able to inform you that such an endeavor on your part will not be well received at best and outright dismissed at worst. Too much time and effort has been put into it to cease the examination now.” the purple Twilight adds.

“Like buck you will.......”Spike growls.

“Spike can we maybe wait until after we fix her to have this conversation?” Rainbow Dash suggests.

“Alright..”Spike grumbles. “ But we WILL be having it.”

A knock at the door draws their attention as a guard pegasus glances inside the door, the group sees a few others outside some of the other holes in the walls. The Guard nods and steps back allowing Princess Celestia to enter the room. The gathered ponies bow save the Twilight curled in the corner with a muted blue glow around her and the one too focused on the spell to notice the princess.

“Twilight...oh... two Twilight Sparkles? What is going on here?” Princess Celestia asks.

“Botched spell, hilarious side effects, the usual around here.” Pinkie shrugs.

“And ya wonder why the insurance is so high in Ponyville.” Applejack sighs figuring her premiums would go up again.

“Spike, what spell was Twilight casting?” Princess Celestia asks.

“That scry spell you sent along with the sword, of which take that stuff back with you, before we have more than six Twilights to deal with.”Spike rants.

“Calm down Spike. What were the six doing?”Princess Celestia placates.

“Well that one over there seems more egg headed than Twilight usually is. The one in the corner has yet to stop crying and whimpering. One of them broke through the wall and started trashing everything in sight. One of them went after the screaming one putting on the Mare-do-well suit as she went. Another chased after her and was acting like Fluttershy. The last one...... well the last one knocked Pinkie Pie out with a kiss.”Spike lists.

“I've had better but not many.” Pinkie Pie admits.

“The myriad of factor splits are simply overbearing versions of Umbrage, despondence, brilliance, dauntless, commiserative, and wanton.” the purple Twilight explains.

“Do what?” Rainbow Dash asks.
“Come again?” Rarity questions.
“What?” Pinkie Pie ponders
“Excuse me?” Princess Celestia queries.
“Not this again.” Spike grumbles.

“Okay nipping this one in tha bud before we git another long winded answer, she means we got a Twi-rage, Twi-emo, Twi-brain, Twi-brave, Twi-shy, and Twi-Lust?” Applejack points out.

“That was the answer I provided.” the purple Twilight nods. “though not in such base terminology.”

The group of them looked a bit nervous a moment trying to figure out what to do next when the sudden shout of the purple Twi-brain, has all eyes turned to her.

“I have it, three lines of theramagic code in the scroll were set as either breakers to compensate for the emotional toll the scroll would have on the viewers magic. All three burned out at once thus opening the viewer up to the negative feed back of the foci's sundering. The replication and reversal of the spell failure is quite basic. Easily replicated providing all of me have been brought back here.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“She said she can fix it if we get all of her back here.”Spike explains.

“Alright, Rainbow Dash, AppleJack, Rarity, my guards, and I shall go attempt to find them all. At least Twi-rage will be easy enough to find. Pinkie you and Spike stay here to make sure Twi-Brain has all she needs and that the other one does not go any where.” Princess Celestia commands.

“Yes Princess” Spike salutes.
“Okie doki Loki.” Pinkie cheers

=================================

The small group steps out of the tree home to find not a Guard in sight. Celestia's chariot was there and several piles of armor that were once on the Guards, but the stallions themselves were gone.

“Oh dear this does not seem to bode well.” Princess Celestia comments.

An explosion from the center of town sends a pillar of flame skyward along with a scream of anguish before several more explosions follow.

“Well at least we ken find one of um.” Applejack sighs.

“I am sure when she is back together Twilight is going to be mortified.” Princess Celestia admits.

“Well, if the Twilight we left is correct this may be the fault of my scroll. Provided we can deal with this situation in a timely manner repairing the damage should not be an issue.” Princess Celestia admits.

The group easily found Twi-rage. The incomprehensible screaming and explosions leading them right too her. They watched the ranting bundle of rage plow into the side of a building ramming through the wall with her horn, the small shop suddenly detonating in a shower of quills and ink.

“Oh dear, I do remember that Twilight was a little annoyed that her order for quills had been delayed again but I did not think it was this bad.” Rarity sighs. “Though the sofa he tried to sell her was rather tacky.”

“Well at least its keep'n the construction ponies employed.”Applejack groans

“Is it just me guys or is there less running and screaming than usually happens?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“You're correct Rainbow Dash, aside from the explosions it is rather quiet out here.” Rarity ponders

“HEY!! There's the other one, I got her guys you deal with this one.” Rainbow Dash shouts.

“Careful Rainbow.” AppleJack calls.

Rainbow dash takes off after the Twilight garbed as Mare-Do-Well, the Twi-brave running off away from the smoke and ruins. Twi-rage charges into a restaurant smashing the insides as the Princess and others look on.

“I will be able to suppress her power if I can get close enough but that will be all. She is putting out a great deal of energy, more than I expected a sixth of her to have access to.” Princess Celestia states.

“Just do that Princess I can hog tie her faster than she knows.” Applejack grins.

“I do know a stun spell for unruly customers that might work, but I am afraid that may be all the help I can be.” Rarity pouts.

“Well better'n nothing.” AJ sighs.

“It is worth a try then.” Princess Celestia admits. “Let's deal with this quickly before any more of the town is damaged.”

Celestia's horn glows brightly, lighting up the area in a cool white light. Twi-rage, rather than calming at all flings herself at the group of them screaming something about apple bucking and dresses, though her crimson magic bounced ineffectively off the golden glow from the Princess of the Sun.

Apple Jack waste no time lassoing the rampaging Twi-rage, although the purple pony bucked and whipped about making it difficult for Applejack to reel her in. Rarity finally ran up to the red tinged mare, her horn glowing brightly as a small spark of energy left it and smacked Twi rage in the back of the head.

The effect seemed to give the rampaging mare only a brief pause, prompting Rarity to fire another burst, then two more before the red light on Ti-rage's horn finally dimmed and the pony collapsed. She was followed soon after by a panting Rarity who managed to land on a red couch that had not been there a moment before. Apple Jack finishes tying up Twi-rage adding a gag about her muzzle as well.

“Well that was easier than I thought.” Applejack nods.

“Speak for yourself Apple jack I am completely spent. I do not have near the power level of Twilight.” Rarity fans herself with a hoof.

“Ah ain't no caster, but yah only used tha spell four times an that was enough tah knock yah out?” Applejack grumbles.

“You both did well, but we have three more to find.” Princess Celestia interrupts.

“Well Rainbow Dash will likely get the one she saw, what I wanna know is, where is every pony?” Applejack snorts.

“Oh, hello Princess Celestia, Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight, whats going on here? Is every pony alright? What happened to Twilight? Why is she all tied up? Oh dear why is half the town on fire. Did I miss something? Meep.... It's not a dragon is it?” A soft voice calls from behind them.

“Fluttershy! Perfect we need another pair of wings sugar cube, have you seen Twilight?!” Applejack smiles.

“Isn’t she tied up right there?” Fluttershy points out.

“Errrr other than this one.” Applejack corrects.

“Well, um. She did show up at my cottage. She was floating with her just about every foal and elder from town. She asked me to take care of them until things calmed down in town but she had something else to do. She seemed sad as if she had been crying over something. She seemed a bit less sure of herself than usual as well. Luckily most of the little ones were asleep already, and a few of the elders were willing to watch them while I went to find out what was going on. Umm, what IS going on?” Fluttershy monologues.

“Twilight brought the youngins tah Fluttershy's, OK that musta been Twi-shy.". Fluttershy you help Rarity bring Twi-rage here back to the library, we got tah find the other ones. She can explain what we know on tha way.” Applejack suggests.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, but OK if you say so.”Fluttershy agrees.

“Long story darling and when we finally get told all of it I will love to hear it.” Rarity sighs hopping to her hooves the couch some how gone already.

“Come on Princess, lets see if we can find out what happened to the rest of tha town.” Applejack comments. “ Ah mean , if that's alright with yah.”

“Of course Applejack , lead on.” Princess Celestia smiles.

======================================================

Rainbow Dash tore after the dashing Twi-hero, the costumed pony making a bee line for the Everfree forest. At the very edge the green Twilight paused looking up at the sky blue Pegasus chasing her and slapped her rump with a hoof, before leaping into the woods leaving a tracer of green magic behind her.

“Oh she did not just dare me to follow her.” Rainbow Dash growls.

Rainbow tears off into the woods after the unicorn, accepting the challenge.

===================================================

Applejack and Princess Celestia moved further into town before Applejack paused sniffing the air a little .

“What is that smell? Kinda smells like Big Mac after he comes back from one 'o those weekend city trips of his.” Applejack snorts.

Princess Celestia, glances back at her before sniffing the air herself, a sly grin crosses her muzzle her pupils shrinking to little more than dots. Her grin widens a bit more before she shakes it off. AppleJack shudders the look the Princess had for a moment, a shudder running along her spine.

“I believe I know what the smell is Applejack, I am also sure we have found Twi-lust.“ Princess Celestia comments looking at the town hall building before them.

Applejack flinches a little as that creepy smile returns, before the pair of them move up to the structure. Applejack lifts her head , her ears perking under her hat as she hears some rather odd noises coming from the structure before them.

“AppleJack perhaps it would be best if you head back. At the very lest to check on how the others are doing. This might be a bit of a mess, I should be able to handle it with out any trouble however. I believe Twi-lust may have cast a variation of the spell Twilight used on her Smarty Pants doll. I don't want you to get caught up in that.”

“Nothing doing Princess. I ain't going back and leaving you alone ta deal with this sorta thing. Side's so long as I don't look at the doll I should be OK right?” Applejack comments having an uneasy feeling the Princess was looking at her flank.

“I doubt the spell was on a doll this time, but the effects seem to be strained now so you might not be affected any way. Still if you insist on accompanying me, do not say I did not warn you.” Princess Celestia smiles moving forward and pushing open the door to the town hall with her magic.

“What the hay is that supposed to mean prin........BUCKING HAY!!!”Applejack yelps at the scene inside the building.

The glow from Princess Celestia's horn lit up the large main room quite easily, the smell hit Applejack before the doors were even fully open , but the room was full of bodies. Shifting and writhing with soft moans and panted gasps. In the middle of the auditorium a pink glow could be seen from under the mass.

“Is, is this the whole town?!?!” Applejack gasps.

“Well, well, this is a interesting side of her to see. I haven't let myself enjoy anything like this in a few thousand years. It used to be a bit of a hobby back in the early days of Canterlot. While I never participated as often as my mentor I did enjoy it. A little more control wouldn't hurt her though. Oh and there are my Guards as well, how convenient.” Princess Celestia smirks again.

“What are you talkin about!!?” Applejack stammers.

“Don't worry Applejack, I have a few spells for just this sort of thing. A memory erase, a common cure for most diseases, and a morning after spell. No sense in doubling Ponyville's population come spring.”

“Why the hay would you need those sort of spells for.. … oh, Oh! OH CRAP.” Applejack's eyes widen as everything finally comes together in her head, her face turning as red as her cutiemark.

The doors slam shut behind them. The pink glow from the mass increasing as Twi-Lust slips free of the orgy, her coat and mane plastered to her form as she approaches the circle of light cast by the Princess's horn.

“Oh this will be fun.” Princess Celestia chuckles looking down at the fraction of her student before her.

The pink tinted mare nearly purrs.“Hello,Princess, Apple Jack. So tell me Apple Jack, do you taste like apples?”

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!” screams Applejack.

================================================

“So that is what has been going on then? “Fluttershy asks.

“As near as we can tell Fluttershy. It's all that bucking swords fault. The moment we get Twilight fixed I plan to throw that thing in Froggy Bottom Bog.” Spike growls.

“You will do no such thing Spike, this item is far to important to my research. The erroneous casting came from a unexpected flux in the aura. The spell has been repaired so such a event will not happen again.” Twi-brain adds in.

”It's dangerous, you've been depressed, angry, stressed, and now this. Are you going to keep going until this thing kills you?” Spike shouts.

“You do not quite understand the implications of this weapon Spike.” Twi- Brain counters.

“She is right Spike, five lives might depend on what she finds with this research.”Fluttershy adds in.

“What? Well, what about her life Fluttershy? Shes doing a really good job of bucking that up right now. Besides why should I even listen to you your just Twi-brain, you'd probably study anything no mater what. It's not like you have yet to display any sort of anything but Twilight's logic.”Spike rants.

“It does not make it any less true Spike. Besides if she says she has it fixed....well.” Fluttershy comments.

“Indeed, do calm down Spike, you do seem a bit panic stricken. It will be all right. It is not as if Ponyville is new to this sort of chaos.” Rarity sighs.

“Rarity we only have three of the six Twilight's. One of them took you, the Princess, and Applejack to stop and it still put you down for the count. Half the town is at Fluttershy's the other half is missing. Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, and the Princess have been gone for a couple hours now as well. Calming down is not something I can do right now.”Spike rants.

The door bursts open and a very haggered waterlogged and muddy Rainbow Dash storms in. Her tail and flanks are lightly scorched, there are the remains of what might have been a birds nest in her mane, and she has a small rope bound treasure chest resting on her back. She shrugs the chest off and collapses over it with a groan.

“I am not a happy pony.”Rainbow Dash whines.

“Rainbow !! Are you alright!?!”Spike asks.

“No, not at all Spike. Do you know where I have been? For the past three hours I have been tearing through the Everfree Forest, at night, chasing a pony with absolutely no sense of self preservation. She charged into hydra dens. Bounced over falling rocks. Exploded a dragon cave with the dragon still in it, taunted a Ursa major, and ran off with every bit of treasure that was not nailed down from at least three different ruins I didn't even know existed!” The pegasus rants. “ She did all that and still managed to stay just far enough ahead of me that the monsters mistook me for the one stealing their stuff!”

“Wait where is she?” Spike questions.

“I got lucky, she ran through a patch of Poison Joke and got shrunk down. I managed to grab her while she was trying to fight a squirrel for his winter storage of nuts.” Rainbow Dash chuckles.

Rainbow Dash kicks the box lightly, a tiny Twilight voice is heard yelling from the inside about being bored and how she would have won against the squirrel if Rainbow Dash had not interfered.

“Interesting rapid onset of chaotic pollen, induced a sped effect in in the split spell matrix. I may need to compensate to allow for the extra variable.” Twi-brain rambles.

“What?”Rainbow Dash asks.

“I don't even care!” Spike flails.

“Well that's all but two.” Rarity points out.

“Umm, hey Spike, why is Pinkie Pie crying?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“Ughh, shes been talking to Emo-Twi most of the night, talk about depressing. And Twi-Brain has been putting stuff together non stop. I figure by now shes caught up with everything Twilight's been studying for a few years. Likely she would have tried the sword too, but I won't let her near it. Rarities knocking herself out keeping Twi Rage sedated and no pony has seen the other two.” Spike shouts. “ At least she fixed the damage to the library.”

“Well that is not entirely untrue Spike. We have found one more of them at least.” a voice calls from the front door

“Princess Celestia, AppleJack!!” Spike calls.

The Princess wanders in with a skipping trot, a passed out Twilight draped across her back, a rather large grin on her face, and Applejack's hat on her head.

“What happened.”Rarity asks

“Well this particular Twilight was under the impression she could beat me in one of my old….hobbies. Seems she wore out long before I did.” Princess Celestia smirks.

“I need a bath.... for a month.......never clean....” Applejack shudders.

Applejack limps in after Celestia doing her best to keep away from the Princess, her mane standing out at all angles.

“Umm, what was that AppleJack?”Rainbow Dash asks.

“Never you mind... “Applejack mutters.

"Oh don't start she never even touched you." Princess Celestia scoffs. "Pity you might have liked it."

The Princess tosses her head, flipping the hat up in the air letting it drop back onto the earth ponies head. A brief flash of light bursts from under it as it makes contact with Applejack. The orange pony staggers a moment and shifts looking around confused.

“How in Tarnation did we get back here Princess? And why do I feel like I just did the running of the leaves twice?” Applejack asks.

“Best not to ask. Let us just say you enjoyed yourself far more than I expected particularly that Twi-lust was correct about the taste, I suppose it might have something to do with your diet.“ Celestia giggles .” Rainbow Dash you are a lucky one.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“What!? No, no, yah know what, never mind I dun wanna know. I still feel unclean for some reason.” Applejack shudders.

“At any rate my Guards are escorting ponies back to their homes now that everyone is awake if a bit confused. The foals can be sent home when you are able Fluttershy.”Princess Celestia comments.

“I regret to interrupt, but the spell I have prepared to repair this error still requires the sixth part of me that is still missing. It is at least fortuitous that this shall not be happening again with the safety measures put into place on the spell now as well as everything else. Pity I might soon no longer be apart from these lesser gland fueled persona’s, but it is necessary in order to properly study to have distractions of sorts, there is still so much left I could have accomplished had I been given more time apart.” Twi- Brain rants.

“What?” Most of the group asks.

“She fixed the spell, but needs the last Twilight to get everyone back together. All of them are needed for her to be her. Also she liked being apart cause she feels smarter. And she supposedly fixed the problem with the sword thingy.” Pinkie Pie chimes in.

“Oh, thanks Pinkie.” Spike adds trying not to look at the still whimpering pink pony.” So where did the last one go?”

Before any one can answer a flash of bluish light fills the room as Luna teleporting in with a blue tinged and whimpering Twi-shy at her hooves, cowering under the Moon Goddess's glare.

“....When we asked you to research for us, we did not mean to act …..... what is going on here?” Luna rants then slowly trails off noticing her sister, the others and a number of other Twilights. “It seems I did miss something here.”

“Ahh, hello sister. Rather good timing on your part. We were just looking for that one.” Princess Celestia chimes in.

“This one? Well, this one had decided to try and free everything in the garden out of sympathy or some such nonsense. I managed to stop her but the grounds staff might have issues with the state of some of the statues now. We had enough trouble with that sort of thing when Discord was freed. Still at least she didn't manage to wake anything too dangerous, but it will set our accounting of the residents back even further.”

“Not particularly gentile were you sister?” Princess Celestia sighs.

“Not with what was freed … or with her. I thought perhaps she was having some sort of break down again so I sought you only to hear word you had come to Ponyville.” Princess Luna snorts.

“You teleported all the way here?” Rarity whines feeling far too weak if Princess Luna was popping in all the way from Canterlot.

“Nay we flew most of the trek. It was rather required after we tossed this one off the mountain top. We only teleported in here rather than listen to this whimper the rest of the flight.” Luna grumbles.

“Yes sister that might have been too much.” Princess Celestia sighs.

“What has happened here?” Luna demands still clearly pissed off.

“It seems my favorite students studious nature, as well as a error on my part to account for the magical strain she might put on the spell, resulted in her getting a little too involved in her work. I expect she had just made it to the part where Jer'rahd's first sword was broken. Unfortunately it seems my spell was focused too much and it split her along with the blade into fragments. Although at this point there seems to have been no real harm done. One aspect of her personality has already fixed it in fact. I do feel rather good. A good bit of stress relief in all this. I suppose I should go repair the town now. I am sure you all can handle this from here.” Celestia chimes, lightly setting the pink tinged Twilight on the floor with the others.

“Of course Princess everything is ready to rejoin us as it were without difficulty.”Twi-brain rants.

“Sister would you mind keeping an eye out on every pony here? Just in case.” Celestia calls back.

“Of course Tia.” Luna states staring at her sister.

Celestia wanders out humming to herself eliciting confused looks from every other pony save Applejack who simply shudders for some reason.

Twi-brain gathers the others in the rooms center casting the spell quickly. There was no real issue, and the casting was simple and surprisingly unflashy. A ball of lavender light expands from Twi Brain's horn encompassing the other five, then shrinking back down to reveal on confused and slightly staggered Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight? Did it work, is everything back to normal?” Spike demands

“Ow, my head...” Twilight groans.” Did what work Spike? What happened? Why does my mouth taste like apples? Why is every pony here.....and Princess Luna? Whats going on?”

“I will explain it all later Twilight, but first, Princess Luna take that thing back where it came from?”Spike growls

“Excuse us?” Princess Luna asks looking down at the dragonling.

“That stupid sword, its caused all sorts of harm to her since it arrived and now this. It has to go now!” Spike orders getting a rather surprised look from the already irritated Princess.

“Spike... no. I am not finished with it yet...”Twilight protests.

“Twilight, you are finished. I am putting my claw down on this one. Have you seen yourself over the last few months. You've not been the same since you lost it a couple months ago and studying this thing has only made it worse.”Spike rants.

“Umm Spike, you did hear what I said earlier right?”Fluttershy interjects.

“Fluttershy I get she's trying to help some ponies, but if she keeps going like this she won't be in any shape to even help herself.”Spike grumbles. “It's not like it's even her call to make!”

“Spike, I understand your concern, but it is her decision to continue or not. If she wishes to stop we shall not hold that against her. We did not mean to cause any harm with the request I made.” Luna tries to placate though the little dragon had green flame flickering around his teeth.

“Yeah well if you understand it get rid of that thing! She won't listen to me that's it's dangerous and you taking it away from her or me destroying it is the only way that's gonna happen.” Spike growls. “ I'm giving you the chance to take it back before I rip that thing apart.”

“You can't do that Spike.” Luna states.

“Like Buck I can't!”

“No, Spike. We mean literally. It is an artifact forged of metal from a star, a blade that should not have existed, crafted by a dragon and imbued with much of my power. There is no physical way to destroy it.” Luna Explains.

“THEN TAKE IT AWAY!” Spike hollers.

“What the hay is going on what is Spike talking about what happened? The last thing I remember was scrying on the sword and the giant tortoise.”Twilight interrupts.

“It was a turtle Twilight, I remember that fight.”Princess Luna sighs.

“Whatever that's not the point now. What happened?” Twilight asks flinching a little as Luna glares at her.

“Well Twilight to make a long story short, something you were looking at in the image broke and you freaked out and made a bunch of copies of yourself that went about terrorizing the town. Princess Celestia and the smart version of you said it was something to do with your intense focus and a mistake in the spell. So they fixed it and everyone went to have cake.” Pinkie Pie chimes in.

“We ain't going to have no cake Sugar.” Applejack sighs.

“Nuts to that, I had to listen to the most depressing thing, I've ever had to deal with. I'm getting cake!” Pinkie rants.

“Does that even matter? This thing is dangerous, tonight should have proved that beyond anything else.” Spike sighs.

“It is a weapon, it is meant to be dangerous. Though not specificity in this manner.” Princess Luna scoffs.

“While I appreciate the concern Spike, I am not stopping.”Twilight states

“Twilight, but...” Spike growls

“No buts Spike. If there was a mistake in the spell I just have to fix it.” Twilight comments.

“The egg headed you already claimed to have done so.” Rainbow Dash comments. “Well the more egg headed than usual you.”

“Well that should make things easier, Rainbow Dash, Umm what happened to you?” Twilight questions.

“Long story, I need a nap.” Dash grumbles. “ Also you are not to go adventuring ever got it!”

“Ooookay.”

“And what makes you think I am even going to let you go back to studying that after all this Twilight?” Spike growls. “ I might not be able to do anything to the sword , but I can easily screw with your notes and stop you casting anything to scry with.”

“Spike, I already told you ...”Twilight growls back.

“Yeah. I know what you said. And I am willing to take what ever punishment you can dish out when I stop you. So long as you stop getting hurt because of it.”Spike states crossing his arms over his chest.

“Spike.....”

“Darling he does have a point. Ponyville is no stranger to random acts of destruction from anything and everything. But if this weapon has the potential to cause this much harm on accident, perhaps something else should be done with it?” Rarity points out.

“If I might offer a suggestion?” Princess Luna points out.

“Oh what is it Princess Luna?” Fluttershy asks.

“If he is dead set against letting you continue and you have no desire to stop perhaps you should at least ease your studies or arrange something that allows him to pull you out of it if you react badly. Such a safety should not be that difficult to create.” Princess Luna suggests.

“Not a bad idea, it would be easy to rig a spell block to cancel the spell.” Twilight mutters to herself.

“I still don't like it.”Spike grumbles.

“Well it is the best you're going to get Spike. I understand your concern, but threatening to destroy an artifact like this even if trying to keep me safe is not going to help me trust you. I don't need to be worried about the blade and you running off. That's not going to make anything safer it's just going to mean that I'd have to lock you out of places I was studying or send you to stay with Mom until you cooled off.”

“If this will be a problem, I will simply put the blade back in the vault.” Princess Luna sighs.

“No, It is fine Princess. We will work something out of this I am sure.” Twilight glares at Spike who returns the look.

“You are determined to do this no matter what I say aren’t you?” Spike growls.

“Yes. I have come to far with it to give up now.”Twilight admits.

“Graah, Princess, one of you guys, some pony, you have to stop her doing this . Its your sword Luna, take it back, next time some pony could really get hurt!” Spike rants

“You already said that once Spike. Besides, it was never my blade and her stubbornness and curiosity is why we allowed her to continue this when I found out what my sister had done. If she ceases then we shall not dwell on that. If she continues, I still wish an answer. Her studies for my sister as well as her role as the bearer of the Element of Magic make her uniquely suited to our query.” Luna admits.

“Fluttershy?”Spike pleads.

“I do admit that it seems dangerous right now, but umm she did say, well one of her said, that it was fixed now, and …. I kind of want to find out how everything happened …. sorry Spike.” Fluttershy mutters.

“AppleJack?”

“Ah know a thing or two about being stubborn. Both of yah are being that right now. But aye got to side with Spike on this one. Not that aye don't trust yah Twilight, but every time you go mucking about with strange magic something happens that doesn't wind up being good. This could have been the worst of it, or there could be something worse that could happen. Aye got no clue either way but better safe than sorry.” Applejack comments.

“Rainbow Dash?” Spike comments.

“Pfft it would be boring in Ponyville if stuff like this didn't happen so often. If it keeps things interesting around here go for it. So long as she actually leaves the house sometimes.” Rainbow Dash states waving her hoof in the air.

“Rarity?”Spike asks.

“Twilight while I do marvel at your skill with magics as well as the studious nature you display. I believe you might have gotten over your head with this one. I must agree with Spike. You have been putting to much into this. I can assure you I speak from experience about perils of over doing yourself with work. I would not dream of suggestion you stop forever, but at least for a while.”

“See three to two the sword goes, Twilight.”Spike states proudly.

“A HEM!!”Pinkie coughs loudly in Spike's ear fin.

“Pinkie? What?” Spike stammers.

“You know as well as I do Spike everyone around here is used to the craziness by now. You also should know better than the rest of us that when Twilight sets her mind on doing something not even Princess Celestia can stop her, or did you forget what brought her to Ponyville in the first place? Better she stay here to look at it where we can keep an eye, or two, or three if we suddenly grow another one, on her. Other wise she's likely to head back to Canterlot on some mad study quest.” Pinkie rants, leaning on spikes head with one foreleg.

“Umm, thanks Pinkie... I think.” twilight notes.

“Graaaahhh, FINE..... Twenty plus kinds of magic and no common sense at all. Alright and I am only doing this because you are not giving me any other choice. Plus it will be a pain in the butt to watch you all the time myself. I am putting down ground rules as well.”

Twilight raises a brow at the little dragon.

“This should be good.”Twilight sighs.

“I am serious. The first one is that if something like this, or even not like this, happens again, that's it you're done. Period. No arguments nothing sword goes back to Luna. The other rule is that you do not mess with that thing unless at least one of us is here with that cut off spell, got it?”Spike grumbles pointing up at Twilight.

“Fine, reasonable enough, unless you have something else to add in there Spike. You want a puppy too?” Twilight snarks.

“Ooh a puppy I have the cutest little pug...”Fluttershy begins.

“Fluttershy dear, no....” rarity sighs.

“Don't push it Twilight.“Spike snaps.

“Fine.... fine.... What exactly happened any way? I don't remember anything past when I saw the sword break. And now I am agreeing to be foal sat before I am able to study it again.” Twilight rants looking around and then up. “ Why is the sword in the wall?”

“I remember when that happened.” Luna admits. “ We all were quite shocked that the blade broke as it did..... that trip also where it all began for me, this is the point that we dread that you would continue to view past. I should go check on my sister. She seems in a bit of a mood, we should make sure she does not do something silly. I am glad that you have worked this out, we shall be awaiting what you think.”

Princess Luna moves to the door glancing out into the night then back at the ponies in the library and the still very annoyed dragonling. She sighs softly having allowed this much exploration into her past, she might as well go fully into the study.

“If you are all to be involved now for the sake of your friend, we suppose I shall ask the same of you that we are of Twilight. I regret that it has come to this. In honesty we would have preferred to keep that part of our life from being known by anyone other than myself and my sister. However with what you all have done for me as well as the powers you possess and Tia's own assignments for you, perhaps you might aid us in bringing a resolution to this last bit of turmoil for me.“

“You want me to let them read it Princess?” Twilight asks.

“Yes, even your assistant, though it seems he likely already is with your transcripts. His stubborn desire to protect you whether you need it or not reminds me of some pony I once knew. “ Luna smiles softly though it was gone just as quickly. “We look foreword to your answers as I still cannot bring myself to come to one of our own. Please explain everything I have asked of you to the rest of them Twilight Sparkle. Good evening to you all.”

Luna steps outside feeling the power flow from her sister as she repairs something. The Moon Princess smiles having a direction to head now though no real rush to go there. She caught the faint strains of Twilight beginning her explanation of the blades story as she knew it. It was not the full story to be sure, but it was enough of a start. Luna oddly felt better about this. Even though she was laying the burden of a decision that should be hers on the current bearers of the Elements of Harmony. She still felt positive that they could help her decide, or force her to decide. At times, she almost simply forgave them just on the desire to no longer be alone anymore, to have friends again. Friends who knew what she had been through and what it was like that long ago. Each time her heart reminded her of what once was, it also reminded her of what was done to her by them, what they would do again whether they wished or not. Even if they did not betray her, she knew what would happen if they were freed, what always happened to the companions of a goddess. She was being selfish now, but like this they would always be there.

Stone could be eternal if well cared for, much like she was. She did not trust herself to decide in the face of her emotions.

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen. Part 1 [12]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen.
Part 1

“Can you at least let me cast the spell before you cancel it?!” Twilight grumbles.

“Oh, I'm sorry Twilight, but you made this face.......” Fluttershy mutters.

“That's concentration Fluttershy....” Twilight rolls her eyes.

“Oh, um, sorry.”

Twilight was not a happy pony.

It had been six hours since everyone was supposed to gather so she could explain how the counter spell worked. Rainbow Dash was of course late, and then when she did get there everyone spent a few hours doing nothing but talking about what was going on in town and Twilight's up coming birthday. Once they all calmed down she then had to explain several times how the gem on the table before them was supposed break her out of the spell. Then simplify it. Then simplify it further and try very hard not to wonder why Pinkie understood on the first go

Her friends were not dumb ponies, but even Rarity did not have the magical training to completely grasp all of it, and she had a hard time not explaining with nuanced magical tech jargon. Thankfully Spike had opted to help translate to the others, he had a way with simplifying what she said for the others to understand. She could tell he was still not happy that she was not willing to cease her studies fully, but at least he understood why now, she hoped. She would have been content just to let him be the one to watch over her, but the others had insisted that they be shown as well, even Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash was slightly less enthused about agreeing to help out when she saw the size of the book that Twilight wanted her to read so she could catch up to where Twilight and Spike were in the story.

Still it was a surprise when dash came to the meeting and had already caught up. Evidently she had thought it was neat to read about some pony else who could preform the Sonic Rainboom. She even claimed to have been inspired to practice a few new tricks.

The conversation touched on a few various parts of the story once directed that way, though most of it was focused on side things and not the actual conflict. At one point they had listened to the copy of Platinum's song that Vinyl had sent. What was dodged around was the conflicts and the sword itself, despite the weapon being on display on the table.

All in all perhaps the past few hours of conversation with her friends was not really a waste after all. It had been fun, but she was ready to get back into it the story, particularly with the cliff hanger she had been left with before.

“OK, let's try that again.”Twilight sighs softly.

She started to cast the spell again, hearing sudden movement behind caused her to let the spell fade out before she even felt the slight tug of the cancellation spell. She kept her eyes closed a moment trying not to grind her teeth before she opened them to look back.

“Wait a minute Twilight.” Rainbow Dash states floating over her.

“Urrrgah..... yes Rainbow what is it?” Twilight rolls her eyes.

“So are we just supposed to sit here the whole time watching your flank?”

“Err, I guess.”

“Boring... so we don't even get to see whats going on then? How lame is that? “ Dash grumbles.

“Ooh, IDEAAA! Twilight darling is there any way you can make it so perhaps all of us can see what you are seeing? Perhaps in one of those magic mirror things I’ve heard about. That way we can see whats going on with the spell and keep an eye on you at the same time?” Rarity chimes in.

“Umm, I guess it would be possible, though I don't want to mess with the Princess' spell anymore than I have to.” Twilight ponders.

“Yeah, we have had enough of that. We could ask the Princess later though in her next letter, keeping an eye on what you are seeing could help stop any more problems. Look if you guys want to head out already I can watch Twilight this time. No sense in being here if you don't have to be. Pinkie pie already left about an hour ago any way.” Spike points out offering the group a tray of tea.

“Really? Ay thought it got a bit quieter. Is there something wrong with her lately? Ay've not seen much of her at all, an usually she's all up in every pony's business.” Applejack comments.

“Last I heard she was watching over something for some pony. She was rather vague.” Dash explains.

“Ooh is it some ones pet?” Fluttershy asks.

“I doubt it darling every pony knows your the one to watch any animals that need tending. She has been rather subdued lately though, so it must be important.”Rarity comments.

“Well that's something to look inta later, most likely it's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Some pony prolly made her Pinkie Pie swear something and she's gone all serious about it. Right now we got Twilight tah worry about. Yah sure you can handle this Spike? Ay hate ta leave yah, but there’s always something tah do on the farm and a little more sleep is never a bad thing.” Applejack shrugs.

“I do have a bit of work I should be doing to prepare for my Canterlot visit, but I would think this is important. I do not wish to impose on you to do it yourself Spikey.”Rarity smiles.

“Its not a bother Rarity, besides I doubt all of you could come every time any way, and Twilight is likely to go into fits if she has to wait for every pony to show up.” Spike explains.

“I am right here still Spike.”Twilight deadpans.

“If you don't mind Spike, I will stay. I made sure all the animals were fed and watered before I came over tonight, so I am in no rush for once.” Fluttershy nods.

“Yeah well I've got better things to do than sitting around watching Twilight space out. Let me know if you get that mirror thing, that might be cool to watch. Give a yell if there's another problem though.”Rainbow Dash floats up into the air gliding towards the door.

Twilight sighs, offering goodbyes and a bit of small talk again to her leaving friends wondering if she was ever going to get back to the story. As Rarity finally heads out after another good ten minutes of gossip talk she closes the door with a last wave. She looks over at Fluttershy sitting calmly on the couch sipping some of the tea she had made earlier. Spike wandered over hopping onto the couch next to her.

“Well that was a waste of time.”Twilight sighs.

“Not really Twilight. You got to hang out with your friends for a good while. Its something we never can do enough, but it does not seem to happen as often as it used to. Some pony is always too busy to be around with the rest of us. Lately I know it has been Pinkie and I, but still.” Fluttershy smiles.

“This is true, it was fun. You seem rather quiet tonight Spike what's wrong with you?”Twilight smiles.

“Nothing, I'm still not happy with letting you mess with that thing. It's gonna take a while before I get past that. I know you're trying to help out Princess Luna, but something about that sword bothers me, even more now that all this has happened. I've also read what you wrote and I am wanting to leave you alone even less. You could have told me what you were doing instead of leaving me at your parents while you went off to the garden.” Spike rants

“That's what all this is about?”Twilight sighs.

“No, I just found out about that after reading the book. That just adds to how annoyed I am at you. You've taken a great deal of pointless risks lately just to sate your own curiosity. What would have happened if the Princess had decided to put you in the garden? What if Luna had decided to react badly to your intrusion into her past? Did you think of any of this?” Spike fusses.

“Well nothing bad really happened.”Twilight comments.

“Arrgh this is the sorta thing I expect from Rainbow Dash, not you, when did you become so reckless? You used to think everything through and have lists in triplicate!”

“Spike, Twilight pushing past the bounds of common sense in a effort to do things has manged to save quite a few ponies. If she had not persisted in the study of Nightmare Moon we would not have met and she would not have figured out about the Elements of Harmony in the first place. We would not have beaten Discord, and even recently if not for her rather off the wall idea to teach Rainbow Dash a lesson quite a few Ponies might have been hurt of killed when the dam burst. She is not being any more reckless than she always is. Aside from the problems with a few of her spells and that issue with her break down and now recently this whole personality split. OK I can see why you are worried, but the good she has done still outweighs any ill.” Fluttershy explains.

“I understand the good that’s been done from all that Fluttershy, but it does not make me feel any more comfortable.”Spike fusses

“Seriously is this talk about me like I am not even here day, today?” Twilight pouts.

“Oh sorry Twilight. I really wanted to stay to try and get Spike to accept that you wish to continue your studies... I sort of forgot you had not started yet, I’m sorry.”Fluttershy apologizes.

“Its alright, starting finally does seem like a good idea. Spike remind me when I send the Princesses their letters to ask about Rarity's idea.” Twilight comments.

“Will do.” Spike agrees

“Alright here we go, at least let me cast it first this time?” Twilight pleads.

“Of course.”Fluttershy nods.

“I will be watching Twilight.” Spike growls.

“Do you have to sound so creepy Spike?” Twilight sighs as she starts casting the spell. Fluttershy said something behind her but the mares soft voice seemed to stretch away and grow distant as the spell took hold.

The pull of magic suddenly halts, leaving her floating before what looked like six jagged and cracked mirrors. Looking around the first thing Twilight notices is her hooves and legs , looking back at the rest of her body she saw she was semi transparent reddish purple, the same color as her magic with bits of light floating though her form. She giggled a little thinking she looked like a constellation as they showed in most boots, the image overlay-ed over the stars to show what it was meant to be.

This felt odd, being an ethereal spirit was rather neat and very calming, she could clearly feel how to escape back to her own body so there was no sense of panic despite the change.

She shifted her gaze again away from the mirrors looking around the rest of the odd void she was in. It was quite similar to the shared void that she and some other unicorns shared during her early classes at Princess Celestia's school. It was supposed to be a way to boost power, though Twilight had never really gotten the hang of it and had only glimpsed this place.

All around here was a hazy gray mist and beyond was only blackness dotted with stars. She could feel a slight chill though it felt as if it ran through her and wasn't from any outside source. The stars in the void beyond were everywhere either far apart or in clusters there didn't seem to be any pattern to them and some of them were moving. A few of the closer brighter ones seemed to be moving away from her while others followed their own paths in the distance.

There were two far away that seemed so much brighter than the others, a pure white one, and a smaller dark blue one still much larger than all the other points of light. She knew instantly those were the Princesses, which meant that all the other lights were all the other ponies.... no... not all the ponies, there were too few for that. Unicorns? Maybe, but that did not feel right.

There was a light clinking sound in the air as if a number of crystals, or shards of glass were lightly clicking together. It was almost musical, and it seemed to be coming from the odd mirrors. Looking at them she blinks a little in surprise that her own image didn't reflect back, but the glass was filled with the image of cutiemarks, and one patch of blue scales. A silver kite shield with a black chess knight in the middle, three crossed silver cupids arrows with the hearts pointing down, a star with a rainbow trail behind it, A pair of winged snakes twining around a pole, a crescent moon on a field of black and a patch of blue scales.

It didn't take Twilight long at all to figure out what this meant. These windows must be the pieces of the blade. In some of the smaller fragments she could see the tank and the area around where the others were fighting.

“JER'RAHD!!”
“BOSS!!”
“JER!!”

The great creature lifted its head up from the ground showing the crater it's maw had made in the ground and the bite taken out of the ground where Jer'rahd had been. The kitten like mewing from the creature suddenly cut off as the creatures eyes bugged wide in a panic. It opens it mouth as if trying to cough or breath and fails to do either.

The beast grows more frantic, ignoring the other ponies around as it claws at the earth, thrashing around throwing great gout’s of dirt and rock about. It brings its clawed flippers up trying to clutch at its throat to force out the clog, the great claws tearing easily into its own armored neck flinging the citrus smelling blood across the landscape as it struggles, thrashing bout in an effort to draw breath.

The group of them could only watch in shock as the beast finally rips a hole in its throat after tearing out most of it's own neck, managing a last piteous blood filled breath before collapsing with a crash that shook the earth.

“What the hay?” Starfall asks.

“That was profoundly disturbing.” Rhede admits.

“BOSS!!” Bleu shouts.

The group rushes over to the creature approaching cautiously to the still twitching form as the bright green blood filled the air with a cloyingly sweet citrus smell as it gushed from the creatures rent throat. A faint shimmer of green could be seen through the hole for a moment before the glow winked out of existence and the flesh around the hole shifted.

After the light fades there was a good bit of thrashing and movement in the flesh of the creatures neck. Gluts of the sticky blood flood from the icorus mess that was left. Luna's magic flares up tearing rents out of the ripped flesh pulling the hole wider until a form bursts from the neon green mess gasping for air as it scrambles out of the remains of the creatures neck. The figure trips over some ripped scales crushing to the dirt before coughing up a lung full of the green icor, his whole frame soaked in it.

“Bucking hay boss, when you wanna kill something you don't buck around.” Bleu snarks.

“I am never, *cough*, eating another orange as long as I live... apples all the way ….*cough*.” Jer'rahd curses.

“I am truly impressed you managed to kill it General.... well to make it kill itself any way.” Luna smirks a little, though she takes a few steps back to avoid the mess he was wringing out of his mane.

“Please stop being impressed Princess and help me find a rag or a lake or something.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Sorry Jer. I've not seen any water any where around here yet.” Rhede sighs. “Not even a puddle.”

“While I regret your covered in Skuzz, does any one else hear a buzz?” Velkorn asks

“Now that you mention it? “Starfall comments as her ears perk a look of horror crossing her face. “What is that?... GAHH!!!!!!”

Starfall takes off into fast enough to leave a mini rain boom in her wake. The rest of the group looks confused, save Jer'rahd who was still trying to get the gunk from the tank from his eyes. A swarm of bright balls with wings flutter through the air and descend on the body of the tank in a veritable tornado of cooing fluff. The air is filled with the slurp and crunch of flesh being devoured as the swarm covers the body of the tank skinning the massive creature down to the bone in moments

Jer'rahd finally manages to get the green, orange smelling icor from his eyes in time to look up as the swarm drops onto him as well.

“GAHHH GET THEM OFF,!!GODDESS, THIS TICKLES HELP, GAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!”

Jer'rahd gallops around in a wide circle flailing as his body is covered with the little fluff balls before he crashes into the side of the tank stripped shell collapsing to the ground with a low groan.

The swarm lifts off him a moment later, barfing out little brown things that turn into more paraspites and join the swarm as it flies off on it's merry way. The others stare in shock that all of that happened in less than a minute. Bleu was the first to say anything as she moved to check on Jer'rahd again who was rolling on the ground clutching his nose where he plowed into the side of the tank.

“Umm Boss are you OK......pfffffffffftHAHAHHAHAHHA!!!” Bleu starts to laugh before falling onto her flank cackling.

“Bleu what is so funny........ oh wow Jer...” Rhede asks before starting to laugh himself.

“Hmm, I think I might know a spell to fix this.” Luna states trying not to laugh with the others.

Jer'rahd sits up and looks down at himself, seeing that his armor, gear, mane, tail and even his fur had been devoured by the paraspites leaving him a very bald and very angry pony.

“This has not been my day, not my day at all at all, I liked that armor.” Jer'rahd huffs ignoring that he was naked. “Where did Starfall go?”

“She took off at the sight of the Sprites, never have I seen some one in such a fright.” Velkorn states staring at the sky intentionally not looking at Jer'rahd.

“We should wait here for her return. Let me try this spell Jer'rahd. Please hold still.” Luna comments.

“Sure why not. Bleu if you can see fit to stop laughing help me find whats left of my grandfather's sword.” Jer'rahd sighs picking up the grip of the weapon looking at the tiny bit of the fractured blade that was still attached.

Princess Luna's horn glows brightly, the magic collecting around Jer'rahd and then flaring up suddenly exploding in a dark blue light blinding the group a moment. When the light clears Jer'rahd stands there with his mane and tail grown back, also grown long enough to leave him buried to his neck in his own mane and tail hair. Bleu barely recovered from the first bout of laughter loses it again and falls over in a fit.

“Oh no, I am sorry General this place makes fine tuning magic a bit difficult.” Luna explains trying not to smirk at the fluffy sheepdog look that Jer'rahd had developed.

“That’s fine Princess, at least you are trying to help, unlike my assistant over there. Just some one get me a knife I will do my own hair cut..... If I ever meet Discord I am going knock the stupid out of him.”

“Before we were attacked by that hive, I was going to ask how you survived?” Velkorn asks.

“Panic reflex. I've gotten so used to throwing a shield up when attacked. Went a little bigger than I thought it would, Seems my magic is affected as well. I guess I got stuck in the things throat.” Jer'rahd shrugs taking one of Rhede's daggers and hacking away at his hair.

“I would say that is an understatement it ripped its own throat out to get you out.” Velkorn nods.

“Not my intent, but whatever works. If any of you feel like telling this little tale when we get back I would ask you to leave out the swarm. I think we might as well set up camp here. Use the shell as shelter. If that is alright with you Princess, without my gear I’m a bit of a liability here.” Jer'rahd admits.

“It is, I did not expect to run into one of Discord's creations this soon, and definitely nothing that powerful.” Luna sighs.

Jer'rahd finally stands up out of the pile of hair offering Rhede back his dagger.

“More gray in that then I like....” Jer'rahd mutters looking at the pile of amber hair.

“Getting old Jer. “ Rhede grins

“You're only two years younger than me Pelt, so you're next .” Jer'rahd snaps

“Ahh but I don't stress as much as you do.” Rhede chuckles

“All that aside, I am not liking my chances with out some sort of armor and weapon out here.” Rhede mutters. “ First encounter and I’m already taken out.”

“Not sure I can help on that Jer, you choice in weapons tend to be heavier than what the rest of us carry? Didn’t think to carry a spare?” Rhede mutters.

“The parasprites ate the ax I had, had as well as the bow.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “ Along with my food supply and camping gear.”

“It may be that we need to go back then. You will not be much use to us with out some form of protection and armor.” Luna agrees.

Starfall eventually returned and joined Luna atop the tank's shell to keep watch, explaining she had a phobia of the creatures since incident as a foal.

Jer'rahd and Bleu move about picking up sword shards as Velkorn and Rhede start setting up a camp in the hollow shell of tank.

Eventually Luna and Starfall fly down from atop the shell. Jer'rahd and Bleu give a last look around as Bleu tucks the fragments one of her pouches along with the broken hilt for safekeeping before the two of them join the other two in front of the shell.

“So what now Boss?”Bleu mutters

“You all press on. I will make my way back to the wall try to get resupplied and wait for you there.” Jer'rahd states

“I do not believe that will be possible General. Please inform him of what you told me Air Commander.” Luna interrupts.

“Well as a little filly I was swarmed by a bunch of them and since I have had this fear...” Starfall begins.

“Not that.”Luna sighs.

“Oh right. You cannot see the wall any more from the air. I am not sure which way I ran, but when I came back I was almost straight above the shell. I didn’t see the wall or anything else familiar for leagues.”Starfall points out

“So what your saying is we are unable to return and I need to make do. How were we going to get back when we find the book?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“That seems the case, although I believe I can help so you do not just have to make do. Once we retrieve the book there is a room of calm in the castle that we used before when we defeated Discord. I can safely teleport from that spot, just not to it.” Luna admits.

“Help how?”Jer'rahd asks a little skeptically as he watches Luna.

“Provided the Princesses magic can be kept under control we might be able to rig something for you from the bones of this thing.” Starfall comments.

“Considering how tough this thing was before, I got lucky Starfall, and if it works, it would be better than what I had. It will not replace the sword. unless you actually do that too Princess?”

“No, Your Grandfathers blade was forged in a certain way that I can not duplicate with my magic. Those blades were only made by one blacksmith during the Dragon war. Armor and another weapon should not be a problem though. I might need more effort and energy to shape it here than I would normally. Though if I cast before I sleep, I should be fine come the morning. We need all the aid we can get here, having a useless member of the party to watch over would hinder us.” Luna admits

“Owch. I might be disarmed and dearmored....” Jer'rahd begins.

“And detailed.” Bleu adds.

“Shush Bleu, but I am far from useless Princess.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“I apologize, that was not the term I was meaning General.” Luna sighs.

“Enough with the General and Sky Commander stuff as well. We are out here in the Darklands, just us you can be less formal, I think everyone else has already adopted that idea save you Princess.” Jer'rahd comments

“You ask me to be less formal, yet you still call me Princess?” Luna questions with a raised eyebrow.

“She's got you there Jer'rahd.” Starfall snarks.

“Alright Princess... what would you like us to call you then?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Luna would be fine.... Jer'rahd.” Luna comments

“Alright, Luna......hmm? Starfall, Bleu what are you two looking at?” The unicorn looks over at the other two noting the pair staring at him and Luna for some reason.

“Nothing Jer'rahd.” Starfall states.
“Not a thing boss.”Bleu comments looking away

“Why do I not believe that. Any how Pri.... Luna what do you plan to do? I get that you plan to make armor and maybe a sword from this, but can magic alone handle it ?” Jer'rahd asks gesturing to the pile of bones.

“Perhaps, though it will likely be simple armor. I am not a armor smith, nor a weapon smith.” Luna admits.

“Nearly anything is better than nothing, What ever you can manage without pushing yourself.” Jer'rahd nods.

“It will take a good more than trying to put together some armor, for a Goddess to push herself Jer'rahd.” Luna snorts.

“Right sorry, no offense. “Jer'rahd corrects looking over to see Bleu, and Starfall whispering to each other.

“None taken.” Luna admits.

He shook his head lightly as the Princess rose. She moved around the camp looking over certain bones here and there having him pick up a few and carry them. Before long she clearly thought she had enough and went back to a spot near the massive skull.

“Luna do you think these are too much just the skull should be enough to armor 4 or five ponies Jer's size.” Rhede comments having popped out of the shell to watch.

“Yes, but this is the first time I have done something like this so I expect to make a few mistakes.” Luna admits.

“Rhede. Have you been keeping up with your forestry survival skills?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Of course Jer, you would be amazed how many mares are attracted to stallions who live off the land.” Rhede grins.

“I can see how they might Sugar. Everyone girl loves a Stallion who knows how to take care of himself.“ Bleu comments batting her eyes.

“Umm any way why do you ask Jer, you need something?” Rhede mutters

“Something to use in place of leather straps. A solid mass of bone is not going to really work.” Luna speaks up.

“Might be something, though with this place its hard to tell. I might get something that normally would be perfect and find out its this places version of poison joke.” Rhede sighs.

“Well lets get something, the less time I am naked in the place the better I will feel.” Jer'rahd mutters.

Rhede and Jer'rahd wander off to the edge of the camp site making sure to stay within sight of the shell as they scrounge. Bleu's gaze shifts over the Princess picking through the bones and Starfall resting atop the shell watching the others, as over watch. She sighed sitting back on a bone claw not really feeling the humor of this place like she should. Sure it was dangerous, deadly, but it was also ridiculously funny in a deranged sort of way. There was a humor she should have been enjoying and that amusement just wasn't there. Every time she distracted herself and started feel better, some pony brought up Dullahan, or Platinum and the depression set in once more. She sighs once more, not too sure of what she was going to do, the panic that she might have lost Jer'rahd when he was eaten having passed, but it still kept her thoughts darker than they should be.

Her eyes widen as her tail was grabbed and she was yanked backwards into the shell. She squirms, fangs about to sink into the offending gag to get free when she notes who it is.

[“None of that now Bleu.”] Velkorn states letting go of the dragons mouth.

[“Velkorn ?!What the heck are you doing?”]Bleu grumbles.

[“I should be the one asking that. I thought you were going to help me, not hit on him yourself.”] Velkorn snorts.

[“Oh that's what this is about. Have you seen how he reacts to me hitting on him? He ran off with the boss this time, though most of the time he hides behind you, Starfall, or the Princess. The latter two tend to take to the air randomly so sooner or later he will be staying closer to you.”] Bleu smirks.

[“How is that even a plan? How is any of that going to get him to even notice me as more than a shield?”] Velkorn curses.

[“Relax I have this all covered. Not the first time I have done this sort of thing.... hoping for a better end this time though....”] Bleu mutters.

[“I still worry you are seeking him for yourself.”] Velkorn admits.

[“Velkorn do you know how old I actually am?”]

[“ I know dragons have a odd age rate though I am not sure when they reach maturity, Why?”]

[“Platinum was a little older than most ponies allowed to take Celestia's test. By dragon terms I am still a baby, and by pony terms I’ve not even hit my teens yet. Far too young to be doing anything with a stallion if I even caught one.”]

“But your jokes and your manner, the more adult humor has been your banner.” Velkorn comments switching to her rhyming speech quickly enough that Bleu had to pause and mentally reset.

“Dragons just mature faster if hatched by magic... I guess. I've not met any others so I am not really sure for certain, but its what I have been told. Well I have yet to meet any others I didn't help to kill, so I cannot really ask them. Any way while I might play and tease my goal is still the same. Besides it's absolutely hilarious watching him get all flustered.”

“Thank you Bleu , I am sorry I doubted you.”

“S'fine. I've not really been myself much lately any way.” Bleu sighs.”Though I let Starfall in on the plan and we might have a second set of targets too.....”

====================================================

Rhede and Jer'rahd returned having found some vines that looked and felt remarkably like strips of cloth.

Luna had sorted the bones that had been gathered and as soon as she selected a few segments of the vine she began to cast a spell.

“All of you please step back, except you Jer'rahd , please stand still.” Luna orders.

The others backed away and Jer'rahd watched as the bones were gathered in Luna's magic rising into the air . Her horn starts to glow brighter as the bones seem to melt and form into a large sphere that floats above the Princesses head. The vine and a few more bones were pulled into the growing pale ball. The smell of oranges filled the air as well as the odd smell of chocolate that was the scent of the vines.

The ball whirled and swirled in the air gripped in Luna's magic. The princess winces a little as the ball swirls faster.

Jer'rahd looks to the others who were watching the ball and the Princess with interest, all save Starfall who had placed herself on watch atop of the shell. She was clearly annoyed by her panic earlier even if no one else was faulting her for it. He would need to speak with her later about that.

His attention was pulled off the pegasus as the ball of bone was suddenly flung at him. He winced as the mass hit and passed over him like a wave of warm water, well warm orange juice. He blinks glancing behind him after it passed not really feeling anything, but noting the ball was smaller. His brain clicked that he was heavier as well.

“Holy crap Luna.” Rhede whistles
“Nice look boss.” Bleu comments.
“Though we all know his level, to all other ponies he will look like a devil.” Velkorn admits.
“Impressive work Princess.” Starfall calls down from the top of shell.

Jer'rahd took stock as Luna lowered her head exhaling deeply, the remaining ball of bone falling to the ground with a thud behind him. She clearly had over extended herself more than.

The coloration was primarily the same black and purple like his old armor, though that's where the similarities ended.

The helm resembled some sort of predatory draconic animal skull, though without a lower jaw, it's fangs hung down in front of his muzzle a bit though his lower jaw and mouth were uncovered and the fangs were not long enough to interfere with his holding a weapon. His eyes fit where the skulls eyes were and had some sort of shielding over them though it didn't interfere with his vision the faint red and green glow of his eyes seemed amplified while in the armor. His horn war partially hidden in the row of bone spines that emerged from between the eyes and ran back over his head and neck, getting shorter the nearer they got to his tail along his back. Like his vision the encasing of his horn didn't affect anything with his magic. A pair of horns curled up and back over his head hiding and protecting his ears. Interlocking plates ran from the helmet down the back of his neck and throat acting more like scales than plate mail. The shoulder guards were spiked as well giving the impression of small bone wings. The rest of the outfit was covered with sweeping spikes and the occasional highlight done in silver, though the outfit was primarily in black and purple save the helmet which remained the faded white of the bone save a few highlights around the spines. His hooves were well guarded as well, the shin guards and hoof protection thick enough to be boots and spiked in such a way to make them look like claws. While his mane was hidden under the helm his tail was free and due to the ragged hair cut he had given himself earlier, it looked to be something attached still to a long dead creature. Aside from his tail and lower jaw the heavy plate covered every bit of his skin.

“He needed armor Luna, not something to scare anything else we meet to death.” Rhede grumbles.

“I rather like the gothic style of design thank you very much Rhede.” Luna pouts.

“I though t you said you were not a armorer?” Jer'rahd asks moving around in the armor finding the thickness of it barely limited his movement at all.

“I am the Goddess of War Jer'rahd. In the centuries I have been alive I have studied a great many things. Most I simply have no use for. I do profess to enjoy employing my own artistic flare in things when I can. How is the fit?” Luna asks.

“A little tight in some areas and loose in others, but not enough to cause any sort of problem for me. Amazing given how short of time that took. And something this complex as well. I do have to ask, how do I remove it ?” Jer'rahd comments.

“Take off the helm and the armor will remove as well. Put on the helmet and the armor will return.” Luna explains

“So much for simple bit of protection then hmm?” Bleu asks.

“I might have gotten carried away.” Luna admits

“Just a bit. Not that I mind.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

He pulled the helm off his head expecting the armor to maybe get magically stored some where like in some of the fantasy hero novels. It was therefore a surprise when the armor just fell off of him and clattered to the ground with only the helmet still in his grasp. They all look at it curiously including Luna. He places the helm back on his head and the armor jumps up covering him again.

“Hmm, was not expecting that.” Jer'rahd comments

“I suppose I either over did myself or missed something in the casting, it is not supposed to just fall off.” Luna sighs.

“It works, so nothing to worry about. Are you up to try for a sword? The armor is perfect for protecting me , but not for protecting others.” Jer'rahd states. “ If you are not I can rig something up from the rest of the bones without issue.”

“I'm fine Jer'rahd, this should not take a moment more.” Luna admits.

Luna nods selecting one of the Tank's claws trying to ignore Jer'rahd as he bounced about like a lunatic trying cartwheels and the like in the armor. A few crashes into the shell, the ground, a couple of trees, and then a pile of bones, had him at least sated that he could move and the armor worked rather well. Bleu lands on his back kicking and scratching at the armor curiously though she falls off with out anything to grip on his back. As Jer'rahd laughs at Bleu and gets tail slapped into the side of the tank shell again Luna looks over the bone she selected.

She knew she had over exerted herself making the armor but making the sword would still leave her more than enough power. Still perhaps a bit of a white lie was in order. She was still being treated like a Princess by them and that wouldn't do, they needed to see she had her own faults and weaknesses, something that they could relate to.

The Princess of the Night's horn glows once more, the claw stretching and warping floating into the air before her. It begins taking shape slowly forming a jagged double bladed sword before the magic flickers around the blade and it melts into a pile of slag as she cries out.

“Princess!” Jer'rahd gasps, “Are you alright Luna?”.

Jer'rahd ignored the malformed blade, darting over it to stand blinking at Luna, the others ran up just quickly pulling to a stop next to the Princess as well.

She seemed to have shrunk, where she once was Rhede's height, if not a bit taller, she was now a little shorter than Jer'rahd and barely larger than Starfall. Her mane and tail had also ceased blowing as if in a divine wind and were little more than a normal, if still a pretty, grayish blue.

“Yes.. I am fine just, well, that took more effort than I thought it would.“ Luna sighs

“You did not need to make it so detailed a simple sharp edge on a handle would have worked for me.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“But then it would not have matched the armor.” Luna chuckles.

“Eerrrrr. I have no idea how to respond to that.” Jer'rahd admits.

“Well now that is a sight, Luna went from being one of the hottest mares in Equestria to one of the cutest.” Rhede grins looking down at the smaller mare

Starfall swats Rhede in the back of the head distracting him from the death glare Velkorn was giving him. Jer'rahd smirks, shaking his head a bit, stopping himself from nodding in agreement with Rhede.

“You need any help Luna, or are you alright to make it inside?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I should be fine.” Luna comments and slowly rises if a bit shakily. Perhaps she wouldn't need to fake much, this was draining.

The Princess manages a few steps before stumbling. She nearly falls before she finds herself bouncing against the armored Side of Jer'rahd as he helps her stay upright.

“So much for that. Bleu help me get the Princess to her bedroll. I'll take her watch tonight. Least I can do for hooking me up with the gear Luna. Get some sleep we most likely need what ever power you can muster tomorrow.”

“I shall be fine General.” Luna snaps pulling quickly away from him.

“Right you can barely walk right now.” Jer'rahd snarks getting the small dragon to help guide her into the cavernous tank shell.

Velkorn and Rhede had done a decent job at making the giant beasts shell into a excellent camp site. If they were given more time they might have been able to make it into something that could be a permanent residence. Five bedrolls were laid out and a pile of gathered straw and leaves substituted for Jer'rahds bed. A small fire rested in the middle burning merrily with a pot of warm oats hanging from a spit over it, the food steaming lightly. Jer'rahd and Bleu guided the Princess to her bed roll. Letting her down gently, she protested the whole time and was ignored by both of them.

“OK, Rhede, Starfall standard watch from training, Starfall you take first along with Velkorn. Wake Rhede and Bleu for their watch at the usual time. I'll take last watch myself.” “ Jer'rahd orders.

“Umm Jer, can we switch the watch around a bit to put me with some one other than Bleu?” Rhede asks.

“Problem with me Rhede?” Bleu snorts.

“Not per-say ….” Rhede admits.

“No deal Rhede, you and Starfall have the experience with this sort of thing, and Starfall and Bleu are our fliers, one flier per watch, one experienced, per watch. You know the deal.” Jer'rahd points out.

“Ugh, yes.” Rhede grumbles.

“Gee make me feel unloved why don't you.” Bleu pouts.

“Nothing personal Bleu. You are simply much more forward with your attentions than I am comfortable with. Particularly as I prefer not to associate on the intimate level with some one without fur or a mane.” Rhede admits.

“Well I suppose I need to work on changing that opinion don't I?” Bleu grins.

“Buck me....” Rhede groans.

“That's the plan...” Bleu chuckles.

“You're on watch Bleu, keep your eyes out for trouble, not for Rhede's flank.” Jer'rahd fusses. “ And before you ask no no part of him is named trouble.”

“Awwww, your no fun Boss.” Bleu pouts.

“I will join you on your watch Jer'rahd as you have no flier.” Luna states

“Best you don't Pr..... Luna, I will get that right one day, you are the strongest spell caster we have, Bleu is alright with what she knows, and Velkorn has her ….. well what ever sort of magic she does with the medical stuff. “ Jer'rahd comments getting an eye roll from the zebra. “You are the most powerful caster we have and the one with the most offensive spells as well I gather. Given I’m the second strongest caster, we might as well not count as having any other magic. We need you well rested after what you burned through today. I mean your hair changed color and you shrunk. Errr. Not a bad look, but clearly something amiss.”

“And if we have to deal with something that needs copious amounts of violence applied to it,and you are tired due to trying to take up the slack you are giving to me for no real reason, what are we to do?” Luna asks.

“She has a point boss, you are the get in there and break it type. You're are really good at killing things that need to be killed. Kinda like a tank.... and now you have the armor of a Tank as well.”Bleu chuckles. “ So you're a tank tank...”

“Would it be to much to ask for me to win just one argument in my life?” Jer'rahd sighs.

“What was that General, thinking to argue with a superior officer... again?” Starfall calls out from outside.

“ Nothing, no, no…. Fine. I do have a question though, with you not at the palace Luna, who raises the moon?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Tia does.... she has the power to raise both herself, as do I if need be. To be honest I think she prefers not to do it if she can out of laziness, or simply perhaps to give me something to do.” Luna admits.

“Well so long as everything is in order. Best every one eat and then try to get some sleep we should head out at dawn or as close to it as we can.” Jer'rahd nods.

“Since when do you give the orders boss?” Bleu pouts

“Says the dragon calling me boss.” Jer'rahd sighs.

==============================================

The night passed uneventfully, with the notable exception of Rhede spending most of the night avoiding Bleu,with mixed results. Jer'rahd gets woken by Bleu and heads to the pile of bones, redoning the armor. He smiled rather impressed with the ease of putting it on and off, the Princess had outdone herself. He glanced to the sleeping Luna, her hair back to its glowing form and her size returned to normal as well. Interesting to note that little tidbit of information. Did she change her size to appear older or was it an effect of her magic. With her blue gray hair she barely looked older that her late teens at best. As she usually was she seemed closer to his age or much older.

If the goddess could move the moon what sort of effort did she put into his new gear. He shook his head a moment considering letting her continue to sleep, before sighing and nudging her shoulder with his magic staying on the other side of the shell camp just in case she was not a morning pony. She simply opened her eyes lifting her head to look at him.

“I was wondering if you were going to wake me at all.” Luna comments.

“Already up then?” Jer'rahd smirks.

“I am the Goddess of night Jer'rahd. It is a bit harder for me to get used to the day.” Luna admits.

“Maybe we should shift our own schedules to be awake at night then for this trip if we are supposed to be your personal guard.” Jer'rahd ponders.

He moved outside glancing down at the mangled blade, he would need to figure something else out. Moving over to the bone pile he pulled out a long section of bone that he could use as a club. It was a fair size so he wasn't sure it he could hold it in his mouth. Still if he wanted to use a shield as well he needed to at least try. Might as well get in a bit of practice now, so at the very least he could see if he could carry the blasted thing.

Luna steps out of the camp, stretching and taking flight, gliding up to the top of the shell, landing lightly to look around, her attention turning back to Jer'rahd as he swings a length of bone around twice as long as he was with his magic. She blinks surprised as he takes the smaller end in his mouth, winces, and spits it out onto the ground almost instantly almost sounding like he was gagging.

“Whats wrong?” Luna asks.

“Gahh, even the bone tastes like oranges.” Jer'rahd gripes.

Luna chuckles softly which brings an odd look from Jer'rahd at the laugh, having never heard her do that before. He smiles shaking his head.

“Sure laugh, but if you nearly drowned in citrus, you would have a different opinion.”

“I am sure I would. So what does one normally do on watch ?”

“Keep an eye and a ear out for danger, if anything happens wake every pony up. “ Jer'rahd comments.

“I mean to pass the time.” Luna corrects.

“Oh depends really. Used to play cards on some watches, chess, or dice. Once combat started, talking was about all that was left to be allowed. Kinda in a dangerous place here so that's about all that should be done if that. Besides even if I packed a chess set it would have been eaten by the bugs.”

“Chess hmm? Tia did mention you were rather good at that.” Luna comments looking up to the night sky with a frown as the moon leered back with a grumpy looking cat face painted on it.

“I don't think I'm bad, but I could tell at the end when I played her, she was just letting me win.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“No, more likely she was playing fair at first.” Luna chuckles.

“What?”

“If you do not watch her,Tia cheats like it was going out of style.” Luna comments.

“WHAT!?” Jer'rahd shouts.

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen. Part 2 [13]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen.
Part 2

The next morning saw them rested and on their way. Jer'rahd had wrapped the grip of the bone club in some of Velkorn's bandages to make it more palatable. After checking the map and finding what should be the path once more, they left the giant's shell to what ever else might wish to take residence in it and ventured forth. The trek only got stranger from there.

=====================================

“Run faster!!!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“They are gaining Boss.” Bleu screams clinging to the stallions back.

“For the love of Celestia some one throw them a carrot or something.” Rhede shouts running along side the pair with Velkorn hot on his hooves.

The group thundered across a field making for a river on the other side of the open grass land, a herd of long legged rabbits with big nasty pointy teeth stampeded after them.

==============================================

“OK Velkorn, what are these things supposed to be again?” Rhede mutters flicking his tail and sending a little green creature flying off into the river.

“Gummy Gators, I think, perhaps it was a mistake to stop for a drink.” Velkorn sighs Pulling a reptil off her hoof

“Well considering that they are either trying to eat me, breed with me, or drink my blood by sucking it through my spines, I am inclined to agree.” Bleu sighs.

The group looks down curiously at the dozen or so tiny toothless gators had latched onto Bleu, before their gaze turns to Luna. The only part of the mare they could see was one twitching hoof under the pile of green gators.

“Soo, I guess they really like the Princess.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

===============================================================

“You know Rhede when we were asked to collect firewood I had no idea the fire wood was going to try and collect you.” Bleu grins looking up at the pony.

“Shut up and get this thing off my flank Bleu.” Rhede curses.

Bleu smirks looking at the overly large flower that had latched onto Rhede's back side and had lifted him in the air trying to eat him tail first.

===================================

[Another night, another camp. ]

“So you expect me to talk?” Rhede asks.

“No mister Pelt I expect you to die!” Rhede responds in a fake deep voice waving a hoof for emphasis.
“Then he turns this strange gem laser thing and starts cutting the table I am strapped top up from between my legs.”

“No way that happened Rhede.” Starfall snorts.

“Seriously a line that bad could not be said with a straight face.” Bleu mutters.

“I swear on Princess Luna's cutie mark it is all true.” Rhede admits.

“Rhede if you do not get your hoof off my flank I will remove it at the shoulder.” Luna curses glaring at Rhede.

“Oops.”Rhede grins before Velkorn smacks him in the back of the head.

================================================

“So this is what its like to fly then?” Rhede asks.

“I think its more that we are falling up Rhede.” Jer'rahd comments from slightly below him.

[“Some pony get me down from here?”] Velkorn screams.

“What did she say?” Jer'rahd asks.

“You really need to learn Zebra Jer.” Rhede sighs.

“Yeah yeah.”

[“HAAAALP!!” ] Velkorn screams flailing around above them.

“Wow she does not like flying.” Rhede comments.

“Like I said, It's more like slowly falling up.” Jer'rahd comments.

The three earth bound ponies floated lazily up into the air as the fliers race up after them trying to catch the three before they drift up into space.

========================================================

“OK so who are are you?” said Jer'rahd from Bleu's Body.

“I'm Rhede. Dammit, Bleu, stop feeling myself up.” shouts Rhede from Velkorn's body.

“But I am sooo sexy!!” complains Bleu from Rhede's body.

[“Some pony get me down from here?”] shouts Velkorn from Starfall's body above the others, wings flapping madly, both trying to get to the ground and not crash at the same time.

“ Open my wings up damnit, do not crash or so help me...GAHH!!” Starfall in Jer'rahd's body winces. “Okay that does not count against my never crashed record!”

“OK, tell me again what happened to you Princess?” questions Jer'rahd from Bleu's body.

“Oh, it seems I switched with myself.” says Luna from her own body.

“Goddess I hate this place, BLEU STOP THAT!!” Rhede shouts from Velkorn's body.

“Hey does this count for you getting inside of Velkorn if you know what I mean?” Bleu asks from Rhede's body.

“Some one please shut her up?” Rhede groans from Velkorn's body.

==========================================

The group again is sitting around a fire along with a great many little tribal teddy bear looking things with spears and bows. Of course this wasn't their camp, and the teddy bears had been rather hostile at first.

“So I say oatmeal are you crazy?!” Bleu crows getting a laugh from the gathered swarm of bears and a small head shake from Starfall. The pegasus glances over to the unreadable armored face of Jer'rahd.

“OK let me get this straight. They are little teddy bear things right?” Starfall asks.

“Right. Pretty sure they are called something else, but their language is all gurgles and growls to me.”Jer'rahd agrees.

“And they tried to eat us when they first met us, right?” Starfall asks.

“Right again, Starfall.” Luna sighs.

“And they think Bleu is a goddess because she fried a few of them with lightning right?” Starfall comments.

“Right.” Jer'rahd nods.

“So why did we agree to stay here again for the night and join their party? Seems a little dangerous.”Starfall asks.

“Because Goddess Bleu demanded they put Rhede in a dress and make him dance for her.” Luna smirks a little looking out over the fire to the large clear section of the wooded village that Rhede was currently dancing around in wearing nothing more than a grass skirt.

“Oh …. OK I can handle this then.” Starfall laughs noting the bit of Drool coming from Velkorn's lips as she watched Rhede.

“Seriously hate this place.” Rhede shouts.

“SHUT UP AND DANCE, HAHAHHAHAHA!!” Bleu cackles.

“YUB YUB!!” scream the teddy bears in agreement.

===================================================================

[Another night, another camp, though one devoid of teddy bears this time.]

“Fine Starfall since you are so insistent. I will answer, but you will then tell me about your husband and why you joined the Guard.” Luna snorts.

“..........alright Princess. The price of my curiosity it seems. Most ponies here know some of it any way.” Starfall sighs.

“You asked for something private, you should expect to give back in return. Why you wish to know I am clueless however.” Luna sighs.

“Just hoping to understand you a bit better is all Princess.”Starfall comments.

The group gathered around the fire early in the night and as usual talk started though this time Starfall had started to steer it with the help of Bleu and Velkorn, towards Luna's first love. The mood was pleasant enough till then, after the question was asked you could have made ice cubes in the air around Luna. Rhede and Jer'rahd had the decency to at least move away to the other side of the camp and pretend not to be interested in any of the questioning, though they had at least one ear perked the whole time.

“My first serious love was one of my guards. I had crushes and interests before much as every other young mare, but this was the first real love. The last of good friends had died, it is one of the prices of being a goddess that you will outlive every one around you save other gods. It was barely a hundred years after the Discordian war, the land was for the most part peaceful again. This left me little to do to pull me away from what I had lost, even my sister could not keep my spirits up. I stayed in my quarters all the time simply mopeing, I suppose is the word. There was one guard that was assigned to protect me who took it into his head that his mission was to cheer me up. He tried simply talking to me at first and I largely ignored his banter. He switched to jokes, strange tales and other absurd viewings of the world. It seems he took my silence as a invitation to continue. It got to the point where if the day was not filled with his rambling it seemed odd. He brought sweets from the kitchen for me, even though I simply could have ordered them and he would get in trouble if he was caught filching. Eventually he started with the pranks. Tia had always been a fan of that type of humor, but it was never something I could bring myself to try and enjoy. The first ones were rather simple, items moved from where they were supposed to be, a blade glued into its scabbard. It eventually got more complex including one instance where he managed to get the Guard Captains entire office glued upside down to the ceiling. He was a rather creative earth pony, he took the punishment without any issue, seeming to consider that I had yet to smile worse than any thing his superiors could dish out. Some of the jokes did get a small smile or two from me, but it seemed he wanted more than just that.”

The group watches noting the soft smile Luna offered as she stares into the fire. The entire area was silent save the crackling blaze.

“Eventually he got the idea to set a bucket of mashed alfalfa on top of a door ready to douse any who walked into the hall to come into my chambers. Perhaps he thought to only catch a maid or his change of guard duty, but this time Tia had decided to come pay me a visit. The look on his face when my sister walked through the door and was covered with mashed Alfalfa was a bit to much for me to hold back the laughter. Tia chased after him through the whole castle yelling at him and flinging gobs of mashed alfalfa after him. When she finally caught him she turned his coat plaid for a month as punishment. She went easy on him as she was happy to see me out of my depression. He wound up being rather happy as I started responding to him rather than just being there. It was not that long after it became a bit more serious between us and we formed a bit of a relationship. It was perhaps the best three years I have had in my life, then Sable came into the picture.” Luna's tone darkened considerably and she seemed to nearly spit the name.

Jer'rahd shifted uncomfortable in his armor noting the others were also looking uncomfortable at her sudden mood change.

“Sable was a earth pony inventor and researcher, her primary field of study was the creatures created by Discord and how to remove them. Several of her inventions had been put to use to deal with some of the ones still bothering Equestria even that long after the war, including developing a method for removing parasprites using music. Her skill and intelligence at even a young age had Celestia take her as a favored student, providing what ever she needed for her studies, and covering for any mishaps that happened as a result. She likely was the brightest pony that ever existed. Unfortunately she had a number of emotional problems, the one in particular that started everything was her jealousy. Her colt friend at the time had broken up with her. The way he put it later was that she spent so much time working on things, that he never saw her and she was always more interested in whatever she was working on then him. A bit selfish I suppose, but understandable as well, he broke it off as politely as he could and was not even sure she had noticed what he said to her.” Luna sighs closing her eyes , her ears flattening to her head. ”She had, and a month or so later when he found another mare friend she lost it fully. She had been studying the very make up of the draconequus and had become quite interested in his chimeric make up. She had created something using that knowlege, and in her rage at finding out her colt friend had moved on with his life without her, released it to kill him. Things did not go so well for any one. The creature was unstable and dissolved into some sort of amorphous blob that grew larger the more it killed and ate, incorporating bits of its victims into it self, usually their final pain filled screaming faces. It killed every one in the town but her, as she had the sense to flee. She made it to Canterlot to report the creatures attack, thinking to avoid the blame, there was a hoof full of survivors however who had seen that she was the one who released it, including her former colt friend who was the main target. He informed my sister of where it had come from, as he had seen it in her lab while they were still together. Tia has a way of getting the truth out of ponies and Sable broke down almost immediately, this did not save several other towns and hundreds of ponies from being taken into the mass of the creature. The beast set its sights on Canterlot, carving a path of death towards it. Sable was put to work under heavy guard to find a way to stop it, the guard were sent out to hold the creature back, including my love, they were able to hold the creature back long enough for Sable to finish her work, though none of them survived. As the goddess of war I wanted to be out aiding the Guards in holding it back. Tia had kept me at the castle until the device was complete sending me to use it the moment it was. As I activated I the device I saw his face in the mass the same smirk on his lips that was always there before the creature was disintegrated by the device his face burned away before my eyes. It took all of Tia's power to stop me from ripping the mare apart when I returned to the castle. My sister had her sealed in stone and placed near the statue of Discord in the Royal Gardens. I did not think it enough and tried many times to destroy the statue hoping that she could see and feel what I was doing to her as she was locked in stone. Tia stopped me every time. Eventually, I sank back into depression and fled the castle. I flew till I could no longer fly then ran until I fell, then I simply cried. Tia told me I stayed in that spot for nearly a century, my tears filled all the low lands of that place creating a inland sea.”

“The Great Hooper Sea in southern Equestria.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Yes. Named after him.” Luna admits.

There was no further conversation that night even among the watches.

==============================================================

“Alright I need an explanation again.” Starfall asks.

“Shoot.” Jer'rahd responds.

“What the hay are we ?” Starfall asks.

“Not sure, part diamond dog maybe, though thinner and hairless?” Jer'rahd admits. "More like a monkey i think."

“Well at least our coats or skin is the same color as we were .” Starfall mutters looking at her bare , gray foreleg that had five stunted claws on the end of it.

“Not sure why Bleu is a dog though... why did Rhede faint, Jer'rahd?”Luna asks.

“The, ahem, personal anatomy of these things is much smaller than normal.” Jer'rahd comments.

“So his junk shrunk and he went thunk?” Velkorn asks looking down at Rhede still laying on the ground.

“Not how I would have put it Velkorn, but yes. Though I do have a question for you all. What are those big bags of flesh things on your front?” Jer'rahd asks. “ And why are Luna's bigger than the rest of yours?”

“Can we just get out of here without the questions Jer'rahd.” Starfall grumbles having the smallest of what ever the bags were.

“Least most of our armor changed with us.” Luna points out.

“Yes, for some reason I think I would feel amiss, running about uncovered like this.” Velkorn comments.

==========================================

[Another fire, another camp.]

Jer'rahd blinks looking down at the dragonling and the necklace she is held up to him. A jagged bit of metal wrapped and tied to the end securely with the length of a thin vine.

“Is that?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Yeah... your grandfathers sword, well parts of it. I figured if it had managed to help your grandfather kill dragons, and your father defend Equestria, plus all the stuff you've pulled off with it, there was no sense letting it rest just yet. Got a nice cut on my finger from it too, so its still eager and thirsty for blood, this things far from done. I made six of these, I figure we could all use a bit of the luck and protection it seems to give. Well that, is if its alright with you. It is yours.” Bleu comments

“Nah, that is actually a rather nice gesture Bleu.”

“Damn right.” Bleu snaps. “ You better apprciate it you know how hard it is to itch scales when cuts heal?" The little dragon proceeds to pass them out to the group, taunting Rhede a little with the piece she was giving him.

Luna regards the bit of metal with some interest, her gaze shifting to the other bits the others put on as well silently pondering to herself.

Jer'rahd smiles feeling the cool blade against his chest, he had felt out of sorts without the weapon, or at least a bit of it near him.

======================================================

“ Giant three headed dog?” Starfall sighs.

“Yep, I told you boss was really good at what he did.” Bleu cackles

“Meh.” Starfall mutters. "I know he's good but all he did was just toss that big bone weapon of his and the dog ran off after it.”

“Something the matter Starfall?” Luna asks.

“Nothing, it just seems that this was kinda tame compared to everything else we have had to deal with. It was an easy win just by Jer'rahd being a clever pony.”

“Hey every one there’s a bunch of flaming half whatever those things we were before coming out of that gate the dog was in front of . They do not appear friendly. Um, hey Jer, why do they have pitchforks?” Rhede asks.

“OK, I need to keep my big mouth shut.” Starfall sighs.

===========================================================

[Another campfire.]

“Alright,I did agree Princess. I kinda hoped you forgot. I know it has nothing on your story though.” Starfall grumbles.

“Mine was over two thousand years ago Starfall, you are already a bit behind in that regard.”Luna comments

Again Rhede and Jer'rahd feign disinterest, but they still have their ears perked listening.

“My brother introduced me to Loc, they had evidently met in basic training and become friends, the two of them spent most of their time together when off duty. Loc never really got along with his family before he joined the Guard and after he did join they disowned him. They were the type who were fully against violence of any kind. My brother invited him to our parents place when they both had leave and that’s where I met him.” Starfall mutters looking down into a bowl of cooked oats with a small grumble.

“We hit it off rather well right from the get go. That built up rather quickly to the point where he proposed to me and I accepted. It was a simple wedding that really only had my side of the family in attendance, he never cared about that and so neither did I. He and my brother were both stationed together in the northern lands and both of them came home when ever they had leave. We spent two years of our life like that. When I became pregnant he put in for his last tour, a last duty assignment in Ice Crown get enough bits so we could live comfortably until he found other work. My brother had plans to quit as well and get married to his mare friend as soon as he was out, provided he managed to find one.”

Starfall pauses with a small smirk that fades, though Bleu and Velkorn listened with Rapt attention Luna was already prepared to expect the worst, she had read the reports from Ice Crown when looking over Starfall's files.

“They were on a routine patrol when a wing of griffons attacked them and killed them both. I had just gone into labor when I found out, my parents flew out to the base to retrieve their bodies for burial and my sister stayed with me. The same Griffon wing that killed my brother and my husband stalked and killed my mother and father as well as they returned with the bodies. One of the carriage fliers survived and told the Guard about a silver and black griffon who lead the wing, she seemed to be gunning for my parents directly. Once she killed them she took their tails mounting them on a belt that had my brother and husbands tails as well.” Starfall explains.

“I have heard about a griffon who collects trophies like that. She goes by the name of Windrazor. She was part of the terror campaign the griffons ran, hunting down entire families of soldiers she killed. She was rumored to be very good at it, even managing some targets deep in Equestria to complete her collections. “ Rhede comments.

“I knew that much already Rhede. I also know that I am going to kill her, painfully. She made what should have been one of the happiest days of my life one of the worst. There's also the chance she still knows about my sister and Cloud Dancer. I will not allow anything to happen to my foal while I still breathe.” Starfall growls.

“That explains why you joined the guard. As well as why you have no trouble letting the media know who you are.” Jer'rahd comments.

“I want her to know who I am and I want her to know I am coming for her. If she is the collector like she acts she will want my tail as well. So long as she is focused on me she won't find out about my daughter and sister.”Starfall snarls

“So that is why you wished to transfer to the northern posts at first, To hunt this griffon?” Luna asks calmly.

“It is Princess.”Starfall admits.

“So long as your family remains in Canterlot, no harm should come to them. Griffons are still not allowed in the royal city.” Luna states.

“Still, I need to see this birds corpse nailed to a rock before I am going to feel comfortable. And to recover the rest of my families remains for proper burial.” Starfall states.

============================================

“I have died and this is my eternal reward.” Bleu whispers drooling heavily.

“OK, what the buck? Chocolate geysers, on a marsh land made of pretzels and peanuts? Is this even sanitary, let alone possible?” Rhede questions.

“Discord did have a thing for chocolate.” Luna sighs.

“Bleu don't do that, GAAAH!!!” Jer'rahd yelps.

Jer'rahds' magic grabs the little dragon by the tail yanking her back as she dunked her whole head into one of the erupting geysers. The dragonling seemed to be trying her best to drink the whole erupting hot chocolate stream and if not for Jer'rahd holding her tail she would have been blown away by the erruption.

The gray unicorn growls slapping her on the back until she coughs up the chocolate that had nearly drowned her.

“Sooo goood.” the dragonling coughs.

========================================

“RUN AWAY!!!!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“BETTER PART OF VALOR!! BETTER PART OF VALOR!!” Rhede screams.

“SHUT UP AND RUN!” Luna shouts.

The group tear off through the woods being chased by what look like walking trees made of Poison Joke.

================================================

[Another night at camp.]

“You want me to do what?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Well you have been listening to what we have spoken of. There must be something in your life to compare to the sort of stories we have told the last few nights.” Luna comments.

“Have you seen the papers on what happened in Dullahan keep?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Good point, and that covers Bleu as well.” Starfall comments.

“Why are you seeking sad stories any way Starfall?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I was not to start with but after mine, I do kinda feel a little better. I figure there might be something to get off your chest. Might help us under stand each other a bit better as well.” Starfall adimits.

“If you want something sad ask him about when his grandfather died.” Rhede comments.

“Rhede.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Oh?”Luna asks.

“Pneumonia and a bad heart do not mix.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“Cried for days, poor Jer did.”Rhede smirks.

“I was much younger.” Jer'rahd glares at Rhede.

“It was barely ten years ago.”

“Shut up Rhede. That is not something to joke about.”

“The crying or the death?”

“Why am I friends with you again?”

“Because I amuse you so.”

“This is true, do you still have the skirt from the teddy bears? That was the most amusing thing you've done in a while.” Jer'rahd grins.

“I'll shut up now.” Rhede sighs.

“Good. To answer your question though Starfall I do have something of interest. I am still amazed the papers have not spread this every where .” Jer'rahd mutters.

“It does seem they have left you alone lately, save the horror stories and questioning your sexual prefrence of course.” Starfall snarks.

“I finally met my mothers parents.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Oh crap Jer..... I did not even know they were still alive?” Rhede perks up looking over at the gray unicorn. “ They are still alive right, you didn't kill them?”

“Yes, they are still alive Rhede. I might have inherited my grandfather and father's disdain for them, but not the burning hatred. Though after meeting them for the first time, I have that now as well.” Jer'rahd admits.

“So what happened then?” Starfall asks.

“I was invited to another nobles party, mostly a show for the media. I was still fairly banged up from Dullahan, this was before everything with Bleu cleared, so she was still stuck at the hospitol.”

“Crap I missed a party.” Bleu grumbles.

“You missed a long drawn out exercise in straining my patience. The noble who invited me had been escorting me around introducing me to other ponies like I was some sort of trophy that he managed to get to show up. If Celestia had not ordered me to maintain good a impression for the Guard I would not have been any where near it. “ Jer'rahd mutters crunching down on and swallowing a mouth full of an oat bar.

“Half way through the party the pair of them practically jumped me. I had no idea who they even were at first and was simply swept along in the rapid fire conversation they were having with the reporters there. It was about this time they started referring to me as their grandson, playing up the relation to the media of how their blood line was responsible for one of the greatest heroes in equestrian history. “ Jer'rahd explains.

“Goody so they went right for what annoys you the most then?” Bleu sighs.

“With all the media presenting you do, songs of praise still bother you?” Velkorn asks.

“Boss here hates when ponies call him a hero Velky, he wants to avoid the media as much as he can. They just don't let him.” Bleu grumbles.

“I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, protecting the rest of the lands to the best of my abilities. I just keep getting placed in situations where my abilities are enough to make a noticeable difference.”Jer'rahd explains.

“If I did not already know better I would say you were being humble.” Starfall chuckles. “ So what happened?”

“Once everything they were saying sunk in I suppose I went a bit over board.”Jer'rahd admits.

“Are they still alive Jer?”Rhede asks.

“Yes Rhede, I already said that.”

“Then you didn't go overboard.”Rhede grumbles.

“Any way when the pair of them finally picked them selves up from where I flung them, I went on a bit of a tirade. Let the media and every other noble in the place see my rage at them. Gave full disclosure on everything they had done to me.”

“Hold on I seem to be missing some things here that Rhede and Bleu seem to already know.” Luna questions. “ Do you mind filling me in?”

“My mother was a unicorn, my father a earth pony. Her parents did everything in their power to stop the wedding up to, and including trying to have her kidnapped to save face. When all that failed they disowned her. When she became sick they could have used their money, their wealth to get a better doctor to save her life, instead they let her die which practically ruined my father. It was about this time my grandfather explained something he called the rule of three. My father never recovered from her death and spent his remaining years in a personal war to try and preform heroic enough deeds to enact the rule and bring her back. When he was killed my grandfather raised me until his illness took him when I was younger. If it had not been for Rhede and his family allowing me to stay with them I would have been out on the street somewhere. They took the house almost as soon as my grandfather died, took all his bits to pay for medical and countless bills and taxes suddenly levied against the house. Soon as they owned the building they leveled it, destroyed the house I grew up in in less than a day, barely even let me take anything out of the house. They did their damnedest to wipe out the fact that my father, mother, and I ever existed. I couldn't even bury my grandfather in a normal plot, as they denied every attempt to do so with some law or another or something. They even paid for judges and others to demand the exhuming of my mother father and grandmother for some stupid reason or another. If not for the Pelt's allowing a section of their land to be used for the burrial my family's bodies would still be sitting some where awaiting a court hearing.”

The group regards him in silence, Jer'rahd remained calm in the telling , but Rhede and Bleu both seemed to get pissed off enough for him.

“Any way I told them exactly what I thought of them and what they could do with their pride at my accomplishments. I promptly disowned them right then and there. Made sure the whole of the party could hear me. The whole time I kept moving towards them as I yelled until they were ushered out of the party before something happened. Killed the rest of the party mood for everyone else too. By the time I was going off about how they did not even have the decency to come to their own daughters funeral I was screaming to a empty room.” Jer'rahd comments

“I did hear about a evacuation of a city block a bit back but not what caused it.” luna mutters.

“Boss is kinda the most feared pony in Equestria. If something like that set him off enough for him to be throwing old ponies around I seriously doubt the media wanted to find out what would happen if they wrote about it, or pressed him for info.”

“More likely the media was paid off to keep the disgrace silent. Nothing worse for nobles then to have their dirty laundry aired. So who were they any way Jer? Been rather curious about that side of your family for a bit. I never managed to find anything. If you disowned them,and they covered it up, i'm not likely going to find anything out.” Rhede sighs.

“I don't really care who they were. They called themselves Bluebloods when talking to the media before I flipped out though.” Jer'rahd admits.

“Is that a name or a mark of royalty.” Bleu asks.

“A name, though a rather important one in noble circles. They are the only group that can trace their line back to actual royalty.”Luna states.

“Related to you and your sister then?”Starfall asks.

“No, not to us. But a god none the less.” Luna admits.

“High ranking nobility though Jer. You could do a lot of good with the sort of power that comes from that name.” Rhede points out.

“I refuse to be associated with a group that intentional abandons one of its own to die for such a stupid reason. If I was a more vindictive pony I would do all I could to ruin them, but at this point it hardly seems worth it. What is done is done and ruining them now will not bring any pony back that has been lost.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Better pony than I am, Jer'rahd.” Rhede admits. “ I wouldn't leave a scrap of their dignity or fourtune left in their hooves.”

“No, I am not Rhede.” Jer'rahd comments. “I just don't see the point now.”

=============================

“I take it back Rhede, this is far more amusing than the skirt.” jer'rahd chuckles in a higher pitch than normal.

“Stuff it, you're in the same boat Jer.” Rhede growls.

“Yeah, but I don't check to see if my dick is back every three seconds.” Jer'rahd laughs. “And we're still ponies which is better than the last time.”

“Oh how I miss not so little Rhede.” Rhede whines.

Bleu laughs at Rhede from atop Jer'rahds back as they walk through the strange mist.

“But you look even sexier now Rhede, or is it Rhedete?” Bleu chuckles in a slightly deeper voice.

"Rhede can still be a mares name Bleu." Jer'rahd chuckles.

The dragonling seemed completely unchanged beyond her voice, and that she had a rather large bushy mustache.

A tall black alicorn stallion and rather uncomfortable looking pegasus stallion trotted along behind them with a male zebra tagging behind. The zebra seemed more than content that this odd area didn't make her fly again.

“How you holding up in that armor boss, it really doesn't even look like you've changed genders at all past your voice.” Bleu comments tapping on the helmet

“Interestingly enough, the armor seems to fit perfectly now. Not baggy or tight any where.” Jer'rahd admits.

=============================================================

“Starfall.” Jer'rahd comments

“Yes Jer'rahd??” Starfall sighs.

“Please do not ask me what these are.” Jer'rahd comments.

“Not a problem.” Starfall admits.

“At least what ever they are, isn't attacking us.” Bleu admits.

The group pauses for a moment more regarding the sight before continuing past the small grove of trees. Each tree had a strange door set into it. One door was shaped like a brightly colored egg, another like a turkey, still another like a gourd with a face carved into it, and one like a garishly decorated pine tree. It had however, gotten to the point that none of them were the slightest bit curious about what they found here any more.

===============================================

[Another camp.]

“...So if it had not been for Rhede, I surely would have been dead.” Velkorn explains.

“So this zebra was the one who turned your half brother evil then?” Jer'rahd remarks.

“No, he was already going bad, that was an issue from his dad. His adviser just made it worse, by filling his head with evil verse.” Velkorn comments.

“Zebra's name was Bloodtail, A necromancer of all things, he escaped the initial onslaught and then came back for Velkorn.“ Rhede mutters, not seemingly interested in the story, something Jer'rahd found as odd.

“He was impossible to get rid of, his intent was to make me his love.” Velkorn snorts.

“Did not work out to well for him this time either. His attentions were one reason she hid in the woods to begin with.“ Rhede states.

“I thought Velkorn was out there to hide from the warlord?” Jer'rahd responds.

“That was the other reason , the warlord let her stay in the fort so long as she just healed his people. When she started trying to heal the enemy he got pissed and she left.” Rhede mutters.

“Makes sense now. I am sort of sorry I missed that whole conflict.”Starfall adds

“ We caught him when he came back to try and kidnap Velkorn. He broke into the palace and managed to make his way to her room to wait for her. Of course like most days she stayed in the hospital til rather late and I would up having to bring her back. Well when I opened the door for her he was evidently tired of waiting and started flinging the spells he had prepped at the first thing to come in. Zebra spells are different from Unicorn ones. The more complex the spell the harder it is to cast, that parts the same, but even powerful zebra spells can have reduced cast times by making them target a specific thing. Like a fire ball that hits only male ponies would have half the time to cast as a normal one. Or take that spell and make it all the males with black manes, the cast time drops more. Bloodtail had some very potent spells of charm and paralysis for Velkorn. Unfortunately for him they hit me and since I was not the target, fizzled. After beating the snot out of him he was arrested and charged with attacking a ambassador, that way he could be extradited to Equestria and away from the Zebra lands. I had security increased, but we did not let on he made it all the way to her bed chambers. No sense in giving any dissidents the idea they could get there easily. After he came to Canterlot I am not sure what happened to him.” Rhede explains like he was reading from a script.

“Tia put him in the garden.”Luna anounces.

“You have mentioned the garden a few times now Luna, what is it?” Starfall asks.

“It is a prison Starfall. While I have no issue holding an execution for those who deserve it my sister is more in charge of Equestria's justice system than I am. She does not kill, she won't do it no matter how heinous the crime. It is a code she set up for herself long ago that she has followed for thousands of years. She has yet to break it since then as far as I know, she first started adding to the garden when Discord was defeated and turned to stone. I believe what the Elements did to him gave her the idea. While he was not the first inhabitant, he was the first she put there. Others followed including Sable and Forgescale. Anytime an crime was committed that goes beyond what a simple bit of jail time or a fine would pay for the offender is sealed in stone and placed in the garden at Canterlot to serve their time.”

“Would have to be a big garden.” Rhede mutters. “There's a lot of ponies out there who deserve that sort of thing.”

“It is much like this place. It is much bigger inside than it is outside. It took us a great deal of magic to make it so. There are hundreds of statues of ponies and beasts sealed there. I do not even remember half of their crimes or what some of them even are. While Discord was the first we put in the Garden and the dimensional displacement is an enchantment we set on it, we were not the first to add anyone to the garden itself. It was there before we came to power and will likely be there long after.”

“She put Claymore there didn't she? Bleu growls.

“Yes, Claymore is in the garden as well.” Luna admits.

“I thought he was going to be executed?” Bleu snaps.

“Bleu calm down and think about it, the bastard is trapped in stone forever. Frozen in stone watching the world go by.” Jer'rahd comments. “If that doesn't help, I'll buy you a nice heavy mallet when we get back .”

“Nah forget it Boss. Though I hope pigeons poop on him.” Bleu snarls.

====================================================================

“Now this place is creepy. A bunch of those weird hairless diamond dog skeletons too. What ever these big metal birds were they must have been eating them off the boats. Look you can see the insides of a couple burst open and spilled the bones out.” Bleu mutters.

The group slowly winds its way around the large piles of ships and planes. All of them seemed to be crashed or run a ground here far from any water. Piolets and crew of all of them still on board , their bones bleached, some still wearing the tatters of their uniforms and clothing. Star fall flies down to glide above the group.

“This place is really odd, its like a ship and metal bird grave yard, and from the air its one big triangle.”Starfall mutters.

====================================================

“RUN FASTER!!!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“YOU EVERY HAVE THE FEELING WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE JER?” Rhede shouts.

“SHUT UP AND RUN FIRM FLANK, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH HENTAI TO KNOW WHERE THIS DOES NOT NEED TO GO!!” Bleu hollars.

Again the group thunders across a field fleeing from a strange green blob of a monster waving a multitude of very phallic looking tentacles in the air.

==========================================

“Are we there yet Boss?” Bleu asks.

“No.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Are we there yet Jer?” Rhede questions.

“No.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Are we there yet Jer'rahd?” Starfall qwerries.

“No”Jer'rahd growls.

“Jer'rahd please do not fret, but I must ask, are we there yet?” Velkorn riddles.

“NO!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“Are we there yet General?” Luna grins.

“GAAAAAAAAH!!” Jer'rahd yells storming ahead of the group marching across the field they had been crossing.

“You are correct Bleu, this is rather fun.”Luna admits.

“How long till the boss snaps, a fun game for the whole family.”Bleu cackles.

Strawberry Pop Rocks, Part 1 [15] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Strawberry Pop Rocks
part 1

“Spike if we have to go through this every year I am going to stop even getting you a book.” Twilight grumbles.

“I said I was sorry Twilight, I think I’ve apologized to everyone in town at least fifteen times each. You even said you forgave me.” Spike whines.

“That was before I realized I would have to climb a freaking mountain to get my books and research back. When you took everything from the side room you took the sword and scroll as well.”

“I clearly was not in my right mind then. I don't even want to look at that thing normally. “

“Almost there at least… Hey is that Pinkie Pie? HEY PINKIE!!”

The pink pony perks up looking over the top of a rather large covered wagon. She yelps seeing the two and hops on top of the cart, kicking off riding it down the mountain side away from them. Twilight sighs as Spike fusses.

“See, even Pinkie Pie is still mad at me.” Spike grumbles.

“Umm, I am sure she will get over it Spike. Though that didn't seem like a' I'm mad' reaction anyway. Though if my books are covered with cake, you are going to be grounded more than a few weeks.”

“Gaaaaaah....”

===================================================

It took them the rest of the day and well into the next to get everything back to the library and put it all away where it was supposed to go. They went to bed half finished and woke early to take care of the rest of it. The pony construction crews had already started with the library and the town hall, seeing as they were public works buildings, and as such they had a direct line of credit from the Princess to pay for everything.

Applejack had turned out to be much less annoyed than every other pony at Spike's antics. Despite a few damaged apple trees the whole field had been ripe for the harvest and Spikes picking them all had saved her and Big Mac a great deal of work. Rarity also did not have any real problems with the mess he caused. Aside from grabbing her he had left Carousel Boutique mostly intact and the one hole he put in the wall was the perfect size for a new picture window. Pinkie was furious still, but the Cakes were a little more understanding. It may have been that when Spike got larger he destroyed Pinkie's room on the top floor completely. Rainbow Dash had been more amused than anything else and Fluttershy was quick to forgive him after he apologized.

Spike had spent most of the day grumbling and helping Twilight. Not at the work but mostly at himself and how to make Pinkie stop hating him. About noon he finally had enough and passed out, giving Twilight the chance to wipe the framed Rarity kiss off his cheek before it wound up looking like the last one. He likely would be mad, but at least he was clean. The door was suddenly pushed open and a Pink pony bounded in, spotted Spike asleep, and landed soundlessly in an attempt to be quiet.

“Oh Spike's asleep early.” Pinkie comments

“Hmm, hello Pinkie. What are you doing here?” Twilight asks picking up the little dragon and moving him to the couch out of the way.

“Well I kinda wanted to just forgive Spike already, I know it was not really his fault and I have been kinda a grouchy grouch since he attacked Sugercube corner. But now that every things back to normal I wanted everything to be back to normal. Besides you and Rarity both say he wasn’t really in control of himself and since you two know more about magic than I do and a giant Spikasarus Rex was clearly magical in nature I figured that you two would know best.” Pinkie rambles.

“Ummmm.”

“Plus with the damage done, the Cakes are taking a vacation with the excess insurance money, I had no idea they insured Sugarcube Corner for THAT many Bits. But it will be a week before they get it all rebuilt and......... WAAAAH TWILGHT IVE GOT NO WHERE TAH GOOOO. Applejack's got all the other homeless ponies in town staying with her, and Fluttershy's got all the animals that were displaced, Rarity is staying with her parents till they fix her bedroom wall, I can't walk on the clouds to ask Rainbow......” Pinkies mood swung from chipper to bawling in less than an eye blink.

“Well I can put a bed down in the basement if you need a place to stay .... wait wheres Gummy?”Twilight sighs her ears flattening.

“He's staying with Fluttershy, I didn't know where was gonna wind up so I found a spot for him first. He and Angel seem to get along rather well.”

“That's a first, something other than Fluttershy getting along with Angel. Well at least I don't have to worry about my bathwater being occupied. Sure Pinkie you can stay it will be nice to have the company , plus you can keep an eye on me when I study.”

Twilight gasps as shes glomped by her friend who giggled bouncing back to the door.

“OOOh, the sword thing. I can do that, I remember how to use the gem … I think. Let me get my stuff.”

Pinkie darts off returning a moment or so later with a few suitcases, but nothing even close to the massive cart she had before.

“I expected a bit more.”

“Oh well most everything is in the shed behind SugerCube Corner. Trust that old thing to hold up when the rest of the town gets trashed. I plan to check back every day to make sure every things alright with the repair ponies. This stuffs just my scarf some socks and Granny Pie's cooking supplies.”

“Weren’t you watching something for some pony?”Twilight asks.

“WHO TOLD YOU?!?” Pinkie bellows before calming down in a flash.”…. I mean … yes.....It's OK though I plan to go back and check on it every day as well.”

“What is it ?”

“Ummmmmm, a thing....”

“Well I suppose if you don't want to tell me that's fine. Must be important if its got you serious.”

“I don't really like keeping things from my friends, but this one I kinda have too, at least for now.”

“Every pony has secrets Pinkie, there's no problem with that unless they turn out to be dangerous.”

“Yeah this one is not that, so no worries there.” Pinkie forces a chuckle.

Twilight glanced back at her friend who had gone hopping down the stairs to the basement with her luggage. That last bit sounded less sincere than she was comfortable with. As far as she knew though Pinkie however had been watching this thing for the last few months and nothing had come of it aside it took up a good bit of her time.

She sighed setting up the blade to be studied She was tired, but no where near enough to go to bed in the middle of the day or take a nap. Pinkie moving in would take a bit of time and the Pink Pony had agreed to check on her every so often to make sure she was alright. She also planned to do a bit of cooking while she had the chance, after Twilight showed her where everything was in her small kitchen.

Twilight cast the spell as Pinkie continued to bounce about, feeling herself pulled into the blade.

*************************************************************************

The stars and windows surrounded her again, she stretched out, feeling the soft tug on her magic from the action and smiling. This place felt comfortable, a bit too comfortable for her to relax her guard any, but there did not seem to be any threats. She paused, staring, watching a pink star bounce rapidly across her field of vision. She turned following it as it lept spasticly around her head and the area close to her..... was that, Pinkie Pie? This place confused her even more now, but yes that was definitely Pinkie Pie, she could feel it.

That realization threw her unicorn theory out the window, then again this was Pinkie Pie so maybe it didn't. That mare was a whole lot of impossible rolled into a burrito enigma and topped with mystery sauce.

Maybe she should have eaten before attempting to study.

She blinks turning her head about trying to focus a little more, looking for specific stars,

A pure white star to her far left that seemed to glimmer as extravagantly as possible, that felt like Rarity.

A softly glowing yellow star behind her surrounded by smaller sparks of light, Fluttershy.

A brilliant blue burning star That kept moving everywhere and leaving streaks of light behind it., Rainbow Dash.

A steady orange star that did not seem to even flicker, AppleJack.

She looked again searching, but could not find Spike's any where. She got a bit worried before deciding to ignore it for later. She knew he was alright. She had yet to figure this place out and getting worried over something that was probably nothing was not going to help her figure anything else out.
Besides first things first, one field of study at a time.

Twilight exhales and dives into Jer'rahd's mirror shard.

========================================

[ Empty room set up for the groups return.]

“WHAT!!??” Jer'rahd yells.
“OH NO, CLOUD DANCER!!” Starfall freaks
[“TEN YEARS!?!”] Velkorn stammers.
“NO WAY!” Bleu yelps.
“Hmm this means all those cute underage mares should be hot and legal now.” Rhede mutters.

The entire group turned glaring at Rhede who backs up a step .

“Err, I mean, OH NO!!” Rhede placates.

Luna shakes her head glaring at her sister who seemed to be struggling with trying to keep a straight face and loosing.

“Amusing Tia, but I do not believe you.” Luna deadpans.

The Alicorn Princess of the Sun finally could not hold back any more, and fell over onto the floor laughing hysterically at the expressions on the others faces. Luna simply sighs rubbing her forehead with her hoof muttering to herself about her sisters pranks, after a moment though a evil grin crosses the dark mares face.

Jer'rahd blinks having just barely noticed the grin before her face adopted it's usual some what bored expression. The Princess was up to something.

“I suppose you want to hear about the trip then Celestia? At least when you can stop your laughing long enough to hear me.” Luna sighs. “It was a success, we retrieved the book as well as others, though that trick of yours struck rather close to some of the problems we had there. Some of them did involve a bit of time alteration. Hence why it was so easy to fall for your joke of a ten year lapse.”

“Oh? “ Celestia chuckles.

“Indeed. I suppose I should start by introducing you to your niece.”Luna states.

“My what?” Celestia blinks.

Celestia sat up slowly finally noting the unconscious form on the floor under Luna's wards. Her amusement died off rather quickly as she took in the sight of Nocturne's horn and wings. Her gaze shifts from the alicorn to Luna, then back to the alicorn, taking note of the coloration of the new mare's mane and tail. She then looks to Jer'rahd who simply shrugs.

“It seems we got along a great deal better than expected Princess Celestia. Or am I allowed to call her sister in law now Luna?” Jer'rahd asks.

Luna twitched a little bit, barely keeping a straight face, though thankfully Celestia was too focused on Jer'rahd and Nocturne to notice the small slip. Luna was reveling in the sight of her gobsmacked sister.
“Please close your mouth Tia, you might swallow a bug.

The stunned Sun Princess tried to say something as her mouth moved but no words came out as she simply shifted her gaze between the three.

Jer'rahd turned to the others, Noting Starfall was looking a little better after the teleportation.

“Alright everyone, we're back, Luna and I will handle the mission debriefing the rest of you take care of what you need to, grab some food, and get some sleep, dismissed.“ Jer'rahd orders.

Bleu and Rhede both hesitated wanting to see the fallout that would happen when Celestia caught onto the joke.

Starfall and Velkorn were more eager to leave and drug the other two away with them, as they did not want to see what Celestia might do to retaliate for this prank. Jer'rahd's off sided grin was easily seen by the two mares and taken as a sign to run before they got dragged into this.

Jer'rahd evidently thought the whole thing funny and was willing to pay for it. Luna leans over whispering into his ear.

“You know she's going to throw you into the lake for this?”

“Totally worth it.”

====================================================
[ North of Canterlot, further up the Maneterhorn.]

Jer'rahd had finally stopped laughing at Celestia's reaction about the time he hit the thin ice covering the surface of a lake, one much further up the side of the mountain than he had expected to be tossed into. After pulling himself out of the water and working to dislodge a half frozen fish from a shoulder spike he took note that aside from the mouth the armor seemed water proof as well. Of course he was still likely to drown if he swam in the heavy gear, but it was a nice touch that increased his appreciation of Luna's skill.

He shifted his gaze to the Castle just barely visible further down the mountain. This was going to be a rather long walk.

He chuckles to himself as he sets off fatigue finally starting to set in. Hopefully he could make it back before it got too bad..

================================================

[ Celestia's Chambers. ]

Luna had seated herself on a cushioned bench across the table from her sisters lavish chair. Her glowing hair still weakly fluttering in the unseen wind. Most would not have noticed anything odd about her hair, but Celestia had known her sister long enough to notice the oddity in her mane.

Celestia was fuming, not because her sister and Jer'rahd had gotten one over on her, she had forgiven the pair right after she flung the unicorn out the window, no, Celestia was ranting and pissed off for a different reason, Discord.

There was a rather storied history between the two that Luna disliked mentioning. Anytime it came up Tia tended to get mad and go quiet or get mad and get very loud depending on who she was talking too. Luna knew many of the details, though not all of them.

“Will you calm down Tia. Discord is still sealed in stone and his machine is now destroyed thanks to Bleu.“ Luna sighs.

“You say that oh so calmly to me sister, but you have brought back proof that he could make alicorns, ALICORNS. That mare is NOT a pegicorn or other mix. HE MADEA GOD LUNA! He might have made more that are in hiding. Then there are those books.”

“We could not have left them there. If we made it to his castle others could as well. And they might have used them. At least now we know where they are. The machine needed the blood of one of us to create ones such as Nocturne and with it destroyed that option is not available. It did not create a god from nothing it grew one.”

“That shouldn't be possible. There should only ever be two pony gods.”

“It was Discord. You know as well as I do that most rules did not apply to him.” Luna sighs.

“How were you weakened enough to even allow your blood to be taken Even taken by surprise you should have been fast enough to … wait...... that armor... you made that armor the General was wearing didn't you. I thought it felt familiar, and far to potent to be Guard issue. Exactly how much of your magic did you put into that suit?”

“Enough to revert me. The loss of his gear was a convenient excuse.” Luna states.

“What sort of excuse justifies putting yourself in that much risk? You could have been killed!” Celestia rants.

“I was nearly killed at full power by a Bone Hound god. Until Nocturne was created there were no other gods ever recorded in the Dark lands.”Luna snorts. “You asked me to get them to trust me. You yourself have complained at how difficult it is to make friends when they are intimidated by your being a god. We may not have the time for them to get over that fear on their own. Starfall and Velkorn might never have done so if our association progressed naturally. I needed them to see me as a friend, one with my own problems and issues, not as a immortal goddess.”

“That was reckless.”Celestia grumbles.

“ How is that new for me? And it worked. I might have been weaker than I would have liked while there, but the armor I crafted for the General more than made up for any physical weakness of mine. Particularly since he is the type who seems willing to throw himself in the way of anything that would harm his friends.” Luna smirks.

“Are you sure it was that, or was it because you are the Princess?”

“That much I do not know, but I know more about them now and they know more about me. As painful of a revelation as they was.” Luna sighs.”At the very least this makes your plan for the Elements plausible now.”

“Only if you start to feel the same way about them as they do you Lulu. Friendship does need to go both ways, even you should remember that.”

“I do.”

“I am still not comfortable with those three books being here together. Where they were was surrounded by leagues of unforgiving and confusing hostile land that never stayed the same. Here they are protected by fallible ponies and the two of us. We cannot watch them all the time.”

“Here they are protected by the fact no pony knows they are here save us and the General. He knows more about magic than his poor casting abilities let on. But even he did not feel the power coming from the books. He might not consider them anything. In truth the Book of Blue isn't anything, but the other two...”

“You seem to put a great deal of faith in him sister. Maybe something did happen hmm? You both were rather coordinated in that joke you pulled on me.” Celestia grins wide.

“He took a blast of magic for me..... granted he also crashed head long into me, and then stopped me from being crushed by falling rocks. He also killed a Tank, by himself. I can say I am quite impressed to have seen him in action.”

“I believe all of it, but the Tank. I mean seriously what would he have done, let it eat him then choke it to death?” Celestia snorts. “ Those things are ridiculous.

“Actually Tia...””Luna chuckles.

============================================

[ North gate, two hours after Jer'rhad's departure.]

“HALT STATE YOUR BUISSNESS .” Shouts a voice from the Guard tower.

“Bed... ” Jer'rahd mutters with a yawn.

“WHAT?” The tower Guard yells back.

“Nothing, what did you want?” Jer'rahd asks looking up at the half hidden tower Guard.

“I SAID STATE YOUR BUISSNESS WITH CANTERLOT.” The Guard repeats.

Jer'rahd glanced behind him as if trying to figure out who the gate guard was talking too before his exhausted brain realized he was still in the bone armor Luna made. The walk had been far longer than he thought it would have been. There had been a lot of doubling back and working his way down cliffs,He could barely form a shield now. The teleport, the fighting in the Dark Lands, and now the long march back to Canterlot had him dead on his hooves, his day should have ended hours ago.

“My name is General Jer'rahd Kaisur, solider. Open the damned gate.” He shouts back just wanting the day to end.

“I will need to see some confirmation of that....... sir.” the last bit was a little sarcastic, but Jer'rahd let it go though he twitches at the realization of something.

“My ID is in my other suit of armor.” Jer'rahd calls back. “That was eaten by parasprites.....”

“ Yes , yes ,of course. Your 'other' suit of horrific armor of death, I should have known.” The Guard shouts back. “Pull the other one, it has bells..”

Jer'rahd growls his magic gripping the bone helm pulling it free letting the armor crash to the ground around him. “ Look at my blasted cutiemark! Who else has a mark like this?”

“You could be a Changeling!”

“ What are you six?Those are freaking creatures from foals tales.” Jer'rahd growls as he glares up at the peagsus on the wall his red eye glowing weakly. “ If you're gonna make up imaginary monsters at least make up some good ones!”

Jer'rahd sighs rubbing a hoof through his short mane trying to calm down.

“There is doing your job solider, and then there’s being a dick about it. Your skirting way too close to the latter. Go get the watch commander.” Jer'rahd sighs. “It should be Gibbs today , he can ID me. Though seriously do you not read the paper?”
“I'm not allowed to leave my post.”

“Well then send the runner.”

“The runner is....... busy.”

“There's supposed to be at least three ponies at every gate what the heck is going on up there.”

“Mind your own business.”

“That IS my own business!”

“I'm done talking to you,you freaking Changeling monster skeleton pony thing. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.”

“That was a taunt?”

“Yes.”

“That’s it you little shit, I am done with this crap.” Jer'rahd growls his eye flaring red.

He puts the helm back on, armor closing about his form once more as he snorts glaring up at the obliviously amused guard.

“If you can't send a runner colt, then you better sound the damned alarm because i am coming inside and going home to bed whether you like it or not!”

===================================================

[Medical room Canterot Castle.]

Rhede lifts his head up from the bed curiously, his ears perking.

“Is that the alarm Velkorn?” He questions wincing as the mare pulls a bandage tight around his ribs.

“That is indeed the alarm, you are staying here though, before you do yourself more harm.” She comments looking down at him in annoyance.

“Hey, I'm fine............. whoa crap did!” Rhede blinks turning from her stare. “ Did Jer teach you one of his death glare things? Ugh, Right, fine I'll stay in bed. But that better not be important.”

“We are in the middle of Canterlot, you don't need to fight everything, let the Guards have their shot.” Velkorn grumbles.

==================================================

[ General Kaisur's Residence]

Bleu lifted her head at the annoying sound she heard, looking curiously at the alarm clock ticking away at the side of her bed. She hadn't realized she was this tired until she made it back to Boss's place and pushed past the piles of invites and junk mail that had been shoved in the mail slot on the door. After that she had pretty much immediately found her bed and crashed in it pulling a small worn pony doll to her chest as she curls up to sleep.

As the alarm didn't seem to be ringing and the sound was apparently outside she pulled her pillow over her head and went back to sleep.

==============================================================

[Silvertail residence. ]

“Oh my goddess, you got your cutie mark sweetie! Eeeeeeeeee that's so cute! We need to have a party and invite all your school friends and ….”

Starfall continued to rant on practically floating around the house with her daughter, barely pausing for breath as the filly giggles along with her as the pair spin about in circles. The little filly giggling along with her mothers excitement, a white cloud shaped like a dancing pony now gracing her flank.

The alarm was not even heard by any of them in the room.

==============================================

[ Canterlot, Mare's Hoof road]

Jer'rahd barely noticed the plink of arrows and a few smaller attack spells bouncing off his armor, not even registering that he was being attacked. The rage that had built up at the gate Guard had all been used up when he smashed through the great wooden gate door.

In all honesty he had expected to bounce off the door and look a fool right as he was rushing at it. Those things were designed to withstand blows from siege weaponry, that he smashed a massive hole in one from just shoulder checking it likely meant something was wrong with the construction.

Well it was a good thing he found the defect before they really needed it. Maybe the replacement would be better built, stupid fund cutting nobles.

As the armored pony trudged through town he was only dimly aware of the alarms and of ponies yanking their foals inside, blinds closing and shop keepers swinging their signs around to the 'closed' position.

Perhaps it had something to do with the annoying rain that was hitting him. Maybe it was a light hail?The only thing that mattered to him was that the streets were clear and he could trudge home in piece.

==========================
[ Canterlot, Luna's Chambers.]

Luna had dozed off and was stirred a little by the alarm. She opened her eyes briefly looking around without lifting her head. Tia had taken Nocturne to the Garden until there was time to study her and possibly remove Discord's influence on her mind. Luna was not hopeful about that last bit herself, Celestia did always try peace first however, which was odd given how she was during the Discordian wars.

After a few moments of no one coming in to alert her to anything going on, she closed her eyes again and pulled a pillow over her head, figuring it for some sort of exercise drill.

On the other side of the door half a dozen Royal Guards were having a heated, but very quiet, argument about which one was going to go wake the sleeping Goddess of War.

=============================================

[ Canterlot, Officer's barreks Kaisur residence. ]

Jer'rahd looked up at the door to his quarters with a sigh as another arrow bounced off his armor. He had stopped noticing them about three blocks back. He had also dozed off on his hooves once and come to a complete stop in the middle of the street, only to wake up and continue walking when a group of ponies somewhere shouted something about 'stopping the monster' or something like that.

Probably some new slang term or something.

He glared at the locked door to the small house he and Bleu had been assigned while in Canterlot. They wanted to give him something bigger, but since he didn't really own anything anyway he didn't need anything else. Most of the place was stuffed with Bleu's things or random useless junk he had collected.... like medals.

Keys, his house keys had been eaten as well. He smacked his head against the door in annoyance and was surprised when the door broke open at the barely felt impact. He regarded the broken lock still attached to the frame of the door a second and sighed about shoddy construction every where today. Shaking his head he pushed the door open further and moves inside sliding the dead bolt closed to secure the door behind him as the handle lock was now useless.

Moving down the hall he pulled off the helm letting the armor fall to the floor as his magic failed. He'd pick that up later when he woke up...., he sniffs the air dipping his head down to his chest and sniffs again before wincing, and a bath.

He had not been this tired since basic. Climbing onto his bed he practically collapsed atop of it, out cold before the bed springs stopped creaking from his landing.

=====================================

Outside the entire city Guard currently had the house and several blocks around it surrounded. Most of the gathered Guards were looking at each other with worry after having watched the creature shrug off blows that would have killed a dragon.

No one was entirely sure who the house belonged to General Kaisur was the last known occupant , but he had been moved closer uptown when he was promoted, the place should have been empty according to records.

One guard went up to the door to listen at it and then took off running just as suddenly at the rumbling snore from the dragonling in the side room. The sound echoing like a beasts growl.

=================================

[Canterlot Castle Training grounds, the next day. ]

Jer'rahd blocks Starfall's swing, lashing out with a fore hoof kick she easily hoped over.

Bleu sat off to the side telling a story to Velkorn.

[“..... So they finally get the nerve to bust in, smashing in through the windows and the door and one even blasted a hole through the roof of all things. The all busted in blades drawn shouting orders and screaming about surrendering, expecting some invincible monster. The noise wakes me up as they are trashing the place. Some pony grabs me and then come across boss, still out cold in bed. Boss finally seems to hear them shouting orders to lay down on the ground and put his fore hooves behind his head and wakes up just enough to place a order for a pint of ale before falling back asleep.”] Bleu smirks in rambling on in Zebra. [“The group ties him and me up, throws us into a sky cart and carries us back to the Guard base to throw us into the strongest cell they have. Boss stays asleep the whole time not even ordering a chaser for his drink. About an hour later the watch commander gets there to take a look at the prisoner who had the whole of Canterlot Guard in a panic because no one could find the Princesses. Well later some one said they found one but they were afraid to wake her, I figure it was Luna. Anyway the watch commander takes one look in the cell, sees Boss and me, recognizes us both immediately , because he evidently has read a paper in the last six months, and flips the buck out. “]

Bleu makes a wild gesture waving her fore claws in the air and mock screaming.

[“He calls the entire company of Royal Guard and any one else he can get and sends all of them to fix the mess they made of our place. Then he gets some unicorns to gently move boss as carefully as they can, back to the house and into bed as quickly as possible. Hours later, boss wakes up on his own, back at home and spends a couple of hours trying to figure out who cleaned the place while we were gone and then he thanks me for fixing the front door before heading to the kitchen to get something to eat.”]

[“You must be joking he cannot sleep that heavily or be that dense.”] Velkorn snorts.

[“Swear on Rhede's flank.”] Bleu chuckles.

[“So it that where you got the bucket of gems?”] Velkorn questions.

[“Yep, a little gift from the watch commander so I would not tell the General what happened when he woke up.”] Bleu cackles.

“They are talking about me again.” Jer'rahd grumbles, knocking aside a blow from Starfall's sword.

“How can you even tell? I thought you didn't speak Zebra?” Starfall asks hopping back a few paces as Jer'rahd bounds after her.

“My name sounds the same in Zebra. So then, what's bothering you now Starfall?” Jer'rahd questions around the grip of the blade held in his mouth.

“You're imaging things.” Starfall snorts. “ There's nothing wrong with me.”

“Bleu, score?” Jer'rahd calls.

“Fifteen to twelve boss. You're actually pretty close for once.” Bleu comments.

“You're distracted Starfall. Badly.” Jer'rahd states, his wooden sword slapping against Starfall's leg getting a wince from the armored mare before the two move back to their starting positions to begin again.

“You could have just gotten better.” Starfall grumbles.

“Or you got a great deal worse.” Jer'rahd corrects,jerking his head back to dodge a sword swing.

“Hey now!” Starfall grumbles darting forward only to bounce away from a hastily raised shield.

“Spill it Starfall.”

“She feels responsible of Rhede, She is the reason he was nearly dead.” Velkorn calls out.

Starfall winces as Jer'rahd and Bleu look between the two. Jer'rahd's eyes narrow as he looks back to Starfall leveling his training blade at her and continuing the spar.

“Since she's not explaining Velkorn, how bout you tell us since you seem to know.” Jer'rahd asks.

“Fine!..damn it, you ponies are a pain sometimes.” Starfall swears. “ By the stars, Rhede killed some creature that I thought was my daughter. I did not react 'well' to that. I attacked him, beat the crap out of him, and nearly killed him. I think I knew it was not Cloud Dancer, but at the time, all I could see was Rhede's dagger sticking out of her throat. I just lost control and attacked him. I barely managed to stop myself from killing him.”

Bleu and Jer'rahd simply stare at her as Velkorn nods.

“He said he forgave her, but her self pity it has yet to deter.” Velkorn mentions

“I nearly killed a friend over nothing. So far no ponies felt any thing but sorry for me and I cannot handle... GAAAKK!!” Starfall yelps.

Jer'rahd didn't say anything, but he simply belted her up side the head with the training sword. She glared back at him and he pelts her with the weapon again.

“Boss?” Bleu questions.

“What are you!? OW!” Starfall yelps as her shoulders hit with the sword.

“This is new, what is he doing Bleu?” Velkorn asks

Another few blows smack into her sides and shoulders, the slap of wood on flesh all that's heard until she dodges one after about eight good hits. He swings again guiding the blade with his magic, his face still dead pan as she knocks this one aside.

“What the buck are you doing Jer'rahd?!?” Starfall yells.

“Curious about that myself boss.” Bleu adds

“Just seeing how much punishment you'll take before you got off your little pity me rant. Rhede forgave you and since Velkorn has not pressed any sort of hostility towards you I would hazard a guess she forgives you for making her work a little longer in patching him up.” Jer'rahd states.

“Rhede does not put on her any blame, as a friend how could I not do the same?” Velkorn adds.

“But since you seem so intent on being punished for a mistake like some sort of foal, there you go, you've been spanked like one. Same sort of thing my grandfather did to me when I was little and did something bad. I doubt a cane switch would be as effective on you as it was on me when I was younger, and also all I have at the moment is a training sword. Every pony makes mistakes Starfall. Goddess knows I’ve made a bucking career out of mine. No one died from your mistake, so learn from it, and don't make the same one again. I would have figured you picked that up from all our crap in basic, some chaos or dark magic can buck with you hard, and we were in possibly the perfect place for that sort of magic.”

“That's hardly a fitting punishment. Hitting me a few times with a training sword?”Starfall snorts.

“No, that's not the punishment. That was just to bring it about.” Jer'rahd grins evilly. “What that really was, was game point, Bleu final count?”

“What? Oh counting those last hits Starfall has fifteen boss has twenty, match point reached. Drinks are on Starfall tonight.” Bleu cheers.

Jer'rahd and Bleu both grin wider as Velkorn looks confused and Starfall looks panicked.

“What!! Oh by a Diamond Dog's puckered plot, NO! Not with as much as you and that dragon drink, no way.” Starfall yelps.

“You were the one who started the betting last time, now you pay for it hahahaha.” Jer'rahd cackles.

“Gaaahhhh. ….....I, sorry, I can't this week....” Starfall mutters.

“Oh? That's odd for you to go back on a deal made.” Bleu questions.

“It's not that, I am not going back on a deal. I just need most of my bits to pay for Cloud Dancer's Cutie Cena party. She got her cutie mark while we were away.” Starfall explains.

“Well now, that is a little different. I suppose I can put off what you owe for a while.” Jer'rahd ponders.

“Or until she beats you again and you give it up to call it even Boss.” Bleu laughs.

“The amount of drink you down, could quickly put you into the ground.” Velkorn grumbles.

“Probably, if I live long enough to have to worry about drinking myself to death.” Jer'rahd shrugs.

“Anyway, there was something else too. Stormsong is against it, but honestly I really do not care what that bitch thinks. Did you all want to come to her party? I don't think any of you have met her beyond Jer'rahd and Rhede briefly when we graduated.” Starfall comments.

“Really? Inviting your war buddies to your daughters cute-ceañera? I am not really the sort that most ponies want around their foals Starfall.” Jer'rahd blinks.

“Yes, well unlike most ponies I realize you are not the monster you are made out to be. I trust you not to do anything stupid around her.” Starfall responds.

“What about Rhede?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Him as well. I need to get over what I saw, he did save my life with that act no matter how horrific it seemed. The image is still going to haunt me.” Starfall sighs.

“Sounds like a plan Starfall, HEY, maybe we should invite Luna as well. She should get out more anyway.” Bleu chimes in.

“Might be a good idea Bleu. Though its Starfall's decision.” Jer'rahd adds.

“I think I will. It will likely make my daughter's party all the more memorable to have one of the Princesses there.” Starfall grins. “ And it would shut my sister's mare friends face for at least five minutes.

=====================================

[Canterlot, Celestia's study ]

“Tia this cannot be correct.” Luna comments taking a small sip of her coffee as she looks over the books spread before her on the table.

“Hmm what is that?” Celestia asks looking up from her own book. While Luna was looking over the books recovered from the Darklands, Celestia was scanning old records left by her mentor that might clue her in to what the two extra books were that Luna brought back. The red and gray bound books seemed innocuous enough but they made her uneasy for some reason.

“The book of Blue does indeed show how to find the Elements of Harmony. The spell is simple enough that a foal could cast it. I've located mine easily enough so I know it works. But the sites where the spell says the others are at, they have all already been thoroughly explored and everything found in them documented, there were no Elements in any of them.” Luna explains.

“Did they know what they were looking for?” Celestia asks.

“What?”

“The Elements change to suit their wielders sister. It is rare they look or even act the same way twice, I noticed that when we defeated Discord. There's also the matter that if the explorers were not worthy of them they likely would not have even appeared. As much as I loathe to trust anything made by him, Discord was a master at crafting things that did exactly what he wanted them to do. Especially if no one could figure out HOW they did it.”

“At least we have a start now. I am annoyed that I have had to use the other books to read this one properly however. Those other two make my hooves itch.“ Luna grumbles. “ Discord cross referenced his book with them in several places.”

“Moving on past, that, have you given any more thought to what I asked?”

“Not this again Tia. I have no intent to go to the Gala. I am not one for social gatherings. That has not changed in the slightest since last time you asked.”

“Pity, it would have been better if you were willing. I am afraid I am not going to let you off the hook this time sister. A small punishment for your joke, and risking yourself by lessening your magic while in the Darklands. You are going this year. There are more than a few nobles who wish to be your escort for the Gala I am sure at least one of them should be tolerable to you.” Celestia states.

“Bah, I would sooner have Rhede as my escort than any of those social climbing milk drinkers.” Luna growls. “ And you cannot fault me for the jest, given as you started it with your ten years nonsense.”

“ You have been hanging about the Guards too long for language like that Sister. I am sorry though, but Rhede is already claimed as my escort.” Celestia smirks.

“If you think that language, you clearly have not been around Starfall much. And that does not make any of them any more appealing by removing the worst....,wait, WHAT?” Luna shouts

“Oh, well Rhede asked if he could be my escort this year and I agreed.” Celestia states smugly.

“Rhede?”

“Yes.”

“Rhede Pelt?”

“Yes”

“Rhede Pelt who works for The Order?”

“Yes, that Rhede Pelt, General Kaisur's friend.”

“You must be joking.”

==============================================

[Canterlot Castle, Guest wing, the next day]

“She was not joking.” Luna deadpans.

Bleu, Velkorn, Jer'rahd, Starfall, and now Luna turn to look at the red furred earth pony stretched out on the bed, with quite possibly the largest grin on his face that they had ever seen.

“I am never going to hear the end of this from him.” Jer'rahd mutters.” Also be sure to tell your sister to throw me in a lake a little closer next time, those upper ones are freezing and it took me hours to get back.”

“I wondered where you landed.” Luna sighs.

“Don't worry boss, none of us are going to hear the end of this one.” Bleu sighs As Velkorn flattens her ears glaring at the bed ridden pony.

“I will hear the end of it from him or else. I will not however hear the end of it from my sister.” Luna sighs.“ Moving on before he starts to gloat, what was it you wished to discuss with me Starfall?”

The pegasus's eyes widen As Jer'rahd pushes the small pegasus towards the Princess with his magic.

“Just ask.” the unicorn snorts.

“Oh, right.... well....... Mydaughterishavinghercute-ceañerathisweekendandIwaswonderingifyouwishedtoattentedPrincess. I'veinvitedtheothersandIdidnotwantyoutofeelleftoutsoIfiguredtoinviteyouaswell. Youdonothavetoifyoudonotwanttobuthercutiemarkisjustthecutestthingever,shestartedtakeingdance
lessonsandboomthereitwasIjustthoughtIwouldask. ImeanitwouldbeoneofthebestpartieseverifCloudDancerhadaPrincessatherpartyandeveryponywould
rememberitforlongtime.”

“Damn it breath mare!” Bleu adds.

Luna blinked pulling back from Starfall. She was rather confused and not entirely certain of what the pegasus had just said. She could barely make out two words in that rapid fire speech. Starfall's gaze had her fixated however, she could not even look away from the mare. Starfall's eyes had gotten rather big all of the sudden and some what watery like she was on the verge of crying or begging. The look the pegasus gave her was making her feel rather uncomfortable, particularly when the pegasus flopped one ear forward for no discernible reason, her short hair some how managing to curl around her face highlighting the effect. Tia pulled this look off very well when she really wanted something from Luna and it was a hard power to resist. She finally tore her eyes away looking to the others. All of them had either covered their eyes or had at the very least turned away from the pair.

“Ummm, alright?!” Luna stammers

“Yay!!”Starfall cries.

Starfall Hugs Luna and suddenly and takes off out the door of the hospital rambling something about it being the best party yet for her daughter. Luna blinked in shock before looking at the others who had done all they could to not look directly at the bubbling Starfall .

“What did I just agree to?” Luna asks

“Attend her daughters cute-ceañera.” Jer'rahd explains.

“Oh .. well I suppose I could have agreed to worse.” Luna sighs. ”Ah yes, before I forget. I have a, errr, task for you Jer'rahd.”

“Hmm? Alright, bit unexpected this soon after the last mission, but it's no issue Princess what is it you need? I don't mind heading off to do something so I don't have to listen to Rhede gloat.” Jer'rahd nods “All I've had to do since we got back is paperwork dealing with weapons and repairs to the gates. There's serious issue with the structure of those things.”

“I wish for you to be my escort to the Grand Galloping Gala.” Luna states.

“........” Jer'rahd stands there a moment before sitting back hard on his rump. Rhede on the other hand seemed to have taken it a bit harder. His friend had not asked a Princess to the gala, but had been asked BY a princess to the gala. Bleu and Velkorn took the opportunity and pounced on Jer'rahd, nodding his head savagely for him.

“Boss accepts, don't you boss? Of course you do.” Bleu chuckles.

“Can I ask why? Bleu stop shaking my head I'm getting dizzy.”Jer'rahd finally adds.

“Ask what ever you want to know, the simple fact is, you still are going to go.” Velkorn grumbles.

“I understand your reluctance to deal with nobles General, and I am sure that dealing with me on this level as a accompaniment is uncomfortable as well, so it is simply a mission for you. I normally decline to attend, but Tia is forcing my hoof this year. I have no wish for the nobles to fight over who is to be my escort. You are of a high enough rank that my having you as an escort will keep the others who wish to accompany me at bay. If there is no objection to being seen at my side.” Luna adds the last.

“No Princess.. errr Luna, BLEU STOP MAKEING ME NOD! If it is your order I will accompany you as you wish. Though I truly have no idea what I am to expect. Have we returned to calling you Princess Luna now that we have returned, or are we still less formal?” Jer'rahd asks pushing the little dragon off his back with a thud.

“Only in formal situation, and more specificly when ever I and speaking in the Royal Canterlot voice.” Luna considers.

“Got it, call you princess when your screaming.” Jer'rahd snarks.

“That has very very dirty connections there boss . Sure you don't want to rethink it ?” Bleu grins.

“What?” Both Jer'rahd and Luna ask looking at the dragonling.

“Nothing.....” Bleu sighs.

“Also my sister has asked me to invite all of you to the Gala as well. Starfall took off before I could bring that up. I suppose I shall tell her at the party. Luna nods.

Velkorn had gone over to poke Rhede a few times to see if he was even alive while the others sorted out the details. He did not respond at all to her and eventually she opted to simply start drawing things on his face, clearly annoyed at his going to the Gala with Celestia.

Author's Note

I'd forgotten both how fun, and how big this chapter was. granted it's now gone from 20k words to 27k words and become 3 chapters.

Strawberry Pop Rocks. Part 2 [16] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Strawberry Pop Rocks
Part 2

[ Silvertail residence three days later.]

Jer'rahd leaps back, pressing himself against the wall as a horde of small creatures slammed into Bleu carrying the little dragon off with squeals of joy and the thunder of tiny hooves. Bleu cries for help as shes carried away by the stampeding foals, though the pleas are ignored.

The house was a fair sized structure. A two story town house in the middle of town. The lower floor of the structure seemed to have been a shop once though it was turned into a rather large living room and dining area with a closed off kitchen to the side of it behind swinging Prench doors. The stairs the foals were thundering up and down where just to the side of the dining area.

Shaking his head as the cloud of confetti and balloons subsides after the foals passing, he floated the pair of presents he and Bleu picked up for Cloud Dancer onto the table with the rest.

Easing away from the wall a bit his ears perked up listening for another rampage of foals as Starfall fluttered off to the kitchen again after letting him in.

Starfall had told him not to bother dressing up, so he had simply worn his old Guard long coat though he still felt naked without the familiar weight of his blade. It wasn't just that the weapon was one of the last things he had of his grandfather and fathers, but he had yet to find a suitable replacement. The sword couldn't be repaired either due to the knowledge of how to craft the dragonslayer blades was only ever known by one smith and no one but the Princesses knew who that was. While he had all the pieces of the sword, he had decided to simply let his friends keep the shards they had been given by Bleu. While no longer a weapon, at least they could be something of a reminder even to those who were his friends of their time together. The rest of the pieces and the hilt he had in a box back at his house.

The gray unicorn sighs, feeling greatly out of place in this cheery home. The feeling had hit him as soon as he stepped though the door. The whole house was alive with color, lights, and gaudy decorations that hung every where, complete with balloons and a soft off key plinking sort of tune from a old music box. Foals screamed and giggled from nearly every where in the house as they ran about and the few adults he had seen dropping off their foals had the air of soft living and relaxation about them he had not felt since before he enlisted. None of them seemed worried about their children being left at some one else's house for a party. There were no nobles here, no back stabbing ready to go on at any moment, no snide comments, it was all just ponies enjoying each others company to celebrate a child’s milestone. He suddenly greatly regretted coming He felt his very being here tainted the tranquility of this place and that he had no business intruding. He looked down half expecting to see the blood he had collected on his hooves from his life tracked across the floor. Something this innocent and pure was not a place for him.

“Jer'rahd glad to see you made it. Where'd Bleu go?” Starfall asks.

He snapped out of his thoughts, looking over to Starfall as she glides across the room colliding into him with a hug and landing lightly beside him. She did not seem the same either, she was positively bubbly, no trace of her usual business like demeanor. She was always like this when going to visit, coming back from a visit, or talking about her daughter. This was however the first time he had seen her while she was fully off duty. He wasn't sure how she managed it, her kill count was nearly as high if not higher than his and the mare was acting like she was little more than a stay at home mother, not a trained solider. It was very disorienting.

“Errr, yeah thanks, I told you I would come, and Bleu umm, got dragon napped...” Jer'rahd explains.

The thunder of little hooves made Jer'rahd press back up against the wall and Starfall flutter up into the air almost unconsciously. The horde of foals tore past again carrying the dragonling, bound in ribbons and wearing a tiny dolls dress and hat. The group thunders past into another room squealing.

“Boss halp!!!” Bleu pleads.

“Your doing fine Bleu, keep them entertained.” Starfall yells out with a smirk.

“Has any one other than us shown up yet?” Jer'rahd asks moving off the wall and closer to the table out of the stampeded path.

“No, not yet, any word on if the Princess will show up?” Starfall questions as she lands again near him.

“I am afraid not, though I would trust her to show up if she said she would. She has something to tell you when she gets here as well.”

“Well head on into the kitchen, there's a few drinks there more suited to your taste so long as you don't go overboard. The few other adult guests are there as well.... which basicly amounts to my sister Starshine and her mare friend Stormsong. I don't think you have met her, and I apologize in advance.”

“You do tend to keep work and family separate. I envy that you can. I gather the foals are just getting dropped off?”

“Seems you consider most of the Guard your family. No need to keep anything separate.” Starfall sighs. “ But yeah the foals are all getting dropped off. They should all be getting picked up around fivish.”

“One way to look at it.” Jer'rahd mutters.

The horde thunders past again and Bleu finally flies free to land on Jer'rahd's back covered in paint and sticky hoof prints, though she had gotten rid of the doll clothes.

“If I ever feel the need to have any eggs, I swear I will give them to Celestia for her school if I don't fry them up for breakfast myself.” Bleu growls.

The foals return surrounding Jer'rahd as they try to figure out a way to climb up him to get the little dragon on his back as she was cleaning off the paint. Thankfully Starfall distracted the foals with the idea of playing pin the tail on the puppy for the pair to escape to the kitchen.

In the kitchen was the pair of ponies Starfall had mentioned. Jer'rahd offered a small nod to Starfall's sister Starshine , the bright blue pegasus pony with a red mane returning the greeting politely. Her cutiemark was a single star with lines radiating off of it.

The other mare was also a pegasus, lime green with white hair and a cloud shaped like a musical note, the mark gained 's interest, though Stormsong didn't seem inclined to speak to the dragonling.

Starshine was quite open and friendly to the point of being bubbly though most of her attention and conversation was directed towards Bleu as she had never seen a dragonling before. The pegasus offered to help Bleu clean up and the pair of them headed out of the kitchen and upstairs to the wash room.

Jer'rahd on the other hoof was getting the glare of a thousand daggers from Stormsong. As soon as Starshine left, Stormsong's glare turned even colder.

“Why did you come here?” the mare demands.

“Err, I was invited.” Jer'rahd snarks.

“You still should not have come. Starfall needs to forget her damn pride. Thanks to that, you, and thinking she owes you something she is still in the Guard instead of home with her daughter like she should be.”

“I have told her she doesn't owe me anything.”

“She obviously hasn't been listening. She still leaves and goes on what ever damned mission you tell her to go on.” The mare growls.

“I have no say in what missions she does, nor what she does with her life. She's not in my division, she's in General Shower's. As for what she is doing? She's saving lives a rather large number of them in fact in her short years of service.” Jer'rahd frowns picking up a cup of what he hoped was something fairly strong and downing it.

“By giving up her own. As well as her daughters.”

“Something she is quite aware of I assure you.”

“I don't give a shit. You have enough idiots wasting their lives. Fire her or something so she can do something with her life aside from kill things.”

“I am not exactly sure what is going on here and it is likely none my business. Still you seem to have a issue with me and the Guard as a whole,... what was it, Stormsong?” Jer'rahd states coldly. “That's fine, I'm quite used to being disliked, I prefer it in fact. I'm happy to give ponies a reason to hate me instead of blindly spurting gibberish like you are. But today is not a day for that. I also suggest you keep a lid on your disdain, lest the foals running around pick up on that blind hate you seem to be flinging around so freely.

The glare did not subside in the slightest though the mare at least seemed to have been shut up for a moment.

“If it is any consolation to you, I do not think I belong here either, I just came because my friend asked me to and from what I've heard from her she only tolerates you being here.”

He turned heading out of the kitchen his tail whipping in agitation at the encounter. On the plus side he had gone from feeling out of place, to wanting to punch something. Anger was easier to deal with than depression.

Bleu lands on his back again nice and clean as Jer'rahd trots over to where Starfall and Velkorn were at the door talking while Rhede tried to get a rather large package through the door. He had just helped Rhede get the gift in and onto the table along side Velkorn's wrapped package when the sound of the stampede was heard again.

Rhede ducks back out the door as Starfall takes to the air, letting Velkorn get carried off by the giggling horde to another room.

“Those are some strong foals.” Rhede comments.”How much sugar did you give them?”

“You have no idea cherry cheeks.” Bleu mutters getting a glare from the earth pony.

Starfall looks up at the expression on Jer'rahd's face and winces shaking her head.

“Sorry about that, I was hoping she would be more civil. She is not always this..... bitchy.” Starfall sighs.” Just ninety percent of the time.”

“Not a fan of the Guard is she?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“She likes the Guard just fine she simply doesn’t like that I am in the Guard. I am sorry about that.”

“Not how she put it to me.” Jer'rahd sighs. “It's fine don't worry about it. This parties for your daughter not us Ummm which one was she any way? It's been a while since I’ve seen her. She was much smaller then.”

“The one in the ridiculously pink outfit.” Starfall chuckles.

The horde thunders back across the room carrying a bow and ribbon wrapped Velkorn who clearly had a number of foals attempt to color between her lines with paint.

Starfall smirks and points to the blue gray coated, pink haired foal in the lead of the charge. She wore a frilly pink dress that some how highlighted the white pony shaped cloud on her flank. Most of the other foals with her were in varying states of dress, some had cutie marks some did not. They all came to a sudden stop staring up at Rhede evidently impressed at how tall he was. Velkorn took the opportunity to escape and hide behind Jer'rahd and Starfall.

“I bet he's a giant.”
“Nuuh hes not that big.”
“You kidding hes huuuge.”
“Where did the zebra go?”
“Hey giant whats your name!?”

“My names Rhede Pelt kids. Nice to meet you.” Rhede smiles.

“Rhede Pelt?!?”
“Hey, My momma said my daddies name was Rhede Pelt.”
“What?! So did my mommie.”
“My mom said my dad's name was Rhede Pelt too.”
“Mine too.”

Rhede winces as Jer'rahd slaps his hoof to his face. Starfall stares at the stallion in surprise and Velkorn just glares evilly at Rhede. Bleu on the other hoof starts cackling so hard she falls off Jer'rahd's back crashing to the floor in a fit of laughter.

“Umm ,It's a very common name kids … Hey Look a dragonling!” Rhede shouts the last pointing at the now grounded Bleu.

Bleu sits up suddenly, eyes widening as the kids scream out and thunder over grabbing the little blue dragon who growls at Rhede as they foals thunder away with her.

“I'll get you for this Pelt!!” Bleu shouts.

“Well, umm, so Starfall when are their parents coming to get them? I might need to leave early and I hate to miss them....” Rhede smirks sheepishly rubbing the back of his head with his hoof.

“But My momma said my daddies name was Rhede Pelt......” Jer'rahd snorts.

“Shut up Jer.” Rhede grumbles.

“We can be ninety, in a retirement home and I’m gonna bring that up Rhede.” That was priceless, I need to remember to tell your dad that when I see him again. Jer'rahd laughs.

A rather loud knock at the door interrupts Rhede's comeback. Starfall floats over to answer it as Rhede ducks down and hides behind Velkorn who was still hiding behind Jer'rahd. Jer'rahd's eyes narrow in annoyance as both of them were doing a lousy job at hiding and were simply making him look stupid with their antics.

“You know both of you are taller than me, you're not fooling any one.” Jer'rahd shakes his head still chuckling about Rhede.

As Starfall opens the door fully both Jer'rahd and Velkorn step to the side suddenly, leaving Rhede in plain view of the door. Luckily for the earth pony, the only one entering was a palace Guard dressed in Luna's colors. He offered Jer'rahd and Starfall a salute before doing a small visual sweep of the room before stepping back outside.

“The place looks clear Princess.” the Guard reports.

“I certainly hope so, I would think with those in attendance here this would be one of the more secure places in Canterlot.” Luna sighs.

“I apologize Princess, but with the gate incident the Palace Guard is undergoing a rather high level of alert.” the Guard states.

“What gate incident? What did I miss Solider?” Jer'rahd asks, having noticed the heightened activity , but not seen a report on why.

“Errk.... Um nothing that is of any concern to one of your rank sir. Please do not worry it is being delt with. Sorry to trouble you sir.” The Guard yammers stepping out of the way for Luna with a bow to her then slips back to position outside before Jer'rahd could question him further.
The Princess glances back at the two flanking the outer door with a sigh. She floats a small wrapped gift over to the table with the rest of the presents before shutting the door behind her.

“Welcome Princess, I am glad you could make it.” Starfall smiles.

“Thank you Starfall. I hope everything is well for you.” Luna states looking a little confused at the chipper mare and every bit as uncomfortable as Jer'rahd felt.

They both pause as the miniature herd thunders across the room again carrying a hogtied and very annoyed Bleu. A few of the blank flanked foals were shouting something about cutie marks for dragon slaying. The whole group thundered up and stopped dead looking up wide eyed at the towering form of the Princess of night.

“Um Hello children.” Luna states trying to smile.

“AhHHhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The adults all wince as the shriek of the foals hits the octave that can melt solid skull. The group of them suddenly take off running away from the Princess at top speed leaving a hogtied Bleu laying on the floor.

“That was new. Bleu are you OK?” Jer'rahd asks.

He lifts the dragonling up untieing her at which point she promptly leaps onto the Princesses back and tries to hide under her wings.

“The horror, the horror.....Please keep scaring them away Luna, don't let them get me....”Bleu stammers.

“You're over reacting Bleu, it could not have been that bad, right princess...., Princess?” Starfall questions.

Luna seems a little more distraught that the foals fled from her than Bleu trying to use her to hide. She blinks at the second call of her title and nods lightly in response.

Stormsong and Starshine both darted out of the kitchen at the screaming just as the pegasus Guards burst through the door as well. The group of them collide, crashing into one of the tables sending a few gifts and a great many decorations flying everywhere. Luna and Jer'rahd both act catching the gifts and cake in their magic, though some of the other deserts and drinks shower the Guards and the two mares.

Starfall stares at the sudden chaos as the tangled mess of ponies starts to pull themselves apart.

“So who wants cake?” the gray pegasus chimes.

=====================================

After determining that Luna would not in fact gobble them up, and with the promise she would stay on the other side of the room, the children were coaxed into the room for cake and opening of the presents.

Most of the gifts that were opened turned out to be a massive collection of dolls and other small toys that Cloud Dancer was only moderately interested in. Rhede's present brought a great many oohs and collective looks of longing as the massive package hid a giant stuffed bear that could easily have been used as a bed for a fully grown pony.

Jer'rahd's gift got a great many glares from the adults and in particular Starfall. Jer'rahd had opted to give the little foal smaller toy versions of the pair of swords Starfall used. The filly had been delighted and promptly managed to break a lamp, a chair leg and put a hole in the wall with them.

“General Kaisur.......” Starfall growls

“I'll pay for that..... sorry......” he mutters.

Bleu's gift was also rather well received, a tiny plush dragon that the little pegasus foal could set on her back to carry around and just the right size for her to hug as well.

Luna's gift however only got a polite thank you as it was tossed into the pile. An Abacus, Jer'rahd hoped she did not expect much from an educational toy. Looking over at her he winced noting her corner of the room away from the foals seemed darker now, she had expected better.

Velkorn's gift confused most every one at first. It was a fairly sizable wooden mask that was decidedly scowling. Jer'rahd could not figure out if it was of a pony or a zebra or some other strange creature.

“It is a mask from the zebra plains, a medicinal totem so you suffer no pains.” Velkorn explains.

The foals looked at her confused a moment, as did those adults who had not been to the zebra lands.

Cloud Dancer looked at it, then put it on and shrieked at the foal next to her who took off running along with the rest of the group. Velkorn sighed a bit at the treatment of what she likely considered a sacred totem, though got over it quickly as she watched the foals run about like mad.

Jer'rahd wandered over to the dark corner Luna sat in and sat down as well.

“You alright?” he asks.

“As well as to be expected I suppose. This is usually what happens when I deal with any children.” Luna sighs.

“Ear melting screams?” Jer'rahd snarks.

“Not quite that dramatic most times, but fear none the less. Most ponies do not see the beauty of the night, they only fear what it may hide. Stories and poems speak of the terrors hiding in the darkness, and the actions of those who use the night to hide their nefarious activities. These tales and fears get passed to their foals and then to their foals, and so on and on. It has been like this for thousands of years. Because I am the Goddess of the Moon and the night all that fear is placed to me as well. No pony goes out to see how beautiful it can be. I envy my sister in that regard.”

“Why?”

“Every pony loves the day, the sunrise, sunset, the light. Tia is the more respected,the more loved of us. She always has been. She is seen as the one to chase away the fears that the dark brings. Most ponies see her as the one that keeps me in check, not the way it really is a shared and balanced rule.”

“Yet you are the reason any pony is left around to enjoy her sun. You set up the Guard and run it to keep the land safe.”

“ Not entirely but I do run it. Still is it to much to want to protect every pony and still be loved.”

Jer'rahd shrugs.

“I'm not the one to answer that sort of thing. I'm not any sort of warrior poet I can only go by what I see. Your ponies may fear you, but so do the enemies of your ponies. The fear of what you might do if they threaten your ponies keeps most from trying anything. You save just as many lives by being feared as you do waging battles. We have peace right now because of your actions. Sure it might be fleeting, but if we ever have true peace you can work on your pony to pony relationship skills. Should have plenty of time then. You have fear, even unfounded, use it like the weapon it is, discard it when it is no longer useful.”

“That was a statement not a question.” Luna comments raising an eyebrow.

“Sorry I rarely know when a question is hypothetical or not even a question if it sounds like one. Besides, you looked depressed. And since I doubt I would be allowed to live if I dumped a bucket of alfalfa on your sisters head to cheer you up, I figured at least talking to you might stop you from curling up into your own little world again.” Jer'rahd shrugs.

“Rather nice of you to try and help Jer'rahd.” Luna sighs.

“I would do the same for any of my friends who were depressed. I feel rather out of sorts here myself, like I am not clean enough to be here.” Jer'rahd mutters looking at a hoof.

“So you actually consider me your friend now?” Luna blinks her ears perking.

“Why not? The group of us went though bunch of crap and managed to do rather well for ourselves. We proved we could trust each other. We work surprisingly well together and we got along. Starfall invited you to her daughters party, Bleu and Velkorn are plotting something involving you... or me that you might be in on so forget I said anything there. I would have to say that is a very good start to friendship wouldn’t you?”

“I suppose so. Oddly you have managed to cheer me up a bit some how.” Luna nods.

“Probably the alfalfa thing. Either that or you were amused at the idea of me being flung into another lake.” Jer'rahd rolls his eyes.

“It does have some appeal.”

“Now I am worried.”

=================================================

The party ended rather early due to the foals having school the next day. Rhede had completely vanished before the first of the parents had even knocked on the door to pick up their foals.
No one had saw the large pony leave, nor had the door been heard to open, yet Pelt had vanished,the only trace he had been there , the oversized toy he had brought.

Velkorn left soon after, intent on chasing the fleeing earth pony down. Bleu had gone with her planning to simply return to the house after picking on Rhede for a while.

Jer'rahd had bid his goodbyes planning to finish up with a bit of a task he had been given by General Mustang before heading home.

Luna had stayed as she still needed to tell Starfall about the gala and wished to see the foals off, hoping perhaps that they might stop being afraid of her.

Jer'rahd savored the moment, breathing in deeply, the cool fall air was crisp and clean, even here in the city. He had a bit of warmth in his belly from the mixed drinks he had at the party, but he was far from even being buzzed by the small amount of alcohol.

While he loved hanging out with his friends, he also liked simply being cut loose to wander and think to himself, sometimes that was even more enjoyable.

His long coat hid his cutie mark, and with out his sword or his mark to identify him most ponies simply overlooked his presence. Talk of a skeletal horror being sighted in Canterlot had taken over the news any way.

He wandered the city aimlessly for a while until he heard the faint chime of metal ringing. The sound drawing him to another black smith's shop. This was his ultimate goal, the last blacksmith shop he knew of in Canterlot.

Rounding the corner he looked up to the relatively spartan store front. A massive blade hangs over the front door swinging on thick chains in the light breeze. It looked like little more than a lump of iron fashioned into the rough shape of a sword before the shop name was painted on it.

Wing blade.

There was no sign stating if the place was open or not, though the door was unlocked so Jer'rahd pushed it open and stepped inside, a small bell chiming as he entered..

The smith's shop took up most of the corner of the block and the forge was visible through a open archway leading outside to a fenced in courtyard with a few training dummies set up.

His gaze shifted about the shop looking at the displayed wares, everything from armor to horseshoes, swords to plowshares, and everything in between and beyond. Somethings he couldn't figure out the purpose, until he realized they were art curiosities and not actual items. The place almost felt cluttered ,though everything was neatly arranged.

“Greetings welcome to the Wing blade, something I can help you with?”

Jer'rahd glances up at the ash colored stallion who trotted up behind the counter, a flame red mane cut short enough to be a mowhawk sprouted from the ponies head, his tail was seared short much the same way, much of his coat had the marks of old burn scar. Beyond that the earth pony was pure muscle. Even with how stocky Jer'rahd was he felt dwarfed by this stallion. An anvil cutie mark proclaimed his skill and his trade, as if the items in the shop did not do that already.

“Perhaps. I recently my sword was destroyed, I am in need of a replacement.” Jer'rahd responds

“Never a good thing when a blade dies. At least it saw fit to make sure you survived its last battle.” the smith nods.

“Relatively speaking.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“What sort of blade you looking for?”

“I just need a simple blade. Something close to my last would be best.”

“Well, what was your last one?”

“Have you heard of a Dragon Slayer blade.”

He silently thanked Luna for telling him the name of that type of weapon, it would make it easier to hunt for a new one. Unfortunately this place was his last hope for that and the smith's expression of disbelief spoke everything Jer'rahd needed to know. He had to get a new sword.

“I see, well sorry to trouble you then.” Jer'rahd sighs the smith raises a hoof to stop him.

“Hold it. I won't proclaim I am the best smith in the land. Thank honor belongs to the one who made that blade you claim to have had. If he is still alive any way. I will say however that I am the best in Canterlot.”

“They all say that.”

“Heh I'd pit ten of my blades against anything they make.”

“Just ten?”

“I wouldn't need to compare any more than that and they wouldn't have anything left but scrap metal. Nothing I have compares to a Dragon Slayer, but nothing any one makes would. If that's the sort of weapon you're used to nothing else is gonna feel right.”

“Well you have my interest with the claim and with the honesty. Let's give those ten a shot and see what they feel like. Mind if I use the training area out back?

“That's what it's there for.” the smith nods.

===========================================

It didn't take long for the smith to regret that choice of words. He was not amused in the slightest at what had happened since.

Jer'rahd however was greatly amused.

The whole yard was in ruins as Jer'rahd had ripped through it like a personal playground.

The smith was correct, all the weapons he tried felt off by his standard but most where easy to adjust to. After trying the ten blades and then perhaps a dozen more the yard looked like a war zone and only one dummy was left standing.

The unicorn looks down at the remains of the blades he had gone through. He had managed to break all but four of the blades.

The smith had let him test any of them he wanted, taking notes on the way Jer'rahd moved and fought suggesting a different types of blades and seeing how he did with that them.

“I'd say an ax of a bucking club would be more your style. You've very heavy hoofed in your fighting style. When yer holding the sword in yer jaws it's all about force and impact, you have more skill with your magic, but the impacts are less... Straight blade won't work and none of the ones I've made hold up to your use. “ The smith comments. “ Buck, maybe yah should get something like my sign. It was supposed to be just a sign, but I couldn't help but make it a real blade. Problem is it took four of us to even carry it out there to put up.”

Again the smith regretted his words as Jer'rahd gripped the blade in his magic and yanked it from where it was hanging. He gave a few swings wincing a little at the weight of it before bringing the weapon around to obliterate the last straw dummy and a small tree that was nearby in one great swing.

“A bit too unwieldy to use properly. I can see it being a good shock weapon though. I think I might want to take this one too, could be good against a dragon.”Jer'rahd comments hanging the sword back up on the front wall.” Any way I like this one.”

He floats a simple looking blade up from the pile, both edges were sharpened though they curved a little wider before coming to a point perhaps an apples length from the bottom of the blade, The guard was short and there was no pommel to speak of just a blunt square of metal at the end of the grip. The grip was easy on his teeth and comfortable to hold, overall it was a very simple blade that was thicker along the center giving the blade a thin diamond shape if one looked at it from the point..

“Just that one, then?” The smith sighs looking at his yard.

“No about two thousand of them.” Jer'rahd considers. “ And the sign. I can use that to train.”

“Wait what?!? Two thousand? “

“That's right. It's a little more than we need right now, but it would be good to restock.”

“Restock? Who the buck are you ?”

“General Kaisur of the Guard. I am commissioning you to forge two thousand blades in this style to replace the Guard blades we have. Of course that's just the first order, we will likely need more after this latest recruitment drive. Spears too though I'll need some one else to test those, I always preferred the sword.“

“WHAT?”

[The previous week ].

“Private, you better speak fast and tell me what the heck is going on here.” General Mustang growls at one of the Guard trying to clean up.

General Mustang's gaze shifted over the absolutely destroyed training area. Guard weapons of various types lay broken or bent across the entire field every target dummy that was at the disposal of the troops stationed in Canterlot was completely destroyed, along with a good many that seemed to have been put back together with haste only to be destroyed again.

“Yes Sir, General Mustang, Sir. One of our superiors recently had his weapon destroyed. He then proceeded to go through our inventory and attempt to find a replacement he liked. He was not satisfied in the end Sir. “ The Guard reports.

“One Pony?”Mustang blinks. “ Did all this?”

“Yes Sir, General Kaisur sir.” The Guard admits.

“I should have known.” Mustang growls waving a hoof at the mess. “Find that idiot and send him to my office. I don't care if that fool's been hobnobbing with the royalty, this is ridiculous!!”

One rather large yelling match later, which was quite one sided as General Mustang barely let Jer'rahd get a word in edge wise, resulted in a few things happening.

First Jer'rahd was ordered to clean up the training area, his pay was then docked to pay for the replacements for the equipment.

The second order was given more in jest though Jer'rahd accepted it. If the Guard's weapons were not up to his standards then he could go find ones that were.

Much to Mustang's annoyance, Jer'rahd left the meeting with a rather large grin on his face, the visage spooking a few of the new recruits as he cleaned the yard.

The next few days were considered a horrific experience to every blacksmith shop in Canterlot. All of them told the tale of the unicorn pony who entered their shops with a Royal Writ and promptly destroyed half their inventory while testing the blade quality. He bought nothing, and was more disapproving of many of the shop's wares than any critic they had encountered before. If not for the amount of bits promised in the writ, most places would have thrown him out as soon as he entered.

As it was, most of them took a rather sizable hit to their bottom line when he left. Though that was many of the shop owners own faults. Word got around fast at how much he was offering and after only three shops he arrived to find the fanciest most expensive blades from the shops stock on display.

This turned out to be a big mistake as, the fancy weapons did not often hold up as well as the plain blades did. Several shops closed their doors when he came around, the ones that didn't were nearly always piled high with the corpses of many a blade, left at the hooves of the Demon of Dullahan.

[Current Day]

Jer'rahd floats the writ of payment from his bag showing the smith he was serious about the sale. The pony's eyes widen as he looks over the paper shuddering a bit.

“ By Tartarus... you are really doing this.......But that blade was a fluke, I was just playing around with some new styles and ore mixing. I liked the heft enough to keep it.” the smith stammers.

“Good thing you did. I like the heft as well, good weight, good balance. Can you repeat how you made it?”

“Yes, Yes I can... but that many blades.... “

“Hire some assistants, show them how to make it. I hear there's a empty forge or three in town.... likely my fault, but trying to sell me black market griffon armaments was a mistake. With this you should be able to gain access to them or even buy the shops outright. Failing that this writ will allow you to use the forge at the castle if need be. Though that is armorer Black's domain, so be polite if you have to use it. I suggest that as a last resort mind you, he's rather pissed at me right now. This blade has held up better than any thing else I have tried, but its still not enough......”

“There is no one alive who can forge a dragon slayer any more. Like I said if that's what you're used to nothing else will feel the same to you. The fact you even were able to use a dragon slayer is a rarity, most often those blades crumble to nothing when the pony they were made for dies, the sword dies. I've only ever even seen one of them and that was in possession of a very old pony.

“It was my grandfathers sword. My father used it, and then when he died it came to me. It truly lived up to its name in Dullahan. “

“Dullahan..?! You oh stars I was right I knew I head your name before..... that was you... you were the one who killed the dragon there. You're the Demon.....”

“Why do ponies still call me that?”

The black smith didn't not respond, but simplely looked over the training yard of his shop, at the carnage of targets and weapons that lay strewn about before turning to glare back at Jer'rahd.

Jer'rahd follows the smiths gaze and smirks looking a bit sheepish at the glare“OK maybe the name is a little justified.”

======================================================

Jer'rahd left The Wingblade after finalizing the order and calming down the smith,Temper, a little more. This had turned out to be a fairly good day, something he really wasn't used to.

There was a bit of a shaky start with the foal's party, but now he had something to torment Rhede with and they served carrot cake. It had been a long while since he had had good carrot cake.

He was able to hang around with his friends a bit without there being a mission or a crisis, even the Princess, which was some what odd considering. He was still a little leery about her being around, though that was more a worry for her safety and possible image to the public than anything wrong with her.

The media had decidedly taken a liking to him, and he did not want her in the same mess, though he was quite sure some one out there was writing lewd books about her already.

It was nice to see that his friends all had started to trust each other, there were still issues of course. Luna's status, Bleu's mouth, Rhede...... being Rhede.

Still they had a long way to go, but considering they had only been on a personal level with Luna for around a month, if that. A bit more time together would likely make the Princess feel less nervous.
Well if they could get her out again into the public again, maybe in that silly disguise of hers, perhaps they could all hit a bar somewhere. Did the Princess even drink? He felt the familiar obligation to try and help her, it was not as strong as his worry for Bleu, particularly with the second anniversary of Platinum’s death coming up soon. He doubted the little dragon would ever get over her former partners death fully at least for the time being her excitement over the Gala was keeping her distracted. Jer'rahd wondered if he would get over it himself. His connection to the singer hadn't been as strong as Bleu's , but he still felt pangs when her name was mentioned or he heard one of her songs. Though the pain of it was fading, much like it had after his grandfather died. It would always be there,but he couldn't dwell on it.

“No! Stop.... Stop, get away from me. Help, Some Pony Help!” a voice screams out.

Jer'rahd's ears perked up eyes shifting over the street he was on. Luna's moon had just risen and the soft glow of Celestia's sun had yet to fade completely over the horizon, but long shadows already filled the streets.

The cry for help sounded again and Jer'rahd rushed forward darting down a side ally between a cloth store and a warehouse. He narrowed his eyes, letting them adjust to the near lack of light between the tall buildings.

At the end of the ally, bathed in the soft glow cast from a window in the second floor above was a rather attractive earth pony mare. His attention passed over her quickly at the glint of metal in one of the two ponies accosting her's mouth. A blade of some sort, it was hard to tell in the shadow, but he looked to be an earth pony. The other was obviously a unicorn, a blackjack bathed in red light floated over his head swinging lazily at the mare.

“Now now, none of that, be a good little filly and fork over your valuables and we might stop at just having a little fun with yah.” the unicorn chuckles.

The mare backed up further against the fence at the ally’s end, The light from above was enough for him to make out her black coat and fiery red hair. What he noticed most was the cut across her muzzle the blood glistening in the light along with her tears.

A bit of red light was added to the ally from some where though Jer'rahd was too angry to figure out it's source.

Jer'rahd exhaled trotting loudly down the ally way towards the thugs. The one with the club turned about glaring at the approaching pony.

“Piss of shit head, this ain't none of your business.” he growls as Jer'rahd ignores the command still advancing.

“Fine, dumbass, Mauler deal with this bint.” the unicorn grumbles.

The pony with the blade grunted and turned around dashing at Jer'rahd, swinging his blade. Jer'rahd noted his grip on the dagger and the large pony moved was not unskillful, the blow he was setting up with how he held the weapon was going to be high dropping to low. Likely trying to cut his throat or stab into his chest. Even if the first blow missed the position would leave the pony with enough time to reverse the blow and still hit something vital.

It was like the earth pony was screaming out what he was going to do before he even took his first few steps. Jer'rahd considered how long he had been sparing with the more agile and devious Starfall and realized that perhaps he had gotten so used to fighting her that every one else was a open book to him. Either that or the pony was just a lousy fighter.

Mauler whipped his head about and rather than having his blade met flesh the side of his head was greeted with Jer'rahd's fore hoof just below his eye. The force of the earth ponies swing was enough that Jer'rahd did not even need to add much of his own strength to his blow. He felt the crunch of the ponies jaw under his hoof, the blade falling free of the earth ponies nerveless jaw where it hinged to his skull was shattered. Jer'rahd turned in the same motion as the strike and belted the same spot on the earth pony with his rear hoof sending the blade wielder into the wall of the warehouse. The earth pony slumped to the ground before his blade even clanged against the cobblestone street.

The unicorn watched in shock as the large pony was taken out by this unicorn like it was a second thought. He then shook it off, ignoring the crazy red glowing eye and charged forward swinging the sap with his magic. The leather weapon bounced harmlessly off a green glowing shield as Jer'rahd reared up on his back hooves suddenly slamming his fore hooves down hard on the unicorn as he tried to back peddle to a stop from his charge. The impact drove the unicorn's head down hard into the stones likely breaking something in the process.

Jer'rahd waited a moment to see if either of them were going to try and get up though the pair simply lay there breathing shallowly, still alive, but down for the count.

Jer'rahd sighs, it had not even been enough to wet his appetite for a fight. He briefly considered waiting for them to wake up to thrash them again when he was distracted by a rather new experience.

The mare had practically tackled him and had pressed herself very firmly against him in a hug, her words were blurring together in a rambling speech he didn't catch as he was quite distracted by the mare's scent and her body rubbing against him. She was positively gibbering in panic and her squirming and freaking out just made her hug him and press tighter to him. He felt himself blush at the attention and hoped it was too dark to see his face going red.

“Are... Are you alright miss?” Jer'rahd manages.

“Oh thank you thank thank you,my hero, thank you.” the mare yammers.

He felt a tinge of annoyance at the word, but was far too distracted by her smell and the the feel of her form to really complain.

“It's all right Miss. Though you need to be careful, even Canterlot has its undesirables.” Jer'rahd comments.” And we should probably get that cut looked at.”

“Please call me Scarlet. And what shall I call my rescuer?” Scarlet questions.

“My name is Jer'rahd, Miss Scarlet. You should head to the Guard post a block up and report this. Tell them I sent you and they need to send a patrol out here to collect these two before they wake up. I'll stay here to make sure they don't.”

“You didn't kill them?” Scarlet asks some what in shock.

He shook his head in response. He was used to fighting, he even got a bit of a thrill facing multiple targets or obviously strong enemies. These two barely ranked past a training dummy in his mind. Mostly harmless, better to simply beat them and make them serve some time to sink home that this sort of thing would not be accepted, and no matter how tough they thought they were there was always some one tougher. Jer'rahd actually looked forward to facing opponents stronger than him. Provided he didn't need to protect or rescue some one, it would be an enjoyable battle.

“Well I need to report this any way.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Oh are you with the Guard?” Scarlet asks obliviously.

“You can say that.” Jer'rahd snorts.

Scarlet wouldn't go on her own citing being terrified so he escorted her there. Bringing the mare to the guard station wound up being a bit more challenging than he thought it would be. Not because they were far from it, but because every noise, shift of light, and shadow along the way had her yelping and clinging to him again.

It was rather hard to walk like that, let alone think straight. He stopped each time as she was quite sure something else was coming out to get her and her clinginess was while a bit annoying, was not entirely unwelcome.

Arriving at the Guard post he explained the situation to the patrol officer on duty, Scarlet seemed surprised to find out he was a General, but she went on with her description of events evidently not grasping the significance of his rank. Something he found both strange and oddly comforting.

Scarlet it seemed normally lived in Manehatten, but had rented a place here and come out for the Gala. She had arrived to late however and just missed getting a ticket. Figuring it would be a waste to head back so soon she had decided to hang around Canterlot for a bit more to take in the sights. She had been heading back home after dinner when she was accosted and then rescued.

Jer'rahd sighed as she went into a strange almost supernaturally heroic story of her rescue. He half expected there to be trolls and dragons involved by the end of it, but he couldn't bring himself to correct her. She had a natural flair for a story teller, it rather fit being her cutie mark was a large blue storybook with a gold unicorn on the cover.

The guard medical pony came over to check the wound on her nose cleaning it and placing a small bandage on the cut. Strangely Jer'rahd thought that some how just made her look more alluring. He shook that thought off quickly as the officer started asking him questions. He kept his answers short, and to the facts as they were supposed to be given. He gave the numbers, the damage done to them and the location of the ally by the book. Scarlet didn't seem to approve of his facts over her story. Even if they had woken up the blood from the wounds he inflicted should still be there, and the pair probably wouldn't get very far with head trauma. Two of the Guard left the station on their patrol, headed to the ally first.

“Unusual to get muggings this close to the palace. Unusual, but not unheard of.” The Guard explains, a bit leery of Jer'rahd clearly. “You should be more careful miss if the General here had not come along we might have had to send the undertaker out for you instead.”

“That everything you need Captain?” Jer'rahd asks.

“That will do it sir, do you need an escort home Miss?” The Guard questions.

“I'll take care of it Captain, I've brought enough paper work for you tonight.” Jer'rahd adds quickly.

“Yes sir. Enjoy your night.” The Guard nods.

“You as well, with luck this will have been the most exciting part of it.” Jer'rahd comments.

“Boring nights are too slow sir.” The Guard scoffs.

=============================================

Scarlet guided him into one of the fancier districts of the city, trotting up to the gate of a impressive old manor house that seemed built against the very wall of the castle. He was looking up at the three story affair when a shy cough from Scarlet caught his attention.

“Here you are Miss, Have a good night and be careful next time you are out.” Jer'rahd states bowing lightly.

“Thank you, Jer'rahd... ummm you would not happen to be doing anything tomorrow?” Scarlet asks.

“Not that I am aware of why?” Jer'rahd mentions.

“I would like to at least buy you lunch to thank you, if you do not mind. With my ticket to the Gala missed, I am afraid my reason for coming to Canterlot is gone. And of course most of the friends I have here are going to the Gala and have a great many preparations, so they have little time for me.” Scarlet sighs.

“I am afraid I am also going to the Gala as well, as a guest.” He quickly added seeing her down turned face. “I can easily meet you tomorrow for lunch however. It does not take long to prepare a dress uniform.”

She brightened, thanking him and darting forward to press a quick kiss on his cheek before heading inside. Jer'rahd blinked confused and turned to head back to his house, a rather large smirk on his face.

Sometimes it seemed luck smiled on him, yet another random encounter with a beautiful dark mare who for some reason wanted to spend more time with him, and this one he had managed to save.

====================================================

[Two days later, Canterlot, Siebte Empyrean bar]

“So you had a date? A real date with a mare?” Rhede demands lifting a hoof to order another drink from the half zebra behind the bar.

“You sound so shocked Rhede. Didn't think I had it in me?” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Nice to actually see your moving on Jer'rahd, ruins our idea though.” Starfall grumbles

“To try and hook me up with princess Luna? We all knew that was not going to happen in this lifetime Starfall.” Jer'rahd snorts. “ She's a Princess and at best I'm a ranked officer under her command. I might be able to deal with her on a less professional level, but I doubt more than friends is an option.”

“Stranger things have been seen, I am just amused that Rhede is now green.” Velkorn grins.

“Why would I be jealous of Jer?” Rhede snorts.

“So how did it go boss?” Bleu demands.

“As well as a lunch date was to be expected I suppose. We ate and talked, seems shes an writer from Manehatten. Adventure and romance novels mostly. Practically begged to use my rescue of her in the next one she wrote, wouldn't say if it was adventure or romance though.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Seriously I spend all this time refining my wit and charm to attract the mare’s and this one here nearly always has them fall into his lap.” Rhede rants pointing a hoof at Jer'rahd.

“So when do we get to meet her boss? If I remember your type, and if she's even close to that I wanna see the stud there freak out.” Bleu grins pointing to Rhede.

Jer'rahd smirks taking a drink listening to the two bicker over him. It had been a while since he had felt like this. Genuinely happy to still be alive. He counted a Princess among his friends now and spent most of his working hours with them, either training or making plans with General Mustang and Princess Celestia. He currently had a rather attractive, if some what ditzy, mare expressing interest in him. Life was good despite the possibility that the attack on the wall was more than a fluke. Still there was something he was forgetting and it was nagging at him and keeping him from fully enjoying the night.

“So think Luna will be mad?”Bleu asks.

“Why would she be mad?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Well, mostly that you seem to be dating this other mare. The Princess did invite you to the Gala as her escort.” Starfall adds in.

“Yes, I suppose so, though she said she invited me to avoid dealing with the nobles, more of a help me out sort of thing.......Oh crap that was it.” Jer'rahd mutters before smacking his head to the bar top.

“What? What was it?” Rhede questions.

“I forgot about the Gala, I knew something bad was coming, but I didn’t remember.” Jer'rahd bemoans.

“How can you consider that bad boss?” Bleu questions. “This is gonna be great.”

“Seriously Jer'rahd, I’ve been wanting to go to one of these things since I was a filly.” Starfall adds.

“It's tomorrow, you do have your suit right Jer? I can help you out if not.” Rhede grins.

“Saying this I am not really going out on on a limb, but it is Jer'rahd. to succeed we all would need to help him.” Velkorn grumbles.

“This sucks.” Jer'rahd snarls into the bartop.

“You're kidding right Boss?” Bleu grins. “This things gonna be the best night ever!”

==========================================

[The next morning.]

Jer'rahd was very glad his hangovers tended to be mild or he would have died from the rush of activity that morning. Velkorn and Starfall had drug him out of bed nearly at dawn. Velkorn had practically flung him into a bath after dousing him with a mess of herbs and other mixtures.

“This is ridiculous I can bathe myself you know Gakk GLUbb!!” Jer'rahd yelps as the zebra shoves him under the water.

“Best to simmer down or you might drown.” Velkorn chuckles.

“Insubordination glubb!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“I am not your rank and file, though you will be going to this in style.” Velkorn laughs.

“I'm off duty Jer'rahd. Why are you so excited over this any way Velkorn?” Starfall questions.

[“I have my reasons, the primary among them getting Rhede's attention focused only on me. A bit greedy perhaps, but am I not allowed to want something every so often?”] Velkorn grins.

“I have no idea what you just said....glaak!! stop dunking me!!” Jer'rahd shouts.

“I think for a scent we will use peach, and I would think by now you would have learned my speech.” Velkorn snorts as Starfall laughs.

===============================================

[ Later]

Jer'rahd winces at the snip of scissors as the mane stylist worked over his mane and tail while Starfall watches throwing out comments to the unicorn stylist.

“I am more than a little ticked off by this.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Ah give it a rest Jer'rahd, its just a mane cut.” Starfall chuckles.

“Velkorn nearly drowned me with what ever mixture she had and now my hairs grown out again thanks to whatever spell the barber cast....”

“Mane stylist... barbers are butchers.” The effeminate stallion cutting his hair protests.

“..... All I wanted was to hang out and relax with everyone before having to go to this thing and you ponies are taking that away from me.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“Well we are still hanging out. We are just making sure the Princess does not regret having you at her side. Knowing how you are you probably were just going to wear that bone armor she made you.” Starfall sighs.

“I was going to wear my old dress uniform thank you. I am not a complete savage.” Jer'rahd growls.

“You mean the one you have not worn since graduation? The one that was made for you when you were a much smaller stallion?” Starfall questions.

“I was not that much smaller.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Height wise no, but all you do is train. You're like a pony shaped brick now. You should ease up a little or you’ll look like one of those muscle builder types. They tend to be rather creepy looking ponies.” Starfall waves her hooves.” GREAT BIG BODIES... itty bitty heads.”

“Agreed there though I'm not worried about it. The rank of General has brought more paper work than I have ever seen before. Most of my day is spent behind a desk now. If I didn't train I'd probably get fat quick.” Jer'rahd mumbles. “Why are you you so excited to be going to this anyway?”

“I've heard tales about the Grand Galloping Gala since I was a little filly. The descriptions and stories every pony told after it always made me wish I could attend. Now after all this time and with a filly of my own I have the opportunity to go. Can you think of what Cloud Dancer will say when I tell her the story of my visit?” Starfall grins.

“First a princess comes to her party and now her mothers going to fill her head with tales of the biggest event in Equestria. I can not tell if your are spoiling that filly or tormenting her.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“I used to love hearing about the Gala Jer'rahd. She's been excited and asking me to tell her everything after she heard I was going.” Starfall pouts.

“Speaking of Cloud Dancer what did you get her any way ? I did not see any gift from you there.” Jer'rahd asks.

Starfall's expression darkens considerably. “I had a necklace made with her fathers wedding wing band. I gave it to her later. When everything had calmed down.”

“Still wearing yours though.” Jer'rahd asks.

He nods lightly to the necklace she wore with a golden band and a small scrap of steel hanging from it. The slight nod got him a hair yank from the stylist.

“I said do not move.” the stylist / not barber, fusses.

===========================================

[Later still.]

“Honestly Jer you are hopeless, though full blond is a good look for you.” Rhede comments.

“I look like that substitute mail mare.” Jer'rahd growls, his hair falling to his shoulders. His mane and tail were both colored and looked more yellow than their normal amber coloration.

“The one with the eye problem? Yeah I’ve met her, she's rather cute, but taken it seems, by a doctor no less.” Rhede sighs at the lost opportunity.

“Doctor who?” Jer'rahd asks.

“No idea really, not a local though. Probably lives out side of town considering how often she seems to be gone.” Rhede considers. “ Wonder how she keeps her job?”

“Do you keep tabs on every mare you meet stud muffin?” Bleu snarks.

“Just the cute ones Bleu. Any way we can get you fitted here. I cannot believe you have not kept up your dress uniform.” Rhede sighs gesturing for the tailor to come take Jer'rahd's sizes.

“When was the last time I had need of it? Fancy does not do well in combat.” Jer'rahd growls.

“And what did you even do with the medals and awards you earned?” Rhede asks.

“They are in a box.” Jer'rahd admits glancing down as a stallion begins taking his measurements.

“Where?” Rhede demands.

“Somewhere.” Jer'rahd admits.

“Please tell me you know Bleu.” Rhede sighs.

“In the guest room.” Bleu states.

“The one wall to wall with junk?” Rhede groans.

“That’s the one.” Bleu admits. “ And that's not all junk, some of it's mine.”

“What do you even have in there?” Rhede asks.

“Stuff I have picked up in travels, things that interest me, things I have no real use for but might at some point.” Jer'rahd lists.

“Boss is a pack-rat.” Bleu chuckles.

“When she said some was hers she meant nearly eighty percent of it.” Jer'rahd corrects.

With the measurements taken, Rhede started barking orders to the tailors f;ashing a large sack of bits and having numerous colors and patterns brought over to see how they matched up against Jer'rahd's colors as the stocky unicorn was placed on a pedestal.

“Why is everyone so excited over this stupid thing any way?” Jer'rahd grumbles to Bleu.

“You should know why firm flanks is set to go.” Bleu laughs.

“A whole new selection of mares to play with that normally might have been out of his reach as a non noble. Rhede is easy to read in those regards. Not so much you.” Jer'rahd comments.

“You realize who is going to be there right?” Bleu asks.

“Not a clue.”

“Famous writers, play writes, celebrities. Ponies from organizations that can be convinced to make a book out of Platinum's old songs maybe even a story of her life. I've written all of it down, but we don't have the bits or the pull in the right circles to have something like that published. I am hoping to convince some pony to at the very least put some of her songs in something so she will be remembered on more than just a chunk of stone in a military base.” Bleu explains.

Jer'rahd's response was cut off by the return of Rhede and the tailors and the sudden flurry of motion around him as he was fitted for a new uniform. Bleu and Rhede both left him in the care of the tailors heading off to their own preparations. The resulting outfit seemed a great deal more elaborate than he remembered his uniform being.

The suit was all in dark blues and white highlights, it looked like a cross between a tux and his dress blues. While it was decidedly sharp, and surprisingly comfortable, it covered him from neck to rear hooves hiding his cutie mark and most of his scars. A single black star was placed on his left collar with the mark of Luna's Guard on his right collar.

“Not bad, simpler than I expected too. I kinda like this.” Jer'rahd comments.

“ It will look even better once your medals are pinned in place on your chest, the minimalist design forces more attention to the accomplishments and ribbons.” A tailor points out.

“Crap.”

Author's Note

This chapter set the stage for a number of things to come.

Strawberry Pop Rocks, Part 3 [17] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Strawberry Pop Rocks
Part 3

Jer'rahd turned his head, eyes shifting around at the others gathered at the gate of the castle with him. Velkorn's herbal bath had added peaches to the list of fruit he wanted nothing to do with. His mane cut and recolor made him look like a completely different pony in the mirror. He had yet to find any of his medals, intentionally, so his dark uniform was rather bare. Even with the medals however he was likely to be out shown by the others. Something he was quite okay with.

Starfall had a uniform similar to his though she evidently knew where her medals were and had pinned the lot of them to her chest. Her uniform looked much better on her as well and did not cover her cutie mark. She had lengthed her tail and mane braiding the former and styling the latter with some sort of corkscrew design that seemed to be popular lately. She also seemed to be wearing make up which was very odd in his eyes.

Bleu had gone home and found jewelry, he expected it was costume from when she worked with the ESO, but he was no judge of that sort of thing. She had also polished her scales to a near mirror finish making her look like a dragonling shaped sapphire if she didn't move.

Velkorn had gone full out as well. Her usually curly mane and tail were straightened and hung with jewels and exotic feathers. She wore a good bit of gold jewelry as well, ear rings, a rather thick necklace and a small circlet of a crown. The dress she wore was a very regal purple trimmed with what looked like rubies. The dress clung tightly to her form and revealed a good bit of it as well. She was decidedly dressed to turn heads. Jer'rahd briefly wondered how Rhede had managed to keep his hooves off her. He was impressed by it and likely would have at least tried to hit on her if he didn't know her. She was a good friend, but that was it. Their personalities clashed a bit too much for anything more. Granted so did hers and Rhede's

Aside from the Princess, Rhede likely was dressed the best. He wore a brand new pressed crimson robe etched with the markings of his ambassadorial station. Some how he had also managed to make a bulky covering like a robe and turn it into something that showed his form with every move he made. It made him look like an exotic dancer. While most would consider that look bad, Jer'rahd was sure that was what Rhede was going for.

He had yet to see Princess Luna and had only briefly seen the others, getting barely as much as a small nod or a wave from any of them as they milled about the gathered crowd looking for something or someone. With the exception of Rhede he figured all of them had a decent reason to be here. He himself was just hoping to hit the bar and leave early.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna finally appear as the gates open and they welcome the crowd vanishing back inside a moment later. He only briefly saw her dress but it seemed mostly out of black and purple feathers and silk of the same coloration’s draped over her lithe form. His ears perk up suddenly hearing some sort of music filter though the air. A sudden chorus starts from all the ponies around him startling him.

“At the gala!!”

Rhede:
“At the gala, all the mares there,
I'm going to see them all!
All the fillies, I'll befriend them at the gala~”

“At the gala!”

Rhede:
“All the nobles and the famous
They will love me, big and small.
We'll become quite close friends,
Right here at the Gala~”

“All our wet dreams will come true
Right here at the Gala!”

“At the Gala!”

Bleu:
“ At the gala,”

“ It's amazing!”

Bleu:
“I will tell them,”

“That you heard of”

Bleu:
“All my most entertaining tales!”

“ funny, funny”

Bleu:
“storied writers,”
“ and the playwrights”

Bleu:
“They will hear them,”
'We will listen!”

Bleu:
“funny jokes, amusing scenes!”

“ Gimme more!”

Bleu:
“And I'll build a lot of fame
for my sisters memory~”

“All our dreams and our hopes
From now, until here after...
All that we've been wishing for
Will happen at the Gala.
At the Gala!”

Velkorn:
[“At the gala, all the royals...
They will meet the Zebra Queen'!
They will see I, am no savage at the Gala~

“At the Gala!'

Velkorn:
[“I will keep him, my prince charming,
And how focused he will be!
And he'll see me as his lady,
Tonight at the Gala~”]

“This is what we've been waiting for,
To have the best night ever.
Each of us will live our dreams
Tonight at the Gala.
At the Gala!”

Luna:
Been dreading, I've been trying
To avoid all these noble ponies--
The selfish curs, their annoying tricks:
Speaking loops, they make me sick.
Banter on and on, no reasons
They just try to seem important!
These parasprites will stalk me, here at the Gala!”

All we've longed for,
All we've dreamed,
Our happy ever-after...
Finally will all come true
Right here at the Grand Gala.
At the Gala!

Starfall:
“I'm here at the Grand Gala,
most lavish of parties
its the one thing, that I wished for, since I was a filly
A tale to tell my daughter, to let her have big dreams...
to see her eyes all, filled with wonder
listening to my stories~”

Happiness and laughter at the Gala.
At the Gala!

Jer'rahd
“ At the Gala?,”

“At the Gala”

“ Why are we all singing?,”

“It is tradition”

Jer'rahd:
“This makes no sense to me!”

“let it go”

Jer'rahd:
I'm just here, cause the Princess,
had to come with some pony.

“Yes she did.”

Jer'rahd:
“This is giving me a migraine,
tell me there's an open bar please~”

"This will be the best night EVER!"

Jer'rahd / choir:
Into the Gala, we must go;
just to end this pony show,
Into the Gala, end it now,
And have the best night ever!
I hope I'm earning over time,
We're ready and we look divine!

Rhede:
“Into the Gala, meet new mares!”

Bleu:
“Into the Gala, they won't forget!

Velkorn:
[“ Into the Gala, make him mine!”]

Luna:
“Try my best not to strangle my sis.”

Rhede:
“To meet.”

Bleu:
“To Tell.”

Velkorn:
[“To Love”]

Luna:
“To leave”

Starfall:
“To know”

Jer'rahd:
“To Drink”

Into the Gala,
Into the Gala
And we'll have the BEST NIGHT EVER...
At the Gala!

Jer'rahd simply stood there in shock for a moment not even sure how he got where he was after that little dance number. He was currently standing at Princess Luna's side looking down at a very long line of ponies heading up the stairs from the gate. Next to Luna was Princess Celestia in a outfit exactly the same as Luna's feathered mess, only done in white feathers. On her other side was Rhede, looking a bit perturbed to be where he was.

Jer'rahd leans over whispering to the princess between her greeting of the guests.

“Princess, what the heck just happened?”

“Gala flash mob. It happens every year. One of my sisters rather elaborate pranks. The spell to start the musical number usually selects a group of ponies who either have no desire to be here or who most want to be here. Then it magically compels every one into a song within a certain radius” Luna mutters

“Lovely. I heard the others singing, but I could barely make out what most of them said.“Jer'rahd sighs.

“ I am the same the only one I heard fully was yours. Make sure you save me something from the bar, I am likely going to need it after all this.” Luna responds.

“You're lucky. I heard most of Rhede's” Jer'rahd sighs.

============================================

What felt like hours had passed and only Jer'rahd's training at standing at attention for long periods of time managed to keep him on his hooves. Luna and Celestia greeted several hundred ponies often being forced to pause and talk with one or two who wanted some more time with the Princesses.
He nodded greeting to a few at first as they passed, but soon figured out that he and Rhede were being completely ignored and seen as little more than back ground ponies. Luna was barely acknowledged as well most offering little more than a polite greeting before moving on.

Jer'rahd had finally reached a point where he felt he had to move or else fall over when the last few ponies came up the stair, said their greetings, and went inside the massive ballroom.

“Why do you always want me to do this with you Tia?” Luna growls.

“Because with you around sister the guests tend not to stay and gab as long. I'm using that hostile image you have built up to speed things along.” Celestia smiles.

“At least some pony is finding a use for it. General, I suppose you can head into the party we will be needed to preform the announcements and hob nob. Remember what I said about the bar however.”
“Luna cautions.

“Of course Princess.”

Rhede and Jer'rahd both wait until the Princesses started off bickering with each other, before moving away. The massive black and white dresses they wore making them both look more like peacocks than ponies.

Rhede had suddenly grown a rather large smile on his face, that worried Jer'rahd particularly as he heard the strains of 'At the Gala' being hummed by his friend.

“Never again.” Jer'rahd growls smacking Rhede's shoulder with a hoof.

“Come on Jer, it was not THAT bad.” Rhede chuckles.

“You did not hear yourself try to sing....” Jer'rahd corrects.

Bleu lifted her head seeing Rhede and Jer'rahd enter the party.... well if you could call it a party. She had spent the last three hours trying to start a conversation with any pony there. A few of them she even recognized from her time with Platinum and they would not even acknowledge her existence. She had finally given up and become more sullen walking over to where Jer'rahd was having been yelled at once, when she tried to fly.

It had not been a pleasant night. They would not even serve her at the bar or the refreshment table. She had tried to keep her spirits up, but there was not even any real music playing just some pathetic pinking on a piano that sounded like a foal was bashing a hammer on the keys.

She had then tried to find the others, but so far had no luck what so ever. Hopefully she could at least meet up with Jer'rahd, the problem was on foot she could not see past many of the ponies and by the time she got to where she had seen him, he was gone. She really hoped the others were faring better here than she was.

===============================================

Velkorn was undergoing much the same treatment as Bleu, being largely ignored.

That was preferable to the times when she was not ignored however.

Every so often some pony would catch her attention to ask her a question, usually a stupid one, and no matter what she responded they laughed. She quite easily could see she was being made fun of, but she put up with it, still hoping to find Rhede.

She had spotted him coming into the ballroom and was moving towards him when she was intercepted by another group of nobles intent on being amused at her expense. By the time she got away from them Rhede had vanished. It would be rather hard to meet up with him and hold his attention if she couldn't even find him. She closed her eyes and exhaled as another laughing group tried to invite her over saying something about her tacky dress. She hoped the others, with the exception of Rhede right now, where doing better than she was.

=================================================

Starfall was almost at the point of freaking out. She had barely stepped hoof into the party when she was suddenly swarmed by every stallion in the place and more than a few females. Most of them wanted some sort of regaling of her abilities and the sonic rain boom.

The others however had turned the charm up to full and were flirting and boasting like no ones business, vieing for her attentions. It was pleasant enough at first, but none of them were willing to take no for an answer and some were at the point that they spoke as if they knew what was best for her.

Starfall was not even remotely interested, but all of them seemed to persist and block her in a small circle. While not claustrophobic like many pegasus were being penned in like this, the group was preventing her from seeing all the Grand Galloping Gala had to offer. She certainly hoped the others were doing better than she was.

================================================

“So the beard then?” Rhede asks.

“It was an all stallion magic collage when I first joined, I used a spell to give myself a beard and wore some bulky robes to hide who I was. Fought the ruling from the inside and managed to get the gender bias rule removed. They still managed to get the last laugh when they found out I was a mare, forcing me to still keep the identity I had joined with as. When I made professor due to a lack of any one else competent in my field I altered the robes, put all the bells on as well and just started wearing the fake beard to completely mess with their dress code for teachers. With no one else able to teach the course they've had to deal with it.”

“I had always wondered why a lovely mare in a strange outfit was named Starswirl the Bearded. It is a rather amusing story.” Rhede chuckles.

“Really the name is just an old title I took that no one used any more.” The blue mare shrugs. “The first Starswirl was a rather potent caster, but there's not much on him past some of his research.............”

Rhede nods as the mare continues on into a brief history lesson of the name she chose, and he couldn't help tune her out. He was not thrilled at this. Velkorn was hunting for him, and she was rather good at hunting, but he could still blend in well enough to avoid her.

What was not easy to deal with was the lack of attractive, unattached mares at the party. Most were either old enough to be his grand mother or like Starswirl here, taken by a hovering date. He excused himself finding this to be a much more depressing party than he hoped for. Perhaps the others were faring better.

============================================================

Luna was about to scream. She and her sister had made it barely ten apples down the hall when they were stopped again. Tia talked with the couple a while as she was ignored, they had barely left the first group before another boring gaggle of nobles solicited her sister for something. More Guard's at towns, exclusive rights to certain things, tax breaks on everything.

It was just as she expected, most of these ponies had almost as much if not more wealth than the royal treasury did and they wanted money for things they could easily pay for to come out of the royal pocket. She hoped the others of her little group were doing better.

==============================================================

Jer'rahd had gone from bored, to annoyed, to pissed, and finally winding up some where between furious and rampage. He had yet to see any of the others, which was not expected to be honest. They all had things they wished to do here, well Starfall wanted to do everything, but still.

He could handle his friends being no where around.

He could handle being ignored by the nobles, in fact he rather enjoyed that.

He was quite peeved that the strongest drink the bar offered was a light wine that he could not even taste the alcohol in, but he could handle that, he just needed a lot of it.

What he could not handle was when a particularly loud noble and his group of 'yes pony' friends started talking behind him as loudly as they could to sound more important. That lit the fuse, and their conversation made it burn down faster.

“Seems the gala has fallen quite far this year, letting any thing in now, did you see the lizard?” A gold furred and silver haired unicorn scoffs. “ She was trying to peddle some dead mare as a singer, as if there's any profit in that.”

“Oh that's barely the half of it, Coin old colt, some how one of the Stripe's got invited as well. Seriously is any one even checking the tickets any more?” A green furred and pink maned unicorn adds.

”I thought the Guard was supposed to have wiped out the loathsome things.” A white furred and royal purple maned earth pony comments. ”Only good stripe is a dead one, nothing but dark magic and cannibalism from the lot of them.”

“I did see it, quite amusing that it had tried to learn pony, the sing song speech was quite funny.” The yellow furred and blue haired unicorn mare titters.

“Oh and the dress it was wearing dear, do not forget that.” the female earth pony with the gold fur and silvery mane adds in.

“Ah yes thank you Natashi, honestly an outfit like that should be burned. Preferably with the wearer still in it.” The other mare smarms back.

The small group continues to giggle to themselves. Jer'rahd exhales steadying his breath and trying to calm down. Velkorn had dealt with worse insults from idiots , and Bleu would only be upset she couldn't fire back. Stay calm, it's just some stupid noble shit heads talking out of their flanks. Hold the line, calm, relax, find the center and hold.

“Quite a few common rabble about, as well, though I do admit that one mare from the Guard does have a decent flank. I do forget her name... what did she do again ? That glowy light show thing?”

“ Surprised they even let one of those things under Princess Luna's command even near the palace. I thought that lot was chained out in a field some where. Savages, violent savages. I heard one of them murdered two ponies in the street the other night, smashed their heads open and THEN stabbed them.”

“Horrific.”

“Probably some blood sacrifice for their leader. Did you all see Princess Luna at the front this year? Poor thing, its no wonder she hides from all these events. Cute I suppose in a creepy gothic horror sort of way. With a leader like that it's no wonder things are in the state they are in.”

“Hard to trust any Royal Guard now a days. You're likely to get yourself killed.”

“Ahh, yes,I hear young Master Jefferies saw first hand what transpired at Dullahan. I am sure, I told this before, but he claims at the leaders command the whole lot of the forty second went positively feral, wiped out anything in their path. Likely that's what really killed that singer not some rouge dragon. Luna is probably covering for her savages again.”

The center could not hold, and neither could the crystal glass of wine. Jer'rahd let the shards drop to the bar top, his magic having taken a far tighter hold on it than the glass could withstand.

“That is quite enough out of all of you.” Jer'rahd growls slowly turns away from the bar to the four nobles and the mares with them.

“Stop making things up you know nothing about. Far to many died out there protecting your worthless flanks for you to go around insulting their memories with your lies.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“How dare a commoner speak with me that way. Who even let you in here boy I shall see to it they are flogged.” The earth pony snorts.

“Dear it appears he is one of the Guard judging by the uniform, an officer of some sort. Likely won a ticket here in a raffle or some such.” The earth pony mare adds.

“Bah it truly has fallen on bad times when filth like him, the stripe, and the lizard are allowed in. It must be the Princesses sister's doing nothing like this would have been allowed if it was just Princess Celestia here.” The Silver unicorn scoffs.

“You really are a bunch of stupid clueless buckers aren’t you? How do your inflated ego's give you enough air to think properly? Or does most of this come out of your plot holes?” Jer'rahd snaps. “ Princess Luna is the only reason you fools are still alive to flaunt your egos.”

“That is enough wastrel ,I shall not stand for you sullying my honor, it has been far to long since I put one your kind in their place.” the gold furred unicorn states.

Jer'rahd raises a brow, ears perking curiously as the noble called Coin pulled off the white sock on his fore hoof and promptly smacks Jer'rahd across the face.

“What the buck...?”Jer'rahd blinks.

“I challenge you to a duel you worthless dung heap. Blade's at dawn, make your peace and prepare your funeral rights.” Coin snaps.

“Are you sure this is wise Coin old colt? Dueling a commoner? And a solider at that?” the other unicorn asks.

“Bah he is little more than some officer, probably some lesser noble's brat who thought to get uppity, I am not the best duelist in Equestria for nothing. He will be dead in moments, not a challenge at all.”

“A duel? To the death? That's what you want?” Jer'rahd snorts his ears flattening to his head.

“Scared? You should be quaking before Lord Coin you mongrel, he has had a hundred and fifteen duels and not yet even taken a scratch.” the earth pony states.

The noble Coin suddenly spits on Jer'rahd the trickle of wine scented saliva splattering directly on his face and Luna's Knight shield. Jer'rahd smirks, His eye starting to glow faintly red as his rage reached a boiling point, it went unnoticed by the guffawing group save the unicorn mare who started backing away.

“Darling what is wrong with his eye?” she questions.

“Scared? Oh that pansy!? You have yet to know fear. I refuse your petty duel...” Jer'rahd bellows the last ”...... Because killing you wouldn’t hurt long enough!!”

He leaps at the noble with a roar, hoof swinging up to impact the arrogant pony's chin sending him toppling to the ground. His friends turn in surprise moving to help the fallen Coin, taking swings at Jer'rahd, there were too many to dodge, but the hits barely phased him as he tripped the earth pony and rolled him back over his shoulder to drop him hard to the ground as well.

Several of their body guards run up from the sides of the hall as the fight starts. Jer'rahd belts another in the gut doubling over the cursing unicorn, dropping him like a bag of flour. He barely had a moment to savor the victory over the three before he was struck on the back with a chair. Jer'rahd kicks back hard , rear hooves slamming into the chair and smashing it into another ponies face.

A glass bottle shatters over his head soaking his mane in wine. For the bodyguards trouble he was grabbed by Jer'rahd's magic and flung into the bar where the burly pony smashes through the stacked champagne glasses.

He was given a moment to breath before a number of other nobles and even more of their personal guards rush over to aid the fallen nobles who were trying to get back onto their hooves.

“Now its a party.” Jer'rahd smirks, loosening the collar of his dress uniform.

=========================================

Bleu had heard the yell and then nearly got trampled as the body guards stampeded over her kicking her across the room scuffing her scales and breaking some of her jewelry.

That was definitely Boss over there and he likely needed a distraction, not like she needed much urging. With no one else around that would have to fall to her. Not like anything else was going on she cared about at this point.

This whole night had been a bust, she might as well have a bit of fun.

If Boss was in a fight he could beat the crap out of those jerks who just kicked her so she needed something else. Looking up as one of the body guards crashed into the concession stand she had been kicked into, she grinned evilly and climbed onto the table grabbing whatever food she could get her claws on.

She took a bite of a few things before ducking behind the unconscious body guard and selected her targets.

Ahh there we go, first target was that horrid piano player. One assault by cake shut up the sad attempt at music.

========================================================

Starfall offered thanks to both goddesses at the start of the fight, as most of the Stallions around her had paused to see what was going on giving her the chance to slip away from them.

A sudden slap on her flank drew her retreat up short. She slowly turns her head back wide eyed at the perpetrator. She was briefly expecting Rhede or even Bleu, but it was one of the stallions that had been flirting with her. He offered a small grin and a wink.

She returned the wink with a hoof to his face.

=============================================

Rhede sighed leaning on the railing of the balcony at the top of the staircase leading down into the ball room. Luna and Celestia were late, and now a riot had started.

He calmly took another sip of his wine, quite annoyed at how disappointing the night had been. The only mare that was worth anything out of this lot was Velkorn, and he couldn't touch her, not without hating himself more than he already did.

He had expected something from his group after the Princesses gave their speech, but Jer had upped the time table and the scale rather quickly.

He took another sip of wine, having already forgone the glass. His eyes narrow as he saw Velkorn get shoved around in the chaos, some pony seemed a little to intent in shoving her and managed to push her hard enough to cause the normally very dexterous zebra to fall back into the punch bowl on the table.

Rhede frowned whipping the bottle across the room and beaning the offending pony in the face with the half full bottle of something that probably was worth more than the jewelry the Princesses were both wearing.

Sighing he pushed himself off the railing heading down the stairs slowly , seeking to help the zebra out of the punch.

=================================================

Give peace a chance, the Princess had said.
They will warm up to you, the Princess had said.
Once they get to know you, you will have a rather entertaining night, the Princess had said.
It will be a interesting exchange of cultures, the Princess had said.

Celestia was full of shit.

Velkorn had had enough of tonight as it was ,she had been treated as a fool and a clown. Talked down to , laughed about and been ignored or mocked by nearly every one she had encountered.

And she still had not even seen Rhede.

Now..... now some stupid pony had ruined her royal dress. The ONLY dress she even owned, it had been a gift to her from Rhede on top of all that.

Some pony was going to pay.

No, screw that!

EVERYONE was going to pay.

She pulled herself out of the punch bowl, grabbing the great glass dish and smashing it over the head of a pony that ran into her again trying to flee a flung pie.

A danish splattered against the side of Velkorn's head as some of the nobles had started to fire back at those they thought were flinging the food, thus starting a massive food fight around the brawl surrounding Jer'rahd.

The mare screamed out something that even those who spoke zebra couldn't understand and leaped on the noble who flung the pastry.

==============================================

A smaller fight had started around Starfall, who was being accosted by the mare friends of some of the nobles she had knocked out. They practically all tackled her at once and she was fending them off the best she could, though they fought dirty with the hair pulling.

=================================

Rhede stopped half way to Velkorn to watch the cat fight with the mares and Starfall. Pulled hair, ripped clothing, and the lot of them covered in some sort of cream filling from the flying pastries. Velkorn could handle herself a bit longer. He really wished he had a crystal to record this.

=================================

Another noble's body guard fell as Jer'rahd's grin grew wider. His uniform was in tatters and he was covered with wine, cuts bruises and blood.

He didn't think much of it was his blood, but he had been pulling punches and his attackers had gotten in a few decent shots. Heck he barely even hit the nobles in truth, their guards were a great deal tougher and he was enjoying the impromptu boxing the one was doing. A hoof caught him across the face staggering him to the side before he cried out tackling the body guard that hit him bringing them both to the ground where all the others jumped on top of them both.

This was the best night ever!

=====================================

Luna rubs her forehead, glad that the nobles finally seemed to have stopped coming to talk to them. It was long past time for the two of them to make a speech and then hopefully she could leave.

The pair of peacocked prime and proper peeved pony princesses, paced promptly to the pointless party.

Pushing open the doors and moving to the small balcony at the top of the stairs the pair froze in place as the chaos below them was in full swing.

The Princesses stared down in shock at the mess and the rampaging ponies.

Jer'rahd had managed to crawl from under the pile and was smashing one of the bodyguard's face into a silver tray full of cheeses.

Bleu had started using the piano as cover, popping up to fling what ever was handy at any pony that was still clean, her ducking and weaving on the piano was oddly accompanied by a jaunty sounding tune that the dragonling was clearly playing with her feet or tail as she darted around the large instrument.

Velkorn was currently swinging one of the tables over her head with two hooves and chasing a few nobles around the dance floor. She was screaming something that Luna did not even think was Zebra, it was decidedly curses though. Very vicious sounding ones too.

Starfall was still in the middle of a large fight of her own, the pegasus wasn't holding her punches like Jer'rahd was, though she couldn't get a good shot and the noble mares just seemed to get more angry at the blows.

Rhede was spectating, and had pulled up a chair and found popcorn from some where. A few other stallions sat in chairs near him watching the cat fight as well.

Most of the guests had run for the exits, just as the Royal Guard had tried to come in. The resulting blockage at the doors trapped every pony where they were. Luna was appalled by the chaos and embarrassed to see her friends in the middle of it all.

A laugh from beside her drew Luna's attention to her sister. The older alicorn was laughing openly at the sheer insanity going on below, at least she was until the apple pie hit her in the snout. Then it was Luna who was laughing at her sister as the filling slid down the white alicorn's face. At least until a slice of carrot cake splattered into her mane.

Both Princesses turned in time to see Bleu yelp and duck back behind the piano at being seen by the pair she had targeted. Luna narrowed her eyes as she lifted a large and mostly undamaged cake from the table. Celestia's magic gripped the still clean dragonling hauling her into the air by the tail and swinging her. The collision of the cake and dragon sent fancy cake exploding over the room covering everything that had not been hit yet with frosting.

================================

The Royal guard had finally made it through the fleeing guests to break up the fights, sort of.

Jer'rahd had gotten a bit too much into the brawl and managed to hit one of the Royal Guards with a shoulder checked body guard. Thus drawing half the squad into the fight as well before they got him settled down. Mostly by the entire unit dog piling him , the added weight of their armor finally managing to keep the gray unicorn pinned.

A few of the guards had joined Rhede and the others in watching the wrestling match with the mares in the cake. Starfall was finally pulling ahead and had two of the mares in choke holds while holding the others back by bludgeoning them with her wings.

Velkorn had smashed the table over one of the Guards that came to stop her. She then realized what she had done and started to try and provide medical aid.

Bleu was buried somewhere under the cake still.

=======================================

Much, much later Luna was pacing before them in the abandoned ball room. She paused occasionally to glare at one of them or another before pacing again.

Starfall and Jer'rahd stood nervously at attention watching her. Rhede had his usual smirk stealing glances over at the nearly unclothed and desert covered Starfall and stifling a chuckle. Velkorn had her head hung low and was fussing over the mess that had become her hair and dress. Bleu was trying not to laugh as she cleaned the cake from her scales.

“I cannot believe you. One night to act civilized and you bring about two fights and a riot.” Luna rants.

“My apologizes Princess Luna, But I could not sit by while my friends were insulted.” Jer'rahd chimes in.

“ Shush you. They were nobles General, it is what they do, you should have had enough experience with them by now to know they are mostly all loud little ankle biter purse rats in pony form. Nothing that comes out of their vapid mouths has any meaning and now you have a duel in the morning because you could not hold your temper.” Luna exclaims.

“I rejected that .” Jer'rahd interjects,.

“ I said shush. You then punched him General, that is the same thing as accepting. We have a law to ban this sort of thing, which no one ever enforces. If you kill him it will cause issues, if he kills you it will cause issues. THINK before you act. Nobles play by their own rules.... Air commander I thought better of you then to engage in this sort of nonsense.”

“I am sorry Princes Luna, but I did not strike the first blow.” Starfall mutters.

“Velkorn I thought better of you as well.”

“I had reached my limit, you drink the punch not swim in it.” Velkorn grumbles.

“Pelt I do not even know what you did, but some how, I know you caused some of this.” Luna rants

“You wound me Princess.” Rhede holds a hoof to his chest as if greatly offended.

“I might …. and Bleu.......gah, I am not even going to try.” Luna snorts.

“What? The whole party was crap till the last part.” Bleu snaps back.”That last bit almost made up for the rest of the night.”

Luna rubs her temples with her hooves as she sits down. “I know that Bleu and that is the issue. Tia loved it! Which is why she is forcing me to attended next years Gala as well. And if I have to suffer though this nonsense again, so are all of you for making me.”

The reactions from them were fairly much the same winces or groans, but acknowledging the punishment despite being annoyed by the idea.

Celestia however was still laughing about the whole situation in the background.

==============================================

[The next day, Canterlot park]

“Are you sure we should be here stud muffin? These guys look like they are ready to flay us.” Bleu mutters.

“Stop calling me that and yes, Jer'rahd managed to get Celestia to stop laughing long enough to get her to sign something he thought of. So he has a plan and I love seeing those.” Rhede comments.

“Yeah, but then she hit him with a peach pie and fell over laughing again. That mare has the strangest sense of humor I have ever seen.” Bleu sighs.

“The eternal life of the Sun's lord, she must try hard to not be bored.” Velkorn adds.

Rhede's ears perk as he looks skyward. “ Okay here we go.”

A group of ponies easily the size of the gathering at the Grand Galloping Gala stood in the dew kissed grassy field just outside of Canterlot Castle. A large circle of clear space in the middle of them held just the one unicorn, Sir Golden Coin. He darted about on his hind legs whipping a rapier about in a warm up. He seemed annoyed, and the black eye he had likely was not helping his mood.

“Perhaps, Lord Coin, the poor colt simply chickened out.” the earth pony noble from the night before mutters though a clenched jaw, bound in a sling.

“He better not have. I want that fool's blood....... what is going on here? I say!” Coin states a loud noise approaches.

The thunder of hooves announced the presence of a company of Guard ponies marching in formation towards the group. They push their way through crowd into the center area of the ring. They then fanned out forming an armored wall between the dueling area and the spectators, pushing the lot of them back away from dueling area a good twenty or thirty more paces before stopping to turn and face the middle. Aside from the armor clanging the whole maneuver was done without a word from the Guard. Most of the Nobles were demanding answers from the guards whose stoic poses and expressionless faces told them nothing. Coin and his second were left in the middle of the ring of Guards.

A low hum quickly grew louder and louder and caused many of the nobles to leave the Guards be, to search for the source. A sudden boom in the air above them and their gazes all turned skyward as a falling form with a nimbus ring of light expanding from around it screamed into view.

Starfall was recognized by the effect of the rainboom, but she looked to be carrying something as she descended.

The pegasus slammed down in the middle of the ring, a large explosion of dirt, grass, and rainbow colored smoke was flung into the air from the impact. Most of the debris showered the guard ponies though the impact knocked a good many spectators off their hooves as well.

Golden Coin and Silver Doubloon were also placed on their rumps, though the earth pony quickly got to his hooves and scampered away to duck past the ring of Guards into the crowd.

Looking into the dust cloud a glowing red and a glowing green dot appeared in the falling shower of dirt. A large form steps out of the raining debris. The bone covered stallion whips his head,skeletal plates of his armor rattling loudly sending a small shower of dirt and grass to the ground around him.
Starfall steps out of the crater shaking her self clean of dust as the bone armored pony approaches Coin.
His glowing gaze lowered glowering at the wide eyed noble.

“You wanted to duel me Coin? So be it. I am here.” the figure growls.

As the bone armored pony pulled his helm off, more than a few of the watchers start speaking in hushed mutters about this being the creature that led the attack on the city the other day. As the armor fell from his form, some pony recognized his cutie mark and the talk and barely hushed whispers grew louder as the figure was confirmed as the Demon of Dullahan.

Jer'rahd smirked glad to have the magic hair coloring out, and a proper haircut, and by proper it looked like he had hacked his mane and tail short with a dagger again.

“Wha, What ?!? YOU'RE General Kaisur?” Coin stammers.

“You expected another pony to be at Princess Luna's side at the Gala? Or did you simply dismiss me as a body guard? Pity. Air Commander, my sword Please.” Jer'rahd orders.

“Sir, you know I cannot lift that thing. I had some of the Guards bring it with them.”Starfall turns whistling.

“Ah yes,I suppose that is true.” Jer'rahd admits.

“What is she doing here?! And the Guards!?!?” Coin demands.

Three earth pony Guards trot up though the circle, a massive black iron blade across all three of their backs. Smith Temper's Wing Blade sign with the hanging bolts and name removed from it. Jer'rahd uses his magic lifting the massive blade easily from the Guard's backs before the trio of Guard's move back behind the circle.

“Ah well, the Guards are here to evacuate every pony in case I get too carried away. And the Air Commander is here, because so far she is the only pony who can consistently stop me once I get going. No sense killing any pony other than the one who started this nonsense hmm Coin old boy....?”.”

He swings the two pony length blade suddenly, the blade burring half its length in the ground between the nobles front hooves.

“Shall we get started then? Or did you need time to find something other than that toothpick to fight with?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I.... I yield I surrender ...” Coin panics.

“Really? Pity. I was all ready to go too. Good choice for you however, considering you would have had to have a closed casket funeral, if there was even enough left to put in anything larger than a jar.”

Jer'rahd leaves the sword where it was, his multicolored gaze shifting over the surrounding crowd before he opts to use a skill he learned from both the Princess and his drill sergeant.

“Listen up ponies!” Jer'rahd bellows loud enough for them to possible hear him in the castle to. “ By royal decree the practice of dueling was annulled several years ago. The law had been ignored for far too long, but not any more.”

Jer'rahd slowly turns looking over every pony gathered before focusing on Coin. “ Any pony caught challenging another to a duel, or engaging in a duel shall immediately be conscripted to the Guard and have their assets seized by the crown for a period of no less than ten years.”

Jer'rahd grins.

“If you are going to be bloodthirsty little ponies, you are going to be MY little bloodthirsty ponies. Further more and on a personal level, I will personally track down and beat any pony with their own limbs for speaking ill of Princess Luna. She is your sovereign, same as Princess Celestia. I would advice against speaking ill of Princess Celestia either. I'm not sure what she'd do, but I expect you'd rather I beat you to death.”

Jer'rahd turns looking to Starfall who nods.

“If you wish to hate and fear some pony for no reason aside from ego or what ever thrill verbally stroking your own tiny dicks gives you, then you can hate and fear Princes Luna's Royal Guard. Because I will be damn sure to give you something to be afraid of. Ponies shouldn't fear their leaders. They should respect them and offer support to them. Ponies should however fear those that protect said leaders, because we WILL hurt, maim and kill any one to protect our charge, no matter wants to test us.”

The ring of Guards suddenly shouts an affirmation to this as one very loud voice.

“Now all of you get the buck out of my sight before I change my mind about killing someone today.” Jer'rahd growls puling the helmet back on and redonning the bone armor. He moves over to Golden Coin yanking the massive sword out of the ground and tapping the pony lightly on the nose with the tip.

“That means you as well Coin.” Jer'rahd snarls stomping on the rapier and shattering the blade of it under his armored hoof.

The sudden stampede away from the ring of guards and the panicked run of Golden Coin brought a wide grin to Jer'rahds face. Rhede and Velkorn clapped their hooves in applause as Bleu cheered.

“That was great boss, put the fear of us into um.” Bleu cackles.

“I was unaware you could act that well. Truly a grand display of shock and awe Jer. Your strategies it seems have gotten better too Or at least less violent.” Rhede grins

“Thanks. Still I was not sure that would work.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“I think you were hoping it did not Jer'rahd. I think you wanted to kill him and be done with it.” Starfall adds in.

“I did Starfall, that was the first plan, then I got the idea for all this.” He turns to address the Guards.
“Guards thanks for coming out on your off duty hours. As a small token I'll see about slipping something into your next check in time for Hearths Warming. The rest of the days yours, Dismissed.”

A chorus of 'yes sir's was accompanied by a few other comments as well.

“No trouble sir.”
“Anytime sir!”
“Seeing the look on their faces like that sir, I almost wouldn’t even need the extra pay.”
“Totally worth it sir.”
“Of course General.”
“Honestly you cannot pay for this sort of entertainment sir.”

The Guards started wandering back off towards the barracks or home, a few offering a salute to the officers present. Before long the five of them were all that was left in the field along with a rather large blade, a crater and a fancy looking broken rapier. Jer'rahd floats the busted rapier up to eye level and plucks out the Gem in the hilt tossing it to Bleu before tossing the ruined weapon into the crater.

“So, who's up for a few drinks? Starfall still owes me a bar tab.” Jer'rahd grins.

**************************************************************

Twilight sat back letting the spell fade, the smell of baked goods filled the house as she came back to herself. Looking about, Spike was still passed out on the couch and Pinkie was no where to be found. She checked the basement and the kitchen before hearing a creak from upstairs. Heading up she pushes open the window to the balcony looking out to see Pinkie staring out over Ponyville her hair unfluffed and hiding her face.

“Pinkie pie? What are you doing up here. Whats wrong?” Twilight asks

“Oh.. Twilight, sorry, I did not think you would be back for a while yet.” Pinkie sighs.

“That doesn't answer my question Pinkie.”

“I …. can you keep a secret better now Twilight?” Pinkie asks.

“Your never going to let me live that down are you?” Twilight sighs.

“Maybe some day. “

“So what's wrong.”

“Something bad is coming.”

“What?”

“Well you know about my Pinkie sense right?”

“Of course. I don't understand it, but I know about it.”

“Well my back hoof has been itchy.”

“Itchy back hoof, what was that one again. I don't have my notes.”

“It's not one I brought up. Its not one I like to think about, it doesn't happen often... but it does happen.. This time it started not long after we beat Discord and it's been getting stronger.”

“So what does it mean?”

“It's only happened twice that I remember. The first time I had just moved to town and.... Applejack's parents were killed. The next time it happened Granny Pie died.........”

“It.....Some pony is going to die?” Twilight gasps.

“Not just some pony Twilight. Some pony close to me or close to a friend. Some pony close to one of us is going to die. And I have no idea who or when!”

Author's Note

This song still kills me. I had to stop a number of times and laugh about this.

Now in regards to the Dragon Slayer Blades. They were made during the first war by a dragon smith who owed the Princesses a favor. He made them for the ponies to fight off his own kind, but he added a little bit of magic to the blades that once said pony he made it for died, the blade too would crumble. It''s not unlike the Crystal blades that appear in Book 2 only with metal rather than grown crystal.

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart [18] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart

“Wasn’t that fun, that was like the most fun we've had in a while, with the play, and the party,and the presents, and the party, and we were all like shut that window, and then the Windigo and,... Hey is any of this stuff coming up in your research at all Twilight?” Pinkie Pie rambled while bouncing around an exhausted looking Twilight.

“It hasn’t yet Pinkie.” Twilight yawned.

The train ride back after the holiday play had seemed shorter than she remembered, and it was some what disappointing. Every one was exhausted and had dozed off once or twice on the trip back on the red eye. Every pony could have stayed at the palace or at her parents place, but every pony had far too much to do in the few short days left until Hearths Warming.

While the short naps had helped every one considerably, only the resident pink party pony had immediately resumed her awakened state without any sign of her former tiredness.

Since Pinkie was still going to be at her place at least until after the holidays as the construction crew took far longer than she thought they would. The cheerful pony was going to likely be cooking something, again. Not that Twilight minded, Pinkie's cooking was great, but even Spike could only handle so much of it before he felt ready to pop, and she helped with the clean up too.

Still that would keep her attention for a while. Twilight herself felt she had slept enough on the train that she was ready to get back into her work. The practice for the play had taken most of her time lately so she had not even been able to think about the sword.

On top of the play there was also Pinkie's prediction, that bothered her a great deal as well. But since that first night Pinkie had not even bothered to acknowledge that she had said anything about it. Usually she just made up an excuse to head back to Sugar Cube Corner or some other reason to avoid talking about it if Twilight pressed the issue.

Eventually Twilight let it drop rather than drive away her friend. It well could be nothing or something not even having to do with death. According to what Twilight had seen Pinkie was good at reading her own senses, but new or rare ones were confusing to her.

Pinkie dropped her gifts from the Princesses off at the library before darting off, intent to check up on the repairs and what ever she was watching. That left Twilight and Spike alone for a while at least.

“Spike, does Pinkie Pie seem odd to you lately?”Twilight questions.

“Pinkie Pie seems odd to me all the time. You'll have to be more specific.”Spike responds with a smirk.

“Never mind. I suppose it might be nothing then. You up to keep an eye on me for a while?” Twilight asks.

“I suppose so, not like I plan to do much else with all that snow out there. Does the sword even fit into Hearths Warming?” Spike grumbles.

“The Hearths Warming events were before Luna and Celestia came to power, this swords only from a thousand years ago.” Twilight states.

“So did they celebrate it back then too?”

“Most likely. Any way lets see what I get shown this time. I think the spell has gotten to the point where it senses what I really want to see. After watching everyone fill out paper work and sleep for hours at a time. It's finally skipping the boring stuff.” Twilight grind.

“Well that's good. Alright go ahead I’ll put this stuff away.”

“Thanks Spike.”

It barely took any time to prep and fade into her research, the motions were well practiced now. The familiar stars and void quickly surrounded her. Her gaze shifts over them for a time recognizing the ones she identified as her friends and some of her neighbors, but still not seeing any that could bethought of as Spikes. While that bothered her, it was a study for another day.

She shook her head diving into one of the windows swearing to figure this place out sooner or later.

========================================================

The mare pressed softly against him, leaning up to lick lightly along his throat. Jer'rahd groaned softly meeting her lips with his, his tail curling up a bit twining with hers as they........

=====================================================

Twilight yanked herself out of that selection rather quickly, blushing furiously. Damned sneaky spell, making her think she had it under control and then hitting her with this. It senses what she really wanted to see, ugh, she really regretted saying that now. Well at least it was clear Jer'rahd was getting along well with his new mare friend Scarlet. Twilight whipped her head and shifts her focus on one of the other mirror shards floating in the void.

============================================

“So your family is having a Hearths Warming party?” Starfall questioned.

“Yeah, its a rather big thing every year. I know you have your own family deal, but hey its just the four of you right? Bring every pony by, I can guarantee you my mom made enough to feed fifty plus more than what we have coming.” Rhede chuckled.

“I'll see what they have planned, but it might be nice not to have to do any cooking.“ Starfall considered.

“There's a bonus too. “Rhede grins mischievously. “I found out Jer is going to invite his new mare friend as well. I hear she's stuck alone in Canterlot for the holiday. Knowing him he will bring her by just so she won't be alone Might be the first chance to meet her. Heck might be the only chance to see her until we get wedding invites with how secretive he's been. Bleu's not even met her yet!”

“How is that possible? Bleu goes every where with Jer'rahd.”Starfall asked confused.

“I think he's doing it intentionally.” Rhede pondered looking down at the coffee mug on the table before him.”He's probably worried about how Bleu will react. After all he was starting to date Bleu's former partner.”

“Considering how often Bleu has tried to set him up with random mares at the bar when we go, I doubt he should be worried.” Starfall rolled her eyes glancing up as some of the Royal Guard trotted into the Castles dining hall.

“His track record with mares is rather bad.”Rhede muttered

“There is that. Planing to invite any other ponies?” Starfall asked.

“Just Luna, On Celesta’s suggestion no less. “Rhede grinned.

“Really?”

“Yeah something about a private party she had planned that she would not be too thrilled about if her sister crashed it. Not very likely with how much Luna seems to prefer solitude. Celestia prefers a great deal of company. She also did seem a little upset I would not be able to make it to her party. Ah well. Can't win them all.”

“Odd you choose family over a personal invite from the Princess.” Starfall chuckled.

“That's how my loyalty goes. Family first, then friends, then the job, after that everything else.” Rhede shrugged.

“At least some of your priorities are straight.”

“Besides, my mother would kill me if I missed another Hearths Warming at the house.” Rhede shuddered.

============================================

Twilight pulled back as the conversation died out when the pair of them rose and went back to their duties.

She opted for a peek back into Jer'rahd's window as she was suddenly more curious about the mare he was seeing. .

=========================================

“This is a rather odd position, puts you in quite a bit more control too.” Jer'rahd commented.

“Problem with that love?” Scarlet grinned.

“Just reminds me of something Rhede once told me about something to do with a leash and collar......”

“Hmm maybe later Jer'rahd, a green one would definitely suit you though.....”

================================================

NOPE!!

Twilight blushed heavily yanking back and choosing another fragment. What was in this one?

================================================

Luna rubbed her eyes before looking down at the pages of the Red Tome again. The book was fairly useless to her. Most of the pages were blank and the ones that were not were filled with with descriptions of violence and gore that was chock full of spelling errors and words that made little sense. And that was just the few pages that had words, some had pictures. The book was unsettling to say the least.

What was odd was that The Book of Blue made numerous mentions of the red tome and what it said though Luna could find nothing matching what Discord referenced in the book itself.

The red Tome was far far older than the Book of Blue, though unlike Discords Journal on the Elements of Harmony it appeared to be much newer.

The Gray Grimiore was a different story. Discord's rants in the Book of Blue seemed to indicated he was scared, almost terrified of the book. The Grimiore actually showed a bit of it's age with faintly faded pages and a cover that looked a little rough around the edges, well cared for , but old.
Every spell in the book was something she could have used in the past and likely could use in the future. Several were spells boosted the power of the target of the spell. Some of them temporary enchantments, but there was one in particular that had held her attention. The materials she would need to pull it off were ridiculous, but if the description was correct the power she could gain would be immense, far surpassing any one who might oppose her.

With the spell she could very well defend Equestria from anything that dared challenge it. Perhaps she might gain the same recognition as her sister had from the populace as well. She was well liked in the Guards, but not so much by the civilian population. It was something that bothered her a little, but it had been some time since she had thought about it.
She smiled a little. She hadn't thought about her popularity polls since she had met Jer'rahd and the others. Perhaps her sister had been correct about making friends...

=============================================

Twilight pulled back in confusion. She wasn't sure if there was something wrong with the spell, but the pages Luna was looking at in the book appeared blank to her. Occasionally she would see something that looked like text out of the corner of her eye but when she focused the text vanished like it was being censored.

Time to move on to another window.

===============================================

“Gaaaah, harder Jer'rahd, aaaahah!!”

===============================

NOT THAT ONE!!

=================================

[“Sorry about all that Velkorn. Was the dress salvageable at all?”] Bleu pouts.

[“It was not your fault.... well the cake was, but not my dress. And no it was not.”] Velkorn grumbled taking a sip of her tea.

The pair of them were sitting in a small cafe just outside the palace sharing a table and ignoring the stares of others who walked by or took other seats at the small cafe. The owner and most of the wait staff were used to the pair as Bleu found this was the only cafe in Canterlot that offered Gemstone toppings on various dishes. It seemed it was a frequent stop for some of the students from Celestia's school for Gifted Unicorns. Bleu had not yet met another dragonling from the school , but she wasn't looking to any way.

[“Well at least you got to spend time with him afterward. Better than me, I've not seen anyone, including boss since then, its been little over a month too.”] Bleu sighed.

[“It does seem like he is spending a good bit of time with that mare he met. I gather they are hitting it off well?”] Velkorn added.

[“Far as I know. He's been rather reluctant to let me meet her. I guess he figures I would be offended he was seeing some one else because of Platinum.”]Bleu shrugs downing another cookie topped with ruby shards.

[“ Are you?” ] Velkorn questioned.

[“I don't know. I mean I don't expect boss to hermit up, and its been two years and it's not like they had even managed more than a couple of dates before.... you know. But I do feel out of sorts about it, I am happy for him. Though I would very much like to meet the mare.”] Bleu pondered.

[“You may just, Rhede is inviting her to his families Hearths Warming party.”] Velkorn smirked.

[“Really? Boss said he planned to invite her to his families Hearths Warming party Along with the rest of us.”] Bleu blinked.

[“I thought all his family was dead?”] Velkorn questioned.

[“So did I.”] Bleu wondered.

===============================================

Grahhh, stupid spell stopping everything but Jer'rahd's window. Honestly how long could the pair of them keep it up..... maybe she should research that later to check the average. Of course that would mean she would need a base line test outside of the spell. She could ask one of the others though they might not be completely honest simply due to how their relationship was going with said stallion thus she would have to go out and research it herself.......

Twilight slams the brakes on that train of thought before she turned permanently red. She stared at the window shard for Jer'rahd a moment longer before diving in and hoping they were finally done.

==================================================

The pair of them were finished with the more intimate enjoyment of each others company and were sitting in the kitchen of her friends mansion. Jer'rahd could not help his eyes wander over Scarlet's sweat soaked form as she moved about getting something to eat. He noted she said something, but it took him a moment for his brain to catch up.

“Sorry was a little distracted there. What was the question again Scarlet?” Jer'rahd asked.

“Ha, I bet you were. I asked what the deal was with your ranking The whole military structure seems odd to me especially after you seemed to have ranked up so fast.” Scarlet stated.

“Need something for your book again?” Jer'rahd grinned rather surprised the mare was writing a book about him. One she swore wasn't one of the torrid romance novels. Something he claimed he wouldn't mind if she did write given all the 'data' she had been collecting on that sort of thing.

“Maybe.” Scarlet grinned.

“Well outside the 42nd Equestria's forces are split in two The pegasus Air Force and then every other pony in the Guard. Rumor is Celestia has a deal with the sea queen to use Sea ponies as a naval force , but well we have not exactly had much conflict near the oceans anyway.

The bottom rung in both branches is Private, after a bit of time or work you rank up to Corporal, then Sergeant, then Staff Sergeant, then Master Sergeant and First Sergeant. Both branches use that tree for the general solders. There’s extra training to head into a officer position. Granted a great many nobles just buy the lowest officer rank for their children and just send them to that training to give their kids a cushy job pushing papers” Jer'rahd snorted at that thought, though Scarlet already knew his feelings about most nobles and was well aware she was one of the few exceptions.
.
“The officers are where the Pegasus and Guard split apart. Both still have Lieutenants and Captains, The ground has Major and Colonel, while the pegasus have Wing Commander and Air Commander. After that it goes to the five Generals.“

“Just five?” Scarlet asked.

“Just five and all of them are part of the forty second, or were part of it. Five Star is the one with seniority, that's General Mustang. Princess Luna only knows how long he has been about. The previous three star General retired which moved the two and one star up to fill the higher ranks. Evidently I preformed well enough to be put in the open position. Personally I have no idea how I got the rank. Likely due to princess Celestia's assignment for me.”

“Oh, was that the one you were talking about you came back from before meeting me?” Scarlet questioned.

“No, that was just some quest for some colored books in the Darklands.”Jer'rahd waved a hoof.

“Ooh books? Now you have me curious, I do love books.”

“Well that gives me a hint of what to get you for Hearths Warming. You wouldn’t like those books anyway. One was written by a god of madness of all things, just as likely to eat you as let you read it. Far to many crazy things in that place. Better those things stay lost where ever they are.“ Jer'rahd stated still somewhat guarded on the truth about the mission.

“ You mean, crazy things like a giant tortoise that was made into armor for you?” Scarlet smirked.

“I keep being told it was a turtle.” Jer'rahd admitted.

“Eyes are up here.... unless your looking for the best way to go another few rounds.”

“You are insatiable do you know that.” Jer'rahd grinned.

“Complaining?” Scarlet smirked with a flick of her tail.

“Not even a little”

=====================================================

Goddess, she hated this spell right now. It was like the damn thing was trying to tell Twilight she needed to get laid. Was it a subconsciousness thing? Or was the spell just messing with her?

She checked the others exhaling in relief as the shard of Bleu again seemed to let her in.

=======================================================

“So what did you need these things for again any way Princess? Boss likely will not be too happy that they went missing.” Bleu asked dropping a small chest on the table before the Princess.

“I have might have found some one to reforge them.” Luna stated flatly

“You're kidding? Boss tore the whole city apart looking for some pony to fix his sword. He didn't find shit.” Bleu stated.

“He does not have the connections I do. The problem is obvious however the sword cannot be fixed.” Luna explained opening the chest to lift the remaining shards of Jer'rahd's grandfathers blade out of the chest. The entire sword was here save six small pieces of metal from near the guard. Luna didn't have the heart to try and get those bits back.

“But you just said...” Bleu began.

“I said it would be reforged, not repaired Bleu.” Luna stopped her. “ I have access to some rather rare metal and a smith of a caliber long thought lost in Equss. I think having his sword reforged is a fitting gift for Hearts Warming is it not?”

“I see . I'm sure boss'll love it. So one other question then .” Bleu commented.

“What is that?”

“What do you want for Hearths Warming?” Bleu grinned.

“Ummm...”

“So let me get this straight your mom invites every one, every year?” Starfall demanded.

“Yep. Though the last couple years me and Jer have been way too busy to go and she's not too thrilled about that, this year we go, or moms threatened to drag us both their by our ears. She's a strong pony too, she can do it. She also invited every single pony that had any rank above us so that we would be able to make it. Well invited or threatened, hard to tell with her sometimes.” Rhede explained.

“What do you mean she invites everyone?” Starfall questioned.

“Any pony the family has associated with gets an invite. A few years ago when I was still in the Zebra lands she sent a invite that included the entire nation so long as Velkorn and I came. Jer'rahd also mentioned she sent a invite to every pony in Dullahan keep while he was there.”

“Wait, why didn't I get one then?” Starfall pouted.

“It was sent back, with a note from Stormsong about how you were too busy. Mom was not thrilled.” Rhede muttered.

“If my sister was not in love with that mare, I would strangle her.” Starfall growled.

“You got a personal invite for you and your daughter this year. Heck bring your sister as well and Stormsong if you are feeling nice.” Rhede grinned, “Though I somehow doubt you will be.”

“Well well you certainly look dashing in a Santa hat there fluffy tail whats the occasion.” Bleu grinned.

“Fluffy tail? Do you come up with these on the spot Bleu or make them up as you go?” Rhede snorted.

“Bit of both.” Bleu shrugged.

“Any way let Jer know mom is not going to take the, 'hes too busy' excuse this year and he needs to bring that mare friend of his as well to the holiday party.” Rhede stated looking down at Bleu as he stood in the doorway of the house she and Jer'rahd shared.

“Yeah would be nice to meet her finally.” Bleu rolled her eyes.

“You've not even met her? He's playing his cards close this time, guess he still doesn’t trust me after Silphy. Soo, Velkorn said you asked the princess what she wanted for Hearths Warming? What did she say?” Rhede smiled.

“A long winded speech that basically translated to, Don't get me anything unless you can figure out a way to make ponies less afraid of me.” Bleu grumbled with a huff.

“Hmm, a difficult task, but not impossible. A little image tweaking and she will be set. Apparently she has also never met Maw.“

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You ever wonder why I act the way I do? That mare is afraid of nothing, and controls the family with an iron hoof. A hydra could stampede through the house and if mom said it was a invited guest the rest of my family would offer it a place at the table.”

“Oh, crap that's right, I might finally get to see what made you the lump of stud muffin you are today. Any available brothers about my age there ?”

“You could say that. I question available though. They are my family after all.”
Rhede grinned.

Jer'rahd stepped out the door glancing up at the sky as the first flakes of snow begin to fall. The weather ponies said they were going for an apple or two worth of snow just to give Hearths Warming a nice coat of white for the decoration but not enough that travel would be difficult. He glanced back at Scarlet's place smiling, the two of them had spent nearly every day since the Gala last month together. He had opted to use the vacation time he had never used. He had meant for only a week to be used but that had turned into a whole month.

The replacement blades had been delivered, all the paper work was caught up. All Jer'rahd really had to left to do was train.

General Mustang was thrilled when Jer'rahd requested the time off and practically forced him to take the whole month off just so he would not have to deal with him for a while. Mustang had called it the greatest Hearths Warming gift ever to have Jer'rahd out of his mane.

Things had turned a great deal more serious between Scarlet and himself. So much so he had spent most of his time over at her place. It had decidedly been worth it, if she had not wanted a little time to herself to try and write he would have still been there. She had said that even if he was not actively distracting her he was still distracting her while he was in easy reach. Taking that as a cue to step out for a bit, and perhaps do a little shopping, he left with the promise to return soon.

Rhede's mother would have sent the invite out by now. Likely his last warning letter as well. There was no excuse this time, granted the last two years there really had been no excuse either. Their home was not that far from Canterlot, he could have gone both years. Maw Pelt was likely perfectly aware of this and was going to make both sure he and Rhede paid for missing.... what was it, five years, six.... yes six years since that last Hearths Warming before he was sent to the Diamond dog front. Rhede had not even been able to make it due to what ever special training he was receiving at the time. Without Rhede there he always felt uncomfortable at these parties. Granted he always felt uncomfortable at the Pelt's any way even after living with them for a few years before joining the Guard. He had nothing against Rhede's family, they were all just a little too.... intense at times.

His hooves started crunching though the first few layers of snow collecting on the ground as he reached the door to his house. Kicking the snow off his hooves he spotted the red envelope and winced a little knowing who it was from and that it served as the last warning before Maw Pelt came for him. He had no intentions to miss this year and had already invited Scarlet as well. The mare was quite thrilled at the prospect of meeting his family, adoptive or not. This would be the first time any of his friends would meet her, he had no doubt they would all like her, he mostly just worried about Bleu's reaction.

He stopped in the hall way turning his gaze up to the painting on the wall, Bleu must have been cleaning the store room and found it. It was not like he ever unpacked anything but the bare necessities, but Maw Pelt had mailed this too him some of his things as soon as he had a place in Canterlot.

The painting showed four ponies and a little foal cradled in the lap of the only unicorn in the painting. The colors had faded leaving the whole thing in a wash of gray and brown save the bright pink brush stroke that was his mothers hair. This was the only image left of his family, and he only had it because Maw Pelt thought it was worth saving when the house was lost. Jer'rahd knew he was in no shape at the time to try and save anything. He was glad she had planned ahead and saved it.

He pushed his way back out the door into the snow. There was shopping to be done, still but after that little trip into depressing memories a drink or three was all he could concentrate on.

Author's Note

Part one of this repair job. To be honest aside from splitting things up into three parts i added a great deal of fixes and new information about the way of things to these chapters.

New info on Luna's old Element bearer's new info on the order and new Maw Pelt goodness.

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart Part 2 [19] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart
Part 2

“You are trying hard to make me look bad, Jer I know you are.” Rhede growled.

Jer'rahd simply smirked walking beside the loaded wagon pulled by two Guard ponies. He had picked up a gift for every pony in the family as well as a selection of chocolates and some various fruits, though no oranges, for the Pelts.

The snow had stopped though there was still a fresh coat of the white stuff covering the roads from Canterlot down to Ponyville.

The pair of Guards pulling the wagon were grumbling to each other about working on Hearths Warming when they thought he couldn't overhear them. He smiled having picked the pegasus Wedge and the earth pony Biggs out of the roster specificly.

Both of them had gotten a bad pull of duty for the holiday and as such were not able to make it back to their own homes and families. There were a number of others like them as well who had duty, but most of them lived nearby or had come out to Canterlot to be with the ones who couldn't leave.

Biggs Hosen and Potato Wedge didn't really have that option. The pair of them lived on the far side of Equestria near the frozen north in Vanhoover so making a trip up there was nearly out of the question this time of the year any way.

Jer'rahd had adjusted the shifts a little to allow them the day off today at least. While it would not be enough for them to make it back home, the Pelt gathering might be the next best thing. Of course they didn't know it yet and simply thought a superior officer had abused his power to make them drag a cart for him.

Rhede was pulling a smaller cart himself loaded down with gifts from both him and Velkorn that was only half the size. Jer'rahd barely ever spent any of his wages so he had plenty to spare when he did decided to splurge.

“I don't need to try and make you look bad Rhede, you do it so well yourself.” Jer'rahd grinned.

“Forget that, you're just trying to butter mom up so she forgives you for missing the last few years.” Rhede growled

“Perish the thought.” Jer'rahd waved his hoof at his friend dismissively.

Starfall flew slowly along with the wagons with Cloud Dancer sitting on her back, her own little wings fluttering with her mothers. Starfall had bundled the filly in more scarves and hats than the entire rest of the group, save Velkorn, wore. It was no wonder the foal could not fly, she looked like a wrapped present herself.

Velkorn was not doing much better, the zebra was used to hot climates the snow was evidently something she was not used to and she had over done her own covering looking little more than a large bundle of clothing trudging along with the others. Bleu was not happy with the weather either and had wrapped herself into a thick blanket before planting herself on Jer'rahd's back under his own long coat. Rhede had kept his normal light robes and Jer'rahd had worn a long dark blue dress coat neither of them showing any problem with the cold.

“An apple or two my frozen blue tail, how can some ponies whose job it is to deal with weather miss count by four apples?” Bleu snarled.

“At least the roads are clear Bleu.” Jer'rahd chimed up.

The group left Canterlot nearly an hour ago, traveling along one of the merchant roads toward a small town at the base of the mountain. Ponyville was little more than a farming town, one or two houses and only one fair sized general store.

Once the small caravan made it into the town itself Jer'rahd found himself pausing at a vacant lot by the side of the road looking at the slightly raised plot of land there. Rhede sighed walking up to his friend looking it over as well.

“All that haste to tear it down and all these years later and there is still nothing there.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

“You knew there would not be. They never did want to build anything there, just erase it.” Rhede sighed.

“Yeah.” Jer'rahd shook his head.

“Boss whats so special about that lot?” Bleu mentioned , poking her nose out from her bundle of cloth to see why they stopped.

“Used to be where my house was.” Jer'rahd admitted before turning away to continue along the road without a glance back.

The group moved on the road until it turned into little more than a path between trees as it left the town headed north closer to the edge of the Everfree Forest. Finally the group came into sight of a massive multistory farmhouse, a place that easily dwarfed a number of nobles homes in Canterlot.

The whole place was decorated for Hearths Warming, magic crystals blinking and casting small flame spells into the air that formed into hearts or other shapes. Decorated trees and candy canes sat every where along the path and around the home. A statue of three ponies huddled together, rested in the middle of the yard, a great fiery heart above them being circled by the illusions of Windigo trying to flee it. Trees and stars were every where, the entire fruit orchard for as far as any pony could see was covered in glittering lights and decorations.

Every pony but Rhede and Jer'rahd's jaws had dropped at the sight of a home decorated more lavishly than the entire Canterlot Castle.

“Seems she did not go full out this year Rhede.” Jer'rahd admitted appraising the decorations.

“I guess she's finally feeling her age. Besides the Pegasus choir from a few years ago spent more time inside drinking hot chocolate then outside singing.” Rhede shrugged.

“What the heck? You been holding out on us juicy bits?” Bleu stammered.

“Bleu please stop that … I did say Pelt was a common name. We are a big family with ponies from all........ crud ….. we've been spotted Jer.” Rhede stated suddenly his eyes narrowing.

“Already? Fine lets get this over with. You might wanna take off Bleu. You two take the cart towards the house, stop at the front, but don't let any pony get to it until we get there. Velkorn, Starfall, you might wanna take Rhede's Cart and go along with them.”

“What ? Whats going on. Sir is there a problem?” Wedge questioned

Jer'rahd glanced over to the guards pulling the wagon with a smirk.

“Nothing we can't handle, take that over to the front door and wait there.” Jer'rahd ordered.

“Here it comes Jer.” Rhede stated.

Rhede's gaze was lifted skyward and Jer'rahd''s eyes followed his friend's gaze upward as well. The shadow over them growing larger as Velkorn and the Guards took off running.

“What? I thought Maw banned the catapult years ago?” Jer'rahd cursed.

“Guess she made the use fair game again. Probably just for us Jer.” Rhede sighed.” Glad to see their aim has improved though.”

“INCOMEING!!” Jer'rahd shouted diving to the side as Rhede dodged the other way.

The giant snow ball crashed into the group, burying them under a mountain of snow with only the wagon movers avoiding it.

Rhede popped his head up from the giant snow pile before Jer'rahd did the same from the other side of it , the pair failing to dodge the massive snowball. The pair glare at the young ponies at the top of the hill on the other side of the orchard dancing around the catapult. The large wooden device barely hidden behind a few rows of trees now that it had fired. The two stallions glance to each other and nod.

“Rhede. Rook to pawn six. Knight to pawn three.” Jer'rahd stated.

“On it Jer.” Rhede grinned.

The two dive back under the snow mound as Cloud Dancer burrows her way out and bounced around on top of the pile of snow shouting as Bleu and Starfall slowly emerge.

“Do it again! Do it again!!!” Cloud Dancer shouted.

“HAHAHAHA .” a small thin reddish orange furred colt with a bright red mane and tail laughed. “Oh we got them good this time. Miss a few years of our war will you? We brought back the heavy artillery. We got another round ready Wolf?” The colt asked.

A larger and some what chunky gray and whited furred colt with a black mane and tail grinned.

“Give me a moment, Fox I'll load it, you see where they went?” Wolf nodded as his brother lifts a spyglass up to look down at their targets.

“I see some movement down there. Uh oh, looks like they had a foal with them. She seems fine, but Maw's not gonna be happy about that.” Fox winced.

“Hey we waited till the wagons moved.” Wolf admitted.

“That was not enough to stop us Fox, Wolf, you should have fired again!” a voice called from the snow around them.

“Its Jer'rahd!!they're here, Evasive maneuvers!!! FALL BACK WOLF RUN!!” Fox yelled.

“Too late!” Rhede shouted.

Rhede leaps out of the snow flinging snowballs at the pair like they were his daggers. The sudden barrage forced the two ponies back to take cover behind the catapult. Though Rhede's distraction gave Jer'rahd the time he needed to roll one of the large catapult snowballs over the pair with his magic. The ball kept rolling from the push with the pair of colts stuck in it, gathering speed as it tore down the hill towards the trio pulling them selves out of the snow from the first attack.

“Uh oh” Jer'rahd winced.

“Wrong way Jer.” Rhede sucked in a breath.

The ball of snow bound ponies tore down the hill towards the others. Starfall took off into the air dragging Cloud Dancer with her. Bleu had just shaken the snow from her blanket when she saw the new snow ball heading towards her. She yelped and dove down trying to burrow back down into the first pile before being hit by the rolling snowball. The rolling ball bounced across the road with the new dragonling addition and struck one of the apple trees on the other side of the field, exploding and leaving the colts and Bleu stuck in the decorated tree.

“I think that counts as a win Jer.” Rhede grinned.

“I can agree with that.” Jer'rahd laughed.

========================================================

“Six years? I get nothing from either of you for six years. Both of you have been in Canterlot for two years and you just now decided to come out here?!!”

“He was in Canterlot mom I was in the Zebra lands most of that time.....” Rhede placates.

“Thanks a lot Rhede way to throw me under the cart. I am sorry Mrs. Pelt, but..” Jer'rahd began

“JER'RAHD, what did I tell you.” the mare yelled thwacking the gray furred unicorn with a hoof.

“I am sorry...... Maw ….” Jer'rahd corrected.

“Better.” Maw stated.

The Guards, and the others simply stand and stare in awe. They had barely made it into the coat room of the huge farm house when this tiny gray blue earth pony mare stormed towards them and had the most savvy pony and the most dangerous pony any of them knew cowering before her.

“I must learn her secret.” Bleu whispered.

“No, Bleu, just no, you would abuse that sort of power far too much.”Starfall hissed back.

The inside of the house was decorated just as garishly as the outside. The two colts had been scolded for launching their attack and sent to prepare extra places at the table for Wedge and Biggs. The two Guards were welcomed into the house quite openly and invited to stay for dinner and the festivities. Easily thirty or forty other ponies were already milling around the large dining area and living room with shouts and laughter of other foals somewhere drawing Cloud Dancer's attention.

“So since you two idiots have been gone so long, lets have the introductions before I have tah beat you.” Maw demanded.

“Of course Maw.... The Guards here are Corporal Potato Wedge and Corporal Biggs Hosen from The Canterlot Division of the Forty Second.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Ma'am” Wedge nodded.
“Miss Pelt.” Biggs smiled.

“Nice to meet you two boys. I can't believe Jer'rahd here had you pulling all that mess on the holiday all the way from Canterlot.” maw Glared at the gray unicorn from under the bangs of her silvery brown mane.

“Quite alright Ma'am, we were not able to make it home this year any way.” Biggs placated.
“It has been rather entertaining so far.” Wedge grinned glancing to Jer'rahd.

“You two go help yourselves to the snacks on table, mingle and all that. I'll make sure you get some of the leftovers before you go.” Maw smirked.

“Thank you Ma'am.”
“Thank you.”

She watched the two wander off towards the food before looking up at Jer'rahd who was trying to hide a smirk.

“Being nice to those two doesn’t get you back in my good graces just yet colt, it's a start mind you. Cause it's good ta see that you haven’t forgotten what I taught yah, but yer not outta the hot water yet, not yet.” Maw glared forcing Jer'rahd smirk to fade.

“This is Bleu Scale. Bleu this is Rhede's mother Maw.” Jer'rahd continued.

WAP!!!

Every pony blinked having not seen the mares tail even move til it had belted Jer'rahd in the side of the head. The silvery brown length vanishing back under the purple shawl she wore over her back that covered her cutie mark.

”Ow. “ Jer'rahd grumbled rubbing his ear. “ She's also my adoptive mother, Maw Pelt.”

“Adoptive mother?” Starfall asked.

The small pony looked at the dragonling before her. Bleu was still in awe at the mare, she was only a little taller than Bleu was when she sat on her back legs. How the heck did this little mare manage to have a huge pony like Rhede as a son?

“Took the colt in when his grandfather died. Nasty business that whole deal was. Hmmm, Never had a Dragon here before might need to see what we can whip up for yah. You work with my boys then I gather?” Maw asked.

“You can say that.” Bleu muttered.

“She was in the same boat as me Maw. I am sure you heard about Platinum.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Indeed I did, so you were Platinum's dragon partner hmm? Saw one of her shows a long while back beautiful voice. I am sorry to hear about that dear. A little late I know, still. How did you end up with this worthless ungrateful lout?” Maw ranted as Jer'rahd sighed.

“Hmm, only two insults that time, shes warming back up to you Jer.” Rhede whispered.

“Stuff it boy I’ve not even started on your hide yet.” Maw snapped without even looking over at Rhede.

“Boss here kept me from being deported. Took over for Platinum being my partner.” Bleu opted for the short version of it.

“Did he now? Stupid law that, a throw back from the Dragon war. No idea why they would bother to enforce it now.” Maw sighed.

“Uh oh, I know that tone Jer.” Rhede winced backing away from Jer'rahd who swallowed hard.

“Ahhh see. Bringing somebody else into the family without even consulting me hmmm colt? You better be damned lucky I like her or I would tan your flank good. Paw'll likely have a fit, but so what.” maw shouted at him. “Well don't let me stop you now, keep introducing.”

“Errr sorry Maw, this is Starfall and her daughter Cloud Dancer.” Jer'rahd continued.

Starfall felt a little odd as it was rare any other pony wound up looking literally up to her.

“Nice to meet you dear. You too little one. The rest of the children are in the back room over there if you want to go play with them.” Maw's voice seemed to completely change in talking with Starfall and Cloud Dancer. Starfall was rather surprised at the sudden shift in tone.

The little filly was of course being shy though at hearing the word 'play' she did manage to flutter out of her mothers grip and flit off in the direction she was pointed in. Starfall moved to follow, but was somehow stopped by little more than Maw Pelts stare.

“Don't worry none about her, Beuford is watching the foals and no harm'll come to her with him there. Now dear please tell me you were smart enough not to get attached to either of these idiots romantically . You seem to have a better head on yah than that.” Maw shrugged glaring at the two stallions who did there best to look else where.

“No, not at all, no matter how your son tried... err, Rhede tried... I am under Jer'rahd's command in the 42nd however.” Starfall stated.

“His command? You mean some one thought promoting him past dishwasher was a good idea.” Maw stared at him in mock awe.

“I am a General now Maw.” Jer'rahd rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“Pfft, like that makes a lick of difference here, that’s your job tonight too by the way, keep it in mind.” Maw ordered.

Jer'rahd winced as Rhede smirked.

“Finally we have Velkorn, former Queen of the Zebra lands.” Jer'rahd continued.

“Tis a pleasure to meet you this is true , though your sons have told me nothing about you.” Velkorn nodded.

[“They wouldn't, ungrateful louts.”] Maw grumbled.

[“You speak Zebra Mrs. Pelt? “] Velkorn blinked in surprise her ears perking up.

[“I speak a great many languages dear, rather need too for the merchant business. There’s something about you...... I would like to talk to you more later, but let me finish with these two.”] Maw considered.

[“Of course.”] Velkorn agreed.

“So is that every pony?” Maw asked.

“There might be two or so more coming Maw.” Jer'rahd glanced over at Rhede who shrugged.

“So who else should we be expecting?” Maw demanded.

“Princess Luna and any escort of Guards she may bring and .. ahem... My mare friend Scarlet.” Jer'rahd rubbed his temple with a hoof.

Maw Pelt's gold eyes narrow at this information as she looked between the two stallions.

“Your not pulling my tail now are you?”

“We did invite her and Princess Celestia , though the latter declined.” Rhede shrugged. “ Princess Luna simply said she would consider it.

“ Not that Colt. The Goddess of the Moon showing up I can believe. But that you have a mare friend finally is pushing it. This isn’t another one just after Rhede is it?” Maw growled.

“Way to show support Maw.” Jer'rahd sighed.

“Don't get lippy with me. You know dern well I can still beat the crap outta yah.” Maw snapped.

“Sorry, but as far as I know she has not even met Rhede And I have dated other mares since I left...” Jer'rahd sighed.

“I call bullshit. If not for Rhede you barely would have started dating at all. It's kinda a pain in the ass having a boy who is to shy to bring me some legitimate grand foals.” Maw stated sitting back to fling her fore hooves into the air.

“Bleu...” Jer'rahd muttered. “A little help here....”

“Well boss did date Platinum for a little while which is how I met him. We figure hes not incompetent , he just has high standards.” Bleu admitted.

“A bad combination with his lousy looks and worse attitude.” Maw snorted getting a chuckle from Rhede and a abashed frown from Jer'rahd. “Right then! All of y’all go eat. I wanna hear more about this mare friend of his. And Rhede I will deal with you later, don't think you're gitting off easy just cause I've been focusing on yer brother here.”

Maw's voice softened again as she looked to Jer'rahd. “Any ways. You got a walk to take Jer'rahd. Its been too long since yah been there. Got a lot to say I'd imagine.”

“I know Maw, I planned to head out there after letting every one know I was here.” Jer'rahd nodded.

“I'll let them all know if Fox hasn’t yet, I swear that colt has the biggest mouth.” Maw sighed as she rose with a groan.

“Mom are you doing alright? That sounded like it hurt a bit...you also seem to have put on a little weight...” Rhede asked glancing down at his mother.

“WHAT WAS THAT RHEDE!! You better not be calling me fat boy!!!” Maw shouted getting up into Rhede's face somehow.

Bleu and Starfall both leaned back wondering how the mare had gone from sitting down to standing on a stool just to be eye level with her son when neither of them had even seen the stool move.

“Errrr.” Rhede stammered as the others back away from the pair.

“Wait you mean about the middle? Oh yeah that’s just paw proving he's still a virile stallion” Maw stated suddenly changing her tone.

“You're pregnant again?!!” both Jer'rahd and Rhede shout.

“What? Don't want a seventeenth brother or sister?” Maw cackled.

“Shouldn't you be a little past that Maw?” Jer'rahd asked.

“Seems I ain’t, and I get enough lip from the kids I did pop out, I don't need any from you to Jer'rahd. Go do what you need to and let me worry bout what comes from knocking horseshoes with my husband. I'll grill yah later on your mare.” Maw grinned wide.”Though why you didn’t escort her out here yourself I have no idea.”

“She had things to do this morning or I would have.” Jer'rahd admitted.

As Maw Pelt wandered off Bleu stared after her in awe.

“It has become quite clear that I must meet Rhede's father to see the stallion that made him who he is.” Bleu stated flatly.

“Then you want to talk to Rhede's grandpaw then.” Jer'rahd sighed. “That stallion was his real influence. Convinced him that a stallions worth is measured in the mares he beds. And poor stupid Rhede took it to heart, not knowing he said it as a joke.”

“I am right here still.” Rhede growled.

The wind whipped up a little sending a flurry of snow into Jer'rahd's side, the white flakes collected on his coat as he stared down at the snow piles before him.

He had left the party only about fifteen minutes ago, but he could find this place in his sleep. The stone wall behind it marking the edge of the property was tall enough to poke out of the snow, though otherwise there was little more than a sheet of pure white surrounding him every where save the path he took to get here,

His horn glowed brightly pushing aside the snow from the four stones at the back of the field. The Pelt family had been the ones who helped found Ponyville and had been here a long time. Generations of their family was laid to rest in this part of field, as well as four ponies not of their family, but given the honor of being laid to rest here with the others.

Jer'rahd settled himself in the space between the two central graves tucking his legs under him and looking at the names on the tomb stones with a sigh. The cold wind died down a little, but he had yet to feel it any way. Besides he would be cold here even in the dead of summer.

He pulled four roses out of his coat laying one each at the base of each headstone.

“Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma. It has been a while since I came here, sorry for that it, has been a busy few years....” Jer'rahd explained.

The wind picks up again as he continues talking telling them the events that had lead up to this point.

“So wait they met how?” Bleu demanded.

The group had stuck rather close together at first, with the exception of Rhede who had been dragged off by a older red furred and gray maned pony bigger than even he was. One of the cousins mentioned that the behemoth was Rhede's father and Bleu's mind almost snapped at the sheer size difference between Rhede's parents. Starfall and Velkorn ignored the reeling dragonling speaking with Rhede's eldest sister, Mink.

“They beat the crap out of each other. Rhede was a bit of a bully when he was younger. At one point he was picking on some foal or another and Jer'rahd tried to stop him. The two got into a massive brawl that got Jer'rahd his cutie mark along with a busted lip. Rhede clearly beat him of course, but the next day he was right back fighting Rhede again when he tried to pick on some pony else. Confused the crap out of my brother. He's always been the biggest and yet here was this tiny new pony who not only stood up to him, but kept doing it. Eventually Rhede just started going after Jer'rahd and fighting him, not even picking on any other foals. At one point a few other bullies thought Rhede had marked Jer'rahd as a easy target and went after him as well. Rhede intervened and he and Jer'rahd beat the crap out of the lot of them then turned and went back to beating each other up. They have been friends since.” Mink laughed. “So , Starfall was it ? Is that your daughter flying around in the other room?”

“Oh, Cloud Dancer, yes she is......” Starfall beamed.

Bleu and Velkorn quickly wandered off letting Starfall rant to the unfortunate sister.

[ A little later]

Bleu stared up at the old stallion and the old orange stallion stared back at her. The other elderly ponies in the room watch the two with interest and the occasional cough.

“You ain't winning this dragon.” Grandpa Pelt growled.

“I can do this all day.” Bleu snapped back.

Velkorn sighed and wandered off before the staring contest between the two got any more boring.

========================================================================

[ A little later]

[“Just the zebra I wanted to see.”] Maw called.

Velkorn had poked her nose into the kitchen, which was a flurry of activity of ponies running about cooking setting up displays and generally tearing about the room under the watchful glare of Maw.

“Lucy, Linus take care of this pot here would you? Aunties gonna go sit down a bit, Linus put the blanket away while in the kitchen.” Maw demanded.

“But its cold Auntie.” Linus protested as his sister rolled her eyes.

Maw Pelt heads off into a side room settling herself on the bench gesturing to the spot next to her for the zebra to take a seat on. She shifted a moment to get comfortable as Velkorn settled in looking over at the other mare.

[“Linus is a good boy, but the Vanpelt side of the family is a little slow.”] Maw sighed.

[“You wished to speak with me for some reason Mrs. Pelt?”] Velkorn asked skipping the small talk she wouldn't get any way.

[“Just hoping you'll satisfy and old mares curiosity.”] Maw placated.

[“You are hardly what one could call old.”] Velkorn smirked.

[“Flattery will not get you out of the questions dear.”] maw Chuckled. [“So then, which one of them is it?”]

[“Excuse me?”] Velkorn blinked.

[“My boys, call it a gut feeling, but you seem to be sweet on one of them. My instincts are usually good about that sort of thing, not too specific but good.”]Maw nodded.

[“Ummm I am not sure what to say to that ...”] Velkorn blinked.

[“ Hesitation and your lack of reaction from Jer'rahd's Mare friend showing up leads me to believe its Rhede isn’t it?”] Maw sighed.

Velkorn nodded lightly flushing a little as the older mare laughs.

[“Oh you have some bad taste in stallions hun. That one's my own flesh and blood and I think he's part ass. All my dads fault mind, you filling his head with all his conquests before mom locked him down. My old man's probably got more kids out there in the world then you have stripes. Rhede's almost exactly the same, I really hope you knew that, colts been sewing wild oats most of his life.”]

[“I was aware of that, though not that there were as many as you seem to believe....”] Velkorn frowned.

[“Might be might not be, only Rhede knows for sure how many he has, probably remembers all of them too. Good head on him just aimed wrong. Surprised he has not managed to knock you up.”] Maw commented bluntly.

[“ No, we have not done, well anything like that. He seems to be avoiding me in regards to such things.”] Velkorn sighed.

[“Really?”] Maw perked her ears as she pondered. [“Well I can tell you it is not because you're a Zebra. Fools traveled a good bit and I know he used to date a zebra at least once. Stupid boy'd probably try to bed a dragon that was trying to eat him, might pull it off too.”]

[“ I do not know then, he is friendly enough to me. And there are times I know I have not been subtle in my attentions towards him.”] Velkorn grumbled.

[“He's not Jer'rahd, he wouldn't miss a mare wanting him. Unless...oooh. You sure you he's the one you want hun? Colt's got a great deal of baggage with him.”] Maw grinned wide.

[“He is …. it is rather hard to explain why, I have had other male interests, but not like him. I am becoming frustrated however with his rejection, whether he means it or not.”] Velkorn sighed.

[“Let me give you a bit of advice then hun. Don't give up. Keep going at him till that idiot gets it into his head what you want. Put up with his crap then when you get him, make him pay for it.”] Maw grinned. [“ Worked wonders with dad.”]

[“If you insist...”] Velkorn blinked at the advice.

[“Oh I do more than insist. I am gonna get some legitimate grand foals out of one of this lot sooner or later. Jer'rahd's the third oldest and Rhede's right after him. I had hopes for Lion my oldest, but he turned out to be a colt cuddler. No problem with that except it means no grand foals. And I still don't know what Mink's preference is she doesn't seem interested in stallions or mares.”] Maw throws her hooves in the air in exasperation. [“So those two are the my next hope. So get him interested in yah and get to work on the grand kids!!”]

“This must be the place. I thank you for walking out here with me Princess, but you really did not need to come with me this far.” The mare bowed.

The black mare looked up at the Princess of the Night clearly nervous in her presence. The wind caught her red hair blowing it about her face and back, though Luna could tell the mare was doing her best not to meet her gaze. The white scarf and jacket she wore left her book cutie mark bare though she wore socks the same color as her scarf to protect her legs.

“While I was not planning to escort you out this far in all honesty, this does indeed also seem to be the place I was invited.” Luna admitted.

Princess Luna wore little more than her her usual short crown and regalia, a small glow remained around her form, radiating from her horn and melting the snow around her and keeping her warm as well without the need of hiding herself under layers. Still perhaps she should have bundled up. Less ponies were likely to recognize her that way.

She had met this mare trying to find directions to the Pelt's at the general store in town. Luna had gotten a bit lost herself having never been to Ponyville before and was not entirely certain which of the homes was the Pelts. The shop keep had poked his head out just long enough to give directions and was greatly surprised to see the Princess there.

The reaction was typical panic at the sight of her, and a bit of the usual bowing and scraping. Luna let it go being used to it and she was ignored when she requested him to stop any way. The walk here had been rather silent, but something was nagging at the back of Luna's mind about the mare that had temporarily become a traveling companion. She had heard the name 'Scarlet' from some where, but for the moment she could not think of where.

Possibly something to do with Rhede? One of his conquests perhaps? Or was it to do with Jer'rahd? Luna's mind kept dancing around the answer and driving her crazy. She was not used to being up in the day like this, and in the middle of the after noon at that, she was tired, doing her best not to be cranky and the niggling bit of information her own brain denied her was just adding to it.

Luna had seen the down side of not bringing any guards right after she left, being unable to bring any of the gifts she had selected for the Pelt family and her friends, she smiled at that thought. Jer'rahd's was not finished yet any way and the rest she could have delivered later. Hearths Warming wasn't until tomorrow any way.

Tia had her usual Hearths Warming Eve party going on and likely would party so hard she would sleep through the raising of her own sun. Luna would need to be awake to raise the sun in the morning or Hearths Warming would never get started. It was not a problem, but it did mean she would like a little bit of sleep before having to preform the duel tasks. She sometimes wondered if Celestia really was the older sister in the two with how often she tried to shirk her duties.

Her traveling companion knocked lightly on the door as Luna's gaze shifted over the sheer amount of decorations filling the yard and orchard. Tia could take notes from this home on what to do in Canterlot.

Rhede opened the door to greet who ever was knocking. He spotted Luna and smirked, then the other mare caught his attention and he suddenly turned as white as the snow outside. He recovered quickly, and before Luna could question the sudden flash of fear. She did not think it was because of her, but she doubted this bookish mare with her would get that sort of reaction.

“Hey Princess welcome. Glad you could make it. You Must be Scarlet I assume?” Rhede stated barely hiding the hint of fear in his voice.

“I am. Jer'rahd invited me, he did say it was alright to come out here.” Scarlet practically purred with a hint of menace that Luna didn't think possible.

Luna easily picked up on the tone. Clearly the mare must know Rhede, an ex perhaps. That honestly would explain everything.

“Oh its no trouble. Jer's out at the moment, but please both of you come in say hello to my mother at the head of the table and grab a plate.” Rhede continued without pause moving aside for them both to enter.

As Rhede stepped aside Luna noted a worried look on his face and a glance that seemed a silent plea for her to help. Not knowing the relation ship of the two Luna opted to ignore it. Rhede perhaps deserved what he got given how annoyed Scarlet seemed.

Still it did bother her a little, she took note of the way his eyes remained on the black mare as she greeted Maw. It wasn't the obvious look of lust he usually had. Luna actually though his expression was similar to the ones she often saw on subjects she addressed.

Fear.

The little mare at the head of the table distracted Luna from her pondering as despite her stature the rotund Maw Pelt had a rather commanding presence about her.

The little mare looks between the two saying some greeting to Scarlet before sending her off to the table, before looking up at the Princess regarding her curiously the way a cat watches a mouse. The little mare was actually starting to make Luna nervous before she finally spoke.

“You must be Princess Luna. Nice of you to join us. Grab a plate and help yourself before the rest of this lot eat everything.”

Luna was greatly surprised to learn the mare she had been traveling with was the same one Jer'rahd had been dating recently. Rhede's reaction worried her further since that was the case. Luna took a moment to ask him , though the red earth pony completely denied it. He claimed the fear he showed was because he thought she was someone else.

Luna was not sure she believed him as he was acting particularly less suave then usual. Granted that might just have been due to the little mare shouting orders at him every time he turned around. It was odd to think Rhede and Jer'rahd were legally considered brothers it was even odder to consider them such, but out of the group, those two had the most secure friendship.

It was rather convenient that Rhede and Jer were chosen by her sister to seek the Elements of Harmony particularly with them being so close already. Tia had said Rhede was more a key player in that mission than Jer'rahd was, Luna was a bit miffed about being kept in the dark even though she knew Rhede worked for The Order. Tia seemed to trust him, so for now she did as well. For now she planed to try and enjoy herself and forget all the pitfalls that still lay ahead to find the Elements.

Her ears perked hearing Bleu's voice from one of the side rooms, Chewing on a bit of celery the Princess poked her head in the door , getting a few glances but mostly being ignored. She wasn't sure how she felt about that , but took note that Bleu held the rooms, mostly stallion, occupants full attention.

The little dragon sat on a table at the front of the room and offered a small wave to Luna as she continued.

“So this stallion and his wife are at the doctor and she's giving birth and the pain is really showing on her with the birth of this foal. A lot of screaming and crying, most of you guys know the scene. “ Bleu paused as a few of them nod or mutter in agreement. “ So the doc mentions that as a Unicorn, he's developed a new spell. One that takes some of the pain of the birth from the mother and gives it to the father instead. The stallion being all big and bad flanked like he is readily agrees so that he can help out his wife. The doc casts the spell and sets it at a low bit of pain, just so the stallion can get used to it. The stallion doesn't so much as flinch and his wife seems to be eased a little. He tells the doc to let him have a bit more and the doc does. So the stallions still standing there like nothings going on and the Doc is really impressed. His wife’s getting better and he doesn’t seem to even be bothered by it. So the doc asks and the stallion tells him to turn the spell all the way up. So the doc cranks the spell , the wife's giving birth with no pain what so ever and the doc's just amazed that the husband is taking this much pain like it's nothing.”

Bleu takes a sip from a glass of water as the room all seemed to lean forward waiting for the rest of the story.

“So the foal's born without any issues and the next day the pair of them head back home only to find the mail stallion dead on the front porch.”

The joke took a moment to sink in before the older ponies around the dragonling start laughing their heads off. Bleu took a small bow as she grinned basking in the laughter before she spoke again.

“You think that was good, how's this.... There once was a pony from Neightucket.....”

Luna ducked back out of the room before Bleu's jokes get any more racy.

=================================

Velkorn was standing near the main table, trying out several of the dishes that were being pointed out by a peach colored earth pony with a blue blanket draped over his back like a cape. Luna wasn't sure who he was, but Velkorn seemed amused by what ever they were talking about.

Starfall and several other mothers were in a , chatting loudly about what their children had done recently. Yet another section of the party to avoid, as while she liked foals well enough, listening to their mothers brag about them was not something she enjoyed. She briefly wondered if that would change if she ever had foals.

Scarlet for the most part had gotten into a conversation with Mrs. Pelt about Jer'rahd. The two seemed to be getting along well enough. That seemed to bode well for Jer'rahd at least, well until Mrs. Pelt remembered some interesting, and horrifyingly embarrassing story from Jer'rahd's foal hood to tell her.

She spotted a pair of guards as well, still in armor, sans their helmets, being chatted up by a small group of mares. Given the group of mares were likely Rhede's sisters, the guards were doomed.

Jer'rahd was the only one she did not see. She was told he would be along shortly and that he was off taking care of something. With him gone and the others busy, Luna wasn't comfortable with really talking with any one else she didn't know.

She decided to wander into the one room she had not seen yet and the one with a great deal of foalish laughter eminateing from it. Still this was rather nice. She was greeted by the ponies here with respect of her station, but no pony bothered to bow or grovel, and a few had engaged her in polite, if some what brief and topic less conversations.

It was … delightful. She could not remember the last time she had been able to wander about with out a disguise and be treated as a normal pony. Mrs. Pelt had treated her much like any other guest in her home, which included planning to send her home with leftovers after commenting about how she was too thin.

Luna ducked her head into the other room an was rather surprised at the sheer amount of toys and games scattered all over the place. There were easily twenty or so foals running around playing this that or the other. It was a scene of pure chaos that she was sure even Discord would have been proud of. It reminded her quite a bit of Cloud Dancer's birthday party. Speaking of the filly she easily spotted Starfall's foal in the mess and despite the majority of the ponies she had seen at the party being earth ponies, there was a unicorn foal or two as well as a another pegasus foal in here. Either Mrs. Pelt had adopted them or the family got around. She fully expected it was the latter knowing how Rhede was.

She turned her head to look to the other side of the room and came face to face with a very large,shiny black nose surrounded by white and brown fur. The nose was just below two very large black eyes that were staring dead at her and just above a very big open mouth full of rather large and sharp teeth.

Luna's scream brought most of the room running into the foals room.

The sight that greeted them would be remembered and joked about for generations. The Goddess of War and the Night pinned under the largest sheepdog that had likely ever existed in Equestria. The giant beast was currently dragging its massive tongue across the Princess's face as the foals bounced around them laughing at her predicament.

“help...”Luna muttered,

“Beuford git off of her already, she doesn’t want to play.” Maw fussed with a smirk.

The massive dog slipped off Luna and padded over to the diminutive mare sitting down before her with a thud that seemed to shake the house. His tail started beating against the floor as he looked down at Maw as if expecting a treat for listening so well.

Jer'rahd kicked the snow off his hooves and stepped inside giving himself a shake to clear the snow from his coat before hanging it on a hook by the door.

His ears perked up as he heard singing from the main room.

“The fire of friendship lives in our hearts,” nearly shouted a horrible noise that was more akin to a cat dragging it's claws over a chalkboard crossed with a beached whale burbling out a foals song created by slapping their hooves in the mud, than singing.

That was Rhede alright, Maw must have forgotten how bad his singing was if she let him lead off a carol. Thankfully every pony quickly remembered and Jer'rahd could hear him being shut up as every one else sang louder to drown him out before the foal's started crying or Beauford started howling.

“As long as it burns we cannot drift apart ,“

That was Bleu, her singing had decidedly improved. Not that it was ever bad to begin with though she herself thought she sucked and did her best to practice when she could. Granted at the moment she sounded like she was mocking Rhede, by caroling like a drunken barmaid and still managing to sound better than he did.

“Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few “

Jer'rahd walked into the kitchen grabbing a bite to eat before heading for the main room. That was Starfall's voice with Cloud Dancer chiming a off key accompaniment to her mother. The rest of the family was back ground, Maw must have some how convinced her guests to take lead on the caroling this year.

“Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through)”

Was that Biggs and Wedge? He ducked his head into the room, moving in behind the choir. Yep, that was the pair of them, singing along with two of Rhede's sisters. If Fisher and Faux had taken a liking to those two, they were doomed. They were also likely going to be spending a great deal more time making trips to Ponyville now as well. Might be good to get the transfer paperwork ready before they asked. This place needed a new outpost with it's nearness to the forest any way.

“We are a circle of pony friends “

He was impressed. Luna sang very well easily as good as Bleu did normally and the little dragon had been trained to sing.

“A circle of friends we'll be to the very end.”

He smiled moving over to stand next to the mare singing. Her voice did not have the perfect pitch of some of the others, but he could listen to her sing the rest of the night with no trouble. Maw kept her eye on the pair of them as the second chorus started. Scarlet took the brief pause to give him a quick kiss. He felt most of the eyes in the room had suddenly turned to him and couldn't hide the blush creeping up his face as he tried to ignore the stares. He smirked sheepishly and was a little too aware of the odd look Rhede gave him. He couldn't recall seeing that sort of expression from his friend before.

Was that jealousy?

That was a rare thing from Rhede, and something to laugh at him about later.

=========================================

The rest of the night wound up being quite loud and insane. Bleu had continued her dirty joke contest with the Elders and she was actually losing to Grandpaw Pelt.

Velkorn had taking to gleaning as much information as she could about Rhede from his family. Granted little of it was good, though Rhede oddly didn't try to stop Maw from telling the most embarrassing stories she could recall.

Starfall had returned to talking with some of the other mothers about their foals. A few of the foals were still playing, though most had worn themselves out and Cloud Dancer was asleep on her mothers back, likely dreaming of what ever Santa hooves might be bringing her the next day.

Jer'rahd spent most of his time with Scarlet being assaulted with questions from the family. That eventually devolved into a minor food fight. Someone had evidently picked up on Jer'rahd's new disdain for oranges and the younger relatives had started chasing him around with the fruit.

Luna spent most of her time talking to Maw Pelt about anything and everything and she seemed rather happy with how the conversation went all over the place between the two.

Faux and Fisher had all but claimed the two Guards. The pair of them offering drinks and making themselves seem as nice and cute as they possibly could to keep the interest of Wedge and Biggs. It was quite clear that the two mares already had the Guards wrapped around their hooves. Doomed.

The foals managed to all gather and be woken up again to open some of the gifts that were brought for them. Strangely enough every pony wound up with at least something, including the two Guards.

Jer'rahd had bought a set of gemstone and silver earrings for Scarlet, the rubies matching her hair rather well.

Bleu received a chocolate covered gems assortment, that barely lasted two seconds after the box was opened.

Starfall received a knit hat that matched her eyes and Cloud Dancer was buried in toys.

Luna received one of Velkorn's tribal masks, as did Maw Pelt who recognized it as the one for “welcome” rather quickly.

Bleu and Jer'rahd had selected a long white scarf for Luna as well with a cute gray bunny on either end of it.

The Princess was a little upset she had not brought anything this trip, despite Maw's protests that she did not need to get anything. Luna some how managed to resist the order from the smaller mare and promised to send something out with some Guards as soon as she could. Both Wedge and Biggs volunteered for the delivery mission because of course they would.

The Princess did take the time to head outside once and she was accompanied by nearly the entire family who were interested in seeing her raise the moon as the sun set. The applause and cheering at the nightly task that came from the family brought a small blush to Luna's face.

Not long after that the few guests that had not managed to drink themselves silly started heading out.

While having his saddlebags filled with leftovers he spotted Rhede talking with Scarlet, a rather upset look on his face, though a smile remained on Scarlet's. Jer'rahd couldn't hear the conversation, but perhaps he needed a word with Rhede later about it. If he was trying to hit on her, Jer'rahd was going to be hitting on him literally.

After more than a few threats from the diminutive mare about coming to see the family more than once a year, but the stars help them if they missed next year's celebration, he managed to say good bye and slip out into the snow with Scarlet.

The two of them had not made it far when Luna trotted up along side of them with Bleu on her back planning to accompany the pair back to the city. Scarlet seemed just as upset by the company as he was though she recovered nicely before the Princess and dragonling saw her expression.

While it would have been nice to be alone with her he rather liked having the company, and seeing Princess Luna in a good mood seemed to bolster all of their spirits further. Luna had put on her new scarf forcing Bleu to move over to sit on Jer'rahd's back or risk getting beaten up by the bunnies of the wind blown scarf.

Not long into the trip Bleu passed out on his back, and by the time they reached the gates she was snoring like a saw. Luna took to the air mentioning something about needing a nap before having to do her sisters work for her, she wished them both a good holiday and left. Finally alone with his mare friend and a snoring dragonling he escorted Scarlet back to her home.

“This was definitely an interesting night Jer'rahd. I gather you won't be busy tomorrow?” Scarlet nearly purred.

“If I am, I can easily make time to not be for you.” Jer'rahd grinned.

“Any chance your friend here might be persuaded to head out of the house for a little while as well if I come to visit?” Scarlet flicked her tail along his side.

“I should be able to arrange something. Have a good night Scarlet.” Jer'rahd chuckled.

“It won't be bad, but it could be better. Pity Bleu did not decide to stay at the Pelt's” Scarlet murred.

She offered a quick kiss to him, ducking inside her place leaving Jer'rahd and the snoring dragon to make the trek back home. His hooves crunched in the snow as he wandered back to his house lightly whistling the Hearths Warming song to himself.

Honestly he couldn't recall the last time he had been this happy and content.

=====================================================

Twilight pulled back into the stary void floating there pondering. She was rather curious as to what was said to Scarlet by Rhede. While she didn't think she knew him that well, his expression didn't seem like one of interest in Scarlet, it seemed more like one of fear.

Still she could sate her curiosity easily enough. She refocuses on the spell altering the time a little before slipping into Rhede's window to hear the conversation.

=======================================
“What the buck are you doing here Scarlet?”Rhede whipped his head back looking around to see if any one else was close enough to hear them.“They cannot be considering replacing me already, the mission hasn't even started yet past the group finally being selected.”

“There's been a change of plans Rhederic. I am not here for you. I am here for Jer'rahd. He did invite me after all.” Scarlet grinned.

“Bullshit, I thought that story of your rescue sounded a bit too convenient. Why are you here? What purpose did they have to put you on this mission as well?” Rhede growled

“Oh please Rhederic we both know you have no sway over me to even think about making demands or getting me to answer. Besides it's clear you would have a problem complementing the second part of the mission if and when the Elements are retrieved. You are too attached to things like friends and family. You never should have been admitted into The Order, but your position was unique. Personally I would have had you killed early on, but I don't make the orders I just follow them as long as the pays good.”

“There is a chance to stop another war before it starts. That is a perfect reason to recover the Elements it is what The Order was founded for.” Rhede snapped. “ If we can get the Element's it shouldn't even matter who has them.”

“You are the only pony who has bothered to believe that nonsense in centuries. Most of the inner circle would make a massive profit from another war. Besides it's not as if you have any say in the matter your just a minion same as I am.” Scarlet shrugged. “ The only difference is I enjoy what I do.”

“What are they planning to do then?” Rhede demanded getting a glare from the mare.

“If the order comes through, I am going to kill him. With Jer'rahd dead the little group Celestia put together falls apart. Granted I could kill any of them and that same thing would happen. Jer'rahd's just been the easiest to get close to. He has some sort of hero fantasy I think. Sucker for a damsel in distress too, I've met horny colts who were harder to get close to.” Scarlet laughed. “I can't kill Luna, Starfall is likely to get herself killed with that stupid quest of hers and she'd be easy enough to manipulate by holding her foal as collateral any way. Velkorn's a Queen and so long as she's after you she's easy. No one would care about the dragon except Jer'rahd and he'd be the biggest pain if he was focused on avenging her. Thus you cut the issues off at the worst point you can.”

“They need to be convinced to let this mission be completed. I cannot allow you to kill him.” Rhede snapped.

“HA, great joke there Rhederic. You know why I don't care about telling you all this? It's because you can't do a damn thing about it. You rat me out and your life and your families lives are all forfeit. We would wipe out every Pelt to the last foal, including those ones you have in your little book. Even telling Celestia wouldn't help as they would all be corpses before she even made her first order to do something. Besides we both know I taught you everything you know, but not even half of what I know. Ponder that Rhedric. Not like you have to. Just sit down shut up and stay out of my way. Ahh it seems lover stallion is ready to go. Remember what I said there Pelt. Do not interfere with my mission. Or else.”

Rhede stared at the green eyes of the mare shivering from something far colder than the snow on the ground as she walks off with his best friend.

=============================================================

Twilight blinked, not liking where this was going and dropped back into where she left off with Jer'rahd.

It was already hearth's Warming Day.

Jer'rahd yawned shifting up from his couch to move towards the door. It was odd that he had nothing to do but wait for his mare friend. Bleu had gotten up on her own much earlier saying she was headed out to be a real Santa Hooves. Most likely she and Luna were going to bring the presents to the Pelts and Bleu wanted to know what Luna got her.

It was about mid-afternoon now and the knock on the door was the long awaited arrival of Scarlet.

Jer'rahd smirked pausing a moment to check his reflection in a hall mirror before going to answer the door. He had barely opened the door when Scarlet pushed past it pressing against him and kissing him fiercely.

He returned her kiss eagerly, kicking the door shut as she turned, pulling away from him and leading him down the hall. Her tail flicked along his side as she passed as if enticing him on.

He winced at the touch of her tail feeling a sharp pain from the contact. He paused looking back wondering if she had a burr in her tail that scratched him, only to see a dark line of blood oozing from a long slash across his side.

He stared in confusion at the wound as the simple cut quickly flared up as if his skin itself had lit on fire. The feeling spread as he managed a few steps forward to the slowly retreating mare before his muscles seized up sending him crashing to the floor, his hooves no longer finding any purchase. He slammed into the wall as he fell on his uncut side ,his body locking up as he managed a questioning and pained look at the mare. Scarlet snapped apart a bracelet around her hoof, the red coloration of her mane changing to black and her fur turning bright blood red, her cutie mark remained a book, but instead of the gold unicorn on the cover, there was a dagger with something green dripping from it.

“Ahh well. It was fun while it lasted. Of course it might have lasted longer if your idiot friend had not gone to Council. He was suppose to be the one to kill you when you retrieved the Elements of Harmony. Pity The Order saw fit to have you killed sooner. At least you won't suffer long, wing snake venom tends to kill Unicorns and Pegasi rather quickly. Good thing your not a Earth Pony, stuff takes hours to kill them. Don't worry though lover. You won't be alone long, the rest of your friends will be joining you shortly. Well except for Pelt, he is one of us after all. Just lay there and be a good little corpse while I wait for your little blue friend.”

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart Part 3 [20] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Cold Hearth, Warm Heart
Part 3

The jingle of keys cut off Scarlet's gloating, her attention drawn from the gasps of pain coming from the twitching pony on the floor. The crimson mare shifts her self ready to end the life of the Dragonling the moment it stepped through the door.

Jer'rahd glanced up , noting a brace of blades hidden in her tail though the pain had spread to his lungs and despite his attempts to warn Bleu he couldn't even make anything above a low wheeze.

The door is pushed open showing Bleu standing there in the door holding her key, though the tiny dragon had swung the front door wide to also admit Princess Luna and the two Guards Biggs and Wedge.

Scarlet's eyes widen at the sight of them all just as the ones at the doors eyes widen seeing Jer'rahd twitching on the floor and this strange mare standing over him.

“Shit” Scarlet cursed leaping back with a whip of her tail sending a trio of blades flying at the group.

Bleu yelped as Luna's magic slammed the door closed suddenly the blades thudding into the wood. Scarlet took off running back deeper into the house as the door exploded inward. Luna charged in after the mare, an expression that easily read as 'murder' on her face. Scarlet flung a few more blades back at the alicorn, forcing her to doge as the earth pony mare dove through a window.

Luna moved to follow when Bleu's cry halted her, she looked back seeing the dragonling cradling Jer'rahd's head, blood oozing from his muzzle. A small scratch on his side seemed to be festering, black swirls slowly spreading out from the wound in his skin and and killing the hair follicles along the way turning them a sickly black as well. She could see the poison spread away from the wound and spiral from the cut like clouds forming.

“GUARDS FIND THAT MARE, AND GET A DOCTOR!” Luna bellowed.

“Yes Princess” Biggs and Wedge shouted both rushing off without any hesitation.

“Luna, boss..” Bleu lifted her head from where she had lowered it to the stricken pony's muzzle. “.... he said to get Rhede!”

The pieces clicked into place for Luna. The mare that was here was Scarlet. Rhede did know her. She too worked for The Order. Clearly the mare had been here to kill Jer'rahd.

Luna's horn flared, the dark energies swirling around it taking a few seconds to find the proper necklace , once she had it she yanked on it, hard.

There was a flash of magic and a loud pop followed by a yelp as a red robed form appeared in the air of the main room dropping down with a crash to the floor. Rhede leapt to his hooves looking around in a panic, his robes a bit fancier than usual and marked with a large five pointed blue star with a red eye in the center of it emblazoned with golden thread was on his left breast.

Rhede's eyes widened as he spotted Luna, though his gaze took in the rest of the room as he started to shout.

“No no nonononononono!!!NO! DAMNIT LUNA!! What the buck did you do !??! I will never get another chance to talk to them all like that again!!!, Do you no how hard it is to get the floor in order to talk to them and you just ruined it!!!” Rhede growled at the alicorn Princess.

Luna said nothing though her magic gripped the large stallion by the robes swinging him around suddenly and smashing him into a wall, knocking a few paintings from it and making something fall with a crash in the other room.

“Are you crazy!?” Rhede yelled

“You spoke with her at the party Pelt. You knew who Scarlet was Pelt and you said nothing. Now she's stabbed the General and he is dying of something. You willingly let an assassin from your precious Order get close to your friend without warning him. So yes right now we are a little crazy!” Luna snarled.

“She what!!!?? BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! Who the buck upped the time table!! Dammit!! GET VELKORN AND HER BAGS HERE NOW OR HE WILL DIE!!” Rhede screamed.

“What!? HE KNEW, PELT, WHAT THE HELL!??!” Bleu shouted.

Luna does not move or let Rhede go from where she pinned him to the wall. Another flash of magic lights up the room as her horn grows brighter and another pop of teleportation fills the room along with the thud of some rather heavy saddle bags landing on the couch. There was also a loud yelp of panic and the sound of a great deal of hot water bursting out over the carpet in the living room, leaving a sudsy, wet, and very angry looking zebra sprawled out in the middle of the floor.

“Some pony will now face my wrath, no one interrupts my bath.!!” Velkorn growled getting to her hooves and shaking her mane free of the soapy water as she looked around the room, her angry expression turning quickly to surprise then worry.

“Velkorn Jer'rahd's been poisoned. It's got to be the bitches signature one Wind Snake. Did you make the antidotes I told you to ?” Rhede shouted quickly.

[“ Rhede wah? What is going on here Luna?”] Velkorn's eyes widen seeing the Princess holding Rhede against a shattered wall..

“Do you have them?” Rhede demanded.

[“ No, it is a difficult recipe and it needs to be mixed right before it is used to even work. I have all the materials I need to make it on hoof however. I still am not sure where you expected us to encounter a wind snake however. They are supposed to be extinct.”] Velkorn stated.

“Just help Jer!” Rhede orders

[“What?! Jer'rahd?”] Velkorn questioned, glancing down at the pony on the ground as if seeing him for the first time. Her eyes widen as she darted over checking on him before rushing to grab her bags from the couch dragging them over to the fallen pony shoving Bleu aside. Her eyes widen seeing the black marks spreading across his body, spreading out from the shallow wound. Jer'rahd thrashed suddenly, shuddering on the floor, every exhalation of breath bringing with it flecks of blood that splatter against the floor.

[“This is bad, the poison is far enough into his system it is already eating at his lungs. If this is Wind Snake venom he should be dead already. This does not make any sense to me.”] Velkorn ranted as she dug through her bags.[” Wind serpent venom is nearly instantaneous versus unicorns and barely takes a minute to kill a pegasus. He should be dead by now.”]

“Jer's father was an earth pony. Bitch didn't know that and used something that he might be saved from.” Rhede stated. “Earth ponies can live for hours afterward, Jer might have half that amount of time.”

[“Yes That would explain why he yet lives,we might save him. Bleu get me a bowl and fill it half full of hot water now! I need to mix this fast and you are now my help.”]

“Right.” Bleu darted off.

The little dragon hurried off gathering what Velkorn ordered as Velkorn simply dumped most of her bags out on the floor picking through what she needed leaving Luna and the still suspended Rhede.

“Where are they Rhede? Where is she going?” Luna demanded.

“Don't I even get a please?” Rhede smirked

Luna's magic yanked Rhede from the wall smashing him into another wall on the other side of the room as she stormed up putting her muzzle right near Rhede's as she growled.“I have no patience right now for games Pelt.”

“And here's the side of you ponies fear. Luckily for me, I know you want the same thing I do right now. If you want them though you'll need to go now. My disaperence will put them on alert, Scarlet's report will send them scattering in a panic. The entire Order is at the manor house on the corner of Hackney and Anadolu. While not the whole collection of them, all the bigwigs are there, including the one who ordered Jer's death I'm sure.“

“If he dies, I will kill you Rhede.” Luna stated.

“If Jer dies, I'll let you Princess. But you gotta tell Maw some one else did it. No sense making her mad at you.” Rhede sighed.

Luna dropped the stallion to the floor letting her magic flare again. Black and blue armor formed around her body as she mutters more than a few spells, boosting her abilities. At best they would last an hour, but that should be more than enough time. With a last glance at Jer'rahd and Velkorn , Luna vanished with a pop.

The snow exploded under her hooves , blasting out away from the point she appeared making a large circle of clear road as Luna arrived in the middle of the street before the manor house. Several ponies yelp and dive away at the sudden appearance of the Goddess of war in full gear before them.

Luna ignored them, her gaze focused on the the manor house. eyes narrowing as she caught sight of a black tail slipping into one of the upper windows before it closed. A pair of patrolling Guards rush over to her offering a bow.

“Princess Luna, whats going on, what are you doing here?” the first asked.

“Gather up all the Guards you can and surround this house. Make sure you have some one check for underground tunnels as well and seal them off too.” Luna ordered.

“Yes Princess, Are we keeping everyone in or out?” the second Guard asked.

“If any pony other than me comes out of this house, kill them. They are all traitors to Equestria and that would be their fate regardless. Pass that onto all the Guards you summon. My sister has let these foals get away with far to much for far too long. That will end here.” Luna stated.

“Princess, are you sure about that?” The second Guard questioned back peddling as the mare whirled on him glaring down at him her eyes seeming to burn in anger.

“WE COMMAND YOU, DO AS YOU ARE ORDERED SERGENT. DO NOT QUESTION US!” Luna's roar shook the snow off a number of houses with the sheer volume of it.

“Yes Princess. Right away.”Both Guards stammer rushing away to sound an alarm.

Luna lept up into the air, gliding over the fence to the house before landing heavily before the front steps and striding up them. Her horn glows brightly as the wooden doors and most of the wall before her simply melts from the touch of her magic, the toxic pile of wooden slag catching fire as she strode into the hole she made.

[“Pinions of a bird of prey, Eye of a hunting cat, charred hide of common vermin.”] Velkorn listed

“Got it, got it, got it.” Bleu shouted in a panic tossing the items into the bowl Velkorn was grinding the material's into. The hot water it seemed was to douse herself and get the rest of the soap out of her hair before she started to work in mixing up the milled ingredients in a pestle and mortar she had.

[“Claw of a Ursa, eight flax seeds, Lunar moths wing.”] Velkorn continued.

“Got it, wow that’s big, and got it.” Bleu tossed them into the mix breaking apart the claw into more sizable chunks.

[“Grind them together with the last ingredient. Fresh dragon's blood.”]

Bleu dumped the whole lot into Velkorn's mixing bowl, not even hesitating to chomp down hard on her own arm letting her blood fall into the mix as Velkorn crushed everything together.

[This makes a paste to put on the wound to draw the poison out. That is enough Bleu, bandage your arm.] Velkorn ordered.

“This had better work.” Bleu growled.

“It worked on me when I was poisoned with it. It should work for Jer.” Rhede stated, the earth pony had yet to move from the spot he had fallen when Luna dropped him. Though he had done little more than stare at the pair of them and Jer'rahd since.

The Orders hireling guards were left as little more than smoldering bones behind her. A good two dozen of them had rushed her the moment an alarm sounded. Griffons, ponies and even a Minotaur had come to screaming ends the moment she saw them. They might have had no say in what happened, but Luna was far too pissed off to let any one go from this place. She saw no innocents here today.

One of the first friends she had made in a long time lay dying because of the plans and plots of this pathetic society. Her sister would do nothing due to politics and her own promise. Luna made no such promise and couldn't give two shits about being political right now.

She smashed through another closed door, her magic igniting the shards of wood from the door's remains, flinging them away from her and impaling and shredding all that were in the room waiting for her. She paused briefly to make sure the guards and a few of the braver nobles in the room were all dead before moving to the next room.

“You cannot do this!! The Order has protection from Princess Celestiahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!” a unicorn with blue hair screamed as he tried to hold her too something her sister had promised.

“We are not Celestia....” she stated. “We are not beholden to her rules and beliefs. We are her equal with our own rules and beliefs. Rules and beliefs that you fools have broken and ignored. This is on your own heads.” Luna snarled at the few remaining in the room.

The scream of another pony was cut off to a pained gurgle as his lungs were seared from his chest, the robes of the order clung to the burning skeleton that was the older stallions only remains. She no longer even looked at them now, she simply destroyed anything that moved around her. Her magic was singing, her horn grown hot, but she was not even slightly fatigued. The armor she wore boosted her powers and came with a reserve of magic she had stored in it to tap. She hadn't needed to use the reserve yet, but she would feel the pain from all the casting she was doing now. Most of these spells came from the Gray Grimiore, they were brutal, painful and completely deadly.

Still she had half the manor to go through and she had yet to find Scarlet any one on the Council

Luna's eyes blazed with the purple energy at her command as she stalked through the house.

“FIRST YOU STEAL FROM US, THEN YOU HIDE THAT WHICH COULD HAVE BROUGHT SALVATION FOR EQUESTRIA FOR YOUR OWN SELFISHNESS!? YOU HAVE ALL BEEN JUDGED AND FOUND GUILTY AND YOU WILL BE PUNISHED, THIS WE COMMAND!”

Rhede had yet to move from where Luna had dropped him. This was the worst case scenario for him. It had all been going so well too. No pony knew anything about what he was doing except The Order itself and Princess Celestia. Jer'rahd never questioned Rhede about where he trained or who he worked for, simply assuming he was an Ambassador like he claimed. The was partially true, but because Jer'rahd never asked, the rest of the small group never seemed to think to either.

And now because of one pony in the order, Jer'rahd was dying and everything he had put together was lost.

“I want answers Pelt.” Bleu demanded.

“I will tell every one when we are all together, with Celestia so she can back up what I tell you.” Rhede sighed.

“That is not going to happen if Boss dies.” Bleu stated flatly with an air of menace that he didn't think the dragonling had.

Rhede sighed looking up at the dragonling, noting she had changed her size and was now at least as large as he was and right now she was towering over him.

“Then all the information will die with me, unless the Princess of the Sun see's fit to tell you.” Rhede commented lowering his gaze.

“DAMN IT RHEDE!” Bleu growled grabbing his mane and yanking his head back up with her claw.

“Bleu let it go, I can see he suffers too, you know.” Velkorn called.

“Thank you Velkorn.” Rhede muttered as Bleu dropped his head.

[“Do not thank me yet. If it turns out you are not really the stallion you led me to believe you were, I shall do my best to make sure you live through whatever Luna and Bleu will be doing to you so they can keep doing it.”] Velkorn stated coldly.

Rhede blinked lifting his head a little to look over at her. She stared at him with more worry than anger, but he could tell she was honest about what she said. Still that she would allow this sort of thing was a step towards her rejecting him outright like he wanted. So maybe some good might come from this.

“Trust me, I probably will deserve it either way. This has been one of those sort of weeks.” Rhede grumbled his thoughts racing as he started to plan.

The final door explodes inward showering the ponies huddled on the other side with wood and debris.
A long Guard leaps at her , his wing blades slashing at the armored alicorn's neck. The pegasus was reduced to ash before he could bring his weapons to bare, the Princess of the Night barely blinking as the ashen remains of the pony flutter around her caught up in the swirl of energy and heat radiating from her.

This chamber was large and bore striking similarities to the royal throne room. Oil lanterns lit the room , throwing dancing shadows across walls hung with photo's of past members and awards. A motto was emblazoned on the wall in ancient Equestrian. Luna sneered at it as well as the images of five of the ponies in the pictures.

The words translated to 'protect and serve'.

The paintings were of five ponies Luna never had wanted to see again. Former friends. The last bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The ones that had helped her take down Discord. The ones who founded the The Order after stealing the Element's away so that neither she nor Celestia could use their power on their own.

A tan furred earth pony with a dark blue mane and jet black eyes that seemed to be filled with stars dominated the middle image. Despite the fact it was a painting her hair seemed to flow in the still image.

Imbrium, her Generosity.

A bright pink unicorn stallion with a long flowing mane of countless colors that seemed to shimmer with sparkles and glitter, something the painter some how managed to catch in this image, oddly the stallion seemed to have his eyes closed in this painting, though Luna could still recall his strange eyes that seemed to match his wild mane and tail.

Shadow Puppet, her Laughter.

A jet black pegasus stallion. His image seemed darker than the others , the shades of black and charcoal that made up his face, mane tail and the back ground making the image appear as a solid black canvas at first, though a pair of gold eyes stared out at any one who looked to the painting.

Nightshade, her Honesty.

A dark blue pegasus with a white mane and tail and piercing green eyes looked on from the last painting, his expression was one of sadness.

Duskshine, her Compassion.

Together with Tia bearing Loyalty this was the group of ponies that defeated Discord. These were the ponies that stole away all but the Element of Magic, hiding them away before vanishing themselves without so much as a word to their supposed friend. The first Order grew from those events and today she would see it end.

If Luna had not been mad before, the sight of these traitors being held in places of honor in this foul place would have set her off like a volcano.

The only door out of the chamber was behind her, and no one would pass through it again save for her. Her gaze swept the room taking note of the gathered ponies huddled in their robes behind the large table surrounded with ornate chairs. The huddled ponies seemed to be trying to push behind one another as if to save them selves by sacrificing the others.

Luna snarled catching a glimmer of torch light reflecting off something in a shadow to her right, something trying to slip out the door. Her magic grabbed one of the oil lanterns , yanking it from the wall and smashing it in the rafters showering the shadows with burning oil.

Scarlet screamed as her mane and coat caught fire. The scent of burning flesh and the mares screams filling the room as Luna took note that the glint of light was caused by the Ruby earrings Jer'rahd had given the mare. Luna wasn't sure why Scarlet still wore them, though the irony of her being caught with Jer'rahd's help was not missed by Luna.

Scarlet falls thrashing about, trying to put the fire out , but only managing to roll in the oil more. As her flesh began to blister and bubble and crack and the mare seemed ready to pass out from the pain, or simply die Luna blasted her with magic again freezing her burning form in stone. Locked in the throws of agony for as long as she was trapped, which Luna expected would be a very long time.

With assassin dealt, Luna's attention was free to focus on the Council huddling together before her the smell of urine and fresh manure hung heavily, overpowering even the scent of burning flesh causing her nose to wrinkle in disgust.

“DO YOU FOALS KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE BEEN ALONE? CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF HOW HARD IT IS FOR A GODDESS TO EVEN MAKE ONE FRIEND WITHOUT WORRY THEY ONLY SEEK TO USE HER POWER FOR THEIR OWN ENDS. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PRECIOUS WE CONSIDER THESE RARE PONIES WE DO BEFRIEND? WE WERE UNABLE TO SEEK VENGENCE FOR THE LAST FRIENDS WE LOST.AND WE WERE STRICKEN BY THE BETRAYAL OF THOSE WHO WERE FRIENDS BUT THEN FOUNDED THIS CESSPIT.”

Luna's voice lowered as she advanced on the group,the Royal Canterlot voice fading to a harsh threatening whisper.

“Do you have any idea what we are going to do to you for trying to force us back to how miserable we were before we met them? Do you have any clue what is going to happen to you for sending some one to kill one of the few ponies I care about?”

Luna's horn glows brightly.

“You will soon enough.”

=========================================

The Guards ponies and spectators surrounding the house shudder, backing away from the building as the screams started, echoing out of the top floor of the house, the sounds continuing for what seemed like hours.

Velkorn sat back with a sigh watching as Jer'rahd's breathing came a little easier now. The wound was smeared with the crimson tinged paste, the black cloud forming on his side was not shrinking, but it was no longer expanding either.

[“I think... I think he might yet live. Thankfully he is stubborn.”]Velkorn breathed out.

Rhede still had yet to move from where Luna had dropped him. Starfall had come by being alerted by Wedge as he sounded an alarm. Rhede had asked Starfall to inform Princess Celestia directly and very quickly before Luna did something she would regret.

Starfall was not sure what was going on, but Velkorn insisted that Rhede's suggestion was the proper idea and shood the pegasus off as well, remaining to watch Rhede and Jer'rahd until she felt it was safe to move him.

A number of other Guards showed up right after Starfall and had gathered around the house to investigate. Some were watching Rhede while others were were trying to keep the Dragonling from attacking the earth pony stallion. A number of other medics had gathered around Velkorn and were discussing the best options for treatment and taking notes on the poison.

At some point during all this Rhede vanished. No one had seen him move, he was simply there one moment and gone the next. There was no trace of any magic being used, though the large pony had left a small note.

The scrap of parchment simply stated that he' went to take care of a few things'.

With no one left to focus her anger at and nothing to do, Bleu simply seemed to collapse on herself,sinking into a state of shock with how close she had come to losing some one else she cared about. If she hadn't have insisted Luna swing by with Jer'rahd's give before they went to Ponyville Jer'rahd might have been dead. And the only reason she had even suggested it was to try an embarrass boss in the middle of something with his mare friend. A stupid prank idea may have saved his life. Bleu had no idea what to do with that information.

=============================================

Luna glared down at the last pony alive in the room. If you could call it alive. He was quickly bleeding out onto the floor, all four of his legs having been pulled off of his body like a cruel foal might pull the wings off a parasprite.

She had recognized the single gold bit marking his flank, there was a reason she had saved him for last. A few of the inner circle had been begging for their lives blaming him for the order to kill the General. Some blamed Rhede for the order as well. She had not spared any of them, but she held onto the information.

“GOLDEN COIN. WE ARE NOT AMUSED THAT YOU SEEM TO BE THE CAUSE OF THIS. WERE YOU SO BITTER AT YOUR LOSS YOU SOUGHT THE GENERAL'S DEATH IN ANOTHER WAY? WE SUPPOSE IT MATTERS LITTLE EITHER WAY AS IT HAS LED TO YOUR END.”

She turned to leave as the pony bled out and the light faded from his eyes. Moving to the door, her armored hooves crunched down on something. Luna paused glancing down at the ground noticing the gathered pool of blood that had run to what she assumed was a low spot in the room.

What she had stepped on however were a grouping of slowly forming crystals that grew from where the blood had all pooled together. She snapped off a piece in her magic lifting it up to look at curiously. The crystal itself was rough and jagged, a dark red coloration that matched the warm life's blood that had pooled in the floor.

The Gray Grimiore had explained this phenomenon, still with all her battles she never witnessed it.

“The Blood of the Corrupt.” Luna muttered.

She had found no indication how to collect this material in the book and that had stopped her from bothering with the other parts of the greater spell of power written in the Gray Grimiore. Now here it was, the first piece of a puzzle that would increase her power easily tenfold or more. Something that could empower her to the point that nothing would ever dare attack Equestria again.

She gathered up several of the larger crystals as they formed, tucking them into her armors saddle bags. She glanced about the room ignoring the bodies and sparing a glance to the paintings of her former friends before a quick spell set them ablaze. She turned away glancing to the stone mare for a moment before picking up the statue and carrying it out with her.

A fitting punishment for trying to kill a pony she thought of as a friend. An eternity in anguish, that was if Jer'rahd did not see fit to destroy the statue when he recovered.

If he recovered....

No he will recover, Luna snarled in her own mind.

She headed back out the door carrying the statue, her magic lashing out to yank free pillars and supports as she walked , collapsing the structure behind her and causing more fires in the manor as the oil lanterns broke and set everything ablaze,

She stepped out into the sunny afternoon looking down at three ponies that had evidently run from the house and were currently dead, filled with arrows. She flung the bodies into the collapsing house as the place fully caught fire behind her burning brightly and melting the snow on the surrounding streets.

“Orders Princess?” questioned a Guard standing by the main gaze with several unicorns armed with crossbows around him.

“LET IT BURN.” Luna commanded.

[ Three weeks later]

Jer'rahd's red eye was casting a light that could have illuminated the room if it was darker, but Velkorn would not let him move and had been forced to strike him with several paralysis nerve strikes before the angry unicorn would stop trying to get up. That had made him even angrier, but removed his ability to move or even speak so it was win win in Velkorn's opinion. She was however curious at the glow from his eye.

“Don't tell me there's something else wrong with Boss. Its bad enough he was poisoned.” Bleu muttered having not left Jer'rahd's side since he was brought to the hospital.

“hard to say. What gets me is Celestia has put Luna under house arrest for taking out The Order, though she hasn't said a damn thing about Rhede aside from saying she doubted he had a part in this.” Starfall muttered glancing between the dragon and the zebra.

[“If Celestia is defending Rhede, then there must be more going on than we know. It also means that Rhede is likely innocent of this, or at least not as guilty as we think he is. Which is a great relief to me.”] Velkorn admitted giving a small pause to let Bleu translate what Starfall didn't grasp of the language yet. At least the pegasus mare was trying unlike the lout in bed.

“So whats with boss's eye any way, I've seen it glowing like that before.” Bleu questioned.

“As have I.” Starfall admitted.

[“It is the eye he nearly lost in my homeland. My skill treating optical wounds has never been my best one. I used a herbal remedy my mother taught me and his green eye became red, but he had no trouble seeing. I think that adjusted his magic slightly as well, perhaps that is why the glow is red. I have seen Unicorns whose eyes glow when they cast spells. Jer'rahd's normal eye does that when he uses his shields at higher power or lifts something heavy. I have no idea why the red one is glowing now however.”]

Bleu ponders as she translated for Starfall.

“ Is it because he's pissed off?” Starfall pondered aloud.

“That makes sense Starfall it always does that when hes about to just cut loose into rage fueled violence.” Bleu admitted.

[“How his emotion is giving a sign of magic as it builds is beyond my knowledge.”] Velkorn sighed.

“At least we know he is gonna live now. Took him near a week to get into the clear.” Starfall nodded.

[“He will be fine now so long as he listens to what I tell him.”] Velkorn sighed.

“He still does not speak Zebra.” Bleu commented.

“Stay in bed , or you will be dead, is that now stuck in your head?” Velkorn growled leaning over the prone unicorn noting both his eyes were closed.

“No, cause now he's passed out again.” Starfall chuckled.

[“GAAAAAAAAAA! You are impossible to doctor.] Velkorn ranted.

[Two weeks later. Guard training courtyard]

“Here you are General Mustang, a full shipment of our toughest training dummies. The Titan Three Hundred. You are quite the clever pony for deciding on such a fine model. If you would just sign here.” A smiling pegasus stated as he offered Mustang a clip board and a ink quill.

“Nice of you to set them up for us in the yard too. We've been having a bit of issue lately with the durability of our targets. Your ad pony said this model is indestructible? Better be for the price you want for them.” Mustang snorted trying to talk around the feather in his mouth.

The General winced suddenly, setting down the quill before signing and looking around the Guard base. Everything was quiet though the old earth pony kept glancing at a wind of the nearby military hospital as if he expected something to burst out of nowhere.

The delivery sales pony didn't pay attention to the look and simply continued with his scripted statements hoping the General would sign so he could leave.

“Oh yes sir, we hoof tested every model we make and this line is from the strongest we have, nothing short of some powerful magic's can break these or your bits back. Though if you are satisfied with these we have several other fine products in our catalog as well if you are interested.”

“SOME PONY STOP HIM!!” shouted a voice.

“Right on cue.” General Mustang sighed tossing the unsigned clipboard back to the delivery pony.

“RAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!” something bellowed.

The door out of the Guard medical wing leading to the training area exploded outwards as Jer'rahd burst out of the hole, a swath of bandages wrapped around his midsection and a hospital blanket draped around his neck like a cape flowing out behind him as he barreled through the doors. A little blue dragonling clung tenaciously to the end of the blanket trying to slow the pony down by fanning her wings wildly..

“BOSS, YOU IDIOT! GET BACK IN BED, SOME PONY GET VELKORN!!” Bleu shouted at the top of her lungs.

Jer'rahd tore across the yard, smashing into, and completely through the line of training dummies, practically disintegrating them all in a single pass like a one pony stampede of rage and fury.

The rampaging unicorn eventually reached the outer doors of the Guard post crashing through the outer gate, the little dragon still clinging to the blanket screaming for some one named Jane to stop this crazy thing.

Mustang and the sales pony look out over the field as body parts of the training dummies lay scattered every where across the field a few of them embedded in the keeps walls or thrown high enough into the air to still be raining down around them.

“So... Money back guarantee huh? “ General Mustang questioned.

The delivery pony simply whimpered.

Jer'rahd finally stopped his gallop spreading his hooves out to keep himself upright as he panted heavily coughing and tasting blood. His lungs had likely not fully healed yet and Velkorn would be super pissed at him.

He had spent the month bedridden, and thanks to Velkorn, usually in a drugged sleep state of some kind. Starfall had made the mistake of mentioning to Bleu what had happened to Scarlet when she thought he was asleep this morning. His anger had quickly burned through what ever Velkorn had given him last and his rage had launched him into a made charge to get here. He had not even know where in the garden this statue was and yet he some how found it.

He lifted his gaze to the statue. The figure of the mare looked as if it was on fire, even the flames had been turned to stone. She seemed to be in a great deal of pain as well, trapped in anguish.

Jer'rahd turned his head from Scarlet, his gaze sweeping this section of the garden. Another pedestal held the disfigured form of Colonel Claymore still wearing the chains he had been imprisoned in. Past him was a Zebra wearing a pony skull mask and a hooded cloak that looked to be in a state of indignant anger with all four of his hooves cuffed. Further into the garden he saw what looked to be an familiar alicorn among a selection of various statued beasts.

This must be the new prisoner wing. His attention quickly refocused on the frozen mare. He was betrayed by a lover once before, Silphy, his next love had died, Platinum. Now he had been betrayed again by one he loved, though with much greater impact this time. There was a pattern forming here that he did not like even if he counted his first filly friend who tried to kill him and his high school crush that moved away before he could even say anything to her, the pattern still some what fit.

He had come to the garden to destroy this mare, frozen as she was he had wanted to crush her with his own hooves, vent the anger at her betrayal, get revenge for her attempt on his life. She had threatened his friends, made them worry about him. She had made Luna go on a rampage that was currently the talk and fear of most of Equestria, a severe hindrance to her desire to be loved by her subjects. Worst of all she made him question the loyalty of his best friend. No pony had even seen Rhede since that day, Velkorn had said that Princess Celestia was not even sure where he had run off to, but she had told him about the note.

Some where along the way he had lost his impromptu cape and it's baby dragon attachment. Bleu was going to be pissed and he shuddered to think what Velkorn might do to him. But at the time he had a reason to come out here, a desire to seek vengeance. Now that he was here though, he felt nothing looking at the mare. He slowly sat down looking up at her. Despite the pain and anguish the end of their relationship had caused him. Despite the fact it was all a lie to her, it was all very real to him. He had been in love again, only for that love and loyalty to be thrown back in his face in an attempt to kill him. The thought of it just made him feel cold. He doubted he could ever go through this sort of thing again. Maw wouldn't be happy, but Jer'rahd had had enough issues with any mare he got close to that deciding never to let it happen again was sounding the best choice to him.

“You have better control than I do General. Sable's pedestal still bears the marks of my rage.” Jer'rahd jerked his head up his ears perking as he looked back at Luna as she approached before dropping his head again.

“She took more from you than this one took from me.” He stated, his voice still rough from the damage and disuse.

“Really? She took your trust and made you question friends you rely on. Tested your loyalty to everything She killed your beliefs at best. Broke your heart. Sable indirectly killed one stallion that was very important to me.” Luna sighed moving to take a seat next to the wounded pony.

“My beliefs are not dead, just wounded. Deeply.” Jer'rahd sighed.

“You are still a better pony than I am Jer'rahd.” Luna admitted.

“No, I am not Princess. I would not have left even one alive. I prefer tying up loose ends.” Jer'rahd growled before breaking into a coughing fit.

Luna waited until he had it under control before speaking again. “Death at times is a greater mercy. Keeping her alive and in stone is more a torture of it's own than a stay of execution.”

“But like this, there is always a chance of redemption in the future. Death would not grant her that.” Jer'rahd sighed.

Princess Luna floated a large box over to Jer'rahd setting it in the grass at his hooves.

“It is a little late for Hearths Warming now, but perhaps if you wish to tie up the loose ends, this will help.” Luna stated. “It is not as if you have been in the condition to receive this before now.”

He glanced down curiously at the bow on top of the polished oak box and pulls open the lid with his magic, the red bow simply falling off the top. A brass plaque on the underside of the lid caught his attention.

Gifted to Royal Guardian Jer'rahd Kaisur
from Her Royal Majesty Princess Luna.
“May it serve thee well in thine duty as well as thee have served us.”

Pulling back the blue silk covering with his magic Jer'rahd's eyes widened. A single handle wrapped in purplish blue silk, perhaps two apples across sat in the middle of the weapon. Twin curved blades of a dark blue metal flared out from the guard-less grip on either side before thinning out into slightly curved blades, each was perhaps six apples long and sharpened on both sides, the soft curve of the blades gave the weapon the impression of a sliver of the moon when it was just about to go dark. The weapon was unadorned, but highly polished. It was simple, yet beautiful in the simplicity, like it was designed to be art rather than to take lives. He recognized the metal that made up the weapon having seen something quite like it very personally before. This weapon was very dangerous.

“I cannot accept this Princess.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Why not?” Luna questioned.

“This … this is Star Metal. You are giving me something that could be used to kill you and your sister. Your giving it to me forged and sharpened, designed to kill rather than just a sharpened hunk of ore. This should be secured some where safe or destroyed, not given as a gift.”

“Think of it as a effort to restore the trust you have lost Jer'rahd. A reminder that even if you doubt those around you. They do not doubt you. There is not another pony I would trust with this. This blade was made for you General. It was also made from you, your shattered sword went into its construction as well.”

“What? How? I checked every where for some pony that could reforge that blade.....” Jer'rahd questioned looking at the weapon again.

“Yes, you did check all the smiths in Canterlot and I am aware you sent messages to several renowned smiths who do not live here. But you only checked pony smiths.” Luna smiled.

“I was unaware we were on good terms with the smiths of other races.” Jer'rahd raised an eyebrow. “Well maybe the Zebra, but they work mostly in bronze....”

“During the first Dragon war my sister and I allowed amnesty to a Dragon who was fleeing his homeland for some unspecified crime against the state. The first members of the 42nd and I found him injured and dying. Between my sister and I we were able to save him, though he was already a very old dragon, the orange and red of his scales had lost most of their luster and he was likely soon to head off to the Dragons Graveyard for his final rest. He said he name was Spike, but both of us knew that a lie, though he promised to pay us back for allowing him to hide in Equestria.”

Luna paused as Jer'rahd fought another coughing fit.

“My sister and I have never thought of anything he could do for us and simply left him be. However he has refused to go to his last rest until what he promised was repaid. He sleeps most of the time, saving what little life he has left for the time we would need something of him. With this the debt he placed on himself was completed for me. He was the same dragon who forged the Dragon Slayer Blades used in the war, he did not consider them a repayment as the ponies of my Guard he made them for died before their boons could be granted. So he made them for all the soldiers of the war to honor those first Guards memories. Although he benefited from their creation as well as it let him stay safe, he added his own magic in the spell so that when the owners of the blades died so too would the weapon they wielded. Of course with as many as he made, some of them were missed by his spell and lasted much longer than they should have. Yours was one such blade. Despite it's shattering, the blade still lived, it was something he himself took note of when I gave him the pieces. This blade is likely his last work before he goes to his final rest. “

Luna smiled looking at the weapon as Jer'rahd slowly lifts it with his magic.

“The bones of a superb blade that has fed on the blood of countless numbers of the lands enemies. Ore mined from the stars themselves. A blade forged in Dragon fire, tempered in the rebirth of a Phoenix and blessed by the Goddess of War and the Night. This is a weapon designed to kill gods and anything else you chose to wield it against General Jer'rahd Kaisur. A sword unlike any that have ever existed to my knowledge. The Waning Moon.”

“If I thought myself unworthy of this blade before Princess, that speech did not help matters.” Jer'rahd stated looking at the blade floating before him.

“Really? If you are to be a member of my personal Guard General, you will need a weapon that will be worthy of that position. There may come a time when you will need something that can kill a god in my service. Though on a more personal level I will be rather upset if you refuse my hearth's Warming gift to you.” Luna chuckled.

“I suppose I have no choice but to accept then. I am not feeling quite up to swimming today.” Jer'rahd smiled.

He rose to his hooves, his magic wrapping tighter around the blade as he lifted it higher in the air. The blade practically sang as it was raised before him. He slowly turned the weapon in the air, watching the glow of his magic dance along the blade. It was odd, even after all his training with it , the Bone Hound dagger had felt like a void in his magic. It fought him, made him use force to even hold it. This sword, this weapon didn't fight him at all, it practically seemed to shiver at the touch of his magic, yet he knew that no one else would be able to so much as lift it with perhaps the exception of Luna who had help craft it.

Luna turns her gaze skyward, Jer'rahd's eyes leave the blade watching her and the growing power she displayed. The sun cast its last light over the land and the moon rose slowly into the heavens. The Princess exhaled, softly as the night began, turning to look to the blade floating before him. He looked down from the risen moon to the blade as well, his eyes widening seeing the shadow it cast, a blue ripple formed around the edge of the blade where it was turned skyward. He leaned closer to it the weapon seeming to be on fire at first glance, though upon closer inspection it was not burning, but the blade it self was splitting the moon light as it hit, making the light ripple like water around it as it hit.

He slowly took the grip in his mouth, letting the magic drop. He blinked, barely feeling any weight from the weapon at first. That might be a problem for him being so used to dealing with a weightier blade. He jerked in surprise, nearly dropping the sword as it suddenly gained more weight, not much more, but noticeable enough that he knew he would need to adjust to it and train to understand this new blade. He turned his head a bit to the left and then the right, feeling the blade adjust itself to the movements. His gaze turned up to the frozen mare again. His eye flickering red, feeling his rage start to build. The blade responded to the anger, the blue glow of the moonlight growing brighter around the weapon, the blade reflecting the red light of his eye making the silvery metal seem to tinge itself red blood red matching his anger with it's own.

He leapt forward suddenly, slashing once, before taking the blade in his magic to whip it around with a second cut through the statue as he landed. The stone offered little resistance as the blade sliced though it like a hot knife through dandelion butter. Two thuds of stone striking the ground on either side of the statue were the only sounds as he stood back up panting bringing the weapon back to his side.

“You are the better pony General, by your own standards granting her he chance to be forgiven in the future.” Luna nodded.

He checked over the blade seeing nothing even close to any damage or even a scuff on it before the Waning Moon is floated back over to it's case, the blue silk re-wrapped about it and the cover closed. Jer'rahd's panting. Only got worse however, clearly he had far over exerted himself.

“No, just hoping she can still tell whats going on around her, to see how close I came to freeing her from her torment before leaving her in it. I am not better, if I was I would have simply walked away, never come here, or killed her outright. As it stands I can simply add 'being petty' to my list of faults.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

Luna lifted the box carrying it along seeing Jer'rahd stagger with the effort of even walking. The rage that had carried him this far was gone, and the pain had returned as well as sickness. The pair slowly walked out of the garden leaving behind a statue of a burning mare. At the base of it's pedestal two small bits of stone rested. A pair of petrified ruby earrings along with bits of the mares ears they were attached to lay in the grass.

An explosion flung Twilight out of the spell and knocked her onto the ground. She winced as she heard a scream. Jumping back to her hooves she rushed towards the kitchen flinging open the door.

Inside Pinkie was running around in a small circle. Her chefs hat was on fire, as was most of the stove. A less than impressed Spike was hosing the stove down with a fire extinguisher. Glaring daggers at the panicked pink pony.

“What happened in here!?” Twilight demanded.

“I think I rolled a one on my cooking skill.” Pinkie shouted.

“What?!?” Twilight stammered as Spike turned the extinguisher onto the pink pony putting out her hat and bowling her over.

“She some how managed to make a pot of vegetable soup catch fire and explode.” Spike corrected.

“Do I even want to know any more?” Twilight sighed as Pinkie Pie sat up enough to shake her head before Spike sprayed her with water again.

Author's Note

And this ends this redone chapter.

Salt of the Earth part 1 [21 ] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Salt of the Earth

Pinkie Pie was avoiding her, Twilight was certain of this. She could see Pinkie working in the rebuilt Sugercube Corner when she was out side of it, but the moment she went in, the only ones present were the Cakes. The moment Twilight left, she could see Pinkie though the window again back at work.

Twilight had caught her on the street at once. She practically demanded Pinkie tell her what was going on and if it had to do with that itchy hoof of hers. The pink pony promptly lifted her fore hoof and drew a watch on the limb.

“Oh look at the time Twilight, too busy, gotta go.” and Pinkie Pie was off like a shot.

Twilight tried to teleport the pink pony back as she ran off and only managed to grab Spike some how/ The purple dragon's confusion at his sudden appearance in the street was mirrored by Twilight's. Pinkie still showed up to parties and gatherings of the friends, but she always seemed to be else where or busy the moment Twilight was going to ask about her Pinkie sense, she also no longer came over for Twilight's study sessions.

Twilight grumbled to herself as she set up her spell. Applejack was there tonight covering for Pinkie due to the pink pony saying she had something else to do. The orange earth pony was settling into the couch planning to nap for a bit while Twilight worked.

“So no luck on that mirror thing, huh sugar cube?” Applejack asked idly.

“No, i am afraid not. For some reason the spell matrix won't connect to the starry void I've been talking about. I've tried everything I know and neither Princess Celestia or Princess Luna have any idea either. I suppose you will all just need to deal with the book until I figure something out.”

“Rainbow won't be too thrilled with that. I'm not real tickled either. Never been much of a book type, nothing wrong with them when yah got nothing else to do, but ah always preferred to hear it or see it myself rather than just read about it. Might just get a shortened version told to me from some pony.”

“That's fine I suppose, a good bit of whats going on seems to be little more than back ground on some of them. I figure all Princess Luna really needs every pony to hear are the basics. Though I am getting a better feel for the five of them now. Most of them are completely emotional train wrecks that make our problems look like a a episode of a show for little fillies.” twilight sighed.

“That's the problem with the past, not too many head doctors back then.” Applejack nodded.

“I doubt that would have helped them much in all honesty. Jer'rahd been betrayed by those closest to him, all his families dead and he's a simmering cauldron of anger. Rhede is leading on Velkorn, and it looks like he was keeping a secret from every one that nearly got Jer'rahd killed. Velkorn's pretty stable save for her obsession with Rhede which I still don't get. Seriously the stallion can do no wrong in her eyes it seems, it's like she's under some enchantment or something.”

“Love'll do that.” Applejack nodded sagely.

“Bleu's not much better than Jer'rahd and she's got some darkness and depression in her she's got hidden away behind a mask of humor. I have no idea what's she's gonna do now that Jer'rahd was nearly killed. Starfall's the least messed up of the lot of them and even she has had a tragic back story with her family, shes also obsessed with her daughter and revenge have no idea how she manages to seem normal. Then there's Luna who doesn't seem too far off she is now only much more violent.”

“Well this is only tha beginning ain't it. Yah ain't heard nothing about tha war of night nor Nightmare Moon yet?”

“No.”

“Sure it's coming, been working today and I'm a bit tired, if yah don't mind I'm gonna have a light snooze while yer watching tha past. A bit too much going on at the farm this winter. Apple Bloom, Big mac, Sweetiebell, and Scootlaoo built up a big ole green house and are trying to grow stuff in the winter for some cutie mark or another. Likely the most creative and useful thing those fillies have done in that crusade of theirs.”

“It would be nice to have a bit of variety. Towards the end of winter hay and potatoes get a little old. If they manage to start growing things in the winter it might make the last few weeks before winter wrap up a bit more bearable. The food storage always seems to get far too low too early as well.” Twilight commented.

“Planning on being planner again for this years Winter wrap up? Applejack chuckled

“Of course. With luck I might even have this research finished by then. I've got a bit of free time coming up. It's like I can tell nothing really exciting will happen for at least a few weeks.“

“Must be nice feeling that calm during some sort of hiatus. With those three fillies, I expect something to explode at any given time most days, any way git to yer work and lemme know whatcha find. Just the important stuff though.”

Twilight smirked as she cast the spell and found her self in the starry void. The view before her didn't answer any of her questions about the place, but she was happy to see even with the forging of the Waning Moon, the windows to each of the six with a fragment of the sword was still available.
She knew exactly whose window she wanted to see this time. Rhede Pelt had some explaining to do.

================================================

The two foals stood starring at each other, panting hard, the larger one was covered in bruises and dirt, so much so that it was impossible to tell what color his coat and mane were. The smaller unicorn was the same way, but with a split lip and a black eye. A tiny pudgy blue earth pony hid behind the unicorn whimpering lightly .

“Piss off new foal, this ain't your business.” the larger earth pony growled.

“I'm not going any where, you leave Honey Suckle alone or....” the unicorn snapped back.

“Or what?” the larger one cut him off.

“You'll see I'm not done dishing it out to you yet.” the unicorn growled back.

The earth pony colts blue eyes narrow as he glares at the unicorn. The smaller pony returning his glare with equal fierceness.

“Who the buck are you?”the larger one demanded.

=================================================

Rhede lifted his head with a wince, dark circles around his eyes betraying his condition. He whipped his head trying to stave off dozing off again, though it did little to stave off his tiredness. He didn't want to sleep, sleep brought dreams, and memories he'd rather forget because all they did was hurt. They didn't seem like much, but he knew the story of them, and he wasn't fond of that part of his life.

There was also the fact that while asleep things would eventually turn to a happier note, he didn't currently think he deserved that for his failure, so he preferred the waking world, with all it's pain and suffering. It was more of what he deserved.

His gaze shifted about the room, it hadn't changed much since it held it's last occupant. Half the room was hidden in darkness, the other half illuminated by a series of lanterns designed to shine down on the other side of the room like spot lights

Rhede tilted his head looking at the chains that bound him. At least they had cleaned the chains after Claymore was removed from them. Still the locks were clearly enchanted and lacked any sort of key hole he might be able to pick. Not like that would slow him, but he had no desire to leave. Where would he go any way?

It was odd to see it from this angle, but it was expected he supposed. After the events of the last month he was some what surprised he hadn't been turned to stone up to his neck just to be sure he wouldn't do anything.

He tried to remember when he had been brought inhere, but it must have been when he was passed out. He didn't recall whether or not he had been awake enough to make a 'kinky' comment as he was being secured.

Further thought was interrupted as a door opened along the far wall, blinding him with the bright sunlight as a number of figures moved into the room. There was no conversation between them, and Rhede could tell there were at least five. Four of them took seats behind a large table on the far side of the room while the fifth walked over to him, but stayed just out of the light in the darkness. Rhede's night vision was good , but the flickering lamps focused on him played havoc with his night vision,still he had caught a glimpse of their silhouettes as they entered..

Still he made out the general shapes, two unicorns, one male, one female, two earth pony stallions and a Pegasus. Still it seemed his inquisitors had finally arrived.

“Nice of you to join me, lovely place you have here. I will admit the service is a little slow. I have yet to receive that spring water I order.” Rhede snarked.

The earth pony pacing before him growled lightly clearly glaring at him from the darkness.

“Stow it Pelt, I don't have any patience for your snark. You've bucked up real bad!”

“No shit, you figure that out all by yourself?” Rhede snapped back before calming himself. “Or did some one finally open my file? I would love to have seen the expression on the pony who did that. My hole file was replaced by a wonderful painting of Princess Celestia with a provocative pose and a wet mane.

“Are you aware of the shit storm you caused colt? Do you have any idea why you are even here?”

“Seventy three counts of murder, six counts of treason, prolly twenty plus counts of theft, near a good three score of other miscellaneous issues tied into those first three, oh, and at least twenty three confirmed cases of peeping. “Rhede listed. “it was more than that mind you..... by a lot.... on all counts.”

The Pegasus spoke up at this, definitely a mare, an older one too, mature, he would have loved to get a better look at her.

“Well at least he seems to know the charges.” the mare stated.

“And not a lick of remorse for any of them.” the earth pony snorted.

“Not entirely true General Mustang, nice to finally meet you by the way, there are quite a few things I have done that I regret. Not the peeping of course, harmless fun there, and Bleu occasionally tagged along, and decidedly not the murders, those ponies needed to be killed. There is one thing I regret more than anything else. Still it's not likely what you'd expect. And on that note, how is Jer?

“I am asking the questions here Pelt.” Mustang snapped.

“You want me to answer any of your questions General Mustang, you answer that simple one of mine.” Rhede returned quickly. “ If not then you can all feel free to leave, because I'm done speaking with you.”

“Odd you even give a shit about him now.” Mustang growled.

“I gave a shit then too, I just tried the wrong way to help.” Rhede admitted with a sigh. “Look I'm trying to be polite here and this is the only thing I've asked for so far after turning myself in......unless you wanted a massive hunt for me that would have never found me.........”

The Pegasus mare spoke up again.

“The General is well Pelt, angry, destructive, and other wise a pain in every pony's flank, his usual.”

Rhede let out a breath he was unaware he was holding.

“Well at least something I did went right then.” Rhede admitted.

He swung his hoof again sending the smaller colt rolling across the dirt. He snorted, glaring as the unicorn rose back up to his hooves panting heavily before charging at him again. The large earth pony colt moved again, knocking the clumsy charge aside as if it was nothing, sending the colt into the dirt once more. He shook his head walking off as the unicorn rose back to his hooves yet again.

There were a few others around, the fight had gathered a crowd of other foals who hung back, and at least one teen-aged dark colored unicorn mare he had seen around some where.

What ass it with this one, he had interfered in every bit of fun he had tried to have for the last few weeks. He had been stopped from taking lunch money, stopped from picking on other foals, and stopped from doing anything the little unicorn thought was wrong. Which was most of what the tall colt liked doing. This new foal just would not stop. The brat had even gotten his cutie mark when he stood up for Honey Suckle. The taller colt was still a blank flank at this point and it grated on his nerves that he was the cause of some pony else getting their mark before him. Forget the others this twerp was going to pay.

The larger colt whipped around again as the gray unicorn made it back to his hooves, rushing over to knock him down again.

“Go ahead and cast the spell. I know that’s why those two are in here.” Rhede stated suddenly.

“Not gonna tell the truth without some sort of enforcement on our part huh?” Mustang growled.

“It's not for me General, I doubt any of you will believe me at all unless I am backed up by a spell caster telling you whether I am lying or not. After all I am really good at getting ponies to believe everything I say. It's been my job for a few years now after all.”

“Likely you've been trained to resist a spell like that however.”A gravely voice stated.

This voice came from the other earth pony, Rhede didn't recognize the voice, but it sounded masked any way. Likely one of the ambassadorial spys of Celestia. Probably a higher up or a inquisitor. Not many of those and very few knew who they were any way. Basically if you knew a pony was a inquisitor, you were either powerful enough to call for ones services, or in deep shit.

“You are right I was trained to do just that in fact, but I won't. You knowing I am telling the truth benefits me more than my trying to hide anything. Besides, if I'm still alive after the last thing I did there’s nothing left to hide.” Rhede mentioned.

General Mustang nodded and a orange glow surrounds one of the unicorn's horns, not enough to light up the dark figures, but enough to show him the outline of the mares face. Rhede felt the spell settle over him and resists the urge to fight it. He let out a sigh as the spell sank over him. It felt like little more than a simple truth spell, easy enough to get around if he wanted to. The unicorn nodded to the General letting him know it took hold, her horn fading a little though still lit as she maintained the spell..

“State your name and occupation for the record.” The Pegasus at the table ordered.

“Rhederic Pelt. I am a spy and assassin for The Order, and a double agent for Princess Celestia.”

==================================================

He ignored the yelling of the teacher, his blue eyes focused on the unicorn colt he had been fighting. The little gray unicorn looked like he did after all their fights, battered, bruised, and still ready for more. The larger colt sported a few marks as well, picking on any one near this stupid unicorn always resulted in a fight, and the larger colt always won. The problem was, he never felt like he won. The unicorn kept getting up, the fight was never over for him. No matter how often he got knocked down he got back up. They always were eventual stopped by a teacher or some other adult, in this case it had been a blue Pegasus mare he felt he should have recognized, who had heard the fight. He never said anything and was surprised the gray colt didn't either. They both got detention for fighting. The colt could have easily gotten out of it by simply telling the teachers that he hadn't started it. Most of the faculty at the school knew the larger colt was nothing but a problem any way. The new colt never said anything about it, he simply accepted the punishment and was ready to do it again the next time some pony was being picked on.

=============================================

“Records show what you were doing up until your graduation from basic training. There was a transfer order from that point to a destination that does not exist. Not long after, you were removed from the military record and listed as a civilian again. What happened?” the Pegasus asked.

“The Order happened of course. You can check the files you still have on me. With the exception of a few things here and there I was top of my class. I scored so well on everything from leadership to survival they paired me with the other ponies who drew attention to themselves. I was not paired with Jer'rahd and Starfall because they were friends of mine. I was paired with them because they were only a step below me and both of them had the balls to either break the rules to fix something that wasn't right or go beyond what was expected of them. They wanted to give the best unit as much hell as they could to see if we would break. Jer'rahd was noticed because he beat the drill sergeant in sword play on the first day, Starfall saved the life of a unstable pony by breaking one of the major rules. I was caught once trying to sneak into the mares shower. Once mind you. I broke records for the more subtle aspects of combat, survival, infiltration, espionage, and so on. The Order had a pony watching Guard recruits to pick out the best for their own ends. The one that fit the best from that group was me.” Rhede explained

“What training did you receive with The Order?” the unicorn mare asked.

“Poison use, torture resistance, extreme environment survival, medicine, history, hoof to hoof fighting, advanced infiltration, emotional distancing, seduction,.... if you want the full list we might be here a while, lets just put it I was trained to be a perfect spy, slash , assassin in the years since I left basic.”

“Fine then lets go to some other questions.” Mustang stated.

“Not like I can argue.” Rhede shrugged.

“What was The Order's purpose?” Mustang demanded, still pacing before Rhede.

“You want what it really was, or what it was supposed to be?” Rhede asked.

“Start with what it was supposed to be.” the unicorn mare questioned.

“The Order was formed at the end of the Discordian war. The first members of The Order where the ponies that witnessed Princess Celestia and Princess Luna defeat Discord with The Elements of Harmony. Supposedly they were so impressed and fearful of the power they witnessed they worked together and built a group to find a way to keep that power out of normal ponies hooves. They built strong holds around Equestria and then stole the Elements from the castle placing them in the strongholds to secure them. Traps, wards spells, and worse were placed around the Elements in order to safe guard them from any pony the Order did not find worthy. Once this was completed they turned themselves into the Princesses for judgment for their theft and conspiring against the Princesses. For some reason or another this caused the Princesses to grant them titles and land in Canterlot. Personally I expect it was to simply keep an eye on a group of ponies with enough guts to stand up to the Goddesses for something they believed in.”

“ Close enough to the actual history as I've been told by Princess Celestia.” Mustang grunted. “And what has it become?”

“The titles made the members nobles. Common ponies suddenly becoming as close to royalty as one could get without becoming an alicorn. The first few generations considered it an honor and did their best to make sure everything went as it was supposed to, they worked together and accomplished the rebuilding of Equestria and Canterlot faster than was believed possible in that post war time. This also had the benefit of making most of them even more wealthy. Over time however families split, infighting began and those who were heads of the Order became more concerned with personal power than they were with keeping the Elements safe.“

“What connection do they now have with the Elements of Harmony?” the Pegasus mare asked.

“Now? Not a damn thing. They don't even have the locations of where the Elements were hidden generations ago. So they needed a way to make Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seek the Elements again, and the easiest way to do that was by creating a threat. The Order started supporting and manipulating events to fuel wars.” Rhede continued.

“Explain.”Mustang stated.

“The Order helped bring about the Dragon War. By leaking information, sending teams out to kill leaders on both sides and pinning it on the other, falsifying reports, anything. They believed that if the need was great enough the Princesses would seek out the Elements of Harmony and they could simply steal them again to use their power for themselves.”

“That's a stupid plan.” the Pegasus mare commented.

“Of course it was it was thought of by rich nobility who tend to throw money at problems to make them go away. Of course it didn't work, the war ended before it got bad enough to force one of the Princesses to go after the Elements. “Rhede grumbled. ”They kept trying however. They brought about the War in the North with the Griffons, they supplied the Warlords in the Zebralands, and passed troop information to the Bone Hounds.”

“Bullshit, there’s no way one group could start four wars without any pony finding out.” Mustang snapped.

“They didn't start the wars, they simply made them worse or in at least one case got Equestria directly involved in something that wasn't their business. I played a part in three of those wars.”

“He has not shaken off the spell General Mustang. He is telling the truth as far as he is aware.” the Unicorn mare stated.

“Fine, explain your part in these conflicts then.”Mustang growled.

“The Order pulled strings to place me in ambassador training in Canterlot. The main reason was to get me close to information they could use. There were others of course, but in my ignorance of their true motives I did my best to get what they wanted. Troop movements, supply lines, even Princess Luna's travel plans. I stole those and hoof delivered all of it to my Order contact. Turns out they were most interested in Princess Luna's movements and they gave that information to the Bone Hounds. The plan was to make Celestia seek the Elements in a panic because her sister was attacked. But.......”

“But what?” Mustang demanded.

“But, Starfall Silvertail happened. Because of her, Luna barely had a scratch and the war ended before Celestia needed to seek out the Elements. It did however make the Princess consider finding the Elements again. So she started a search for possible bearers, instead she found me.”

“Found you? “

“Indeed. I don't know how, but some how in the course of the Princess's search for candidates she found out who had been intercepting the information that was getting leaked. Celestia found out I was the one who had stolen her sisters schedule. Rather than sic the Guard's on me she confronted me about it herself. Suffice to say she did not need a spell to make me tell the truth, Princess Luna might be scary when mad, but she is like a kitten playing with string versus a mad Princess Celestia. She practically forced me at horn point to tell her everything. Of course the first thing I told her was what was going to happen to me if the Order found out I had said anything. She offered to keep it to herself if I spied on The Order for her. Not being a stupid pony I accepted.”

“How was it she chose you to seek Generosity.” The Pegasus mare asked.

“It was a bit of a joke. The Order had started looking for ponies that might be worthy, and that they could control. After I told her who else in the castle worked for The Order she started dropping hints that she was searching as well. The Order was quite excited over the information, even more so when the name of one of the selected ponies was slipped by the Princess and it turned out to be one of their own spies, me. Princess Celestia chose Generosity for me as sort of a joke, sort of a play on how I generously was willing to give any mare a foal given half the chance.” Rhede smirked shifting a little and shaking his head some to keep his eyelids from drooping.

“It was complete crap. If anything I should have been Greed not Generosity. I was enjoying playing both sides, I had the run of Canterlot, I had the ear of the Goddess of the Sun, my friends were safe in Canterlot as well, and of course my family was not that far away. I literally had it all for a time. I was supposed to be willing to give up everything for the betterment of Equestria, that was something of a Guard motto, as well as the load of dung The Order fed its new recruits. I was not willing to give up anything, not my new status, not my family, and not my friends. Of course when it came time for me to pay the tab, my desire to not give up anything probably cost me everything.”

=============================================

The earth pony staggered back as the gray unicorns hoof connected with his muzzle, the damn colt kept coming too.

The little pest was in rare form today, and all for some stupid painting. Show and tell was today and the new foal had brought in some crappy painting of his family, just him as a baby his mom, dad and grandparents. Looked like it was done by an amateur as the colors were already faded. Not something even worth a damn.

The larger colt had decided to use it against the unicorn, he took the picture when the colt wasn't looking and hid it. He wanted to watch the brat freak out, but Honey Suckle had seen him take the painting and told the Unicorn.

The little punk was out for blood screaming and crying about the painting. Of course given his mood he was easily beaten to a pulp and left crying in a heap. Little shit still got in more than a few good blows and he had managed to split his lip.

He only found out later the foals mother and grandmother had died and that was the only picture of them the family even had.

He had snuck out later that night and left the picture on the new foals doorstep. He wondered if he had been spotted, but the only other pony he saw was a dark unicorn mare who didn't seem to notice him.

================================================================================

“Is he alright? This is the third time he has passed out.” the unicorn mare asked.

“Should we get a doctor in here General Mustang?”the Pegasus asked.

“I'm fine. Keep going with the questions. The beds here are a bit …. hard. Difficult to get my beauty rest on them.” Rhede smirked.

“Are you sure...?”the unicorn mare asked curiously.

“He said he was fine, I'm continuing.” Mustang snorted.

“How did The Order react to you being named one of the bearers?”

“Mixed, some were quite thrilled as it meant less work for them, others not so much, they sent my teacher in to watch over me, Scarlet. The only mares who scare me more than that one are Celestia and my mother, and not in that order. Scarlet was a killer, period. It was really the only thing she enjoyed, and since The Order had her killing things quite often, she was fiercely loyal to them and the bits they paid her. She knew I was scared of her and she used that to her advantage quite a lot.” Rhede muttered.
“Starfall was selected as another Bearer after the war with the Bone Hounds ended. She was blunt, stubborn and when she said she was going to do something she did it, Perfect candidate for Honesty. The Order liked her as well. She had family she cared for, easy to manipulate a pony like that.”

“Is that how they got you to do everything?”the unicorn mare asked.

“No, that was how Scarlet got me to do everything. The Order just knew she had more control over me than they did. I kept the Order in the dark about my family, big as it is there are a lot of Pelts out there and not all of them are connected. Scarlet found out though. That was another reason I kept away from the house for a few years. Keep the order guessing.”

“You played a roll in the Zebra Campaign as well. What was it?” Mustang demanded

“Exactly like my title, Ambassador. Though not for Equestria like I was supposed to be. I went down there along with a great many supplies of arms and equipment. A tribute and a offer from The Order. They wanted Zal'Torak's cooperation in return for their support in taking over a bit of Equestrian land. The belief was again to speed up Celestia's attempt to find the Elements. They sought to create enough strife and distrust in the world that only the Elements of Harmony could repair it. The warlord was just one piece.” Rhede exhaled a bit, cricking his neck.” The Order wanted the war to last as long as it could and to bring about as much destruction as it could. It was by The Order's request that Zal'Torak invaded Equestria, it was by another request I passed on that he did not take the first offer of a ceasefire put forth by Celestia. And it was by my hoof he died when he finally was simply going to surrender. The Order couldn't risk his telling any one about their involvement.“

“Princess Luna herself claims that General Kaisur dealt the final blow, as does the word of the Queen of the Zebra lands.” Mustang snapped.

“That was just insane luck. Once I received the go ahead to kill the warlord, I got a little creative. I rigged the anti air weapons to explode when I wanted them too, and leaked information to the Equestrian forces outside the strong hold. The idea was to kill him and escape, letting the Guard take the credit for the victory. Unfortunately the first unit sent in was caught and I thought they were all killed. With the information I had passed on seemingly lost I set myself up to detonate the bombs, kill the warlord and hide in the catacombs until things cooled down enough for me to leave. It was just after I put my plan into action that the force lead by Jer tore through the place. Velkorn and Jer came in at just the right time. I had just finished off the Warlord, but I had not had the chance to flee yet. I knew he would accept the credit if I told him to do so, and Velkorn owed me a favor any way, so she agreed as well. I took his sword and cut off the warlords head and started to play the part of a captured ambassador. I still thought we were going to have to run for our lives,but then Princess Luna's force attacked. They had been on high alert the whole time since the first squad had been counted as missing and when the explosions took out the anti air weapons it had only taken moments to scramble the entire Pegasus wing of the 42nd. With the Princess at their head they they attacked, routing the Zebras rather nicely. Princess Luna lead the charge with the plan to take out the leader herself. Getting there she instead found, a small force of escaped prisoners, ponies declared MIA and Jer holding a bloodied sword with the head of the Warlord at his hooves. Kinda obvious as to why she thought he did it. I do feel bad however, he got stuck playing the hero. He hates that.” Rhede chuckled.

“So I have noticed. What happened after that?”Mustang snorted.

“The Order wanted me to lay low for a while. They arranged for me to remain the ambassador to the Zebra lands and help the next ruler be under their sway. Once it was found out that next ruler was Velkorn, well I was ordered to seduce her and get her to do what they wanted me to have her do. It was rather easy, she already was grateful for the first time I rescued her, and when I saved her from the Necromancer Blood Tail, that rather cemented it. I barely even had to use any charm. She was willing to do what ever I asked. Unfortunately.”

“Explains why she seems to hang off of you. Though that place got turned into a democratic government, the Queen wound up as little more than a figure head with no real control. She set that up herself?“ the unicorn asked. Rhede was starting to wonder about the other Earth pony and unicorn , they had been silent the whole time.

“Yes well, I very well could have had her remain the ruler. She would have done what ever I asked her to. Likely she would have made me King before long as well. Her people would have loved her for it too. After all she managed to do in the first two months of her rule? Her subjects love her. She had the same level of adoration most of us give to Celestia at the Summer Sun Celebration after just two months. They would not have batted an eye to a non zebra ruling along side her. The Order would have loved that too. I could have done anything to her and she would love me for it even still.” Rhede shifted in his chains.”And I found out I could not bring myself to do any of it.”

“Why not?” Mustang demanded.

“As old a goat as you are General you must have met some mare, or stallion if that’s your preference , nothing wrong with that, just not my cup of tea and all....”Rhede commented.

“GET TO THE POINT PELT.” Mustang snapped

“Right, she was too innocent, and I could not bring myself to be the one to take that from her. Every single thing she did was to help some Pony or Zebra or animal or anything. I half expected her not to walk on the grass at times for fear of hurting it. Velkorn has more compassion for other living things in a tail hair then most ponies have in their entire bodies. And I found I could not bring myself to do anything that might hurt her. I couldn't even bring myself to love her and leave her like I had been doing my whole life with all those other mares. I knew she would be hurt by that. Following my mission I already had her far to interested in me to simply vanish. So I passed on the suggestion of electing some other Zebras to run things to the new Queen, or several, like a council, she did her best to set that up and had it done in less than a year. All while I did my best to give her the cold shoulder, I was intentionally caught with other mares to try and inform her my interest lay else where. Still she persisted. She even followed me all the way back to Canterlot and had Princess Celestia name me as her guide and translator while here. Compassionate yes, stupid no. She found a way to keep me as close to her as she could. It did not help matters when Celestia first talked to her and then chose her as a bearer as well. I do wish she would have gotten over me by this point. With luck my latest actions will have turned her off enough and she can finally seek some other pony who is more fitting for her.”

“Trying to be noble now Pelt?”Mustang sneered.

“Not so much noble, more along the lines of its hard to play around with any mares at a bar when you have a Zebra Queen stalking you.”Rhede grinned. Besides you know her deal if you read her file.”

“Typical male.”the unicorn mare snorted .

Rhede could not help to grin. “Spoken like a mare who has never known the joys of Rhede Pelt. I can fix that you know.”

“No you cannot.”

Rhede's smirk widened as the other earth pony in the room spoke up again. His reward for that was for the unicorn mare to slap him on the back of the head with a hoof. Rhede still didn't recognize the stallion, but he knew that there was a married pair of inquisitors in Celestia's service and this was likely them. General Mustang and the other two ignore this, remaining focused on Rhede.

“Did you have anything to do with Dullahan keep?” Mustang asked, Rhede noticed that the others had gone silent, some of them looking at the still silent unicorn stallion.

“Yes.” Rhede sighed.

“What was your roll there?” Mustang demanded.

“I was the reason it happened.” Rhede admitted

Several of the others shifted leaning a bit closer at this the shift of hooves on the floor made it clear that all of them were surprised and not to thrilled by that revelation. Even two years later the loss of life from that attack was still being felt. Mustang even glanced back at the others in the darkness.

“Explain.” Mustang demanded.

============================================

“What the buck are you doing?” the earth pony colt demanded.

The older colt looked at the three others and the bloodied and dirty gray unicorn staring the three down. Even against odds like this the little shit was defiant.

“Oh hey Rhede, figured you would come after you favorite target sooner or later. Decided to soften him up for yah.” one of the other colts stated with a laugh,the green hued Pegasus taking another swing at the much smaller unicorn.

“Why?” Rhede demanded.

“Why not? Little punks stubborn though, refuses to stay down, got him pretty good though.” a white unicorn smirked a bit of dirt and blood on his hooves but he was other wise pristine. He gestured at the smaller unicorn with a broom handle he had been using to hit the colt with. “It's easy, little bastards got no skill in magic.”

Rhede's ears flatten to his head, he moves closer to the group before turning and slamming his hoof into the white unicorns jaw sending him to the dirt before launching himself at the other two with a roar. The smaller unicorn charged in as well tackling the third colt while Rhede bludgeoned the second. The sudden attack and ferocity of it quickly made the three panic and run off as fast as they could.

Rhede turned to glare at the gray unicorn before taking a swipe at him and and getting the response he was expecting. The two of them beat the crap out of each other for a while with the only one Rhede noticed still being around was a dark Pegasus mare off in the distance.

Finally the pair both fell over panting on the ground.

“So ,huff, New foal?”

“What?”

“Names Rhede.”

“Rhede, huff, yeah I think I know your name by now.”

“ Ha. You wanna come over, see the farm?”

“....... what..... this isn’t some stupid trap is it?”

“Nah, I think I’m past all that. Defending some pony felt better than beating them up.”

“Yeah alright, though I do have a name you know.”

“Really? It's not annoying little shit? Fine so what is it?”

====================================================

“He passed out again.”the unicorn commented with a hint of worry.

“Give him a moment.” Mustang snorted as he noted Rhede twitch.

“Yeah sorry. I'm back. Where was I ?” Rhede stammers shaking free of his quick nap again.

“Dullahan.” Mustang responded.

“Colonel Claymore was a member of The Order, at first any way. Ruthlessness, contacts and no small amount of skill on his part actually got him an invite. An oddity from a pony who started as a commoner. Still his ambition had him break away from The Order after using them and their funds to further his own agenda. The Order sent me a message that I was to kill him. I passed on the mission. I was no longer comfortable with the missions I was being given at that point. Maybe I started believing Celestia's ideals or maybe my own ego was getting the better of me that I thought I could ignore what they wanted because I was too important to their plans.” Rhede sighed dropping his head as much as the chains allowed.”If I had done it. If I had gone and killed him. Buck, if I had even passed the message to Celestia rather than write it off as nothing more than The Order wanting payback against some one who tricked them out of a lot of bits. If I had not done that, if I had done the mission, crap if I had done ANYTHING, I would not have caused my best friend to suffer, nor nearly get him killed. Platinum would still be alive and Bleu would not be suffering. Likely no one would have died out there. Eventually I did pass on the information as part of a larger packet of Intel, but by that point it was too late, Claymore had already started the raids and begun gathering forces on both sides of the wall.”

Mustang had turned watching the others in the shadow the Pegasus seemed to be watching the other three as well, but none of the others moved so Mustang continued.

“That information is why the Forty Second was mobilized as quickly as they were, why any of the ponies at Dullahan survived. Sooner would have been better yes, but it was still critical.” the unicorn mare stated, her dimly lit face showing her glances over at the two silent stallions on the far end of the table.

“It was not critical enough, it caused the only pony who puts up with my shit to suffer unnecessarily. I made my friend suffer because I was too damn distracted to do what I was supposed to do.”

“Tell us what the Order wanted General Kaisur for.” the Pegasus demanded.

“They didn't want him. In fact that's why they pulled strings and had him sent to Dullahan when I refused the order to kill Claymore. They figured at the very least he might be killed in what ever was going to happen. I don't think they knew the scale of what Claymore was planning, but they knew enough to know it would be bad.“

“Why would they want him killed specifically.” Mustang questioned.

“Perhaps as a lesson to me on what would happen if I I disobeyed them? I don't know for sure why they did at that point in time, but if I had to guess I would say it's loyalty. After meeting him for the first time, Princess Celestia could tell he was loyal to Princess Luna due to the secret he kept. After the Zebra lands she could tell he was loyal to Equestria to a fault. And after Dullahan she knew without a doubt he was loyal to his friends beyond any common sense most ponies would have.” Rhede explained.” After the victory in the Zebralands he was on a short list to be named the bearer of Loyalty. After Dullahan, well... she tossed the rest of the list. The Order wasn't happy about that, they had wanted one of their own in there,and they had a few names on that list. Anyone chosen as Loyalty was going to be a problem unless they could be swayed to the cause of the Order, or were already working for them. Jer's position and well documented dislike of nobility put them at a disadvantage. That he had no family and would likely fight rather than back down if his friends were threatened gave them absolutely nothing over him. The only thing they had over him was me, and after my refusal to kill Claymore they didn't trust me. That Bleu was considered fast tracked to Laughter made things worse as the only one she really cared about is Jer. “

There was a general murmuring as Rhede caught his breath.

“The Order put me in a position that I had Celestia's ear and I could keep Velkorn in check. Starfall they had a plan for as well. Jer had Luna's ear and was made a companion of Bleu. For a while it looked like the Order's plans all hinged on me remaining where I was. A number of plans were created to fix the issue but none of them were ever put into action. With a possible war brewing with the Dragons again after the attack on Dullahan they couldn't risk losing the chance presented to them to recover the Elements. That Luna, Bleu, Jer, Velkorn, Starfall , and myself were the ones Celestia chose was something they were just going to have to deal with. They told me to kill him once, I managed to talk them down simply saying the Elements could simply be stolen after they were found and it wouldn't matter who the Bearer was. This was accepted, the bearers were gathered, we could start the quest to find them. Our goal was clear, the war could be averted, and the Order wouldn't have to harm any pony or play their hoof early. All was right with the world.

“So what went wrong?” the unicorn mare asked.

“I had refused two orders and argued against the high council. They no longer trusted me with the mission, but because I was selected to be a Bearer they could not take me off the mission. So they sent in Scarlet. I have no idea how she met Jer, but I know why she kept him from letting any of us meet her. I would have recognized her and perhaps blown her cover. The Hearths Warming party at my family’s was the first time any of us met her in this role. She openly told me what was going to happen to my family if I said anything. Soon as I got back I checked with The Order again. They had ordered his death, they did not give a reason for it either. I had just started to try and convince them again when Luna grabbed me. Scarlet had poisoned him, Wind Snake Venom, her favorite poison.” Rhede smirked. “I got damn lucky, the sort of luck that only exists in high fantasy books. Wind snake venom is almost instantly fatal to pegasi, unicorns, and nearly every other living thing on the planet.

Rhede let out a small sigh and grinned.

“It is not however near instantly fatal to Earth Ponies. Something about our inherent magic slows the toxin enough for a cure to be administered if done within a few hours, it's unbelievably agonizing, but curable. If Scarlet had know Jer was a half horn likely she would have used something else, but she slipped up and missed that bit somehow. If she had used something I hadn't had Velkorn prep for..... well, it would have been bad. When I was training under her she used the poison on me and the other two she was tutoring, told us what the antidote mix was and then watched to see if we could make it ourselves before it killed us. I was the only one of the three of us who pulled it off. Barely did too, but that little act put the fear of that mare into me. She has no qualms about killing any one or anything and often seems to enjoy watching creatures suffer. I made sure Velkorn had the materials needed to cure it at all times in her bags once I knew she was around even going so far as to get most of the materials myself for her and showing her how to mix it. The dragon blood is always the most difficult to find, it spoils too quickly and won't keep in any kind of storage. Thankfully Bleu was there, I think I burned through all the luck I had left with that series of events.”

“I have one more question Pelt.” Mustang queried.

“Where have I been the last month?” Rhede responded.

“And why.” the unicorn mare added.

“That’s two questions, but they merge together in one story so I’ll let it go. I've been off tying up loose ends To put it simply I have been killing ponies, General Mustang. Seventy three of them to be exact all across Equestria.”

The shuffling and a small series of mutters came from three of those behind the general before he waved a hoof at them and they shut up, the one unicorn not even seeming surprised, that one was starting to worry Rhede..

“Why?” Mustang demanded.

“The Order threatened my family, and tried to make good on killing one of my friends. I knew who the entire council was, by real name, reputation and clout they had in Equestria. Very few of them bothered to find out what their assassins names were or what they looked like so long as they did what they were told. The ones Princess Luna did not kill in Canterlot I went out and killed. Princess Celestia would not have approved the mission so I went on my own. Its easy to use contacts when you simply claim to be from a branch of The Order that’s gone silent. Suffice to say, mission a bucking accomplished. There's not a damned soul left who knew any damn thing about the Council. I'm sure there's a couple advisers or those who knew about the little club left, but none who ever attended a meeting still breath.”

“You went and did that knowing that Princess Luna wanted to question you.” Mustang growled.

“It might have been too late if I was locked up, and Princess Luna was sure to do that if I stuck around.” Rhede snapped back his ire clearly growing.

“You murdered nobles, merchants, officers in the Guard in a seemingly random pattern from here to The Great Wall and back again. Are you trying to tell me you killed all the members of the Order that were left?” Mustang roared.

“No, just the important ones the heads of the sections, the ones in power, the ones that could do something, all the others were just hirelings, no ponies, or mercs. As far as I know there are only two full on proper members of the Order left. One is a statue that's perpetually on fire and the other is currently in chains before you.” Rhede stated.

“Most of Equestria thinks there is a mass murderer going around. The balance of power in some locations with the nobles has shifted into unfavorable conditions and entire supply lines are stopped due to the panic.” the Pegasus grumbled

“Lose ends. I made sure that there was no pony left to threaten family or friends... well if they still are.” Rhede deflates a little at the last.

“Not confident of that are you?” the unicorn asked.

“I could have stopped Jer from nearly getting killed, I could have stopped, an attack on Princess Luna, I could have stopped the attack on Dullahan. Velkorn could have found some other pony by now if I had not made her chase me. Hell the only one of my “friends” I have not caused to suffer is Starfall, and I still managed to hurt her by killing her daughter in front of her eyes.” Rhede muttered

“You might be thinking too deeply on it.” the unicorn mare stated softly with another glance to the silent unicorn.

“I doubt it. It would be better if I did get locked up some where or put into the Garden. Some other pony can be their Generosity, rather clear I am not fit for it. Hell they probably all hate me and think I had something to do with Jer nearly getting killed. You've asked your questions now get the hell out of here already..... I need to sleep some time, might as well be well rested for my trial.” Rhede snarls, not lifting his head.

The group rose to leave Mustang storming out followed by the others. The Unicorn who had remained quite the whole time paused inside the door frame turning his head back. Rhede could tell he wore an eye patch over one eye for some reason.

“I do not hate you Rhede. I enjoyed the time we worked together. While there was a great deal you could have done, you are holding yourself responsible for more than you should be. While I am not fond of the secrets you have been keeping, I understand why you did. The others........ Well, you will need to talk to them yourself if able. At the very least I forgive you.” the gray unicorn in the doorway stated simply.

“Wha... Jer......?!!” Rhede's eyes widen as the unicorn walked out.

The door shut loudly leaving Rhede in silence again.

================================================

Maw Pelt watched the two foals run around after the chickens before her boy lead the smaller unicorn towards her to introduce them.

“Hey Rhede. Who’s your friend.” Maw Pelt asked looking down at the unicorn who seemed less than thrilled to be noticed like this.

“This is Jer'rahd Maw.”

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Pelt.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Jer'rahd huh? You Amano's colt?”

“Yes ma'am.”

“I see. Sorry to hear about your Grandma, she'll be missed around here, not many around that can keep up with me.” The short mare smiled.” Tell your Grandpa to come by sometime, can't be healthy for him to stay cooped up after all that.”

“Yes Ma'am. I will.”Jer'rahd nods.

“So polite. Maybe you can pick up a few things from this one Rhede.” Maw grins as her son rolls his eyes.

“Come on Jer let see if they have any eggs.“ Rhede stated turning to dart off.

“Wait, who's Jer?” Jer'rahd asked before following.

“You are, its easier to say that then try and sound out your name every time. Jer rolls off the tongue better than ' Jair Rod!'”

“No fair shortening my name without asking first.” Jer'rahd shouted back.

Author's Note

Part one of this Chapter. i fleshed it out a little and dropped hints and out right foreshadowing about something that is revealed in book two. it was a bit of a plot hole at the time, so i'm going back and spackling all those things in.

Salt of the Earth part 2 [22] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Salt of the Earth
part 2

[ Canterlot, out side the interrogation room at the Edge of the Canterlot Guard base.].

“Well Kaisur what is your opinion of that.” Mustang asked, rather softly for once.

Jer'rahd looked up having been lost in thought for a moment. His ears flattened to his head as he saw not only Mustang but all the others staring before he looked around noting the whole group was staring at him expectantly as well.

The yellow coated Pegasus mare looked young, but was far older than he was, her red mane and tail were streaked with blue and she wore a bright yellow and dark blue body suit that covered her entire form save her head ,wings and tail. It reminded Jer'rahd of the costumes that air show the ESO gave at Dullahan, perhaps the Wonderbolts based the clothing off hers? Twin gold stars of her rank as General were the only adornment to the other wise plain suit.

General Meteor Shower.

This was the first time Jer'rahd had met another of the five Generals aside from Mustang.

The other two worked for the Canterlot branch of the Royal Guard, sometimes. The unicorn mare was a bright pink coloration, she had a white mane that almost seemed to glow, her red eyes, however, unnerved him greatly as they fixated on him. Lemon Drop was the lead inquisitor for Canterlot, and her question mark cutie mark suited her personalty perfectly. Jer'rahd had met her once before after the groups “time” with Claymore, she was not a fan of the techniques he used and her suggestions on what should have been done instead were both fascinating and horrific. Jer'rahd had not wanted this mare any where near Rhede, but he had little choice.

Her partner and body guard was a rust colored earth pony stallion named Terracotta Brick, like Jer'rahd his cutie mark was a shield, unlike Jer'rahd his shield was covered in bloody spikes. He didn't talk much, but he didn't need to. The stallion was of an average height and build, but he projected an air of menace that probably would have run off a full grown dragon. Jer'rahd really wished to know his secret.

“He lied and with held information. His biggest mistake though was likely getting involved with The Order in the first place.” Jer'rahd admitted.

“Hmm, I still believe there is more to it than that.” Lemon Drop added causing him to look to her cautiously.

“There might be, I only asked if I could sit in on this, I did not think you would be asking what I thought of it”Jer'rahd responded.

“It is occasionally wise to get the opinion of the uninformed, you have known him longer than any one else here General. I was simply checking up on that. I was quite impressed how ever you managed to show such restraint once the subject of Dullahan came up.” Lemon Drop stated getting a snort of amusement from Mustang.

Jer'rahd blinked at the some what back hooved compliment. General meteor shower patted him on the head with a chuckle.

“Don't worry about it, I am sure everything will work out alright for him. He kinda balanced everything out with himself.” Shower stated.

“Crap don't work like in yer fantasy books Meteor. Hes committed a great many more crimes than just withholding information, and Kaisur, take that damn eye patch off, yah look like a pirate reject.” Mustang growled.

“Yes way to kill the mood Mustang.” Shower grumbled.

Jer'rahd sighed though he complied showing a brilliant red glow coming from his eye which gave every one pause.

“Seems I was right.” Lemon Drop grinned.

“That is still a damn weird condition you have there Kaisur.” Shower stated.

===============================================================

“Well boss?” Bleu asked looking up as Jer'rahd entered the meeting room where the others had been waiting.

“I am curious as to the outcome of this trial.”Starfall added.

“It wasn't a trial, it was more a interrogation, but he didn’t resist and didn’t try anything. I was only there as a witness, The tribunal will be deciding his fate, they have a lot to take in with whats been done.” Jer'rahd sighed.

“All this for just not telling you about that bitch you were dating?”Starfall snorted.

“There's far more than just that to contend with. Rhede is a bit more complex than he seems.”Jer'rahd sighed dropping down into a chair.

“And does that mean a damn thing?” Starfall questioned.

“Probably not.” Jer'rahd admitted.

“So if they do plan to hang him you gonna bust him out?” Starfall asked.

“That is not something you should be asking, Starfall.” Jer'rahd growled.

“But it is something you were thinking.” Bleu pokes his nose.

“It would put me at odds with everything else I have done up until this point. Ruin the heroic name I have made for myself, and likely make me a wanted pony in all of Equestria.” Jer'rahd growled. “ I would no longer be considered famous, nor be invited to any ritzy parties.”

“And that's a yes.” Starfall chuckled.

“Of course.”Jer'rahd grinned a little.

“He had better not.” stated a new voice as the door closed loudly.

The group froze, slowly turning to face the Princess of the Moon who had just come into the room while they were talking.

“Ahh, Princess Luna, we um … didn't see you there.” Bleu muttered

“I am sure Bleu. Need I see you locked up to make sure you do not try anything to free Pelt?” Luna asked.

“Do you think it would work?” Jer'rahd smirked.

“If I bind you up, it most certainly would.”Luna stated.

“What is it with you mares and bondage?” Jer'rahd rolled his eyes.

“What?” Luna asked.
“Also what?” Starfall questioned.
“Better fill us in on that one boss.” Bleu demanded.

“Pass. I feel too outnumbered to continue that conversation.” Jer'rahd grumbled laying his head down on the table and covering his face with both hooves.

“I'll let it go for now boss, but I am supposed to be watching out for your mental health after all this crap lately.” Bleu nodded sagely.

“Aside from now being completely done with any sort of dating or anything else similar I am just as angry and sarcastic as I ever was.” Jer'rahd sighed.

“Good to know. Doesn't mean my mission into that is over though, there’s got to be some one out there, Maw Pelt wants her grand babies!!” Bleu exclaims.

“ Gah......So anyway, what is the deal Princess, and be honest with us, even with that whole interview I sat through I am not sure what the actual charges are against Rhede.” Jer'rahd asked.

“Murder for one.” Luna stated.

Jer'rahd and Bleu turn to look back at Princess Luna at that, their eyes narrowing.

“What is that look for?” Luna questioned.

“Murder is hardly a charge that can be levied against him. 'Princess of Death.'” Starfall added. “ Or have you not heard you new unofficial title?

Luna winced and Jer'rahd sighed.

“If killing ponies who deserved it was something that we could even be charged with none of us would be here, well maybe Velkorn. I think you are more annoyed that he finished what you started. I am sorry about your reputation decline again Luna. I feel it was rather my fault.” Jer'rahd stated.

“It is fine Jer'rahd,It is not like you had any say of some one trying to murder you. Of which, why are you seemingly fine about his failure to inform you of Scarlet's motives?” Luna questioned taking a seat with the others.

“The Pelt's were threatened, and I got better. I can forgive that as it really only concerned me.” Jer'rahd stated lifting his head.

“Like Hell boss.” Bleu snapped.

“OK, Me and Bleu.” Jer'rahd grumbles recalling how as his partner Bleu would be exiled if anything happened to him,.

“Ahem.”

“And Starfall.”

“Have you forgotten the speech in the Garden already General?” Luna demanded.

“Gah, fine, but it is still something for just the two of us to deal with rather than the courts.” Jer'rahd muttered.

“The information on Dullahan, Camp Geode, and the situation with Velkorn however, are more for the courts.” Luna added.

“What about Dullahan boss?” Bleu asked staring at him.

“...............................” Jer'rahd winced.

“ Oh dear.....If you do not wish to tell her General......” Luna began.

“ No I do not, but she deserves to know as well. Rhede had information about the attack on Dullahan that he passed along too late. He was also supposed to kill Claymore and he refused, it was before any one knew what Claymore was up to And the rest well. You were there.”

“What...... what kind of information?” Bleu asked rather softly.

“Not much, it didn't seem to be anything more than implicating Claymore was up to something. His biggest crime was not marking the info urgent. And maybe not killing Claymore, I don't think he can be charged with NOT killing some one ….”

“.............. he knew?” Bleu muttered

“Not entirely Bleu.” Jer'rahd commented with a wince.

“That is not an answer.” Bleu snapped.

“Jer'rahd is simply wishing to spare you details that may be upsetting Bleu. We all know it is still a sore subject with you.” Luna added getting a glare from the dragonling.

“No shit Princess.” Bleu snarled.

“Luna please do not get the little dragon on my back angry, her claws are already digging into my spine. Bleu please calm down before I decide to see if I can get your claws filed off....” Jer'rahd winced.

“My apologies to you both, perhaps it is best if he explains it to you himself. If the tribunal finds in his favor of course. Though that is quite likely considering the evidence. Though I suppose the main question is even if he is to be released what then?” Luna added.

“Why should anything change?” Jer'rahd stated.

“Boss? But..” Bleu stared down at the back of the unicorns head.

“The six of us have proven we can work well together, when of course we are not side tracked by our own ends. Rhede IS part of this group. I will admit he is going to have to bust his flank to prove himself once again to be worthy of that trust, but still.” Jer'rahd sighed lifting his head again. “The pair of us grew up together, this is not the only bad choice he has made in his life. Likely the biggest and the one with the most fall out, but not the only. His intent was still to try an help others over himself. That attempt is enough for me to let him have a chance at regaining my trust back. Besides, Velkorn's been a wreck without him around and I will not be the one to make her cry by telling her he is never coming back if this goes bad or we turn him out.”

“You are far too trusting Jer'rahd. To want him back close to you.” Luna stated.

“You did not see him in there Princess, granted even if you did it is not likely you would have noticed what I did. I have known Rhede since I was a foal. I generally can tell if something is bothering him and I have never seen him look that bad before. To me he seems clearly remorseful, I've seen him like that a hoof full of times in my life. Then there is what's going on with Velkorn as well and how he is handling that. I am slightly proud of him.”

“Wait what is going on with him and Velkorn boss?” Bleu asked.

“Not my place to say. Celestia knows as do Mustang and a few others After all this they gave me the file to read.....” Jer'rahd grumbled. “ Just stop trying to get them together and let them work this out on their own.”

“I know a little more than you may think General.” Luna added thinking back to her dream walking earlier.”But despite this he kept knowledge he had a secret. A secret that may have saved many lives.”

“How many secrets have you and your sister kept that might have saved lives Princess?” Starfall stated suddenly.

Luna blinked looking over at Starfall curiously. The Pegasus simply sat at her place at the table listening to everyone. She didn't even look at Luna after the statement, her expression seemed a bored disinterest in the conversation.

“I was under the impression you did not like him. Yet you are defending him as well?” Luna questioned.

“I might not know the whole story, and he may annoy the crap out of me, but I never tried to give the impression I did not like him. He saved my life, so now I owe him and Jer'rahd.”Starfall stated flatly.

“I said you paid that off Starfall.” Jer'rahd growled.

“Ignoring you General, la la la.” Starfall sang putting her hooves over her ears.

“Feh.” Jer'rahd muttered dropping his head back to the table.“You know Princess you still have not said the official charges against him.”

“The Primary one is Treason I believe? Mostly due to giving The Order information.” Luna recalled.

“But if Rhede works for Celestia, shouldn't that charge be dropped? She did have him spying for her, because of him she knew who to feed false information to.” Bleu added in.

“He claims to work for my sister. Tia has not said one way or another.” Luna admitted.

“Really? Why? I figure she would have been all over this.” Starfall pondered.

“Tia has been feeling, off, as of late. Most likely she is still hungover from her Hearths Warming party.” Luna admitted sheepishly.

“WHAT?!? wasn’t that like a month ago?” Starfall demanded.
“Alicorns can get hungover?” Bleu gasped.
“Well that takes away the only reason I would want to be one.” Jer'rahd sighed.

Luna watched them for a moment surprised at the sudden shock from them. Her ears flatten a little as she looked a little sheepish as if this was not the reaction she was after.

“Well it does seem my attempt to lighten the mood a little has failed dismally, perhaps I should leave the humor to Bleu after all.” Luna grumbled.

“Ummm.” Jer'rahd questioned.
“Hmmm.” Starfall blinked.
“It is the first attempt we have heard out of you Princess.” Bleu stated.

Luna rolled her eyes seeming embarrassed by this.

“Well then Princess. What are we supposed to do wait? “Starfall asked.

“Yes, that is about all that can be done at this point, this whole thing is out of my hooves. And more in the tribunal and Tia's. She handles the legal system more than I do. Ponies seem to trust her decisions more than mine. At the very least they argue less.”

“Alright then.” Jer'rahd stated sitting up and slamming his hooves down on the table. “New plan. Some pony go get Velkorn and I am going to go reserve Sibete Emperiyon for the night. This month has been crap and I rather want to forget about it all before the new year starts. To the Bar!”

“Boss is this really the time for that?” Bleu questioned.

“Well we can't do anything for Rhede, there’s no battle going on, I am still to injured to train, and until Rhede gets freed or Princess Celestia picks another pony to be bearer of Generosity, we have nothing to do at all.” Jer'rahd snapped.

“Good point.” Bleu admitted.

“So long as I'm not buying for everyone, I'm in.”Starfall stated.

“I could study the books more.” Luna admitted

“No, not this time Princess. It is hard enough getting Starfall to come drinking with us, we have her this time. You can read any time, tonight you come out with us.” Jer'rahd ordered.

“Me and boss here are not taking no for an answer Luna.” Bleu grinned wide.

Bleu climbed up to sit on Jer'rahd's head so she can stare the Princess in the eyes. Jer'rahd winces as she scrambles up his head, his ears flattening to his head.

“I asked you not to make the little dragon angry Princess. I don't like her when shes angry.” Jer'rahd yelped.

===================================================================

Princess Luna stared into the shot glass looking at the multicolored liquids seemingly stacked on top of each other in a strange sideways rainbow. The tender added another color to the top that stayed as the top layer. She was unsure how one could stack liquids but the tender, a Pegasus with one wing, was doing just that.

“What was this one called again?” Luna asked in general.

“Its a tribute to Starfall. The Sonic Rainboom. Best not have too many of those, its strong stuff.” Jer'rahd laughed.

“You have had three of them already and you seem alright Jer'rahd.” Luna commented.

“It is because that idiot seems to have developed a incredibly high tolerance for alcohol. Rather than listen to his doctor like he should about the effects of it in such massive quantities he seems intent on making me look like a foal and completely invalidating my claims of it being bad for him in large amounts. Another of those shots please Star Cloud, thank you, where was I oh yes. Complete disregard for the medical profession and any sense.....” Velkorn rambled on.

The entire group simple watched Velkorn continue to go off on Jer'rahd, who simply smiled having seen this once before. Bleu managed to down Jer'rahd's drink when he wasn't looking and scampered off to hide behind Starfall before he could retaliate.

“Jer'rahd does this happen often? I never thought I would see this. Velkorn speaks unrhyming pony perfectly when drunk off her flank?” Starfall shook her head.

“You should have been here the first time, Starfall. It was even funnier when she was trying to hit on Rhede at the same time. Usually she tends to be more subdued with her drinking. From what you said however she was already working on a bottle before you dragged her out here with us.”

“While it is a interesting phenomenon, I do not see the humor in it.” Luna stated.

“Likely as you have not had anything to drink just yet. Sooner or later she might start speaking fancy again.” Jer'rahd chuckled finally noticing his drink was gone and turning to glare after Bleu.

“This is the primary reason I tend not to drink with them very often Princess. They lucked out that Cloud Dancer is gone to a sleep over so I was free tonight. Jer'rahd tends to find things either way too funny or way too sad when drinking. So its a fifty fifty shot, either he is going to be depressive or hyper. Bleu is the same way, the pair of them are more fitting partners than I think they realized at first. Particularly since both of them can down enough booze in one sitting to knock out a buffalo herd. Star Cloud here can close the bar for the rest of the week just off one night with those two in here.” Starfall listed.

“Yup, helps give me time to restock too. S'why I don't mind making it a private bar for a night when you folks come around.” Starcloud admitted.

“So why is it you are simply sticking to the low alcohol drinks?” Luna asked Starfall.

“Because some pony has to guide this lot home afterward.” Starfall sighed. “ Never really been a heavy drinker.”

“That and you have a tendency to wreck the place trying to do some stunk or another when your smashed.” Starcloud stated.”Violent drunk that one.”

“Yes, thank you for sharing that Star Cloud...”Starfall growled.

“Dare I ask about Rhede?” Luna stated still staring at the liquid before her.

“Same as Jer'rahd and Bleu only trouble is he likes to sing, and Rhede cannot sing.”Starfall winced.

“And you, you inebriated sapphire hued dragonling. You should not be encouraging him to go out and drink like this. This is not a celebratory time. One of our own is currently in chains and here we are drowning the night away like like...... what else drowns the night away, something to do with oranges I am sure. No no oranges are impossible to say … confound your pony language how are you supposed to rhyme things with orange! What do I do if I want a citrus drink for breakfast and the waiter does not understand Zebra!? “Velkorn ranted.

Luna shook her head looking down at the drink as the others laughed at Velkorn's ranting. They seemed to be having fun, even Velkorn, who was currently coming up with new and interesting uses for the word buck.

Surely one drink could not hurt. ============================================================

[Later]

Another crash sounded from the hallway as yet another potted plant fell victim to the stumbling pair of ponies. Luna whipped around belting Jer'rahd with a wing as she tries to shush the shattered pot of dirt on the floor, before giggling madly. Jer'rahd straightened up managing to get his hooves under himself and neatly ducking the princess's wing as she turned back around.

“I really did not expect her to just fall off the stool like that, and land on Bleu of all things...”Luna giggled.

Luna slid on the tile a bit flapping her wings to keep her balance and bouncing off the somewhat more solid Jer'rahd before careening down the hallway to crash to a stop at the carpet before her door.
“Ooh, found my room.”

“Well Velkorn did land on Bleu once before like that, but Bleu said she could catch her. Starfall should get those two home alright. You on the other hoof I figured would handle your drink a bit better. Big mare like you ...” Jer'rahd snorted with a smirk.

“You better not be calling me fat general... I mean it... make you wish I only threw you into a lake..” Luna snarled.

“Nah, just tall... You're like a half dozen apples taller than me.”

“Oh that’s alright then hehehhe.” Luna giggled.”Besides I cannot recall the last time I drank anything, and I was fine until Starcloud gave me that bottle of what ever it was.”

“Yeah never seen that blue stuff before, smelled pretty good though.... before you downed the whole bottle any way. Some one needs to teach you to share Princess.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

Jer'rahd helped the Night Princess back to her hooves, nearly falling over her as he did so. Despite his high tolerance he had been trying to drink to forget tonight and had far more than he usually did.

In pulling Luna back to her hooves, his own gave out under him and he fell back hard onto his rump laughing. Luna snorts at his evident amusement and pushed open her door staggering inside , tripping over the rug a few paces in and crashing back to the floor again her wings fluttering madly as she fell into a fit of giggles. Jer'rahd pushed himself up right and moved through the doorway as well to check on her.

“You alright princess? “ Jer'rahd asked noting her rear in the air and her back legs kicking as she have pushed half scooted herself closer to her bed. He couldn't stifle another laugh though that was silenced by a pillow magically thrown into his face.

“Stop laughing at me …. hehehe its not funny ….” Luna giggled

“Then why are you laughing?” Jer'rahd demanded moving over to help Luna up, the door swinging closed behind him.

“I do not remember … though it was something amusing. I said stop laughing.” Luna ordered.

Several servants and Guards watched the pair stagger into the castle and practically trash the hall on the way up to Luna's room. The small group watched them until they both slipped into Luna's room and the sounds of laughter and random crashes echoed down the hall way before eventually going silent. The fairly large group waited for a while before they all started to wander off to start the rumor mill something fierce.

=============================================================

Luna winced as a bright ray of sunlight struck her in the face. She rolled onto her back, slapping a pillow over her head hoping to quiet the pounding going on in her brain. It took her a moment to realize the pounding wasn't just in her head but some one knocking on her door.

“Go away!” Luna called out with a wince at the sound of her own voice.

The knocking persisted and Luna finally climbed up out of bed pulling her blanket over her head like a cloak. Each step she took causing her head to throb. She blinked at the clicking of her hooves on the stone floor, where was her rug? A quick glance around showed it was over one of her chairs and table in a odd makeshift foals fort.

She winced at trying to think of how it go there, her first attempt to open the door with her magic nearly causes her to drop to the ground in a yelp as her magic fizzled out. The knocking got a little louder at the sound of her cry which Luna answered with a few choice expletives that had been out of use for a few thousand years. She finally pushed the handle open with a hoof groaning again at the overly cheerful smile on the other side of the door.

“Good morning Lulu, looks like you had fun last night.” Celestia chimed.

“Not so loud Tia.........”Luna winced” Ugh, remind me never to get into a drinking contest with any dragons ever again. Especially Bleu.”

“Easy enough to do. Have you seen General Kaisur? I was going to inform him that Rhede was being judged today, but no one answered at his home and Starfall said he escorted you home. Goodness Lulu what happened to your room?” Celestia gasped.

Luna turned her eyes widening as she finally viewed the expanse of her bed room. Aside from the rug fort, her room was in total disarray. Pillows, blankets, chairs, a few of her dress clothes, and stuffed animals were flung everywhere, one of her tables was embedded in the wall over her dresser even. There was not a thing in the room that looked like it had not been thrown against the other side of the room. Or both sides of the room, there seemed be a fort of some kind set up by her dresser as well with a few of her chairs and the window's curtains.

“Wha......? “ Luna questioned.

“How much did you drink last night Lulu?” Celestia whistled before her ears perked up.
“ Hmm do you hear that?”

Celestia pushed past Luna and wandered into the room, her light hoof falls sounding like drums pounding in Luna's head. Celestia paused looking down at a pile of Luna's socks and stockings behind the fortification by the dresser, noticing an amber colored tail poking out of the pile. The Sun Princess moved a few of her sisters stockings aside to find the still passed out form of Jer'rahd wrapped up in the curtain like it was a blanket with a pair of Luna's sexier stockings tangled around his horn. Some how the stallion was still asleep.

“Oh dear Lulu what did you get up to last night? I know the poor stallion has suffered with mares lately but I had no idea you were willing to go this far to cheer him up.” Celestia snarked grinning wide as she looked back at her sister.

Luna blushed fiercely,winced, blushed again and then screamed out loudly in a a rapid fire speech in the Royal Voice, screaming out that 'there was nothing going on and not to jump to any conclusions'. At the same time her horn flared, wrapped the whole pile of clothing around Jer'rahd in a aura and teleported him quickly out of the room.

The sudden shock of casting a powerful spell like that dropped her to the ground, cradling her head with her hooves whimpering. Her sisters laughter at the reaction did not help the pain or embarrassment.

================================================================

Jer'rahd awoke to the feeling of falling, not that the sensation quite registered at first, at least not until the sudden shock of ice cold water sent him flailing about to get back to the surface. Climbing out of the pond he looked up seeing Canterlot Castle and a group of gardeners staring at him. He whipped his head blinking confused at the strange length of lace cloth wrapped around his horn. Pulling it off he looked curiously back at the pond where a great many more stockings and a rug floated.

Tossing the one that had been on his horn back over his shoulder into the pond as well he trudged off shaking the jacket he wore dry hoping to get home before he froze. He had woken in stranger places after drinking too much, though a pond full of laundry was a new one.

====================================================================

Starfall stood alone with Princess Celestia in the Goddesses' study. The others were of course late or simply still missing in the case of Jer'rahd, She rolled her eyes, she knew she should have walked those two home as well. Right now she was in Princess Celestia's favorite meeting place, her tea room, with a spread of various treats and at least three kinds of tea in a ornate set on a table with enough cushions for everyone who was supposed to be here. The Sun Goddess was supposed to go over the part of her plan to retrieve the Elements of Harmony. Of course with the others still not being here yet, the Princess seemed bored and Starfall was getting annoyed.

“Well what was the verdict Princess?”Starfall asked suddenly.

“The council has decided to place Pelt in my care.” Celestia commented.

“I am sure he will love that Princess. Where is you sister any way? There have been some … rumors floating around..” Starfall commented to keep the conversation going.

“Luna is not feeling well, it has been a long time since she drank that much and it is not sitting that well with her. I have been told some Guards did find the General Starfall, so at least that is good news.” Celestia tried to hide her wide smile without much luck. Starfall knew that look, the Princess knew something. She hated that look.

Starfall ponders the rumors she heard, adding that to what the Princess just and her expression before her eyes widened.

“Oh crap they didn't?” Starfall asked.

“Well, Lulu feverishly denies anything happened. The General was still mostly clothed and wrapped in a rug on the floor when we found him. After that he sort of got lost again however.” Celestia chuckled.

“And here I thought after all this time Jer was finally starting to pick up some of my tricks. “ Stated a tired voice from the doorway.

“Out already Rhede?” Starfall asked.

“Not officially, though I heard the verdict and expedited my release.” Rhede sighed walking over to the two and taking a seat by Celestia's table rubbing the back of his head.

“You should not do things like that, the military council is not very thrilled with you.” Celestia admonishes.

“Well I reported to my parole officer first thing” Rhede grinned to Celestia. “So I figure it will be OK, there's only a few ponies whose opinions I even care about any way. And most of them I thought would be here. Where the heck is every one?”

Celestia sighed her ears perking a moment at something from the hall.

“I see. Starfall I would suggest you take to the air for a moment.” Celestia stated her magic collecting all the tea set on the table before her.

“What? Of Course Princess” Starfall stated hopping into the air hovering over the room as Rhede looked to the Princess curiously before his own ears perked and he looked to the door.

Before he had a chance to move a black and white blur n slammed into him, the double doors hitting the wall well after the impact. Rhede flies back over the table crashing into the pillows on the other side and rolling over the floor to impact a couch on the far side of the room with a grunt of pain.

Celestia and Starfall stare as Rhede struggled to escape the pillows and Velkorn's grip. After a few moments of hugging him the zebra suddenly starts yelling at him in Zebra, before going back to hugging the pinned stallion, then outright slapping the floor out of him with a pillow then hugging him and cursing at him again. During this rapid fire one sided bout Jer'rahd trotted up with Bleu sitting half asleep on his back.

“Rhede got out early I see. Sorry I'm late needed a shower and a change of clothes.“ Jer'rahd stated.

“Ah General how are you this morning? “ Celestia nearly purred.

“Not too bad, strange, and rather cold morning, but everything’s been going good since then why do you ask Princess?” Jer'rahd responded.

“No hangover or headache?” Celestia blinked.

“No, Bleu was a little ill earlier, but I think she got over that.” Jer'rahd stated, the gray unicorn oddly chipper for some reason.

“I think it was that diamond I ate for breakfast, tasted more like stained glass.” Bleu hissed.” Gonna have a word with that jeweler.”

“Neither of you are feeling anything? I thought you went out drinking last night.” Celestia gasped.

“We did. Bleu doesn't get hangovers at all some how. and mine tend to be rather light unless I go all out. Even then a shot of something in the morning usual fixes that up Princess. Why is something wrong with Luna? I don't see her around.” Jer'rahd quizzes.

“She is decidedly hung over.....” Celestia stared in awe at the pair of them.

“Hey boss that adds another notch of legend to our names right there.” Bleu cackled.

“What is she talking about?” Celestia questioned.

“You're right Bleu, how many ponies can say they out drank one of the Goddesses?” Jer'rahd laughed.

“My sister is a bit of a light weight in that regard Jer'rahd. Though if you really wish for a another notch you could always try to out drink me.” Celestia smirked.

“Why boss that sounds like a challenge to me.” Bleu smirked standing up on Jer'rahd's back and leaning on his head.

“NO, I am cutting you two off for a while just no!” Starfall shouted.

“You cannot tell me you did not have fun last night Starfall.” Jer'rahd snarked.

“Not nearly as much as you did it seems Jer'rahd” Celestia purred.

“Hmm what do you mean Princess?” Jer'rahd asked a little confused.

“You do not remember anything?” Celestia's smirk faded.

“That happens with him sometimes, Boss has had one too many blows to the head.” Bleu sighed.

“Last I remember was bringing your sister back to her room, then I woke up in a pond.” Jer'rahd commented.

“Oh there is so much fun I could have with this if there was time.” Celestia cursed under her breath.

“What was that Princess?” Starfall asked.

“Nothing Starfall, Velkorn please let Rhede up so we can get started.” Celestia ordered.

“Not just yet Princess we should wait for your sister and I need to talk to Rhede.” Jer'rahd stated letting Bleu slip from his back though he looked expectantly at Velkorn.

The zebra mare reluctantly leaves the earth pony and heads over to the table with a bit of a huff as Rhede climbs up to his hooves. Rhede trotted up to Jer'rahd looking down at the unicorn, nearly nose to nose with him.

“So how have you been holding up Jer?” Rhede asked.

“Not well, I get another psycho mare friend who had connections to you, and then you vanish and go on a vengeance spree without me. Vengeance tends to be my Shtick.” Jer'rahd stated.

“Yes well, sorry about stepping on your hooves there.” Rhede smirked. “Look I know you said you forgive me but I bet there's a bit more too it than that. So where does this leave us, particularly since you know about Velkorn now and well … everything else.”

“ As much as it might amuse me to see the two of you together just so some one will have you pinned down, I've told every one else to lay off and let you two deal with this on your own. I consider it a mistake, but it's not my place. Its your business though you should probably tell the others , but again, that's your business. As for the two of us..... Listening to all that you had to say, I rather felt I did not know you as well as I thought I did.”

“Well I had to change a little eventually.” Rhede admitted.

“I suppose so.” Jer'rahd stated.

“So I suppose that puts us back at the beginning?” Rhede asked.

“Do you really want to go that far back? It's not like you could beat me now anyway.” Jer'rahd smirked.

“I beg to differ, so long as you're not in that armor of yours.” Rhede chuckled.

“Pfft, I would not need it to beat your scrawny flank.” Jer'rahd grinned.

“Really now?” Rhede smirked.

No one else in the room saw the blows coming until both ponies had managed to smash their hooves into the others face. The small group stared as as the pair of them started going at it in earnest both Jer'rahd and Rhede landing blows on each other like they were fighting a hated enemy.

Rhede managed to rear back dodging a swing from Jer'rahd before he plowed into the smaller pony's side sending them both rolling back. The others dove for cover and Celestia yanked her tea set out of the way again as the brawling duo crash through her table and continue rolling trading blows until the crash into the far wall.

Despite this Celestia and the others were still in a bit too much shock at the fighting of the two friends to interfere. Velkorn and Starfall finally move to break the pair up , though Bleu stops them pointing out that both of them had shit eating grins plastered across their faces.

After a few more minutes of this both of them rear up suddenly and land a right cross on each others muzzle, sending them both crashing to the floor from the others blow , where they lay there panting and laughing .

“So, who the buck are you new foal?” Rhede asked with a laugh.

“Names Jer'rahd.” Jer'rahd added panting.

I'm Rhede.” Rhede panted

“Rhede, yeah I think I know your name by now.” laughed

“Well Jer, care to see the farm?”

“No fair shortening my name without asking first .” Jer'rahd cackled.

The pair remain on the ground laughing as the others simply looked on at them like they were complete idiots.

============================================================

Twilight yelped loudly, flying across the room and crashing into her couch, knocking the whole thing over and sending a shower of books falling from the book shelf behind the couch down onto her .

“Whoops, too hard. Sorry Twi, guess I don't know my own strength.” Applejack muttered sheepishly

Twilight lifted up out of the books, one open atop her head like a hat. She glared over at Applejack on the other side of the room.

“ What did you do that for..........Don't tell me.......... you forgot how to use the Gem?” Twilight sighed.

“Well that little shove worked too didn't it?”Applejack admitted. “Sorry to cut you short sugar, but it has gotten late and I need tah head back fer supper before granny starts tah worry.”

“That’s fine.” Twilight admitted pulling the book off her head and climbing out of the pile. “I will definitely remind you next time how to use that gem to get me out. It's a lot less jarring and there's less clean up afterward.”

Author's Note

I fixed a few things in this part too. Mostly the name of the bar and the bar tender. I also pointed out that Luna got drunk from a 'special' drink given to her as later books and chapters show gods have a hard time getting drunk. i think this is Starcloud's first appearance too.

Let the Shards Fall Where They May. [23][E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard 7120
By TDR

Let the Shards Fall Where They May.

[Current day]

“OK, now watch this one!”

A sonic boom echos over the canyon as Twilight and Tank looked up watching Rainbow Dash whip around the clouds.

“Wasn’t that the same trick?”Twilight asked out loud.

The tortoise shrugged a bit at the question, looking up as Rainbow drifts down towards them panting lightly from the exertion. Twilight enjoyed watching her friends new tricks, but she did not like that she was some what forced into this viewing. Spike was busy helping Rarity with something so she had asked Rainbow Dash to watch her while she studied today. Rainbow had not seemed thrilled about it, but was willing to if Twilight watched some of her new tricks to impress the Wonderbolts. While Twilight was impressed as always, some of them were starting to look the same as other tricks Dash had done . That and they had been out here for three hours and Twilight was getting a bit bored. She briefly wondered if this is what Rainbow felt like watching her and sighed thinking it likely that it was.

“So what did you think?” Rainbow dash asked

“Impressive as always, though you seem to be starting to repeat yourself.” Twilight admitted,

“What? No.. well maybe it seems that way to the untrained eye, but everything I did was new.” Dash bragged.

“Hmmm.” Twilight responded.

“What ? Don't believe me?!?!”

“Its not that Rainbow. I just had an idea though. Lately in my studies I have seen a couple of tricks done by Starfall I have never seen you or the Wonderbolts do.” Twilight stated hating to have to resort to leading her friend like this, but it was true, Starfall did things in the air she had never seen any other Pegasus do.

“Really?” Dash asked, buying into it fully.

“I can try to study them a bit more for you, but I would need to go back to my research. There are already a few in the book I have been writing.“ Twilight stated. “I tried to put in what I saw as best as I could.”

“I don't remember any of that.” Rainbow grumbled.

“Did you do more than skim it?”Twilight asked.

“Ummm.. Oh yeah those tricks......” Rainbow chuckled.

“Never mind. I do remember one where Starfall moved fast enough to seem to be in two places at once, usually she did something new every time she sparred with Jer'rahd. So if that’s all you want to look at just look to read those parts when we get back to the library.” Twilight stated.

“Sounds like a plan. It'll give me something to do while waiting for you to be done. Hah, this is turning out better than I thought. I'll be flaunting moves that have not been seen in a thousand years. That’s sure to impress the Wonderbolts.” Dash grinned.

Twilight sighed rather hating that she had to manipulate her friend like this , but at the same time there was so much still to learn.

====================================

Twilight took one last look back at Rainbow dash Who seemed to be absorbed in the copy of the research book she had mad. Occasionally the Pegasus franticly jotted down notes on a bit of parchment before returning to reading.

Smiling, Twilight cast the spell, feeling her self be pulled into the blade. The area around her filled with stars and the six windows once again. She paused feeling something a little off. Glancing around, the multicolored flicker of the star she though of as Rainbow Dash caught her eye causing her to smile again despite herself.

At this point she had figured out where this place was. It was as slightly more filled version of a Trifecta Coven. Unicorns could join their powers and have their minds come to this place in order to cast more powerful spells as a group. It had never really been studied and the stars, while not new, were rarely seen so brightly. Twilight assumed that was an effect of the spell that allowed her to see the history of objects, just like the mirrors were.

She let her gaze swing over the field of stars recognizing a few others here and there, though her eyes stopped on a small group of stars that she almost overlooked.

They sat further out than even the Princess's stars, but they stood out still from the blackness that surrounded them.

A bright golden star that barely flickered, a almost invisible black star that is only noticeable by the outline of white it had ,as if a candle was flickering behind it. A crimson star, and a bright silver star that seems to be trying to outshine the others. She tilted her head regarding them curiously, not entirely certain why they were way over in that area of this place, nor why she was rather leery of them. This place still confused her despite all she had learned.

Never mind, she really needed to focus. She slipped into the largest window planing to start with Jer'rahd.

================================================
[?]

“Very Good Kaisur it is nice to see you can follow some direction after all.”

The disembodied voice called down from the shadows high in the arena's seating.
The coliseum was otherwise empty of life save the voice and the gray unicorn standing in the center of the sand floored arena.

The spoke words danced over the sand echoing in the massive place making Jer'rahd shudder.

The bloodied blade of the Waning Moon was gripped in his mouth, the crimson coating it falling slowly to drip on to the sand. Rhede Pelt, Bleu Scale, Starfall Silvertail, and Velkorn's bodies lay scattered around his as he lifted his head looking up from the blood soaked soil spitting out the weapon and letting it crash to the ground as she stares upward tears filling his eyes.

“I did what you wanted. They are all dead. Now let her go, Equestria needs her more than it needs us.”
Jer'rahd snarled.

=====================================================

Twilight yanked her head back out of the mirror, whipping her head trying to clear out the image. She had gotten much better at the blood shed. She could ignore it most times no matter how graphic it got. The original had a filter on it that deadened most of the bloodshed, though the new version that she put together after the incident removed that filter.

She had found out the hard way when she went back to review something that happened when Starfall first did the Rainboom. The fight with the Bonehounds had caused Rarity to yank her out of the spell as she revisited her lunch. It took her a few weeks to recover from that though she did it again and again simply to try and deaden herself to the visuals. She was glad smell was not added to the spell. Learning the past was no good if she couldn't manage to stomach it. She was finally able to simply push it aside as happening to some one else, but seeing Jer'rahd evidently having killed his friends bothered her again. It was like she was reading a story and a main character she liked was killed. It was the easiest way to describe it.

This was odd, was it another illusion or dream like what Pelt had gone though?

She moved to Rhede's shard slipping in to see what was going on.

=====================================================
[ Canterlot Castle meeting room]

Jer'rahd smirked looking down at the bloodied Earth Pony on the floor and shook his head offering a hoof to help him up.

“Well Bleu took it better than I thought she would.” Jer'rahd chuckled.

“Says you! I feel like I went three rounds with that Tank thing.” Rhede growled as he rubbed his nose where the little dragon had punched him, tilting his head up to ease the nose bleed. She had also clawed his cheek a little when she slapped him, then when she felt that wasn't enough she had decked him too..

“Well she apologized and hugged you after the fact.” Jer'rahd added.

“Took the time to grab my flank too.” Rhede cursed.

“Yep she's fine. Likely forgives you for your part in Dullahan too.“ Jer'rahd shrugged.” Maybe.”

“Am I going to have a single friend who has not kicked the crap out of me at some point?” Rhede cursed.

“What about Velkorn?” Jer'rahd asked making a mental note to get a house keeper in here before the bloodstained the floor.

“First time she caught me with another mare after she thought to claim me, then again when I got out of that cell.” Rhede muttered.

Jer'rahd glanced back as the Zebra they spoke of returned. She walked up lifting a hoof to push away Rhede's limb from his nose as she looked it over and gave him a rag before going to mix something to lessen the bleeding.

“Luna maybe?” Jer'rahd suggested.

“She found me in her closet with a maid once when I was in ambassador training. Was not pretty.” Rhede sighed.

“The maid or what happened?” Jer'rahd grinned.

“You have to ask that?” Rhede chuckled.

“Sometimes. I've known you to give the less pretty ones a go occasionally. So he going to recover from his grievous experience there Velkorn?” Jer'rahd asked.

“In my opinion Bleu went to far, but I have a mixture so the wounds will not scar.” Velkorn stated.

“Maybe, you should let them scar a bit, mares seem to like scars.”Rhede offered.

“Yes, mares like scars, look at all the ones chasing after me all the time.” Jer'rahd made a wild gesture with a hoof.

“Good point Jer, Alright lets have that stuff Velkorn. Where did Bleu go after beating the snot out of me any way?” Rhede grumbled.

“She and Starfall went off to start their parts of the mission. I am not comfortable with this. I know Celestia said we are pressed for time with the Dragon forces gathering strength, but I do not like splitting up.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

“Well each of us is going to have a small force from the 42nd with us. Not to mention Luna enchanted these shards of yours to allow us to talk to each other. Focal points for a communications scroll, rather clever really. Any way everything should be fine. It's not like we are leaving Equestria.”

“If you say so.” Jer'rahd sighed.

========================================
[?]

Bodies filled the landscape as far as she could see. Friends, chance acquaintances, ponies she had only glanced at before, even animals she had seen, their corpses littered the ground. Some had been killed, others wasted away by sickness, still others looked as if they had died peacefully in their sleep. But there were so many, Bleu was not even sure what the landscape looked like under the corpses. The blue dragonling looked sky ward at the dark shapes falling from the air, more bodies, more corpses to add to the count.

===============================================================================
[?]

“help me....”

Velkorn tore across the field, her bags jingling, hooves kicking up dirt as she ran. Explosions tore into the ground around her flinging rock and sand into the air along with body parts. She slid to the ground at the side of the pony calling for help. She jerked back in horror as she looked at the damage the stallion had received, half his head was gone in almost a perfect cut with only a little seared skin along the unwounded part of his face. Even his skull had seemed to have been melted as he groaned thrashing lightly and begging for help. He was too far gone for anything she could do to help him. She winced striking a spot on his neck to at least ease his pain as he died. Her ears perked at another groan that sent her darting across the field. Cresting the rise on a craters edge she looked out at the endless expanse of desert, Twitching forms lay scattered every where, all of them crying for help or screaming in pain. Velkorn whimpered at the sight her ears and tail drooping. She had not been able to help any she had encountered yet, she could only ease the suffering or end it quickly. There had to be some thing she could do here. She lay her ears back charging down the rise towards the next screaming victim.

==========================================================
Twilight pulled back from the mirror panting softly her ears flat to her head as she floated in place. This was far worse than anything else she had seen. Even in the battles Jer'rahd had been in the focus had been him and the occasional glimpse or sight of something gruesome. Not fields of them like this.

She waited a moment or two trying to calm herself a little more. The fact she hadn't been pulled out of the spell meant she had managed not to vomit, though she still needed a moment or two to recover herself.

Something was very wrong here. Jer'rahd had killed his friends? Yet he was talking to Rhede the next moment as if it was nothing. And where was this battlefield Bleu and Velkorn were on?

She looked at the floating mirror shards with a sigh. Guess there was only one way to find out.

======================================================
[ Canterlot]

“Good luck Rhede. “Jer'rahd offered.

“You too Jer. I hope she was right though.” Rhede sighed.

“Still don't believe Celestia made the right choice with you?” Jer'rahd smirked.

“No. though with luck, perhaps I can at least recover the element for the proper wielder. Speaking of wielding, I thought you got a new sword from Luna, why are you still hauling around a normal Guard blade?” Rhede asked.

“I don't feel like I should be carrying it.” Jer'rahd admitted. ”I don't think I deserve something like that, I haven’t done anything really. As for the Element, well this is the only way you will find out isn't it? We'll grab a drink after this is all over. Shouldn’t take more than a week or two any way.”

“I suppose so, not sure how you can be unworthy for a sword, but what ever Jer. Alright troops lets head out.” Rhede calls back to the gathered Guard that had been waiting for the two to finish conversing.

“Squad MOVE OUT.” Jer'rahd bellows to the other half.

A small force led by Jer'rahd marched down the road to the south headed for the temple Luna claimed held Loyalty. Rhede and his force trotted down the road to the north headed for the temple that supposedly held Generosity. Jer'rahd was headed towards the badlands, and Rhede towards the mountains of the far north

================================================================
[?]

“Just tell them I was not here, then. No one gets hurt, no body suffers. A simple thing. Your integrity should be able to handle a white lie like that mare.”the Griffon pleaded.

The pegasus looked up at the griffon and then back down at the body. The former owner of the corpse was little better than a rapist. His death would not be something that any pony would feel sorry for. In particular Starfall, she was not sure how the earth pony had gotten the jump on her, but he had. She was almost the latest victim in fact.

However the Griffon who had just killed the pony was not supposed to be here. The bird had been hunting this pony for a attack on her daughter, and had found him just as he found Starfall. The griffon had not even hesitated to kill the pony and Starfall had doubts that the birds claim was as honest as she said. However if the Griffon was turned in she would be charged with murder, and with how some laws went, likely a war crime or at the very least a international incident, for breaking Canterlot law. But if she was not turned in, the exploit in the patrol she took advantage of would not be closed and next time a Griffon slipped in it might not be for something of benefit.

Let the 'innocent' Griffon who saved her die, or let someone else perhaps die at a later time. Why did this feel like a contrived question.

================================================================
[?]

“Here take mine. I’m not that hungry any way.”

Rhede tossed the small loaf of bread to the four Guards left with him, before looking out of the cave mouth again. His stomach growled as he gave up the last of his food, but he ignored it. This storm had blown up from no where making the march into the mountains all the more hazardous. He had lost several of the ponies with him already and felt one of his ear tips was still numb and likely developing frostbite.

They had been trapped in this cave for nearly a week now. It was warm enough to survive, but that was all. Some where along the way the metal shard about his neck had become lost, so calling for help was out. It likely happened when he tried to save one of the guards from falling into a chasm that opened under him. Their only Pegasus had been blown away in the sudden storm and Rhede was the only pony to try and rescue the falling Guard. He failed to save him, the scream of the stallion as he slipped from Rhede's grip still echoing in his ears.

================================================================
[?]

The pile steadily grew, visions of their deaths started flashing across the skies. Ponies dieing in fires set upon by other ponies, families torn apart by murder, The entire disaster of Dullahan replaying across her field of vision from various angles as if a theater show in the sky had been designed to simply drive her mad.

She closed her eyes shuddering wings fluttering her across the landscape in a vain attempted to get away from the visions and the death. There.... it was there, the body she had been dreading to see, hoping she would not. Jer'rahd's.

He stood in a clearing with no other corpses around him, held up in a standing position by easily a dozen plus spears, all impaling his form from all angles. The cruel barbs of the weapons having torn chunks of flesh and his insides from him as they pierced his hide.

Bleu whimpered again dashing towards her friend, stopping suddenly as his blood soaked head lifted, one eye looking at her as she approached, the red orb glowing softly .

=======================================================================
[?]

“And what makes you think I would do something as silly as that Kaisur?”The voice mocked.

“You swore to free the Princess if I killed them.” Jer'rahd snapped back.

“Oh, is that all. I simply wanted to see if you would do it. After all …”

The voice suddenly got louder as a dark form materializes on the sand before Jer'rahd. Reptilian eyes gaze at his hoof work, a miasma of stars floated around the mare forming a wispy tail and mane over her armored form. The black coated female approached him slowly, fangs clearly visible as she smiled at Jer'rahd ,her cutie mark clearly visible to him. His eyes widen at the sighed, ears flattening to his head as his tail lashed..

“P...princess Luna?” Jer'rahd stammered.

“Of course. Like the new look General? Rather interesting what you can learn from those books.”Luna chuckled, looking more like a nightmare now.

“But … why? Why have me kill them? Why .. why kill your friends....?” Jer'rahd stammered.

“To test your loyalty of course …. it is a little lacking still, so there was a bit of need for the deception. Honestly did you think I would be caught so easily? You must not think much of my abilities. Besides, none of them were really my friends. They were all your friends.” Luna scoffed. “ And you killed them just as I told you too, like a good little foal. How delightful, that your loyalty to Equestria and myself was stronger than that bonds of your close friends.”

=============================================================================
[?]

Hundreds, thousands..... the screaming had yet to stop. The pain the blood, the crying. Velkorn had tried to save and failed to save hundreds. The scavengers were here now, carrion birds, wild dogs, and bears. She tried to run the lot of them off to see if she could save the ones they had started to feast upon. She panted hard feeling a light weight land on her back, she turned her head looking at the raven as it devoured some ponies eyeball and turned its beady black eyes to meet her gaze of shock.

“You would try to save those who are already dead. You would deny us a meal that we need to live and our young need to survive, there is nothing in this place to eat other than the dead. Would you have everything here die just to save those already gone?“ The bird asked.

Velkorn's eyes widened further as the bird took off to land on another corpse before starting to feed again.

=========================================================================

[?]

“So we are down to this then?”Rhede muttered.

“Its been three weeks sir, the storm has yet to abate even a little, and all of us are starving. “One of the Guards stated.

“There has got to be another way.”Rhede cursed.

“We can't go out there sir you can't see an apples length in front of your face. With all the pitfalls we can't go back out with out being able to see it would be suicide.”Another Guard stated.” And it's not like any of us are in the shape to do anything now.”

“But we can sit here and calmly talk about killing one of us for food? Damn it, we're ponies not dragons we don't even eat meat.” Rhede swore.

“We can handle a little, and that might be enough to get us to survive, this storm cannot last forever.” The third Guard stated.

Rhede looks back at the others, his own ribs showing under his robes, but the Guards ponies were in much worse shape. They tended to keep lean for their duty while Rhede had plenty of food when he wanted it. He exhaled deeply.

“Forget the drawing straws nonsense, we ate all those already any way. I'll do it. More of me than any of you, should keep you alive longer.” Rhede sighed.

==============================================================
[?]

The Griffon was dead, the hole in the defenses closed and Starfall felt like hell. The bird had a record and was a known combatant from the War of the North. The Griffon had asked Starfall to take care of her daughter since she no longer would be able to, even this little lie might have been of some comfort to dieing bird and Starfall could not do it. Starfall would have no idea where to look and it would be just as hostile for her in the Griffon lands as it was for a Griffon here.

She flew off not able to listen to the last words of the executed bird. She soared into the air just wanting to get back to her home before anything else happens. Of course in saying that something did, a earth pony appeared in front of her in the middle of the sky, calmly standing in thin air staring at her.

“GAH!!!” Starfall yelped.

“I wouldn't head back home. Turns out its some stupidly grisly scene to teach you this, that, and the other, and shit. Complete bull crap, but The Order always sucked with Honesty. Bucking politicians, of course they don't know honesty. Never could figure anything proper to do with it, so this nonsense was set up.” the stallion stated.

“Who the buck are you?!?” Starfall stammered.

“Hmm, I suppose I should have started with that. My name is Nightshade, and I am or was the last bearer of the Element of Honesty.” Nightshade shrugged.

=========================================================================

[“RHEDE!!!”]

Velkorn tore down the incline towards the first pony she had seen upright since coming to this battlefield. The earth pony was in bad shape one of the explosions had charred his side fairly well and he was bleeding from multiple shrapnel wounds. She pulled open a bag starting to try and patch him up as he staggered a bit barely staying on his hooves.

“Velkorn forget me, the others, they need help more than I do. “

He nods his head to a group of shapes lying on the ground not far from their location. Velkorn ignored him trying to finish patching him up.

“Velkorn Please. They are dieing over there.” Rhede pleads swaying on his hooves.

[“You first then the others. I can actually save you.”] Velkorn commented

“You can save them too just....go...” Rhede ordered.

“You do not tell me what to do, I will go to them when I am through with you.” Velkorn snapped back.

“Oh no..” Rhede muttered.

Velkorn casts a glance over to where his gaze was focused on the other wounded near him, the birds had come to feed.

================================================================

“Pelt come back you coward!!” A Guard swore.

The snow whipped around him as he stumbled out into it. Rhede's gear was back in the cave, he had given one of the weaker guard his robe to try and keep warm as he attempted to steel himself for the blow that would end his life and likely save the others until the storm abated.

He could not do it.

He dodged instinctively as the sword came at him and turned to run darting out into the snow blindly, terrified of the possibility of his death. Yet as he ran through the snow he knew he had failed them, there was no way he was going to survive out here and likely now the other four would have to choose some one else to die. He was still going to die, but now he would not even have a purpose to his death.

He ran until he could not any more and crashed face down into the snow sliding a bit on the incline. He struggled a bit lifting his head to look around, not able to see anything but the white expanse of snow around him.

He no longer felt cold however, at least there was that.

He was just tired, so very tired.

=====================================================================

Once again blood dripped from the blade, the red light of his eye reflecting crimson along the weapon as he stared down at the corpse of the Princess laying next to the bodies of his friends. Both his eyes were wild, his teeth cracking as he clenched them tighter on the swords grip. He tasted their blood from the crimson soaked grip, the coppery tang on his tongue making him shudder.

He trembled violently as his strength left him, falling hard back on his rump, the blade again falling to the ground.

The sound of hooves landing heavily in the sand behind him barely registered at first until a familiar voice speaks, condescending, angry, and also saddened.

“You killed them all General, every pony who cared even the slightest for you lies dead at your hooves. Even my sister, killed by the very blade she forged for you, all she wanted was your loyalty and you repaid her by letting your rage overwhelm you. The plan was to bring them all back after you proved yourself. Now, they can stay dead. You however will never be meeting them again. Nor will you be forgiven for this.”

Jer'rahd turns his head feeling a cold magic start forming around his tail traveling quickly up his form, flesh turning to stone as he looks up into the stern face of Celestia tears pouring from her eyes as the rock over took his head.

=============================================================

“Nightshade!??! what the buck is going on here?”Starfall demanded.

“Hmm, seems they set it so you don't remember, potent spell there, fueled by ten unicorns if I remember correctly. It set some false memories, just for this test. But I hate this test, its always the same thing for Honesty. The white lie nonsense. Only the stupid will refuse to tell such a simple lie that would save lives and help others.””Nightshade sighed." Granted all of them are stupid disjointed messes, the Element's can tell without a stupid test."

“Wait, did you just call me stupid?” Starfall growled.

“Yes. Because you are. You could have done more good with that little lie than all the honesty in the world. But that's how The Order wanted it. Hell you were on your way to passing this test. So I had to step in. This shit right here? This is not honesty. Sure it might seem like honesty, but if it were really honest why would you feel like crap right now? Being truthful is supposed to make you feel better, knowing you did something right, knowing that you are following what you believe is right. This test my take care of the visible aspect of the Element of Honesty, but it does not take into account being honest with yourself.“

“I am not sure I follow.” Starfall stammered.

“ And that is why I say you fail. You continue to follow your friends and stay in the Guard because you enjoy it, because you like saving lives, you like fighting evil by moonlight and all that. What you tell yourself and tell others is that you do it because you refuse a hand out, you do it to avenge your husband. That bits pride, ego, nothing to do with being honest if you deny what you really feel.”

Nightshade sighed as the world around them faded to gray.

“ Even that debt you tell yourself you owe to Jer'rahd and Rhede for saving your life is just so you can justify to yourself staying with them instead of going home to your daughter. It's a way to make yourself seem important to them in your own eyes. They already accept you, you have nothing to prove to them at all. What you are trying to do is live up to the expectations you believe the dead have for you. That is impossible by the way. The dead expect nothing, unless you're a spirit tied to a potent spell that tries to check on a ponies honesty. Of course that is rather a rare thing. There's only five of them really”

“How do you even know all that?”Starfall asked.

“Hello!? What part of spirit merged with a spell to test for honesty do you misunderstand? Your souls practically laid bare here mare. Look dammit I'll be blunt cause you're missing the point. You fail, you are not worthy to be the bearer of Honesty right now. Get your crap together, learn to be honest with yourself and follow your gut rather than the strange notions you feed yourself and you might be some day. But that is not today, and tomorrow is not looking good for you either. And finally answer your metal shard, Princess Luna has been screaming for you on it for over an hour now. Its enough to give a ghost a headache.”

============================================================================

“War, death, violence. That is all that is, and suffering through it. Those are all a pony has to look forward to, tragedy and in the end darkness. Everyone you know will die, everyone you love will die, everything will die, and we can do nothing but wait for the eventual release into nothing that death brings. Look around you Bleu. These bodies, this blood , this hate, and rage. This is all that there is. This is all that is true in life. Death and suffering.”

The little blue dragonling had fallen to her knees watching the blood drip from Jer'rahds impaled form, the rasp of his voice grew louder with each word, as if his lungs were threatening to collapse or fill with blood ending the speech. She whimpers, the trickle of warm blood trailing against her leg as it flows from the pony before her. She closes her eyes not wanting to see any of this any more.

“An old mare by the sea shore, at the end of day,
Gazes the horizon with the sea winds in her face,
tempest tossed island, seasons all the same
anchorage unpainted, and a ship without a name.”

Bleu blinked, wiping her eyes, she slowly lifted her head as the faint strains of the song reach her ears.

“Sea without a shore for the banished one unheard,
she lightens the beacon,light at the end of the world,
showing the way lighting hope in their hearts,
the ones on their travels homeward from afar.”

She knew this song, she knew who sang this song, she knew that they knew she hated this song.

“This is the long forgotten,
light at the end of the world,
horizon crying,
the tears she left behind long ago.”

This was Platinum! The little dragon lept to her feet taking wing her eyes sweeping over the field of corpses searching as the body of Jer'rahd wheezed softly below her.

“The albatross is flying, making her daydream,
the time before she became, one of the worlds unseen,
princess in the tower, young ones in the fields,
life gave her it all: an island of the universe.”

She was frantic now the voice was getting louder, but she could not find the source, she dropped back down lifting the dieing ponies head trying to get him to help her look . She mutters softly to herself singing low along with the song.

“Now her loves a memory, a ghost in the fog,
she sets the sail one last time, saying farewell to the world,
anchor to the water, seabed far below,
Grass still at her hooves, and a smile beneath her brow.”

Tears pool in the little dragons eyes as the song starts coming to an end. She was not able to keep herself from singing along with the chorus, no matter how depressing the song was and how much she hated it.

“This is the long forgotten,
light at the end of the world,
horizon crying,
the tears she left behind long ago.”

Bleu turns her head feeling a hoof rest lightly on her shoulder. She lifts her head looking up into the spectral form of Platinum her whole body quivering as the unicorn mare smiles softly.

“I take it you missed me Bleu?”Platinum asked.

Her arms wrap quickly around the mare weeping loudly as she hugs the Platinum, her tail whipping hard behind her.

“OhgoddessPlatinumimissedyouwhydidyouhavetodietheresomuchthatcouldhaveheppendotherwiseyou
andbosscouldhave,oh no boss!”

“Relax Bleu, Jer'rahd is fine. This thing is in no way Jer'rahd. This is just part of the test. “

“What …. test.... for the elements..... so your not here either?”

“Well I sort of am here.... the former bearer of Laughter hates this test, its far to depressing for her. The Order set it up so that who ever was to be considered worthy would have to laugh at all of this. Not something that anyone sane could do. He found the spark of me you carry and woke it, however so I could try and comfort you after you found out you failed.”

“But this is all terrible though, I miss you Platinum I do... I can't handle all this, I need you still Platinum.... don't leave me again....please.” Bleu babbled.

“Shhh. you might think you still need me, but you don't. Your friends however still do need you.”Platinum cooed.

“I am not even useful to them sister, I am to much a wreck... nothings even funny.....”Bleu whimpered.

“I've seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful. “ Platinum quoted.

“......... no fair throwing my own line back in my face ….”Bleu sniffled.

The little dragon smiles softly even at that making Platinum smile a bit more.

“How can I not when they are true words. You seem to have just forgotten them lately. There will be difficult times ahead Bleu, it is how you live through them and help others live through them that should be the real test. You stopped enjoying life and simply started trying to cling to what you still had, like a drowning mare grabbing at a bit of wood on the sea.” Platinum stated.

“Enough with the aquatic references. You know I hate that song.” Bleu grumbled.

“I also know you always sang along with me at the end of it. It is a sad song, but it is also hopeful.”

The black coated mare sighs closing her eyes a moment looking down to the dragonling clinging to her.

“I cannot stay any longer, and your friends are calling for you. You might have failed this test, but there will be others. Do not lose hope sister. Do not let others lose hope either. Goodbye Bleu. Go live again like you did when I knew you. Do not let any one give in to despair.” Platinum ordered.

“Goodbye Platinum.”

The mare fades from view along with the rest of the world leaving the blue dragonling standing there staring at the spot she had been, a small bit of metal on a chain laying on the floor in her place. The cold stone room feeling slightly less chilling now. She reaches down picking up the necklace, lifting her head tears streaming from her eyes.

“This is the long forgotten,
light at the end of the world,
horizon crying,
the tears she left behind long ago.”

“So long ago....”

========================================

Rhede jerked awake screaming out as he staggered, tripping over his own robe and crashing to the stone floor. The sound of voices echo from above calling out to him, the Guards he came here with. He winces opening his eyes slowly his gaze falling to a pile of his daggers and a small shard of metal laying atop of them.

The old temple tower he was in only had one part left intact, which fortunately was where the Element of Harmony was supposed to be, or at least this was where the test was.

“Ugh..... another failure....... I knew Celestia should have chosen some one else.”

==============================================

Velkorn screamed out, sitting bolt up right, the images of the birds feeding on her friends vividly pictured in her mind. Rhede had screamed at her for helping him in stead of them still claiming they could have been saved and he would have been fine. He … he had hit her, hard, and he had not stopped until she had died, tears pouring from his eyes at the loss of the others even as he took her life.

It was not Rhede, she could tell that now, but had her love turned into little more than obsession? She had let her friends die to save him, she should have tried to save them all, not just Rhede. She had tried to save every other pony she came across, but she could not move on past Rhede. She swallowed hard shivering a bit.

Her whole life since coming to Equestria needed to be rethought at this point. She curled up on the stone floor ignoring the pendent calling for her from her bags.

==================================================
Starfall winced holding her head with a hoof. She had woken and sat up suddenly smacking it on a low hanging root. What was up with all that?

It seemed real, but she clearly remembered making it to the temple and heading inside leaving the Guards to watch the entrance. But everything else. Was Nightshade right, was she only doing this for herself? How did one be honest with themselves? She perked her ears hearing Luna's voice calling for her. She slowly turns her head spotting her necklace with the steel shard hanging from the root she smacked into.

She hesitated in answering it.

This was going to take a bit of thought.

=========================================================

Jer'rahd opened one eye, a soft voice calling for him from what seems far away. His gaze shifted over the room, a simple stone room covered in cuts and slashes. The sword he brought with him lay shattered, parts of its blade sunk into the walls. The Tank armor was off of his form, the bone plate laying scattered around the room from when he evidently had started thrashing and fighting in the vision. He slowly rose to his hooves wincing, simply wishing to lay there longer, if not forever.

The voice called to him again, a small shard of metal lay several paces from him a faint blue light pulsating from it. As he approached Luna's voice called out for him again. He hesitated listening to her voice, a shudder running along his spine as he touched it.”

“General Kaisur report?! Jer'rahd!?” Luna called.

“I am here princess.”

“Thank the goddess........ Oh, right that did not sound self serving at all. Report in please General.”

“The mission was a failure Princess. I was not judged worthy enough to be a Element Bearer. I am sorry.”Jer'rahd claimed.

“I see. At least it was only a failure, you are still alive, and it seems unharmed return home please Jer'rahd.” Luna sighed.

“As you wish Princess.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

==================================================================

All of them had failed. The depression around the group at Canterlot was enough to drive away nearly every pony save Princess Luna. She simply seemed happy to have them back and in one piece, evidently those seeking to be judged by the Elements did not always return.

Food had been prepared and brought, but none of them bothered to eat any of it, let alone look at it. All of them remained silent, lost in their own thoughts. Jer'rahd and Velkorn were not even able to bring themselves to look at the others. Starfall seemed more confused than anything else, and Rhede and Bleu remained silent as well, which under normal situations should have scared every pony.

Eventually Luna found she couldn't continue the small talk by her self and left to tell Celestia the bad news. The group barely noticed her departure.

Bleu lifted her head, gaze shifting over the others in the group and the dark cloud that was over them all. She exhaled softly considering a few things before looking up again her eyes narrowed. She leapt onto the table with a violent scream of frustration and rage, flinging a few lightning bolts around for good measure. The rest of the group dove for covered fully expecting she had gone mad as most of the food on the table was splattered by the lightning arcing from her maw.

“What the buck Bleu?” Jer'rahd yelped.
“Jer control your dragon!” Rhede cried.
“Gahh!” Starfall shouted.
“Enough with this rage, Bleu try and act your age!” Velkorn demanded.

“SHUT UP!!” Bleu bellowed.

They all freeze in place, blinking curiously at the little dragon as she panted, still standing in the middle of the meal. Her coloration slowly starting to change hues, moving away from blue to green and pink,then changing further her scales alternating coloration’s as she lifts her head looking to each of them , her eyes reflecting the kaleidoscope effects her scales were going through as she steeled herself her colors locking down on a solid blue hew that could almost match the purest sapphire.

“I was reminded, by some one very close to me about this. About what I had forgotten in grief. I don't know what any of you saw, or experienced. But I know if it was similar to what I saw it messed you up like it did me.” Bleu growled. “ We have been shown our weaknesses, we have been shown what we have to do to be better. We failed this stupid mission, but so what! We are still alive and if we are not happy with who we are, we have time to change that! Moping about what we should be, or what we should have been, means nothing! Even if we are not worthy of the Elements, we can still manage to be worthy of each other. And if you idiots think I am gonna let you be all mopey over this, over some stupid test designed by ponies who didn't want any one to pass it that they didn't control, you have another thing coming!!”

They all stare at the dragonling for a moment before Jer'rahd smirked.

“Dragon's got layers.” He snarked.

“What the hell does that mean Jer?” Rhede demanded.

“Damn right I do!” Bleu shouted.

“Just run with it Rhede.” Jer'rahd chuckled.

The dragon grabs a hunk of bread from the table, taking a massive bite out of it in some sort of mock anger and nearly chokes. Jer'rahd's eyes widen at the sight and he starts chuckling, while Bleu flailed about, his chuckling turned into laughter as Velkorn rushed back to the table to help the poor dragonling only to get showered in bread crumbs and Bleu manages to clear her throat.

The laughing slowly spread to Rhede, then Starfall, and eventually Velkorn and Bleu after she could breath again.

===============================================================

Luna perked an ear glancing back down the hall. She had not expected that outburst from the little Dragon, but it seemed to have had the desired effect. She wished she could head back and join them in the laughter , but this had to come first. Entering Celestia's study, she noted her sister resting where she had been before. The Sun Princess sat on a pillow, staring out into the garden from her window.

“Did you tell them?” Celestia asked.

“No Tia, not yet, they are already depressed by their failure. To lump something else on them at this point would make matters worse. Although they might be able to handle it, I wanted to give them at least a few hours of peace first.” Luna sighed.

“They will need to know sometime. Better from you then some pony on the street. It is sad that they were not deemed worthy, but we had taken that possibility into account. Do you still want them as your Personal Guards?”Celestia asked.

“I will tell them when I return, and yes Tia, I still do.”

“There is no need to be gentile with this Luna. None of them would like that approach now any way. Just tell them the truth.” Celestia ruffled her wings looking far older than she should at this point. “Dullahan Keep has fallen and The Great Wall destroyed, Dragons have invaded Equestria from the Darklands. We are are at war again.....”

=========================================================================

Twilight pulls back, her eyes wide. She shivered at the scenes she witnessed, coughing a little as her stomach still felt like it wanted her to visually review her last meal. She sat down hard on her rump, working to catch her breath.

A loud snore broke her sudden bout of inner turmoil. She turned looking back at Rainbow Dash spread out on the couch, a good dozen scrolls littered with chicken scratch writing, and pictures of maneuvers were scattered over the place.

Another snore echos from the other side of the room, she knew that one however. It seemed Spike had returned saw what was happening and passed out himself. Twilight floats the book off her friends face placing it on the table before drifting a blanket out of her room and draping it over the sleeping pegasus. She tidied up the room a bit before deciding to head to bed herself after jotting down what she had learned.

This was not the way she envisioned the Elements being kept. Every failing of the five was laid bare to them. And now the Second Dragon War was starting. The events of the past were finally coming to a head, the reign of Nightmare Moon supposedly happened at the end of the second Dragon war. She was not thrilled that she was witness to the depths of their failings. She was half joking with her comments regarding their personality problems when she last talked to Apple Jack, but this showed them in a very unflattering light. A murderer, a coward, misplaced devotion, depression... and whatever the heck was wrong with Starfall.

But how would any of her friends have dealt with that test. Would Rainbow Dash have killed everyone else to save her? Would Fluttershy even managed to advance any where in that desert. Would there have been some pony to help Pinkie Pie? If they failed, how did they use the Elements to seal away Nightmare Moon? Did Celestia remember something wrong again? Why did she and her friends not have any sort of test like that?

Bah, if she was not so tired she would try and see more, Rainbow had the right idea falling asleep. She hoped none of her friends would ever have to go through tests like that, there had not seemed any way to win in those tests, and the ghosts bound to the spells? Where they still there waiting? How had the Elements gotten into Nightmare Moon's castle of Whinnyshire? So many questions she still wanted answers for. It was maddening, she knew she was going to go back even with the was her stomach felt after the more gruesome scenes. She had to know.

Twilight sighed settling herself into bed, planning to send the update to the Princesses in the morning.
She needed Spike awake any way to do that so there was no point in doing anything more tonight.

Standing Stones [24] [e]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Standing Stones

“Thanks for coming, it was nice to see you two again.”

“Tis no trouble Miss Sparkle. I am quite excited to find that this new song you have found is one of the few songs by Platinum that has been written down. I believe it has become something of an old sea shanty and such was preserved. I cannot wait to hear how modern incarnations of it sound against the original.”Octavia smiled.

“Yeah, and I for one am glad you managed to turn off the images this time grape. I don't need any more dark stuff. That last one had me mixing Death Colt for Cutie with Deathclop. Took me a month tah get over that nonsense and even longer to get my usual club goers back.”Vinyl considered” though I did dig all the gothmetal colts running around.”

“I did warn you about your track selection Vinyl, but as usual you did not listen to me.”Octavia rolled her eyes.

“Right, right, you won that argument Tavi, do you have to tell every pony about it?”Vinyl grumbled.

“Is that not your usual method?”Octavia grinned getting another growl from the white unicorn next to her.

“Any way grape flavored we're out, same deal as last time with this song?”Vinyl sighed.

“Um, yes, same school too unless you think there's another that might benefit more.”Twilight added.

“Got it covered, we'll send yah a copy. Same as before. Keep finding these and we might have an album before long. Later grape flavored.”

“Have a good night Miss Sparkle, You as well Miss Fluttershy.” Octavia nodded to both mares including the quiet one that had not spoken yet.

Twilight glanced back to her friend resting on the couch as the two musical ponies left. They had both been ecstatic and had come almost immediately as soon as they heard she had found another song, and a partial duet at that. This time she had prepared a little better, managing to take just the song out instead of both the song and the images. She was half tempted to add the Gala song as well, but if that was sung every year it likely would not be worth the effort. She had asked Princess Celestia about it, but her teacher seemed to do her best to dodge the question. While Vinyl had worked she had been talking with Fluttershy about the last few things she had witnessed.

With the musicians departure the conversation between the two picked up where it left off.

“Oh my, so they all failed? But I thought Celestia called them the Bearers of the Elements when you talked to her.” Fluttershy commented.

“She did Fluttershy, maybe she did not remember it correctly. She has yet to send me a letter back after I sent my last report. Then again, she did name them the Bearers, and the dragons attacked before they came back. So maybe they kept the title as some sort of propaganda, I won't know until I look again.”Twilight shrugged.

“Well I am here tonight so I can catch up on the reading while you study. Oh you did hear about the Crusader's greenhouse?” Fluttershy added changing topics.

“No, whats going on with that? Did the girls finally get their Cutie marks?”

“No unfortunately, they got bored and wandered off, Big Mac has continued the project however, and it looks like there might actually be a small harvest from it.”

“Fresh veggies in the middle of winter that will be a nice change.” Twilight nodded.

“Umm well they didn't plant any veggies.” Fluttershy corrected.

“Really what did they plant?”

“Well Sweetiebelle heard about something about a rock garden and planted some pebbles.”

“Ugh...”

“Scootaloo was convinced by Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash that the frosted cereal O's were doughnut seeds.”

“Please tell me Apple Bloom did not do anything like that.”

“Oh no, shes lived on a farm her whole life so she actually planted something that would grow. “

“So what's the harvest going to be if not fresh veggies?”

“Apples.”

“I should have guessed. The one thing we always have a surplus of every year.” Twilight sighed.”I love Sweet acre apples but seriously by the end of the winter I'm sick of them...... Please don't tell Applejack I said that.”

“Well at least they are tasty, Big Mac said when they are done he would bring a cart over for me. Angel and the others are getting a bit sick of the feed I have already.”

“Honestly I have to question your choice of pets with that bunny sometimes. Alright I am all set up, was there anything else you needed Fluttershy?”

“No, I am alright, Thank you for the warning about how bad this latest chapter will be however, I am ready to steel myself....” Fluttershy fluffed her wings attempting to look fierce and just wound up looking more adorable.

“Umm OK, here we go.” Twilight chuckled moving to her position before the blade. Letting the spell come easily to her mind.

The starry expanse opened before her, that same bit of unease from before creeped back into her mind. She likely would never even have noticed it if this place had not felt so calming other wise. She looked back into the darker part of the sky seeing only four of the stars she spotted before. They were all there save the bright golden star. However a new star had joined them a fairly large star that half hid the others. It flickered between green and purple never seeming to settle on either color even going black at times. It was a unusual sight. None of them had moved or done anything, maybe the gold star had turned into the larger one. This whole place was confusing. All she had figured out so far was this was not part of Celestia's spell. This was something else. It reminded her of the effects of a trifecta when Unicorn's joined magic to make bigger spells but it was far more clear and focused. For some reason she kept forgetting to add it into her notes to the Princesses. Of course with all that she saw in the spell proper, this little bit of oddity tended to get passed over.

Twilight took a glance behind her, smiling softly at the yellow and pink, softly flickering, star that was behind her. She could easily tell it was Fluttershy at this point and she recognized more than a few others that were closer to her as well.

She turned back looking at all the little jagged shaped windows floating in the either. She considered them a moment before floating over to one and slipping into it.

[Canterlot Guard war room, Canterlot Castle]

“So this is the situation. The manure has hit the fan.”

“Eloquent as always General Mustang.” General Shower sighed.

Jer'rahd looked up at the older stallion, shaking his head a bit. He had remained silent during the report and had kept quiet during the small argument that happened after. He had listened to the whole thing but his mind still dwelt on his failure to retrieve the Element of Loyalty and the images that acompanyed that failure.

The small briefing was only attended by the Princesses, Himself, General Mustang, and General Meteor Shower. Jer'rahd had gotten used to the less formal situations and briefings he and his friends had been getting so the sudden return to the proper military method took him a few moments to get used to again. His silence made most of them forget he was even there for the most part.

The Dragons had sent their forces forward destroying The Great Wall and Dullahan keep. They were currently setting up a beach head using the remains of the wall for materials. Initial reports had the dragons using Trolls, Orcs, half dragons and several beasts from the Darklands that they had some how managed to control. That alone explained why they wanted the wall down. If they had control of the Darklands fully it was the perfect place to attack from as they could fall back into it and few would be willing to follow. Most of Equestria's fortifications and bases faced in different directions. The wall was the only massive defensive measure between the heartland of Equestria and the attackers. That was gone now and the Guard was scrambling to recover from it even as the first waves of refugees started heading towards Canterlot from the outlying farms and villages.

“Refugees from the mines and farms are already pouring into Canterlot. There are hundreds left outside the gates, we do not have room or the food to accommodate this many at once.”Princess Celestia sighed.

“Ask the nobles for donations Sister. They can do without a feast for every meal.” Princess Luna snorted

“Some already have opened their homes to the refugees Luna. I am hoping this becomes common place, but we cannot force them to do anything. “ Celestia retorted getting a raised eyebrow from her sister at that news.

“This is war Princess, in times like this civilians will do what ever the buck we tell them to.” mustang growled.

“Or what General Mustang, we will not protect them when the time comes?” General Meteor Shower snapped back.

“Both of you calm down already. We're not here to talk about the refugees were here to figure out what to do about the invasion force camped just inside Equestria's borders. Kaisur, Pelt's still got contacts with the ambassadors whats the report from them.” Luna asked.

Jer'rahd's head snaps up as his name was mentioned. He blinked confused for a moment as all of them stared at him before remembering the question.

“Ahem, sorry. Same as we have been hearing everywhere Princess. The primary council of Dragons says they have nothing to do with this invasion. They claim they are trying to find out whats going on, but everything they have leads back to a group called the Flame Party. The Dragons also claim they have no control or contact with that faction any more. Another unfortunate situation has arisen as a result of this. The Griffons and Diamond dogs have closed their borders and are refusing Equestria aid in any way. They claim they have a non interference pact with the dragons. They will not help either side, though the reports are that Griffon and Dog mercenaries have already been purchased by the dragons pre-invasion. The Zebra lands are also refusing to aid us claiming they are still recovering from war themselves, however they have offered to allow refugees into their lands for the duration of this conflict, they will simply not be able to care for them once they get there. It's a start, but we would still need to find a way to feed ponies that crossed the border as they wouldn't. There is some good news however. The Flame Party has recognized the Queen's Cross as a neutral agent in this battle. So long as they remain neutral in what they do and help every one equally. The inclusion of trolls and beasts however in the Dragons forces does not fill me with confidence that this agreement will be fully kept.” Jer'rahd lists off.

“Well that is at least one thing in our favor. I did not expect a entire army of Zebras and Ponies flocking to the Banner of the Queen of the Zebra lands just to help others.” General Shower admitted.

“It is not just Zebra's and Ponies, nearly every race has a representation in the Queens Cross. With the exception of the Trolls and Orcs.” Jer'rahd corrected.

“Remind me to thank Queen Velkorn for setting that up General Kaisur. It is a great hope to see so many working together to help others.” Celestia nodded.

“Yes Princess Celestia.” Jer'rahd agreed.

“What else do we know, General Shower?” Luna asked.

“Nothing Princess Luna, but I think we can change that. I need a certain pony from your direct command Princess.” General shower grinned.

“Who? Say the name and they are yours.”Luna stated.

=================================================

“Are you sure about this sir? I look like a black peacock.”

“What don't trust me?” General Shower asked.” You're the fastest flier that any pony knows of, your the only one who would fit this mission. Besides we spent all these bits making this thing, better put it to use, hmm?”

The thing in question was a black suit of armor that looked like it was painted on Starfall, more than put on her. Her legs were adorned with loops of metal that looked and felt like they were made out of some light wood. Studded into each were countless gemstones. Her chest and neck were covered with a thicker version of what the bracelets were made out of though this had more weight than she was really comfortable with. Her mane and tail were both covered, and a mask was fitted over her mouth and was some how magically supplying her with air. She had a pair of goggles on her head that glowed a soft green and had nearly blinded her when she put them on while in the lit room. She was shown the control that allowed her to zoom the goggles in and out allowing her to view things far away, it took a little practice as the control for it was done with her left ear.

The weight and the weirdness she could handle, but she had been red faced and uncomfortable during the entire fitting as the two Unicorn stallion technicians were making her very uncomfortable as they added more length to her feathers, painting each with some sort of material that matched the suit and made her wings feel much heavier. The pair were covering them in some sort of black membrane that made her wings look easily three times the size they were supposed to be. Nearly everything had some gem stone set somewhere in it that’s sole purpose was collecting images of things far below her.

“I am not comfortable with all this touching, Sir.” Starfall growled.

“What? Two buff stallions playing with your wings? Sounds like a fun time to me. Still, just bear with it Starfall, after all, you are going to fly higher, faster and further than any Pegasus ever has before. Won't that be fun?” General Shower stated.

“If you say so sir.” Starfall muttered.

The mission was simple. Princess Luna was not going to raise the moon tonight. Starfall was going to take off and fly as high as she could in the darkness. She was to fly over the encampment at the wall and stay there for a while letting the gems capture everything that was going on below her, then she was to come back.

The plan was codenamed Project Black Bird, Starfall felt Drunken Peacock would suit it better, because this was crazy. The heights they wanted her to fly where beyond where ice would start to form on a flier, high enough that there was not any air to breath and the curvature of Equss was truly visible.

She understood the need for aerial recon, but what was any pony going to be able to see from that high up. Plus as fast as she was supposed to cover the planed path everything on the ground should be a blur. But an order was an order, General Shower outranked Jer'rahd even without Princess Luna giving Shower the go ahead with this. Starfall was not sure what was going on, but she hoped the others were not dealing with anything this silly, or embarrassing.

“Watch the hooves!!” Starfall snapped.

“Sorry Sir.”

He had been given one task. Just one. He had no troops to order, he had no targets to hit, Princess Celestia had tasked him with just the one order that no one else was allowed to over rule, including Princess Luna. He was to protect Princess Luna no matter what. Celestia knew her sister would not be sitting on the sidelines in this conflict, she never did in any conflict.

What likely bothered her was that the Dragons would only have come this far if they thought they had an edge. Something they could use against the alicorn sisters to ensure a victory. Celestia was sure of this and so Jer'rahd was given his mission. The others could be called away like Starfall had been as needed. Jer'rahd was to go no where unless it was with Princess Luna.

Given he was well known for taking out a full grown Dragon, not with guile, or spells, but brute force, Celestia believed his presence with Luna would be enough to deter most. While he had pointed out that Bleu had been there as well, Luna had pretty much argued that Celestia would need him more than she did. Something Celestia dismissed and pointed out that others thought Luna the weaker of the pair as shown by the attack of the Bone Hounds and the fact that even the Order had thought she was weak enough to easily kill. She deduced Luna was the one more likely to be attacked.

Jer'rahd admitted Celestia had a point, though Luna was not in the slightest bit thrilled about the logic. Still she accepted it.

Still Jer'rahd knew he needed to prepare. His mission was set in that he needed to protect Princess Luna, and by the stars he would not fail that, no matter what came after her. Dragons, Mercenaries, other Gods. The Dragons had several of those among their number. While he doubted there would be an encounter like what had happened with the Bone Hounds, he was not about to take the chance.

When he had been given his new weapon he had put it away , not thinking himself worthy of it , he had still trained with a mock up of it and had become rather skilled in the duel blades use even though he had yet to even practice with Luna's gift.

He lifted the helm with his magic slipping the bone plate over his head feeling the rest of the armor leap up and form around him. The Tank armor had been altered by the Princess and it fit perfectly now, she planned to eventually make it so that it would not simply fall apart when the helm was removed, but that was something for a less hectic time. He turned looking at the mahogany case on his desk, the brass plaque on its surface reflecting the light, highlighting the name etched into the metal. He lifted the lid with a hoof, flicking the silk covering from the contents, his magic finally gripping the blade lifting it from its case.

“Well then. If I am not worthy of you yet, let us see if I can eventually prove myself fit to wield you.”Jer'rahd muttered more to himself than the blade before him.

He slid the blade into the scabbard at his side snapping it closed. The new scabbard was much larger and covered both blades as it ran the length of his left side. It was designed that he could still draw the weapon with his mouth or his magic. As the weapon slid securely into place he paused closing his eyes at the weight and the feeling from it. This was something he had not known he missed, a familiar presence from the weapon. He smiled taking solace in the small comfort offered to him here by the blade, before trotting to the door.

Clad in the bones of a Tank and wielding the Waning Moon Jer'rahd left his quarters and set out back to the castle.

His duty awaited.

“You’re kidding me right? Please tell me you're joking, or at the very least trying to poke fun, and that you are not in fact, that bad at this?”Bleu moans though her claws slapped to her face.

Bleu had taken on the coloration of a bright red dragon with blue spines today. For once the color worked for her, as it hid the multitude of red marks on her forehead where she had been face palming all morning at these idiots.

“Why the buck did you send me here Celestia?” Bleu growls to no one in particular.

The six unicorns around her shifted nervously as they were supposedly the strongest magic users in Equestria short of the Princesses. All of them were graduates of Celestia's school for gifted Unicorns. All of them had dragon companions. All of them had been brought together by Princess Celestia to act as a think tank for ideas for the war. All of them also had no idea what they were doing.

Bleu looked up at the apple pie covered unicorn. The golden brown crust dripping down the stallions face as he sighed at the shredded remains of a paper thin shield that flickered in the air before him. One of the other unicorn and dragon pairs was hopping around triumphantly that their assault class baked good broke through the shield so easily.

“The assault pie did not do it so stop cheering. That thing was to weak to stop a baked good, how the buck is it supposed to deflect a dragons claw or even an arrow? This is what you ponies come up with? Starchy baked goods and a rain hat?” Bleu nearly screeched.

“You need to calm down already, we are not used to making things for combat, we need some more time.” one of the Dragon partners growled.

Bleu winced at the voice. The purple serpent dragon had been a thorn in her side since she had gotten here. Seamore argued with her every chance he got and they had fought on at least two occasions. Bleu had promptly beat the snot out of the smaller dragon, but unlike how Jer'rahd and Rhede met this only seemed to piss him off further.

Aside from Jer'rahd himself, Bleu had never seen any one fly into a rage so quickly. He was loyal too, any one said anything about his partner Water Lily, that he thought was degrading, he went off. All in all if he was not so bucking annoying he would be the draconic version of Jer'rahd, Well, if Jer'rahd had a voice that sounded like his balls hadn’t dropped yet any way.

“Calm down? More time? In case you have been unable to get your head out of your flank for longer than five minutes, ponies are already dieing. Time is something we do not have!” Bleu exhaled deeply rubbing her temples. “ Okay. The shield stone is a good idea Dusty, you and Fangy there keep at it and make it work the way it needs to, having a unicorn based shield protecting non unicorns would be great if we could get it to work. Saffron, Goldy, I don't care if your hungry, do something other than food based weapons, maybe work on a ration pill or something. Come on ponies you created a that train thing, iron horse, whatever, that was impressive, now put those skills to something that will keep ponies alive longer.”

Bleu glared at Seamore who shrugged and slithers back over to Lily who shook her head. Bleu might not think it that bad if Seamore had not been so boastful of the work the two had done. Lily was a impressive spell caster, during one of the first fights she and Seamore had gotten into Lily had freaked out and thrown an attack spell at Bleu. Thankfully she was rushed and although the spell hit like a truck and tossed Bleu through a wall, it had barely hurt. Bleu had no plans of injuring the annoying little worm, but Lily had not known that at the time. Now Lily sided with Seamore more often than not and Seamore knew it. The others at least just tuned them out. Unfortunately that one spell for attacking was all Lily knew but she had close to twenty other spells she could cast with a good bit of skill. A impressive feat for any unicorn, Water Lily was considered to be Celestia's favored student.

Seamore and Water Lily worked well together too, out of the entire group they were the only ones to make something worth while. Healing gems, the quality of the gem varied the level of the healing that the pony that crushed it gained. It was still a stop gap as those sort of Gems were hard to make and healing spells tended to make things worse if not properly utilized, but it was better than anything else that had been put out so far. The idea of putting that sort of power into small vials of liquid was considered as well, but due to the state of the liquid the spell would be a bit harder to cast. Using items that were solid, set for enchanting, and fairly easy to break made more sense.

The group had been here working together since the first attack on Dullahan. Bleu was only recently appointed as a overseer and point of contact. Usually the Princess herself came in to check up on what they were doing, though with the war effort Celestia's time was used on other things. It was also clear that Bleu was here for another reason. The influx of refugees had put all of the friendly Dragons under lock and key. With the amount of ponies who had recently been attacked by Dragons and driven from their homes the sight of one of them wandering the streets may have brought about riots. Bleu had a secondary job of being a guardian to the students as well as their director.

None of them were really happy about any of it.

“I don't like you volunteering me for this boy.”the mare growled

“I am not volunteering you for anything Ma, I am simply asking if you would do it if I did bring the idea up to the Princess.”Rhede sighed.

“You coming to suggest this to me is the same thing as volunteering me Rhederic. You know well enough we can't turn down a opportunity to help some ponies. Particularly on this scale. Once this starts it is not as if we can stop it either. “Ma's eyes narrow as she glares at her son.”But you knew that before you brought it up didn't yah?”

“Yes.” Rhede groans.

“Fine, The Pelt's will get on it. The whole of Equestria is in disharmony right now, and I’ll be damned if we didn't try to steer it back on course. ALRIGHT PONIES, YOU CAN STOP LISTENING IN !”

Maw Pelt glares behind her at the cluster of forms gathered at the door, peeking in to the study. The rest of the family had the grace to look a bit ashamed that they were caught eavesdropping, but they really were not trying to hide very well. Maw shook her head before turning to look up at Rhede again though she was still addressing the gathered group behind her.

“We are gonna need a lot of wood to make those shelters Likely have to tear down some of the farm house and outer barns for tha sake of expediting it. Find any of the refugees who knows how to chop wood or build stuff and hopefully we'll have a nice little town set up for them to stay at in no time.” Ma points a hoof at Rhede.”You tell the Princess we got this covered.”

“I will Ma.” Rhede agreed.

“Good. Now for the rest of you. You heard him, now git moving we got work to do GO! “ Ma shouted sending the others racing off in a tizzy.

She watches as the family tears off away from the door thundering about the farm house shouting orders to each other.

“Rhederic.” Ma started.

“Yeah Ma?”

“You better keep me in the loop next time something happens like it did. Specially if it nearly kills a family member.” Ma stated, not looking at him.”Word is you knew what might happen to Jer'rahd.”

“She threatened all of you as well...”

“Yeah cause you got involved in some shit you shouldn't have.” Ma glared at him.”It worked out this time, but you ran along a dangerous line there colt. Had that gone south and the reporters gotten wind of what you did with all those ponies you killed we'd have had to change the family again. We've changed the family name once before in recent memory when your great great grandpa brought shame on it. Merchant's like us can't build off a bad name you get me? I don't want to hear about you being the cause of us needing to do it again. You're doing good now working with the Princesses, so keep doing that. I doubt that dumb luck of yours would save yah a second time from tha bad press that would be spread around.”

“I plan to.” Rhede sighed not even bothering to ask how ma knew he was the one who took out the remnants of The Order. “My biggest issue seems to have been dealt with.”

“And hurry up and settle down with that Zebra already. I ain't getting any younger waiting for grand foals.” Ma fussed.

“Errr.”Rhede blinked.” Seriously?”

“How long has she been missing?”Luna demanded

“Three days now Princess. The Black Bird Project was designed for extended flight, but not this much.”General Shower grumbled.

Jer'rahd and Princess Luna had joined General Shower in the communication tower of the Canterlot research and development building just outside the Guard base in Canterlot. Aside from the building playing host to Celestia's schools think tank, it also had a few manufacturing areas and smithies for anything that came out of the research, or just to supply basic guard armor and weapons. As new things were needed new buildings were added to the old thus the trip to the communications tower wound through a number of other project zones, before reaching this one.

“Any idea what might have happened to her, sir?” Jer'rahd asked.

“Not in the slightest Kaisur. We were in contact with her til she went com silent before she flew over the invasion force. That was two days ago.” General shower grumbled as the trio looked over the proposed flight path on a wall map.

“Is it possible Starfall might have crashed or been shot down?” Luna asked.

“Anything is possible Princess, this is all new magic tech.”Shower grumbled.

“Was this equipment not tested first?”Jer'rahd asked

“It was tested, just not as extensively as we would have liked. We were pressed for time. But the gear exceeded all the limits of the testing we did do so it was near ready any way.” General Shower explained.” Any way we sent out a few fliers to look for her on this side of Dullahan as soon as we were able, we can't get too close to the wall, but none of them reported back with any sign....”

The conversation was stopped as a green coated earth Pony nearly fell from his seat by one of the crystal transmission terminals.

“Sir we have a contact signal from the transponder.” he stammered.

“Put it on open channel.” Shower grinned as the static humm came on over a speaker in the arcane mass of the terminal.”Air commander report!”

“I am going to need some of Bleu's coffee to do that coherently sir, hehehehe. Forget everything I said before. I love this thing hehehhe.” A crackling voice that sounded like Starfall at a much higher pitch was heard.

“Is she giggling?”Jer'rahd asked, rather concerned.

“There might be something wrong with the magic seal producing the air, it wasn't designed for this length of production.”Shower explained.

“Uh oh, bit of a problem here, hehe. My legs are kinda cramped and frozen, yep ice block..... … can some pony lay out a bunch of pillows somewhere?”Starfall chimed in.

“ What is her location. I will catch her, just tell her to come by the tower.”

“Yes Princess. Air Commander you are to head towards the tower and lower your speed as much as you can.......... Air Commander?”

The whole group leans a bit closer to the gem transmitter box waiting for a response. The sudden loud snore they gained in return nearly knocked them all back.

“She fell asleep? Get the med teams out there now!”Shower bellowed.

“We have the wall patrol reporting a contact from the east.” Another controller shouted out.

“General Kaisur, make a door, we do not have time to run back out side from here.” Luna demanded.

“Yes Princess.” Jer'rahd growled under the bone helm.

“No Wait!!” Shower shouted a moment to late.

The wood and plaster wall exploded outward as Jer'rahd barreled through a section of wall that did not seem to have anything important looking on it. His armor kept him from feeling much of the impact with the wall as he burst through, the sudden three story fall on the other side however, he felt quite a bit of when he hit the ground.

Jer'rahd picked him self up working to regain the breath that was knocked out of him, he glanced up as Luna leapt out of the hole and into the night sky searching.

Luna had left the moon down for the last three days, hoping Starfall would return. The pitch black night had another benefit of forcing the Dragons to realize who they might be dealing with. A final warning as it were, Celestia briefly pondered the idea of leaving the sun down as well, but that would hurt the ponies more than the dragons.

Luna's attention focused on a certain spot and she watched it her head tilting a little. She flapped her wings rising up higher, her head moving as if tracking something before her horn glowed softly a dark blue shimmer, barely visible in the night.

“General Storm, please ready the medical unit, I have her.” Luna called out.

“Yes Princess. GET ME THE TECHS NOW! GO GO GO! GET THE SUIT OFF HER!!”Shower bellowed as a number of ponies scrambled out of the hole and from some of the buildings main doors swarming out into the field.

General Meteor Shower ducked back into the hole in the wall shouting orders. Jer'rahd could only watch Luna floating above him. He briefly wished he had wings though quickly dismissed that. He had enough trouble not smashing through things while ground bound.

Starfall slowly became visible wrapped in dark blue magic, as Luna brought her down the glow of her magic all that was seen, the pitch black armor doing a good job of hiding Starfall from sight. She was barely at ground level before a host of techs and medics swarmed over to her removing the crystals and chunks of ice from her body tearing the suit from her despite some protests to be more careful from the techs. A bit of a argument started though it was quickly stopped when one of the medics pointed out Jer'rahd and Luna standing nearby. After that most of the tech waited until the gear was removed before starting to try and collect the equipment without another word about the suit getting damaged.

Princess Luna slowly floats down as the technicians gather up the gems running off to have them checked out while leaving a few behind to clean up the mess.

“You should go check on her later Jer'rahd.”Luna stated.

“Only if you plan on coming along as well Princess, I have my orders, besides, I likely would just be in the way now. When there's time later we should both look in on her.” Jer'rahd stated.

“You have become considerably more serious since you returned. It seems Bleu may have taken all of your humor.” Luna teased.

Jer'rahd blinked looking up at the hovering Princess curiously, not sure if she made a joke intentionally or not. He offered her a smile regardless.

“Like Bleu said, we all saw our weakness. That is not something anyone likes to have displayed before them.”Jer'rahd retorts.

“So tell me, what was yours?”Luna questioned.

“Was that a order or a question Princess?”Jer'rahd frowned.

Luna frowned slightly at that as well. She drops down to land next to the armored pony regarding him coolly.

“I was attempting to help find out what was bothering you. Is that not something friends are supposed to do for one another?”Luna demanded.

Jer'rahd winced at her tone, hanging his head and letting out a deep sigh.

“I am sorry Luna, but it is still something I would rather not discuss. It was not a pleasant experience, and it was made worse by the fact we failed. I thank you for the offer to listen however.” Jer'rahd responded.

“You should not dwell on that long. You were the first to even attempt to retrieve them in over three hundred years. We had hoped you would gather them, but we also planned for if you did not. Your failure has done us no harm in the long run. The Dragons had already attacked before any one even knew of the result. Possessing the Elements would not have changed anything.”

“Be that as it may Luna, tit does not sit well with me.”Jer'rahd grumbled. “It could have ended this before any one got hurt.”

“The Element's do not work the way that we think they should. What happens when they are used is not often what we desire most, but it is what they think is the best. You have gotten too used to winning every fight perhaps?”

“I have yet to win a fight without loss.”

“Perhaps we can speak of this later, we should check on the data gathered and on Starfall.”Luna admitted after a few seconds.

“Alright.”

Luna rears up to fly back up to the hole Jer'rahd made, though she stopped as if to consider only for a series of green panels to make a ramp running from the ground back up to the hole. Jer'rahd started up the ramp his hooves thudding loudly.

“You are getting better control of your spells I see.”Luna chuckled following him.

“When you're only good at two spells, you make sure you are really good at them.”

Bleu tilted her head looking at the device. A cream colored unicorn pony, with a small plump green dragon resting on his back watch expectantly as Bleu wandered around the thing looking at it.

“And this flies?” Bleu finally asked.

“It's only a prototype but we tested it and yes it does, not particularly well mind you, but if towed by a Pegasus, or flown by a unicorn using wind spells it can carry a great deal more weight than just a Pegasus could and thus can be used to resupply remote locations with ease.” the cream pony Launchpad stated.

“The only problem with it is its fragile, we could try adding some armor, but that would reduce the transport weight.” the green Dragonling, Bosco, admitted. “Granted this did give us an idea for chariots with a spell imbedded that could be pulled by pegasus the way an earth pony pulls a cart.”

“Still not bad, something that allows earth ponies and unicorns to fly. What do you two call it?” Bleu stated.

“Well since its using heated air and its based off a child’s toy for all purposes.” Bosco muttered.

“We think Hot Air Bubble or Balloon might be good.” Launchpad stated.

“Not bad, this is a good start, work on that chariot idea though too. This seems to fragile to be used in any kind of conflict.”

“Right.”
“Of course.”

This was a little better, a few days in and they were getting the hang of it. Celestia might have had the right idea using her students as a think tank. Even if the ideas themselves might not work too well initially there were engineers a plenty who could make them work for something else even if it wasn't for the approaching conflict.

The shield stones were altered and now even good enough to stop ranged weaponry and some breath weapons, though only a few before they broke, durability and power seemed to be the issues. Dusty and Fangy had gone to Princess Celestia, not as Bleu had first thought to complain, but to learn the shield spell she used. They then came back and implemented the alicorn's spell into the stone. These Ponies and Dragonlings actually seemed to want to help, even Lily and Seamore, though he was just still a jerk about it.

It had only taken a week to get the really dumb ideas out of their system, there were still a few useless things however. Altering a Dragonling's breath weapon to send letters, or small items, for one. Simple trick, but there were not enough Dragonling's for it to be feasible. Another item showed promise, A sword that shot bolts of arcane energy. The problem with this was that to fire the energy required some strange maneuvers for a sword as well as it only worked if the wielder had not been injured.

“Alright Lily, Seamore, what do you have this time.” Bleu sighed already regretting coming over to the whispering pair.

“FIRE!!”
“Seamore, No!”

“What?” Bleu asked.

A strange beam of purple and blue light erupts from the device on the table arching across the room striking Bleu. The serpent dragon grinned wide as Lily cuts the machine off looking over at Bleu curiously and with the inklings of panic setting in. The group of Unicorns and Dragonlings make their way slowly over towards the tiny little dragon Bleu had become peering down at her. Seamore slithers over laughing at her as Lily tries to apologize. Bleu crossed her arms looking up at the towering forms around her.

“Shrink ray, cute.” Bleu snorted.

Seamore pokes her a bit grinning.

“Not such a big deal now are you?” Seamore chuckled.

Bleu growled lightly suddenly shifting into her pony sized form and glared down at Seamore.

“Yeah I still kinda am.”Bleu grinned.

She shrinks back down to her normal size checking herself out a moment to make sure every things back to normal.

“Not a bad thing, but it doesn’t seem to work well on those of us who can change our size. On top of that, your device seems to be on fire.” Bleu pointed out.

Seamore and Lily both yelp running around to put out the fire as Bleu shook her head. Aside from the few drawbacks she was actually starting to enjoy this.

“I still do not understand why you want us to go Princess.” Rhede sighed looking up from the map he was studying to Princess Celestia and the few advisers she had gathered around her. “Wouldn’t you rather speak with them. Peaceful negotiations are some what your thing.”

“Normally yes, but it would not be wise to have both leaders running around the country side in a time like this. I also know that if I left Luna here she would not stay in the castle.” Celestia rolled her eyes.

“Really, nothing to do with the fact all of us have been wrecks since coming back?” Rhede snorted.” maybe you think a bit of good news might be enough to get us out of the funk we are in?”

“I do find it odd that my sister has been less depressed while you all have become more so. I do hope it is not some sort of odd trade off.” Celestia chuckled

“No, nothing like that. We just have had a bad time of it. We'll be fine before too long I am sure. “ Rhede muttered as one of the asides set another map before him on the table.

“Yes well then on to other business. Mrs. Pelt has agreed then?” Celestia smiled.

“She has Princess. The Pelts have already started clearing the land. That will take time and any additional aid will help. Ponyville is only so big and with this winter being as cold as it is already the refugees will need something much better than some tents.” Rhede admitted.

“Perhaps if we kindly suggest to some of the nobles that aiding in the building of the Ponyville refugee camp will move them out of Canterlot faster, we might see some rather rapid results.”One of the advisers points out.

Rhede looks up at the blue and gold colored adviser and nods lightly to the Princess.

“Sounds like a good idea to me, Maw has pulled back quite a few of the trade caravans already to bring the supplies in to use for the town. Likely that's going to hurt the family for a bit.“ Rhede muttered.

“Money is not the issue here Rhede. We can make the offer to pay her for what losses she might receive, but do you honestly think she would take it?” Celestia frowned.

“You are right Princess, I seriously doubt she would. “ Rhede sighed. “ Honestly how am I supposed to under stand this map it's all white......”

[The next day]

“SHE DID WHAT?!?” General Shower bellowed.

“According to this data General Shower, Sir, the Air Commander not only flew over the army at The Great Wall, but she also flew over all of the Dark Lands and the Dragon Lands as well.” a piebald lieutenant explained.

“So you are telling me we have pictures of everything?” General Kaisur asked.

“Yes sir, every military base, every outpost, every camp. The images are excellent as well. We have information on things that no pony has ever seen before. We are currently still gathering everything and transferring it to a viewer for non unicorns.” the lieutenant explained.

“Heh, Starfall's trying to outdo herself further.” Jer'rahd smirked.

“She still should not have put herself under that much of a strain to do all this General Kaisur.” Luna chided.

“You try telling her that when she wakes up Princess. She never listens to me.”Jer'rahd shrugged.

“Alright then lets see what sort of information we can get out of all of this. lieutenant put the images you have ready on the wall.” General Shower ordered.

[“ I still wish you would have asked me first before you decided to do this Baelit. I did not expect you to make all this when I appointed you as a Surgeon General.”] Velkorn huffed.

The Zebra smirked as Velkorn tried to scold him. He practically ignored all the negative aspects of the conversation they were having. The pair of them were currently in the medical supply tent going over the inventory making sure everything was ready. Forces were building on the Equestrian side and the Dragons had held their position to build fortifications out of the remains of The Great Wall. The Queen's Cross had set up in one of the abandon mining towns just outside of the massive open fields of farmland where the brunt of the fighting was likely to take place. A giant red cross on a field of white adorned every member of the organization and was painted on every single cart, tent, and supply crate they had. Ponies, Dragons, Zebras, Griffons, Diamond Dogs, and a few others ran around outside to finish setting up the tents and ready everything for the instant the fighting started. Baelit had left his post in the Zebralands to oversee the whole operation.

[“You told me once, my Queen, that we should be ready to help any creature at any time, regardless of how we might feel about them, or what their intent might be. You have also told me that putting yourself in danger to help others should never result in you putting yourself in more danger than necessary. The Dragons and the Ponies both recognize this banner we wear, and will not attack anyone wearing it. To prevent confusion only the Zebras will be going out into the field to recover the fallen. We are the only ones who can without being confused for the enemy. We have two sections to deal with both dragon forces and pony forces so they do not even have to come into contact with each other here while recovering. What they do when they leave however, we will have no control over. We will strongly suggest they return home however and give up the conflict.”]

[“Do not call me that” Velkorn scoffed. “What you do is a noble decision, but what of the Trolls and Orcs they are barely sentient enough to follow such rules. There is far too much that can go wrong with this plan.”]

[“ The Orcs have agreed, their leaders are not as stupid as they would like others to believe, and the Trolls we will leave in the field. If they are only wounded they will recover. Their healing abilities are remarkable, if they are not outright killed or burned they can recover from nearly anything.”] Baelit explained.

[“ I still wish you had not come. This is far too much for you you are only nineteen”]

[“And yet you put me in charge of things when you fled the Zebralands. You worry to, much Auntie, perhaps you should not be around the Ponies you do if all it brings you is worries. Or at least a certain one you associate with...”]

[“ Who I associate with is not your concern. I am not comfortable with you calling me that either. My brothers child or not.”]

[“Too bad it's either queenie or auntie.”]

[“Brat.”]

“That is not a good thing.” General Shower whistled.

“How the buck did the dragons even manage that? I mean, I know they tamed the trolls, but they can be lead by fear of a stronger creature. This though?” General Kaisur grumbled.

“Look at this image. There is not just one. They have two.” Another tech pointed out.

“At least the second one is smaller.” Luna sighed.

“Yes, it cannot house a whole town on its shell, just a guard outpost. “ General Shower grumbled.

“What worries me is the smaller one is the size of the Tank that ate me.” Jer'rahd frowned.

“You were eaten by a Tank Sir?” One of the Pegasus Guards asked.

“Where do you think I got this awesome armor Major. Keep in mind they tend to be squishier on the inside. Though that route will swear you off oranges.” Jer'rahd explained.

“I will decidedly pass that information along, Sir. Maybe not the oranges part however as that makes little sense... umm sir.” the Pegasus Guard blinked

“Cut your way out of one and it will.” Jer'rahd Chuckled.

“Major what are these five things here. They look like towers of some sort.”Luna asked pointing at a few points on the map.

“I am not sure Princess, but they appear to be quite tall, they may be left over chunks of the wall.” the Pegasus Guard considered.

“No, the wall fell further south on this image. These are back further in the Dark Lands.” Luna pointed out.

“Those are Discord's Castle Princess.”

Jer'rahd, Luna, Major Pine. And General Shower all turn back to look at a clearly tired Starfall. She smirked slightly at the attention offering a weak salute as a pair of medical ponies wheel her in on a gurney. The gray pegasus was wrapped up tight with her wings and limbs in bandages looking much like Jer'rahd did after all his fights.

“Shouldn't you be in bed Air Commander?” General Shower asked.

“With all due respect Sir, you need to know what I saw more than I need another nap. A couple hours and some lunch will be good for now. Besides I sort of am still in bed.”Starfall chuckled.

“Whats her damage?” Jer'rahd asked.

One of the medical ponies saluted.

“Dehydration, traces of frostbite, air deprivation, over all strain to nearly every part of her body from staying in the air as long as she did, mild starvation, wing tears along the first and second vertebrae, and a rather large stubborn streak sir. She threatened to get up and trot here herself if we did not bring her.” the medic huffed.

“The last one is normal for her.” Jer'rahd smirked.

“Nice to see you too Jer'rahd.” Starfall snorted.

“While I am glad you are at least moderately well Starfall, what did you mean these are Discord's Castle.” Luna asked.

“I am not sure if any of the gems got a better shot of it, but I flew a bit closer to see for myself what they were. They all look just like Discord's castle, and they all move. Two of them were gone when I flew back from the Dragon Lands.” Starfall explained.

“We have those images as well Princess.”

“Put them up Major.” Luna ordered

The image on the wall changed as the gem was adjusted. This image was a good bit closer and showed one of the towers from a different angle than directly above. The floating statues and strangely placed architecture were easier to identify from this picture.

“That definitely looks like the castle we went to Princess.” Jer'rahd growled.

“It does. I see no reason for the dragons to have built something intentionally with his visage so predominate in it. They may have found a way to take control of its abilities however. Everything might have been left the same for the simple reason that it could alter how the castle runs if they change it. Chaos magic is odd like that. But I was unaware there were five of them.”

“Illusion maybe?” General Shower suggested.

“Not much point in that, I doubt the dragons would have figured we would be able to see all of this. Heck I was the one flying and I didn't expect to see all that I did. There were troops moving into and out of all five of those castles. They are really there. Major switch to the big shot I want to point a few things out. “Starfall stated.

The image moves to the bigger view of the area. Starfall gestured the medical ponies to push her closer. The Pegasus lifted a bandaged hoof pointing to a small grouping on the far corner of the map by the edge of where the wall used to meet the mountain.

“We all should remember this group Princess. Seems the dragons got those little teddy bear things to side with them. Not surprising given how they were worshiping Bleu. Not a massive problem, but the bears have large numbers and tend to make traps and hunt using guerrilla tactics. This section over here on the other side is the Orc encampment, there seem to be more of them then anything else. There are pens full of trolls and other monsters here, I was too far away to tell what most of them were but the trolls howling was easy to hear even that far up. This group over here looks like a series of armored wagons pulled by monsters, they seem to be made of the same strange metals we saw in that ship graveyard. You noticed the two Tanks already. There is a small fortress on the back of the larger one and a smithy on the back of the smaller one. The half dragons are every where likely being used as go between for the various forces. There were also easily a dozen full grown dragons flying about at random times. There’s no telling how many might be in the castles.”

“Going by that, and the amount of tents and the size of the supply train, if that’s what those carts are for, we are looking at a army of several thousand strong. This is larger than the force that attacked us in the last war. We were on our way to losing that one before their leader made an error in judgment that turned the tide.”

“We have an advantage of having been in several battles lately Princess. We have a great many more forces available to us this time then we did a hundred years ago as well as new technologies. They are also attacking us during our winter. We have no crops for them to burn this time as everything is stored and easily moveable to a more secure location. “

“You may be right General Storm. Something does seem off with this however. Why would they attack now?” Luna pondered.

“Princess if I might suggest something.”Jer'rahd stated.

“Go ahead General Kaisur, any insight will be useful.”

“Who is to say they are going to attack now? From what these images show they are simply building a beach head that they can easily defend. They do not seem to be preparing for anything more than a holding action.”

“Interesting in their place what would you do then?”

“Wait till the spring when our food stores would be at their lowest. That would also have the benefit of the weather being more to their liking and a number of our troops would be needed to start the crops for this year. Plus with your sister drained from clearing the winter from the land we would be at our weakest.”Jer'rahd listed.

“Astute observation there Kaisur, pity we can't speed up the crop growing some how to be better prepared.” General Shower sighed.

“Hmm? What was that General Shower?” Luna blinked.

“Oh sorry Princess, it was little more than wistful thinking. If we could speed up the seasons some how to make spring come early, preferably without your sister doing it all, sort of a early end to winter.” General Shower shrugged

“It might not be that wistful General. I have an idea.” Luna grinned.

“No, just no,..... OK, yes it is absolutely hilarious, but no.” Bleu pointed out.

“What! Lily learns a new spell and you have to react like that? This is sheer brilliance.” Seamore stated.

“It is not that good Seamore. It was just something I thought might be neat and it worked.” Water lily muttered.

“It is silly and does not have much use for what we need. But it is silly so I like it. Plus you look absolutely hilarious Seamore.” Bleu grinned.

“Bah you are only jealous because Lily has given me this magnificent Mooustache and you get nothing.”Seamore snorted.

Bleu fell over laughing at the purple Dragonling who now sported a ridiculous orange mustache to match the unkempt hair on his head. The purple serpent like dragon frowned twirling his new facial hair with a claw.

“Bah, you have no taste.” Seamore scoffed,

The Queen's Cross was very well stocked and prepared, even Velkorn could not dispute that.

Baelit had gone to meet a faction leader of the dragons to discuss the plans the Queen's Cross had set up, leaving Velkorn alone in the camp. She rather wished she had left earlier as the glares she was getting from some of the Queens Cross were starting to bug her.

It was not just the Dragon members of the Cross, a large number of Zebra's were also sending her accusing glares. It seemed there were a great number of them who were not thrilled with her choice to pick a side. She expected a number of them recalled her position in the Zebra-Pony war and wonder why she had chosen soly side Equestria this time.

The small Guard group with her trotted along the road heading back towards Canterlot. She wished she could stay, but she knew there were going to be ponies that could not be reached by this group that would need her help. Not to mention her vision still troubled her and she wanted to stay near Rhede and the others until she could make more sense of it.

She simply hoped that she could believe that was her true reason, over the one her mind and heart kept giving her.

“Honestly, I did not think you all could do it.” Celestia whistled

“HAH, never underestimate a Pelt, Princess. “ Ma cackled

“Yes well, Mrs. Pelt your son has quite proven that .” Celestia smiled.

“Oh, which one?”

“Hmm? Oh yes, I had forgotten you had adopted General Kaisur. Hmm at this point I would say both of them. They do continue to surprise. For example, I would never have guessed Rhede could keep quiet longer than a few moments without saying something he thought witty or trying to hit on some mare.”Celestia chuckled.

“Yeah he gets that from his fathers side.” Ma snorted.” I certainly didn't have stallions lined up chasing after my tail.”

Celestia glanced down at the shorter mare and the massive grin on her face as Rhede walking on the other side of his mother made gagging motions with his hoof.

Rhede and Princess Celestia as well of a sizable collection of Guards and a number of specialists stood in the center of town looking over the collection of structures that had been built in little under a month. Many of the refugees had already taken up residence after completing the work on the houses, the small camp had turned into a fair sized town.

“So tell me again what this is Mrs. Pelt.” Celestia asked looking down at the area of grass with a small hole dug in the dirt at the center of it.

“Ahh, bit of earth pony tradition here. We cut down so many trees to make this place we are planting a mess more to make up for what we took from the land. This one here's the last one to be planted, just a little oak tree. We planned to put it here let it grow into something massive later in life. Not exactly the middle of town, but when it grows you will still be able to see it from all over. We held up when we heard you were coming Princess. Thought you might want the honor of replanting the last tree.” Ma explained.

“Oh? Why thank you, I would be delighted to.”Celestia smiled.

To the surprise of many Celestia slipped her hooves out of her golden hoof covers and trotted across the grass to take the seed from Ma Pelt with her hoof. She fluttered her wings a little partially hopping to the small hole and pushing the acorn into the soil at the bottom then used her bare hoof to push the soft soil over the little acorn.

The gathered ponies seem rather surprised she did not use her magic to plant it, but a loud cheer rose up as the hole was covered over Celestia smiled waiting for the cheer to die down and wiping off her hoof with a towel a guard brought over for her before redoning her shoes and gesturing for Rhede to come closer with his bags.

“I regret to lay more tasks on you Mrs. Pelt, particularly with you being with foal, but having accomplished this much in so little time I am afraid I have two more things of note that I must request.”Celestia frowned a little.

“It's alright Princess, I ain't afraid of a little hard work.” Ma smirked.

“Well the first is, even though this is a refugee camp it will need a mayor until such time as this conflict ends. Which may not be as soon as we would like. I would like to place you in that position for now Mrs. Pelt.” Celestia stated to another rousing cheer , mostly from the gathered Pelts. None of them recalled a time when Celestia herself had selected a pony to directly be mayor of a new Town.

“Pffft, half the ponies here already think I run this place anyway. Nothing new there. What else yah got?” Ma scoffed, not seeming the slightest bit concerned with it.

The Princess nods and Rhede pulls out a large bundle of scrolls offering them to his mother.

“Whats all this?” Ma questioned.

“Plans for something my sister thought up. We would like to test it here first and as soon as possible to see if it will work without magic. With this being predominately a earth pony community if it works here it will work any where.” Celestia explained

Maw flips through the plans whistling loudly.

“Tall order Princess, but it seems doable. Likely need more Pegasus though, lot of this will need some weather manipulation.... Can't say an early harvest wouldn't be a bad thing though.” Ma ponders.” What do yah call this little plan of yers any way?”

“Winter Wrap Up.” Celestia smiled.

==========================================================
[ Two days later]
“Alright level with me Princess, why did you put me in charge of these ponies?” Bleu hissed.

“Hmm, what do you mean Bleu?” Celestia an expression so innocent on her face Bleu decided then and there to never play cards with the mare.

“I get the body guard bit, cause I'm a bad ass. But you put me in charge of them, that I don't get. I have nothing akin to even a fraction of the magic your students have. I've got no idea even what they are talking about some times. Why did you put me as overseer of that little think tank of yours?” Bleu growled.

“You have a way about you Bleu. You can rile up any pony and by the same token sooth any pony. While my students are quite capable ponies in their own right, most of them lack the actual drive to put their talents to the use it is needed for. Which at the moment is the war effort. What were they working on when you first arrived? “ Celestia asked flipping though another page of a book she was studying on the table.

“A mustache spell....... they completed that by the way.” Bleu admitted with a groan recalling Seamore was still wearing that thing.

“And what have they made since you have been there as their director?” Celestia asked innocently enough.

“Healing Gems, a portable shield, that barely works, but it's a start and a device for hurling magic spells at high velocities they call a cannon.” Bleu growled” okay okay... I get it, I get it ,…. and here I thought it was to keep me out of every ponies mane so they wouldn’t have to explain a Dragon on our side every ten paces.”

“That as well.” Celestia admitted.

[Three days later. Celestia's meeting room]

“That is everyone I suppose. Lulu, General Kaisur, Air Commander Silvertail, Ambassador Pelt, Queen Velkorn, and Director Scale.” Celestia listed.

“HAH, I finally got a title!!” Bleu exclaimed.
“I do not think we all need the titles in this meeting sister.” Luna sighed.
“I barely use my last name, I almost didn't recognize you were talking to me Princess.” Starfall stated.
“General? More like Body guard lately, not that I mind of course, but still.” Jer'rahd sighed.
“Not to pick a nit, but I was officially Queen only for a bit.” Velkorn pointed out.
“I was unaware I still retained that title Princess.” Rhede questioned.

“Um, yes, moving on. I have another mission for you all.” Celestia snorted.

“Is this the time to send us out some where sister. There is a conflict going to happen.” Luna chided.

“By your own report Luna it is not likely the Dragons will attack before winter ends. Right now they are simply consolidating forces. As Starfall's images have shown us there is a massive build up in the Dragon homeland as well. Whether they are going to support or defend against the forces in the Flame Party we do not know. The Dragon's have the Orcs, Trolls, and their own half breeds as well as several companies of Griffon mercenaries and whatever they drug out of the Darklands. We have ourselves. Equestria is in need of allies, and as such I am sending you all out to find them. “

“Would you not be a better choice for negotiations sister?” Luna demanded.

“Would you stay in the palace while I was gone, or go running off to deal with the military matters your Generals can handle? Besides with Rhede, Velkorn, and yourself the part of negotiator is far above average. Bleu, Jer'rahd, and Starfall should be enough to protect you on a diplomatic mission. Though if you like a small force may accompany you.”

“I feel you planed for this sister.” Luna grumbled.

“Perhaps, Rhede inform them of where you shall be headed.” Celestia ordered.

“What? I was here, but you picked all these spots Princess.” Rhede protested.

“Rhederic.”Celestia flattened her ears.

“Akk, Alright.”Rhede yelped as he gathered his information.

“That was a very good impersonation of Maw, Princess.” Jer'rahd stated, not able to suppress a chill at the tone himself.

“Thank you Jer'rahd, now then.” Celestia pointed to Rhede as he unrolled a map of known Equss.

“We have four groups to try and contact. The plan is to contact them in a certain order for the ease of it, time is always of the essence. The first will be both the easiest and the hardest. The Buffalo Tribes of the south west. Equestria has only ever been on moderate to decent terms with the plains dwellers. However their shamanistic abilities and simple brute strength would be a great boon to us.”

“Wait West? Ohmygoshthetrain!! that thing was just completed we can ride the train hahahahhahaha.”Bleu cackled.

“The what now Bleu?” Starfall asked.

“Do not worry Starfall, you will find out soon enough. Continue Rhede.” Celestia answered.

“From there we need to head south towards the Great Western sea. The Princess Bride will be waiting for us there to take us to Neighlantis to meet Princess Aqua. Well hopefully. Relationships with the Seaponies have become a bit strained as of late. We have not had any real contact with them in some time in fact. The Princess might not be happy that we only speak with her in a time of duress.” Rhede considered.

“I never really liked the name of that ship.”Celestia interrupted.

“You named it Tia.” Luna sighed.

“Doesn't mean I liked it.” Celestia grumbled.

“Ooooookay...., depending on how that goes we either come back up here to the port of Wilmingtrot , or drown in the ocean depending on the Princesses mood.” Rhede continued.

“She is not that bad Rhede.”Celestia sighed.

“There's reasons ponies do not go out into the Western Sea very often Princess. Princess Aqua is at least number two on the list of reasons why, and number one on the list is the storms she makes.” Rhede snapped.

“Do keep in mind Luna will be with you and as far as I know Luna has never managed to make Aqua angry. “ Celestia tried to sooth

“She is your sister, I hope guilt by association does not count.” Rhede snorted.

“Move on Rhede.”Celestia ordered with a roll of her eyes.

“We will be hitting Whitetail Woods after that and hopefully finding the lands of the Elks. That ones a hit or miss as they are rather reclusive.” Rhede continued.

“Well lets see, we can be stampeded, drown , or lost in the woods, whats the last group gonna do to us Rhede? Eat us?” Starfall growled.

“Possibly. We will be crossing the northern mountains after that, no where near the Griffon lands, but we will need to head into Old Equestria.” Rhede sighed.

“Old Equestria? Boss isn't that the place ponies first came from where they fled the winter?” Bleu asked.

“I think so, I never was much one for history, or the theater. Maw always thought Hearth's Warming should be spent with family rather than watching some play about the past.” Jer'rahd explained.

“Does any pony even still live there, or are you sending us to find some sort of polar bear?” Velkorn muttered.

“To a degree. There are ponies....... creatures up there that supposedly still owe the Alicorns a great deal. Like Dragons they tend to lead long lives. There may be some historical information or word passed down that may allow us to request their aid. At the very least, you five are the most suited for this mission.” Celestia explained.

“Who are we seeking out there Rhede?” Luna asked.

Rhede sighed, one hoof pressing to his face the other waving at Celestia who seemed to nearly be bouncing with the urge to say it. The rest of the group nervously turned to the giddy Celestia waiting expectantly.

“The Windigo.”

A bolt of lightning cracks behind her for some reason and the thunder clap and her sudden evil laugh after the statement sent Bleu, Velkorn and Starfall diving for cover, mostly behind Jer'rahd.

Rhede face hooves and Luna calmly takes another sip of tea.

“Do you have that out of your system now Sister?”Luna muttered.

“Oh that was rather fun. I have been waiting a while to try that laugh.”Celestia chuckled.

A soft voice singing, greeted Twilight as she pulled back out of the image, her ears perked up as she smiled.
The purple Unicorn stretched a little as she lowly turned her ears perking up as she moved behind the stool Spike sat on as he stared with rapt attention to the mare on the couch.

Twilight had only heard Fluttershy sing once or twice, the mare could easily do it for a living if she wanted to.

Twilight said none of this however, settling in to focus on the yellow Pegasus in as rapt attention as Spike as Fluttershy finished the song.

“....then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too, so I stayed in the darkness with you.....”

Author's Note

Another rebuilt chapter. I added another thousand words or so to an already large chapter as i fleshed out a great deal of things, corrected a few more and hopefully plugged some plot holes.

Sea Salt

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Sea Salt.

“I am warning you Spike, if you eat all that jam before I get any, I am making you go wait in line for the next jar.”

“But its soo good.”

“Put it away ….. I've been standing in line all day for that, and I'm not going to let you gobble it all up before I can have some on my toast in the morning.”

“Why not have it on toast now?”

“Because toast is for breakfast, not dinner. And we just ate less than an hour ago too.”

Twilight blinks as the little dragon scoops another spoonful out of the jar to eat.

“Spike no, give me that, you've eaten half the jar while I’ve been standing here telling you not to eat any of it.”

“Oops.”

Twilight floats the jar of zap apple jam away from the dragonling, putting it on the top shelf in the closet and magically sealing the door. She wanted to do a bit of relaxing studying tonight, but she couldn't do that if she worried about the jar of jam being left with the dragonling.

The others were busy, so it was just her and Spike tonight. He settled down after the jam was taken away, but she still noted his glances to the door. Sighing she cast the spell and slipped into the space between her and the blade. She paused a moment gaze shifting over the stars rather surprised to see more than a few of them in a nearly straight line. Well she had assumed they represented ponies. This was just a bit more proof. She shakes her head slipping into one of the windows.

“This sucks. I wanted to ride the train.”

“Perhaps on the return trip Bleu, we could not have foreseen the failure of the engine.”

“Really? According to Celestia's students that thing is supposed to run on time, if the engine breaks they should, I dunno, hitch a couple of ponies to the front and pull it.”

“That sounds too silly for any pony to even consider it a viable option Bleu. Any way the ship should be arriving shortly. Once it resupplies, we will be off to Nieghlantis. The think tank designed this craft a few years ago as well Bleu. So that will be something at least.“

“I suppose.”

The group of them had arrived the day before at the port town of Wilmingtrot. The Princess Bride was due into port the following day so the group went to secure lodgings. Once more Princess Luna managed to completely confound Jer'rahd by being able to walk around unrecognized with little more than her wings covered and a pair of glasses.

The town itself was small, Little more than a collection of docks, warehouses and taverns. Luna had refused the offer to come out drinking and when she refused, Jer'rahd did as well, much to the surprise of every one. The others still went out however, though most of the night was spent Keeping Rhede out of the towns house of ill repute.

The ship arrived in the morning, the massive craft taking up a larger dock than any other ship at the port. The ship was the pinnacle of modern knowledge, created by Celestia's team as a magic powered steam ship. The craft had only been on the water perhaps three year, but in that time it had gained quite a reputation for its cutting edge technology, strange collection of crew, and exotic build.

The ship was powered by a massive sun stone at its core that poured out heat that in turn boiled water that spun the turbines that powered the ship. Three giant pipes rose from the engine room acting as chimneys for the great amount of heat and excess steam the ship produced. The whole thing was designed as some sort of luxury liner. It rarely saw use as a pleasure craft however, it tended to be used more for transporting supplies and other goods up and down the coast. The Princess Bride was the only craft currently allowed to dock at the port in Neighlantis.

Luna had made certain that the group had packed some sort of finery for the meeting with Princess Aqua. And much to Jer'rahd's annoyance, he was told he would not be allowed to wear his armor to the meeting either. The others were not quite thrilled either. Bleu was not a fan of wearing anything and Velkorn did not really wish to wear anything other than the dress that had been destroyed at the Gala.
She eventually relented wearing a simple dress in the green and white of the Queen's Cross flag. She refrained from wearing the actual symbol for the group not wishing to confuse the issue of her loyalties.

The group approached the ship, Luna had forgone her disguise and immediately was recognized by every pony around then, even the ones who had seen her yesterday with the glasses. Jer'rahd grumbled to himself, this coupled with the skeletal armor he wore kept most away from the small group as they traveled down the dock to the ship.

Stopping at the gangplank the group is greeted the ships captain, who was wheeled down the ramp in a large bucket of water by the first mate. With the exception of Luna, they could not help but stare at the strange creature in the tub before them.

The mare was pastel blue in coloration, her mane a much deeper green mixed with purple. She had no ears but a pair of fins on the side of her head. Half way down her body her fur turned into scales of the same color as her coat ,continuing into the bucket to end in a large fish like tail. Her front legs were normal save her hooves were a bit elongated and flattened, likely to aid in swimming. Though just visible on her scaled tail was a cutie mark of a ships wheel. She had no adornment save a white cap on her head that marked her as Captain. The first mate was a dark brown earth pony that was more muscled than Jer'rahd. His mane and tail where cut short both a sun bleached blond, his cutie mark was a black anchor and chain

The sea pony and first mate both saluted the group paying more attention to the Princess than the others.

“Captain Sea Foam, First Mate Rip Tide, it is a pleasure to see you both again.”

“Thank you Princess, it is always a welcome event for you or your sister to grace my ship with your presence.”

“Decidedly. However it is not quite clear to us where you are wishing us to take you Princess.”

“To business first as always Tide. We seek transport to Neighlantis.”

Both of the ship ponies look to one another a bit worried.

“Something wrong with that Captain?”

“Not really sure Princess. The trading from there has become rather light as of lately. Our usual contacts have turned rather surly and dropped a whole mess of new restrictions on travel and trade in the area. There’s also been a great many storms popping up as of late ones that are clearly not natural, the ports lost more than a few ships to the sudden things. We delivered a few letters from the Harbor Master asking about the weather, but we have yet to receive anything in return to bring back. There might be some trouble going on down there.

“You have not thought to check yourself Captain?”

“Pfft, and what? Likely get caught up in something I don't want to? Not a chance, plus that would mean I have to leave Tide here in charge of my ship, he'd run it aground for sure.”

“That happened once, in a storm.”

“Yeah, yeah, talk to the fin Tide. We'll take yah there Princess, but watch yourself I think Aqua's in a bad mood.”

“Likely her latest plaything ran off or something. She does seem to prefer surface dwellers over her own kind.”

“You got a problem with that preference Tide?”

“If I did you would likely never let me back in your quarters again Captain.”

As the two started bickering back and forth leading the group back up the ramp it became quite clear the two were a couple, even to Jer'rahd. The pair were likely one of the greatest successes of the ship. The craft was not only built to be the newest and the best , but also to bridge a gap between two different races. Water filled tunnels and pools ran throughout the ship taking up nearly the same amount of surface area as the solid decks did. Half the crew was made up of Sea ponies and the other a mixture of the three races of surface ponies. The initial experiment was to see if two completely different races could coexist happily together. After a year the whole crew had formed tight enough bonds that they considered each other family. So much so That the First mate and the Captain had actively chosen to wed on the ship with the only non member of the crew being the priest that presided over it.
This at first caused a great many ponies from both sides of the beach to take offense as if something like this wedding would mark the end of the world. Unfortunately this ruined the reputation of the craft as a cruise liner, but after another year most had forgotten about the couple to go on to complain about other things.

The group was show their rooms, luxury suites near each other at the front of the ship. After securing his gear, Jer'rahd set up a post at the door to Luna's cabin, checking out most of the angles of the area and anything that might be some sort of hazard. Bleu tagged along for a while though quickly grew bored with his sudden dedication to duty and seriousness and wandered off. Luna was not really thrilled that he was going to be spending the whole trip like this and sent Rhede to find out what the heck was going on with his friend.

“So your going to stay here and in armor the entire trip?”

“ That is the plan Rhede.”

“Might be taking Celestia's order a little far, I think Luna can take care of herself. She's done a great deal better than you have at that lately.”

“Gee thanks Rhede, way to inspire confidence.”

“Just trying to figure out why your going to be a wet blanket the whole trip...... It has something to do with the test doesn’t it?”

“Something like that.”

“I should have guessed. Work through it your own way Jer. But don't let some old long dead fools impossible quest run your life.”

“I could say something similar to you Rhede. Your letting something hold you back as well.”

“Noticed that huh?”

“You still have not talked to Velkorn yet have you?”

“Enjoy your duty Jer.”

“Right.”

================================================================

The Captain, First Mate, and the Captains bucket gave the group the grand tour of the ship. The outside ship deck was the only place on the ship without any open pools or lanes of water for the sea ponies. This was mostly due to the chance of waves or rain in a bad storm adding more weight to the open channels and possibly sinking the already half water filled ship. The rest of the decks were fairly standard for any ship save the water for the sea pony crew. With the exception of the main deck and the various pony quarters, every area was accessible by both races. The tour concluded with engineering, the heat here was immense. A giant pillar of glass and metal sat in the middle of the chamber pulsing a orangeish glow regularly. Steam sprouted out of a pipe here and there, and a somewhat over weight pony in a red shirt was shouting orders at the others in the room sending them scurrying or swimming to complete the commands.

“Princess this is our Chief Engineer, Mr. Scot.”

“Pleasure tah meet yah lass, but I kennna stop tah talk if yah want dis thing moving again. We popped a gasket on tha last trip and everything’s all sortsa screwed up, gonna take us days at this rate.“

“Will there be a problem leaving on time then, Captain?”

“Not at all Princess, Mr. Scott has a tendency to exaggerate the exact length of time something will take. He is a brilliant engineer, but he has a flare for the dramatic that takes some getting used to. Likely we will be ready to leave in a few hours provided some one calls him a miracle worker at some point.”

“Bah, yer not supposed to just tell everyone that yah know Captain.”

While the ship was designing a pleasure craft, the only use it ever had as such was on the first trip to Nieghlantis with Princess Celestia aboard, and considering that was the her last trip there, it was also the last time it was used for such. Various shipping and cargo hauling jobs kept the craft running along with the occasional support from Equestria. Even with these issues in the ships short life it had done exactly what the Princess and her students had wanted, it was a floating triumph of multispecies coexistence, and as such still received funds from Equestria, regardless of the nobles complaints.

The trip to Neighlantis would take four days, by the second day Jer'rahd was rethinking his orders as the others had been doing everything they could to make him regret trying to be so stoic in duty. Bleu picked on him, Luna grew more and more annoyed, Rhede flat out avoided him, and Starfall took every opportunity to try and sneak past him or make him look bad, just to prove the point of how silly he was.
Velkorn was the only one who had not bothered, or tried to talk him out of standing guard. That might have been little more than her trying to learn everything she could from the ships doctor about sea ponies in just four days. Rhede was clearly annoyed by the time Velkorn spent with the ships doctor, and relived by it.

The second day was the worst however, the Captain had set up a party and with the exception of a few crew members needed to run the ship, everyone was at it. He had been standing beside the table watching the drinking and half coherent singing for several hours now. The Captain , First mate and Princess Luna all sat at the main table in the room with Jer'rahd standing close by watching as several ponies produced musical instruments and started to tune up to play. Everyone went silent as the Captain slapped a hoof over her face smirking recognizing the tune and glaring at Tide with a smirk as the crew started to sing.

“We pulled up the anchor,
waving goodbye to the town that had cradled me.
Two , weeks now at sea, starting to get to me,
I think I’m crazy.”

The sea ponies danced around the pool having remarkably good voices for creatures that could breath both air and water. The land bound crew went right along with a rather decent accompaniment. Jer'rahd smiles slightly as Bleu joins in. her voice clearly cutting through the rest as she seemed to take lead at keeping the pace and tone even.

“Oooooo,ooooh,
there in the water
ooooooo,oooooh,
I’m not scared but I oughta be.”

Uh oh, Rhede was trying to join in now as well. Thankfully the voices of the ponies who could sing were drowning out his half drunken warbling.

“All the legends of old, the stories they told
the schemes of the dreamers,meant nothing to me.
Now my disbelief lay smashed at my hooves,
cause I saw the mare in the sea.”

It was getting harder to remain stoic in this situation. The mass of ponies drinking,singing, and simply enjoying themselves made it hard to want to remain on duty. He exhaled deeply shifting a little uncomfortably in his armor, a movement that did not go unnoticed by Luna, or evidently Bleu. The little dragon went immediately tot he chief engineer as he came in from duty along with the last of the other ponies who had not joined in.

“Back at the harbor,
still I am swimming with her in my mind.
In my Davy Jones locker,
I’ll keep my secret where no one can find.”

The earth pony laughed at something the little dragon said ,then looks thoughtfully over at Jer'rahd, as if considering what the dragonling was saying..

“Oooooo,ooooh,
They'd never believe me.
ooooooo,oooooh,
I see her so clearly.”

His ears perk hearing some one else join in the singing. He tilts his head glancing back from the conversation as Luna starts singing along, easily picking up the slack Bleu left. The Captain joins in as well. Their voices complimenting each others rather well.

“All the legends of old, the stories they told
the schemes of the dreamers, meant nothing to me.
Now my disbelief lay smashed at my hooves,
cause I saw the mare in the sea.”

Jer'rahd sighs thinking perhaps he was being rather silly. While there was plenty here that could be dangerous, Rhede was right in that the Princess did a much better job of taking care of herself than he did of his own flank. The whole ship was full of ponies Loyal to their Captain and First Mate, both of whom were loyal to Equestria and the sisters. On top of that even with as much as she had been drinking and her singing along most of the ponies here had a hard time looking at her or talking to her. Even the Captain seemed not to be able to shake the fear of the Goddess of Night for long. Luna clearly had to have noticed it. Did it on longer bother her like it had before? Or had she gotten used to being feared?

“Each day that goes by, and each wave we ride
seems to remind me it all was a dream
I guess my memory,
got the best of me,
this time.”

Chief engineer Scot narrows his eyes as Bleu points him at Jer'rahd laughing. The earth pony nods and flicks his head moving his mane from in front of his eyes before marching through the singers towards Jer'rahd. The look on his face worried Jer'rahd a bit, but since Scot's focus seemed to be on him instead of the Princess, he did not bother moving to intercept, plus whatever it was amused Bleu.

“All the legends of old, the stories they told
the schemes of the dreamers, meant nothing to me.
Now my disbelief lay smashed at my hooves,
cause I saw the mare in the sea.”

The earth pony pauses looking over the armored form of Jer'rahd as if suddenly having second thoughts before gritting his teeth and continuing forward to glare at him from the other side of the table.

“All the legends of old, the stories they told
the schemes of the dreamers,meant nothing to me.
Now my disbelief lay smashed at my hooves,
cause I saw the mare in the sea.”

The Earth pony suddenly rears up and slams a hoof down on the table sending a few mugs flying. He glares at Jer'rahd from under the dark bangs of his mane, at the sound the whole room goes quiet looking over at the two.

“Yer Jer'rahd then?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“Aye lad there is a problem. Yer little pet of a dragon over there is claiming yah ken drink any pony there ever was under tha table. I call that a falsehood, I do. So I propose a little challenge. I know nothings crossed yer lips all night, and I just got off duty meself so's I ken say tha same. I'm throwing down the gauntlet on this . Ain't no pony ever out drinks Scot.”

“You are kidding, right?”

“Not in the slightest colt.”

“I do have a job to do you know.”

“Bah, this what I expected from a Guard, hiding behind duty and that crap. Just admit yah know yah'd lose.”

“Don't feel too bad at the refusal, Mister Scot, there's not been any pony yet who's even come close to matching what you drink.”

“Don't mean I like some pony refusing a challenge Captain.”

“General Kaisur, I do believe you should accept this challenge.”

“Princess Luna .. your sister told me...”

“My sister is not here, and you are supposed to take orders from me, not her. “

Luna takes a sip of her drink, setting the glass back down on the table, before smiling.

“Though if you are that concerned with my safety General.”

The Princess' horn glows and Jer'rahd feels the helm slip from his head causing the armor to fall from his form. The sudden whistles and cat calls from the crew of ponies at the impromptu strip show forces a slight blush to his face as he turns trying to figure out what Luna was doing.

Luna pulls the helm over her own head, the armor leaping up covering her. The helm itself does not cover her horn or eyes as it does Jer'rahd though her lower jaw remains covered. The scaled bone runs down the back of her head and neck hiding her ears but leaving her mane to flow freely. The rest of the suit seems to flatten out and become sleeker, hugging her body like the suit Starfall wore though some how still leaving her cutie mark and her legs above the first join bare. Her hooves seemed covered with a bit more armor appearing to be the only parts that were spiked and sharpened. Her tail was also free of the suits confines but her wings were framed in the skeletal armor giving the impression of wings bade of bone with dark shadows of feathers beneath , though each feather seems to end in a blade.

Jer'rahd blinks at moment, whipping his head clearing out a few dirty thoughts that had crept in. He did have to admit it looked much better on her then it did on him, much sexier. Though judging by the rather creeped out reactions of those around him, much scarier as well.

“There. Now there's not a thing that shall be able to harm me, and you can uphold the honor of the Guard. Kick his flank Jer'rahd!”

Jer'rahd blinks a moment looking to the Princess, then over at the laughing Bleu, before smiling wide, his gaze turning to the Chief Engineer who doesn't bat an eye at his stare.

“As you wish.”

“Princess are you sure this was a good idea?”

Starfall leans over Luna's shoulder as the entire room cheers the fifth mug of seaweed grog the two ponies down, neither seeming to even be showing the slightest bit of slowing down.

“It should be fine Starfall, I am not anything more than lightly buzzed and I have heard Jer'rahd can still fight rather well when drunk. Not that I expect any trouble mind you. Besides, there is no telling when we might be able to relax like this again. Between this mission and the war we will not have much time for frivolity. Even if that does become a problem, you have not been drinking much and Velkorn has been with that doctor, what was his name, Bones, or something? She is still sober and has been studying sea pony anatomy in case she needs to treat one in the future. Letting the General loosen up a little will be fine.”

“I did not mean that Princess.”

“Oh then what did you mean?”

“Letting Jer'rahd get into a drinking contest. If the crew is right Scot there might have as high a tolerance as he does.”

“Oh well, hind sight is twenty twenty I suppose.”

The pair look over as the Captain brings in another round of the ship brewed seaweed grog. The two ponies staring at each other across the table keep their eyes locked looking for any sign of weakness in the other.

===================================================-

[“I am impressed that you would seek to learn this much Miss Velkorn. Not only that, but be willing to help me prepare for the inevitable morning after this party is going to have. I do thank you.”]

[“It is not any trouble Dr. Tofu. I am not one for drinking much as of late. I am greatly rather glad you speak Zebra so well. My own comprehension of pony has not gone as well as I would have liked in recent years. The one who was to help my skill has been … rather distant as of late.”]

[“Please Miss Velkorn, call me Bones, the rest of the ship does already.”]

[“Only if you will drop the Miss, Doctor.”]

[“Less formal, I think I might be able to handle that.”]

[“ I gather these parties tend to become rather rough with all that you are preparing. Other than might you return to your explanation, Bones?”]

Velkorn shifted another jar on the table before her, mixing up another anti nausea potion for the Doctor while he rolled a few more bandages. Judging by how specific he was with what was needed he was quite used to the parties thrown on the ship.

The doctor was a white pegasus pony with a greyish blue mane and tail, a pair of black square wire frame glasses perched precariously on his muzzle. His cutie mark at first glance seemed to be a sewing kit, until one noticed the roll of cloth was gauze, and the needle had specks of blood on it. It was odd that he had such an elaborate cutie mark, but he seemed adept at what he did and was more than willing to help Velkorn with the basics of sea pony anatomy in case she needed to heal one. Though he also seemed quite interested in her as well, not just her skills. They had talked shop at first sharing various herbal cures and remedies from their different regions before the topic of sea ponies had come up and the doctor had launched into a lengthy explanation. That had been cut off when the First Mate Tide had shown up and informed the doctor of the party starting. The large black board behind the doctor still had various scribbles and a drawing of a sea pony that looked like the ones on the ship.

[“Ah yes, my apologies I tend to get distracted at times. As I was saying, there are three types of sea ponies. The ones on this ship are commonly referred to as hippocampus. They do alright on land or water and generally live in the more shallow waters such as rivers and streams. Aside from the obvious aquatic elements they are not all that different in structure from a common earth pony. They do have a set of gills behind the fins on the side of their heads however, that allow them to breath water or air.”]

He moves over to the board, drawing another figure with the chalk held between his wing feathers. He clearly was enjoying sharing this information with her, or likely he was just excited to be talking to a female that understood what he was even saying. It likely had been a while since he had intelligent conversation about what interested him.

[“ The second and most common type of sea pony are these, often called sea horses, they have no legs to speak of but their fins and long tail are every bit as dexterous as a earth ponies tail or a Pegasus's wings. They can breath air and water as well, but tend to prefer damp wet areas, as dry air is some what painful for them. Most of these ponies tend to live in the seas and oceans. Supposedly some of them have horns and unicorn like magic, though I have never seen one myself.”]

He rolls a few more bandages while he talks moving back to the board erasing the pic and starting to work on another one. Velkorn smirks a bit at his rather badly hidden looks to her flank and legs, if only Rhede was this attentive to her. She briefly pondered trying to make the stallion jealous, but gave that up easily. Rhede would not fall for it and only the Doctor would be hurt. She might not be attracted to the pegasus but that did not mean she wanted to play with his emotions either.

[“ Honestly with the last type I cannot be sure of what they really look like. This is a picture of the only one I have ever seen. These type are often called Octoponies. They do not breath air as far as I know and have no set form aside from some sort of limbs resembling an octopus. As you can see from this image, the one I have seen looked much like a normal sea pony save her body split into eight tentacle like limbs instead of the one tail the other sea ponies types have. Now from my studies I have found this type lives only in deep water, and if you see one on the surface, it will likely be already dead or too far gone for you to be able to help it. I have heard rumors they tend to have very powerful magics, though very different ones from the spells unicorns wield. Their eyes are often either very large or not there at all, likely some sort of evolution from their home in the dark depths. There seems to be no set mold for how they are born or grow either, a set of twins can look completely different. I truly wish I knew a way to study them, even their culture is a mystery to all, save Princess Aqua. All I have found out about them has been second hand save the one I encountered when I was younger. On that subject when you do meet the Princess please tell me what she looks like when you come back. Being a the goddess of the sea ponies she will have the traits of all her subjects just as a alicorn does with surface ponies. I am very interested if anything about her might show some clue about the third type of sea pony.”]

[Be careful Bones. You almost sound obsessed.”]

[“That bad hmm? Well I shall endeavor to calm myself, it is just such an interesting subject.”]

==========================

“How long have they been at this now Captain?”

“Easily two hours Princess, I am running out of Seaweed Grog. The ship had enough of that stuff to keep two or three times the size of my crew drunk for weeks, excluding Scot.“

“Do they even look tipsy to you?”

“They both trotted off fine for that bathroom break, came back as if nothing was wrong either.”

“This is insane.”

“Well lad, seems this barrels done ready for the next?”

“Are you sure your up for it? An old stallion like you. Seems like your starting to sway there.”

“Not even close colt.”

“Then bring the next one, your gonna see the underside of this table well before I do Scot.”

“HAH! Not a chance.”

“This may have been a bad idea Princess.”

“I agree, this armor is not very comfortable to stay in long. I have no idea how Jer'rahd puts up with it.”

====================================

Three hours later the two were still staring at each other from across the table. Neither seemed in the slightest bit drunk and they had just poured the last bottle of booze on the into their mugs. They had drained ten barrels of grog, six flasks of ale, a few dozen bottles of wine and the Captains private stash of whiskey.

Most of the crew had gone to bed or, passed out. Even the instigator of the conflict, Bleu, had curled up atop one of the tables and was snoring softly. Only six ponies were left in the room now. Jer'rahd and Scot sat at the table draining the last of the whiskey. Princess Luna and Captain Foam sat watching, some what annoyed that they had encouraged this. And finally both Doctor “Bones” Tofu and Velkorn stood by waiting for one of them to drop dead.

The pair finally slammed down the last mug grinning at each other over the table waiting for some reaction and becoming a little upset there was not one from the other pony.

“That was the last bottle Scot.”

“Ah that it was, cept for a bit of my personal stash aye have in the engine room. Mah brewery is down there as well, be good to fire that up so we ken finish this proper.“

“Sounds good. Lead on.”

The earth pony and Jer'rahd both rose from the table, both steady as rocks to the amazement of the few remaining. The earth pony took one step and went down like a sack of potatoes. Jer'rahd walks around the table grinning as he looks down at the unconscious Chief Engineer.

“HA HA victory........”

Jer'rahd then promptly blacks out falling over in a heap as well, a few paces from the other pony. Both medics sigh trotting over to their respective drunkard and start checking for a pulse.

“Well that was rather anti climatic.”

“Indeed Captain. Perhaps we should rest ourselves for a few hours then sound the ships horn to wake these two?”

“Of course Princess. I rather like the way you think.”

=========================================

“So this is the still huh? It really doesn't look like much. “

“Oh, aye lad, it may not look like much, but it makes the best seaweed grog this side of the world.”

The Princess and the Captain's prank had back fired horribly. Not only had it woken the two drunks, but it had roused every other sleeping pony on the ship as well. And unlike all the other ponies who had been drinking that night, which was to say, all of them, Jer'rahd and Scot woke without so much as twinge of a hangover. Velkorn and Bones both were pulling their manes out trying to figure out how the two of them managed to drink so much and not die. Each knew about the abilities of their own lush, but to find out there were two of them? Inconceivable!

The rest of the day was spent with a pair of chipper ponies talking booze, and a great deal of groaning from everyone else. Bleu on the other hand managed to sleep through everything.

==============================================

The final day of the trip had Jer'rahd back in armor and on duty, though at the very least he had stopped taking the task as serious as he did. Bleu had opted to sit with, more like on, him a while just to talk and alleviate the boredom as the Princess got the last few things prepared to disembark.

“.... That still counts as a victory Boss. Your streak has easily been broken. You won with no loss of anything.”

“Unless you count Velkorn swearing I am destroying my liver.”

“Bah, not like she cut you open to have a look,so hows she know, a wins a win.”

“You can stop trying to cheer me up so hard Bleu. I am already in a better mood.”

“Really then why do you seem so uncomfortable?”

“Nothing just the armor I suppose.”

“Hmm what about it Boss?”

“Well before it always had that sickening scent of oranges to it, considerably faded , but still there.”

“Before?”

“Yes. Now it smells like seaweed grog and I think like Princess Luna.”

“You can tell that?”

“Of course, I know my booze.”

“Not that idiot. How the heck do you even know what she smells like?”

“Dunno, I just cannot smell the oranges any more, and that's replaced by a, rather pleasant scent.”

“So should Starfall and I start trying to hook you two up again?”

“You were serious about that ?”

“Not at the time, I do wonder now though boss.”

“Still not going to happen, demented, homicidal ponies and Goddesses do not mix for a happily ever after.”

“It almost did in the past.”

“And look how well that turned out Bleu, Equestria got a new sea and thousands died.”

“So not even considering it? You have got to have some interest.”

“I do, like every other male who has seen the Princesses. She has the looks grace and form to make any straight stallion in the world take notice, probably a few gay ones as well.

“So you are interested hmmm?”

“Stop right there Bleu, I have no plans to act on some physical crush I’ve developed and you will do nothing of the sort either. Likely its just some rebound crap from Scarlet or something. I've had enough problems with mares as of late, besides shes a friend.“

“That might be your problem boss. If you won't consider it because shes a friend, have all the mares you've seen been strangers and enemies?”

“That's not what I mean Bleu... though, yes they kinda have been now that you bring it up. Anyway if I say something and she gets offended, or doesn’t feel the same, or gets upset about it, then all the time that we spent getting her to open up with us might just be pissed away. Especially for something as dumb as this.”

“Maybe. You won't know till you try.”

“ No, I'm not going to say a damn thing. I have no intention of trying to find out. It would be even worse if she did feel the same way. Shes going to still be the same when both of us are dead and gone. After what happened with her first love I would not want to put her through that again.”

“Then shes going to have problems if we remain friends with her as well. “

“Yeah I know. Hopefully by that point we can manage to get her to want to open up with more ponies than just us.”

“Great, we pass on a work in progress to the next generation.”

“Not how I would have put it Bleu.”

“I know, but my way sounded better.”

================================================= “This is it?”

Starfall glides down landing again on the dock, looking about curiously at the small island. There were white sand beaches, a little rocky hill in the middle of the island with a cave in it, a large dock for the only ship allowed here, a single small shack at the docks end that was half in the water, and nothing else. A single sea pony sat in the half submerged shack watching the small group feigning a mild disinterest. The yellow sea pony was the type that had fins instead of hooves and he kept ducking under the water to keep himself wet.

“Whatsa matter never sen a docking island before? The cities below yah this is just the boring part up in the air. Crap duty is what this is. Least you all showing up is something interesting.“

The sea pony spoke a bit arrogantly to any trying to talk to him, save the Princess. He also was clearly staring at the flanks of all the mares in the group when he thought no pony was watching.

“How long did they say it would take for the bubble to reach here?”

“Not very long Princess, The city is a few fantoms down under the island and they just sent it up when they received the message. The bubble is also rarely used for guests in recent years so likely they held it up a bit to clean it. I am sorry for the delay Princess.”

Luna nods and the sea pony submerges himself again surfacing and shaking out his mane. He leans on the window ledge looking bored again his eyes trailing over the rears of the mares once more. His primary focus seems to be on Velkorn,evidently zebras being rather uncommon out here. He looked the other way or dunked himself anytime any of them looked his way,but with his armors eye shields he could have been staring right at him and he would not have noticed. Besides it was more amusing to watch Rhede, The earth pony had also taken notice of the sea pony stares and was doing his best not to pretend not to care even though he had taken to trying to place himself between Velkorn and the shack a few times.

Yeah, Bleu and Starfall should focus their attention on those two to play match maker. Ever since the tests Velkorn had been a bit more distant, or had at least stopped trying to active chase Rhede. Even though his friend had said he wanted Velkorn to find some one else he seemed a bit thrown off by her lack of attention. Odd how he noticed things like that when he was not in any sort of relation ship himself.

The Princes Bride would remain here until their meeting was done. Which was only scheduled to be a week, Captain Foam offered to wait a little longer if need be, however Princess Luna did not think it would even take that long. Whether this was due to an expected refusal or confidence that she could convince Aqua to help, Luna did not let on.

A low rumble shook the tiny island, a sudden gush of sea water blasted out of the cave mouth flooding over the sand and spilling back into the sea. The group watched the event before turning to look at the sea pony as he yawned.

“Your rides here. Just head in the cave and enjoy your stay in Neighlantis.”

The group entered the cave and found a large crystalline sphere sitting in a massive pool of water. A section of it split open dropping slowly to the edge of the pool like a ramp. The group took that as an invitation and trotted into the sphere. Both Jer'rahd and Starfall watched the ramp rise back up nervously, sealing the them inside the bubble. There was a sudden lurch, and the crystal sphere started to sink. Looking down they could see a long line of chain attached to the underside of the bubble, and extending into the darkness below, pulling them down. Everyone’s gaze shifted about as they sunk into the water, the light from the surface showed the underside of the Princess Bride and the Island,which was being held in place by chains. An artificial island it seemed, anchored in place over the city.

As they sank the light from the surface started to fade,enveloping the bubble in darkness. There’s a loud slap and Rhede yelps loudly. Luna's horn lights up illuminating the bubble showing a some what annoyed Rhede glaring at Bleu.

“Keep your tail to your self little miss gropey.”

“What? I was over here.”

“Right...”

Before Luna turns off her light spell again Jer'rahd swore he saw a wide grin on Velkorn's face. With the darkness closed around them again a soft glow was visible below them as the bubble was drug along. As it drew closer the shadowed outline of a ridge on the seafloor came into view. The bubble was pulled over the edge of the ridge and into a brilliant display of color and gaudy lights.

Neighlantis.

Glowing lights dotted the trail of the bubble as it moved over the ridge though the scene below them was lit up brighter than Mrs. Pelts home during Hearths Warming. Towering formations of coral and structures seemingly grown out of rock and seaweed lay spread out in the valley between three towering undersea mountains,that were lit up by the cities glow. Windows and streets below swarmed with sea ponies darting around their daily lives with only an occasional glance to the descending bubble. Bright lights shown on signs displaying ads, or praise for Princess Aqua. The chain pulled them slowly through the glowing city, leading them along between the brilliant glow of the buildings. Schools of fish darted around the bubble as it descended roaming the city like flocks of birds on the surface. As they continued on they were drawn over a massive garden of various plant lift that stretched from the city to a massive castle that seemed based on Canterlot castle. They were pulled past the city and out over a massive garden filled with flowers and plants most of which seemed to be the oceans version of surface plants. Statues of various forms of sea ponies were scattered about the garden making Luna worry a little if all the designs from Canterlot were used here. The chain pulled them closer to the gem and coral encrusted castle, drawing them into a large opening at the side of the palace.

“This is amazing Princess I never knew that a place like this existed.”

“I am rather impressed myself Starfall. I have never been here before, And Tia never mentioned all of this. However I am not sure what to expect from the reception though.”

“If I might ask, Luna, why exactly is Princess Aqua annoyed with your sister?”

“Tia says it was a prank gone wrong Rhede, I do not believe that was the case. If it was dangerous however, she would not have sent us here. It has been several hundred years since then. With luck the true offense has been either forgotten or forgiven.”

“Well they sent this thing up to get us, I suppose that's a good sign.”

“Think they might be in a conflict with the sea dragons? I haven't seen any around.”

“Looking for a date Bleu?”

“Stuff it boss.”

“I am not sure Bleu, though I suppose we might find out if it is anything serious.”

The chain pulls them fully into the castle to another pool of light. The bubble rises through the surface of the pool into an air pocket. The water drains from it before the door opens again, letting them out into a pearl and coral strewn room. A large set of doors to their left evidently lead to the store rooms judging by the drag marks on the floor and the crates piled by the entrance.

Aside from the corner with the bubble and the store room the rest of the hall seemed an elaborate attempt to mimic surface pony decor that mostly succeeded. The room appeared much like the ship,in that it split itself evenly between swimming paths and walking paths. with the sides of the room being deep pools of water and the only walkable path was up the middle of the room. Two stair wells split off from either side of the path spiraling up gradually to the higher floor and the balcony above. Troughs of water fell down the side of the stairs in cascades like waterfalls. Various servant ponies zipped about in the water to either side ducking under the path at random points, giving the impression that the walk way was floating.

A well dressed male sea pony surfaces, the water sliding off his blue suit leaving it looking dry. He slicks back his pale orange mane with his hooves shifting his golden scaled form forward tot he edge of the platform looking up at the group. He bows deeply, his fish tail thrashing under the water to keep him upright.

“Greetings Princess Luna of Equestria, and companions. My name is Wetsworth I have been assigned to be your guide this afternoon. Princess Aqua would love to meet you immediately, but her duty comes first, and likely you wish to freshen up a bit before the meeting. Rooms have been prepared for you and the Princess invites you to dine with her later this evening. If there is anything else you might need to not hesitate to ask.”

The hipocampus sea pony guides them up the stairs swimming along the channel in the side of the stair case. Everything in this part of the castle looked like it had come from the surface or from ships. The designs seemed to also have a more surface theme, clouds, trees, stars, and other assorted images. Wetsworth pushes open a p[air of double doors leading them into the quarters where they would be housed for this visit.

It was a large open area, with a pool of water taking up one side of the room and a rich red carpet covering the simple stone floor on the other. Four doors exited this room, on the side with the floor, with the way they came in crossing the water way and the walkway behind them. A large glass window took up the other two walls of the room, the view looked out over the garden far below the sea castle. Bleu and Starfall moved over looking out the window marveling again at the view.

A huge dark form drifted slowly before the glass blotting out the scene like a curtain dropped over the windows. A silver and blue eye opens in the dark surface, easily seven or eight ponies in height. The silver and blue orb shifts a bit regarding them as Starfall and Bleu dive for cover. A soft groan and a cooing noise echoed in the room as the eyeball watched them, the only distinguishable shape in the field of darkness. With a sudden jerk the darkness was gone and a huge shadow drifted away from the lit city a giant fluke tail all that was visible.

“Please excuse Princess Aqua's pet leviathan. Andre tends to be rather curious at any new comers to the realm. He really is quite harmless.”

“He's a giant.......”

“A Leviathan to be exact, Miss Bleu was it? They do tend to prefer deeper waters so it is rare they are seen by any one on the surface, and they can grow quite large. Andre is a rather big specimen even by those standards. If there is nothing else I shall leave you to freshen up. Please ring the bell on the table there if you need anything. I shall come to alert you when Princess Aqua is ready for the evening meal.”

The sea pony swims out closing the door after him leaving the others to look about the rest of the chamber. Each bedroom had its own shower and all the amenities of a five star tavern. The main room was obviously set for Princess Luna with all its lush finery, though the other rooms were not lacking in comforts. Jer'rahd and Bleu already shared a house, so a room was little trouble for them. Starfall and Velkorn took one, and since every pony knew how Rhede's mind worked they left him the one on the end for himself, just in case he decided to try out the local flavor at any point.

Jer'rahd wandered back to the window still wearing the armor looking out at the city. Something had been bugging him about this place. He gazed out the window watching the occasional sea pony swim past in the distance in front of some light or another. He tilted his head a little ears perking as he listened eyes closing trying to make something out.

“Do any of you hear that?”

“Hear what Jer?”

“Sounds like some kind of singing, its just low enough I can't make out the words, but its loud enough I can just barely hear it. Maybe not singing sort of a rhythmic chant or some what in tune hum.”

“I don't hear anything Boss.”

“Yeah, now that you mention it Jer, I have been hearing something since I got out of the bubble.”

“You two as well? I thought I was the only one who heard that. It's kinda odd.”

“Sounds like sort of sing songy chant to me as well Jer'rahd. Do you head anything Velkorn?”

“Even with a cocked ear, I must confess there is nothing that I hear.”

“I have not heard anything either, perhaps you three are just hearing something from one of the mines, or the volcanoes. Sound is supposed to travel further under water, though I am not sure why all of us would not hear it.”

“Wait there's volcanoes down here?”

“ The mountains around the city, the Three of them are volcanoes, though one is dormant.”

“But you never know.”

“True, but none are close enough to be a bother to the city itself, the dormant one has a mine in it as well, It produces some rather rare gem types.”

“It does not sound like any sort of noise like that. It sounds like singing. The words are just on the edge of my hearing though and I cannot make them out. Its rather maddening.”

“Well, think on that later General, you need to get out of the armor and into a uniform now. It would not due to have you not looking ready to fight in what is supposed to be a peaceful meal and negotiation.”

“Your know Princess, I have been trained as an ambassador by the best. If we make a bad impression I could try to persuade Princess Aqua into a more favorable position.”

“What? Missionary?”

“Shut up Bleu.”

==================================================== The group did not have that long to wait before Wetsworth returned to escort them to dinner. The dining hall was another extravagant affair. The hall itself was decorated in surface designs including the symbols of Luna and Celestia, along with a few flags from other races. Thankfully there did not seem to be any griffon or dragon symbols on display, and judging the height of these flags on the wall there was a fair indication they had been hanging there a while.

A large trench full of deep dark water ran the length of the room, leaving little more than a small platform of land on one side of the room. A table with pony sized benches, marked the divide between the water and the land evidently to allow the aquatic servers to place food for the surface guests. On the other side of the room sat another table floating on the surface of the water. A large banner with a golden trident on sea foam green silk hung above the table. So far there was no pony seated there, but the sea ponies rushing about in the water were still setting places and swimming around doing what ever it was that still needed doing.

Jer'rahd was not happy. He hated the dress uniform,having the proper medals on it made matters worse for him. To be honest he was not even sure what half of these things he was wearing even were for. Half his award ceremonies he had not bothered to show up for citing either injury or other business. He knew there were a few from the Diamond Dog front, and even more from the Zebra campaign, The majority however were from his actions in Dullahan, and that one he truly did not think he deserved anything at all for. He also hated being in a strange place like this with out his armor, and more importantly his sword. The Princess had been rather adamant about not bringing the weapon however, it was made to kill gods, and Aqua was the sea ponies god ruler. To carry a weapon like that in her presence would be taken as hostile.

Princess Luna seemed comfortable here, but she had put on her royalty posture and when she was like that she was impossible to read emotions from. Not like she was that easy to read normally. Velkorn and Bleu seemed rather interested in the goings on around them, and were clearly distracted by the strangeness of the environment. Rhede seemed focused, which was odd for him, but other wise he seemed fine. His expression however reminded him of the one on the Princess, it likely would be interesting to see those two play cards.

Only Starfall looked as uncomfortable as Jer'rahd felt, she kept looking about, ears shifting and flicking lightly as if she was trying to find the source of something. Jer'rahd knew what it was, the droning background song had gotten a bit louder, the words were still low to understand, but the tune had become unmistakeable and very repetitive. The only thing that he could make out was “Shoop-bee-doo-shoop-shoop-bee-doo”, which was utter nonsense, but clearly some sort of song on repeat.

The servers suddenly stopped what they were doing, turning to bow formally at the table in the water that up to this point remained empty. Luna glances to the the others making a polite nod of a bow herself motioning for the rest of the group to do the same.

The surface of the water ripples, a turquoise form rising up from the small waves.

The lithe form slipped from the water and floated in the air over the table as the ripples subsided, not a single drop of water fell from the flying form. Large multicolored fins fanned lightly in the air behind the her, keeping her aloft. Her front legs were much like a ponies with the slightly wider, fin like hooves of the Hippocampus,. Where her rear legs would have been, was a thin golden pearlesecnt fish tail ending in a pair of long trailing fins that would have looked at home on a evening gown and nearly brushed the surface of the water even as she floated a pony length above the surface. Various jewelry,and gems graced her form, though that only seemed to distract from the flowing mane cascading down her back. It glowed softly like Luna and Celestia's with a deep blue hue to it. Silver flashed within her mane seeming to move about as her hair swayed like waves. Tiny silver fish swam around in her water like floating hair, a small grouping of tendrils drifted from her head waving slightly with the water like decorative kelp. Her eyes glimmered like emeralds as she dropped her gaze looking over the small group of surface ponies, a soft smile crossing her face that reminded Jer'rahd of the one Celestia often wore. Her turquoise flank was graced with the same golden trident that adorned the flag above her.

She regards the group slowly, taking note of each of them before speaking, her voice echoing in the room as she slowly drifts back down to the water.

“Welcome friends, welcome to Neighlantis.”

“Thank you for for allowing us into your home Princess Aqua.”

“You must be Princess Luna. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I did not expect to do so any time soon however, not after the incident with your sister and the other Princess. But that is a discussion for another time, as it pertains not to you, only Celestia and Aviana. Please, introduce me to your companions, and tell me the nature of the visit, I cannot think it to be anything good. It is rare we hear from Equestria without cause.”

“I am afraid there is cause, Princess Aqua, but allow me to introduce my entourage. “

The sea Princess shifts, gliding across the water towards the group. She was slightly larger than Princess Celestia, perhaps simply due to her fins and tail. She pauses nodding lightly to Luna as the Moon Goddess introduces her Guard.

“This is Air Commander Starfall Silvertail.”

“Princess Aqua.”

“Commander Silvertail welcome. It is not often we receive pegasus here, most find the ocean above them to be a bit stifling.”

“It is a bit unnerving Princess, but I can handle it well enough. Thank you for the concern.”

The princess nods gliding over to the next her tail barely seeming to touch the water, the tips of her long fins leave a trace across the surface.

“This is Queen Velkorn of the Zebra Lands.”

[“How are you enjoying the trip Queen Velkorn?”]

[“Quite well, thank you Princess. I must say I did not expect you were fluent in my tongue.”]

[“While I have learned your language, I have never had the chance to meet one of your kind before. It is a pleasure.“]

She drifts away stopping before Rhede regarding the bowing pony with a some what appraising eye.

“This is Ambassador Rhede Pelt.”

“Princess Aqua , tis a pleasure to meet you.”

“You as well Ambassador Pelt. There must be more to you than simple a simple ambassador however, the few who claim that to have visited never had the build like you display.”

“Why thank you Princess. I do try to get plenty of exercise.”

“I would expect. It does show.”

She moves away some what hesitantly, almost drifting past Bleu before she pauses as Princess Luna names the little Blue Dragon.

“This is Director Bleu Scale.”

“Nice to Meet you Princess.”

“Indeed. I was under the impression there was some sort of trouble with the dragons again Princess Luna.”

“Bleu is a special case Princess Aqua, she was part of my sisters school for gifted unicorns and is now General Kaisur's partner.”

“Ah I see.”

The Princes lifts her head regarding the last pony curiously, her eyes widening as Jer'rahd looks up to her. She ignores Bleu again moving quickly to the end of the table regarding Jer'rahd with a good bit more interest than he was really comfortable with. The others blink staring at the clear fascination Aqua has with Jer'rahd.

“Umm, This is General Jer'rahd Kaisur.”

“Princess... Aqua.”

“One of the five Generals of the Equestrian forces, and partnered with a dragonling. Quite interesting.”

She leans in rather close her emerald gaze seemingly focused on Jer'rahds. He keeps himself from leaning back, but he was getting a bit unnerved by the interest the sea pony Princess was showing to him.

“You do have such beautiful eyes General, quite exotic.”

“Um, thank you Princess.”

The sea pony Princess lingers a bit longer staring at Jer'rahd before turning to to glide back to her table. He glances to the others briefly a bit freaked out by that display. Luna's cool stare told him nothing of what she thought, Bleu's smirk told him she was highly amused by his discomfort. Starfall still seemed distracted by the noise although she did shake her head at him. Rhede was glaring daggers at Jer'rahd and Velkorn was glaring daggers at him. So he evidently was the only one who thought it odd.

The meal was served almost as soon as Princess Aqua returned to her table. It primarily consisted of some sort of kelp dish with a mixture of various fish and other marine life. Starfall and Luna seemed to balk at the meat, and even Rhede was a bit squeamish with the dish the server called shrimp. Velkorn and Jer'rahd however had primarily eaten fish while he was recovering in the Zebra lands. While it would never be his first choice in meals it was something he had gotten used to and this particular type was very well prepared. He had questioned Velkorn once on why she had no issues with killing fish , when she refused to do so to any other animal unless it was a last resort. She had said something along the lines of it was how she had been raised. She would not get into more detail than that, but then again with the language barrier between them he doubted she could elaborate much more. Of course Bleu had no issue with the meat at all.

The next dish was a little odd, and some what blubbery, a heavily spiced cube of some sort of meat, the taste of it was rather interesting though some what rough against the tongue, yet with a sweet after taste. The servants said it was one of the specialties and one of Princess Aqua's favorite dishes. Throughout the meal when she was not conversing with Luna on something Aqua's attention was either on Jer'rahd or Rhede, though when this dish was served she watched Bleu more than the others as if suddenly curious about her.

Towards the meals end,most of the dishes were pulled aside and Wetsworth brought out a rather large bottle of wine bringing it before Princess Aqua to consider.

“A good vintage Wetsworth, but no. Bring out the specialty, specificly the one from Adviser Angler's stock.”

“His stock Princess? Are you certain that is wise?”

“He will not mind, and besides I am sure my guests would enjoy the flavor, it is rather exotic. This is the only place in the world one can find sea grape wine, Princess Luna. We choose not to export it due to the difficulty of its production as well as its limited shelf life on the surface.”

She turns back to the others as Wetsworth swims off ,regarding Luna coolly.

“So then now that we have dined. What is so important that the new surface Princesses would come here to me personally? While I do enjoy the company and I love meeting such interesting ponies as you have brought with you, I feel that the real reason is something I will not like.”

“You are perhaps right Princess Aqua. It is clear you know about the situation with the dragons already.”

“I do get some news down here. I gather you have come to request the same aid of supplies and gems that you did for the first war? Along with the same trade agreement?”

“Indeed, very astute Princess Aqua.”

“Well, the return of exotic surface foods and items that we cannot acquire easily here, did make that a mutually beneficial arrangement at the time. We have a few issues here that may cause problems with that same agreement however. I will need time to consider, I have forgave your sisters prank, once I calmed down anyway, I realized she meant no harm, but it was still a insult I need to factor in. “

“I did not expect an rushed response Princess Aqua, we do have time. Not a great amount however.”

Wetworth returned carrying with him a large bottle of liquid, along with him was a sea pony cloaked heavily in the same sort of material Wetworth's suit was made of. The pair surfaced slowly by the Princess Wetworth offering the bottle for Aqua's inspection. She nods lightly and he removes the cork filling her glass before swimming over to do the same for Luna's group.

“Ah yes, honored guests this is my chief adviser, Angler.”

The cloaked figure turned to bow deeply to them all, still not seen under his hooded cloak. He lifts his head suddenly as if looking at Princess Luna before turning to Princess Aqua leaning close to the sea pony Princess muttering something in her ear fin. The Princess listens a moment her gaze turning to Luna curiously before she smiles nodding lightly.

“I see, well it is good I had other reasons for that as well.”

The cloaked figure nods as Wetsworth fills the glasses before all of them, then moved off to the side re corking the bottle.

Jer'rahd shakes his head ears flattening some, the song seemed to have gotten louder when this new pony had entered the room. He noted the look on Rhede's face, and Starfall's wince realizing they had heard it increase as well. There was no singing the words were just gibberish, but it was clearly gibbering now and not hints of words or phrases though the tune had wandered off on its own and held hints of rhythm that suddenly changed making the singing seem discordant. Velkorn and the Princess had to be hearing this by now even if Bleu did not. None of the other gave any sign of it however. He sighed glancing back up to Princess Aqua whose gaze meet his again with a rather eerie smile.

“A toast perhaps then to a swift victory in your war, and a long lasting beneficial agreement between out two races.”

Princess Luna nods smiling, evidently this was a hint of things going their way for once. They lift their glasses all taking a drink as one. Jer'rahd blinks, the smell of the wine had been sweet but there was an acidic taste to it he found a bit unpleasant, the wine was not bad otherwise though. Luna and Rhede both looked up at the Princess their eyes wide. Aqua sets her glass aside having lifted it to her lips, but evidently not taken more than a sip.

Rhede curses lightly as Bleu falls back off her chair hitting the ground with a thud. Jer'rahd blinks moving to check on her finding his body not responding the way it should and crashes to the ground as well followed by Starfall.

“What have you done Aqua.....”

“I am getting what I want Moon Goddess. And I want it all.”

Rhede falls from his chair knocking half of the table to the floor as Luna finally collapses onto the table.”

“That was a stronger version than usual Angler.”

<” I had heard the Moon Princess was here my Goddess. When your servant came requesting the wine I thought it might have been for her. So yes it was a rather potent batch. If you did not know she had the books until I sensed them on the Princess however, why did you plan to claim them, if I might ask?”>

“The General, and his pet .”

<” Oh?”>

“Of course. I have yet to sample surface dragon flesh, and the Generals eyes remind me of my first love's, I do remember him fondly. Wetsworth, put the males in the harem chamber, put the females in the mines. Be sure to mark the zebra as the first in line, I am curious as to what would be produced. Take the dragon to the kitchen and bind the Princess in the chains. Make sure she remains drugged, I do not need her powers to come back any time soon and she may slip free of her bindings.”

“As you wish.”

=============================================

Pain, an old pain, familiar, but just as unwelcome as new pain would be. A hangover, and a massive one at that. What the buck had he drunk last night... last,night...? LUNA!!

Jer'rahd bolts up, right gasping loudly and nearly collapsing back onto the bed with the sudden motion. He shuts his eyes tightly as the pain slammed into his head like a hammer on a anvil. He opens his eyes slowly looking around the half lit room. He was on some sort of large bed , the light splash of water around him causing a small shudder as he pushes himself to his hooves moving to the edge of the bed. He flattens his ears a light chiming greets him from the motion though the singing seems to be every where now, a horrendous howling scream of sound and tortured souls. The faint chiming as he moved his ears did little to diminish it and he still heard the water lapping. It was not an audible noise, this song seemed to be pumped right into his head other wise he would not be able to hear anything. Looking across the room the sheen of glass along one wall shows the light coming from there.

He puts a hoof down off the side of the bed falling forward dropping a good distance off the rise into another pool. He surfaces panting hard and spitting water and cursing, growling lightly as he stands up again the water only coming up to his chest. The sudden dunking did nothing for his temper or headache, though the shock briefly made him forget the singing. He looks out the window and at another angle of the garden from the castle. Well they had not moved from the castle anyway.

He regards his reflection a moment seeing the ridiculous get up he was in. Silver bells hung from his ear tips and drapes of silk and thin gold chain hung from his form. He winces tearing the bells free feeling the metal tear at his ears likely splitting them. The wash of pain cleared his head briefly though the salt from the water he had been soaked in stung the wounds enough to reduce the pain to a dull throb that mimicked the pounding of his head. His eyes narrow as he starts tearing the silk and chains off as well nearly choking himself as he tries to pull off one gold chain wrapped around his throat that did not seem to be going any where.

Glaring at his reflection and the dog collar like chain around his neck he growls again muttering something about damned mares and their kinks. That tirade might have continued longer if the light from outside was not suddenly cut off. He lifts his head looking at the black crystal window and the huge eye that opens in the dark mass shifting to look down at him.

“Buck this, Andre again I guess. Get your fat fishy ass out of my light and stop defying the laws of the universe something as big as you should not move so quickly or quietly. Damn giant leviathan..... thingy...”

The eye drifts up over the top of the window showing just the side of his dark form blocking all light, then that develops a split that runs along the length of his view. The line of the opening glows faintly as the titanic beast seemed to smile at him. Rows of razor sharp teeth were bared, a soft glow from Andre's mouth illuminating the pearl white teeth. Then each of the thousands of teeth developed a splitting grin of their own, opening to display their own rows of teeth in dark smiles.

Jer'rahd stumbled back eyes wide as he slips, dunking himself again and fighting to the surface eyes wild as he looks to the window seeing nothing, but the city scape again. A low groan from behind him made him whirl about nearly falling back into the water.

“Who's there!?!”

“Damn it Jer keep it down. I'm trying to recover from being poisoned here.”

“Rhede?!?”

“Yeah, or whats left of me, damn I feel like I was hit by that giant fish outside. Whats our situation?”

“Well your still in the dark and I was dressed up to look ridiculous. We are in some room or another in a different part of the castle, the singing is getting louder, and I think I am going crazy. Also I have no idea where the others are. “

“Not a good start. I need time to plan, if only we had a wagon and a holocaust cloak this would be easy.”

“A what?”

“Nothing, I still hear the singing as well.”

“It doesn't seem to be bothering you.”

“ It is , but my training helps resist stuff like this. Its some sort of mind affecting spell, try and ignore it or fight it.”

A dark form rises from the middle of the bed staggering a bit as it moves from the bed and falls with a yelp into the water just as Jer'rahd had done.

“Watch the first step.”

“I hate this place Jer.”

“Tell me about it. “

Rhede wades over to the window looking himself over apraisingly though does not do more than remove the bells from his ears with great deal more care than Jer'rahd had done.

“When I said I wanted a Harem, I meant I wanted to have one, not be in one. Could be worse, least our new owners attractive. “

“Not funny Rhede, we need to find the others and get out of here.”

“We are an unknown depth under the water, with one way up and down that we do not know how to operate. There's an army of sea ponies between us and it, we are in a castle we don't know, we have no weapons or armor. Even if we did get to the surface, we still would have four days of travel on a ship over water and the Princess here controls storms. I doubt we would last an hour on the open sea.”

“Don't sound so hopeless.”

“I am not sounding hopeless Jer, just practical. We need to find out whats going on before rushing blindly, besides being some Princesses pretty toy stallion might be fun. You should relax.”

“What!?! Have you lost your mind?”

“Actually, it seems like he might be the only sane one General. After all the ambassador seems more willing to accept his position of my new pet than you are. “

They both whip their heads to the darkness away from the window as the lights slowly click on, revealing the floating form of the Sea Pony Princess. Jer'rahd did not even hesitate his eye flaring crimson as he tries charging out of the water at her, only to be knocked back into it by Rhede. He surfaces sputtering looking at the earth pony between him and his target.

“Rhede...... what the buck.”

“I am curious at that myself ambassador. “

“Jer, Think you are trying to attack a Goddess, without weapons, magic, or any sort of plan. That's rather suicidal. Particularly with the guards surrounding us.”

Jer'rahds gaze shifts over the shadows just under the surface of the water cursing to himself for missing that though the glow from his eye does not subside.

“You have a good sense of perception ambassador, though I do question your plan.”

“No plan Princess, I just have no wish to die here, and to a lesser extent I would like my lunk of a friend to survive as well.”

“Oh, no thoughts of the others?”

“Plenty of thoughts on the others, none of them good. I am treated like crap by two of them. I get fawned over like a lost puppy by another that I have no interest in, which severely messes up any attempts to enjoy myself. And even Luna thinks me little better than a common criminal for my actions with the Order. Jer here’s the only one that even bothers to trust me. So my cousin is the only one I give a shit about. “

“Interesting. I was unaware you two were related.”

“ Mother's side, we got all the looks of course. I was put on trial by these ponies for saving their flanks. I should have done what I knew was smart and just worked to save my own ass. That would have kept me away from here too.“

“Rhede.......”

“Jer shut up a moment, I'm trying to help your sorry flank and my own and your attack first and then maybe talk approach sucks. Damn fool is too loyal, its why Celestia made him the barer of loyalty. She had some idea to make me compassion, personally I think she just needed a fill in.”

“Really I had heard one of the Generals and his companions were named Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Are you saying you were that group?”

“Six companions, Princess Luna as leader with the element of magic, I would say that is a fairly decent bit of proof I'm telling the truth. “

“So why tell me this then? Hmm?”

“Why else? To save my own flank, I have gotten fairly adept at doing that over the years. If that means turning against the ponies that don't give a shit about me anyway, oh well. On a side note Princess, you did not have to drug me to get me into your bedchambers, for that you could have just asked.”

Jer'rahd moves again charging at Rhede this time yelling out and managing to belt him across the face with a hoof before he was tackled by several guards leaping out of the water. He coughs barely managing to struggle up to the surface offering Rhede a grin that the earth pony returned before he was drug back down by the guards. Rhede was good at what he did, but a bit of proof would not hurt, he had pulled the hit some, though Rhede's jaw would clearly be sore. He just hoped his friend had a plan other than Bedding a Princess. The flaring glow of his eye likely helped the case as well, cousin and compassion indeed.

“I will see you hung for this Pelt. Do you hear me!”

“See impossible odds and still loyal to Luna, might be worth keeping alive if you can switch blind fanatical loyalty to yourself.”

“Oh do not worry ambassador, I have no plans to kill him. He reminds me completely of my first love. He was resistant as well, but he came around. As will Jer'rahd here. Angler.”

“Yes My Goddess?”

“Take him with you, do what you need, I want not a hair on him harmed. Also do not break him completely, I do not need another mindless thrall.”

“As you wish.”

“As for you ambassador, aside from your family here, where do your loyalties lie?”

“With who ever will benefit me most. Down here, that would be you Princess.”

============================================

Bleu groaned softly, one eye slowly opening. Her head felt like she had been run over by a Tank, she was dizzy and there was a searing pain in the end of her tail. She lifted her head a little feeling her arms, legs, and wings had been bound to each other leaving her trussed up like a hog. She slowly turns her head noting she was hanging upside down in what looked like a kitchen half full of water. Stoves and boiling pots were every where. A brief glance to either side of her forced her to stifle a cry. They had fins and webbed claws but on either side of her hung the bodies of dead dragons. They all hung by their tails a large hook embedded though them near the end, all of them were trussed up as she was and had likely died hanging here waiting to be eaten. She did not even have to look to realize that a hook must be the pain she felt in her tail. She heard a thunk,and turned her head to look at a sea pony off to the side with a chefs hat and a cleaver, hacking apart the corpse of another sea dragon. She watched him as he cooked the dragon. After a little bit of time she felt the bile rise in her throat again, the urge to vomit nearly over powering. The little meat cubes that were being set off to the side after being rolled in spices, were easily recognized as the ones they had been fed earlier.

======================================================

Starfall shuddered, whimpering a little her hooves pressed tight over her ears trying to make the singing go away. She and Velkorn had been taken under the city into a cavern full of dripping water. Dozens of other surface mares were here, some going through the same thing as Starfall, as if they were being driven mad by the singing. She thought she had been here for weeks, but according to the zebra they were only on their second day since stepping out of the bubble. Velkorn simply went along with what was going on, watching over Starfall, and trying to get her to calm down. They had been down here a good part of the day and both their flanks and backs were lashed with whip marks sometimes along with orders to dig for the gems faster, other times because the guards simply seemed to be bored.

Starfall's wings had been bound tightly to her sides,not as if that mattered, with the tight quarters of the mine coupled with the maddening singing , she was in no shape to even try to fly. She had no idea where the others were as only she and Velkorn had awoken in the cell and then been forced to work the mine. That had been the way the entire day went, the sea ponies had forced them all back into their cages at the end of the shift, and taken a few select ponies out, forcing or dragging them into another set of rooms. Velkorn was one of those taken away and Starfall was left alone in the cage with the song and the whimpers of the other captives. She had noted many of the other mares were clearly with foal here, and some of the ones who had been taken off to another rooms had started screaming.

===========================================================

It was dark. Not a natural darkness as she was used to. This was a magical darkness, likely one that was cast on something that bound her here. Luna frowns, her ears perked trying to catch some sound other than the rattle of the chains that held her. Her magic had been stilled as well, a bitter taste in her mouth led her to believe some sort of drug was being used. For now all she could do was bide her time and wait for something, for now there was nothing but silence.

=========================================
<“So what should we send back as proof My Queen? Perhaps Luna's crown? Or a hoof?”>

“Hmmm, what do you think pet?”

The Princess looks back to a some what disturbed looking Rhede standing back and bit behind her a chain leading from the one about his neck to her hoof. The earth pony whips his head lightly new bells jingling softly in his ears.

“Send back my cousins blade, it is exotic and rare enough that Celestia should recognize it with out trouble.”

“An idea, but no. I will keep that, I do not like the thought of something that might actually be able to harm me being in the hooves on an enemy. The skeleton armor should be sufficient.”

Princess Aqua tugs lightly on the gold chain pulling Rhede against her side. She smiles half draping herself over her pet, a tendril from her hair tracing over the earth ponies neck. The length of tentacle plays with his mane idly and leaves a wet trail across his his neck. Rhede blinks feeling her tail curl up along his underside to play with something else entirely, he keeps note of the chest Angler seals the sword and armor into trying to feign interest in the Princes' actions instead.

“So how is the General, Angler?”

<“Resistant my Goddess. He is … odd.”>

====================================================
Jer'rahd's head surfaces sending him in a coughing fit a moment as he glares at the hooded figure before spiting a mouthful of sea water in the shadow of Angler's hood.

“Thanks I needed a bath to get yer princesses stink off me.”

The hooded sea pony looks down at the unicorn strapped on his back to the rotating table and sighs. A fin grips a wheel turning it, moving the head of the half submerged table and its prisoner back into the seawater trough again. He waits a moment before flipping the table back over letting a sputtering Jer'rahd breath again.

“Bah do your worst.”

<“A very brave front you put on General. I am impressed, but you would not like my worst.”>

“Honestly I would very much like your worst. Feel free to screw up royally so I can escape. “

<“Ahh a play on words, what a clever pony.”>

“Shit!”

============================================= <“To be honest my Goddess, I really am not sure what to do with him, if you will not allow him to be harmed breaking him down will be difficult if not impossible.”>

“Use your magic then, try not to make him too docile however. I have little use for more lobotomized toys. But if it happens I suppose at least he will look good with the others.”

Rhede shivers a bit at those words not liking where this was going.

“Ooh, did I find another spot on you my pet? It is adorable how sensitive you are.”

==============================================

“Well, you really are an ugly one.”

Angler turns his head glaring at the bound pony. Black bulbous eyes bulged from a sickly green head. Where his muzzle should have been was nothing more than dozens of writhing tendrils of the same color as his head. He seemed to have no hair or ears for that mater aside from a pair of strange bumps on the side of his head. The rest of his form was still hidden in his cloak but it seemed little different than a normal sea ponies.

<”Our views of beauty differ then I believe. I for one find you quite repulsive to look at, while I have no shortage of willing maidens.”>

“More proof your society is bucked up. So back to the prep for your sponge baths again?”

<” No nothing like that for our time today.”>

The sea pony lays a fin across Jer'rahds face black eyes staring at the unicorn.

“Oh yes very tourterrrrrrrrk!!”

A sudden wave of fear washed through Jer'rahds mind yanking him away from the waking world and tossing him into a pit of black nightmares.

--------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight yelped pulling back away from the image shaking her head, her gaze shifts over the space of the spell curiously. She had not been tossed back out into her body just back into the space between. She was not sure what she had just seen, but the spell had pulled her away from Jer'rahd hard just as the formally dry unicorn had started vomiting up seawater from no where with his eyes rolled back into his head. This was bad, she pondered briefly stopping here for the night and returning to the sanity of her own world. The lavender unicorn frowns, realizing exactly how silly that sounded. She moves to look through the window with Bleu.

---------------------------------------------------------- It had to have been at least two days that she had been hanging here. Her tail had gone numb and she had blacked out at least twice, each time she woke she expected to see a cleaver descending. This latest time she was brought out of her impromptu nap by being moved. The sea pony cook had returned and had lifted her off the hook holding her. She held still, her tail screaming at her in pain, her stomach howling in protest as well. But this was the moment she had waited for. She silently thanked her parents for being a type of dragon that lived in a desert and needed very little fresh water to survive, she also offered a prayer of thanks to her dead kin that the sea pony had not noticed the bites taken from their bodies around her. She apologized to them in her mind that she needed to eat them to live for this moment. The moment where their deaths could be avenged and her next meal would come from this cook, while he was still alive.

========================================

“I shall return for you on the morrow my pet , play nice with the others here while I get my beauty sleep.”

“Of course Princess.”

The door shut with a click the sound of a thick tumbler being turned made him perk his ears briefly. He turns his head back to look at the others she mentioned. The room was filled with at least another dozen stallions, unicorns, earth ponies, and at least one pegasus. They all stared with rapt attention at the Princess and the new comer from where they were, though as soon as the door closed and the Princess was gone they seemed to lose what little sense of cohesion the sight of her brought.

One of the earth ponies simply walked in very small circles following the line of his tail as he spun about. The pegasus glides lazily around the room, striking a wall and turning to fly in another direction until he collided with another wall and so on. One of the the other ponies seemed to take notice of him, the golden coated unicorn darting over to him looking around as if terrified of everything. His light blue mane and tail seemed very well cared for even if he looked like there was no way he could do it himself. His pupils were so small as he looked around panicked that Rhede could not tell their coloration.

“You.... You need to help me … got to help..”

“Why, whats wrong?”

“Ever.... every time there's a full moon I change.... “

“Change ? Into what?”

“I … I can't say...”

“Then how am I supposed to help?”

“ OK … fine. But … but don't tell any one else....... every full moon I change …..into a pony.”

Rhede stares at the panicked stallion a moment blinking.

“You know, you are already a pony.”

“ What!? OH GODDESS NOT AGAIN AHHHHHHHHH!!”

Rhede watched as he runs off screaming, more than a few of the other ponies starting to run around with him also starting to scream for no reason. He twitches one ear drooping.

“Okaaay, I am done here.”

Rhede moves back to the door trying the handle briefly, he rattles it a bit hearing a guard from the other side yell at him to get away from the door. He smiles tilting his head a little pushing against a tooth with his tongue wincing as it pops free. After a bit of fiddling with his mouth he produces a small wire and starts on the locked door to make good his escape. One guard should not be a problem.

=======================================================

Starfall's eyes remained focused on the room Velkorn had been taken into. Panic setting in as the screams started from the other chambers. She waited expectantly to hear her friends cries and nearly screamed out as the first cry of anguish erupted from the cell. It took her a moment to realize that the scream had been from a male. She lifts her head as a sea pony guard falls out of the room screaming and thrashing, blood erupting from a section of his flesh near the base of his tail that seemed to have been ripped off. Some of the other guards rushed into the room he had come out of . Shouts and screams sounded as one of the guards came flying out smashing into the wall with a wet thud of flesh and the crunch of bone. More guards rushed forward as another body was hurled out of the room and a blood soaked zebra trotted out of the room, her muzzle dripping crimson. She turns her head spitting a long length of flesh into the water in front of the gathered guards. The group of males eyes widen at the object as it floated past.

“To sample my body might have been your wish, but this zebra will show no compassion for fish.”

The half dozen guards look around panicked as the zebra launches herself at them.

=============================================== “By Celestia's dimpled plot what did he do to you Jer?”

“Ever the eloquent one I see.”

Jer'rahd remains strapped to the table, Angler had left to recover himself leaving Jer'rahd alone reeling with the dark images that had been forced into his mind. Rhede's arrival allowed him to focus, to slip away from the madness.

“Give me a moment I will get you out of there.”

“Does she know your gone yet?”

“The princess no, why does that even matter hold on.”

“No. Get the others first.”

“What, I am already here to get you out.”

“Rhede stop. You free me they will know some one escaped. Aqua and that thing seem focused on me at the moment, go get the others and come back for me. You know I'm not the stealthy type you will do better finding them on your own.”

“That is a lousy plan.”

“Rhede do it. Or do I need to order you to do it?”

“Fine, but I do this under protest, you better not die on me.”

“I won't die from a little water. Go, head to the kitchen first, they were planing to cook Bleu.”

Rhede glances back nervously looking over Jer'rahd and the blood that seemed to have been pouring from his friends head and still caked it . Dried blood covered his ears nose and mouth some even seeming to have bled from his eyes. He hated to leave him there on the table, but he knew Jer was right. Time was not on their side.

=================================================
Bleu growls advancing on the guard, the remains of the cooks entrails still where half wrapped around her front leg where she had torn through him. Her tail screamed at her with every lash as she roared at the guard, a blast of lightning cooking him where he swam filling the hall with the scent of fried fish. Others were coming and even increasing her size as big as she could she knew it was not enough to handle very large numbers. It was time to hide for a little while before coming back out to kill more and try to find the others. She wings slowly over the water her eyes catching a patch of darkness in the water filled floor. She lands some what curious. The dragonling ducks her head under the chest deep water to look at the opening leading down into the darkness. She lifts her head back out of the water hearing voices and shouting from the kitchen behind her, and violent splashing from the tunnel ahead announced more guards that way. She sighs taking a deep breath and pushing herself into the tunnel following along the walls in the darkness before surfacing at the end with a soft gasp. The room was pitch black and uncomfortably cool. Her clawed hands slide along the waters edge finding a ledge to pull herself onto, her claws scraping lightly on the rock echo about the room.

“SO SOMEONE HAS FINALLY DECIDED TO COME TO US. IF THAT IS YOU AQUA WE WILL FEED YOU YOUR OWN TAIL FOR THIS!”

“Princess Luna?”

“.What?..... Bleu?”

=====================================================

Starfall had never seen anything like it. Velkorn had simply ripped apart everything that came after her, easily two dozen guards lie dead or dieing scattered around the room . The sea pony corpses piled up like child’s toys tossed against the walls. She had left the bodies walking over and kicking open Starfall's cage, then all the others. Starfall managed to shake off the song for a few moments to rip herself free of her bindings staring in awe at Velkorn.

“Where did you learn to do that? How?”

“While my skills have never been used so intense, I clearly know much more than defense.”

Starfall turns her head looking at the other cages that had been opened and the mares still cowering or hiding in the cells. She shakes her head not even trying to plan a way to save them, if they would not bother to save themselves they would be a liability. She looks over to the blood soaked zebra who seemed rather pensive, but had come to the same conclusion. Starfall moves over picking up a blade from one of the sea ponies wincing a little bit and dropping it her ears flattening to her head as she whimpers fighting the song again.

“I think I am not going to be any good down here Velkorn. We need to find the others and get out of here, that singing is more like screaming now......Its hard to do much of anything.”

Velkorn nods trotting towards one of the openings water kicked up before her as she enters the pool following along the corridors, with Starfall right behind.

========================================= <“Oh good you are awake again. Seems you are more than a little stubborn General. Princess Aqua is tired of waiting for you to give in.”>

“Well that's nice. You know maybe I should give it a shot, try and fall in love with her. That way when the usual pattern hits, she'll die horribly.”

<“Hmm, I suspect there was more to that than witless banter. Clearly a threat laced in there. But in any rate if you do not give in this time she simply wants your body.”>

“If I had a bit for every time I heard that I likely would have a bit or two...well if you count the ones who wanted me to BE a body. Any way before you start again you mind turning off that damn singing?”

<“Hmm oh the Shoobe? No, that was a delightful creation of mine however, It keeps the slaves in line. Only seems to work on ponies however, and thanks to the lack of effect on your cousin it seems even that might not be one hundred percent.”>

The sea pony lays his fin on Jer'rahd's forehead again his tendrils writhing in joy as Jer'rahd screams.

======================================== Luna's ears perk as she and Bleu stop at the scream echoing through the half submerged tunnels. It had taken Bleu some time to free the Princess, but once she was out the pair had made their way towards the mines. Luna had over heard Aqua give the order to take Starfall and Velkorn there before she blacked out and unlike the harem the way to the mines was clearly marked.

A loud sloshing sound from further up the tunnel and approaching them had Luna and Bleu sinking down into the water further to hide themselves as who ever it was approached. A form rounded the corner and Bleu launched herself at it her cry of rage stopping the yell and shrinking down suddenly arms warping tightly around Velkorns neck as she crashed into the zebra sending them both into the water.

Starfall peeks her head around the corner as Luna rises out of the water fanning her wings out.

“Well so much for coming to rescue you two. Where are Rhede and Jer'rahd? “

“We .. we have not seen them Princess.”

“Are you alright Starfall you do not look well?”

“Just the … singing... I can't concentrate.. hard to even walk. Least its clear why the other slaves down here are so docile.”

“We need to get out of here. Bleu let Velkorn up we need to move.”

“Are you alright Princess? Your hair looks like it did when you made the armor.”

“I have been drugged. I have no use of my magic at this time. It is coming back ,slowly as the drug fades, but that will take time we do not have. We must find Jer'rahd and Rhede.”

“Where too?”

“Though the sound was obscene, we likely should go towards that scream.”

“That is a good idea, perhaps, but your friends are not in that direction Princess Luna.”

The group whirls seeing a cowering Wetsworth looking nervously around after poking his head out of a side tunnel.

“I regret to say that I believe princess Aqua has gone too far, I am sorry I did not warn you, but she has eyes every where. I know where the General is being held and I can take you too him. Just when you go I would like to flee with you. We do not need any sort of war down here.”

Luna regards the sea pony a moment before nodding.

“Take us to him.”

==================================================

“In hindsight Princess this might not have been the best idea.”

Wetsworth had lead them through several rooms and back into the palace proper, right into a good two dozen guards with spears and a half dozen more behind them with some sort of spear guns.

“Well perhaps now that I have recaptured you the Princess will see fit to grant my request for the Zebra... I have always wanted pet.”

The guards move a bit closer stopping suddenly as a Wetsworth gurgles, a dagger sprouting from his neck, several more blades arc through the air felling the spear gun holders. Luna, Velkorn and Bleu move as soon as the archers are down ripping into the guards as more daggers strike at any openings.

As the last ambusher collapses Rhede drops out of the shadows under the strange stair case.

“Bout time I found you lot, we need to get back to Jer'rahd.”

“ Really Pelt? I thought you might like being in the harem of a Princess. “

“Luna, before this trip I have never in my life considered castrating myself. Now I need to think of reasons not to. Here these should help, I found the store room. I was in the process of bringing this stuff back to Jer when these guards showed up here and trapped me. We need to move however I don't know how much more of the torture Jer can take”

Rhede ducks back into the shadows pulling out a rather large bag. Ducking his head in and digging though it pulling out a harness of bag with the sea pony symbol for medicine on them. Velkorn grabs them immediately and starts working on the hole in Bleu's tail as Rhede dumps the rest out. A few odds and ends and a collection of bone plate fragments and a skull helm as well as The Waning Moon and Starfall's swords.

Luna stares at the collection her horn lightly glowing though seemingly causing her a good bit of effort.

“Hey you got the helm to move Princess doesn't that make you happy?”

“Bleu we are in an enemy strong hold league’s under the ocean and four days travel to the nearest safe port and a little bit of my power returning is supposed to make me happy?”

“Its a start.”

Luna finally pulls the helm over her head the rest of the armor collecting around her form with a resounding clatter. She trots over to the blade on the floor as Starfall straps her own swords to her sides.

“Are you going to be alright to use that with out your magic Princess? “

“Starfall it will take more than being with out my powers to stop me from slaughtering every sea pony we encounter from here to our escape.”

“Be careful there Luna, your starting to sound like Boss.”

“No Bleu. It is Jer'rahd that usually sounds like me. All of you guard my flank and stay out of my way. Which way to the General, Rhede?

=================================================

Blood soaked every inch of the Princess, the eye holes in the helm flared white leaving tracers as Princess Luna moved. Every sea pony slain seemed to restore her power further, her hair was almost back to the glowing night scape of stars it was usually in. Though instead of the flickering white spots of light dotting it the stars were all crimson. Bleu shivered at the sight, she lost count of how many various types of sea ponies the Princess had mowed down like a scythe through wheat. The corpses lay strewn along the path they trod, it reminded Bleu of the fields of corpses in her vision.

The Waning Moon did not hum with use as it seemed to when Jer'rahd wielded the blade, the weapon screamed, a hot rage filled cry that nearly drown out the cries of those it slew This was a side very few saw and lived to talk about, the reason Princess Luna was considered the Goddess of War and more recently of Death. Bleu was terrified of the Princess like this and the others were just as fearful.

“Shes like a Nightmare from the moon......”

Sea ponies exploded as her power flared, bodies of guards and servants splattered down the walls of corridors. The water around them was red with blood and a scarlet mist filled the air. Luna had gone beyond simply killing her foes nothing she had killed with the blade was even recognizable as what it had been before. Doors were ripped off their hinges taking sections of the wall with them or simply detonated. Starfall watched her hold back in some situations, stopping herself from breaking through parts of the wall that might open to the sea or might have hidden Jer'rahd. She was not raging out of control, and that frightened the pegasus more than if she had been berserking. Her magic gripped the last door in the hall yanking it free to crush a cowering servant with the wooden projectile before causing the wood to explode along with the corpse.

Jer'rahd remained strapped to the table, his mouth wide open and he was panting hard, his pupils were not visible with his eyes rolled back into his head. Blood oozed from his ears, eyes, and a thick trickle ran from his nose as well. He twitched occasionally,on the table, a strange green squid like pony stood over him, The creature suddenly whipped his head up pulling his fin away from the unicorn. Its head back black orbs seemed to focus on the armored form of the Princess.

<”What? Who are you!?!”>

Luna took in the entire scene and growled deeply.

“OUR NAME IS PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA. YOU HAVE HARMED OUR FRIENDS, PREPARE TO DIE.”

She did not wait for his response The Waning Moon tore through the cloaked form repeatedly, bits of the screaming creature flew off in random directions before the sword made the cut that ended the creatures life, soaking the entire room in a foul black blood.

Velkorn rushes past as the creature falls, the others slip into the room as well looking it over as Velkorn frees and tries to check on Jer'rahd. She looks at the others shaking her head a bit.

“There is nothing wrong with him I can see, This might not be the job for me.”

Bleu rummages through the contents of the room trying hard not to panic at Jer'rahd's state. She blinks spotting his uniform and the necklace with the sword shard on it. She grabs both considers and just takes the necklace before continuing to dig through everything hoping to find something in the strange lab that could be used to help Jer'rahd. Rhede dug through some of the other cabinets almost as franticly as Bleu , while Velkorn helped Starfall Pick the comatose pony up to carry him.

Starfall still could not fight and walking was becoming a strain with the song, but damned if she was not going to be at least useful for something. Rhede had promised to train her in what he knew later, once they made it out of this place. Luna waited at the door glancing back as something went flying from the little dragon striking the door. She regarded the heavy black ball a moment before realizing what it was.

“Velkorn here.”

She floated the object over to the Zebra who regarded it curiously.

“Put this in your bag and keep it safe. If we survive this I will need it later. We should move now and try and get to the bubble. Do you have the General well enough Commander?”

“Yes Princess. At least I can do this right....”

“Then we move.”

The group darted down another corridor just as a burst of energy ripped apart the room before them blasting a hole in the wall. Bleu glanced in noting it was the guest quarters they had been given at first. Another bolt of energy arched around the corner forcing all of them into the hole made by the first. The explosion behind them tore apart the rest of the wall that they ran through. The room was lit by the city from out side the massive windows.

Another bolt of energy struck just inside the room shattering the floor dropping half of what they group stood on into the water. Electricity danced along the surface of the water as Princess Aqua appeared flanked by a good dozen or so octoponies dressed as Angler had been, along with a few dozen sea pony guards. A glance out of the window showered easily another battalion of sea ponies outside along with the slowly approaching form of the leviathan, Andre.

The room filled with standard guards, all moving to surround the group perched on the decaying ledge over the water. Starfall slid Jer'rahd from her back, drawing her blades planing to defend herself as best she could. A soft groan came from the lowered from of the unicorn as the water lapped over the surface they were standing on splashing against him.

“Did you really think it would be that easy Princess?”

“For a moment there, yes I kind of did.”

“You have caused a great deal of trouble, I think I will follow my late advisers advice and send back one of your body parts in demand for those books.”

“How do you know about those?”

“Angler could feel the effects of them on you Princess. Me, I just wanted your companions particularly the General. You can keep the ambassador though, while fun he gave threw away his chance by helping you.”

Jer'rahd stirred, his head lifting and eyes opening, facing towards the glass and the open sea. The splash of water against his side forced a deep breath from the unicorn, his eyes widening, pupils nearly invisible as he stared out into the darkness and water beyond that glass.

Then he started screaming and back peddling furiously. Starfall tackled him before he fell into the water holding him in place. This only seemed to make the terror filled shriek worse as his green eye flared brightly, horn following suit, shields began forming at random while he fought against Starfall, items in the room began flying about as his magic gripped them and flung. Guards were yanked out of the water and sent across the room to impact each other and the walls. Most of the objects thrown, hit a shield or a wall near by, but a great many of them smashed into the glass as Jer'rahd continued to have some sort of seizure like panic attack, frothing at the mouth as he screamed. The crystal window starts developing cracks along it as more things are slammed into the glass. The Guards and Aqua stare a moment at the display trying to dodge the flying objects. Velkorn darts over striking a few spots on the unicorn knocking him out, but the damage had been done. The cracks spread all along the crystal, water starting to pour in through rents in the window.

Everyone in the rooms eyes widen as the cracking gets louder.

“Buck us...”

Luna's horn flashes brightly as the crystal shatters, the six of them vanishing with a pop as the water smashes into the room.

======================================================== A loud popping sound and some cries echo across the deck as they appear on the surface crashing down on the Princess Bride. Starfall groans and rises to her hooves, first looking around and then up at the clear night sky. Menacing clouds start forming, drawing closer as she watches. Luna winces pushing herself to her hooves as well making a beeline for the bridge as several of the crew appear to find out what is happening.

“Captain Foam. We need to get out of here now.”

“Nice to see you made it Princess Luna......... “

Luna's eyes narrow at the Captain and the First Mate's rather dour expressions as they stare at her.

“Do not tell me you two.......”

“Work for Princess Aqua? Pretty much. If we try to help you we will never be able to take to the sea again.”

“So you will turn us back over to the witch?”

The Captain ignores the glare the Princess gave her and sighs, the first mate resting a hoof on her shoulder as the sea pony looks up at the blood soaked Princess.

“No Princess, I just want to make it clear what we are giving up to aid you. This will be the last time any of us will ever be able to take to the water. The crew of this ship have not forgotten who brought us all together.“

The Captain grins suddenly and with more than a slight bit of madness in her eyes.

“Lets make this one hell of a last trip. Get me engineering on the com ensign. MR. SCOT!!”

“Aye Captain?”

“I want full power to the engines now, full burn I want us out of here yesterday.”

“Engines running cold at the moment sir. Might take a few...

“No time Scot get us out of here or we all die.”

“Oh well, that's enough drama for me then. FIRE IT UP COLTS!!!”

The whole ship suddenly rumbles the engine roaring to life louder than it had been on the trip to Nieghlantis.

“Mr. Scot did you use the grog as an engine starter again?”

“Aye Captain. She's running pretty now, nothing like a wee bit of good booze tah get yah running full tilt first thing in tha morning. Though if we dun make it I just would like to say I think your a bleeding idiot, pleasure serving with you.”

“I should lock you in the brig for that Scot. TAKE US AROUND ENSIGN. “

“Well At least then I could sleep of this current state of being a wee bit blitzed. “

“Com on full ensign, THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING, AS OF THIS MOMENT ALL WATERS HAVE NOW BECOME HOSTILE. YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOU WISH TO COME ALONG GET TO YOUR BATTLE STATIONS. IF YOU WISH TO SERVE PRINCESS AQUA GET OFF MY SHIP NOW. YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE!!”

“Like hells.”
“Forget the sea witch.”
“Lets do this thing Captain!”
“Woot!”

“Shall we then Love?”

“Of course Rip,FULL SPEED ENSIGN!!”

The ship lurched suddenly spinning about and ripping free of the moorings on the island as the first bolts of lightning across across the sky the clear night slowly being swallowed up in the encroaching storm. Luna darts back out onto the deck as Velkorn and Bones drag Jer'rahd back inside with the help of Rhede. She glances around a moment as a bolt of lightning strikes the deck hitting Bleu dead on.

“BLEU!!”

The little dragon stands there a moment the deck chard around her form blinking confused at just what happened when another bolt of energy strikes her. She blinks again her eyes getting wide a maniacal grin appearing on her face.

“Oh,wow, by the stars if this is what sex feels like then no wonder Rhede's always after it!!”

She lifts her head as another bolt strikes the largest steam tower. She tears off rapidly perching herself on the tower her spines starting to crackle with the energy.

“HIT ME AGAIN!!”

Luna blinks as another few bolts of energy strike the dragon atop the steam tower and the lightning wielding dragon soaks them all up. After a few more strikes the little dragon was practically glowing with the built up energy. She grew larger wings and head lifted towards the storm as her claws dug into the tower, the bolts suddenly increased firing like strobe lights down into the dragon. Luna briefly wonders if that really could be good for her.

Starfall had moved off to the side as the first mate galloped outside onto the deck to make sure everything was ready for the storm. The waves started picking up and a form rose from the water behind the ship. Princess Aqua had started following them. Her eyes flare with brilliant blue as the waves increase and crash against the Princess Bride. The dark shape of her behemoth rose up from the depths under her. The waves toss the ship about as the rain starts drenching everything on the ship still out side. The Princess glares across the expanse of water at Aqua waiting for the sea pony princess to make her next move. A strong wind slams into the front of the ship slowing the Princess Bride further.

“Oh buck we need to go faster.”

“No shit, you don't like our speed miss get out and push.”

“That...... that's not a bad idea actually.”

“Wait! What are you crazy mare?!?!”

“No the song stopped I’m better now.”

Starfall rockets into the sky spiraling around the lightning her silver form lights up with each bolt as she pushes into the clouds.

“What the heck is that crazy pegasus doing.”

“I know what she is doing Tide. Inform the crew to brace for impact.

“Impact what …. yes Princess. “

“BLEU MAKE SURE YOUR GRIP IS TIGHT ON THAT TOWER.”

“BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHA THIS IS BETTER THAN BOOZE!!”

“BLEU!”

“NO PROBLEM PRINCESS THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!”

Luna's gaze returned to Aqua as the first blast of arcane energy rocketed towards the ship. She fired a shot of her own causing the blast to explode before it reached the ship, though the impact of the two sent the craft jumping forward .

“TIDE TAKE THE HELM, EVASIVE MANEUVERS TAKE US INTO THE WAVES.”

“AYE CAPTAIN!”

Another blast of energy sent the ship forward with a lurch as Luna caused it to explode. The craft went airborne a moment running up the side of a wave soaring into the air. The insane laughter of a supercharged blue dragon clinging tallest steam stack made this whole thing even more surreal. A roar echoed across the water as the leviathan surged forward charging the ship while Aqua stayed with the casters who had just joined her. The energy blasts stopped as Aqua let her pet charge ahead.

The sea suddenly lit up as the cloud cover was vaporized by a glimmering silver form seeming to fall out of the full moon. A sudden explosion of noise echoed across the water as a bright ring of color spread from the falling form. The rainbow of light caught in the raindrops sending reflections of multicolored lights dancing across the sky as far as the eye could see in all directions, the dark water flashed the rainbow back into the sky as Starfall came down.

Those on the ship watched the display in awe as the silver form of the pegasus started so spiral down as she approached the waters surface the water and rainbow around her spinning as well creating a vortex in the sky above her that drew the colors back into her decent. At first it seemed the silver streak was aiming for the ship though that rapidly changed course slamming into the head of the huge whale like creature. The rainbow colored explosion erupting into the air tore apart the cyclone of rainbow light and rain. Suddenly the beast screamed as great chunks of its flesh started raining down into the ocean and on the ships deck, and the rain turned to hot crimson blood.

Bleu lept off the mast her form flickering as she bolted across the sky towards the beast diving into the hole Starfall had created the energy pouring off her her charring the inside of the creature as she discharged all the current she could. The lightning flared brilliantly a moment causing the massive thing to twitch and begin to sink before the light went out.

A moment later Bleu burst up from the water near the ship carrying a unconscious Starfall. She took off into the air from the water barely managing to make it to the deck with the pegasus crashing hard on the deck next to Luna.

Luna's eyes remained closed as her head and wings were lifted skyward, the burst of energy from the sonic rainbow all but absorbed by the Princess who was now bathing in the glow of her chosen celestial body. The beams of moon light seemed to crackle around the armored Princess.

“Water, wet, known place,....... ahhh yes there. WE WILL RETURN FOR YOUR HEAD PRINCESS AQUA! THIS WE PROMISE YOU!”

Luna's horn flashed brilliantly, the flash likely seen even on the shore, four days travel away. She released all the energy in one burst the explosion of light encompassing the whole ship and a good portion of the sea before it faded out, leaving a hole in the water where the ship had been.

==================================================

The loud rush of air and objects starting to float in the air as the ship fell, gave Rhede the warning he needed to brace himself. The impact sent every one else in the medical bay tot he floor save Jer'rahd who had been strapped to a bed in case he woke in a panic again. The ship lurched forward being flung into the air again listing hard to one side. Rhede moved the lurch leaping between Velkorn and the wall letting the zebra hit him instead of the bulkhead. Doctor Tofu was much luckier as he some how managed to hit his bed rather than the wall

Bleu sunk her claws into the deck as the ship pitched her tail wrapped around Starfall to keep the unconscious mare from being flung over the side as they landed. She whipped her head out, teeth clamping on Princess Luna's tail as she collapsed, saving her from going over as well. The initial impact suddenly flung the ship back into the air as the water buoyed the massive craft.

A few of the ships ponies were flung over board on the second bounce and the hull screamed in protest as the ship landed once more sending a shower of salt water into the air. A few more violent bobs and the whole ship starting to list to one side, the slow tilt to the side marked an end to the trip.

Bleu lifts up looking around as the ship gently bobs in the middle of more water. She shifts her gaze about spotting a large island not far from the boat. Starfall groans as Luna pushes herself to her hooves her mane remaining normal even though the clear night shown the moon down on her now.

“What just happened Princess?”

“I took us some where safe. “

“LAND HO!!”

“SCOT GET THE ENGINES BACK ON LINE AS BEST YOU CAN ALL SEA PONIES OFF THE SHIP FIND THE ONES THROWN OVER BOARD AND IF SCOT CAN'T GET THE ENGINE GOING READY THE TOW ROPES.”

The Captain moves herself to the edge of the deck leaping off to aid in the rescue attempts as First mate Tide hobbles over, his back leg kept off the deck.

“While I admit that was the most amazing thing I have ever seen Princess Luna... where did you take us?”

“The only place I could think of with enough water to support this ship that I was familiar with. The Great Hooper Sea.”

Bleu looks back at the groggy Starfall and spits a bit of lightning having not felt better or this hyper in years.

“So then, should we count help in the war from Princess Aqua as a maybe then?”

Starfall glares at the grinning blue dragon and belts the her upside the back of the head with a wing.

Twilight pulls back from the blade blinking and whipping her head. She had not expected anything like that to happen. She never had seen a sea pony before either and to find most were evil? She shivers a bit having heard the song they spoke of in bits and pieces before the spell sealed it away from her. She looked around a moment the house feeling a bit creeped out by how silent it was. She turns spotting a open scroll on the couch. Trotting over to it her eyes narrow as she reads it before groaning in annoyance.

Dear Twilight.

I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself, I'll fix the door later I suppose I am off to wait in line all night for another jar or two of granny smiths jam. Hopefully there will still be some left. Sorry.

Spike

=============================================
Song is Girl in the sea, by No more Kings

Flakes of Obsidian

Flakes of Obsidian

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Flakes of Obsidian

“She threw me out Spike. Just shoved me right out the door when I came to offer help.”

“Uh huh...”

“I mean we even rushed through the reports report just so I could go over an help her with the Cake's foals. “

“Yeah I know Twilight you've been going on about this for an hour now. You think you might have said something to her that she too offense to. “

“I went in and said I would help her babysit. I mean she had a diaper on her head when I trotted in Spike.”

“Think she might have been wearing it just to entertain the foals?”

“With her its hard to tell, I mean Pinkies so random there’s no way she could be responsible enough to take care of them.”

“And that right there is likely why she pushed you out.”

“What?”

“You don't believe she can be responsible enough to take care of them because of how you see her. There's a lot more to Pinkie Pie than every pony seems to think.”

“And how would you know that Spike?”

“Who do you think I hang out with most of the time when I go out? Rarity is usually busy and the last time I tried to deal with Scootaloo, Sweetiebelle and Applebloom they tried to get dragon slayer cutie marks. And let me tell you, those were some really bad jokes. Not even close to slaying me.”

“That I did not know.”

“I didn't figure you did, most ponies just see her as the goofy party pony..”

“And how did you manage to get so smart all the sudden?”

“Heh, I was raised by a very smart mare who occasionally does stupid things.”

“Fine.... I'll go over and apologize to her, tomorrow, I doubt she would want anything more to do with me tonight.”

“Most likely, I would not worry too much though, Pinkie does tend to forgive fairly quickly.”

“Say Spike do you know what shes watching over?”

“No, and I know better to ask, though it seems what ever it was I managed to steal it when I lost control a while back. I still feel bad about that. “

“Seems the one who raised you isn't the only one who does dumb things.”

“Yeah, yeah. So are you going to stand around moping all night, or use the time to finish up with that blade? That thing still creeps me out.”

“Sounds like a plan, its not like I have anything else to do tonight. You just going to sit there and read?”

“Yup, picked up this new book.”

“Oh Whats it called?”

“The Argonion maid.”

“Not heard of that one, I might have to borrow it later.”

“Not sure you would like it. It's high fantasy fiction. I know you prefer books that let you learn something.”

“Not always, but any way I should start. I did leave off in a rather interesting spot. “

Twilight leaves Spike to his book, wondering why he suddenly had interest in reading, and a book she had never heard of either. No matter, it was nice to see him reading and he was right about Pinkie, she felt rather bad about how she reacted now and really needed to remember to apologize. Twilight sighs , casting the spell, it had gotten much easier lately , she did not even have to go back to check the scroll any more. She opens her eyes once again drifting in the space between the windows and her body. She shifts her gaze around the expanse of stars. Nothing had changed, nothing was explained, though the golden star had returned with the other five in the distance they still had not moved or done anything. She shakes her head turning to the windows and slipping into the closest.

“I really do not think this is a good idea Princess. We are in no shape to continue this quest.”

The soft creak of wagon wheels punctuates Rhede's words as he hobbles along hitched to it. Velkorn trots beside of him keeping an eye on the bandages along his back and side. When he was thrown into the bulkhead as the ship landed he had crashed into Doctor Tofu's surgery kit, Velkorn and the doctor had spent the better part on an hour pulling the steel instruments from his back and shoulders. Velkorn had not received any injury’s and the doctor only had a bump on his head when he fell off the bed.

Starfall trudged beside the cart half asleep her wings twitching a bit as she drug along occasionally glancing at the cart or up at Princess Luna at the lead of the sad little party. Luna herself marched ahead of them still wearing the bone armor, her normal hair fluttering down her back, power not having returned enough to even muster the energy to remove the helm. Bleu had been up for three days straight after their escape and had been tearing around like a foal on a sugar rush, finally right before they were to leave the ship simply fell over asleep. It had been more than a day already and she had still not woken up.

The problem that weighed heaviest on their minds however was the pony under the blanket in the back of the cart. He had woken up the following day after they had arrived at the Hooper sea. And the only reason they knew he had woken up was because his eyes were open. He did not respond to anything said to him or to anything done to him. Both Doctor Tofu and Velkorn could find nothing physically wrong with him. The only reactions they got from him was when Rhede being sarcastic shouted an order while talking like a drill sergeant, and Jer'rahd complied. The other reaction was when they finally got him out of the sick bay and were taking him to shore he suddenly freaked out and took off running across the plains away from the ship. Starfall flew after him and found he simply stopped and sat down once he was out of site of the ship. She tried bringing him back finding he would only get within sight of the ship before turning to run again.

Where ever Jer'rahd was, it was not in his head. They were still not entirely certain what had triggered his freak out in Neighlantis, or what had caused him to flee the ship, but Velkorn was ready to knock him out if it happened again.

The Princess Bride was in bad shape. The teleportation and crash landing on the waters surface had ruptured steam pipes and cracked the hull in multiple places. Only due to Scot and the engineering team were they even to make it to shore at all. Captain Foam opted to run the ship aground on the beach to prevent her sinking. Waiting for high tide the great ship was run aground and braced up with so as not to fall over when the tide went out. Contact was made with a small village nearby to trade for supplies and send a message to Canterlot. Rhede came though unexpectedly by paying for most of the repairs with items he had taken from Neighlantis while looking for the others. There was a bit of worry about Aqua following them before Luna informed the crew that The Great Hooper Sea was not connected to the oceans at all, though it was large enough that once the ship was repaired a trade route could easily be set up with the villages along the shores.

Likely the group could have stayed to help more, but Luna was insistent they continue the mission as they were running out of time. Evidently they were much closer to the buffalo lands here, and she had hope that one of their healers might be able to do something for Jer'rahd. Rhede was not so optimistic, of course he was also blaming himself for their current state no matter what the others told him.

“Are you going to start this argument again Pelt? I hope you have thought of something new because hearing the same whining for the last day and a half of travel is getting old.”

“Its not whining. If I was whining it would be higher pitched and less comprehensible, I am complaining.”

“You're bitching.”

“Thank you Starfall that is such a better term then what I was using.”

“Happy to help expand your vocabulary Rhede.”

“Seriously though Jer'rahd is, hells more than that, none of us are in any shape to continue. We should return to Canterlot, get ourselves sorted or at least healed before continuing. I'm hurt, your powers are gone, Starfall's still recovering from a mind screw, Jer's a mess, and I don't even know what the heck is wrong with Bleu.”

“The dragonling overdosed on power, though her acts defended that tower.”

“Great so now we have a overdose case as well.”

“Honestly Pelt, it is not like you to be this moody. Are you still beating yourself up over what happened.”

This comment brought a impressive string of expletives from the earth pony coupled with the same thing he had been yelling at himself about since they had found out about Jer'rahd's condition.

“He was right there, RIGHT THERE, and I could have freed him. Right there in front of me, I was in the same room, I had my hoof on the strap to let him up.”

“And he stopped you and told you to find us. If you had not done that, the servant and those guards would have stopped us there. Because you did leave him we all managed to escape. The General is not powerless, even when unarmed, but even he would not have stood up as well against so many, and he is not the sneaky type, he would have been a hindrance to you if he came along.”

“Does it look like he really escaped?”

“Rhede if you continue this I will have Velkorn knock you out and I will pull the cart. With your injuries you should not be doing that any way.”

“I'll be fine.”

“Then shut up.”

The group continues on the only sounds, the fall of hooves,the creek of the wheels, and the snores of a small dragon.

=================================================

As the sun was setting they finally came across signs of the buffalo herd. Massive sections of trampled grass and small scrubs left a clearly visible trail towards a the start of a mountain range at the edge of the plains. Small plumes of smoke rose in the distance from what might be a village of strange triangle shaped buildings. The ground around them started to become more rocky as they traveled hills and rises dotting the area.

“I gather that’s the place Princess?”

“It is, at least for this time of the year. The Buffalo are nomadic with the seasons being how they tell where to go next. Finding them sometimes is the hardest part of making contact.”

“That is because we do not like visitors in our lands ponies.”

Luna turns looking up at a large form on a rise nearby. The sun was setting behind the figure masking his features though with his size and outline, it was quit clear he was a buffalo. Several other shapes of the same size and a bit larger moved up to stand next to him looking down at the group. Luna counted at least ten forms visible.

“You should leave now while my mood is still good strangers. You are not welcome here.”

“I have come to speak with General Three Bear.”

“Chief Three Bear has nothing to say to you mare. Begone.”

The lead buffalo seemed content with what he said but there was a bit of muttering behind him from the others. Another voice spoke up this one female, the lead shadow whirled around looking at the one behind him who spoke.

“And for what purpose do you seek him?”

“Many reasons the foremost being the safety of your lands and Equestria as a whole. Inform him Princess Luna is here to speak with him.”

That got even more hushed whispers from the figures on the ridge. The female voice spoke again.

“Coyote run and tell the chief what she said. “

One of the Buffalo nods darting off with a thundering of hooves across the plains towards the camp.

“And what happened to following what I say Mesa?”

“I said you could lead the hunt unless you were going to do something stupid. If this is the Princess of ponies, doing anything other than what she says would be stupid Proud Tail.”

“It is some mare dressed in bones, she leads a group of injured and a zebra.”

“There is also another pony under the blanket in the back, along with a thunder lizard. You still miss the details young one. Her cutie mark is shown and it is the same as the mark we know belongs to the Princess of battle. Her manner of dress and the state of her companions mean little in the face of this, though if they are in this bad of shape something must have happened.”

“All the more reason we should just drive them off while they are weaAHHhh!!””

The Buffalo might have continued the rant, but a sudden head butt sent him back over the edge of the ridge to crash into a heap on the ground before the group. The large buffalo gets up and starts shouting curses at the figure on the ridge as the others who were with him start snickering.

“Watch your tongue Proudtail. You may be son of the Chief, but I will not stand for that sort of language on on of my hunts.”

The male was clearly young, his horns were little more than nubs and his features lacked the craggy solid nature of other males of his kind. Even with his young age he still dwarfed the ponies. The female that leaped down after him, and had thrown him off the edge, was much thinner with only small horns herself, though she seemed a great deal older than the one who had crash landed. She moves over to the group of ponies ignoring Proudtail, her tan furred form standing out against the darker brown of the males.

“I am Mesa and this young one is Proud Tail. What brings you to this place ruler of ponies?”

“That is something I need to discuss with General Three Bear, I mean no offense at saying such, but I would prefer as few know about the why as possible.”

Mesa nods lightly, the thunder of hooves drawing her attention back towards the camp. The buffalo named Coyote thunders back across the plains not even out of breath from the run.

“Chief Three Bear bids you welcome Princess of Night and asks that we escort you into camp to meet him.”

“You heard him. Coyote take over for the stallion pulling the cart he looks injured. “

“I'm fine.”

Velkorn glares at him and Rhede turns returning the look with just as much venom as the zebra gave.

“Not a damn one of you listens to your doc, fine do whatever, go ahead and walk.”

Velkorn storms off leaving Rhede hitched to the cart with Coyote walking along beside him as the others gallop ahead with the buffalo

“You should not anger your mate like that pony.”

“She is not my mate.”

“Really? Rather cute, I don't suppose....”

“NO.”

=================================================

Chief Three Bear stares at Princess Luna, Princess Luna stares back at Chief Three Bear. Starfall however would have liked very much to beat her head against a wall rather than stand in front of the large open tent the two were meeting in.

“You have ummm aged well Princess.”
“Did you get bigger General?”

The massive white Buffalo looks down at the armored Princess, as she stares up at the massive form of the Chief. Starfall knew the Princess had gotten smaller with her lack of power, but she was tiny compared to this Buffalo. Great black horns sprouted from his head, multicolored feathers decorated a headdress that rested on his head, the band just above his red hued eyes. The pegasus looks around noting that the chiefs white coat was not mimicked any where else in the tribe, nor was his massive size, and these creatures were gigantic.

The Princess and the Chief had not said much of anything to each other save those words,it was as if neither of them was willing to break the silence, or at the very least, neither quite knew what to say. Starfall's ears perk up as the creak of the wagon wheels was finally heard along with the panting breathing of Rhede.

“So .. many … steps.....”

“I told you I could help...”

“I said I got it … Coyote right?.... Thanks for the assist with that hill though thought I lost it.......”

“MMMM. I think you should be on the cart instead of pulling it pony.”

“I've been getting that all day.”

The chief looks up at the noise as the Princess glances back.

“And here is one of our larger problems as a group General. Pelt bring the cart over here.”

“.......... fine......”

The injured earth pony moves the cart along towards the tent as the White Buffalo and Luna rose to their hooves. Velkorn was taking everything in as she usually did, and Starfall was simply watching for possibly threats. Three Bear lifts his head nodding to an older buffalo dressed in what looked to be bones and a multitude of feathers.

The buffalo cow approaches the wagon pausing to look over Rhede and his bandages. Velkorn perks her ears watching the examination until the Cow nods and moves on to the cart. She breaths in sharply spotting the little dragon curled up in the back, snoring loudly.

“A thunder lizard. We have not seen one of those in a long time.”

Rhede looks back at the older buffalo curiously, Starfall started paying at bit more attention as well at the odd name for the little dragon. .

“What Bleu? She's Jer's partner, just a dragonling from Celestia's school.”

“That may be what she is and where she is from, but there is no such thing as JUST a dragon. Your companion here is native to the plains and deserts of these lands. Her kind plagued us greatly during the first war. They were great and terrible fighters, though honorable ones. Many buffalo died at their claws and storm breath.

“That only half describes Bleu. Besides if they were a terror why would you be interested in seeing one?”

The buffalo ignores Rhede, moving to lift the blanket with a hoof taking a look at the sitting form of Jer'rahd as he stares into space, his hair and ears drooped having been pressed down by the blanket.

“What are his troubles?”

“His body is healthy and healed, but his mind from it, has been sealed.”

The Buffalo nods pulling the blanket back over him and wandering off into the crowd muttering to herself. Velkorn glances to the Princess and Starfall before heading off after her.

“Who might I ask was that general?”

“That is Raven Claw the tribes shaman. If your companion can be helped here, she will know soon . Now then in your current states you cannot be here for a visit. Why have you come seeking me Moon Princess. “

“The dragons are again attacking Equestria.”

“You wish my tribes to aid again with defending the land.”

“Yes.”

“Then I will tell you now that our answer is No.”

“Your oath General.”

“That applies only to me Princess and I will abide by it, I return when I called upon. My tribe suffered as much as yours did in the first war. We already were small in number then and the war took more than we should have lost. My father spent years trying to bring us back from destruction. He made me promise to never again get them involved in a conflict like that again. Your tribe might have recovered, mine has not done as well. We compete on these plains with many other creatures. This is not as easy of a life as you have with your lands Princess. But this is our way. Your aid in the past ensured that sickness and starvation did not destroy us. For that I am grateful, but I cannot pledge what few of the tribes remain to another war. We would not survive losses like that again.”

“I will accept that. I will not demand aid from you even though it is within my rights. I came to simply ask for your aid and I will be glad for even just your help General.”

“I am a Royal Guard Princess Luna. Even the oath to my people must take second place to a promise made in my youth.”

====================================================

Velkorn pauses outside of the tent hearing the Buffalo shaman moving around in side muttering to herself. She ponders a moment wondering how best to approach the Buffalo when the cow's voice calls out from inside the tent.

“If your going to be waiting around for me at least come inside to help me with this zebra.”

Velkorn blinks pushing in side the tent as the shaman was putting smoking incense sticks into her hair. She stretches a bit trying to place a few along her back more before Velkorn helps her out trying not to breath too deeply of the smoke.

“A scrying rite, what is it you hope to see with second sight?”

“Familiar with this sort of thing I gather? I have heard a great many things about your own cultures rites and ceremonies. Most I am sure is just rumor, though you do recognize what I am doing, perhaps there is some truth to the idea that your people are practitioners of darker arts?”

“The Zebra do not use simple magic, we found the results of overuse most tragic.”

“I see, well. What can I do for you then? Thinking to sit in and help with the divination?”

“My skill in healing, I am told is quite good, though I paid not as much attention to scrying as I likely should.”

“Always good to specialize I suppose. At any rate the Chief is waiting for my vision what is it you need, I must start this to find if we can be of aid to your Princess.”

“Learning other ways to heal is a bit of a hobby of mine, I would like to learn a bit from you perhaps when we have more time.”

“Hmm, yes with the ones you travel with I can see how that might be a good hobby. I am afraid with my current student I would not have the time to pass on much information myself. However....”

The Shaman lifts a hoof pointing to a small stack of books on one of the tables in her tent.

“As part of the practice I have my students copy those books several times so that the knowledge of herbs and lore is seared into their brains. You may take one if you wish, There is nothing complex about any thing in them and nothing involving out rites. There is quite a bit of herb lore and mixtures which might be more of your speed Zebra.”

“I cannot wait to have a look, Thank you greatly for the book.”

“It is not any trouble, do enjoy it a gift from one healer to another.”

Velkorn nods taking the book and slipping it into a saddlebag before lightly stepping back out of the tent. She waits a moment until the chanting starts before heading back to where the others were. This book coupled with what Dr. Tofu had given her as well as what she had learned first hoof about sea pony anatomy were unexpected boons. Perhaps she should compile all she learned in her own books. Some one in the future would likely make great use of the information.

Velkorn wanders back to the tent pausing to look over a slumped and still panting Rhede. The Princess and the White buffalo were still where they were when she left. A glance over to Starfall showed the levels of boredom on the Pegasus' face that likely meant they had not even talked since she had been gone. Luna suddenly breaks the silence looking up at the Chief.

“I would ask one more thing of you General.”

“I some how doubt that you will only ask one more thing Princess, but at least your requests tend to have purpose, unlike your sisters banter.”

“If your medicine cow can help him, I would ask that you take care of General Kaisur while I complete my mission. I do not have time to return to Canterlot with him.”

“If we can help him, we will do so. If we cannot, I will bring him with me when I go to there. You can continue your quest for aid without worry Princess.”

“Thank you General. We are unable to stay long, I wished that Bleu had woken before then, but we may need to leave her as well.”

“That will be a slightly larger problem due to the reaction of my people to the thunder lizard. Though I suppose we shall find out. What have you seen Shaman?”

Raven Claw took that moment to trot back up to the tent. She nods lightly to Velkorn in passing before settling onto her haunches facing the Chief and Moon Goddess. Smoke slowly drifted up from her fur still and the scent of cloves hung heavily in the air around her.

“His staying here will help him, though I cannot say how, when the Chief leaves for The pony city the unicorn will accompany him of his own power.”

“Did you see anything on the thunder lizard?”

“Just that she shall wake soon and it would be best for us to present her with gemstones and barrels of firewater when she does. She is growing strangely. Has the thunder lizard encountered anything odd lately Moon Goddess?”

“Everything we did over the last week counts as strange.”

“Quiet Commander. She absorbed countless bolts of lightning to protect the craft we were on from being damaged or destroyed. That is the only thing I can directly think of recently. She spent the next few days without sleep and was overly active. Then at one point she simply fell asleep were she stood.”

“She ate the thunderbolts? Yes that would do it. Her kind thrive with that sort of power in them, just as the salamanders thrive in fire, and the venom drinkers in their poison. If she absorbed enough I can see how that might speed her growth. She is connected to the pony under the blanket I gather? While we prepare for her waking the pony should be moved to a tent.”

“He still follows simple commands if they are ordered to him. Oddly it only works when you call him by rank of General. He makes no motions or actions on his own that we have seen, it is like he has become a clockwork horse. The only exception to this, is twice now he has gone through some sort of panic attack. Once before we fled Neighlantis and once more when we left the ship.”

“Hmm. Something to take note of. It shall be easy enough to do however. Though if the thunder lizard and the pony are connected it will be your task to convince her to go with you. The dragons presence here will be a hindrance.

“So you can cure him?”

“Perhaps .”

“How?”

“That was not told to me.”

Luna stares blankly at the Buffalo cow, looking even more confused.

“Do not let Raven Claw's cryptic speech confuse you Princess, she is the tribes best shaman, though she is an accomplished seer as well. If she says he can be helped here, he can be. For now we shall make preparations for you to stay this evening and to deal with the thunder lizard when she wakes.”

“I thank you General, Shaman.”

================================

Luna had expected this reaction, but the venom attached still surprised her. Velkorn and Starfall were out watching over Bleu helping the Buffalo gather gems and roll barrels of their firewater near the cart. Jer'rahd had been moved to a medical tent with no signs of change. Rhede unfortunately was here in the tent with her.

“So wait we are just going to leave him here?”

“Yes.”

“That's crazy Princess, can we even trust them? After what happened with Aqua...”

“Ambassador Pelt you will calm down and listen to me. General Kaisur is safer here than he will be with us. I never had any doubt about what the buffalo would do. I never expected more help than just from General Three Bear. That they are willing and able to help Jer'rahd, as well as Bleu should speak volumes about whether we can trust them or not. It was well within their right to simply turn us away. Canterlot is too far to travel right now and still manage hat we need to do before spring. We are closer to the lands of the Elk than Canterlot, and once we reach the Elklands we will be closer to the Wiendigo than we would be any where else. We must continue the mission despite our losses Rhede. We have only two months before the plan will be put into place. If the dragons catch on, they might attack sooner despite the discomfort and lethargy cold will bring. We do not have the time to play it as safe as I would like.”

“Yes but....”

“Rhede, if I have to I will order you to shut up and follow along. I cannot lose any one else or this mission might as well be given up. The Generals loss and our current conditions have lessened our force considerably. I will need all of you to help me pick up the slack his absence will bring should more trouble arise. I understand how you feel about your friend and I am upset over it as well, but we have a mission that could help us win the war and save countless lives. I will not give it up due to one bad encounter and the incapacitation of one pony.”

“I have no intent of not going along with you if you continue this mission Princess. I am simply trying to make you see that we should give it up.”

“I will not stop half way though this quest, get used to the idea of continuing.”

“Fine. As you wish Princess.”

Rhede storms out leaving Luna alone in the tent still stuck in the armor trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. How did the General stay in this stuff all the time.

==============================================

“That is not what I had in mind when the seer said she was growing. I did not think she meant literally.”

Velkorn nods along with several other buffalo near by as the look up at the massive blue dragon eating handfuls of gems at a time, and downing them with barrels of the firewater.

Bleu had woken up with a roar startling even those around who expected it. With in an eye blink she had grown in size enough to crush the cart she was in and rapidly towered over the tents in the area as well as many of the sparse trees that grew here. Starfall flew up to try and calm her down and was only met with a confused stare as if Bleu did not recognize her or what she was saying. Seeing the piles of Gems the buffalo had gathered around her however drew the dragons attention more than the Buzzing gnat of Starfall did.

Gems were fairly common across the plains and the rivers. None were of very high quality, but they were in abundance enough that the buffalo could easily collect large amounts of them in short order, and Bleu was devouring them rather quickly. It was likely only the addition of the firewater barrels that stalled her devouring all of them. One of the buffalo got the idea to kick open the top of a barrel after the dragon ignored them for a time. The reaction was almost instant from the over grown dragon, once the scent of the firewater caught her nose she ignored the gems in favor of the alcohol.

She made it to the third barrel before hiccuping suddenly and shooting a gout of blue lightning into the sky. She then suddenly shrunk back down to about the size of of a pony before falling over snoring loudly half inside the barrel she had just finished and half on the uneaten gems.

Starfall wanders to check on Bleu and curses.

“Figures, I'm the smallest one in the group again.”

===================================================

Once she woke again and was told of what was going on,Bleu was of the same opinion as Rhede about leaving Jer'rahd, and she was shot down just as quickly by Princess Luna. Bleu was willing to take on the whole herd of buffalo to stay with Jer'rahd, but somehow Starfall and Luna managed to convince her otherwise.

The rest they did get while at the camp was enough for Starfall to finally shake the last bits of the song from her mind. Bidding goodbye to the Chief and to Jer'rahd, who had not so much as moved, the group set off again for the lands of the Elk. Luna decided to leave the Waning Moon with the catatonic pony, hoping the feel of the blade might be enough to comfort him where ever his mind was.

==========================

Chief Three Bear sat on a rise at the camps edge watching the small group head off across the planes towards the edge of the Ever-free forest in the far distance. The shaman had come to take a seat nearby watching them leave as well.

“So then Raven Claw. You wished to speak with me with out them present. Is there something wrong?”

“There is, Ill portents of doom and death, but it is of little concern if he cannot be healed.”

“Can you heal him.”

“I do not know chief. I am unused to dealing with this sort of trauma. My visions showed he would be well enough to travel on his own but not how that was achieved.”

“ There are always darker portents with your visions. That is not a concern. So his condition is not the same as the braves who returned from the first war?”

“It is similar, but at least with the braves they were aware of their surroundings. This one does not even seem to have that. And I have yet to see anything as dark as what I saw from that one. I wish there was time to do readings on the others as well, but their time is rushed and a proper vision takes time. This truncated one only showed me he would walk on his own when you left, and dark tidings ahead for him.”

“Anything specific?”

“It was more a feeling than a vision as if the spirits themselves were unsure. He will bring great pain to the lands, then a peace he will suffer greatly for. Conflict will arise again and again around this pony until at last the world is done with him to allow him rest.”

“Cryptic as always.”

“Your father was never so brash to dismiss one of my visions.”

“Likely for fear of you kicking him from your bed mother. Do not worry I do not dismiss anything you speak of, there is simply little we can do to alter his life if this is what the spirits have for him. The Princess has put faith in us that he can be healed here. Try your best.”

“I am still am not happy with you for joining the ponies Guard in your youth, Three Bear.”

“I know, but it has aided us more than it has hindered me.”

===================================================
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

“HOLD HIM DOWN!!”

“I AM TRYING SHAMAN IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER YOU SIT ON THE DAMN PONY!!!”

“GENERAL STOP!”

“ITS NOT WORKING!!”

Chief Three Bear watches as the single pony flings another full grown buffalo brave off his back into the water before charging away as fast as he can from the small pond he had been brought to. After making it out of sight of the pond he simply sat down, panting for a bit before fading back into the blank state he had been in since arriving.

Raven Claw was getting frustrated as she was trying to bathe the pony and he was not cooperating. She had several of the braves come to help her drag him into the water and he had flung all of them off of him at least twice now. The shaman's student, Moonberry had been sitting back watching the whole time. The thin sickly looking buffalo cow finally spoke up her opinion on the matter. For one so young and frail the coco colored cow was remarkably perceptive.

“I .. think he seems terrified of the water.”

Moonberry scoops up a cup from the lake taking it over to the pony setting it down in from of him with no reaction. She returns a moment later with a filled bowl, then a bucket. The unicorn simply stares into space without notice of the water. She had one of the braves bring a barrel over, this provoked no reaction either. also without a reaction.

Moonberry regards the pony a moment before moving to fling the mug of water at Jer'rahd. The reaction was instant, as soon as the water splattered against his hide the stallion galloped off until he was out of sight of the water on the ground before dropping back down to sit staring into space again.

“Well teacher it seems we have one thing discovered.”

“Bah, we have succeeded in nothing. He needs a bath, the pony stinks.”

============================================= “Rhede are you able to speak Elk?”

“No pony alive is able to speak Elk Princess. Our vocal cords are not built for it. “

“Wait, then how are we supposed to talk with them then?”

“Well I understand Elk Bleu, I just cannot speak it. I spent about two months with some caravan traders that came out this way. Picked it up from them.”

“Well then have they said anything yet, or will they just keep their bows on us all day?”

The group had reached the forest after three days travel, and had barely entered into the it when an arrow struck the ground before Luna. Not long after that several tall thin, pony like creatures, stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Their fur was a strange mix of brown and leafy green that had let them blend in with the woods perfectly, even when standing in plain view the eye tended to lose sight of the edges of them and blend into the forest behind them. Each had a pair of horns sprouting from their head that branched out like a tree with a silver cord pulled taught between them. Their tails were little puff of fur and their hooves appeared cloven. The three they seemed to have no cutie mark, though each had a different shaped creature riding on their back. All of the riders had ringed tails but their facial features, body shapes, and coats of fur were different. They looked a bit like little bears though their front paws had elongated fingers, and all three of them held arrows notched and held back against the silver string between their mounts horns. All the Elk needed to do was jerk its head to send the arrow flying, with the creature reloading another from the quiver at their sides.

“WE ARE PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA. WE HAVE COME TO SPEAK WITH KEEPER DOGWOOD ON A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.”

“Ow. Please warn us when your going to use the Royal Canterlot voice Princess that hurts.”

The elk wince a little as well the creatures on their back chattering angrily at the armored alicorn. The elk themselves keep their ears flattened by say nothing. A soft cooing sound comes from the behind the trio, interrupted by a few short groans and barks. Rhede blinks lightly, his ears perking.

“The Keeper has agreed to see us Princess. Well he has agreed to see you your translator. They will not allow Bleu or Starfall any deeper into the forest. And the only reason they have not shot the one they call an evil enchanter is because she is with us.”

“Great, we need to split up more. I already hate this plan.”

“It is fine Bleu. All of you go to the edge of the plains and wait there, take nothing from these woods and do not fly over them at all.”

“Alright Princess, you sure you will be OK?”

“Not in the slightest. I had hoped the General would be with us here. I knew the Elk do not like flying creatures over their forests. I was unaware of the issue they had with zebras however. I will have to settle for just Rhede accompanying me.”

“Gee thanks Princess, I feel so loved......”

============================================= “OK, what do we no so far.”

“The pony fears water when there is the threat he might be submerged. Small amounts also frighten him, but not enough for a full blown panic. Well at least after The Chief sat on him and we managed to soak his head a bit to show there was no danger. He at least now can handle a small amount of water on him though anything larger than that and he still panics.

“Correct, what else?”

“Umm he seems good with the calves?”

“Well, close enough Moonberry, but that is not what I meant.”

The Shaman and her assistant watch the group of buffalo calves kick about a ball of reeds. The moment it comes any where near the pony sitting in the middle off the grassy field a green shield pops up briefly deflecting it in a different direction. The calves were delighted with this, and against what their elders told them were often aiming the ball towards the catatonic pony just to see the shield appear again before the ball hit the unicorn. The shaman had tried different items, such as a blanket, a small rock and a gem and the pony simply was pelted by the items, she even threw the reed ball with no effect. But he flawlessly deflected the ball every time a calf kicked it at him.

“He still has command of magic like this. Perhaps this is how he moved the Braves sitting on him. They did state they felt themselves being lifted.”

“It may be, though that only makes him more dangerous. PROUDTAIL, wake up!”

The young buffalo lifts his head from where it lay on the grass offering a snort.

“I am awake Raven Claw. What is it you want?”

“Keep any eye on the children, as well as the pony, we are going to collect some regents.”

“As if babysitting our own was not bad enough for a Chiefs son, now I must watch a brain dead pony as well? Fine do what you need to I will watch the pony. Grandfather claims he is a guest after all.”

===================================== Setting up a small camp was easy enough, Starfall and Bleu took to the air once out of the forest with the dragonling carrying the zebra. The located a small spot by a stream within sight of the forest. The place looked as if it had been used as a campsite before , likely by those that traded with the elk judging by the wagon tracks they found. They set up and settled down to simply wait. Though Velkorn making a pole with which to fish in the river unnerved Starfall greatly, and even Bleu seemed a little ill with the idea. Velkorn however was quite thrilled with the act of gutting the ones she caught for a meal.

================================================ Screams of the children caused a stamped towards the field they were in. The shaman and her assistant were the first ones there followed by the Chief and a great many braves. They all stopped at the edge of the open field scanning for danger and seeing all the calves huddled behind Proudtail who was staring at the pony on the other side of the grassy area. The unicorn was still not paying attention to what was going on but was currently stomping something into the ground in the tall grass. Blood soaked his chest and hooves, a red glow in his eye quickly fades as he sits again, the light visible even in the bright day.

Proud Tail turned his head staring back at the shaman and his father with wide eyes before looking back at the pony. Raven Claw walks over to the bloodied unicorn looking down at the body he had been stomping, worry etching across her face.

“Is any one hurt Proud Tail?”

“None of the calves are, likely because of that one. I have never seen any creature react that quickly or aggressively. “

“It is training from the Guard my son. They taught us to react to any threat by removing it as fast and brutally as possible.”

“He did not even draw the blade he wears, he simply stomped it to death. I had not even managed to rise to my hooves before he was on it.”

“He has a few cuts, but nothing life threatening. Moonberry go get some bandages and prepare a poultice. You braves dispose of the cougar before the scent of its corpse attracts more. “

Raven Claw looks down at the blood covered pony pondering something.

“Something on your mind shaman?”

“He barely reacts to anything we have tried in the week he has been here. And yet the first sign of violence he reacts with brutal efficiency. I doubt even the Guard train to do such when they are in this condition. He acts nothing like our Braves did on their return, I will need to run tests. Proud Tail, take the calves home and return I will need your assistance.”

“Alright, move little ones there is nothing more to see here.”

========================================== “Well now, perhaps this was not such a bad idea after all Princess. So many exotic beauties here,and I know not all of them are looking at that armor of yours.”

The three elk with their archers led them into the forest where they met a female with no antlers though decorated much the same as the others. She was clearly the one who spoke and had come along to lead them to the city. The city was a maze of trees and wooden structures build out of dead fall limbs,river stones, and vines. Even with the easily identified materials used in construction a good bit of the wood and stone looked warped and altered to form the buildings into works of art. Towering structures that seemed built to look like stylized trees or other natural phenomenon. One looked as if its design was based on a waterfall, another a great oak tree, and still yet another a strangle stylized six pointed star, the random effects gave the city a uniqueness than most pony buildings rarely could match. The strangest part was no matter how exotic the building it could clearly be seen to blend into the surroundings naturally as if the strange structure was meant to be there .

Rhede's gaze may have been focused on the females, including the rump of the one leading them, but Luna had her eyes on the city and the sky. Night fall would be there soon and she should be recovered enough for some spells by the next morning. If things turned bad that would be a great boon.

“Do we need to worry about running into a child of yours here Rhede?”

“Was that a joke? I learned the language and met a few Elk, but I never visited their cities. As for a foal no, we won't have to worry about one of those, on this trip at least …...the next one … well that depends on how well this trip goes.”

“I truly wish Jer'rahd was here to keep you in line.”

The small procession stopped suddenly forcing Luna's attention from the earth pony to the reason. They had moved out of the town and past a treeline that obscured what was beyond. Past that natural barrier the ground suddenly gave way dropping into a massive crater that held another forest filling the hole. The cliffs of the crater were sheer, as if the ground had simply sunk down the depth of Canterlot mountain. In the center of this circular crater, towering over the rest of the forest was a giant tree. From this distance it looked as if the trunk rose higher than the craters edge, with the branches and top of the tree higher than the other trees of the main forest of Everfree.

“The Elk call it the Yggdrasil, or the world tree.“

“What was that Rhede?”

“That is as close to a pony name for the tree as I can pronounce. The tree is supposedly the source of all plant life in the world. “

“Perhaps it is. The land was like this when pony kind arrived here.”

The elk guards nod to the female guiding them as she motions for the pair to follow her down into the basin along a thin ledge that descends into the lower forest.

“She said to follow her Princess, the Keeper is at the tree.”

======================================================================= “Again Proud Tail.”

“Much as I enjoy beating up on a defenseless, catatonic pony like a true warrior should, are you sure this is doing what you want shaman?”

“Sarcasm does not suit you grandchild, now do it.”

The young buffalo sighs and lowered his head charging the seated pony for the fifteenth time sending him flying into the air to crash into the ground with a thud. Like the other times the Jer'rahd righted himself and sunk back onto his haunches blank stare still on his face.

“This is getting us no where teacher.”

“No, it is getting us plenty of places . Go check his wounds dear. Proud Tail again.”

The Buffalo roars out in annoyance turning to charge back at the seated pony having had enough of this nonsense. His eyes widen as he realizes that Moonberry has moved to the pony as well. He brakes his charge hard ,tripping over a rock and tumbling at the pair as the female shrieks.

The tumbling buffalo slams into a green shield inches from the pair and bounces off to crash to the grass as the shield fades.

“That was not funny teacher!!”

“But effective. He is a guardian. Hah, you may wish to check on your future mate as well, he seems to have been knocked out . “

“Gah, WHAT!?!? stop teasing me. Hes still a calf .”

“He is only a year younger than you student. He has a interesting future ahead of him as well. Not as interesting as this one though. Though in time he likely will meet this pony again.”

==================================================
Luna sighs, not liking how this was going. The Elder was a old dark brown, nearly black elk that was smaller than the hunters they first encountered though his muscle was clearly there as he shifted on the roots of the great tree, looking down at the pair. While the Keeper was civil enough there was a undercurrent of anger that he was forced to deal with any sort of outsiders himself. The council needed to vote on the decision but if they followed what he wished the elk would have nothing to do with the war at all.

The Keepers translator however was a young greyish hued doe that might have been why the discussion was more civil, she also seemed to have a interest in Rhede that the earth pony was clearly returning. Whether the Keeper noticed the looks or not was hard to tell as he spent the time glaring at the Princess.

The pair were granted a guest home for the evening, but they would be under watch. The translator Mossflower would stay near by in case they needed anything.

================================================== The braves drag away the latest string of attackers to the village,a small pack of timber wolves. Not much threat to the village as a whole, but the pack could have caused some damage to the children or a elder of the tribe if they were let to roam free. Three Bear Briefly wondered if the pony was attracting the beasts before dismissing the notion. There had been creatures showing up around camp looking for a quick meal for weeks before he had arrived. The cougar was simply one that managed to slip past the hunters.

Something was driving the creatures down from the mountains and towards the camp. He sent scouts to check for any signs and what they found was worrying. Hydra tracks, all over the passes into the mountains, the hunters had not seen the monster but the tracks were clearly of a large variety of the creature. He grumbled to himself know what needed to be done.

“Prepare the village to move. Even if the beast does not leave the passes the creatures that it runs from their homes are a danger we do not need. We will move to our second seasonal camp site, closer towards the forest. Go begin the preparations.“

Three Bear hangs his head, a move like this would delay his return to Canterlot for a good while, he hoped the Princess would understand.

=========================================

Rhede returned that night in rather high spirits which made Luna wish to strangle him more. It was easily clear from his attitude what he and the translator had been up to for the past few hours.

“You are a hopeless case Pelt. “

“Ah hello Princess, I see you finally got the armor off. Have a exciting night?”

“Not nearly as much as you did it seems, though I doubt Velkorn will be as amused as you are.”

“Oh? Planing to inform her of my after hour activities?”

“It would be for the best since she seems to care for you for some reason.”

“Good. Maybe you can get through to her where no one else can. Keep that attitude as well. Grind it home that she's better off without me. She might listen to you.”

“I am starting to question the relation ship you two have.”

“We do not have one, we never did. She simply thinks we do. “

“Why, did you bed her with promises as well that you have no intent of keeping?”

Rhede's eyes narrow a bit, ears flattening as he looks down at Luna considering something.

“No, I have never done anything with her more than flirt a bit and save her from being raped. And now that I have answered your question answer mine. What the buck is eating you? I get you're not a fan of me, I've known that from the start, but you have been down right hostile to me since we left the ship. What gives?”

Luna blinks a moment,looking up at Rhede as he moves to take a seat on the ground near the pile of fronds she was laying on.

“No answer for that huh Princess? Likely cause you don't know either. You tore apart an entire organization because they hurt a friend, something you claim to not have had in years. And now that same friend is in some sort of catatonic state, you can't find any one to attack. There's no clear target, OK, not quite true, but the clear target is one you cannot reach and so your taking it out on any one else close to you.”

“What the buck do you know Pelt?”

“Well I know, I have yet to hear you swear, so evidently something is bothering you if you cannot maintain your composure.”

“I had forgotten how good you were at finding out what ponies were thinking.”

“It was kind of my job for a while, both as an Ambassador and a spy, slash assassin. So you're worried about Jer then?”

“Among other things. I know this is likely to fail, and no pony has contacted the wendigo in over seven thousand years. I am not even sure they still exist.”

“Then why are we going there?”

“Because my sister IS still sure they exist. They aided us once before it seems.”

“Really when? I thought they tried to destroy pony kind. Isn’t that the point of Hearths Warming? To celebrate the power of friendship that defeated the wendigo and saved pony kind?”

“Celestia tells it differently. It is why she does not to go to any of the plays that are put on. She wants to remember what actually happened instead of what we are supposed to know.”

“Ominous there .”

“Yes, well it relates to why we are going so you may as well know what she said. The wendigo were asked by the Princesses before Celestia and myself to drive the ponies into new lands. They were at war with each other in all but act. Every race hated the other because that was simply how they were raised. They were taught from birth to think the other types of ponies were beneath their own. The alicorns of that era did not so much rule ponies as they did watch over them and try guide their actions as best they could. They had the wendigos drive the ponies from their land in order to force them to work together. It nearly did not work,and only the actions the leaders and their seconds averted it.

“I was unaware there were any alicorns before you and Celestia.”

“Did you think we hatched from eggs perhaps?”

“Ahh good, humor, seems your getting better, least your willing to tell me the situation. Still no reason to be mean to me though. I would not worry about the same thing happening here that happened in Neighlantis. If they won't help, they will just have us leave. Despite the numbers we have seen the Elk are fairly rare. They live a long time and don't breed nearly enough to keep the population up above their losses to natural death and injury. If they continue this way they will all die out in the next thousand years or so. The problem is the elders here still run things and will not sway from tradition. The younger ones like, ahem, Mossflower, are more willing to expand their world views past the forest.”

“At least you remember her name.”

“I remember all their names, I have my book, and Jer has his.”

“I would expect yours to be much larger. “

“No its not, he is actually on the third volume last time I checked. That trip to Dullhan did not help.”

“I was unaware the General was that much of a playstallion.”

“Jealous?”

“Hardly.”

“Well no worries, its not a book of mares and foals. Its a book of the dead.”

“What?”

“Jer has the names, birth places and Guard number of every pony that has died while he has been in charge of them. He says he started back in the Zebra lands when he became Sergeant. Every time a pony that is under his command dies he takes the time to write out that ponies information in one of those books. He used to carry the names with him until Dullahan, when there became too many. Since he became General he has written them all down as every Guard pony is under his command at that rank. “

“Every time I talk to one of you I am surprised further by the depths of what I do not know.”

“It happens. I was a little surprised by that as well. But it fits his mindset, he really wants to protect every pony he can, the loss of any bothers him. I mean its not common knowledge I play the guitar, quite well I have been told.”

“It must be a balance for your singing.”

“Ahh, see there we go, two jokes in one conversation. You are loosening up a bit. Jer would be happy with that.”

He winced as he said it as the Princesses expression darkens again. Rhede sighs.

“Look you said you trust the buffalo, and they said they could help him. So are you trying to tell me after all your arguing with Bleu and myself that you don't believe them? After you fed us all that sort of bull crap?”

“Why are you friends with Jer'rahd, Rhede?”

“This is new and a random change of subject as well. Why do you ask?”

“I want to know. I want to know why all of you are friends with each other, and why you are trying to be friends with me. Your not just following my sisters orders your actually trying. Most of you met because of Jer'rahd and yet you have all stuck together through things that likely you should not have. Jer'rahd is the key to that and I want to understand it.”

“Some things really cannot be explained logically. I've been Jer's friend since we were both colts and I still don't know why we hit it off so well. Aside from sarcasm and growing up together we are not really that much alike. I really can't answer for the others. Though I expect Bleu has the deepest connection with him. Tradgeies sometimes bring those affected by them closer together. I expect Velkorn followed me and stayed because of Bleu and Starfall. She gets along rather well with those two. She and Jer met under a bit of duress, she respected his loyalty to his soldiers and his own agreements, and he respected her compassion to try and save everyone no mater the cost. I think Starfall actually just likes him, but that could be me putting my own spin on things. He saved her life and mine in basic, shes been using that as an excuse ever since for why she hangs around us. I am sure there is more to it than that. For a pony that is supposed to be honesty she is rather tight lipped.”

“Honesty does not mean giving up all you know Rhede. Giving freely of oneself of information or body is something more akin to generosity. Do not think I do not know why you are hurt. Which makes me wonder why you continue to resist her attentions.”

“She deserves better than me Princess. I have said that before. As caring and sweet as that mare is, she needs some pony that will treat her like she should be. I've done far to many things with my life to be able to be that pony.”

“Noble, but stupid.”

“I get that line from Jer too.”

========================================================

“GET THE CALVES AND THE ELDERS OUT OF HERE, TAKE THEM DOWN THE RISE TOWARD THE RIVER MOVE NOW! DO NOT STOP!!”

The beast had come, his people were in a panic. The hydra was huge, its red scales flecked with scars and healed wounds. Something had driven this beast away from its home and it had come here, the scars on it were new but the type of hydra it was would be more at home in a swamp or bog. He had expected a much smaller cryo hydra not a giant bog one. The creature had come in the middle of the night, it had killed and devoured the sentries and the first warnings that it was here was the sudden roar that echoed in the light of the full moon. The dust and debris the beast kicked up as it moved obscured the damage it was doing to the camp as it raged through it.

Three Bear narrowed his eyes preparing to move towards the creature and stop it before any others of his tribe here hurt when Raven Claw galloped up with Moonberry in tow.

“Chief, thank the stars we have found you. The pony is missing. Did he pass here?”

“What? No where is he?”

“He was in the tent when the attack started, he vanished as you started shouting commands we hoped he had come past here at some point following the orders.”

“He has not Moonberry.”

“I did not foresee this creature Chief. I do not know how it will affect my visions.....”

The three of them look up suddenly as the hydra roars, its head diving at something before impacting a green glowing square of light barely visible through the dust cloud. Its roar is echoed by another scream of fury. A object, glowing blue flame, arcs through the air the low hum heard even from across the camp as the blocked hydra head is severed in one blow, the head is flung upward with enough force to send it arching into the air to crash heavily at the hooves of Three Bear. Blue flames lick along the creatures severed head, like moonlight made fire. The creature shrieks in pain attacking what had wounded it, something that seemed to be avoiding the attacks.

“What was that?”

“General Kaisur has been found.”

“By the stars..... this is not what I expected. His aura... We have been going about this wrong Three Bear. I had expected the pony to be mostly peaceful in nature like others of his kind, but the energy he is giving off. This pony is a warrior, our attempts to place him in peaceful situations, to allow his mind to mend may have been detrimental to him. He is not a creature in touch with the land. His soul is of storm, his peace is at the center of conflict. He rages for the fallen, for the injustice, for those left alive who need to be saved.“

“Why are we standing here we need to help him chief, teacher ….”

“No, with what visions I have seen in the future, it is better he die here fighting this beast then suffer through what is to come.”

“It matters not. The hydra was dead the moment it chose him as a target. Princess Luna does not chose the weak to be her Generals. “

The two cows look to the white buffalo as he watches another head be severed. A red streak of light traces around the creature, the glow easily seen through the dust cloud. The light trails up the first neck that had lost a head a form seen running up the scaled length of the beast towards its trunk the red glow eminateing from the forms head as it gallops upward along the hydra's neck. Many of the fleeing buffalo slow their escape, turning to watch as the beast is systemically slaughtered, each head crackling with blue fire as it arcs through the air away from the body.

The beast realizes its peril too late and tries to flee the camp though the pony clearly was not done and removes the last head of the hydra the body tumbling down the rise with the General on its back crashing into a small dip in the land between the mountain and the village.

As the last head is severed and the beast collapses, Three Bear starts forward galloping towards where the body fell, the rest of the tribe tears along behind him after a moments pause.

The Chief stops at the edge of the dip in the land waiting for the dust to settle,his ears perk at the sound of heavy panting. The air slowly clears leaving Three Bear facing a blood covered unicorn with a glowing red eye. Jer'rahd takes notice of Three Bear and his horn glows as he brings the Waning Moon level between the two of them gritting his teeth as he snarls.

“Who the buck are you, where am I and where are my friends?”

The chief thinks to respond when a bunch of small shapes charge down towards the pony from behind the buffalo. Jer'rahd whirls with the blade stopping suddenly, his eyes widening at the buffalo calves that suddenly swarm him commenting on the kill and bouncing around him like hyperactive rabbits. The chief snorts loudly drawing the attention of the young ones who lower their heads a bit darting off to join the crowd behind the Chief again.

“I am General Three Bear, you are in our camp in our lands, and your friends have gone on to speak with the Elk. Do you remember anything that happened?”

“Just Aqua and the dinner then.... water...... How long have I been out?”

“Near a month, you are to come with me when I return to Canterlot. “

“I cannot do that, I need to catch up with Luna and the others.”

“You will do no such thing. I am a Four Star General in the Guard, General Kaisur and I out rank you. Princes Luna told me to bring you back with me and you will go with me is that clear?”

“.................you sound like Mustang....”

“General!”

“Sir, Yes, Sir.”

“Good. The trip will be delayed until I am sure you are fit again for travel.”

“I am ready to go now.”

“I have a rule in my camp General. If you kill something in the camp you must take it out of the camp and far enough away to not attract scavengers.”

He lifts a hoof pointing at the massive corpse of the hydra and Jer'rahds eyes widen at the sudden realization.

“Say that again after you clear this out of my camp and we will see. Do not forget the nine heads that landed in camp. Take this body to the other side of the rise over there and that should be far enough.”

Twilight was suddenly yanked back into the real world before the response came from Jer'rahd. Though it simply seemed to be a swear any way. She shakes her head looking around spotting Spike holding the gem to wake her, standing by the window looking out into the night.

“Spike why did you..?”

“Come over here Twilight and look at this.”

“Hmm what is it ?”

“On top of Sugar Cube Corner, is that Gilda?”

Twilight glances out the window at the shape of a Griffon sitting on the peak of Sugar Cube Corner in the distance.

“I can't tell. It definitely looks like a griffon though. You think she might be trying to pay Pinkie back for the party pranks?”

“Maybe, I just noticed her a bit ago, maybe we should tell Pinkie she's back. “

“Sounds like a good idea, The Cake's should be home soon so I doubt she would try anything with them there.”

“I dunno she was pretty mad when she left last time. We should probably let Rainbow Dash know too.”

“Yeah, looks like she's flying away though, so we should do that tomorrow. I might as well write all this information down and go to bed myself. No sense going back into the spell this late.”

“Learn anything interesting.”

“Not sure. I might have found something out about dragons, but I don’t know.”

“Well hopefully its something I can use. “

“I doubt it unless you like eating lightning.”

“Pass.”

Imperial Mass

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Imperial Mass

“So Applejack's stubborn streak struck again huh? I was wondering what happened.”

“Honestly I have no idea why she would be this upset over not placing first, she must have placed in twenty or so events, I mean its not like shes never lost before she only had a few blue ribbons from all the competitions shes been in. Though maybe mayor mare didn't need to focus so much on the bits.”

“Yah think? I wonder about her sometimes, maybe her Nightmare Night laugh was more fitting than I thought.”

“You may be right Spike. Thanks for sitting in again. Applejack kinda got mobbed when we got back to town.”

“It's fine, the sooner you finish with that sword the more comfortable I'll be in the study.”

“There cannot be that much more Spike, the events of the rise of Nightmare Moon happened right after the second Dragon War, and that's currently whats starting.”

“Well that's good at least.”

“Oh,by the way Spike, have you been to Fluttershy's lately?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering if she started some sort of training. When I first met her she apologized for being weak and not able to lift more than a few baby bunnies. Lately she's fought bears, managed to catch up to Rainbow Dash while towing us in the balloon, caught you and Rarity while you were falling, and on this trip she and Rainbow managed to jump a cart over a moving train after chasing Applejack across the desert in a cart pulled by four stallions.”

“That does sound like a massive improvement. Maybe, she's getting lessons from Applejack or Big Mac? I know they have been bringing some of the spoiled crops to her cottage lately for her animals, usually its AppleJack, but with this rodeo thing she's been to busy and Big Mac has taken over the transport.”

“Could be, it does make more sense if they were helping her out. Any way better get to this before it gets too late.”
“Have fun.”

The room fades around Twilight as casts the spell, dropping her back into the sea of stars. She exhales deeply opening her eyes, gaze shifting over the unchanged gray landscape pin pricked with a multitude of lights.. She drifts over to the windows, looking over the fragments of the blade wondering briefly if they still wore these necklaces while in stone. She could not remember if they did or not honestly, but at the time she did not even think to look. It did not matter though, she was here to learn from the past and to help Luna reach a decision. So far she had not seen anything that would make the Princess hesitate to bring them back. Everything the group did seemed to be an attempt to help one another.

It could not just be because of Princess Celestia, her teacher seemed to favor the idea of bringing them back. Would Luna resist her sister that much still? It seemed to Twilight that Luna was still seeking to amend for her own mistakes in the past as Nightmare Moon. Perhaps she simply did not want to bring those who sided with her evil self back before she was sure she was incomplete control? There were still far to many questions left to answer in this, but so far Twilight could not see why she would not forgive them.

Twilight slips into the larger window thinking to check on Jer'rahd first.

Jer'rahd sits at the edge of the buffalo camp, staring into the night above, a soft sigh leaving escaping him. He had not seen the stars this clearly since he was a foal, not that he had taken the time to look lately. The few glances he turned skyward in recent years were either to offer a silent thanks to the Goddess of the Moon, or to watch for attackers from above. Having met the Goddesses on a more personal level than most of Equestria he had found he could not pray to them as he once did and as much of Equestria still did. They made mistakes, they could be hurt, they let their emotions get the better of them at times, their powers could fail them. A more pious stallion might have simply ignored these faults, or spun it in a way that made them seem all the more holy for mimicking their followers problems. To him, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were no longer the all powerful Goddesses he had grown up believing. Rather than lessen his reverence for the pair, this line of thought simply made him respect them more. They were beings of great power, and where they could use this power for selfish ends, like Discord or Aqua, they did their best to help their subjects directly. Luna risked her life every time she went out into the world beyond the lands of ponies,something which she did often enough to have developed a way to remain hidden around other ponies. Celestia ran the government directly, keeping infighting and arguing from tearing Canterlot apart. Arranging and directing ambassadors and greeting those from other lands who came to Equestria. It was hard to tell which was the harder task. Facing the threats from without, or the ones for within. He smirks slightly at the memories of his own brief involvement into politics and laws. How many of Celestia's plans had he screwed up with that rule about dueling he forced through. What challenges had that added to her plate? He was quite sure that the methods he and Luna employed for peace were likely the easier ones.

“Not going catatonic on us again are you?”

“I will fake it if you tell me to move another body Sir.”

“So long as you do not kill anything else in my camp I will not.”

The white buffalo moves over sitting nearby Jer'rahd his gaze turning skyward as well.

“Something I can do for you then sir?”

“No, though since you have calmed down a bit you need not call me sir. I would have preferred not to use my rank, but that seems to be how you respond.”

“Ingrained into me by my grandfather and father, all the time spent in the Guard has helped with that too. Tends to feel a bit more comfortable to have at least something that doesn't change, sir.”

The great buffalo sighs at the failure to get the pony to relax more. It was not the first time he had tried, but he had hoped without others around he might be able to get him to at least drop the constant acknowledgment of his superior rank.

It had been two weeks now since the hydra and within the next day or so they would be heading back to Canterlot. It had taken Jer'rahd the better part of the first week to clear the hydra, and the scavengers that came after the corpse, from the camp. During that time he seemed some what prone to relapse, spacing out every so often for no clear reason, and requiring some sort of physical contact, usually violent, to snap him out of it. Thankfully ,particularly for his head which seemed to be the common target, those times were getting fewer and farther in between.

It was odd to see his reaction to water however, after clearing the body he went to bathe in the pond as if it was nothing though he only made it within sight of the small bathing pool and simply froze solid staring at it and shaking. He eventually pulled his eyes away, but he had to leave sight of the it before he calmed down. It took him another day or so to manage to use a barrel to bathe in and even then he flinched at the touch of the water.

Firewater on the other hand he had no fear of what so ever. Raven Claw and MoonBerry both expected him to simply fall over dead after draining a barrel of the harsh liquid by himself. Though when he suffered no ill effects aside from falling asleep,Raven Claw felt justified at her claim the Dragon had been connected to him.

He did however make the mistake of getting into a drinking contest with Three Bear. It was the first time in years that he could remember having been out drunk. It did little to ease the pony's constant use of Three Bear's rank, but he at least was somewhat more lax with his manner of speech now.

“So why did you come out here? Just to check up on me, sir?”

“Do you know our legends for what the stars are?”

“That doesn't answer my question, but no sir I do not.”

“Legends say that the multitude of stars in the sky are those that have died, but are not yet ready to pass on to the next world, or their next life, due to something important remaining here for them. Each star is the soul of one who lived, the brighter the star the stronger the soul or the more important it was to our world. When a star vanishes from the night sky it has either moved on to another world or to a new life. “

“With how many die in the wars here, it is a small wonder that the night sky is not as bright as day, sir.”

“Not every soul has something it wishes to complete in this world, some are simply reborn into this world after their deaths. Others it is said move on to another world that could be similar or as different from this one as can be imagined. It is the ones that remain in the sky above us that have the greatest importance. They are the souls who chose to remain to watch over the world, It is them our ancestors and likely yours as well that the Buffalo worship, we have no living gods or goddesses like so many other races. While we respect them, we do not worship them as you do.”

“I don't worship the Goddesses, sir.”

“Hmmm, a crisis of faith perhaps??”

“No, oddly my faith in the Goddesses has grown stronger rather than falter any,sir.”

“Hmph, after what Princess Luna told me of what you have gone through, and the state you were in when you got here, I would have thought the opposite. All your dealings personally with the pony deities and you believe in them more? You are a strange pony Kaisur, and not just because of your fighting ability.”

“And what is wrong with my fighting ability, sir?”

“You are sloppy, your anger gets the better of you and you are easy prey for those who use that against you. Your form has a multitude of flaws within it that would be easy for a skilled combatant to exploit. Yet, there are already tales of your battles against dragons and other beasts that have reached even here. Seeing your battle with the Hydra with my own eyes did not sway this opinion of the strange nature of your skills. You are relentless in destroying something you have taken as a target, and when you are defending something important, you always seem to have an easy victory.”

“To be honest sir, I do not think I have ever had an easy victory. Every win I have experienced has been coupled with pain or loss.”

“Every one? Even the small ones?”

“What?”

“It seems that you are much like General Mustang. If what you battle is not some massive danger to yourself or others you do not count it as worth noting. Grand victories might save the world, but smaller victories might make sure the world was never in danger. How many small things have you done that you discount that have had more impact than the grandest battles you have had?

“Heh. I think I liked it better when you were just talking about the stars, sir. Far less confusing.”

“You do not understand because you do not want to. In time however I hope you will choose to understand what I speak of.”

=====================================================
It had gone exactly as expected. The council met and the answer was no. The Elk would be offering no aid to Equestria. Keeper Dogwood even added to the ruling, claiming that if any creature at all came into the Everfree due to this conflict or flew over it they would be killed. He even went so far as to take offense to the Princess even coming into the forest to ask in the first place, he then ordered all trade with the outside cut off until he said otherwise for the indiscretion. Luna briefly considered staying to try and argue the point though Rhede convinced her other wise.

“His mind is made up Princess. If we continue with this he likely will attempt something considerably less peaceful. He's not used to his little world being rocked, and our being here does that.”

“While I expected a refusal I did not expect him to continue to add to the refusal. Nor be this hostile about it.”

“Yeah well, hes a jerk. Mossflower has said there are quite a few others who are not happy with how he runs things, but he has the forest spirits on his side so no one will stand up to him.”

“He rules by fear then?”

“No, he rules because he was chosen, the others could very well remove him from power quite easily, but they keep him there because it is less of a bother. The few who truly want him removed do not have enough support do to little more than apathy.”

“I do not suppose you were able to acquire what I asked?”

“Yeah I got the stick. Not sure what the deal is or what you need it for, but I made sure it was from the big tree just like you asked.”

“ Thank you, let us leave then. We have enough problems without trying to work through his orc headedness.”

The pair were escorted out of the forest and informed not to return by a somewhat reluctant sounding Mossflower. Starfall was on watch when the pair came out and quickly flew over to show them where the camp was set up. Bleu,Velkorn, and Starfall were set to head out immediately though Luna felt it better to wait till the morning before heading out. This surprised them at first, but it gave her time to inform the others what she had told Rhede about the wendigo. The others listened curiously to what she told them before adding their own questions.

“Wait, why would the Princesses of the time ask them to drive the ponies from their land?”

“According to Celestia, it was due to the war that was looming. The three races had been at war for as long as any pony could remember they were in danger of wiping each other out. The alicorns had managed to set up a fragile peace between the three races without involving themselves directly, though Tia has no idea how. But that peace was always strained, with each new pony born, the same old hatred of the others was instilled into them. It was a rare pony indeed that could rise above the hatred their parents had given them. Smart Cookie, Clover the Clever, and Private Pansy, were three such ponies, while the alicorns of the time could not make them leaders directly they managed to at least get them as advisers to the leaders. Then they sent in the weindigo to bring about a harsh winter, hoping the common threat would be enough for the three tribes to band together. It might have worked if not for the leaders stubbornness. As such, because of their insistence that their own kind was best, many ponies died ,and the race was nearly again wiped out, not by war but by pride.
The rest of the story continues there the remaining ponies fled the ice covered lands and found Equestria on the other side of the mountains. Though the wendigo's were again sent to try and ensure cooperation as the three tribes were ready to fight over the new land that they had been guided to by the alicorns. Only through the actions of the three advisers did any pony survive. Considering at that point in time there were only about ninety ponies left alive in the world, that was as close as we have ever come to dieing out completely. The alicorns refused to risk that again and ended their isolation coming down to greet the remaining ponies who had started working together in harmony. The ponies had before known the presence of alicorns in anchient times though their reappearance was close enough to the sudden rise in cooperation and even some crossbreeding that all it did was reinforce the ideals of harmony between the remaining ponies.”

“OK, if I was more in touch with pony lore I likely would be staring slack jawed like Rhede and Starfall there, but what happened to the wendigo?”

“The alicorns gave them the land that was abandoned and the ponies were told not to return there. Over time the place became less taboo though it was rare that any pony that traveled there returned, most came back with tales of monsters, ponies made of snow, and a land of nothing but frozen earth.”

“If the land is naught but waste, why do we head there with such haste?”

“Celestia was told the wendigo had set up their new home in the ruins of the earth pony settlement. If they are still there we will find them and ask them to aid us again, if not my power should be enough to return us home, so long as I do not need to move another ship.”

“So if Princess Celestia was not even there, how does she know about all this?”

“Boredom is a great motivator to learn everything you can. Tia has had far more years than I have to experience and fight it. She learned everything she could from the alicorns before her out of boredom, and she told me all she knows for the same reason. Suffice to say, there are tales both of us know that we only share with each other, and the retelling of what we have gone through on this trip will make a interesting tale in the future. Regardless we should reach the mountains in a week or so.”

“There's a few small settlements that way, we should be able to procure some winter gear for us to make the traveling easier. And be sure when you retell the tale to make sure she remembers my dashingly handsome self.”

“What is it with you ponies and traveling into the cold?”

“Whats the matter Bleu, not liking you have to walk this time cause your to big to carry?”

“Shows what you know firm flank!”

The pony sized dragon suddenly shrunk back to her normal dragonling size with a grin.

“I don't act my age very often so I might as well not look it either, besides a lil baby dragon gets more free sweets than a bigger one would.”

Velkorn sighs having evidently already gone through this with Bleu in the two days that Rhede and the Princess had been gone.

“Of course this skill is not for our sakes, but it is just another excuse for free cakes.”

============================================

“Are you ready then General?”

“Considering the only thing I had to get was a saddlebag for some traveling rations, I've been ready for about a week, sir.”

“Let us go then, Canterlot is a good three days travel.”

“Three days? I thought it was easily a weeks worth, sir.”

“You have never traveled with a buffalo before have you? I certainly hope you have not slacked off in your running after basic General.”

“Crap.”

=======================================================

The trek to the mountains took them another weeks worth of time, a brief stop at a trapper trading post gained them all they needed for the trek up the mountain as well as a map showing the pass that would make their journey a little easier. The grizzled pony at the trading post warned them about the area with popular legends, all while hitting heavily on the glasses wearing Princess, and Starfall. Rhede was starting to see why Jer'rahd got so annoyed that the Princesses trick worked so well. Bleu in the meantime had managed to turn herself and Velkorn into walking balls of bundled fur, neither of them had any love at all for the cold.

They set out once more,finding the pass easily enough, heading up into lands that few ponies had traveled in thousands of years.

====================================================

“Hmm, I had forgotten about this.”

The White buffalo and the shaking unicorn looked down the rise at the churning waters of the river in the distance. Even with the great distance between the water and Jer'rahd was still trembling at the sight of it. The Chief watched him for a bit before sighing.

“Perhaps I can simply knock you out and carry you?”

“Not the best plan, sir. I've been told I've got a rather hard head, would take quite a few blows to knock me out and if I woke up while you were in the middle of crossing..... yeah not going to happen.”

“I suppose you have a better idea then?”

Jer'rahd sits back looking at the ground to take his eyes from the water pondering, before looking skyward and at the heavy cloud cover over the land. There was no rain, but the sun was hidden by the clouds. Jer'rahd smiles getting an idea.

“How are you at heights sir?”

==================================================

“Well Velkorn?”

“The body is very old, but clearly this pony was killed by the cold.”

“I get the same thing looking at the camp site. Most of this gear is a hundred or more years old. A lot of things seem missing however, and not the usual stuff that would just rot away. Looks like it was picked apart. Some things look like they were broken open for specific pieces to be taken. Plus if the body was this well preserved why weren’t his clothes, or his cutie mark, That looks like it was cut free doesn't it Velkorn?”

“Yes, but it was not the cause of death, the mark was taken long after his last breath.”

Starfall shifts her gaze looking around across the white and gray landscape. White, brown, gray, and black seemed to be the only colors that could be seen, the constant snow fall and cutting wind was not doing any one in the group a favor, and the ball of furs that was Bleu was attached tightly to the Zebras back.

The group had come upon this camp while looking for a spot to make their own, the little valley they found between two boulders seemed the perfect site to set up for the night before it got colder. Luna had found the body while trying to clear away a snow drift and Rhede had found the remains of the ponies camp. The fact the pony had died long ago from freezing to death did little but worry the group given the condition it was in. The group took the body to the outskirts of the rocks to give the nameless corpse a proper burial if nothing else. It was unlikely that there would be any one left alive still waiting for this pony to come home.

====================================================

“I have come to a conclusion General Kaisur.”

“And what is that Sir?”

“I am not well at all with heights.”

“Relax Sir, your not heavy enough to even be a strain to me.”

The pair strode above the clouds trotting on a pathway of green panels, far below them lay the river, the cloud cover effectively blocking it from the unicorns sight. It was odd, he knew it was there and it made him nervous, but as long as he did not see the water, it did not seem to panic him as it had before. The climb up the spiraling ramp had been interesting for both him and the buffalo Chief, Jer'rahd had neglected to inform his companion that he had never tried something like this before and simply let him think it was done all the time. He had not known himself if he could make a stairway into the sky with his shields, this was far higher than he had ever been before save when Bleu carried him after the dragon, and he was not much for looking around then.

So far though he felt no strain at making the path, he figured he would be tired by the time they reached the other side, but for right now he was reveling in the sunlight for once. Rather odd considering since joining Luna's Guard he had become more of a night pony.

“Please stop being so chipper General, your prancing about is making me nervous.”

========================================================

“I am starting to think you plan for this sort of thing Princess I really and truly do.”

“Pelt I did not even think we would find them let alone that they would ambush us.”

“Both of you be quiet, you two have been going on like a married couple ever since we left the Princess Bride. And at this point I am sick of it, knock it off before I find a way to put you both in a corner like foals.”

“mummmfummmf fumph”

“What did Bleu just say?”

“Sounded like mummmfummmf fumph.”

“Yes, thank you for that Rhede your translation skills have saved us again.”

“If you wish me to knock them out, Starfall you will not even have to shout.”

“Don't tempt me. And I swear to Celestia Rhede, if that is your hoof on my flank I will bludgeon you unconsciousness myself.”

“I said don't make me turn this net around. Now stop fighting you idiots and put that energy into thinking of a way out of this mess before more of them show up.”

The entire group continued to swing slowly in the cold wind, a giant net having sprung up from under them and wrapped them all into a confined ball of annoyance dangling from a ledge. A pair of crystal blue eyes look up from the ground at them curiously. The figures seemed to be snow white earth ponies with gray manes and tails, they had no cutie marks that could be seen and a pair of gray saddle bags hung from their sides. They continued to stare up at their prisoners with confused blinking and a few comments in a strange that no one in the group understood.

“Well if they are wendigo they are getting a rather decent meal of strife from those two.”

They don't look like the wendigo from the stories.”

=========================================================

“I believe I am slightly less happy with this turn of events than I was with our trip through the air General.”

“You and me both Sir....... trust me on that....”

Jer'rahd was perched on top of the buffalo his back arched up and eyes wide like a hissing cat as he stared down at the puddles forming on the ground, he winced with every splash of the buffalo’s hooves against the muddy ground. A shield was formed above him and he kept forming new ones every time the first was about to be passed. They had come down from the clouds little over an hour ago and had barely progressed any further away from the river when the rain started. The first drop that hit him sent Jer'rahd into the air like a snake had bit him. He had made the shield umbrella and was fine until the puddles started forming, at which point he had climbed up onto the Chief's back, much to the buffalo's chagrin.

“How far are we from Canterlot now sir?”

“Two days too long.”

“Well you did offer to carry me once before.

==================================================

“I have no clue what language they are using? Are you sure you want to go along with this?”

“So far they have done nothing really threatening to us aside from making us trot this way at icicle point.”

“Yes not threatening at all.”

“Don't Even start this crap again..... I have no qualms about smacking the shit outta you Rhede and I am reaaaaaly close to not having any about doing the same with you Princess.”

“You think you can actually do anything Commander you are welcome to try.”

“So this is the wendigo's blight?, Causing normally agreeable ponies to fight?”

“Either that Velkorn or all the stress from the last month is finally catching up with the three of them.”

“If this is the way they feed, why does it seem they are still in need?”

“Yeah they do seem a little upset that those three are fighting.”

The group is marched past a large crowd of onlookers who wandered out from the houses of the small town to look at the newcomers. Odd it looked like any other pony town they had ever seen save the lack of color. Every pony seemed to be either gray or white, all of them blending into the back ground of gray stone buildings covered with perpetual snowfall and gray clouds. They had been out here for days now and had yet to even see the sky. None of the ponies seemed to have a cutie mark either at first though on careful observation, namely Bleu staring at the well toned and bare flank of the male pony leading the group. It seemed the cutie marks were there but had the same lack of coloration as everything else in this land.

The single armed guard that was escorting them had spear that seemed to be made out of ice, and was likely more used for hunting than anything else. He seemed rather nervous to be put in the position of watching over the five of them. Occasionally one of the spectators would move forward and try to look under the hood of Velkorn or Bleu's coats, only to be yelled at by the guard and sent back into the crowd of on lookers.

The other three were still arguing for some reason and neither Velkorn nor Bleu could figure out why, Neither of them felt any thing aside from the cold, but Luna , Rhede and Starfall seemed to be getting pissed off just looking at each other. Velkorn had moved to walk between the three in order to keep them all separated as that hostility did not seem to extend to Bleu and herself. This was evidently something different from what went on in Neighlantis as even Rhede was affected. The Zebra and Dragon had not felt anything there either so it was coming to be expected. The Princess displaying a temper however was worrying, particularly with her power nearly returned.

[“Bleu are you feeling anything?”]

[“Hungry, and cold oh so cold.”]

[“Aside from that, this is beyond any normal arguing and it is bothering Rhede as well, when it should not. Even if his training does not cover this his ambassador training should at least allow him to remain calm.”]

[“I noticed that, it's likely nothing to do with their mental states, emotional maybe?”]

[“Astute observation.”]

[“So far, these are all I have seen, none of them look like warriors, its like a whole community of hunters and gatherers. None of them look like what the popular descriptions of wendigo are supposed to be like either.”]

[“Perhaps they are just a lost tribe of ponies?]

[“Could be, but something here is messing with those three, I don't think its any of these ponies though none of them seem to be doing anything. They have some power, I mean the one with the spear just made the thing out of snow. Hmm seems we have arrived where ever we were going though.”]

The tall building blended in just like all the others they had passed, though it seemed much larger than the others and was likely the town hall or what ever these snow ponies equivalent was. A group of four ponies came out of the building wandering around the group curiously looking them over and talking among themselves. They glanced at the Dragonling and the Zebra bundled up as they were and ignored them in favor of the others. Who did not seem to happy to be looked over like objects but evidently were in control of themselves to not doing anything stupid.

“WE ARE PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA. DO ANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND US? WE HAVE COME LOOKING FOR THE WENDIGO.”

The four jumped back and the whole crowd seemed to scatter at the sudden booming voice of the Royal Canterlot speak. The reaction of several was to form weapons of ice and point them at the alicorn ears flat against their heads evidently some what pained by the volume.

“Well that is the most honest reaction to the Royal Canterlot speech I have ever seen.”

“Shut up Rhede your not helping.”

“Neither are you.”

“Both of you be quiet already, Princess I suggest against using the Royal Canterlot voice again while here they don't seem to like it and they don't seem to understand us either.”

“I suppose you are right Bleu there is no need to appear as hostile.”

“Good now you three all go back to standing on either side of Velkorn and try not to talk to each other cause something is setting you all off and its driving me CRAZY!!”

The guards whirl on the mound of furs that just shouted from Velkorn's back. The whole group of guard ponies seemed a little freaked out though the Four ponies that had come out of the building had seemed to calm and were talking to each other occasionally pointing at the ponies. One of them nods walking up to them again telling the guards something then waving to Velkorn as if trying to get her attention over the others and pointing her towards the door of the large building they had come out of.

The general populace that had come back was watching them all with interested eyes just as Velkorn was watching them. The four ponies Had caught Velkorn's attention. She noticed only when the one tried to get her attention. Their cutie marks were slightly more visible as if they had just the faintest hint of coloration to them. It was only noticeable one the one getting her attention turned around to point to the building. The book that was on his flank had the faintest hint of lavender on its cover. The zebra muttered lightly under her breath.

[“Interesting.”]

[“Whats that Velkorn?]

[“Bleu, Starfall, do you see anything different about the four that came out of this building?”]

[“I've not been paying much attention to them why?”]

[“I am curious about that myself Velky.”]

[“OK, my Zebra is not too good, can you tell me in small words what you are saying Velkorn?”]

["Endeavor to expand the scant education received in the language Starfall.”]

“Even Jer'rahd could tell that was a insult one, more word out of you Pelt.”

“Can you let her finish please!! Buck. If boss was here, I don't think even he would be enough of an idiot to completely ignore that his emotions were bucked up enough to fight like this. There is something seriously wrong with the three of you right now so NONE of you are allowed to talk unless I say so. THAT INCLUDES YOU PRINCESS!”

“I do not see a reason to shout, but if you fight again I shall knock each of you out.”

The snow ponies with them glanced back but seemed to be some what used to the shouting by now enough to know it was not directed at them, though the guards still looked nervous.

[“Alright try that again Velky.”]

[“Must you shorten my name?”]

[“Don't like it?”]

[“It changes the meaning.”]

[“Well what does Velkorn as a whole mean?”]

[“Later, right now there is this, the ones from the building have cutie marks with some coloration in them. That is likely why they are the leaders.”]

[“Shouldn't we be kings then?”]

[“We are not of their people and they have evidently seen our kind before.”]

[“Damn, I was hoping for a repeat of that deal with the teddy bears.]

=============================================

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE SHE IS!?!”

“She left me behind, I have been told I was in no shape to continue.”

“GENERAL I GAVE YOU A SIMPLE TASK TO STAY WITH, AND PROTECT MY SISTER AND NOW YOU ARE BACK HERE WITH OUT HER?!?”

Jer'rahd Twitches.

“It is not like I asked to be mind raped, thank you very much Celestia. If not for you sending us to these cursed places, I would still be with her.”

“YOU WERE SENT WITH HER BECAUSE THERE WAS POSSIBLE DANGER. AND YOU FAILED TO PROTECT HER FROM THAT. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?”

Rhede was right a pissed off Celestia was likely the most terrifying thing he would have ever seen. However right now she was far less frighting to him than a simple puddle of water. He was angry,Celestia was angry, and she was attempting to place the fault of something he had no control over on him. He already felt bad enough that he was not allowed to follow her towards the wendigo lands and now Celestia was shouting at him because of it.

“Yeah I do, who the buck is Aviana?”

Celestia stops dead staring at him, her eyes wide in surprise, her eyes narrowed again as if she was trying to figure out who the pony was that was suddenly before her. He could tell she was still angry, she was about as good at hiding that emotion as he was, but the fire of her anger had turned ice cold, as did her voice. But at least she was no longer yelling.”

“Where did you hear that name?”

“From at least two things that nearly killed both me and your sister on these little quests we have been sent on. Who is she and what is her connection to you and the insanely powerful individuals who want me and my friends dead?”

“That is none of your concern.”

“Bull shit, Celestia. Keep in mind what I have told you about intentionally threatening or harming my friends. With holding information about some one whose name has come up in particularly dangerous situations counts as intentional to me. Particularly if I can count it as a warning that the manures going to hit the windmill.”

Celestia meets Jer'rahd's glare with her own neither of them moving a inch for a moment or two though the rooms temperature seems to drop drasticly.

“General Three Bear, please step outside, it seems I have things to tell this mule headed idiot.”

“Of course Princess...... Um you are not going to kill him or anything I doubt your sister would be thrilled with that.”

“GO!”

“Yes Princess.”

The white buffalo darts out of the room faster than he likely should have been able to. As the door shuts Celestia exhales deeply settling back on her cushion.

“You are a pain in my flank General, even failing to retrieve the Elements you have managed to place yourself in a position that is has made it difficult to simply turn you loose. You already know far more than you should, regarding the Star metal, and the books recovered from Discord's Castle. Now you are delving for deeper secrets again.”

“Every secret I try to get out of you or your sister has a purpose for every ponies safety and is like pulling teeth with a noodle. You know that what I ask could have merit which is why I figure you have not just thrown me into a lake. You also think I am likely useful for something as you have not just added me to your little garden to stop dealing with me.”

“You know about that as well...... there is still time for me to throw you into the lake.”

Jer'rahd shudders causing Celestia to raise a brow curiously at the reaction.

“If you wish to explain to your sister why I died in mid air after being flung out the window from a heart attack feel free to do so. Though I would ask you to aim for a pile of rocks instead. I might survive that.”

“Not a response I expected. Though I am now curious as to what did happen. I will do that later, you asked about Aviana. You recall the conversation we had after the chess game, where you asked if I had any friends?”

“Yes. Vaguely.”

“Aviana was one of my friends a long time ago, Luna only met her briefly before she passed on, but Aviana was with me for a long time. “

“Another alicorn?”

“Figure that out already? I really should no longer be surprised by you any more. You are far to similar of mind set to my sister.”

“It was implied by the image of Discord that Luna was a new Princess.”

“She is, by those of us who have lived long enough any way. I will not go into the whole situation about how little alicorns are made I am sure you have had sex ed. And no contrary to rumors she is my sister not my daughter.”

“I was not going to ask that.”

“You would be surprised how often I heard it when she first was introduced to Equestria. Moving on,and do sit down General you are making me nervous.

She waits a moment as he takes a seat though his attention remains on the Princess as she lays down across the cushion.

“Aviana was the alicorn Princess before Luna, She was a Princess long before I was born even, though again we were not related in any way I know of. Well maybe some ancestor of hers and mine was the same, but she was not directly related. She was my teacher and friend, perhaps the truest I have had. She practically raised me to be what I am today, she taught me all she knew about being a Princess along with a great many of the mistakes she had made so I would not repeat them. She was the first to follow an oath of not killing, she was far forgiving and loving of everything to allow anything to come to harm. The Discordian war hurt her far more than she wished to let on. After Luna and I sealed him in stone she stepped down as ruler to let Luna take her place. She died not long after that. Her name may have come up General, but it was because you were talking to those old enough to remember her, rather than Luna. There was nothing malevolent about her, she is why I have vowed not to kill. Even if there was some hidden evil about her, she is long passed on from this world.”

Celestia had slowly slumped down as she spoke giving Jer'rahd the impression that this was a great deal harder for her to talk about than she was letting on. Changing the subject might be a good idea.

“Well that answers that at least. I suppose all that is left is to ask what did you do to piss off Aqua?”

The Princess smirks a little, but still seems darkened by the talk of her old friend.

“Oh that … I turned her pet fish a bright yellow and put smiley faces all over him.”

“You're kidding.......”

=============================================================

This had just gotten silly. The inside of the building was a massive visual shock compared to the lack of coloration outside. The walls were hung with old banners their colors faded but still brighter than anything out side the building. The three story building was open in the middle with the two floors above over looking the central courtyard . Square cases made of ice , yet as clear as glass filled the room holding bright objects within. Everything from clothing scraps, gem stones,and bits of assorted junk, was contained in these cases. Starfall Paused to go over to look at one ignoring the guards who verbally tried to stop her.

“I found the rest of the pony we buried. His cutie mark was a compass with a bright red needle.”

“That's morbid.”

“What did I tell you two about speaking? But this does paint these ponies in a whole new light now doesn't it. Peaceful mission or not they try anything we tear them a new plot hole.”

Velkorn had paused and was staring at something though she nods lightly to Bleu suggestion, though long after the statement was made. The guards urged the group further along towards the back of the building and what looked like a few hastily made cells.

======================================

Jer'rahd had been introduced to a new level of hell. It had to be there was no other explanation for why the Princess of Equestria had suddenly gone into a massive story mode after the question dead friend and had broke down weeping like a school filly.

“....but then I couldn't do anything but just watch him get old and waaahhhh die and it was nothing but funerals for at least thirty years, after just that as every pony who was around me died of old age or otherwise and Aviana wasn’t there to help me through it. Lulu was too young then and had not even out lived her first group of friends andahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!””

Jer'rahd twitched as the alicorn Princess blew her nose in the shoulder of his dress shirt. The question about the joke on Aqua brought back other memories for Celestia about other jokes she had played with Aviana, then it all went south. The best he could figure was Aviana gave up her alicorn nature to live among the ponies she had ruled over for so long in an attempt to have a normal life. The last half an hour had Celestia naming off the children and grand children and children of the grand children for at least nine generations as well as their accomplishments and failures in life. She had started crying about the third generation, bawling by the fifth and a complete wreck of a mare hanging off of him by the final one. She went on after that naming off her favorite students she had seen grow from foals to adults and then old ponies and die right before her eyes. To Jer'rahd it seemed this sort of thing had been a long time coming with how easily she broke down now.

“And I don't even remember who her kids are any more....... BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

The door opens a bit attracting Jer'rahd's gaze to see several servants and the Buffalo chief peeking inside. Celestia continues to cry like a new born foal against his shoulder. He looks to them mouthing a silent plea for help and every one of them quickly shake their heads and duck back out leaving him again to deal with the emotional alicorn Princess.

“Do you have any idea what it is like to live this long?”

“I cannot say I do. I often wonder if I will survive the next day let alone what would happen if I was still alive in a thousand years.”

==============================================

The group stood in place after disrobing, leaving Velkorn and Bleu the only ones covered for the moment. One of the leaders had mimed the motions to take off their gear and had tried to show Starfall by attempting to remove her cloak. After the Snow pony managed to pick himself up and dust off he tried shouting the command to take off the gear with the spears of ice aimed at them all again.

Luna pulled off the bone helm glaring at the guards who relaxed a little as the bone plate fell to the floor. They seemed to have little interest in the blackened and silver highlighted bone armor though the coloration of the Princesses hair and coat held their attention. They were mildly curious at her wings and horn, but seemed more interested in the bright coloration of her hair. Starfall pulled off her cloak and snow gear though kept the worn leather belt with her blades on. The seemed to take no notice of the weapons or the harness due to the dull color, but were fascinated by her cutie mark,mane ,and tail.

Starfall was clearly uncomfortable at the attention though Velkorn still seemed frozen watching the snow ponies. Rhede Seemed to draw the most attention the deep red of his coat had both the mares and stallions in the small snow pony group staring, and for once he looked as uncomfortable with the scrutiny as Starfall did. Two guards kept their spears pointed at the last clothed pair as the other three were guided into various cells while their belongings were picked through. Saddle bags were dumped and the more colorful items were taken into another room while the rest was simply shoved into a gray sack. Luna sighed with relief that Jer'rahds armor, the pearl and the stick had all been shoved into the gray bag. Ice formed the bars of the cells though even without their coats the place was still warm enough to not be a bother to the now naked ponies.

“They seem a bit reluctant to try and get us to do the same here Velkorn.”

“None are brave enough to do the deed, they seem to think this group I lead.”

“Perfect. So what now then great leader?”

“Give them what they want of course, a white dragon and a striped horse.”

“White dragon?....... Ahhhh good idea. Glad I thought of it.”

Bleu hops off Velkorn's back peeling out of the stack of furs she had on and stretching out cracking her neck. Dull white scales covered her form and gray eyes shifted over the snow ponies who seemed greatly upset over the reveal. Velkorn pulled off her gear as well eliciting a few disappointed sighs though her amber eyes were of some interest. The leaders again rummaged through their gear taking the rest of Bleu's Gemstone lunch and the green sea pony Medical bags from Velkorn. Thankfully the brown leather bound Medical book she had acquired from the buffalo shaman was left alone. The pair were guided into a third cell and left as the leaders went off to look over the new bright shineys and the guards were ushered out.

“Well now. This was a fun trip. Are we going to jump into a volcano on the next adventure?”

“Stuff it Rhede.”

======================================================

Jer'rahd exhales deeply, his eyes closed, ears flat back against his head, he had found a suit of guard armor that was suitable for his build and come out here to the training field, again. His wooden sword was stuck in the mud before him, point down in the mud and the collecting rain. His breathing quickened as he watched the puddle of water inch closer to his hoof.

“Are you sure about this sir, you don't look that good.”

“That's the point Corporal. The rules are the same, when I drop the shield you lot keep attacking until General Three Bear tells you to stop or I'm unconscious, got it?”

“But sir....”

“That is an order. Crazy as it sounds I likely need something like this, and my normal sparing partner is not here. Now then.”

He moves forward lifting his hoof and setting it out of reach of the puddle as he closes his teeth around the grip of the wooden sword. He breaths out hard a last time teeth gritting as he lets the shield above him vanish.

Fire the first drop felt like fire, his skin crawled from the sudden deluge that poured down on him soaking him in moments His eyes shot open, panic filling them as the first training blade caught him across the side of the head the echo of the wood against the steel helm he wore sending a jolt of pain through his head that briefly drown out the feeling of being burned alive. He blinked as a second blow caught him across the shoulder, pain arching up along his back as his leg briefly went numb from the impact. He whips his head mind cleared for a moment blocking the third blow though his eyes widen again as they focus on the rain soaked forms of the Guard in front of him, his body seizes up again, tensing with fear. Another blow strikes across his back bringing a instant reaction to kick out and send the attacker falling back into the mud. The guard rose shaking the water from his eyes before charging in again. The four were attacking together now and doing a very good job, this would have been a challenge even with out his handicap, with it he felt like a pinata. He blocks another blow lashing out with a return strike that the Guard easily dodges.

Focus, push down the panic, focus, feel the pain let it guide you, focus, this is fresh water from the sky, focus, this is mud not sand, focus, nothing lives in these puddles,focus,counter, focus, block, focus, strike, focus, dodge, focus on the pain, on the threat, on the fight.

Another blow struck him from the side sending him tumbling to the ground to crash face first into a puddle with a small whimper escaping his mouth as he yanks his head up from the water quickly the sword remaining in the puddle as he nearly hyperventilates throwing a shield above his head again.

“All of you stand down.”

“Yes Sir.”

“I thought perhaps you were a smarter pony than this General. You have not been recovered more than a week and you are already fighting to put yourself back into a catatonic state?”

The rain had stopped falling on him and a second shield formed under him allowing him to climb out of the puddle still franticly trying to get his breathing under control. Out of the weather and the dark puddles on the ground calming down was getting easier though he had to close his eyes still.

“If I can be, hufff, beaten by a little rain storm sir, I will be useless when combat starts.”

“You should take it easy General. We have some time yet.”

“No, Keep the rain coming Sergeant!”

A pegasus guiding the rain cloud over the courtyard yells back a yes sir as the others look to each other.

“I do not think this is wise, but I shall remain here to make sure you do not kill yourself General Kaisur.”

“Thank you very much Sir.”

Jer'rahd drops the shield below him and lifts the blade with a hoof flicking off the mud. He shudders again as he stands in the puddle, issuing the command before taking the blade in his mouth and dropping the shield above him.

“Again.”

========================================

“So when do we bust out of here?”

“After lunch I hope!!”

The others look down at the sparse collection of mushrooms and strange arctic hay,as well as some sort of blubbery material that might have been meat. Velkorn professed it tasted of fish which made it less appetizing to the others. Almost as one they look over at the little Dragon in the other cell who was munching on what looked to be a bucket of diamonds. Considering she was on her second bucket full of them and the snow ponies who brought them did not even seem to consider the gemstones important likely meant they were common here, something Bleu was ecstatic over.

Velkorn had taken notice of a interesting effect that seemed to happen when any of the snow ponies came in to look at them. It was less like they were prisoners at this point and more like they were bits of art. Granted Bleu and Velkorn barely got a look directed their way with the coloration s they were sporting, and Starfall was getting quite annoyed at all the snow ponies staring at her flank. Luna had been watching for the effect that Velkorn noticed and saw it on some of the snow ponies that watched Rhede.

“Interesting. But why does she consider this important?”

=======================================================

“You look like hell Kaisur. What did you do, get Three Bears whole tribe to tap dance on your face?”

“Missed you too Sir.”

Jer'rahd all but hobbles into the room where the Generals Mustang , Three Bear, and Meteor Shower stand over a table with the map of Equestria from Canterlot to the great wall. It was covered with small scale figures depicting various forces and land marks.

“I doubt it. Of course even if no one had told me you were back the massive destruction you have done to my training grounds was more than enough proof. Whole bucking field frozen solid last night and turned into a ice skating park. I am amazed it lasted this long with you flooding it for the past few weeks. Any way here's the situation. The Princesses' plan starts next week, that's good. The dragons primary forces are still at the wall, also good. We interrupted a supply train once, and the dragons turned on and ate all the little bear things like popcorn. That in itself is fantastic, cause those things creeped me right the buck out.”

“They ate them all?”

“That's what the scouts say, said the little things even lined up for it and jumped into the pots themselves like some sick suicide cult. One week of rations missing and the savages cannibalize their own.”

“They did worship dragons.”

“Well in any event that's the good news.”

“Specially since it ends the chance for a lawsuit.”

“What was that Shower?”

“Nothing sir.”

“Any way now we got the bad news. The orcs are on the move. Cold weathers not bothering them and they are pushing most of their force toward Manehatten. We have troops set there, but its not nearly enough. So here's the plan. Shower and I are stuck in Canterlot taking care of the main forces, and all the boring paper work. Kaisur you are going to reenforce the garrison at Manehatten. Three Bear you are going to take to these hills here with your force, when the pigs move past to hit the city, you sweep them from behind. This is nearly all of the orc forces, we win this battle and the dragons forces will be greatly reduced for the main conflict. It is imperative you stop them at the city Kaisur, there's no natural barriers between Canterlot and Manehatten, just open trading road right to the front gate. Not to mention that will give them a port on the Cape Foal River, they could strike all the way into the heart of Equestria using that. We can not allow them to get a hoof hold in that city. Evacuees have been pouring in ,but there’s still far too many citizens in the city who won't leave. You have a hard run ahead of you just to get there in time to do anything before the orcs get there. Once there do what ever you need to to hold that city. You two are perfect for this as neither of you was expected to be here.”

“Understood sir.”

“You still look vexed Kaisur whats wrong?”

“Nothing Sir … well, just, what is this box here on the map supposed to be?”

“Canterlot.”

“Canterlot?”

“Canterlot!”

“Its only a model”

“Shhhh, General Shower I know what it is. You two are dismissed your troop assignments are at the Canterlot barracks now go.”

“Yes Sir.”
“At once Sir.”

Twilight was ripped out of the spell by a scream of pure rage.

“RAINBOW DASH GET BACK HERE I WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH YOU!!”

“Gaaaaah, words don't mean flinging cactus at me ahh I said sorry!!”

“SORRY? SORRY? I'LL GIVE YOU SORRY WITH A SIDE OF BURRS AND A CHERRY CHIMI CHANGA RAAAAAH.”

“SOME PONY HELP, SHE'S CRAZY!!”

Twilight and Spike watch from the door as Rarity charges after Rainbow dash flinging cacti balls at the pegasus while Pinkie Pie bounces along after her still talking about cherry chimi changas.

Spike and Twilight look at each other and slowly move back into the the library closing the door and cutting out the lights to not get involved.

“I knew we forgot something.”

Summit Erosion

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Summit Erosion

“Ugh, what is it about being part of Applejack's family that means I am gonna get a tummy ache?”

“ I got a barrel, I got a barrel, hehehhehe”

Twilight all but drags herself in as the happy pegasus flutters around in the air aroundher carrying a small barrel of cider.

“Don't tell me your going to drink all of that Rainbow?”

“I miss out on the cider nearly every year. Your darn right I’m gonna drink all of it. Happily, I might add.”

“Ugh, I feel ill just from two mugs, its good, but strong.”

“Your just a light weight.”

“You know if you keep missing it every year why didn't you ask me or Pinkie to pick up a mug for you?”

“Errrr.....”

“Probably cause she never thought of it.”

“Hey now... its not that Spike, I just didn't want to be rude, yah know.....”

“Uh huh. Don't drink to much your on book duty tonight, I know that's why she came home early.”

“What!.....aw. Well at least I have my barrel. I guess I can look over the book a bit and see if there's any new tricks worth learning.”

“I think you might find something interesting this time, it does seem the action is picking up a little. There's some paper and pencils over on the desk if you need them Dash.”

“Alright you go do your thing and I'll do mine.”

“OK, what are you planning to do Spike?”

“Bed. Keep in mind I've been up all day waiting in line too. “

“Well good night Spike. You set Rainbow?”

“Yup, oh before I forget, I'm not sure if that was Gilda or not you guys saw. I've seen her around, a few times, but she usually hides from me when she notices I'm looking. That's not really Gilda's style.”

“Well we first saw her on top of Sugar Cube Corner, so maybe she doesn't want you to know shes here till after whatever she has planned. Pinkie didn't seem very worried about it.”

“That makes sense. I bet Pinkie can dish out double any prank Gilda tries to play on her.”

“OK here we go.”

Twilight slips into the spell feeling perhaps a bit too good, despite her tummy ache. As the sea of stars forms around her she realizes her head has cleared and her stomach no longer hurts.

“Add another benefit to the spell. Alright lets check on Jer'rahd. He usually seems to be a good place to start. At least when he doesn't have a mare friend.”

She dives into the blade's window pulled towards the gray unicorn.

“GET EVERY PONY INTO THE SHELTERS, I WANT THESE STREETS CLEAR.”

Jer'rahd stood atop a wagon shouting orders to the soldiers around him. Most of them were busy setting up the last barricades, the others were hard at work moving the remaining citizens, by force if need be, from their homes into one of the more secure bunkers of the city, either under the city hall or the Guard Base. Both bunkers had started as little more than basements, but when Manehatten tried its hoof at a alcohol prohibition the basements under the city were expanded drasticly to allow for smuggling. There were once tunnels under ever part of the city, though most had been filled in, or converted to shelters after the War of the North threatened to spread here. The tunnels under the Guard base had been turned to storage for food and supplies, and the bunker of tunnels under the City hall was kept more for historical purposes. Most likely as some tribute to the War of the North. The mountain range across the river was the start of the griffon lands to the east and to the west where Luna and the others were likely headed in search of the wendigo.

Now with the Second Dragon war beginning these shelters were again seeing use. A great many of the city's occupants had evacuated, but there were still close to two thousand ponies who stayed. Most of them were in the Guard post shelter, but quite a few went to the one under the multi storied city hall. A contingent of Guards was posted there to keep order and protect the civilians if the outer wall fell.

Jer'rahd's force had barely made it to the city before the orcs had. The Guard Captain had taken over the city when the mayor fled and prepared as best he could. When Jer'rahd arrived he ordered half the troops that came with him to aid in setting up defenses and ordered the other half to rest. He managed to get the Guard Captain to do the same and got a few hours of sleep himself before the orcs arrived in force.

Manehatten was a large city, perhaps one of the biggest in all Equestria outside of Canterlot itself. It was built along side the Cape Foal river that ran from the northern mountains through the heart of Equestria before reaching the sea and the port town of Wilmingtrot. The river ran along side off the city forming a wide natural barrier from that side, but the hilly terrain around the rest of it left all other angles exposed. Given a choice Jer'rahd would not have wanted to defend this place, but he had his orders and there were far to many ponies here to try and evacuate now. The walls on the outskirts of the city were the last to be built and were put up hastily enough that they were not likely to hold for long, but it would be long enough for traps and snipers to be placed at various points inside Manehatten. A few hundred civilians volunteered to help with the traps and barricades. Most of them also offered to help fight, but he refused. Most of the Guard here were green, and this fight would test their moral enough as it was without having untrained citizens adding to the panic. He did accept their help in setting up and the help of a few retirees however who had combat experience.

Jer'rahd turned his gaze to the scant bit of land between the orc camp and \ the edge of the cities defenses. The orcs had taken out a messenger that he tried to send to General Three Bear, though he expected the buffalo to be prompt unless something else happened. He knew the camp he could see was far too small for what the recon teams reported. It had to be only part of the force, he was sure the city had already been surrounded by the orcs, and the fighting would begin soon enough. He turned hid head back as the Guard Captain brought over a bowl of soup for him. He nodded his thanks floating the bowl from the other unicorn and taking a sip of the hot tomato broth.

“Thank you Captain.”

“Not a problem Sir..... what do you have our chances at?”

“Depends. I've never fought orcs before, I am told they enjoy war and prefer close hoof to hoof fighting. Their leaders tend to be the largest and strongest of the lot, orcs do not respect anything but strength.”

“I have heard that as well. Do you think the barriers will hold?”

“Not for long, what worries me is I am not sure where the second attack will come from. We gave them a enticing target by leaving the river side lightly guarded, but they would have to cross the water way to attack from that side. Not very feasible, but possible. The rumors claim the orc leaders and casters are not as stupid as their grunt troops are.”

“Think we can win?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Why are you so sure?”

“Because we do not have a choice otherwise.”

============================================================

“You know Princess even if we could speak their language and convince them to help us, do we really want troops that faint at the first sign of violence?”

Rhede stands over one of the guards who had passed out the moment he was charged by the group. Velkorn checks him out before nodding sure the snow pony had just fainted. Starfall wanders around the room looking over the displays before breaking open the one with the cutie marks that had been stripped from the corpse they found.

“Still needs a decent burial, all of him.”

“Once we are out we can worry about that. What is this plan you have Velkorn?”

“These ponies are not bad, it is just their life that seems very sad. Though there is a plan I have made, to see it through I will need your aid.”

“Why not. We have not done anything completely crazy in about a week Velk.”

====================================

“So we know who the leader is now?”

“Yes sir, couple of the Guards speak orc and understood that little tirade from the mountaintop. Usual orcish crap about divine right of arms, and turning all our mares into breeding stock for meat and flaying every one else and leaving our bodies to hang on the walls of the town as a warning blah blah blah.”

“Think they will ever figure out that most ponies don't speak orc, and that rant is pretty much useless as a way to scare us?”

“Not likely, the one doing the shouting claimed the Warlords name was Jef'frey. “

“Rather weak name for a warlord.”

“It supposedly translates to bringer of rage.”

“Still lame. Any sign of siege weapons?”

“Some battering rams and a couple of their hedge mages nothing serious. Its the numbers that have me worried sir. There's easily ten to twelve of them for every one of us.”

“How many can your Guard handle?”

“Trained as we are sir maybe five each.”

“My group can handle eight or so apiece. Still leaves a couple hundred extra. “

“I know sir it does not look good.”

“Oh no, nothing like that, I was worried for a moment I was not going to get a chance to kill anything this battle.”

“Sir..... do you know your eye is starting to glow red?”

A roar went up from the horde around the walls and Jer'rahd could not help to smile. No mind tricks, no magic, no fear, no cloak and dagger crap. Nothing but odds stacked heavily against them and the promise of violence while protecting an entire city for as long as it took for the reinforcements to get here. This was his calm.

“Here they come Sergeant, give the signal to fire at will.”

“Yes sir.”

=================================================================

“That is the plan? No offense ,but that's crazier than anything the boss has come up with. And he has come up with some dumb ones.”

“I do not see how this expenditure of power will aid us Velkorn.”

“Sometimes you have to freely offer others aid, only then will you see the difference you have made.”

“Actually, I take that back, if it works it would bring a great deal of joy to this place. And these snow ponies could use that, did you see their expressions when they were watching us, then when they had to leave? It was like some one gave them a puppy then kicked it in front of them. There cannot be much here other than depression and monochromatic landscapes. I am for it, even if it doesn't work it will bring a few smiles for a little while.”

Luna looks over curiously at the once again blue hued dragonling and dips her head considering.

“What about you Rhede, Starfall?”

“I don't have any part in the plan Princess, You and Starfall have the big parts. I'd just like to get out of here before whatever hit us before does so again. I don't like being out of control of my own self. Particularly emotionally.”

“I agree with Rhede on that,we still don't know why that happened. Aside from feeling miserable I was willing to attack you both I haven't felt anything else in a while. I'm good with the plan, it would be nice if I can finally use my skills for something other than a weapon.”

Velkorn smiles softly as she checks on the wound in Bleu's tail, she was healing up quite well. Aside from this wound and what Rhede had put himself through she had been feeling rather useless in helping any one this trip. She had been forced to take lives, and even though she regarded them as fish the screams still weighed heavily. Her inability to do anything for Jer'rahd was some thing she was upset over as well. Here was the opportunity to try and help some ponies for no reason other than they seemed to need it. After the disaster of their trip so far, she was not going to pass up a chance to actually do some good. Bleu seemed to understand that even if the others did not.

“It would be much simpler to to teleport us home, if I do this Velkorn I will not have the power to do so. Not to mention the effect would only happen at dawn or dusk when the moon first rises or sets and there is still light from the sun to power it.”

“So long as it is something other than gray, such a limited time will be okay.”

“As for getting out of here, leave that to me Princess. I found out a few things while you were playing in the woods with Rhede.”

“I was not play......... never mind, I agree. We will try this at sunset.”

====================================================

The orc still roared even as its legs were separated from its body. One of the blades jutting from its armor glanced harmlessly off Jer'rahd's shoulder guard as the pig crashed into the ground behind him, The small force of ponies running with him ending the pigs life as he moved on to the next target.

The barrier had been breached along the west side of the Guard compound. Jer'rahd had gathered soldiers from the 42d and had them follow him to plug up the holes in the wall and deal with anything that got through. Pegasus flew low over the barricades dropping off snipers and other Guard's who had been caught outside the walls after the initial rush. He raises a shield over the hole the orcs made, embedding the Waning Moon into a pig before lifting his head and watching his small force mop up the others inside as the orcs pound against his shield.

They had done fairly close to what he had predicted. The city was hit from both sides, and as a bit of surprise, they also tried to come across the river in makeshift boats. The balista crews hidden there sank their crude ships before any even reached the docks and archers picked off the ones who still attempted to swim to shore. He was quite thankful that the river was easily hidden by the towering buildings and that the Guard post he was defending was no where near the water way. He might have mostly gotten over rain, but the river was still beyond his ability to look at or even think about long. He let the Guard Captain handle anything on that side of the city.

The other attacks had slammed relentlessly into the makeshift outer walls, overwhelming the defenders in only a few hours of time. He ordered a full retreat bringing all the ponies that survived back into the inner defenses. He was surprised to find more Guard had survived than either he or the Captain had predicted, the orc's losses after the failed river crossing had proven greater that expected as well. The odds had evened a bit ,but they were still outnumbered close to ten to one, of course the Guard still had some tricks left to use.

Choke points,magic, mines,and snipers wielding crossbows or spells, racked up impressive kill counts on their own. Every other pony was on the walls or in the yard of the Guard post defending the last refuge from the invaders. Civilian medical ponies ignored his orders galloping out to recover the wounded bringing them back inside the bunkers for treatment as others ran about the yard delivering food and water to the defenders. More than a few of the green troops were clearly shaken by the events as was any civilian that helped despite his orders, but no pony panicked, and no pony broke down.

The roar of another collapsing building signaled the end of a unknown number of orcs. They had trapped as many of the important looking structures around the city as they could. With luck if enough came down the orcs would not bother with the town hall and focus on the heavily defended base.
The collapse of a few buildings and the fires would likely drive the mayor nuts when she returned, but if she was so worried about what would happen to her city she would not have fled it. On the plus side, with the nobles and the civilian leaders gone it made taking control of the situation much easier for him. The Guard Captain was a bit reluctant to turn over full control of the situation to the 42d, and Jer'rahd made sure he did not have to, splitting his own troops into the local Guard ranks made it easier for all of them to learn the cities lay out while they went about their tasks.

“ROOK TO QUEEN THREE, NOW!”

That and the Guard Captain liked chess, which made this all the more interesting. Jer'rahd's bellow echoed over the sounds of battle and was repeated by a string of Guards to make sure it was heard in the watch tower in the center of the base. The unicorn mages at the top of the building activated the spell that was secured in the cities post office at the order. The massive explosion of fire brought the structure down, collapsing the mail office across the street before the breached wall, crushing attackers and reenforcing the defensive wall with a burning pile of jagged rubble.

The ground rumbles and a wave of heat, dust, and bloody mist washes over the ponies defending the wall and his assault team, blotting out all light for a tense few moments save a bright red glow from the General. A grin crossed his features at the screams of the orcs on the other side of the new barricade, the pungent scent of mortar, wood smoke, and cooking bacon filling the air.

Another shout for aid spurs the small force in another direction to intercept more orcs who managed to get over the wall. The problem was dealt with by the time they got there, however a pegasus lands before Jer'rahd and salutes.

“General, we have confirmation that the town hall shelter has been breached. Sir.”

“How many are still there?”

“Last report had about to two hundred civilians and twenty or thirty Guards posted inside the entrance. Sir.”

Jer'rahd looks at the pegasus and the arrows sticking out of his armor and the large shield he had attached to his hooves to carry under him as he flew..

“You alright lieutenant?”

“Still flying Sir.”

“That's not much.”

“It's enough Sir.”

Jer'rahd glances back at the assault force as another building crumbles falling across the street and crushing the orcs along another side of the base, Unicorns were already adjusting the burning rubble of the first building to serve as a better blockade.

“Gather any pegasus still fit to fly and carry troops go now, CAPTAIN!!”

The pegasus flies off with a nod as the Guard Captain darts down the ramp from the watch tower shaking his gold mane free of the dust and debris from the fallen building.

“SIR?”

“Can you handle things here?”

“Should not be a problem Sir, we can hold here for at least another few hours easy.”

“Not an option. You hold as long as it takes. This is the last defensive formation we have.”

“What happened to our reinforcements sir?”

“No bucking clue, they should have been here already. There's a good chance they might have hit something on the way here. In any case we hold until they are all dead got it? You protect the civilians in this bunker. I have something I need to take care of and I might not make it back any time soon.”

“Where are you going Sir?”

“A little rescue operation Commander, The City Hall bunkers fallen.”

“You cannot save everyone General we still need you here, sir.”

“I can damn well try Captain, ANY OF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!”

He looks over the dozen shock troops that had been following him around for the battle, he had started with twenty and these were all that was left. Glancing up just as many pegasus flew low over the guard post hovering above the group.

“NO SIR!”

“GOOD LETS GO!”

The Waning Moon whips through the air at the beck of his magic flicking free blood and sliding into its sheath. The pegasus drop down picking up the mixture of earth ponies and unicorns with the one that gathered them all picking up the General. He picks up the ponies shield holding it under him as the other troops do the same.

“Whats your name Soldier?”

“ Lieutenant Wash sir.”

“Well Wash, you up for flying back into all that?”

“No pony lives forever Sir.”

======================================

Velkorn smiles again as she looks down off the large orange and green dragon's back at the gathered snow ponies below. Bleu had been circling for a good ten minutes now and it looked like nearly all the snow ponies had come out. They stared at the massive shape circling their town and the bright coloration it had.

“Ready Starfall?”

“As I will get.”

“Every pony is now ready, Bleu please keep steady.”

Starfall leaps off the back of the flying dragon soaring skyward and shuddering hard as she leaves the warmth of the area the Princess had set up around Bleu. She continues to climb vanishing into the clouds.

“Sundown is approaching, I still hope this will be worth it Velkorn.”

“Consider it a good deed, perhaps this will be what they truly need.”

Bleu turns her head back and opens her maw prompting Rhede to toss in a hoof full of diamonds from the barrel they had grabbed while securing the town hall. The dragonling had mentioned how hungry she got while holding this form and it would be better to keep that in check and her energy up with what they could find.

“Here she comes, brace yourself Bleu, every pony else hold on.”

===========================================

The armored skull of the pig crunches under his hoof, the creatures eyes bursting from their sockets and mixing with the gore already gathered on the ground. Jer'rahd whips his head up blocking a pole arm swung by another pig, twisting the blade in his mouth and yanking his head back pulling the pole arm from the pigs grip. He spins about and kicking with his hind legs and caving in the surprised pigs face.

The group had arrived at the town hall to find the orcs already in the building. Some of the civilians and guards had fled up into the upper floors of the building while others had gone down into the shelter. Jer'rahd directed Wash to smash through the windows in the building's middle so they could move to help both those trapped in the basement and the ones above. He sent Wash and the pegasus force up to help the ones on the roof while he went down with his force.

Charging through the lower levels they came across the bodies of orcs and more than a few of the Guards. He left four of his squad to barricade the door the orcs had broken thru and took the rest down into the shelter. So far only a small group had gone into the building though a larger force waited outside still. The group galloped along the corridors following the trail of civilian, Guard and Orc bodies. They rounded a corner and were greeted by the site of a lone pony with a Guard sword standing in front of a door with half a dozen orcs standing circled around him. The young unicorn barely seemed past colt hood and his white coat was soaked in enough blood to hide the blank spot where his cutie mark should have been. He shook softly the blade gripped tight in his teeth, bright blue mane hiding his eyes as he shifted his gaze over the orcs advancing on him. Two of their number already lay dead at the pony's hooves and the ones still alive seemed hesitant to approach the young unicorn. His team did not give them a chance to do so.

One of the orcs charged the unicorn thinking to at least kill a the pony that had stopped them before dieing himself. The unicorn flinched but held his ground deflecting the first blow from the orc though his blade was knocked from his grip by the force of the orcs attack. Jer'rahd's hooves connected to the side of the pig sending it crashing to the ground for the rest of his team to finish off before its second attack came.

A glance back showed the other orcs were dead but one of his team had taken a injury that would keep him out of any more fighting until a healer was found.

“You alright colt?”

“I'm not a colt....”

“Yeah well your younger than me ,so I can call you what I want. How many are behind you?”

“About ninety are in the cave there, I think we are all that’s left. “

“Get them together we need to take them to the roof. Nice work with the blade colt, a little more training and you might be worthy of the Guard. “

The white unicorn said nothing though his blue eyes stared at Jer'rahd sparkling a bit at the compliment. He swallows a bit not liking the unnerving glow of fear and awe in this colts eyes that he had seen from more than a few foals that for some reason had taken a idealistic view of him after Dullahan.

“MOVE TROOPS, GATHER THE WOUNDED AND GET THE CIVIES UP THE STAIRS. I WANT YOU FIVE TO HELP SECURE THE FRONT DOOR. I'M GOING UP TO PLOW THE ROAD OF ANYTHING WASH'S GROUP MISSED. THE REST OF YOU ON ME.”

Jer'rahd moves up the stairs, gutting an orc that had come in from another room to see what the yelling was about. The five he singled out moved to reinforce the ones he left before and the rest of the group gallops up the stairs passing dozens of dead orcs ,and a bodies of civilians before reaching the upper area. Two of the pegasus had been killed leaving only eleven and Wash left. A few of the civilians were pegasus as well so that wound up being fortunate. Only about thirty civilians had been killed though all the guard here had been wiped out defending them. Jer'rahd sighs at the losses, a good portion of those still alive owed that to the colt that had been running along at his flank the whole way up the building.

“Alright here's the plan every pony that can fly is going to gather up some pony that can't and take them back to the guard post. Its not that far.”

“What about the archers sir?”

“Let me worry about them.”

“Sir, we have another problem now.”

“Whats that ?”

“The Orc HQ and their boss is outside the building.”

“Does he know we are here?”

“MY LITTLE PONY COME OUT AND PLAY!!!!”

“I would say that's a yes, sir.”

Jer'rahd moves to a window glancing out at the large gathering of troops and the truly massive swine standing in the middle of them. It was like if Three Bear had been surrounded by foals.

“That is a big pig.”

“Indeed, sir so what now?”

“Wash … this might have just made things a great deal easier for us. “

“Huh?”

==============================================

Starfall rips through the cloud cover a booming echo bouncing off the mountains as she rockets towards the ground. The strain on her is clearly evident as is the ice starting to form on her hooves from the cold. Bleu swings lower planning to catch her if she cannot pull up. The loud whining draws everyone’s attention up towards the hole made in the clouds. Gaunt equine forms stare down the hole blinking in surprise that something had torn past them. They look rather angry as some lept from the clouds galloping down the sky after Starfall. The sudden explosion of color that burst from the pegasus knocked the ones chasing her back, some of them dissolve like they were ice shattered by a hammer, the falling bits fading into nothing.

“Wendigo.”

“Cast the spell soon, Goddess of the Moon.”

Luna glances back watching the Rain booms aura expand and started to fad as it got further away from the falling pegasus, her horn glows brightly a great lavender light surrounding her as her magic flares up, exploding outward chasing and overtaking the Rain Booms ring freezing the glowing rainbow into place just under the clouds. The magic warps the lights causing them to seem to dance vividly in the sunset casting the rainbow colors brightly onto the snow only to have it reflected back up into the sky.

Velkorn looks over the side at the snow ponies the bright light show reflecting in their eyes as they stare sky ward. The wendigo above the could scream out, a few more disapateing into mist as the others seem to charge away from the hole in the clouds the oppressive snowfall lessening and fading as the night sky dances with the lights created from Starfall's Sonic Rain Boom. Starfall pulls up in time to not crash into the town, but she struggles to pull herself aloft again before Bleu snatches her up and takes off back into the air climbing past the Rain Booms effect. Luna winces her hair whipping behind her as she struggles to hang on slipping from Bleu's spine and nearly falling from the dragons back, Rhede grabs her front leg pulling her back onto the dragon as she levels out. Velkorn did not even seem to have moved as she looks down over the side at the city, flashes of light dance among the gathered snow ponies,cutie marks flaring as if they were just gained by foals the brilliant colors showing against the still white coats of the gathered ponies As each mark gained the coloration it had been missing.

Velkorn closed her eyes, she was right the ponies below, were just that, ponies. They were only different as they did not know color or hope here in this land. Likely that was the true wendigo's doing as well, now with this they could be the same as all other ponies having seen the light of a rainbow, and proof that there was more to their world than black and white.

Jer'rahd looks down off the roof at the giant pig staring up at him. They had reached some sort of agreement. Granted he did not expect the warlord to keep it when all was said and done, though thankfully one of the civilians spoke enough orc to make sure every swine in range heard the challenge. The whole army around the city hall had stopped and kept their attention on their leader. If he declined a challenge like this from a pony, the other orcs would see it as weakness and begin challenging him for leadership. That would spell and end to the invasion force as the infighting would tear them apart. If he accepted,well Jer'rahd was reasonably sure he could beat the pig and the leader had said the others would retreat.

“You have your orders Wash, I expect all of you to follow them. Get the civies out then get yourselves gone.”

“Sir, are you sure you want to do this there are other options. Ones that won't get you killed.”

“This is a stalling action, it will give time for Three Bear to get here and it will give you the chance to escape. Besides this is the best chance to kill this Jef'fray. Cut off the head of the snake and all that.”

“Keep in mind sir, you are the head of our snake.”

“Yeah well tails don't bite.”

“That makes no sense sir.”

“I'm not one for speeches.”

Jer'rahd glances over at the colt that had been following him around.

“Get upstairs and get ready to leave.”

“I'm not going to leave any one to die here.”

Jer'rahd smiles at that.

“ I have no plans to die today colt. You want to be in the Guard. you follow orders, get up stairs and get ready to leave. You want to stay and make sure the others get out first, fine. But when the last of the civilians is taken out of here you will be going to you got it?”

“Yes..”

“What was that?”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Good, whats your name?”

“Cyan Sparkle, but every pony calls me Spark.”

“Alright Spark, let me give you a little tip for making the most of your basic training. The Drill sergeant will likely offer a challenge of some sort at the beginning of training, win this challenge and you will receive some special training.”

“Yes, sir thank you sir.”

The colt darts off with a smile and Jer'rahd smirks as Wash glares at him.

“I take back anything nice I ever said about you Sir, you are a cruel bastard.”

“Aw I bet you say that to all your superiors. Now go get ready.”

“CHANGED YOUR MIND PONY, YOU SHOULD BE SCARED OF THE GREAT WARLORD.”

“STUFF IT UP YOUR PLOT YOU GUMFA'TAIT.”

The roar at that from out side made Jer'rahd smile wider.

“What did you just say?”

“No idea, but Bleu told me it was a orcish curse so I learned it, figured out how to swear in Zebra as well.”

“You are a testament to the skill of ambassadors every where sir.”

“I've heard that from Rhede before. Well lets get this going then, lock the door when I leave troops and don't forget to turn out the lights before you head home.”

“SIR YES SIR!”

The colt darts upstairs to another window as Jer'rahd heads down stairs stepping out the door waiting till it was barricaded behind him before stepping forward. The sea of armored pigs move aside leaving a clear path to a massive hog in the middle of the town square. He smirks, trotting down the clear path eyes focused on the warlord who seems to get bigger the closer Jer'rahd gets.

He stops a few paces from the pig looking up at him. The head of the creature larger than his whole body. The leader was armored with a hodge podge collection of silver and gold etched armor, long blond grease soaked hair hung from the joints of the armor and spilled down his back. His cloven hooves struck the paving stones, the armor covering them kicking up sparks. Four large tusks capped in gold jutted from the massive maw of the orc, beady red eyes stared down the length of the muzzle at the smaller pony.

“SO YOU ARE THE PUNY THING THAT SEEKS TO CHALLENGE US!? PATHETIC. YOU ARE NO FOE WORTHY OF OUR SKILLS, IF NOT FOR YOUR INSULTS WE WOULD SIMPLY THROW YOU TO OUR ARMY. BUT YOU WILL BE MADE AN EXAMPLE OF NO ONE CALLS US A GUMFA'TAIT AND DIES QUICKLY.”

“Would you prefer I simply call you a parasprite dropping?”

“BAH, YOU ALREADY MARVEL AT OUR GREATNESS PONY, WE SEE THE FEAR IN YOUR EYES!”

“Actually I am just trying to figure out which direction you will fall when I kill you, I'd hate to be trapped under a mound of fat and stink.”

“RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Jer'rahd blinked leaping back quickly as the ground where he stood exploded, a giant ax was left embedded in the paving stones, the weapon swung in an eye blink by the giant pig. His eyes narrow, looking up at the hog as the pig grins, a tendril of greasy hair yanking the ax out of the ground as another few lengths of the hair brandish a huge sword as well.

“Buck, your a pig god aren’t you. That screaming is your stupid version of Canterlot Royal.”

“SCARED NOW PONY? HAHAHA. WE WILL CUT OFF YOUR LEGS AND MAKE YOU WATCH AS WE DESTROY EVERYTHING HERE. WE ARE WARLORD JEF'FRAY OF THE HELL BOARS, RULER OF ALL WE SURVEY, AND CHOSEN GOD OF THE DRAGON EMPIRE. WE ARE THE END OF PONIES!!”

Jer'rahd shivers slightly his head dipping some as the pig rants, a faint smile starts to cross his face creeping rapidly into a crazed grin. He lifts his head rapidly red eye flaring and nearly casting its own light in the darkening streets.

“Finally, I've played with gods for years now, Bone Hound gods, Alicorn clones, Seapony gods ,and what ever the buck Discord is. All of them have done what they wanted and left me feeling useless.”

The Waning Moon rips free of the scabbard sending scraps of leather flying across the street as he levels the blade before him, the hogs eyes widening as he recognizes the metal.

“This is the first chance I have to actually take one of you down myself. And I am going to relish that.”

“WHO ARE YOU PONY, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT BLADE!?”

“Scared now piggy, still wanna play the who's got the better titles game? Fine. I AM GENERAL JER'RAHD KAISUR OF THE 42D LEGION,LUNA'S HOOF, I AM ONE OF HER ROYAL MAJESTIES PERSONAL GUARD,I WAS NAMED BEARER OF LOYALTY BY PRINCESS CELESTIA, I AM THE DEMON OF DULLAHAN. TO YOU ORC, I WILL BE KNOWN AS YOUR DEATH!”

A massive roar echos across the sky from the mountains across the river, a arch of rainbow colored fire lights up the clouds over the mountains the sound of a thunderous boom from leagues away rolls down from the snow capped peaks. The massive hog glances from the effect in the sky back to the grinning pony and takes a step back.

Jer'rahd roars not even noticing the effect behind him surging forward with a cry towards the flinching warlord the Waning Moon screaming over his head.

==============================================

Bleu soars along for a few hours after a brief stop to bury the rest of the pony they had recovered, enjoying the clear skies and occasionally having the skilled markspony of the group fling a few diamonds into her maw. It was not like it was a hard target however, as she currently was she could have swallowed a pony whole. She finally felt the effects of fatigue as they crossed over the mountains edge and flew down to land letting the others off, she set the unconscious Starfall on the ground shrinking down and curling up neck to the recovering mare drifting off to sleep herself leaving the others to set up the watches without her. Luna did not look like she was doing much better after her spell lit the northern sky with lights. Velkorn and Rhede let her rest as they set up the camp.

[“So did you know the wendigo were the ones who caused our anger Velkorn?”]

[“I only found out about them from Mrs. Pelt's Hearths warming party. I only had that legend to go on, but it looked like the same effect as was in the story.”]

[“How did you know about the snow ponies though?”]

[“I did not Princess. They simply reminded me of albino zebras that I have met, the condition is rare, but the signs of it are clear. That is when I noticed their cutie marks try to take on colors in that museum, there simply was not enough there for their marks to fully appear. The rest was guessing.”]

[“Why did you have me try and make the effect permanent then? Would not just the Sonic Rain Boom itself have been enough?”]

[“There were foals in the village, to young for their cutie mark to have appeared. It would not feel right to give all the others the color they wanted but denied it to the future generations. Our driving off of the wendigo seemed to aid in that as well. Perhaps it was not friend ship that drove them off in the past , but hope that there would be a future.”]

[“It does seem Princess Celestia may have remembered something wrong about the story she was told.”]

A loud whinny from the sky drew the attention of those still awake skyward to a slowly descending gaunt figure of a massive stallion A group of others spiraled around the camp as a light snow fall began..

“Aw crap.”

==========================================

Jer'rahd blocks the blow digging in with all four hooves as hes shoved back a good thirty paces away from the pig. His jaw aches with trying to hold onto the blade after deflecting that sword strike. The hog was big, he was strong, and he was far faster than he had any right to be. Jer'rahd was covered in cuts and bruises already and he had not even been hit yet. The impact of Jef'fray's weapons on the stone caused them to all but explode, sending shards of rock shrapnel into the air hitting anything nearby, which so far had only been Jer'rahd. He had moved the battle around enough that the large hogs back was to the city hall, he could glance up occasionally to see the pegasus carrying the civilians out and returning. He had planned to stall at least till he stopped seeing the pegasus ferry ponies out of the building. What he did not expect was that the pig would be enough of a problem that he had no need to stall, the fight was likely going to take this long.

Of course he was not the only one getting hurt, he had dodged and moved enough that quite a few of the warlord's blows had cut through his own troops. The orcs had gotten smart enough to back up further, but Jer'rahd kept leading the massive hog closer to them with every feint and strike. The Waning Moon had taken great chunks out of the orc's armor as well, though the wounds he inflicted to the flesh underneath did not even seem to draw blood. He could not block, he could not attack, he could not get close or the pigs hair attacked him, he could not fall back or the orc horde attacked him. Of course he was also limiting himself a bit as well, he had not used his shield spell yet, he had also spent the battle holding the blade in his mouth, he hoped the pig knew enough about him to know he was limited in magic, but not enough to know what those limits were.

“MEGA CRUSH!!”

“Do the what now!?”

Jer'rahd's eyes widen as the orc warlord launches himself into the air, higher than even the City hall. The pigs hair juts out making him into a massive spiked ball of death that hurtles down at the surprised pony. Jer'rahd charges forward spotting something as the pig fell and grins. Rhede was going to hate him for this,Bleu would find it hilarious. His charge stops suddenly just past where the spiked ball of a hog crashed to earth nearly destroying what was left of the courtyard. He throws up a shield deflecting the debris and kicks back hard with both his hooves dropping the shield and connecting with a unarmored portion of the pig that seems to pop under the harsh blow. The boar whips his head skyward letting out a high pitched squeal that shattered the glass left in all the buildings around the square. Every other orc in view of the attack winces, a few of them fainting. The ax comes down again and Jer'rahd manages to roll out of the way as the pig whimpers slowly turning around growling like a piglet at him.

“You will pay for that pony.....”

Jer'rahd simply grins having scored the first proper hit of the fight.

“Like crushing watermelons.”

===========================================================

Rhede and Velkorn take up positions between the wendigo and the Princess, Luna moves herself before the sleeping Starfall and Bleu. A few other wendigo circle above the group though they keep their distance as the one that lands trots a little closer, the gaunt white horse towering over even Rhede.

”Why did you come to our land Princess of the Ponies?”<

The wendigo's mouth did not move though the words clearly came from the beast, booming and hollow as it stared at the group unmoving.

“WE CAME SEEKING AID, AND WE WERE IMPRISONED FOR THAT.”

”We wished to be left alone, that was part of the deal we made with your kind, and yet now you return asking for more? Does your race's greed know an end?”<

“WE ARE AT WAR WENDIGO. WE CAME SEEKING ALLIES AND FOUND A VILLAGE OF PONIES YOU SEEM TO HAVE KEPT UNDER A SHROUD SINCE YOU WERE GRANTED THOSE LANDS.”

” War, it is always the same with your kind, were it not for what you did we would not even come to speak with you. Those ponies you claim we have been keeping are our children, goddess, we kept the world away from them. All your conflict, all your death, all your war. We have seen what you face, we have seen the challenges you have over come and the threats you have dealt with in all your years. We have seen how you have dealt with those threats,we have seen how you dealt with the things that were not even truly threats. We are not as blind to what affects the world as you are Ruler of Ponies. The winds tell us what happens in the summer lands.”<

“YOUR CHILDREN?!? YOU KEEP YOUR CHILDREN IN SUCH A BLEAK AND DESOLATE PLACE THAT THEY CANNOT EVEN PROPERLY GROW?!”

”There are only limited ways we can protect them, this way was the best. No dragon or griffon has ever harmed any of them, and aside from you, no pony has ever made it all the way to the village. Our abilities turn them away and the cold often kills them.”<

“IF YOU WISH NOTHING TO DO WITH US WHY HAVE YOU COME BEFORE US?”

You were correct that our children were stunted, there is only so much we can do. We are here to thank the one who chose to help our children for no reason other than she wished to.“<

The wendigo turns its head towards Velkorn nodding lightly in her direction.

We will not help you in your war Zebra Queen,we know that you do not seek it either, but it comes none the less. We would be of little use anyway against the dragons any way, they are unaffected by our powers. But if there is anything you wish that we may grant you for what you have done, name it.”<

Velkorn blinks as the other half dozen wendigos land the herd all sinking down bowing to her.

“There is nothing you have that I need, it was not an act I did for greed.”

”This simply makes you more worthy of a boon. You need not decide now however.”<

The wendigo exhales, a small crystal snow flake forming in the air and floating towards Velkorn, it touches the metal fragment on her necklace, flickers of frost form on the blade piece, though it grows no colder.

”If you have need of us and we can help, simply call to us and we will come.”<

“I an sorry for the ones that died, I did not know in the clouds you did hide.”

” You need not worry Zebra Queen. We are harder to kill than that, when the snows come again those we lost will return to us. You have given our children something we could not, a light that brings them cheer and hope. Farewell Zebra Queen, Ruler of Ponies, perhaps if we meet again it will be under less dire circumstances for you.”<

The wendigo all rise, leaping into the air and galloping back up into the sky with echoing calls as they vanish into the cloud cover. Velkorn watches them go as the other two still awake stare at her a moment.

“I suppose now truth be told, I no longer feel the biting cold.”

=========================================

The wall explodes inward as Jer'rahd crashed through it rolling across the floor ,the giant boar barrels down on him as he regains his hooves, the Waning Moon screams as his magic whips it up slicing through the hair holding the ax sending the weapon flying through another wall to crash into some orcs outside. The hog's roar goes silent as the floor under him creaks loudly. Jer'rahd and the warlord both look down as its starts to give way and drop them into the bars basement.”

“Oh you fat buckingAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Those outside watch as the the wood and stone building slowly folds into on itself crashing down atop the pair before the whole structure falls into the basement.

The gathered orcs peer curiously into the smoke and dust that slowly settles around the fallen building. They all leap back with a squeal of terror as the warlord bursts out of the rubble roaring and whipping his head around franticly trying to dislodge the pony holding the sword stuck in his snout. Jer'rahd swings from the handle of the Waning Moon, half the sword shoved into the pigs nose as his hooves lash out slamming into teeth and playing amateur dentist with the boars ivory tusks. A last hard flip of his head sends the unicorn skyward, the pigs sword whips up to cut him in half as he falls only for the pony not to fall. Looking up, the unicorn grins around the bloodied blade in his mouth, leaping down off the green panel that kept him aloft and lands hard on the beasts muzzle lashing out with the weapon and managing to strike the warlords eye.

The pig squeals again flinging his head about in pain sending Jer'rahd flying again to crash into a pile of orcs. He rights himself quickly, growling as the Waning Moon remains embedded in the pigs head. He lashes out kicking an orc aside and grabbing the spear in his teeth, he looks up as the warlord charges him his head whipping back and forth goring his own orcs as he chases the pony. Jer'rahd grins again and runs darting along the backs of the armored orcs flinging shields up to land on before galloping over the pigs heads as their leader rips through them chasing the offending pony. Jer glances back seeing the pegasus carrying off a couple of soldiers and one very annoyed looking white unicorn. His eye widen as he feels something wrap around his back leg, the pig having gotten close enough to lash out with his hair while Jer'rahd was distracted. Hes suddenly yanked backwards and sent air born again the hair still around his hoof,The tendril whips him about in the air a bit before bringing him down hard towards the ground. He slashes through the hair with the or spear tossing up a shield at an angle, bouncing off it as he drops the force enough to shatter the shield and send him rolling across the ground to land hard against the wall of a building.

Pushing himself back to his hooves again he yanks the shattered helm from his head, bits of the metal sticking out of his skin, likely embedded in the bone beneath. He faces the pig, both of them panting hard and glaring at each other. He turns his head spiting out a gob of blood as the pig spits out another tooth growling.

“I suppose playtime is over now since I stalled long enough?!”

“WE WILL HEAL, YOU WILL NOT.”

“You would be in awe of what I have healed from, round two porky.”

The pair tear across the cobblestones again both roaring at each other as they attack.

========================================================

“I missed meeting the real wendigo? Buck it. I sleep through all the cool stuff. Get it cool wendigo...... OK it wasn't that bad.”

The others only groan lightly at the dragonling's pun, the small campfire crackled and popped softly as they all sat around it starring into the flames. Velkorn had treated Starfall for minor frost bite that she would have no trouble recovering from within a day or so, before she went to check on the Dragonlings tail again. Rhede had been out gathering food and had come back with a small bucket of semi precious gemstones as well for Bleu.

“How long till we get back to Canterlot?”

“Likely another few days Starfall, Bleu can only go so fast. Why something wrong?”

“Its been about two months since I’ve seen Cloud Dancer so yeah there's a little bit wrong. Plus I would like to sleep in an actual bed instead of a mat, a pile of rotted straw, the ground, or a bed that bounces around with the waves. Just a nice comfy, stationary, bed.”

“I believe we all are in need of some time off. Though depending on how things are going we might not be allowed that.”

“Wonder if the boss has recovered yet?”

“I can certainly hope so. It is past time for General Three Bear to have returned to Canterlot. The shaman did say he would return under his own power. “

“Heh if he has, he's likely in a bar some where trying to drink his IQ lower. I hate to think I know Jer well enough to call that.”

=============================================

“IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE LEFT PIG!? I'M BARELY BLEEDING!!!”

“RAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!”

Jer'rahd s front hooves slam down on the pigs head, his body held fast by strands of the orcs hair wrapped around his throat and torso. Each strike of his fore hooves driving the Waning Moon deeper into the pigs skull. Each inch the blade sunk in was another notch of his hooves that was cut free by the doubled edged weapon. His armor was all but shredded off of him by the mad pigs charge through countless buildings using the unicorn like a battering ram. Half of the town had been destroyed by this rampage and most of the orcs had fled to higher ground or the outskirts of the city to avoid the battle as it raged into the night. His sword glowed bright blue in the moon light, the fire searing the pigs head as Jer'rahd strikes the weapon maiming himself further trying to force the blade though the orc's thick skull. His back was flayed from all the mortar, brick and wood he had smashed through,bits of jagged metal dug into his sides as the little armor he had left on him had been peeled open like a tin can.

With a last roar he slams both his bloodied and mutilated hooves into the blade forcing it hard with his magic as Jef'fray smashed into the city hall. The weapon sank into the thick skull of the pig all the way to the grip. The hogs remaining eye widening as his legs gave out sending the beast crashing to the floor of the city hall and through the weakened wood into the shelter below. The resounding crash brought down part of the structure on top of them both of them. A few moments of silence follow as a group of orcs slowly approach the structure looking it over curiously. The group cries out and scurries off a chunk of wall is shoved out and off to the ground, a path of green energy paved the way for a bloodied and dust covered pony to make his way back to the street. He winced with every step onto his front hooves the green panel became tracked with bloodied hoof prints.

He exhales sharply as the remaining orcs slowly gather back around him their eyes wide weapons pointed at the pony. The Waning Moon dripped blood as he gripped the hilt, the flaming blue moonlight dancing along the blade searing the weapon clean of the pigs blood, but it seemed to simply be content to be covered in its masters. His gaze levels at the orcs scanning over them all before spitting out the blade letting it float at his side.

“Who's next?”

There may have been an answer if a trio of piercing roars did not drown out any sound there might have been. Jer'rahd turns his gaze towards the sound his magic faltering, the blade falling to the ground at the sight. A pair of Ursa majors lope over a hill charging the city, their massive forms flanking a nearly full grown Ursa minor. The trio of roars sounds again, the ores squeal in terror and start scrambling over them selves to run away. Jer'rahd might have joined them if a large form had not impacted the ground before him.

The massive figure was covered in pitch black armor highlighted with purple and silver, its two front legs had what looked like tree trunks carved with varied demonic visages attached to them like over sized leg splints. He raised one sweeping the tree across the courtyard crushing dozens of orcs in one swing. The Ursa's plowed into the lines, falling upon the gathered ores, devouring them as they ripped through their ranks. The huge figure swept again with his other leg knocking several ores flying into the air to crash to the ground in broken, half armored heaps. The figure turns his way, a demonic face greeted the unicorn, one decked out in faintly glowing paint and runes. He takes a step back raising his sword again as the figure smiles.

“I apologize for my tardiness General Kaisur, my forces ran into a bit of a dragon problem that needed to be dealt with. I am glad to see you yet live.”

“Three Bear?”

“Of course. Seems you have had a bit of fun yourself. What have you gotten up to?”

His answer was cut off by a roar, Jef'fray erupts from the rubble, lashing out with everything his hair could grab to swing at the pair. Three Bear steps back at the sudden eruption though Jer'rahd screams back at the pig flinging the Waning Moon at the hog the blade slamming into the rearing pigs unarmored chest ripping through the ribcage and the vitals underneath, the hogs cry stops as it vomits a great gout of blood before crashing to the ground the body twitching.

“AND STAY DEAD THIS TIME YOU BUCKING GUMFA'TAIT!!”

Jer'rahd strains a bit as Three Bear looks between the body and the pony before him. The Waning Moon rips out a fairly undamaged section of the pigs body leaving a gaping hole. He pants softly flicking the blood from this sword, before looking up at the Buffalo General.

“Nothing of any real importance, Sir.”

Twilight pulls herself away from the spell her eyes closing as she winces, dropping back into a still sore and strangely damp body. She pauses looking back to see Rainbow Dash passed out on her couch, snoring loudly. Twilight glances down at her flank, a bit of anger rising in her as she looks at her cutie mark covered in paper spitballs from the drunken pegasus. It seems the target of choice was the six pointed star.

Twilight moves over to Rainbow glaring down at her blinking bit as the cyan pegasus mutters something in her sleep . Twilight's eyes widen.

“zzzzz ah no AJ hehehe not there ahhhhhzzzzzzzzz.”

Twilight flushes a bit, moving off before hearing the rest of that dream. Her mind had gone to more than a few dirty places with just that little line. She whips her head glancing at the empty barrel of cider and sighs moving all the books away from her friends sleeping form and putting them up, before heading to the bathroom to clean up, dragging the barrel along with her. After removing most of the spitballs, Twilight heads back out to the couch where Rainbow lay twitching and lifts the cold water barrel over the rainbow maned pony's sleeping form.

“Wakey Wakey Dashy Washy”

Sploosh.

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Hoof Full of Gravel

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Hoof Full of Gravel.

“So Rainbow borrowed the whole series?”

“Yup, every last Daring Do book I had. I don't think I will have too much trouble getting her to read the history book now. Even her choice of reading material puts her as an action junkie.”

“Well aye suppose that's understandable, given how she is. The fact she's gone in tah this sorta of thing in the same manner she goes in tah anything is not much a surprise as it was to find out she took to reading at all.”

Twilight nods finishing setting up the research table, then double checking over everything simply out of habit.

“Likely explains her table manners too at the hospital. I've had her over a few times for supper and never seen her eat like that. Thought she mighta had a head injury.”

“Well she may have had one, with as quick as some ponies seem to heal, I thought it would be at least a week or two before she would be out after that crash.”

“After all you went though trying to study Pinkie Pie and your wondering about quick healing, sugar?”

“Good point. Kinda explains a few things in the studies too.”

“Well I got a good bit of catching up to do I suppose. This books no western, but its got its interesting points.”

“So how far have you gotten into it?”

“Err, third chapter. Keep in mind aye don't have that much time tah sit down and read. Sides Fluttershy has had the other copy of it for a bit now.”

“Well I only made the two copies,one for Princess Luna and one to keep here. I had considered making one for Celestia as well, but I am not sure how much of this Luna would want her sister to know. Although at this rate I might need to start on another book just to get it all in.”

“Might want to have some pony or another look over your grammar too.”

“What?”

“Nothin, arn't you gonna start now?”

“I suppose so. See you after a while AJ.”

“Right, be seeing you the whole time though.”

She dropped into the spell the star splattered landscape unfolded before her. Twilight did not need to glance back to know the orange and gold star of Applejack glowed softly behind her. With all that had happened last time in this story she was sure Rainbow would love it the chapter. With the start of the Second Dragon War there was likely going to be a great deal more action for the blue pegasus to enjoy.

Twilight sighs, she herself found all of this interesting, but would have much rather it been a boring and calm book than to see what these ponies went through to get to their final act. She might know they all lived, but she had no clue of what state they were in when that time came. Finding out what they were like before they became statues would be key to help her decide what to tell Princess Luna.

She slipped into the larger window drawn once again to the groups unicorn General.

“Report Captain.”

“Initial numbers are in Sir. One hundred and twelve out of two thousand seventy four civilians dead. Eighty two of the three hundred and seventy Guard's dead.”

“I would like a list of all the Guard's names, tag numbers, and birth dates.”

“Yes sir, continuing the current body count for the orc corpses in the city has reached four thousand four hundred twenty eight. However the count is still being tallied and none of the collapsed buildings have been cleared enough to count those underneath.”

“What are the plans for the bodies?”

“We have not considered that far ahead sir.”

Jer'rahd winces lightly, but ignores the pain for a moment to continue the debriefing.

“Collect the armor and weapons, they can be reforged for our war effort, move the bodies to that quarry not far from town and burn them there. See if any pony is willing preform last rites for them. There’s bound to be some holier than thou pony up for that left. Be sure to clear this with General Three Bear however. He is the ranking officer here and I don't feel up to stepping on his hooves.”

“Yes sir, Scouts have reported a small number of the Orcs being sighted fleeing towards the mountains.”

“Gather a few teams and send them out to end their threat. Even in small numbers if we let them go they might become raiders and continue to make trouble for Equestria. Best to kill them all now. That should be everything Captain. Take care of it.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Captain runs off shouting orders as Jer'rahd winces again as one of the nurses pulls the last metal fragment of his helmet from his skull, swabbing the wound and starting to bandage him. He was stretched out on a long bed his shredded front hooves dangling off the edge of the bed for another doctor to look over and prod occasionally. The third one was currently wrapping bandages over the flayed skin of his back and flank.

“Shouldn’t at least two of you be helping some other pony?”

“Sorry General, but against all odds we are over staffed for this crisis. With the civilian doctors and military doctors as well as the massive force of the Queen's Cross that arrived here earlier, the medics outnumber the wounded. With all the unicorn healing magic we have here nearly everything that was not life threatening is already healed, besides now the three of us can say we've tended the Monster of Manehatten.”

“Oh Buck, do NOT give me another title please. The Demon of Dullahan is far more than enough.”

“Are you sure you want to keep that one though General? Dullahan is gone.”

“Some pony needs to remember it, as long as I accept that title every pony will remember it, and what was lost there.”

A knock at the door drew the unicorns attention, a wince running along his features at the movement. He had made it all the way back to base under his own power, floating the corpse of the titanic boar along with him. The sight of the body along with the armored white buffalo and his three bears was enough to scare off any orcs who still had any fight left in them. He reached the main gate with the body and was greeted by a roar of cheering from the wall's defenders before he finally collapsed having left most of his blood in a trail of hoof prints behind him. He had woken several hours later already being treated in medical. After nearly getting into a fight with the doctors about remaining in bed before he hurt himself further, he consented to remain so long as they allowed other ponies into the room to report to him what was going on.

“Come in.”

Three Bear pushes open the door and then proceeds to try his best to squeeze past the pony sized door with his armor still on. The noise along would have been enough to wake half the ward if there was even any other ponies in it. Jer'rahd could not help to smile at the buffalo's issue with the pony entrances, but at least he manages not to snicker like his doctors.

“I apologize for not saluting Sir, but likely one of the doctors would belt me one if I tried to move.”

The doctor looking at his hooves snorts.

“I am still trying to figure out how you made it back here under your own power, let alone what you did to get your hooves to look like this. This kinda damage is going to take months to heal.”

“I don't have that long.”

“Has any pony ever told you you are a horrible patient General?”

“So often it is likely in my medical record.”

“Maybe that's what was written in zebra. I never saw a doctor's note from some pony's primary practitioner that required me to have a translator.”

“I would like to apologize again for my tardiness General Kaisur. If I had arrived on time...”

“I would have found some other way to maim myself. Trust me this is a common thing. If I don't manage to do something stupidly heroic or heroically stupid every time I get into a fight then the world is likely to end.

“Still not one for the small victories I see?”

“Not much of an option for a small one this time.”

“So it would seem.”

“So what stalled you any way General? I would not think with your friends outside there would be very much that could slow you down.”

“I called them because of what stalled me, I do not like asking Hastiin to bring his family into danger.”

“Hastiin?”

“Yes, Hastiin, Makawee, and their daughter, Nituna. “

“Introductions aside Sir, that doesn't explain what kept you, or why you came in here.”

“I cannot check up on a wounded comrade?”

“You know sir, were it any one else I would expect an ulterior motive. I can actually believe that from you.”

“Pity I do have an ulterior motive then.”

Jer'rahd sighs wincing again as the doctor working on his hooves prods something.

“Whoops, sorry General, but this is likely to hurt a great deal you really screwed up your hooves here. If I was not such a damn good doctor, you likely would never walk again.”

“You sure your not related to the Pelt family?”

“At any rate General Kaisur. General Mustang wishes you to return to Canterlot. You can complete your recovery there and report directly to him about this victory.”

“And fill out paperwork, are you being intentionally dodgy about what slowed you up sir?”

“Yes. Though a message has been sent to Canterlot with the information. If General Mustang thinks you need to hear it you will. As soon as the doctors see fit for you to travel a wagon train will take you and the other wounded to Canterlot.”

“If it gets him out of here faster we can be done in ten seconds flat.”
“Seriously I’ve met foals that whined less.”
“Honestly, we are more than happy to let some other ponies deal with him.”

“Your bedside manners are severely lacking.”

=================================================

“What do you mean you're lost Rhede!?!”

“Sorry, but as an earth pony aerial navigation is not my strong suit. I cannot even use the stars as guides during the daytime and everything looks different from up here.”

“So where do you think we are?”

“Well according to what I can figure Princess. We should be over Canterlot right now. I mean I would stop to ask for directions, but you know that's a long way down.”

Bleu turns her head back to glare at Rhede as the others look at the sheepish red earth pony.

“I am relatively certain that is Camp Geode down there.”

“Are you sure Starfall maybe Canterlot just shrunk, and got ugly, and moved to a scrub land on the far side of a mountain. It would be a good place to hide it from dragons.”

“Rhede just sit down and let a flier handle this. I've been here before, Bleu follow the road back towards the mountains.”

The dragon snorts wheeling around and winging in the direction Starfall told her. This would easily add a few more days travel time.

===========================================

“I feel silly.”

“You look silly too.”

“Thank you so much for that sir.”

Jer'rahd had been bandaged up and healed as best as the doctors could manage, a work force had arrived from Canterlot to start work on the city and clear out the bodies. Another supply train would be bringing the fallen back to Canterlot later in the week so their family’s could tend to their fallen loved ones. This first trip was just a few wagons with the ponies who were in no shape to continue fighting.

His back was wrapped in thick bandages as was most of his head, given the usual ragged state of his tail he looked very much like a mummified pony. A thick cast was wrapped around his chest as well making it a bit difficult to breath, with as often as he broke ribs he was used to this type of cast however. What he was not used to was having his front end propped up and his legs bound in a two wheeled torture device that was supposed to allow him to walk normally on his back legs while keeping his front hooves from the ground until they healed. The wheel chair was a horrid device of humiliation.

He had been visited by more than a few troops wishing to congratulate and thank him before he left though most never got past trying to hold in a laugh at the sight of him. The brace around his chest was also wrapped in bandages giving him the appearance of being much fatter than he really was. Thee giant pink bunny, that was the Manehatten hospitals' mascot, painted garishly on the front plate of the wheel chair did not help matters.

“Some pony shoot me now.”

“The carriage is here, at least you will not be seen inside that. “

“Thank Luna for small favors.”

He pushes off with his back hooves and promptly threw himself over the front of the wheel chair slamming face first into the ground with his back legs kicking wildly in the air as he struggled to right himself, his front legs still trapped in the device.

“Oh, you forgot to take the brakes off General, are you alright?”

The doctors move to help the cursing unicorn as Three Bear excuses himself before he can no longer contain his laughter.

=============================================

“So you can fly without magic then?”

“Yes, Starfall, indeed it is actually easier to fly when I do not have access to my magic.”

“Well you do kinda shrink a bit.”

“That is my actual size. A Goddesses powers tend to alter our appearance some.”

“So wait does that mean Celestia will shrink down as well if she uses all her magic?”

“Perhaps Rhede, she has a great deal more power available to her than I do. I have never seen her run out even though she has on occasion used far more magic than I can muster without any sign of weakness. I am her younger sister after all, perhaps when I reach as many years as she has I will no longer need to worry about how much power I can use.”

Bleu suddenly stands up, stretches, and yawns wide before cricking her neck and trying to shake the sleep from her eyes.

“Feel better now Bleu?”

“Yeah more or less, still starving though, just let me find a little dragons room and then we can get going, two more days of playing taxi and I can get a real meal and sleep in a real bed...”

=========================================================

The ponies pulling the carriage slid to a halt at the blood curdling scream coming from inside the lead wagon. Several of the escorting Guard rushed over and flung open the door to find Jer'rahd wide eyed , soaked in sweat, panting hard, and staring into nothing . He blinks turning his gaze to the door dark circles visible under his eyes.

“Are you alright sir?”

“Fine.... I'm fine.... I dozed off there for a little bit.”

“You do look like you could use some sleep sir, we should be in Canterlot by the morning.”

“Yes thank you, sorry about that.”

“No trouble Sir just making sure you are alright.”

===============================================

General Mustang smirked and Jer'rahd scowled.

“Pink bunny looks good on you there Kaisur, might need to alter your uniform a bit to reflect that.”

“Buck you sir.”

“HAH if you were not so useful in your rank I’d court marshell you for that one. Looks like you suffered enough for one day any how. Least this means my training ground can get repaired while you heal. Alright now what happened Kaisur.”

Jer'rahd tries to settle himself in the wheel chair as best he can while explaining the events that led up to his injury and the arrival of General Three Bear to Manehatten. He was stopped from time to time and asked specifics of the troop movements and defense abilities as well as a few other things that Jer'rahd did not see the importance of, like if the orcs looked like they were malnourished. When he finished the General paused pondering a moment before speaking.

“You remind me far to much of me when I was younger Kaisur, bat shit loco. Ease up a little in the future with the over the top crap that's likely to get you and any one with you killed.”

“I think I needed to cut loose on this one sir, I do feel better than I have in a while.”

“Yeah well you look worse. Then again from what I hear this is your natural state. Heavily wounded and still going. At any rate that clears up some intell. “

“Of what sort sir?”

“Always with the questions, fine least you don't gossip like General Shower does. Word was the orcs moved on their own without permission from their commanders, they sent a couple wings of white dragons out to bring the orcs back in, they encountered Three Bear and got the manure stomped out of them. A wing of them supposedly got away and is hiding somewhere inside of Equestria. We have ponies looking for them now, but the damned white dragons are hard to spot in a landscape covered in snow. Only Three Bear's force Princess Celestia, and the two of us know there's dragons across the front now. It needs to stay that way till we find them. No sense causing any further panic then what we already have. Now go have the medic take a look at you see if he has something non bunny related for you to walk around in.”

“Yes sir.”

“No matter how cutesy wootsy you look in it.”

“..............”

================================================

“We're stopping again? What gives? I can make it to Canterlot no problem we can even see the towers from here.”

“This is true, but by the same token Bleu we are at war. How would the Guards react to a dragon of your size trying to fly into Canterlot. You might be shot down before we are identified.”

“Gah, I’d like to see them try, its just so close.”

“It's fine, one more night in the field won't hurt us, then we just trot up to the gate tomorrow and we are home free. I mean look at the Princess, one more night of sleep and shes back to her glowy hair normal self again. Once she's back in Canterlot its back to work for her.”

“You seem strangely OK with this Rhede that worries me.”

“What, why would I not be thrilled to be traveling around with four delightful women.”

“Only one of whom has any interest in you and even she's been mostly ignoring you lately.”

“Yes well. I was threatened with violence if I did not stop complaining. You four are actually driving me crazy..... I really miss Jer. At least if he was here some of this female insanity would be lessened.”

“HAH,You know as well as I do he would do what ever Luna says. Though your not the only one who misses him. Wonder how the Boss is doing?”

============================================

“Well we have good news and bad news for you General Kaisur.”

“Alright.”

“The good news is that we can put your front legs in armored casts so you need not remain in the bunny wheel chair. It will still be preferred if you keep off of your front hooves a while , but at least the bunny can go home.”

“If I was able, I would be dancing with that revelation.”

“Yes, well that's part of the bad news, it will still be a while before we will be pulling those casts off. They will limit your mobility and ability to fight properly so you will still need to take it easy. All the new advances in magical healing will heal your hooves too quickly and they likely will not mend correctly as bad as they are. Since the magic goes after the largest injury first we cannot even use them for your back or ribs.”

“Not as bad as I thought, alright and the Nightmares?”

“How long have you been having them again?”

“Since I was in the buffalo lands. They were not that bad at first, did not even bother my sleep. Now I am lucky if I can get an hour before I wake up screaming, some times parts of it linger and other times all of it does.”

“Well, best we can do is try a sleep spell. That should at least allow for a dreamless sleep. Given your magical limitations however some one else will need to cast from the scroll to put you to sleep. If your familiar was here likely she could, but for now it would be best if you stayed in the hospital for a few more days at the very least to make sure the casts we put on you will set properly, So then shall we get you out of that wheel chair and back to walking at least some what properly.”

“Sounds good to me doc.”

===========================================

“In hind sight, the castle seemed much closer than this when we landed last night.”

“We seem to be doing that a lot Starfall. Tell you what, you drop the nonsense about my lack of aerial navigation, and I won't bring up your inability to judge distance on the ground.”

“I believe I can agree with that Rhede.”

Bleu suddenly stands up on Velkorn's back her head turning as she seems to sniff the air her tail whipping nervously against the zebra's side.

“Hmm Bleu what..?”

“Shhh”

The little dragon flies up to just over the tree tops to look around. Starfall and Luna fly up as well trying to find out what she was doing.

“What is going on Bleu?”

“Do you smell that?”

“I am afraid I am unable to smell anything past that our little group is in dire need of a bath.”

“I got used to that Princess, but there's something else in the air … some kinda musty oily smell that is really familiar.”

“Familiar how?”

“Familiar as in bad, but I cannot place where I know it from arrrgh, think, think, think...... wait..... Dullahan......”

“What about Dullahan Bleu. You need to be less cryptic I already don't get half of what the Princess says.”

“Really Starfall am I that bad?”

“Err, at times So what is it then Bleu?”

“Dragon.”

Starfall was about to respond when the forest before them erupted. Six large white shapes burst from the trees, soaring into the sky, and making a bee line for the not so distant towers of Canterlot.

“What!?. How are they this close to the castle..... Tia....”

Bleu drops down to the ground, changing quickly to her full sized form glancing back at Rhede and Velkorn urging them to climb on. Once the two have a firm hold on her spines, she takes off into the air again flying fast in pursuit of the six white dragons with Luna and Starfall taking positions on either side of her as they chase after the group.

===========================================

“So how are they General?”

Jer'rahd smirks a bit turning slowly getting used to the metal braces around his forelegs. He could barely bend his legs and the things were quite loud when he moved, but at least he was out of the chair.

“I can work with these. Is there a armored or spiked version?”

“General, these are to aid in your recovery, not for you to wear into battle.”

“Always good to be ….”

The sound of a clanging bell ends that sentence. Jer'rahd's ears perk at the alarm, before he shoulders past the doctor out into the hall clanking along loudly trying to keep on his hooves.

“ General wait!”

“Get to a shelter doc I need to be on the walls for this.”

“General Mustang said you were not on active duty!”

“Yeah well if Canterlot is being attacked its not like I can rest.”

He shoves open the doors to outside avoiding ponies running around like mad rabbits. He forms a shield before one stopping the unicorn in his tracks the panicked candy stripier looking to him in shock.

“Let me go... I need to get to a shelter...”

“What's going on?”

“Dragons are attacking Canterlot I need to get out of here.”

“Dragons?”

“Yes let me go!!”

Jer'rahd drops the shield letting the pony scurry off, not even paying attention as the candy stripier gallops away. His gaze turned sky ward spotting a group of pegasus gathering along the northwestern wall. He half gallops, half stumbles towards the wall making a ramp up to the top of it to look over, spotting the white shapes immediately against the blue sky. The small force of pegasus salute him as General Shower flies up. She starts shouting orders to the pegasus, who in turn take off to carry those commands to the others along the wall. She offers a glance his way as he studies the approaching dragons. Finally she sighs and trots over.

“General Kaisur get off the wall my pegasus can handle this.”

“I have no doubt of that Sir, but I also have no plans to go hide in a shelter someplace.”

“That was an order General.”

“I barely listen to General Mustang Sir, what hope do you have?”

“If I did not have six dragons to worry about I would kick your flank across Canterlot for that snark!”

“Seven.”

“What?”

“There are seven dragons, a blue one just took off from the forest behind them.”

“Buck, You are not to engage in combat Kaisur. Do you understand me?”

“It is not as if I can fly sir. If one gets through your group however I will defend Canterlot to the best of my abilities.”

“Now I know why Mustang bitches about you so much, I doubt I was even this annoying. Fine. Watch and learn how the air force does things.”

“I am prepared to be dazzled sir.”

===============================================

The dragons had noticed they were being followed, though oddly they did not seem concerned about the blue dragon gaining on them. The one in the lead shouts something back and the others chortle a bit as they continue towards the castle. Bleu turns her head back a bit to Rhede muttering.

“What did they just say?”

“I am surprised you speak so many languages, but not your own.”

“I only speak three and my language is pony not dragon.”

“They said you are late to the party Starscream.”

“Who is Starscream? Do you know Bleu?”

“That was my mother Starfall. I didn't care, but Platinum was curious and found out. She was killed in the first dragon war, evidently I look like her and these idiots didn't pay attention to their history classes.”

“Do we have a plan then Princess?”

“Take them down.”

“Of course so simple, alright its been close to a week shall we do something crazy again?”

Velkorn, Starfall, and Bleu smile as Rhede Stands up as best he can on Bleu's back roaring out something to the dragons ahead of them. The six dragons falter in their flight looking back at the blue dragon behind them one them finally noticing the ponies riding Bleu and shouts to the others. Bleu takes that moment to exhale a lightning bolt that strikes the lead dragons tail bringing a roar from the singed white scaled beast. Four of them quickly turn about to fly back at their attacker the other two speed up their charge towards Canterlot.

“What the buck did you say Rhede?”

“Tell you later Starfall, I am sure Bleu wants to know to add it to her collection of insults... Whoop here we go.”

Bleu banks suddenly diving under a blast of cold ice filed air the dragons sent her way. Rhede and Velkorn shift, moving to stay on the Bleu's back. Starfall and the Princess wing the other way, Luna's horn glowing as she fires bolts of energy that slam into one of the dragons sending scales and blood flying though the beast remains aloft. Starfall takes advantage of her speed darting down and slamming hard into the wounded lizards back her blades digging deep into the descaled parts of its hide.

The dragon with the singed tail flips about moving to rip Starfall from the back of his companion when Bleu collides with him, the two fall from the sky, her claws rake across his belly and exposed body. Her own scales join the falling cascade of scales and blood as he lands more than a few claw strikes as well. He chances a glance back as their tumbling forms near the ground he winces sinking his claws into her front legs clutching tight intent bringing her to the ground with him. Velkorn and Rhede cling to the back of the dragon for dear life as they fall. Bleu grins shrinking down suddenly and slipping free of his grip kicking off him and changing back to her full form to grab Rhede and Velkorn with her front claws wings unfurling wide as she pulls up in time to do little more that have her underbelly scrape across the tree tops, the crunching splatter of the white dragon all but ignored behind her.

Another dragon she's she still in the air and banks away from the battle with Princess Luna moving to fly right behind the Blue dragon. Velkorn glowers as Rhede wraps his tail around one of Bleu's spines flinging a few of his blades towards the face of their pursuer. Bleu dodges about avoiding the blasts of cold though one glances off her wings tip bringing a shuddering wince to her body as the cold shreds the flesh and thin membrane of her wing tip.

“I must admit this is quite the trip, Bleu if you would give me a tail flip.”

The zebra charges down the dragons back ignoring Rhede's cry of protest , her hooves slipping on Bleu's scales as she reaches the tail as Bleu jerks it suddenly launching the zebra into the air. Velkorn manages to predict correctly and lands on the white dragons wing as its lifting up knocking her directly onto the beasts back. She scrambles along the smooth scales as the creature bucks flipping around her teeth gripping a spine as she lashes out with her hooves slamming them repeatedly along the muscled joint of the white dragons wing.

“DOES EVERY PONY HAVE TO FOLLOW JER'S EXAMPLE!?!”

The dragon roars its wing seizing up sending it into a spiral towards the ground. Bleu turns back around as a volley of daggers strike at the dragons face forcing it to turn away from firing a blast at the on coming blue dragon.

Velkorn leaps off the dragons wing towards Bleu as she soars past claws ripping the wing off the falling beast. Velkorn lands on the blue scaled back once more, breath knocked out of her as she starts to slide off. A black tail wraps about her leg pulling her back up, Rhede's teeth clench around one of Bleu's spines as he pulls the zebra back to a spot she could hold herself.

Starfall grins her blades sinking deep enough into a wound to reach something vital, at least judging by the dragons faltering flight. She digs the weapon in deeper twisting and jerking the blade about in the wound, her face and shoulders soaked in dragons blood. She leaps free as the beast seems to croak its last breath, body going limp and falling out of the sky. A quick whip of her wings cleans the blood from them enough to allow her to soar into the sky to help the Princess. Starfall stops and face hooves at that thought, as she watches Luna dart around the dragon raining hoof blows on the last beast that shatter scales with every touch.

The Princess remains stone faced as her hooves contact the dragons scales, a bit of magic aiding in the impact causing small bursts of blue fire to aid in her strikes. She darts around him like he was standing still, picking the dragon apart bit by bit until it becomes hard to tell where the creatures scales even cover it any more. The creature was already franticly trying to fly away though Luna was having none of that and had started hammering the creatures head specificly with her blows, eventually a strike hits the beasts head with enough force that her hoof punctures the skull and crushes the creatures brain directly. yanks her hoof free as the white dragon falls gore trailing from its eyes and the new hole in its head.

==================================================

“FIRST SQUAD GO.”

General Meteor Shower leaps off the battlements followed by a good two dozen pegasus with spears, nets, and bolos. Jer'rahd watches them take off though most of his attention had been focused on the fight behind the two advancing dragons. He wished he had the magic to aid in distance viewing or at least a telescope, two of the dragons seemed to have fallen out of the sky themselves with out the blue dragon being any where nearby. A burst of fire drew his attention to the near battle as General Shower cackles loudly, her whole body bursting into flames as she slams into the side of one of the beasts. Jer'rahds eyes widen at that move though his attention is drawn to the last dragon winging towards Canterlot, easily out distancing the encumbered pegasus chasing it. He frowns as the dragon moves closer to the wall remembering what happened last time he tried to stop a dragon.

He forms a large shield in the air before the beast, ignoring the sudden impact and feed back of the spell as the dragon breaks through it, to form another, then another. The white dragon plows through six of the shield panels slowing with each one until he bounces off the seventh and is set upon by the pursuing pegasus force. The nets and bolos entangle its wings bringing it crashing to the ground as the spear wielding pegasus tuck their wings and fall from the sky putting all their weight in the the large spears they carried and impaling the writhing beast to the ground before the castle wall. As his gaze clears from the headache induced by the destruction of his shields he notes the charred corpse of the other dragon crashing to the ground and shattering apart like a lump of charcoal. General Shower grins her burning hooves the last thing go out, she looks up in time to see the blue dragon barreling down on the city.

“Oh crap.”

Jer'rahd winces trying to form another shield when the dragon suddenly shrinks in mid air dropping a very panicked red pony and a annoyed looking zebra. Its little blue form streaks towards him at an alarming speed.

“Boss pony, catch me!!”

“What?!?WHOOOOOMMFMFFF”

The resulting impact of small blue dragon and injured unicorn sent both of them off the battlements to crash into one of the market stalls set up along the wall. Several pegasus move to rescue the General before a commanding voice halts them.

“WE ORDER THAT YOU STAND DOWN SOLDIERS. THAT ONE IS A MEMBER OF THE GUARD.”

The pegasus look back towards the voice to see Princess Luna gliding down to land on the battlements, a very strained Starfall holding Rhede, who had Velkorn's tail gripped in his teeth, struggle to land on the top of the wall.

Rhede and Velkorn run down the steps as Starfall pauses to catch her breath before gliding down to the destroyed stall to find out what happened to Bleu and Jer'rahd. Luna glances after them but stays in the air to direct General Shower to the clean up effort.

The three poke their heads into the stall wincing a little, Rhede pulls back yelling out.

“MEDIC!”

Velkorn and Starfall both belt him in the back of the head with a hoof. Jer'rahd twitches, flat on his back, out cold, with a small blue dragon passed out across his heavily bandaged chest.

“Why is it every time we leave him alone, he winds up looking like a mummy?”

“Not that I have to point it out to you, but he winds up like this when we are with him too.”

=============================================

“I am glad that you are well General though I question how you managed to hurt yourself so badly in a few short weeks.”

“You should know by now Princess that this is what happens when I get left alone too long.”

The group half trots and half hobbles, in Jer'rahd's case, towards the throne room to inform Celestia of their return. Bleu remains draped across Jer'rahd's back snoring softly. Velkorn had taken to prodding and poking at the bandages covering him and paying close attention to the armored boots he wore.

“Dare I even ask, this damage was caused by what task?”

“Killing an Orc god. The Waning Moon works perfectly for that by the way Princess. Well Almost perfectly I had to carve him up a bit..... and it needs a guard of some kind....”

“I will inquire as to further detail about that strangely flippant response later General, for now I need to inform my sister of what has....”

“LULU!!!”

“What?!?WHOOOOOMMFMFFF”

The group collectively winces as the white blur of Celestia plows into her sister hugging the smaller alicorn tightly.

“Oh yes.... I forgot to mention Celestia is in some sort of mood.....”

“We will have words later General....”

“Eeerrr, yes Princess.”

====================================

It took a bit of time for Princess Celestia to let go of her sister and regain her composure. It took a little more time for Rhede and Starfall to stop snickering at the event. She invited them all into her study to let every one catch up as well as inform them of the current goings on in Canterlot. None of them really mattered past the war effort and the Winter Wrap Up event and Jer'rahd already knew most of the current events, he simply let Celestia speak, more than content to know everyone else was fine. When she had finished she let Luna proceed with the tale of the attempts to gather allies.

Celestia listened in as Luna informed them of the failed attempts as well as the situation with the wendigo. Her eyes shifted over each of them as their parts in everything came up. She pauses for the longest time on Velkorn eyes focused on the necklace, a small smile crossing her lips. Jer'rahd listened intently as well, having not been aware of anything that happened after Rhede left the torture room when he was ordered to. He noticed Celestia was letting her sister talk without interruption so he held his questions as well, though he would have very much liked to facehoof as the bit about Rhede's negotiations came up. Thankfully both Velkorn and Starfall smacked him in the back of the head for that, evidently not having heard it before either.

Celestia and Luna ignored the now wounded Rhede's complaints ,as Celestia seems to consider the story.

“General while I consider this would you mind informing them as to what you have been up to? Feel free however to leave out our discussion. “

“Alright. I suppose though I do have a couple of questions about what happened myself. The one I really want to ask is sleeping beauty here. So that's a little difficult.”

Jer'rahd explains what he could remember from Neighlantis, which was not much, and what happened after he woke fighting a Hydra. He went on skipping the return to Canterlot except for a few highlights before starting into what had happened in Manehatten. Rhede stared at him, Starfall looked a little torn between being annoyed at him or proud at the accomplishment, and Velkorn looked to be gnashing her teeth at the sheer volume of idiotic things he did to sustain the injuries he had. He inched a bit further away from the zebra just in case she wished to take a swing at him as well.

“.........At least I got out of that damn squeaky wheel chair.”

“Sounds like you had a rather pretty mare nurse watching over you for a bit there too Jer.”

“She was married.”

“Ooh, checked on that did you? “

“I'm jaded Rhede, not dead.”

“I question that with all my might, it likely will be safer if you do not leave my sight.”

“Look some pony had to do what was done and I was there. I already feel bad enough that you went on without me, don't add my injuries to that pile.”

“It is not as if we could have brought you along Jer'rahd. I would have very much liked to have you along as well, but you were in no shape to come with us.”

“I likely still am not Princess. I still have issues from that.”

“Seems they were not enough to stop you from hurting yourself though Jer'rahd.”

“Yes well, I usually don't need any help to do that.”

“Would the five of you excuse my sister and I . there are a few things I wish to discuss with Luna alone. “

“Of course Princess provided we can get our cripple back to his hooves and out the door.”

“Oh goody Bleu is asleep and you try to take over as the Element bearer of laughter Starfall? This should worry me.”

===========================================

The Princesses watch the group leave Jer'rahd mentioning something about a drink and getting slapped by all three of the others for it.

“So how bad is it Luna?”

“Fairly bad. With the exception of General Three Bear none of them will, or can help, and Aqua is little more than the next war waiting to happen.”

“That is a far worse turn of events than I had considered. Surely my joke could not have brought this about.”

“I doubt it sister. So do not worry about that. She may have been like this since the Discordian war even and simply been hiding it. She planed to ransom me for the books so likely there is a connection.”

“I knew they were dangerous, but how could Aqua have known we had them?”

“She claimed her adviser could sense their presence on me.”

Celestia's eyes narrow a bit as she turns looking at her sister.

“How much of them have you been reading?”

“I have already read all of them Tia. I had to to understand where to even find the Elements resting place. Do stop looking at me like that. There was nothing in any of them that was dangerous to either of us. And even fewer things that were worth casting at all.”

“Those books are why Discord did what he did to Aviana. They twisted him further than he was to begin with. The only thing we should be doing with them is figuring out how to destroy them.”

Luna's eyes narrow as she regards her sister.

“There are still things in them worth casting. I will not lose a potentially powerful weapon in a time of war simply because one insane creature could not control his libido enough to understand Aviana did not return his affections. I have no plans to destroy them sister, and if need be I will use everything in them to win this war and the next. We have no allies, we have no time, and we have several races under the command of dragons camped out nearly on our door step, waiting for the slightest hint that they can come in. I will gasp at every advantage we might have, no matter how much of a long shot it might be. That is the only reason I was even willing to go on this fools errand for you Celestia. We both knew it was going to end in failure, only now it has ended in failure and the start of another war. There is no longer a chance for negotiation, we either fight or we die. And when we fight we need to make sure that we remove the threat to this land with enough force that any one else will not even consider trying to wage war with us again. Only then will you have the peace you seek sister.”

Luna had risen to her hoofs and was practically yelling at her sister now. Celestia simply regarded her with casual indifference and a some what saddened look on her face.

“War will not bring peace Luna.”

“Peace will not come about any other way. You might have gotten to the point where you can sit in Canterlot and ignore what is going on outside. But I have been in the lands recently and I have seen with my own eyes how ponies are considered by the other races of the world. We are either a joke or a hassle to the lot of them. Your are a foal if you think everything is going to be all better because you wish it to be so.”

“You are tired and should rest, we will talk again later when you have calmed down. “

“There is nothing..”

“LUNA. OUR CONVERSATION IS ENDED. GO REST.”

Luna steps back a moment looking down at Celestia the white alicorns eyes narrowed to slits as she glares down the Moon Goddess, her whipping mane and tail showing a agitated state that her calm expression did not match.

“As you wish Celestia.”

Luna turns storming out of the study leaving Celestia alone to sip her tea.

=========================================

“What do you mean your going to bed? I just got up boss!”

“You have also been riding around on my back all day and missed everything. While it is nice to see you again Bleu I have not been sleeping well lately and could use a nights rest. Can you handle the spell on the scroll? “

“Yeah, its simple enough, heck you should be able to use it yourself honestly. I think this was another of the think tanks ideas. See these runes along the edge? Each one is a dose of the spell. When they run out the paper becomes useless. I guess the reason they wanted some one else to cast it is so in case something goes wrong.”

“Well either way I want to sleep in my own bed tonight, I am sick to death of hospital beds. I have not even been home in two months.”

“So what do we do now any way?”

“Wait for Luna I suppose. You should check on your think tank, Velkorn was planing to head to Manehatten to check on the Queen's Cross. Starfall is spending as much time as she can With her daughter and Rhede and I are headed to Ponyville tomorrow to check up on mayor Maw Pelt.”

“Aww I wanted to go see her as well, specially the hell she is gonna give you for getting hurt again. We just got everyone back together, and now we are splitting up again.”

Jer'rahd drops onto the bed clearly exhausted which makes Bleu curious as to why he would need the spell.

“We will not be that far apart for long, Manehatten is only three hours gallop away and Rhede and I will be back tomorrow night. We can hit a bar or something. Still want to know where you learned to fly like that.”

“What? I hang out with Starfall. Don't think I would pick something up?”

“Heh, alright Bleu, I'll buy that. Go ahead with the spell.”

Bleu mutters the spell, one rune fading from the paper as the unicorn shudders slightly, feeling the spell take effect and putting him out immediately. Bleu sighs throwing a blanket over him and rolling the scroll back up, dropping it on the night stand before heading out and trying to curl up in her own bed.

She sighs, after tossing about for a while, she gets up heading back into Jer'rahd's room and climbing onto the bed with him curling up against his back. She simply lay there a while before drifting off to her own light sleep not really feeling comfortable leaving him alone long. Even with how long it had been, and how Platinum had shown up to comfort her, the image of Jer'rahd filled with spears and dieing kept creeping back into her mind.

Once again he nearly died when she was no where around to even try and help him. She was terrified he would head off one day and she would never see him alive again. And every time her mind took that route the image from the test appeared in her head once more.

============================================

Luna looks over the ingredients she had collected with a sigh. In particular the last ingredient to the spell. She had the black pearl, the twig from the Yggdrasil, as well as the blood of the corrupt. She had thought the last would be the hardest, but she had over looked this one.

The heart of a black dragon.

Something like that should be easy to acquire, but so far there had been no reports of a black dragon anywhere. She sighs, floating the Gray Grimoire back into the chest it was stored in with the other two. The ingredients she gathered soon joined the book as she pondered briefly. Her anger at her sister had yet to calm. Celestia was blinded by optimism and could not see what was happening around her. She truly loved her sister, but at times like this she was immensely pissed off at her as well.

She settled back trotting over to her bed with a sigh. Perhaps she was right perhaps things would look better in the morning. Luna doubted it, but perhaps at least some plan would work properly for once without a high cost in lives. Winter Wrap Up was supposedly underway this week, that itself might help with resources which were already dwindling.

She flops down onto her bed her gaze traveling to the open window watching her moon's slow decent towards dawn until she finally drifted off to sleep

==============================================

“Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed “

Starfall sighs half dozing herself as she softly sung to her daughter. She had managed to make it home not long before the filly’s bed time and had been drug into Cloud Dancer's room for a bedtime story and a lullaby.

“Hush now. Quiet now.
It's time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now. Quiet now.
It's time to go to bed.

She almost thought her little filly might have gotten too old for this sort of thing by now, yet she seemed quite happy to let her mother sing her to sleep.

“Driftin' off to sleep.
The exciting day behind you.
Driftin' off to sleep.
Let the joy of dream land find you.”

“Hush now. Quiet now.
Lay your sleepy head.
Said hush now. Quiet now.
It's time to go to bed.”

She blinked slowly rising from the bed, the soft breathing of Cloud Dancer clue enough that the filly had drifted off to sleep. She leans in kissing her forehead lightly and flaps her wings lightly gliding back out of the room to not make any noise. She smiles softly closing the door and turning to stare straight into the very annoyed face of her sisters mare friend.

Starfall blinks looking at Stormsong as the mare waves her towards the kitchen and heads off there herself not bothering to look back to see if she was being followed. The mare pushes the door shut as Starfall walks in waiting for it to close before turning to glare venom at the other pegasus.

“What the buck do you think you are doing?”

“Singing my daughter to sleep like she asked.”

“Not that, you know what I am talking about. You vanish for months at a time and then saunter back in here like nothing has happened. Hasn't your inflated sense of pride given up on this shit yet?”

“My pride has nothing to do..”

“BULLSHIT Starfall. That is a great heaping pile of it, and you damn well know it. You could have accepted the money offered like half a million other mares and stallions, gotten back on your hooves and carried on with your life. But no, you refuse the money and then go off leaving your daughter for extended periods with no assurance that you will even be coming back.”

“You are out of line.”

“LIKE HELLS I AM. Who gets left here explaining to your daughter where you are and why you have not come home. What happens when you get killed how the hell are we going to tell her that? Oh sorry, dear your mom had such a stick up her ass and inflated ego she left you to go fight a war she did not even have to be in.”

“I am saving ponies lives out there.”

“Let some other pony do it, and be a damn mother for once in your life. She was three years old when you left and shes ten now going on eleven soon. She's seen her teacher more often than she sees you.”

“Don't you think I know that? Every time I am not here I do my best to get back here I try my best to stay as close to her as I can, but there is no other pony who can do what I do, I know I have tried to teach others with no success.”

“Then you never should have repeated it after the first time. That stupid rain bloom or what ever of yours, every time you do that you cement yourself deeper into the military as an asset they cannot do with out.”

“Every time I use it, I save ponies lives or make the world better some how. You want me to let lives be lost just because I want to see my daughter more? In case you have not noticed there is going to be a massive war out there and very soon, Canterlot itself was attacked by dragons today. Without ponies like me every one would be dead. Is that getting through your anti war propaganda flooded skull?”

“Don't even try to lecture me. I was in the Guard same as you, only I was smart enough to leave when my time was up. I also didn't have a foal dependent on me when I joined up. Do you even know what her favorite book is? What colt she has a crush, on her favorite food?”

“Six months of trying and failing basic training does not count as being in the Guard. You didn't have a foal, cause your little more than a barren wench of a filly fooler.”

Storm Song belts Starfall across the face with her wing growling, Starfall's return slap nearly knocks the mare to the floor.

“You are pressing very close to dangerous territory Starfall.”

“Buck that. You want a go at me, I will not hesitate to end you. The only reason I even let you in this house is my sister seems to like you for some reason, and Cloud Dancer thinks your alright. You want to hurl insults and talk shit that's fine. I am used to that, but you will not tell me how to live my life.”

“What sort of life do you think you have now? You spend all your time wanting to be back with your daughter and then when you are, you spend it worrying about when your going to be away from her again. It boils down to your damn pride.”

“I will not let ponies die or suffer just to make my life easier. The Princesses themselves think I can do some damn good out there, my own suffering is nothing compared to what I can stop by staying right where I am.”

“And what about Cloud Dancer's suffering. What about the worry she has that any time you leave you won't be coming back?

“This conversation is done.”

“Only for you.”

======================================================

“Odd to see you in here tonight Miss Velkorn. Especially drinking alone. Wheres that red stallion you always seem interested in?”

I did not come here to pout, but all I know is that he is out.”

“Chasing some other tail huh. Pity nothing wrong with yours. Might be in your interest to find someone else. No matter how good you think he looks.”

“That I find him attractive I cannot deny, but it seems so one sided at least to my eye.”

“So what will it be, the usual then? I guess since Jer'rahd's not here I don't have to close the bar down at least. Not like its been a busy night any way. If your more comfortable with it you can always stick to your native tongue. I do speak zebra, dragon and a few other languages... you have no idea how much that helps with running a bar.”

[“I suppose I can see how it would Starcloud.”]

[“Right, well I suppose you need to get something off your chest as well. Most of us bar keeps tend to have a degree in psychiatry in our skill set, as well as enough martial prowess to throw the rowdy out on their flank.”]

[“Really? “]

[“Nah pulling your tail with the first part though, I do get a lot of sob stories. Not many drunks tend to be able to keep quiet when wasted. Your friends are some of the few exceptions..... OK, not the Princess... she was rather loud and obnoxious drunk. Funny though.”]

The bar keep sets a glass before the zebra who looks at it briefly before draining half of it in a few gulps and starting to just nurse the rest.

[“I often wonder why Jer'rahd comes here every chance he gets. And yet now that I have developed problems this is the first place I go.”]

[“Can't speak for your friends reasons, but a lot of soldiers come here, usually to just drink themselves stupid so they do not have to remember what they have done or lived through. Papers say he's done quite a bit and had a lot happen to him for it. I can understand that might be the reason he's taken to the cups so easily, same with the bottomless pit that rides around with him. If that's how much a little dragon drinks I don't want to see how much a full grown one can drink.”]

[“About three barrels of particularly strong drink. “]

[“ Ehh?”]

[“Bleu has gotten a bit bigger, you may wish to increase your stock soon.”]

[“Bugger. So then you still have not brought up whats on your mind, though I suspect its still Rhede?”]

[“Indeed”]

[“Why don't you look for some one else, hell you seem alright enough with Jer'rahd I am pretty sure he's single.”]

[“Hah, I do not see him that way in the slightest, half the time I see him as a friend the other half the time I see him as an experiment of how much one pony can live through. I have whole chapters in a book about treatments I have used on him when he does something stupid. No, the only pony I have interest in is Rhede. With the way he is I do not know why I do. He seems to be trying his damnedest to push me away.”]

[“Likely does not want to see you hurt, I see a few ponies like him around full on playstallions. Most of them don't seem to care what happens to their conquests so long as they get what they want. If he had not been refusing you I would have pegged him the same.”]

[“If he does not want to see me hurt then he should stop hinting that there might be more to it and simply tell me. I am not some filly who needs to be softly guided into rejection. His actions counter his words and then vice versa I have no idea how he truly feels about me.”]

[“ You likely never will unless he wants you too. He strikes me as one of those types who only gives you just as much information as he thinks you need. Pity might be easier for you if he was one of those who ran his mouth off when drunk.”]

Velkorn takes another sip of her drink and sighs.

[“I wish it would be that simple. He is an annoying bit of work that infuriates me every time he does something, and yet I still can some how forgive him for any thing he does.”]

[“ Sounds like love, or some mental condition, but like I said the psychiatric degree is purely for show. So don't take my word for it.”]

===============================================

“Odd to find you out here. Shouldn't you be drinking some mare into your bed by now Pelt?”

“I am not solely defined by my libido Princess. Granted if a few drinks is all you would need to join me in bed I might consider it.”

“ I doubt even you could handle me. So what sort of deep thoughts are keeping you from your bed?”

“I could ask you the same thing. Half the castle heard you yelling at Princess Luna. Even if the why of it was missed.”

“I did not expect the conversation to turn to me so quickly, you are quite good at that Pelt, though I do plan to stay the course of my questions as to what ails you.”

“Everything really. It's all been one big game to me for most of my life. Enjoy what you can avoid what you can't. Now I've been dropped into things I can't avoid or dodge or even get away from.”

“I believe that is called growing up.”

“Ha ha. I am serious. My whole little world gets ripped down around me and slowly built back up. I am still trusted by most of my friends regardless of what I did, hell Jer even knows everything and he still wants to associate with me.”

“He is an unusual pony.”

“He's an idiot. So's Velkorn......”

“Oh? I take it she still has interest in you then?”

“Heavily.”

“You could always accept and settle down you know.”

“Do I seem the sort that can settle down?”

“Well there is that. Though if you do not have the interest why not simply tell her? She is no frail thing.”

“Because an out right rejection would hurt her. And I have been doing my best to keep from doing that. Especially after the deal with the order. I would rather not hurt any one who doesn't deserve it.”

“A quick cut would cause less pain then this slow drawn out approach you are taking. Likely every mare you are with that is not her will twist that blade of pain a bit deeper. Though honestly I cannot say how she feels. It has been far too long since I was in any situation even remotely similar.”

“Heh, Honestly I think I would like to meet the pony that would deny you, they would either be blind or have balls bigger than their flank.”

“Nothing quite as dramatic. We give up a lot by simply being who we are Rhede. We are forced to watch as time steals the life away from every one around us, and there is nothing we can do to stop or even stall it for long. It is one reason I tend to panic whenever my sister is gone, or missing for very long. She has been the only constant for me for thousands of years aside from the inevitable rise and fall of the sun and moon. Even the other gods of the world, while just as long lived, are no comfort. Most seek to enslave or simply kill ponies. But then again you knew most of that.”

“Yes though hearing it in that tone makes it a great deal more impacting. Need to be careful about that sort of dark mood Princess. You are supposed to be the shining beacon of purity and leadership of pony kind.”

“Every pony has their issues Rhede. How one works though them or surmounts them is what defines us. I am sure you will be able to work through yours in time. Goodnight Rhede.”

“Perhaps, good night Princess.”

======================================

He was unable breath,his movements felt sluggish as he struggled. Nothing but darkness, hollow sounding and cold surrounded him, slowing his limbs and stealing his life. He lashes out, hooves connecting with something, the only thing he had felt yet in this world and he felt it give from the blow . He bucks out again hearing an echoing crack in the darkness as his hooves connect again. The black ink suddenly giving way, a hole of blinding light appears where his hooves struck, yanking him, pulling him towards it.

He is sucked out of the hole and flung into space bright blinding light surrounds him as he takes the first sharp breath of nearly frozen air before the sensation of falling in noticed. He forms a shield to stop his fall and passes right through it before he can form another his back slams into a immovable object before he bounces off of it still tumbling down in the blinding light. A flash of pain is felt from the impact, before he doesn't feel anything. He strikes several other objects he cannot see in his fall barely able to see his form becoming twisted and broken, though he was unable to feel it. He finally slams hard into what he thinks is the ground ,a pool of blood forming around him as his body refuses to move at his command.

He looks up seeing shadows in the light, vague outlines and voices of those he knows. They claim he was useless now, no help to any one, better he died than to be like this. One by one they began to fade vanishing into the light leaving his broken body paralyzed, alone on the ground. He could hear conflict, screams of the dieing, triumphant roars of monsters. A line of red marred the other wise white landscape, growing larger as it rushed towards him. A wave of blood surging across the land, drained from the dead, rushing at him and sinking him into its submerged depths again.

Just like every other night he slept, Jer'rahd woke screaming. The spell breaking from the sudden surge of adrenaline and fear. He all but jumped out of bed flinging a panickedd dragonling into the air as he fought the sheetswrappedd around him before crashing heavily to the floor. Bleu bounces off the wall and then lands back on the bed peering over the edge of the bed as he gets a hold of himself, panting heavily.

“You OK boss?”

“So much for a dreamless sleep.......”

=============================================

“You look horrid Jer'rahd. You getting enough sleep colt?”

“Not nearly as much as I would like Maw, but that cannot be helped.”

“Need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.”

“I know Maw just a lot has been happening. So how has everything been going? I gather you already had the new addition to the family then? I am sure when Fox and Wolf let Rhede up he will be interested in meeting the new sibling.”

“Daughter, Jer'rahd. Named her Golden. “

“Golden Pelt, has a nice ring to it.”

“Thank you, planning on coming out for the wedding ?”

“First I have heard of a wedding.”

“Oh really? I know you were the one who arraigned to have those two stallions you brought along to the party posted out here. Was wondering if Fisher or Faux had you set that up.”

“Ugh, I expected those mares to work fast, but not this fast. Which one broke down?”

“You need to have a little more respect for them, blood sisters or not.”

Jer'rahd raises an eyebrow at Maw who sighs.

“OK, yes it was a little fast, but Fisher got Potato to propose to her. Biggs seems the smarter of the two. He only promised to do so if he survived the war, claims he does not want to hurt her if he gets killed.”

“I have no say if they will get deployed any where else Maw. I do have superiors myself still. But if I can they will stay at this post, so please stop giving me that look.”

“I will hold you to that. Now then I guess I can show you whats going on while Rhede tries to get free. Those two at least had the sense not to tackle the injured pony.”

“I am also glad they are still too young to join... both of them have interest in the Guard. This is just the wrong time to try and join it.”

“Yes, but its not likely they will change their minds regardless of how they act, those two look up to both you and Rhede. Personally I don't see how, as every time I see you your sporting some new wound.”

“I was fine when I came here for Hearths Warming.”

“Yeah and right after you had your heart ripped out and spat on. Not to mention the poison. You going to visit them?”

“I do every time I am here. The place has grown quite a bit, though you seem to have forgotten to cut down a tree in the middle of the town”

“Ah, no pony is going to touch that tree. Princess Celestia herself planted that tree when the town first started.”

“Your kidding, it looks like its two or three years old already, Celestia was only here two months ago.”

“Show some respect for her colt, but yes. The Princess must have a might powerful green hoof.”

The pair trot and hobble respectively though the town, the metallic clank of the armored casts on Jer'rahds's front hooves the only sound made by the two for a good while. Jer'rahd pauses suddenly looking at a small patch of land that still had not had anything built on it. He turns his gaze looking over to Maw curiously as she nods.

“When I was made Mayor, I was given all rights to every plot of land in this town. Including that one. I figured I would hold onto it a bit, see if you might want it back.”

Jer'rahd smiles slightly moving over to hug the smaller mare, who blinks at the odd gesture from the unicorn.

“Thank you Maw, but that stopped being my home a long time ago. Use it for what ever you think it should be used for. I don't mind.”

“Well now. That's rather mature of you.. Now if I can get Rhede to grow up some as well I might see a grand foal yet. Not seeing any one else are you?”

“After my luck with mares Maw? The next one I show interest in is likely to die, there's a depressing pattern in my choice of marefriends. “

“Lets see, if I recall the first one just tried to kill you not herself, the second one just betrayed you, the third one died, and the last one tried to kill you. So the next one will betray you and the one after that will die.”

“You keep up with that!?!”

“Rhede writes home a great deal more lately. He is worried about you.”

“I know.... Though if you count the ones who express a interest in me, but not the other way around, I have already been betrayed again.”

“Really you love that one?”

“No.”

“Then no it doesn't, stupid pattern you have any way, its not even repeated itself once. That's not a pattern, that's in yer head.”

“Far too much going on in my head lately.”

“I say not enough. We can talk shop later, this Winter Wrap Up stuffs gonna take some time to work through, I can fill Rhede in on all that. You got some ponies to visit best to get to that while you have the chance. Lame as you are it's gonna take you all day to get out there.”

“Right Thanks Maw. I will be back before long. I still would like to meet Golden Pelt.”

“You will, Paw has her for now and that lunk head can't even remember how to change a diaper properly. Had nearly a dozen foals and he forgets that, yet he can remember names and faces from forty years ago with perfect clarity.”

Jer'rahd chuckles slowly walking off as Maw watches him head towards the farmhouse and the graves behind it.

“Hmm? You refined the healing gems further?”

“Yes, we can now use lower quality gems that are more abundant with the same charge as the more rare gemstones.”

“Well, that's good, but the time to make them is still too long though.”

“We have been working on that Director.”

Bleu shivers a small grin on her face as Celestia's student uses her title, she would never get over that.

“Do your best, your coming along fine, but we still need some haste. What else do you have?”

“Unfortunately not too much, we managed to refine the message transfer in dragons breath to transport the scroll to a set unicorn by means of a enchanted gem stone they can eat. The unicorn puts a small enchantment into the stone. It can be anything it just needs to be a spell from them, and if a dragon eats that gem anything they use their breath weapon on can be transported to that unicorn. Seamore managed at least three gem addresses. So far he does have the highest count. “

“Better, but still not practical. There are only about seven of us and I think we are going to stay too close to each other to need to send messages.”

“It is actually fairly practical for you however Director.”

“Hmm?”

“You seem to be in the field a great deal. The ability to send messages back to Canterlot could be useful. Or to either of the Princesses.”

“I had not thought of that.”

“And that is why you are only in charge of this group of genisues and not in it.”

Bleu sighs as Seamore makes his presence known with the gloating.

“Did you and Lily have anything constructive or are you just here to harass me?”

“Bit of both. To be honest the latest thing we have some what needs your palette swapping trick for a test subject.”

“Oh joy, a new title of lab rat.”

“Well the rat parts right, anyway.”

“Stuff it Seamore.”

=============================================

“You know mom if I didn't know any better I would say you've been running around with some stallion other than dad. Even fox is a dull orange, Golden's coat is almost metallic.”

Maw Pelt ignores her sons comments, booping the nose of the tiny filly on the bed before them. Golden pelt giggles and falls back her brown tail swishing as she tumbles from the boop.

Rhede smiles watching the filly a bit lifting a hoof to boop her nose lightly only to have the foal latch onto his hoof and try biting it. He lifts his hoof lightly trying to dislodge the filly with out any real luck.

“Let go of your brother Golden. You don't know where hes been.”

The filly blinks giggling at her mother and lets go plopping back down onto the bed with another laugh.

“So how are the preparations going?”

“Smoothly, We have a bit of a problem with the birds, but it will take time to get that right. The goal is to do as much as we can so the Princess does not have to use as much magic as she normally does to bring about spring. The snow removal and planting are easy, same thing with the clouds now that we have the pegasus force here. Took us a time to figure out how to wake up the animals gently enough so they would not panic, but loud enough so they would get up. A little bell of all things. We started making birds nests too, just to try and entice some of the southern fliers back a little early. Seems to be working though slowly, I thought this was going to be little more than a lark, but its working out quite well. I'll give Jer'rahd the paper report to take to the Princess when he comes in.”

“What don't trust me enough to deliver it mom?”

“Nope, I raised you, I know quite well how far I can throw you.”

“Ponies do change.”

“Sometimes not enough, and some times too much. Your still in the not enough section of that colt. And Jer'rahd might be going to far.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well he's always been sort of a dark minded, serious colt, seems that has gotten a bit worse with everything that's happened.”

“With what he heaps on himself, its easy to understand. He takes every death of a pony under his command personally. Jer puts all that aside into one big grudge that builds every time another Guard dies. Drinks too much too.”

“They why don't you do something about it. Your supposed to be his friend.”

“What the buck am I supposed to do about it? I can't change him.”

Rhede winces as Maw Pelt belts him in the back of the head and Golden giggles.

“Language.”

“Sorry. But nothing changes, he is more than willing to talk about it, but even he hides things. Same as always. I think he expects to die in this battle.”

“You better make sure he doesn't follow in his fathers hoof steps that far.”

“Trust me ma we are all working on preventing that. But we can't watch him all the time.”

=============================================

Jer'rahd screams out, jerking back and tripping over the tombstones crashing hard onto the pile of snow he had cleared from the graves. His heart races as he struggles to get his breathing back under control. The images of skeletal hooves dragging him into the dirt burying him in the soft earth linger for a few moments more before he got his bearings again. Once he fully realized what had happened he dropped his head back into the snow with a curse before struggling back up to his hooves.

His nightmare was subtle this time, not even letting him know he dozed off before assailing him, yanking him into the ground to suffocate with dirt rather than the water. He never used to remember dreams or nightmares, now they stuck with him for hours after he had them. He shakes his head ignoring the sting from the wounds of his back after his impact. He sighs not even bothering to shake the snow from his coat before starting the trudge back into town, bidding the graves a silent farewell.

========================================================

“OK what the deuce is this thing?”

“It's a cloak, you know clothing?”

“Perfect Seamore you created something that already existed for thousands of years, you must be so proud.”

“Why yo....”

“Seamore Please. “

Bleu glances up at Lily as she moves between the two with a small sigh taking the cloak back from Bleu and flipping it over her dragon companion. The cloak flutters a bit and the dragon seems to turn invisible. Bleu looks at the spot a moment seeing the outline of Seamore as well as a purple haze that seems to fill the area the cloak covered, random patches of orange appear occasionally as well.

“Well that's interesting, would make a nice light show.”

“Told you she would not get it Lily.”

“Its an invisibility cloak Director, the problem is it picks up on the coloration of who ever wears it and changes trying to match that. We have figured out that its the coloration that does it, as it reacts differently to what ever color the pony or dragon under it has for their coat or scales. We think with your ability to change colors we might be able to narrow down which ones work the best and which do not. Then perhaps we can fix it to work for any pony.”

“Interesting, Rhede would likely love something like that. I suppose I can see what you want now . Give it here lets start this up. I actually have all day.”

===============================================

Jer'rahd's spirits were some what lifted upon meeting Golden, and after the meal and receiving the report he and Rhede bid the Pelt family goodbye and set out back to Canterlot before the sun sank fully from the sky.

Rhede swaggered along in his usual manner pausing every so often for Jer'rahd to catch up. After a time Jer'rahd managed to get the hang of the armored boots again and Rhede slowed down enough to maintain a pace with him.

“So then Jer. Whats wrong this time?”

“Why would anything be wrong?”

“You look like something That came out of my rear end after the first time I tried fine zebra cuisine.”

“Colorful as always Rhede..”

“Well?”

“Next time we think of a plan. I will take the mare and you get the insane phobia.”

“Not a problem. I'll be happy to let you pray to be gelded for a while.”

Jer'rahd raises an eyebrow at that.

“Then again if it was bad enough for you to have wanted that, maybe I did get off lucky.”

The two walked on in silence for a bit longer before Jer'rahd spoke again.

“Been having nightmares. Bad ones. The kind that wake me up screaming, every time I try and sleep. I also have developed a fear of water. Took me a month to get over that enough to even have a bath. Longer, not to panic when it rains.”

Rhede pauses letting Jer'rahd walk ahead of him a bit before darting forward to catch up with him.

“That was sudden and informative.”

“You asked what was wrong. Bleu knows after I woke up screaming last night. She probably already told Velkorn. I figured I would let you know since you asked.”

“How bad is the fear of water?”

“I spent a week in Manehatten thinking up reasons to not go oversee the defense of the city from the harbor side. If the road into the place had not kept the river hidden by the surrounding hills I would not have made it there at all.”

“So crippling.”

“Close enough to it. I got over the fear some and I can handle rain with out freaking out completely now. So far that's the best I have been able to do.”

“Velkorn could not figure out what to do when you were in that coma. I doubt she will have anything that can help over this.”

“Likely so, I try not to dwell on it. It was not enough to stop me from helping Manehatten, it won't be enough to stop me from doing much. It is not like we were going any where near an ocean for a while anyway. Though I might need to retire if a war starts with the seaponies.”

“Might be for the best. Does Luna know?”

“Likely not, from what I hear she and Celestia did not have a nice conversation last night.”

“Well now, if even you heard about that it must have been a massive row. Supposedly Luna was grounded or something. Can Celestia even do that?”

“I could not tell you, but Celestia has been under a great deal of stress lately and was genuinely worried about Luna. I don't see her as having been flippant with her sister, but it was clear something she said set Celestia off.”

“Want to ask?”

“No, but I was planning to do so anyway. You were right though.”

“About what?”

“Celestia is quite terrifying when angry.”

A loud pounding on her door pulls Twilight out of the spell before Applejack had even gotten off the couch to see who was knocking. The earth pony manages to get the door open and was tackled by Rainbow Dash clutching a book.

“TWILIGHT WHAT IS ….. wait your not Twilight. AppleJack!!?!”

The cyan pegasus blushes her wings flaring a moment before she suddenly flings herself off of the confused farm pony and grabs Twilight shoving her into a side room.

“I errr need to talk to Twilight alone a moment AJ be right back.”

“Ummm kay.”

Rainbow Dash shuts the door behind her and shoves the book into Twilight, the red blush clear on her face.

“Twilight what the buck is this?”

“It's a book Dash. Didn't we go over this already.”

“I know what it is, look at the title its one of the ones you gave me.”

“Daring Do and King Solamane's Mines........ “

Twilight blushes suddenly.

“I didn't mean to give you that one … oh by Celestia....”

“Didn't mean to give me this one? This is one of the better ones I...... “

Rainbows wings “pomf” again and she struggles to keep them down.

“Are there any more like this one?”

“I really did not mean to even get that one, I thought it was just another Daring Do book at the time until I read it. I think there may be others, but I never bothered to go look in the clop section to find out.... I think there's one called Daring Do versus Lana Crop, but that ones a mare on mare sort of book.....”

“Mare on mare? You mean like this one with Alan Quartermane and her but with.....”

“Yeah I actually didn't think you would be this excited over it. Though I never meant to include that one.”

“Err no not excited just, I just want to read everything written by the author and this one was really good so.... umm. Yeah... I suppose I do need to head to a book store for that one sometime.....”

“Preferably not in the middle of the night though. “

“Right right.... Um well thanks for explaining that I better go.”

“What in tarnation is going on in there?”

“AKK …. not a word of this to AJ.”

“Alright my lips are sealed. I am just glad you found a book series you like. Maybe after ward I can interest you in some other books I have. “

“Err yeah sure I'm just gonna go then. Talk to you later Twilight. Errr sorry about barging in and stuff. “

“Well it was kind of a surprise, but its nice to see your enjoying the books …. um even that one...”

“Yeah OK .”

The Pegasus looks back at the door and takes off darting out the window in the side room still carrying the book. Twilight sighs shaking her head wondering what had gotten into Rainbow Dash. Sure the book was a Daring Do, but it was little more than clop fiction ..... ooooh.

Heading back out into the main part of the library she was greeted by an odd stare from Applejack.

“And what was that all about sugar?”

“Just Dash discovering the versatility of some books.”

“Versatility? What you mean like using one to prop up a wobbly table or something?”

“Something like that.”

Concrete Base

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard.
By TDR

Concrete Base

“So which book did they get?”

“Well I offered them the copy of the Elements of Harmony, but they were only interested in the Hearts and Hooves Histories. I really wanted to finish that book too.”

“How you can study while studying amazes me darling.”

“It's a gift Rarity, though I am curious as to why you agreed to come stay here tonight rather than stay home.”

“Uggh, for one, you sent Spike to Canterlot for a few days.”

“Well after what happened last Hearts and Hooves day between you two it likely was a good idea.”

“I really am flattered that he fawns over me Twilight, but does he truly think anything could come of it?”

“Well perhaps if you did not keep leading him on like you do.”

“I am not trying to lead him on Twilight, I would just rather not be the one who breaks his heart, I suppose I will need to at some point, but I am not looking forward to that.”

“Well if one reason is Spike not being here what are the others?”

Rarity buries her head into the couch and sighs.

“Do you have any idea how many stallions and mares do their best to try and become my very special pony on this day?”

“I am guessing a lot?”

“If there is a single pony in this town who has not sent me a card or candy or a huge selection of flowers. I have yet to meet them.”

“Umm In case you did not notice, I am a single pony who did not send you any flowers.”

“Well why not?”

Twilight stares at her friend as Rarity smiles.

“I jest, I am well aware you do not swing that way Twilight, so do relax.”

“Right, if there are that many ponies who want your attention , you could have your pick.”

“I am young yet Twilight and as such the chance of finding my prince has not faded into myth and dream just yet.”

“Well I will take your word for it. I think Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack have some pony however, all of them have practically vanished.”

“ Well I cannot speak for Pinkie Pie ,but Rainbow Dash and Applejack vanish every year, I believe Dash heads to Cloudsdale and Applejack goes to Manehatten. I suppose they either have some pony there or just take the time to visit family or look.”

“Well I might ask when they get back, I just hope I can get my book back from the girls before something happens to it.”

“It should be fine, Sweetiebelle tends to take care of books, perhaps it may have something to do with her talent.”

“Only time will tell, did you need anything else?”

“Nothing I cannot get myself darling, though I do have to ask.”

“Whats that?”

“Did you have some special pony for today?”

Twilight nearly growls As Rarity's ears perk up.

“As much as I like studying Rarity, do you think I would be here scrying on a sharpened hunk of metal if I did have somepony else to be with?”

“Ooh bitter?”

“No, just …... annoyed, I've never gotten so much as a card.”

“What a cute mare like you? Seems some ponies have no taste.”

“Clearly.”

“Well go do your magic thing, next year I say we have a look into finding some one for you. It has the makings of a exciting venture.”

“I cannot wait......”

Twilight casts the spell trying to let her annoyance pass her by as she moves into the star studded expanse glad to get away from the nonsense of this holiday. Her eyes widen at the sight of the starry field and she nearly screams in frustration. Nearly all the stars were orbiting each other moving in little ecliptic hearts. There were a rare few that were solo, like the pure white star behind her that she identified as Rarity's. The ones she thought were the Princesses were unchanged as well. She looked back to the darkness some what surprised to see that none of the six stars that made her uneasy was any where in sight.

Twilight finally shrugs seriously hoping there was no such holiday a thousand years ago. She moves again slipping into the window for Princess Luna's necklace to start with this time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I am glad you could make it General.”

“One does not simply ignore an order from a superior officer Princess.”

“That is not what General Mustang and General Shower say. “

“I have not ignored any of their orders Princess, I simply misheard a few.”

“Likely my fault with that, boss here listens to me a bit much.”

“Apart from mentioning the complaints, I do have something to return to you General. It seems you could have used it in Manehatten.”

Luna floats a familiar skull helmet over to Jer'rahd who smirks His magic taking it from the Princess..

“Indeed I could have, though there seems to be bits of it missing. “

“No, it is all there I have had time this week to simply finish what I started, the rest of the armor will appear when you don the helm instead of having to carry it around. I have not been allowed to do very much else these last weeks. “

“I gather Celestia really was not too thrilled with your conversation when you returned then.”

“No she was not, but that is not why I have had little to do. The four of you Generals have been handling the situation well enough for my presence to not even be needed. “

“For now maybe Luna, but I don't see you sitting around twiddling your hooves for long before your out there cutting loose along with boss here.”

“Yes well, you also get to avoid all the paper work hiding here.”

“You are right in that regard, but for now there is little for me to do.”

“I can say the same, it is not as if I can do much until the casts come off and that will be a bit yet. At least my ribs have healed, my back might as well if Bleu would stop squirming. “

“Then stop trying to throw me off boss.”

“At any rate perhaps you should keep the armor for a while yet Princess, it seems to have served you quite well in Neighlantis as well as in that battle with the dragons. “

“She was damned hot in it as well. Looked like one of those Valkyries you read about .“

Luna blushes a bit and Jer'rahd tries not to notice, or remember how she looked wearing it on the ship, damn Bleu actually remembered what he said.

“This is not a story book.”

“I will take that as a compliment Bleu, though I do doubt that I am considered hot. Valkyries are not just a story book myth. They existed long ago, warrior mares of the pegasus race all joined together in an effort to prove themselves in the predominately stallion dominated art of warfare. During the time of the Discordian war they were the most feared force for Equestria. The simple rumor that a squad of Valkyrie was on the field was enough to send many of Discord's troops running. “

“So what happened to them then?”

“Time mostly. After the war ended there was really no need for them any more. Many turned to mercenary work or went about challenging stallions to duels simply to find a mate strong enough to best them so they could have children. They respected strength and skill above all else and would only accept a husband that could beat them.”

“There we go boss, we need to find one of those kinda mares for you. Sounds like your kinda female. Hardcore and kinda crazy. It would be perfect.”

Luna blinks looking at them both as Jer'rahd struggles not to buck the little dragon off his back as she rambles on.

“They no longer exist Bleu and I thank you to let my love life drop.”

“Your lack of it you mean.”

“Anyway Princess before the mouth here gets started again, was there something else you needed?”

“Yes. We will be going to the front soon.”

“What?”

“My sister would like some pony to speak with the troops already at the Dullahan base camp. She is hoping for something inspirational, I believe. “

“Why the heck would any one think I am any good at that sort of thing?”

Luna blinks, pointing a hoof at the little dragon on Jer'rahd's back, and the wide grin on her fanged face.

“You have as a partner, one of the better know stage names of our time. I would think between Bleu and my sister something inspiring can be written.”

“Celestia and Bleu......... I am so doomed.”

“When do we start Luna!?”

“Wait, why me?”

“With your victory at Manehatten you are back in the celebrity spotlight General. We plan to use that for morale.”

“Buck me....”

“Damn boss, buy her dinner first.”

Jer'rahd nearly chokes on his own words, Shifting and flinging the dragonling off his back, sending her laughing form into the air. Luna's blush deepens a bit though neither of them notice as the unicorn attempts to knock the dragonling out of the air with the armored skull.

============================================================

“Starfall's taken a few weeks leave, so its up to you to keep an eye on things Rhede. It's mostly administrative duties however, a few things I tend to take care of when not training, nothing excessively vital but still important. So I will be leaving you in charge, I cannot believe I said that with a straight face.”

“What still don't trust me?”

“Not in charge of things. Last time you were in charge, you nearly got us all turned to stone.”

“Ouch. You hold a grudge a while Jer. Well keep in mind the fronts only a days travel at best, so if I screw up being baby sat by Princess Celestia too bad you can always come home. Cripes we did not even have a chance to hit the bar before everyone's splitting up again.”

Jer'rahd smiles.

“We'll go try to put Starcloud out of business when we get back. After being forced to read a speech that Bleu and Celestia are writing I likely will need it.”

“Bah, giving speeches is easy, just picture the audience naked.”

“Rhede, we are ponies, naked is a normal state for us.”

“OK fine, then picture them in lingerie, just try not to laugh when thinking about the big gruff soldier ponies in pink stockings and thongs.”

“There is decidedly something wrong with you Rhede.”

===========================================================

[“Ahh so we meet again auntie, nice of you to join me for lunch. “]

Velkorn sighs slipping onto the bench across from the other zebra who is happily munching on some sort of cabbage sandwich.

[“I will say the food here is much better than back home.”]

[“Most ponies would disagree, and claim hospital food is horrific. And stop calling me auntie, it makes me feel old.”]

[“Bah, no taste the lot of them. So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Just checking up on us?”]

[“To be honest yes, I have been gone a while and wished to see if anything had changed with the Queens Cross.”]

[“Nothing has changed with us, the mission remains the same. Though almost the entire orc force was wiped out here. There's barely any of them left fighting for the dragons any more. Your friend was rather brutally efficient in seeking their destruction.”]

[“Jer'rahd does that. “]

[“Ahhh, so it is true you do know the Demon of Dullahan.”]

[“Of course, he is my patient and the same pony that killed my brother.”]

Baelit stops eating at that looking at her as she returns the stare.

[“ Why are you telling me this?”]

[“To simply let you know there is no sense in your quest. I have heard that you were seeking the pony who killed your father. His more recent accomplishments have over shadowed his previous ones completely, but it would not have been long before you found out.”]

[“You knew I planned to kill the one who did that? You are a little better informed than I am comfortable with.”]

[“I hoped you will see the futility of it and move on. You have done great things already in your young life in the name of peace, give up that quest and continue what you are doing. Your father does not need revenge.”]

Baelit laughs, nearly choking on his sandwich. Velkorn blinks rather confused at the sudden change from serious to laughter and looks at him like he had gone mad. After a moment the zebra finally manages to get his breath.

[“I know that auntie. I knew when I first started saying I was seeking revenge I would never get it. That was rather the point, I am a doctor not a warrior.”]

[“So why persist in a claim that you are not planing to do anything with?”]

[“Why else? A exotic male on a quest for revenge against some pony who killed his father? The local mares eat that up, I have yet to sleep alone since coming to Equestria.”]

Baelit's grin fades quickly as he notes the pure aura of rage radiating in waves off the zebra mare.

[“ Uhhhh, I suppose I should not have listened to the ambassadors advice then? Oh CRAP, PUT DOWN THE TABLE AUNTIE ..!! HEEELP!!”]

Several off the Guard's looked up as the screaming zebra tears through the streets of Manehatten, a pissed off female zebra hot on his hoofs shouting something in her native tongue at the male she was chasing. The Guards look to each other then back at the zebras and decide the best course of action is to stay out of it.

==================================================

Starfall smiles settling in to watch her little girl dart around the shops, looking at everything that was available as if something might get taken away from her view at any time. Cloud Dancer's birthday was coming up before to long. Starfall knew she was likely going to be back on duty by that point, so she decided to take her daughter out shopping for a early birthday present, and lunch, just to be with her.

It remained as she thought it would for a little while, however once she met with some of her school friends they wandered off on their own more than she would have liked. Her daughter had wound up spending more time with them on this trip then with her, though while she was a bit depressed by this she was glad her daughter was making friends so easily. The three fillies had been to nearly every shop along the strip and were wandering back around for a second pass when they were distracted by a box of puppies in one stall.

A shout went up from some where behind her and Starfall sighs glancing back at a large brown earth pony tearing down the street clutching a bag of something from one shop or another. A less fit chubby shop keeper was close on his hooves.

“STOP THIEF, SOME PONY STOP HIM!”

Could she get one day off? She glances over to her daughter and her friends still being distracted by the puppies. She moves in front of the charging pony. The massive stallion barely even glances at her likely just planing to knock the small pegasus aside. She cannot help but grin as she kicks off the ground and meets his charge headlong. Her wing sweeps low as she brushes along side of the larger pony, connecting with the stallions knees, knocking his front legs from under him and moving out of his reach before he even impacts the ground. The bag skitters away from him as his jaw loudly impacts the cobblestone.

Several Guards finally arrive to take over, the group of them struggle trying to pin the massive thief down though a glare from Starfall freezes him in place enough for him to be restrained. Starfall exhales deeply glancing back to where her daughter was, her eyes widen at the box of puppies, with no fillies any where around it. The pegasus was gone tearing through the stalls searching, before any of the Guard's even thought to question her.

======================================================

“Princess, I am in no way comfortable with this.”

“You have already stated that several hundred times, General. I would ask you end that line of thought as you do not have a choice in the matter.”

“So why isn’t General Mustang doing this, he's a higher rank than me. Even you would be a better choice. There is not a pony alive who does not know you.”

“Three reasons. First, I have other business to attend to, regardless of how much I have been hanging around with you and the others I am still a Princess with duties to preform. There are other things that I need to do and I do not have the time to give speeches. Two you were the one in charge of our first decisive victory of this war. Your name is known by almost as many ponies for that, as mine is for simply being a Princess. And third, because none of the General's want to do it, so with you being the lowest of their ranks, it falls to you.”

“Why do I think it is primarily the last one.”

“Do cheer up Jer'rahd. At the very least by the time we go to the front,your casts and bandages should be off. Provided of course you do not manage to hurt yourself further before then.“

======================================================

“So leaving us again huh, Director?”

“Yup, they have me writing a speech for the boss to give at the Dullahan base camp. Kinda interesting, the Princesses input is actually pretty neat, seems she has a lot of experience with motivational speeches. So any way where were we Lily?”

“Yellow spectrum, we almost had something with the yellow coloration I think. Hmm, try white. The really pale yellow almost worked maybe we just need to go colorless.”

“That won't help much Lily, there are very few pure white ponies.”

“It will be a start Seamore.”

“Alright here we go you two.”

Bleu shifts coloration to the same white she was in the wedigo lands, the cloak reacts quickly and seems clear for a few moments until it starts to glow. The light from it growing brighter the longer she keeps that color.

“That's a new reaction, maybe grays?”

“OK, so white makes me a candle perfect. Lets try this.”

Bleu shifts completely to black, already bored with this endeavor, she was half tempted to try polka dots before long. Seamore and Lily watch as the cloak darkens considerably seeming to dim the lights in the room, making Bleu seem more and more like a shadow.

“Well you were correct in that she would bring unexpected results Seamore.”

“Hey, I can spot a chaotic element with the best of them.”

“Are we done yet?”

===================================================

“For crying out loud mom, stop freaking out. I didn't go any where.”

“You vanished for a good twenty minutes. I had no idea where you even went.”

Starfall walks along side her daughter, trying hard to calm herself after that bit of panic. She had faced dragons, mad undersea gods, Bone Hounds,Spirits of Winter, and a massive behemoth with less worry than she had thinking her daughter had vanished. The problem was now that her panic had died down it was replaced by anger. The rest of the day had gone down hill from there with Cloud Dancer blaming her mothers attitude for her friends running off, and Starfall blaming Her daughter for making her worry. The last half hour had been nothing but arguing.

“I just walked off talking to my friends its not like I'm a foal any more.”

“Then stop acting like one.”

“Maybe if you acted more like a mother I would not act so much like a foal.”

Starfall winced at that and stopped Cloud Dancer did much the same slowing a few paces ahead her ears drooping a bit realizing what she said. Starfall closes her eyes trying to keep from crying. She had not expected that and it just drove home her own fears and problems to hear her daughter say it out loud.

“So you don't think I am a good mother either......I …. I am sorry about that Cloud dancer I don't mean to to be bad at it, I just...”
Starfall blinks as her daughter suddenly hugs her.

“I'm sorry momma, I didn't mean it . Your a good mother, I just wish you were home more often. I’m proud of what you do, regardless of what auntie says, I'm sorry.....”

Starfall buries her head into her daughters neck not trying to hold back the tears a bit more as she sobs, returning her daughters hug.

======================================================

“Now then General, your hooves are likely to be rather sensitive when we take off these casts. We are also going to have to trim them, as they likely have grown out enough to split along with the cuts that were in them. I would not expect more than a apple or so in length however.”

“Whatever, as soon as these things are off and I can walk around like a normal pony, I will be worlds better.”

The doctor nods, his horn glowing as he removes the casts the cool air of the room sending a shiver along Jer'rahd's spine as it struck his legs. He wrinkles his nose in disgust. The smell coming from his legs after being bound for so long was very akin to rotting flesh. It was rather sickening, particularly when he knew it was coming from his own body.

“Is it supposed to smell like that?”

“Several weeks worth of unwashed fur and flesh? Yep that gets ripe fairly quick General. Don't worry, I have smelled worse. This is normally what happens when casts are removed.”

He watches a moment eyes widening at the misshapen shape of his hooves. While he had been told they would grow out he had not expected them to spread out an curl away from each cut that had marked them.

“That looks really freaky, I did not expect them to grow out that much almost looks like I have a bunch of clawed fingers.”

“Well, warm wet areas tend to cause hooves to grow out a bit more, plus the usual wear and tear of just walking keeps them worn down normally. The cast pretty much simulates a warm environment, and you have not been on them for a while so they grew a little more than normal. Nothing to worry about, just like the smell, nothing that doesn't happen all the time. Now, they are going to be tender for a while. You'll need to walk and stand on them after the trim before for a few days until they stop being sore. I certainly would suggest not kicking any one for a while.”

“I will keep that in mind. So what do you need to do just cut them?”

“Pretty much, in situations like this I usually like to have the patient knocked out, but your medical reports show you've been having some violent nightmares lately. Best just to do some local anesthetic, I would not want you waking up in the middle of it kicking.”

“Alright your the doctor.”

“This might smell worse than just your legs, but we'll let you get cleaned up when we're done. I would suggest you turn your head though, seeing bits of your self go flying away tends to unnerve a great many ponies.”

“Sadly I am used to that part of it.”

==========================

“Well now this is interesting.”

“Blah, blah, blah, did it work?”

“Indeed it did Director, combining black and white cancels out both the darkness and the light and avoids having that glow of the natural coloration. Now we have something to work with.”

“Great so we can make zebras invisible, there's gonna be a whole bunch of stuck up nobles who will love that idea. Any how keep it up, the boss is getting his hooves worked on today and we are heading out in the morning. I need to leave some one in charge to make sure things get done. Hmmmmm, hey Seamore..”

“Yes”

“It ain't gonna be you.”

“I hate you so much.”

===============================================

The loud clanging drew the Guard patrol to the street the noise was coming from, though upon seeing who it was, they turned right around and continued with their rounds.

[“Damn it auntie, I said I was sorry I listened to him, pleaaaase stop trying to murder me!”]

Velkorn slams her hooves into the metal flag pole glaring up at the zebra doctor at the top of it clinging on for dear life.

[“I put up with Rhede doing that shit because I do not wish to beat him, you nephew are not that lucky.”]

[“Some pony HELP!”]

=============================

Jer'rahd winces as he moves around the carriage, every step he made was sheer torture, and had been since the anesthetic had worn off yesterday. Every click of them against the cobble stones on the way to the carriage felt like a slap with a blade flat against his legs. The fact he was carrying a few bags as well did not help matters, they were not even his bags. He had no idea what was in these things, but the Princess had ordered him to bring them along so he had. At least Bleu had opted not to ride on him this time, as well as carry her own luggage. After finally loading everything up, he grabs his sole bag and climbs onto the carriage nodding to the Guards pulling it before shutting the door behind him. He barely notes Luna and Bleu who were already in the wagon talking, his attention focused on just collapsing onto the bench across from them his face smushing into his bag like a pillow. It likely would wrinkle his dress uniform , but he really did not care at this point.

“Are you alright General?”

“I am tired, being shipped off to do something I frankly want no part of, and my hooves are killing me for the first time since basic. Add that to a crippling phobia I am trying to get over, plus a lack of any sleep lately and it is quite clear that I am not a happy pony.”

“Clearly. Though on the plus side you can now simply sit there for a few hours until you feel better.”

A response was not forth coming for a moment and both Bleu and Luna looked at him curiously as the carriage jerked into motion. The pair glance at each other before a soft snore from the unicorn brings a sigh to the Princess and a face claw from the dragonling.

“I did not think I was that boring.”

“ I am quite sure he is not bored with you Princess. Aqua bucked with his head hard. He hasn’t slept more than a few hours a night since I’ve been back. And once he wakes up he's awake for the rest of the night most times. It has gotten to the point that given half the chance he passes right out. Of course he likely will wake up screaming in an hour give or take, so expect that.”

“Mmm, another thing I will need to pay Aqua back for.”

“Oh?”

“Out of all of you Jer'rahd has been trying his best to make me feel like part of your group, rather than his superior or as a Princess.”

“What am I chopped liver?”

“Would you have even met me without him?”

“Hmm, I suppose not. But without him I would not have met any of you at all, so that's hardly a fair line of logic. All of us still stuck by you even without boss there to keep us together. The only one of us required to follow your orders is Starfall and yet we still continued with you. You needed our help, we gave it, I think the only thing that is keeping you from fitting in is your own hesitation. You seem reluctant still to accept us.”

“I see my sister chose well in getting you to help with the speech. You have a way with words Bleu.”

“And you are dodging my question.”

“No, I do.. care for all of you. Perhaps not as much for Rhede mind you....”

“That's to be expected.”

“But what I did for Jer'rahd I would repeat for any of you.”

“The trashing half a underwater city, the armor creation, or the slaughtering of an entire order of nobles?”

“All of it. Yes, even Rhede”

“Good. Now all we have to do is find you a sense of humor and we are set.”

“I have a sense of humor.”

“Dry wit, is not a sense of humor.”

==================================================

Rhede looked at the clock again for what could have been the billionth time, cursing his friend in every language he knew, which amounted to a great deal of cursing. He was surprised he could even see the wall mounted time piece any more with the stacks upon stacks of papers piled on Jer'rahd's desk before him. He could not Blame this solely on Jer'rahd however, he knew Luna and Celestia had a hoof in it as well. There was no way possible one pony had this much paperwork put before him.

“Mr. Pelt I have the supply requisition forms …... Mr. Pelt are you in here?”

The stacks of paper did a very good job of hiding him from the Corporal bringing the papers in, but he knew he would be found eventually.

“Tell me Corporal, is this a normal every day sort of thing?”

“Oh no sir. The Generals and the Princesses have been slacking on their work for about a week or so now. They have been rather busy, but all the documents have built up. The problem is everything has been put off so long it all needs to be done this week, or the paperwork will likely triple. They claimed they were putting some other pony in charge of the administrative duties. Princess Celestia however just redirected everything she normally deals with to this office earlier this morning though.”

“I hate them all.”

====================================================

Bleu and Luna watched Jer'rahd expectantly as he continued to sleep, not even so much as twitching from a bad dream.

“Well that's something...... though this is getting boring now.”

“I agree, though if he has not slept for a while best to let him Bleu.”

“Well so long as he stays asleep, the next part will be easy.”

“Next part?”

Bleu drags a bag from underneath the bench Jer'rahd was asleep on and opens it up pulling out a few brushes, a scroll, and a pair of scissors humming to herself. Luna looks on curiously floating the scroll up examining the hair lengthening spell before picking up one of the brushes with her magic swaying it lightly in the air.

“Why did you bring all this Bleu? “

“Take a look at the boss here, sure he keeps himself clean, but his idea of grooming is to hack his tail and mane down with a sword or something when it gets too long. He's going to be speaking in front of a great many ponies. It would be nice if he looked a bit more... maintained.”

“Brushie brushie.....”

Bleu glances back at the Princess swinging the brush in the air still a some what sappy smirk on her face.

“What was that Luna?”

“Nothing....”

The princess fades a moment though she seems to stifle a giggle, Bleu blinks curiously at the reaction, then decides to move on instead of dwell on it. Some ponies had a thing for hair, that the dragon would never understand.

“I do not suppose you would need help Bleu?”

“Umm, if you would like Luna.”

======================================

Jer'rahd rose, his gaze shifts over the darkness surrounding him, and the small circle of light he stood in, expecting at any time, something bad to happen. That was what always happened in nightmares, calm serene scenes and then the shit hit the fan...... Wait. This was a dream, and he knew it was a dream. This was......new.

He waited looking out into the darkness expecting anything. There was nothing here, no danger, no water, no feelings of unease or death. Just him. He blinks looking up wondering briefly where the light source was coming from, his eyes widening a smile slowly crossing his face. He shifts sinking down onto his haunches then laying down in the circle of light, perhaps he could get some sleep now, he likely would need it soon. His dream form drifts off to sleep, bathing in the light cast from the full moon above.

===========================================

“Well boss what do you think?”

“I want to know what was wrong with my old hairstyle?”

“Look this is your old hair style, except a little longer, and not as messy and we colored some of the gray that you had in it.”

“Well, at least it is not as bad as that silvery blond nonsense I had at the gala, I still think its too long though, and the helmets likely to mess it up again.”

“Yeah, but it will do for the speech, no sense in you looking ragged for that.”

“I agree it does look good on you Jer'rahd.”

Jer'rahd sighs trying to not let the compliment from the Princess phase him too much. His usual raggedly, cut short mane and tail were evened out and extended by a at least an apples length He grumbles a bit trying to ignore the some what creepy grins both Bleu and Luna were giving him as he looked in the mirror before him. He might have had an issue if it was just the dragonling messing with his hair, he had woken with a mohawk once thanks to her, but Luna seemed a little more expectant of his opinion than she should have been if it was just Bleu. Plus, he had several hours of dreamless sleep and felt better than he had in as long as he could remember lately.

“Well?”

“It's not bad, if it works with every thing I do, I will keep it like this,..... is that satisfactory for you or did you want that in writing?”

“Nope that's good enough boss. Any way another couple hours or so and we will get there, time for you to start going over the speech.”

“It does seem to be rather well written, and no obvious jokes or ways to make you look the fool.”

“Thank you for checking on that for me Princess.”

“No pony trusts me?”

“Not you and Tia working together Bleu, no.”

“Oh yeah, now that you are awake and before I forget, here.

Bleu digs into the bag again, producing two gemstones, and emerald and a night star opal. Luna's eyes widen at the rare gemstone and Jer'rahd whistles thinking of the cost of it.

“That is a rather pricey snack you have there Bleu.”

“It's not a snack.... well it is, but it also is not. Look, these things already have a small enchantment on them I need each of you to cast a spell into one of these, then I can send message scroll to you at any time or place. We are working on a spell to send one back, but that's not likely going to help the boss here.”

“So you will be able to send messages from yourself to us, but not the other way around?”

“At the moment yes.”

Bleu tosses the opal to Luna who catches it with her magic, Jer'rahd just stares at the emerald.

“OK, so how do I cast a spell into a gem?”

“I dunno, put a shield on it or something.”

Jer'rahd tries that as Luna casts a small light spell causing the opal to glow a moment before it fades. She floats the gemstone back to Bleu who examines it briefly and then eats the stone as if it was a bit of candy. The look on her face however makes it seem she swallowed a bug.

“Bleh, Alfalfa flavored. One of the rarest, most expensive gemstones in the world and it tastes horrid. What a sick joke.”

Jer'rahd lets a shield form around the gem, rather surprised that the stone seems to suck the spell into itself. Bleu pulls out a pair of scrolls to test, she reaches over snapping up the emerald from the air before Jer'rahd, downing it with some hard crunches before she swallows it.

“OK, that at least got some of the taste out of my mouth. I think I have the locations, feels kinda weird. Lets give this a go.”

The two ponies watch as Bleu gets a odd look on her face, suddenly spitting out a pillar of green flame that ignites the letter as well the bag she had put her grooming kit in. They all blink as both seem to burn up into a green puff of ash.

“OK, I guess it didn't work, more kick to it than I thought and I was trying to send that scroll to Luna.”

The bag and the scroll suddenly appear again, both falling on Jer'rahds head. He stares at Bleu, eyes barely visible under the bag that landed on him, the scroll lightly bouncing off his nose as it falls. Luna smirks not able to stifle a laugh at his expense.

“Right, so that feeling is when it goes to the boss, the other one must be Luna.”

“Please refrain from sending a bag to me Bleu, although at least you know other things can be sent as well now.”

========================================

[“ You still mad at me auntie?”]

[“Yes, while I might have over reacted to the idea, your taking after Rhede angers me greatly.”]

[“ Still hung up on that one huh? At some point you need to realize that nothing is going to come of it and that you need to stop pursuing him.”]

[“One day you might meet a mare Baelit, who you realize is the only one you want, how much would you put up with in order to win her affections?”]

[“ I still say you are obsessing, it cannot be healthy.”]

[“ You are young yet.”]

[“Please your only about six years older than me, and dad had four foals by the time he was your age.”]

===============================================

Jer'rahd glances at the sleeping Bleu and turns regarding the Princess.

“If I have forgotten to do so Princess, thank you for getting everyone out of Neighlantis, and then bringing them back home once more.”

“Did you think there would be a reason I would do otherwise?”

“No, but that does not mean I cannot thank you for it. You took on an entire city to save us, angered another goddess. Velkorn changes an entire race's way of life, Rhede destroys a huge source of corruption in Equestria on his own, Starfall breaks reality every time she does that rain boom thing. All rather impressive accomplishments. The most Bleu and I have done is kill a single dragon, and recently I took out a big pig. Nothing I consider the caliber of what you all have done.”

“There is humble, and then there is a idiotic belief of worthlessness. You had best be getting to a point Jer'rahd with this line of thought that does not involve self pity or I will kick you out of this carriage and make you walk the rest of the way. “

“Heh, well subtlety is Rhede's thing, not mine so I should have expected you would see something else. I have an idea I would like to run by you Princess, and I would like your opinion and approval on it.”

“Go on. You will get the first and perhaps the latter if it is something worthy of that.”

===============================================

Princess Luna did not stay long with the carriage once they arrived, a small force of Guards came along and she was gone to do what ever she was here to do. Jer'rahd grabs his own bag letting the soldiers unload everything else as he met the stallion in charge of the operation here.

The front was a town, just short of being a city by most ponies standards. The farmland it was situated on had long had the scant plant life covering it trampled to dust by the army here, though the land had not yet been cleared of snow so there was a chance that things would return in spring.

A wall was being reinforced around the primary camp, large tents and simple buildings covered the land on this side of the wall, along with balista, catapults, and a newly designed weapon that seemed little more than a long cylinder on wheels with a bit of string on the closed end of the tube. Ponies milled about darting here and there on their assigned tasks and duties, the hammer of nails and sounds of construction filled the air as a watch tower was raised at the corner of one wall. Barely visible across the rolling hills of the plain, was the ruins of a great black wall with towering mountains behind it. Several hundred pillars of smoke rose into the air from the distance showing the placement of the Dragons force.

Jer'rahd sighed as he and Bleu were ushered into a command tent after a few strange looks were directed at the dragonling. Bleu had barely said anything after first sighting the shattered remains of Dullahan Keep in the far distance as they rode up.

They were greeted by the stallion in charge of the place, recently named New Dullahan, Commander Shadow. The Commander was a black coated unicorn with a white and orange striped mane and tail. A large scar ran up over his flank and back carving through both his cutie marks rendering them unidentifiable. The wound itself was old and from a battle with the griffons that netted him his command. The Commander was one of the ponies who had come out of retirement to aid Equestria in this war, and he had proven that he had not lost any edge he had before.

“Welcome to New Dullahan General Sir.”

“At ease. Sadly I will say I preferred old Dullahan. Whats the situation here now?”

“Same as it has been for the last few months sir. We build up defenses, they build up defenses, other wise we both just sit here and stare at each other over the snow.”

“I see, that is likely to change soon Commander, do not let your guard down.”

“No offense sir, but I am not some green recruit who needs to be told that.”

Jer'rahd smiles.

“No disrespect intended, you likely have seen more action than me. So what is going on with the speech.”

“Simple stuff sir, I announce you , you say your piece to a gathered force of Guard, minus the ones on the walls, though they can hear you too with the sound system. Then you head back to Canterlot and do what ever it is you do to keep the media and public happy.”

“You sound like General Mustang, when I first met him he thought I was a showboat as well.”

“No disrespect intended sir.”

Jer'rahd blinks looking to the Commander and his dead pan expression. He offers a soft chuckle.

“I bet you win a lot in poker, come on Commander lets get this over with.”

====================================================

There was a general murmurer of excitement filling the massive tent at the camps center. Every pony knew his name and what had been reported that he had done. The rumors were rampant as well, tall tales that had nothing to do with anything that had actually been accomplished, but were being passed around as fact. A few of those gathered had served with him, one or two actually participated in the raid on the zebra fortress and were likely the source of many of the rumors. A few of them had been there at Dullahan and were the source of others. Still another group had been in Manehatten, and had their own tales. Anytime there had been a major conflict, some where, some how this pony had been involved in it. The news media had gone completely overboard after the events of Manehatten came to light, and while the General refused to talk to any reporters, the civilians he had rescued were not as willing to remain silent.

The mage lights in the tent brightened suddenly, lighting up the stage, the crowd went silent as Commander Shadow trotted out onto to the podium tapping the microphone with a hoof to check it before he starts to speak.

"We are here, to listen to the words of a great pony, one you all should know. A pony who will lead you all into whatever you may face with heroism, ability, and foresight. A pony who has proven himself amid blade and spell. Fillies and gentile colts, General Jer'rahd Kaisur.”

Commander Shadow steps back from the podium glancing to Jer'rahd as he rises to his hooves. The Guard forces in attendance snap to their attention saluting and holding their formation silently. His gaze shifts over the sea of multicolored ponies all eyes focused solely on him and nearly chokes as he set s the speech on the stand before him.

“Be seated.”

The sudden noise as a mass of ponies shift taking a seat on the floor, eyes still locked on him was unnerving. He did his best to keep his expression plain, this was nearly every single pony in the 42nd as well as several groups from other Guard forces. Well time to see if what was written was as motivational as Luna hoped.

“Troops, this stuff that some media sources sling about Equestria wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Equestrian's love a conflict. From the noble houses down to the poorest farmer. You are here today for three reasons. First and foremost, you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not wish to be any where else. Third you are here because you are real ponies and real ponies like a fight. When you, here, everyone of you were foals, you all admired the champion flier, the powerful spell caster, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, the all Equestrian hoof ball players. Equestrians love a winner, Equestrians will not tolerate a loser, Equestrians despise cowards. Equestrians always play to win all of the time. That is why Equestria has never lost, nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an Equestrian.”

He pauses exhaling looking over the crowd again, the ponies in attendance waiting expectantly for him to continue, and bites his tongue lightly. How the heck did Bleu do this all the time?

“You are NOT all going to die. Only at worst two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death in time, comes to all ponies. Yes, every one is scared their first battle. If a pony says that they are not, then they are a liar. Some ponies are cowards, but they fight the same as the brave ponies or get the buck slammed out of them watching ponies fight who are just as scared as they are. The real hero is the pony who fights even though they are scared. Some ponies get over their fright in a minute or two under fire. For some, it takes hours. For some, it takes days. But a real pony will never let their fear of death overpower their honor, their sense of duty, and the desire to protect all that they hold dear. Equestrian's pride them selves on being able to accomplish anything they set their mind to. Anything, it doesn't have to be your talent, it need not even be what you have trained to do. In the right mind set there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. No matter how fearsome the enemy looks, no matter how horrific, they are just as scared as you are probably more so to dare try and attack us in our homeland. They are not monsters, they are not demons, every hoof , claw, or talon raised against us is flesh and blood, they are not constructs, they are not golems, our actions at Manehatten have proven that they do bleed, and they can be killed. “

He let this sink in a moment reminding himself to thank both Celestia and Bleu for not making him look like an idiot.

“All through your Guard careers, you ponies have bitched about what you call ”chicken shit drilling.” that like everything else in the Guard, has a definite purpose. That purpose is alertness. Alertness must be bred into every Soldier. I don't give a buck for a pony who is not always on his hooves. You ponies are veterans or you wouldn't be here. You are ready for what's to come. A pony must be alert at all times if they expect to stay alive. If you're not alert, sometime a Draconic son-of-a-asshole-bitch is gonna sneak up behind you and beat you to death with a sock full of shit!”

The gathered troops roared in agreement as Jer'rahd floated a glass of water up taking a sip before setting it down. He did not change his expression as the troops quieted down again.

“There are two hundred neatly marked graves somewhere in the zebra lands. All because one pony went to sleep on the job.”

He narrows his eyes glaring out at the silent troops.

“But they are all the warlord's zebras, because we caught the bastard asleep before they did. The Guard is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure parasprite shit. Every tale you hear about some hero doing something on his own is a crock of it. Especially that pile of manure ponies write about me. Dullahan was held not by the actions of one pony against a dragon, but by a entire force of the Guard against an onslaught of invaders. The zebra warlord would not have fallen if not for the efforts of the assault force that stormed the fortress, Manehatten would be under orc control if not for a planned movement of Guard that surrounded and destroyed the pigs while they were focused on the ones defending it.”

Another roar went up from the troops many of them had been at the battles he spoke of and his acknowledging that they were responsible for the victories struck a cord of pride.

“We have the finest food, the finest equipment, the best spirit, and the best ponies in the world.”

He dips his head shaking it lightly ears flattening to his head as he raised his head up and bellowed.

”Why by Celestia, I actually pity these poor sons of bitches we're going against. By Luna I do.”

Another roar from the gathered forces at this, eased his mind a little more about the speech he was given. He may have to thank Celestia and buy Bleu something nice for this.

“My Guard does not surrender. I don't want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he has been hit. Even if you are hit, you can still fight back. That's not just bull shit either. The kind of pony I want in my command is just like the lieutenant in Dullahan, who, with a spear to his chest, jerked off his helmet, yanked out the weapon with one hoof, and then busted the hell out of the half dragon with his helmet. Then he took the spear and went on to kill another dozen half breeds and trolls before they knew what the hell was coming. And, all that time, this pony had a hole through a lung. There was a real member of the Guard.”

Jer'rahd stopped taking another sip of water the crowd did not even offer a nervous cough.

“All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters, either. Every single pony in this army plays a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every pony has a job to and they must do it. Every pony is a vital link in the great chain. What if every wagoners suddenly decided they didn't like the sound of the balista rounds whistling over head, turned yellow and jumped headlong into a ditch? The cowardly bastard could say,”Hell, they won't miss me, just one pony in thousands”.But what if every pony thought that way? Where in the hell would we be now? What would our land, our loved ones, our homes, even the world be like? No, Celestia Damn it. Equestrians don't think like that . Every pony does their job. Every pony serves the whole. Every department ,every unit is important in the vast scheme of this war. The runners are needed to supply the equipment and weapons of war to keep us rolling. The Quartermaster is needed to bring up food and armor because lets face it the crap the dragons are wearing is not going to fit us. Every last pony on K.P. Has a job to do, even the one that boils the water to keep us from getting the shits.”

He exhales, down grading Bleu's gift a little for that last line, though the gathered force still seems enthralled. He took a deep breath and continued.

“Each pony must not think only of themselves, but also of his buddy fighting beside them. We don't want any cowards in the Guard. They should be killed off like rats. If not they will go home after the war and breed more cowards. The brave ponies will breed brave ponies. Kill off the Luna dammed cowards and we will have a land of brave ponies. One of the bravest ponies I ever saw was a com pegasus, flying half way up a transmitter pole in the middle of a artillery bombardment in the zebra lands. I stopped and asked him what the hell he was doing up there at a time like that. He answered,”Fixing the com Sergeant”. I asked ,”Isn't that a little unhealthy right about now?” He answered.” Yes Sergeant , but the Luna Dammed com needs to be fixed.” I asked, Don't these magic bombs hammering around us bother you?” And he answered” No Sergeant , but you sure as hell do!” Now, there was a real pony. A real member of the Guard. There was a pony who had devoted all he had to his duty, no matter how seemingly insignificant his duty might appear at the time, no matter how great the odds. And you should have seen the wagon trains on the road to here while when The Great wall first fell and we were rushing to set up this camp to hold back the invaders. Those ponies were magnificent. All day and all night they rolled over these damn roads, never stopping, never faltering from their course, with dragons flying over head and trolls running wild all the time. We got through to make this place with good old Equestrian guts. Many of those ponies pulled the wagons for over forty consecutive hours. Those ponies weren't combat ponies, but they were were Guard with a job to do. They did it, and in one hell of a way they did it. They were part of a team. Without team effort, without them we never would have built a defensible position in time to stop the dragons from simply rolling over Equestria. All of the links in the chain pulled together and the chain became unbreakable.

His ears perk a bit, one could have heard a pin drop as quiet as it was under this tent. The only sounds were the confused chirping of a few birds who had not quite figured out why the seasons were already changing. He closes his eyes smirking slightly, Mustang and Bleu was going to give him hell for this next part, but Princess Luna had agreed to it.

“Don't forget, you ponies don't know I'm here. No mention of that fact is to be made in any letters or anything. The world is not supposed to know what the hell happened to me. I'm not supposed to be commanding this force. I'm not even supposed to be out of the hospital in Canterlot yet. Let the first bastards to find out be the Goddess damned dragons. Someday I want to see them raise up on their piss soaked hind legs and howl,” Buck us, its the goddess damned forty second again and that son of a bitch Kaisur.”

“We want to get the hell over there. The quicker we clean up this Celestia damned mess , the quicker we can take a little trot against the little hometown of theirs and clean out the nest fully. Before the bucking Air Wing gets all the credit.”

Bleu did not look happy at the change at the least, the dragonling had poked her head out of the curtain and was glaring at him. The Army before him however took it almost as an honor he was going to be staying here and taking command of the counter attack. Luna was right, the Guard ponies had a great deal of faith in him and seeing that now in the faces of all these ponies before him weighed heavily. He hoped he was worth that respect.

“Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards that started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through that force out there and their homeland of Cindervale. And when we get to Cindervale. I am personally going to track down this Silverclaw and stomp him out like I would a snake!”

“When a pony is lying in a bunker, if they just stay there all day, a dragon will get them eventually. To hell with that idea. The hell with taking it. My guard does not dig foxholes. I don't want them to. Foxholes only slow up an offensive. Keep moving. And don't give the enemy time to dig one either. We'll win this war, but we'll win it only by fighting and showing the dragons that we've got more guts than they have; or ever will have. We're not going to just stab the sons-of-bitches, we're going to rip out their living Goddess damned guts and use them to grease the wheels of our wagons. We're going to murder those lousy orc sucking cocksuckers by the bushel bucking basket. War is a bloody, killing business. You've got to spill their blood, or they will spill yours. Rip them up the belly. Stab them in the guts. When spells are hitting all around you and you wipe the dirt off your face and realize that instead of dirt it's the blood and guts of what once was your best friend beside you, you'll know what to do!"

"I don't want to get any messages saying, "I am holding my position." Once we start heading to Cindervale, we are not holding a Goddess damned thing. Let the dragons do that. We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding onto anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all of the time. Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy. We are going to go through him like crap through a goose; like shit through a tin horn!"

"From time to time there will be some complaints that we are pushing our ponies too hard. I don't give a good Goddess damn about such complaints. I believe in the old and sound rule that an ounce of sweat will save a gallon of blood. The harder WE push, the more dragons we will kill. The more dragons we kill, the fewer of our ponies will be killed. Pushing means fewer casualties. I want you all to remember that."

He exhales sharply, his eye glowing a bright red as he lowers his head a moment. Thoughts of those lost already coursing through his mind, names in several books that rested with his gear back in the tent. He raises his head not even sure where his rant took him away from Bleu and Celestia's speech, but he no longer cared, he knew what he wanted to say and simply let that take him and hope it turned out alright.

“There is one great thing that you ponies will be able to say when this war is over and you are all home once again. You may be thankful that twenty years from now, when you are sitting by the fireplace with your grand foal and they ask you what you did in the Second Dragon war, you WON'T have to cough, shift nervously and say you hid from your responsibilities, or shoveled shit in some back woods stable to avoid conflict. No, you can look that foal straight in the eye and say,” Child, I rode with the 42nd Guard unit and a son-of-a-bitch named Jer'rahd Kaisur.

He turns at the units near explosion of cheering his glowing eye slowly fading as he marches back to the end of stage and off behind the curtain before letting out a deep sigh, leaning against a post. His ears perk up again as the cheers continue for a good while before any pony even thinks of leaving the tent.

==============================================

“You are better at this than I believed General. I think a great deal of that was little more than ad libing.”

“Everything this damned fool said from when he told them not to mention he was here was a ad lib. At any point do you think you were going to tell me you were going to stay out here?”

“Eventually Bleu, I only thought about it on the way here.”

“Whole group JUST gets back together and now everyone is off on their own again. There's no way I am leaving you here by yourself boss.”

“Yes you are. You have your own things to do and I have mine. I can't sit in an office and shout orders at ponies, I need to be out in the thick of it.”

“Why so you can get killed faster?! Some one has to watch your back and the only ones I trust to do that are me, and the others. NONE of whom are here. So I am staying.”

“No, your not Bleu. Your going back to Canterlot with Princess Luna if I have to tie you up and send you there myself.”

“I'd like to see you try that boss. I don't stay easily manageable for very long any more.”

“If you do not return Bleu who will tell the others about where he has gone? I have far to many things to do everywhere to track down Starfall and Velkorn.”

“And as a dragon, I cannot even do that, keep in mind thanks to the idiots out there I am not a well liked creature. So I am staying here.”

“Really quitting being a director already? Some of that stuff has already come in handy out here.”

“No ,but...”

“You can come back when everything is settled with your think tank, as well as when the others are gathered. It is fairly safe to say I will still be here.”

“But.....”

“If you hurry Bleu it should not take you more than a week or so to get everyone back.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Fine, but if you get killed before I get back, I will find a way to make you alive again just so I can beat the crap out of you.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“It will be interesting to try and explain this to my sister and General Mustang.”

“By the time they can do anything the battle will already be joined. The dragon camps are spread out enough that none of them will be in time to help the others. Their own dislike of each other should be enough for us to start. The remaining orcs should be easy to take out and we start there then move and slam into everything else while they are dealing with the last of the cold weather.”

“I am aware of your plan General, and I believe it will work, which is the only reason I agreed to you staying here. Particularly unsupervised.”

“I have the Waning Moon and my armor now Princess, as well as the entirety of the 42nd under my command. The dragons will not know what hit them.”

Twilight pulls back at the knock on the door, Once more a change in sound from outside was more than enough to wake her up. She glances to the door as Rarity peeks out as if worried about being found here. She blinks opening the door allowing Ms. Cheerilee and Big Mac greet rarity and glance past to wave at Twilight as she wanders over.

“Oh hello Ms. Rarity I did not expect to see you here, I hope I am not interrupting anything.”

“Nothing I am sure Twilight will not get back to the moment you are gone, though I would welcome the company , watching her study tends to be rather boring, so what brings you out here? Please tell me SweetieBelle did not destroy something again with the others.”

“Eenope”

“Well nothing irreparably so though I thought to bring the book back they borrowed. I will ask Ms. Twilight you should be a bit more careful about what you loan out of the library , and more importantly to who.”

“Oh no, what did they do?”

“Well while the idea was sweet I suppose they found a love potion in the book and tried to use it on Big Mac and myself, I think they just wanted to make sure the pair of us found our special some pony.”

“But that book was just a history of Hooves and hearts day, I remember there was a potion in there ,but I never got a chance to finish it to even find out if the potion would work. It was mostly a book about the history, I hoped it would shed some light on my research, but it seems hearts and hooves day did not start till only about six hundred years ago.”

“Well I can tell you that the love potion in the book is legit, although it is rather strong.”

Rarity and Twilight both wince at that ,though Cheerilee waves a hoof trying to stall any panic.

“Who did they try and use it on?”

“Big Mac and Myself, though the effects were temporary after an hour, though there is likely going to be quite a bit of talk about the pair of us for a while.”

“EEEyup.”

Twilight and Rarity both face hoof as Rarity starts cursing under her breath about Sweetiebelle.

“Well I am glad both of you are alright , though the love potion did work?”

“Well yes Ms. Twilight , but now that we are no longer under the effects it is rather clear that even with a whole day like that the pair of us are not really interested in each other like that. Big Mac already has a mare he is interested in, which is another reason we came here. “

“I am afraid I don't follow.”

“Well you are friends with Applejack, and Pinkie Pie,as well as Ms. Rarity here. I would like you to tell Applejack that the rumors are unfounded as I doubt she would believe Big Mac or myself.”

“EEEnope.”

“Ms. Pie tends to spread more rumors than need be sometimes if she thinks they will not hurt any one, or they might be funny. Plus we really do not want her throwing a party for us from the supposed wedding plans that were made. And if Ms' Rarity would crush some of the rumors as well her opinion is well respected around town. That should end some things as well.”

“I most certainly will help maintain your reputation Ms. Cherrilee , it is the least I can do considering that once again my sister has caused so much havoc.”

“If you would Twilight Please let your other friends know the truth as well, no sense in letting them hear the rumors either.”

“Consider it done.”

“Thank you again both of you.”

“Eeeyup.”

The pair walk out leaving Twilight and Rarity to discuss the plans to nip any rumors in the bud. As the door closes behind them Big Mac sighs out a breath he did not know he was holding.

“Thank you for that Ms. Cheerilee, I do have a bit of trouble talking to mah sisters friends.”

“You do not have to be that shy Big Mac, I did say I would help before the one you actually had an interest in heard about what happened today. Besides having this all cleared up helps me out as well. Though you do have me curious which one of them do you fancy. I don't suppose you would tell me now that things will be cleared up?”

“Eeeenope.”

“Aww.”

====================
Speech is a ponyfied version of General Patton's Speech in the opening of the movie Patton [note i did not use the toned down version from the movie.]

Heliotrope

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Heliotrope

Twilight sighs, still more than a little miffed she did not so much as get a single card for Hearts and Hooves day. She had spent the last few days helping Rarity and Fluttershy clear away the mass of gifts they had gotten, just so they could get to their mailboxes. Twilight had seen the towns mail mare the day after the holiday and truly felt sorry for the lazy eyed pegasus. At least until she was escorted into the spa by a brown coated stallion that was practically carrying her tired form.

Spike had returned from Canterlot with a small pile of gifts as well that he had been given. And an even larger pile that he planned to give to Rarity. Twilight's annoyance that even her assistant had not so much as wished her a happy Hearts and Hooves day just added to the slowly building aura of rage and depression she was feeling. Spike attempted to apologize, but she was a bit past accepting that.

“Rarity already has a great deal of clean up to do thanks to her sister. Best you let her be for a while Spike, it is not as if every other pony in the entire town did not send her or Fluttershy something already. Besides I need some one to keep an eye on my while I study, thanks to an assistant of mines novel approach to negotiating, and unbreakable ground rules.”

Spike winces a bit not really expecting her to be this bitter about some holiday, of course the dragon did help her fill out a few hundred Hearts and Hooves day cards to send to any pony she even thought would know her.

Twilight sighs trying to calm down as she lets the spell take her. She should not be annoyed at Spike , but right now she was actually looking forward to some violence in the past.

“...... PFC Red Velvet, PFC Saturn, Corporal Silver Streak, Lieutenant Ink Wash, Sergeant Rose Petal, PFC Jenkins, Lieutenant Big Deal,PFC Sandy Clover, Major Wind Sail, Corporal Kite,PFC Breezy Saffron, Sergeant Hay Burn, PFC Groovy Casanova, Sergeant Yellow Daisy, Sergeant Brick Oven, PFC Yellow Ribbon, Major Banana Cream Pie, …............”

===============================================

“DON'T LET UP PRESS FORWARD!!!!”

Another explosion showered the landscape with dirt, as a half dragon was knocked aside by his hoof, its blood joining the other splatters of gore caking his armor. The bone plate had gone from making the unicorn look like a skeletal pony, to a blood soaked monster from a nightmare. He roared out at the wall his unit was charging towards, the thunder of countless hooves surrounding him drowning out the terrified screams of the draconic defenders as they were trampled. The whole battalion was soaked in dirt, sweat, grim,and the blood of the enemy. Luna had graced this battle, the full moon shown down on the camp its brilliant light showing every hidden enemy, every trap, every pitfall in the charge across the field. Unicorn spells surged before them tracing though the night sky towards whatever targets their casters chose. The whole unit roared as one as they galloped across the kill zone, catapult shots and balista slamming into the wall ahead of them, whittling down little by little. At a explosion of mage fire punches a large hole in the stone defenses. Wasting no time they charged through, falling on the half dragons and orcs in the camp like a bloody tide of blade, hoof, and spell.

=============================================

“.............Colonel Green Lily, PFC Jacob Ladder, PFC Marey Ann, Sergeant Nathanila Hicks, Sergeant Star Fruit, Lieutenant Holly Bell ,Lieutenant Sandstorm, PFC Ginger Balance, Sergeant First Class Mirror Shine, Lieutenant Commander Rose Quartz, Corporal White Lyre, Wing Commander Sun Beam, PFC Teal Acorn, First Sergeant Star Light..........”

============================================

“Hold, hold it..... wait, a bit more..... NOW FIRE, FIRE!!!”

Cannons roared from the wood line, the whistle of the magic laden shells filling the air echoing off the trees, before the explosions rock the draconic supply train. The road erupts in gout’s of fire and magic, sending bodies and bits of the cargo flying through the air. A second volley from the cannons flew across the expanse signaling the Guard to charge across the field, an armored unicorn with a double edged sword surging to the front of the line bearing down on the panic stricken caravan.

The unit had taken the camp the orcs once held quite easily. Using that as a forward position they swung north, far around the other base camps to strike the caravan road. A fair sized force had moved between the dragons forward camps and the castles of Discord that were being used as mobile bases. The task had become almost easy for the squads with the addition of the highly mobile spell cannons. Some pony had the idea to mount them on armored wagons for ease of travel ,and if properly set in the wagons they could be rolled into position and fired several times before easily being moved to another target, before what they were shooting at even had a chance to counter attack.

They had been hitting wagon trains up and down this road for days now, cutting off the dragons supply lines. While they could do nothing for the constantly moving Discordian Castles, the camps that had set up outside of those mobile structures would soon be starved, and weakened by this move, making them much easier targets.

Lieutenant Sherman, that was the pony who thought of putting the cannons in the wagons, he knew the name would come back to him soon, the troops were already naming the armored wagons after that pony.

=======================================================

“......... Lieutenant Maple Leaf, PFC Sugar Star, PFC Houdinia, PFC Piebald, Sergeant Damp Mist, Sergeant Bumpy Chicken, PFC Lady Teal, Sergeant Tye Dye, PFC Rainbow Corporal Drunken Baby, Corporal Washer, PFC Warm Quality,PFC Caramel Mountain Lieutenant Spicy Perfume,Lieutenant Nyan Neko, PFC Pine Cone.......”

=================================================

“Are you satisfied with my decision to put him in charge of the 42nd for this operation now General Mustang?”

“Not in the slightest Princess Luna. He might be doing well now, but I still say Kaisur is too green for this.”

“Sir now I think you are just trying to make yourself not look useless, we are back here in logistics while General Kaisur is at the front leading our troops to victory after victory. Several of the Draconic forces have already given up their camps without a fight and are falling back. The winter wrap up was a success and is being implemented in every major city and farmland that we have. According to our the calculations this will bring about a second harvest season for many crops. Princess Celestia barely even needs to use her magic to bring about the season change anymore. For once everything is going our way in a war. Your skepticism is noted but at the same time uncalled for. “

“Don't you get it, Three Bear, this is too bucking easy, There's barely been any dragons in these battles yet, its all been half breeds and the remaining orcs and trolls, where are the Griffons? Where are the dragons? Initial reports had a swarm of the feather bags mercenaries and a shit load of dragons at these places. The cold is not holding them up from doing something, they are waiting, I know it.”

“I will agree that it has seemed easy General Mustang. That is why I am hedging our bets a little. “

“What, how Princess?”

“I will be waking Ruin.”

=================================================

“....... Lieutenant Carrot Glace, PFC Harmony Gold, Sergeant Bubbles, Sergeant First Class Blossom, Major Fox Fire, PFC Orange Grove,Sergeant Sassy Phantom, Lieutenant Amethyst Forelock, PFC Purple Cider, Lieutenant Butter Bar, Lieu tenet Grape Jelly, PFC Prism, Sergeant Apple Dapple, Lieutenant Spring Dale, Major Flyby, PFC Skipping Analogy, Commander Crystal Song,.........”

================================================

“Hurry up with those gems we only have three days.”

“We are working as fast as we can director, we can only do so much. We are not a production team we are a research team.”

“Seriously, Yah little pain in the ass relax, we are doing more production than we should have to be doing. A rush on your part should not constitute an emergency on our part.”

“Stuff it Seamore, we need to have a few crates of these, and at least a bag of the stronger healing gems done soon, they need them at the front as soon as possible. I'm headed there in three days, so by then that quota needs to be filled. They are going to need every single gem we can get to them.”

“Stop slave driving us yah harpy, if you want to go get killed go right ahead. Stop trying to bring us down with you”

Bleu was in Seamore's face before the dragonling had spoken the last word, and both of them were growling at each other. The serpent suddenly grew in size, grinning like a fool as his form was a good bit larger than Bleu's pony sized form.

Bleu however did not even bother to comment on Seamore learning that spell, or growing up, or however that worked. She grew as well assuming her full dragon size, dwarfing the serpent and nearly filling the room with her new bulk, much to the annoyance and fear of the others present. Seamore, to his credit did not so much as flinch glaring up at the larger dragon, and not even looking like he would back down.

“Boss is out there fighting right now snake.......”

“I care why?”

“Picture your reaction and how you would be, if it was Lily out therein constant danger, and you were stuck here with a pain in the ass angry dragonling fighting everything you said?”

Seamore's eyes narrow meeting Bleu's currently crimson orbs with his own charcoal eyes. He finally sighs turning away from the dragoness shrinking again with a snort.

“Ease up regardless, we can only make them so fast. If we can concentrate on the higher end gems first we can get those ready for you to travel in three days then send the larger collection of the smaller later. That is the best you are going to get.”

Bleu shrinks back down regarding the other dragonling curiously, much to the collective sighs of the rest of the think tank.

“Alright, I can deal with that.”

“You're still a bitch though.”

“Up yours Seamore.”

========================================================

“...Sergeant Butterfly Dream, PFC Sugar Sigh, Corporal Bright Mocha, Lieutenant Torn Wish, PFC Savvy Cloud, Major forged Cup Cupcake, PFC Ocean Daydream, PFC Ever Lollipop, Colonel Translucent Giggle, Corporal Kit PFC Pickle, Corporal Bright Ardor, Commander Crazy Dancer, PFC Peach Mania, PFC Fluffy Outpost, PFC Sequoia Seed, Sergeant Celtic Sunlight......”

====================================================

“So how was your trip Velky?”

“Enough of that you silly brat, why do you insist on calling me that?”

“Eeeep, I will take it that the trip did not go well then?”

Velkorn shakes her head, her ears drooping a bit, as she exhales deeply.

“I am sorry Bleu for being mean, my nephew is a bigger pain then I could glean.”

“Well least he isn't taking after Rhede.”

Velkorn's wince at that comment is unnoticed by the dragonling, who had already moved on with that topic.

“I have yet to even see hide, nor hair of him since I’ve been back. Plus his new secretary keeps shooing me off saying he's got to much work to do. I think those two might be up to something, though I suppose you did not want to hear that. She is a pretty mare as are most of the others in that office he is holed up in.”

“Perhaps we should just go see him, to deny us both the chances are slim.”

“Good idea. I need to talk to everyone about what boss is up to this time. And I need to do it fast so we can do something about him. In three days there's going to be another shipment of stuff to the front and we need to be with it.”

“I do not think that is possible Bleu, Dragons are hated, and my people are too.”

“I will think of something.”

=================================================

“..... PFC Modest Spring, PFC Cheeky Crane, Sergeant Marigold Conspiracy, PFC Clover Wahoo, PFC Milky Kingdom, Corporal Arctic Hillside, PFC Copper Scribble, Sergeant Cinnamon Evening, Lieutenant Sliver of Fervor, PFC Bewildering Bluebell, PFC Starry Oregano, Captain Blushing Futon, PFC Blended Blue, Lieutenant Dances With Cake, PFC Sprinkled Wine, PFC Dabbling Tome.......”

===============================================

The flames lap at his shield, the snow around the edges of it melting, and turning to steam, scorching the ground around the out side of his spell. The Dragon pauses to draw in another breath, and he lets the shield drop. The ponies he was guarding rush the inhaling dragon weapons digging in, piercing scales, and cracking them. Jer'rahd charges as well, forming a ramp to run up to plow into the red dragons head, knocking the next gout of flame aside. He lands lightly glancing back as the rest of his unit rip the beast to bits. All over this camp, similar acts were happening, the air behind the camp was full of fleeing dragons and the dust from the half breeds that were turning tail, fleeing as well.

The offensive had pushed all of the invaders back to the far side of the wall,and then further into the Darklands itself. Every base camp made of the remains of The Great Wall was now under Equestria's control. This was the last forward camp the dragons had possessed. This next leg would be tricky, the Darkland's were not a pleasant place. The five Discordian castles steadily retreating in the distance were clear targets and the next thing they would be going for. If they cleared one of those castles, an investigation team could likely figure out how they worked and it could be used against the others. Jer'rahd wished he had payed more attention last time he was in one.

=======================================================

“......PFC Wound Up Crystal,Sergeant Western Nicker, Corporal Toxic Aspiration, PFC Proud Jellybean, PFC Honey Myth, Sergeant Tangerine Honor, Lieutenant Peanut Butter Thundercloud, PFC Melodic Paper, Major Angular Socks, PFC Viral Pecan, PFC Sassy Exchange, First Sergeant Dakota Fate, PFC Mathematical Champagne, PFC Tawny Knickknack ,PFC Lilac Quest.........”

=============================================

Princess Luna stares at the statue in front of the Canterlot Guard Keep, expectantly waiting as if something was going to happen to it just by her being there. The massive carved form of stone before them seemed little more than a pony shaped suit of armor carved in the stone. The armored fully covered any sign that there was a pony under it, even the tail and mane were covered in spiked stone plate. The armor itself, was sculpted to resemble a Timberwolf right down to the fanged maw where the pony's mouth should be in the helm.

Three Bear and Meteor shower joined General Mustang not far behind the Princess, the pair of them looked at the statue then to Mustang, clearly confused.

“Princess are you sure we need to wake this lout? Last time he was free he didn't listen to any pony but you, and you just let him run buck wild on the Dragons.”

“Can you deny he was effective?”

“No, I cannot. Just morbid and dangerous.”

“He is a General as well, and having all five of you in this conflict will be a great boon to Equestria. General Kaisur is handling the war well enough for now, but we all know that he will not succeed in taking Cindervale by himself, no matter how hard he tries. That he has pushed the dragons back so far in such a short time is a testament to his skill. But it is not enough to win the war.”

“Fine, but I still do not like this.”

“Your apprehension is noted General.”

Luna's horn glows softly, the light of her magic surrounding the stone statue.

“Pardon me General Mustang Sir, but the two of us are not aware of who or what this Ruin is.”

General Shower nods as Mustang looks back at them.

“Yeah, I suppose not. You two weren’t around in the first Dragon war, you both came in around the time of the War of the North. That one was not bad enough for this pony to be woken up. To be honest I am not even sure what Ruin is. The Princess once said he has been around longer than she has and but only made a General back in the days of the Discordian War.”

Mustang narrows his eyes as the glow around the statue increases.

“ When I first met him, he was completely suicidal the thing was, he only wanted death in a conflict. He did not care about winning or losing, just fighting against something that would be strong enough to kill him finally. Somehow he convinced the royal family back from whenever he came from to freeze him in stone so he could have his wish to die in battle. He was the start of that stupid Rule of three rumor as in the First Dragon War, he spoke of that being the reason he was allowed to remain in stone between battles. A crap load have ponies have died trying to emulate that sort of thing to get a wish from the Princesses. Princess Luna has said she has only woken him three times since she found out about him. This will make the fourth time, and he has yet to get his wish. Every time he is woken up, the bodies cover the ground like fresh snow. He's not a pony so much as he is a weapon.”

“Rather poetic sir.”

“It would be, if it was not for the fact that it was pony bodies as well as dragons. He doesn't kill any ponies himself, but his presence on the field drives any around him into such a fervor that they stop thinking of their own safety and start thinking about nothing but killing the enemy. I saw that first hoof in the last dragon war. The Princesses might have been the ones that ended that conflict, but it was Ruin who forced Forgescale's claw into attacking Canterlot directly. He did exactly what that fool Kaisur is doing now, pressing against the dragons so hard they have no where to go but back through us.”

The clank of metal drew their attention to the statue, as the stone form slowly sagged before straightening back up as the rock left its limbs. Black and silver armor clanks heavily as the form shifts stepping down off the pedestal with a crash of steel and cracking stone from where he lands. The armor form shakes itself violently, sounding all the world like a entire kitchens worth of cooking posts being thrown off a building. The armored form lifts its head pink pricks of crimson light radiating from the shadowed recesses of the figures eyes. He finally tilts his head down regarding Princess Luna. The figures voice echos as if he was yelling though a long tunnel.

“Greetings again, Princess of the Night. Where is the battle that may finally grant me rest?”

================================================

“ …...... PFC Cowboy Almond, Sergeant Roman Cheese, PFC Milky Scamper, Lieutenant Daring Winner, PFC Curly Mountain, Master Sergeant Saltwater Calamity, Wing Commander Ebony Mirror, Corporal Organic Radiance, Corporal Vanilla Lion, PFC Wayward Rose, Colonel Mesmerizing Volcano, PFC Bisque Wink, PFC Googled Peak, PFC Striped Confection.........”

==============================================

“You can't go in there, Mr. Pelt is very busy....”

“Talk to the claw lady, Velky if she tries any thing, feel free to chuck her out the window, we are here for Rhede.”

Bleu, in her pony sized form, and Velkorn had stormed into the offices, pushing aside a few of the Guard's that got in their way as well as the annoying secretary, to get to the door the mare had been blocking. Neither of them bothered to check to see if it was locked before kicking the door open . The Guard's and the secretary as well as the few other workers in the office were all young attractive mares,Rhede's usual type. Velkorn was practically frothing at the mouth after shoving her way into this place, several of the more insistent Guards were now taking naps thanks to the zebra.

The pair burst into the room just as a rather haggered, but triumphant looking Rhede places a sheet of paper on top of a stack in the out bin on the desk. The wind from the door knocks down the stack sending the papers flying everywhere over the desk. Rhede's eyes widen at the sudden pile of papers scattered all over and drops the sheet he held collapsing into a pile behind the desk.

“OOOkay so maybe he has been working...... MEDIC!”

“Why do you all keep yelling that, I am close enough for a simple chat?”

================================================

“.........PFC Rain Shadow,Sergeant Ephemeral Patchwork, PFC Galloping Blender, Lieutenant May Slasher, Staff Sergeant Silent Bounty, Air Captain Cross End, PFC Whatever's Horror, PFC Brazen Aurora, Captain Chocolate Tie, Captain Vanilla Sunbeams, PFC Rainbow Pepper, PFC Huckleberry Skip, PFC Booming List, PFC Periwinkle Splendor......”

=========================================

“Make yourself ready Generals we are leaving for the front tomorrow. General Kaisur is poised to push forward towards one of the dragon's castles and we need to be there with our own forces to back him up. I want every pony we can spare pulled off the other fronts for this operation. “

“Already done Princess, we have a skeleton crews in every post not affiliated with this war. The remaining Guards posted there are ordered to report anything that even looks like a hostile action towards them. The first idiots that try to take advantage of that light Guard posting will get the crap stomped out of them with everything we have currently focused on the dragons.”

“My pegasus Dragoons are ready to go now, Princess.”

“My forces are poised to leave Manehatten, and Hastiin's family is growing hungry again.

“I am always ready for battle Princess.”

“Good then we leave tomorrow.”

==================================================

“........... Lieutenant Colonel Frothy Flowerpot, PFC Moroccan Spur, Sergeant Pineapple Dusk, Lieutenant Innocent Earthquake ,PFC Hoof Talon, Corporal Appalachian Bob, PFC Triumphant Engagement, Sergeant Serene Pounce, Corporal Sunshine Apple-pie, PFC Thundering Stamp, Sergeant Granola Savannah, Lieutenant Gummy Polygon, PFC Fine Wisp, PFC Marigold Strength, Lieutenant Legal Money.........”

=============================================

Things got strange fast. After waking Rhede just in time for the secretary to come into the office with another stack of papers, the pair of them were grabbed by the earth pony who galloped out of the room bowling over any thing that got in his way. The Guards seeing this started giving chase along with the other office mares. Bleu managed to climb onto Rhede's back in her smaller form and started humming something she called “Yakety Sax” as the pony and zebra fled from the others.

The ducked into one of the castles many private dining rooms and the mare and stallion slapped their hooves over the dragonlings mouth to shut up her humming. The dining hall looked ready for some sort of feast, and once the herd of ponies had charged past the room and the coast looked clear he fell on the food like it was the the first meal he had seen in weeks.

“OK, what was that all about Rhede?”

“mummmphhermphlgge murphm.”

“Swallow first, other wise your cheeks might burst.”

“Gah sorry, I have been locked in that office living on non essential report paper and water for the last week. Every time I try to leave that evil pony shoved more paperwork in my face. The Guards would not even let me out alone to use the bathroom. “

“What were they exes of yours, pffft.”

“Umm yeah, actually now that I am thinking about it....”

Bleu sighs and Velkorn face hoofs. After a moment or so the stallions eating slows and Bleu explains the situation with Jer'rahd.

“So he did it again huh? Figures. Jer, has been far to blood thirsty since we all came back from the tests.”

“He has been like that since I met him, he flies into a rage on a whim.”

“Yeah he is like that, but he never does it just cause he wants a fight. Boss tends to only seek out conflict if some other pony might get hurt from it. Any way that's not the point now. The point now, is how quickly we can get involved, and how we can go about it. None of us are really Guard personal.”

“You are members of my sisters personal Guard however, and she is leaving for the front tomorrow.”

“Hey, that's right we can just hitch a ride with Luna and........... “

The group slowly turns to see a smirking Princess Celestia, flanked by a pair of Guards, standing behind them. The Princess chuckles lightly, though her eyes quickly narrow at the empty plates piled before Rhede.

“I do understand I have kept you busy Pelt, but getting your revenge by eating my entire meal was likely not the best course of action.”

“Errr sorry Princess.... wait.... YOU WERE THE ONE WHO KEPT ME IN THAT ROOM?!”

“Well, I was asked to keep you out of trouble by General Kaisur, this seemed the simplest way.”

“THEY ESCORTED ME TO THE BATHROOM AND TIMED IT!!!!”

Velkorn shoves a loaf of bread into Rhede's mouth to shut him up so Bleu can talk.

“Alright Princess, that will work perfectly, all we need is to get Starfall and we are set to go.”

Rhede swallows the bread, rapidly drain a glass of water before interjecting.

“Starfall has two days left with her daughter on her leave, I say we let her have that time of peace and then when she comes back tell her where to go. She's fast enough to be at the front in a few hours at worst. Would you mind terribly doing that for us Princess.. I mean I did just finish a months worth of your work for nearly nothing....”

“Even taking into account what you have eaten, I think I can oblige that Pelt. You had best be ready, Luna plans to leave at dawn.”

“Right ,thank you Princess. Let's go!”

The trio tear out the door as Princess Celestia looks at the remains of her dinner and sighs.

“I had no plans to diet today.....”

==================================================

“................. PFC Carpe Diem Blanket, Sergeant Chief joy, Lieutenant Ribbon Target, PFC parallel Berry, Colonel Dazzled tickle, PFC Blooming Garnet, Corporal Snowy Moon-dust, Corporal Little Melody, Corporal Almond-eyed Guess, Corporal Misty Story, PFC Breath of Prodigy, PFC Scintillating Intention, Sergeant Tobiano Ambition, PFC Booming Spice, Corporal Poppy Willow.........”

==================================

This battle was not going well. His forces had stalled out at the base of the towering castle, the line of dragons and half bloods was like a wall all their own, that the pony forces continuously plowed into, yet failed to breech. He had pulled the troops back,planning another charge, when news of Princess Luna's arrival at the forward base camp was brought to his attention, moments before she came into the tent, with General Shower in tow.

He offered a salute to the General and a light bow to the Princess before explaining the situation. While she seemed impressed at the accomplishments so far, she also seemed to have expected that he would hit something that stalled his charge sooner or later. She sends General Shower back to New Dullahan to tell the reinforcements to make ready to join the 42nd here at this forward post for another push at the castle.

“What is your next course of action General?”

“With you and the others here it seems my time running the show is at an end, we advanced this far with just my plans. So I suppose we should mix it up a little, and let some other ponies plans come into play so the dragons won't know what to expect.”

“A sound idea, though I will inform you that Bleu, Velkorn, and Rhede have arrived as well and are on their way here. Bleu landed just outside of the base camp and the lot of them are hauling the crates she brought with her into the camp now.”

“It will be nice to have nearly every one back together again....”

“DRAGONS INCOMING!!!”

“Blast it, fall back Princess this is about to get problematic again.”

“You do not give me orders General.”

His response was cut off as the tent was ripped free from its poles baring the clear sky above them. A swarm of black dragons soar over the camp flame bursting from their maws as the first wave of them turns back around for another pass. Jer'rahd had yet to see even one of this kind of dragon, and now there were close to three dozen of them strafing the forward camp with their fiery breath. Floating in the middle of this swarm of chaos was a massive dragon of shimmering black scales and obsidian hued armor. His massive head was capped in four enormous horns that swept back from his head, golden eyes sweep over the camp widening as they focus on the exposed Princess and General below him. His fanged maw parts in a grin, each of his teeth longer than the Waning Moon. The beast folds his wings suddenly ceasing his flight and simply falls crushing ponies and several other tents as he lands towering above the two ponies. A deep chuckle resounds in his throat as he stares down at the two.

Jer'rahd and Luna both move into action the second he touches down, the Waning Moon was drawn and his armor closed about his form in mid charge. The Princess takes to the air swinging about to attack the dragon from the left her horn glowing as bolts of energy leap from it lashing out at the dragon.

The creature simply laughs, his black armor seeming to suck Luna's magic into it without so much as touching him. Jer'rahd's eyes narrow reconizeing the same effect from what he saw on the Bone Hound so long ago. He lashes out with his blade the weapon striking along the unarmored scales of the beast doing little more than kicking up sparks as it bounces along them. The dragon chuckles again as if the attacks with a god slayer weapon did little more than tickle him. The amused grin having yet to leave his face. He reaches into a bag on his side drawing out what looks to be a claw full of massive chains, before simply flinging them into the air.

Jer'rahd glances up at them briefly, before slamming his body and the blade into the joint of the dragons leg, expecting perhaps, something along the lines of a Tank's level of armor, but even the joints seem impervious to the Waning Moon. The scream of another black dragon falling behind him reaches his ears and brings a grin to his face. It seems they could be killed, just how, at least now he knew his troops were fighting back. He dodges as the dragon turns, its tail lashing out at him in a rather dismissive strike. The great beasts sole attention seems to be focused on the alicorn princess, that was flying about his head lashing out with spells and kicks.

Another claw full of objects is thrown into the air as the chains finally descend having formed into a massive net that falls towards Luna. The Princess dodges the falling metal without any real effort continuing her attack on the dragon her hoofs finally striking with enough force to shatter some scales on the dragons muzzle.

The dragon grins at that, the chain net stopping before it hits the ground caught in a massive updraft of wind that nearly knocks Jer'rahd on his flank. The net shoots skyward again striking and wrapping about the Princess from below tossing her bound form into the air. The wrapped form of Luna bobs a few times in the air before hovering before the dragons face ,the creatures grin widening further.

“FINALLY, WE HAVE THE PRIZE WE HAVE LONG SOUGHT, YOU SHALL MAKE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COLLECTION PRINCESS.”

Luna struggles as Jer'rahd forms his shield ramp charging up the incline intent on cutting Luna loose and perhaps ripping out one of the bastards eyes before he lands. A loud clang, a sharp stab of pain, and a heavy weight against his back slam him down into and through his own shield sending him crashing to the ground. He tries shoving himself up right finding his hooves are not touching the ground and he seems to be floating above the small crater his impact made. His head lifts glaring at the dragon his eye flaring brightly as he struggles.

“YOU HAVE BEEN A TROUBLESOME FLY TO US, THOUGH NO SIMPLE PONY IS A MATCH FOR ONYX WING, YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL WE CHOOSE TO END YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY GNAT. THAT IN ITSELF IS A GREAT HONOR WE BESTOW ON FEW.”

Jer'rahd scrambles in the air, his magic flinging the Waning Moon at the dragon, only to have it be batted aside to crash into the remains of his command tent. Another impact is felt against his back and he his forced from the ground a little more. Glancing down under himself his eyes widen at the sight of a pair of spears jutting out from his belly stabbing deep into the ground and holding him aloft, his blood running down the hafts. Another series of strikes against his back and shoulders force a gout of blood from his muzzle as he once again lifts his head glaring up at the dragon, the rain of iron spikes hammering into his body, piercing armor and flesh, impaling him aloft a stallions height above the ground. His eyes glaze, the glow fading as the dragon takes off into the air with his prize soaring back towards the besieged castle, quickly being joined by the other attackers.

Jer'rahd shudders starting to feel cold, the blades of the spears below him start to blur as the puddle of his blood grows larger. Again he failed he needed to go after them save.........

“BOSS!!!”

===================================

“........................................... PFC Marigold Showgirl, Sergeant California Plantation, Lieutenant Lavender Popcorn, PFC Snow Guess, PFC Jumping Chain, PFC Silvery Outlook, Corporal Dandy Superstition, Sergeant Eloquent Intention, Commander Oak Shadow, PFC Illuminated Energy, Lieutenant Adobe Jingle, General Jer'rahd Kaisur...............”

Princess Celestia's eyes narrow as she grits her teeth flinging the table and the memo with the death toll across the room. The wooden table shattering to splinters against the far wall , causing the messenger to cringe.

“AND WHERE IS OUR SISTER!?”

“Reports say Princess Luna was captured your Majesty.”

Celestia's mane and tail whip as if blown in a unseen hurricane force of wind. The messenger wishes he was any where else in the world at this moment.

“STARFALL!!”

A lightly armored pegasus trots up her expression grim and eyes moist from hearing the last name off the list.

“Yes, Princess Celestia?”

“GATHER ONE OF THE FLYING CHARIOTS, YOU WILL BE TAKING US TO THE FRONT NOW!”

Twilight pulls back shocked at the rage though she suddenly finds something is quite different. She was still in the star filled expanse, but the windows of the blade shards, as well as the window that lead her out into her body again were both gone.

She spins in place still feeling that sense of ease that filled this place trying to quell her panic. The stars were different, her gaze swept everything trying to find anything here that was familiar to her her eyes lock on a pair of stars That seem familiar though the small sense of unease that they bring, only worries her further. Why were those two here but not any of her friends, she had gotten to the point where she could tell those five stars at a glance, and they were no where to be found. She spotted Celestia's brilliant white star and relaxes a little though it takes her a bit longer to find Princess Luna's star. Her eyes widen at a shadowy pony form between her and Luna's star. She hesitates, though the other pony seems to take no notice of her, his eyes locked on Princess Luna's star. He was a gray unicorn with a amber mane and tail , with a silver shield shaped cutie mark with a black chess knight in the middle of it.

“Oh Buck!”

Heliotrope [ Part 2]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Heliotrope [ Part 2]

Twilight's were as wide as saucers as she stares at the pony floating in the space before her. She had seen him die, she felt it by the connection they shared through the blade...... oh Celestia, was that what this place was? The after life? She had heard of out of body experiences before, when ponies came close to dieing, was that what she was doing every time she went into the spell is that what happened this time or was she all the way dead from the feedback?

“No, I do not think that is it actually.”

“WHO'S THERE?!”

Jer'rahd whips around glaring right at Twilight. She yelps a little back peddling in space from the weight of that stare directed at her. She had not said anything, though she had heard some pony speak. She blinks a moment watching the other unicorn's face soften his eyes growing wide in surprise. She calms herself a little noticing he was looking past her not at her, turning she saw no one else behind her.

“Grandpa?............ What........ Oh Buck.......”

Grandpa? He was seeing his grandfather what was going on?

“That is something I would like to know myself little pony, you should not be here.”

Twilight whirls again, still not sure how she was spinning about so easily and not getting dizzy, this time though she winds up face to something with someone.

At first the shape was clearly equine and then not, though features could be seen a muzzle, two eyes, a mouth, and all the other parts that were present on ponies, she could not make out the shape or color past the glowing white form. It had wings it had a horn it had none of these and the very act of trying to comprehend it was giving her a headache.

“Hmm, you are experiencing pain here? That is another thing that is odd.”

“So I died then, damn it.”

Twilight glances at Jer'rahd and his seemingly one sided conversation with nothing before looking back at the white form.

“Who are you?”

“I am know as many things, I am the first, and I am the last, many have come before me, and many will come after. I am called Death, Life, Faust, and countless other names. For now I am simply Harmony. And what I am dealing with here is a disruption of that.”

“Wait what?”

“Heh, here I was hoping Platinum would be the one to greet me, nothing wrong with you grandpa its just, well I figure you would have moved on by now. And lets face it to head into the afterlife and see the mare you loved who died waiting for you would be a rather nice bit of icing on the cake.”

“Who are you little pony?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

The image blinks, or at least seems to as it is clearly taken aback by the name. A large book forms in front of it pages flipping in a blur before stopping, the figures eyes widening again or seem too, gah this was bugging her.

“This explains the disturbance, you have died nearly a thousand years before you were even born.....”

“What?!!?”

“Fine alright, I will cut out the swearing. Although coming from you that is a odd thing. No I am not talking back damn it, wha..? graahabbbblegle!!!”

Twilight looks over seeing Jer'rahd twitching and frothing at the mouth trying to spit out a bar of soap that had some how been jammed into his jaws.

“So wait I am dead? What about him?”

“Your name is not even on my list yet Twilight Sparkle. Jer'rahd Kaisur's name is slated for today. He has indeed died. I would have taken him to his hereafter if not for the wrinkle that you are causing by your presence.”

Jer'rahd spits out the soap which floats about in flurry of foam and saliva, fading out of existence leaving a trail of soapy bubbles.

“Its been nearly ten years since you died and the first thing you do is complain about my language, then shove a bar of soap in my mouth, what is wrong with you?..... WHAT!?!”

Twilight's eyes narrow as she regards the form, too much of this was not making any sense. And the parts that were bothering her she was going to happily inform this … well this glowy horse thing about. Perhaps in dealing with Princess Celestia so long, or the nature of the place. Heck, it could be that she was this close to the spirit of the angriest pony she had ever known to exist, but she had no fear of the one called harmony. Though she was a little annoyed at the lack of a set appearance.

“He cannot be dead, because he is still alive a thousand years from now sealed in stone in the Canterlot Gardens. If he had died I would not even have come back to watch him, your book is wrong. If he dies here Luna will not be saved or turn into nightmare moon for my friends and I to cure a thousand years from now.”

“The book is never wrong Twilight Sparkle.”

“Then how am I here? What reason do you have aside from that he is not supposed to die, to explain my presence?”

The whole star filled sky suddenly shakes violently and Jer'rahd's form flickers.

“What was that?”

“Hmmm, it seems you are correct Twilight Sparkle. Your presence has delayed me from guiding his soul to the after life long enough that some one is seeking to revive him. I expect when he returns you shall as well, as tied as you are to him and his weapon.”

“Wait, going back!?! Where are you going wait a moment grandpa...”

Jer'rahd exhales deeply his form flickering again as he lowers his head a bit.

“... I'm sorry, it was good to see you again, I miss you and dad, I'm trying to make you proud just trying to help everyone......”

Jer'rahd looks up and Twilight follows his gaze, seeing the spectral form of a earth pony who promptly salutes the fading form of Jer'rahd as the starry void shakes violently again. Jer'rahd flickers a last time and fades from this realm leaving Twilight blinking in confusion. She turns to ask the harmony what happened and is greeted by the sight of her own face staring back at her from the outside of the spell. She looks around seeing the familiar starry void and windows of the blades fragments floating before her. No sign of anything she had just seen.

“We shall meet again Twilight Sparkle, but not for a long time yet.”

She whirls trying to spot the source of the voice and catching only the briefest flash of a white tail from the corner of her eye. She shivers dropping out of the spell sitting down hard trying to control her shaking. She rises heading to her bathroom to check herself over in the mirror, confused as to what just happened. Did she die or was harmony powerful enough to see her there that far in the past?

She trots slowly back down the stairs a loud snore nearly giving her a heart attack, flailing a moment to keep from tumbling the rest of the way down the stair case. She looks for the source of the noise easily spotting Spike asleep on the couch, she breaths a sigh of relief looking at the blade and narrowing her eyes realizing finally that this had gotten to be far more trouble than it should be worth.

She would apologize to both Luna and Celestia, but facing death was not something that should come from a simple bit of studying. Her magic grips the blade lifting it off the table and bringing it over to the case with the intent to send it back as soon as she could. A sudden realization stops her cold.

She floats the blade up and closer to her looking the weapon over curiously, swishing it back and for the in the air with barely any effort at all, the Waning Moon humming softly as it cuts though the air. It was no longer fighting her, every time she had pulled it from the box to set it on the table since it arrived the effort had been like carrying bushels of apples like Big Mac tossed around. Now the weight was barely felt, she set the weapon on the table regarding it again.

“So what changed with you? Do you accept me now? Did you feel that I was there when your master came back from death? Do you actually have enough sense to realize I might be a friend?”

She blinks a moment slapping her face with a hoof, she had gone nuts she was talking to a inanimate object. One that had been said possessed a soul though. Perhaps there was more to it then she thought.

“Maybe you know what I am supposed to do and you think I might be the only one who can free your real owner?”

Twilight sighs not expecting the blade to respond. But that she had to ask questions of it was answer enough for her, she glances at the clock noting it was barely past eight, still prime time for her studies.

She could not give up now no matter how freaked out she was. Princess Luna was counting on her, and more importantly Princess Celestia was counting on her to help Luna. Then there were the three ponies the zebra and the dragon sealed in stone, the weight of everything she was supposed to be responsible for came down on her again and sent a shiver along her whole body. She stamps her hooves in frustration over the decision and her own nearness to freaking out.

“Buck it! I am not giving this up!”

She recasts the spell surging into the starry void and makes a bee line for Bleu's shard. She swore she heard the little dragon's voice before she was tossed into that place with Jer'rahd. She wanted to see what happened to bring Jer'rahd back.

Bleu grumbles under the weight of the bag of gems she carries. Rhede and Velkorn were none too thrilled either at the crates of gear strapped to their backs. They had landed behind a large chunk of the Great Wall and started the approach on the ground so they would not be shot at from the outpost. The group had made it within sight of the gates when the attack began. They stare in shock a moment before Rhede and Velkorn shuck out of the harnesses that held the supplies and charge towards the gates, Bleu clamoring onto Rhede's back still clutching the bag of gemstones.

A huge dragon drops from the sky into the center of the camp, its landing shaking the ground, knocking several Guard ponies around them off their hooves. Nether Rhede or Velkorn seemed bothered by the heaving ground as they galloped deftly towards the command tent where Luna and Jer'rahd were supposed to be. Sliding to a halt they scan the unfamiliar camp trying to find the way.

“FINALLY, WE HAVE THE PRIZE WE HAVE LONG SOUGHT, YOU SHALL MAKE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COLLECTION PRINCESS.”

The trio look to each other charging towards the booming voice, dodging around burning bodies and tents. A black dragons body falls from the sky crashing into the ground, the corpse charred as if from the inside. A streak of fire tears through the sky slamming into another dragon with a battle cry, as General Shower returns, ripping into the flying black dragons like a hawk in a flock of doves. Cannons roar from the ground felling another beast. The Guard that survived the first attack, start the retaliation. The large body crashing to the ground again blocks their path forcing them to go around. Another fire to try and get to the Princess and Jer'rahd.

“YOU HAVE BEEN A TROUBLESOME FLY TO US, THOUGH NO SIMPLE PONY IS A MATCH FOR ONYX WING, YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL WE CHOOSE TO END YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY GNAT. THAT IN ITSELF IS A GREAT HONOR WE BESTOW ON FEW.”

Bleu stands up on Rhede's back pointing to an opening in the flaming tent. As they charge towards it a gout of flame from the sky strikes the ground next to Rhede, bringing a scream of pain from the earth pony, he bucks hard flinging the little dragon from his back towards the opening and through it before another dragons body crashes to the ground blocking the route into the command tent.

Bleu and her bag crash to the ground inside the tent and slide down into a crater just as the giant dragon takes off into the air. Bleu lifts her head wiping off the mud from her face her eyes scanning the wreckage of the tent from this side. Pony bodies lay strewn everywhere ripped apart chard , but in all cases clearly dead.

She looks down at her claws and the blood and gore covering her blue scales. A noise from her left causes her to bring her head up from the pool of blood and follow the poles next to her higher to see the impaled form of Jer'rahd just as his head drops and the light of his eyes fades.

“BOSS!!!”

OH shit, oh shit, oh shit, this was the test, this still had to be the test. THIS WAS THE BUCKING TEST. Bleu steadies herself watching the blood drip from Jer'rahd's mouth expecting at some point for him to start speaking, or Platinum to show up.

She slaps herself suddenly whipping her head to the side focusing on something and scampering back away from Jer'rahd. Her eyes falling on the bag of healing gems, she grabs the whole sack and rips it open, yanking one out and flying up to his head smashing the first gem against his horn. She watches a moment as the wounds on his side start to close about the spears though his blood starts flowing more freely as the gem creates more to recover what he lost. She grabs another and another breaking the spell filled crystals over the unicorns horn, in a fitful panic to try and bring him back.

======================

[“RHEDE!!”]

Velkorn ignores the direction Bleu was flung tearing over to Rhede as he falls, the flames flickering up over his harness and fur. He hits the ground rolling, the impact and tumbling smothers the flames licking his side.

Velkorn slides to a stop next to the cursing stallion slowly pushing him over to see the wound, He screams out his whole body tensing as his weight is shifts, a large patch of his melted skin and fur remaining stuck to the ground under him blood flowing from the now exposed muscles on his left foreleg.

He shudders violently as Velkorn looks over the mess that was his left leg, and side. She whimpers a little as well at the sight though starts trying to patch him up right off and at least stop the bleeding that that had not been cauterized.

She sets to work trying to clean it pulling jars and ointments from her bag all but dousing the downed pony in the salves. As she starts digging in her bag again a hoof presses against her side and Rhede growls.

“The dragon had Luna, Jer'rahd's not following which means he's got to be hurt get over there and take care of him.”

[“I am not going to leave you here wounded like this....”]

“I will live, he might not, then there's dozens of other ponies laying about that are closer to dieing than I am go help some pony who needs it dammit.”

[“But.......”]

Rhede growls again forcing himself to his hooves with a whimper and shoving the zebra away from him with a charred hoof ,the pain from the effort telling on his face.

“I SAID GO DAMN IT. DON'T LET SOME STUPID CRUSH YOU HAVE ON ME STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. I AM NEVER GOING TO RETURN YOUR MISPLACED AFFECTIONS SO GET OVER IT ALREADY AND GET THE BUCK OUT OF HERE, AND DO YOUR JOB. DON'T THINK OF GIVING ME SOME SORT OF PRIORITY TREATMENT CAUSE YOU THINK YOU LOVE ME, I DO NOT LOVE YOU, NOW DEAL WITH THAT AND GO HELP BLEU AND JER'RAHD!!”

He staggers his gaze full of pain and anger as he glares at her. Velkorn's eyes widen tears welling up in them as she picks her bag up in her teeth, darting off tears streaming down her face, the wound from his words cutting deep.

Rhede watches her run off then collapses again, though managing to land on his good side at least. He lay there panting a slight chuckle escaping his lips.

“Buck this hurts..... sorry Velkorn wish I had thought of a better way, gonna catch hell from every one for that..... damn.... this is really gonna scar....hehe, now I’ll have to deal with the crazy ones like Jer I guess, hehe...”

==============================

Another gem smashes against Jer'rahds horn, shards of gemstones litter the ground below the impaled form. Every burst of magical energy filling the limp ponies form is met with another gush of blood cascading down the spears.

Velkorn rips through a tent wall struggling with it a moment, her tear filled eyes searching the ruins before spotting the dragonling and the impaled form of Jer'rahd. She utters a prayer to a zebra god that she had long forgotten, before dashing across the crater to the pony. She skids to a top on the edge of the hole watching Bleu, as the weeping dragonling continues to choke and mangle some song about a light at the end of the world. The words were slurred from the dragons crying, but it was her actions that held the zebra's attentions more, The wounds were trying to close with every crystal broken , but the spears in him would not allow it.

Velkorn bites into one of the spears yanking the head from the blood soaked mud and pulling it the rest of the way through the impaled pony. She does the same with all the others that she can the unicorn pony's armor warped partially around the shafts of the weapons keeping them trapped in his form. She looks up again watching the holes she had puled the weapons from rapidly close back up.

She presses her ear to the ponies side half way up the remaining spears. Her tear soaked eyes widen as she swings around shoving the dragon out of the way and grabbing the unicorns head. He still had a heartbeat. She had to hope he was coherent enough for the next part, or some one needed to invent a can opener that would work on this damned armor.

“JER'RAHD TO STOP FROM BEING DEAD, REMOVE THIS DAMNABLE HELM FROM YOUR HEAD!!”

She was quickly flung aside herself as Bleu slams into her, shoving her into the large puddle of blood soaked mud, she pushes herself out of the gore whipping her head flinging crimson dirt every where as she looks up at the dragonling smashing another gem on the ponies head. The green flare of the gem nearly drowns out what she was hoping for, a small flicker of light forms around his horn and the helm falls forward sliding off his head and falling into the pool of blood, the rest of the armor fading from his form. Bleu blinks looking at him then down at Velkorn as if finally noticing she was there.

She wastes no time yanking the rest of the spears free of his body, Bleu had calmed enough to hold him up long enough for Velkorn to pull free the weapons and guide him to the canvas of a fallen tent so as not to lay him on the ground. Bleu empties the bag and the last few gems on it shattering them on the pony and watching the wounds seal themselves.

Jer'rahd jerks, coughing violently a gout of blood bursting from his mouth along with what appear to be a good dozen or so of his teeth. He trembles hard coughing as Bleu smashes the last few gems against him still weeping uncontrollably. The gray unicorn draws in a sharp intake of breath as the last of the spear holes closes. Bleu watches and starts laughing, an insane sort of high pitched laugh that came about when something far too funny has struck you when you should be panicking.

Velkorn checks him one last time ordering Bleu to stay near him before grabbing her bag and the scant hoof full of remaining gems. They would do nothing more for Jer'rahd's condition, but there might be others she could help with them. Her ears perked up hearing some other pony screaming for help, she darts off, still a blood soaked mess save the clear streaks in her fur running from her eyes.

================================

“We got another one over here get the medic!!”

Rhede slowly lifts his head at the cry, the thunder of hooves and wagons drowning out much of what else was said. A louder voice from directly above him forces him to open his eyes and look up at the flying form of General Shower.

“Sir, I found Pelt and he's alive! I think!”

“Finally some bucking good news, some pony get over here with a wagon and take this one straight back to base camp.”

General Mustang crouches down looking over the chard form of Rhede with a whistle.

“Not to make light of your injuries and all colt, BUT WHERE THE BUCK IS THE PRINCESS AND THAT IDIOT KAISUR!!”

“Dragon.... took the Princess.... Dunno where Jer'rahd is......might be in the tent there.“

“Captured........ oh hells, Celestia is gonna murder us all. Shower go check the tent over there for Kaisur, if he ain't dead tell him he's gonna be. Pelt tell me exactly what went on here.”

===============================

Velkorn darts among the fallen weeping openly, she pauses tossing objects off of the fallen to check them. Sometimes she stays longer to treat some pony or another or simply leaving the dead as she moved to another. She had already used the gems she took from Bleu and a few ponies who would have died might just make it now. The crystals magic was strong, but many of these wounds were far more horrible than she had seen the last time she was at war. It was if the only intent here was to cause as much suffering as they could.

This was far too similar to the vision, there were several ponies who were alive, but should not have been, entire sections of their body were missing, even if Bleu had not used all of the gems it would not have helped. She gave peace to the ones she could not save and continued to seek those she could. The dagger that Rhede had stabbed into her heart, tore deeper with every hoof step.

===============================

Jer'rahd had stopped breathing again, Bleu held her own breath not even sure what to do, finally releasing it as the pony gasps for air again. She had opened his mouth the first time he stopped thinking to try CPR though he had coughed out another set of teeth and bloody phlegm and started breathing on his own once more. She wondered if he had swallowed some of his own teeth, but all of them seemed to be in his mouth. Idly picking up a claw full she took note that the ones he spit out were either broken or had small cavities in them. Great the gems worked for dental practices, but not fully for the body.

“HE'S HERE SIR, GET A MEDIC.”

Bleu turns her gaze up at General Shower, just as Jer'rahd's breathing stops again. She blinks slamming her tail into his side eliciting a harsh cough and another ragged breath from the unconscious pony.

============================

Rhede winces pushing himself up onto his hooves and stepping gingerly on the burned on. He had been told there was no real damage to anything deeper than the skin, save where it had been torn free and exposed the muscle. His side and leg were currently bandaged fully and positively oozing with foul smelling salves that made his whole side feel numb. He swept his gaze over the others in the tent, soldiers, all wounded. The room was mostly silent save the coughs occasional whimpers and the click of the doctor and nurses hooves running among the cots.

“Sir you should not be up.”

“Buck that, I have work to do and ponies to find.”

“Sir......”

“Look unless you plan to knock my flank out filly, I suggest you back off. And put some other pony on that bed, I am done lying here. I'll be back when its time for the bandages to be changed. I need to apologize to some one.”

Rhede limps away from the nurse glad his side was numb because he could feel the shift of the bandages over his open wound and when the numbness faded this was going to be hurting a lot.

=============================================

Darkness, nothing surrounded him,but endless void. He felt the trouble he had with breathing and ignored it, the act still filled him with dread , but suffocating had become so common to him here that it was not even frightening anymore. The nightmares still plagued him though he could often make it though the night now, he was too tired from the battles to wake himself from the really bad ones.

But yet again this was different. Soft lights glowed all around him and showed exactly what he expected to see. Various scenes of the Princess, in phases of disfigurement or death. Half Rotting or burned Goddesses rising up blaming him for their fate. All the while a booming laugh echoed though his head the voice of the dragon taunting him as the corpses of Luna, cursed and clawed at him.

============================================

[“So how is he?”]

“He has yet to wake up, the doctors actually have him listed as dead. His bodies fine, but I don't know if he is coming back this time. He keeps going silent like he stops breathing........”

[“He has survived worse.”]

“I saw this Velky.... That whole image of the boss impaled, that was part of the test...... Boss impaled bodies every where, blood coming from every hole in his body and forming a pool. It was exactly like I saw it...... The damn test was prophetic, I SAW THIS COMING...and I didn't even know it.”

[“ You may be right.....”]

“What? Why did you see this too?”

[“ No, I saw Rhede would kill me when I failed to go help others over him. What he spoke to me on the field did that as sure as any blade he has ever thrown. The bodies were the same and I was forced to end far more lives so they might have peace then I could have possibly saved.”]

The dragonling looks up from the still body of Jer'rahd and moves over hugging the zebra who drops to her rump joining the dragon in her tears. They stay like that for a few moments before Velkorn pulls away.

[“Come Bleu it has been two days, you are in need of eating something, he will not be going any where.”]

“Alright, regardless of how he acted we should probably check on Rhede as well.”

[“ I really do not want to see him for a while , but yes... you are right.” ]

=======================================

“GENERAL MUSTANG!!”

“Oh Buck me, I am so doomed..... Princess Celestia, what brings you out to this glorified cess pit.”

“YOUR REPORT MUSTANG, WHERE IS OUR SISTER?!”

“Shit, you weren't supposed to get that for another day yet. Damn speedy messengers. I needed time to find out,the reports have not come in yet as to her location...”

Mustang was yanked off his hooves and pulled across the room to hover in front of Celestia. The Princess had only managed to work herself up into a fervor on the trip here. Starfall had flown as fast as she could and was now thoroughly exhausted and resting on the ground behind the rage fueled Princess. She had made a trip of a day take little over an hour, though the effort left her too tired to even find her friends.

Celestia's hair continued to whip about her as if in a unseen tornado, her normal calm demeanor barely covering her anger and fear. Her pink mane and tail looked more than a bit frazzled and wind blown , though the look on her face surpassed the worst glare Mustang had ever seen on the Goddess of War.

“WHY HAVE YOU NOT MADE FINDING HER YOUR FIRST PRIORITY!?!”

“We have too many wounded to deal with right now, she was captured alive so she is likely still that way, now calm down or we will be forced to calm you down. This is the worst possible time for you to come in here throwing a fit.”

Three Bear, Ruin, and Meteor Shower had all moved into the command tent along with several Guards.
With the exception of Ruin none of them looked like they wanted to take on the Princess of the Sun if she refused to calm herself. The fact they were willing too however seemed to be more than enough to set her off further. She drops the General rearing up on her hooves and slamming them into the ground in the spot Mustang had been cracking the stone as her hooves, connected trails of fire radiating from the impact.

“IF YOU THINK TO STOP US FROM FINDING OUR SISTER GENERAL YOUR NAME SHALL BE ADDED TO THAT INFERNAL LIST AS WELL.”

================================

The screaming had yet to stop and the deep laughter just punctuated it more, he knew it was a dream ,but he could not wake up from it the corpses of the Princess of the moon continued to assail him and he could not lift a hoof against them to try and defend himself. The laughter finally stops as does the screaming.

"A kite above a graveyard gray,
at the end of the line,far far away,
A child holding on to the magic of birth and awe.”

That voice, he knew that voice, he could not help but smile. After all this time it was easy to recognize, he still remembered that she seemed to be singing for him last time he heard a melody like it.

"Oh how beautiful it used to be
just you and me far beyond the sea
the waters scare in motion,
quivering still.”

The corpses stilled their assault pulling away from him slowly fading into the darkness that they came from leaving Jer'rahd alone in the darkness again.

"At the end of the river, the sundown beams.
All the relics of a life long lived.
Here weary traveler rest your wand.
Sleep the Journey from your eyes."

He closes his eyes a moment and chuckles. When he opens them again a pillar of light before him shows a dark coated mare with a silvery mane smiling back at him.

“I expected to see you sooner or later, though it seems my grandfather had other plans.”

“He was insistent that he talk to you, better him than me however, you might have wished to stay longer if I greeted you.”

“That is true.”

Jer'rahd sighs as Platinum approaches.

“I suppose you know about Scarlet then? Sorry about that.”

“Why? I cannot fault you for trying to move on, it is rather silly to dwell such on a past you cannot reclaim. Though I had hoped you were a stallion of better taste than that one.”

“I never said I had any taste, though by that standard nether do you, for picking me. So what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You seem quite at ease speaking with the dead in a dream.”

“I have gotten used to strange things going on in my head lately.”

“Well I cannot help with that, I do ask you continue to move on however, I said the same to Bleu. This will be the last time I am going to speak with any of you. It has long past the time I should move on, I stayed because she still needed me, and for the moment you needed a bit of counseling as well. “

“Really and what is it you can tell me?”

“Just to move on with your life like you have been doing,I enjoyed the time we have had even though it was short. Please do not dwell on me, or worse yet create some impossible standard of other mares based on me.”

“I was dating a mare that tried to kill me, I think I am covered in lack of impossible standards.

She giggles a bit closing her eyes

“There is one more important thing to tell you.”

She leans in closer and he could feel the hot breath on his ear, his face flushing a bit from her closeness to him even in his mind she was perfect at getting this reaction of flushed embarrassment from him.”

“Just one last thing Jer'rahd before I go”

“And what is that Platinum?”

“It is time for you to wake up.......”

==================================================

Rhede winces at the fire Celestia put into her Royal Voice, this was a bad time to have come to collect the intelligence reports. He came here to find out all he could and was recognized as the lead intelligence officer of the camp. He had not expected that level of control, even with his adjustments of certain bits of paperwork back at his brief desk job.

“Buck I did not need to come into this nonsense. I've got to get out of here before I get killed.....”

Rhede turns to leave, stopping as the Princess continues to ignore the Generals attempts to calm her. Her mane had stopped its starting instead to flicker like fire on the verge of igniting into a full blown blaze. She was not just angry, she was fully ready to kill ponies in there. Had she become so panicked over her sister being taken that she was willing to fight her own people? This was far too similar to the damned test, if he left ponies in there might die, but he surely would, if he stayed he would clearly die as well.

He swallowed, no, the image only had one sure way for everyone to die and that was if he ran. If he stayed and gave himself up it would keep others alive. But what was he supposed to do against a freaked out Goddess. Hell might as well try what one did with a normal freaked out mare. He was so dead.

He turns shoving aside the tent flap gritting his teeth from the pain in his leg as he storms towards the Sun Goddess, ears flat against his head. The Generals turn to face him as he storms in, Celestia simply directs a glare his way opening her mouth to say something when his good hoof catches her across the face with a loud slap. The echo of that sound is shown on the looks of surprise on the entire rooms face including the shocked Princess of the Sun. For a brief moment the entire tent went silent every ponies eyes wide at what he had just done, Celestia's head had been forced to the side from the blow and now slowly turns towards him again, her eyes flaring with white hot power.

The blast strikes his chest sending him crashing back through the wall, bouncing more than a few times against things in his path as he finally skids to a stop caught in the canvas of another tent. Oh, by Luna's sweet plot that hurt, he opens his eyes expecting to see the rest of his body charred beyond recognition, though he could not see any damage. It felt like every nerve of his body was on fire though, he was alive some how, of course with the glowing white form approaching him it was not entirely sure that would remain the case for long.

“HOW DARE YOU....”

That was it, time to go all out and channel a bit of Jer'rahd, because this had gotten damned stupid. He growls lightly shoving himself back up to his hooves taking a tentative step towards the flaring Princess.

“Good, that's how to do it, get it all out of your system yah stupid bitch. Focus all that hate and rage on me, burn through it and go back to Canterlot and bucking lead your people. We were the ones who failed to protect Luna not these idiots, but they are likely the only ones left who can save her. So go ahead and break your vow, hit me again, kill me if you want. But get it over with and out of your system before any other pony gets hurt here. You cannot be caught like she was, we cannot afford that so get yer pretty little flank back to Canterlot like a good little goddess and let the ones who are up to the task of murdering a nation get to work.”

he finaly stops advancing directly before the Princess, he felt tired after letting out that angry rant. His gaze locked with Celestia's waiting for her to do something ,almost daring her. If she did not leave and go back to the castle, especially in this state she would get caught easier than Luna and that was if she was just not killed outright.

This was by far his worst idea ever. The Princess growls her horn glowing brighter, Rhede braces himself for another blow as best he can , his eyes not leaving hers, though he fully expects another blast of pain if not just being killed outright.

A green sheet of light forms in the air between the pair of them. The panel of energy flickering slightly as it floats there.

The Princess' horn loses its light as she pauses, both she and Rhede looking about for the source spotting a form rising from under one of the collapsed sections of tent. A green glow shining brightly from under the canvas as the material slides off the rising form revealing a ragged looking unicorn standing on a bed. Red and Green pinpricks of light shine from his eyes as his horn flares brighter thickening the wall between the two before him.

“You two are loud enough to wake the dead.“

========================================
Jer'rahd was almost knocked out again by as hard as Bleu hit him. The little dragon was practically swinging on his neck, it might not have been so bad but she was too tired to remain in her tiny form so he wound up having a pony sized dragon swinging on his neck laughing her head off.

With the exception of the somewhat crazed dragonling there was n air of coldness in the room now. The primary source seems to be Velkorn of all things and the looks she sent towards the injured Rhede. The earth pony however had not said anything to her as she tends his new injures from being flung across the camp. Starfall however was the point of interest now particularly the yelling fit she was directing towards the much larger Celestia,who was doing her best to apologize for losing her control.

“Seriously I did not fly you all the way out here for you to threaten ponies on your own side.”

This had been going on in the main room for nearly half an hour now and Starfall was putting all her punishment skills as a mother to making the Sun Goddess feel bad about what she had done. General Mustang however was tired of it and sought to seek control of the situation once more. He set to work throwing every pony out of the command tent except the Generals, that included Princess Celestia.

Bleu however was putting up the most resistance, refusing to let go of Jer'rahd which was making it hard for the unicorn to even stay upright. Eventually Velkorn gets tired of General Mustang's yelling at her and drags the little dragon out by the tail. Jer'rahd chuckles a bit at this moving over to the table near the others his gaze locking on the armored stallion curiously.

“Who are you?”

“The Princess named me Ruin, so it is the name I use. I believe you made a great mistake General Kaisur. “

“I am aware of that, I will accept what ever she deems fitting of a punishment for failing her after she is saved again.”

“Not that.”

“What then?”

“You had a chance to accept your death, and refused. I can only pity you for making that choice.”

Jer'rahd blinked looking at the armored pony, his mouth opening to retort, when Mustang slammed a hoof down on the table leans over it getting into the unicorns face.

“WHAT IN BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING KAISUR!!?”

“Ummmm. At the time defend the position and wait for back up.”

“WHY THE BUCK DIDN’T YOU HOLD POSITION........wait what!?”

“We cleared out the nests and stopped the supply shipments coming in. We went forward with one push to test the defenses on a castle before we fell back to wait for reinforcements. It was too well guarded for single force to push past.”

“You using discretion? Now I have seen everything, so then to the meat of it. What took the Princess?”

“A large Black Dragon, called himself Onyx Wing. He spoke in the Royal voice as well, likely he is one of the gods, neither Princess Luna or I could so much as chip his scales. The armor he wore was made out of the same material as what I saw on the Bone Hound Leader, it absorbed the spells the Princess cast. He also seemed to have control over wind to a degree, he changed directions of a net he used to capture her in mid air.”

“A net? Like a net is going to capture a Goddess.”

“If Princess Luna has not told you of that weakness then it is not my place too, suffice to say both the net and the spears that I was hit with were enough to capture a Goddess and pierce and item crafted by one.”

“I saw the sight of that battle General Kaisur, there were other bodies, but most of them were burnt, if all that was in that crater was your blood you should very well be dead. While I am grateful that you are not, I am curious how you lived.”

“I have rather impressive friends General Three Bear. They have proven themselves to do rather insane things before that worked Sir.”

“Well if what pelt did earlier is any indication, they are quite successful at doing crazy things. That likely was one of the bravest things I have seen any pony do, the dumbest as well.”

“Be careful general Shower, Rhede might think your flirting with compliments like that, sir.”

“OK the banter over now good all of you shut up. Get the head of intelligence in here now, I want status reports. After this shit Kaisur, I don't even want to give you half a chance in hell to go along with this mission. But despite your failure you are not a total waste and I need all I can get right now.“

“Wow Kaisur, you should be honored, that was almost a compliment from him.”

“Stuff it Shower. I ain't happy with you leaving her either.”

“She was ordered to by the Princess sir.”

“I don't Give a shit.”

“Generals can we all stop with this inane who is to blame nonsense. General Kaisur has already accepted it as his fault and that is enough. Right now we need to be working on how to fix this mess not on what to do about the failure. Each of us, with the exception of ruin has a sizable force under our command. The problem is Kaisur's force has been severely decimated, the attack on them was more of a terror strike. There are more ponies injured than there are dead. Add to that that the Princess has been captured and moral is quite low.”

“Right then, Wheres that intelligence officer.”

==============================================

“I am sorry about that Rhede. It is simply my sister is all I have.”

“It's fine, I understand that, though if you really want to make it up to me...”

His words were cut off as Starfall smacks him in the back of the head. Celestia forces a small giggle at the antics though it seemed Starfall was playing everyone’s mother tonight. Velkorn curses as she enters the tent, dragging Bleu by her tail.

“Damn it stripy, I am not leaving him alone again ever!!”

“You need to get over this gloom, he will not appreciate if you follow him to the bathroom.”

“HE DIED it was exactly the same as I saw in the stupid test, EXACTLY!!!”

Celestia's ears perk as do Rhede's and Starfall's.

“What was the same as the test Bleu?”

“All the bodies, all the spears piercing into him. The image was exactly the same as what I saw in there Rhede. It had to be some sort of prophetic nonsense. “

“I agree with how it looked, I thought for sure his goose was cooked. A thing from my test I did also see, though I dreaded quite long that it would come to be.”

“So you two believe what you saw in the tests was a Prophecy of sorts?”

“Yes Princess. “

“You all failed the test however, did you do anything differently this time from what happened before?”

“I tried...... I couldn't laugh at all that...... but I tried.....”

“I was given no choice, and for a time after I could not even find my voice.”

“I have seen a few things so far that have come close to my vision, but not exactly.”

Rhede mutters lightly in response his ears flattening a bit as he seems to ponder the implications.

“Well the moment the former Bearer of the Element of Honesty pops up and starts bitching about how lame the test is, I'll worry.”

They all look at Starfall a bit confused though she did not elaborate. Rhede looks up as some one calls for a intelligence officer from the command tent.

“Well that's my cue.”

“Hold Pelt. While what you constantly seem to imply is not going to happen. I do have an idea that might still be considered an apology of sorts. Please join me in the large tent in the center of New Dullahan when you are finished. And make sure General Kaisur is with you.”

“Err, alright Princess.”

==============================================

Rhede saunters into the command tent offering a wink to General Shower, she was a bit older than his normal choice in mares though she was decidedly fit enough to be a great deal of fun if he could get that tight suit off her.

“Pelt what the buck are you doing here I asked for intelligence, not dating advice.”

“Sometimes it can be the same thing General, but I am the senior intelligence officer in the camp, and one does not send a underling to deal with a General of your rank so here I am.”

“Oh hell no, I do not accept that your the head of the department!”

“Really sir? After all that paper work you sent to my office in Canterlot that said otherwise? It was all signed as well. By proxy of course, you are a busy pony after all.”

“DAMN IT PELT......... fine...... get over here and start explaining.”

“What is it you want to know?”

“The five Castles, strengths, weaknesses, and whats in them. I need to know how to split the forces we have.”

Rhede nods glancing over to Jer'rahd with a bit of worry at his friends dead pan expression. The unicorn looked tired and depressed, though he hid it rather well Jer'rahd had known him long enough to see the signs of both.

“The insides of the castles are all different and most of them change constantly, the castles also tend to heal damage done to them over time, but the bigger the damage the longer the repair. So the easiest way to navigate the places is to just simply keep blowing holes into it til you get where you want to go and hope the place has not healed up by the time you want to get out. There are a few areas that do not change. The center of the castle always holds a throne room of some kind, the courtyard outside is also all ways the same, but that's about it. We lost a few spies in those places for weeks and they came out with different layouts each time. Of course we do have the general information of the occupants.

Rhede glances down at the map picking up one of the tower markers and moving it to a different location.

“This one has chimera and the winged half breeds in it. The only places it seems to appear are atop of clouds, so a pegasus force is the only way to get to it. The few Blue dragons we have seen roost here.”

He picks up another tower marker and places it in another place. This ones last location was half submerged in a lake, which takes General Kaisur out of the running to hit this one. As far as we can tell this is where some of the fire dragons and a few other creature types that set things ablaze are kept. So far nothing aside from the red dragons has been seen from this one.

He picks up another tower moving it.

“This one has the remaining orcs, a great deal of cockatrices and other nonsense that General Kaisur has already proven himself against, likely the best choice for him. Particularly after all this and his injuries. The Green and Black dragons have been roosting here. It has a great number of ground troops camped around it, most of the forces that withdrew came here.”

He taps one of the towers he had not moved.

“This is a supply storage castle, all the caravans ran into this place and it was distributed from there. The strength is some what questionable as we have seen nothing come in or out of it aside from half breeds. The white dragons are thought to have this as their base. Though that is just speculation due to how much snow and ice still covers it.”

Rhede pokes the final castle marker with his blackened hoof.

“This is the big one here, this is the one the failed assault struck, its the Black dragons primary roost and the one we think the Princess is being held at. It has some of the highest numbers of defenders about it though they are primarily ground based troops.

The Generals look over the map listening to Rhede speak though General Mustang was watching him a bit more intently than the others.

“Alright, Ruin you take the one in the lake, Shower hit the one in the sky Three Bear take the depot, Kaisur hit that last one, Ill go after this one with the Green dragons.”

Jer'rahd and Rhede blink though Jer'rahd was the first to recover.

“Your sending me after the Princess?”

“BUCK NO. I have seen how this idiot operates, the one he says the Princess is in likely is not the one she's in. My own ponies have seen the black dragons flying into that one he said the greens were in. Pelt wants to help your sorry flank out and give you another shot at saving Luna. While a generous thing from a friend, I ain't buying it Pelt. Jer'rahd can take that one he tried to hit before and I'll handle this one. Now every one get the hell out of my sight and get your shit ready. DISMISSED.”

======================

Rhede and Jer'rahd head down the path between tents heading for the medical tent as Princess Celestia had requested.

“Thank you any way Rhede.”

“For what ?”

“For at least attempting to give me a chance to be the one who saves Luna. So long as some pony does I am fine, but since I was the one who got her caught..... Why are you laughing?”

“Years of lying and the first time I tell the truth not a single pony believes me.”

“WHAT!?!”

“I told Mustang the truth, that is the castle that is most likely to have Luna in it.”

Jer'rahd stops dead looking at his friend who stops glancing back at him, after a moment a wide grin crosses both their faces.

“And it is not even my birthday.”

“That was a few months ago.”

“True enough, so now there’s only one more thing to take care of before we attempt a rescue.”

“Oh whats that?”

Jer'rahd glares at his friend the mirth gone from his features.

“What is wrong between you and Velkorn?”

Rhede dips his head a bit ears drooping.

“I told her I didn’t love her and to go away to help some one else. If I had not done that you likely would have died.”

“Maybe, but after years of rejecting mares, suddenly hitting one who cares for you with something that harsh is a bit much.”

“Better a clean cut then a drawn out rejection.”

“I disagree with that, though you seem to care for her any way, why even bother making such a cut.?”

“I've done far to much I am not proud of Jer, I'm a bad pony.”

“I am not going to spank you Rhede.”

“Damn it I’m serious. One of these days something I’ve done is going to catch up with me. Bleu thinks the visions we received from the test are prophetic, she claims how she found you out there was what she saw in the test. Velkorn agrees it seems her vision came to pass as well, but she won't say what it was. I have had a few things happen that feel far to similar, so if that test was a taste of things to come, am likely to die horribly. I won't do that to her, better she moves on now.”

“I have said this once and I will say it again as often as needed, Rhede you are an bucking idiot, that damn test is in no way a prediction of future events.”

Jer'rahd starts walking again forcing Rhede to scramble to keep up with him.

“Why are you so sure of that Jer?”

“Because there is no force on this planet, no reason that I could ever see, that would be able to make me kill all of you.”

================================== “Is this enough room Princess Celestia?”

“Yes Doctor it is, thank you. Is this all of them then?”

“Yes Princess, all the ponies that survived are here. There were a great deal of casualties as well, but the dragons seemed to be using terror tactics, most of the ponies here where intentionally wounded and left alive by the attacks. It is an old morale destroying tactic. I am sure your presence will help, but there are many still who are not likely to make it with the wounds they have. The gemstones and healing potions that have been brought help some,but not enough to save everyone and those resources were limited to begin with.”

“I saw the names of the dead doctor, and while I did not set out to come here, I feel it will best serve my primary goal.”

Celestia turns her head looking over at Starfall, Velkorn and the fidgeting Bleu and sighs, her gaze turning back to the tent flap as it was pushed open and Rhede and Jer'rahd enter the tent as well, their gaze shifting over the beds of the wounded. Jer'rahd stops at the edge on the cots, his eyes scanning over those that followed him and were suffering for it. Celestia smiles nodding to pair of pegasus above her who pull the top of the tent open bathing the Princess in sunlight. She remains still a moment before speaking, her voice echoing though the tent and likely the entire base.

“MY LITTLE PONIES, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE IN SEEKING TO PROTECT EQUESTRIA. WE REGRET THAT ONCE MORE WE MUST ASK FOR YOU AID. WE KNOW YOU ARE ALL WOUNDED OR WEARY FROM THE FIGHTING , BUT THE WAR HAS YET TO END. WE HAVE BEEN DENIED FROM AIDING YOU OUR SELF IN THE COMING BATTLE.”

Her gaze focuses on Jer'rahd.

“A GENERAL NEEDS AN ARMY , AN ARMY NEEDS A LEADER. ALLOW US TO PROVIDE A STRONG ENOUGH FORCE TO MATCH THE FIRE THAT STILL BURNS IN YOUR LEADER.”

The Princess' wings unfurl, the sunlight striking them, reflecting off her pure white feathers, filling the large tent with a warm glow that slowly grows brighter. Her wings whip down suddenly lifting her hooves from the ground, another beat of her large wings lifts her higher to the top of the tent just below the missing flap of canvas. She lifts her head towards the sun eyes closing as the light from her white form grows brighter , her horn glowing with a light to rival the sun above. A musical hum fills the air as it crackles with power the energy flowing from her spreading out enveloping all with in the tent and the surrounding camp, soon the glow covers all of New Dullahan. A sudden burst of white light blinds everyone covering them in a warm blanket of radiance.

Rhede felt warm, the heat seemed to travel from his eyes, to his heart and spread out to his limbs. The heat focused on his wounded side intensifying until it was a pleasant burn like from a pepper. He knew what Celestia was doing, as well as why, this was all for one goal that she knew she could not do alone. The price this magic would cost would easily be as much as if she brought the seasons about on her own. He closed his eyes savoring it never expecting to feel the power of a Goddess' blessing.

Velkorn closes her eyes oddly feeling at peace with everything that had been done, even Rhede's rejection was soothed, in the heat of the moment he said how he felt. She could not fault him for his harsh words, all his attempts to save her were the same as the times he had saved the others. Not because he was in love, but because she was his friend. Oddly for the time she was content with that.

Bleu stared up at the Princess following her before finally being blinded by the light and shutting her eyes. A soft almost tuneless hum formed in her throat as she felt the warmth of that light, a song starting to form in time with the music from Celestia's wings, her fear and rage over Jer'rahd's chances of death fading as the song once again brought a measure of joy to her. She would have to remember to write this down, it sounded like something Platinum would sing.

Starfall had closed her eyes at the first flash of light, she saw her daughter watched her grow up and start her own life, all of it even the parts she was not there for and had only read about in letters. Her daughter telling her she was proud of what her mother did and of her friends who needed her still. Only a small kernel of darkness remained in her and that was one thing the light could not touch, something that only revenge was going to sate.

The warmth that came to Jer'rahd was not the same. He felt the first stirrings of peace and fought them. He had no desire for peace. The aura seemed to sense this and changed adding its heat to the fire that ragged within him already, burning it every brighter. He had failed her far too often, he had failed his friends, he would not be calmed. If his grandfather had been proud of what he did despite his failures he must have seen that Jer'rahd would have a chance to redeem himself. Rhede had given him the chance to do so with General Mustang's mistake. He would not fail his Princess again, and he had no pity for anything that thought to get in his way. For a moment it was hard to say which fire shown brighter. Celestia's sun, or Jer'rahd's anger.

As the light finally fades, Princess Celestia drifts down to land lightly in the center of the tent again, her wings slowly tucking back against her sides. Those standing or flying regarded her with awe that turned into pure reverence as the wounded solders on the cots slowly started to rise pulling off bandages and slings revealing healthy flesh and closed wounds, over three hundred members of the 42nd had been wounded and left for dead by the dragons in the last attack. Over three hundred members of the 42nd now stood healthy and whole regarding the Goddess of the Sun in the middle of the tent, a soft glow of light in each of their eyes.

“WE HAVE DONE ALL WE CAN . IT IS UP TO THE GUARD NOW TO SAVE LUNA. WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RESCUE OUR SISTER.”

The Princess of the Sun dips her head seeming to beseech the request to the ponies present. One by one the healed troops turn their gaze to the gray unicorn walking towards the Princess His hoof falls echoing in the silent tent. The Princess lifts her head looking down at Jer'rahd as he approaches. He meets her gaze his eye almost sparkling in its intensity.

“You need not have even asked us to do so Celestia. She will be free by sunrise.”

Jer'rahd whips around looking at the risen Guards and bellows out.

“GET YOUR GEAR AND GET SOME REST THE ASSAULT COMMENCES AT SUNSET TONIGHT!!!”

The cheers of the camp were deafening.

Heliotrope [part 3]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Heliotrope [part 3]

“So this is likely the last meeting then?”

“Getting all sappy on me already Sir?”

“Shut it Shower. I'm old enough to get sentimental without hearing about it from some young punk.”

“Perhaps you should retire after this, or do you seek the same as I?”

“I don't need shit from you either Ruin, just do your job and focus on killing the dragons not our own ponies.”

“The truth of the matter is, none of us may make it out of this alive, it is always good to make peace with the spirits before a conflict of this size.”

“I wonder what the dragons pray too, and if they are doing that now, or even know what is coming for them.”

“Big talk from a pony who got his ass kicked.”

“If you had been there Sir, you would have likely suffered the same fate. If Luna herself could not wound him what chance would any of us have?”

“Shows what you know colt, Princess Luna does not put the weak as her Generals, and I have been doing this a long time. These won't be the first dragons I've killed and likely not the last either.”

“Is the goal after we save her still the same Sir?”

“Cindervale?Depends on what Princess Luna has to say. Celestia would like peace, but she is a hell of a tactician herself. This stuff is brilliant, not sure if Princess Luna would have even had the power. She's keeping the sun down, and that crazy ass light show this afternoon is letting every pony see in the dark practically.

“She's not a tactician sir, she likes hedging her bets too much, or out right cheating.”

“Shut yer trap Kaisur, ungrateful lout.”

“I am not ungrateful Sir, particularly since she is on my side this time. Word of advice though. Do not play her in chess with Canterlot rules.”

“What the buck is that even supposed to mean?”

“It is time, we should all get to where we need to go. Good luck my friends may our victory be swift.”

“Good luck you old coot, give me a call if yah need any help.”

“Shower if you weren’t married to my son I would wallop the shit outta yah for all the back talk.”

“Please, you were the one who introduced us. Your grand foals say hello by the way, and want you to visit again.”

“Fine. Tell them I'll be there when I get a chance. Damn, Ruin already left, vicious bastard. You gonna buck up again Kaisur?”

“If I do perhaps I will not have the misfortune of living through it this time.”

“Wrong answer. Yer supposed to say NO SIR. I should send you back to basic, both of you young idiots. Maybe get some sense knocked into you this time.”

“Ooh, more time with my husband, I'm all for it.”

“What Stonehoof sees in you I will never know.”

“Heh, No sir.”

“What was that Kaisur!?!”

“I said No Sir, I am not going to buck this up.”

“Good. Get to your force, lets do this.”

====================================

“Hows you leg Rhede?”

“Guess I am stuck with the crazy mares from now on.”

“Delightful we can swap stories about how our lives get screwed over. Or how we lost them in a great explosion of rage and destruction.”

“That last one is all you boss.”

The five of them stand on a fallen segment of wall looking out across the field between them and the castle of Discord that was their target. Jer'rahd had returned earlier to search through the former base camp and prepare for tonight.

He wore the bone armor the holes repaired when the spell reformed it from the helmet, The Waning Moon hung at his side, it's scabbard unfastened, ready to be drawn at a moments notice.

Rhede stood next to him, dressed in tight leather leather straps with only a few plates of metal covering his vitals, giving him plenty of room to move. The black and purple armor clashed against his coat, save for his left foreleg, which was now entirely black. He had been healed by Celestia's power though the coloration of his blackened coat and flesh had remained, leaving his hoof and a large chunk of his side and shoulder with silken black fur. Each of the straps covering him was strewn with pockets of daggers and spikes, Jer'rahd was sure he had a brace in his tail as well. All of them made from the hastily reforged spears that had impaled Jer'rahd two days ago.

Velkorn stood on the other side of Jer'rahd, She was armored like much like a Royal Guard, though her armor was the black and purple of the 42nd rather than the gold of Celestia's Guard. She did not wear the helm or the leggings for the armor, and her back was covered with bags dotted with various symbols for medic in all races save two. She had recently removed the marker for dragon and had previously done the same for sea ponies. She cricks her neck a little as she stands there, adjusting the odd cloak Bleu had given her from one of the supply crates.

Starfall stood on the other side of Velkorn looking out across the field and the camps of the draconic forces between them and the castle. She wore the light leathers of the Guard's air force, though aside from the amber hued goggles she did not wear the head covering. Like the armor the others wore her's was also the Black and Purple of the 42nd, despite never having been assigned to that unit. Starfall sported a new pair of swords as well as her normal ones, while they had been forged in little less than a day from the weapons that nearly killed him, the Guard blacksmiths were truly masters at their craft to have finished all this so quickly.

Bleu was likely the only one not wearing anything save the necklace that had been made of the bits of his grandfathers blade. She was standing on the other side of Rhede in her new neutral form which was almost as big as he was. She had been trying to refrain from expending too much of her energy and was currently munching a few gems from a bag, devouring them like popcorn.

The others were not sure why he had forced them to carry new weapons, let alone why they were weapons forged from the very spears that nearly ended his life. By now however, they knew to trust that he had some important reason for such an odd thing. Even if he claimed he could not say why exactly.

“I have to say this is a bore, what exactly are we waiting for?”

“A signal Velkorn, before Celestia went back to Canterlot she said she would give us a sign of when the attack should begin. She claimed it would only last a few hours or so, but it would be enough to add a bit of terror to the draconic ranks. Isn’t that right Jer?”

“Mmmm”

“What are you looking at, sir?”

“Just call me by my name Starfall, I don't consider myself a higher rank then any of you, in situations like this we all have the same goal. And as to what I am looking at, just the stars.”

“The stars boss?”

“She claimed she would be leaving, but perhaps she stuck around just long enough to watch over us in this.”

“What?”

“Never mind, when we get the signal we wait a few moments longer before attacking, the other attacks will draw some of the draconic forces away. General Shower's attack should be the most visible as that shape up there on the cloud bank in the distance is her target.

“How do you know who goes first Jer?”

“Ranking, Mustang attacks first, then Three Bear, then Ruin, then Shower, then us. The plan is to have all the enemy forces rush to defend from the first attack, the subsequent attacks will lead to disarray as they try to figure out what to defend first. There it is.....”

“Whoa, Princess does not play around....”

A dark shadow crept across the moon blotting out the light it cast upon the world below, the shadow continued to move across the lunar surface until the night sky was black save the faint flicker of stars.

“Lunar eclipse.”

“That is impressive. I did not think Celestia could do that.”

An explosion lit up the dark sky, the roar of it echoing across the Darklands. The group looks up at the castle on the clouds watching a massive trail of flame repeatedly zip around the castle gout’s of flame leaping into the sky from where ever the fire touched. Jer'rahd smiles, the draconic forces at the base of the tower were scrambling, quite a few had taken off into the air winging their way towards the flying castle, a large group of ground forces started scrambling as well, tearing away from the lone untouched castle to reenforce others. Jer'rahd waits a few moments more

“That went faster than I thought, Ruin might have skipped his turn however. Bleu send up the signal.”

“Got it boss, we ready for this?”

“Yes.”

Bleu changes to her large draconic form, raising her head up and breathing out a blast of blue electricity into the sky, Rhede, Velkorn, and Jer'rahd scramble up onto her back as both she and Starfall take to the air.

The ruins of the camp behind them erupt into a flurry of movement as the Blue dragon shifts her coloration to purple and black striped with Luna's Moon forming on both her wings. The canvas and rubble is shoved aside as the 42nd move out of hiding and surge down the slope and across the plain towards the castle. Cannons roar, balista, and catapults launch from the hidden cover filling the air with giant bolts, mage bombs, and magic shells. The gunners would fire three shots from each and then join the charge. By the time the third shot landed the troops should be within combat range. Although Jer'rahd was planning to hedge his bets as well.

As the last shell impacted the ground Bleu surged forward trailed by Starfall and the rest of the air forces for the 42nd. The shock of the sudden attack faded fast and the remaining draconic forces that could fly had taken off to intercept the air born squad. Jer'rahd stands up on Bleu's back bellowing into air.

“STARFALL PLOW THE ROAD!!!”

The Pegasus nods shooting up into the air followed by the other pegasus of her wing. Bleu fires a bolt of lightning into the midst of the flying attackers then dives drawing the dragons attention away from the small group of pegasus rising into the sky. Bleu flys low over the battle field. Jer'rahd spares a glance down at the battle, watching his forces slam into the wall of flesh like they had before although this time many of his troops attacks were to douse the lights of the camp blinding the defenders further in this beautifully dark night. He looks back, noting a few of the flying defenders floundering in the air, but enough of them either could see Bleu, or the bright red glow from Jer'rahds eye. In either case they were doing what he wanted by chasing after Bleu.

Bleu's mouth opens, strafing the field below her with lightning as the first blasts of magic and fire were launched by their pursuers. Green shields form, deflecting the blasts of energy away from Bleu and the leading edge of the attacking Guard ,bouncing them away to strike the camps, or the ground behind the enemy. Rhede grabs Jer'rahd's tail to keep him from falling off as Bleu makes a sudden turn ,her claws grabbing a enemy catapult’s magic bomb in passing before she drop it back onto the ground bound enemies heads. The explosion lighting up the castle walls, glinting off Bleu's new dark scale coloration.

Velkorn waves her hoof in the air, her ears perked as she looks into the sky, darting up to swat her hoof against Bleu's neck a few times. The dragon nods soaring up into the air suddenly, the dragons behind her following suit. Velkorn, Rhede, and Jer'rahd leap off the dragons back falling towards the ground between the rising pursuit. The Waning Moon lashes out, gutting one of them as they fly past the falling forms, Rhede's daggers fell another as Bleu shirks to dragonling size above them, turning quickly and flying back down past the startled dragons on her tail. She catches up with the others growing in size again, grabbing Velkorn and Jer'rahd with her claws and Rhede with her tail. She pulls up hard her wings grabbing the air skimming just above the ground and landing near the wall her back claws digging into the earth to stop herself.

The noise from above had become a shrieking scream, the spinning form of Starfall and her pegasus group tore through the sky towards the ground. The mare leading the charge breaking the sound barrier as she fell dragging the others along for the ride to widen the impact zone. A rainbow colored ring explodes from the two dozen pegasus, larger than anything Starfall had ever done on her own. The impact of the ring impacts against the stone wall of the castle rocking the whole structure. The dragons and other creatures in the air were not so luck as the ring of light blasted them from the sky. The 42nd had been told of this and all the forces suddenly dove for cover in the middle of the assault just as the combined force of pegasus slam into the ground, cushioned by the Rain Booms shock wave. All the draconic forces not braced were sent flying by the impact, bodies tumbling along the rainbow colored impact wave pushed away from the battle and thrown into castle walls and the jagged remains of the great wall scattered across the landscape.

A massive flare of light appears at the edge of the battlefield as the gathered unicorn mages that had been moving to flank the defenders, absorb the power from the Rain Boom redirecting it against the forces of the dragons that had resisted the impact.

“That was impressive planning boss.”

Jer'rahd rubs his ears with a bit of a wince.

“I use what I have available, and with you all here that is an impressive arsenal. Lets go we need to meet Starfall at the top.”

Bleu nods allowing them to climb onto her back again as she takes off for the tallest spire of the castle of Discord, the black and purple armored form of their pegasus friend already there waiting for them. Jer'rahd glances back at the battle field, smiling at the surge of enemies pouring out of the now open castle gates and the impacts of magical fire meeting them from the group of mages.

“Just as planned. Starfall nothings changed, you and Bleu make sure that gate stays open, Rhede, Velkorn, find out where the prisons are see if the Princess is there and free any pony you find. Try to meet me in the main chamber in about thirty minutes or so.”

“What was your part in this again Jer?”

“Distraction, I kill anything that's not us that moves of course. If the Princess is not in the cells she is likely in the main room or close to it. With luck since the main chamber doesn't move that is whats being used by the castles leader. I know the info is a bit old so if the cells have changed locations do what you can to find them, but don't dally long.”

“Not happy with this Boss. The rest of us are paired up and your going solo again?”

“I have some one watching my back. Her star is still there.”

“Honestly have you lost it? Seriously Jer a star?”

“I willingly hang out with you lot, of course I'm crazy. Lets go.”

Jer'rahd charges down a corridor, Bleu and Starfall take to the air again heading for the courtyard. Rhede and Velkorn briefly look at each other and Rhede offers a shrug and sheepish grin before poking a gold band on his ankle with a hoof, taking the form of a black dragon half breed. He glances over at Velkorn and smirks seeing she is simply gone. He takes off down another hallway looking for stairs that lead downward.

=========================================

“That was quite impressive, I never expected normal ponies to be hiding that much raw power. Truly I chose the correct species for my interests.”

A black dragon, only slightly larger than Celestia, watches out the window. He looks down at the shattered wine glass in his claw and simply flings the offending mess away. A lime green unicorn mare dressed in tight black leather with a gag in her mouth and chains dangling from her outfit at various points, darts over her horn glowing softly to sweep up the glass and mess. The dragon ignores her as she scampers out of the room to get rid of the trash,and looks to a cage suspended from the rafters next to a large golden throne. He reaches his wine stained hand into the cage wiping the sticky mess off against the lavender coated mare's side. The cage shakes as chains rattle inside the cage, as the pony within tries to pull away from the claw.

The cage dangles from high rafters that stretch up into a darkened dome ceiling, a large stained glass skylight with an image of Discord on it graces the ceiling, though it remains partially covered with a curtain to block the moonlight from hitting the form in the cage. The rest of the room is hung with brilliant red and black curtains that cover all the windows and stone walls, save the one the dragon had been watching from.

“Oh do calm down you are not going any where Luna, even if some one was coming specificly to save you they would never get past my guards or even find their way in this place. And by some miracle they even manage that well. There is not a weapon made that can pierce my hide. You are mine now Luna, the sooner you accept that the sooner you can simply enjoy my attentions like some of my other toys. Pity most of them break so easily. “

He ignores the growl from the form in the cage, chuckling lightly as he drapes his tail over the armrest of the throne falling back into it, his curled horns clicking against the back of the chair. A pair of giant black dragon cross breeds stand nearby the doorway. What their other parent had been was unclear though they resembled giant trolls with three clawed fingers on each hand. Both were both heavily armored and carried a massive ax each. They barely moved, and if not for their soft breathing might have been little more than statues.

“Do get over yourself, you are nothing more than another plaything to me now, granted one that shall be bearing me some rather powerful half dragons to be sure. A whole new race to create, powerful dangerous, and loyal to me, their father..... Ahh, this war was worth all the effort just for this.”

“I will see you dead dragon.”

“Oh please, Luna. Sooner or later you will be in season, and when you are I will get some real results, rather than just a bit of pleasure.”

========================================================

He slams his hoof down, the shattering of bone was accompanied by the scream of the half breed as its back leg was suddenly kicked into an odd angle. He ignores the fallen creature, his blade cutting through the side of another of the ones attacking him.

His eyes narrow, he had barely progressed past the first turn in the hall before he was getting swamped. The half dragons were all wielding star metal and his armor had a few nicks, that thankfully had not gotten deep enough to draw blood from him just yet, but the armor was fairly useless here. He turns his head glancing down at the injured half breed whimpering on the floor and grins darkly He sheaths the Waning Moon and pulls off his helm, the gathered force of half breeds pause at the fact he was seemingly disarming himself to surrender.

==================================================

“Well well ladies, allow me to be the first to welcome you to your new found freedom.”

Rhede had shifted back to his pony form upon finding the cells exactly where intelligence claimed they were. Likely the dragons did not want things moving around in these castles either. That would make the rest of this mission so much easier. The cells were all full of ponies, all of them mares at that, while not all of them were attractive as he was usually up to courting, he was quite sure there would be plenty of time to play the hero for them all later. The down side was he had yet to see the Princess any where, and that came first.

The lock of the cell clicks open and he steps back over the bodies of the guards that had been there. Evidently Jer was doing something right, because he had seen more than a dozen rush out of the room in a panic, leaving only two to watch the cells.

He regards the mares again noticing a few things as they all flooded out of the cells. They all looked moderately abused, though there was an abundance of fairly well muscled fillies with cropped manes and tails.

“How many of you are members of the Guard?”

Far more than he expected raised a hoof, he smiles, this kept getting better.

“Grab what weapons and armor you can from this place. You are now tasked with protecting the others and getting them to the court yard two floors above us. There's a stair well down this hall that will take you all the way up. Stay hidden and wait for the gate to go down.”

“Bout time some one came to rescue us, there's more going on here then you seem to realize.”

Rhede blinks at the pegasus who pushes her way to the front, quite a few scars covering her form. He knew her from some where, but was having a hard time placing where until he saw the dead troll as her cutie mark.

“Major Buttercup?”

“ Commander... do I know you?”

“We met once when Jer'rahd lead a team into the Darklands.”

“Jer'rahd? General Kaisur is here? The Demon of Dullahan is here!?!”

“Indeed, now what do you mean more is going on?”

Velkorn steps out of thin air next to him pulling the hood of the cloak down. Rhede tried his best not to jump at her appearance though the recently released prisoners did not seem to try to hide their surprise.

[“ I have found out what she was talking about. Over here you will wish to see for yourself ”]

Rhede and Buttercup move over to the door lead by Velkorn, as they enter Rhede's eyes widen and his ears flatten as he takes it all in.

“ These dragons are bucking monsters.”

==============================================

“So what do you think it looks like Starfall?”

“I would have to say a butterfly.”

“Hmm, I thought it looked a bit more like a pair of frogs kissing.”

“Oh yeah, I can see that, I just had to tilt my head a bit. Honestly though Bleu do we have time for this?”

“Yeah well, we have a few moments and this was a boring fight. “

“It was only boring because you landed on them and splattered the orcs across the parparet. “

“But, my plan was fair, just, and clever..... or maybe just fairly clever.”

“I vote latter, the gates not going any where now. We did this too quick, what else can we do?”

“Hmmm, I bet it would look pretty cool if we set off their own ammo stores.”

“Sounds good I think the entrance is over there.”

“You doing alright after that Rainboom? Usually they seem to tire you out.”

“It does tire me, but I’ve been able to do it six times in a row before without any problems, In Neighlantis I had my mind screwed with, and it was damned cold with the wendigo.”

“Good point, OK lets go make a bigger mess.... oh hey if you look at the blood splatter from this angle it looks like a pair of donkeys kissing.”

“The whats that thing on the ones head?”

“I dunno a wig maybe?”

“Makes about as much sense as anything else, lets go.”

=======================================

He really should not be enjoying this as much as he was, but it was almost funny. OK, it was funny, but likely only to him and perhaps some other individual plagued by nightmares and fueled by rage.

The half breed screamed again as he was swung about like a oversized wobbly mace by Jer'rahd's magic. The unicorn had put the helm over the half breeds head and let the armor form over the wounded half dragon. Lifting the armor he had then proceeded to beat the crap out of any other guard that came near him with the screaming form of their own ally.

Jer'rahd grins around the handle of his sword, blocking a blow by a draconic guard who got past the flailing half pony to try and strike at him. A deep slash across his throat and then being crushed by Jer'rahd's new toy was all he received for his trouble.

He whips the otherwise uninjured, but terrified half pony forward pulling the helm off and sending his unarmored form crashing into the others. Chuckling he puts the helm back on his head feeling the armor reform about him before surging forward into the enemies before they could recover.

=================================================

“All I have to say is I am glad Jer is not here to see this.”

Buttercup looks up at Rhede curiously.

“Why is that.”

“Because Commander then you would be dealing with two very pissed off ponies, one whom has a hard time controlling it. This is how they have so many half breeds?”

“Yes......”

“You have been here for several months I take....”

“Yes, as have quite a few of the others, what ever drugs and magic they use speeds up the growing process of the foal, a mare can wind up having one in about a month, though often they wind up with twins or triplets. What happens to the foals after they are born to make them age so fast I have no clue. Not that it matters. The survival rate for the mares is high, but more often than not they all wind up having their minds broken by the process. More than a few of them take their own lives so they do not have to go through the process more than once. Those of us who are Guard suffer through it just waiting for a chance for revenge.”

“Help, me get them free, then get all of them out of here Major, once the civilians and the broken are safe then you may join the fight. Not before.”

“I don't follow orders from an ambassador.”

“Really and what do you think the General would say? Do you expect him to tell you to leave them here and go fight for revenge? Or would he tell you the same? I know how my friend thinks sometimes, and if you believe that he would leave others to suffer if it could be avoided I suggest I go back to calling you Major, or Sergeant. Maybe just Ms. Buttercup.”

“.............. fine,you made your point, lets get them free.”

The three move into the room with intent. A host of mares were bound in modified stocks, leaving them exposed to be mounted or used by what ever dragons happened to want to. More than a few of them were already in early stages of pregnancy, and nearly all of them were drugged up so high with something that they did not register that they were rescued and moved docily away to the others outside, guided by Velkorn

As the zebra checks them all out to see if any were not fit to travel, Rhede moves to a door off behind the stocks kicking it open while Buttercup smashes everything else in the room in a rage. Rhede had a bigger target in mind and found what he was looking for in this small room.

The soft glow from the chemicals in the giant tubes bathed the room in a eerie orange light. He moves around searching for any information or paper work he could find tucking anything that looks remotely interesting into a pouch. He gives the room a once over again for anything hidden finding a small diary like book in in a hidden drawer in a desk, flipping through it he nods lightly pocketing that as well before stepping out of the room.

Rhede digs in a pocket and tosses a hoof full of small fizzing devices into the room before shutting the door. A series of small explosions sounds from the room along with the shattering of glass and the fwoosh of a flame catching. Smoke begins billowing from the door frame as he heads back to help the others get to the stair well. Buttercup stops him glaring at the earth pony.

“What was on those papers you took!?”

“Hopefully the recipe for what was being used.”

“WHY THE BUCK DO YOU WANT THAT!?!”

Buttercup's wings whip suddenly, shoving Rhede back and pinning him against the wall. He winces but does little more than glare down at the furious pegasus.

“Because you have a great many here who might benefit from a something that could be made from this information as a cure, not to mention what ever aging process used could be removed from the half dragons, rendering them useless for combat.”

“ Or you might just want them for your own ends,you're rather infamous in your own right with fillies Rhede Pelt. There are quite a few with unfavorable things to say about your treatment of them.”

Rhede closes his eyes and exhales trying to calm himself before talking to the raging mare. Bout time something he had done caught up with him, though this was the wrong place and time to be paying for this particular thing.

“I am resisting the urge to slap you out of this rage like I did the Princess, and the only reason I have not is because you do not know everything. I have no need of something to make fillies more available to me, every one, EVERY SINGLE PONY, I have ever been with was willing, and it was never the booze talking in them either. So as mad as you are before you start making accusations find out the facts first. We are here to help, and no matter how pissed off you might be after all that's happened you have your chase to get out now. I suggest you take it. I would give you the papers to take, but it is not as if you have any pockets to hold them. Get the buck out of here Commander, we still have work to do and your slowing us up.”

Buttercup glares though lets him go, stepping back and shaking her head.

“Look sorry its....”

“Don't worry about it, I know I am a slut, just go we have a mission left to do and we can't foal sit....”

A sudden explosion rocks the castle shaking loose dust and stone chips from the ceiling. Several of the mares yelp and fall quickly being helped back up. Buttercup floats over urging all of them towards the stairs. The bodies of the two guards having been picked clean of weapons and armor to issue to the ones who could use it. Velkorn and Rhede look at each other before darting off down another hall way. What the heck were Bleu and Starfall doing?

=================================================

The ammo storage explodes, the fire and force of the blast licking at the tails of a dragon and a pegasus, both flying away from the billowing mage fire as fast as they can,as the fire licks at their tails.

“Damn it Bleu, I said the fuse was too short!!”

“Well sorry, I am not a sabotage expert like Rhede, GAAAH HOT!!”

Bleu shrinks and both she and Starfall crash into a small pond in the courtyard, the flames billow over them setting a few wooden structures in the courtyard on fire and sending half breeds and trolls scattering. The pair surface and Starfall slaps Bleu up side the back of the head as the dragonling starts laughing.

“Lets do that again!!”

“No, its time to meet Jer'rahd. Come on we've done enough damage for now.”

=====================================

Luna's cage rattles from the explosion, the noise prompting a brief look of concern on the dragons face as he rises from his throne returning to the window and watching for a while his eyes narrowing as a orange glow of a massive blaze reflects in his eyes. He growls softly turning away to glare at the caged alicorn.

“Seems your forces are a bit more resourceful than I gave them credit for. I might actually need to get involved. Though the castle is still full of defenses and unless you have been here before its not likely this chamber can be found.”

The door suddenly explodes inward, the body of one of the giant dragon creatures sailing into the room to crash to the ground bounce and come to rest at the foot of the golden throne. The other two move, weapons drawn as a figure steps through the door, bone armor splattered with blood and covered in scratches, a malicious grin is seen just under the fangs of the helm a bright red glow illuminating one of the dark eye sockets.

Luna's eyes widen and she struggles to stand in the cage pulling against the chains.

“Jer'rahd!!”

“Hello Princess, we are here to rescue you.”

“We?”

The dragon growls gesturing to the pair of giant dragons to attack, neither one moves for a moment, then one reaches down tearing free a gold band from its fore arm, causing it to shrink down to pony size revealing a red earth pony. He glances back kicking the foot of the guard he was posing as back behind one of the hanging curtains. The other guard just falls over to the ground, a black and white mane and head reveals itself as Velkorn pulls off her hood.

The dragon glares at them all his clawed hand raising, wind whipping about him ripping the rest of the tapestries from the walls revealing a host of other guards who surge forward towards the three. The sky light above suddenly explodes and a rainbow colored blur slams into the ground in the middle of the charging group of half dragon guards. An explosion of color fills the room sending the draconic creatures crashing to the floor and flinging them across the room into various walls.

The Black dragon grunts shoved back against the wall as well though a whip of his hand rips one of his own minions in half before it impacts him. A large crater fills the center of the room with a armored Pegasus standing in the middle shaking glass and rock dust from her purple mane. One of the guards had managed to not be blown far and rises leaping at the pony his ax whipped towards the dusty Starfall.

“CANNON BALL!!!”

A large black and purple form drops from the broken sky light landing on the one with the lifted ax splattering the creature across the floor. Bleu smirks flicking her claws clean as she looks down at the burst open dragon half.

“Hey!! this one looks like a cat trying to tap dance on top of a tortoise shell.”

“Looks like a mess from over here.”

A soft sniffle came from the cage.

“You all came...?”

“Luna? That you we'll get you out in a second just hang on, one more bug to squash.”

Bleu charges at the black dragon claws poised to rip his throat out. The black dragon whips his claw up, the force of something impacts the charging Bleu, flinging her across the room towards the others. A green glow envelops the dragonling, catching her before she hit the wall, Jer'rahd glares across the room at the black dragon.

“Onyx Wing?”

“Yah, know Jer, I expected him to be bigger.”

“If this is Onyx Wing then he should be.”

The dragon lifts him self up, resounding cracks sounding as he rises to his rear legs, his arms and legs lengthening as his joints and scales pop and split reforming back together as he seems to age to a great wyrm before their eyes. The dragon towers over even Bleu changing in moments to the form most of them expected. The onyx armor forms around him much the way Jer'rahd's did crimson eyes staring down at the five below him.

“Rhede, has any pony told you you talk to much?”

“I do quite often, though his word amount he does not soften.”

“So what now boss?”

“NOW WE KILL YOU FOR THIS ANNOYANCE.”

“That really did not work to well last time you tried it.”

“A MISTAKE I SHALL HAPPILY CORRECT.”

The dragon lifts his hands the axes from the fallen guards lifting in the air and starting to spin before they all whip towards the group. Luna cries out at the attack, the star metal axes screaming through the air. Green shields form around the group, the weapons all slamming into them and bouncing off, impacting the walls and floor imbedding into the stone.

The dragons eyes widen as the shields drop and Jer'rahd grins.

“NO MAGIC SHOULD STAND UP TO STAR METAL. HOW DID YOU EVEN DO THAT PONY!?!”

He smiles feeling a trickle of blood ooze from his nose. He snorts blowing it out before the dragon notices. The effort of that far more than he was expecting, but after coming this far he was not about to be stopped. He had been practicing with that dagger and the waning moon so long it was not nearly the effort it should have been.

“Training.”

He charges the dragon his blade singing as the others dart about getting into better positions to attack. The black dragon glares at the charging unicorn whipping both arms out sending a gale force of wind screaming through the room flinging them all back away from him. Jer'rahd impacts a wall landing on his hooves and struggling against the wind a shield raising before him to block the force so he could advance. The wind dies and the dragon is on them already.

Jer'rahd dodges out of the way, a claw powders the stone where he stood a moment before,the dragons tail whips around knocking him across the room again and into another wall. The great beast flips a wing knocking both Starfall and Bleu away from him, he breaths out a gout of flame melting the spot where Velkorn and Rhede had been, the stone bubbling and flowing like lava. Velkorn moves over helping Jer'rahd up to his hooves as he clears his head the dragon chuckling.

“We should have thought of this before we began, what we need now is a better plan.”

“BUCK THAT!!”

Jer'rahd charges again the Waning Moon roaring along with him. Starfall and Velkorn move along side of him. Bleu rears up firing a bolt of lightning into the black dragon as Rhede darts around to flank the beast flinging the star metal daggers. Onyx Wing holds up an arm, Bleu's breath attack strikes it being absorbed into the obsidian armor band on it. He whips his tail around at Jer'rahd, a shield stopping the attack allowing Velkorn to run up the beasts tail grabbing a spine between his wings and slamming her hooves against the softer joints of the dragons wings. Jer'rahd blocks a claw swipe with the blade in his teeth the force of the impact making his neck and jaw feel strained and cracks the stone around his hooves. Starfall soars above the second swipe of the dragons claws, lashing out with the new blades at its eyes. The beast blinks, the weapons grazing over his eye lids throwing up sparks. He buffets a wing flinging Starfall away, a kick sends Jer'rahd flying, and for the moment he ignores the zebra as the others regroup.

The dragon laughs throwing himself backwards towards the wall slamming into it just as Velkorn leaps out of the way, only to have the dragon back hand the zebra across the room. Rhede moves catching her before she hits the wall glaring at the dragon before letting her down.

“OK, maybe a little planning.”

“YAH THINK!?!”

“You alright Velky?”

“If that is the best hit he has to give, then it is quite certain I will live.”

A soft sob comes from the cage, Jer'rahd spares a glance as the dragon shifts waiting for the next failed attempt. Jer'rahd fights back a growl at the sound holding himself from attacking.

“I have an idea. Keep him distracted.”

Bleu surges forward with the others as Velkorn takes a moment to recover guarded by Rhede. The earth pony fills the air between them and the dragon with daggers. The metal rain bouncing off the beasts head forcing him to shield his eyes. Starfall grabs Jer'rahd and tears towards Onyx Scale dropping the unicorn and going up suddenly. Bleu shrinks suddenly tumbling under a claw strike and regaining her full size impacting both her clawed hands into the dragons throat forcing his head up. Starfall's blades rake across the black dragons throat tossing up sparks. Jer'rahd skids to a stop forming shield platforms and climbing up them.

Onyx wing growls shoving Bleu away and swatting at Starfall, he takes a snap at the pegasus with his jaws managing to snag her already singed tail. He whips his head, jerking the mare around until a dagger from Rhede cuts Starfall's tail shorter, allowing her to kick free as Bleu slams into the dragons side, her claws raking over the armored form not so much as chipping a scale. He whips his hand to the side claws ripping through her scales like paper. She leaps back managing to keep from getting cut in half though her chest bleeds profusely.

Jer'rahd's hooves slam into the dragons chest, as he stands on his shield hacking at the beast. As Onyx Wing swings his claw,the unicorn drops the shield, his magic holding his blade level with the dragons chest. The impact of the clawed hand driving the blade deep into the creatures flesh. A clawed foot punts the unicorn across the room into another wall. Jer'rahd staggers out, cracks forming on the armor though a grin rests on his face.

The black dragon looks down pulling his claw back looking at the splatter of blood covering his chest. He glances to his hand pulling the offending splinter out of it with his teeth and spitting it across the room. The unicorn grabs the blade bringing it back to his side as the dragon flicks the blood from his hand, holding it up to show them the deep wound rapidly healing before their eyes.

“RATHER IMPRESSIVE GNATS, YOU MADE ME BLEED MY OWN BLOOD, IT WOULD ALMOST BE WORTH KEEPING SOME OF YOU ALIVE, PITY I HAVE NO INTEREST IN MALES, DRAGONS, OR ZEBRAS. AND THE PEGASUS WOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A PAIN TO KEEP AROUND, BETTER TO JUST KILL YOU NOW AND BE DONE WITH IT.”

“Do we have a plan B boss?”

“I didn't have a plan A.”

“Well crap.”

Velkorn barely manages to slap a few bandages on Bleu's chest before they were all dodging again as the dragons breath hit the spot they were standing turning the wall and floor into a pool of lava. The group again charges rushing at the laughing dragon.

“Get out of here, run leave me....”

Rhede dodges past as another ax imbeds into the floor at his hooves, slung by the dragon across the room.

“Not happening Princess. Don't worry, I'm to pretty to die.”

He darts off his tail swishing flinging blades at the great beast. Starfall tumbles back nearly hitting the cage as another gust of wing flung her across the room.

“He's going to kill you!”

“I have heard that threat before Princess, and I am still around.”

She takes off a roar sounding as she gathers speed in the charge. Bleu Bounces off the cage sending it swinging for a moment. The dragonling sits up shaking her head and fires another bolt of lightning back at the dragon.

“Bleu please just get out of here and save yourself!

“Wheres the fun in that Luna? Besides there's no party for the losers!”

Velkorn darts over finishing the bandages on Bleu's chest before letting the dragonling surge back into the fight.

“Velkorn please....”

“I have seen what this beast intends to do, that shall not happen to you!”

Velkorn dashes off as a armored form smashes through the golden throne and crashes into the wall. The dragon roars as Jer'rahd shoves himself up out of the rubble the cracks covering his armor now, bits of it having flaked off.

“HIT THE BROKEN SCALE ON HIS JAW, LUNA GAVE US AN OPENING.”

“Jer'rahd, please get out of here leave me, I cannot watch any more of my friends die.......”

“I am going no where without you Princess. I have failed enough that I will not do so again and remain alive. I swore to bring you home and I will. I do not leave my friends behind let alone in the enemies clutches.”

The dragon stood alone at the center of the room laughing the others had been flung to every corner of the room with various wounds and damage from the large monster. Jer'rahd roars back charging the dragon again and barely makes it past Luna's cage before hes flung into the wall again by a gust of wind. All of them are picked up and spun about as a tornado of dust chips and rock swirls around the dragon battering them before hurling them across the room along with the bodies of the half dragons. Jer'rahd flings up shields knocking the giant bodies away from the group though they all smash into various points of the wall by the door way. Onyx wing moves landing next to his ruined throne and laughs at them all as they struggle to get up. He grabs the swinging cage stopping it from being flung about by his powers.

“FOOLS THIS ONE IS MINE.”

“Please stop all of you......”

“Like Hell.”
“Not happening Luna.”
“As if I'm gonna stop.”
“This beast will surely die, no one makes a friend of mine cry.”
“Give it up Princess we are not going anywhere, without you.”

“THEN YOU WILL ALL DI.... WHAT, WHAT IS THIS?!”

Luna blinks lifting her head at the soft glow of light coming from Jer'rahd. A pure white pulsation of energy slowly growing brighter with each flash as if in time to his heart beat. His armor crumbles away the helm tumbling off his head to the floor leaving him with a panicked expression.

The others notice it as well, the fragment of his grandfathers blade about his neck floating up before his eyes the glow around him lifting him from the floor. The waning moon drops with a clang as well as he scrambles hooves whipping about as he tries to find purchase in the air.

“Wha??! What the buck!!??”

The dragon blinks confused as the rest of them as to what was going on. The others watch Jer'rahd float above them protesting loudly as they watch their own blade fragments start to glow as well lifting them all into the air.

Luna lifts her head in awe at the sight as they rise even over the dragons head floating there, a soft glow starting to form around the crown still on her head that the dragon had left for little more than decoration. Each pulse slowly adjusting to match the others pattern before all five flare brightly Tearing free of the necklace chains and floating before the startled group. The freed metal shards pulse once more zipping back to press against the floating figures chests. before the metal shards start to warps and shift

The shards glow dims as the metal bits start to grow spreading out across each of them like a sudden tide of liquid metal.

Bleu yelps as the platinum colored metal courses over her form flowing over and across her scales seeming to spread thin enough to be little more than paint as her coloration is slowly changed from blue to to platinum. The metal thickening a bit lengthening her spines and claws covering her fully save her eyes and mouth. A bright flash on her chest forms into a large blue gem in the shape of the theaters mask for comedy.

The liquid metal snakes up over Rhede's form, the black material covering the startled pony. Like Bleu it clings to his form, his old armor ripped off him and dropped to the floor as it forms thicker plates over his vitals remaining sleek over the rest of him and leaving his muzzle, mane, and tail uncovered. A flash at his chest turns into a red gemstone with three crossed downward facing cupids arrows.

Starfall seems the least worried as the silvery liquid runs over her form shredding her armor and covering her with a suit not unlike what she wore on the stealth mission. The metal coursing up her wings lengthening each feather as it covers her completely leaving only her tail and mane exposed the eye sockets taking on the same amber coloration as her goggles. Her scabbard and blades clatter to the floor. A bright flash on her chest forms a white six pointed star with trailing streaks running from it .

Black metal surges around Velkorn's form ripping free her armor but leaving her bags untouched as it trails over her skin covering her vitals much the same way Rhede's had done and also leaving her black and white , tail and mane exposed. A flash of light forms into a amber gem of a winged pole twined with two snakes that face each other.

Black armor forms around Jer'rahd taking on the same shape as his bone armor though much more reflective almost as if mimicking the obsidian armor the dragon wore. His lower jaw remains uncovered along with his mane and tail . A flash of light on his chest forms into a knights green knights shield.

The gemstones glow brightly as Luna's crown matches the pulse flaring brightly causing the dragon holding her cage to stagger back shielding his eyes. The light suddenly flares blowing the cage apart and showering the room with bits of star metal chain lengths and cage fragments.

Pale blue armor forms around Princess Luna,her mane and tail nearly turning black as they flare with the sudden influx of energy pin pricks of light forming in the darkness giving her tail and mane the impression of a star filled night sky. Her coat turns black, her wings flaring out wider as her horn lengthens as well, a bright flash of light from her chest turns into a white gold crescent moon shaped gem.

Onyx scales eyes remain wide as he steps back further from the floating Princess, he breathes out suddenly a gout of flame slamming into the cages remains and the form atop of them. The fire dies out as he inhales. His dark eyes reflect a glowing green shield between the Princess and him that left her unscathed.

Luna flaps her wings gliding from the ruined cage to hover before the floating armored forms across the room from the dragon. The gem on her chest flares brightly the light encompassing them all, blinding the dragon and forcing him to look away.

A trio of rainbows burst to life in the air ,swirling around the group before spiraling across the room and circling the dragon with a multicolored tornado. Onyx Wing panics slashing at the colored winds swirling around him trying to claw his way free. Luna opens her eyes tears falling from the solid white orbs as they surge with bright white light the flare encompassing the small group and growing larger filling the entire room and enveloping the screaming dragon, its cries swiftly growing silent as the light grows larger and brighter.

A sudden explosion of light surges out over the battlefield covering the castle and the conflict going on around its base bathing all the combatants in a brilliant yet strangely soothing light. As suddenly as it surged forth from the castles heart it fades leaving everyone on the field stunned.

The few black dragons remaining take wing and flee the place leaving the others behind. The swarms of trolls on the battlefield seem to have been frozen in place, the Discordian monsters having joined their creator in stone. The half breeds stop fighting milling about confused, quite a few were killed before the others drop their weapons and wander off rather aimlessly and clearly confused. The attacking Guards let them go looking up at the tower as the golden statues of Discord start to drop out of the sky shattering on the ground as the castle itself gives in to the power that emanated from its heart.

===================================

Jer'rahd slowly pushes himself to his hooves, the clink of heavy armor around his form drawing his attention first, the next thing to hold his attention was the armored form of Luna and the giant dragon statue before them. He surged forward to move between Luna and the dragon slowing his charge as he approached and stopping next to the Princess looking up at the dragon. A look of horror and pain was etched across Onyx Wing's features, the great dragon frozen in place glimmering slightly as the light of the fires from outside glinted off the crystal statue before them. He glances back as the others rise shaking their heads and start looking around and at the armor they each wore with a bit of surprise.

“Damn, my flank looks awesome in this. I didn’t think black was this slimming.”

Jer'rahd twitches a bit as Bleu smacks Rhede in the back of the head bringing a small chuckle from Luna.

Velkorn trots up to her, looking up at the Moon Princess.

“I am glad we got to you before, this dragon did things we abhor.”

Luna glances back at Velkorn her eyes softening from when they were looking at the dragon.

“No …. you did not make it in time to stop that.....”

Rhede and Velkorn both wince as the others look on confused, Bleu looked as if she was about to ask when Rhede stopped her and shook his head.

The alicorn princess turns back looking up at the statue of black crystal suddenly screaming out a bellow of rage and pain that even Jer'rahd had yet to match. She charges the crystalline dragon her hooves striking it sending shards of black crystal across the room. The others watch as the leg shatters toppling the statue to smash against the ruined stone floor. The princess does not pause moving crushing the larger shards to dust under her hooves.

Rhede pulls the others aside to fill them in on what he and Velkorn had found and what the Princess had admitted to having happened. Velkorn remains near the raging Princess watching her shatter the shards of the dragon into smaller bits.

The entire groups expressions darken particularly Jer'rahd's. His head dips until Bleu belts him up side the back of the head before he can really start blaming himself.

“You were dead boss, regardless of the situation that is a valid excuse for being late.”

“But...”

Another belt to the back of the head by Starfall cut him off though he lifted his head back up watching the Princess smash the Shards to dust before she finally sat down in a heap panting hard, and shuddering violently. The others slowly walk over to her standing close by. She barely looks up at first simply quivering.

Bleu suddenly moves forward her arms wrapping about the armored form of Luna hugging her tightly,the alicorn flinches, though Starfall and Velkorn join the hug as well. Rhede an Jer'rahd look at each other not entirely certain about joining though Bleu's tail wraps around them both and pulls the entire group together.

Luna sobs softly in the middle of this though her shaking stops.

“Just remember Princess. We are here for you.”

“I know Jer'rahd.... I know you all are.”

Twilight sits back reaching up to rub her eyes against her foreleg. She whips her head a bit trying to clear the tears from them, a loud snore from Spike snapping her out of the moment.

That whole situation was rather unexpected, but to find that they really were Element Bearers, even more so. Then there was what happened to Luna, Twilight shivers, opting to try not to think much on that until she had too again. She was tempted to write to Princess Luna about it but thought better, if this was a bad memory it would not be good to bring it up until she knew everything. She at least planned to write them both about the events in this vision as well as finally ask about the star filled sky the spell showed her.

She yawns completely worn out, it felt like she had been in the spell for three weeks at this point. She moves stretching and shaking her limbs out a bit sore from standing in place for so long. She finally lifts the sword, marveling at how light it really was, before putting it back into the box and cleaning up the rest of the study table. Mulling over everything in her mind and pausing to occasionally jot down some notes on something the had thought of with what she had seen. She finally sighs looking up at the clock with a yawn. She pulls a blanket over Spike and heads up the stairs pausing to glance at her calender.

She makes a mental note to buy Zecora something for her birthday that's coming, before continuing up to bed.

Paint it Black

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Paint it Black

“So let me get this straight, all that's been going on the last couple times you've taken a look into that sword, are epic battles and inner turmoil and drama stuff , and your complaining? Sounds pretty awesome to me.”

“Well there is more to it than that Rainbow, it has been rather …. informative and confusing at the same time.”

“ So sorta like that whole Crystalline Head thing in Daring Do? That was exciting and confusing and rather crappy.”

“No, that book was written while the author was on drugs, she apologized for it in the following book.”

“Drugs?”

“Skiing accident, she wrote the entire book while on pain killers. Just read the afterward in the next book. She claims the entire thing should be looked at as a extended dream sequence, and promises never to mention it again so long as the hate mail stops.”

“Oops.... I sent a few of those letters myself.”

Twilight closes the book she had, glancing to her friend stretched out on a bean bag chair. Ever since Rainbow Dash's hospital stay she had been showing up more and more to the library. Of course having forty some volumes of Daring Do on hoof was more than enough to keep the pegasus' interest, not to mention all the spin offs of the series. It did mean that she was available to let Twilight study the sword more now though. Twilight had not seen Fluttershy in a good while and Pinkie well.... if the parade last week was any indication Pinkie was fine, just busy. Rarity had a whole building to rebuild after the damage that Big Mac and Cheerilee had done to Carousel Boutique. Thankfully the rumors of those two had been squashed rather easily. Oddly it seemed more than a few ponies were willing to ignore that the pair of them might not be single. Seems they both had a following of ponies that would like to have been their special some pony.

“So you where going to stop researching that thing, even now that you got this far?”

“I had not planned on it really, it was just kind of scary last time.”

“Its been over a week and you have not so much as asked any pony to come by to watch out for you.”

“I have had Spike keep an eye on me, though he has been busy with his own stuff lately, particularly since the Mayor found out he can send messages directly to the Princess.”

Twilight winces wondering how soon Spike would be run out of the mayors office. Likely about the time the Princess started getting annoyed with the Mayor.

“Well I'm here tonight, go ahead and get back to it.”

“That was the plan..... though I do have a question for you before I start.”

“Oh? Shoot.”

“Is something going on between you and AJ lately?”

Rainbow falls out of the bean bag chair her wings straightening out in surprise. She scrambles back into the chair making a grab for her book.

“Wha, What are you talking about?!?”

“Well I was wondering if you were still mad about the Cider thing. I mean she never saved you any even though you two are friends, then there was the whole thing with the rodeo. I thought you two might be mad at each other again. I never see you two together for very long any more, and you used to hang out all the time.”

“Oh, is that all, well we still do, hang out and stuff, but yah know... stuff happens there's nothing going on or anything, we just don't hang out as much …... cause of … stuff.”

“Well OK if you say so, I was just worried you two were mad at each other again.”

“Nope, no far from it …. any way get on with your thing so I can read.”

“Alright , I feel better now. I was a little worried about you two for a bit there.”

“Yeah sure.....”

Dash climbs back onto the bean bag picking her book back up and trying to find the page she lost. Twilight smiles, pulling the blade from the box and resting it on the table as she preps the rest of the spell to go. She was glad there was nothing going on although rainbow did seem a little defensive. She mutters lightly to herself letting the spell take hold.

The stars swirl around her as she slips into the comfortable void of the spell. Her eyes fall on the windows of the blade shards, or what were the windows now. The jagged edged panels of glass were gone and the windows now look like the crystals that had formed when the six had awoken the Elements of Harmony. The only thing that remained the same was the larger sharp edged one that was the Waning Moon's, the others all looked like cutie marks.

She opts again to use Jer'rahd's window, figuring that he always seemed to be in the middle of everything anyway.

“RHEDE TAKE THE NEXT HALL AND FLANK HER!”

“GOT IT JER!!”

“BLEU GET OUTSIDE AND KEEP HER FROM GETTING OUT A WINDOW MOVE!”

“RIGHT BOSS!”

The trio splits up with Jer'rahd thundering down the hall of Canterlot castle. Rhede and Bleu both split off for their tasks. He was barely keeping up with her and only the occasionally startled or shoved aside servant gave a clue where his target was running. This was getting out of hoof and he was not going to allow it to go on any longer.

“You are not getting away.”

========================================================== [Three days ago]

“So what now?”

“What do you mean? We beat the bad guy and rescued the Princess, what else is there Boss.”

“He means Bleu that this dragon was not the one who ordered the attack. A draconic god or not the black dragons are not in charge of Cindervale or their forces.”

“Scuse me for not knowing about a culture that's only ever tried to kill me.”

“Its fine Bleu, I know your not as stuck in the politics as everyone else. What the two of them are beating around the bush about, is that there is a red dragon in control of all this. Likely from the Flame Party if the information was correct. The dragons name is Silver Claw, he is the son of Forgescale. Unfortunately other than those little bits of information, we don't know anything else.”

“I have another question though Princess.”

“What is that Starfall?”

“How do we get out of this armor.... I mean its comfortable and all, but I would rather not live in it.”

“I really have no clue, when I first used the Elements, they all turned into simple silver crowns. I have been wearing the Element of Magic since, painted of course to hide it. Both Tia and myself agreed I would likely be the best to protect it, though I do not think she expected this.”

Luna sighs shivering a little at the thought.

“Unfortunately it seemed he had more interest in me than what I was wearing. Still that worked out....”

The group hug had broken up quickly and the others had distanced themselves from the Princess to give her a bit of air. Bleu had wandered off to dig through the rubble for anything edible, her logic was a dragon god would have some impressive gem snacks some where. Jer'rahd had stayed where he was near the Princess though he gave her a bit of distance as well, keeping an eye out for anything else. The others trot over to recover their gear, Jer'rahd simply floating his sword over.

Velkorn pauses digging in her bags looking to Luna as if to say something though stops at the sound of wing beats and turns her eyes skyward. A lone Guard pegasus drifts down from the broken skylight his eyes looking over the armored ponies curiously though he seems on the verge of bolting outright as well. Bleu sits up from the rubble and the Pony flaps his wings hard darting up towards the skylight again.

“Solider stand down and report!”

The Guard falters a bit though clears the sky light before gingerly poking his head back over the edge of it as Jer'rahd trots fully into his view.

“What...... General Kaisur.?!? Is that you sir? What what happened?”

“Yes, my sword and armor not clue enough? What happened here is need to know and you don't need to. Now then, whats the situation with the battle?”

“Sorry Sir, its over Sir. After the light came from the castle the surviving dragons flew off. The trolls all were turned to stone and any one we could find was shattered. The few other beasts around acted some what confused and tried to flee. The biggest issue are the dragon halves sir.

“Why?”

“Well the ones that were not killed are acting like foals sir, none of them have the slightest idea of whats going on any more, some are not even able to speak clearly or even walk properly, its … confusing sir. The main thing was we were sent to find you, there are scouting parties all over the castle looking for you. Sir, if I might ask who the mare is accompanying you she is rather intimidating......”

He gestures to the dark armored form of the Princess and Jer'rahd chuckles, Luna snorts annoyed that she is not being recognized.

“This is Princess Luna when shes pissed off Solider... I suspect it might be good if you apologized. “

Rhede barely hides a snicker and Bleu does not bother to hide it which just seems to aggravate the Princess more.

“Sir are you sure she doesn't look anything like......”

“DO YOU DOUBT YOUR SUPERIORS FOAL? OR DO YOU JUST ENJOY STABLE SHOVELING DUTY?!”

The pegasus winces and drops back down from the skylight to the ground into a deep bow the moment he lands. Starfall shakes her head at that walking over and smacking him in the back of the head.

“You had the right of it to be suspicious, just don't be rude. You would be dead now if you were mistaken.”

Jer'rahd chuckles a bit.

“Go let every other pony know the situation, I expect General Mustang to be here shortly to yell at Rhede.”

“Sure throw me under the cart.”

The Pegasus nods and takes off again zipping out through the sky light. Rhede pulls the book out of his bag going through the notes, whistling a bit.

“I wish I knew more medical stuff cause this looks like it might be impressive.”

“Give it to Velkorn she would know.”

“ Maybe Jer. Hey, Velkorn you learn to read dragon yet?”

She shakes her head and Rhede sighs shoving the book back into a bag. Bleu picks up a rather large chunk of crystal that had rolled under a fallen section of wall when the statue fell over.

“Hey Princess, I found another chunk of the dragon. Want to smash it too?”

Bleu holds up a fairly sizable chunk of oddly shaped black crystal. Velkorn tilts her head looking at it moving a bit closer to make sure.

“Well now that is a interesting part, it seems the beast did indeed have a heart.”

Luna raises her head looking over to Velkorn, then Bleu, who now looks the chunk of rock over as if trying to see how it was a heart.

“It doesn't look anything like a heart.”

“All the drawings ponies make of a heart, do not look anything like the real body part.”

======================
[Present day]

“Starfall whats the situation?”

“I've got this wing sealed, so long as she doesn't go out a window we should be OK. The Princess has been moved away from the situation, the Royal Guard are guiding all the servants and guests out of this wing and Velkorn is keeping an eye on them to make sure she doesn't try to sneak out that way.”

“Good, Help Bleu cover the windows Rhede should be pushing her towards the end of the wing tell Bleu to barricade the doors there.”

“On it.”

=================================================== [Three days ago]

Luna had Velkorn take the heart to put in her bags, Jer'rahd managed to figure out a way to remove the armor. It had been rather simple too, a little more than a tap of his hoof against the gem on his chest and the armor folded up into itself leaving a necklace of the same coloration of the armor with the gem still set into it. Rhede had curiously poked Starfall's chest to see if the armor would strip from her and was belted across the room after it failed to work.

“OK, this armor is really good, I didn't even feel that! Plus now we know some one else cannot take it off.”

“You want me to find a way to hit you so you will feel it Rhede?”

The others play around with the armor a bit before all but Luna Simply leave it off in order to be recognized by the Guard when they return.

“The question is why did we all get armor and Luna just got a new hair doo?”

“I am afraid I do not know Bleu, the armor is a new thing, though my sister was surprised that my use of the Element to seal Discord was a crown. When she wielded it before it was little more than a bracelet.”

“So the armor changes per its use or per its wielders?”

“My sister would likely know more, although it may reflect the very nature of the Element of magic, It has the power to change the world at a whim, but with out the other elements it is nothing......”

“KAISUR, PELT, WHERE THE BUCK ARE YOU TWO HIDING!!!!”

At the sound of Mustangs bellowing, both Rhede and Jer'rahd put their armor back on.

“I would ask that none of you mention what has happened between the dragon and myself.”

“I swear it is not something we will tell any one about, but I would ask that I am allowed to check you out.”

“What, why Velkorn?”

“Something bad happened to you, I want to make sure he did not do more too.”

“Alright, but not now.”

“I knew I would have to wait, just make sure it is not done too late. Keeping mind it is not just you, others have suffered this fate too.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Luna shivers as part of the wall is suddenly knocked down and a very pissed off looking General Mustang flanked by a smirking General Shower and a impassive Ruin storm into the room.

“PELT WHAT THE BUCK YOU LYING SACK OF SHIT!!”

“I did no such thing General, I told you exactly where, the Princess was supposed to be and lo and behold she was right where I said she would be.”

“YOU …. YOU.....”

“See now that is funny. Congrats Pelt you finally made my father in law at a loss for words. So whats with the new duds any way ….wait is that Princess Luna?

“It is, Sir.”

General Shower bows her head a bit as Mustang Sputters and Ruin remains as he was, looking bored.

“I gather everything went well on your end, Sir?”

“More or less seems Ruin here jumped the gun and didn't bother waiting for a signal and just hit the Castle as soon as he got there, most of the draconic forces wound up where he was by the end of it.”

“They were all weak, none even came close to giving me what I seek.”

“Yeah yeah, least Kaisur waited till I struck like he was supposed to, that was rather fun, not often I can just cut loose like that. I take from the Princess there you managed to do fairly well. I guess the new clothes have something to do with that light show that knocked all the half breeds out of the sky too. Still wish you Let Starfall come with me, but it seems to have panned out.”

“It worked out well. And Starfall is a member of Luna's Guard above anything else, Sir. Her being here with us enabled our victory. What happened to Three Bear?”

“That little bear of his ate to much and has a belly ache, hes taking care of it so the parents don't freak out.”

“Enough with the witless banter. Princess are you alright?”

“As well as to be expected after my captivity General.”

“So what is the plan now?”

“No different than before we move on to crush Cindervale.”

Jer'rahd sighs, General Shower looks and Mustang winces a little.

“What? What is it?”

“We have full recall orders from Princess Celestia in the event of this mission being a success Princess.”

“She is not in control of the Guard, she cannot do that.”

“She took control when you were missing, she gave the order then and will not allow us to do anything else until you come back home and discuss it with her.”

“What can she even do to stop us?”

“Cut off supplies for one, recall all the equipment we have. The cannons and shield stones are only considered on loan from her school. “

“This is ridiculous.”

“I agree Princess, but in this situation we have to listen to your sister. “

“No, If she will not allow our advance then we will hold here instead. I shall return to Canterlot myself and deal with her.”

Rhede ponders and shakes his head a little earning him a glare from Jer'rahd and Luna.

“This might not be a bad idea to return home Princess, all these troops have been through hell, might be nice to let them relax a bit and have some leave before we launch a big invasion.”

“It would be easier to keep them here and ready to go Rhede.”

“It's just a suggestion Jer.”

“Well Princess?”

The armor fades from Princess Luna returning her to her normal form though she looks much more ragged then any of them have ever seen her, her fur and hair matted with blood, dirt, and grime from her captivity. Only the white gold crown on her head remained unblemished, her eyes seemed to burn with a inner fire as well.

“Fine, secure these locations strip them of everything and set up a prison for the captives. I want these places picked clean and destroyed completely before any one falls back, by the time that is done we should be ready to launch an offensive. Cindervale will fall.”

=========================================

“Rhede where is she?”

“Got her cornered in the main ballroom though shes barricaded herself inside.”

“Like that will stop me.”

Armor forms around Jer'rahd as he charges towards the door to the ball room, gaining speed down the long hall.

===========================================

[Two days ago]

Bleu straightens up yawning a bit as she looks down at the Guards that surround the courtyard she had landed in. She had yet to remove her armor on this flight and had just landed where she wanted ignoring the few attacks sent her way as they bounced off her armor. Once she was on the ground she was nearly swarmed until Princess Luna and the others hopped off her back ordering a stand down. Once the Guard relaxed some she shrunk down to her small dragonling size, rather surprised the armor changed too and hopped onto Jer'rahd's back for the rest of the trip.

“So think she is going to tackle you again Luna?”

“Most likely Jer'rahd.”

“That why you put your armor back on?”

“That and I am more comfortable in this at the moment.”

“I can under stand that.”

“So what are you gonna do with your old armor boss?”

“Keep it of course, never know when I will no longer be able to wear this. Why get rid of something useful, besides it was a gift.”

Luna glances back at that as the others inch away from the Princess a little expecting at any time for Celestia to tackle her. They enter Princess Celestia's study to find the Princess sitting on the other side of a table some what stretched out sipping tea. Her face had the remnants of a hoof print shaped bruise on it still, but other wise she seemed fine though not as hyper as expected. Rhede winces a little at the sight of the mark though only Jer'rahd and Starfall knew where she got it.

“Hello sister.”

“Good to see you back Lulu... though I have my doubts this is what you really wanted to do.”

“Clearly.”

“You must understand our position on this, The Griffons, Diamond dogs and Zebra's have all informed us that if we take any stance against Cindervale because of this they will get involved. It seems they believe the dragons claims it was only a splinter group of one party that attacked. The nation as a whole claims nothing to do with it .”

“That is a massive bunch of manure Princess, and doing what I do I can tell that.”

“I am quite aware of that Rhede, it is the aid the other nations will give to the dragons if we attack that is the issue. Although it does seem that I chose the bearers correctly after all. “

“Don't change the subject Tia.”

“There is not anything I can do but change the subject. We can hold our own against any of these forces, but not all at once. The dragons planned for their defeat rather well.”

“I do not like this at all.”

“Understandable, may I continue, and please sit.”

They all seemed reluctant though eventually every one did save Luna and Jer'rahd, both of whom also remained armored, likely to mask how pissed off they were.

“Do you know how I knew I had chosen correctly this time?”

“Rather curious on that especially after out failures Princess.”

“Well Starfall, it was when you all remained with my sister despite failing, you still sought to remain her friend and friends with each other. At first I thought it was just a nice gesture, but then you told me about the visions.”

“Yeah we failed big time with those.”

“No Bleu, you did not, I have been studying the Elements of Harmony since I first wielded them, and doing so twice in my life time has given me a bit of insight. The tests were not tests. They were the questions for the test which is everything that happened after. After all the horror you saw Bleu you could still laugh. Likely the bearer of Honesty flat out told you what to do Starfall. He always was a bit bull headed. I am not sure for either of the rest of you, but does this sound similar?”

Velkorn mutters something about failing to kill compassion and Rhede grumbles something about sacrifice. Jer'rahd snorts in annoyance.

“Nothing I have done or seen is even remotely close to what happened in my test. What was done there is not even something I would even consider doing.”

“Well I am curious now General Kaisur.”

“You are going to have to remain that way Celestia.”

Rhede looks a bit leery, knowing what Jer'rahd saw, though he says nothing

“Hmm fine then, It is none of my business I suppose, not now at least, as the Elements have accepted you, though armor is new. Does it come off or are you both stuck in it? Because honestly, you both look rather terrifying in all that black. How do you even brush your mane now Lulu?”

Jer'rahd shakes his head as Bleu snickers a bit. Luna sighs letting the armor reform back into the crown planing to say something else though was cut off by a sudden blur of motion as the white alicorn leaps from the other side of the table and tackles her sister in a hug with a speed that made even Starfall blink in surprise.

“Yay, Lulu's safe.... ewww.... and smelly, you need a bath sister...”

“Get off of me Tia!”

==============================================

The door explodes inward though Jer'rahd is caught before he even clears the debris and flung back out the door nearly colliding with Rhede. He lands hard, armored hooves digging into the floor tile rearing up the mozac. He surges forward again struggling against the force trying to lift him away. Rhede moves in and is caught as well, though both magic fields drop as Starfall bursts in a window and Bleu takes out a wall.

The group advances on the form in the corner as Velkorn gallops into the room coming up behind them.

“I would ask that you stop trying to run now.”

“Seriously this is getting old, at least throw some pies or something.”

“Bleu!”

“What I’m hungry?”

================================================

“Boss you should get a bath too, all that fighting and being dead cannot be good for your odor.”

Jer'rahd glances back from the balcony smirking a bit before turning his gaze up to the sky again. Bleu grumbles and moves over leaning against the railing as well looking up.

“So you saw her too huh?”

“I did Bleu.”

“So what did she tell you?”

“She was leaving, and could not watch over us forever, she asked me to move on and she said she told you the same..”

“Close enough. Not easy too do though.”

“I know.”

“Really you seemed alright with Scarlet.”

“Yes well, rebound I suppose. And look what happened to me for it.”

“Good point. So you believe that star stuff you were spouting?”

“Her's is gone now. So yes.”

“Gone?”

“Three Bear claims the buffalo legend is that the stars are souls of those who have yet to move on from the world into another life or the next world. Most often they still have things they wish to do or have to do before they move on. Only the important souls burn bright enough to be seen. I found her star before the battle. She watched over us then, but it looks like she has moved on now. I suppose we should as well. Hmmmm, that is a interesting thought.”

“Whats that boss?”

“Whether she came back or moved on. How did she like it here Bleu. I heard a bit of her life from the time we had, but that was mostly about you and her work with the ESO. The only bits I learned of her life were slips or when she responded to something from me. Would she have a reason to come back here?”

“Shitty parents, a crappy life, high stress, and that deal with the asshole. She considered the meetings she snuck off to with you as a high point in that life boss, because you didn't care who she was, past what she was willing to tell you.”

“Delightful I was a high point and I got her killed.”

“No boss, she would have done that show with or without you being there. She loved singing more than anything, because you were there and of what we did it gave her song a purpose greater than simple entertainment, her final song saved lives and stalled the war long enough for us to be ready for it. She did not die in vain, and she died doing what she loved.”

“Heh, I suppose, she had plenty of good things to say about you as well Bleu. I think you were a reason she kept going too.”

“And you wonder why I was so devoted.”

“No I don't wonder.”

“She did tell us to move on.”

“Kinda hard to do knowing she was watching us.”

“Yeah, damned dead mare friends, prolly watching and judging your performance with whoever you get with after ward.”

“Yeah, that makes me comfortable. Thank you for that Bleu.”

“I still miss her.”

“I do as well. Come on, lets see if there’s anything to eat. I've got guard duty tonight after Starfall.”

“Really not planing to leave her alone again are we?”

“Rhede, Velkorn, and I have taken rooms near hers. I figure you need a bigger bed now any way. Starfall still has her daughter to go back to.”

“Yeah, maybe the royal pantry has some gems..... the ones I brought with me are going stale.”

“They do that?”

=====================================================

The group stands around the huddled form backed into a corner, Jer'rahd lets his armor return to the necklace taking a step closer and getting growled at.

“You make us go through all this for something you promised to do, why Princess?”

Luna turns her head but remains backed into a corner.

“Well?”

“I... Don't want any one touching me I don't want to know.”

“Too bad.”

“Jer, seriously?”

“We just spent two hours causing a complete riot to lock down an entire section of the castle so we could prevent others from knowing what happened to you. Just because you decided to run the moment Velkorn showed up to check you out. So forgive me if I am a little pissed.”

“You have no idea.....”

“No I don't, because only my mind was raped and completely bucked with, that’s not exactly as easy to check out as anything physical.”

“If my fear of this is such a small thing for you to understand perhaps I should throw you in the nearest lake to that you might experience it again for your self....”

“Luna Seriously?”

Jer'rahd closes his eyes even the thought sending a shudder racing through his body. Luna bit her bottom lip realizing the threat she said.

“Fine....”

“What?”

“I said fine, if throwing me into water is something that you claim is as terrifying as what you are going through, and if that makes it easier for you to get it over with then go ahead and throw me. Just send Bleu along as well to fish me out so I don't drown. You need to do this, if nothing else then to check to see if we are going to have to figure out how to explain why you look like your carrying a foal in a few months or less depending on what he gave you.”

“I had not …....... fine..... just …... “

“Just what? I said we are here for your Princess and we will not let anything happen to you we can help. But you are going to have to let us do that, we will have a hard time helping you if you fight us every step of the way.”

“Alright, I am sorry.”

“Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Velkorn and Starfall, you trashed her new medical room in the escape and pulled Starfall from her daughter. I don't do anything else out side these walls so you didn’t take me from anything. Now if there’s nothing else, I need to go explain why I thought a drill would be a good idea at random to your sister and Mustang.“

Jer'rahd turns heading out stepping over the rubble leaving the others with the Princess.

“I think boss is having a bad day.”

“Bleu Seriously?”

“Shut up Rhede.”

=============================================

Mustang pants glaring at Jer'rahd who simply stood there letting the General raise hell about what went on this afternoon. He had started close to two hours ago.

“Half assed panic button pushing idiot. Did this even prove a damned thing?”

“Canterlot is not ready for an attack, Sir”

“WE KNEW THAT!!”

“The test simply proves it, Sir.”

“GAH you will tell me if you plan to do anything like this again!!”

“Of course Sir, unless we are testing you as well.”

“GRAHH, why you.....”

“That is enough General, I wish to talk to Kaisur alone Please leave.”

“But...... yes Princess.”

Mustang glares at Jer'rahd who remains impassive from the glare before storming out, leaving Jer'rahd with Princess Celestia. The Sun Goddess takes a sip of tea and motions a wing for Jer'rahd to sit.

“No thank you, I prefer to stand.”

“It was not a offer General Kaisur. Sit down you are making me nervous like that .”

Jer'rahd sighs moving to take a seat across from the Princess, his eyes remaining on Celestia as if expecting something.

“Why were you chasing my sister through the castle today?”

He winces a bit though it figures she would have found out something.

“It is not my business to tell you.”

“I could always make you tell me what you know.”

“You could, I have no doubt about that, but that likely would limit the chance Princess Luna might tell you herself, plus I doubt I would be very effective as a Element Bearer afterward.”

“ I knew you were good at keeping secrets General, I simply did not expect you to keep them from me.”

“I appreciate all the help you have given Celestia, but my loyalty between you two is to your sister first.”

“Admirable I suppose. Allow me to tell you a story General, and like most things I tell you I would ask you keep it a secret.”

“Unless it becomes a threat or is needed to be revealed for the good of Equestria.”

“Like your friends new weapons? Yes, I suppose that one could not be avoided if you wished to rescue Luna. This one should have no bearing on anything like that, but it shall help you understand my point of view.”

“I find it odd that you would trust me with any thing.”

“You have proven yourself to be trustworthy on more than one occasion. You are up front and open on nearly everything except what you are told to keep to yourself, so the fact your hiding something worries me. Now for the little tale.”

Celestia sets down her tea cup and shifts on the pillow. Her delaying was making him nervous and she seemed to notice and enjoy it. Right before telling her to get on with it, she started.

“At some point or another in the lives of any Alicorn, we become a bearer of an Element, or are in contact with the bearers, closely in contact. I personally have wielded Magic, Loyalty, and Compassion in my years. This is the second time my sister has wielded Magic. Magic is the strongest, with magic one can rip the world apart and rebuild it anew. It is also the weakest as it is useless without the others. Trust, love, and friendship are needed to bring out that power. And if those three things fail, is one the worst of things can happen.”

“Your sister mentioned that about magic.”

“Good to see she remembers something I tell her.”

Jer'rahd raises an eyebrow not seeing a point to this so far, but like Rhede every time he was told anything Celestia tended to go all the way around her flank with her left hoof to reach her right.

“You asked before about Aviana. She wielded the elements as well, Magic and then Compassion, at least three times that she told me of. When I first met her the world was in great turmoil and strife. Equestria had just formed and was already ripe with external problems and monsters. I was embroiled in many of these personally with my friends of the time. We had gleaned her interest as well as her sisters.”

Celestia sighs at that.

“It has been long enough that I have forgotten the name of Aviana's older sister. No matter, we were sent out to acquire the Elements, a rather powerful monster had been terrorizing Equestria and conventional magic and forces were not working against it. There were no legends of them then, no tales to tell us what they were or how to use them. But in those days like now one simply does not say no to a goddess, no matter who you may be. We ventured forth and found them using them to defeat the creature. After the battle Aviana's sister vanished and I was asked to take her place at Aviana's side. I accepted of course, but that is not the point of this. When we destroyed the monster we also freed another creature that had been trapped inside the beast, a dracoinus. He offered no fight or a hint of what he was, simply he wished to speak with Aviana. While he was a strange creature, he was not any threat we could determine and we were rather full of ourselves after beating the monster. Aviana's face lit up like the sun when she saw him, it was still perhaps the most glorious thing I have ever seen. Aviana knew him, he was her Element of Laughter, and he was long thought dead. “

“You're talking about Discord.”

“Yes, although that is not what he went by then. He had long since developed a crush on Aviana, he actively had sought to seek a way to extend his life though spent far too much of it asleep, he had been successful. While Aviana was thrilled to see her friend she in no way returned his affections. While clearly saddened by this he was content to remain with us, I had to admit he was amusing, and as my friends died of old age he and Aviana were the only constants in my life. Aviana often remained at the castle sending us out to recover things, his knowledge put him in the great library more often than not researching something for her. However his frustration at her indifference to his attentions wore on him until he snapped one day. He used some spell and had his way with her, before fleeing the castle.”

Jer'rahd finally saw where this was going but did not bother to stop her.

“At that time I did not have the code I follow now and I sought to end him for taking advantage of her and ruining my complacency. I did not find him until he resurfaced decades later and began the Discordian war. I did not cease my search for him in all that time. I found traces and hints of him that I followed leaving a blood soaked path across the world. When I did find him I could do nothing for how well he had prepared for me. I fled returning to Canterlot and gathered an army. The war was Luna's trial in fire, and she handled herself perfectly, my sister and I ended Discords reign sealing him in stone with the Elements. She with Magic, I with Loyalty. Aviana gave her powers up after that, choosing to live on her own, as a pony and die as one. She never seemed to come to terms with what happened to her with Discord. Luna was furious at what her friends had done as well, running off with the elements including mine. So at the time I could not even try and comfort Aviana and by the time Luna was settled she had passed on.”

Celestia takes a sip of tea.

“Luna has yet to forgive them completely, considering they died in those temples and left her alone, I cannot say I blame her. I expect your test is different, with what Starfall said it is clear their spirits were still there. I was the last wielder of Loyalty and I never met the pony that managed to steal that one. Your test might not have been a vision, but simply something literal like Starfall's.”

“Why tell me this?”

“Because I was once called the bloody ghost, when I hunted Discord for what he did to Aviana. My fur was so stained with blood that it was pink for a century. I have heard the reports and I can put two and two together Jer'rahd. I understand what must have happened to Luna. And I assure you I am also quite aware of what all of you want to do, and if it were not for the other races I would agree with it in a moment and even go so far as to aid you in wiping Cindervale off the face of the world.”

Her eyes burned as she stared at Jer'rahd, he had seen her anger before and this was beyond that, she was trapped in the webs of politics so deeply the frustration would have driven a lesser pony mad by now.

“............ I believe you Celestia. But your sister needs to tell you herself what transpired, it is not my place.”

“I understand Jer'rahd. But I ask that you understand that I am not halting the war because I am desperate for peace, I am halting it because we have little choice otherwise, we cannot fight a war on all fronts and survive.”

“I know, we do not have the power for it. But it still does not sit well with me, with any of us.”

“Just help my sister understand it, and keep her from doing anything we will all regret.”

“I will do my best.”

“That is all I could hope for. Though there is one more thing.”

“And what is that?”

“There will be a parade through Canterlot to celebrate the return of the troops, and once again General Mustang is letting you handle the speech.”

“Oh for bucks sake.”

“Language General.”

=========================================

“Wait wait what ? No that cannot be right are they serious?”

“Yes, They are serious Mr. Pelt.”

Rhede smacks his head against the desk and the paper he had been reading, the loud thunk of his head hitting the desk repeatedly the only sound in the office for a few moments. While the work was lighter since Jer'rahd was back doing his own paper work, Mustang had stopped sending him anything, and he fired all the old staff, it was what he still received from Princess Celestia sometimes. It was all diplomatic nonsense.

“The dragons want us to pay for all the supply wagons that were destroyed, claiming they were on a peaceful mission to aid Equestria? They attack us and demand to be repaid for it? Buck no.”

“Not a fan of dragons I take Mr. Pelt?”

“I have one I tolerate and she still bugs the crap out of me, all the others I’ve met have tried to kill me. So yeah I have a bit of issue. Besides this is crap here any way.”

“Didn't the Griffons try the same thing after the War of the North?”

“ Good eye, yeah they did and we are going to handle this the same way. Take a letter, inform them we will be happy to pay the seven hundred thousand bits they demand for their wagons, just as soon as they pay the several billions of bits required to rebuild the great wall and compensate the civilians that were forced to evacuate from their political maneuver. Such an act would be a gesture of good will from the dragon empire and be a great step forward to smooth over any lingering hostilities between our lands.”

He smirks as the unicorn assistant jots all this down to fine tune later, Brass Candle was a rather rare find, she was good at her job and attractive. Pity she was married and thus off Rhede's target list.

“That's not going to go over well.”

“No, but send a copy of both letters to the Griffons, Diamond Dogs, and the Zebra leaders. We are keeping this in the open and making the dragons look as bad as possible to the other nations.”

“Yes Mr. Pelt.”

===================================================

Jer'rahd shifts a little in the hall way, yawning lightly. He remains in his armor standing as still as a statue outside the Princess's door. Starfall had gone home hours ago and he had long since gone past bored and into light catnaps while standing at Luna's door. He had long ago figured out how to sleep standing up and the armor just made it that much easier. If this situation was anything else he would not even risk these naps, but in the middle of Canterlot by the royal chambers surrounded everywhere by the Royal Guard,this was more of a precaution and a desire to not let Luna be alone any more if she did not want it. It was less guard duty and more sticking close to a friend who was having some issues. He was some what upset over the crushed daydreams he had occasionally of wooing the Princess some how, but then he never expected anything to come out of those thoughts any way.

His ears perk as the door behind him creeks open, a faint glimmer of light seen from a errant strand of the Princess's hair blowing out of the partially opened door.

“General?”

“Yes, Princess?”

“I am sorry about earlier today, both the running and the threat.”

“I said you did not need to apologize to me.”

“I believe I do, I promised you I would let Velkorn check me out and I tried to break that promise.”

“You were scared. I understand that. I suppose you are better now?”

“Considering that there will be no half breed born of me from this, I am doing much better.”

“That's good, because I am horrible at babysitting. Ask Maw about that sometime. Fox and Wolf pretty much galloped all over me.”

“Hehe....”

“So... that was not your first I hope.”

He shuts his eyes really wanting to slap himself in the face for that, stupid tired brain getting away from him.

“Wha.... you have absolutely no tact General.”

“I am well aware of that Princess, I grew up with Rhede after all.”

“Even he would not ask something so personal.”

“Likely right, then again he has surprised me before.”

“No.”

“No, he has there was the time....”

“No General, I mean that was not my first, thousands of years boredom does bring opportunities to find diversions, while I am not as promiscuous as my sister can be I am not inexperienced. The question is why do you ask?”

Quick excuse, quick excuse, ahh, got it.

“Something Starfall brought up, and that I saw in the reports of the others that were rescued. The mares
who had this as their first were traumatized to the point that no pony can even get near some of them now. It was how you acted earlier, that made me think of it. I simply wondered how much I needed to be on my tippy hooves on certain things.”

“All things considered, and aside from your rather blunt method of questioning,and overly sarcastic nature, you are fine as you are General. There is nothing wrong with you other wise..... aside from the disregard you seem to have for keeping your mane and tail in any sort of neat order.”

“They are clean and I keep them short for purposes of fighting. Besides, my tail and mane match the rest of me, I am not a pretty pony.”

“Gen...... Jer'rahd, may I trust you enough to tell you something.”

“That will be up to you if you can trust me enough or not. I have given you my life on more than one occasion. Literally once or so I am told.”

“Though that has been your duty.....”

“I think I have progressed a bit further than just doing this out of duty Luna. I have meant it even time I have called you a friend. So have the others, I had hoped you were doing the same, particularly considering we all have these impressive new clothes to show for it.”

“Friendship does not mean absolute trust Jer'rahd.”

“It does to me, if I can trust a pony with my life, I can trust them with anything.”

“Straight forward as always.”

“So what is it you were going to tell me?”

“Do you recall the books we recovered from our first trip into the Darklands?”

“Yes, I also am aware Celestia is not happy you have been reading them.”

“That cannot be helped. I have found quite a few useful things in them. Including something which I will need every ones help with.”

“What is it?”

“A ritual, one that should grant whoever uses it a great deal of power, something we need now. I plan to use it and stop anyone from ever attacking us again.”

“It is from one of Discord's books, that sounds like something dangerous to the pony who uses it.”

“It may be, though I have used other spells from the book with no ill effects, I have reason to think this would do the same.”

“Why didn't Discord use it then, or why did you not use it before?”

“Discord may have used it, he was far stronger than he should have been, he was only beaten by the Elements of Harmony wielded by two goddesses. As for why I have not used it, I just found the last of the materials. The ritual is complex and I would need some one to protect me when I am casting it.”

“I will do what ever you wish Luna, but for now it may be better to wait. It sounds like something to use as a last resort, there are still plenty of options open to us right now, with luck perhaps your sister might be right about the peace working this time.”

“Do you actually believe that Jer'rahd?”

“No.”

===================================

The thunder of hooves was nearly deafening and he would have it no other way. A fully decorated chariot in the center of the formation of the 42nd had been set aside form him to ride in. Two Guard ponies stood ready to march down the streets of Canterlot to the central park, pulling the gaudy monstrosity he was to ride in. He glared at the parade coordinators and and sent several Guard's to the medical wing and another set to acquire a few more chariots. There were not many wounded from the 42nd but if they were able he was going to find a way to make sure they got the recognition from this as nonsense as well. The Guards returned with perhaps a good thirty wounded ponies in a series of carts, He let the coordinators decorate the things as best they could before he ordered the march , hooking himself up to one of the wagons as well and pulling a group of the most wounded along with him in the parade.

He was easy enough to tell apart from the normal Guard. The armor granted to him by the Element of Loyalty looked nothing like any of the armor the others wore as their dress uniforms. He did not take the lead of the formation as he was supposed to but marched along with the rest of his troops maintaining the formation.

Ponies lined the street cheering the troops marching down the road along with him. A wing of Pegasus flew over the road trailing smoke in the colors of Equestria's flag. And that little showing was all General Shower had to do, damn lucky mare. He had to give a speech and then listen to several hours of nobles trying to boost their own importance by giving speeches to the gathered troops and the on lookers. The only thing about this that he was proud of was every single pony that joined him in that last assault all three hundred and seventeen of them was marching or riding in this parade along side of him. The blessings of Celestia had been such that nothing thrown against them did more than moderately injure a few of them. There was nothing he could do for the hundreds that would not return home again, but to have accomplished so much with so few fallen was unheard of in any other war Equestria had been in. The media once more had a field day as all the other Generals did their best to lump all the blame or credit on him. There had not been a pony more well known, or thought a hero in history, and he hated every second of it.

He was not sure how, but some how news his death, and rebirth had hit the media. As well as the capture and rescue of Princess Luna. Novels and stories were already starting to pop up each with his epic tale captured in them. Bleu had purchased one and laughed her flank off for hours before letting him know what was so funny. The book was a clop fiction with him as the virile hero of yore breeding every willing female from Camp Geode to Cindervale. It was like they thought he was Rhede. He had spent the next few hours chasing Bleu as she read from it while he kept trying to set the book on fire.

The war was not over, None of the Guard though that it was. The general Populace and the nobles likely thought so , and were the only ones. The attack on the border was repelled and now Equestria was safe, even the papers screamed out that the war was won, the fighting over. Complete bull shit.

The parade finally came to a stop at the park, the Guards gathering before a massive stage set up in the center, thousands of ponies were already there waiting for the speeches and watching the crowds. His gaze was drawn to a foal struggling against his mother trying to rush out into the soldiers to his father. A earth pony Sergeant smiled risking a wave at the little foal before dropping back into a stance of attention. This was going to go on for three hours?

He slips free of the Harness letting another Guard take his place in case they had to move again, and moved out of the formation. He ignored the line of nobles who moved to greet him as he headed to the stage. These were some of the better ones, nobles who had done their best to help with the refugees or the war effort itself and likely did not deserve to be ignored though he had a purpose now. He knew he was supposed to sit through some retelling of the Guard's history, but he got all of that in basic and if he wanted to know more there was a library in Canterlot. He was then to be introduced and then allowed to give his speech, he marched towards the podium completely ignoring the ponies trying to guide him to his seat.

For a brief moment the one who was preparing the historical speech seemed like he was going to argue about Jer'rahd being up there. Jer'rahd's horn glowed lightly and one clasp very noticeably popped open on his scabbard. The other unicorn paled and backed away quickly.

Jer'rahd looks out over the crowd waiting for the voices and cheers to die down before he begins. He let the armor return into the necklace standing there in a simple dress uniform with only his rank shown. Every eye in the crowd and the Guard was on him again and he hated it, this much attention was not something he wanted. And yet it always seemed to come to him.

“AT EASE.”

The gathered Guard relaxed a bit and the few shouts and cheers still going died down.

“When I was told I was to be in this parade I was not happy, then I was told I would be along side the brave ponies who helped drive off those that dared threaten our land and I was thrilled. All this, all the glamor all the media all the pomp and ceremony. Not a one of you cares a bit for this do you. Well neither do I.”

He lifts a rather massive stack of papers off the podium with his magic flicking through the papers before flinging the whole stack back over his head to crash to the stage.

“I was supposed to give that as a speech, then it would followed by hours more of the same, if you want to read the speech check your library later, cause I am not reading it. This war is not over, and do not believe a single pony that tells you other wise. This is just the lull, and since I have no idea how long it will last I will not be the pony that keeps you away from your families a moment longer than I need to. Go enjoy yourselves. You have earned this rest, shows over, GUARD!! DISMISSED!!”

The roar of the soldiers present was almost drown out by the stampede of hooves as the families held at bay charged forward to greet their loved ones. He smiled softly turning back to look to the nobles. Some of them seemed annoyed at what he did, but the majority simply smiled and nodded, a few tossing their speeches into the pile with his and wandering off with a laugh. Perhaps there was hope for some of them yet.

========================================

Jer'rahd chuckles as Bleu goes into a rather detailed description of some of the nobles faces after his speech earlier. The group of them were finally doing what he had wanted to do the whole time they had been gone. They were all gathered in Star cloud’s bar, and he was about to drink his IQ lower again.

Luna reluctantly joined them as did Starfall as neither truly wished to come but pressure from the others had them at least show up in the closed bar. Particularly since Jer'rahd was buying.

Starcloud set the first round of Rainboom Shots on the table before them and went off to get the second round. Jer'rahd smiles and picks up the shot lifting it in the air and knocking it back, he then proceeds to keep going back and crash to the floor the shot glass skittering away from him. Velkorn drops her drink rushing over to check on him as the others panic for a moment.

The zebra blinks, poking the unconscious stallion curiously before checking his eyes. She smirks suddenly, and starts to laugh falling over holding her own sides as she seems to lose it. The others stare a moment, their gazes switching between the laughing Zebra and the comatose unicorn before Velkorn manages to finally control herself enough to speak.

“He is fine, there is no mistake, he simply had more than he could take.”

“One rainboom? Jer drinks about nine of those just to get buzzed.”

“While before that might have been true, it is not any longer thanks to Bleu.”

“Wait! What did I do?”

“All the Gems you broke on his head, when they could not heal his body they healed other things instead.”

“Other things?”

“His liver and guts are like new, it seems he lost his tolerance for booze all thanks to you.”

“Oh buck, boss is gonna kill me when he wakes up.”

Twilight comes back to herself with the loud snores of Rainbow Dash filling the library.

Honestly she was starting to spend more time sleeping here than at home. Of course it was rather nice that she had gotten into books as much as she had, but still, the snoring made it hard to sleep sometimes.

She sighs floating a spare blanket over her friend while she jots down notes. She finally puts the sword and her materials away and douses the lights. With that roaring coming out of Rainbow there was no way she was going to get any more work done. Still it was nice to have the company, for all they annoyed her at times, they all were her friends. She could not even imagine how Celestia and Luna dealt with outliving every pony they knew. Perhaps that was why her teacher always seemed so aloof and why the choice of whether or not to free the five was weighing so heavily on the moon Goddess.

Something to consider later, or just ask about when she had time with either of the Princesses.

Decaying Cliffs

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Decaying Cliffs

“I had heard about that seminar and I was going to go. Unfortunately I had a few other things to take care of that day and missed it, so how was it Fluttershy?”

“It was alright up to a point, but I think I got a bit carried away with some of the things he taught me.”

“Well aside from you being a bit less skittish than last time you were here, I don't see anything negative. Anyway, I am glad to have you here tonight.”

“It is nice to be able to come out here again, I have been far to busy lately. I am so far behind in reading your book too.”

“Its OK, take your time on it. I'm not going any where. I'm just glad you brought back my other copy, I need to fill it out the rest of the way.”

“Yes, sorry about that I have been so busy lately.”

“Its no problem, you all set then?”

“I'm good, go ahead Twilight.”

She smiles turning to the sword and casting the spell. She closes her eyes at the feeling of being pulled into the star filled void. Hopefully Fluttershy would not be too upset over what happened in the last few chapters. She pauses looking over the blade shards a moment deciding to try some one else this time, before she moves to the crossed group of heart arrows floating in the space.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rhede shifts on the bench, rather leery of the situation. He was some what surprised Luna had invited him in, even if it was to just her sitting chamber, and not her actual bedroom. He could not recall the last time he had been nervous about being invited into a mare's room, no wait, it had been the twins. He had decidedly been nervous of his skills with those two, granted considering they passed out before he did, he had to count that as a win.

“Thank you for coming Rhede. “

“Not a problem Princess. So what can I do for you tonight?”

“Do not get your hopes up too high Rhede. Ever since Jer'rahd decided to have some one with me at all times, when I am able, I do try and talk with them. This is the first time you have pulled late duty.”

“I suppose so.”

“I gather you would rather be out chasing some mare or another?”

“Am I that easy to read?”

“Just a thought based on how I have seen you act.”

“Yeah well I suppose. Though I’ve not had the drive for anything serious as of late, far to busy.”

“Are you sure that is all?”

Rhede slid his gaze over the dark alicorn resting on the bench across the table. He studied her curiously, trying to figure her out. Everything he had seen showed she was only a little more subtle than Jer, and no where near the level of Celestia. This line of questioning was bothering him and she seemed hesitant about it. Well best to handle her like he did Jer.

“Your not very good at this are you Luna? Just ask what you want and get it over with. Trying to be sneaky doesn't work for you.”

“I think you would be surprised, though you are correct I am not very comfortable with it. While I do not have the mastery of it the way Tia does, I am far from as bad at it as Jer'rahd.”

“Owch.”

“But yes, I should be direct, it is simpler. What is going on between you and Velkorn?”

“Well that was blunt.”

He sighs shifting on the bench and sighing lightly.

“Not a thing Princess. Not a thing.”

She takes note of his unease her ears perking up a little.

“So another question would be, why not?”

“What?”

“The two of you seem to mesh fairly well together, but lately you both have been almost as business like as Starfall in regards to each other. Before the relationship was much, softer I suppose is the term.”

“Why bring this up...?”

“Because to me it seems like two of my friends are having issues with each other, and I would like everyone to remain as they are.”

“It is a little more complex than that Luna.”

“Only because you are making it to be. If I promise to keep it to myself, will you tell me how you really feel ?”

“Jer put you up to this?”

“No, but I am not blind Rhede.”

“Fine.... and no trying to play match maker either. Bleu does that enough. “

“I will not do that either.”

“Yes, I do care for her, enough that I know there is clearly some pony better out there for her. Even if the vision I saw was wrong, or already happened, I do not expect my end to be long in coming. I don't want her to be in love with a pony that knows he is going to die. Not to mention everything I have done, that is a great deal of baggage to put on any one else.”

“Those are rather bad excuses.”

“Maybe, but they are mine and they are reason enough for me to push her away towards some other pony or zebra or whatever.”

“I see.”

“So then now that your questions out of the way, by fair deal, I get one from you. So when was the last time you had yourself an enjoyable partner in bed.”

Luna frowns wondering if he was trying to flirt or he simply went for the most offensive question he could after what she asked him. She figured the latter by that grin on his face.

“Jer'rahd was right, you can be tactless.”

“Heh I am joking, regardless of how curious I am now. I've got something else to ask you.”

“And what is that? Not more tales of my past encounters I hope.”

“Nothing so base this time. I would like a open invite ticket to the Gala.”

“Hmmm? That can be arranged I suppose but why and for who?”

“Should be easy to tell. The Pelt's have busted their flanks to get PonyVille in enough shape to be habitable. The very least that can be done is to invite the whole family to the Gala. Maw in particular would love it.”

“I do not think Tia will have a problem with that though I am surprised you have not asked her yourself.”

“Been a bit busy lately.”

“Clearly.”

================================================

“Bleu, while I do appreciate that you were so willing to talk, I did not expect you to treat me like your own personal cushion.”

Luna glares at the small form of the dragonling curled up on her back and half hidden under the Moon Princesses' wings.

“It's cold, and your rather warm. Blasted sneaky spring nights, beautiful warm day and then the nights get so cold. No offense. “

“None taken, I do not control the temperature.”

“So what did you want to talk about?”

“Nothing specific though I suppose we could start with Jer'rahd. “

“Hmm? Whatcha wanna know? “

The little dragon had perked up at this, her tail flicking lightly against Luna's back, like a cat when something interesting was spotted.

“How is your relation ship with him?”

“Pretty simple really, I love him.”

She was taken a bit aback by the response and judging by the little dragons grin, Bleu had noticed the reaction.

“Jer'rahd was there for me when Platinum died, she was the only family I had before he came along. She was like my big sister and then she met Jer'rahd. I might have at least had a brother in law if things had happened differently. As it stands I just have a brother now, he did not need to do any of what he did for me. At best I was a helper of a mare he fell in love with, he could have left me to my own ends, but he protected me. He even stood up to,and threatened you and your sister to do so. The only other pony to ever do anything even close to that for me was Platinum. How could I feel any differently after that?”

“Ahh, I see.”

She gives a rather creepy smile.

“You seem a bit relieved at that Princess. I wonder why.”

“What are you implying !?”

“Oh, I think you know.”

“I know I am better than I was two months ago, but honestly is all any of you think about sex?”

“See, I did not bring that up Princess you did. Why is it something you care to discuss!?!”

“Actually there is something I would like to discuss. I was hoping you could actually help me out with something I have been meaning to learn”

Bleu's wings stand out a moment as she stands up her attention focused a bit uncomfortably on the Princess.

“OOOH?!”

The little dragon perks up further clearly expecting something naughty, by the sudden fanning straightening of her wings.

“Do you know how to dance?”

“Well that went in a different direction than my mind did.”

“With what I have noticed of how your mind works, I am glad it did not go that route.”

=============================================

Velkorn takes a sip of her tea looking to the Princess on the other side of the table curiously. She did not recall that she had been on duty tonight, but Luna had asked for her to be there. Perhaps she had something wrong with her, Velkorn was no expert on Alicorn's but considering all she had done with just Princess Luna over the past few years she likely knew more than any pony ever had.

[“ Velkorn if I might ask something personal.” ]

[“You may ask Luna, but that does not mean I have to answer it.”]

[“Fair enough. Is there something going on between you and Rhede?”]

Luna winced watching the zebra seem to deflate a bit with a deep sigh.

[“I could tell that was coming, but it still hurt.”]

[“You did not wish to talk about it then?”]

[“ I will, but I would ask you keep it from the others.”]

[“I have made that promise enough lately. It has become easy to agree to, but progressively more difficult to follow. I will not tell the others.”]

[“Despite what I wish, no, there is not, he made that quite clear the day you were captured. I have had time to get over it, but it still hurts.”]

[“Why do you stay here then, was he not why you came to Equestria in the first place?”]

Velkorn smiles and Luna's ears perk wondering if she said something funny.

[“Despite what his ego might claim, and what it might look like, I did not follow him to Equestria. I came here in my own pursuit of knowledge. Pony kind has different practices than the zebras for medical purposes, the buffalo, and the dragons do as well. I came to expand my skill in healing primarily Luna. Rhede was just a hopeful bonus while I attempted to learn more. I have learned many of the Buffalo's medicines and all of what the ponies have to teach, I have even picked up several things about dragons and sea ponies as well. Even a few tidbits which allow me to help Alicorns in some situations. If I had stayed at home I would know none of this.”]

[“But why stay with us, doesn't just being near him still hurt knowing you lost him?”]

[“Yes. But so long as we are both alive there is a chance he may change his mind. I stopped openly chasing him, but my feelings have not died. Besides I have friends here, and being part of your Guard puts me where I need to be the most.”]

[“I am afraid I do not follow. Why is being one of my Guard important?”]

[“You are the Goddess of War, Luna. You will be at the forefront of any conflict. And I will need to be there with you to help any who need it.”]

Luna smiles closing her eyes a moment.

[“My sister chose the proper pony for the Element of Compassion.”]

[“No. She did not.”]

[“What?”]

[“She chose the proper zebra.”]

======================================================

“Honesty Princess where did you even find these ponies?”

Luna smirks and shakes her head. Starfall had heard that Luna was talking to every one and had one upped the others. She had shown up for her task this time with several bottles of rather strong booze with her. Likely just to taunt Jer'rahd who she was relieving on duty, but also as she seemed to expect some rather personal questions and wanted to keep the edge off. It was some what odd that one usually so strict with herself while on duty would do this, though Starfall had brought up that this was less like a pulled duty and more like just talking with a friend. While Luna did want to ask a few things the conversation had drifted rather rapidly to talking about the Generals Luna had under her command.

“Well Ruin was on a pedestal and the others were all war veterans.”

“On a pedestal? With that much armor its no surprise, he nearly makes Jer'rahd look nude with what he has on. What the heck is his story any way.”

“My sister cannot even answer that one, Ruin has been around longer than any document or memory any one has. He has himself sealed in stone between battles in order to live long enough to find death in conflict from a worthy opponent. He wants nothing else, I have never even seen him eat or drink, he simply fights. I am not aware if he even sleeps.”

“Crazy, there's more to life than fighting. Though if he gets frozen between battles why is he still awake now?”

“He believes that a conflict will come soon and is not worried about waiting for it so he does not miss it.”

“Well, what about Three Bear?”

“He joined the Guard years ago and proved himself quite skilled in the War of the North, it was there he befriended the Ursa's and earned the name he has, as well as his status as Chief and as my General. He is quite honorable and a terror in battle on his own. He does not wish to fight however and is more than willing to simply accept a peaceful solution. I have not seen in a month though General Mustang has him assigned to New Dullahan to watch over everything there.”

“OK, how about Mustang, that ones old enough to be your father even.”

“He is not quite that old Starfall. But he is quite close to or over a hundred I am sure. He is very active for as old as he is and shows no signs of slowing down yet. He has been around since the first dragon war, he fought in that and practically destroyed entire units on his own. His strategies were amazing and he was unparalleled in bravery. He married shortly after the war and sired several children including Meteor Showers husband. Stonehoof is his youngest, born right before his wife died, he was the baby for a while though he was mostly raised by other members of the family as his father was constantly in battles. He is also the only one left alive aside from Mustang himself. Tia thinks his long life has something with his ability, he is nearly immune to magic.”

“That can't be right Princess Celestia was flinging him around like a rag doll.”

“Nearly immune is not the same as completely immune. She was likely burning through quite a bit of power to do any thing like that however. His ability is quite potent. I have noticed that you are of course, saving the Pegasus for last.”

“That easy to read?”

“It is quite clear you have respect for General Shower.”

“Considering that she has raised three foals, remained married, made the rank of General and is one hard push away from being able to do what I do with out any real effort? Yer damn right.“

“Honestly what can I tell you about her that you do not already know.”

“Not likely much. But give it a shot any way.”

“She fought in the war of the North as well. She is the only contact Mustang has with his grand children. Stonehoof and Mustang got into some argument a long time ago and though likely neither remembers it they both are still pissed at each other. Shower is the only one who speaks freely to them both.”

“Impressive.”

“Yet you have done all the same, except achieve the rank she has.”

“Or keep a family together......”

Luna sighs as Starfall readily drops back into depression.

“My sisters mare friend hates me, my sister has issues with me, and My daughter is reaching the age where hanging out with her friends and colts is more interesting than spending any time with me.”

“Every foal has to grow up sometime.”

“Except I have missed most of her life....”

“You have done the best you could, we all likely would have been dead three times over if not for you. We would still be battling the Bone Hounds. The Weindigo would have not have been changed, and the problems with the seaponies still would be unknown as we would not have escaped the behemoth. Then there are the countless lives you have saved with your abilities. You have done more for your daughter and every other child of Equestria than any other pony has. You should be proud of that.”

“Yeah...... “

“I think you have paid Jer'rahd back enough times as well.”

“Heh, I doubt that, besides I still owe you and Velkorn now, and even that annoying little dragon. You have no idea how many Guards she has tried to hook me up with.”

“Actually I can imagine.”

===================================================

“There is one question I have for you Luna. “

“And what might that be Jer'rahd?”

“As far as I know every one else has at least been invited into your sitting room while on duty, yet why am I left in the hallway?”

“The one time I did invite you in, you would up covered in my socks and dress undergarments. The rumors were flying for months.”

“I was drunk. “

“As was I, but there no need for a repeat of rumors.”

“I am believing more you simply want me to suffer. But then I realize your sister dropped the same thing on you.”

“Ugh yes. Do not remind me. She was so entertained last year she is forcing me to go this year.”

“And you are forcing us to go. “

“What, you would not share a friends suffering to help ease it.”

“You are trying to look cute I know it, and there is a door in the way so that fails Princess.”

“I am getting predictable then.”

“Considering we have pretty much been talking every few nights for the last few months like this. I am hope I am at the point where can follow some of your quirks. “

“It has been quite entertaining. I do not sleep much any way at night, it has been nice to talk to some one else who was awake. “

“Not much else to do for us at this point. The clean up is almost over, the destruction of the castles has started making the Darklands normal. Before too long we might have to change the name of them. New Dullahan is now a official outpost. Bleu was quite thrilled they rebuilt the monument at the new keep. I am not happy it is bigger now.”

“You could not have avoided that. Though to return to what we were discussing before our talk becomes depressing again, will you do it?”

Jer'rahd smirks slightly not sure if Luna could see his grin or not.

“As if I would refuse to be your escort to the Grand Galloping Gala again, though I would ask one thing.”

“And that is?”

“I would like to arrive late enough to miss the singing this time.”

“I could not agree to that more.”

=======================================

“Wait you want me to do what Princess? Please say that again because there is no way that can be right.”

Celestia smiles looking at the rather stunned dragon across from her at the table. She floated a few papers over to the dragonling as she spoke.

“I would like you to be in charge of the entertainment this year. We have a band coming in as it is, though I want you to make sure everything is settled with them. The dance was rather cut off last year due to the riot, though while fun, I would like to have a dance this year. With your background with the ESO and music in general, I believe you would be best suited to this. It is not as if my Students are doing much lately that needs supervision.”

Bleu looked though the paper work on the band that was selected reading over it. She suddenly bristles. A low growl emerges from her throat, the spines along her back crackling with energy as she rereads the name of the manager, slash lead singer.

“Something wrong Bleu.”

“How much control of this event are you giving me Princess?”

“So long as there is a decent band and dance, you are free to do as you wish. Why is there something wrong with my choice? The manager was quite persuasive about his groups talents.”

“Yeah Proudmore's a slick bit of manure, nothing wrong with the band though except hes in it. If this name was not in the contract I would be thrilled. “

“Well the contract does state the liaison to the court has final say over any details. And that is you now Bleu.”

A grin that very much matched the one she gave when hearing about Claymore crosses the dragonlings face. And for the first time in many years, Celestia felt very uneasy with one of her decisions.

==========================================================

“So she put you in charge of the music, that's rather impressive. Gala bands are make or break situations.”

“I know, which as me a little worried.”

“You'll do fine. So who is the band? “

“Proudmore and the Nocturnal Miracle.”

“That name sounds familiar for some reason, a bit egotistical though, to have your name then the bands.”

“Really so maybe she did tell you the name boss.”

“Hmm who?”

“Platinum.”

Jer'rahd glances back from the papers on his desk at the little blue dragon who was staring out the window of his office to the training grounds below.

“That does not help me much Bleu, is has been a long time.”

“I suppose she might have mentioned it, but it was not something she talked about.”

“You planning to tell me or just taunt me about it?”

“ Any other time I would continue teasing you. Not feeling up to that now.”

Jer'rahd turns around his attention fully focused on the dragonling , the name already set him some unease.

“Proudmore was her first agent from when she went by Silver Sparkle. He pretty much promised her everything and gave her little in return, making her work for him for practically nothing and keeping most of the profits for himself. He even made sure she never received any fan letters or gifts from the ponies that loved her, he made sure that she thought she was barely worth anything. Treated me like crap too, but the last straw was when he convinced her sleeping with him was a way to advance herself into stardom. Claimed he was doing all this work and everything for her and was getting nothing in return. She gave in and he took what he wanted and left with all the profits from her latest concert. I had been collecting all the fan letters he had been throwing away and when I found her crying over it I did my best to comfort her and I gave her all the letters I had kept. I was way to little then to do anything about Proudmore directly, but all those letters seemed to be enough for her. She almost gave up singing because of that piss bucket, that was a betrayal that stuck with her a long time. The letters helped her recover, knowing ponies loved her singing regardless of what he had said. She seemed to finally be getting over it when she met you.”

“There are plenty of places to hide a body in Canterlot.”

Bleu Smirks though takes note that Jer'rahd was serious.

“I have this boss don't worry. You have other things to worry about. Like how your going to protect Luna if some noble asks her to dance.”

“Wait what?”

Bleu smiles knowing he was still pissed by the glow in his eye though he was fairly easy to derail sometimes.

“Generally when there is a dance quite a few nobles ask to dance with the Princesses. Its sort of a status thing, Celestia and Luna either have to refuse or accept, all invitations to not offend any pony. This year Celestia is not letting Luna refuse an offer to dance. So you need to figure out how to hover around her while not getting in the way of her dance partners.”

Jer'rahd dips his head a bit pondering something, though Bleu was really hoping he would go the route she was trying to steer him towards.

“Well I suppose there is no help for it.”

“No help for what Boss?”

“She does not refuse her sisters wishes very often, so likely the Princess is going to accept who ever offers first simply to get it out of the way. And while seeing her dance again from the sidelines would be interesting. I doubt letting her dance with whoever would be very conductive to my being her escort.”

“OOOH?”

“So then, between your new task and revenge, I do not suppose you might actually be able to teach me how to dance?”

Bleu pauses for a moment realizing she had a victory and also was making herself more problems. Of course he would not know how to dance, he was a war pony for crying aloud....

“I think I set myself up for more work than I thought I would have.”

“What was that ?”

“Yeah sure boss. I can do that.”

====================

A small group stood outside the entrance to the Palace ballroom, two Royal Guard's barring their way inside. A large white unicorn stallion, with a well groomed light blue mane and tail stood at the front arguing with the guards. He wore a pale blue suit that matched his hair and waved a fair sized suitcase at the unflinching Guards faces. A Microphone crossed by a rolled scroll marked his flank.

Just apart from the irate stallion and the Guards was the rest of the band,they had settled in and were already looking bored. A orange coated earth pony stallion with a green mane and tail was the only one still standing. He carried a large bass guitar case and was more than willing to let the Guards search it or what ever else they wanted just so the white unicorn would shut up. His cutie mark was a deep blue base guitar with bat wings. The open case was marked with the ponies name,”Tiger lily”, and contained a powder blue bass guitar with a name engraved in silver on it, “Lady Macbeth.”

Laying on the ground near him were a pair of unicorn mares that were the same cream coloration though one had a pink mane and tail and the others hair was lightish red. The first had a rather large case that was already opened with a mix of various interments, including trumpets, flutes and several stringed instruments. The Pink Haired mare's cutie mark was a page of sheet music though it seemed covered with notes for various types instruments and play styles. The name on her case was “Crystal Wind.”

Her twin laying next to her had a guitar case that was also open to be inspected, her cutie mark was also a page of sheet music though the notes on it were clearly for guitar only. The name etched on this case was Janis Wind.

A bit further from the others leaning against a tree was a fairly pudgy black and white coated unicorn pony. His mane and tail was also black and he wore a pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes and a black fedora dipped down over his horn and face as he napped. A large box was open next to him showing the set up for a large piano, magically contained in the smaller box until it needed to be used. His cutie mark was a selection of black and white piano keys. The name on the case was “Pip Elwood.”

The final pony was a tall thin pegasus stallion of the same black and white coloration as the sleeping pony. He leaned heavily on a large collection of drums and cymbals, twirling a drum stick in his wing feathers. He wore a pair of sunglasses and fedora much the same as the pony on the ground. His cutie mark was a pair of crossed drumsticks over a snare and high hat combination of drums. The name on one of the smaller drum cases was “Sun ray Elwood.”

“This is an outrage, I am performing for the Princess herself at this years gala and you armor plated ruffians are daring to stop me !?!”

“Sorry sir but orders are orders. We have been informed to stop everyone trying to enter any part of the palace and check everything. If you will not submit to your gear being searched you will not be allowed into the castle.”

“Give it a rest already boss and just let them search your crap so we can set up and practice?”

“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM CUR!!?”

“A limp hoofed scumbag full of parisprite droppings and rotten fruit with a garnish of Diamond dog entrails.”

The Guards both shift aside a bit as a Blue dragonling walks down the steps towards the unicorn stallion her eyes burning with rage at the sight of him, and she seems barely restrained from lunging for Proudmore's throat.

“What is this thing doing here? Is it not your job to kill these disgusting creatures, Guards?”

Bleu tisks waggling a claw.

“Is that any way to talk to your Canterlot liaison you stupid son of a donkey turd and a puddle of hydra vomit?”

“Impossible, there is no way some little shit of a creature like you is in charge of anything outside of latrine duty. And I doubt any would even trust you with that.”

The others in the back had moved a bit closer having reconizd the voice before they actually saw her. The band was in a bit of shock at her appearance here.

“Holy crap, Ray is that Bleu?”

“Looks it to me.”

“GET BACK TO YOUR EQUIPMENT YOU MORONS, AND LET ME HANDLE THIS. AND YOU TWO WHY IS THIS THING NOT UNDER LOCK AND KEY OR DID YOU FORGET WE ARE AT WAR WITH THESE THINGS?”

“Getting louder and louder the more you get insulted. That just makes you look dumber. The Guards are not arresting me cause for the moment they answer to me, boss lent me a few for staffing duties out here. Beats drill I know so I got quite a few volunteers. See if I was less of a dragon, I would have been on you and clawing off your face and ripping out what ever part of you makes you go. Including that limp pubic hair you call a dick for what you did to my sister. You nearly ruined her and took her money. But like I said I am better than that. So all that's going to happen is you are not going to play here.”

“WHAT YOU HAVE NO RIGHT! I AM CONTRACTED TO PLAY HERE!”

“You don't listen shrimp dick, I am in charge of the music for this event and I say you don't play. The band, they are more than welcome to play, but you are not. The contract states the band plays, it does not state how many members of the band there needs to be. So it is playing without you,unless you want to violate your own contract. Those stipulations you set are rather high for cancellation. I doubt you could afford them as well as bear the bad press you would get for failing to preform at the Gala after you were documented as such.”

“I am the lead singer in this you little blue piece of crap, without me they are nothing, same as your dead little bitch. She was NOTHING before me. And now she is Nothing.”

Bleu twitches a bit and the Guards actually move further out of the way leaving a clear path between the two.

“I should have tracked you down and killed you then Proudmore. But she did not want me too, she was too sure it was her fault.”

Bleu takes out a scroll breathing on it letting green flames consume it. She sighs closing her eyes a moment claws clenched at her sides before she begins to speak again.

“But she is gone now and I am in charge here. And I will say this again and slowly for your feeble little mind. You are not allowed with in sight of the Gala. Your band is still contracted to play however, unless you wish to pay the cancellation fee.”

“You have no say in anything lizard, as if I would believe the Princess of Equestria would put one of your kind in charge of a gala!!”

“WE WOULD SUGGEST YOU START BELIEVING IT, AS MY SISTER DID INDEED PUT MISS BLEU SCALE IN CHARGE OF THIS EVENT.”

The Guards turn and bow to the Princess of the Night as Bleu does the same. The band members stare in shock before before scrambling to their hooves and bowing as well, with the exception of the pudgy unicorn who continue to sleep.

“Princess Luna , I did not expect to meet you before the Gala , this is not something that needs to trouble you your highness. It is simply a matter of miscommunication as to this creature thinking she is in charge.”

DID YOU NOT HEAR US? BLEU SCALE, THIS VERY ….. “CREATURE”, BEFORE YOU IS THE ONE APPOINTED TO HEAD THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE GALA THIS YEAR. WHAT SHE SAYS GOES HERE, IF SHE HAS DECIDED AGAINST ALLOWING YOU TO PREFORM THAN THAT IS HER CHOICE TO MAKE.”

“That is crap I have a contract to preform here. I will see you lot strung up before a court for this violation.”

The Guards moved back before Luna weapons drawn and Bleu shifted to her full size the armor sliding over her form as she towers over the lot of them her tail curled protectively around the Princess of the Moon.

“That sounded like a threat to me boys what do you say?”

“Indeed. Ms. Scale”
“I agree, it did sound like a threat.”

“ARE YOU AWARE WE ARE AT WAR COMMONER? EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OUTBURST AGAINST ROYALTY IS CONSIDERED AN ACT OF TREASON TO BE ANSWERED BY EXECUTION?”

The white stallions eyes had gotten as big as the cymbals on Sun ray’s drum set, His gaze shifted between the towering dragon and the Princess and the Guards on the verge of wetting himself.

“YOU ARE FORTUNATE WE ARE IN A GOOD MOOD AND UNDERSTAND SUCH AN OUTBURST WAS MADE IN ANGER, RATHER THAN ANY TRUE INTENT. WE SHALL NOT HAVE YOU EXECUTED THOUGH YOU SHALL BE PLACED IN A CELL UNTIL THIS EVENT IS FINISHED JUST IN CASE. TAKE HIM AWAY.”

The two Guards surge forward their horns glowing pulling his bags from him and lifting the still protesting and whimpering stallion into the air carting him off. Bleu shrinks down her armor fading as as she smirks, grinning wide. That grin lessens a little as an annoyed Luna glares down at the dragonling.

“While it is clear he deserved that, I do not like the idea that you would send me a message just to get me to come out here for some sort of petty revenge. Tia and I were in the middle of hearing petitions from the court and nobles.”

“That was not the reason I called you out here Princess. Well not the ONLY reason.”

“Oh? Then what is the other reason?”

“Your first dance lesson. We have a band now.”

“Hmm?”

Luna looks up at the five ponies in various states of bowing, and or sleeping on the other side of the walk way.

“Seems some friends of mine got the band back together.”

======================================

It took a bit for the band to get themselves over the fact Bleu was in charge and the Princess of the moon was watching them set up. Bleu was bouncing among them issuing hugs and taunts and making herself more of a hindrance than a help to the set up. They did not talk much as Luna was still standing there growing a bit impatient, though it was clear she was not exactly eager to go back to the court to hear more nonsense about taxes and zoning.

They managed to set up and play a few melodies. Bleu chose one to play over and over as as a decent practice song. Bleu kept her pony sized form helping the Princess place her hooves and to move with what her partner would be doing. The lesson lasted only about an hour or so as Luna caught on quickly having a excellent sense of balance and form. She still needed a lot of work, but there was a little over a week to keep going with that. The Princess thanked the band and Bleu before heading out with a flash of magic. Bleu grinned and was immediately tackled by all the band members trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

“GAHH HAHAHAHA Get offa me !! Hehehe, Damn Pip seriously have you gotten fatter?“

“Bleu what the hell girl, what is going on, how the heck did you get this gig, what happened, where you been all this time?”

“Ray seriously one question at a time, and really git offa me I can't breath!

The lightish red haired unicorn mare, Crystal, hugged the little dragon.

“I can ask you idiots the same thing, I thought you guys broke up when Tiger lily and Janis broke up.”

The earth pony basest and the other unicorn mare glanced at each other before looking away sheepishly.

“Yeah well, we found it was a little hard to get gigs on our own. Eventually we just started playing together again. It's great to see you Bleu, we heard what happened to Platinum though .Sorry about that I wish we could have been there.”

“Its alright Sun Ray, a lot of stuff has happened, if you all had been there you probably would have been killed too. I guess I have a bit of time to fill you in.”

Bleu started the story rambling off in a bit of excessive detail on some parts though leaving a few things out of the entire last few years, in particular everything about the failed mission for aid, and a few other secrets, that should not have been passed along.

“Damn you have been busy. So do we get to meet your new boss before long?”

“Oh yes, I am teaching him to dance as well.”

“Really? Why not get him and the Princess on the same floor then, its easier to teach two newbies and from what you said they seem to like... oooooooohhhhh. Clever girl.”

“Yeah, I thought as much, still trying to play match maker huh you annoying little lizard?”

“Hey its not my fault you two didn't work out Tiger Lily, you two seemed perfect, what the heck happened any way?”

The two looked a bit sheepish again.

“We couldn't agree on anything and pretty much fought most of the time, there was other stuff but mainly as he's just a wus who won't stand up for himself.”

“Better than a vicious harpy trying to control everything and picking fights with everyone.”

The group turns ignoring the two as Bleu watches the argument a moment more before ignoring them as well.

“So tell me Pip, Crystal, Ray... How did you get sucked in by scumbag, you know what he did to Platinum.”

“Its been bad with all these wars Bleu, no pony gives a crap about music, they are all to interested in setting their bits aside for the war effort or stockpiling. Despite all that some how Proudmore always managed to get paying gigs. He made us an offer, and it was either refuse and give up music, or play by his rules. His contract is murder too, I have yet to figure a way out of it.”

“That's pretty bad if you can't weasel out of something Ray. Find the stallion of your dreams yet?”

“Pfft the contract even states I'm not allowed to chase them while with the band. Makes finding love a bit hard.”

“No luck with me either Bleu, least my sister got to have a bit of love there for awhile. I'm not even allowed to have any fun unless its with Proudmore, and that ain't happening. We need some pony really good at loop holes to find our way out of this.”

“You guys still have a copy of this contract..... I might know a pony, but I will need you and your sister to put on the charm hardcore to convince him.”

The fat pony had been silent all this time lifts his hat pulling a rolled parchment from out of it before pulling the hat back down over his eyes and offering the scroll to Bleu.

“Ahh, OK, thanks Pip.

“Ooh been a while since I’ve done a good tease. Hey sis we got a vamp job?”

The other unicorn turns from the argument as the earth pony she was arguing with snorts in disgust.

“Oh who's the lucky target?”

==================================================

“HEY RHEDE!!!”

“Oh buck..... hello Bleu. What do you want?”

The little dragon practically dances into the office flipping up to land on the one small clear spot on Rhede's desk meeting the annoyed earth pony's gaze with her own rather bright chipper one. Whether it was the work he was doing, or the fact she had matched his coloration right down to the one black colored leg, it was clear he was annoyed.

“Is that any way to greet a friend?”

“What do you want?”

“Pfft fine. Got a job for yah.”

“I have a job, and you're interrupting it.”

“Jeez when did you get all grouchy, most likely cause you have not gotten laid in a while.”

She boops his nose with the rolled up contract scroll and his ears flatten to his head.

“I have said before, you are not my type, why don't you go bug Jer'rahd?”

“That's the next part of the plan, but this is first, and I didn't mean me. JANIS, CRYSTAL, get in here.”

The twins all but floated in the door, sashaying into the room like runway models, their hair was down half draped over their forms, light silks barely covered their flanks as they wandered in delicate hooves barely sounding on the wooden floor of the office. They were going full out for this, Bleu knew a couple of exotic dancers who would be jealous. Bleu glanced back at Rhede the tip of her tail pushing shut his wide open mouth. The two made their way to the desk and around it pressing to either side of the red coated stallion.

“Oh you were right Bleu, he is good looking”

“Bleu has told us quite a bit about you, most of it good, which is surprising for her.”

“These will be the two your work on my little job helps.”

Rhede glances between the two mares rubbing against him and smirks.

“And what exactly is it that needs to be done?”

Bleu unrolls the scroll letting him read it over, the two mares backing away a bit as he scans over the contract visibly wincing at some of the dicier things.

“Who ever wrote this was scum, clever but still scum. But there's a couple of little loop holes I’ve spotted already. I can get them out of this Bleu.”

The dragonling cheers and starts darting off with the ponies before Rhede coughs, slamming a hoof down on the desk.

“No no, just you Bleu, you want me to do the work, these two stay here for a bit to get better acquainted. Other wise you find yourself another pony to do this.”

Bleu was about to protest when she saw the look on his face. It was not his usual perverted grin. He looked rather pissed, and a good bit of it seemed to be directed at the three of them. Bleu glances to the pair who wince a little, but shrug seemingly resigned to this. She finally heads out of the office feeling bad for putting the two mares in this situation.

====================================================

Rhede looks between the two mares who do not seem to be too happy to have put them selves here. Rhede for the most part ignores them a bit writing out a few things on a blank parchment before spitting out the pen and glaring at the two.”

“So which of you is Crystal and which is Janis? Or do I need to guess, in some sort of odd foreplay game?”

“Ummm.”

“You two are good at the seduction thing, but I’ve been trained in recognizing and ignoring it. Regardless of what Bleu might think, I am not doing this because you two tried to vamp me. In fact I am insulted she thought she had to do that to ask me a favor. She annoys the piss out of me but then so does Jer, and both of them I am legally related to. All she would have to do is ask me, and I likely still would have done something.”

The mares look at each other a bit surprised though Rhede continues.

“I don't know of your connection to her, but if I find out you all are using her for your own ends, it will not go well for you at all. A few band members will not even make a dent in the number of ponies I have made vanish, are we clear?”

Both of them looked shocked, but Crystal recovered first storming over to the desk and returning the earth ponies glare.

“I don't know who the buck you think you are, but no pony threatens my sister, we did not ask her to do a damned thing, she offered. For you to accuse us before you even know a damn thing you.. you ....... gah you asshole....”

“Yes, very eloquently put, however that was not a accusation. That is what will happen if you do anything to hurt her, period. Despite being a dragon she is family, and as you are quite to jump to your sisters defense I am just as quick to jump to mine. If you have no intent to do so and what you say is true then there is nothing to worry about. But if you do plan on causing her any harm after all she has been through, it would be best if I found you before the others did, because at least I will end you quickly. Here.”

Rhede rolls up the scroll he had written flipping it towards the mare at his desk who catches it with her magic.

“What you need to do is simple. The contract has you as members of his band. It states that if any one member is a cause of the bands inability to preform that member is to be fired, with a rather impressive fine. Of course there's a sub clause excluding the manager from the fine, but he can still be fired. Now the other thing in there is that unless the majority of the band members vote for the band to break up it is the same as quitting which is another fine. The lead singer was also given sixty percent of the vote in this. Since he is fired now the remaining percent can vote to break up. With no fine there for you are out of the contract. All you have to do now is talk to the liaison, namely Bleu, and have the name changed to what ever sort of band name you want.”

Crystal and Janis blink looking at him rather surprised he found that out so quickly.

“Now then, before you get too in awe of my skills , my specialty is information, this is just another aspect of it. I will give you two this as a freebie as well. Princess Celestia has been looking for a set group of musicians for the court for a while now. She is a bit annoyed at having to negotiate contracts every time she wants a little music. You impress her she is likely to want to keep you on permanently. Even Bleu is unaware of that little tidbit.”

He stands up looking down at both of them rather enjoying how tall he was sometimes as he could easily see them both like this.

“One last thing, I do not make mares bed with me by trickery or force. I have no plans to take advantage of either of you due to this, regardless of what it likely seems like to Bleu.”

He smiles looking at the rather stunned mares.

“Though if either or both of you were willing to meet up with me later with a more honest intent, I doubt I would refuse then. Now get out of here. You only have a little over a week before the gala and you need a new singer.”

=====================================================

“So then we have everything now?”

“Yea Rhede came through, surprised he didn't keep you two longer though. “

“Well, we kinda made arrangements for later.”

Crystal and Janis smirk and Tiger Lily turns grumbling back to Bleu. Sun Ray lifts his hat and speaks up.

“We do have another problem Bleu.”

“And whats that Ray?”

“As much as an ass as he was Proudmore was the lead singer.”

“I've heard his singing, Pip farting on a snare drum would be better. Besides you have me now.”

“No offense Bleu, but you were more a comedian than a singer.”

“Hey, I'll have you know my high notes can shatter glass.”

“I was there for that Bleu, use of a lightning bolt does not count.”

“I sneezed.”

“I hope you've been practicing at least “

She growls a bit darting up to the stage where they had set up grabbing the microphone and shifting to her pony sized form.

“I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map
And I knew that somehow I could find my ay back.
Then I heard your heart beating
You were in the darkness too
So I stayed in the darkness with you...”

The band stood there a bit stunned at the near perfect pitch match for Platinum's singing, Tiger lily seemed about to respond when he was cut off by another voice behind them. The singing was no where near as good as Bleu's though the male tone was a nice match for the chorus, though clearly the singer was not a professional.

“The Stars,
The Moon ,
They have all been blown out.
You left me in the dark.
No dawn,
No Day,I'm always in this Twilight.
In the shadow of your heart.”

Bleu smirks as the others turn to see a gray coated unicorn with rather raggedly cut amber mane and tail standing behind them. He exhales a bit looking up at the group his red and green eyes meeting their stare.

“I wondered if you knew that song Bleu.”

“ I was wondering if I would ever hear you sing outside a shower.”

“I rather like that song.”

“So whats up boss?

He floats the note up that she had sent earlier.

“You asked me to come for my dance lesson. And that was a great deal better than listening to Mustang bitch.”

“See added benefit.”

“So who are you all?”

“This is the band boss, they were Platinum's band for a while before every one kind splintered off though seems they got back together. “

She flies over landing in the middle of them to do the introductions Pointing first at the pudgy Black and white unicorn.

“That's Pip he plays the piano. The thin Pegasus next to him is Sun Ray. Hes the drummer. The twins there a Janis and Crystal, Janis plays guitar and Crystal plays, well pretty much everything, horns lyres, harps anything. Finally that's Tiger Lily over there hes the basset. Guys this here is Boss, Jer'rahd Kaisur.”

“Kaisur? The same Kaisur who's known as the Demon of Dullahan.”

“I have been called that But Jer'rahd is fine.”

“I thought you would be bigger.”

“That I do not get very often, but it might explain why no pony recognizes me at first.

“Well enough with the introductions back to work. Play what we were practicing earlier for this, same two songs go chop chop.”

The group darts off back to the partially set up stage as Bleu starts to try and instruct the Unicorn.

==========================================

Several hours later Bleu was stretched out on her back grumbling. Jer'rahd had gone back to work and the others were continuing the set up or just taking a break.

“Oh By Celestia why did I agree to this he is hopeless.”

“I dunno Bleu once he got something he held onto it pretty hard. “

“Its just getting him to hold onto it. Why you wanna try to teach him Janis?”

The mare glances back at Tiger Lily and smirks.

“Yeah ,I'll be his dance partner for a while.”

“You really think that will make Tiger Lily jealous enough to try anything?”

“Nah, but I like watching him squirm.”

“Still stuck on him huh?”

“Hard to hide huh?”

“Well from me any way. Its clear you two still have feelings for each other.”

“Yeah its, just he infuriates me so much, hes so damn passive even when arguing and he is right he still gives up and lets me win. Its like he doesn't have a spine.”

“I'm sure hes got more of one than you think. He is still hanging around you even though its clear it hurts him.”

“That's likely just due to him not wanting to leave his comfortable normal little life.”

“Maybe, where did Crystal go anyway?”

“Likely to bang the hell out of your stallion friend, he's a strange one.”

“So long as she doesn't get attached Rhede not that sort of pony.”

“Neither is she.”

Bleu smirks a bit then hops up onto a table to yell at the others.

“Alright ponies listen up we got lots to do and little time for it. We need to get a song list that will impress Celestia, practice the crap out of those songs, finish teaching two ponies to dance and then finally pick a new band name.”

“Dancing’s your thing Bleu, we'll help but I'm a little too leery to hold either of those twos hoof for this. They are dangerous I can feel it.”

Bleu glares at Tiger Lily who stares back for a moment before turning his head sighing though before she can answer Sun Ray pipes in.

“Me an Pip got family in Manehatten. They're still around cause of that pony. You tell us what you need Bleu and you got it.”

Pip nods his hat still over his eyes a and Janis glares back at a rather annoyed Tiger Lily.

“Still trying to wus out of everything huh Lily? Really should remove tiger from your name it doesn't fit.”

He glares at Crystal though turns his attention to Bleu.

“Band'll sound flat without a base Tig you sure you want out, over a couple of ponies with blood on their hooves? I'm not exactly clean myself in that regard.”

“Like I have anything else to do Bleu, fine.”

“Thought so. Alright so lets get practicing we have little over a week now. The Grand Galloping Gala is in nine days, we have to get all that done by then and I want my students to be able to dance for at least two songs you get me? Your under my command now so you do what I say got it.”

“Errr.”
“Uhhhh”
“........”
“Riiiiiiight, fine then O mine Captain. What is the first order then?”

“We go hit a bar and think of a band name!!”

========================================

“I still like Blues Bronies.”

“Ray that does not even make any sense, Blues I get, but what the heck is a Brony?”

“Brony? I thought he said Brownie.”

“Janis you should not try to think when hungry.”

“What about Dream's old band name.”

“What you mean Not a Clever Pony? It has merit, but it makes us look dumb and sounds like a solo artist.”

“Short Skirts and Explosions?”

“Your interests aside Tig, that won't do either too long, makes us sound like we are part of that stone and rotate trend that started.”

“I don't think that’s what its called Bleu.”

“Don't care , it'll never catch on sounds like just so much screaming with music behind it. Endless Twilight Maybe?”

“Nah there’s already a group named that Bleu. Played with them a while, not to bad a group.”

“Seapony Choir?”

“No way in any sort of hell, any pony on the planet could imagine.”

“Crap we have been at this for hours.”

“I got somthin.”

“Huh Pip? What have you got?”

“We all met causea Platinum, and regardless of what we think everything we do is gonna be colored by her memory cause of how we met. Anything we do is gonna be a extension of that memory, those meetings. A continuation of her last song. Kinda like a dieing swans cry is supposed to be its most beautiful, we need to work towards making her memory like that. Unlike a swan however this is gonna go on as long as we remember her. Platinum's Swan Song. Or just Platinum Swan.

“.........”
“.........”
“.........”
“Pip, why the buck don't you talk more often?”

The fat pony shrugs and goes back to his meal. His brother smirks and pats him on the head letting the larger pony go back to the half the menu he ordered while the Pegasus goes back to his two pieces of toasted white bread.

“So we have a name then?”

“I like it. I am sure my sis will too.”
“It fits rather well.”
“Heh, good going Pip.”

“So its settled. “

Bleu stands up in the table raising her glass, the others lift theirs as well.

“To The Platinum Swan.”

Twilight steps back reaching a hoof up to rub her eyes. She glances back as Fluttershy looks up from the couch.

“Something wrong Twilight?”

“No not really ,though I think there's another musical number coming up here. And I have heard that name before.”

“What name?”

“Platinum's Swan.”

“You mean The Platinum Swan?”

“Hmmm, you know it?”

“Yes, I think. I am not much one for music, but I think it has something to do with that earth pony you gave the music too.

“Vinyl and Octavia. I was thinking of contacting them again though I want to see whats going to happen this time first.”

“Might be for the best. If you're done for the night Twilight I am going to head home, though I can come back later if you like. I did not quite finish reading the story yet.”

“Sure when ever you want to come back Fluttershy. I have most of my evenings free and scheduled for this sort of thing.

“OK, good night Twilight.”

Twilight waves good bye to her friend and starts to clean up, checking the calender to see what was planned for the next few days. She blinks at something looking back and forth a few times flipping the pages of the calender back and for the a few times looking at a couple of dates. Something did not feel right.

“ Wait.... when am I supposed to plan everything for next month...... oh no...”

Pay Dirt

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Pay Dirt

[7 days remain]

“NO DAMMIT BOSS TURN LEFT, LEFT... “

“Your left or my left?”

“YOUR LEFT!”

“Oh.”

“Gaaaah! YOUR OTHER LEFT, I swear you are doing this on purpose.”

[6 days remain.]

“DAMN IT, TIGER YOUR PLAYING SUCKS.”

“ITS BETTER THAN YOUR DAMN SINGING, YOU SWALLOW A FROG TO HELP YOU ALONG YAH LIZARD?”

“YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF YOUR INSTRUMENT TO THE LADY SORRY I PLAY SO BAD.”

“YOU CRAPPY EXCUSE FOR A SINGER, WE SHOULD TRADE YOU IN FOR DOGS THAT CAN BARK HEARTHS WARMING CAROLS.”

“HEY CAN WE TAKE FIVE I WANNA GET A DRINK?”

“SURE GO AHEAD RAY, GRAB ME SOME WATER WHILE YOUR OUT, YOU WANT ANYTHING YOU TOFFY FACED MALODOROUS PERVERT?”

“YEAH I'LL TAKE A SANDWICH, WHATEVER THEY HAVE RAY, I'D GO BUT I'M TOO BUSY SCHOOLING THIS LITTLE BAG OF SPITE AND STUPIDITY.”

“OK, I GOT IT GOOD LUCK YOU TWO.”

“NO PROBLEM RAY, NOW WHERE WERE WE YOU DUNG HEAP OF A BASSIST.”

“YOU WERE ABOUT TO ADMIT HOW MUCH OF A FOUL EXCUSE FOR A BAND MEMBER YOU ARE.”

==============================================

[5 days remaining]

“Forget it Kaisur, it ain't happening.”

“Sir the entire 42nd is already in Canterlot, putting them on Gala duty makes sense. Give the Royal Guard a night off and it will allow my troops to see the Gala as well as protect it. I would rather have skilled combatants in place over glorified show ponies in case something goes wrong.”

“They went through the same training you did Kaisur and your a more glorified show pony then that lot could ever hope to be.“

“General Mustang, I do have to agree with him in this. We are still in a situation where attacks are likely, the griffon mercenaries are still unaccounted for as well as any of the red dragons that were spotted at the front. The Reds are the primary members of the flame party and thus the most dangerous of the lot. Having an extra layer of protection from the 42nd will not be a bad thing.”

Mustang glares between Jer'rahd and Princess Luna clearly annoyed. Ruin and General Shower stand back by the wall remaining silent and not getting any where near this.

“Fine, but I want Ruin and Shower there as well to keep track of them all. I already made arrangements to be Princess Celestia's escort this time to make sure she's guarded properly in public like this. So help me Jer'rahd if your ponies screw this up I will end them and then you.”

“If they screw something up, they should hope you get to them before I do, Sir“

=============================================

[4 days remaining]

“We are not playing that!!”
“No.”
“I like it, but its not fitting for this.”
“Sorry Bleu putting my hoof down on this.”

Bleu sighs as even Pip shakes his head and flings the music sheet over her head.

“Fine then, no Generic Blues. That would have been a hit, its comedic gold!”

“Which is why it won't fit, we only get six songs and then its mostly chamber music for the rest of the night. We need a bit of variety yes, but not of that sort.”

“Fine, but those two dance numbers stay. I doubt either of my students could handle any changes.”

“Alright. We can do that.”

“OK, we got two dance and a couple upbeat, most of them showcase how we play even the chamber music at the end. So we start with this and end with this.”
Crystal pokes two songs on the sheet of paper floating before her as the others look on and nod.

“I am sensing a love theme in this song list Crystal. You hitting it off with Rhede better than you're letting on?”

“I say we hit it off rather well considering neither of us wants anything but a good time.”

“And yet you still want this song?”

“Just cause I am having fun with him doesn't mean I can't see what he really wants.”

==============================================

[3 days remaining]

“Whats going on here?”

Starfall's gaze shifts over the bodies on the pavement and the Royal Guard's surrounding them. Cloud Dancer remains back looking on to see what her mother was talking about. She suddenly winces and turns her head seeing the bodies. The Guard turns as if to tell her to back off, though he recognizes the pegasus and salutes instead.

“SIR. There have been cases over the last month of a string of murders of various mares of the night in some of the districts of Canterlot. We recently acquired enough evidence to find out who it was but before we could apprehend him,it seems however some one caught the perpetrator before us. The the female here was the last victim before he was murdered himself. We have confirmation that the male here was the killer we were looking for. “

“Any idea who got him?”

“No Sir, we think it might have been one of the 42nd that is in town. It is savage enough to have been something they would do.”

Starfall moves closer looking down at the body of the male pony curiously, glancing about the alley getting an odd feeling of deja vu. The body looked like it had been hacked apart by knives though there was a pattern she was familiar with and it made her blood run cold.

“This is a griffon attack........”

“Sir?”

“ So much for my day off, I want a list of the air patrols in this area we need to find any holes and fill them. I have a bad feeling.”

“Yes sir.”

Starfall stood up glancing back at her daughter as the Guard patrol medics came in to clean up. If anything was going to happen it was going to be at the Gala. She was being forced to go to it this year, not that she minded much as Luna was forced to go as well, but this was not something she wanted to see.

“SIR!!”

“Yes what is it sergeant?”

“We just received news, they caught a griffon in the city limits.”

“Show me.”

===========================================

Starfall was not thrilled to be bringing her daughter to the Guard post with her, but she had to know. Cloud Dancer also did not seem to mind, though she was focused a bit more than Starfall liked on some of the training recruits. Something to deal with later, the griffon was first.

She moved to the door and was stopped by General Shower.

“What are you doing here Air Commander? It's supposed to be your day off.”

“I heard about the griffon and saw the murder site. I want to know a few things, Sir.”

“This is not your investigation go home.”

“General, Sir, I need to know something first.”

“Tough. We are dealing with this go away now....”

“The griffon is claiming it was hunting the killer because he killed its chick and mate, its telling you about a hole in the patrols it used to get into the city.”

Shower stops dead and looks back at Starfall.

“Who told you that? As your superior I demand to know who leaked that information.”

“The former bearer of my element told me. And there is a great deal of things that do not add up about that story.”

“There was a hole in our patrols exactly where he said it was. Not much odd about that.”

“Did you pull any pony from any where else?”

“Just gala duty, with the 42nd there, its that much of a stretch on the guards.... What else do you know?”

“Not much, the test was cut rather short, but it was hinted at something terrible after this griffon shows up and was killed.”

“Well he's very much alive for now any way. There is not a plan to execute him anytime soon either. Any how get out of here before you daughter starts drooling over the new recruits.....”

“What...!?!”

She looks back seeing her daughters nose pressed to the glass of the window looking out into the training yard.

“Starfall..... I'll keep you in the loop for this... don't worry.”

“Thank you sir.”

=====================================

[2 days remaining]

“DAMN IT BOSS, NO I'M DONE, GAAAAH.”

“Hmm, whats wrong Bleu?”

“THERE'S TWO DAYS LEFT AND YOU HAVE GOTTEN WORSE!!!”

“Really, I don't think I'm doing to bad.”

“GAHHH, how can you even say that?!?”

Jer'rahd smirks.

“Miss Janis if you would like to start again? The rest of you please start the song again if you don't mind.”

The band starts playing again and the pair start to move, Jer'rahd follows along perfectly with everything Bleu and Janis had been showing him. At one point he actually covered for a mistake she made. The second song started and he shifted styles to a slower if some what closer dance that had Janis turning a bit red and Tiger barely able to play properly. Bleu simply stood there her mouth agape at what he was doing.

“How, why, where, who, what the BUCK BOSS, when did you learn that?!?”

“I think I had it down about two days ago, though I came in to practice again yesterday to make sure.”

“Then why the heck were you doing so crappy when I showed you?!? I'm pulling my spines out in frustration here.”

“Yes sounds just as annoying and frustrating as when you dyed my mane and tail pink a few weeks ago.”

“You, what, you've been plotting revenge this whole time?”

“No, but this was just too good of a chance to pass up. It beat Starfall's idea of hot sauce candy.”

“Gah, you, you, ….. dammit boss, get out of my studio.....”

Jer'rahd chuckles walking out as Bleu glares after him till the door closes, then she smirks.

“Took him long enough to start to lighten up. Alright ponies we got him out of the way and the Princess finished up yesterday lets get some lunch. Tiger stop wishing injury on the boss till after the show.....”

========================

[1 day remaining]

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAH”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”
“AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
“GAGAGAGAGAGGAAAHHHHHHH!!”

“OK we done with the panicking we can get one more set in practice then bed.”

“Sounds good Bleu.”

“Hold On I got one more. GGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! OK, I'm good. Lets do this.

The Grand Galloping Gala so far had gone off with out a hitch. Between the 42nd patrolling the grounds in full armor and gear and the Pelt family with their usual boisterous nature, many of the more uptight nobles had left, not even staying an hour. Which seemed to suit those that stayed just fine. The Song spell had caught Cloud dancer, Fox and Wolf Pelt, Velkorn's nephew Baelit, and one noble colt. Luna and her guard had done their best to avoid it.

Luna glanced out from her hiding place noting the annoyed nature of Celestia standing at the top of the stairs greeting the nobles as they trickled in. Rather than the large frilly and feathered gowns they had worn the previous year Celestia wore a rather simple dark colored dress with very few frills that allowed easier movement in case she wished to dance. Thankfully her sisters annoyance was tempered some by the short length of time any pony was willing to speak with her due to General Mustang's menacing stare.

Only Maw Pelt seemed unaffected by this, to the point of actually staring the General down while she talked to Celestia. She went on about everything, from the set up of Ponyville, to her idiot son, random gossip, and talk of her new baby. Fisher and the foal were the only ones not in attendance as the mare had drawn the short straw to miss the Gala, Wedge however had taken the night off to stay with her. It was about the time that Maw Pelt wandered off that Luna finally decided to make her presence know, much to the evident relief of Jer'rahd who had been practically sandwiched in the small hiding place with her. He had rather weakly protested, though she was to focused on avoiding her sisters attention so she would not have to greet any pony to pay much attention to what he said.

Luna slowly slips out of hiding walking up slowly to the pair at the top of the stairs trying to hide the smile that she had missed all this nonsense. She wore a dress nearly identical to her sisters though pure white instead of her sisters darker one.

Jer'rahd followed along with breathing a sigh of relief, nodding to General Mustang who simply glared.

“Enjoying yourself Tia?”

“I was wondering where you were LuLu.”

“Being fashionably late is all.”

“Bah the Princess has been hiding around the corner the whole time.”

“General Mustang, I would do nothing of the sort.”

“Sorry Princess Luna, but I had to stand here though all this, its not right in my eyes that you and Kaisur get to avoid it. But' I'll deal with him later.”

Celestia chuckles a bit as Luna sighs at being caught. Jer'rahd simply shrugs more annoyed at the mass of medals Luna had found for him to wear than anything else. He had worn armor that was lighter than all of these, though he had been pulling off a few here and there when the Princess was not looking so he could at least move. Mustang seemed in the same boat only barely having more decorations than he did.

“So shall we join everyone else in the ballroom LuLu?”

================================

Rhede for once, was alone here. Though unlike last time he was making no effort to chat up any of the mares here. Most he recognized from last year and the rest were family. Plus the idea that his mother could wander up at any point in time and derail any sort of progress he made with any mare was more than enough for him to keep to himself. He was a bit disappointed that Crystal had been too busy, a rather fun mare though neither of them had any intent to make their meetings into any sort of relation ship. He moved around greeting a few cousins here and there dressed once more in rather fine ambassadorial robes.

================================

Velkorn was leery of returning to this years gala. It was only the idea that Baelit was going to be there as well representing the Queen's Cross that even got her to show up. She had purchased a some what more subdued red dress, still upset over the gown that was destroyed the previous year. She was also not actively looking for Rhede, so her nerves at least ,were much calmer. She was still announced as Queen of the zebra lands as she entered though, she had almost forgotten she still carried that title. Despite her desire to give it up the government in her own land had made sure she kept the title while she was looking out for Princess Luna's interests in Equestria.

It had not taken her long to be set upon by some of the Pelt mares asking questions about how she and Rhede were doing, the telling of that story still pained a bit , but the at least Rhede's family could agree with her on that he was being an ass. Granted the three of them immediately dragged her off and tried to hook her up with other single stallions.

==============================

Starfall was worried, she had told Princess Luna what had happened and several new precautions had been taken. Even with all that she had opted to come in her uniform with her weapons rather than a gown or even her dress uniform. This had worked out quite well, as most of the nobles she did not want to talk to left her alone and a few of the ones that still wanted to speak with her, at least minded their tongues a bit better for fear she might cut them off.

The best thing about this however was Cloud dancer was here. Starfall nearly squeed at how cute she looked in the frilly ball gown, though she was also a little worried. Her daughter was already talking to Rhede's brothers, Fox and Wolf. There was also a white unicorn male she did not recognize and Velkorn's nephew. The zebra prince was likely the oldest of the group though not by much. One of the nobles mentioned he was the grandson of one of one of the families that had been part of the secret society that Princess Luna had wiped out. The last of his family had died in Manehatten which left him a heir to a great deal of wealth and power. It seemed however he had become one of the main contributors to the relief effort and rebuilding of Manehatten selling off a great many of his family properties and simply taking a small home here in Canterlot.

Starfall looked over at the five again with more interest than worry now, her motherly instincts had kicked in a bit at hearing about the colts loss. He at least seemed to be trying to restore his families name. It was the interest her daughter seemed to display in the colt that brought the worry back up.

“You had better not turn out like the rest of your family Cyan Sparkle...”

=================================

Bleu shivered a little, her tail whipping as she tried to shake out the stage fright. Countless shows and events, and she was still terrified right before showtime, every single time. She glanced back as the others pretended and adjusted themselves to deal with stress in their own way. All except Pip who was taking a pre show nap. That stallion could sleep through anything. The nobles were all gathered and shuffling about curious as to who the Princess had gotten this year. The troops of the 42nd were milling about as well, keeping watch on everything though also intent on the show, having heard how her last performance went. The dance floor was clear at the moment, it likely would be for a song or so yet. Both Luna and Boss knew the third song would be the cue for the dancing. She would have loved to be there to see the look on either of their faces when they realized they had practically been trained to dance together. She really hoped Boss would ask Luna, though it could be the other way around. She glanced at the clock and sighed..... Show time.

Twilight pulls back from the sword, a loud knock sounded from the front door in a oddly rhythmic beat. She knew who it was immediately. She glances back at the gem, having moved the images and sounds from the sword early. She was rather impressed with what she had seen this time. She had just finished removing some of the information that had nothing to do with the songs, and prepared the gem to start right at the bands opening song. It was perfect for recording. She worried a bit at the last part but as soon as the recording was done she could get back into it.

She moves opening the door to greet Vinyl and Octavia, the pair starting to greet her then stopping and staring for a moment, a little confused and worried.

“Umm. Hello Miss Sparkle. Is everything alright?”
“Whoa Grape, what the heck happened tah you?”

Twilight sighs as Octavia jabs Vinyl in the ribs. She had fixed her hair at least, but the bandage and eye patch were still on ,and the cut on her face had not healed fully.

“A long unimportant story, nothing to worry about really.”

“Umm, OK, So what'cha got for us this time?”

“I must admit your excitement was easily seen in your message. What you have uncovered thus far has been quite beneficial to the musical community as a whole.”

“I have almost an entire concert this time.”

“Oh, who is preforming?”

“The Platinum Swan.”

“WHAT?!?!”

For once it was the calmer earth pony that had lost her cool and nearly knocked Twilight down in excitement. Vinyl however simply winced.

“You mean THE Platinum Swan? The royal court musicians Platinum Swan?”

“Oh, well I guess they did impress Princess Celestia then.”

“I didn't expect chamber music. What a drag.”

“HUSH YOU.”

“I don't think it will be what you expect. Either of you. This was their first performance ever after all. “

Twilight backs up as Octavia seems to be on the verge of freaking out in excitement. Vinyl sighs again and glances around before smirking and swatting the earth mare hard on the rump with a hoof. Octavia yelps and whirls on Vinyl who keeps her smirk staring back at the now flushed earth pony.

“Calmed down now Tavi? Cool, alright Grape you got us set up, lets do this thing.”

The pair set up their part of the equipment and Vinyl activates the gem.

The curtain slides back opening the stage and the dark forms of the band members sitting at their interments. The lights flare on lighting them up as a fast paced piano and guitar piece starts. Bleu dashes across the stage sliding to a stop before a mic as two spotlights cut on focusing on her and Pip. She adjusts the mic a bit fluttering her blue wings folding them against the suit. She quickly adjusts the sunglasses and fedora she wore glancing back to make sure her coloration matched pips before grabbing the mic.

“We're so glad to see so many of you lovely ponies here tonight. And we would especially like to welcome all the representatives of The 42nd Luna's Hoof, who have chosen to join us here in The Canterlot Palace Ballroom at this time. We do sincerely hope you all enjoy the show, and please remember ponies, that no matter who you are, and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there are still somethings that make all of us the same. You, me, them, everybody, everybody.”

The whole crowd remains silent staring, clearly expecting something much less flamboyant ,loud, and fast paced as what was going on before them. The all blink, nearly in unison, though some of them start nodding in time slightly as the songs tempo picks more. A few of the stubborn nobles that had not been put off by the Guards or the Pelts but were complaining about both , started to scoff and make for the exits with this. Then Pip starts to sing with the rest of the band accompanying him on the chorus.

“Everybody needs somebody to love Someone to love (someone to love)
Sweetheart to miss (sweetheart to miss)
Sugar to kiss (sugar to kiss)
I need you (you) you(you) you (you) I need you (you) you (you) you (you) I need you (you) you (you) you (you) the morning
I need you (you) you (you) you (you) When my soul's on fire
I need you (you) you (you) you (you)”

None of them miss a beat and quite a few of the Guards and the Pelts seem to be enjoying the song . Most of the nobles remaining still seem in shock as do both princesses though a small smile starts creeping across Celestia's face.

“Sometimes I feel
I feel a little sad inside
When my baby mistreats me
I never never never have a place to hide
(I need you”

A few of them finally start getting into it or at least the beat had a few hooves tapping.

“Sometimes I feel
I feel a little sad inside
When my baby mistreats me
I never never never have a place to hide
(I need you) you you
(I need you) you you
(I need you) you you
(I need you) you you
(I need you)”

Bleu had spent most of the song either dancing around or joining the chorus. The attention was cause a bit of a spectacle, it was not very fluid or rhythmic but her motions still kept time to the music. She slides back to the front of the stage, grabbing the mic in her claw.

“You know ponies when you do find that special some pony
Hold that stallion, hold that mare
Love him, please him, squeeze her, please her,
Hold, squeeze and please that pony, give 'em all your love
Signify your feelings with every gentle caress (signify)
Because it's so important to have that special some pony (hold)
to hold, kiss (kiss), miss (miss), squeeze (squeeze) and please (please)”

Bleu stares up at the Princesses on the overlooking balcony and smiles seeing Celestia's grin and the look of shock on Mustang's face. Both Luna and Boss remained some what impassive looking however they had expected something although the constant shifting of Luna's glowing mane was keeping time to the music as well.

“Everybody (woo hoo hoo) needs somebody ( i need some)
Everybody (woo hoo hoo) needs somebody to love
( ev-rybody)
Someone to love
( needs somebody) Sweetheart to miss
( ev-rybody)
Sugar to kiss
( needs somebody)
I need you (you) you (you) you (you) I need you (you) you (you) you (you) I need you (you) you (you) you (you)
I need you (you) you (you) you (you)
I need you
( ev-rybody)
I need you
( needs somebody)
I need you
( ev-rybody)
I need you
needs somebody
( ev-rybody)
needs somebody
(ev-rybody)
needs somebody”

Pip was hitting this quite well, alternating between playing the piano and pointing out at those in attendance with a hoof every time he yelled out “you”. The music kicked up a notch at the last chorus before ending with a crash of instruments and a last horn flare from Crystal.

A few ponies, mostly the Pelts, offered applause, though the other nobles join in soon after, clearly not sure about the change in the musical venue that was presented to them. Bleu smiles flinging off the suit and hat, her scales shifting to the black and white pattern that she had taken while dealing with the Weindigo. She knew a great many of those attending would not understand this song, but even in the native Zebra it sounded rather beautiful. .

<”Do you remember love,
Love from a tormented heart,
Not fleeting, as with music at night,
But an eternal love,
Now tainted,
Now tainted,
Go now and reclaim it,
Go now and love.”>

Janis added a bit of the back ground chorus along with Ray and Tiger. Crystal was going to get a work out with this one. She ran her hooves across a long tube blowing along it to create a wind effect before switching to a bamboo flute. Bleu's own voice felt strained a bit at the high notes. The flute died off and Bleu started again in time with the guitar.

<”Recall the times
when you were happy.
Recall the times
when you laughed.
Life is wonderful,
Do you have faith in it?
Turn your face to life,
To eternal joy.”>

Most of the crowd was simply watching, though it was easy to tell who under stood Zebra as most of them seemed on the verge of crying, Velkorn actually was, Rhede had vanished from sight. Typical. It was an old song from the heyday of the Warlord conflicts. Bleu took a breath as the tempo increased.

<”What happened to those days?
What happened to those nights?
Do you remember
How you turned to grief? Do you remember
How you turned to sorrow?
Is the blame mine or ours?”>

Bleu was hoping the effect was hitting Rhede where ever he was, Singing a love song in another language was only really useful if the targets could hear it. She was not done trying to get those two together yet.

<”Our feelings grew faint
What caused our grief and fighting?
Can there be beauty in life?
Search for it.
Can there be happiness in life?
Believe it.”>

The others finish up the chorus as the music slowly dies out. Bleu was surprised at the applause though, it seemed more had understood the song than she thought. Perhaps having the Queen's Cross and the Queen of Zebra's around Equestria was helping some to break the language barrier. Her gaze turned up to the balcony and the look of shock on Luna and Celestia's faces. Jer'rahd looked completely derailed for a moment until Luna nodded which caused Celestia more shock. Rhede was up there as well and was trying hard not to laugh at the situation, clearly thinking Jer'rahd still could not dance. Mustang simply looked pissed, though likely more that Rhede was up there than what Jer'rahd had asked of Luna.

Bleu Glances back to the band and nods smirking, they all smile readjusting for the next song.

A great many heads turn watching Princess Luna and General Kaisur come out to the floor along with rapidly shushed cheers of encouragement, likely from Fox, Wolf, and perhaps even Maw Pelt. A few nobles notice and make a path for the two nearly all of them quite surprised having never seen Luna come to the dance floor with any pony. While they all likely note this is the start of the dancing, they all clear a section of the floor for just this pair to have them have first dance.

The beat starts as one of the pegasus manning the lights moved a magic spotlight onto the pair. Bleu worried for a moment that one or both might back out with this much attention on them particularly Boss, but he seemed steadfast. Crystal had pulled out a pair of maracas shaking them lightly.

“Fly Me To The Moon
Let Me Play Among The Stars
Let Me See What Spring Is Like
On A-Jupiter And Mars
In Other Words, Hold My hoof
In Other Words, Darling, Kiss Me”

Bleu was doing her best not to smile as she sang, this was a better seat to watch this than she had hoped. The two moved slowly across the floor both their hooves shifting in time with the music and her words, it was an older song so nearly every pony knew it. They also knew the general dance moves used with this song. She had trained them well it was flawless. Though the best part was both Rhede and Celestia doing impersonations of fish. Both where in shock having thought neither of their siblings could dance the slightest.

“Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You”

She took a breath as the band played on, the soft rumba having the pair back off and nearly touching horns on more than one occasion, just as planned. The two of them seemed to be completely ignoring the fact every pony in the ballroom was watching at them as they moved.

“Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You”

Bleu shivers, glad they were doing so well, but she was not entirely certain whether the pair was simply going through the motions or were actually feeling any thing.

“Only you....
only yoooou
Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You

In Other Words, I Love You”

The music died off with Jer'rahd and Luna slowly pulling away from each other ,still staring at one another. That lasted for a moment before the Pelt family and Princess Celestia started cheering the two. Both of them suddenly turned bright red attempting to hide the blush from each other and the crowd surrounding them. Neither of them succeeded that well.

Bleu grinned she knew what she had taught them to dance like for the next song and seeing these two get closer was the primary goal of this whole thing now. Well and to make sure Celestia hired The Platinum Swan full time, though with this they were clearly a shoe in and after only three songs as well.

The piano solo started and she watched both of them wince and glare up at her though there was very little force behind that glare from either of them. Tiger started strumming as Bleu began.

“Come and share this painting with me
Unveiling of me
The unicorn that never failed.”

Ray moves upon the stage a little closer to Bleu adding his voice as a back ground accompaniment. Others crowded on the floor reconizeing the melody or the tempo even if the songs lyrics were eluding them. Another old tune but with more modern lyrics, Platinum sang this version once and the dragonlings voice struggled to match that emotion. She smiles regardless of her memories, as Luna and Jer'rahd got even closer slowly sashaying around with the song.

“This deep sigh coiled around my chest
Intoxicated by a major chord
I wonder
Do I love you, or the thought of you?”

She shifted her gaze up to Celestia and the look of shock on the Princesses face. Oh this was soo perfect. They band had to be a shoo in with that expression of amazement. Her friends were set, Luna and Boss had to wind up realizing they felt something for each other after this. Now if only Velkorn and Rhede would hook up things would be perfect.

“Slow, love, slow...
Only the weak are not lonely”

Bleu closed her eyes putting a little bit more into the song more than a few nobles had begun dancing as well, picking up the slow beat and tempo and following the moves of Princess Luna and Jer'rahd.

“ Southern blue, morning dew
Let-down-your-guards, I-love-you's
Ice-cream castles, lips-to-ear rhymes
A slumber deeper than time”

She drags out the last word as Crystal starts playing one of her horns.

“ Slow, love, slow...
Only the weak are not lonely.”

Jer'rahd and Luna seem to be ignoring everyone else rather focused on each other. Bleu exhales letting the bands solo continue slowly building up. She utters the last few lines in a hushed whisper that carries over the mic.

“Slow...
Slow, love, slow...”

The music hits its crescendo, slowly fading out with a piano solo. Bleu grins wide not able to hide her enjoyment at the pair on the floor before her. They were pressed to each other in this slow dance, forms moving with the music as it continued.

As the music dies, she looks out over the crowd of ponies not having realized how much she missed doing this. If the war ended she would have to go back to touring or at the very least preform with The Platinum Swan again.

She gestures for the band to start the next song, mentally setting herself up for these next two before the chamber music would start. She takes a breath to begin just as a sudden explosion rocks the palace, shattering the large glass windows in the ballroom, as a ball of fire erupts from what looks like the Canterlot Guard post in the distance. Seconds later the alarms sound and the air is filled with the war cries of griffons and dragons.

Bleu looks up as the ponies around her start panic and curses.

“CAN I DO ONE BUCKING SHOW WITH OUT SOME ONE ATTACKING ?!?!”

Vinyl pulls her head back, her ears flattening, Twilight was sure she was not happy with that ending either. though the unicorn mare recovered rather quickly.

“He. four songs this time. You always find something interesting Grape. I like this one too, I can mix a few of these easy specially that first one.”

“You will do no such thing, for something of such a legendary piece of history it must remain unsullied by your hooves Vinyl.”

“HAH, wait till you hear it Tavi, even you have to admit I’m right on this one. Any way Grape same deal with the bits and fame?”

“Yes, that would be fine, just make sure you send the copies to every one I asked,just like before.”

“That shall not be a problem Ms. Sparkle. I suppose we are done here as I cannot wait to actually transfer this and listen to it. I also do wish to get back to Canterlot rather rapidly. I have heard the dragon migration will pass by here any day now and I do not wish to be caught outside in that event.”

“Oh yeah that is coming up. I always wanted to see that. Thank you again for coming Miss Scratch, Miss Octavia.”

The pair pack up the gear rather rapidly, bidding a good night to Twilight. She shuts the door considering before starting her plans to get ready for the dragon migration.

“Well first off, I'm going to need a trench.”

=================================================

Songs used.

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love. >>> Blues Brothers Motion Picture soundtrack.
The Best is yet to come.>> from Metal Gear Solid 4
Fly Me to the Moon [Yoko Takahashi Acid Bossa Version]>>> Neon Genesis Evangalion version.
Slow Love Slow>>>> Nightwish

The Road Less Traveled

The Road Less Traveled

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

The Road Less Traveled

“Why didn’t some pony tell me that’s what a bachelor party was? Now I feel like a complete idiot.”

“Well we kinda thought you knew till the end there Spike. Who was it that put you in charge of that any way?”

“Your brother did. I guess he just wanted me to feel I was doing something useful. Either that or he was teasing me again. No offense Twilight, but I always thought he was a bit of a jerk to me anyway.”

“You have said that before and I never see any instance of it.”

“Probably cause you got used to it growing up. That's not important anyway. I still can't believe I just stood there, I feel useless after all that. I wasn't tied up or anything and I didn't even try to stop that Changeling Queen.”

“Yes, I suppose none of us did that well; she beat Celestia and we could not even get the elements, Spiky. I wouldn’t worry nopony thinks any less of you for it.”

“I couldn’t do anything at all. At least you guys tried.”

“Well you are still a baby dragon after all, Spiky. I am sure in time you will be able to do more in a situation like that than any of us.”

“I guess.”

“It’s been over a week already Spiky, you should let it go.”

“It still bugs me, Rarity. ….. I'm gonna go out. You two have fun with this, or whatever.”

Twilight and Rarity watch Spike storm out. He had been dwelling on being made to look like a fool as well as his apparent uselessness in the fight with the changelings since they had come back from Canterlot.

“I hope he’ll be OK.”

“He should be fine Rarity. He's been hanging out with Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for a while now and I figure they might try for a cheering up a dragon cutie mark any day now. After that nonsense with the school paper, I figured someone with a more level head should keep an eye on them anyhow. Of course they have tried to slay him at least once, he claimed the jokes were really bad, and yesterday, they slapped a blond wig on him and tried to rescue him from a castle like he was a Princess or something.”

“Well I expect he will have his claws full with those three no matter what they do. After what I have read so far in this research it seems he is a rather rare sort of dragon. Of course, we knew that after the whole dragon migration thing.”

“Yeah not many of the dragons they have encountered have been very nice in this story, but this is over a thousand years ago; things could have changed.”

We will find out soon enough I suppose. Before you start, however, darling, I do have one little question for you. It has been bugging me for a little while now.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Well for starters, where exactly does Princess Cadence fit into things? I thought Princess Celesita and Princess Luna were the only goddesses about? At least from what I understand of your book here, every race has a few gods, but ponies only had two.”

“Oh that; I kinda wondered about that too, after everything I have seen in my research. Once the wedding was over, I asked Princess Celestia about it. She was reluctant to talk about it at first and when she finally did, she kept the conversation fully on Cadence rather than herself and Princess Luna. I did get the answer though. It's sort of a genetic quirk, like with the Cake twins. We know Celestia and Luna were not the first alicorns now, this research proves that and according to Celestia certain family lines have the alicorn gene in them.”

“Like how Mr. Cake's great-great-great-great grandfather was a unicorn and how Mrs. Cake's great aunt's second cousin twice removed was a pegasus? I still don't get that really, but I do understand that genetics and family lines are complex and that the foals may not have any real resemblance to the parents. If you met my father you would clearly see that.”

Twilight blinks at the look of horror that crosses Rarity's face, though she decides not to ask.

“Any way, Cadence's family line had an alicorn in the far distant past. Celestia called her a lesser alicorn, though. It seems she will have the same life span as a normal pony and her power, while more impressive than most unicorns, is nowhere near Luna or Celestia's level. Apparently, there is more to being an alicorn than being a unicorn with wings. That is about as good a description of Cadence as I can give. I do remember Cadence told me once she could not create love; she could only strengthen love that already existed or restore love that had grown cold. While an impressive power, it is not at the level of a Goddess.”

“And because she shared her power with your brother, his shield was able to re-form and fling all the changelings away.”

“Yup, If it would have just been love that had hit them, the changelings probably would have eaten it.”

“Well at least that all worked out. At least for now, considering those nasty little brutes are still out there. Oh, did you ever find out where Princess Luna was during it all?”

“Yes. The wedding evidently depressed her and she was in the Garden by the statues of her friends. She fell asleep there and did not wake until much later.”

“I feel bad for her, I really do, but she is not making much of an effort to try and make new friends. She seems to be dwelling far too much in the past. I am not really sure if freeing them would be such a good idea. It might cheer her up for a time, but then we would have to worry about six ponies still dwelling in the past. It really seems like something she should decide on her own.”

Twilight sighs and sets the blade on the table. She glances back as Rarity gets comfortable, the white unicorn floating the book over to read what Twilight had so far.

“I am starting to understand how she has a hard time making friends though. She knows she is going to outlive all of them. I would be a bit reluctant to as well. “

“Oh?”

“I did not come to Ponyville to make friends to start with. It sort of happened.”

“True, but between you and Spike you now know almost as many ponies as Pinkie Pie. You have put forth some effort to make friends now that you are here. You have more than just us five as friends now. The only friend Luna seems to have made is that foal Pip. Not exactly a great success. Fluttershy is still somewhat terrified of her as well. If she wants some friends she needs to put out more effort. Though I suppose staying in Canterlot, there are plenty of ponies simply looking to use her status.

Twilight smiles, nodding lightly as Rarity puts on her glasses to look over the book.

“Anyway Twilight, I should be fine for the duration. I do have a good bit of catching up to do. I don't want to be behind when the time finally comes to answer the Princesses' request. Do what you do and I will do what I do.”

“All right, here I go.”

Twilight closes her eyes, letting her horn glow as she casts the spell. The feeling of being drawn out of herself and entering the blade was a familiar one by this point and barely registered to her. She pauses, looking at the windows to the six that floated before her in this space. Rhede and Bleu had been captured, though she was not sure she wanted to check on them first, as they seemed to not be in mortal danger. Starfall on the other hand... Twilight wanted to know what happened to her. She picked the window for the pegasus and let herself slip into the past again.

“So this is where you have been hiding? Honestly, I did not expect you to take after me this much. I came to the same place after Scarlet.”

Starfall lifts her head, giving a surprised look at Jer'rahd as he trots into the garden. His gaze shifts over the statues of the ones in this grove. The unicorn’s tail whips as he pauses, looking up at the stone griffon, then at Starfall and the six Guards standing between it and the pegasus.

“I would have left by now if they would let me do what I wanted.”

“Yes, well, when I heard what happened, I knew you would want to simply crush the bird and be done with it. So I had them come here to make sure you did not do anything you might regret.”

“HOW THE BUCK WOULD I REGRET KILLING THIS BITCH!!!?”

Jer'rahd raises an eyebrow, though for some reason he had a smirk akin to Rhede's on his face and it infuriated her.

“Because if this griffon has been the driving force for everything you have done, what will you do when she is gone?”

Jer'rahd waves the Guards away from the statue, looking it over and noting that there were hoof prints in the griffon and one clawed hand had been broken off already. The hand was not far from the statue and held two pony tails, also turned to stone. Sections of a belt around the griffon’s waist had also been broken away and had been gathered in a pile near the hand.

“Retire, be done with the Guard and just live at home with my daughter, the same thing I have been wanting to do since this all started.”

“I see. I suspect you want to give Luna your letter of resignation then? Go to what’s left of your home, live with your daughter for another few years before she goes off to school, or joins the Guard like she has been talking about, and then what? Stare at a wall? Join those show pony Wonderbolts and fly for a circus? Curl up in a ball and reflect on what your life has amounted to?”

“So what if I am? ...Wait what do you mean she's talked about joining the Guard?!?! When?”

“I spoke with Cloud Dancer before coming here. You missed quite a bit when you left, not that I am one to say anything about giving in to a rage. She watched you fly off after the one that murdered her father. She saw Celestia get stabbed, she saw Silver Claw kill Ruin and rip the wings off of General Shower and eat them. She saw Baelit leave the safety of the hall and rush out to save General Shower. She watched the fight; she heard everything that was said and watched as a bass player galloped off the stage and smashed his livelihood on the back of a huge dragon in an effort to save the Princess. She saw me come back in the most painful manner possible to stand between the dragon and Luna. She watched Velkorn stop a blow that would have finished Celestia and watched the Sun goddess rise up, gravely injured, and pour her last energy into saving her subjects. Cloud Dancer, Cyan Sparkle, Fox Pelt, and Wolf Pelt all saw what ponies were willing to go through to save one another. They were all inspired by the acts that they witnessed. They stayed there, helping as best they could to tend the wounded, the dead, and dying who were brought into the ball room. Your daughter wants to join the Guard because she has seen the worst of what we face all the time and she has seen the best of what we can do. That and she wants to join because her mother is a Guard and you are all she has left now. So then, if you want to sit on your flank in some house somewhere growing old after you turn this statue into dust then fine. Though how do you think she would feel after all she has seen to hear that is what you want?”

He nods to one of the Guards, who carries a pair of wooden training swords over to Starfall, dropping them at her side before backing away. Jer'rahd floats his wooden blade up, offering a few swishes with it.

“What is all this?”

“It's quite simple, you want to quit and you want to destroy this statue even though I said no. You are attempting to violate a direct order of a superior. but that is fine; I won't hold that against you. However, I won't accept your resignation unless you can beat me.”

“Like that is even a challenge? I have beaten you in every fight we ever had but one.”

“No, no you did not.”

“Bullshit; I know you kept count just as much as I did.”

“I am not denying I lost. I am denying I lost to you. I lost to a great warrior, one who was not a quitter and followed orders. I did not lose to an annoying little bitch who has spent the last three days in a depressive funk of a foalish tantrum because she is being denied what she thinks she wants. I did not lose to a mare who claims to be doing everything for her daughter, but has not even been back to check on her in three days after leaving her in a combat situation. I did not lose to a pegasus who would leave her post at the worst possible moment. I did not lose to a pegasus who would abandon her friends and duty because she finally saw the chance to accomplish some petty act of vengeance against a foe who is already being punished for her crimes. I never lost to you and I never will lose to you; what you are I can easily beat. Now get the buck up and pick up those swords. Try and do what you think you want.

Starfall growls, getting up and flipping the blades up with her wings.

“You have no right to say any of that, Kaisur.”

“Don't like it? Then come and make me take it back. I haven't slept in three days, it should be more than enough to balance out those light wounds you have. Or should I see if I can get one of the unicorn mages to change your cutie mark to a chicken?”

“GRAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Jer'rahd shifts as Starfall charges him; his magic whips his blade forward and knocks her legs out from under her as she charges him, sending the pegasus crashing to the ground, skidding forward a bit to crash at his hooves.

“Pathetic. That's one.”

She growls again, shoving herself off the ground and leaping at him, only to collide bodily with a shield that formed between them. She fell back dazed to the ground as the shield dropped.

“That's two. So tell me: Is this what you really wanted? To leave all you worked for just because you avenged some dead ponies? You plan to let the ones still alive suffer because you think you are done? I guess you were not the pony I thought you were if you are willing to let others die because you just want to give up after getting revenge.”

His green and red eyes focus on her, the red light trailing from the one near blinding. Starfall winces, turning her head, not even meeting his gaze. He snorts in disgust.

“Forget it. I am done here. You want to be a civilian again? Fine, take it, but you are not touching this prisoner again.”

He looks to the Guards around him.

“If she makes a move towards it again, throw her in jail. She stays there ‘till she gets over it. I don't need a weak, whimpering mess of a pony under my command.”

“You jackass! I am not finished with you yet.”

He pauses, not looking back at the flap of wings as Starfall rises to her hooves.

“Oh? You want to say something else, or do you want to keep trying? Then bring it, prove that I should give a damn about what you say anymore, Starfall. Prove to me that your whole time with the Guard has not been some revenge kick you have been on and that you actually have the desire to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Let’s see how much destroying this bird means to you really.”

“No.”

“Hmmm? No?”

“I don't want that anymore.”

“Then what do you want? A nappy? Maybe a bottle of milk?”

“I just wanna kick the crap outta you!”

Jer'rahd smirks, turning and leveling the blade as Starfall charges again. She darts forward, whipping past a few of the shields he tosses up, swiping at him as he dodges back. He whips the blade about, catching it in his mouth in time to block a strike from a wing-held blade, his shield deflecting a kick and the second blade. He shoves her back, his magic taking his blade and arcing it at her. She knocks it aside, charging before he can bring it back, though Jer'rahd meets the charge with his own, his armor forming suddenly around him as she slams both blades against his head.

The wood shatters over the armor with Jer'rahd barely flinching from the blow. Starfall blinks a moment before the larger pony plows into her, flinging her back across the dirt to tumble to a stop at the base of Colonel Claymore's statue. Jer'rahd walks forward, shaking the wood splinters off his armor before letting it retreat back into the amulet he wore.

“That's three. You're done.”

“That was cheating.”

“I never said you could not use the armor. Besides, I had no intention of losing. I could care less about the griffon, but I will be damned if I am going to let you walk out on us, particularly in the state Princess Luna is in.”

“Great; if this is what you do, I am not looking forward to going back and hearing about what I did from her.”

“She won't say anything about it. She will just be glad to have another one of her friends back. The one you need to worry about is me. I understand the rage and why you gave chase, or I would, if you had not left both your Daughter and Princess Luna unguarded by your actions. I don't know if anything would have been any different or if you would have ended up like General Shower or like Rhede and Bleu. But since you ran off, we will never know, now will we?”

“What happened with them?”

“Find out for yourself. Get out of this damn garden, get cleaned up and checked out by a doctor and get back to work, Air Commander. That is an order.”

“Yes sir.”

Starfall glances back at him, recognizing the anger in his face, though she also finally notes how tired he looked and that he was slowly deflating now that the adrenaline from the fight was leaving. She was about to say something, but the look he still gave was enough for her to trot off as fast as she could muster.

Jer'rahd looks back at the Guards, dismissing them to return to their clean-up duties. His gaze shifts around the small section of garden and the statues in it. Celestia had said this was a new wing, and that all of them were the first to be placed here. His gaze is drawn to a great stone monolith that was being built not far from the gardens edge. With all the new expansions going onto the magic of the gardens, that pedestal would allow somepony to look over the garden in its entirety. Or it would once Celestia completed it; that was uncertain now. He sighs, his gaze lingering on the statues in this area of the garden. Silver Claw, Wind Razor, Nocturne, Colonel Claymore, Scarlet, and Blood Tail the Zebra. Every one of them had found some way to either hurt him or hurt his friends or both.

“I do not know if any of you can even hear me locked in stone like this, but if you can, I will be sure to destroy every single one of you before I die for what you have done. Leaving you like this may be more of a punishment, but for the hurt you have caused I want you to be there waiting for me in the next life so I can kill you again.”

He turns, trotting off away from the grouping of statues, his head drooping as the weariness of the last few days fully starts to kick in. He needed a bed.

===========================================================

Velkorn sighs, watching Princess Luna leave Celestia's bed chamber. She had brought a crate of healing gems much like the ones Bleu had been smashing over Jer'rahd's head. Velkorn had tried one, breaking it against Celestia's horn with no noticeable effect. Whether this was due to the gem not being strong enough or a magical resistance the Princess had herself was imposable to tell. Blood still oozed from the sewn up wound and Celestia did not wake.

She yawns softly, sitting back to watch Celestia again. The Princess had not shown any other changes since the wound was closed up. Her breathing remained steady, but blood still oozed from the closed wound seemingly unable to heal and she did not wake from the slumber she was in.

Baelit had shown up earlier to see if she needed anything and brought her a bit of food. He had said he would return later with a meal for her and to check up. Velkorn planned to let him take the gemstones that Luna had given her. The Queen’s Cross here in Canterlot could put them to far better use on the injuries from the attack than she could on just the Princess.

She shifts, getting less comfortable in the seat intentionally as she tries to focus on meditation without falling asleep. She had nearly panicked when the information of Rhede and Bleu's location was finally confirmed. The pair were prisoners of the Diamond dog nation, accused of trespassing and unwarranted attacks. An exorbitant amount of gemstones had been demanded for their safe return, an amount that would likely clean out the coffers of the royal treasury and the unicorn mages’ collection for years.

Oddly, Princess Luna had accepted the offer and set a group of ponies to collect what was demanded. There was much protesting from the nobles, all of which was ignored by the Princess or met with forceful eviction from the room by Jer'rahd. While Velkorn was glad Rhede and Bleu would be returned safely, she did wonder why Luna was being so agreeable about the insane demand.

She had left Celestia's side only twice, once to let Luna speak with her sister alone, and once to check on the wounded generals. Three Bear was in fairly bad shape, though he had tended most of his own wounds. Mustang had sent him into an ambush that was supposed to kill him and his Ursa companions. It likely would have succeed if the father bear had not given his life to protect the mate and cub destroying the magical seal and the dragons forming the trap before he succumbed to his wounds. Three Bear would have returned sooner, but he stayed with the others to tend their wounds and help bury the massive form of the Ursa Major. He was unaware the trap was set for him by General Mustang until he returned and found out what had transpired.

General Shower was a different story. She was wounded badly to the point no one was sure if she would live. Even if she did survive, she would never be able to fly again. There was no magic or power that Velkorn knew of that could regrow her wings. When she was hurled out the window, she used her own fire ability to cauterize the wounds so she would not bleed out. Even then she met the attacks of several griffons that had come after her, killing all of them before she finally collapsed to be found by Baelit. It was possible that she could pull through with time, and if she had enough fight left in her. The arrival of her husband and children earlier today could help her recovery a great deal by giving her a reason to keep fighting. Jer'rahd had informed her husband about General Mustang. He had not taken it well. Jer'rahd managed to calm him down in time, though the unicorn looked nervous about dealing with his old Drill Sergeant.

The worst of it was Celestia herself. Velkorn turned her head looking over the stacks of books Saw Bones had brought her on alicorns; most of them were useless and none of them documented anything more than something called Lesser Alicorns. None had anything on dealing with wounded goddesses. It was if the condition had never happened before. But there was mention of an old mare's tale in one book that drew her attention.

The story went that in the time before Equestria, one of the hidden alicorn rulers of the world was injured in a battle with a great evil. Left for dead, she was found by the North Winds and restored to health in time to stop the evil from devouring the world. There was little more than that, though the descriptions given of the North Winds sounded quite like a race of creatures she had recently encountered.

It seemed she needed to travel back to the windego lands, and soon.

====================================================

Jer'rahd wanted sleep. He wanted it badly enough to kill this damned serpent and be done with it. The problem was that he knew the beast and he knew why it was raging and flailing about. He also knew it took out at least six dragons and countless griffons on its own in a fit of rage when its partner died. He also knew that no matter how much she hated him Bleu would be pissed if the damn thing was killed.
At least by anyone other than her.

The giant purple serpent had reduced a small section of the city to rubble in its fight and subsequent depression. The few survivors of Celestia's school had failed to calm Seamore when Lily was killed in the attack. And there were not any around anymore to try now. The one uninjured survivor of the school pleaded with Jer'rahd not to kill Seamore, but the Guards were having no luck containing him. Anything that came anywhere near the body of Lily was a target for his anger. Quite a few Guards had already been injured as well as some civilians just trying to pass by to get to safety.

“Every pony stay back, I will deal with this.”

Jer'rahd storms off grumbling heading straight towards the coiled serpent and the body his giant form was circled around. He pauses briefly as the dragon raises his head and almost laughs at the ridiculous mustache the serpent wore. Something Bleu had said before to him tickled at the back of his mind. Might as well try it out.

Seamore growled as Jer'rahd approached, roaring out at the advancing unicorn. The pony stopped, glaring up at the serpent before his horn glowed brightly. The serpent snapped its mouth shut, eyes bugging out a bit as the massive mustache it wore was grabbed by Jer'rahd’s magic and the beast’s head was yanked down to the ground with a crash. Jer'rahd did not hesitate, hopping onto the dragons nose and staring it directly in the eye.

“Alright, listen you overgrown worm. I have not slept in three days and my tolerance is at an end. You stand the buck down or I will rip that fluffy caterpillar you are wearing off your face and beat you to death with it. You are not the only one who lost someone they care about. I just beat the crap out of a pegasus who lost her sister and she is one of my best friends. You are just another dragon to me. So now that we have cleared up what I think about your sorry hide, what is it going to be? Are you going to calm down and let ponies who know what they are doing tend to your fallen, or are you gonna be another notch on my scabbard?”

“Wha... but she, I couldn't do anything; they attacked too...”

“DID I BUCKING ASK FOR YOUR LIFE'S STORY?!! THIS WHOLE COUNTRY LOST PONIES IN THIS SHIT!! Bleu was right; you really are a stupid pompous ass. You shrink back down to whatever form you are supposed to be in right now or else I will bucking show you why I am called the Demon of Dullahan, are WE CLEAR, LIZARD?!”

Seamore's eyes remained wide, though he didn't respond aside from slowly shrinking in size until he was barely bigger than Jer'rahd. The Pony stepped off his muzzle, but kept a firm hold on the mustache, much to the whimpering of the Dragon.

“Please.... it’s the last thing she did for me...”

Jer'rahd releases the mustache, but he does not move otherwise.

“Good. I don't care what the buck you do now, though I would suggest you show up for your friend’s funeral, then leave. Dragons are not going to be well-liked around here for a long time. Celestia's school is not going to be any protection in the shape it’s in. These ponies were already worried about partnered dragons and one without a partner is not going to be well off. Plus, that law has yet to be repealed, and I doubt it will. Get everything in order, then get out of Canterlot before somepony who does not know any better tries to get revenge on you for the attack.”

He moves away, leaving the beast alone in the center of the carnage, ignoring its weeping as the Guards rush in towards the body and the dragonling.

===========================================

“Princess?”

“WE SAID WE DID NOT WISH TO BE.......... Starfall..... thank the stars you are all right.”

“I am sorry I have not been here Princess. I would also like to apologize for leaving when I did. I......”

Starfall's eyes widen as the Princess suddenly plows into her, hugging the smaller pegasus and crying into her mane. She winces a little as the Princess's forelegs hit some of her wounds, though she does not say anything about it. The pegasus had no idea what she could do or say anyway, so she simply stood there letting the Goddess cry on her shoulder. She lifts one wing, wrapping across Luna's back, stroking it softly as she would her daughter’s when she was upset.

==========================================

“General!! General Kaisur!!”

“Goddess take me now to the next world.... WHAT NOW?”

His room at the castle was right in front of him, the door was open and the bed in sight, when the pegasus messenger flew up to him landing with a salute before he could even get a hoof across the doors threshold.

“I was told to bring you the reports you asked for sir.”

“Which ones?”

“The casualty list sir.”

He sighs, closing his eyes and briefly noting how he planned his own downfall with this one.

“Have they finally made an accurate count?”

“There are still some missing sir, likely still under the rubble or not in Canterlot at the moment, but this is the up to date count of the confirmed casualties. Names, rank, and everything else you normally request.”

Jer'rahd takes the scroll from the Pegasus, unrolling it with some of the last power he had left, and scans the list his eyes stopping on one part of the list of names.

“Buck me.......”

“Sir?”

“Thank you, return to your post..... Wait…”

“Yes sir?”

“Where are the Pelt family right now?”

“ I am unsure of all their locations sir, but the main members of the family were reported to still be in the ballroom sir.”

“Thank you, dismissed.”

The pegasus takes off again as Jer'rahd closes the door heading back down the hallway towards the ballroom. He was no longer looking forward to Rhede coming back any time soon. He also had no more desire to sleep.

=======================================================

(Four days after the attack in the Diamond Dog Capitol of Crystal Tooth)

“So then, where do you think they are taking us now, Rhede?”

“I don't know where they have taken us the last few times Bleu, how would I know now?”

“What a master of information you are.”

“Shut up, both of you, ransom been paid and now I finally get you out of cells and go back to quiet.”

“Whats the matter, puppy? Not fond of my singing? I am offended.”

“Your singing fine lizard, pony singing makes ears bleed.”

“Everyone’s a critic.”

“Actually, Rhede, this is the first Diamond dog I have met that has any sort of taste.”

========================================================

“Maw.”

“Jer'rahd! Thank the goddess you're still alive. Where's Rhede?”

“He should be on his way home by now. He should be here in a few days of travel.”

“Figures he would bug out at a time like this....”

“He and Bleu were not given much a choice in the matter Maw. I am sure he would be here if he could.”

“So you know then? I guess that's why you're here and look like the walking dead. You should have gotten some sleep first. It’s not healthy to be tired.....”

Jer'rahd frowns looking down at Maw and the nearly two dozen covered bodies surrounding her. The area was dotted with other members of the Pelt family either weeping openly or standing in mute silence. His attention, however, was drawn back to Maw. She looked old, as if her years had finally caught up with her. She still wore the tattered remains of her Gala dress and she looked like she had not slept either. Wolf trotted up, setting a plate of food near Maw before heading off. There was a small pile of untouched food stacked nearby.

“He said he would be right back, took his brothers, a couple of cousins and Lion and Mink outside to help the Guards outside the shelter. He never came back …... It's funny, I always thought Paw would leave me for some young thing.... I didn't expect this, Jer'rahd.....”

“None of us did Maw. None of us did.”

He sits down next to her and Maw leans against him starting to cry again.

==================================================

[“You want me to do WHAT Auntie?"]

[" I want you to take care of Princess Celestia while I am away. I might have found something that could be a way to help heal her, but I am not sure until I go myself. I should be gone a few days at most.”]

“[What makes you think Princess Luna will even let me? She seemed ready to murder me just for being anywhere near the room to bring you food. Who's going to run the Queen's Cross if I am here? I am not cut out for dealing with royalty...]”

“[Luna will see reason. Besides, she has her own goal she needs to accomplish soon. I have heard her speak with her sister. She is planning something big. Luna is not the type to sit by and let things happen. And neither am I, nephew."]

“[How about you stay here and I go get what you need?]”

“[No, I doubt they will be as receptive to you as they will be to me. Besides, think of how much more respected the Queen's Cross will be when you have been known to treat royalty?]”

“[I am not comfortable with this.]”

“[And I am not comfortable with you still calling me auntie, but I have learned to deal with it as you will deal with this.]”

==================================================

“Do you feel better now Princess?”

“Yes... thank you Starfall. Please do not tell anyone I broke down like that, particularly General Kaisur.....”

“I won't, Princess. I doubt he wishes to hear from me anytime soon any way.... I am sorry I took off like that..... I really didn't ….”

“Do not worry about it Starfall. I am not sure there would have been anything you could have done if you stayed. Even Jer'rahd, Rhede, and Bleu fared poorly. I do not even wish to think about what happened to Meteor Shower. I have been told she will live, however, so there is that. Have you been to see your daughter?”

“Yes Princess. She found out about my sister and took it far better than I did.”

“Is she still with Rhede's brothers and that noble pony?”

“Cyan Sparkle? Yes, seems Jer'rahd ordered him to protect her and he has been doing just that. He has not told the poor colt otherwise.”

“He does have that effect on ponies. He does not even need the Royal Canterlot voice to get them to do what he wants.”

“He has his ways to get what he wants or thinks needs to be done, done. A little too harsh sometimes, though.”

“And yet here you are Starfall, without an attempt yet to retire.”

“I did not say it was not effective. I just said it was harsh.”

“It may have been what was needed. That is his decision however. I may have had a few choice words to say to you as well, but it seems he beat me to most of them. That and I do not think I could be mad at any of you for long regardless. Well, perhaps Rhede, but I think he tries to make me mad.”

“No, I think that is just how he is. It’s not intentional. Like how Bleu cannot really be serious for long.”

“Bleu has to try to keep that attitude though. It is a thick shield to mask the grief she has and sees in the world around her.”

“Rhede likely has to do the same thing Princess. I have seen him when he does not have that mask up. It is rather clear he is related to Jer'rahd at those times, even if not by blood.”

“I do not see why, but I suppose he has his reasons. So what are you going to do now’ Starfall?”

“I am going to kick his ass...”

“What?”

“Nothing Princess. I will not be going anywhere for a while. You all still need me, it seems.”

“I will not force you to stay, and Jer'rahd cannot do that either.”

“He had too many good points. This war has just started, and if I can be of use where others do not have to die then I have a purpose here. Besides, there are supposed to be six Elements of Harmony, not five.”

Princess Luna smiles, slowly rising back up to her hooves, lifting a foreleg to wipe her eyes.

“Good; I am glad you will be staying, and not just because I do have a use for you. You are one of the few who can keep the others in line. Every group needs someone with a good dose of sense.”

“Even if it does lapse at times...”

“Every pony's judgment can lapse, even mine and my sister’s. Go find your daughter and send Jer'rahd to see me if you can find him. I cannot do much more until Rhede and Bleu are back. But I have things I still need to speak with him about.”

“Of course’ Princess. You should get some sleep, though; you do not seem to have slept well, or at all.”

“ I have not, but I have no time to. There is much left to be done.”

==================================================

“Are you sure about this, Rhede?”

“Yes, now circle back around one more time. I want them to think we are hanging around just to make sure the delegates are clear.”

“The wagon is clear already.”

“Its fine; go, I have all I need.”

The large blue dragon banks in the air, flying away from the Diamond dog capitol. The strange city was half above ground and half in the caverns below it. The whole place looked like it had once been a mountain that had been dug out and down to the point where it was a city. An impressive feat of construction to be sure, though not comparable to the works of ponies.

Rhede and Bleu had been brought out to meet the wagon train coming in with their ransom. The ambassadors accompanying it were decidedly not happy to see either of them, though Rhede snubbed them before they could say anything to either of them. He suggested to Bleu that she should stretch her wings and come along for the ride when she took off. They had been circling the city for nearly an hour before the delegates and the caravan guards left the Diamond dog city limits.

“Alright Rhede, level with me. Why the heck am I flying around up here? It better not be ‘cause one of those ponies is an old mare friend.”

“No, it’s because I want the lay of the land and any weak points I can spot from the air.”

“What? Planing an invasion?”

“No, but Princess Luna is.”

“What!?!”

“We have barely been held for a week and the first ridiculous random that is asked for is immediately agreed upon. Luna wanted us out of there before she attacked so we would not be harmed.”

“That why you were watching everything all over the place the whole time?”

“Yes. The dogs rely too much on the fact their city is mostly underground for protection. That sort of thing means nothing when they have no other real defenses. The dogs have never been assaulted in their city directly before, because it looks like an impenetrable fortress and is so far away from anything of any importance to any other race. As their population grows, their defenses have weakened as towers and walls are made into homes. I could have kicked though the wall and freed myself in that jail cell. I likely would have wound up in some Diamond dog’s living room if I did, though.”

“So what now?”

“For now, we fly home as fast as we can. I want to know what we missed. At least we know Princess Luna is still alive. No one else would have met that ransom. No one else could have.”

“What about Princess Celestia? She could have.”

“She would have talked them down considerably. Celestia was good at that sort of thing.”

Bleu and Rhede both went silent at the slight implication that Celestia might no longer be alive before the dragon spoke again.

“Right, so we follow the road back to Camp Geode, then over the mountain towards Equestria.”

“Yes. The sooner we get back the better.”

“That's why you are not navigating this time.”

=======================================================

“You wished to see me Princess?”

“Yes General... has anypony told you that you look horrible right now?”

“No offense Princess, but you are not looking in top form yourself today.”

“I thought everypony was supposed to ignore that and just say I look beautiful no matter what.”

“I do not disagree you look beautiful. I just said you do not look in top form, I know what you have done to get into the state you are in. That actually adds to how you look in my opinion, Princess.”

Luna flushes a bit at the compliment, though for a moment Jer'rahd does not even seem to realize what he said. He was in mid yawn when his eyes widened and he turned red himself his brain catching up to his mouth.

“Err, ummm, my apologizes Princess I didn't mean, I mean I did mean but I didn’t mean to say, I am sorry I … I should probably head out and check on the Guards...”

“General, stop. I have information for you and information I want from you.”

He swallows, halfway turned, about to run, and still flushed.

“What is it you wish to know Princess?”

“Let me inform you of what I have first. Both Rhede and Bleu are on their way back. Bleu sent me a letter a few hours ago saying they were going to fly back. She also sent me a rather detailed layout of the Diamond Dog capital as viewed from the air.”

“That sounds like Rhede's work.”

“I am sure, but it is useful as well. Secondly, I will need you to actually sleep at some point. Once Rhede and Bleu return, we shall be embarking on a mission ourselves. I am going to leave Rhede in charge while I am away.”

“I think you really do need sleep Princess. That is a rather dumb idea.”

She snorts, somewhat annoyed at how hard it seemed to be for Jer'rahd to not speak whatever he was thinking when tired. She continues, trying to ignore him.

“Regardless, he has the training to do so. Starfall will remain as well to keep him out of any sort of trouble. We should only be gone for a few days at worst.”

“What is it we will be doing then Princess?”

“I shall fill you in on that once we are underway. Now then, Velkorn is also leaving for a few days. I am not comfortable with this at all, but she seems sure her nephew Baelit can watch over my sister while she is away. She thinks the Windigo might be able to teach her something about alicorns, as they have been around longer than my sister and I. It is a calculated risk I suppose; she does not wish to call them as they might only have what could help where they are. She has asked if Bleu could accompany her.”

“I do not see why Bleu would not do so. What is it you wished to know from me then Princess?”

“I have been getting reports and they have all been tampered with. I believe the hooves of the nobles are at work here attempting to lessen the damage reports coming to me.”

“Why would they do that? It does not make any sense.”

“I rather lost my temper in the last meeting and informed them of my intentions. They are trying to make this attack seem far less than it was. Even the papers are reporting things that I can see from here are wrong. I want an honest report, Jer'rahd.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

“ As you wish. New Dullahan was over run after being partially abandoned on order of Mustang. That area is now considered lost, though the forces there are light. The attackers that fled from here are currently regrouping there. Three Bear’s division and at least fifty percent of our remaining forces are currently in Manehattan pending a return here in light of what has happened. Mustang ordered them to the city to help rebuild and guard it. The Canterlot Guard base is gone, as is much of the market district. Most of the lower class district is still burning. The Guard housing has also been destroyed as well. Nearly all of the food stores have been destroyed as well as the main weapon caches of the Guard. The weapons and the food seemed to have been the first targets. Aside from what is in the larders now, there is nothing left of our early harvest here. Celestia's school for gifted unicorns is also gone. Of the students, all but one of the dragonlings and two of the students are dead. The sole remaining dragonling has fled into the Everfree forest as well. One of the two surviving unicorns is in bad shape as well and may not make it. The Royal Guard is down to below half their former number, as are any other branches here with the exception of the 42nd. The 42nd barely lost a tenth of their number in this battle; they also kept much of the damage away from the palace itself. However, the standing civilian population of Canterlot has been reduced to more than two thirds of what it was. This does not count the ponies who were here for the Gala. Very few of them were lost as they all made it into a shelter before the attack fully began. The exception to this was twenty three members of the Pelt family who gave up their lives to fight off a group that attacked the shelter. Our sister Mink, brother Lion and Paw were among the fallen. Maw is taking it rather badly. I have no doubt Rhede will not take it well either.”

“I am sorry to hear about your family’s loss Jer'rahd. I agree that Rhede will not take it well. I will wait until they return before informing him. If this were any other time, I would allow a period of grievance for you both, but we no longer have the time. I dislike to pull good news out of what you have given me, but with so few ponies left the food should not be a problem for a time. What of the surrounding area? Ponyville?”

“Nothing at all. It seems the full force of the attack was directed here. They wished to cut off the head of the serpent as it were. And do not worry about time off Princess; I do not wish to mourn. I wish to complete the attack I set out to do.”

“They almost succeeded in this attack, Jer'rahd. This has been closer to home than any other attack save the one by Forge Scale himself a hundred years ago. Bleu and Rhede should be back tomorrow and the day after they return is when we shall depart.”

“They you had best get some sleep Princess.”

“You should as well. There is a couch in my study you can use. I doubt you would sleep if I let you try to make it home on your own.”

“ I have been staying in the palace in my on duty room. The officer’s quarters I was given was destroyed as well. My room here in the castle is still intact, and luckily, I managed to save what was important. Bleu's collection of Platinum memorabilia, The Waning Moon's case, the tank armor, and my photo. Everything else was destroyed... including all those medals, I’m afraid. As well as all my dress uniforms. Pity that.”

“I thought you were still wearing the same one from the dance. I am surprised I could not smell you when you walk in.”

“It's all the dust. I am practically coated in ash and soot. You may need a new couch if I sleep on it.”

“It is an ugly color anyway. Get some sleep, General, and do not worry about your uniforms. You would need new ones anyway.”

She watched him walk off rather curious about something.

“Jer'rahd.”

“Yes, Princess?”

“How are you holding up with all this?”

“I am tired Princess. And angry. The latter has no outlet right now so tired is all I have.”

“How are you holding up so well? Some of your family has been killed and your friends are missing. I have not even been able to maintain myself as well as you seem to be doing.”

“Your sister is all you have had for a long time. That is understandable, Princess.”

“That does not answer my question, Jer'rahd.”

“We are surrounded by death and destruction and sorrow. Every pony is suffering. Someone has to be there and be unfazed by anything. Some pony has to be detached enough from what is happening to get things done without giving in to the anguish. Someone needs to be the rock that all others can build themselves back up from. I can handle whatever is given to me because I need to do so. Just as you need to be the rock for Equestria, I need to do so for my family and friends as well as anyone else who needs it. Something in this world needs to be stable enough that others can rally around it to rebuild. Get some sleep Princess. We can talk again afterwards if you wish.”

He continues into her study, closing the door lightly behind him. Luna waits a moment until the sound of a body hitting the couch is heard before turning to her own chambers and stepping inside, a small smile on her face.

“Thank you Jer'rahd. I may need you to be my rock as well.”

=======================================================

“What is the dragon’s coloration?”

“Blue General; however, its coloration shifts to metallic, as if it’s donning armor, every so often. There also appears to be a red pony on its back. It has maintained its distance for about half an hour now.”

“It seems the two we have been waiting for have arrived.”

Jer'rahd's horn glows, three massive green shields forming over his head vaguely shaped like an arrow pointing towards the courtyard he was in. The dragon breathes a crackle of lightning in response and wings towards the arrow. Jer'rahd climbs down off the parapet, dropping the shields as Bleu swings over the courtyard, landing hard and dropping back to the dragonling-sized form, clearly exhausted.

“‘Sup boss? We’re back. Miss us?”

“I did, but there is no time for pleasantries, so I will make this quick. The dragon was beaten and sealed in stone by Celestia. She is currently alive, but injured and not able to perform her duties. Princess Luna has taken over all necessary functions of Canterlot. Velkorn is staying with Celestia for treatment. Starfall and I are on a rotating shift to keep Guard and council with Princess Luna. Once you have recovered enough, Bleu, you will be doing the same. Rhede... damn... I cannot even say it... read this and head to the ball room. I can only give you two days. After that, we have to move on with the plans.”

He floats the casualty list over to Rhede, who scans it, his somewhat cheerful expression dropping instantly at the names.

“Where is she?”

“The main ballroom. It is still being used as a medical wing. I have spent what time I can with her, but she has been asking for you. YOU TWO, GET DOWN HERE!”

Two pegasus fly down from the wall and salute.

“Guide this pony to the medical wing in the ball room now. If any pony other than Princess Luna or one he says is okay tries to stall, delay, or stop his progress, you remove them with whatever force is necessary. You follow his orders like they were mine.”

“Yes sir.”
“Yes sir.”

“Things are a mess, Rhede, but this comes first.”

“Thanks, Jer.”

Rhede gallops off with the two escorts, taking to the air to follow along with him. Bleu picks up the list Rhede dropped and frowns, slowly climbing up onto Jer'rahd’s back.

“I did not expect it to be this bad boss. Hate to ask, but I don't see any of the band's names on here....”

“They are fine; Luna will have an interesting story to tell about them as well. Suffice to say I think Celestia will want to keep them around as well whenever she wakes.”

“Well that’s good at least... Is that Starfall up there?”

“Hmmm? Damn it she's headed back to the garden... wait, with Cloud Dancer? What is she doing? Never mind, I need to speak with her anyway. Luna better have dismissed her to do something or else.”

“Did I miss something else?”

“I beat the snot out of a miserable little mare a few days ago, she better not be returning.”

“I think a story time is in order boss. Fill me in on what happened as we walk ‘cause I sure ain't flying after her.”

“Alright.”

========================================================

Starfall tilts her wings’ figuring this was the best time to fly back to the garden. With Rhede and Bleu's arrival, Jer'rahd would be distracted enough that she could get something done she still needed to do. She glances back to Cloud Dancer as her daughter barely seemed to put forth much effort to keep up with her. She was growing up fast; she could not even be considered a foal anymore and in a few years she could legally make her own decisions of what she wanted to do with her life... which brought Jer'rahd's speech before back into her mind. She winced a bit, braking in the air, her wings not fully healed yet from the swords that pierced them, but she wanted to fly with her daughter a moment as they approached the garden.

Cyan Sparkle was not quite thrilled when they both took off. He was also unwilling to follow Starfall’s order to stand down his protection of Cloud Dancer until General Kaisur gave him the order. He was unable to keep up with the pegasi in flight, however, and although Cloud Dancer seemed to feel bad for leaving him, she followed her mother as she was asked.

“I hear you spoke with General Kaisur?”

Cloud dancer’s flight falters a bit though she rights herself quickly.

“I did mom.... I didn't really want to; he kinda scares me, though he has this way about him that he gets what he wants out of ponies. Though he really seemed to just want to find you and see how I was doing.”

“That he does. He said you expressed an interest in joining the Guard?”

“Yeah....”

“Why? What brought this on? I thought you were going to go to school and try to follow your aunt in weather control?”

“ I was, but I changed my mind.....”

Starfall glides in to land at the Gardens entrance looking back as Cloud Dancer lands.

“What brought that on? The fight in the ballroom?”

“Yeah... I was too scared to do anything but cower and watch with the band. Even Cyan was terrified, but he stayed between me and the dragon as if it would do any good. I could see him shaking, yet he didn't back down. I watched the attack and saw what every pony was willing to do to protect each other. The bass player was even more scared than me, but when the dragon was going to kill Princess Luna he did not even hesitate to try and attack the dragon to save the Princess. He just sucked up his fear and did what he thought needed to be done. Everyone did and all I could do was watch. Even after they were sent away, when the General came back, he looked like he was being burned alive.... goddess I remember his scream still, but he came back to try and protect everyone he cared about.”

She swallows as they both pause. Starfall hesitates as it seems Cloud Dancer was trying to build up the nerve to say something else.

“I wanted to be brave, I wanted to try and help, but I couldn't do anything. Even the weakest pony I had ever seen tried to help and I couldn't do anything. I don't want to ever have to go through that again... I figured if the Guard training produced a pony like General Kaisur and the bravest pony I know went though it to be the hero she is now… maybe at least it could help me not be so scared if something bad happens...”

Starfall felt herself tearing up, but she also felt a wash of shame, feeling more effects of what Jer'rahd said now that her daughter was telling her. The realization of her near abandonment of everyone to chase the griffon finally sunk in and it was a bit of a struggle to keep walking. Cloud Dancer seemed too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice until they made it to the section of the garden with the griffon and the others.

Everything had been left just as it was, the pile of chipped stone and even the splinters of wood that had been her sparing blades.

“Is this.... is this the griffon that killed them?”

“Yes. She was also the one who killed your grandparents and your daddy...”

“Why? Why would she do that?”

“I don't know. All I know is she had some compulsion to complete sets of the ponies she had killed with as much of their direct family as she could. From what information I could get, she seemed to fixate on one member of the family to save for last. I was doing what I could to make sure her only focus was on me.”

“That’s why you had me using auntie’s last name?”

“Yes. It didn't work though; she knew about you.”

Cloud Dancer did not seem to be listening as she was looking up at the griffon. Her wings were shaking a little bit as she regarded the damage to the statue.

“What's with all this damage to her?

“When she was frozen in stone she was still wearing the tails of those she killed. I did my best to remove them for proper burial. I tried not to be gentle.”

Starfall's ears perk up, hearing a voice. Her gaze shifts around the clearing to note the heads of a little blue dragonling and a white unicorn colt poking around the edge of a hedge. Bleu smiles, waving to Starfall before a green glow wraps around both of them yanking the pair back out of sight. It figures he would notice and follow her here. She had no plans to do anything else to the statue any... A loud crack of stone breaks that chain of thought and her head whips back around to her daughter.

Cloud Dancer had evidently decided on something as tears ran down the sides of her face. The griffons tail had been snapped off and dropped to the ground in front of the griffons gaze and repeatedly stomped by the filly until it was little more than rock chips and dust. Starfall watched in shock as her little girl glared up at the statue.

“Now you know how that feels...”

She turns trying to fight back the tears as she walks away. Starfall approaches gathering up the parts she had broken off herself looking up at the statue then back at her daughter.

“If I ever meet you as flesh and blood again, I will kill you and I will make it hurt.”

She dumps the stone chips and bits into a saddle bag moving to catch up with her daughter. She pauses looking over at the bush she knew the three were behind.

“You have something you need General?”

“Yes. Report to princess Luna when able; she wants all of us present for the next royal court she is going to hold in two days.”

“Got it.... and tell that friend of yours to stand down. I'm getting nervous as much as he is hanging around my daughter.”

The sound of a choking cough from the mentioned pony and the laughter of Bleu was easily heard.

“Noted. You may wish to hurry; Cloud Dancer is leaving without you.”

Starfall nods and takes off after her daughter.

========================================================

The trip back out of the garden was much longer for Jer'rahd than it was for Starfall. Not simply due to the fact the pegasus flew, but because Sparkle was in full-on fan colt mode and asking a million questions a second. Evidently, after he had rescued the colt in Manehattan, he had been following everything he could on Jer'rahd like he was some sort of super hero. This barely registered at first as they were walking back though the city, but the droning of the colt was enough to finally put Bleu to sleep on his back. He did not want to snap at Sparkle, but at the same time the colt was wearing on already-frazzled nerves.

“...I mean you've done things most ponies never even dreamed about, you saved countless lives, you’re a hero to nearly everyone whether they admit it or not...”

And the urge not to snap at the colt vanished like a gemstone around Bleu.

“What did you call me?”

Sparkle's survival instincts were good enough that he realized something had changed, but at the same time his brain pressed him on past them.

“A hero...”

Jer'rahd visibly twitches enough for Bleu to actually wake up.

“Who what where why... sometimes how...? Oh crap. Boss, you OK?”

Jer'rahd ignores her, whirling on the colt.

“Cut the hero crap. I am in no way any sort of damn hero. I do what I have to do. There was a task to perform and I did it. I am a soldier, colt, not a hero. I go out, I do my job, I come back, just like every single pony who is currently in the Guard. The only difference between me and the other Guards is I was put in situations that brought me to the attention of the media and my superiors. There are thousands of tales of ponies who have done things that make my piddle crap look like a story about some pony crossing a room. Countless ponies have fallen in the line of duty, fighting for what they believe in. The main difference between me and them is that I have yet to give my life for what I believe and have it stick. You want heroes? The Royal Graveyard is that way. I am just a guard, colt, so stop calling me a hero. And don't try to imitate what you read about me. You are likely to get yourself and others killed.”

“I... I am sorry sir...”

“Don't be sorry, do something. This whole city is a disaster area; go out and help somepony instead of following me around like a lost dog. Cloud Dancer will be fine.”

Cyan Sparkle blinks, confused a second before clearly thinking of something and darting off. Jer'rahd watches him leave a moment before turning back to head again to the castle.

“A little harsh there, boss.”

“I have had a bad week. The colt needs to realize I am no sort of role model.”

“The fact you keep denying that you are a hero just makes you seem more like one you know.”

====================================================

“You got married… again?? Without me... Again?!?!”

“Calm down Bleu. Janis and I never legally divorced... So we didn't have to get married a second time.”

“Doesn't matter; I still missed it the first time so I am angry about that now. What the heck happened anyway?”

“Tiger here grew a pair.”

“Hah hah, shut up Ray.”

Bleu had tracked down the members of Platinum Swan, who, with the exception of Tigerlily, were all unharmed, and even he only had a couple of cracked ribs where the dragon had hit him. The group had piled into the last surviving bar in town and shockingly, it was the one owned by Starcloud. Recognizing Bleu, he ran a few of the more drunk patrons out to give the group a table.

“So anyway, Bleu, what’s the verdict?”

“On what?”

“On the band. Did the Princess like us enough to keep us around?”

“Hard to tell, since she hasn't woken up yet... Luna liked you all, though, so it’s a safe bet you guys are in, but it will be a while before you are gonna perform anything.”

“That’s fine. There's too much turmoil about anyway. I need to get a replacement for the Lady Macbeth anyway. That could take a bit.”

“I wouldn't worry, Tiger. You can play any base well enough; you don't need a special one.”

“Thanks, Janis.”

“Not to butt in, but what happened to Proudmore?”

The group looks over at Pip, who was on his eighth or ninth glass of something and blinks, somewhat surprised at the question.

“What? I don't want him showing up to screw with us again.”

“No worries on that Pip. A dragon ate him.”

“You sound upset about that Bleu.”

“I am, Crystal.”

“Why? I was sure you hated him.”

“I did. What upsets me is that I wasn't the dragon that ate him.”

================================================

The unicorn slams his hooves down on the desk between him and Jer'rahd. For the first time in a long time that did not involve water, Jer'rahd actually felt rather panicked. Not due to any threat the pony was giving but by who he was. Stone Hooves had not seemingly changed in the slightest since he was Jer'rahd's drill sergeant. It also did not help that he was in full Drill instructor mode right now, including the still-nicked hat.

“WHAT THE BUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE NOT TRANSFERRING ME? I WANT FRONT LINE DUTY KAISUR I WANT TO BE THERE WHEN THE WALLS OF THAT CITY FALL AND WE RUSH IN AND CRUSH THE DAMN DRAGONS FOR WHAT THEY DID. I AM NOT GOING TO BE DENIED THAT BY SOME BUREAUCRATIC BULLSHIT!”

“I say again Sergeant: no, I will not transfer you from the training group.”

“WHAT THE BUCK?! I COULD DO SO MUCH BETTER OUT ON THE FIELD THAN HALF THESE IDIOTS RUNNING AROUND!”

“Sergeant, if they are idiots, it’s because that is how you trained them to be.”

Stone Hooves steps back from the desk, clearly even more pissed off and ready to keep yelling, until Jer'rahd's magic yanks his hat from his head. The unicorn’s eyes go wide until Jer'rahd speaks again.

“You claim you could do much better than those who are fighting. I can understand that and at the same time I think it might be true in some regards.”

He spins the hat around in the air leveling the side with the nick towards Stone Hooves.

“Or it would be believable if not for this hat you still wear. You could have had this mended, but you did not. Why?”

“...That’s the first time someone actually managed to hit the hat. I left it there for the new worms to have a little hope at the start. Adds more to their drive....”

“So you offer hope to them before you break them down. Has it worked?”

“I have not had any more suicide attempts in my group, though I still have quitters. I can still be of more use...”

“Sergeant!! Allow me to point something out to you. Four of the ponies you have trained have managed to achieve things no other pony thought possible, three of those are from the same training class and one you actually married. She is going through a hard enough time having her wings removed and a forced retirement from her rank for her to be worried that her husband is going off to fight and maybe die without her. I am not keeping you here to train for that reason though.”

“Then why?”

“Your training has produced some of the toughest fighters and most feared individuals that have ever trotted Equestria. Eighty percent of the 42nd is full of ponies you trained personally. You are not going anywhere because I need more guards trained and I want more ponies like that in my guard. Do you understand me? I am clearing you to train the other trainers in making more ponies like those in the 42nd . I want to see you produce someone better than Silver Tail, better than Pelt, better than me. You are not going to be able to do that if you are on the front lines. You want revenge then you make sure that every pony you train can take down a dragon or a griffon or anything else that gets thrown at them, because if every pony that graduates from basic kills even one then they have already taken out more than you could possibly do on your own, Sergeant. You are going to go back to work and you are going to give me soldiers. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Will there be anything else, sergeant?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. I have only one other thing to say to you. In the next few years, you will likely have another Silver Tail, and a pair of Pelts as well as white unicorn named Sparkle. I want you to give them the special friend treatment.”

“Sir?”

“The colt has potential, and if you cannot run the filly off then she could be greater than her mother.”

“And the Pelts, sir?”

“They are family.”

“Yes, sir.”

=================================================

One week after the attack on Canterlot, the Royal Court was gathered. A collection of surviving nobles and ponies of importance, as well as a force of military personnel from both the Royal Guard and the 42nd were present. Many civilians were allowed to sit in this ceremony as well, regardless of importance.

The five Elements of Harmony stood by the pair of thrones representing the Sun and Moon, with only the throne of the moon occupied by Princess Luna. Several of the higher-ranking nobles stood near the two thrones, but away from Luna and the Element bearers as if they expected any of them to snap at any moment in front of this massive crowd.

Several reports were given to the princess and all those in attendance by the nobles. Most were facts on what had gone on. Every time a particular bit of information was false, however, Princess Luna stopped the one reading it directly and had one of the Elements continue with the proper information before the noble was allowed to continue with the assessment.

Bleu and Velkorn both looked nervous, not liking the scrutiny they were being put under by those in the audience and the nobles around the thrones. Rhede did not really seem to care; he had spent all the time he could with Maw and the rest of the Pelts helping to prepare the bodies of the fallen for the trip back to Ponyville for burial in the family plot. Only Starfall and Jer'rahd seemed unfazed, though Starfall kept glancing over at Jer'rahd as if she was expecting him to say something to her.

When the nobles finished, Princess Luna rose to her hooves, prompting the ponies gathered to bow until she gestured for them to lift their heads.

“CITIZENSOF EQUESTRIA, ATTENDING MEMBERS OF THE GUARD. INA LONG SERIES OF VERY FIERCE BATTLES, NOW ON THIS FRONT, NOW ON THAT, AND NOW EVEN ON OUR HOME FRONT, FIGHTING ON SEVERAL FRONTS AT ONCE WITH JUST US AGAINST EQUAL OR LARGER ATTACKING FORCES, AND FOUGHT VERY FIERCELY ON OLD GROUND THAT SO MANY OF US KNEW SO WELL, OUR LOSSES ARE STAGGERING: THOUSANDS OF PONIES KILLED, WOUNDED OR SIMPLY MISSING. WE TAKE THIS MOMENT TO EXPRESS SYMPATHY OF THE ROYAL FAMILY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED BEREAVEMENT OR ARE STILL ANXIOUS TO HEAR ANY NEWS OF LOVED ONES.

MY SISTER PRINCESS CELESTIA IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY. SHE IS ONE OF THOSE WOUNDED BY THIS LATEST ATTACK. MANY HERE HAVE FELT PRIVATE AFFLICTION OF THE SHARPEST FORM, BUT I WOULD NOT SAY THAT ABOUT THE MISSING; WE HAVE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF PONIES FOUND ALIVE, IF INJURED, IN THE RUBBLE OF THE CITY. THERE MAY BE MORE AS OF YET UNFOUND IN SHELTERED AREAS NOT YET ACCESSIBLE. HOPE IS NEVER WASTED.
IN THE CONFUSION OF THIS ATTACK, IT IS INEVITABLE THAT MANY SHOULD GO MISSING. AGAINST THIS LOSS, WE MAY SET THE FAR HEAVIER LOSS CERTAINLY INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY. BUT OUR LOSSES ARE ENORMOUS IN TERMS OF MATERIAL. WEAPON STORES, FOOD STORES, DEFENSIVE ENCAMPMENTS, HOUSING, WE HAVE THE PONIES BUT NOT THE NECESSITIES THEY NEED.
THESE LOSSES WILL IMPOSE A DELAY ON OUR RETALIATION FOR THIS GRIEVOUS ACT. THE BEST OF WHAT WE HAD TO GIVE WAS PRESENTED TO THE GUARD FIGHTING AT DULLAHAN, AND ALTHOUGH NOT ALL BENEFITED FROM THE VERY BEST THEY WERE THE FINEST-EQUIPPED TROOPS THAT THERE COULD BE. THAT IS NEARLY ALL GONE NOW.
HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO RESUPPLY FOR THIS ATTACK DEPENDS UPON THE EXERTIONS WHICH WE MAKE IN THIS LAND, AND EFFORT THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE IS NOW BEING MADE. WORK ON NEEDED MATERIALS WILL PROCEED NIGHT AND DAY, SUNDAYS AND WEEKDAYS. ALL PRIVATE BUSINESS AND THOUGHTS OF PROFIT ARE TO BE SET ASIDE TO PUT EVERYTHING IN COMMON STOCK. EVEN THE SMALL SHIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE WEEK SINCE THE ATTACK HAVE LEPT US FORWARD. THERE IS NO REASON WHY, IN A FEW MONTHS, EQUESTRIA SHOULD NOT REBUILD AND REARM PAST WHAT WE HAVE LOST IN TERMS OF MATERIAL ITEMS.

NEVERTHELESS, OUR THANKFULNESS AT THE SURVIVAL OF SO MANY PONIES AND THE THANKFULNESS OF THEIR LOVED ONES WHO PASSED THROUGH AN AGONIZING TIME MUST NOT BLIND US TO FACE THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS A DISASTER.
THE GUARD HAS BEEN WEAKENED, THE WALLS OF EQUESTRIA UPON WHICH SO MUCH FAITH WAS REPOSED ARE GONE, AND MANY OF OUR SUPPLIES ARE LIKELY BEING REPURPOSED BY THE ENEMY FORCES TO BE USED AGAINST US.

ALL OF THE DARKLANDS ARE IN THEIR POSSESSION WITH ALL THE STRANGENESS AND POWERS THAT COME FROM IT, AND WE MUST EXPECT ANOTHER BLOW TO STRIKE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AT US OR OUR LANDS.

WE WERE TOLD AT THE START THAT THERE WERE PLANS FOR ATTACKING CANTERLOT. THIS HAS OFTEN BEEN THOUGHT OF AND ATTEMPTED BEFORE, ONLY TO MEET WITH FAILURE. THE WHOLE QUESTION OF DEFENSE AGAINST ANOTHER INVASION HAS BEEN AFFECTED THAT WE HAVE, EVEN WITH LOSSES, A GREATER FORCE THAN HAS EVER BEEN ASSEMBLED IN EQUESTRIA. BUT THIS WILL NOT CONTINUE. WE SHALL NOT BE CONTENT WITH A DEFENSIVE WAR. WE HAVE A DUTY TO OUR SUBJECTS.

WE HAVE TO RECONSTITUTE AND BUILD UP THE GUARD, PLACING IT ONCE AGAIN UNDER COMMAND OF A FIVE-STAR GENERAL. THIS NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF SHALL BE GENERAL JER'RAHD KAISUR WHOM MANY OF YOU KNOW WELL. AS HIS SECOND, I AM PLACING STARFALL SILVER TAIL AS FOUR-STAR GENERAL AND GRANTING HER THE POSITION OF HEAD OF THE EQUESTRIAN AIR FORCE IN THE RETIREMENT OF GENERAL SHOWER.”

Luna pauses a moment at the surge of cheering that erupted from the 42nd in attendance and was rapidly joined by the Royal Guard in attendance as well. Jer'rahd looked unfazed, Starfall looked flustered.

“BUT NOW I FEEL WE MUST PUT THE DEFENSE OF EQUESTRIA INTO SUCH A HIGH STATE OF ORGANIZATION THAT THE FEWEST POSSIBLE NUMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO GIVE EFFECTUAL SECURITY AND THAT THE LARGEST POSSIBLE POTENTIAL OFFENSIVE EFFORT MIGHT BE RELEASED.

ON THIS WE ARE NOW ENGAGED. IT WOULD BE VERY CONVENIENT TO ENTER IN TO THIS WITH SECRET MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS, BUT AS THE ENEMY HAS SHOWN, THEY ARE JUST AS ABLE TO SPY ON US AS WE ARE THEM. IN LIGHT OF THIS, I SHALL BE PROMOTING AMBASSADOR RHEDERIC PELT TO THEPOSITION OF THREE-STAR GENERAL AND PLACING HIM IN CHARGE OF ANY NEGOTIATIONS AND INFORMATION THAT ARE NEEDED.”

Rhede blinks in surprise though a series of shouts and cheers sound from the back what could only be assumed to be Wolf and Fox. The two were abruptly silenced by a very audible growl that could only have come from Maw pelt before standard applause started at the promotion.

“WE MAY FIND IT NECESSARY SOON TO TAKE MEASURES OF INCREASING STRINGENCY, NOT ONLY AGAINST ENEMY ALIENS AND SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS OF OTHER NATIONALITIES, BUT ALSO AGAINST EQUESTRIAN SUBJECTS WHO MAY BECOME A DANGER OR A NUISANCE SHOULD THE WAR PROGRESS.

IN LIGHT OF THIS AND DUE TO THEIR OWN DISTINGUISHED SERVICES FOR EQUESTRIA, ZEBRA QUEEN VELKORN SHALL RECEIVE THE RANK OF TWO-STAR GENERAL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THAT THE INVESTIGATION INTO OTHER NATIONALS RESIDING IN EQUESTRIA WILL NOT BE A WITCH HUNT BUT SHALL BE CARRIED OUT AS A NECESSITY. BLEU SCALE SHALL RECEIVE THE RANK OF ONE-STAR GENERAL AS WELL, DUE TO HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE FOR EQUESTRIA AND TO SHOW THAT PEACE MAY YET BE POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE WITH DRAGON KIND ONCE THEIR CURRENT LEADERS HAVE PAID FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST US.”

Bleu and Velkorn both looked at Luna with almost as much shock as the babbling nobles around her. Jer'rahd simply smirks and raises a shield that a noble rushing forward to protest promptly smacks into knocking him to the floor. Jer'rahd turns to help the noble up muttering something that made the formally dark blue unicorn pony pale to the point of seeming to change fur colors.

“TURNING ONCE AGAIN TO THE QUESTION OF ANOTHER INVASION: NEVER IN EQUESTRIA'S LONG HISTORY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A POINT WHERE AN INVASION WAS GUARANTEED NOT TO BE POSSIBLE. RECENT EVENTS HAVE PROVEN IT POSSIBLE.

WE ARE ASSURED AND HAVE SEEN NOVEL METHODS THAT OUR ENEMY HAS ADOPTED, AND WHEN WE SEE THE ORIGINALITY, MALICE, AND INGENUITY OF AGGRESSION WHICH THE DRAGONS DISPLAY, IT IS CLEAR WE MUST PREPARE OURSELVES FOR EVERY KIND OF NOVEL STRATAGEM AND EVERY KIND OF BRUTAL AND TREACHEROUS MANEUVER. I THINK NO IDEA OUTLANDISH ENOUGH THAT WE SHOULD NOT CONSIDER IT A VIEW IT WITH A WATCHFUL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME STEADY EYE.

WE MUST NEVER FORGET THE SOLID ASSURANCES OF EARTH PONY TENACITY AND HARDINESS, THE SWIFT AND CUNNING MIGHT OF THE PEGASUS AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND MYSTIC POWER OF THE UNICORNS. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF THESE THREE PONY RACES SHALL EQUESTRIA CONTINUE TO HOLD BACK THE FORCES THAT SEEK OUR DESTRUCTION. I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT ALL WILL PREFORM THEIR DUTY AND THE BEST PLANS ARE LAID WE SHALL EMERGE TRIUMPHANT IN OUR QUEST TO BE FREE OF WORRY OF ANOTHER ATTACK SUCH AS THE ONES WE HAVE SUFFERED. OUR NATURE AND DRIVE SHALL RIDE OUT THE STORMS OF WAR, OUTLIVE THE MENACE OF TYRANNY IF NECESSARY FOR YEARS, AND, IF NEED BE, ALONE.

AT ANY RATE, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO DO. THAT IS THE NATURE OF OUR RESOLVE. IT IS THE WILL OF THE PRINCESS AND EQUESTRIA. ALL OF OUR LAND LINKED TOGETHER IN CAUSE AND NEED WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH OUR HOMELAND, AIDING EACH OTHER LIKE GOOD FRIENDS, SETTING ASIDE ANY DIFFERENCES AGAINST A COMMON THREAT TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL.

WE SHALL NOT FLAG NOR FAIL. WE SHALL GO ON TO THE END. WE SHALL FIGHT IN EQUESTRIA AND IN THE DARKLANDS, WE SHALL FIGHT WITH GROWING CONFIDENCE AND GROWING STRENGTH IN THE AIR. WE SHALL DEFEND OUR LAND WHATEVER THE COST MAY BE WE SHALL FIGHT ON THE BEACHES, THE FIELDS, THE MOUNTAINS, AND THE CLOUDS. WE SHALL PRESS ONTO THE LAST TILL OUR FOALS NEED NOT FEAR OR EVEN KNOW THE MEANING OF WAR LET ALONE KNOW THE FEAR OF IT. WE SHALL NOT STOP UNTIL THERE ARE NONE LEFT WHO WOULD DARE RISE AGAINST US AND WE SHALL PUNISH THOSE WHO HAVE BROUGHT SUFFERING UPON US FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THEIR OWN GAIN. WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER TO THE ENEMY OR TO FEAR. AND IF PERCHANCE WE FALL WE WILL NOT FALL IN VAIN AS OUR SACRIFICE WILL GIVE BEAR THE MESSAGE TO OUR ENEMIES THAT WE ARE NOT TO BE WALKED OVER EQUESTRIA SHALL NOT GIVE IN AND IF WE DO FALL WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE FOR A MOMENT SHALL HAPPEN, WE SHALL SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ONES THAT WILL FOLLOW US THAT OUR SPIRIT WHEN RAISED SHALL NEVER FALTER. AND THAT THOSE WHO SEEK TO DESTROY US, QUEST IN VAIN. WE WILL NOT GIVE IN, WE WILL SHOW WE CAN AND THAT WE WILL STRIKE BACK WITH MORE FORCE THAN THEY CAN WITHSTAND. THEY BLOODIED OUR MUZZLES WITH THIS ATTACK; IN RETALIATION WE SHALL RIP THEM ASUNDER. TO ERR IS TO BE ALIVE, TO FORGIVE, IS NOT GUARD POLICY.”

The ponies before her burst into cheering again though the nobles look hesitant they slowly back away from the group as the princess moves retaking her seat on her throne. The five move around her taking up positions at her sides with Bleu growing large enough to stand behind the throne and look over the top of it as the gathered forces continue to cheer for her.

Jer'rahd leans in closer to Luna, his voice barely carrying over the cheering.

“It only gets harder from this point, Princess. Now we need a plan.”

“I have one, General Kaisur, though it must be done soon; my sister will not allow it when she wakes. We set out in the morning. Once again, we need to part ways. Rhede, will you be able to handle things here?”

“After this, I should have no trouble with most of them, Princess, and out of everyone else, only you and Jer are more feared by the nobles than me. I will have my part done. I am not sure why you want me running the kingdom for a few days, though.”

“I will keep an eye on him Princess. I need to get the air wing back in order anyway.

“Good. Thank you, Starfall.”

“We are ready to go tonight, Luna. Velky's gonna check your sister one more time and we will head out. We have a bit of a longer trip to undertake than the rest of you.”

“We seem apart far too often as of late, but with the tasks ahead, such is our fate.”

“Thank you my friends; let us hope that what I have said can be backed up, because even if we crush the dragons, there are still many threats left.”

Jer'rahd snorts in annoyance, his gaze scanning the still-cheering ponies.

“Then we will deal with them all. Either Equestria will know peace or all the other nations will know death.”

Twilight sits back having expected far more than this after what had happened before. She also was starting to think Jer'rahd was becoming sort of a jerk, although she knew what lack of sleep could do to a pony. Also, it seemed he clearly got results. She reaches a hoof up, rubbing her eyes, then glances back at Rarity, who it seemed had already dozed off, her head face-down in the book. Twilight chuckles a bit, slipping the book free with her magic and placing a throw pillow under her friend’s head instead. She briefly glances at the book and sighs, seeing as the other unicorn had barely finished a chapter from where she had picked up before falling asleep. Well, after all that had happened at the wedding, it was no wonder; she was still recovering. Rarity seemed to have made nearly every dress in Canterlot at the time. Twilight cleans up the area, noting Spike had come back already and put his blanket over Rarity.

She smirks slightly, shaking her head, cutting out the lights heading off to bed herself.

[Luna's speech based roughly on a Winston Churchhill Speech ]

Above the Soil.

Stories in Stone

Luna's Royal Guard

by TDR

Above the Soil.

“Thanks for coming by again so soon Applejack. I seem to be getting closer to the end of the story, and how Luna became Nightmare Moon.”

“It's not a problem sugar, not much to do on the farm aside from the daily chores until harvest season hits again. I do have a couple of questions for yah, though.”

Twilight sighs, having been asked by every pony in the entire town about Cadence and the goings-on at the wedding at this point. She was getting tired of it, and her response was largely automated.

“No, we don't know where the changelings went, Princess cadence is a alicorn, but not a goddess, its a genetic thing. We did not see you staring at Rainbow's flank in the dress she had, Spike still feels bad about it, yes he knows what a bachelor party is now. No they have not come back from their honey moon yet, no it is not on the actual moon. Does that cover everything?”

“Yeah, I think, but that wasn't what I was gonna ask....... wait a tic... what was that middle part again?”

“Spike still feels bad about the bachelor party and not doing anything.”

“Not that part the other part!”

“What was your question AJ?”

The farm pony was quite a bit flustered by what she thought Twilight said. The unicorn turns from AJ setting up her research and smiles softly. She needed to thank Rarity for pointing out how attached Rainbow and AJ were to each other. It was quite easy to tell there was some romantic connection there and it was getting rather fun to tease the pair. Dash never seemed to understand the teasing and occasionally just thought she was being made fun of. AppleJack caught it from time to time though usually chose to ignore it or deny outright.

“Errr yeah. So ah caught up in the reading since you had Spike make a third copy of what'cher writing. Now what I don't get is the part where Jer'rahd died. You actually had yerself in that part too. While I don't profess to know anything bout magic or whatever that starry place you wrote about in the back of tha book is, how is it you watching him now let you be able to save him back then? Cause if you didn't save him, then he wouldn't be here now for yah tah be learning about so yah ken go back and save him.... oh shoot I dun made myself cross eyed again....”

Twilight had never thought AJ dumb, but she never seemed to be that academically inclined, yet she was the only one, other than Spike, who had picked up on that part of the story.

“Honestly that bit gives me a headache as well. It's like that time I came back to warn myself not to worry about things in the future and because I came back I started worrying about it.”

“Yeah, that story ain't right either.....”

“You're telling me.”

“Any how, Spike doing alright on Crusader watch?”

“He came back painted orange yesterday, though he refused to explain what happened aside from saying they didn't get their cutie marks from it.”

“Yah know what... I dun wanna know any more, so long as he ain't having no real trouble from them.”

“Well he did go out on his own with them today, so I think he is having fun. He brought Peewee this time so that might be interesting.”

“I spect so. Any hoo, I still gotta catch up on what happened last time yah wrote some stuff. You best get back tah finding out whats going on like yah said. Ah ain't got the entire night and ah'm getting mighty curious how this ends up tying in with how our little part in it began.”

“I think we all are Applejack. Though you are right, I had better get started.”

Twilight moves over to the table she had set up, as her friend drops onto the couch flipping open the book. With luck she would find out what Princess Luna was up to and maybe some more information on the Weindigo. This was actually getting exciting.

She dives into the starry void taking the customary look about She found the grouping of stars that had worried her were joined by a few more, though these stars seemed small compared to the other six. She could not tell how many of the smaller ones there were due to the brightness of the other six, but two of them felt very familiar.

She shook her head ignoring the need to study them to focus on her primary goal. Princess Luna might be able to wait forever, but she likely would suffer that long too.

She chose Rhede's shard and dove into it.

======================================================

“BWHAHAHAHAHA, it's good to be king.”

“Rhede seriously? Just shut up.”

“I have been through very traumatic experiences as of late Starfall, let me have this.”

“Fine, you have five more minutes. This is insane even for you.”

“Calm down, everything is running smoothly and we have some time to kill. Since you are not interested in my usual form of entertainment and Luna and Jer both told you to keep an eye on me this is what you get.”

Rhede stood before a mirror in the royal vault, his crimson fur glittering with the amount of jewelry he was currently decked out in. His black leg was nearly hidden under a series of gold and silver bracelets. His whole body seemed to shine as he shifted catching the light as he posed in front of a full length mirror. He smirked wearing what amounted to the Royal Crown Jewels of Canterlot.

“I might have a higher opinion of you than when we first met, but it's not high enough for that sort of entertainment. Also, I did not agree to that order just to watch you play dress up.”

“Most of this stuff is going to be melted down to pay for supplies from the zebra lands. We have a higher need for food and supplies to rebuild than we do for this stuff I figure though someone should wear them at least once before they are gone. If I have learned anything from Bleu, it is take what enjoyment you can get out of any situation, no matter how bad. You should try that some time Starfall.”

“Oh I plan to, granted my enjoyment out of this situation will be seeing the looks on everyone else s face when I tell them how much you enjoyed dressing up in mare's clothes.”

“WHAT!? These are the crown jewels not dresses!!”

“That last one looked like a wedding veil. You will make a lovely bride I'm sure.”

“Buck it!”

============================================================

Velkorn sat before the fire, looking into the flames, her mane having fluffed out far more than she liked on the flight just to this point. Where she normally had it held back with a band, it was loose and the curly locks fell over her eyes. She needed to find another head band, as her last had blown off mid flight without her knowing it. Bleu lay by the fire, curled up in a ball, having fallen asleep not long after eating. A slight shift in the blue scaled dragons breathing gave Velkorn a sign to tell the dragonling was awake again.

[“Still upset you lost your ribbon?”]

[”A bit.”]

[”It wasn't an heirloom or anything was it? We can go back and look. I know how boss is with the few things he has.”]

[”No, it was just a ribbon, I try not to get attached to material things if I can help it. I believe my medical bags and Jer'rahd's necklace are the only objects I have an attachment too.”]

[”What about that dress Rhede gave you?”]

[”While my attraction to him has not cooled yet, the destruction of the dress has shown that memories and the friends that you make them with are more important than the gifts you receive from them.”]

[”Yep you are still pissed about it.”]

[”Was it that easy to tell?”]

[”Only to me and maybe Rhede, granted I seem to hang out with you more than any of the others except the boss. OK, I was just guessing, seriously that's been nearly two years now. The war screwed with the gala times along with everything else.”]

[”I know.... it has been less time than that since …...”]

[”Since Rhede yelled at you like you saw in the vision. Yeah I know I've been keeping track of those and I am still worried. Boss died, so my vision came to pass. Rhede yelled at you bad enough that it was like he was stabbing your heart directly, so your vision came to pass. Rhede says his did ,but he won't go into it. And Starfall claims that right before the attack on Canterlot her vision had started , it was a reason she brought her daughter to the Gala.”]

[”That leaves Jer'rahd.”]

Bleu rolls over onto her back, moving a bit closer to the fire as she looks up at the moon.

[”He won't tell me what he saw, he only says it will never come to pass because he will never let it happen.”]

[“Rhede knows Bleu, though he will not tell me.”]

[“Yeah well, he won't tell me either.”]

[”That makes me think it's something that involves us or Luna directly. He is very protective of his friends and even more so of the Princess.”>

[”I would be jealous of that Velky, but I have been trying to get those two to hook up for a while now. I think I am making progress.”]

[”So I have noticed. That was quite clever at the Gala; if not for that interruption it may have worked perfectly. Granted it may still work; those two are off on their own right now.”]

[“ Yeah, but Boss is in business mode and Luna is not likely in the mood due to how Celestia is. Once her sister is better there might be a chance again. I hope this trip works out Velky.”]

[”I hope so as well.”]

===================================

The cold wind bit into his flesh cutting through his fur and the layers of clothing he wore. He had tried to put on his armor, but even for a magical metal it got cold insanely quick. He let it go and simply pulled his thick cloak tighter around him with his magic and trudged on up the incline through the snow. He paused checking the rope attached to his weapon harness looking back at the figure attached to the other end of it behind him.

The Princess was faring little better. She refused to use her magic in order to save energy and she also informed him that she could not fly in this wind without being blown away.

She was bundled up just as thickly as he was, although she seemed far less used to such hardships,without some sort of magical aid. She had yet to complain however, delving into the same inner strength he had seen from her on numerous occasions.

The pair were barely half way up the sides of Mount Vlaamperd, the tallest mountain in the range surrounding the Darklands. The trip to the base of the mountain was uneventful as the pair took a route that kept them away from civilization and any place that might attract the notice of the Dragons.

Jer'rahd pauses in the climb, looking back at the land laid out behind him. Most of what he saw was Equestrian lands and the Everfree forest, though in the far distance the mountain that Canterlot stood on loomed. From the summit, the Darklands and the northern edge of the zebra lands would be visible. There was also the possibility of being able to see the ocean as well, though Jer'rahd did not relish the idea of that view.

Luna moves up next to him following his gaze out over Equestria, her breath visible through the scarf she had wrapped around her muzzle. Her aqua eyes glistened looking at the same view he beheld.

“ I am sure the view at the top is much better General.”

“That does not make this view any less impressive.”

“I would think with as often as Bleu serves as a mount for you, this view would be common.”

“Every time I fly with Bleu it's into combat, I never have time to just enjoy the view. Besides she rarely flies this high.”

“It may not be so unpleasant if the wind lessens. I did not expect it to be this fierce.“

“No matter Princess. We need to keep an eye out for a place to camp soon anyway. There's no way we can make it to the top in just one trip. This is looking to take longer than the projected three days you gave to Rhede and Starfall. Are you sure the nobles will believe hat you are still there and Rhede is taking orders from you while you tend Celestia?”

“No pony saw us leave and I am still moving the sun from here. Baelit is the only one allowed to enter or leave my sisters chamber and he knows not to speak to anyone of what is going on. Granted I have not been lifting the moon to save energy. I am somewhat upset over that, though it is not likely any pony will really notice outside of the night guards.”

“Oh? Think so still hmm?”

“Let us find a place to camp. Standing here does not bring us closer to our goal General.”

“Of course Princess.”

=======================================

Starfall sighs, looking over the designs that were on the desk before her and getting more and more annoyed with what she was seeing.

“Why am I doing this again?”

“Because Princess Luna is unavailable at the moment General, and her steward sent me to you.”

Starfall looks up at the pony who seemed to be in charge of this nonsense. The teal pegasus mare was dressed smartly in a gray and gold pinstriped suit. Her white mane was cut short and neat with two stripes of color in it matching her coats coloration. Her tail was done up much the same way, though was long enough to nearly brush the floor. She was surrounded by at least four other ponies who were dressed in such muted and boring tones and colors that, no matter how much Starfall tired to focus on them, her eyes kept being drawn back to the lead pony.

The pegasus kept taking notes based on what Starfall's reaction was to the designs on the parchment placed before her.

“That is not what I meant,but Rhede is going to pay for that. Why do we need new armor and uniforms for the air wing? Whats wrong with the old ones?”

“General I suppose there is nothing wrong with the old design, save it was so decades ago in fashion that the only good thing to come out of this attack that most of them were destroyed when the supplies were hit. I see this as a perfect opportunity to fix that problem at the very least.”

“OOOOkay, who are you again?”

“Glory, Glory Sparkler, General. I suppose you may have missed my earlier introduction.”

“I was a bit distracted by the fanfare... and fireworks. All right fine, I am not going to have a argument over this. The thing is Ms. Sparkler....”

“Oh please dear General, call me Glory.”

“Umm, yes, anyway... Glory. We do not need something that could attend a fashion show. We need something to protect the pegasi that are wearing them. We need function over form, substance instead of style. Do you understand?”

“Quite a bit actually, but there is no reason we cannot have some sort of style with the substance.”

Starfall sighs resigned to her fate.

“I suppose not.”

“Alright how about this as a starter?”

The unicorn assistant floats a new sheet of paper over to Starfall's desk. She looks it over curiously as Glory looks on.

“This looks just like a pony in a purple body suit. There's nothing to it.”

“That is why I said as a start darling. Your pegasi need to be more mobile than any of the other branches, leather is good but it takes time for it to wear properly to get the proper movement. And it truly is not the best as you are still placing metal plates over certain points to add to the protection. Now, it has come to my understanding that one of Princess Celestia's students developed a new type of material a little while back. Now from what I have heard it has only been used once and only by the Guard as they have only produced severely limited qualities of it. I have also heard that the only real sample of it used in clothing was destroyed after its first use.

“How the buck do you know about that!?”

“I have my sources.... Oh do relax, there is always a little leak here and there from some of the Guards when talking to a pretty mare.”

“I should have you locked up for that and questioned till you give the name of the leak.”

“You need not go that far General. The leak was my second husband, and if you wish to question him, you will need to exhume his body first. He did not survive the attack on New Dullahan. So if you want my motive aside from fashion, there it is. Now then is this conversation over with me whisked off to jail or can we continue to try and work something out?”

Starfall's eyes narrow, her ears flattening to her head as she watches the mare. The other pegasus seems unfazed by the scrutiny, but she had a hint of annoyance that touched the corners of her lips that was not present at the start of the conversation. Considering her assistants had backed away from the two was something as well. Starfall snorted her aggravation.

“We are unable to produce the material in large quantities. That is the main thing that's stopped us from using it before. Its a sturdy build, but a bit of a pain to get in and out of unaided. It holds up to cold, fire, and minor lacerations fairly well. The flexibility of it however is the same as standard cloth. It is perfect for pegasi or those who need a great deal of flexibility to move.”

“Then why have you not tried it with the private sector yet, to see if we can perhaps make it cheaper and at a higher quantity?”

“You would have to ask my predecessor about that.”

“I do not think I will, I was never one of her favorite ponies. Refused to even see me.”

“So you hoped to get in and make some money on this with the changing of command? Typical.”

Glory picks up a pen making a few alterations on the body suit, seeming lost in her own world for a time, humming something under her breath. She adds goggles to the suit, removes the portion over the muzzle and makes the hoods and boots of the costume black splitting them with a lightning bolt. The mane and tail of the design remain uncovered as do the wings, to allow for their use in aiding a pegasus's flight. Glory pauses a moment tapping the pen on her chin before spinning it between her wing feathers until she notices something on the wall.

“Darling, what is that ghastly symbol there on that flag?”

Starfall turns her head slightly looking at the 63rd division’s flag from the first dragon war. A pony skull, with a pair of bone wings coming out of the back of it on a field of sky blue. In black letters above the skull, was a 63, the slogan of “ No One Comes Close” was etched underneath to look like it was written by Princess Luna.

“That is the flag and slogan of the Guard's Air Wing. Its been the same since the first dragon war.”

The unicorn stares at it for a time before sketching out the skull on the flank of the uniform she was working on. Starfall looks down at the design as a few straps for weapons and supplies were added where they would not inter fear with the wearers movements. The pegasus raises an eyebrow looking up at the beaming Glory

“Not bad. Though why the purple?”

“It matches Princess Luna's coat, and the black and goggles are to add a bit of a intimidation factor to it all. Plus, the goggles have function of keeping the wind and any dirt or blood from the wearers eyes. Now, if I am able to produce this material, I am sure it will do wonders for keeping your ponies in the air. I will, of course, need some time to study the way it is made and make adjustments to make it easier to remove and put on. Still it should be a marvelously impressive flight suit. I shall, of course, get your measurements to make the first for you personally, General.”

“Alright. I will approve this one and get you the plans Glory, but there are conditions. I will have Guards posted to watch what you do with that material. Do anything I don't like and I will have you and your team locked up faster than you can bat an eyelash.”

“You need not worry about me, darling. Though to answer your question before I was distracted. I shall not be making any money off this General. At least not directly. I do not even expect to be covered for the cost of materials for the initial run.”

“Oh?”

“Every pony needs to do something for this war effort and I think to use my skill for this. He may have been my second husband, but that does not mean I cared for him any less. I am in no way suited to fighting so making something that will protect others will have to do. Besides the publicity from this contract will be more than enough to cover any losses I might have. That and I simply love getting to play with a new material.”

==========================================================

Rhede knew he was having far too much fun with this. In all honesty however, he did not feel like he should be enjoying himself. He felt like he should still be helping his mother with the funerals, instead he was placed here as regent and was doing everything he could to not think about what had happened. Not spending a night alone was helping with that dramatically, but he was not able to really talk about it with any of the mares he was bedding as that would reveal weakness he could not afford to show.

He was in his element to say the least. Side deals, back stabbing, and power plays. All the nobles and important ponies doing their best to jockey for some sort of favor or ruling in their favor. Since Luna had appointed him her regent the noble mares were not above using their own bodies to get what they wanted, and the stallions were not above convincing their wives, or mistresses into the same situation to gain his favor. It was a dream job for him, he was practically swamped by mares. Of course he was using them all, in more ways than just the physical.

In just the short time Luna had been gone, his main goal had been streamlining what she had already set up and what Celestia had been doing for ages. He knew he had no hope of dealing in politics on Princess Celestia's level, but he knew he was doing better than Luna. The Princess was a warrior, not a diplomat like her sister was.

The dragon forces that survived the attack on Canterlot had relocated and joined up with reinforcements from Cindervale that had hit new Dullahan diving off the few defenders remaining there.

Mustang had moved nearly all the Guard forces to Manehatten again as if expecting another attack there. By the time the Guard had returned to Dullahan, the dragons already had control of it. Rhede let Starfall deal with the military side of things in this instance as he did not really have the head for tactics like Jer did. Besides he needed all his attention on just dealing with Canterlot and the nobles and merchants.

He kept his information net up however and had found out that the Blue, White and Green dragon gods were all converged in Cindervale to figure out what to do about the loss of the Red and Black. There were other dragon coloration’s from cross breeding, but none of them prominent enough to have any gods born of their ranks. If nothing else Rhede had to admire the lewdness of the beasts to consider anything a potential mate.

He had kept from doing anything drastic, preferring to accept things that would have a easy to see benefit and goal to Equestria, and occasionally the ponies involved. He had skipped a few opportunities that may have panned out in the long run for him, and by proxy Princess Luna, simply due to how veiled the results would be. Even with this self imposed limitation the mares still flocked to him trying to sway his opinion one way or another in their favor.

He was some what used to being hit upon by mares he met, of common birth. Dealing with the rich courting you instead of the other way around was a interesting change. He had been showered with rather lavish gifts and had engaged in a few episodes of “backroom negotiations “ with the more forward of them mid court day.

Of course, he had not given up anything in return that he was not already planning to do anyway. While he might enjoy the new status as well as the perks, he was not going to do something that might wind up being detrimental, which is why more than a few of the nobles were turned down outright no matter how attractive the offers or the female might be. At times, however, he was pleasantly surprised that there was no ulterior motive. Some of the nobles played it straight, and they tended to be the ones who had the best goals in mind. And at times he was even surprised by how some of them reacted. Several had liquidated nearly all their holdings in order to pour the bits into the effort of rebuilding and restoring Equestria, including Jer's little fan colt, Cyan Sparkle. He had told the unicorn to keep some of it, at least enough to live comfortably, but he turned over all his holdings, stating that he would succeed by his own merit and that Canterlot needed the money and land far more than he did.

It was things like that that made him feel worse the more he enjoyed himself.

The heavy silver throne of night with its stylized phases of the moon sat next to the throne of the sun with its etching of casting rays down on ponies carved in the gold it was made of. He sat in a wooden chair at a desk that had been placed before the thrones. There were somethings he was not willing to do, and sitting in either of those thrones was one of them.

He should not be dwelling on this so much. He should be focused and ask the Guard to sent in the next pony who wished an audience.

“Are you alright sir?”

He looks up suddenly,a tan coated earth pony stood before him. She had the build of a farmer and was wearing a yellow sun dress that amounted to a fancy dress to the non nobles. She was clearly increasingly nervous to be standing before him. She pushed a strand of yellow gold hair away from her blue eyes watching him curiously, seemingly honest in her question.

“I have been better. I gather you are the next petitioner?”

“I.... I am. My name is Appletini....”

“Calm down , relax miss, I don't bite …. unless you ask...”

He winced a bit as she stiffened, silently cursing himself, he had gotten so used to the word games and hints that he forgot not every pony played the same game the nobles did. Damage control time.

“So then miss Appletini what brings you here?”

“Well me and my family own a little farm not far from the Hooper Sea and we have run into a little bit of a problem.”

“Alright what is the issue?”

“Well the lands around the farm have become a bit, over run at the moment....”

“By what? Parasprites, trolls? I can send some Guards out there to help clear them out if you wish, but it will take time as we are rather short hooved in everything at the moment.”

“Oh, no no nothing like that. They have been rather cordial, if a bit standoffish. Also they have been paying for their food with either work or bits, but there’s far too many of them tah support with just my farm and a lot of them are getting sick with something. Doesn't seem tah be contagious to ponies though, least none of my families gotten sick. All of them seem depressed and listless, not even counting the injuries. Those can be cured, but most of um just kinda mill around in tha woods and the edge of the farm like they got no purpose.”

“I am afraid you have lost me completely miss. What is wandering around your farm?”

She shifts nervously as if reluctant to say anything. She speaks finally and Rhede had to lean forward across his desk to hear her properly.

“..... Half dragons....”

====================================================

The wind practically screamed out side of the cave as Jer'rahd lifted the last rock into place, blocking off the worst of the wind with the impromptu wall. He stepped back looking at his work, watching the smoke from his torch be sucked through the cracks in the rocks. Now if they only had the materials to build a fire, at least he knew they would not choke on the smoke produced. He turns heading back deeper into the cave, lifting the torch from the crack he had stuck it in with his magic,trotting back to where Luna was.

“Everything alright General?”

“Yes Princess, I have the entrance some what sealed off so it should warm up in here before too long. So hows dinner coming?”

“I will never get used to how you can call a dried oat bar any sort of meal.”

“If you are hungry enough, even grass can be considered a three course meal.”

“Don't tell me you have actually eaten grass.”

“You don't live long in the field by being picky.”

This end of the cave seemed a carved out hollow. The claw marks and scattered white scales as well as the occasional still hidden gem, marked this as a former dragon nest. The smell of the beast had long since faded and with the shape the cave was in, it was in it likely had been abandoned a long time ago. Of course, that fit perfectly with what they needed in a shelter.

Jer'rahd takes out his bed roll, sticking the torch in a crack in the wall, before he settles down to eat. Luna was already bundled up in every blanket she had brought with her,yet the occasional shudder was still seen running through her buried form.

“You know, I don't think a bit of magic to warm yourself up would be uncalled for.”

“Yes it would, I need to save every little bit I have so I can cast this spell. The more power used in its casting the greater the returns. If I could get away with not raising and lowering the sun for Tia I would.”

“Why?”

“I do not wish to tell you. I am not sure how you would react to that information General.”

Jer'rahd snorts in annoyance his ears flattening to his head.

“I have followed you half way up a mountain on the other side of Equestria because you asked me to. Do you honestly think after that, and everything else we have done, I am going to have a problem at this point?”

“You may.”

“Then you had better tell me now before we reach the summit, so I can decide if I plan to go up the mountain further, or down it in the morning.”

“You have changed recently Ge.... Jer'rahd.... what is wrong?”

They gray coated unicorn bites though another oat bar putting a bit more anger into the bite than was needed to get through the tough food. The crunching of the bar and the crackle of the torch the only sounds in the cave for a few breaths. He swallows finally taking a sip from his canteen to wash it down.

“In the past few weeks, I have had ponies, who have been my family for years, killed. A pony who I fought with and actually looked up, to turn around to be a traitor, and a dragon in disguise of all things. I have had a the capitol city of a land I swore to protect put under siege and I was unable to do anything about it. Despite that we still have ponies with the power to aid us in this war , refusing to offer aid or even attempt to fight. Many simply wish to give up and hope we are left alone. I should be out fighting some where, not sitting in a cave at the top of the world, eating some bucking oat bar, and simply hoping that what you are doing is not going to be a complete waste of time as you have not told me a bucking thing about this mission Luna!!”

He shoves him self to his hooves flinging the offending bar away into the darkness as he rose. His gaze locked on the Princess, the red light cast by his left eye illuminating the cave far better than the torch did. After a moment he exhales deeply dropping back down onto his bed roll eyes closing as he rests his head on his forelegs.

“I am sorry Princess, I did not mean to yell at you.”

“Rhede was correct. You do not take any sort of betrayal well at all. I knew the element of loyalty fit you, but not this well. It explains your dislike of nobility too, with the games they play for power, there is always betrayal and back stabbing. Do not apologize Jer'rahd, I feel much the same after what happened with Mustang.... or Silver Claw......You are not the only one burdened.”

She sighs seeing no real change in the unicorn stallions position or attitude. She reaches back under the blankets pulling out one of her saddlebags and setting it between her hooves.

“I suppose I cannot simply ask you to trust me any more without some sort of reasoning being explained. This is what we are doing here Jer'rahd.”

He lifts his head, watching as she opens the bag, pulling out three very distinct books, Blue, Gray, and Red. The etchings on the covers, as well as his own interaction with them, brought an immediate recognition from Jer'rahd.

“Luna..... why do you have those? I thought they were to be destroyed?”

“They are necessary, as are the components to the spell I have in my other bag.”

“I am not sure I understand, what are we doing up here with those books? Is there a volcano or something to toss them into?”

“No.... although I have been tempted to find one at times. When we first recovered them I set to studying them to locate the Elements of Harmony. While doing so I found a spell that would increase my power greatly in the Gray Grimiore. Since then the materials needed have practically fallen into my hooves during our travels. It as if the stars are guiding me towards the use of this spell.”

“Do you really need more power? Is it worth the risk of what might happen to you?Those books were used to create a alicorn that nearly killed us. Who knows what else Discord used them for.”

Luna tucks the books back away.

“I am generally feared by everyone anyway Jer'rahd. Being the Goddess of War and Night has not granted me the sort of love that my sister receives from all our subjects. It is only the soldiers who seem to care for me and I lead them more often to their deaths than anything else. With this.... I would not need to. I would be an army simply by myself and no pony would need to be risked. I can accept that I am not loved as my sister is, but that does not mean I do not wish to help them as much as I can.”

“You cannot help them if you are lost.”

“What risks would you take to protect those you care about Jer'rahd?”

He watches Luna a moment as she tucks the bag back away at her side. He really did not need to mull it over. He pulls his blankets over himself his magic snuffing the torch out against the dirt floor of the cave.

“You should get some sleep Luna. We have another long climb ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Thank you Jer'rahd.”

===============================================

” We greet you again, Zebra Queen, though we question your visit to us so soon after your last.”<

“ Just to make this bit of information clear, to me it has been over a year.”

”Has it been that long? Ahh, I see. Time is not something we need watch. Why have you come to us again?”<

Bleu had stretched out her wings, shrunk back down to the small dragonling size and was currently curled under a blanket on Velkorn's back trying to hide from the cold. The pair had just made it into the mountain range and set up a spot to sleep for the night when the Windigo had shown up, gilding down in a flurry of snowflakes to land at the edge of the camp site. There were only three and neither Bleu nor Velkorn could tell if they were the same as the ones they met before or not. Though all three seemed to recognize the pair.

“I wish I could say this was just to come and say hello, but I have need of the aid you might be able to provide if it's something you truly know.”

The Windigo remain expressionless though the three offer glances at each other before the first one speaks again.

“ What is it that you wish to know that would bring you back here to us Zebra Queen? It is clearly important, but not so much that you would use the boon we granted?”<

“I traveled here to cut the time, we flew here though, no need to climb.
You are in a book as The North Winds from a old tale, you saved a pony goddess, felled by evil and cured her ail.
The current ruler of the pony folk, is in need of strong healing or she may croak.”

Bleu shivers a bit against Velkorn's back poking her head out from under the blankets a moment to watch the three Windigo debate among themselves in their own language. It seems there was some sort of argument going on at the request.

“Hey you three, if it helps your decision any. If Celestia dies, there's no one to raise the sun and that light show that you guys have going on up here for your children won't exist any more.”

The Windigo stare at the dragon then at Velkorn.

“> We were unaware of that, our issue is that when we healed the last alicorn she made matters worse, in time they got better but it was time as we perceived it which was centuries to you. We are not sure that we can make a decision such as that, as it could endanger our children as well as your pony kind, again.<”

“Then I ask you to teach me all you know, it will be on my head if this is a boon or will cause more woe.”

The three begin discussing everything again looking curiously at the zebra before the two who had not spoken to her take off galloping into the sky.

”Remain here, Queen of the Zebra's we shall hold council on this with the others.”<

“I do not think, I will do that if its all the same, I wish to learn how to treat your children as well, so I might heal any that are lame.”

“>What?<”

“Velky here is a doctor pure and simple shes been studying how to cure everything shes come across for years. Shes got more healing knowledge in her stripy head than any other pony any where. She wants to learn about your kids so she can help them too if need be. Not just the Princess. So we are heading on towards your village to check up on every pony as well.“

The Windgo blinks, suddenly seeming very confused at this, though he leaps into the air galloping off in the sky as well calling back as he vanishes into the storm.

”I shall see what I can do for you Queen of Zebras. But I do not think you will find what you seek with our children.”<

[“You need not have lied to them Bleu they were on their way to help. Luna said that the lights would remain so long as her moon was raised.”]

[“ Luna never told us exactly what locked the lights in place, but it was done at sunset so the sun could power it. They don't know Luna will take over moving the Sun if Celestia dies. Keep in mind Starfall is the first to have done the sonic rain boom and what she did was the most visible effect to them. They don't know its anything else. Heck we don't even know how Luna did it. But if it helps us save Celestia I'll tell them what ever is necessary. I'm the bearer of Laughter, Velky, not Honesty, and if Celestia dies there's gonna be a lot less laughter around.”]

====================================================

Starfall waves a hoof to the group of pegasus following her. The Great Hooper sea lay stretched out before them as the dozen troops flew along the coast line towards the farm of Appletini's family.
Rhede had her summoned immediately upon finding out all he could from the mare. She likely would have grilled the mare for everything she knew, but Rhede had interjected and ceased the questioning.

He had ordered Starfall to check it out and after a tense few moments along with a death glare she had picked up from Jer'rahd, Rhede had retracted the order and simply asked politely. Luckily for him this was a serious issue, even if all he was doing was trying to make the mare thankful enough to sleep with him. She was still rather pissed that he was abusing the power he was granted so quickly, but she let it slide for now so she could deal with this.

Her units wing had left the small settlement on the island in the sea's center. She had stopped in briefly to check up on the displaced sea ponies finding that the town only held a few residents as most of them remained on The Princess Bride, ferrying cargo for the small towns along the shore of the sea. She had not stayed long simply gathering a list of things they wished and needed to survive on the island, she planned to see too it the ponies that gave up their lively hoods for them had what they needed to survive.

So now here she was, flying along the coast, looking for a bunch of half dragons that had camped out on some mares door step. She was decidedly less than thrilled to be going on the mare's word alone that they were not hostile. A frantic hoof waving from one of her wing ponies drew her attention, the other pegasus pointed at the ground along the edge of the woods to a collection of ragged tents and hastily erected lean-to's.

Starfall shifts her wings soaring closer looking at all the half dragons sitting around the tents and trees. Her group was in clear view though no move was made to scramble troops or even that they were being watched. This was odd considering her former contact with the half dragons had them as highly alert and trained to rapidly take to the air after targets. She signals two of her wing to descend with her and the remaining seven to stay in the air. She fans her wings gliding down to land at the outskirts of the camp.

She exhales deeply, slowly approaching the camp, the sounds of screaming foals and the occasional cough filling the air as she trotted into the camp her two guards on either side of her looking as nervous at this as she felt. The place was full of half dragons, male female and a few foals oddly enough, now that she was on the ground the entire tree line seemed to be filled with nothing but bodies. Some of them were milling about aimlessly others looked as if they had simply lay down where they had been walking and not gotten up. There were signs of starvation as well as dehydration and exposure though none seemed to care or even notice. A few lifted their heads to watch Starfall pass curiously though only the group that was watching the foals made any sort of move and that was to put themselves between the children and the trio walking along the path.

One of the tent flaps was shoved aside and a rather large half dragon stepped out his reptilian eyes regarding the three. Out of all of them he was the only one still armored and he wore a weapon on his side as well as a mark of some kind on his collar, likely some sort of rank. His green eyes narrowed as he moved away from the tent to place himself in front of the small group.

“I had wondered how long it would take before Canterlot would send some one to finish us off.”

He snapped at them clearly agitated his focus seeming to be on the uniforms. Starfall wondered about his arrogance and poise , but she was not going to be cowed by it.

“There are three of us here, are you all so weak that it would only take us?”

The half dragon narrows his eyes fanning out a wing gesturing to the apathetic and despondent looking half dragons.

“In the state my ponies are in, a foal with a wooden sword could finish off most of them. Though if not for our removal why have you come?”

“Information. I am surprised you speak Equestrian so well, but regardless who are you?”

“ I had need of learning it before. My name is Commander Lion-heart, formally of the Onyx Wing assault force..... now of a dying race.”

“And what is wrong with them?”

“Do I not get a name from you mare?”

Starfall ruffles her feathers in annoyance.

“General Starfall Silvertail of the 63rd air wing.”

A few of the half dragons near by perked up at this, some rising to their hoofs a muttering starting that spread from where they were standing and ran like wildfire across the large encampment. Lion-heart hesitated a moment at the name and rank though he eventually snapped a salute to her with his wing before folding it against his back.

“My apologizes, I was unaware of who you were General. I had not had the chance to meet you in combat.”

“That is a good thing, as you would not have lived through it. Now what is wrong with these ponies?”

“As you say General. I cannot explain what is wrong in truth, only that it affects all of us that do not have a purpose. I suspect it is something akin to depression.”

“A purpose? I am still not following.”

“We are warriors General, created and bred to be just that, nothing more or less. When there is no battle to fight a malaise sets in and this is the result.”

“Why should you be depressed. I am sure the dragons have you running around slaughtering ponies left and right.”

Lion-heart snorts tossing his head ,clearly aggravated by her comment. Starfall does not move though her two wing ponies back up preparing to draw weapons until Starfall's wing snaps out signaling them to stand down.

“We do not work for the dragons General. A hoof full of us were free of the controls Onyx Wing placed on us in order to be able to lead for him. We know how we came about and we know what we were used for and what was done to us. We have been slaves born of rape and mutation. We are not natural creatures of this world General, that was denied to us when we first came about near the end of the first great war.”

Starfall's gaze shifts over the Dragon half’s surrounding them. Most of them were males with the occasional mare dotting the ranks, she was unsure of the foals, though all of the adults looked like they had not been fed or slept in weeks. There was a stench of death an decay in the air that was missed with the fresh breeze coming off the sea , but as the breeze died down the smell assaulted her nostrils. None of them had bathed it seemed either.

“So you think this is a better life than the one you left?”

“No, but we all agree it is better to die here than to return to being mindless slaves. There are a few young that we managed to escape with as well. We have lost over half our number we left Cindervale with, to this malaise or to ones who changed their minds and returned to slavery, some once free fell on their own blades at the truth of our existence, and what little future we have. No other group in all these lands has come into existence from such a perverse nature as our own heritage. Many could not take the truth of their birth. Their souls may be lost however as without Onyx Wing there is little chance there shall be more of us born for their souls to inhabit.”

“You have mares and you have stallions. Did you need a sex ed course?”

“If all you intend to do is insult us General I suggest you get to the killing that I see in your eyes and be done with it.”

Starfall snorts though Lion-heart continues to meet her gaze with a look of one who has accepted his death long ago.

“I am here for information Commander, nothing else. Putting you out of our misery is not off the table yet however. Why are you unaffected by this?”

“Who are you to say I am not. You are here and for now I have a purpose again even if it is doing little more than what a diplomat would do. I have a responsibility to the ones left under my command even if all I wish to do is lay down and die. This is something and while so focused I need not dwell on my existence. We have survived this long by aiding the few locals about as well as hunting, but with so many not eating and so few farms about there is not enough to keep occupied.”

Starfall looked out over the sea pondering something briefly. It would put a small group in danger if this was not as it seemed, but if they were honest then this could wind up being a rather impressive boon. It was a fifty fifty shot. Starfall was not a gambler, but something about this tickled at the back of her mind. She wanted to believe they were being honest. Something in her gut was telling her that while he was not telling her everything, this Commander was telling the truth. She was unsure of what he meant by there existence being the cause of this. While all their mothers had been rape victims that was something most of them should have been able to push past. She would have asked, but that might have given up some edge she could use for nothing, better to grill Rhede about it.

“Commander, gather your troops, break down the supplies and the camp you have here. Move all of it to the island in the center of the sea, Gallopagos. You may have to carry some of them, but you get all of these ponies off this spot. Once you get there set up a temporary settlement at the far end of the island from the port. I will return in two days, if any of your troops remain here I will kill them. If any are dead now set up a burial detail in a location the local farmers allow you too. You now have orders again I suggest if you want to save who you can, you get to it Commander.”

The draconic pony blinks his ears perking at the rapid fire set of commands he was given. He hesitates a moment, as if watching her to see if this was some sort of trick. Eventually he nods softly, offering another salute.

“As you wish General.”

He turns from the three bursting out a guttural barking hiss that Starfall barely registers as the orders she gave him translated into Draconic. Most of the half breeds around her jerk upright struggling to fulfill what commands were being given. The slow nature of their movements suggest many had not changed position in a long time. She shakes her head preparing to take off to report this back to Rhede when she pauses wincing as the stench hit her again. She turns her head screaming towards their commander and the rising troops.

“ AND ALL OF YOU TAKE A BATH!!”

========================================================

Snow fell down the side of the sheer cliff face that towers above Luna and Jer'rahd. The wind was calm here, but far above it still blew like a gale, swirling snow and ice about in abrasive gusts. Luna curses lightly as Jer'rahd sighs.

“And it has been such a easy trip so far too. I suppose I can fly up and carry you as well Jer'rahd.”

“No need Princess.”

His horn glows, the green light barely visible under the scarf wrapped around his head. A series of shields forms into a long box with either end open. It angles up like a ramp along the side of the cliff with another set forming at the end of the first, creating the beginnings of a enclosed hall up the cliff side.

“I would say ladies first, but I need to see what I am making.”

“You had best not be remarking on my flank being to big.”

“Only when you are bundled up like this, you look like a foals beach ball with legs.”

“Not all of us can be too dumb to realize its cold as you do.”

Jer'rahd chuckles heading up the ramp.

“Come on then Luna before I decide to see how high I can bounce you.”

Luna smiles slightly following along. The air in the shield enclosure feeling warmer once they were out of the wind. As the pair make it to the second ramp the first vanishes behind them as Jer'rahd works to conserve his own power only making what was needed to advance. As they near the end of the first a small landing is formed stepping onto that the ramp behind them vanishes and reforms angling up again.

“You did not explain to me fully why we had to come here Princess. I understand its a spell though I don't see why we need to come up here for that sort of thing.”

“It is a ritual spell and the only location that it can be preformed is a set of ruins at the top of this mountain.”

“Rather specific of it. Most ritual spells I know of simply require a prepared area to be made, not one to be discovered.”

“I forget at times you have studied magic as much as you have.”

“When I was a foal I did everything I could to learn other spells. Failed all of them, but I learned a great deal. Likely not much of it is valid any more with the way some unicorns keep evolving magic, but I have the basics at least. Saying that explain these books to me I thought they were only to help find the Elements locations.”

“Only the Book of Blue has that. It was written by Discord as a study into that which could defeat him as well as a book that he translated parts of the other two books into. The book of Blue makes many references to things in the other books. On its own it is fairly useless and seems more the rantings of a lunatic than anything of worth.”

“So what about the other two you said one summons demons and the other has spells and such when we first found them.”

Another platform is reached as the ramp behind them is readjusted and the shield walkway they stepped off of fades out.

“It is hard to explain Jer'rahd. The Red Tome is not something I have a use for. There are dark spells in there that are only used to inflict suffering. Spells to make creatures barren by sacrificing their young, Spells to raise the dead and give them the appearance of a loved one of the pony viewing it. It is one I should very much like to destroy, but it contains parts of the spell I need and parts of it are referenced in the other book as well.”

“Even things that dark can be useful if properly wielded. But would that make us any better than the ones we fight?”

“Exactly. The Gray Grimoire is only a bit better. There are spells to strip gods of their power, countless spells to destroy, lists of arcane and ritual sites as well as the last known locations of powerful artifacts and weapons. Several of those I have already sent ponies out to collect before this incident. It has a spell I have used often that adds a temporary boost to my abilities. But there is one that will add a major boost to them and will make the effect permanent.”

“At what cost? If Discord had this book why didn't he use that spell?”

“He may have, Tia said his power increased drasticly during the war although the elements still proved stronger. The materials for this spell are not something easily obtained either. I am lucky I found any of them, let alone all of them.”

“So what should I expect to happen? Glowing lights? An explosion? Your coat to turn pink?”

“From what I understand it is mostly the former. Though it has been noted that at times those in the area of the ceremony will suffer some effect. It may be you that ends up with a pink coat.”

“Oh yes I am so looking forward to that. Might just have to stay far enough away that it doesn't happen.”

“Do not go too far, I still would like you around in case something happens. If the ceremony is interrupted it could ruin the components I have gathered, or worse.”

“It could kill you Princess.”

“Wha... yes, how did you know that?”

“Your talk on what you would do to protect those you care about. Dying for them is usually as far as you can go. Unless you wind up like me. I died trying and then came back to do it again. Equestria needs you more than they need you to have power. Don't risk yourself unnecessarily.”

“Thank you Jer'rahd, but I am still going to go through with this. Your concern is noted however.”

“I figured I would try a last time to make you change your mind. Particularly if Celestia is against this.”

“I am set in this resolve General, I had hoped you would trust me enough by now to know I would not do anything that could be a danger to my subjects or friends.”

“We are still climbing the mountain side are we not?”

“Thank you. I would prefer if you did not try to dissuade me further I already have enough doubts about this. I know it will work, but power always has some price.”

“So that's why you did not want any one else along. You did not want them trying to convince you otherwise, and you figured I would not go against what you say?”

“No... while it is true they would try and talk me out of this I chose you for a specific reason.”

Another ramp formed angling up a few more and they would reach the top of the cliff face. He did not feel any strain at making the shields yet, but he would be glad to be on solid ground again.

“And what is that specific reason Luna. Needed some one strong enough to carry everything?”

He chuckles a bit though his ears perk at the silence that followed the bit of snark.

“No nothing like that, although you do make quite a good work horse.”

“Then why?”

“We are at the top.”

“You have my curiosity up now Princess. Don't expect to get out of telling me why else I am here.”

“I will if I am able, when we camp tonight.”

“Alright then. I will hold you to that.”

================================

Bleu and Velkorn left the next morning, heading to the location of the village. The weindigo might wish to keep it secured from the rest of the world, but they were reluctant to stop a pair that had helped their children. Particularly since they knew they meant no harm.

The were greeted much the same way as they were the first time minus the trap, but with armed guards who seemed rather confused about which end of the weapon was the pointy end. They calmed down a bit as Velkorn pulled back her hood though a careful watch was kept on both of them as the language barrier had yet to be broken. The towns leaders again came out, though the group seemed more inclined to try and figure out what was being said rather than escort them to a museum like before.

While Velkorn tried to pantomime medical questions to those who would listen, Bleu had her own attention taken up by a swarm of foals that kept trying to get a good look at the pony sized white dragon. Every time she glanced in their direction the group dove for cover hiding fairly well in the snow. Bleu pretends not to notice them as they snuck closer one of them finally managing to poke her tail with a hoof.

Bleu smirks changing that spot on her tail bright green for a moment, she watched the foals reaction from the corner of her eye as the whole group of them dashed out of sight again from the sudden change in her color. It took them less time to come out of hiding again to try poking her again. She let the same color effect happen much to the clear delight of the gathered foals though when she glanced back at them they scurried off again. Well at least she was too big for this group to run off with.

Velkorn sighs not liking the lack of progress but that the very least she managed to convey she wanted to learn about them. She showed several of the patches on her bags that drew interest though no recognition at first. One of the leaders poked her bag saying something about one of the patches. The others looked closer at it blinking. This set off a round of comments among the tribe leaders before the one who pointed at the mark gestured at her to follow leading her towards a building on the other side of town from the museum. Bleu started to follow along after her in case a quick escape was needed though the dragon in turn was trailed by what had to be every foal in the village.

===================================================

Rhede looked over the map on the table while Starfall paced in front him. She had told Rhede what she had found out and his reaction had been one of worry for the Half breeds rather than the ponies that might be affected. Appletini was also present, though she was doing her best to remain hidden in plain sight away from the two.

“Did you get an accurate count of how many there where?”

“No my wing mare got an approximation as they took off there are a little over a thousand half breeds in that location. Its enough to inhabit a city, that they could take by force if they wanted too.”

“Did you get a better description of this illness they seem to have?”

“Just that before we left they were burying about thirty of their number who just did not get up. They seem to be alright so long as they are moving and doing something. But I told you all this already, Rhede the question is what are we going to do about them. They pose a great risk even moved to where I put them.”

“They abandoned their former masters to die free from what you have said. Miss, if you have something to add please just say it.”

They both look over to the earth pony mare who seemed to be trying to find a way to interject.

“Ahh yes sorry... well they have been losing at least that many a day since they first arrived. When they first landed they were close to sixteen hundred strong. After a few days some flew off and others just started not getting up. I don't know why, but it may have something to do with what the dragons did to them. My family and I were hoping some pony could help them.”

“What the dragons did to them? What about what they did to ponies? Think of how many have been killed since the first war by the half breeds........”

“Starfall.”

“…....We should be wiping them out not trying to help them. I am not sure what sort of bleeding heart you are but you should be feeling sorry for those killed not the killers.......”

“Starfall!”

“........... we have lost far too many ponies out there and had far to many dragged off to be used as brood mares by these things for any sympathy to be had......”

“STARFALL!! SHUT THE BUCK UP!”

The pegasus whirls at the yell only to find Rhede had already managed to get around the table without her noticing and be right in her face. She steps back in spite of her self at his sudden appearance next to her but her glare does not diminish.

“I don't give a crap how much you want to bed this one Rhede or what the buck you promised. You are not in command here. I have let you get away with a lot of stuff since Princess Luna has been gone, but I am stopping it here, we are not expending any of the resources we have to save a bunch of enemy combatants so you can get a bit of tail.”

“I see you have fallen back on my hobby as a common insult.”

“From what I have seen you do around here in the past three days it is justified. How many nobles have you run off to your quarters or a broom closet with?”

“And how many have I not run off with no matter how enticing if what was proposed was not beneficial to Equestria in some manner?”

Starfall growled returning Rhede's glare neither of them backing down a inch. Final Rhede sighs and shakes his head.

“You do not know half of what has gone on Starfall and I had planned to keep it that way.”

“If you want my cooperation Pelt you better explain.”

“I do not have to. Miss please enlighten Starfall as to how many of those Half dragons are yours or your late sisters children.”

“What?”

The Earth pony mare seems to shrink into herself not having expected this sort of question at all or the scrutiny it brought and the faint mutters she speaks are not able to be heard even in the now quiet office.

Rhede moves back behind the table looking again at the map waiting for Appletini to stop speaking. Starfall blinks looking back to Rhede more confused than angry now.

“What did she say?”

“She said Starfall, that at least fifteen of them are, including the one in command known as Lion-heart.”

“That's impossible he's older than I am and this mares maybe three years older than my daughter!”

“Thank you Miss, please speak with the Guard outside and she will take you back to your room.”

The earth pony nods and scurries out shutting the door behind her. Rhede sighs dropping into a chair gesturing with a hoof for Starfall to sit, but she ignores it.

“You know something, and you've realized you can't hide it any more, don't you?”

“I know a great deal of things, as does Velkorn, that we are not telling you and the world is a better place for it. This is..... was, one of them. Of course your stubborn streak has kicked in and you won't let it go. But then that's what we all love about you, well that and your nice tone....”

“RHEDE...... get to the point.”

“Yes, yes. So much for levity before the shit storm. This does not leave this room and above all else you do NOT BUCKING TELL JER! He hates the dragons enough, this would send that into over drive particularly with what happened to Luna. And before you ask, yes the Princess knows, both of them do.”

Starfall tightens her wings ears flattening at the instructions.

“Fine Rhede. Now spill it.”

===============================================

The climb had not gotten any easier after the cliff, the estimation of a few days was being pushed back more and more with each trudging step up the ever steeper slope. Or at least it was in Jer'rahds mind, he did not relish the thought of climbing back down this mountain. Of course if this succeeded The Princess could probably just teleport them down or at the very least fly them back down, unless a worst case happened. Granted if the worst case happened he might not be able to go back down any way depending on how bad. Even if he lived that was a long way to carry a body.

He stops suddenly whipping his head to clear out the unwanted images and nearly having the Princess run into the back of him. He looked back as she apologized, she seemed lost in her own thoughts as well. He sighs the mist of his breath blowing through the scarf as he turns his gaze back up at clouds surrounding the top of the mountain. The wind was such that Luna said it would still be too dangerous to fly, having no wings himself he took her word for it. His eyes narrowed spotting something though the snow. The shape was familiar some how as was the way it loped towards them. He sighs lifting a hoof to stop the Princess and moving directly in front of her as the creature lumbered closer its cries likely lost in the wind. He was surprised to see it was white though he doubted it was much different mentally from its green counterparts.

Luna's eyes widened finally seeing the creature charging them, its fanged maw wide showing crocked and broken yellow teeth, black beady eyes sunk into its face under a thick forehead. A sharp beaked nose rested unevenly on its face as if it had been broken and not healed properly. A long matted coat of white fur clung to a massive oddly shaped frame that seemed like a strange cross between a bear and a hunting cat though it rippled with muscle. It hurled itself off a rock, claws that seemed akin to a common sloth's, were brandished on all four limbs as it fell towards them after its leap.

Jer'rahd raised a shield over them and the beast hit at full force, bouncing off and giving Jer'rahd a moment to drop the shield and give it a magical push that sent it flying off the side of the mountain. Luna blinks as the creature flails wildly before vanishing out of sight. Jer'rahd simply exhales deeply, as if he was hoping for something better to fight.

“I didn't expect trolls up here Princess. Do I get combat pay out of this?”

“You are currently the highest paid officer in the entire Guard. What do you need more bits for?”

“Oh you know, this and that, mostly reteaching my liver its old skills.”

“Delightful. As if the last outing of drinking was not bad enough with you.”

“Hey you made it back to your room alright. I still don't know how I wound up in the pond though.... maybe I do need to ease up a little on the drinks though, I don't think I could handle that again.”

The pair start trudging through the snow, the conversation continuing , but being shouted over the wind.

“You still have that phobia?”

“Of deep water, oh yeah, even the sight of it tends to freak me out a little bit. I don't run away in a panic any more at least, and rain no longer is an issue thanks to all my training. I don't think I can do the same thing with deep water, there's no way to only have a little bit of it at a time to grow accustom.”

“What about the nightmares?”

“At times, I did in the field quite a bit, since I started staying in the castle though, not so much. Most of the dreams now are of the moon casting a beam of light over me, with the nightmares clawing at the light. So long as I stay in the moonlight, I am fine, not always easy though as sometimes the moon moves.”

“An anti nightmare moon. That is a interesting effect.”

“Heh, I like that, Nightmare Moon. Sounds like some sort of nickname you would give to a battlefield commander.”

“I said anti Nightmare.... oh never mind, you are correct that it sounds interesting.”

“There's a cave ahead, might be a place to stop for the night, provided there's not any more trolls inside.”

==================================================

Velkorn looks up at the symbol on the awning above the door. She had been staring at it for a bit of time after confirming that it was the sign the snow ponies associated with medicine. Bleu had stretched up knocking off most of the snow and ice so Velkorn could get a better look at it. After a few moments she sighed taking out a bit of charcoal and parchment, sketching the symbol out. It was not that different from the zebra medical symbol,perhaps some lost connection between ponies and zebras. If Velkorn was more of a historian she would care about that bit, but she was more interested in the mark. The central rod was split in two with what looked like a horse shoe on top and the snakes were replaced by a length of twining ivy of some kind. There were no wings connected to the rod and instead a stylized snowflake was spread behind it.

She looks at the image with some of the Snow ponies looking over her shoulder as she drew it before she rolls up the symbol tucking it away in her saddlebag to make into a patch for her medical kit later if she learned how to heal them. She glanced up at her guides curious face and pointed up to the symbol then to the snow pony then pointed to Bleu and the dragon symbol for healing , then to herself and the zebra one. The snow pony nods seeming to get it at least in part before gesturing the pair inside the building.

Bleu shifts down to her dragonling form shuddering suddenly as if the size change made her that much colder. Velkorn glances back as the dragonling scurries onto the zebra's back trying to warm up again.

[“Why are you only cold when you are small?”]

Bleu grumbles through the blankets.

[“Why do you only rhyme when you speak in pony?”]

[“Because it is easier to rhyme in pony than it is to rhyme in zebra. The words do not sound right when rhymed.”]

[“....... OK that makes sense.... any way I dunno I guess my bloods just not flowing as far or something”]

[“That makes no sense. Your blood should be warmer having less distance to travel.”]

[“Like I said I don't know I just get cold when I’m small and the bigger I get the warmer I am.”]

[“I suppose that is something to look into later...... oh my....”]

The pair were guided into what seems to be the most Hodge podge hospital Velkorn had ever seen, even counting some of the battle field structures Velkorn had witnessed. There were devices for dragons, ponies, griffons, and several she did not even recognize. The walls were covered in pictures of anatomy and various skeletal systems of many creatures. Velkorn was amazed and even Bleu gave a whistle at the impressive sight.

Velkorn approached looking at the anatomy charts curiously then over everything else. It was all covered in a light layer of dust. Most of the equipment was still clearly sealed , or was so far gone that it would never be used. The admiration gave way to a bit of sadness at the nature of the equipment. It was clear that this was not used as anything more than another museum of like materials.

Her guide said something and bowed before heading out the two guards who accompanied him stepping out in the hall to leave them alone for a moment.

[“What does this mean Velky? If this is their hospital, why does it look like nothing has been used?”]

[ “They are the Windigo's children in truth, more than they are ponies. I was glad when the Windigo said before that Starfall's rain boom did not harm any of them and that they would reform. I did not realize the same might be true of the ones they protect. I do not think there is anything I can learn here. The Windigo will not allow their children to come to harm. Perhaps it would be best if we had waited at our camp, this is a disappointment to me.”]

[“ Well there's a book shelf over here, you can leave some of those books you brought so at a least they will have something to look at if any other creature comes out this way.”]

Velkorn sighs wandering over to the book shelf curiously looking over the books. Bleu had turned her attention to a wooden pony skeleton and had hopped off Velkorn's back to try and do a impromptu show with the skeletons hinged jaws as a puppet.

“What did the three claws say to the face boney?”

She badly pantomimes the jaw moving and makes her voice deeper to act as the skulls voice”.

“I dunno what did the three claws say to the face?”

“SLAP!”

Bleu belts the skull with one hand letting it spin around on her finger a few times. Velkorn largely ignores her.

The zebras eyes widened as she pulls a book off the shelf opening it to flip through it her eyes widening as she flipped faster through the book looking at the anatomy charts and images in it. She looks up at the shelf setting that book gently aside before scanning the shelf and pulling out a few other books. She had never seen these before. These were books on races she had not ever seen books on, there was nothing on Snow ponies or weindigo, but this one was about draconequus as if they were a actual race at one point in the past, this one about hydra, and this one had a plethora of various normal animals including some she had never heard of, a complete guide to para sprites. The first book however remained the most important however as it pertained to the very source of this quest, the gods and goddesses themselves. The script was not one known to her, Bleu had no clue either but both of them knew a pony who could likely translate it given enough time.

Even if nothing in this book was useful to the current situation it would be a immeasurable boon in the future. What confused her was none of the books seemed to be the same. Some were written in griffon others in pony, the older more important ones were in languages she could not even think to decipher.

The guide trots back in expressing surprise at the zebra having spread the books off the shelf though he before he could say anything, he became even more distracted and disturbed by the pantomime skeleton act Bleu was doing. He seemed about ready to call the guards at the desecration of the museum when Velkorn whirled grinning wide and setting the stack of books she had collected from the shelf on the table nearby. She pointed at the books on the table before pulling out the ones she had brought with her to give to them any way, a slightly larger stack than what she was asking for.

It took some convincing, and a shout at Bleu to put the skull back where she found it, before he finally understood she wished to trade. He opened and leafed through a few of the books spending far more time on the ones that had color illustrations of various creatures in them. Eventually he agreed to the trade, much to Velkorn's delight.

===============================================

Rhede sat back as Starfall shook her head in disbelief. The crimson pony smirked as if that was all he was going to say before Starfall belted him with a throw pillow from the rooms couch.

“Enough with the tension building Pelt, tell me what the heck happened or next time I'll throw the couch.”

Rhede slips off the chair half crouching under the table just in case. Starfall simply glares and Rhede sighs taking his seat again.

“The story that has been spread is that those captured were being used to breed half dragons. This is of course true. It is also true that both dragons and half dragons were being used to impregnate the captured mares. What is not known except by Velkorn, myself and the Princesses and those who managed not to repress or have the memory removed, is the rest.”

“I knew quite a few of the victims had their memories magically erased so they could lead normal lives afterwords.”

“There were also a few who did not want to have their memories erased, but we did it any way and told them they did.”

“Rhede...”

“We have been fighting foals, Starfall. There is not likely a half dragon that we have fought or killed that was any older than three or four years old. Not a one. We basicly have been killing children. Now how the buck do you think that would effect morale? Let alone the uproar it would cause from the ones already against the war?”

Starfall blinks and sinks back onto the couch the implications of it quite clear though the rest was not.

“How do you know any of this?”

“We found the head researchers journal as well as the labs themselves when we raided that castle. After all was said and done we found one in ever single castle of Discord we came across. The dragons had some how found a way to harness the time distortion that was going on in the Darklands. That’s why their armies were unaffected by it, that’s why they could accelerate the foals in the wombs to advance from conception to birth in just under a day, and how it only took them three days to have a fully grown solider, brainwashed and programed to be the perfect warrior. All at the cost of shortening their lives and causing numerous other problems along with the pain of that accelerated growth. The only reason we are not over run with half dragons like a parasprite swarm is the still born ratio is above fifty percent. Over fifty percent of them die in childbirth often taking the unfortunate mare that birthed them with it.”

“Buckking hell.”

“Miss Appletini out there was one of the ponies that had been captured, both her and her sister. Her sister did not survive very long and died in one of the multiple child births she was forced to endure. That mare who just left this room got to watch it all. She was never in any danger of my attentions as you so put it, that mare is young, but its not likely she is ever going to let any one touch her again, yet she was still willing to see if she could use herself to convince some one to help. I know you don't think I have any real scruples when it comes to mares, but I have plenty. Once I found out who she was I have not even flirted jokingly. Shes been through enough as is.”

He rubs his temple with a hoof.

“She is amazing none the less. She broke through a amnesia spell of the highest caliber just to come and try and save them. She sees them as they are supposed to be, as foals that need to be cared for and guided back to the proper path. That mare is full on trying to be a mother to over a thousand fully grown half dragons. She came here when she realized she could not do it herself. When we took out Onyx Wing, the programming he had that used him as the focus, the paternal figure to obey and follow, broke. That's why so many just wandered or flew off mid combat. Their reason for existence was gone. That gave them the chance to do what they are doing now and yet they are still suffering for it.”

Rhede exhales deeply his ears flattening.

“Equestria views them as abominations of the enemy, Appletini views them as children and a reminder of her sister. Me? I know their story, I know what they are and where they came from and what they suffer through. All that and I still cannot see them as anything more than possible allies, bodies to fill our own war machine.”

Starfall's ears and wings droop as she thinks on this though, she did wonder about something.

“I get it now, though why not tell Jer'rahd. This seems like something that he should know.”

Rhede chokes back a laugh.

“OK, picture this, Jer is already set to destroy every dragon he sees aside from Bleu, and that's just from the invasion and war. Genocide from just that. Now add in some of the horrors I just passed onto you. Let those add to his fire and what are you going to get? Think back to what happened last time he was mad beyond all sense?”

“Claymore.”

“Right. And since we don't have the time to stop and wait as he flenses every dragon we come across before finally killing them, its better if we leave this bit out of his earshot. Princess Luna and Celestia agree with me on this one.”

“I agree as well. But knowing all this does not help us with the current situation however.”

“No … no it doesn't..... and without Luna being here I cannot make any direct decision involving them. This ones a bit too important.... Though I have an idea if you are up to flying back there.”

“What did you have in mind this time Rhede?”

=========================================================

The screams of the group of trolls as they were flung off the mountain faded quickly as Jer'rahd growled in annoyance. Luna had offered to help though Jer'rahd declined.

“The day I can't handle a couple of trolls is the day I hang up my sword.”

“Then might I inquire as to why you are flinging them off the mountain then instead of out right killing them?”

“Have you killed a troll recently? The smell alone is enough to make you ill, I’d rather swim through a tank again.”

“You might have your chance when we retake Dullahan.”

“I find it some what disturbing that the source of my nickname has been the most heated battle field of the entire war.”

“Clearly prophetic.”

Jer'rahd nods heading deeper into the cave. The ice that half formed this cave let in enough light from the setting sun that he had no need for a torch to see this time. The cave itself split off into two short tunnels at the end, one ending in a now empty trolls nest, the other ending against a wall of ice. Given what a trolls nest was made up of, the ice wall was the more comfortable spot. Jer'rahd again takes the time to fill the mouth of the side passage with rocks. It likely would not stop any thing, but the noise would wake him up.

The Princess predicted they should reach the summit the following day and locate the ruins there. He was not convinced though he also could not see very far in the clouds they had been climbing through. He broke out another oat bar munching on it idly as he set up the rock wall. He was glad he packed extra just in case this trip had taken longer than he had thought So far it had and at least a day longer than Luna had planned for. He trotted back down the cave finding her wrapped up in blankets again.

“Still freezing hmm?”

“Only when I stop moving.”

“Well we have to sleep sometime, I don't even want to think of trying to climb up further with all these trolls while tired.”

“We might encounter more. Quite a lot of trolls escaped when Discords Castles were taken out.”

“Those trolls were green and brown,unless they can change their coat color depending on the seasons...”

“They can, it helps them hunt.”

“Perfect. What do the ruins up here attract them?”

“I don't know the books do not say, but it is possible.”

Jer'rahd lays out his bedding settling down on it and turning to dig out a few blankets from his bag. His ears perk as Princess Luna shifts up to her hooves but he pays it no real mind till she lays down next to him on his bedding her wing draping her blankets over both of them as she presses lightly against his side. He tenses up turning to look in her direction as she lays her head down on her legs.

“Luna..?”

“I suppose I should tell you the rest. The spell can present me with great power, though it can also kill me.”

“I had figured that out with the last conversation we had about sacrifice.”

“Regardless, it is a far more worrying proposition for me now that I have once again started to enjoy the company of others. While I was alone, with just Celestia, I would not have batted an eye at it. Yet now I seek to again put my life, an actual life on the line for a nation of ponies that still hates and fears the night and barely seems to count me as one of their own unless a conflict arises and half of them blame me for that.”

“I do not think any pony hates or fears you, let alone all of them.”

“Really, then why is it even one of my most trusted friends tenses up as if he is ready to run when I am close to him?”

Jer'rahd sighs trying hard not to chuckle at that.

“I would think any stallion would be a bit panicked at first when a beautiful mare suddenly joins him in his bed without a invitation.”

Luna's eyes widen a moment and she blushes, though she doesn't move and Jer'rahd pretends not to notice.

“So you think I am beautiful?”

“I would not have said it if it was not the case. That should mean something if you believe Bleu's comments about my “High Standards”.

“Even after all that you have seen me do, all that has been done you think that? Why?”

“I saw you dance.”

“You danced as well. Not poorly either...”

“No I mean when I first met you. Camp Geode. I still remember that. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.”

Luna blushes again though Jer'rahd continues on still pretending not to notice.

“I never really even thought I would make it this far. I thought it was a honor just to speak with you Now in possibly the shortest time ever I have gone from just another solider to a position of power rivaled only by the Princesses themselves. Trust me if I let it, my ego would be off the charts right now.”

“You have suffered much and done a great deal to have achieved your position Jer'rahd. You have even faced death and returned. You have become perhaps the closest friend I have had in centuries, and twice now it seemed you had been lost to me, once in spirit the other in body. Yet you press on preforming deeds that had made lesser ponies legends, and yet you constantly trump your own exploits, with newer ones. It as if your life is a story written by some mad pony whose sole purpose it seems is to see you suffer.”

“It cannot be that bad. After all I am currently sharing a bed with one of the Princesses of Equestria.”

Luna chuckles.

“That is because you are warm and it is cold out, do not expect anything much more than that General.”

“Way to dash a stallions hopes there Princess. And after all the work Bleu has put in trying to get us together. Though it is for the best that nothing does come out of this ”

Luna opens one eye to look up at him before making a dismissive noise.

“And why would that be Jer'rahd? Am I not as you have hoped in a mare?

“I would prefer that you did not die due to me.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Aside from my relation ships seem cursed? I was betrayed then Platinum was killed, the Scarlet betrayed me. If the pattern follows it would mean your death.”

“I think you are reading a little to much into it, We are not an item as it were Jer'rahd. Granted if there was less for us to worry about it would not be a bad thought.

She turns her head away from him as he lays his head down on his own legs eyes closing after a last glance towards the rock wall he put up.

“Possibly Princess but I doubt it. I do not wish for you to become another casualty of my .. “story” as you put it.”

===========================================================

Velkorn was both delighted and depressed it was a strange feeling, Bleu had commented she seemed like she had one ear perked and the other drooping since she found the books. The pair had left the village after a few good byes and were on their way back to the initial camp having declined what they thought was an offer to stay the night. Eventually she hoped to learn the language, but for now she was content to speak with the weindigo. There had been no sign of them in the village and likely that meant they were keeping their distance from their children still.

They had just set up a small camp for the night when the weindigo arrived. Velkorn had been expecting them, Bleu just remained huddled under a blanket complaining.

”We greet you again Queen of the Zebra's, though we ask why you ignored our request to remain here?<

“It was a long trip that I did undertake, to come here and not see the village would have been a mistake.”

”No harm was done save that our children are curious about the outside world now, more so than when simple objects were found by them.”<

“The world outside is a dangerous place at the time, the peace they know here is truly sublime.”

The lead Windigo of the three nods, his mane swishing like ice over rock as it moves.

”We have decided that we shall aid you in restoring the Summer lands Princess of the Sun. Some wished to count this as the boon you have been granted, but you came to us and the benefit to us for her to live is not minor. The boon will remain with you Queen of the Zebra's we do not doubt when the time comes that you use it, the need will be dire. As to your second request, that we cannot grant.”<

“With what I have seen while in the town, it is not as if they even need a doctor around.”

” This is true. Our children have inherited quite a bit of our healing ability. It would take enough damage to kill them outright before they were injured beyond what could be healed. There are no books or information to give you. The snow that falls over the land from us speeds up there already considerable recovery.”<

“Hey I got a question. How do you guys even have these children? That's like a level of inbreeding or something there isn’t it?”

” I am not sure of your term thunder lizard, but they were created from the fresh snow with life breathed into them by the north winds. They have children on their own now This was another gift granted to us in return for our aid to the goddesses from long ago when ponies still lived here. Sadly it is unlikely they could survive in the Summer Lands. Is that a sufficient answer thunder Lizard?”<

“Actually that was more informative than I expected.”

”You carried the Zebra Queen to us and aided her in what she did for our children. A simple question is easily answered. Of course it seems our Children gave you enough of a reward as your bags bristle with the ice gems of this land.”<

“Cause these diamonds are insanely tasty.....”

“What is this cure of which you speak, do you have it with you or is it something I must still seek?”

One of the Windigos trots up producing a simple brown leather bag from his mane, frost coated around it where the Windigo touched it before he set the bag before the Zebra returning to where he stood before behind the speaker.

” This powder is something that we create ourselves it will amplify the healing of a body at the cost of a great expenditure of energy. With the powers the goddess of the sun has it should take little time before her wound is healed. The focusing of all her power may have some undesirable effects, but it should save her life as it saved another in times long past. Put this bags contents into water and apply the paste it makes to the wound. Be sure to use it all or the results could be what is not desired.”<

Velkorn had been jotting down the information from them on a bit of parchment before she took the bag putting both it and the parchment in her bag before bowing to the Windigo , they did the same in return. Seeing their business was done the three took to the air again galloping off through the sky.

=====================================================

Starfall once more was flying over The Great Hooper Sea with her wing, although this time some of the pegasus were pulling flying carts loaded with a few scant supplies and a hoof full of volunteers, mostly males. She spotted the landing point of the Half dragons at once. It seemed after they left they mainland they managed to keep the interest up for a while before lapsing back into the strange funk that they underwent before after setting up a great many crude shelters that did not even seem to be used.

Once again her arrival sparked the attention and many of them rose looking up at the group as they landed. Touching down with the carts. Starfall shifted her gaze about looking for the one called Lion-heart and was not disappointed as he came trotting up saluting again as warranted a higher ranked officer though his gaze was primarily on the collection of earth ponies and unicorns that had come with them.

“General might I inquire what this is about. We have done as you asked...”

“Smells like some of you missed the last part. I expect you to fix that as soon as possible. “

The half dragon looked particularly annoyed folding his wings and ears tightly against his sides and head though his attention was diverted by a older black coated earth pony mare approaching them. Her blue hair was pulled back in a bun with, a pair of glasses perched on her nose. She said nothing at first simply looking over Lion-heart as if one would look over a piece of art that they were unsure whether it was genius or crap.

“Commander Lion Heart this is Ginger Snap she is to be your liaison with the training force that has been brought as well as with Canterlot as a whole.”

“Wait training force? Canterlot? General what is going on?”

The half dragon was looking nervous clearly having several different scenarios crossing his mind. Likely none of them was the correct one, but Starfall was enjoying watching him squirm, he was not a bad looking stallion if you could get past the oddities. That he was some ones foal rapidly grown up was a very sobering thought, but she could see the vague resemblance to Appletini now that she was looking for it. His father had clearly been a red dragon judging by the coloration of his wings and scales however even if his fur was black. Actually looking this time it was clear that none of them had any sort of cutie mark. Rather sad but fitting given the proper age. The training group was picked out by Rhede every one of them could keep their lips shut about this situation though Rhede had implied what would happen if it slipped.

“It is simple Commander, as of this moment you have the attention of Canterlot. These ponies are here to protect our interests. They are going to show you how to farm, build a town and run it. The Princess bride shall also be adding this side of the island as a list of stops. There is the potential for mining on this island as well, The Princess Bride has been commissioned to collect what ever raw materials you may produce. To have them refined.”

“So we are little more than slaves to you as well.....”

“You will be paid for what you manage to do Commander, be it with supplies or bits. There are plenty of raw materials both in this lake, on this island, and on the mainland for you to harvest. Your first mission to to build a town to house these ponies and create a farmland capable of supporting them with the land you currently have access to. This is not a small island Commander and we are giving your ponies free run of it with only moderate supervision for the moment. If Miss Snap does not report in or reports something that we do not like we shall come in force and wipe your ponies off this island. For now we are simply going to watch you and provide you with a means to be self supportive. In time if your progress is sufficient enough and your intentions have not changed we might even be willing to offer your kind citizenship within Equestria. “

Lion hearts jaw remained wide open at her speech a rather dumfounded look on his face.

“These ponies are going to separate everyone into groups to train them in what needs to be done. We have it all set up that ever single one of them is going to be doing something to make sure this town gets completed. And you are going to have two jobs Commander. You are going to continue to lead these ponies with the advice and counsel of Miss Snap, and you are also going to teach every single one of them the pony language. If they are not busy that means you are training them is that clear?”

“Yes General. That is clear....... thanks...thank you.”

“Don't thank me commander Thank that mare who's farm you stayed at. Without her you likely would all be targets.”

Starfall nods to Ginger Snap who leads Lion-heart off to begin discussing preparations as Starfall and her wing take to the air again returning to Canterlot. She glanced down watching the Ponies milling about the place smirking slightly before angling off back towards Canterlot. Sometimes Rhede's ideas were not that bad.

=======================================

“This is it Jer'rhad, are you ready?”

“Of course, cast your spell already, I expected trolls. Maybe not a troll god, but it would not be the first god I killed. I have this.”

Luna hurriedly sets out the materials her tail whipping across the surface of the large round stone dais cleaning off dust and blown snow further. Jer'rahd glances back to the cave mouth and the pounding force being directed against his shields.

They had left the cave where they spent the night and barely crested the rise above it when they found the ruins of an old temple, swept raw by the winds. Luna had opted to not raise the sun to start the day and had instead lifted the full moon letting its pale light illuminate the ruins. Considering she drew some power from the orb it was not a surprise, though Equestrians may have been freaking out again. They had not made it far into the the ruins when the first wave of trolls started howling, pouring from the ruined buildings and seemingly out from under the rocks. A huge brute of a troll smashed its way out of a half collapsed building, the creature was almost twice the size of the orc god Jer'rhad had killed and twice as smelly. A second set of arms sprouted from under the first, just as muscled and clawed as the first set. The beast had six gold and black eyes running up its forehead over his main set giving it the odd impression that it was a spider cross of some kind. Jer'rahd and Luna both donned their armor, though Luna darted off towards a cave yelling for him to follow. He took off after her, The Waning Moon drawn and cutting down the first few of the fastest trolls. He was going to have to heavily clean his sword after this.

The great beast roars charging after them as the pair ran into the cave. Jer'rahd flung up a few shields behind them sealing the cave for a moment or two he turns as Luna slid to a stop in the middle of the cavern . Light poured in from above, cast from the moon through a hole in the roof, illuminating the dais. Luna worked on getting the ritual set up. She occasionally checked the book for reference placing the object where it was needed. Jer'rahd winced feeling one of his shields be battered down. He started moving towards the tunnel leading to the surface planning to intercept the swarm himself.

“Jer'rahd.”

He froze looking back as she trotted up to him.

“Yes what is it Luna?”

“If something should happen …. if the worst should happen.”

“It won't, you will complete your spell and no troll will even get to see it.”

“But if it does. Please. Apologize to my sister for me.”

“Not happening. That mare would skin me alive, if something happens to you I sure as buck am not going back to face her. So you better come out of this alright I have a career to think of.”

He smirks not really feeling it and she seems to do the same with a halfhearted smirk.

“Anything else Princess?”

She darts in suddenly kissing him lightly on the lips. He freezes with shock at the action as she blushes deeply.

“I have wanted to do that since the Gala.... if it was not that good I suppose I could practice a bit more if we live.”

“Oh yeah, neither of us is going to die today. Cast your spell Luna. I have some annoyances to take care of.”

She smiles a bit more genuinely this time and dashes off back to the center of the dais. He shakes it head continuing down the tunnel and raising a shield behind him. He turns looking at the masses clawing at the other side of the shield. The big one kept pounding on it crushing many of the normal trolls that got in his way. Most of them had pulled back letting the large one flail at the shield. He was not sure how he was going to do this.

His ears perk hearing Luna using the royal Canterlot voice, but the words that were being spoken were like nothing he had ever heard before. They echoed and reverberated from the chamber behind him as if it was miles away though more tunnels and rock than should allow the words to be heard. He shivered slightly hearing it though he was not sure why, something in that language gave him a flash of fear like he had just been dropped in a lake. It was also very familiar.

Cracks appear on his shield bringing his attention back to the situation before him. The brute swung again and Jer'rahd dropped the shield charging forward, his blade gripped tight between his teeth as the troll god pitched forward unbalanced by the blow that didn't land. It caught itself on its lower arms until Jer'rahds blade nearly cut through the extremity as he ran past. The troll god howled in pain and the numerous other trolls leaped and slashed at the armored unicorn their claws not so much as scratching the Armor of Loyalty.

He smirked expecting such protection against the minor ones though the lumbering giant now had its full attention focused on the creature that wounded it. Silver Claw had proven that Gods could penetrate the armor and he did not doubt that the troll was any different. His head whipped the twin blades of the Waning moon slicing apart anything that got in his way. He galloped back out into the open away from the cave still able to hear Luna's voice as if she was standing right next to him.

He turned to face the charging troll. Many of the ones he had wounded in his charge were not able to get out of the way and were trampled by the beast as it lunged after the unicorn. Lightning flashed though the air, Jer'rahd offered a brief glance up to see clouds starting to roll and swirl around the mountain leaving a clear circle of sky that allowed the moon to shine through.

He would have watched further though the great beast was on him over sized jaws snapping at the Unicorn and impacting hard against a raised shield. He took that moment to finish the cut on the one arm severing it completely before running away as the troll tried to bite through the shield.

He darted away gripping the blade tighter and cutting through a few more of the smaller trolls as he galloped past. He glanced back eyes widening and threw himself to the ground as the arm he severed from the troll flew over him smashing into a host of other trolls and destroying another section of the ruins.

He scrambles back to his hooves darting out of the way as the massive bulk of the beast crashes to the ground where he had dropped to the ground. The creature stumbles as it tries to use an arm that was no longer there to catch itself and again Jer'rahd takes ad vantage his blade digging though the creatures back leg on the same side. It roars whirling about only to stagger back as its head collides with another raised shield. His blade drinks deep again severing the limb.

From that point it became almost too easy. The troll god simply went into a rage, ripping apart anything that moved near it. He repeated the process without the troll even noticing the pattern cleaving off its limbs bit by bit till it was trying to crawl after him with its one remaining arm, its rage putting it past any sort of survival instinct.

The ruins were covered with hooting and screaming trolls looking down on the battle as Jer'rahd trotted up and with a few swipes managed to sever the trolls head from its body. He turns his head up to look at the suddenly quiet trolls wondering if any of them wanted to take a turn. He was doing his best to try and breath through his mouth as the stench of this place was unbearable , or maybe it was just him soaked in troll blood. Either way he needed a bath badly.

The storm over the mountain was getting worse, Luna's voice was growing louder as well. He looked back up to the moon, his eyes widening as darkness seemed to slowly be swallowing it up making its phases change rather quickly, moving from full moon to new moon and back again in a matter of moments. He glances back to the surrounding ruins not seeing a single live troll any where any more. Even the cries were muted as if they were all running off.

He sheaths his blade, planning to burn the scabbard once they made it back to Canterlot or before considering the stench. He runs back down the tunnel dropping the shields and raising them again behind him just in case.

Luna was floating in a swirling sea of whirling energy, little globes like comets screamed through the air around her nearly blocking her from view as they moved counter clockwise around the floating alicorn. Jer'rahd barely had time to look around before everything froze and suddenly exploded the energy wave flooding out from the dais pouring over him blinding him with the glow of energy. He swore he heard a multitude of voices echoing in his ears though two were in a language he knew and were loud enough for him to make out.

“This is the only one? Should we?

“No let that one decide when this one is ready. We need not do anything to it.”

“Boring.”

The air clears as suddenly as it started the power flowing back into the dais like a retreating tide before a wave he charges forward sliding to a stop, the dais was still covered with a pulsing dark purple dome of crackleing energy that slowly begins to shrink. The power that washed over him was making his fur tingle and he needed to check to make sure he was not pink. After a moment the glow fades completely from view leaving a still form laying curled on the ground.

He hesitates taking a step forward not sure if he was supposed to be on the dais or if anything was done or not. The form stirs slowly rising to its hooves.

The mares coat was as black as midnight with purple markings on her flank that was dotted with a white crescent moon. She stretches her wings, the lengths larger than a normal pegasus and more bat like than bird. She was taller than Luna and leaner possibly matching Celestia in height. Her mane and tail did not even seem to be hair any more, yet were a near translucent dark sea of stars as if the night itself had decided to inhabit this mares mane and tail. She yawned bearing small fangs as she stretched her eyes opening to reveal a brilliant green coloration that was slit more like a dragons than a ponies. Jer'rahd was frozen, the same sense of beauty and terror that had overcome him when he had first seen Luna dance had returned even stronger now.

“Princess?”

“I gather everything went well with the trolls Jer'rahd?”

He blinks nodding his head, keeping the armor on still just in case.

“It did Princess. I am not sure what your spell did but you have clearly been changed some how.”

“I have been changed? I can feel power running through me I was unaware even existed. Though I do not feel different otherwise.... oh...”

She turns her head, glancing back at her wings and tail rather surprised to see her new coat coloration as well as the changes that she had undergone.

“This was unexpected, though fitting I suppose for the goal we have set our selves. This is a odd look for me but judging by your reaction it is quite a intimidating one. Hmmm, On that I suppose Princess Luna shall not strike enough fear into the hearts of our enemies General.”

“Oh? Then what would you like Princess?”

She looks over at Jer'rahd and smiles, something he could not quite bring himself to return.

“I think Nightmare Moon would be adequate don't you?”

Twilight sits back with a shudder. She had expected Luna to change at some point, but she was expecting something gradual. Not the result of a spell. Particularly not one that she was utilizing to help ponies. There must be something else to this. It was not even close to the legend she found in the book, and a astrological event of that size should have been seen by everyone and recorded? Frankly it was giving her a bigger headache than trying to figure out the nonsense with the time jump .

“You OK twilight yah look a bit paler than usual.”

“I just saw Princess Luna become Nightmare moon... it was..... anticlimactic to say the least.”

“Well considering what you been writing about for the past couple of months, I ken understand why, all these battles and heroic escapades this groups been doing. Something that yah already new was gonna happen ken seem like a let down.”

“I suppose you are right. Though I think I am done with this for the night.”

“Mind if ah take this book with me, not quite at a point ah ken put it down just yet.”

“Sure go ahead, Rainbow Dash has my other copy, though the one she has is two chapters behind. That one is caught up at least and once I get this one put in to the main book I can have Spike copy it.”

“Provided keeping an eye on the Crusaders doesn't completely wear him out.”

“Well he does seem to be having fun with it.”

Applejack closes up the book pulling on her saddle bags and dropping the book into one. She rises and heads to the door as Twilight puts everything away sliding the sword case back under her desk.

“Ah'll bring this back soon as I’m done sugar. Shouldn't take me too long, not much tah do aside from standard chores mid season.”

“Alright Applejack , if you see dash tell her I need the book back to update it before Fluttershy gets it. I should have Spike start to work on a fourth copy sometime as I need to send one to the Princess.”

“Actually Twilight, I suggest yah don't do that.”

“What why not?”

“Somea this stuff's getting kinda personal like, I doubt Luna would want her sister seeing it.”

“Oh I forgot about that. I am so used to looking at this like history I forgot that both Princess Celestia and Luna have lived through it.”

“Ah doubt Princess Luna would be too happy bout some of this stuff being passed around.”

“Alright I should still send Luna a copy when I am done though. She might like it or hate it , but she should still have it.”

“Might be right any way g'night Twilight.”

“Night Aj.”

Earthquake

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Earth Quake

“TWILIGHT!! Are you home? I'm back!”

“In here Spike; I'm just trying to clean up the back room… again.”

“What happened this time?”

Spike trundles into the back room, wincing at the massive destruction that the side room had sustained. He had not seen anything like it since he tried to horde everything, then broke through a wall. He sets down the books he had brought home and heads over to help Twilight clean up.

“I have no idea how you manage to keep those three under control. They found the sword while I was watching them and decided to see if they could be cutie mark sword ponies.”

Spike looks around at the broken table and shelves.

“Wait, you mean they could lift it?”

“Well, Sweetie Belle couldn't, but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn’t seem to have much of a problem with it. Granted, Sweetie also tried to use her magic to lift it.”

“That explains the scorch marks all over the place. They aren’t hurt, are they?”

“No, and that wasn't because I got here in time. I was trying to put out the fire in the kitchen they started trying to cook when I heard the destruction in here. I ran in and Scootaloo was swinging the blade around trying to cut an apple stacked on top of a couple of books. All she managed to do was crush it and soak apple juice into the books.”

“What?”

“Look at the books and the table and everything Spike. Dents, dings, and some cracks, but nothing’s cut. It's like the sword knew who had it and stopped itself from being a weapon.”

“Swords can do that?”

“With what I have found out so far, the weapon seems to have its own soul. Maybe it did know that foals had it. Though why it let them pick it up at all is a mystery.”

“Not to me, Twilight, and I am liking that blade a lot less now.”

“What do you mean?”

“That thing’s made just for killing, killing dragons specifically, from what you've written so far. With its old master out of the way, it's looking for a new one that it can shape into what it wants. It wanted to make the CMCs dragon slayers, but didn't want to hurt any of its choices...”

“Umm, Spike, that's a bit paranoid. I think it might be easier to think that it’s got some sort of safety spell on it.”

“Sure you believe that... I know what it's really doing.”

“Anyway... Did you find what I asked for in Canterlot?”

“Oh that, yeah, fairly interesting stuff, too, even if I did have to sit though a lot of old war stories. You were right about the Guard's keeping a different set of records than the royal library. They had all the notes and numbers, including the complete books of all the fallen Guards from all the way back to when General Kaisur started them. They even have a book of those who have been dishonorably removed from the Guards. And that list starts With General Mustang, General Kaisur, and General Silvertail.”

“Well that's a bit of a spoiler, granted I didn't expect them to be heroes for siding with Nightmare Moon.”

“Yeah well, I also found the Guard's Division chart from the Discordian War as well as a bit of history from that.”

“Well go ahead and read it to me while I finish up. I have been curious about the divisions.”

Spike moves over to the stack of books he brought with him, pulling a parchment out of the middle of the pile. Twilight rights the broken table, mending it with a spell.

“Okay, before the Discordian War, Equestria didn't have any sort of guard aside from the Royal Body Guards that protected the Princesses. There were many war-like tribes of ponies, like the Valkyries and the Band of the Hawk, that often fought each other, but all of them answered when the Princesses called.”

“When the Discordian War started, the first of the Guard was formed out of the scattered tribes in an attempt to organize them into a unified fighting force. Under the Command of Princess Celestia herself, fifty divisions of ponies were created to fight off Discord's armies.”

“When the war was over, two of the Divisions had proven themselves to be far beyond exemplary: the 8th and the 42nd .”

“Princess Celestia ordered the 42nd to guard the newly created Great Wall that sealed off the Darklands. However, the commander of the 42nd refused the order, citing that it was far too boring of a task for his troops. There was evidently a great deal of fuss over the refusal of this offer and the 8th was chosen to guard the wall in the 42nd 's place. According to the records, the general in charge of the 42nd at the time was Ruin. He had been a statue in the Gardens that was awoken to command the forces by Princess Celestia. Once the war was over, he returned to the Garden.”

Twilight glances up, wondering if she was ever going to learn anything more about that pony.

“When The First Dragon War came about, they added thirty-eight more divisions, bringing the total to eighty-eight. However, the war was much bloodier than the Discordian one and most of the Guard forces were wiped out completely.”

“All the divisions suffered crippling losses, save the 8th, which was still guarding the wall, the 87th, which had not been deployed yet due to the training the unicorns required, and the 42nd. The 42nd again performed far beyond any reasonable expectations, and suffered the fewest casualties despite having been in every single battle of the war. As an honor, Princess Luna made them her personal division, bestowing the title of Luna's Hoof on them.”

“The 63rd Air Wing also survived relatively unscathed, with the highest kill count of the war, surpassing even the 42nd. They were given the title of Celestia's Wing for their actions in the war. A rivalry started from this that had the two divisions often competing against each other in both wartime and peace.”

“After the war all the divisions but those four were retired out of respect for the Guards that were lost. However, since the war of the north happened almost immediately after the First Dragon War, divisions eighty-nine through one hundred and fifty were formed and filled with new recruits and some of the older Guards that chose not to retire.”

“The war of the north ended in negotiations rather than any lasting combat and, well, that brings us up to this point in your studies.”

“What, that's it Spike?”

“Yeah, that's all I found. The only other thing is that as of right now there is no 42nd, 8th or 63rd in the Guard. The 87th is the oldest active division still around and they are the ones protecting the Royal vaults. The 8th was retired completely soon after the Second Dragon War. The only note on why is that their duty was fulfilled. A lot of the ponies from the 8th were moved to other divisions. The 42nd and 63rd are both listed in the dishonorably discharged book. No specific names, just the division numbers, although both are now listed as Nightmare’s Wing and Hoof.

“Hmm, I think we can guess what happened, but I want to know for sure.”

“Which means you are gonna see if you can find more information in your studies tonight.”

“Yep.”

Spike sighs, wondering if he could ask for a raise at all this extra work she had been giving him.

“I guess I am the one watching you tonight, better get started on fixing that book Dash brought back, too. ANNND writing one for Princess Luna. Does AJ still have that book you gave her?”

“She had Big Mac bring it to Fluttershy from my understanding. He's been going over to her house a lot lately. Seems that’s why he was so concerned about that I pass on the truth with what happened with Miss Cherilee; he didn't want to upset his real special some pony.”

Twilight smiles, nearly squeeing at the thought, and Spike slaps his face with his hand.

“Haven't you paired enough of your friends in your mind already? I still think you have the AJ and Rainbow Dash theory all out of whack. They're just close friends.”

“I am sure you will notice when you get older Spike.”

“I am sure you will notice when you get older Spike.”Spike snarked.“Yeah, cause I soooo want to imagine my friends knocking hooves with each other. “

Twilight largely ignores him; Spike had been in a rather foul mood since the sword first showed up, and she had started tuning out his grumblings. She finishes cleaning up and set up the sword and her study area while Spike went to work transcribing the new book for Princess Luna. Then again, maybe all the work she had been giving him could have something to do with it as well.

She slips into the familiar expanse and was immediately hit with a sense of something being off. She whirled around in the empty space, trying to figure it out. She eventually noticed that the stars that always bothered her were gone. There was nothing but empty space in the spot they had been and somehow Twilight felt more worried that they were gone than when they were there. She regretted not taking the time to study them when she could, though she hoped this was not a sign of something impending.

She pushed on, focusing on Jer'rahd's window wondering what had happened after Luna had transformed.

This had not been a battle, this had been a slaughter.

Jer'rahd and Princess Luna had teleported down from the mountain not long after her “ascension” as she was calling it. He was rather leery of her, though; aside from the change in how she looked and the giddy rush of power she seemed to be going through, she was still Luna. But this fight...

They had not gone back to Canterlot as he expected, but had arrived in the center of New Dullahan. The pair of them had expected a Guard post to be there and New Dullahan was a shorter trip than back to Canterlot. Of course, arriving in the center of an active Dragon forces’ encampment was a surprise to both of them, and the dragon forces as well. Luckily, Luna had recovered from the shock first.

Her power lashed out, striking down any and all she saw. Jer'rahd was not sure what she did, but the night sky of her hair seemed to produce countless shadows that slammed into the dragons around them like energy bolts, but with far more power than he had seen before. Many of those hit had parts of their bodies blown off. Scales and blood rained down around them, and a grin started to grow on the Princess's face at the sight of the carnage. She started to move, tearing across the bloodied field making a beeline towards the larger Tank. Jer'rahd drew his blade and charged after her as the dragon forces started to recover from the shock.

The beast barely had time to bellow out a roar before her magic gripped it. Its anger turned to that of pain as her spell ripped the guard post from its back before shredding the beast like a foal tearing into gift wrapped present. Flesh and armored skin flew everywhere as great torrents of citrus-smelling blood flooded through the makeshift streets and trenches of the base, sweeping away some trolls and smaller half dragons. The wave of blood broke on a shield she raised, saving both of them from the crimson tide. The muscle and bone of the creature was pulled free as the dragons started to move to retaliate and was used to meet the second wave with grisly effectiveness. Tons of meat crushed bodies and bone shards ripped through dragon scale like tissue paper.

At first, Jer'rahd was unaware if he was going to be any use to her; she was ripping through the gathered forces as if she were an army unto herself. However, when the archers and spells started, he found his purpose. His shield was brought up quickly to defend her from the attacks she did not even seem to care about. He moved to her side, his blade and hooves downing any that got close to her, the shields keeping her from harm as she laid waste. He saw a tendril of her dark energy arc towards him when his tail brushed her side as he moved. The bolt faded out before striking him as she seemed to clear her head for a second as their eyes met. That moment seemed to last longer than it did in his mind, but the roar of another dragon snapped them both out of it.

There was a look in her eyes he knew too well: blood lust, the same he had fallen victim to on more than one occasion. He knew she had been suppressing her anger since she had been captured, never having a chance to cut loose fully on those responsible for what she endured until now. The ferocity and violence she was displaying with her new powers was staggering. She was not just killing the enemy; she was rendering the corpses unidentifiable to any who looked. In this state, she was just about the killing; anything else was secondary, including her own safety. The bodies surrounding the pair were soon high enough that they needed to move up to stand on the broken shell of the Tank to see the battle field.

Luna might be a force beyond nature now, but she still needed his help. Oddly, that comforted him. She could lash out with her power and decimate anything, but she could not focus on everything. She still needed somepony to watch her flank.

The Guards in the opposing war camp finally noticed something was going on and mounted an attack as well, plowing through the now decimated front lines. Over half of the enemy forces had been destroyed by the Princess, or were in the process of trying to flee from her. This left the Guards little to do but clean up the stragglers. Any that Luna could, she struck down with no remorse. Several of the Guards moved towards her, thinking she was a half dragon at first, but the sight of General Kaisur side-by-side with the dark mare gave them pause. He ordered the small group back to the clean-up before any questions were asked.

In the end, nothing was left of the dragon forces. It may not have been that big of a force, mostly holdouts and those in hiding relying on the near-invulnerable Tanks for their successes. The few that tried to surrender met the same fate as those who tried to attack. Only the fastest of those that fled managed to get away from Luna's spells. Jer'rahd was panting hard from his own effort to defend her, his gaze watching over the destruction for any sign of another attack. Luna stood next to him on top of the Tank’s shell, looking out over the battlefield as if not winded or sated at all by the blood and death she had wrought.

After a time, the Princess left her perch, motioning for Jer'rahd to follow and headed back to the command tent at the base. She left the Guard to scour over the remains of New Dullahan for anything of importance. Cheers and shouts of victory greeted both of them on the march across the field between the two camps. Cries of victory filled the air around the command tent and the camp as a whole as they arrived. She ordered two Guards placed at the door and informed them to let no one enter before she ran all the command staff out. Once Luna was certain there was no one left in the tent save Jer'rahd, she promptly collapsed.

=====================================

[“How much longer do you think it will take, Bleu?”]

The dragon did not respond, and Velkorn thought perhaps Bleu had not heard her over the wind whipping over them as they flew towards Canterlot.

[“Another day at best Velky; I am going as fast as I can, but I can't keep this up forever. I know we need to get that stuff back, but...”]

[“I am aware you are doing your best, Bleu. We have already shaved nearly a day off our trip back. Do not push yourself beyond your limits.”]

Bleu lets off a snort that seems to crackle with electricity.

[“Don't go doubting me ‘cause I’m the youngest here. I'm good for another few hours yet.”]

[“I do not doubt you due to your age, I doubt you due to your thick skull. Even with your advanced growth after we escaped Neighlantis, this much flying has to be a strain, particularly with added weight from me.”]

[“Pfft, I flew Rhede back from Camp Geode in two days and you are way lighter than his lard-ass.”]

[“I suppose you have had more flying time as of late. Still, do not hesitate to land when you are tired. I do not need another patient.”]

[“You have got to be what my mother would have sounded like. Only with less roaring.”]

========================================

Things had gotten bad. These idiots were getting smarter, and a few of them had actually teamed up against him. Rhede exhaled deeply, listing to the accusations flying left, right, and sideways from the mob of nobles in front of him and the Royal thrones. All of them were ponies whose offers and plans he had rejected outright for a variety of reasons, primarily due to the fact that their plans would be more of a hindrance to the rebuilding of Canterlot or to the war effort itself or, at the very least, only profitable to them. Now, however, they had all somehow put together a interesting yet insane story that Princess Luna was not, in fact, giving him orders while she tended to Celestia.

It was after that bit of truth that the story went into the idiotic. Half of them were sure he had somehow killed both Princesses to usurp the throne, and the other half thought the Goddesses were locked up somewhere while he ruled. The part that made it even more inane was that due Luna and Jer'rahd slipping away without anyone noticing, and the secretive nature of what was wrong with Princess Celestia, several Royal Guards had joined the mob.

That fact added to the body guards the others had brought left him far outnumbered with only a pair of Royal Guards at the door who looked as if they were agreeing with the nobles’ accusations.

He could see that reason was not high on their list if it meant they might be able to get what they wanted. Of course, if Luna had come back when she was supposed to, this never would have happened but he was sure there was a good reason. He just hoped those two would hurry the buck up. The whole group of them refused to leave until the Goddess of the Moon came to meet them directly.

This issue might not have even come up at all if the sun had risen as it was supposed to the previous day. The night had been ongoing for over twenty four hours now and the ponies were quite freaking out. Whatever Luna was doing, it was not making things easy for him. Then again, that might have been the point.

“We demand to see the princess now, cur! If you cannot produce her, then it is clear you have done something with her and need to be restrained and questioned.”

Rhede's eyes narrowed but he did not move from his seat behind the desk.

“You have no say to demand anything from me.”

“We have every right to demand to see the one we are answering to. Your refusal is simply proof that you have taken over this position illegally and need to be thrown in the dungeon and a proper pony be placed in your stead.”

“Like one of you?”

“Precisely!”

His reply was cut off by the main doors slamming open. It was rather sad, really; he had a delightful retort prepared which compared the nobles to dung left by a rotting fish. The gathered mob turned to see what the commotion was and effectively blocked his own line of sight. The startled gasps from the ponies between him and who ever just came in brought a small smirk to his muzzle. He was half tempted to crane his head up to see, but felt that it was beneath him to look like a foal trying to see past a crowd at a parade. Whoever it was would make themselves known soon enough.

The sound of hoof falls echoed in the hall; a pegasus, by Rhede's estimation of how light they sounded. He truly hoped it was Starfall; aside from Jer'rahd, that mare was the most powerful force in the Guard right now. As the nobles shifted aside, he smiled softly. He was not disappointed at all.

Starfall strode forward towards the pack of nobles and Rhede's desk. She was covered in a black suit of skin-tight armor that covered her form fully, save her head. Several belts of gear and her swords hung from the belts in such a way to remain clear while she flew. The main edge of her wings and feathers were coated in some sort of metal blade blackened to blend with the suit’s colors. A skull with wings marked her over her cutie mark and a pair of goggles hid her eyes from view. Her expression however was one of annoyance and anger.

“Quite the new threads there’ General Silvertail. So what do I own the unexpected pleasure?”

She looks around at the gathered nobles as if all but urging any of them to interrupt her.

“I would request the removal of this lot, but they will find this information out soon any way. The Dragon Army at New Dullahan has been destroyed. Princess Luna herself, accompanied with General Kaisur, successfully routed the entire army before most of the Guard had deployed to their aid. General Kaisur has sent word that they will be returning soon to complete all that needs to be done for the next leg of the plans and expresses interest if our part has been completed. Also, a blue dragon has also been spotted by the northern watch tower and should be here within a few hours. The dragon was seen to shift to Princess Luna's colors as well as Princess Celestia's before taking on the coloration of a Zebra. That was the agreed upon signal from General Scale.”

Rhede's smile grows even wider as the nobles and the guards who seemed intent on questioning him seem to grow a bit nervous at this revelation. Rhede was going to revel in this part, but it seemed Starfall was not quiet done.

She stares at the nobles, though it seems her attention was on the dozen or so Royal Guard who were in attendance. The Guards in question were slowly turning pale from the glare even with her eyes hidden.

“Why are you lot not at your posts?”

“We are off duty General Sir.”

“I do not recall clearing any solider to be off duty in the middle of this crisis, let alone to seek an audience with another General. Do you have some issue with how I have been working your miserable flanks as of late?”

“It has been a bit excessive, sir; we barely have time to do anything other than work and sleep.”

“I see your lips moving Private, but all I hear is a foal's crying.”

“I am a sergeant sir.”

“DID. I. STUTTER. PRIVATE!?”

“Nooo. No sir.”

“You are lucky we need idiot fodder like you around to shield the smart ones with your thick skulls. Otherwise, I would let General Kaisur have you when he returns. Every pony has been working their flanks off to make sure Equestria stays in our hooves and here you idiots are taking a holiday to buddy up with a bunch of limp-hooved fools who think the worlds going to change if they throw enough bits at it. GET THE BUCK OUT OF MY SIGHT AND BACK TO YOUR POSTS!!”

A chorus of “yes sirs” followed as the group stampeded out of the throne room, practically falling over themselves. Starfall's gaze turned to the aforementioned “limp-hooved fools” before Rhede interjected.

“Good. Thank you, General; if you do not mind waiting a moment, I need to finish up with this group before we can get into anything with a higher clearance level. “

She steps back as Rhede rises moving around his desk to stand before the greatly reduced mob.

“Now then. Do you want to know the reason behind why Princess Luna and Princess Celestia do not want anything to do with you lot? Do you want to know why the Princess’s location was kept a secret? Do you want to know why I get stuck dealing with you lot? Because quite frankly, one or more of you is a traitor to Equestria.”

He let that sink in; ignoring the murmuring and the somewhat confused look on Starfall's face. He was glad she was wearing the goggle;s it masked that look.

“Now, we know that all of you have had dealings with Mustang and that makes all of you suspect. While we are unsure which of you is specifically involved, all leads come back to your group of noble houses. Since we don't know exactly, we opted to simply test you, through denial and rejection of anything you propose to see how you would react. A simple anger test as well; we all know dragons are not known for holding their anger very well. And as we see here, your response to it all was to attempt a coup, possibly brought about to put the traitor in charge, as I am sure all of you wanted my position.”

Several of the bodyguards seem to move away from their employers and the group of ponies turn, glancing at each other. Rhede loved this.

“Now see, we could have done the proper thing and simply had you all executed under suspicion of treason. And let’s face it: we all know that is exactly what General Kaisur wanted. He hates nobles anyway. I did manage to convince him to let me try and find the traitors myself so that we didn't pick the wrong one. I do have some regard for due process and such even in a time of war. Of course, all of you have fought me tooth and hoof this entire time and I have yet to find out who the traitor is.”

One of the nobles speaks up though sounding a bit shaken even if he tries to hide it.

“Preposterous, if that was the case why bother to tell us that one of us is a spy?”

“Simple, because if I don't find out which one of you is a spy by the time General Kaisur remembers the issue, he is going to have you all killed and then it won't be a problem for anyone. Well, except me, because then I will have to see to the relocation of the wealth you have collected and the liquidation of all assets. Your families, of course, will also be suspect, and the lands beholden to a traitor of the crown are returned to the crown on the execution of the traitor. A law that was recently passed by a vote of the nobles and put into law by Princess Celestia herself at your instance, Lord Byron.”

Rhede stares at the noble who spoke, though the others glare with equal fury.

“Now I figure that warning the lot of you of this will make you put all your time and effort into finding out who the real traitors are, so as not to share their fate. That way, I won't have to do anything except keep an eye on all of you so you don't try to run. That, of course, would be an admission of guilt, though there may be more than one traitor, so the investigation would continue. But for now, I have other things to do. Get out of my sight.”

The Royal Guard at the door moved up, weapons drawn, and ushered the subdued, but still complaining, nobles and bodyguards out of the throne room. It was all Rhede could do not to fall over laughing before the doors closed. Starfall turned her head to Rhede, hearing the repressed laughter he was not hiding that well.

“I was unaware that one of that lot was a traitor.”

“Heheheheh, they’re not, at least as far as I know, but that lingering doubt particularly after they tried to stage a coup will keep all of them chasing each other’s tails. It’s a safe bet I will be getting quite a few anonymous letters on various wrong-doings among them as well. Your timing was impeccable, Starfall.”

“If I had known they were such a problem for you, I would have waited longer before coming in.”

“Yes, well, thank you anyway for not delaying. That little bit of info helped make it more real for them. And it will help Princess Luna and Princess Celestia a great deal in the long run.”

===========================================================

“Are you sure you will be all right, Princess?”

“For the last time, Jer'rahd, I am fine... I simply had a bit too much of an adrenaline rush and was not paying attention to my power level. I was a great deal more tired than I thought I was.”

Jer'rahd meets her gaze with the steely expression he normally reserved for Rhede or Bleu after they had done something and despite her new, rather menacing form, she flinched from that glare. Luna was not sure why, but she was rather upset he seemed mad at her.

It likely had not helped matters that she remained the same when she ran out of power, rather than shrink and lose her starry mane and tail as she had before. That was something Jer'rahd had quickly pointed out when she awoke. Of course, she had woken on a bed roll spread out over the camp commander's bed. He had been outside the tent issuing orders, but not moving far from it so he could keep an eye on her.

She smiles in spite of herself, rising to her hooves, ignoring his glare and moving to the full-length mirror the Commander had there. She looks herself over fully for the first time. Her eyes close as she sighs; she looked like what she imagined her foal from Onyx Wing would have looked like. The thought of that alone was enough to send a shudder along her form.

“You do not look that bad Princess. I am more concerned with any other effects it may have had other than just a cosmetic change.”

She turns her head, looking back at him, a bit surprised, though her face remains impassive. Somehow, she was relived at his comments.

“I am glad to see one of us does not think I look as hideous as I feel.”

“There is nothing wrong with how you look now, save you have become what I am sure many of your subjects viewed you as before: The Goddess of The Night and War.”

“And what is your honest response to this look?”

“The look does not matter much, but if I am to be honest and shallow, my favorite look you have had was when you used up too much power while we were in the Darklands.”

She smiles again chuckling. For some reason in her mind she thought it highly amusing that he found she looked her best when she was at her weakest.

“I do not think that will happen again I am afraid, Jer'rahd. I believe that might have been something I gave up for power.”

“So long as that is all you gave up, I am sure I can handle the new look.”

Her smile widens a bit as she considers something. The armor slips from the crown of Magic to cover her new form and she regards herself with a start. A small whistle comes from Jer'rahd, bringing a light blush to her muzzle. Her armor from the Element of Magic had changed as well. It was not very covering before. though it was less now. barely managing to be a chest piece and armored hoof covers. The most-covered part of her body was the blue-gray helm that covered her head, yet still let her glowing mane flutter free.

“I do have to say the armor definitely changes the look a little Luna.”

“It is a great deal less covering than I expected.”

“True, you look somewhat like you are dressed to jump out of a cake.”

“What?”

“Never mind; something Rhede had a mare do once at my eighteenth birthday.”

“I am not sure I understand the reference.”

“Better that way Princess. Come on, it’s time to meet your troops.”

==================================================

Velkorn winced as Bleu hit the ground, the dragon’s claws and tail lashing as she worked to stop herself, barely having the energy to do more than keep from flipping over and crushing the zebra on her back. She finally slid to a stop, almost colliding with the north tower, her size rapidly shrinking down to her normal form as Velkorn leaps off her back .

[“Bleu, what? Are you alright?!!”]

[“Fine, little overtaxed... I need a nap...”]

[“You said you were good to fly the rest of the way. We should have stopped again for a rest!”]

[“I was fine... landings are hard... don't you have a Princess to save...? Or did I land in the wrong place... is she in another castle?”]

[“No, you did good Bleu... Stupidly outdid yourself, but good.”]

[“Hey, I learned to hurt myself and do stupid things from the best.”]

[“Stop following Jer'rahd's example.”]

[“Fine, just go...”]

Velkorn looks at the dragon and the furrow she had plowed up in the cook’s herb garden before sighing. The zebra darts off as Starfall and a group of Guards flew into the court yard. She offered a small wave to the pegasus, who nodded at Velkorn as she gallops away.

She dodged past the cook, who was staring in shock at the remains of the kitchen’s garden, and darted among the rest of the staff in the kitchens, skidding out into the hall nearly face-to-face with another group of Guards. The zebra barely paused, leaping up and running along the armored ponies’ backs, landing on the floor and darting up the stairs along with great shouts of alarm from the Guards. She sighed, wishing she had time to stop and explain things, but Starfall knew she was here. She blinked as she galloped up the stairs towards the Princess’s quarters; a red stallion was running alongside her, without her even noticing until now.

[“So I gather the mission was a success? I had rather hoped it was you causing all the ruckus. Makes my job easier...”]

[“Yes, good to be back and all, Rhede. I will not know if it was a success until she is cured. Where are Luna and Jer'rahd?”]

He smirked as they ran up the spiraled staircase. He did not even seem winded, almost enjoying the run. She had to stop herself from watching the muscles under his skin move; she had other things to do, but by the stars he was distracting right now.

[“They went to New Dullahan; they should be here in a while. There are other things I need to talk to you about when we get the chance, particularly involving the little secret we found out about the dragons.”]

She does look over to him now, the serious expression on his face likely meaning something bad had happened. Always with the bad things with these ponies. She exhales deeply as he runs ahead skidding to a stop before the Guards motioning them aside as she charges past, knocking open the door to Celestia's quarters, startling Baelit out of his chair.

[“How is she?”]

[“Cripes, auntie, you know how to make an entrance... She’s exactly the same as she was when you left... Did you run all the way up the stairs?”]

She nods in response, panting hard and working to catch her breath.

[“Ummm, why? She hasn't changed at all; you actually told me you expected that to be the case.]

[ “I have no idea...”]

=======================================

Jer'rahd trots alongside Luna as the pair ventures forth to check on how the reclamation effort of New Dullahan was going. The engineers had already moved in and started reinforcing the walls on the far side of the camp, working on restoring structures that had been damaged or used for another purpose. The Guard Commander reported a few prisoners were taken, some half breeds and orcs. The Princess ordered them killed, not even seeming to care if they knew anything.

This was disturbing to Jer'rahd as he stood alongside of Luna, or as she was referring to herself now, Nightmare Moon. He did not bat an eye at the executions; he likely would have ordered the same at this point. It was the reverence that was displayed that bugged him, even if it was directed at her.

The results were somewhat mixed with the troops. Most of them were bowing to the Princess as she passed; the exception to this was the scattered members of the 42nd that were here. All of whom snapped to attention and saluted rather than bow. That did not bother him as much as the bowing did, and Luna seemed more amused by these ponies than by the ones bowing.

As they were shown the progress, which was impressive in such a short time, the Princess she seemed distracted by something else and this nagged at him. He was not sure why he was bothered by her actions now; there was nothing she had done that he had not done himself, only slightly less brutal. Her attitude was unchanged and she even seemed to be somewhat struggling to maintain the new name she had taken.

“Worried, colt? Don't be; everything will be fine...”

He whirled about suddenly, his magic gripping his blade; his eyes scanned the troops around him looking for the source of the hissing voice. It had felt like it was right next to his ear. The Princess paused looking back at him curiously.

“General are you well?”

“Yes, my apologies Princess. I seem to be getting jumpy.”

“You are likely tired. We shall have time to rest once we make it back to Canterlot.”

“Understood, Princess.”

As she started walking again, he took a look around again. He was sure he had heard that voice before. It sounded the same as what he had heard on the mountain. Perhaps the blast had affected him somehow. He needed to talk with Luna in private about this. The ride by carriage back to Canterlot would be a perfect chance for that.

================================================

Starfall looked at the dragonling at the end of the furrow in the head cook’s herb garden and sighed. Bleu had shrunk down to normal size when she lost consciousness, though she was still too big for Starfall to move on her own. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about that option here. She fans her wing, bringing some of the unicorn Guard over, ordering them to gently pick Bleu up with their magic and follow her.

After a bit of deliberation, three of the gathered unicorns’ horns glowed softly, lifting the dragon up in the air. Two of them were doing the heavy lifting while the third seemed to be steering and keeping Bleu steady. Starfall trotted off, heading to the quarters Bleu and Jer'rahd shared, guiding the strange little group along.

Reaching General Kaisur's quarters Starfall pushes on the locked door grumbling about the key mostly to herself though one of the Unicorns seemed to have overheard her. The red and tan stallion leaves the other two to hold the dragon, moving up and quickly picking the lock with his magic. She glances back at him as he whistles innocently and slips back to help carry Bleu again. Starfall shakes her head and opens the door.

There was something odd about being in someone’s home when they were not there. Even if Bleu was here as well, the feeling remained through her slumber. She ordered the Guards to place the dragon in her bed and then ushered them out. She glanced past the open door into Jer'rahd's room as she passed, noting a rather sizable pile of books stacked on the desk along with a collection of notes. She froze as the Guards left closing the door behind them, fighting her curiosity.

Mostly the question of what sort of books was the great Demon of Dullahan hoarding in his room like this? They would not be plans of any sort, as most of those were in his office under better security. A brief smirk crossed her muzzle as the temptation got the better of her, wondering if they might be some sort of love notes for Luna. She figured it was nothing quite so interesting, though she steps into the room anyway, moving silently even over the dragon’s snores. Besides, if Jer'rahd wanted to keep this sort of thing private, it would not be in the open like this... behind two doors, with a dragon guarding it, in the middle of the most guarded place in Equestria... Goddess she was starting to sound like Rhede.

Perhaps that was the crux of it, however; Rhede and Velkorn knew something that was kept secret from everyone else. That bothered her even if it was for the best. What if Jer'rahd knew something that could affect everypony, too, and was hiding it like Rhede and Velkorn had?

She moved further into the room, looking around at the curiously sparse place. A bed, a dresser, one picture on the wall, a shelf holding a strange dagger that seemed to be made of rough iron, and a skull with a pile of bones around it. That last had to be the armor Luna made for him. The dagger she was unsure of, but it must be important to him to be kept here. Her gaze sweeps the room a second time not seeing anything else of note save the picture and the pile of books and notes.

A wave of unease ran through her about this spying, though she had gone this far. The pegasus moved over to the picture, her ears perking as she looked over the picture on the wall.

It seemed to be done in oil paint and was heavily faded, as if it had been hung up where the sun was able to reach it and fade the pigment. There were four ponies in the image and one foal. The two in the back appeared to be older, both earth ponies; the stallion seemed somewhat ragged as if he had seen a great deal of pain in his days, but was finally starting to see the light at the end. The older mare looked somewhat sickly, though she still smiled for the painter trying to seem more robust than she clearly was. A tinge of worry was in her eyes as she seemed to look at the smiling older Stallion.

The younger stallion was also an earth pony, dressed in Guard garb with some medals and a rank on his collar marking him as an officer. The uniform gave away the time as near the start of the War of the North. He seemed haggard as well, and due to that it was easy to tell the two stallions were related. His eyes were not watching the painter, but directed down at the mare and the foal on her lap, a smile spread his lips as he watched the pair.

The mare in the middle of the image was not an earth pony, but a unicorn; she was also the only one with any coloration left in her portion of the image. Her mane was a bright pink, though her face was partially obscured by the mane. Her gaze was turned down to the foal in her forelegs.

The foal looked little more than a few months old and seemed to be mostly distracted gnawing on the pink mane of the unicorn mare. A small nub of a horn protruded from his forehead as well.

Starfall's ears flattened to her head realizing this had to be Jer'rahd's family. His real family. She sighs, feeling a great deal worse about being here now. Rhede and Bleu were probably the only ones who even knew about them. Aside from the one time in the Darklands, Jer'rahd never mentioned them. Did he even remember any of them at all? She shook her head, growing far more upset with that thought that she should have.

She whipped her head about, snorting lightly trying to clear the thoughts away before moving over to look at the books. She regards them with a confused look.

“Historical data? What the heck is he looking for that he could not just ask Luna?”

“Boss wants to know about his grandfather, Starfall.”

The purple haired pegasus yelps loudly her wings whipping down as she jumps in surprise colliding hard with the rooms low ceiling and crashing back to the ground with a pained groan. Bleu's head remains half poked in the door though she seemed to be failing to suppress a giggle at Starfalls expense.

“What, Bleu, sorry I mean I didn’t...”

“Relax. Yah think Boss isn't used to someone looking through his stuff? Rhede is his brother and I live here too. I figure you got a bit worried after all that went on anyway...”

“Umm, yes let's go with that if it works.”

“Yeah, I heard he was not exactly nice to you. He's had a lot on his plate lately. That damn dragon put a bit of a question into his head and it’s been eating at him.”

“You mean Mustang?”

“His name was really Silverclaw, but yeah that one.”

“What the heck could the dragon have done to mess with Jer'rahd?”

“He told him what his name meant in old draconic. Heck I didn't even know it meant anything, course I don't speak old draconic. I don't even think sweet flanks can.”

“Sweet flanks? You mean Rhede?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sleepy leave me alone.”

“What does his name mean then? And why investigate his own grandfather? Isn't he dead?”

Bleu shifts sitting back in the hallway yawning again.

“Yup, for a while now. But boss's grandfather named him. Grandpa fought in the first dragon war alongside Mustang. He's been a little worried that there might be something with that.”

“Why would there be something with that? What does his name even mean?”

“’Shield of Gods’ was the rough translation.”

“Wow... that's…. fitting...”

“Yeah, no kidding, but Boss became a bit obsessed with finding out why his grandfather named him that. Turns out he even changed the family name to hide that fact from Jer'rahd when he got older. Of course, no one can remember what the family name was before now. He can trace his mother’s linage with the Bluebloods back to the founding of Equestria, but he can't find anything about either of his grandparents at all. Even Maw Pelt doesn't remember the original name and she grew up with Boss's dad.”

Starfall moved closer to Bleu, pushing on her shoulder, stirring the dragon and urging her back towards her room and her bed.

“Yes, mother. pfft. “

“Keep it up and you are going to fall over in the floor and I cannot carry you. Besides, some pony has to look out for you all. Velkorn can't watch you, Rhede, and the Princess. So, did he find anything out?”

“No, just that his grandfather was dead-set in what he was going to call his grandson and managed to convince the rest of the family to go along with it somehow. Boss is a little worried that he might somehow be a sleeper agent or something for the dragons.”

“Okay, that is completely ridiculous. Rhede has known him since they were foals. He has met and fought two dragon gods and neither of them tossed out any spell that would make him change his allegiance. Considering what was done in those fights, it would have been a perfect time to do it, too.”

“He understands that, but he realizes he's also not normal and wonders if there's some reason.”

“With what? His spells? I do admit it is odd he only has the two, but he is also only half unicorn, and some full unicorns don't have spells as potent as his shield is.”

“Yeah, well, boss has his insecurities just like everyone else. We are all one big mess of drama right here. It’s rather funny, but more “ho ho” funny than ha ha...”

“What do you mean by that?”

Starfall's answer came in the form of a rather loud snore that nearly knocked her on her flank. She flattens her ears to her head, looking down at the dragon with a small curse. How did Jer'rahd sleep through this noise? Better still, why didn't she sound like this on any of their trips? Starfall sighs, heading to the door, quite sure the answer to that was something silly. She paused just outside the home, thinking on what Bleu had said about the drama, and her own thoughts traveled back to her daughter.

=============================================

[“So does she drink it, or do we put it on the wound?”]

[“Baelit, calm down. I doubt it matters much as it seems to be a magical cure, but I would expect it would be placed on the wound for the greatest effect. The powder is too thick and does not seem to dilute in water. I doubt she is in a state to eat oatmeal like mess.”]

[“Which means...”]

[“Yes. We will need to reopen the wound to treat the artery again if it has not closed. And judging by the coloration around the wound, it has not.”]

[“That was my belief as well, though I know nothing of Alicorns...”]

[“I shall let you read the book when I am done with it.”]

[“You found a book on your trip, Auntie? That’s great.”]

[“ No. I am writing one.”]

[“ Ummmmm…”]

[“Go inform Rhede and Starfall, if you can find her, of what we are going to do. “]

[“ I do not think that is such a good idea, Auntie. You should get some rest first before something of this caliber. She has lasted this long.”]

[“I am fine. I have ridden most of the trip and the sooner this is done, the sooner I may rest. But the damage may continue with her. Now, are you going to aid me or do I find somepony who will?”]

[“Fine, but while I am gone, getting what is needed, you are going to lay down and at least try to take a nap. Are we clear?”]

[“I do not need...”]

[“Velkorn!!...]

The zebra mare blinks, turning to glare back at Baelit ,who for just a moment looked very much like her brother in his stance and glare. It was enough to make her choke the response she was going to make.

[“I understand you are a doctor, but so am I. You are showing quite a few signs of exhaustion and stress. So you go get some sleep and everything will be ready when you get up. If I have to sedate you, I will, but you are not going to do anything in this state, as you run the risk of making it worse.”]

She glares at him a moment, the visage he had fading under her scrutiny, but his stern look still showed enough traces of his father to bother her. The idea that she had seen her brother so clearly in his face sunk home what he was saying.

[“So be it, Baelit. Get everything together and we shall start when I wake.”]

=======================================================

The carriage bounced and jumped as it was pulled down the road. Jer'rahd sighs, hoping they would return to a normal road soon. He felt as if he was more battered in this armored ride than many of the battles he had been in. Luna reclined across from him, not seeming to even notice the bumps. He briefly wondered if she had fallen asleep, but he had questions that could not wait.

“Luna?”

The Princess of Night yawns showing a rather menacing pair of fangs, before she opens her eyes focusing on him.

“I am awake, Jer'rahd. What is it?”

“I would like to know what happened on the mountain. That energy backlash and the effects. What exactly has it done to you?”

“I would think that battle would have made it clear that my power has been magnified.”

“Though not your perception, clearly.”

“I had you to guard my flank Jer'rahd. Was there a point I needed to worry about you not covering me?”

“...No, but...”

“Then there is no issue with that. You did your job as you we're supposed to. The only other thing was the change in how I look. I do not see how this is difficult for you to understand.”

Jer'rahd frowned at the condescending tone she was displaying, though he was doing much the same, so could not say anything.

“It is not the result that worries me so much as how it came about. Power does not come from nothing, Princess. Where did all this come from? And what sort of side effects are we going to see from it?”

“We? What do you mean what side effects are we going to see?”

He sighs not sure if this was a deflection or not.

“On the tip up you said there was a chance I would be affected by it if I was close enough. A great deal of energy swept over me when I came to check on you. And since I didn't turn pink I am curious if I have anything to worry about.”

She perked up a little at this, seeming rather worried that she might not have only affected herself.

“Have you noticed anything different?”

“In terms of power, no, not at all. My shields and ability to move things is unchanged. I still have a few half-healed scars and I do not feel any stronger, so it seems I am unchanged.”

He half smiles a bit.

“Somewhat of a disappointment; I was hoping to be able to spit lightning or something.”

She chuckles a bit, though he had a hard time telling if it was actual amusement or if she was humoring him. He could barely read her before, and now it was almost like she was a whole different pony.

“I think that skill might be best left for Bleu. But if you have not noticed anything at all, then it seems you were only hit with a showy effect of the spell and no real power. Nothing to worry about, although the book did say there might be some sort of hallucinations for a while for those attending the ceremony.”

“Well, that's a bit of a relief I suppose. Here I thought I had finally lost it with the voices.”

“Wait, voices?”

“Yeah I heard two on the mountain, just after I was hit with the magic, and then another yesterday.”

She takes on a rather serious expression and Jer'rahd was aware of the tensing of her form, as if she was poised to leap away from him, or at him.

“What did you hear them say?”

“On the mountain I think the voices were talking to each other. One asked if this was the only one and the other told it to let that one decide. I believe they were talking about me and then you.”

She blinks a bit confused by this though she did not relax.

“What of the one yesterday?”

“ It asked me if I was worried then told me not to be.”

“Worried... about what?”

He looks up at Luna who had him fixed with a stare that would have sent a lesser pony leaping out the window. All it did for him was root him in place, returning the stare. He felt like he physically could not look away from her eyes.

“I was worried about what the spell might have done to you, as I said.”

She kept the stare on him for a few moments more, though she seemed to relax and her gaze softened some.

“Thank you for that, Jer'rahd, but nothing bad happened from the spell, though the voices are of interest. The hallucinations being audible are not listed anywhere in the books that I know of and there are easily thirty pages of previous effects, most are the same by pony type. Let me know if anything else is said to you. I need as much information as I can to find anything in the books about it.”

He turns his head a bit letting out a breath he had not known he held. She sounded normal for a moment there. Even with the change in the pitch of her voice, she still sounded like Luna for a moment.

“I will do that.”

======================================

Starfall, Bleu, and Rhede sat outside of Celestia's quarters in her sitting room, having replaced the Royal Guard for this watch. Velkorn and Baelit were currently working on the Princess along with a unicorn surgeon from the Queen's Cross that Baelit brought in. It had been made clear from all of them in no uncertain terms that if he tried anything funny that he would be kept very much alive and intact for Princess Luna to deal with him.

The older brown-furred unicorn simply glared at the group of them, and in no uncertain terms informed them where they could stick their threats and if they wanted, he would tell the Princess the same thing when she got there. Bleu took an immediate liking to him though the others did not. Baelit simply shrugged.

Rhede snorts in annoyance.

“Where the buck did they find him? And seriously, what kind of a name is Stable, anyway?”

“I think he might have been in combat at some point. Did you see the limp? He clearly has some sort of an injury.”

“Ahhahaha. Wooo, that was great. I haven't heard that many expletives in a single sentence since Boss got his tail caught in the door when it was long at the last Gala.”

Starfall sighs and Rhede shakes his head, glaring at the giggling dragonling before he takes a seat.

“I would have preferred Velkorn sit in on this, but this is likely one of the few chances we are going to have for a time to talk. When Luna gets back, everything starts all at once and we are going to be very busy. Is everything set on your end with this, Starfall?”

“Pffft business already, sweet flanks? This is why I try to inject a little levity into everything. Fine, what have I missed?”

Starfall glances to Bleu, who at least sits up, though she remains in her smaller form in the middle of the floor.

“Everything on my end is ready, Rhede. The new armor is working out perfectly and that mare you sent me to design them has managed to figure out some way to mass produce it. At least sixty percent of the force has been outfitted already. Cloud Dancer will be staying with the Pelts for the next year or so when I am not around. Your mother was quite agreeable to it, Rhede.”

“We have lost quite a few of our own recently. Having another few hooves around the house will help distract everypony. Maw was willing to take in all the orphans of this attack as well. Even with our losses, the family is larger now than it has ever been before. Suffice to say it is quite crazy in Ponyville at the moment.”

“Hold up, fluffy tail. There’s still something bugging you.”

“ How... Stop calling me pet names, Bleu.”

“I might if you spill whatever it is.”

“I somehow doubt that.”

“Buck it, Pelt, just say what it is. I have already heard it anyway I am sure.”

“Right… there's quite a few rumors going about that Princess Luna has changed drastically. Many at New Dullahan thought she was a half dragon or something until Jer'rahd vouched for her.”

“That must be a heck of a change for ponies not to recognize their Princess.”

“Well, we will find out when they get here tomorrow. But the most unsettling one is that she and Jer destroyed the Dragon forces in New Dullahan by themselves, including both Tanks.”

“Not really surprising with Boss being there. I mean, come on, The Goddess of War and the Demon of Dullahan? I bet half of them soiled themselves trying to get away.”

“ Not as the rumors have it. Luna supposedly ripped the entire army apart by herself with Jer just offering support. I know Luna has some power behind her but enough to kill two Tanks? You've saw the size of that one, it was two or three times the size of the one we fought in the Darklands. And she could not do anything against the one there at all at full power.”

“Seems we were not the only ones who did something interesting, then, Rhede.”

“I guess.”

“Wait, what the heck did you two do?”

“Perhaps expanded a bit of military might. And cleared a path through some tricky nobles.”

“Crap, and all I did was carry Velkorn around and nearly freeze my tail off. That stuff better work or all I have to show for it is a half bucket of gems.”

“I am amazed you have that many left.”

“You calling me fat, twinkle hooves?!?”

==========================================================

The two zebras stood over the bed, looking down at the softly-breathing Princess of the Sun. It had been nearly six hours since they had reopened her wounds to clean and apply the mixture. With the unicorn’s help, the stitches this time were much neater and tighter when they closed up the wound again.

The unicorn, Stable, had already left, proclaiming he was headed for the nearest bar, leaving the two of them alone to see if there was any change.

Velkorn sighs, running her temple with a hoof.

[“Nothing yet. There is still a seepage of blood even around Stable's stitching and her breathing is still far too shallow.”]

[“Well on the plus side, Auntie, at least she is not any worse. How long was this stuff supposed to take, anyway?”]

[“I have no idea. The Windigo did not say and the stories do not tell, either. The Windigo have no concept of time, anyway. Even if they did... what is this?”]

They both look to the bed as the Princess's horn begins to glow, softly at first and quickly growing brighter until they had to shield their eyes from the luminescence.
Then, as suddenly as the light started, it went out. The pair moves closer to her, eyes wide as they look over the now much smaller Princess of the Sun.

[“What what happened here, Auntie? Why did she shrink?”]

Velkorn smiles softly, pulling the bandage off the wound. She was a little disappointed to see it was still there, but her smile grew wider seeing that it had partially closed on its own, showing what should have been several weeks’ worth of scar tissue over the wound on a normal pony.

[“It is just as they said: her own magic will heal her, but it will be used up rapidly. The same happened with Princess Luna when she used all of her power.”]

[“Ummm, alright, does that include what’s happening with her tail?”]

[“What?”]

The zebra mare looks up, watching as the color of most of Celestia's tail hair seemed to slowly drain as if a straw being emptied. Each individual hair seemed to lose its pigment and turn as white as her coat. After a few moments the same effect began happening with her mane as well. The two zebras simply watched in mute awe.

When it finally stopped only a few sections of her mane and tail remained the soft pink it had always been.

[“That was odd...”]

[“A side effect, perhaps?”]

[“That has got to be the strangest side effect of any medicine I have ever seen, auntie.”]

“Would you two please stop talking in zebra? It is too hard to think in that language at the moment...”

[“Princess?!”]

[“Thank the stars...”]

“Ow... what did I just ask… never mind, skip that. Just get me a glass of water or something. My throat hurts...”

=================================================================

Princess Luna stood in the throne room, her Generals standing before her with a mixture of looks on their faces.

Jer'rahd still looked a cross between tired and worried, although she was rather leery of him now as well. There were pages listing side effects of the spell, and the ones that recounted hearing voices had some of the worst end results.

Rhede looked... well, Rhede always looked lecherous, though now he had that thoughtful smirk on his muzzle that generally meant he was planning something or thinking dirty thoughts. Sometimes both.

Starfall seemed impassive, though Luna knew her enough to tell the mare was rather worried about what had happened, although the pegasus's focus seemed to be more directed towards Jer'rahd than at her own new look. Luna pondered briefly asking why, but tucked that aside for later.

Bleu looked... well, Bleu had almost the same look as Rhede did and that scared her more than anything else. Though the few glances the dragonling took in Rhede's direction showed she was just copying the Earth pony’s pose and look for some reason, likely boredom. Luna sighs, not truly being surprised that a dragon who changed size and coloration as easily as Bleu did would not be impressed with her own change.

Velkorn, however, had the most confusing look. Worry, relief, elation, and caution. It was a little odd how the zebra managed to convey all these emotions that clearly.

“Oh for bucks sake, get it over with and ask already.”

“Can I go get a drink, now?”
“She looks like that mare I hired to jump out of your birthday cake, Jer.”
“Rhede, shut up already. This is serious.”
“Ooh, I could go for some cake. Can we get one with sapphires?”
“Can we hold off on your adventures’ recap, I have done too much today and I need a nap.”

Luna simply stares as the five seem to break down to random bickering among themselves for a moment and shakes her head, barely holding back a laugh.

“Well, it is nice to see some things really have not changed.”

Bleu climbs up onto Jer'rahd's back as the others look back up to Luna at her words. The dragonling raises up in her back legs and points at the Princess with a fore claw.

“What you expect, some world-changing event to herald the fact you got your hair done? Like what? Tidal waves? Eternal Darkness? Rhede turning gay?”

“Leave me out of this, lizard.”

“No, I suppose not. You are all the same ponies I traveled with into the Darklands...”

“AHEM.”

“Ponies, Dragon, and Zebra....”

“Better, but put dragon first next time.”

Jer'rahd shifts suddenly, letting Bleu fall off his back with a yelp. Luna shakes her head the smile still on her muzzle, though that slowly fades.

“I regret to say that we still have a great deal of work ahead of us, my friends, And we will need to hurry to carry the element of surprise. Has everything been prepared as I asked before we left, Rhede?”

“I have all the information waiting for your review Princess. Spies have been reporting in regularly with encampment details as well as locations of the leaders and forces at Cindervale.”

“Good. Starfall?”

“New equipment is set and procured; the troops have been drilled and are ready. The majority of the Guard are still stationed in Manehatten for the moment. We are set to leave a skeleton crew at each location and march immediately.”

“Bleu?”

“Look, I have been ferrying a zebra around for nearly a week; you didn't give me crap to do. Still, I passed Rhede some of the less crappy designs that Celestia's school made and he's got some ponies working on some of them.”

“Velkorn... has…?”

“Princess Celestia is well. she will heal fully that is easy to tell. She has expressed a desire to speak with you, however your new look might complicate her injuries out of shock, too.”

Luna exhales deeply and smiles.

“That is good at least; I will send my regards, though I will wait to see her until she is healthy enough to deal with… well, this look.”

“So what’s the deal with that name I have heard ponies calling you? Nightmare Moon? Sounds like a stripper...”

“BLEU, shush.”

“What?! It does.”

“Well, blame your boss for it, then, Bleu. It was his idea.”

Everyone looks over at Jer'rahd, who shrugs lightly, but offers up no further information.

“Ah, you did remember the cake!”

“Shut up, Rhede.”

Twilight opens her eyes, the spell fading, leaving her head a bit foggy for a second. A soft couple of chirps followed by a giggle and a light whistle from a flute filled the air for a moment. Then the playing repeated again and the chirps continued almost on key.

Twilight moves around to where the sound was coming from to find Spike playing his flute lightly with Peewee trying to add an accompaniment to it. She chuckles lightly.

“It seems he is getting better with keeping time. He will be ready to join Fluttershy's bird song choir any day now.”

“That’s the plan, at least. You done for the night?”

“Yup, just gonna put it all away and write down what I can. Did you finish copying that book?”

“Most of it. I finished the updates and started work on the one for Luna, though my claw started to cramp so I put it aside for a while. So Fluttershy has a book that is two chapters behind and the other spare is up to date now. Honestly, you need a spell or something, ‘cause keeping up with you with all these books is getting to be a bit painful.”

“Sorry, Spike, but it's almost over. Once everyone finishes, we can help Princess Luna out and be done with it all.”

“Good, then everything can return to normal.”

“Well, as normal as things get in Ponyville, anyway, Spike.”

Aftershock

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

Aftershocks

Twilight settled in as Rainbow Dash flipped through the most current book. Out of all her friends the pegasus was the furthest along, after being the most reluctant to start. She left dash to her reading and slipped into the spell, thinking to start with Rhede this time. Things were getting more interesting as they were coming to a head.

There was nothing for this now. The die had been cast and end of the war was coming.

An entire species focused on seeking justice, all pushing towards a goal unheard of in the world. The eradication of a nation.

The nations not directly involved were clearly worried, should the dragons fall and this focus be turned towards them, would they fare any better? The Griffons were all for striking back before Equestria had a chance to turn on them. The Diamond Dogs were willing to continue to try and negotiate them out of this course. The Zebra's agreed with the ponies motivations, but not their actions. The smaller nations such as the Minotaurs, Harpies, and dozens of others had mixed reactions in what they thought should be done. Most simply wished this to be over and for the balance of the world to remain unchanged. It was some what pathetic at how desperate they were to remain in their own little worlds.

Rhede simply smiled through it all. Delegates from all over the world had come to the Zebra capitol of Asclepius, to try and talk peace and bring the war to an end before it began. He knew it was already far to late for that. His delegation had been arguing and fighting with words for nearly a week now. The Equestrian ambassadors had gone into this with a determination and guile that answered nothing directly and diverted half the questions to other groups. Old sore spots were rekindled between the delegates, nationalities, and personal lives of those in attendance. Rhede's team knew to hold back nothing and to turn as many against each other as they could. There had already been a brawl between A Harpy delegate and a Griffon, their two species had been fighting each other for centuries over the same preferred roosts. It was an old hatred stirred up by the silver tongues of the Equestrian delegates, and it was not the only one to come back into the light.

The only other group as focused as the ponies were the dragons. However their efforts to drum up aid from the other nations or anything of the sort were shot down by Rhede's team pointing out flaws in the plans, or reopened old wounds inflicted by the lizards. Equestria was not the only nation to have suffered from the actions of the Dragons, it was just the one that fought back the hardest.

The primary problem was most of the other nations were lead by carnivores. Meat eaters who considered those who only ate plants as little more than a possible food source. While other meetings of this type had stopped most from eating other sentients the mind set was still there. To have the race that had been all about peace and only fighting back to defend itself, suddenly turn about and launch a full scale invasion on one of the strongest nations in the collective was unheard of. When the conference first started at the Dragons behest, many thought it a joke. That was soon changed as Equestrian delegates admitted that the attack was going on as well as why.

The end results of the first day of the meeting were far better than Rhede had hoped for, many of the smaller nations had changed their beliefs, siding against the Dragons in favor of Equestria's “justice”. In truth many who had changed sides were offered portions of the land that would be available, once the dragon empire was destroyed. The Minotaurs and Diamond dogs were particularly interested in this.

The Griffons remained unswayed by any offer and were set that they would retaliate if Equestria persisted in this manner. The Zebra nation remained neutral though and despite their Queen working with Equestria they agreed with the Griffons that the war should not continue.

None of it mattered, the aid from those willing to give it was a bonus, but the march had already begun. With Starfall, Bleu, Jer, and Luna at the head of it. All this talk was simply to delay any counter measure until it was too late and that, Rhede thought, was just as planned.

======================================================

“So what's the situation Starfall?”

“Scouts report the primary force is Orc's and Rams. There are a few smaller dragons as well acting as commanders.”

Jer'rahd and Luna look down at the map Starfall lays out before them. The map showed a sizable pass between the mountains that would be the most direct route on the road to Cindervale. The problem was it was still narrow enough that a small force could hold it forever. It was little surprise the mountains would host Rams. The race practically lived on every mountain surrounding the dragon lands. The exact relationship with the dragons was never understood, but they could often be found in small numbers with the dragons armies.

“What sort of counter do they have for pegasi?”

“Aside from the dragons the cliffs are full of caves. I saw at least a half dozen of the catapults we encountered with the Bone Hounds back at Camp Geode. I also saw some caves that had tarps and plants over them so I could not get a clear view of what was in them. I expect there are a few spell casters as well. They must have seen us headed this way and reinforced this pass. It does not ,look like it was meant to house a force the size it has there are quite a few tents out in the open, as well as what appear to be caves for storage. There are a few dragons that fly into camp and back out every so often delivering supplies and orders. The position gives them a great deal of terrain advantage. There is still time to take the long way around the mountains.”

“Not as if we are able to hide an army of this size, time is always of the essence. Such a small force still , I can simply walk in and rip them all apart.”

“Princess we discussed this. We are not going to let you risk yourself on fodder.”

“I understand that Starfall, but my way would ensure that the path would be clear.”

Jer'rahd seems to pay no attention to the two as he regards the map a small smile creeping over his face.

“Not necessarily Princess, we don't know if they have anything set to blow the whole pass down on top of you. Yo may survive, but the recovery time is too much of a delay. Besides, I have a better idea. Starfall do you know where Bleu is?”

“I saw her showing some of the troops how to properly use the magic cannons Celestia's students made.”

“Good, go get her. We passed what I needed a mile or so back. We still have a days ground travel before we get to that pass. The dragons know this too. The time to strike is now.”

===================================================

Bleu sailed along the mountain range headed towards the pass. She had crossed over the night before along with a group of pegasi all of them doing their best to remain unnoticed. They had set up a ambush point in a small patch of wilderness on the other side. The Dragon they were looking for did not take long after dawn to appear. The small force was up and had downed the orange scaled creature before it had time to even think of using its breath weapon. Checking the package it carried she sent the pegasi back with the contents inside that appeared important, repacking the rest of the supplies and hoisting it to add to her disguise. She altered her coloration to match the dragon's corpse that had been hidden in a ticket of trees nearby. She took to the air again winging her way towards the pass as if she belonged there. Starfall had said the supplies were dropped near a pair of tents that seemed to be the command structures of the base. The were set back under a over hanging of rock to keep them out of the line of fire from an airborne attack. Bleu simply hoped that this would go as well as Boss had said it would. It did not make her any less scared to be there. The last time she had really fought on her own was in Neighlantis and that was survival.

A stray thought crosses her mind and her eyes narrow. She shifts her body, determination setting in as she flew on, a small tune being sung under her breath.

“A falling star..... fell from your heart.....”

============================================

“You will sit down and rest like I have said ,or I shall tie you to your bed!”

Velkorn glared at the Princess of the Sun as she tried to sneak out for perhaps the fifth time today alone. This was ridiculous, the Goddess might not have access to her magic, but by the stars was she a sneaky one.

She had tried to escape through the window, in her own dirty linens as they were carried out, under her food cart, and once though a secret passage behind the bookshelf. The last might have worked if the book shelf had closed properly behind her. This time she had evidently just decided to storm past Velkorn like she owned the place. While in truth she did, the zebra doctor was having none of it.

“I have things to deal with. I need to try and get my subjects lives back on track among other things , the least of which is stopping my sister.”

“You will be doing nothing of the sort, it is not as if you have the stature you once had, you have become quite short.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes, though she was looking directly at the zebra from the same height. While she was still taller than Starfall and Luna when she had no magic, the depowered Sun goddess was easily at half her former height. Celestia was not truly thrilled about her hair bleaching either though Baelit had suggested perhaps dyeing it, something else the Princess was not too thrilled about.

“WE ARE PRINCESS CELESTIA OF EQUESTRIA AND YOU WILL STAND DOWN AND LET US PASS VELKORN.”

The zebra winced a little flattening her ears though she did not move from in front of the door. In fact she seemed to take this as an affront snapping back in her own language with a tone that might have implied that trying to speak to the Princess in pony was now beneath her to do.

[“ And I am Queen of the Zebra lands. I do not care who you claim you are. As of this moment and until I decide that you are able to do anything you are my patient. I have had unruly and down right annoying ones such as you in the past. If you do not return to your bed at once and finish recovering from a near fatal wound that is still subject to reopening the more stress you place on it I will be sure to break all four of your legs so you cannot run about. I can then add that to my book on alicorn treatments. Under a chapter titled, How to set and heal four broken legs at once.”]

Celestia's eyes widen and she actually took a step back away from the glowering zebra. Baelit winced a little but continued to try and make himself unnoticed by either of them.

“But, wha, wait....... “

“Go to bed, before I go through with the idea to get it out of my head!”

Celestia backed away again looking at the serious expression on Velkorn then back over Baelit who simply shrugs and motions with a hoof for the Princess to return to bed. As Celestia slinks off back into her room Velkorn snorts.

[“Congratulations you have managed to make Jer'rahd seem like a perfect patient.”]

========================================================

It played out beautify. Jer'rahd grins as a gigantic rush of green flame burst into existence in the air before him channeled though his horn by Bleu. Tents and screaming forms fell from the flames reforming rapidly into bodies of dragons,Rams and Orcs. He watched them fall before him, landing hard with solid thunks and wet splatters to the ground far below. He turns his gaze looking down at the jumbled mess crashing and to the ground of the box canyon below him. Some of them lay still, their pain from being transferred by flame mercifully ended. Others still thrashed among the debris of the command tents screaming as their bodies reacted to the pain of the transfer as well as the sudden fall into the canyon. As the last of the flame flickered away the Guard's waiting around the lip of the canyon rushed down to secure and bind those still alive for questioning and sift through the remains for anything of strategic value.

He felt a brief stab of regret that the ones on the ground below him suffered through that transfer. Having done it once before himself he was quite familiar with how much pain they were going through.
A slight shifting to his left drew a glance from him towards the Princess of the Night. Her ears had flattened to her head at the sounds of the screams though she watched the recovery efforts with interest.

“Do you think we will find anything of value General?”

“It does not matter if we do or not. We have crippled the command structure of this outpost. That is enough for us to send a small force in to mop up while they are in disarray. I am more concerned with Bleu and how she is fairing.”

“If you worry so much, why did you send her into this?”

“She would not have stayed on the sidelines. She has just as much hatred for these dragons as I do. She lost her sister to them and after the Canterlot attack she lost the only other dragons she considered friends. They have taken nearly everything from her. She is young, but she is not a child, she is quite aware that she is effectively never going to be accepted by her kind for aiding us. She realizes this and yet doesn't care, Bleu was brought up as a pony and she considers herself closer to us than to her own kind.”

“So you trust her not to betray you to her own race?”

Jer'rahd glares at Luna, though the Princess did not seem to notice as she watched the subduel of a particularly ornery yellow dragon below.

“I trust her more than I trust you Princess. And I have done much just on your word alone. That you needed to ask where I think her loyalty lies after all she has done for you is a insult.”

Luna closes her eyes and Jer'rahd's expression softens slightly.

“My apologizes Princess. I had already forgotten how closely you regarded Mustang.”

“It is fine Jer'rahd. If anything I should not be questioning the loyalty of my friends. The five of you have been with me through more than any other pony save my sister. I should never doubt any of you.”

Jer'rahd nods lightly smirking as a pair of earth ponies finally managed to beat the dragon into submission so it could be bound properly.

“There will be plenty of time for us to go through more things together with..... what the!? LOOK OUT BELOW!!”

The green flame had returned and with it a large cannon of some kind as well as another group of screaming orcs. The flames flickered and died out though Jer'rahd and Luna both look at the collection of new items with a bit of shock.

“What the buck is she doing?”

===============================================

Bleu was laughing Not the normal some what high pitched laughter of a funny joke or prat fall, this was a dark malicious laugh that bordered lined on psychotic. And she found all of it funny.

She had followed the plan just as Jer'rahd laid it out, up to a point. She was to land with the supplies outside of the command tent and as soon as a officer was confirmed to be present the whole area was to be saturated with her green flames. After that she was to escape before the shock of the attack wore off.

It was that last part she had not bothered with. She had seen the Rams, the Orcs, and the other dragons about. Listened to the guttural complaining and the draconic orders being shouted. When she spotted the officer she hosed the dragon first and then swept her flame over everything she could before she needed a breath. At that point she changed her mind seeing the shocked look on the faces of the soldiers still around. She changed her scale color back to normal and let her armor cover her form before ripping into anything and everything that even looked at her. If it moved it died, if it didn't move it was made sure to be dead before she moved on.

There was rage that she had yet to express,a burning anger she hid behind her mask of laughter. A way to make every one else feel better no matter what she truly felt like. Jer'rahd had seen behind the mask once, though he had been going through the same emotions at the time.

Still she did not roar or scream obscenities or battle cries, at those she fought, she laughed. Spears and arrows bounced off her armored hide and she laughed, as she ripped the limbs from the ones shooting at her she laughed. Magic was brought to bear against her and was met with a charged blast of lightning and another peal of laughter. Her tail lashed out slicing through armor and bodies alike of those who charged her and she laughed.

All the anguish, all the emotions she had been holding back behind that mask of comedy came out and were brought to bear against these draconic forces. She was alone here, and outnumbered even by the meager forces in this pass, but she found it funny and she laughed.

A group of orcs ran past ripping one of the tarps from a cave bringing a strange looking cannon to bear on her. Green flame erupted from her maw filling the cave and sending everything in it to the destination Jer'rahd chose before that power ran out again.

She lept into the air fanged maw closing on the wing of a green dragonling trying to escape ripping the wing from the beast and sending it crashing into the cliff side. She spit out the wing along with another peal of laughter as she cut loose with all she had been holding back.

================================================

“I'mmmm boooooooooooooooooooooored!!”

Velkorn twitched her ears flattening as the Princess whined. Baelit glanced her way and had the grace to cover his mouth to hide the smile. By the stars this mare was more annoying than all of the patients she had ever aided. Once she ceased her escape attempts she had kept up a running commentary for the past two days about how lousy the service was here, off key singing every chance she got and demanding some sort of entertainment, going so far as to flirt with Baelit at one point. The look on the zebra stallions face was far to similar to Rhede's at that point for her not to know he was considering the offers made by the wounded Princess.

She gritted her teeth again snapping yet another quill pen and splattering ink over the desk. Baelit dropped his hoof with a wince muttering softly to his aunt.

[“ I think I might have something to keep her distracted........”]

[“So help me if you finish that sentence with what I think you are........”]

[“I would like very much to live to see my twentieth birthday auntie so no.”]

“Again with the Zebra? Don't you know another language to speak in?”

“ I do Princess, though at times it is easier to speak in my native tongue than in another.”

Celestia perks up a little at the rather elaborate and well worded speech. Velkorn sighs, Baelit was a bit of a negotiator as well as a medic, gifted with a tongue nearly as gilded as Rhede's. It was that very talent that allowed him to form, lead, and get the Queen's Cross to be accepted by every nation as a neutral party only existing to help.

“ So why are you not rhyming I thought that was a zebra doctor thing.”

“For most it is, though rhyming does help one to learn the language better it is also a mental exercise to keep ones mind sharp, a rather important thing for a doctor. I tend not to as most of my dealings are with the healthy and in regards to the actions and motives of my organization. Sometimes rhyming can be detrimental to that. Though now that your question is out of the way I suppose I might ask one of my own?”

“I usually play a game for that sort of request, but a rather unruly beast ate my chess set.”

Baelit blinks following the Princesses stare back to Velkorn who ignored them both.

“So about that question Princess?”

“Oh go ahead. It might pass the time a bit.”

“It is simply something I am not sure I understand, You are the Goddess of the Sun who raises it each morning, and your sister raises the moon each night.”

“Well every foal in grade school knows that, but I sense that was only the setup of the question.”

“Indeed. What would have happened to the sun if Silverclaw had succeed in ending your life?”

Velkorn turns at that, looking back at her nephew, the Princess seemed rather surprised as well. Baelit smiles slightly clearly glad he could still surprise ponies when he needed to.

“That is a question I am not sure I should answer. It is a rather complex matter.”

“Princess my aunt and I have seen more of the make up of an alicorn than any other creature in Equestria alive today. At the very least you can humor a pair of non casters with something as trivial as my question.”

“Still...”

“Did he expect to steal your power? Would it have moved on to another with your death? Do you not actually control the sun and this is a rather excessive lie that has been going on for years in order to make you and your sister seem more important to your subjects?”

Celestia's eyes narrow a bit and Velkorn cannot help to smirk a little at the Princesses annoyance with her nephew's suggestions. Baelit simply remained standing there watching the Princess with interest.

“I think it may be time for my nap.... if you will excuse me.....”

“That is quite alright Princess I will simply ask again when you wake.”

Celestia flinches as Baelit turns away, and hides her head under the pillow. Velkorn very much wanted to hug her nephew at that moment for getting the Princess to shush, at least for a while.

============================================================

“Well?”

“Sorry boss.”

“It seems Velkorn was correct Bleu you are starting to act like Jer'rahd a bit too much.”

Starfall smirked standing next to Jer'rahd as both of them looked down at the blood drenched dragonling. Only half the camp remained here, the other half of it was in a ravine a days travel back towards Equestrian lands, or in custody. The few remaining orc's and half dragons had been cornered by Bleu inside one of the shallow caves dotting the pass, a place she had kept them until Starfall's scout force had found her again. There had easily been close to a hundred enemy troops here and now there were a hundred corpses or prisoners. Luna had come by checking the carnage, impressed at it before she was swamped in reports of what was found in this raid and forced to deal with the officers bringing them rather than her friends.

“Bleu.”

“Heh, heh, yeah Boss?”

“Try to follow orders next time, I do not need another reason to fight. I have to many as it is.”

“You're not the only one boss.”

“Also Bleu, try to save some for us, all I’ve been doing is a couple of scouting missions and its rather boring.”

Bleu chuckles and Jer'rahd simply rolls his eyes.

“Next thing I know you two are going to start counting kills like this is some sort of game.”

“Not a bad idea boss.”

“NO.”

“Awwww.”

====================================================

Rhede pulls the dagger free of the still warm corpse, carefully checking to make sure none of his hair was on the blade. He shifts his gaze to the door before returning it to the corpse dragging the dagger roughly across the creatures neck smearing the blood around the open wound.

Rhede was not a stranger to killing with a purpose. Though often he was sent to kill those who deserved it, not those who's death would start more conflict. At least not since when worked for The Order.

His eyes run over the corpse, two spindly clawed legs jutting out from a mass of fur and feathers of a mottled gray and white. Past the waist the creatures upper body was not unlike that of a Diamond dog save instead of arms there were a pair of great wings. The head was an odd cross of canine and bird, right down to a beak full of teeth. The harpies were never a large threat to Equestria, living in the lands on the other side of the Griffon empire, though this ones death would likely start another war between the Griffons and the Harpies. He had picked this one as a target as she was not even supposed to be here. She was the head delegates mate, bore several of his children the youngest of which had been brought along as well to stay with their mother. The soft sniffles and whimpering from the chicks that he shoved in the closet drew his attention briefly. The pair had seen him kill their mother, and that was the point to add even more weight and trading to this act, or at least it would as soon as the rest of the plan worked as it had been laid out. A copy of this dagger had already been hidden in the griffon delegations quarters. It was a rare item, a double edged blade made of starmetal designed to be held by a griffon. The scabbard was also mostly griffon made and altered to have spots for two of the blades and he wore a copy of that harness now to add to the illusion.

The door burst open and he could not help but grin at the timing, a harsh squawk from the harpy that opened the door at the scene was the only sound for a moment before Rhede flung the dagger at the harpy, intentionally missing but forcing the creature back from the door and to scream for aid. Rhede charged the window diving out of it and dropping a hoof full of shed griffon feathers that had been collected.

He lands on the ground darting off into shadows as the harpy rushes the window looking into the air trying to spot him. Rhede slips around a corner pulling the gold band off his fore hoof letting the griffon disguised fade. He pops open a barrel gathering the supplies hidden inside and pulling his robes over the harness, hiding it.

The Harpy delegation now had witnesses, feathers, and a murder weapon. When the Zebras investigated the Griffons quarters they would find the weapon's mate as well as a duel harness for them both. Thus sparking an investigation that would lead to conflict with the griffons from the Harpy Empire. With the griffons thus occupied protecting their northern borders they would not be able to aid the dragons against Equestria. The act might even draw more support for Equestria from the other nations. One innocent life sacrificed to open a door to possibly saving thousands of pony lives by keeping the Griffons out of the war for at least a bit longer.

Rhede slipped out of the shadows pretending to be interested in the commotion going on, along with several other nobles and ambassadors on the grounds who had been going about nightly strolls. This was a sacrifice he could live with making. It would not be the first time he had some ones blood on his hooves that did not deserve it.

=========================================================

Luna regards the captured maps with a small sigh. This was mostly useless trivia she already knew about the dragons lands. Roads, minor settlements, and quarries. The supplies were nothing worth note either gems and meat, things that the ponies could not use, although Bleu had taken some of the gems for a snack.

The few surviving individuals from the attack had thus far been resistant to questioning, but there were two things that worried her.

The first was the cannon that Bleu had recovered, that one along with several others they found in the pass. It was a spell cannon, one slightly less refined than the few her army had, but a test firing proved it was much stronger. It blended the dragons elemental magic with their ability to forge creating something much more destructive than anything Equestria had.

The second was the sheer amount of starmetal weapons that were found. She had expected some, perhaps with the officers or an elite strike force after all, nearly all the Canterlot attackers had a weapon of some sort of this material. But this was a outpost guarding a pass and they not only all had weapons, but two of the officers had full suits of armor made of the metal.

The dragons should not have this much starmetal available to them. It was a rare iron type that only came from meteors that fell from space. Such a valued weapon should not be just given to a lesser solider.

She checked over the maps again pulling out the maps made from Starfall's fly over as well. She paused a moment noticing some rather striking differences from this dragons map and the one Starfall had made. To the north there was a massive encampment that had not been there on the fly over. According to the dragons map it was in a valley that the General had not seen in her fly over despite having passed over that section of the mountain range to get to Cindervale.

It took Luna a moment to consider the options of what was going on before she decided on the best course.

“Sergeant!”

A pegasus pony quickly slips into her tent saluting with a wing.

“Yes Princess?”

“Go find my Generals and tell them I need them here at once.”

“ General Silvertail has already left on another mission for General Kaisur, but I will bring Him and General Scale for you Princess.”

She blinks a moment as the pony runs off looking down at her own chest and the bit of metal hanging from a silver chain that dangled from her neck and sighs softly. She had forgotten she could call for them directly again. Far too much had been slipping her mind lately as she focused on this war.

Battle plans, secrets, and anything dealing with conflict was as fresh in her mind as the day she had learned it, be it yesterday or a thousand years ago. But simple things like what her favorite watercress tasted like, or Tia's scent. It was all fading as the battle progressed.

She expected it may be nothing to worry about and once the stress of the war had ended she would remember all of it just as vividly once it was experienced once more.

====================================================

“Booooored!”

“You could always answer my question Princess.”

“Not that booooooored.”

Velkorn snorts. The pair of them had been back and forth for two days now. At first it had been a welcome change from the grown Alicorns whining about her bed rest, and her meals of only soup or that her mane and tail were ruined, though now it was like both of them were only doing this to annoy her. Velkorn was about ready to wash her hooves of the whole thing and just start clubbing them both with the nearest heavy object.

“Are you sure? It is a question I am still quite curious about. After all it may be something that could help us later on.”

Baelit responding automaticly now. It was the same response from them both every time. The princess groaned and fanned her wings.

“Alright fiiiiiiine.”

“Well if you are still sure you're not going to tell us...... Wait, what?”

Celestia sits up on the bed wincing a little as her neck moved to the new position. Velkorn flattened her ears at the Princess flipping around like that, but was distracted enough by the change of attitude enough not to yell at her.

“That was unexpected Princess.”

“Well it will kill time and you are right. After all this time the situation might warrant it being told. It is getting hard to tell what needs to say secret and what needs to come out any more.”

Velkorn perked her ears as Celestia's tone changed.

“Keep in mind I have no plans to tell you the full of it, but this is also not really anything I have thought about in a long time. The only reason I am telling you any of this is I am bored out of my mind and my warden there won't let me up.”

Velkorn snorts in annoyance at that term.

“I would let you do as you wish if I thought it would not cause more harm, what would I tell your sister if you recovered a bit and then bough the farm?”

The Princess sticks her tongue out at the zebra mare then pretends to ignore her.

“So moving on, Baelit was it?”

“Yes Princess.”

“History shows that while I have been around a while I am not the first Princess of Equestria, or any of the waring states this land was before it became Equestria. I was however the first to control the sun, just as Luna was the first to control the moon. The sun of course brings light to the land and allows the plants to thrive and grow as well as bringing warmth . The moon is there to provide light as well, if not as bright and allows a time for the land to rest and heal, its movements also affect the eb and flow of the tides and the movements of many creatures.”

Velkorn nods lightly most of this was pony history, and Rhede had been quite willing to talk about it at length , of course at the time she had not cared about what he was saying, so long as he was the one saying it. Though she still listened and remembered. Baelit was rapt with attention clearly not having heard any of this before.

“There was a time before the Discordian war that I was much like my sister is now. Seeking conflict as the only means to an end, might making right. When the war started my sole goal was to destroy Discord for what he had done to a friend I had. Luna was of the same mind set at the time, and the pair of us fought wing to wing in several great battles that make these last few years of conflict pale by comparison. Although this current war is edging close in the loss of life and the treachery.”

Celestia sighs reaching out with a wing to take a glass of water and swallowing a few gulps before setting it aside again.

“In time we came across some of Discords creations and officers that were leading the effort. There were three of them in particular who were giving us far more trouble than they should have. The three appeared to be foals, their coats ran every color of the rainbow and they made a game of every attack and every assault. The problem was that they were excessively deadly in their actions. No one expects a group of foals to have god like powers. It was at this point that the Elements of Harmony were brought to our attention. Luna and I gathered our most trusted followers acquired them. I will not go into the exact details, but suffice to say Velkorn, you and your friends got off light with just a test.”

“Call it that if you will, but the thought of my test still makes me ill.”

Celestia looked at the zebra curiously a moment before continuing.

“The first time we used the Elements it was on these three children of Discord. One was a colt called Artemis, the other a filly, named Apollo, the final filly barely spoke, but was called Screwball by the other two. Apollo and Artemis had been ruining the land with their powers, whether they gained these abilities when Discord created them or after we do not know. But Apollo controlled the Moon and Artemis controlled the Sun. The only reason they had not used these abilities to destroy Equestria directly was the effort seemed to put great strain on the foals and they could not do terribly much before they tired out. This did not limit the havoc they caused very much however. The moon blotted out the sun for three days straight at one point before they grew bored with the effect. I am not sure if Screwball had any powers aside from the minor ones similar to Discord, but she acted like she was feral most times when the trio were involved in any fighting.”

Celestia takes another sip of her water.

“We brought the Elements to bear on them and sealed them in stone. It was then when the power they had transferred to us. In the past the unicorns of pre Equestria raised and lowered the sun and moon, that ability was lost in time and yet the sun and moon still traveled the skies. It turns out that it was the Griffon's gods who had gained those abilities for a time. When Discord rose to power he stole those abilities and killed the gods who controlled them. When we sealed the trio that power went to the next closest gods. The two of us.”

“So you are saying that The dragon had hoped to kill you and take the power to control the sun from you?”

“Possibly, in all honesty Silverclaw might have been blinded by revenge too much to even consider that part. Though with as in depth as his information seemed to be he may have known. It is a secret that only the other gods seem to know. I am not sure where our power initially came from before the unicorns first started it. I have not been around that long compared to how long Equestria itself has been in existence. Every god has power over over the land in some way, but as far as I am aware Luna and I are the only ones with power over celestial bodies. My own talent is growing things in far excess of anything they should be able to do. Luna's talent however seems solely based on the night. Even before she gained control of the moon. That power was much more fitting for her.”

“What happened to the foals?”

“They reside in the garden like many others who were far too dangerous to let run free. They rest in the presence of their father, Discord, sealed in stone forever.”

Baelit blinks.

“That is quite a lot of information you have passed onto us Princess.”

“My sister trusts Velkorn, and Velkorn trusts you. I am aware you cared for me when she was away. Throwing out a little bit of history that you can do nothing to alter means less than you think. I do not like to live in the past. I prefer to live for the present. The past is a far too unpleasant of a place for those of us who have been in it. My sister is not the only one who has lost ponies they cared for, I am grateful that she seemed to have opened up to you all the way she has Velkorn. I simply wish it was in a less hectic time.”

“It really does not matter the time and place, your sister will move along at her own pace.”

Celestia chuckles halfheartedly, looking more worn out now than she had any time with her injury.

“I worry more about how she will be when you are gone Velkorn. I always find it hard to watch those you have grown close to age and die before you. It is one reason I have such a low retirement rate with all my staff. I like to think that all of the ones who have left my service are still out their living the easy life after working so hard for me and bringing me the joy of their company. Even though I know that I have out lived all of them.”

“It is enough to make many reconsider any minor wish to live forever. Princess.”

“Yes, well it is not as if I will last forever either. All things die in time. Even gods. But there will always be new gods to rise up and replace us so long as our people live. Every race has its gods even if they hunt them down and kill them as foals.”

Baelit turned away from the Princess at this jab. Though Velkorn met the alicorns gaze with a vicious stare of her own. Celesita's words were spat out in a dark venomous tone that the zebra had not heard from the Sun Goddess before. Even though Velkorn knew it was directed at her races beliefs as a whole she felt it was fully intended for her directly.

Centuries ago the zebra's had gods as well. They ruled as Celestia and Luna did. However the rest of the race was treated as little more than slaves or breeding stock for the gods. In time a revolt was led and the zebra gods were put to death with the aid of darker arts. In time the ones who saved the zebras were also destroyed lest they try to gain control, and the era of the warlords began.

“I have one more question Princess.”

The two mares blinked looking over at the stallion who showed no signs of actually having taken offense to the slight against his race.

“You realize I only allowed one question.”

“True, but I also happen to know that the head cook is making some pastries and if you answer this one I might be inclined to bring a few extra back. Unless of course you are content with nothing more than soup for your meals.”

“Now I am not sure which of you two is crueler.”

Baelit laughs a bit though he taps his hoof waiting for her answer. Celestia lays her head on her forelegs with a sigh expecting another uncomfortable question from him.

“Fine, ask away, but they better be good pastries....”

“What is this I hear about you being turned pink?”

Celestia's eyes widen at that, a smile forming on her lips as she struggled not to laugh at the memory.

“That question I would answer for free. But you promised me pastries so go get them first then we will talk.”

“Of course Princess.”

Velkorn made a note to not allow Baelit in the same room as Rhede ever again. The earth pony was starting to rub off far too much on the young zebra.

==========================================

“Boss are you sure this was a good idea?”

“Not in the slightest. But Luna needed some pony she could trust to check this out and who would know it if they saw it, and that’s us. If this was nothing we would have been fine.”

“Boss this ain't nothing..... this is some serious shit here.”

“I said “IF.”

The pair crouched on the edge of a crater looking down into the massive wound in the earth. Below them was a city. Not a camp or a village but a city, one easily the size of Manehatten. It filled the crater along the walls. At the craters center was a mountain that towered higher then the craters lip, that gleamed with a metallic sheen in the moon's light. Both Jer'rahd and Bleu knew at first glance what sort of metal that mountain was made of, starmetal. “Buck us... Luna was right Boss....This is bad.”

The mountain was pockmarked with holes and the tiny dots of torches covered its surface illuminating movement of creatures moving along it. The clang of hammers echoed in the crater and the smoke from countless forges clung in the air hanging over the city like a haze. A large swathe of clear land ringed the mountain for perhaps a league.

Several smaller Tanks trundled along this ring carrying the ore from the mountain's base to the smiths at the edge of the city. The smell of metal being forged assaulted their noses as they watched over the city.

“Boss, why is there such a large area between the city and that mountain? Wouldn't it make more sense to have them right at the base?”

“I have no idea. I can't see a tactical reason.”

“Maybe they are worried its gonna fall over?”

“Possibly if they plan to strip the whole thing.”

As if to answer the query a siren suddenly sounded. At first both of them pulled back looking around expecting they had been discovered though when no attack came they peered back over the edge to see a reddish glow atop the mountain.

“Boss there some one up there...”

Jer'rahd pulls a spy glass from his bag, tugging it open and floating it up to an eye.

“If you had that boss, why didn't you use it to start?”

The unicorn ignores her focusing on the red glow. There were several figures on top of the mountain. A small green dragon, a fully grown Diamond dog, and a diamond Dog Pup. It was the pup who was producing the glow. The small dog had its claws raised towards the sky as if it was grabbing and tugging on something. The red glow faded and the small dog collapsed. The other dog ran up to the pup to check on it though the dragon continued to watch the sky.

“Boss take a look at this....”

Bleu's repeated taps on his side forced Jer'rahd to lower the spy glass. He glanced at the dragon who was pointing upward towards a line of fire in the sky that was arcing towards the crater. His eyes widened as the hurtling ball of flame slammed into a section of the clear space between the mountain and the city. A great gout of earth was flung into the air and the rumbling quake shook the ground the pair were on even at the lip of the massive hole.

As the dust cleared and Jer'rahd brought the spy glass back up to look at the small crater near the mountain. Several dozen Diamond dogs were rushing towards it, sliding down into the hole. After a moment one reemerged from the hole lifting a red flag over his head and waving it at the top of the mountain. Jer'rahd pans the spyglass back up to the mountain and the dragon peering over the edge at the flag, a look of annoyance on his face. The green creature turns to say something to the Diamond dog who responds angrily bringing a snort of blue flame from the dragons nostrils before it stormed off back into a cave at the mountains peak.

He turned his focus back to the pit watching the dogs hook a Tank to something and send the beast marching away. A massive charred stone was pulled free of the pit .Chunks of it fell away as it was drug along. A large chunk fell away revealing a clean section of metal that appeared to be gold.

“Boss whats going on? Did that thing just fall out of the sky?”

“I don't think so it looks like they have a Diamond dog pup that pulled it out of the sky. It seems to be gold though the dragon at the top with the pup did not seem happy about that. I think they are trying for more star metal or something stronger perhaps. The pup does not seem to be able to do it very often as he collapsed at the top of the mountain. In any case we need to report this back to Luna. If she suspected this it's no wonder she wanted some one she could trust.”

“Right lets get out of here.”

“YOU TWO ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!”

===================================================

“Honey, I'm home.”

Rhede stepped into Celestia's sitting room expecting Velkorn to be there and perhaps even Baelit. The third party who was up around and rather pissed off looking wiped the small smirk from his muzzle. His gaze shifted to the others, Baelit looked sheepish and Velkorn looked nearly as pissed as the alicorn behind her did, though her rage thankfully seemed to be directed at some other pony other than him, for once.

“Ahh Princess, I see you have recovered well enough to be up and about.”

Velkorn growls lightly as if she disagreed completely and Baelit simply turned his head whistling innocently. Celestia ignored them both the faint glow of her horn lifting a small stack of papers before her. Her magic barely seemed to have a hold of them as she flung the stack at Rhede. The pile fell short a few paces scattering across the floor at his hooves. He glances down at the papers with a bit of annoyance noting briefly that the cover page labeled the stack as a report from the negotiations. Rhede was not entirely certain what the zebra's had done to her, but he was not sure the mostly white mane was a good look for the Princess.

“Pelt what is all this?”

“Looks like dead trees to me, pulped and processed into some rather fine paper, quite pricy too.”

“Do not play this game with me Pelt, I am already in a foul mood from being nearly murdered and having a prison warden for a doctor for the last month. What happened at the peace conference? Why am receiving documents that the Griffons and the Harpies are now at war over a murder. Why am I getting contracts for land that we do not even own from the Dragons holdings?”

“That is a good question. Why are you getting them? That information was supposed to come directly to me or Princess Luna.”

“Even bedridden I have my own information circles Pelt. I would not be as concerned if I did not see your hoof work at the heart of all this. A pair of star metal blades forged for griffons to use? Convenient there were so many griffon mercenaries with just such weapons that attacked here recently.”

“The weapons check in the Zebra Palace showed the griffons brought them in. It must have been a rather strong coincidence.”

“ Do not give me that crap, that group you brought with you are loyal to me not you. It did not take much for me to put together what happened from their observations of how you acted. Why Pelt? After all that I have struggled for, the moment I cannot do anything you take advantage of it to start a war?”

“I was under orders. Just like always.”

“FROM WHO!?”

“Who do I answer to now Princess? Who have you told me repeatedly that I am to answer to? Just your sister. She told me to find a way to keep the Griffons from aiding the Dragons. And I did. So now that I admit it , its your move Princess. What are you going to do? Turning me over to the Griffons will simply prove that Canterlot had something to do with this and cement the Griffons desire to destroy us. The dragons are already trying to kill us out right, Silver claw planned all this for who knows how long and he still managed to keep his supporters in Cindervale happy with him all while buddying up with Luna as Mustang. What would you have done if it had been your sister who had been stabbed and left for dead? Shes already having a hard enough time dealing with that level of betrayal, then you get wounded as well? Peace was off the table the moment they brought the war here.”

“ I should have you locked up again for this at the least, I should have you executed for causing more wars among the races that I have been trying for centuries to end. Do you have any clue at how far you have set back all my efforts? Get out Pelt,.”

Rhede grits his teeth his ears flattening.

“I'm not bucking going any where till I have said my piece on this Celestia. You know damn well you would be working to wipe them off the map if the situation was reversed. The dragons have been killing ponies for years without anything more than a slap on their scaled wrists as punishment, you should have destroyed them in the first war, instead you took the weak way out and tried to reason with the monsters.

“PELT!!”

“I AM NOT DONE ….. I lost my father and a great many family members in this attack and there are some who lost everyone, those ponies count me lucky I have any one left that I love, so many of my family dead and I AM LUCKY!?! I don't give a buck any more about any other race so long as ours stays safe. I would kill every harpy on the planet if I thought it would protect what remains of my family, at least your sister seems to give a shit that her subjects are getting murdered in front of her instead of hiding in a bucking castle and pretending everything is alright, holding Galas to pander to self righteous idiots who are only using you and everyone else to further their own agendas.”

“I SAID GET OUT!!”

Rhede glares at the Princess, his eyes shift to Velkorn and Baelit. He had not been this visibly angry since he had met either of them, but judging by the looks on the two zebra's faces the shock of it was evident. He spits on the floor, before Celestia storming away towards the door.

“As you wish, Princess.”

He shoulders the door open, kicking the door far to hard to close it once he passed. The impact of the door striking the frame enough to shake the wall the door was attached to.

Velkorn glances at Baelit who was in shock and then to Celestia whose head had drooped showing her level of exhaustion. She never should have allowed those papers to come to the Princess, but the mare was insistent she needed some sort of work to do. She rose to her hooves heading towards the door.

[“Baelit, get the Princess to bed. I will have a word with him.”]

[“Of course Auntie.”]

======================================================

Bleu crashed hard into the ground, her wings were in tatters and the Armor of Laughter was hanging off her form, cut to ribbons. If not for her thick scales she would likely be dead. The mercenaries were still working to remedy that even now. She flung herself out of the trench she created as she crashed , firing a bolt of lighting at one of the Griffon mercenaries. The bird exploded in a spray of burning feathers and blood, its armor slagging and fusing partially to the falling bones. The two dozen others hung back keeping air borne and launching at her from random sides making swift, if light attacks seeking to strike deeper when the chance presented itself.. The starmetal blades cut though her armor like butter, but her scales were a little more resistant. Their attacks were chipping small chunks from her scales though only a few sank deep enough through them to draw blood.
She lashed out with her tail battering one of them aside into another, although they both were knocked to the ground one quickly rose again while the other hopped back away from her, its left wing bent at an odd angle. The one on the ground readied its spear, the fight clearly not gone out of it just yet.

Bleu cursed having relied far to much on the armor to save her from the attacks. She had not been ready when she was swarmed as she had hoped she could out fly them. Jer'rahd was still back at the crater holding off the entire army it seemed, just so she could get back to tell Luna of what they found.

She had not wanted to leave him, but he gave her no choice actively charging into the midst of the patrol that found them to clear her an opening. Even ordering her as a higher rank, she could have ignored it and stayed, but Luna needed to know what they found. And now she had failed even that, granted, she was not dead yet.

She grins her claws digging into the ground as she laughs ripping up the earth as she charged the the Griffon still on the ground. The bird did not panic and set its spear to meet a charge planning to let her impale herself on the weapon. She shrunk suddenly sailing past the spear blade her teeth clamping into the light armor on the griffons neck her fangs piercing it enough to draw blood as she swung around using her momentum to land on the Griffons back. She released his throat turning back to full size and crushing the unfortunate bird under her full weight.

She spit out the blood that covered her tongue glaring at the others circling.

“So which of you is next?”

The griffons did not respond, but a high pitched whine could be heard growing closer in the brief silence. Bleu smiles at the sound.

=====================================================

The field was soaked with so much crimson it ran over the craters edge like a miniature waterfall. The element of Loyalty armor was shredded as was much of his flesh underneath. He barely noticed. Bodies lay about him scattered in a wide circle. His whole form was soaked in blood and he was not even sure of how much of it was his. Rams, Diamond Dogs, Griffons, Orcs and even a Minotaur or two had fallen at his blade and hooves.

Just on the other side of the growing pile of bodies he was surrounded. It seemed the entire force in the crater had come up here to deal with him. Which was just as he wanted it, with all the attention focused on him, Bleu could get back to the Princess.

This place needed to be destroyed, If an army of dragons marched on Equestria armed and armored with starmetal, magic would be useless, half the kingdoms defenses would be little more than neutralized before the first shot was fired.

One of the dragons circling dove for him, the action prompting a rush of his allies over the kill zone as well. He spit out his blade, caught the weapon with his magic and swung it in an arc across the battlefield lashing at the ones charging him. He rose on his back legs meeting the diving dragon head on, his still armored fore hooves smashing into the beasts jaws shattering teeth and bone meeting little resistance from the beasts head. A sloppy attack, most of them should have seen by now that only their starmetal weapons even nicked him.

He blinked as the dragon bit down on his legs shattering more of its teeth, holding his front legs in his jaws and charging towards the cliff s edge, trying to take to the air. The Waning Moon arced back through the air slicing off the creatures wing sending it stumbling, its grip still tight on his fore legs. They both soared into the air over the ledge propelled by the beasts forward momentum. His blade hit home ending the dragons life though the damage was done and his legs were still locked in the creatures jaws as they both fell into the crater towards the city far below.

============================================================

[“Rhede.”]

The earth pony stops, and glances back at the zebra mare that had followed him, sighing deeply.

“I don't have the time or the patience to deal with anyone right now Velkorn. Go back to Celestia.”

[“Like buck I will, what is wrong with you? I have only seen you lose yourself like that once before and that is when half your leg was burned off.”]

Rhede looks down at the black fur covering his left foreleg that ran up to his neck. A trophy of surviving dragon fire.

[“I have said my peace on the matter, I don't wish to speak further about it.”]

[“I wish to know why this is bothering you to the point you lash out at the Princess. She may be insufferable, but she did not deserve that, so what is really wrong Rhede? Do you wish to avenge your family directly, is that it?”]

[“You ask that,and act as if you understand, but you have done nothing to avenge your brother? Do you even know a family?”]

[“My brother does not deserve to be avenged. He had become a mad animal who was doing harm to any around him, infecting them with his sickness. You know this as well as I do, Even if Bloodtail had his ear, he could have not listened.”]

She moves closer to him her hooves sounding lightly on the tile floor of the hall. Rhede seemed to flinch with every echo of that sound.

[“I will not force you to say anything Rhede. But what ever is bothering you cannot be good to hold inside. Am I not correct in this?”]

[“ No. It is not good and it would be good to get everything off my chest. But not now, suffice to say I can only remain calm so long in the face of what has been done. Family is everything to the Pelt's Velkorn. And we lost twelve of our own including my father and my eldest siblings. Then when I find a way to take a small measure of revenge, to do my part in seeking justice for this act, I am confronted and abashed by the mare who had been one of my greatest supporters in everything I have ever done. She nearly died, her sister nearly died, and yet she still thinks there can be peace. Optimistic, but blind to what is really happening, either that or she sees it and chooses to ignore it hoping the problem will go away on its own. I am beginning to question how Equestria survived this long with her leading it.”]

Velkorn's ears flatten as his tone darkened again. He was not yelling at her, though it seemed like he may at any second and was simply holding it back.

[“There is only so much I can do here, and for once I wish I was more of a front line combatant like Jer. At least then it's easy to see who the enemy is and to deal with them as such. All I can do here is predict how things may go and hope they pan out as I want. I.... I just.... never mind. I would suck trying to do Jer's job any way. I have to hope that he gets enough vengeance for both of us and that Luna sends me some where a little more direct next time.“]

[“Rhede......”]

[“I'll be in my quarters Velkorn, I would prefer no one to see me in this state.... especially you. There's only time for mourning when you stop and thanks to this I have nothing to do until Luna gets back or sends for us.”]

He trots off leaving Velkorn in the hall by herself.

[“..... You do not need to be going through this alone…....”]

===========================================================

The Sonic Rain Boom hit with enough force to even send even Bleu tumbling across the ground and she had braced for it the moment she heard the high pitched whine. She still managed to right herself before the griffons did, crushing another of them before it could recover. The rainbow colored cloud had not even cleared when a dozen shapes tore out of it, black suits making them appear as little more than shadows in the after glow of the brilliant flash of light. The stunned griffons were all dead before they had a chance to even see who their attackers were.

Bleu lay down again panting as Starfall approached, the pegasus bit her lower lip looking at the wounds covering her friend. Bleu pushes herself upright trying to act like she was not even wounded.

“Bleu what are you doing out here? Are you alright?”

“Never better, we need to go back to the crater and save Boss....”

Starfall winces and the dragonling's eyes widen as Starfall glances behind her towards the crater..

“.. What whats wrong?”

“We are not going to be able to go that way for a while.”

“What are you talking about!?! Boss is back there.

“ What, Jer'rahd? Buck it!”

One of the other Ponies walked up to Starfall saluting both her and the dragon.

“We need to hurry back and report General every moment they get closer.”

“I know. Bleu ,we can't go back for him right now we need to get to the Princess.”

“Yeah..... He told me to do the same.......”

“Can you shrink down enough that I can carry you Bleu? I think we both have a report to make. I am sure he is fine. I think as Element Bearers we would know if he was killed.”

The dragonling didn't say anything, but she shrunk down letting the armor fade from her form. In the smaller size the wounds on her looked even worse and she needed help to get onto Starfall's back.

They took the trip back as quickly as they could, but Bleu did not say anything and just cried into Starfall's mane.

==========================================================

Again he tasted blood and once again he was not sure how much of it was his own. It was mixed with sweat, fouled meat, ash and whatever traces of that potion they tried to feed him were. He didn't know if it was a healing potion or a truth serum or what,but they wore more of it now than they got into his mouth.

He shifts again the rattling of the chains holding him making several of the Diamond dogs around him jump and back away raising their weapons. The howling of the one who's claws he had bit off could still be heard outside. Jer'rahd smiled at that. He was chained up in some sort of silo the chains recently having been fastened to the walls, likely after he broke out of his last few cells. A cat walk ran far above him with at least six Griffons with crossbows standing along it.

He was standing all four legs bound in place with chains and bars. His chest and neck were draped in them as well Binding him to every wall of the stone room in several points. One of them had tried to get a muzzle over his face. The muzzle along with two severed fingers now lay between his hooves. Granted he think he was suffering from that more than the injured dog was, those creatures were foul.

Another chain was wrapped tight around his horn, the starmetal links of this one were supposed to prevent him from casting spells. Though with a bit of effort he could push past the canceling effects of them. All that time playing with the dagger was paying off quite well. This had screwed with his captors on more than one occasion already and helped him escape several times already.

It had been three days since the dragon had shoved him into the crater. He smashed through several buildings on the way down his armor absorbing most of the impact. Once he pulled free of the dragon corpse he proceeded to run amok trashing anything and every one he could get to before they managed to subdue him.

He then had escaped two more times causing more damage and injury before the chains were tried. When he escaped from that and was caught again they resorted to bindings of starmetal. So far that had held and yet he still managed to kill two more and wound half a dozen. He was bleeding from numerous wounds, he was unsure if he even had cutie marks on his flanks any more from the burns he suffered and he could not see out of his right eye any more. Whether it was gone or just had swollen shut he did not know though the pain was still much less than what he had experienced in the past. Rage still powered him, and every time he saw or heard any one from this place, that rage grew.

They had attempted to question him, one even tried torture. One of his hind legs was broken from that attempt, but the one who tried was never going to do anything ever again. His red eye glowed brightly, illuminating the silo brighter than the torches along the walls. He had not eaten anything or had anything to drink since he had last escaped, perhaps it was time to break free and find the mess hall.

That thought was stalled as a pony sized green dragon slunk into the room through the main door. The beasts appearance was enough for him to make a lunge at the creature. One of the links snapped and two Diamond dogs lept on the chain grabbing it and pulling to secure it again nearly choking him. The dragon walks around Jer'rahd seeming unconcerned looking him over and smirking softly. Its lavender eyes glinting in amusement.

“When I was told a spy had been caught I was not concerned, When I was told of the losses incurred in capturing him I became curious, when I was told of the subsequent escapes and the casualties and damage that continued to climb with every attempt that was made. I was intrigued. When you managed to blind one of the tanks and used its own mindless thrashing to your own ends to destroy easily forty percent of the eastern area, I knew I had to meet this pony. Now that I have, I recognize you and I am giddy with joy. It is not every day one of my race meets the infamous Demon of Dullahan and lives to tell the tale.”

“What makes you think you will live to tell that tale?”

The dragon grins looking down at the bloodied pony expressing a glee that seemed to border on madness. He pokes the unicorns nose with a claw drawing blood from the small wound and yanking his hand back as Jer'rahd snaps at it.

“You are just as I have heard described, brash, uncouth, violent, and best of all dangerous. It is a pity you were not born a dragon, you would have gone far in the empire.”

“Yeah pity that, you all might not be on the verge of destruction right now if I wasn't a pony.”

The green dragon tilts his head up trying to look thoughtful at something though he simply sighs.

“Silver claw kept many of us in the Flame party informed of the goings on in Equestria. Your tales always interested me the most. Of course my interest was personal. After all the first dragon you killed was my mate. I was looking forward for a long time to ending your life due to that. Then I found out that your mate was killed and I thought perhaps it was a trade off. Though the more things that Silverclaw sent back about you the more interested I became.”

Jer'rahd shifts his head watching the dragon pace around him.

“You are a monster, you were broken, rebuilt, suffered and trained away from your own nightmares. You died and came back, killed several gods, and became the bearer of a powerful artifact. You managed to become the third most powerful pony in the entirety of your land in such a short time, just through your own skills and a bit of luck. Not since the rise of the mixed breed Krisis has some one from nothing risen so fast and so high in such a short time. Ahh, but even that poor orange drake fell in time when he reached to far past his own abilities. Just as you have.”

“Is this some new form of torture? Cause your history lesson and fancolt nature is only getting on my nerves.”

“Ah yes, I do apologize for that. I tend to get carried away at times. But no matter. Normally I would give you my name, but I can tell you do not care. Nor do I want my name to be cursed with your dieing breath. Bad business that. I simply wanted to meet you and tell you that thanks to Silverclaw I know the best way to kill you before I have your head mounted on my wall. You are greatly feared General Kaisur, and my killing you will elevate my standing greatly in Cindervale. I cannot of course forget my mate so I will not allow you to die quickly. “

He waves a hand at the diamond dogs who finish attaching another chain and dart out of the chamber. The green dragon turns heading out to the door glancing back with a smile on his face. He snaps his claws and the lights in the chamber go out save the ones along the cat walk above him and the red glow from the unicorns eye.

The door was shut tight, the metal grinding as it was sealed leaving him in near blackness. Looking up at the griffons he watched as two of them set the crossbows aside and swung a large high sided ramp from the wall over the pit before pulling on a rope and opening a sluice gate.

The first droplets of water to strike his back felt like fire in the dark and it only took seconds before the first surge of it hit the floor splashing over his legs. The red light from his eye faded in the shock enveloping him in blackness.

========================================================

“Are you sure that is what you saw Bleu.”

“Yes, boss said there was a small Diamond Dog pup that called the rock down out of the sky. We got ambushed and Boss stayed to fight so I could get back and tell you.”

Luna looked grim, the worry was not easily hidden even with her new menacing look. She shifts her gaze between the medics who were tending to the multitude of wounds covering the small dragons back and sides. Her wings were in tatters and it would take months of healing to repair them and even longer for her to fly again, if she ever did.

She dips her head wondering why she had not thought to warn the pair about her feelings of dread from that place. She shook it off turning her gaze to Starfall.

“General ready the troops we march to destroy this instillation immediately.”

“We can't do that Princess.”

“What? Jer'rahd is trapped there and that place needs to be destroyed immediately you know what dangers a production of that size will have.”

“We can't do it because of what is in the way.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have my own report to give Princess. A huge contingent of the Dragon army is currently marching on our position. If we head out into that open valley they will pick us off like we are nothing. Especially if they are armed with starmetal. Our best bet is to hole up here in a place already set to defend a siege and fight them off . If we take everyone over there we will get hit on both sides from the defenders and the army. As tough as you are and as many forces as we have that kind of attack would put us in the cross fire of everything. We would lose easily. We lost surprise now we need to play to win. Losing Jer'rahd set us back considerably already. I understand you only wanted to send some one you trusted , but you could have waited until I arrived and sent me. Or do you not trust me any more to do so.”

“No. It is not like that. I made a gamble and I lost. General Kaisur has had more experience with that metal than any other pony save my sister and I. I had hoped Bleu would be able to get them both out of trouble if they found any. Seems I was wrong on that.”

“Boss ain't lost yet hes been in worse scrapes than just being captured.... hes not dead.... he can't be....... WE WON”T KNOW TILL WE GET BACK THERE!! And if I gotta claw my way through an army to find out I will.”

The pair of them look at the crying dragon before glancing back to each other. Starfall sighs hanging her head not meeting the Princesses gaze.

“Starfall place the order to prepare for siege and send a messenger back to Canterlot, if Celestia is well enough inform Velkorn that I want her and Rhede out here as soon as possible.”

“At once Princess.”

====================================================

The green dragon looks down at the curved sword, his grip tight on the handle as the blade shook, trembling, as if trying to slip free of his grasp to kill him without its master's presence. He glances back at the silo, the water pouring into the dark building bringing screams from its lone occupant. The panicked cries were like music. In time the water would be over the pony's head and he would drown in terror. Once he was dead the dragon would go in himself to behead the General with his own blade. It would be quite the event. One spoken of for decades, though it would be a much more thrilling tale of single combat of course with him emerging the victor.

Twilight whips her head back Pulling away from terror flooding through Jer'rahds's mind before she became over whelmed with it herself. She drops her head, panting hard, bringing a worried look from Rainbow Dash.

“Umm you OK Twilight?”

The Lavender Pony shakes her head trying to contain the trembling, as the shared fear fades. She had not felt that level of terror before from Jer'rahd even when he was first tortured and she had been along, it had not been like that. After that first time she had avoided baths for a week sticking to showers only after Spike complained.

“Something rather bad is happening Rainbow, this story is getting darker every time I look into it.”

“Maybe you should have a bit more light to read the thing by then.””

Twilight blinks looking up at Rainbow who still had a serious expression on her face after saying that, though the pegasus focus still seemed to be on the book she was reading.

“You're joking right?”

Crystal Dust

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

Crystal Dust

Twilight stared at the sword. She was afraid to go back. She knew Jer'rahd was going to live, the statues and the tale Celestia told her proved that. Even if Celestia's recollection of events was skewed with age and second hand information, he was still the statue, alive. Despite that knowledge she could feel something bad was coming.

The actions of Rhede at the peace conference, Velkorn threatening to break her teachers legs, Jer'rahd being tortured, Nightmare Moon, it all was coming together. She knew it was going to get worse, but she did not know if she could handle it.

Rarity lounged behind her on the couch looking over the last chapter, her mouth in a small line as she read over certain parts of it.

“Is something wrong Twilight?”

The purple unicorn jumps at the sound of Rarity's voice her stare into space refocusing on the white coated mare.

“Umm no, everything’s fine.”

“I highly doubt that, you have been standing there for nearly an hour staring at that blade. Let me guess you have started to see things you are not comfortable with seeing?”

Twilight blinks in surprise.

“Errr yeah that’s it exactly how....?”

“I caught up fairly quick and I predicted that Rhede would do something like that. It fits his character. So when he actually killed the harpy is was not much of a surprise to me.”

“Rarity hes supposed to be the Bearer of Generosity, taking a innocent life is no way generous.”

“Because you are simply seeing one side of it, he did not kill the chicks and he did not cause the mother to suffer unnecessarily. Killing one innocent creature that could save multitudes that he would never even meet is something not every pony could do. Just because it may rekindle a war does not mean that it would really happen. If this is how all ambassadors act they will be arguing over it for years before anything happens, if it ever does.”

“Would you have done the same?”

“That is not something I can answer darling. I have never been put into a position where something that epic was placed on my shoulders. I would like to think I would be able to make a choice like that if the need arose. All these five have known is war. This is acceptably for their lives.”

Twilight sighs again.

“You should finish darling, do you really think Celestia would have suggested this to you if she thought you could not handle it ? Or if there was no forgiveness for any of them? Princess Luna has also asked for all of our opinions on the matter I would think we should be able to help her with that, but only if you can manage to finish translating what you see. Your talent for spells is far greater than my own, I doubt I could even cast that scrying spell to take your place. Besides you want to find out what happened as much as the rest of us do. As Fluttershy says you are gifted with the opportunity to learn things that even the goddesses have forgotten about history.”

“You're right Rarity. After everything I have said up to this point giving up now would just be hypocritical of me as well”

“ Well I was not going to bring that part up but yes. You can finish this little story up and then we can go have lunch together some where tomorrow. It is a little late now, but it should be fun. I always seem to need to drag you out of the house now a days. The sooner this is done the better. “

“Alright, I guess I am as ready as I can be.”

Rarity nods turning back to the book seeming happy to have helped out her friend, though Twilight was still leery.

She casts the spell, slipping into the space between the blade and her own mind looking about the starry expanse. The blank area of space where the stars that worried her should have been still peaked her curiosity though nothing else had seemed to change here. She looks at the windows sighing. Perhaps Rhede would not be as bad this time. She slides towards his window hoping for something cheery at least.

She freezes suddenly, floating back away from Rhede's window. Something was wrong here. There was Jer'rahd's window, Rhede's, Bleu's, Luna's, Starfall's, Velkorn's, and Jer'rahd's? Why did he have two windows ?

Twilight studies them a moment before realizing that there were not two paths to Jer'rahd. There was a path to Jer'rahd and there was a path to the sword. And the Dragon that was holding it.

She bites her lip, not sure if this was supposed to be part of the scry or not, but it was too good a chance to pass up to try and learn the motivations and goals of the dragons and perhaps more on the gods and star metal itself.

She dives into the sword's window, not sure what she was to expect.

{Present}

The blade slams down against the chunk of stone cracking the rock, but not so much as cutting a small furrow. He had seen the pony slice through star metal as if it was butter with this thing and yet in his claws it would not do so much as bludgeon things.

This weapon had to be flawed, Bice had sliced his own finger open testing the blade and yet it could not even take a chunk out of wood in his claws. The green dragon had been testing it for most of the day accompanied by the screams of panic and terror coming from the dark silo behind him. The water should be at least lapping along the ponies sides by now and the sounds had yet to cease. The griffons he had watching had reported several of the chains had snapped as the General struggled to get free, but enough still held for there not to be an issue.

The dragon glanced over the mercenaries gathered around the silo listening to the ponies screams. Many of them had lost friends or loved ones to the General's hooves and were enjoying the screaming and the punishment of the pony as much as Bice. The Demon of Dullahan was almost as well known in the dragon lands of Flame Reach and Cindervale as the pony gods Celestia and Luna were. And he was much more hated. With his actions against the dragon forces he was made infamous to the point where the dragons propaganda machine had crafted tin versions of him and the rest of the 42nd so little dragons would have a bad guy to fight.

Bice would have found all of this concern over a single pony hilarious, if his mate had not been the first dragon the General killed when she lead the charge at Dullahan. Kaisur and the little blue bitch had been made heroes due to that fight. He was not happy when word of the laughing traitors escape had reached him. He wanted them both dead, but he would have to make due with Kaisur for now.

Even if the traitor made it back to the main Equestrian army, a large contingent of draconic forces was already on its way to the pass. It should currently be between his operation and the outpost the ponies had captured. So there was little he needed to worry about her, he was just upset he would not be able to kill her himself.

Granted the laughing traitor was a strong one, perhaps keeping her in chains to be a brood mother for him when she came of age would be a better choice. Insult to injury and only granting her death when he had a proper family line.

He sighed washing that idea away, it might have been viable if she was a green, but non purebreds were always looked down upon no matter how strong. The only one to ever be considered great was the orange dragon Krisis. He became one of the most trusted generals of Forge Scale before the great ones fall. And yet even with that level of status he was still looked down upon and treated as a second class citizen.

Bice turned glancing up at the mountain of Star metal. Who would have thought such a mundane task to explore a impact crater to seek more star metal for the dragon war machine would turn out to present him the chance for more glory than a front line fighter in the army. All due to an annoying little Diamond Dog Pup.

Bice was unsure what force chose the gods to be born, not being one himself he was not even sure he was allowed to think of such things. Some how fate had delivered this pup to him, a god afraid of its own shadow and easy to control.

The rest of the dragon empire knew he found something of course. One does not hide objects falling from the sky into the same location from an entire nation for long. The mountains might hide the fact from the other races of Equestria, but Cindervale was barely a days flight from here. No, Bice did not try to hide the mountain, but he did hide how the smaller meteors were called.

It's mother listened to him out of fear and it listened to its mother. The tribe of dogs that lived out in this waste land were part of a gem mining camp. Not a very large one , but it turned out enough gems to keep it running. Until it was destroyed of course with the first manifestation of the pups power. The mother had explained that the child’s first reaction was glee, then panic and it actually tried to us its ability to push the great rock back into space.

That only seemed to have been able to slow it down though the impact destroyed much of the Diamond dog mining camp that was here and the amount of energy the little creature used burned it out. It was far weaker and frail than a pup of its age should have been, and until three days ago he had been terrified it would die costing him the one advantage that set him above other dragons.

Now Bice had everything, even if the pup died, or never managed to call down another rock of star metal. The Mountain of magic nullifying, god slaying ore he had would be enough to forge an armies worth of equipment. And if that did not set him for life, the proof of his killing of General Kaisur of Equestria and the possession of the signature weapon of said pony, would be enough to make him a legend, whether he was able to use the blade or not.

He glanced up as one of the griffons shouted that the General had broken another set of the chains. He growled lightly, yelling back at the bird to open the sluice gate and simply drown the pony before he got free of anything else. Even terrorized this damnable pony was far more trouble than he might be worth.

===================================================

{Two Days Ago}

Rhede sat in the middle of what looked like a tornado's path. Books paperwork, furniture and bedding were strewn about every where, chairs were smashed, and daggers were buried in everything. The crimson pony in the middle of the room panting heavily struggling to choke back another sob.

When he had returned to his room the emotional mask he wore fell off and he simply let himself go.

He had spent the past day either trashing his bedroom and office or sobbing in a corner. He had known the moment he allowed himself any time, that he would break down like this and had done his best to make sure he was always busy.

Now that he was back in Canterlot, and Celestia had all but dismissed him from anything, he had plenty of free time. He knew the Princess had placed a pair of guards outside his room, he also knew he could get around them if he wanted too, but at the moment he had no desire to do so.

Velkorn had come by twice, once with food and once to try and talk to him. Rhede had not responded either time, simply hoping she left before seeing him in this state. He was far to used to hiding his emotions from everyone. Most ponies only saw him in a usual calm demeanor or alternating between total tail chaser and mildly angry. He did his best to remain neutral with his emotions, he knew he had slipped a few times in recent events, but the mask was always quickly restored.

He couldn't do that now he didn't want to. He couldn't hide his grief or the feeling of betrayal he felt with Celestia's reaction. So he holed up in his quarters and simply let it all out at once. He curled himself tighter on the floor trying not to think about anything, when a knock disturbed his sulking. He did not answer, as usual but the voice on the other side seemed to have expected that.

[“Rhede. It's Velkorn. I have just received a message from Princess Luna. She wishes us to join her at the front as soon as we can...................There is more..... Bleu has been hurt, and Jer'rahd is MIA.... what ever that means.”]

Rhede slowly shoves himself back up to his hooves kicking aside a table that had fallen in front of the door before opening it just a little to look out at Velkorn.

[“ It means Missing in Action Velkorn. Figures he would get in trouble without us.”]

The zebra's eyes widen at the sight of him, the disheveled hair and debris sticking out of his mane and coat. She barely caught a glimpse of the room behind him though her gaze refocused on him her expression steeling a bit.

[“Rhede are you....?”]

[“Alright? No, but I am feeling better than yesterday. So that is a start. How soon can you be ready to go?”]

[“Celestia is as well as I can make her and Baelit can handle anything else that comes up. My kit has been ready to travel since Luna and the others left. The question is how soon can you be ready to travel?”]

[“A bath and a bit of food would be nice. I suppose I should gather up my daggers as well. Most likely an hour or so. If we can get a flying chariot it shouldn’t take more than a day or two to get out there. A week on the ground of course. It all depends on if we can find some pony to fly us out there.”]

One of the Guards coughs looking over at the open door before speaking.

[“ Our orders are to not let you leave, sir.”]

Rhede raises an eyebrow.

{“You speak zebra?”]

[“Yes sir, Princesses orders that one pony guarding your room needed to. We are supposed to prevent you from leaving.”]

[“ You realize there are not enough Guards in this palace at the moment to stop me in the mood I am in?”]

[“Quite aware of that sir, however if you do plan to leave could you at least find another way out, I would rather not explain to the Princess that you just walked past us.”]

====================================================

{Two Days Ago}

Luna looks out at the battle field, the dragons were clearly getting desperate. There were barely any other race present in this force, it was all dragons. Every single one of them bristling with star metal weapons and armor. The aura this much of the metal in one place gave off set her on edge. She could feel it pulling the very magic from the air around them. Bleu lay next to her on the out cropping , heavily bandaged and stuck in her pony sized form until she healed further. The dragon watched with just as much interest in the approaching army as Luna did.

“Have you any suggestions Bleu?”

“Aside from kill them all? No.”

The Princess turned her gaze to the angry looking blue dragon.

“These are members of your race and you are more blood thirsty than I have ever seen you before in the desire for their death.”

“These things, are not my race Princess. The only other dragons I ever considered to be my race were the ones from Celestia's school. And these bastards killed them. Your sister has a nice dream, but unless every bucking dragon egg gets raised by a pony they are gonna continue to think they are better than every one else just cause their dragons. If they were better than any one else, why would they be having so much trouble beating us.”

Luna smirks softly as Bleu lays her head on an uninjured foreleg with a slight wince at the movement.

“I suppose Jer'rahd's knack for strategy did not rub off on you as much as I had hoped.”

“Pffft, I don't need anything to rub off on me, I already figured this out. Starfalls already figured it out too.”

“Hmmm?”

“Every one of these things is armed and armored to the teeth? What kinda dragon wears armor? These guys prolly don't know how to fight so encumbered I mean I am sure they had training to wear it but no combat experience. Yeah we can't use magic or the spell cannons on them, but the pegasus can fly rings around them and gut them before they can move fast enough to react. And the ones on the ground are even easier targets. Spell cannons don't need to do more than target near them, the explosion of earth and rock will tear the crap out of that armor from just the impact alone. The few that you see that don't have armor are the spell casters. Take them out first and then its just clean up. This lot is only dangerous if they get close enough or if we were all spell casters. Extra armor doesn’t mean much to earth ponies used to fighting opponents with it or to General Shower's.... eerrr Starfall's dragon slayer crews. “

Luna's eyes widen listening to Bleu, watching a grin widen on the dragons injured muzzle.

“The moment they attack is the moment they fall, and then we can go after Boss.”

“Indeed. I would rather do that sooner than later he has been there for little over a day. There is no telling what is going on. I have another concern as well.”

“And whats that Princess?”

“This cannot be all of the dragon army. This force is quite well armed and rather large , but they attacked Canterlot with a bigger group than this. Most of all that we have been attacked with have been small forces of dragons and mercenaries. There are no mercs in this situation. They are all dragons down there. Where is the main force?”

“Prolly flying over the mountains further down to come up behind us. Sounds like a good plan. We can only get so many in this pass, the camp on the other side is largely unprotected.”

“I believe that to be the case as well Bleu. With luck Starfall's Patrol will say for certain.”

“We need boss back. He's much better at this strategy stuff.”

“I am not unskilled myself in strategy Bleu, but yes I too would like Jer'rahd back.”

==================================================

{Two Days Ago}

[“What do you mean you're leaving Auntie? The Princess has not fully recovered yet.”]

Velkorn tugs another strap tight around her waist securing the saddle bags to her form before beginning to fill them with bandages and herb mixtures. Baelit had not taken her decision well and had been following her around trying to convince her to not get any closer to the war than she was already.

[“Celestia is well enough Baelit. You simply need to make sure she does not strain herself, this includes refusing any of her offers and attempts to seduce you. When her magic fully begins to come back she will be out of the woods, but until that point the Windigo's powder will continue leeching magic to heal her wounds. She has some of it back now, but it is a far cry from what she should have.”]

She slips her books and writing tools into the bags as well, tightening them closed as Baelit paces.

[“So you are going to help, Princess Luna despite what, Princess Celestia thinks of the matter?”]

[“Luna is the Princess I follow Baelit. I am one of her Generals and she is my friend. Besides some one needs to be able to watch over her and make sure she comes back so Celestia can yell at her.”]

Baelit snorts though moves out of her way as she gathers some more supplies from the desk he was in front of.

[“Are you sure you are not just chasing Pelt still? A desperate mare still chasing a former love for another round with him?”]

Velkorn pauses looking back at her nephew, that was a great deal more venom from him that she expected directed towards Rhede. Perhaps he thought that the earth pony was still leading her on, or perhaps he was taking stock fully in what Celestia had said. In either case he was clearly trying to get a rise out of her and get her to not go. It would not work.

[“In case you have not noticed nephew despite your seeming path of imitating him, Rhede has a bad habit of leaving children behind him where ever he goes. As I have yet to be with any sort of foal, suffice to say it is clear he has not had me once, let alone avoiding a second round. I am going because it is my task to do so as Luna's General and as her friend, the same as Rhede is. “

She closed and tightened another bag glancing at the position of the sun outside the window of her store room. Baelit still seemed aggravated at her choice and her words. Though Velkorn was not quite done yet.

“Now I will say however if I come back and the Princess is surrounded by little striped alicorn foals I will assuredly have you gelded then bronze those parts so I can beat you with them. I am not so blinded by my own infatuation that I miss yours in regards to my patient.”]

Baelit's eyes widen and he takes as step back as Velkorn smiles sweetly towards him.

[“Do not assume you know everything about Rhede or me, nephew. Rhede is not the only one who has killed in order to protect others. How I feel about him is none of your concern either. Keep watch on the Princess and do not do anything foalish while I am away and everything will be fine. This is not the first time I have ventured into a war zone.... and I am sure it will not be the last.”]

{One Day Ago}

The whole area was a no fly zone now, the dragons had brought their own spell cannons and catapults and any time a Pegasus came any where near the base of the mountain in the air the sky was filled with rocks and spell blasts.

Starfall and a few others were quite content to fly over the army bellow using clouds for cover, or some times simply floating the clouds over the dragon forces to keep them panicked or waste ammunition.

The last order the Princess had given her, sent the Pegasus and her elite team on another scouting mission. The small unit of pegasus had taken to calling themselves the shadow bolts and they could add to Starfall's own Sonic Rain Boom by staying in her shadow thus creating a larger effect.

Luna had been correct a large force of mercenaries and dragons were moving along the edge of the mountains from both the north and the south, slowly working towards the encampment the ponies had set up on the other side of the pass. It was a simple tactic,just a pincer movement that would either force the army through the pass unprepared or simply wipe them out with numbers.

Equestria had very skilled and focused warriors but with the mercenaries the dragons outnumbered them in their homeland. The magic of the Princess, the spell teams and the tech from Celestia's students should have balanced that out. But with the star metal being every where those options were limited. Morale had hit a rather excessive low as well with Jer'rahd's capture. He had a percent for ripping victory out of anything that was presented to him and the troops reveled in that.

They revered Luna, but they worshiped him. She doubted Jer'rahd had any idea he was regarded that highly among the soldiers under his command. He would also be annoyed by it, which only raised him higher in many of their eyes.

The slower moving forces circling would be in a position to attack in two or three days. She hoped Luna had a plan for this before then.

Starfall sighed landing lightly on a cloud over the pass and looks off into the distance in the direction of the crater. Bleu was nearly panicked and Luna was clearly worried. Starfall was worried as well, but for the moment there was nothing they could do. She had a job to do and could not let this bother her, Jer'rahd had been in worse situations.

=====================================
{Present}

The screaming had ceased and died down to panicked panting and gasping for air. The pony had broken enough chains to keep his head above the water for nearly two hours now. Even Bice was in awe of this unicorns endurance, the horned ponies were supposed to be the weak ones of the race.

It really did not matter the water was still filling in and there were still enough chains to keep him from reaching the surface once the water rose just a bit more. The whole city seemed silent around this tower, after all the trouble this one had caused in just three days they all had been listening for the last few hours to the panicked screams and now the final gasps for air and whimpering coming from inside the silo.

Eventually silence was all that was heard and one of the griffons stepped out onto the catwalk waving a taloned hand, a smirk on its beaked face. That smirk vanished as shouting came from the other griffons in the tower, the one who ducked outside to wave that the pony had finally gone under stepped back inside. He was blown back out of the doorway a moment later as screams briefly filled the air from inside the silo, white smoke pouring out of the door and through cracks in the roof.

The birds body landed at the base of the tower with a meaty thunk. It smelled strongly of roast chicken. He looked down at the corpse, eyes widening at the cooked griffon. Its flesh was flash seared, most of the fur and feathers melted off and its eyes ruptured from the blast of heat. That was not smoke. That was steam.

The tower shook suddenly as if something smashed against the inside of it, dust fell from the outside as the walls started to develop hairline cracks. Another impact in the wall knocked loose the outer scaffolding and tile from the roof.

Bice stepped back still clutching The Waning Moon, looking up as the impacts started sounding faster, Masonry and dust falling from the stone tower. Cracks began forming showing up deeper in the silo's side. The sudden noise had put all those around the silo and much of the rest of the camp on high alert.

A section of the silo finally crumbled from the impacts, A burst of stone rubble and steam rushing from the hole hid it from view for a few moments Though his guards rushed to surround the area with the hole expecting anything. As the steam cleared a pony sized hole was clearly punched in the side of the silo, a small trickle of steam still leaked from the hole though there was no other side of movement. The hole remained empty, but the fading rays of the sun did not seem to pass very far into the hole.

Bice was not sure how long every one stood there bu he was the first to move towards the hole. This had to be some last spell of the Unicorns a large enough fireball or series of them when he died. A contingency to try and take out whatever had ended his life. Bice snorts a gout of green mist escaping his muzzle. That would fit the profile of this damnable pony, vengeful to the very end.

He rises to his full height a towering green dragon that rivaled even Onyx Scale for sheer size. He had always been proud of how large he became later in life, it was one of the reasons his mate had been infatuated with him, and why those he hired were so intimidated by him. Bice clamors up to the base of the silo his claw still gripping tight to the General's blade as he cranes his head up looking into the hole.

The green dragon peered into the darkness before him trying to see past this strange wall of shadow just on the other side of the hole. A split suddenly formed in the black shadow, the darkness parting as if cut along a line. As the shadow parts it reveals a milky white surface that seemed to be filled with smoke or some kind of cloudy liquid. Bice blinked in response some what unnerved though before he could do anything else a red ring around a mass of black slides through the white and stops in fully in this view.

It took the green dragon a moment to realize he was staring into a red eye. One that was larger than he was and slowly starting to glow.

Bice screams,dropping the blade and taking to the air as fast as he could, leaving the troops and the eye behind as he fled. The gathered force looked at their leader fleeing, then at the silo at a loss as what to do.

Then the structure screamed as the metal bracing bent and stone work shattered releasing a dark shape that could not have possibly fit inside the silo.

Twilight pulled back into the space between worlds and swallowed hard. Something had happened in there and she was torn between her curiosity, and the terror she had felt the dragon experience. It was not a natural fear it was something primal that even she had felt.

Curiosity won out, even if she needed to suffer through the fear Jer'rahd was going though to find out she wanted to know how that thing got in there. She alters the scrying a little to go back to before the griffon stepped out on the catwalk. Although this time she dove into the window of Jer'rahd's sword shard.

Darkness, water, fear, and the laughter of a sea goddess still lingering in his ears. He did not feel the chains, he felt tendrils of seaweed and finds holding him down. He did not feel his body screaming at him as his struggles, opening wounds and turning the water around him red. He felt the spears and claws of hidden sea creatures clawing at him devouring his flesh as he still struggled to live. He smelled his blood on the water and that simply added to the fear and panic. He did not feel the strain for air or the screaming from his body as he put it though more torturous exercises. All he knew was that he needed to get away from this and out of the water.

“This guy is pathetic, do you know that?”

“True, but this is the one that the other wanted, he was the only one present that we could touch aside from the other.”

His head dunks under the surface as the chain pulls taught about his neck. His legs kick furiously, his hooves already spit and cracked from their constant contact with stone and steel. His hooves were broken and bleeding where he had slammed them against his bindings in a effort to get free until the water rose high enough that he had to swim. He thrashed and yanked against the bindings still holding him down, every muscle straining to get away from the water filled darkness.

“Look at him though, will this even be useful to her?”

“All of these creatures have a weakness, The mixed one had its heartbreak, the strong one had hate, that one had her jealousy, this one has fear. But that is not even his weakness, this is a fake fear brought on by suffering.”

Another chain snapped and he scrambled up, his broken hooves no longer touching the stone as he paddled trying to keep his head above water, eyes little more than pinpricks in the terror and madness that was gripping him. Jer'rahd's heart pounded, threatening to explode as he continued his efforts to get free.

“If it is not fear what is this ones weakness then? All I taste is the terror it fills him.”

“His weakness is the same as his strength, the same as the element he bears. A loyalty that is almost zealous, a devotion to a small collection of souls. That one in particular. She will easily use him, just as the one before her used the strong one. And he will follow her until the end of days.”

His body finally gave out. Three days of torturous struggle and conflict, hours of fighting panic and the water rising sudden catching up with him as his body failed him. Blood loss, wounds, and the strain he had placed himself in was too much, and it was past time for it to give out. All his muscled seized, cramping hard stilling his paddling and submerging him again. He fought past it for a last gulp of air before the weight of the chains still about him drug him back down to the stone floor. His body not responding to his commands any more.

“ Damn, that was pathetic.”

“He lasted this long, that is exceptional for a normal pony.”

“He ain't normal.”
“We had best act quickly then, he is no use to any one dead.”

Jer'rhad finally took notice of the voices. The panic slipped from his mind as he sunk further. The assurance that he was once again bound for the after life calmed that fear enough to hear the talking.

“Hey colt, wanna kill everything and rip the throats out of all that rise against you?”

“That will not work idiot.”

“Then you do better you moth eaten piece of crap.”

The unicorn blinks rather having hoped he would see his grandfather again instead of some argumentative faceless voices.

“I have a proposition for you Jer'rahd Kaisur. Do you know what shall happen when you expire? Your friends will mourn and then with out your aid they will fall. The dragons shall move on and sweep over Equestria killing any that rise against them. The survivors of Canterlot, the inhabitants of Pony-ville and Manehatten, the Pelts. All of them will die.”

“Oh yeah, depression, cause that always works.”

Jer'rahd's back hits the stone floor his body limp, a cloud of his own blood clouding the water above him blurring the single pin prick of light far above him on the catwalk and even that started to go black.

“Even if you live there is a good chance that they will all still die. However there is a way. We can give you the power you need to protect all that you love, all that you care about. The power to destroy any who threaten what you hold dear. And all that we ask is your loyalty, not to us, but directed towards one you already serve. Our proper avatar in this world. The one you know as Nightmare Moon.”

The darkness approached closer his lungs burning as they filled with water.

“You can die here or continue to serve as you have been,only better. With our aid you can show those who seek your death that there is no barrier you cannot over come when protecting what you love. What is your choice Kaisur?”

“Better chose quick, that meat sack of yours won't hold up much longer.”

Jer'rahd closes his eyes, the image of his friends, and his life flashing past them stopping on the Princess of the Night. It was one of the few times Luna had genuinely smiled. He focused on that not able to bring much more than the twitch of a smirk to his face.

“He has chosen.”

“Bout damn time.”

The catwalk above the water filled silo was silent as one of the griffons stepped outside to let the dragon know the pony had gone under finally.

“ HA five hours almost on the beak. That's fifty coins yah owe me Pinion.”
“Damn it . Stupid pony why couldn't you have lasted another hour!?”

The other griffon laughed as the grumbling tan feathered Pinion glares down at the water fumbling for his coin pouch to pay. He paused a moment leaning over the railing.

“Hey Goshawk you see that?”

“Yah ain't getting out of paying me Pinion just cough up the money.... ehhh?”

The reddish brown griffon who won the bet leans over the catwalks railing peering down into the water filled silo.

“What is that?”

A pair of glinting red lights near the bottom. The water around the lights suddenly started to bubble and the griffons both cried out in alarm. The both dove for the door just as the third griffon came back in to see what they yelled about. Neither of them made it as all the water in the silo below them suddenly flash evaporated into steam as the spell rocked the body of the pony below.

==========================================

Luna screams out, leaping from her bed, wings and legs tangling with the covers as she fights against them, her magic ripping apart the few items in the room and carving gouges out of the walls before she managed to ascertain this was the waking world.

Jer'rahd was alive.... but....

Those thoughts had barely formed in her mind before Bleu ripped apart the canvas that served as a door for the small quarters that Luna had taken. The Blue dragon had changed to her largest size and ripped off nearly all of her bandages. Most of her wounds had reopened from the effort as well, as she burst in ready to kill anything even remotely threatening to the Princess.

Luna allowed her to play body guard, even in her state, at the very least to get her mind off of Jer'rahd. The dragonling still blamed herself for leaving him behind, despite what he order Bleu to do. The Princess had no doubt that if Bleu found out he had been killed she would charge into the enemy herself, seeking her own death at the expense of as ,many dragons as she could take down with her.

Of course if that dream was true, there would be bigger problems than a suicidal dragon.

“Luna what is it? Whats wrong?”

The dragonling whipped her head about trying to figure out what had happened in the room. They had placed Luna's quarters in a out of the way smaller cave that was no where near any of the major targets that might be hit, or any of the former officer's quarters the dragons had here. Even so, several of the officers had thought there was a chance of a diamond dog tunneling into her room and as such Bleu posted herself on guard. It took Luna a few moments to compose herself and settle her thoughts from the dream before she could answer her General

“ Bleu. Get me Starfall,..... no... Get yourself to a medic and send some one else to get Starfall.”

“I am already here Princess. Something has come up.”

“There is something going on at the crater isn't there?”

Starfall blinks her ears flattening.

“That would make sense in light of the events unfolding in the dragon camp, yes.”

Luna rips free of the remains of her covers cursing softly and trying to regain some sort of dignity. Thankfully her Generals were in little mood for finding her predicament funny. Though she might expect a remark from Bleu at a later time.

“What is going on then Starfall?”

“At least half of the force blocking us has started to move. Spotters reported a green dragon landing in the camp about ten minutes ago in a clear state of panic. Near as we can tell he was brought to who ever is in charge in the camp. It was not long after that he took to the air again headed in the direction of Cindervale. It did not seem to be a messenger, The dragons mostly use the mixed colors for those. Since that time a rather large group has split off and started making its way towards the crater. The spotters report that the one in charge seems to be leading the march to the crater. So what ever it is, its big.”

“Do you think maybe.... Boss?”

Luna sighs everything was pointing towards that very answer.

===========================================

The soldiers and mercenaries at the ruins of the tower quaked in their armor. Griffons, Diamond dogs, the occasional dragon, orcs and Rams stood around the building where they came to see the General die.

The thing that had come out of the tower should not have been able to fit inside of it. It was easily five stories tall, judging by how it stood over what remained of the silo. At first it seemed a large dragon but as the steam and dust cleared the idea that it was a dragon was quickly dispelled. It was longer than the largest Tank they had in the city from the tip of its wide muzzle to the barbs on the end of its massive spined tail. Like the Tanks, a large carapace covered its back with jagged spikes protruding from it at random intervals. Its legs were very much like those of a dragons though thicker ,more muscular, and tipped with wicked claws that were as long as a griffon. More spiked barbs ran along its joints, throat and underside. A large pair horns rose from the top of its head , curving sharply forward and resting just over the creatures eyes. It hung its head low, nose almost touching the ground the reptilian nostrils flaring and kicking up dust with every breath on the ground before it. The creatures skin seemed to writhe and twist like it was composed of shadows that barely stayed together to hold a solid form. The colors of it shifted between a midnight blue, dark gray, a deep shade of purple and black. It all seemed to blend together and slowly shift along the creatures skin so that no part of it seemed to stay the same coloration long.

As the dust settled from the destroyed tower the beast did not so much as move, steam still rising off of its form. The moment of panic seemed to ease as the creature did nothing for some time. Most of the troops began backing away , or setting up a defensive circle around the creature. Over half the cities guard was already present for the execution of the Demon of Dullahan, so they did not have far to go.

A small group of Diamond dogs placed themselves in front of it. All of them sporting the new armor made of star metal, ready to deal with what ever this thing was. Their advance froze as a red light washed over them reflecting off their shiny armor. Looking up at the beast they saw its eyes were open and casting the red light, though it had yet to move. The group remained frozen trapped in the gaze of the creature, the beast seemed to disregard them rising up on its back legs. Tendons popped and bones cracked as the creature stretched rising up to nearly twice its crouched height before dropping back down to all fours its attention returning to the armored Diamond dogs.

Then they were gone, the creature barely seemed to move and only some of the quicker eyed individuals even registered the motion. The impacts rumble was felt a moment later, the beasts fore claw was impacted against the ground where the armored dogs had stood. The unit was little more than a fine red mist and a gooey slurry between the creatures fingers.

. It lifts the clawed hand, soaked in the blood and gore of those it just killed, a long black tongue slipping from its fanged maw dragging raspily over the palm. The tongue slide back into the mouth with a loud slurping noise after the hand was cleaned. The creatures jaws closed and it grinned,its face nearly splitting open all the way up to the base of each horn. Impossibly white teeth gleamed in the red light of the setting sun.

As it moved again, the city screamed.

=============================================

princess Luna practically had to drag Bleu to the medic who forced the dragon to take her tiny sized form again before bandaging her up citing the need to conserve what they had and not waste it on a reckless dragon.

The three of them were considering the options when a series of cries from outside drew their attention. They darted out of the medical tent Bleu clinging to Starfall's back to see most of the camp rushing towards the north eastern side of the pass. He alicorn and the pegasus take to the air flying up to the top most point of the mountain the base was built into. Most of the troops were gathered below pointing into the distance. The three of them followed the gestures looking off into the distance.

The orange glow of the sun was barely visible any more and Luna had yet to raise the moon for the night. For the moment everything was unnaturally dark. Which possibly was the reason so many had noticed what was happening.

Far in the distance in the direction of the crater, the sky rained fire.

===============================================

“Buck it, can't you go any faster?”

“General Pelt sir. If you would like to get out and push feel free, other wise shut up so I can do my job.... sir.”

Rhede grumbles loudly sinking down into the wagon again. Two Guard Pegasi pulled the sky chariot through the air. Another twelve Guard ponies teamed up to pull six other wagons loaded with supplies and troops, all of them headed to reenforce Princess Luna's position. A squadron of pegasi flew Guard duty and two of the carts had a spell cannon mounted ready to be fired.

Velkorn moved to sit next to Rhede, her head down with her cloak's hood hiding her face from view.

[“So are you going to calm down and talk? Or shall you remain pent up and full of stress?”]

Rhede sinks lower into his seat, sulking still. He could have snapped back at the Pegasus pulling the cart, but the stallion had been pulling it nearly non stop for the last two days with only short rest periods for food and small naps. Velkorn had provided a herb mixture to aid any who wished. All the Guards complained it tasted like crap ,but the effects of it were quite easy to see, as none of the ones who had taken it seemed to slow or falter at all. Acting after one draught as if they had a full nights rest and were fresh to pull again.

The mixture was one she had found in the books she brought back from the Windigo lands. She and Baelit had spent a great deal of time translating them. Occasionally with Princess Celestia's aid when she was bored enough for paper work. So far Velkorn had used the mixture sparingly, despite the Guard's insistence that they did not need to rest if she had something like that and could fly there straight. Velkorn claimed it would not be good to use in excess and only doled out a measured portion when she felt it was needed.

[ “No, I am not really ready to talk about it.”]

[“ I am sure it would make the time go by faster Rhede. Then you would not be so prone to bother the Guards every few minutes”]

Rhede looked at the hooded zebra having the uneasy feeling she was smiling under that cloak.

[“You're going to be very insistent on this it seems. Pestering me until I give in?”]

[“I did learn that skill from the third most annoying pony I know.”]

[“Right. Wait I got knocked down to third?”]

[“ Celestia knocked Jer'rahd from first place. So then Rhede are you going to tell me?”]

The scarlet colored pony sighs shifting uncomfortably.

[“There is not much else to say that I have not already shouted at Celestia. I am dissatisfied with the way she is doing things. None of this should be happening, we could have done this after the first dragon war and been done with them completely. But she only fights when there's no other choice. I have seen her in a fit of rage before, she has a fiery anger that rivals that of the sun she controls, but she will not use it. She could have ended this war herself after she and Luna sealed Forgescale ,but she chose again to simply strive for peace. And now this.”]

[“You have always supported her, why have your views changed so suddenly. Your families loss?”]

Rhede's head dips a bit further and he closes his eyes, ears flattening to his skull. Velkorn was not sure she liked the depressed Rhede.

[“Yeah, others have lost just as much if not more, but I can only think of what my family lost. If Celestia had done something back then ,my father would still be alive. Buck even Jer's dad might still be around. He died in a skirmish with the griffons a long while back when we were colts. But that war only came about because the griffons thought we were weak after the dragon war.. Still seems forever ago. I think I finally realize that all of the ponies who died, didn't have to, it could have all been prevented. Every other nation thinks Equestria little more than some weak willed race with no desire to fight, who follows a ruler who just turns the other cheek when some one bloodies her. “]

[“ I am sure she has her reasons for what she does.....So you think she is no longer fit to lead then?”]

[“If peace really worked like she seems to think it does Paw, and my other siblings would not be dead. I think Luna's way has a better chance of keeping those who are left alive safe. Kill every threat before it gets a chance to be more than a threat.”]

[“ Have you not considered everything happens for a reason. The actions you have taken and the thoughts you now have are shaped by that tragedy. What you do from this point on will be guided by those thoughts. That has been what has been shaping Jer'rahd most of his life. One tragic event after another. It is why he presses on so hard.”]

Rhede chuckles humorlessly.

[“No, not quite right.”]

[“Oh?”]

[“Jer doesn't do what he does because pain drives him. He does what he does to prevent that pain from being experienced by any one else. He is as close to all of us as he is because of that. He knows all of us have had that same pain at some point in their lives. Bleu's Partner Platinum, your brother, Starfall's husband, Luna's love. Everyone has lost some pony important to them. And he realizes that we will do all we can to prevent any one else from feeling that pain to the best of our abilities.”]

[“ That would seem a sound idea save that your loss has only just happened.”]

[“This is not the first family I have lost Velkorn. Just the most at one time. The Pelts are a big family, but a close one. Barely a year goes by without a member of it dieing. Be it out of accident, age, or war. And every death is a blow to every one in the family. But by the same token, every birth is a celebration. Its something that paw and my grand da told me. It was the whole driving force behind why they did what they could to have as big a family as possible, legitimate or not. Every foal a blessing, another soul that added to the families warmth when deaths cold touch takes one of us.”]

Velkorn lifts her head looking at the earth pony slumped in the corner of the wagon.

[“Your promiscuous nature has been to give that joy to your family? Why then are you so against Maw Pelt finding any of the foals you have sired?“]

[“I tried that when I first started sowing my wild oats. Maw wanted me to marry every one of them even the ones that wanted nothing more to do with me. So over time I stopped telling her.”]

[“Dare I ask how many foals you actually have out there in the world?”]

[“Do you really want to know that question? I tend to give generously to any mare willing.......”]

“GENERAL, SIR. I think you might want to take a look at this.”

Velkorn sighs, seeing a small hint of the old Rhede start to emerge in their conversation. The pair of them rose looking towards the distant mountains where the pegasus pointed.

Past the mountain range where they were headed the dark sky was lit up by streaks of fire falling from the sky as if the stars themselves were being ripped out of the night sky to crash flaming to earth.

“What the buck is going on over there?!”

===========================================================

The beast stalked through the city, hunting. Its paused every so often sniffing the air before ripping apart a building to attack the occupants huddled inside. It was making a meandering line towards the mountain in the craters center. The city behind it was ablaze It had singled out and destroyed every black smith shop that was in the path, the shattered forges quickly igniting the collapsed buildings around them.

The draconic forces quickly massed and brought all three of the remaining Tanks to bear on the monster. Even trained as they were the creatures fought and struggled against their handlers attempting to run away from the monster rampaging in the city. Eventually one of the Tanks charged at the monster, ripping a path through the buildings as well as it rushed the shadowy form. The giant turtle managed one snap at the monster, the huge creature side stepped griping the Tank by the side of its shell and flipped the massive terrapin onto its back. The shadow monster wasted no time grabbing the protective shell on the under side of the flailing tank ripping it free with no visible effort. The massive turtle gurgled its last bloodied breath as the monster tore into the exposed soft flesh of the turtle devouring from its own shell like a bowl of chunky turtle soup.

It did not eat more than a few large bites before it lifted its head to the other two Tanks. It flung the remains of the first meal aside and charged at the others. The tanks and handlers both panicked and started to flee smashing through what ever was in their way in an effort to escape.

The creature pounced on the closest, claws tearing at the creatures shell, ripping apart the Diamond dog handler and knocking chunks out of its protective carapace, before the Tanks thrashing knocked it off. The dark creature landed hard enough to shake the ground, but recovered quickly pouncing on the Tank once again. It's claws tearing at the exposed head gripping it and pulling as hard as it could, the Tanks head ripped free of its neck with a sickening pop of snapping spine and tearing flesh.

It sat on the shell, gnawing on the skull of the Tank before lifting its head to roar. The sound echoing across the crater. The cry sounded like a siren mixed in with whistle of a train and the death wails of a score of accident victims merged with the howling of a timber wolf accompanied by baying hounds on a trail.

The sound was enough to incite panic in those still in the city, and cause some to flee from the nearby buildings in order to run. The creature made short work of those in easy reach, though it did not bother to chase the others as it advances on the mountain.

================================

Hooves thundered down the mountain side out of the pass, the air filling with armored pegasus. Cannons roared from the pass, the shots crashing randomly into the dragon forces that remained before them.

Princess Luna and Starfall had seen the distraction caused by the falling stars, as a chance to strike and they took it. Luna sent out every earth pony and pegasus she could, leaving the spell casting unicorns to prepare everything to move and fire the cannons. Their abilities would be next to useless against the armored dragon and they all needed to be prepared to press forward as soon as they took care of this force.

The camp on the far side of the mountain was was gathered up and carried through the pass by the unicorns as the battle was met. Some complained of the work load that was usually left for earth ponies , but they all did what was needed. Princess Luna set a few of them to rig the pass to collapse on itself once they were out of it. This would stall the dragon ground forces on the other side as well as give pause to any who thought of running away at this point.

The crash of steel against steel as the two forces collided resounded through the valley echoing off the tall mountains. Luna and Bleu stood on a cliff near the outpost, looking down at the forces below them. Both of them were practically chomping at the bit to go down there and join in. Starfall had stayed behind for just that reason, to make sure that the pair of them did not join in. Bleu was too injured and Luna would be a liability down there.

“So what woke you up Luna? Never did say why you were freaking out when I busted into the cave.”

“A reason to make haste towards that crater. Something is going on there that may be more problematic than anything the dragons can come up with.”

“I would expect so Princess. It does not normally rain fire.”

“It may become normal Starfall, depending on what has happened with General Kaisur, it may do more than simply rain fire.”

Bleu looked up at the Princess a bit confused. The ponies below were pushing the dragon forces back hammering into them like a wave of armored flesh. A group of pegasus fold their wings, shift all their weight to their spears, and drop from the sky impaling a large dragon and pinning him to the ground to be finished off.

“I can't tell if that was scary or sorta romantic.”

Luna blinks looking down at the dragonling confused.

“What?”

Bleu scrunches her face up and does a rather bad imitation of the Princess.

“If something happens to Jer'rahd it may do more than rain fire. Wow you are all pissed off and ready to break some heads if something happened, like hes already your stallion.... I am starting to wonder did something happen on that little trip you two took together, hmmmmm?!?!?”

Bleu cranes her head up, a wide grin on her muzzle, her face inches from Luna's. The Princess turned to seek help from Starfall in regards to Bleu, though the pegasus had the same half grin on her face looking up at The Princess just as curious as Bleu was.

Luna stuttered fighting for the words, her face flushing magenta as she steps back from between the two.

“ Is .. is this really the time to talk about this sort of thing?... I mean, No. No, nothing happened.... “

Luna sighs the blush fading and her ears flattening against her head.

“It is not that I will be doing anything to avenge him when we get there.”

“Oh and whys that Princess?”

“Because Bleu, depending on what has transpired. We may need to kill him.”

============================================================

The mountain shook, rocks tumbling down and bouncing of the shadowy hide of the creature as it rammed into the base of the towering stone. Its horned head crashing into the rock splintering the star metal, and sending great gout’s of stone flying. It smelled something inside. Something it wanted badly. A little godling that it was driven to destroy along with this rock.

It didn't care why or how, but it knew that was what drove it, and when that task was complete it would be free. The other was not close enough to force it to do anything and only this mission was left before it. Nothing short of death or a command could stop it and it savored being allowed to wreck chaos and death this long.

Its head broke through the rock wall, burying itself all the way to its massive shoulders. It shook its head looking around the massive chamber. Almost a throne room with its size and gaudy displays of dragons in various acts that the species considered heroic.

No, not a throne room. A church, a church to the dragon gods. The beast recognized Forge Scale's visage on several Tapestries, as well as Onyx Wing, Silver Claw, and several other dragons of various hues.

It took in all of this in barely a breath, before its focus locked on the two forms huddled against the back wall behind an altar. A female Diamond dog, and a little pup who had started crying at the sight of the monster bursting into the church and blocking the only exit.

It regarded them a moment and grinned, rows of teeth in its maw seemed almost infinite as the smile slide back separating the broad head in half. Suddenly it lunged at them mouth opening wide. The female shoved the pup out of the way as the monstrous head crashed into the spot where they were snapping closed quickly over the dog and alter with enough force to shower the pup with rock dust and the gore of its mother.

The small brown diamond dogs eyes widen at the sight a piece of its mothers arm falling along the rubble next to it as he creature yanked its head back.

The pup looked down at the segment of arm that was all that remained of its mother, tears flowing freely before it roared out a pitiful scream of rage and hate, glaring up at the beast.

The monster was amused at this little display of defiance. That amusement faded to curiosity as the tiny Diamond Dog raised both its paws to the temples ceiling its hands and body starting to glow red. The pup closes its fists as if grabbing something and yanking down quickly its hand reaching back up again into the air as if grabbing something else. It sped up grabbing and pulling nothing from the air above it, the small canines gaze locked on the massive head of the beast.

The monsters eyes narrowed at the magic and the strange fluctuations of power going along with it. The pup was already bleeding from its nose, and its eyes were turning red as its tears also turned to blood. It had yet to stop screaming in its rage as its own power started to consume it..

The monster growls ready to finish it off when it sensed something. Ripping its horned head free of the temple wall, it shook off the debris and turned its gaze skyward.

The sky it self was burning, and falling towards it.

===================================================

It had not taken long. With half the force gone, the fire from the sky, and the rush of ponies, what dragons were not killed in the initial assault were fleeing now. Shedding armor and weapons in an effort to run away faster. This gave Princess Luna and the unicorns a few good chances for parting shots to reduce the numbers further.

The Goddess of War wasted no time ordering the troops to march on, only allowing them enough time to gather the fallen into wagons to be brought along, before making the entire army move double time towards the crater. She flew ahead along with the entirety of the pegasus unit. Starfall flew next to her with Bleu clinging to the pegasus's back.

The fire had stopped falling from the sky, the earth ceasing its rumble from the impact of the falling stars. Bleu had sworn she saw something glowing green in the dust cloud as the rocks ceased their falling, though that faded quickly. The small dragon was still hoping Jer'rahd was alive. Luna was torn between the fear he was dead, and the worry that he was not.

The Princess thought of the pair of books in her saddlebag and what they claimed. Any one who was touched by the magic of the ceremony could gain their gifts, if they heard the voices and accepted the offer.

Luna had been there herself, she heard them, and she accepted the whispers. They gave her the power she had wanted. They asked only she continue her war. That was a easy thing to agree to as that was what she desired most any way.

If the night mare was real however then Jer'rahd may have accepted the same offer. Despite his loyalty and abilities, he was just a pony, not a god. He had not even prepared for the ceremony as she did. There was no telling what might have been done to him, or if he was even Jer'rahd any more.

They caught up with the force of dragons that split from the group they just destroyed at the craters edge. All of them were gathered looking out at the dust covered remains in the crater. There was no mountain, there was no city, hundreds of smaller craters and fires filled the larger hole in the earth making the scene look like a surreal alien planet. Multicolored flames from burning rocks and huge crystalline boulders dotted the smoke filled hole. Pools of melting rock flowed casting a menacing orange light over the entire scene.

Starfall and her company bank and dive towards the dragon troops on the ground sending them scattering further along the edge seeking to regroup. The ponies rushed against the small force blades meeting and blood beginning to flow again.

A nearly indescribably roar filled the air freezing both forces in their tracks. All eyes turned to the crater's edge as a massive clawed hand made of shadow rose from the smoke filled pit and slammed into the ground on the craters edge. Black claws dig into the rock, the shadowy scales of the arm tensing as the muscles flexed ,and another claw slams into the rock next to it digging in.

The ponies and dragons backed away from each other and the edge as the dark form hauled itself up onto the lip of the crater. Smoke pouring off its cracked and chared form. It looked as it it had been burned alive and did not have the good fortune to lay down and properly die. The crackle of burnt of flesh was heard as the beast opened its eyes, the red gaze falling on the dragons, before swinging to the ponies and then locking solely on the Princess of the Night.

“Luna what the buck is that thing?!?”

“That is why we came here Bleu. Though what to do with it will depend on it.”

“Looks like it's half dead.”

The creature moves away from the ledge taking a step towards Luna a low growl in its throat as it regarded her. The Princess seemed unphased looking up at it and uttering one word in the Royal Canterlot voice.

“STOP.”

The beast snorts a great torrent of smoke and blood from its nostrils. It closes its eyes again,its whole body seeming to solidify in place like a stone gargoyle, the skin around its horns starting to flake off and turn to black ash. The first few flecks seemed to start a chain reaction as the rest of the creature starts to dissolve, its flesh turning to black dust that vanished in the shadows after leaving the main body.

The legs disintegrate and the massive thing falls forward, the shadowy torso strikes the ground and explodes in a shower of dust and ash that filled the air removing all visibility with the tsunami of ash.
Two small lights appear in the middle of this dust storm, a bright red one and a dimmer green one.

The ash eventually fades out of existence leaving a gray coated unicorn with a dirty blond mane and tail in the center of the dissipating mass. His body was covered with scars, all of them healed over with the scar tissue a odd dark gray, giving him the look of a mismatched zebra. A steel chain with a bit of metal attached dangled from his neck. His Cutie mark was a silver shield with a black knights chess piece in the center, although the piece itself now sported a pair of curved horns on its head.

“Boss.....?!?”

The dragons roared at seeing the pony and made to charge forward and destroy him. Jer'rahds horn glowed a soft green and another whining scream tore through the air. The Waning Moon slams into the ground between Jer'rahd and the charging dragons, halting them all in their tracks. The pony lifts his head looking at the armored dragons and smiles baring a set of fangs rather than the normal equine teeth.

With the arrival of this strange pony who bore the weapon of the Demon of Dullhan, as well as the monster he was moments before, coupled with the force of pegasus and the Goddess of War behind them, the dragons did the smart thing. They turned and ran.

Jer'rahd stood there for a time barely seeming to move at all or even breath. Princess Luna slowly trotted up to him, informing Starfall to keep Bleu back. She readies her power to strike Jer'rahd down if need be. He turns his gaze back around to her looking up at the taller pony with a small smirk on his face.

“General Kaisur..?..... Jer'rahd?”

“Yes Princess?”

His voice seemed harsh, and some what unfamiliar as if he was trying to learn how to speak again with fangs. Granted she had a bit of trouble with that too at first.

“Are you alright? What has happened here?”

He takes a moment glancing over at the Waning Moon then back to her.

“I can honestly say I have been better, though I have also been worse. As for what happened....”

He turns fully looking back at the strange sight of the crater, the motion sending more ash from his fur that faded into nothing.

“ ….. I finally learned a new spell.”

He then promptly collapsed at her hooves.

Twilight was unsure if her legs gave out when she broke the spell, or if the spell was broken because her legs gave out. In either case she was on the floor in a heap. Rarity was over to her side almost immediately helping her to regain her hooves.

“Twilight Darling are you alright, what happened?”

“I am not even sure to be honest, I witnessed some magic that shouldn't be possible. I also saw the start of why the group was so feared. Luna was not the only nightmare of that time.”

A Pound of Rocks or a Pound of Feathers

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

A Pound of Rocks, or a Pound of Feathers

Fluttershy's eyes calmly met Pinkie Pie's. Pinkie Pie seemed to strain a little at the gaze, and was making all manner of faces at the pale yellow pegasus. Twilight stood nearby, an annoyed expression on her face. The two had been like this, eyes locked for almost an hour now.

Pinkie Pie had come over to watch Twilight for the night while she scryed on the sword. Fluttershy had come over, at Rarity's behest, to return the book she had borrowed, and check up on the progress of the story. Eventually the pink maned pegasus decided to stay her self to try and catch up on the progress Twilight was making.

Some how between dinner and when Twilight was going to start her research, the unicorn had been present the whole time and still did not know how, her friends wound up engaged in a staring contest. Though judging by the strain Pinkie was showing it couldn't last much longer.

The purple pony grumbles to herself leaving the pair to their contest as she sets up her table for study readying a new pot of ink and a few spare quills to take notes with. She had tweaked Celestia's spell a bit again allowing her to write what she saw as she saw it. Though her hoof writing was still atrocious doing that. Of course by this point Spike had learned to read it better than she could and translated it for her when she was done, copying the words into the books.

Still Twilight was a little leery every time she went into the spell lately. All she had been seeing was dark events and foreshadowing of things she knew came to pass. The last time she was shaken rather hard by what Jer'rahd had turned into. She knew of no spell that could do anything even remotely close to that. The idea that he might still know the spell that could do that made her both worried about setting him free as well as excited to see if she could deconstruct the spell to find a counter or at least study it. She shook her head sighing, that was not something to think about now.

The five Bearers of the Elements had done a great deal of good at first, but now she was seeing the transformation of them into what Princess Celestia had referred to as the Beasts of the Moon.

Rhede's motivation was something she could actually get behind. She had no idea what she would do if something happened to her parents or her brother. She nearly lost it just at his wedding, but thankfully that turned out well enough in the end. However she did not like how he went about using that motivation.

Velkorn, so far had not shown any signs that she had any darkness in her, save for how pissed off she got with the Princess. Granted having experienced it once when Princess Celestia had caught a rather bad case of the flu somehow she knew the alicorn goddess was quite annoying when bed ridden.

Bleu and Starfall had both gone off the deep end at least once each. Starfall with the griffons and Bleu with the dragons camp ion the pass, but she could not see either of them doing anything to earn a title like what the Princess had called them.

Jer'rahd however was, literally a beast now. Everything he did however ,was still at the behest or the goal of protecting Princess Luna and his friends, but she could easily see how that could be used against him as well.

She took a last glance back at the two on the couch and sighs.

“Ummm girls. I'm activating the spell now.”

“Oki. Doki. Loki. Have fun.”

“Umm. Alright Twilight. Be careful.”

The purple unicorn grumbles as neither of them even turned away from their contest. If something happened she hoped at least Fluttershy would give up to help her out. She mutters the spell and slips into the starry expanse.

The extra window to Jer'rahd was gone, the sword and his sword shard had joined back together again. At least that made things a little more simple. A thought crossed Twilight's mind. If she could get a hold of one of those shards of the original sword, perhaps she could find out what all the fuss was over Jer'rahd's grandfather. Maybe she could even figure out why the family had changed its name. It would be a interesting study point later on. But to find any of that out, the five needed to be freed, or Twilight needed to ask Princess Luna if she still had her shard of it. She doubted the latter, and everyone needed to agree for the former to happen.

In any event, neither of these options would be viable if Twilight could not finish this assignment. She needed to push past the fears and remember that anything done in this scry was all in the far past, and would not effect her now.

She steels herself, turning and diving into a window.

A black furred pegasus clad in the dark armor of the Shadow bolts lands lightly near the craters edge , the down draft off his wings kicking up a minor dust devil as he looks to the mare standing on the lip of the hole offering her a salute, though she barely spares him a glance.

“Report lieutenant.”

“Sir. All teams have checked back in, there is barely anything left in the crater than can be called a city. What isn't crushed or melted is currently on fire. There are several strange gasses coming off some of the rocks that make any one who flies too near them sick, but nothing else of note from the pit. From what we can tell there is a great deal of gold, and quite a lot of strange rocks Sir. Nothing of any value to us with out a rather large mining operation. With as hazardous as some of the gas in there is , I would hazard it is not worth the effort. We had to utilize a variation of a high altitude breathing spell in order to even check it out.”

“What of the mountain?”

“Sir. There is no sign there ever was a mountain. The location where it was reported to be is nothing but a glowing hole. The heat and gas coming out of it are stronger than the rest of the crater so we are unable to get close enough to investigate further. But it is clear that most of the impacts from the fire rain hit that spot. What ever caused that phenomenon, it was centered where the mountain was supposed to be Sir.”

“Thank you for your work Lieutenant, I will report that to the Princess.”

“Yes sir......”

“Something else?”

“Yes sir. I suppose so. Most of us, the other troops I mean, are worried about General Kaisur's condition since he was recovered...”

“But you're not?”

“No Sir.. I mean, Yes sir.... I don't know what to think honestly. I was there when that thing came out of the crater. I saw who it turned into..... I have never seen anything like that before. I have never even heard of anything like that before and I used to be rather big into the old fantasy novels. What is going on Sir?”

“Nothing you need concern yourself with Lieutenant. If there comes a time where it needs to be told to you it will be. Right now just know that General Kaisur is back among us and the push towards Cindervale will start again. Head to the mess, grab something to eat and take a break. I will have another assignment for your team soon.”

“YES SIR.”

Starfall watches the stallion take, off her eyes narrowing at the thought that some ponies thought something was not right with Jer'rahd. The troops were a little worried, despite her best efforts rumors of the pit had gotten out. Rhede would be arriving soon and she could throw him into the rumor mill, let him make a mess of everything for any one finding the truth. He was quite good at that sort of misdirection, far better than she was at any rate. She fully expected by the end of the week for the troops to be blaming the monster on everything from swamp gas, a balloon, or even some sort of alien attack.

Her own team however, was not going to be fooled. The Shadow Bolts were not chosen because they were stupid. Thankfully, they were chosen for loyalty, among other things, and had yet to add their own version of what they saw to the mess.

Starfall turns looking back over the tent city that had been set up on the craters edge. This was a fairly defensible position. The crater's toxic gasses and still burning fires blocked their back and high rocks and and earth lifted into the air by the initial impact flanked either side of the camp. The tent city was on a bit of a rise too so it was quite easy to see everything coming before them. That did not stop her from setting up more than a few scout patrols to watch the back side of the crater. She also had a few scouting out along the edge of the plains before the camp. Cindervale was barely a day away from this point and the tall spire of volcano that was its main structure was visible even from here.

Right now it was hurry up and wait however. Jer'rahd had not woken up and Bleu was nearly crippled. Velkorn and Rhede were supposed to be here soon according to her scouts. When the zebra arrived she was going to have her hooves full with Bleu and possibly Jer'rahd. So far as the medics knew there was nothing physically wrong with him he just would not wake up.

The Princess had been watching over her general, but it was a leery sort of watch and she was always jumpy as if expecting him to wake at any time and try to kill her. Starfall had expected odd things to happen in a war, every battle she had been in was unusual, this had gone past that and into the down terrifyingly strange.

============================================

“SOME PONY GET HIS LEGS!”

“GAH!! MY NOSE!”

“CAST THE BUCKING SPELL YOU IDIOT!!”

“IT'S NOT WORKING HE'S SHRUGGING OFF THE ANESTHESIA!!”

“SOME ONE GET THE PRINCESS WE CAN'T HOLD HIM!”

Several unicorn medics were all but piled atop the thrashing form on the bed. One staggers away falling back on his rump clutching his nose with a hoof as blood dripped from it. Another light blue unicorn was casting spells franticly trying to stun or put the gray unicorn on the bed in some sort of stasis , but nothing was taking hold.

Jer'rahd had been unconscious since the princess had brought him back from the crater. She had stayed with him for most of the night though she was needed to plan the next step of the operation and had to leave the medical tent. Barely an hour after that the medic who had been watching him noticed he had started to squirm and eventually thrash. It had gotten to the point where the doctors tried to intervene before he hurt himself. So far they were having no luck with that at all.

They had given up on the spells and were trying to tie the pony tot he bed when the tent flap was flung open admitting a zebra who took one look at the situation and glowered at the lot of them. .

“ LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, GET THE BUCK OUT OF MY WAY!”

Velkorn darts forward pushing a medic out of the way and tilting her head to the side quickly to avoid a flailing limb. She frowns, lashing out with her fore hoof and striking three spots on his neck. Jer'rahd's limbs suddenly go limp though he still squirms as his head jerking as his teeth grind. Velkorn growls lightly at having to resort to this on a unconscious pony.

“Tell me now, and be quite clear, what exactly happened here?”

The lead medic, a dark green earth pony with a white mane and tail, who now sported a bloodied nose, spoke up.

“No idea sir. He was out cold with no issue all day while Princess Luna was here. When she left to ready the troops he started thrashing like this and then you came in. Sir.”

The zebra sighs again, looking down at the still trembling form of Jer'rahd. She blinked a bit confused at the odd nature of the scars that seemed to be covering him.

“All of you are dismissed, take a break, or get some food from the wagon. Though at least one of you needs to look about and find me that annoying little blue dragon.”

===================================================

“This is going to sound odd coming from me Rhede, but you look like hell.”

“No flirting? No teasing or pet names Bleu? I guess I need to look like crap more often.”

Rhede trotted up to the reclining dragon. Bleu was wrapped in bandages still and most of them had a fair sized amount of blood dried on them. Her wings were tight against her back , but Rhede could easily see they were in tatters. He winced in spit of himself moving to take a seat next to her glancing up at the command tent where Princess Luna was yelling at some unlucky pony.

“Don't get used to it, I am not in the mood to do to much for the moment is all.”

“I will keep that in mind. What happened here any way? The camp is some distance from where you were supposed to be according to Luna's message and you look like you fell into a wagon full of glass and swords that was on fire and was then put out with some acid.”

“Awww you say the sweetest things. Least I don't look like some body killed my puppy then flogged me with its entrails like you do.”

“I suppose we can set aside the commentary for facts?”

Bleu shifts wincing a little as she adjusts herself on the sun warmed rock. She lifts her head glancing at the tent after a particularly loud bout of shouting.

“How longs she been at that Bleu?”

“At least an hour, some supplies that should have been packed when we left the pass were left behind. No idea what was in them however, probably food or something and shes been chewing out the ones responsible. I doubt she would even do more than reprimand the officer in charge normally, but the situations a bit hectic. She's stressed with what happened to Boss and she's been on edge since we found him. She's been taking it out on any one who even looks at her funny. Of course now that you're here she'll have some one to yell at who deserves it.”

“Thank you so much.... what happened to Jer?”

“We got caught on a scouting run while Starfall was busy, he stayed behind so I could make it back to report and I almost didn't, after I left I don't know what happened. Next time we saw him, he turned back into a pony from being a huge monster, then he passed out. He's been that way for at least a day now.”

“ A monster? I miss all the interesting things. How are you holding up?”

“I'll live..... worse thing I have to deal with is Velkorn when she finally gets a hold of me.”

“Heh most likely. I do hope those supplies were not vital though.”

“Why?”

“Because we will not be getting any more support from Canterlot. Celestia is awake and she is cutting all ties with this war effort in an attempt to get Luna to give it up and come home.”

“That won't stop her or me. It certainly won't stop Boss when he wakes up. I think at this point the three of us would take on the entire dragon army by ourselves. Besides the Guard is trained to live off the land in harder times. How does the Princess think stopping supplies is gonna stop us.”

“Trained to do so and forced to do so are too different things Bleu. Moral is already seems low in this camp and the news of Celestia's cease of supplies will not help if the ponies we have need to fight and forage for food. But I am glad that no one is quitting, because I don't want this to be over until Cindervale is little more than a bad memory.”

“Feeling a bit blood thirsty today Rhede?”

Rhede sighs not wanting to explain his mood to the little dragon. Telling Velkorn was bad enough, he was never much of one to talk about his feelings at the best of times.

“Something like that. Seems the yelling is over. Wish me luck Bleu.”

“Good Luck Sugar Plot.”

“Ahh yes, there's the annoying Bleu I know and try to ignore. Looks like Velkorn is ready for you now as well, good luck to you too.”

Bleu blinks lifting her head looking over her shoulder, seeing a brown earth pony in medical colors, with what seemed like a rag stuffed in his nose run towards her.

“Ah crap.”

======================================================

“So tell me Rhede. How bad is it?”

Rhede trots in as the ponies the Princess was yelling at dart out, ecstatic to have the distraction that he was providing as a way to escape. The tent was unfurnished save for a large table in the middle of the room with a map stretched out over it. Luna was standing on the other side of it all but glaring at him her star filled tail whipping angrily.

“In regards to what? I have a mixture of news you know.”

“You and Velkorn would not have come if my sister was not healed well enough to be on her own. I doubt she had anything good to say about what we are doing here.”

Rhede sighs wishing he could delay the report a bit. At least until after he found out what was going on with Jer.

“Fairly bad Princess. Celestia has cut off any new supplies from being delivered to us. She's also urging the families of the troops here to send letters requesting the ponies come home. She had started a campaign to end this battle before it even gets started and so far we are only just ahead of her plans. I managed to stall quite a few things with a bit of misdirection and conflicting orders, as well as pulling in a few favors. We managed to bring enough supplies in to keep the army going on its own for another week or so. But once what we brought is gone we either need to take supplies from the dragons or head back to Equestria. Your sister is not stupid and knows I had a hoof in screwing up her plans to bring you back, she also knows about my part in the peace conference. Most likely I am looking at a bit of jail time when we go back so I am in no rush to do so.”

“Perfect, more morale issues. We just entered into the dragon lands and I already have a slew of ponies talking about deserting. Don't get me started on how many are convinced we will fail now due to the rumors running around about General Kaisur. I do not think I ever considered how many of these ponies think more of him than they do of me. Now my own sister works against me. Rhede I need you to do what you can to keep any of Tia's plans from happening until we are done. Some rumor control would be nice too.”

“Morale is not really my thing, Princess. That's Bleu's department. Though usually Jer's very presence is enough to keep the morale up. What happened with him to change that?”

“I am surprised Bleu did not inform you while you were outside waiting.”

“She told me a bit, but not everything. Something about Jer being a monster. I figured when she said that you would know more about it.”

Luna narrows her eyes not sure if that was a stab at her new look or what. Rhede tended to be hard to read most of the time , but she could practically feel the anger coming off of him in waves.

“Yes, well that is the case, but even I am not sure of the exact details. I suppose when he wakes up we can ask him directly what went on. Granted with how he answers, IF he answers we may have more issues than simply morale.”

“How so?”

“As I told Bleu and Starfall when we first came to this spot. I may need to destroy him.”

Rhede's eyes narrow as he glares at the Princess. Luna does not meet his gaze and seems rather upset that she was forced to say that, even her strange starry night mane seemed a little more subdued at her words.

“There had better be a damn good reason you are saying that Luna.”

“It has to do with the ritual I underwent. It seems there was enough of a bleed of the power to affect Jer'rahd as well. I do not know what this means exactly, and the books are not forth coming with any information.”

“The books? What books?”

“Never mind. How did your mission go at the peace conference?”

“I am not through asking you about this Luna. Princess or not, I have had enough deaths in my family to have Jer's added as well.”

“”I do understand, but you do not understand the situation.”

“Because you won't bucking tell me!”

“Trust me that it would be better for everyone if this has a hold of him that he die here.”

Rhede growls lightly not wanting to hear this cryptic crap , but Luna seemed intent on it for the time being.

“You ask for a great deal of ponies to trust you, but you rarely give anything back in return. The griffons won't be a factor unless they manage to stop the war they found themselves in at the conference. In either case they won't be here to bother us outside whatever mercs the dragons already bought. The other races were easily bribed to stay away with bits of land and resources that might be in the dragon lands.”

“As we expected.”

“Yes. Now back to Jer.....”

“No Rhede. I do not wish to speak of this. I have no desire to even think about what I may need to do when he wakes up and I wish to speak of it even less. You were not there to see what he was when he crawled out of that pit. That thing radiated death and terror the likes of which I have never felt in my long life. I have never seen anything like it, and if that thing has control over him or can break free any time then it is better that he dies before it gets loose. In any event I do not wish to speak on it further until I know for sure. You are dismissed.”

“Luna...”

“I said you are dismissed General. Leave me.”

Rhede steps back at the sudden tone change in her voice. She went from her normal tone to something much deeper and more sinister, yet at the same time seductive and suggestive. It was easy to pick up on her anger, yet her voice changing threw him for a moment. The tone shifted from anger and fear to amusement and superiority. His ears flatten to his head as he turns heading out of the tent. He had been trained in a great many things as both a assassin and a diplomat picking up on changes of mood though voice and facial expressions was a easy trick to learn. He had never seen some one change their entire mood like that mid sentence, something was very wrong here. What ever happened to Luna was more than just cosmetic, he wanted, no, he needed to know exactly what had happened to her and Jer.

If the Princess tried to kill his friend no matter what her intent then she would have to kill him and likely Bleu first. He did not see the dragonling stepping aside to allow that. Depending on how attached Velkorn still was to him she may even move to stop Luna. What worried him was that out of the five of them Luna was closest to Jer. Almost as close as he and Rhede were, perhaps more so if she returned the crush that Jer had on her. That she would even talk about killing him for any reason was proof enough that this was a bad situation.

===========================================

“Ooooooooow. That hurts, quit poking me!”

Velkorn snorts at Bleu's whining, she had not even done anything more than unwrap some of the dragons bandages so far. The zebra medic had been looking over the still thrashing Jer'rahd when Bleu sulked in. At which point she promptly left the pony alone and nearly flung the much larger lizard onto a couple of beds shoved together. Just seeing Bleu's wings alone was enough for her to start cursing though once she started unwrapping the wounds she had to invent new words for how badly the aid Bleu had been given was botched.

Which ever of the ponies who had attended to Bleu had done the shoddiest patch job Velkorn had ever seen. The stitches were not tight, nothing seemed disinfected and several of her scales had been stitched together in places rather than the skin beneath. Even the bandaging had basicly been thrown over the wounds and left. Velkorn sighs, either who ever did this was an idiot or hated dragons enough to not care about if an allied dragon suffered or not. She glanced back at Jer'rahd quite glad he was not awake to notice this. She would find out who did it and have a word with them, if Jer'rahd found out about this some pony would be dead, or wishing they were. It was a testament to the toughness of dragons , or at least Bleu that she was still functioning at all.

In any event this was going to take a great deal of work. She ordered one of the unicorns over to provide a local anesthetic spell as she tore out the stitching on the blue dragon. She gripped a few of the shattered scales ripping those out as well watching how Bleu flinched even though she could not feel it. Once the broken scales were cleared she started sewing the cut flesh underneath up. The scales would grow back in time and likely never even show the scar that was on the her skin.

The wounds were still seeping blood and Velkorn needed to clean the wounds much more thoroughly since they had been clearly oozing for several days now since the botched treatment. Velkorn shook her head with this much of a mess a pony would have bled to death by now, a pony sized dragon it seemed was quite fine with it. She needed to check that book on dragons she had found again, perhaps there was something on that. She had left it at the castle with the others however , not wishing to risk such precious tomes on a battle field.

[“Do you have any idea how close you have been to dieing Bleu?”]

[“Well I have been feeling a little light headed and sick, but I figured that was just from the injuries or the poison on the griffons claws.”]

[“ Poison?!”]

[“It's kinda hard to poison a dragon Velky, anything strong enough to do so would not likely be allowed by the dragons that hired the griffons. Not to mention it probably would have eaten the metal claws they were using.”]

[“ GAAAAH, you are seriously trying for my new worst patient ever title Bleu.”]

[“Ummm sorry? OW”]

Velkorn grumbles working on the dragon as the unicorn medic stood by numbing the areas the Zebra pointed to on the dragon, but clearly having no idea what either were saying past the “ow's” of Bleu.

[“So how is boss Velky?”]

[“I am surprised you did not ask me when you first came in.”]

[“With the look you were, OW, giving me, I didn't dare. Now I can't see your face with that rump of yours in the way.”]

[“If you make a rude comment about my having flank I shall conveniently forget to tell the unicorn here to numb the next part I am going to work on.”]

[“I'll be good...... but about Boss...”]

Velkorn sews up a particularly long oozing gash covering it with a generous amount of poultice to kill infection and aid healing before moving to wound to repeat the process.

[“I have no idea...”]

Velkorn pauses to grip the scale in her teeth yanking it out, cutting the stitches with a small hoof blade.

[“He is as healthy as I have ever seen him save for three things. The first of course being that he won't wake up, and as such is clearly having nightmares again.”]

[“That explains the thrashing about. I bet the fangs are the next thing whats the last?”]

Velkorn remains silent as she sews up the ragged wound splattering it with the odd herbal mixture again before bandaging it..

[“ Yes the fangs are odd, but not unheard of in cases I have seen of botched spells. His scars are what bother me. They are not normal skin for a pony anyway. The flesh is healed, but the skin is more akin to a dragons in texture and thickness. “]

[“So what hes gonna grow scales?”]

[“ He looks like he did have scales and they were ripped away already. I have never seen anything like it before. Even in all the books were brought back I have not seen any thing that could relate to this. I had plenty of time to go over and translate most of them while watching the Princess.”]

[“So what, did he get bitten by a were dragon or something?”]

[ “I do not know. But I doubt it would be something that simple most of his wounds were made by weapons there are no bite marks that I can find. Perhaps it was something from that crater, I have heard there are many odd things in it now that the sky has fallen to the earth there.”]

[“You might not know whats wrong with him Velkorn, but I think Luna does.”]

Bleu lifts her head looking at the tent flap as Rhede pushes his way inside. Velkorn's ears perk at his words, but she continues to work on closing the gashes in Bleu;s side.

[“What do you mean honey plot?”]

[“Just came from my meeting with her. It was short and to the point, if Jer wakes up and does something she doesn't like, shes going to kill him.”]

Velkorn pauses in her work looking up. Both she and Bleu stare at the tall earth pony as if expecting a joke, though Rhede's expression was proof enough that it was not.

[“Dammit.... I suppose I should have expected this too.....”]

[“What do you mean you expected this?”]

[“You didn't see her face Rhede. When that thing came up out of the pit. It stared right at her, as if she was the first thing it was gonna come after. She was absolutely terrified of it. Buck I couldn't even move in that things gaze and it wasn't even looking directly at me. It took one step towards us and she told it to stop with that Royal voice of hers. Thankfully it did, then it turned into Boss. I don't know if she said it expecting him to obey her or what, but I think that it listened worried her more than if it had not.”]

The three of them look over at the bed containing the still squirming unconscious unicorn.

[“Jer what the buck happened to you?”]

==========================================================

“Why did you not inform me you were going to do that to him?!”

“That's our business toots.”

“If he cannot be controlled it will be mine and every other ponies!”

“I would not worry about that Princess. He chose this route of his own free will, as did you. We aided him as his goals matched yours and by association, ours.”

“Plus watching him rip apart the city was a real treat.”

Luna snorts her mane flaring as she stares across the table before her. The tent had a silence spell cast over it so that the discussion would not be overheard.

“I do not recall asking you to do that to any one else.”

“His death was assured otherwise Princess. As was your failure without him. We moved to protect our own goals and yours. The same choice you were given, was given to him, and like you, he agreed.”

“Should I expect you to do this with everyone I am close too?”

“Geez, don't get so uppity after we helped your stupid ass.”

“You know that not to be the case. You and he were the only ones present at the ritual and therefore the only ones who could be granted this power by us.”

“Why was he like that? That is not the same power you gave to me.”

“Well no shit, cause yer not the same pony.”

“We follow rules apart from what you see Princess. My vulgar associate is correct however. The same power is not granted to the same ponies. There are exceptions to the rule of course. The Elements of harmony and those who bear them tend to follow the same patters of power gifted by us. This has been shown to be the case every time one of the bearers comes to us. Several such entities still linger in your mortal world.”

“Who? Who are they?”

“You know the draconequus. The other two you have also met in recent years if I am not mistaken. It was they who brought on the unicorns phobia of water.”

“Aqua......”

“Yep, that’s the one.”

“I hope you two are not very attached to them as they have moved up my list now.”

“WOOT, Chick fight I am all over that.”

“Silence you. There is another matter to attend to first Princess. By our agreement there are three more gods of the dragons that need be destroyed or imprisoned. Also your champion is waking. Best you go speak with him and find out what you wish to know from him. I would not question his word however, his loyalty is unwavering when it comes to you.”

“Ain't the only thing of his that's unwavering I’m sure hehehe Boyoyoyoying”

“In any event, the next few years shall indeed be the most interesting this world has seen in some time.”

Luna growls canceling the spell and flattening her ears to her head. Cryptic as always, even when they told you everything the impression that they hid their true intent was always there.

She looks down at the table, resting atop of the map were a cherry red tome, and a dusty gray colored grimoire. She sweeps both back into her saddlebag with her magic, slinging it over her back and trotting out the tent flap. Two guards flank her as she canters towards the medical tent. This was not something she was prepared for. Luna could not recall the last time she was terrified of something to this degree. And in this instance it was one of her own Generals... the first pony she had been close to aside from Tia since Hooper's death. Now due to her own actions and despite the books words some one she cared for might again die, but this time by her own hoof.

================================================

Bleu winces again as Velkorn stitches up another section of her hide. The zebra was down to the last large wound, once she finished she was going to go over and stun Jer'rahd again. The first strike was wearing off already and he had yet to stop thrashing violently for very long. He would calm at points before beginning again as if he was fighting. Bleu said he still suffered nightmares and she would often hear him wake up at night screaming every so often. He tended to get enough sleep to function, but the dragonling was unsure how how much real rest he received.

She could not keep stunning him forever though. In time the blows would cause permanent damage or no longer be effective at all, depending on how his body reacted to them. She was not even sure the effects would work a second time at all with how his body seemed to have changed. The fangs and the oddly healed skin were an odd thing for a spell to do. She suspected there was far more too it than that , but she could not figure out what that was. Velkorn's musings were cut off, as Princess Luna pushed aside the tent flap with a wing and strode inside.

Rhede was on his hooves already and if Velkorn had not popped Bleu in the nose to make sure she stayed put and didn't jump around she was sure the dragon would be up between Luna and Jer'rahd as well. Luna looked at the three of them and the doctor that was helping. Velkorn's attention shifted to the gray unicorn in the bed who had stopped struggling in his sleep the a few moments before the Princess had entered the tent and seemed to be sleeping soundly now. She made a mental note of that looking to the Princess as Luna sighs.

“Would you all please leave for a few moments.”

Rhede growls.

“Like buck I will. I'm not gonna step out just so you can kill him in private! I don't give a crap what you think is wrong. To do anything to Jer you're going to have to go through me. And even if you manage that you damn sure won't be in any shape to do anything to him afterward.”

Luna's eyes narrow as the red earth pony moves between her and Jer'rahd. She had no doubt he spoke the truth, Rhede was the only pony she had ever known to slap the shit out of Tia. He was far more resourceful than even her sister gave him credit for. However in this instance he was not acting like himself. He was not asking questions and trying to find a way past the situation, he was simply putting himself in what he thought was harms way rather than try to figure out the situation. He wore his emotions on his sleeve as it were. While she admired his loyalty she rather wished it was directed to her other than Jer'rahd.

“I have no plans on killing him Rhede, that all depends on what happens when he wakes. But in my defense you have no idea what he may be capable of now. If you save him if the situation warrants otherwise will you bear the weight of what he may do?”

“You are giving me a great deal of maybes and mays without any explanation, aside from claiming he was a monster of some sort. I want answers Luna.”

“Normally that would not be an issue Rhede, but for the moment you cannot even keep your emotions in check let alone anything I may tell you. You are in no shape to know what has happened with me and General Kaisur. Take time and calm down. If it makes you feel any better I shall not be doing anything but speaking to him when he wakes. If he is uncontrollable you will see for yourself why I say I may need to kill him. If he is still himself I should not have to. But for now I would ask you all to leave.”

Rhede looked about ready to keep going with his tirade, though that was stopped as Velkorn's tail belted him across the face. He turned glaring at the zebra who met his angry glare with her own. After a tense moment he snorts as if not deterred though a sudden bout of cursing behind him causes him to turn about to look at the pony now sitting up on the bed.

Jer'rhad doesn't acknowledge the group of them staring at him. Between curses he was starting to spit blood across the sheets before him.

“Jer'rahd!!”
“Boss!”
“Jer!”

Velkorn dashes over to him trying to check him out though the unicorn waves her away with a hoof turning his red and green eyes towards Luna.

“Princess?.....”

“Yes, General?”

“How the buck do you talk with out biting yourself with these damn things?”

His ears flatten as he winces again, his new fangs digging into the side of his mouth as he tried to speak.

======================================================

After a few moments of confusing, mixed yelling, and random requests for a drink from the pony in the bed Luna forced every one who was not Jer'rahd out of the tent. Velkorn had given him a once over and determined there was nothing wrong with him aside from what she already found, and the new holes in his tongue and cheeks. She gave him some concoction he claimed tasted like dishwater but was supposed to prevent his new bites from being infected.

Bleu and Rhede had not wanted to leave though Velkorn had helped to run them both out. The zebra offered a last look to the Princess that also seemed a warning, before she stepped out herself.

Luna sighs looking about at the sparsely furnished tent before taking a seat on the bed across from Jer'rahd and casting the silence spell once more.

“General....”

“So what exactly did I get myself into Princess?”

Luna smiles despite herself.

“Trouble, the same thing you always get into. Although in this instance it seems I am the one who brought it to you.”

“And how is that any different from any other day as your General?”

“Well for starters now you have the chance to be a bigger threat to Equestria than the dragons. I take you heard the voices again?”

“I did.”

“They offered you power, most likely to defeat those that stood in your way.”

“No.”

“No?”

“They offered me the power to protect the ones I cared about and make sure no one else suffered. “

“That is the same power with a different wording General.”

“It has a different meaning for me.”

“What did they give you?”

“As I said at the crater. A new spell. I know three now.”

“And that monster?”

“That is the third spell. Turning into that... well what ever it is.”

“ You controlled that thing?”

“No.”

Luna breaths in sharply. That was something she did not wish to hear, if he could not control what he had become he was just as much a danger to Equestria as he was to the dragons. Before she could respond however he continued.

“But it seems you can.”

“What?”

“Why did you yell out stop in the Royal Canterlot voice?”

“I am not sure really, at the time it just came to me that I should do something like that.”

“When I freed that thing I managed just enough control to give it a target, well several, the city and the diamond dog pup god. It did what it wanted between achieving that goal and after. I can assure you I will be having new nightmares of watching what it did. Nothing I did got it to change its course of action until you told it to stop. Once that happened it stopped everything including fighting me and existing that’s why it faded.”

Luna looks down at the pony on the bed as he yawns, seemingly disinterested in all of what happened though she has to smirk slightly as he curses, biting his lip again.

“You know why I ask General...”

“Of course. If this made me a danger or a wild card I expect you would attempt to end the threat that it could represent. The simplest way to do that would be to kill me.”

“Forgive me for sounding confused General, but you are rather nonchalant about the possible need for your own death.”

Jer'rahd sighs falling back into the bed his head thumping heavily into the pillow.

“How many years have you known me now Luna? Have you ever seen afraid or worried that I might be killed in anything I do? I venture out my door every morning expecting to die somehow or another. There is no fear of it for me there never has been since my grandmother died when I was a foal. I suppose that was due to my grandfather telling me when I died I would see her again. Having died once already I can attest that that is the truth. Besides it would be hypocritical of me to not expect you to do the same now that our situations are reversed.”

“I am afraid I do not follow your logic Jer'rahd.”

“I went up the mountain with you on trust at first, then when you told me what you were going to do, I went for another reason. Those books made Nocturne, possibly even Discord, if they had turned you into something like either of them I would have done my best to destroy you then and there. I would have tried to save Equestria any suffering you could have caused it. Since it was just the two of us up there every pony would have remembered you for who you were not what you had become and you would have still been thought of in a positive light by those you left behind.”

“And you would have been considered a traitor who committed regicide, never able to return to Equestria.”

“If I had to go through with that Luna, I never would have left where your grave site would have been.”

“That is almost romantic in a morbid sort of way.”

Jer'rahd turns a bit red about his muzzle stammering a little to find the words.

“That was not the intent Princess. I simply was trying to not make you feel as bad for considering ending my life.”

“It did not work Jer'rahd. I am not sure how to feel about that you were ready to kill me.”

“That should not matter. I did not need to. And I still am not thrilled I even considered it.”

Luna sighs this conversation was not telling her anything she wanted to hear. Jer'rahd seemed less than thrilled telling her as well. She was not sure if he was being truthful in that she had control over the beast or if it only seemed that way to him. Jer'rahd of course seemed more morose than usual, wither that was due to the nightmares, what had happened or their current discussion she did not know. She decided just to be blunt with her question in this, as it tended to work for Bleu.

“So am I going to be able to count on you as I have before General, or are you going to be a threat to Equestria now?”

“I do not see why not. I have no intention of casting that spell again if I can help it. I plan to continue this mission regardless. As for my being a threat, I am just as much a threat to Equestria as you are for listening to those books.”

“What?”

“Since we brought those books back you have been slowly changing how you speak about them. You went from looking through them and reading them to commenting about what they say and asking them. Remarks like that make me believe they talk back. And after your reaction to the voices I heard ,I figured that's who I was listening to.”

“You figured that out just by how I speak?”

“I have been paying a great deal closer attention to you since our trip on the mountain. I figured out something was up and put most of it together while planning escape from the jails I was put in. Not much else to do there.”

“Still, you are quite the clever pony for noticing all that ...”

“DON”T SAY THAT!”

Luna leaps back, her wings fanning out, her horn glowing, ready to blast the General at his sudden outburst. She had expected him to come for her or change or something. Leaping out of bed and looking around in a panic was not one of those things. His eyes were wide as if he expected the other horseshoe to drop at any second.

“Ummm General? What was that?”

“Every bucking time some one calls me a clever pony the parasprite shit hits the fan. “

“That is ridiculous General. How can a compliment paid to you bring about something bad?”

Her disbelief of his statement was cut short as Rhede bursts into the tent, as if expecting the yell to be Luna killing Jer'rahd. He was momentarily confused by the two of them staring at him. Luna was confused herself that he had heard anything outside of her spell before realizing when she went on the defensive she had dropped the silence spell to conserve power. Before any of them could say anything Starfall bursts though the tent flap knocking Rhede aside and saluting The Princess and her superior officer.

“Glad to see you awake General the parasprite shit has hit the fan. A large force that is apparently the main army of the dragons is moving across the plains towards us. They have already retaken the pass and have all but surrounded us already. They are still a bit off as moving a force of that size in order seems to be taxing them a bit, but we are already cut off from any retreat by land.”

“GODDESS DAMN IT!”

“I believe I will Jer'rahd.”

=============================================

Rhede picks himself up and dusts himself off from where he had been shoved aside. This was perhaps the worst series of events that he had ever gone through in his life. Everything was unraveling around him, the harder he tried hold on the faster things unraveled.

He abandoned Celestia to fully serve Luna, now she was talking about killing his best friend. To top that off her reason was that he was a monster now, like she was not considered such by far too many even before her new look. Now the dragons were coming for them full force.

He was used to change,sudden and unexpected. He was used to adapting to any situation he found himself in. Yet after his father had been killed and Celestia said her piece about what he was doing he could not focus on anything. He couldn't control his emotional state and he was angry at everything. He lost his focus at the drop of a hat. He knew he was a mess and in the middle of a war zone that was the last place you wanted to be trying to hold yourself together.

“Rhede get that well toned flank of yours out here now!”

Thank the stars for the existence of that dragonling. Nothing seemed to change how she was and despite how annoyed he got with her that was something he at least could latch onto for the moment.

“Stop making up names for me Bleu!”

“Then stop being so dead sexy!”

At least there was some comfort in the banter, he wanted to pull Jer aside and ask him questions, try to figure out what was going on. He steps out of the tent, listening to Jer already barking orders and planning, typical for him. This was oddly comforting to him, maybe one could find peace of mind in a battle, Jer seemed to do it all the time.

His gaze turns to Luna watching her as she watched Jer. She seemed some what annoyed at the commands he was giving out with her standing right there, but with the situation they were in, there was already little time, so perhaps she did not wish to argue.

“Starfall gather as many pegasi as you can, get some unicorns to cast that air spell for high altitude maneuvering and fly through the smoke over the crater. I want the entire team stationed behind the attackers in twenty. Once there hold position, stay hidden, and wait for the signal to attack, under stand?

“Yes Sir.”

“Good go. Velkorn there's going to be a influx of injuries, get the medics going and do your thing.”

Velkorn nods, darting off and vanishing into the crowd of ponies already running about.

“Bleu, Rhede. “

“Yeah boss?”
“What do you need Jer?”

“You two are on body guard duty, anything that's not one of us five gets close to Luna you kill it, got it? I don't care who the buck it looks like.”

“Right, what the buck are you going to be doing Jer?”

The the unicorn glances back, his eye flaring red as the armor of loyalty forms over him.

“Leading from the front and killing as many of the armored dragons as I can of course.”

Luna snorts in annoyance glaring down at him.

“I am not some flower to be sheltered General, I do not need body guards.”

“Who said a thing about sheltering you Princess. But you will need body guards.”

Jer'rahd grins his horn glowing. The Waning Moon cuts through the air from Luna's quarters on the other side of the camp spinning around and dodging the ponies in its way to hover next to its master as he looks up at the princess.

“This seems to be the full force of the dragons army. I bet that green bastard managed to get back and warn them what was going on. Of course they could have seen what happened in the crater too and sent Everything they had to keep us from doing that to Cindervale itself. According to Starfall barely a tenth of the force we are going against is in Star metal armor. The rest of the force are standard troops and mercs. We take down the star metal clad ones you can show the rest of these dragons why you took the name Nightmare Moon.”

“What do you mean General?”

“If the books did what they did to me, and that was just a side effect what they gave you, should have no trouble finishing off anything the dragons throw at us.”

Luna blinks surprised, then she smiles.

“Trying to prove you trust me again General?”

“I have yet to not trust you Princess. Disagree, argue and complain about you yes, but not distrust you.”

“So you are finally allowing me to cut lose then? How quaint.”

“It is not as if we need to save you as a secret weapon anymore is it. We take out this group and a couple of foals with sticks could take out Cindervale.”

“I wouldn't go that far boss A civilian dragon is still a dragon.”

“Alright... A couple of angry colts with sticks.... its a metaphor...”

“Stick to the rageing speeches Jer.”

“Bah.”

He turns galloping off ,shouting at the troops, puling them all into line with him. The sight of their commander on the battle field once again brought many out of the panic they were in at the size of the force that was coming to meet them. The pegasi slowly began vanishing from the air, collected by Starfall for what Jer'rahd had wanted.

“Come on you two, we should get moving as well I need to find a spot of high ground where I can see the battle.”

“Couple of tall rocks along the craters edge Princess. No one would be able to come up behind us either.”

“Thank you Bleu let us move. I need to get into position before the General hits the front lines with his force.”

===============================================

General Kaisur stood at the fore front of the camp looking across the short bit of open ground between the camp and the wall of the dragon army. He could not get a head count but it was quite clear they were outnumbered. There were close to three thousand on this side of the mountains a couple hundred were with Starfall at least sixty were with Velkorn. The rest were armed and armored and behind him as he looked over the field of battle. A small host of corpses already lay across the field felled with spells and arrows. The scouts and first responders to the appearance of the dragons main force. He smirked despite himself that several dragon and Ram corpses lay among the dead already.

The sacrifice of the scouts was not in vain as it allowed him the scant time he needed to get everything prepared. His gaze ran along the forces before him once more. Orcs, Rams, Dragons and a few scattered trolls here and there under the control of one of the other races. The air above them was filled with Griffons and flying dragons. None of that was what he was looking for, ahh there they were.

Dead center of the gathered forces there was a wall of shining metal perhaps five or six hundred troops clad in star metal, It was oddly more than just dragons, there were diamond dogs and rams as well. A few flying griffons wielded star metal weapons as well but none of them seemed to have any armor. In the center of that mass was a dragon whose size compared to that of Onyx Wing. That had to be the leader judging by how ornate the armor he wore was. That was Jer'rahds target.

He scrapes his armored hoof across the sandy ground focused directly on the leader, their eyes both hidden under the helms,but still meeting each others stares. The ponies around him fidget a bit waiting for the order.

Jer'rahd did not bother to give one simply bellowing with rage and charging towards his target. His troops do not even hesitate but follow along with the thunder of hooves accompanied by the war cries of an army of ponies that galloped towards the dragons.

=========================================================

Starfall winced as her team glided through the smoke and mist of the crater. The entire thing had a feeling of another world. Clouds should not be the bright blues , greens and pinks that these were. Her hooves felt itchy and just being in the smoke was enough to make her feel ill. Glancing back she saw her group was feeling the same. She was glad for the masks not wanting to have to breath in any of this stuff.

She back peddled fiercely as one of her advanced scouts came out of the cloud after finding a path.

“General you should have a look at this.”

The Shadowbolt turned barely waiting for her as he winged towards the ground. Starfall followed along with the rest of her unit, every pegasus staying close to not get lost in the mist and smoke. The pegasus in front of her hovers above the ground far enough that it was clear to everyone that it would be a bad idea to land. Even that gesture was not needed. Below them clinging to the ground was a thin layer of bright white almost glowing mist. It seemed alive and was twining among the rocks below them as if seeking prey.

It took Starfall a moment more to realize that those were not rocks. The entire area around them was littered with bones that seemed to have the meat freshly pulled off of them. Countless weapons and suits of armor were already starting to rust as the mist slid over them. Griffon bones, Ram's, Orc's, and dragons skeletons covered this field.

“Shit... Everyone get higher into the air don't go near the ground I want us out of this place double time.”

What the buck happened in here, there looked to be nearly a thousand corpses filling this section of the crater. Something this large would have been seen by her reports and the earlier patrols of this place. She was damned glad she never sent any earth ponies or unicorns in here. At least she knew that the rear would be protected as nothing was going to make it through this unless it flew and had a breathing mask and even that was questionable in her eyes at this point. They needed to get out of here.

======================================================

The ponies charge smashed into and through the front line of the dragons like a spear peirceing flesh. The tip of that spear was a flurry of motion, Onyx colored armor fashioned like a demon ripped apart or trampled everything in front of it the blade clenched in the figures jaws glistening with fresh blood.

A crimson glow illuminating from that helm sent a spike of fear though any foe that met his gaze though he gave no pause to any of them Cutting them down or simply knocking them aside for the others behind him to rip apart. The mass of the Equestrian army ripped through the ranks of the dragons like a plow tilling a field.

The momentum would not keep forever, and the spears shape shifted and lengthed as the draconic forces pressed back the much larger army circling to envelop the horde of ponies forcing them to fight from all sides. The griffons and dragons rained fire and crossbow bolts from above most of which was countered by the shields thrown up by the unicorns. Jer'rahd grins at that as well as the shock that the Star metal arrows were not piercing the shields the unicorns raised in every instance. He had set aside a new training program for the spell casters giving them all bits of the magic nullifying metal to practice how he did and now the results of that training were paying off. Not all the airborne forces attacked those on the ground. They kept looking about as if expecting the pegasi to come from any where.

Even so the initial rush put General Kaisur close to where he wanted to be , but sealed off any chance of escape for the Equestrian forces.

Jer'rahd bit harder into the grip of his blade. He hoped Luna would do something soon, they could not hold out forever against this many.

============================================

Luna skirted the edge of the crater hearing the cry and the thunder of hooves over the gathering of rocks in the area. She took wing flying up to the top of a large bolder that looked to have been thrown out of the crater by the first impact. Rhede and Bleu scrambled along after her trying to keep up. The both stop at the base of the rock looking up at her from the ground.

Luna nodded, looking across the level field that seemed to stretch all the way to the mountains they had crossed. This was the highest point she would be able to find to see the battle. It was not a complete picture from even this vantage point , but it would do.

She smiled softly her gaze turned skyward to her sisters sun as she waited for the dragonling and the earth pony to catch their breath.

“Alright Princess what is this all about?”

“Kinda curious about that myself Luna.”

“Jer'rahd trusts you both completely, do you know that?”

“Ya well, its boss.”

“I rather figured as much, considering he asked me to guard the mare who wanted to kill him.”

“You do realize that when I first gained the power I have now, he was prepared to kill me if I was a threat?”

“I don't know what to say to that Princess.”

“Don't say anything Rhede. Just know that Jer'rahd has a portion of the power I am about to show and he has no control over it.”

“Alright, you two are starting to freak me out with this talk of killing and shit. Luna you and sugar lips here need to get over this sorta crap. We are all supposed to be friends here and every one seems to want to kill some one else. I've seen what happened to boss and what he was I also saw how he acted once he woke up. Not a damn thing has changed aside from what he can do and what you look like.... and the fangs. I don't get the fangs. Is that some sort of kinky sexual fetish you two have that I haven't , heard of cause its bugging me?”

“Bleu... shut up a moment and let the Princess do her thing.”

“Thank you, Rhede.”

The battle before her was clearly not going in Equestria's favor. Surrounded after the initial charge and without the majority of the pegasi the ponies were losing the battle before it really started. This was not the best plan he had ever come up, in fact it was quite suicidal. She could see the reason for it though. With the brunt of the dragons facing inward towards the ponies no one would really see her until she started her spell.

She smirked briefly wondering why they never had played chess before. It did not matter though with what she was planning they would win with no issue. She was sure that was why he had Starfall sweep around, to kill any stragglers or those fleeing. Jer'rahd was far better at strategy than she gave him credit for.... if this was part of a plan and not just luck. It was not as if he knew what she would be doing before she did. She pushed that thought away, it was more likely he just expected her to do something big and dramatic.

“Rhede, Bleu I leave myself under your protection now. Please do not fail me.”
Bleu nods and Rhede simply snorts as if insulted that she would think he could fail.

Her horn starts to glow a dark blue, magic starts gathering around it slowly swirling and growing larger. Her mane lifts on its own blending into the swirl of magic as her tail does the same a vote of the starry sky forming over her and the rock she stood on lifting higher into the air with each moment.
The few clouds above the trio started to move taking on the same clockwise motion that the energy pouring off the princess was taking.

===========================================

Bleu looks up at the sky as a the clouds caught in the vortex take on a purplish tint. Her gaze shifts back to the battle noting a squad of griffons start winging their way towards them.

“Looks like some one noticed already sexy hooves, you ready?” Rhede? Rhede?! Where the heck did you go? Shieeeet!”

Bleu looks back up at the sky watching the griffons dip low flying close to the ground between the rocks dotting the area as they got closer. They clearly did not want to get near the unknown spell and having seen Bleu they were flying among the rocks to try and negate her use of her breath weapon.

“Buck me we get the clever ones, Damnit Rhede.”

Bleu growls not seeing the crimson pony any where. She glances at the Princess before moving in front of her. She swore again knowing that all the work Velkorn had put into her stitches was going to be broken again when she changed size here. The griffons flew closer eyes on the dragon and the Princess as they unslung their star metal weapons.

Bleu readied herself prepping a breath of lightning, nearly choking on it as the lead griffons head suddenly separated from its body, tumbling through the air as the body crashed to the ground and bounced across the rocky soil.

The others in the formation banked hard, though two lost wings in the same manner the lead lost its head. A trio of daggers flew from the shadows of one rock impacting a griffon that had managed to get away unscathed the bird squawked once before crashing into a bolder, its limp body falling to the ground.

Rhede flings back the hood on his cloak, his blacked foreleg coming down and crushing a wounded griffon's head as it struggled to get up. Another series of daggers ended the life of the other wingless bird with a flick of the earth pony's tail.

He glances at the group that had flown above the wire he had strung between a few rocks at his neck level. He tapped the wire lightly with a smirk, blood dripping from the steel length. He barely had enough time to put two of these wires up after spotting the griffons headed their way. If he had time to put up a few more there might not have been any of the birds left. He was glad to see he had not lost the knack for predicting what creatures might do.

“Bleu you stay the size you are and just try to fry any that get close, or that I can't reach. I'll do the grunt work this time.”

“Well that’s awfully nice of you, is it my birthday? Or are you simply taking your Mr. Grumpy pants attitude out on the poor, innocent, little, heavily armed, birdies?”

“A bit of column B though mostly column C.”

“Wait, whats column C?

“I don't want to hear it from Velkorn if you pop those stitches again.”

“Ahh yes, that choice, That's a good choice." Alright Snookums, so long as you can handle it.”

“Stop making up pet names already!”

Luna reacted to none of this. Her eyes glowed a dark blue that the clouds swirling above them rapidly matched. The sun was still high in the sky. The dragons clearly knew she was leading this force and had thought to attack when she was weakest. This might have been true in the past , but no longer, she simply preferred the night. This spell infact needed the light of the sun to work properly any way.

The clouds stretched thin turning to a mist that spread out to cover the battlefield tinting the sunlight into shades of blue and purple. The spell had no words it needed little more than the manipulation of the magic that coursed through her. The cost would come at how much magic she was using. Luna knew that would likely mean she would not be ready in time to destroy Cindervale itself, but so long as there was enough of her army left to destroy it, she would not need to. This spell should be enough to ensure that plenty of ponies remained to fight.

===========================================================

Metal met metal. Steel cleaved flesh and bone. The sands and rocks of the plains drank deep of the crimson liquid of life as it left the bodies of its former owner. Jer'rahd wore the warm liquid as a badge , his black armor dripped with it, as if he collected the splatters like trophies.

Weapons bounced off his armor, or were dodged ,or parried as he saw fit. He presses on, ripping through the thick of the dragons forces. He knew the dragons would circle to close off any retreat, and he knew the troops under his command knew that too. It was a tactic taught in basic. It was a testament to their loyalty and trust in Luna and him that they would still follow willingly. They knew there was a plan in place and that the Demon of Dullahan would not rush into a no win situation without a plan of some kind.

They were correct this was not a no win so long as the Princess's spell worked. Even if Luna did not come through he had a target that was going to die before him. The large armored dragon in the armies center. A white judging by the wings emerging from its back.

The beast remained at the back of the group shouting things in draconic. Clearly the leader though he could smell something odd even over all this blood and death around him. The creature inside him stirred at the scent, but remained sealed. The dragon was another god, one that was going to die by his blade even if that was a final act.

The bright sun falling on the battlefield darkened as if a cloud was passing over it. Jer'rahd paid it no mind until the the light brightened again casting a purple glow over the land. The battle lulled momentarily as both sides briefly tried to figure out the source.

. Jer'rahd did not need to find out, he kept up the charge, those flanking him, and the ones flanking them did the same, the spear head barely pausing at the change of lighting.

Even this new surge only made it so far until it struck the wall formed by the armored dragons. They had made it. The white dragon was insight now, looking at the battle that had gotten so close to him with a wide fanged grin.

His troops gathered tighter, watching each others backs. There were a scant few pegasi, as Starfall took most of them with her,The unicorns moved to the middle of the group, firing off spells blasting any that were unarmored. The earth ponies formed a wall around them, trusting the unicorns to keep fliers off of them as they fought the forces on the ground. Countless drills and training were finally being put to use.

The purple haze over the land seemed to stretch the the shadows cast by the partially obscured sun making everything seem unreal. The dragons did not even notice not seeing any effect aside from a light show they pressed their advantage barely being held at bay by the ring of earth ponies.

The Waning Moon cut through a ram's horn cleaving the top of its skull, sending the mercenary to the ground where it lay twitching, the remains of its brain and eyes slipping from its open skull dangling from the spine. Jer'rahd blinks pausing in his next attack noticing the ram's shadow remained as if it was still standing. It seemed to be looking up at him however a pair of softly glowing white points of light where its eyes should be regarded the one who had killed its former owner. He met the shadows gaze briefly and grinned.

“Seems the Princess has come through I take. If you want orders, kill anything that's not a pony.”

He did not bother to see if the shadow responded, as a pair of dragons surged forward into the opening left by the ram, knocking the corpse aside and attempting to impale Jer'rahd with spears.

He shifts his stance, letting one spear glance off his armored shoulder, his blade cutting the haft of it and forcing the red dragon wielder back to avoid a second swing. The purple wyrm that held the other spear, swung it like a club trying to knock Jer'rahd aside. His weapon met only to meet a green glowing shield, shattering against it. Jer'rahd drops the shield and lunges at the purple dragon his blade and hooves ripping through the beasts scales as it tumbles away from him. He did not press the attack, instead he whirled to face the red drake while the purple struggled up off the ground.

The red dragon was not pressing his attack on the unicorn,instead it was flailing around, clawing at itself as if trying to attack something that was on it. The creatures forearm suddenly jerks back at an odd angle, bringing a roar of pain and a gout of fire from the beast. The creatures leg suddenly twists side ways at an angle that pierced the skin and scale of the creature with its own broken leg bone.

The creature bellows again before its head was suddenly yanked around so it could see its own tail directly. The red dragon collapsed and with a last few twitches lay still. Jer'rahd turns back to the purple dragon, watching as the same thing seemed to be taking hold of it, with the same results

He ignores the flailing beast looking over to the first corpse seeing the shadow of the first dragon leave its corpse and glide across the blue tinted ground towards the mass of the opposing army. His gaze swept the enemy forces, watching as dozens of the enemy not wearing star metal armor fell the same way as these two did, the dead's shadows leaving their bodies to join the hunt for new victims. The armored draconic forces seemed panicked, yet unaffected. Glancing up the ones flying also seemed not to have any worries either.

Jer'rahd grins wide. Forcing an armored diamond dog in front of him to take several steps back at the sudden change in the ponies expression.

“THE PRINCESS HAS GIVEN US HER AID. DO NOT WASTE THIS BOON, FOCUS ON THE AIRBORNE AND ARMORED DRAGONS. FOR EQUESTRIA!”

His cry was met with a roaring cheer from the Equestrian forces. He gallops forward head lower goring the stunned diamond dog with his horn as he charges into the thick of the Panicked dragons using the unfortunate dog as a meat shield as he rushes through the ranks before him.

He tosses his head flinging the body over his back and off his horn, his teeth clench tighter around his blades grip as he lashed out at anything near him that wore the star metal. The armored ones were immune to the shadows attacks , but that did not mean that they felt very secure watching their companions be ripped apart around them.

Many started to break and run before the new surge of the Equestrian army. This was what Jer'rahd had been waiting for, and why he sent Starfall ahead.

He formed a shield as far into the air over the battlefield as he could the glowing green shape joined by two others making a crude arrow pointing down. It was not much of a signal, but it was the one he always used and Starfall should easily recognize.

None of these dragons or mercenaries could be allowed to escape. Nothing else would be allowed to hinder the attack on Cindervale, and end of this war.

He leaped aside suddenly catching a sign of movement from the corner of his eye, a massive club spiked with jagged shards of Star metal impacted the ground where he had stood. Cursing himself for getting distracted his gaze ran up to the wielder of the club. The large white dragon he had been charging towards lifts himself up from under a pile of bodies where he had lay hidden in ambush. The growl from the beasts fanged maw showed his disapproval that his trap failed.

The dragon Lashes out again whipping the club across the ground towards the Equestrian General, barely slowing as it smashed into and through a series of glowing green shields. Jer'rahd winced as the weapon stopped the spikes still penetrating his last shield. His head was pounding already and they had not gone past the opening shot.

The white dragon did not let up flinging the bodies fully off of him and rising up to his back legs towering over the pony and lifting his club for another strike. Several of the Ponies who had been charging with him moved to flank the beast waiting for the opportunity to attack.

The dragon barely paid them any attention focusing solely on Jer'rahd. He brings the club up and then down in a two clawed over head smash that the unicorn easily dodges. The impact however shook the ground around the dragon nearly knocking him off his hooves. Several of the other guards were knocked on their flanks however. Thankfully they had time to recover as the beasts attention was solely fixated on the armored unicorn before him.

The beast exhales suddenly and Jer'rahd barely manages to lift his shield in time. Frost and ice began forming around the edges of the his shield forcing him to widen it. The ground and bodies behind him take the full brunt and turn brittle as they froze solid some of them crumbling to dust almost instantly.

Several of his own troops screamed out as they were hit, one nearly made it out of the way in time though his left fore hoof was hit. The earth pony screams out as he falls back his leg freezing solid and shattering the moment it touches the ground as he collapses. Some of the others were not even that lucky, as sections of their face or torso sloughed off in sheets of bloody ice.

The attack stopped and he dropped the shield glaring up at the dragon as the sheet of ice that collected on his shield collapsed to the ground.

“Oh good. I was looking to add a notch on my belt for another dead god.”

The dragon only responded with a roar.

===========================================================

A bolt of lightning fried another griffon, the creature dropping from the sky to land with a sickening crunch on the rocks below. Rhede and Bleu were on top of the rock with the Princess of the night. Rhede was covered in claw marks and blood, some of it was actually his. He had been bitching the whole time about running out of daggers and had swiped one of the dead birds crossbows and had been using that, with impressive, if rather slow effect. Several more griffons had joined the first. Some of these were armored with star metal, little more than barding and shields but it was enough to make them harder to kill.

“Why don't they make these things easier for ponies to use? You need fingers or some shit to do this.”

“So any way silky fur, where were we in the conversation?”

“Stop calling me things. Though I believe we were discussing Jer's attraction to the catatonic Princess behind us.”

Another bolt of lightning barely misses a griffon trying to get a shot in at the princess. Its shot going wide and flying off into the distance. A shot from Rhede finishes what Bleu started.

“Well, from what I can tell she has boss hooked completely, more than just the commander and officer sort of thing. I doubt he would even look at another mare now.”

“Yeah I suppose he is never gonna give her up.”

“”He's said he's never gonna let her down.”

“So long as he doesn’t follow your example and is never gonna run around and desert her, I think this is a good thing for boss.”

“Hey I don't do that. Any mare I am with knows its not anything serious. I don't desert any one.”

Rhede flings a pair of his last few daggers at a griffon trying to sneak up behind them as he reloads the crossbow forcing it to seek cover again.

“Yeah Pelt but how many of them think they can change you to love just them?”

“So far?”

“Sure, why not.”

The griffon that dove for cover chose the wrong moment to peek out of it and took a blast of lightning to the beak.

“Just one, and she's one I never did anything with. Of course I am not even sure of how she feels about me any more.”

“Yes,well you trying to be as big an ass to her as you can does tend to change how she viewed you.”

“And how would you know that ?”

Another bolt shot out from the crossbow though the griffon it was fired at managed to turn enough so it only took the bolt in the leg before seeking cover again.

“I have a pair of eyes and also spent a couple of weeks with that zebra. She tries to hide it but shes still got a thing for you. “

“Bleu you know why I won't”

“Really, so you force her away so she will find some one else, and perhaps fail that, never to be happy. When you could just accept her and make her happy with the time that you think you have left due to what the test prophesied. Shes gonna be miserable when you die any way Pelt. Whether you manage to force her away or not. All you are doing is prolonging both of your chances at happiness and shortening what time you two might have.”

Rhede looks over at the dragonling as she fires off another blast of her breath weapon before lifting the body of a griffon she had killed up to take a crossbow bolt that was aimed for Luna.

“Where do you get this stuff?”

“Maw Pelt and I are pen pals.”

“Oh for bucks sake...”

=========================================

The pegasi had managed to find a safe hidden spot far beyond the battle. A small corpse of trees was enough to hide Starfall's group and a stream running through the middle of it gave the pegasus the chance to take turns on watch and trying to clean the residue from flying through the crater from their bodies and equipment. Starfall had quickly cleaned up, hoping to be a bit more thorough later , but this would do for now. Her gaze was locked on the odd coloration of clouds and mist over the conflict.

That was not the signal she was waiting for, that was likely the work of Princess Luna. Her eyes narrow as she waited for anything planning to move soon if she did not see anything. She sighed with relief seeing the green arrow he formed in the air

She raised her hoof to signal her troops to move, It was then she saw the first of the dragon forces that had fled the battle headed their way. She smirks realizing why he sent her team this far out.

“Take out the ones running, let nothing make its way back to Cindervale to warn them. Nothing that attacks us this day is to escape alive. GO!”

The pegasus forces took to the air busting out of the treeline and meeting the fleeing dragons ripping them apart before moving forward to flank the dragon forces still fighting, leaving them no avenue of escape.

Starfall flew over the battlefield scanning the area looking for Jer'rahd and spotting the green of his shield as he blocked a blow from a massive armored white dragon. She sighs, trust that damn pony to find the biggest problem he could and meet it head on. She almost smirked watching the time he had even hitting the large dragon. He looked like he could use a bit of help with this fight, she needed to clear the air any way.

She signaled a group of Shadowbolts the six other pegasi joining her as she spiraled up into the air. They had practiced this maneuver a few times and it was time to put it to the test. The Shadowbolts couldn't preform the rain boom on their own , but they could follow her and make the effect bigger, and the ones with her now could do something else too.

The group spirals up past the clouds into the unfiltered sunshine. Starfall smirks loving this initial rush as she folds her wings along her back turning to fall back towards the ground The others doing the same. They fell out of the pure sunlight the wind whipping at their bodies as they burst back through the cloud layer the battle field spread out below them. Her vision starts to blur a bit even with her goggles as she pushes her fore hooves out in front of her self her whips whipping back driving her harder towards the ground. Around her hooves the mist flowed the very air starting to break and cone around her outstretched forelegs. The Shadowbolts moved in tighter behind her riding the slipstream she was creating.

=====================================

A high pitched whine caught Jer'rahd's attention, he grins recognizance the sound. Starfall had entered the battle field. He glances back as the screaming of the pony who had lost a leg stops and was briefly surprised to see nothing there, though a glimpse of a stripped tail told him why. Starfall was not the only one to have made their way here.

Unfortunately the white dragon seemed to have noticed as well. The very sky shook as the sonic rain boom hit knocking most of the fliers out of the air around her the purple mist funneled along with her trailing behind the pegasus and the hole she punched through the clouds. Several dark shapes broke off Once the rain boom hit taking a portion of the colors streaming off of Starfall with themselves as they banked off looking to impact other areas of the battle field with his friends signature move. It seems she had been training her team rather hard as well.

Jer'rahd hoped this would not disrupt the spell Luna was casting, but the damage from that spell seemed already done for the most part. The dragon winced at the boom, turning it's head up to look at the streak of light heading straight towards him. The beast reacted faster than Jer'rahd had thought possible swinging the massive club up suddenly the thick end of it connecting solidly with the descending pegasus the resulting explosion shattered the dragons club, but sent Starfall tumbling through the air across the battlefield. Shards of the club piercing her armored form as the rain boom had been stopped dead. The impacts of the other rain nukes striking the ground and flinging smoke and debris into the air from where they hit drown out the roar of pain and rage from the dragon, as the explosion of its club had damaged it as well, rendering its fore claws into little more than meaty chunks of flesh and bone.

The dragons pain was not even registered as he watched Starfall's limp form crash to the ground and vanish amid the fighting. The glow of his eyes faded to nothing as he stares after the pegasus in shock. The roar of pain from the dragon brought him back to his senses, his left eye flared up, burning crimson as bright as Celestia's sun. The Waning Moon was gripped by his magic as he roared out rushing the dragon.

The beast responded in kind, turning its breath weapon on the charging pony, exhaling a much wider cone of ice. The frozen cone of its breath weapon covered the area between the two blowing over the ground and the charging pony. The blast him him full force before he could raise his shield. Jer'rahd winces as the armor of loyalty grows cold the chill seeping into his flesh.

The unicorn stallion winces as the biting cold brushed his unprotected face, he expected to feel a great deal of pain, though aside from the freezing cold he felt nothing out of the ordinary . He opened one eye, shards of frost flaking off his lashes as she looked about seeing nothing but vague shapes and ice blocking his vision. The grip of the Waning Moon was cold against his tongue, but there was no pain. He squirms, realizing he was trapped, his armor frozen around him. The dragon bellowed loudly before him and Jer'rahd barely made out that it turned to deal with something behind it. The Dragon thought he was dead?

Jer'rahd growls jerking against his armor ,the steel of it shrieking in protest. He flexes jerking hard against his tomb muscles strains his skin feeling the sting of the biting cold steel encasing him. The ice crackles as it starts to splinter the armor whining in protest as the brittle metal starts to give and the ice around him begins to split. A last hard shift against it and the ice shatters the armor of loyalty splitting open as he bursts free of its confines, bits of metal and ice still wrapped about him a moment before it fades back into his necklace. He winces the frozen cold of the of his armor seemingly collected in the Element of Loyalty necklace that hung around his neck. He ignores the pain rushing towards the back of the dragon, bits of ice and broken metal falling off of him. His hooves impact the dragons tail as the Waning Moon cuts through the thick star metal armor on the dragons back digging deep into the flesh underneath.

The dragon roars, slinging around as Jer'rahd grips the blade tighter in his teeth. He lashes out with his rear hooves bucking them hard into the joint where the dragons wing juts from its armor, a satisfying crunch and the feeling of bone shattering under his hooves was only made better by the beasts scream.
The white wyrm thrashes, trying to dislodge him and only succeeds in digging the blade deeper in its back.

The ponies that had drawn the beasts attention away from the frozen General take advantage of the dragons attempt to remove the weapon from its back and rush forward. Their spears and blades biting into the exposed portions of the dragons flesh, stabbing and slicing though the rents and tears caused by the waning moon and the explosion of its own weapon.

Several of the ponies attacking gather up the enemies weapons, darting around the dragon stabbing at it with the star metal blades, cutting gashes deeper into the beast's hide. Jer'rahd kicks off the dragon yanking the Waning Moon out of the beast and leaving four hoof prints in the back of the bloodied armor.

He lands hard on the frozen corpse of a dead dragon, smashing through the crystalline body and hitting the ground with a thud and a sound like shattering glass as the frozen corpse disintegrates around him. He winces as the ice shards cut across his skin before picking up his blade again.

He glances around a moment his eyes narrowing as his green eye flares up along with his horn , nearly matching the brightness of his red. His magic lifts shards of shattered star metal armor and weapons from the fallen around him, the green glow encompassing all of them. He grits his teeth fighting the massive headache this was giving in in a effort to keep control of the telekinesis spell. He screams out with pain and rage the Guards who had been fighting the beast hauling flank to get out of their commanders way as the lifted weapons are flung forward at the white dragon.

The blades and shards of metal clang off the creatures armor knocking chunks out of it and ripping apart the exposed scales on its arms and neck. Jer'rahd's eyes glow brighter as he pours more magic into his attack, his vision blurring, but still seeing Starfall. Bodies,rocks, bits of earth and shards of ice join the rush of items thrown at the dragon, ripping through the short distance between the two slamming into, and through it. Flesh, scale, bone and blood are torn from the beast in great chunks and carried along with the torrent Jer'rahd was flinging at it. The dragon flailed its flesh being torn from its body like foals pulling apart a giant marshmallow.

The objects still floating and waiting to be flung suddenly fell as the unicorn staggered, his hooves spreading out as he fought for balance panting heavily. He lifts his head looking up at the remains of the white dragon. It was hard to tell what the creature had once been, it seemed little more than a pile of bloody chum. A path was cleared behind it across the ground littered with random bits of metal and gore . Bodies and shards of metal littered the red soaked path that cut across the field.

The Guards that had been helping him fight the dragon looked at the General wide eyed, clearly terrified of what they had witnessed. Jer'rahd smirks slightly.

“Useless trick huh Starfall?”

One of the guards trotted up ignoring the worried glances the others gave him for approaching.

“Goddess Damn sir, are you alright General?”

He blinks, glancing up at the gray coated unicorn covered in gore stood before him. The corporal did not salute as was standard protocol in a hostile area, but he seemed to have to put for the the effort not too.

“I have never seen anything like that. I can't even pick up a small piece of that stuff, and you flung everything on the battle field almost.”

“What is your name solider?”

“Hooves sir, Corporal Hooves.”

“You find this interesting?”

“Well not the battle itself sir, although that seems pretty much won now. The shadow things finished off most of them and what they didn't, either we got, or the pegasi did.”

Jer'rahd fought to catch his breath, his head hurting too much at the moment to process things quickly.

“I am surprised you are not a little more fearful of me after the shadows and this.”

“Not at all sir. After all, the shadow things helped us, and you're on our side. What exactly is there to be afraid of?”

Jer'rahd blinks again looking at the blond unicorn and shakes his head a bit chuckling.

“Do you have any idea where General Starfall landed?”

“Yes sir, she sent us over here to help you after she hit the ground. That has got to be the most foul mouthed mare I have ever heard. Errr, no offense sir.”

“None taken. Is she alright?”

“Couldn't say Sir. I'm not a medic, just a runner for messages mostly. Delivered mail prewar. But that zebra was there before we ran off so I figure if any pony can help her its that one.”

Jer'rahd lets out a sigh of relief he did not know he was holding. He smirks his gaze shifting across the battle field again noting the dark blue pillar of light on the far side of the battle field.

“Hooves grab any troops you can and head over towards that spell being cast over there, stay on the outer edge of the rock and don't get close to the source. Keep from getting any where near it if you can. There are still some stragglers about that may go for it. Make sure any pony that goes with you stays out of the kill zone of those rocks or they'll be taken down too.”

“Sir, how will I know what the kill zone is?”

“Look for the ring of bodies and stay outside that. General Pelt and Scale are there if they tell you to do something you do it.”

“Yes sir.”

“Now go, I have to find my sword.”

=============================================

Rhede was exhausted, and Bleu was not looking much better. Quite a few griffons had gathered in the air circling them. Bleu was kept on the defensive with her griffon meat shield. The bird corpse was already studded with crossbow bolts from the flying griffons. The birds were high enough in the air that Rhede's stolen crossbow could not reach them, but they could easily shoot down at the trio on the rock.

Bleu's breath weapon was the only thing that could still reach them, but the dragon was straining every time she fired it now. Rhede had switched to one of the griffons shields to try and block the shocks fired at them. Luna was still in the trance like state of her spell and had yet to move in at least an hour. The din of the battle still echoed, but the tide had turned quite a while ago for some reason, Rhede figured Luna's spell was working.

He had seen Starfall make her usually grand entrance only to impact something near the ground and be sent flying across the battlefield. He winced watching her tumble though the air, losing sight of her as she crashed into the milling troops. The griffons on the ground had evidently been waiting for her to make her arrival as they took to the air soon after the rain boom had passed. A few more had joined them in the circling and at least fifteen were constantly firing or reloading above them now as they glided around them in the air like vultures. Rhede had put on the armor of Generosity and blocked quite a few bolts, but when one punched through the armor and dug into his side he realized they had started using Star metal tipped bolts. He lets the armor fade away having more maneuverability with out it before he yanks out the bolt, glad the things were not barbed.

There was a lull in the firing giving them both a chance to catch their breath, although all of the griffons were loading their crossbows at once as if to fire at the same time.

“Why the buck do we have to face the smart ones?”

“Dunno, but this shields shot Rhede. I'm gonna get bigger and try to cover Luna with myself.”

“Fifteen bolts in you when your already bucked up Bleu, that's not a good chance for survival.”

“ Luna has a better chance of winning this war than I do. Higher priority and all.”

“Like hell I am gonna let you do that.”

“Oh good I hope you have a better plan then cause I'm fresh out.”

“Buck.......”

A deafening roar sounded suddenly from the rocks closest to the battlefield, accompanied by a high pitched whistling . A sudden squawk of panic drew the pairs attention back up to the griffons in time to see one of the birds explode in a puff of feathers and multicolored lights.
The feathers drifted down as the flash fried carcass fell to the ground with a meaty splat. Looking back over at the rocks, the source of the noise became clear as a group of ponies pulling a pair of the cart mounted magic cannons galloped up skidding to a stop just out side the ring of bodies, another shot being fired by a gray unicorn on the cart.

“CAVALRY'S ARRIVED SIRS!”

Rhede and Bleu blink.

“Not to be ungrateful, but I suggest you stop there ummm... Corporal?”

“Hooves Sir, and we know General Kaisur sent us over, sorry it took so long, but we had to stop for these babies. Always wanted to fire one.”

“Well Jer's still alive thank the stars for that at least. What are you waiting for then Corporal? FIRE AT WILL!”

“ Will? I don't know any Will sir. I used to know a Jill, but she lives in Trotsville. I don't think this cannon will reach that far.”

“JUST FIRE!!!”

Corporal Hooves jumps a bit from Bleu's shout, both cannons roaring again the shots streaming up at the griffons. The unicorns firing them reloading quickly while the guards pulling the carts gather up shields to protect the cannoneers. The griffons scatter as the blasts explode near them sending shards of magic to either bounce off their armor or rip a few feathers free. Another one falls, crashing to the ground its wings shredded, the remaining flock take off, flying away from the range of the weapons. As Rhede watches they barely made it back over the battlefield before a group of pegasi intercept them and a airborne dogfight begins. The cannon battered griffons are quickly dispatched their corpses joining the growing piles on the ground.

Rhede sighs as the ponies station themselves at the perimeter around them, still following Jer's orders to stay outside the kill zone as they called it. Seems Jer was quite serious when he told the pair of them to kill any one who came near the Princess. Rhede wondered how much longer Luna was going to be casting this spell, almost as the thought crossed his mind the clouds above them ceased the swirling motion and the power pouring off of her slowed to a trickle before vanishing completely. Her mane and tail fell limp, the points of light that had been dotting them all but gone. She staggers losing her balance and Bleu was quick to catch her before she fell. Luna shivers a little her emerald eyes half closed.

“ Thank you Bleu. That was a bit more complex than I initially thought. Has everything gone well?”

“Near as I can tell Princess the enemy is all but destroyed there's a few pockets of resistance left on the field, but no one is taking prisoners.”

“Good any word from the others?”

“Jer sent some ponies to watch out backs, I took an arrow... it hurt ... but I got over it..... Starfall is the only one that I am really worried about at the moment she took a rather nasty hit and I have not heard anything else.”

“Velky probably got her, that was too big of a display to not be noticed.”

“Well shall we go find out?”

“Can you walk?”

“ Whats the matter Pelt unwilling to help a mare if I can't?”

“I took an arrow for you, you know.”

“So long as it was not to the knee or anything vital you must be fine to be bitching about it Pelt.”

Rhede snorts as Bleu helps the Princess down off the rock moving along beside her. Luna stumbles a bit pausing often enough that the pace would be slow and grueling. Bleu looks a little concerned at the weakness as Rhede sighs.

“There’s an easier way you know. CORPORAL GET THE TEAM BACK ON ONE OF THOSE CARTS AND BRING IT OVER HERE.”

“YES SIR”

Rhede slides off the rock, landing a bit harder than he liked, jarring the wound in his side He sucks in air sharply taking a second to regain his composure before trotting over to the Princess as the cart with the magic cannon rolls towards them.

“No sense in ruining the powerful and invincible image you built up with this Nightmare moon nonsense. This will suffice and all you need to do is sit there and look pretty. Should be easy enough for you.”

“A snide comment combined with a flirt? I gather you are feeling better then Pelt?”

“I just watched you summon an army of shadows that ripped apart the largest force of the dragons we have ever faced. And Jer is supposed to be equivalent to that? Suffice to say I know well enough to the reason for why you were ready to kill him. I do apologize for doubting you there, after all we have been through I should have trusted you more than this by now.”

Luna looks surprised and even Bleu seems a bit impressed by the comments as she helps the Princess into the cart before climbing up herself and getting distracted by the blonde maned Corporal still at the mage cannon.

“Thank you Rhede. But don't stop questioning orders I give that you do not agree with. Depending on the situation you may be able to point something out I overlook. You are supposed to be the intelligence officer after all you may have more information than I do.”

“Where too Princess?”

Luna and Rhede look at the Corporal who had pulled off his helm and was half leaning on the mage cannon. Bleu continued to stare at the unicorn and Rhede and Luna were a little unnerved as well.

“Errrr head towards the medical tent Corporal I would like to see if there is any word on General Silvertail.”

“At once Princess.”

The unicorn turns leaning over the edge of the cart to pass the orders to the team pulling it. Rhede leans a little closer to Luna muttering under his breath.

“Was he looking at me, or was he looking at you?”

Bleu slides over putting in her two bits worth.

“I thought he was looking at me.”

==================================================================

Velkorn was busy. The battle was resulting in far more injuries than she was comfortable dealing with, and the entire medical team was running around on full alert. There was not a single pony who had not received some would or another, and she had one medic telling the ones with the superficial injuries how to treat themselves.

There were several categories of injuries and she shuddered to think that they were using the barbaric military triage where the least wounded were helped first so they could get back into the battle. But that was the best way to save as many as possible. She knew that once this was over Luna and Jer'rahd would want to press on to Cindervale and finish this war for good.

She could not argue with that logic, but she did not like seeing any pony like this. She gathered some of the moderately wounded, mostly unicorns, that could still function. The ponies were clearly not going to make it back to the battle, but she set them to rip apart tent canvas and any other clothing that could be used in makeshift bandages for the others. They were down to using sticks and tent pegs as splints already. Velkorn had barely spent any time in the tents, rushing out along with several others to retrieve the wounded the moment the dragons line started to break.

Velkorn shivered at the results of Luna's spell, she watched the shadows rip apart a diamond dog and fling its head, to go rolling across the battlefield. The zebra froze at one point feeling several of them take notice of her, watching expectantly as if trying to figure out whether she counted as a pony or a target. She did her best to ignore them grabbing a wounded pony and flinging him over her back galloping to the edge of the battle field and leaving him with a stretcher crew. That one would be fine he was breathing but his helm was crumpled as if he took a blow to the head that just knocked him out.

Others were not so lucky. Burns seemed to be the predominate injury, both fire and acid from the dragons breath weapons. There were a few extreme frost bite cases and one pony's leg had shattered as all of it had turned to ice. It was at that point she saw Jer'rahd. She briefly considered trying to help him , but he seemed to be dealing the oversized white dragon rather well. She hoisted the injured pony dashing back through the battlefield. There were a few cries for help from the dragon forces who were injured , but she steeled herself to try and ignore them. Thankfully most of those pleas were silenced rather quickly, either the shadows or one of the Equestrian troops. They were not planning on taking any survivors.

She had just dropped off the injured pony, stopping to look at the flash frozen wound as it slowly started to melt when she heard the whine of Starfall's sonic rain boom. Her ears perked as she lifted her gaze skyward watching the pegasus and her team drop down towards the ground. Starfall her self few straight down towards what she could barely make out as the white dragon that Jer had been fighting.

She watched the beast bring his weapon up and had to shield her eyes from the impact of the two. As her vision clears, her amber eyes follow the flight of the struck pegasus watching as Starfall crashed and bounced once in the middle of the field. Velkorn was galloping towards her friend before the pegasus had landed a second time from the bounce.

Charging among the embattled soldiers she dodged more than a few attacks directed her way and tried not to get hung up or involved in any fight. She was focused soly on getting to where Starfall had landed. She burst through a line of troops rushing towards a armored griffon with a broken wing and spotted Starfall and the gouge she had kicked up in the earth from her impact.

The Pegasus' armor of Honesty was in shreds, chunks of metal were embedded in her and it was clear that one if not both of her wings were broken and both her forelegs had suffered the same fate. A small group of ponies had gathered around her fending off the few Diamond Dogs and Rams that were still alive this far across the battle field.

Velkorn dashed between them skidding to a stop and looking over the pegasus a bit closer. The armor was going to have to come off ,she doubted she would be able to work on her let alone carry the smaller pegasus with it still on.

“Starfall you have to remove your armor for your own sake, can you even hear me , are you awake?”

There was nothing for a moment and the pegasus breathing suddenly stopped as well. Velkorn's eyes widened before a stream of expletives came out of the wounded pegasus mouth that would have made Jer'rahd and Bleu both blush. Velkorn's ears flatten as the ponies guarding the fallen pegasus turn to look at both her and the screaming general. Velkorn simply shrugs as the breath Starfall had been holding finally seemed to be petering out.

“........ buckingshytwith a parasprite dropping pie to burytheir frakking head, by the grace of Celestia's firm slappable plot this bucking hurts like the hells.......”

“While I must admit to hear this from you is fun, we are pressed for time Starfall are you quite done?”

“Yeah I think I am good for about ten minutes. I don't even want to know how bad I look cause judging by how I feel it's probably like shit....... YOU CORPORAL...”

“Hooves sir, Dinky Hooves..... don't let the name fool you, I really am very big......errrrr, are you going to be alright, sir?”

“Forget that, get your group over to that big assed white dragon and help out General Kaisur. MOVE, DOUBLE TIME SOLDIERS!”

“YES SIR.”

The group charges off leaving Velkorn with Starfall.

“Shit that sucked.... So whats the verdict Velkorn... I can't really turn my head with out it hurting like freaking Tarturas hell. “

I will not know for sure, until the armor is gone only then can I cure.”

“Right got it. “

The armor of honesty slowly seems to melt away from Starfall's form. The pegasus screams out as the support that it gave to her broken wing and legs was removed. The pegasus' head bobbed as if she nearly blacked out from the pain, but she pushed it back.

The zebra gives her a moment to compose herself lifting her head to look around. Most of the Equestrian troops had rushed past, heading towards the thick of the battle closer to where Jer'rahd was. Several earth ponies were moving around the field checking the bodies for survivors. She watched as one lifted his fore hooves bringing them down and crushing something. She winced realizing they were hanging back to kill survivors of the dragon army. Velkorn bites her lip not liking this at all. The war in her homeland had been bad but it was mostly small skirmishes here and there, this was what it was like on the front lines and she was starting to doubt she could handle it.

“He Velkorn. You going to keep shivering or are you gonna help a mare out?”

The zebra blinks looking at Starfall. The pony had some how managed to lift herself up on two broken legs and remain standing long enough for the blood from her wounds to start running down her uninjured limbs. Velkorn growls glaring at the pegasus, Starfall flattens her ears and tries to look at least a little sheepish.

“You had better not even start with me, just take the armor off I said just so I could see. I swear if you are even remotely as bad as the other four, I will limit your pain killers and make you sleep on the floor.”

The Pegasus winced not entirely certain if the Zebra was serious or not, but the look in Velkorn's eyes told her not to push it.

“I'll be good.”

“Not entirely to be mean, but that yet remains to be seen.”

Velkorn moves closer slipping underneath the injured pegasus ignoring the protests from the smaller mare. She turns rapidly trotting off towards the medical tents, trying not to think about the blood running over her back from Starfall's wounds. She was also doing her best to tune out the constant stream of swears bursting from the purple maned pegasus' mouth.

=================================================

Jer'rahd looks over the small tent and sighs wincing lightly as he was being bandaged up rather inexpertly by Bleu as Velkorn tended to Starfall. Rhede had seen to his own injury though he was currently sitting by the tent flap watching the medics run around outside. Luna was stretched out on one of the beds barely con chesss, though she was fighting to keep from falling asleep. Jer'rahd was informing her of the situation as it currently stood.

“The Draconic forces were completely destroyed at best there might have be a dozen that made it away from the battle field. Unfortunately due to casualties we are down to half the force we initially came here with. Of those casualties only about ten percent will be able to continue the campaign if given a few days to recover. Most are either dead or too injured to continue in any reasonable length of time, if at all.”

“Do we have enough to take Cindervale? “

“It might be close Princess, but the force we just defeated was the strongest resistance we were likely to face. Anything else will be personal guard, reserves, and civilians. If nothing else we have crippled the dragons military might”

Rhede looks back into the tent.

“The white dragon you killed Jer was named Snowbeard he was one of the few gods remaining at Cindervale. The Red, Black,and White dragon gods are accounted for . All that’s left is Wisp Wing the Blue, and Swamp Claw the Green. From what has been gathered while they are gods they are both scholars and not in any shape for combat. They are also the two that actively protested against the war.”

“That does not matter Rhede. If they had wanted to stop the war they could have, the mission remains the same. General Kaisur how soon till we can march on Cindervale?”

“We could move now if we wished Princess, but after this battle I wanted to every pony at least a day to recover before they need to fight again. I can lead everyone out by this time tomorrow and we can be at Cindervale by nightfall. The city will not see the dawn.”

“I'm coming along as well Boss.”

“Like wise Jer.”

“No you both are injured and that could be a liability at this point.”

“So are you and so is every other pony you are commanding Jer. Besides I’ve cut myself worse trimming my hooves.”

“I saw this thing start at Dullahan Boss, I am going to be there to end it I don't care what you or Velky say.”

The zebra snorts in annoyance as if she just moved Bleu a rank up on a list.

“You should take them along General. It is always good to have some pony to watch your back. Velkorn will be too busy here and neither Starfall or I are in any shape to go with you. I am getting stronger with my casting, but I still have limits. I doubt I shall be much aid for several days. And we cannot wait that long. Cindervale may get word to the griffons or hire more mercenaries by that point. We need to strike now. “

Jer'rahd nods.

“It is as you say Princess. Now is the time to press the attack. Rhede, Bleu and I will go ready those who can. You three should make plans to begin the march back to Equestria. Staying here will just make you a target if another force arrives.”

“If I might suggest Princess that you let your sister know you are returning home, she may send out aid to help you bring back the wounded, if for nothing else to expedite the retreat she thinks you are performing. A letter to the Queens Cross may have the same result and bring in more aid to the wounded.”

“A valid idea Rhede. If she believes it.”

“So long as we do not mention our forces have split she may fall for it for a time, at least until she receives the numbers of those returning. This will unfortunately leave those still fighting behind the lines without any support past what they can carry.”

“We will take what we need from the ruins of Cindervale to make our way back Princess. I do not plan to leave anything alive that could rise against us now or anytime in the future.”

“I have one more request to that General.”

“What is that Princess?”

“I want you to find any dragon eggs you can and bring them back with you if able. If it is too much of a issue to secure them destroy them as well.”

“Eggs? What do you want the eggs for Luna?”

“Just that the only dragons you counted as friends were the ones raised by ponies. This could be a new start to that.”

“As you wish Princess.”

Jer'rahd turns heading out of the tent to prepare every pony to march the next day.

Twilight blinks as the spell ends. She whips her head shivering at the tone Luna's voice took when she was asking for the eggs. It was far too similar to the dark tones that Nightmare Moon had first taunted Ponyville with.

The books were the source of Luna's power. What had even happened to them, the princess had not mentioned them at all. Perhaps they had been sealed in Tartarus like many other evils too vile for the gardens. The popular theory was that the changelings had come from there. But when Twilight returned Cerberus to his position as guard, the gates had still been sealed . Cerberus was not so much to keep things in as to keep any one out. The spells powering the place were more than enough to keep the evils inside at bay. She also had never found out why Cerberus had left his post.

“SWEET BABY CELESTIA ON A POGO STICK , MAKE IT STOP.... BLINK ALREADY!!”

Twilight turns to see a calm Fluttershy still staring at a violently twitching Pinkie pie. The pink pony had clearly had enough of the staring contest and was on the verge of blinking or laughing or something. The pale yellow pegasus still seemed unphased by Pinkies antics. The earth pony finally fell off the couch bawling and flailing on the floor rubbing her eyes.

“I can't do it, I just can't do it......not even Gummy is that good.”

Twilight glances at the clock her eyes widening.

“Have you two been staring each other down for the past three hours?”

“She's just so good look at her shes just sitting there staring, she truly is the stare master. I can't beat her Twilight I just can't ….....”

Twilight moves over to Fluttershy who still had not moved from her spot staring at the couch where pinkie had been.

“Wow Fluttershy, I'm impressed I didn't think any one could beat Pinkie in a staring contest.... ummm are you alright?”

Twilight leans a little closer to her friend ignoring Pinkie's carrying on behind her. A light whistle accompanied Fluttershy's breathing and Twilight narrowed her eyes poking her friend in the shoulder.

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy... Wake up, its time to go home. “

After a few pokes the pale pegasus blinks and yawns wide stretching out like a cat before glancing over to the shocked Pinkie Pie and the annoyed looking Twilight.

“Oh I'm sorry Twilight I think I dozed off for a moment, oh my goodness is it that late already? I need to go, Angel will be so worried about me. Sorry about that Pinkie Pie perhaps we can play another time. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you in the middle of our game. “

The pale pegasus trots to the door with a last wave to them both before darting off back to her cottage.

Volcanic Ash

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Volcanic Ash

Twilight listens intently as Rarity went on with a somewhat giddy tone. It seems she had some sort of confirmation that Big Mac and Fluttershy were a couple. Some pony said some pony else said, that Big Mac had been going over to the pale yellow pegasus' house quite often as of late.

Twilight was not entirely convinced, but she was happy for her friend. Even though Rarity was just recycling old news now and was starting to sound like a gossiping hen. Of course she could not say much simply due to the fact she had been doing the same thing to Spike for a few weeks now.

“Hmmm I am still rather surprised the poor thing managed to find her self a colt friend without help. Nothing against Fluttershy, she's a darling, but I never thought she would have the nerve.”

“We she did take that confidence course. It seemed to do wonders for her.”

“Indeed, though I do wish she would stop trying to keep it a secret I do want to congratulate her, but I won't just out and say it.”

Twilight shrugs a bit setting up her research. Rarity purses her lips as if considering something.

“Might be nice if AppleJack and Rainbow stopped hiding their interest in each other as well. We are their friends, I would think they would know we would be supportive of them.”

“I am sure they will tell us when they are ready to Rarity, though it would be nice to stop pretending we don't notice.”

“It would indeed, but then we would miss out on all the juicy gossip.. Ah well, I suppose I should let you get back to your studies. I have much to catch up on if I wish to give a proper decision to Princess Luna. I really do feel sorry for the poor dear for having had her best friends near her this long and not felt able to do anything about it.”

“Rarity how far have you even read?”

“Well I think they were about to have the second Gala. I believe the dragonling Bleu was put in charge of it .”

“You are a bit behind. Things are already more complex now, and the Second Dragon War is not even over yet.”

“Oh Pish, it cannot be that bad now..... Can it?”

Rarity watched Twilight's expression as the purple unicorn turns to set up the last bit of her preparation.

“Here we go.”

“Good luck darling.”

Twilight let the rush of the spell carry her and went straight to the pony the most active in all this Jer'rahd.

===================================================

The armored unicorn looks down at the valley, the crescent moon high above casting a dim light down over the seemingly calm city. He knew it was anything but however, there were no lights save the glow from the volcano in the towns center. Make shift fortifications blockaded the streets and he could see dark figures running around the streets as if trying to prepare for the worst. A few dragons had already tried to fly off and were cut down and dropped back into the city center by the pegasi circling.

Was this what the dragons saw before an attack? A whimpering collection of creatures doomed to die at another s whim? Did they both to pause and reflect on what they were going to do to the ponies they attacked? These were the fathers, mothers, younger siblings, and elders of those that went to war for the dragon nation. Would destroying them offer any sort of payback? Any semblance of justice? Or was this just an act of revenge, pure and simple?

Jer'rahd snorts clearing any thoughts of not following his orders out of his mind. He had steeled himself for this, and the only thing that drove him on, was that when this city fell there would be no place for any dragons that survived to call home. No city or land from which to stage attacks on other nations from simply due to being larger and stronger than everyone else. A fact that they had lived by for centuries which was now proving horribly false as their favored prey rose up to eliminate them. A blow here would keep Equestria safe from the dragons.

“Sir, we have incoming.”

Jer'rahd looks up as a single green dragon glides though the air landing on the path leading down into the valley that the city filled. The dragon clutched a staff in its clawed hands with a strip of white cloth dangling from the end like a flag.

A mummer went along the line of the ponies behind him, a white flag. How often had they ignored that from the ponies? He glares at the figure as it slowly approaches. The dragon was rather large and most likely one of the gods that Rhede had spoken of, Swamp Claw he thought, not that the name mattered at this point.. The officer next to him spoke up as Jer'rahd nodded to him.

“Speak your piece dragon.”

“Um yes, sorry, whom am I addressing now?”

“You are addressing the Demon of Dullahan.”

The dragon visibly paled, clearly hoping to have been talking with the Princess or any one else. He shifted nervously looking back to the city.

“Um yes... sorry, we would like to offer a unconditional surrender to your forces, you have already crushed our military might all that we have left are civilians and hatchlings in no shape to fight you. Please we ask for your mercy, that this be ended before any one else is killed needlessly.”

A red glow flashed from the eye of the armored pony, the officer who had been speaking swallows hard darting out of the way as Jer'rahd growls and begins speaking loud enough that the gathered soldiers behind could hear him.

“Mercy.. MERCY?!? You DARE to ask us for mercy? You, who have slaughtered thousands of ponies, made meals out of us, raided our lands as you saw fit for generations. Violated your own treaties and promises on a whim. Killed our mothers, our fathers, sisters, brothers, murder our loved ones for no reason other than your own greed and blood lust. You dragons DARE to ask for mercy after all you have done to us? “

The dragon takes a step back its gaze locked on the glowing eye before it in the darkness.

“I personally have suffered at your kinds claws losing love, family and friends, I have seen first hand the depredations your kind wages war with. And what I have seen and felt is NOTHING compared to those who are here after losing everything to your kind.”

The unicorn spits on the ground before the dragon.

“There will be no mercy for your kind tonight dragon, it is the time of harvest. All of the rage and hate that you have sown is here ripened with pain and loss you inflict. The only mercy that will be shown to any of you this night will be from what ever waits for you in the afterlife. And I do not think the demons of Tartarus are very forgiving”

The Waning Moon rips out of its scabbard on his side as Jer'rahd's magic whips it across the short distance between the dragon and the gathered ponies. The weapon slices through the staff and burrows itself deep in the green dragons chest. The beasts eyes widen as it looks down at the double edged sword sunk into its chest, before the weapon yanks up ward cutting though the dragons rib cage and tearing out its throat, whirling through the air again to float at the General's side.

“I want nothing left of this city by dawn but dust and bodies. Commence the bombardment we move in, in one hour.”

“Yes sir.”

The officer salutes, shouting out the order to fire, magic cannons and catapults that had been placed to surround the city begin the attack rocks, bomb crystals and destructive spells rain down on the dark capitol of the dragons bringing the light of death to its citizens.

Jer'rahd watched as the ancient buildings in the valley below were lit up as explosions and boulders slammed into them turning ancient draconic architecture to rubble with the first salvo. Buildings that had probably stood since before the ponies founded Equestria were blasted to dust under the withering hail of shots.

He glances down at the green dragon god's corpse, watching its blood soak into the white flag, turning it a dingy red.

=================================================================

Bleu swore as the cannons fired right next to her. There were only about twenty of them that had been spared with another ten stolen from what the dragons brought with them, but never had a chance to use before they were beaten.

Boss had them all ringing the valley to fire into the city below for a estimated hour. Any dragons that tried to fly away were to be set upon by the pegasus flying over head or shot down with cannon fire.

Bleu was placed in command of the northwestern squad, Boss's group was covering the whole south with the majority of the cannons. Rhede was in the east with the rest, there was a small gap between her group and Rhede's where the cannon fire did no reach , but there was enough pegasi in the air that didn't matter very much.

Newly promoted Cannoneer Sergeant Hooves seemed to be the only one enjoying himself and Bleu was not certain that was not just from the field promotion and that he liked the sound of the cannons.

This was not even slightly amusing to her. There was no sense of fairness in this, she knew she wanted this threat to end and she was sure this was the way, but just indiscriminately killing of all these dragons?

From what she understood most dragons were solitary creatures, they only gathered in numbers to wage war or for protection. There were a few other dragon settlements ,but most of those had been abandoned as the majority of them sought shelter from the invading armies in Cindervale.

The Equestrian army had crushed three such towns on the march here not stopping long enough to do more than reduce what ever town they found to ash. Most of the dragons that lived there had either fled or were put to the sword. There would be be no prisoners taken.

Bleu looked back over the city the spires and turrets of stone and gemstone that were shattering and collapsing before her eyes. If she had ever wanted to know anything about her races past , this would have been the place. Now she would learn nothing all ties with her people were cut with this attack.

She was not sure she really wanted to be here any more, wasn't this the same thing the dragons had done to the ponies? Attacking civilians and killing indiscriminately. This had gone from a war to an attempt at genocide, one that was succeeding.

She sighs wondering how Rhede was dealing with this sort of mentality, or if he was thinking like this at all. The ponies around her were grim, but also unwavering in their intent. Many of the ones who came with Jer'rahd to Cindervale had nothing to return to when they went home, having lost everything, this was justice in their eyes. Maybe she was just finally having some pangs about killing her own species.

She lifts her head, starting to chuckle, her laugh growing louder as the absurdity of it hit her. She had nothing in common with any of these creatures aside from her looks and abilities, and even those were taught to her by ponies. By one pony in particular who had done her best to raise the strange little creature that hatched from an egg, treated as a sister when no one else in the world would have anything to do with her. A mare who taught her the few spells she knew, taught her to sing and to laugh, hired a pegasus who helped teach the little dragon to fly. A bright soul whose only goal in life was bringing peace to others with her singing. And here she was starting to feel sorry for the very monsters that brought about her death far too soon. The sick twist of it forced her to laugh at the gall that her emotions had, tried to make her sympathize with these dragons.

Bleu continued to laugh as Cindervale burned.

=====================================================

Rhede stares down at the explosions amid the rock and wood structures in the valley. The glow of the magic fire caused by the cannons giving a odd rainbow coloration to the billowing smoke rising from the valley. The flames caused by the cannons could be put out the same way normal fires could with water or spells , but they burned anything, wood, metal, stone and flesh. This close to the volcano water was not easily accessed and Rhede had made sure his team had taken out any visible wells and fire fighting teams that they could spot.

The wells in the city had been the first targets, then next anything that looked like a military garrison or a defensible position. Most of the dwellings looked like strange growths of crystal and rock, almost if the buildings had been grown instead of built, it was rather similar to how the Elk's homes were. He smirks slightly remembering the female he had met there briefly, wondering how she was doing, Mossflower if he remembered the name correctly. Perhaps once this is over he might check up on her, see if he had another little foal running around somewhere.

He shook his head clearing it of the happy distraction. He sighs digging into a small pocket in his robes pulling out a little book. He had not mentioned this part to Velkorn, he doubted she would quite understand it, or be happy with it.

He flipped open the book with a hoof flicking across the pages. Names and locations filled the book, dates were next to some of the names a few locations were crossed out and new locations added in. He had started this book back when the mares first started paying attention to him. There were hundreds of names in here, as well as the places they lived, gender and coloration’s. He smiled running his hoof over some of the names remembering them fondly, though the smile quickly vanished as he came to a large swath of names that had been marked through.

With the attacks on Manehatten, Dullahan, and Canterlot, more than half of his book had been crossed out in the last three years. Many of those crossed out names had not even reached their first birthday, others would never reach their second, thanks to the dragons.

The others thought that he was having issues just due to his father and siblings being killed. No, it went a great deal beyond that. This war had cost him nearly half of the children he sired. Despite never meeting any of them, he kept track of them sent bits to the mothers who had a hard time of coping. He even had a few pulled from homes that had turned out to be abusive or worse. The foals he sired might never know who their father was ,but that did not mean he was not looking out for all of them.

Perhaps his mother was right and his grandfather and father had screwed with his moral a bit while he was growing up. But at some point he hoped to gather them all together and have Maw welcome them to the family. Something that would be that much harder now with the number that had been lost.

He shut the book not needing to get any angrier. He had found his calm again and he need not try to make himself lose it once more. Tucking the ledger back into his robes he looked out over the city watching it crumble around the dragons. Not caring if the ones that were down there deserved it or not.

=============================================================

Luna lay her head on her forelegs , barely feeling up to move, let alone command the injured and the medical group. Thankfully Velkorn was around to take charge of the whole thing and as the medics were already under her branch of the Guard, there was no issue.

Granted there were odd ways about her. Before anything was set up properly she tracked down one of the unicorn doctors and after a bit of questioning, proceed to beat the crap out of him. When she was finally asked what had happened she was too pissed off to speak pony and required a translator. From what information was gathered, the unicorn in question had been the one who had tended Bleu.

When she confronted him with the shoddy work he had done on the dragon, he admitted to it and proceeded to throw out every racial slur against both dragons and zebra's that seemed to exist. Velkorn seemed to be taking it in stride until the point where the unicorn started bringing Rhede into the tirade as well.

There was not a single pony in the camp who came to his aid as Velkorn proceeded to kick his teeth out and beat him unconscious. After ward she patched him up, stripped him of his rank and ability to practice medicine in the guard and put him with the rest of the injured. She then apologized to the other medics for making their work harder by removing an able doctor.

No pony seemed to mind that either.

Luna was a bit surprised at the anger the zebra showed, but then again she was also surprised her General of medical did not help any of the injured dragons they had fought. With what the Goddess of Night knew about the zebra medic, she never voluntarily left any one behind who was injured. This must have been harder for Velkorn than the zebra was letting on.

The Princess sighs glancing over at her bunk mate. With the injuries, most of the tents had been turned into medical tents. She was lucky she only had to share a tent with Starfall and Velkorn, not as if the zebra had slept yet. Starfall on the other hoof, had done nothing but sleep. Although that was most likely due to the potion Velkorn had given her.

The main force had left that morning heading for Cindervale, Luna had kept three of Starfall's Shadow bolts behind and sent them back to Canterlot with a message to Tia, Baelit, and a group of nobles that Rhede had said would fall over themselves to help.

The letter simply explained the situation as well as the intent to return home with the wounded after encountering the dragons military might directly. The result of the battle as well as the fact the force was now split was not mentioned.

Velkorn was certain the Queen's Cross would come to their aid and Rhede had almost guaranteed the nobles would, just to save themselves. Like much of what Rhede said at times she was not sure on what he meant, but he seemed to know what he was talking about so she went with his suggestion.

Tia was the one she was worried most about. Luna's sister had been recovering still the last time she was in Canterlot and the Sun goddess had not seen Luna's new look. The Princess of the night was not entirely certain how her sister would take it. Add that to her clear dislike of the campaign against the dragons and Luna was expecting to get quite an earful from her when they returned.

Not that it mattered. Nothing Tia said or did was going to change what had happened at this point. Luna sighs, knowing her sister was going to want to punish someone for ruining all the hard work that she had put towards peace, even if it was a false peace. Rhede had already said Celestia was likely to lock him away when he returned. She also knew that Jer'rahd would take any such punishment for her with out a thought. She smiles softly continually impressed by his degree of loyalty to her and the others.

She would not let it come to that. The stars help Tia if she tried to punish any of her Generals, or any troops that had come with her at all. Celestia had an entire nation that fawned over, and loved her.

Luna only had those that served in the Guard, and of those there were only five she was sure even liked her. She was sure as buck not going to let Tia do anything to any of them.

=================================================

“MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!”

Jer'rahd let the Commander shout the order to charge, his eyes and expression hidden under his armored helm as he watched the troops rush towards the burning city as the last few cannon shots landed. Two other groups poured into the city from other points outside the valley preventing any sort of ground escape, and the force of pegasi moved back over the crater circling and looking for any targets or any who tired to fly out.

The smoke and fires burning below reminded him of what remained of the city in the crater after the beast was done. It was fitting that the primary settlement of the dragons would be reduced to little more than a hole in the ground after all they had done for years.

This would not be all of them unfortunately. From what Rhede and Luna had told him some would be holed up in caves sleeping for years at a time. But Cindervale was their capitol, everything that went on in the dragon nation came through this place. Every thing started here and while he would love to hunt down the dragons that were hiding Leveling the source of their unity would have to do for now.

The town was being swept clean, there was no resistance to speak of and the few dragons that fought back were easily felled. Few if any of these beasts were warriors, and against well trained fully armed ponies used to fighting such creatures, they stood no chance.

Jer'rahd was quite aware that they were outnumbered here, but with the bombardment and the attack in the dead of night the few fighters that remained were easily taken out. He watched quite a few head towards the castle built into the volcano at Cindervale's heart, he could not pronounce the name of it, and when Rhede had told him it sounded as if he was coughing up a hairball. Not that it mattered if they ran and hid there or not. The last bastion of dragon resistance and supposed safety would simply make it easier to destroy the dragons when they were all gathered in one place.

Bleu and Rhede were to meet him at the base of the volcano by the castles main gate. All three groups would sweep the city from every side, killing any thing they found, and destroying the buildings. Each group had a unicorn who could mark a target with a glowing rune that allowed the cannons to target it that much easier and reduce it to rubble.

Jer'rahd starts down the path trotting though the city watching as his troops burst into a building to search it. Another group at the end of the street marks a structure with a rune then dashes clear as cannon shot scream through the air from all sides slamming into the already barely standing building bringing it down. There were not very many buildings still intact after the bombardment, but the ones that were were being brought down by the concentrated fire.

The General's eyes turn back to the looming structure built into the towering mountain at the cities center, ash and smoke flows out of the top of the active volcano, though not in any amount that would bother the pegasi circling the city. Cindervale was roughly the same size as Canterlot if all the buildings and area suddenly grew to accommodate dragons.

He wished Luna had been able to come, not only to see the end of her war, but it would have been much easier if she had some spell to make the volcano erupt and do all this work for them. All they would need to do then was wait for the dragons to come up for air from the lava and kill them.

A few cries and screams echoed in the night as the ponies swarmed over the city ripping into any structure that still stood and killing any occupants if they found any. There were no Griffons here, no Diamond dogs, no Rams, Orc's or Trolls. This was a city built by the dragons for the dragons. A fitting graveyard for the dragon race.

Jer'rahd pauses as a armored dragon walks towards him flanked on either side by a pair of pony guards. Bleu was wearing the armor of Laughter as a way to set herself apart from the other dragons here, Jer was glad she was taking no chances at being mistaken for a target. Her current inability to fly likely helped identify her as well.

Rhede strode up from the other side also in full armor though he wore a cloak over top of the armor. He must have taken the time to change, as Jer'rahd had last seen him in his usual robes.

The three stopped before the main gate of the castle, a few more roars of pain and screams sounded behind them. The front door was already half blown off its hinges and was easily ripped the rest off by Jer'rahds magic. They waited a time until about half the troops that had entered Cindervale joined them. The entire group was silent as it entered the castle.

==================================================

Velkorn was exhausted and her team was not much better, sixty medics caring and operating on over a thousand injured and dieing ponies. They had been going straight for nearly twenty four hours now and mistakes were starting to be made. There were far too many ponies in need of constant aid for any sort of useful shift sleeping schedule to work. The medical team barely had time for meals let alone sleep.

Velkorn did not like the idea of what she was going to implement, but she gave out three vials of the foul mixture she had given the pegasi that pulled her here. They were only to take one every twelve hours starting from that point, afterwords they would desperately need rest. It was not a solution, only a quick fix , but one needed to save as many ponies as possible until some sort of help arrived.

Velkorn downed a vial herself, shivering as the rush hit her almost immediately upon the liquid touching her tongue. The dangers of this substance were well documented in the book, as well as the benefits.

The mixture would restore the mind and body from any fatigue, as well as amplify strength, quickness, and clarity of thought. It gave these boons however at the cost of a immense strain on the body that could result in longer term health problems with repeated use. The worst part about it was the rush was very addictive. She knew what it could do, and she still had to fight not to have another shot of it when the first wore out back when she first tested it.

Thankfully she was the only one who knew how to make this stuff and since she was able to fight off her own addiction, she would not share how it was made to those who might have weaker wills.

With the mixture given out the results were immediate. There were no further mistakes from fatigue and the amount of patients that could be helped in an hours time nearly doubled. The number of ponies who may die dwindled further as the night wore on. Velkorn simply hoped that they could keep up this pace until help arrived.

=================================================

Bodies lined the halls, tapestries burned on the stone walls, and blood flowed over the stone like a river. In every shadow, and behind every door of this place was a dragon. With every room they took there were at least two dragon corpses left behind. Dining rooms were smashed, studies and living quarters were ripped apart and set ablaze. Jer 'rahd saw a few of his troops gathering trophies, either from dead dragons they had killed or some sort of loot from the quarters they had found. He was not thrilled with the idea they were doing this, but he did not stop them.

So far the injuries had been minor, nothing that could not be quickly treated with a field kit, or that would stop any pony from continuing. This was a boon that Jer'rahd hoped would last, none of these ponies was a rookie, they had made it though the assault by the main force of dragon's army relatively unscathed. If they were not members of the 42nd yet, they would be invited after this battle.

Bleu and Rhede had stuck near him the entire trek, the trio had mowed down anything they saw in the hallways letting the troops that followed clear and burn all the rooms they passed. They eventually arrived in an area with many branching hallways. Several dragons were rushing through here and took off down the split paths the moment they saw the ponies.

There was a green dragon among them that Jer'rahd recognized.

=======================================

Bleu looked after the ones running ignoring them to peer down the corridors that surrounded them.

“Any ideas on where to go now Boss?”

Bleu glances back at where Jer'rahd was, only to find him missing. She looks around in a panic trying to figure out where he went.

“Damn it not again, Rhede did you see where Boss went? Rhede? OH COME ON!!”

The other armored pony was no where to be found either, and the gathered troops had not seen either of them leave.

“GRAAAAH, fine, sure boss I’ll take control of the attack while you go gallivanting off to Luna knows where. No problem Rhede I’ll do all the work while you skip off for some reason GAH stallions!!”

Bleu snorts a bit of lightning in annoyance.

“Alright, I can deal with this shit. Every pony fan out, spread down these tunnels and continue the mission, if you find anything of note, I am going down this passage here, send a runner if need be. Once your chosen path is clear come back, mark the passage and move to join up with the next group. Ten of you with me the rest follow your commanding officers.”

“YES SIR!”

Bleu winced a little at the shout of easily a hundred ponies filling the hall way around her. She moved off down the path she chose smelling something very familiar, but not anything she could put a claw on.

========================================================

Jer'rahd gallops down the corridor, his blade lashing out occasionally to kill or drive back any dragon that got in his way, as he pursued his target. He caught a glimpse of a green tail slipping into a room before a heavy oak door slams closed behind it.

The door exploded into splinters as the armored pony hit it with both his weapon and his fore hooves. He steps into the room whipping his head sending wood splinters scattering about. His gaze shifts around the small study the light from his eye casting everything in a red tint. Cowering behind a over turned desk was the green dragon who had left him in a silo and started filing it with water. Jer'rahd smiles fangs bared.

“We meet again dragon. You never did tell me your name, though at this point, I don't really care. I will share with you something I thought of however, just so we are even on the monologuing bit. You mentioned I killed you mate when she attacked Dullahan. You realize if she had not done that, none of this would be happening? I don't know how much control or sway you may have had in what she did, but if she had not attacked Dullahan I likely would be a happily married pony with no further ties to the Guard. Because of your green bitch both Bleu and I had a reason to hate your kind. That battle was what made me famous and brought me to the attention of Celestia as a candidate for a Element bearer. That brought me closer to Princess Luna, and she brought me here. So as I peel the scales from your body I want you to think on the fact that if you had just told your mate to stay home, none of this would have happened.”
The armored unicorn chuckles advancing towards the cowering beast.

“Congratulations on picking a real winner as a love interest if any one remembers you at all it will be as “mate to the one who brought doom on the dragon race”. Enough banter, you claimed to know everything about me, you don't know shit. You have no idea what you did to me do you? What you made me live through? Allow me to give you a small sample.”

His magic grips the desk the dragon was cowering behind flinging it at the open door, baring the entrance so he would not be interrupted. It was not long before the screaming started.

Twilight whips her head back at the first scream, tumbling through the space made by the spells magic. She pants hard, visibly shaking even here. She had only seen what he had been planning to do to the dragon as it crossed his mind, and the images sickened and terrified her. What Jer'rahd and Bleu had done to Claymore was a slap on the hoof compared to what was going through Jer'rahds mind at the moment to do to this dragon.

She exhaled even though she didn't need to in this space trying to calm herself and look at things rationally. Was this sort of darkness was due to his interaction with the books, or if it was simply something he had been hiding all this time? Perhaps with the torture the dragon had put him through this sort of thing might be thought of as justice of some kind. Or at least some sort of karmic backlash. In either event she was not going back to his window for a while. She certainly hoped the others would not be as bad.

Twilight dove into Rhede's window hoping his actions were less graphic.

The room seemed cramped, towering cases of books hugged every wall and filled the room floor to massively domed ceiling. Books and scrolls filled every conceivable place on the shelves each tome nearly as large as a pony. Several dragon corpse lay about the room each felled by a assortment of well placed daggers and in one case a letter opener. Standing with a small neat pile of books on one side of him and a large pile of carelessly flung tomes to the other side was a red earth pony with a black mane, tail and left foreleg flipping hastily through one book after another. Rarely would he stack one to his side, most received a good kick sending the book into the pile with the others.

“Buck it no, this is not useful either.”

He looks along the spines of the books mouthing the words in draconic, before yanking down another book and flipping though it with a hoof.

“No, no, no, and NO!!”

He whirls around suddenly slinging the book with his hooves, smashing the heavy tome into the dragon who had been trying to sneak up behind hims face. The yellow dragon staggers back flailing, before being slammed to the ground by a large red pony plowing into him.

“Ah hello there mister dragon, I do not suppose you might happen to be the librarian of this little place now would you?”

The dragon blinks wincing at the armored stallion and offering a meek nod.

“Excellent, I am attempting to find something and your card catalog is far out of date.”

The dragon swallows hard.

“Why …. why should I help you?”

“Well the primary reason is you are still alive, mostly due to you possibly being useful to me. Depending on how useful you are, I might let you walk out the door.”

“What... what are you looking for?”

“Any information you might have on the Elements of Harmony, Gods, The Gray Grimiore, The Red Tome, Discord, the experiments on the half dragons, The Order, and a alicorn princess named Aviana.”

“ I … I don't know half of those, but .. there are some sealed tomes I think..... the room, the room behind the desk holds the more secure volumes, that are not for the public... … I think some of what you are looking for might be there.”

“Thank you very much, give my regards to who ever you meet in your after life.”

“GAH, NO... You said you would let me leave!?”

“I said I may let you leave, not that I would but granted even if I did say I will there’s a interesting secret. And I'll give it to you for free.”

Rhede leans in his nose pressing to the dragons muzzle as he grins.

“I am not the Element Bearer of Honesty, and you did try to kill me.”

His blacked hoof slams into the dragons throat, shattering scales and crushing the beasts windpipe. He hops off the flailing beast as it struggles to try and breath.

“I am the Element bearer of Generosity dragon, and I am giving your kind back double what you have given to us ponies.”

He ignores the beasts gurgling response making his way to the door it had mentioned and kicking it open. The room was small by dragon standards, though Rhede still thought it was bigger than his quarters in Canterlot. There was a large cabinet against the far wall with a large lock keeping it closed.

Rhede looked the lock over a moment before pulling a few bits of wire from his mane and starting to work on the lock. The heavy steel weight dropped to the ground with a thud after only a moment or two. The earth pony grumbles about not making locks like they used to as he pulls open the cabinet.

He looks over the books for a few moments smirking to himself. If these tomes titles were correct and they had anything at all in them about what he wanted to know they would be worth it. The problem was the size of the books would make bringing the back to Canterlot rather difficult.

“Holey sheeeeet. Some one got in here before we did?”

“Lot of bodies, but nothings burning you think it was one of the Generals sarge?”

“Probably, those three are damn crazy from what I can tell. Glad they are on our side.”

Rhede trots out of the store room to see a group of about six ponies looking at the still twitching yellow dragon.

“Gentle colts. You have perfect timing. I have a special mission for you all.”

They all look up to see Rhede and snap to salutes.

“What is it you need sir.”

“Fetch me a cart..”

He looks back at the room.

“A rather large one.”

==================================

Bleu was pissed, and she was taking it out on anything that stood in her way. The scent was getting stronger and it was driving her crazy. She could not tell where she remembered it from but she knew she knew it.. The Guard's flanking her split off every so often to clear a room as they passed, before rushing back to catch up with her though wisely staying out of her way.

She slunk down the hall barely feeling the temperature rise as they progressed. One of the pony guards that had advanced ahead of her yelped loudly and danced back wards on his rear hooves blowing on one of his front ones as smoke rose from the singed limb. Bleu moves to where he had been pressing a fore claw to the floor feeling the heat from it but not at all bothered by it.

“I think this might be as far as we can go with you sir. We can round up some pegasi to fly along, but I think we are getting too close to the center of the volcano for us to be any good.”

“That’s fine, head back up the hall a little ways. I will see whats ahead and come back,”

“Be careful sir.”

“Thanks Major , but it will take more than just some heat to kill me.”

“As you say Sir.”

Bleu moves further down the corridor, the walls becoming less smooth and more rocky and porous. A molten bubbling sound caught her attention as well as frantic shouting in draconic.

The tunnel ends in what looks like a large cave mouth that opens up into a vast chamber with a large pool of bubbling molten lava taking up the center of it. The walls of the chamber stretch high into the air opening into the night sky. A large flat area ran around the outskirts of the lava pool stopping at a recess in the wall, a pair of green dragons and a black worked franticly trying to collect what looked like multi colored rocks filling several large bags with them.

Bleu blinks a moment, the realization dawning as she realized what the smell was. It was a instinctual thing, the last time she had been here was as a egg. This is where the dragon eggs were laid and incubated, in the heart of a volcano. Those were not rocks they three were putting in backs they were unhatched eggs.

One of the green dragons saw her and shouted something out. The other two turn to look swearing something before the black dragon roars. He sets an egg aside and charges towards her, the other two start packing even more franticly. She barely registered the black watching the two try as best they could to save the eggs.

When black dragon was finally close enough it fired a cone of acid at her. Bleu easily moved out of the way of it, darting forward and plowing into the larger dragon knocking him onto his back. She hopped onto his chest her armored claws gripping his throat and easily jabbing the skin through his scales.

“Struggle and I will kill you, you two come any closer and this one dies. Do any of you three speak Pony?”

One of the greens had been rushing forward to aid the black though at her words it froze waving the one behind it to keep packing. Bleu glared up at the one between her and the eggs noticing the massive clutch gathered behind the pair. There was no way they were going to save them all. The pangs of regret tickled at Bleu's mind again as the green spoke up.

“I... I speak a little.”

“Good I am going to make this simple and to the point so you can understand me...”

She exhales glancing back to the tunnel she came down, wondering what Luna or boss might think about this. Seeing dragons killed from a distance or killing the ones actively fighting was one thing.

These three were trying to save their young while the whole rest of the city was either hiding or fighting, only these three came for the unhatched. That had to count for something didn't it?

“Take what you have and fly directly north east towards the sea. Once you are out of these lands you do not stop running.”

Bleu shifts stepping off the black dragon leaving small points of blood from where her armored claws hand pierced his neck scales. He scrambles away from her glancing back at the green then to the armored dragon again before darting over to the the bags grabbing one and lifting it into the air. The green by the eggs did the same. The one that spoke pony glances between Bleu and the two flying away.

“Thank you.....”

“Don't thank me. When I said don't stop running I mean ever. Teach you children to run, to always keep moving. To watch every shadow as they flee, because if you stop, if you settle any where on this planet for long, we will find you and I will be the first there to finish what we started here. Now go before I decide this was a bad idea.”

The dragon did not waste a moment grabbing the last bag of eggs and taking to the air to join the others. Bleu watched them fly up before they vanished out of sight over the lip of the crater.

Bleu's gaze shifted over the mottled bunch of eggs before her. She glances down at the egg the black dragon had set on the ground before he attacked her. She picks it up as gently as she could in a claw, regarding it with a bit of sadness.

“You are one unlucky little egg. If I had been a moment later you would have been flying free with the rest of your kind when you hatch. Provided they live that long. Now you are gonna be just like me never knowing who you could have been if you were among your own kind.”

She looks over the lavender egg with the dark purple spots once more before putting it in the pile and staring at it.

“I am probably going to be taking you to a better life any way.”

She moves off grabbing one of the bags the others left behind beginning to fill it so she can haul the eggs back to where she left the guards.

==================================================

Luna looks up as the afternoon sun poured through a rent in the fabric of her tent. She groans softly her head pounding still after the massive spell she cast only two days ago. She ignores the voices telling her it would pass as glances over to the source of a noise that rivaled a dragons roar. Starfall was still snoring away, it was a wonder any one could sleep in the same vicinity as the pegasus. She looked over to the other bed in the room and frowns, Velkorn's bed had not been touched. She looked back over at the injured Pegasus wondering how many drugs were running through her system for pain right now.

Overall the Princess felt better, still very weary with a headache that rivaled the last time she went drinking with Jer'rahd, but much better than she had been after she cast the spell.

She rose from the bed trotting slowly towards the tent flap and pushing it open to look outside. She squints her eyes from the suns glare her face an expressionless mask as she looks over the ragged tent city before her. The injured and dying were every where. The pegasus had moved some clouds lower over some of the ponies outside to spare them from the sunlight, but even these were few and far between in the clear blue sky.

Her gaze shifted to a pile of wrapped bodies at the far edge of the camp. Two Unicorns walked among them casting spells of preservation so that the corpses could be returned home to be properly laid to rest. To her eyes there seemed to be more bodies in the morgue than there were in the hospital tents. She winces softly watching a earth pony carry another wrapped body from the tents to add to the number of fatalities this even had caused.

Looking back to the tents she noted some of the injured who were still mobile were following the medics carrying supplies or food and water. She caught a glimpse of Velkorn running between a pair of tents though once the Princess lost sight of her, she did not see the zebra pop up again.

Luna sighs wishing she had the healing power her sister did, she barely had enough knowledge to put Jer'rahd's leg back on him when they first met, and even that she had nearly botched. There was nothing she could do out there that every other unicorn that had been through basic could not do better, well perhaps save Jer'rahd.

Velkorn pops up beside her covered in blood, causing the Princess to yelp and scramble away wings fluttering. The zebra's eyes were much wider than Luna had seen them before. Before the Goddess of the Night could question it, the starts zebra rattling off a chain of things to the Princess in her native tongue that Luna could not even begin to follow. Luna was also more than a bit worried that the medic was bouncing like Bleu after she got into a large pile of sugary pastries or something. It was more than a little unnerving.

“I am sorry, but you are talking to fast for me to keep up with what you are saying Velkorn.”

The zebra freezes in place, lifting a hoof to press to her temple as if trying to slow herself down herself.

“I stated I am glad you are finally out of bed, you now have two choices, aid the living, or prepare the dead.”

“What?”

“There is food to serve and wounds to tend, or you can prepare the corpses so to their homes we may send.”

“I have just gotten up Velkorn, I am the goddess of the night and war not of the dead or candy stripier............”

Luna did not even need to see the look the zebra was giving her for a cold chill to trace along her spine. The Princess turns her head slightly meeting the crazed glaze of Velkorn. She takes a step back only to have the medic follow her, keeping her amber eyes locked with the Princess's green ones.

By the stars is this what Celestia went though when the zebra was taking care of her? Is this what Jer'rahd dealt with in the zebra lands?IS this what Rhede managed to deny!?! Holy buck , she knew that stallion had some big ones on him for hitting Tia, but after this....

“Umm right, serve food, yes that sounds reasonable. I'll do that Velkorn.”

Velkorn nods pointing towards a tent that several ponies were milling about, a bit of smoke wafts from a hole at the top. Luna follows the pointing hoof though when she looks back to her General the mare was gone already. The Goddess of War shivers again still feeling a chill from that gaze.

“Right, help the injured any way one can.... got it....”

=========================================================

“Alright take the cart out of here to the meet up point and be careful with them, Princess Luna wants these eggs intact.”

“Yes sir.”

Bleu sighs as the guards tow the three carts out the broken main door of the castle. The bag only held about twenty or so eggs each, so it took her quite a few trips to load up the carts. The ones who had taken off with the bags had not managed to fill them all the way so only perhaps thirty or forty had escaped. It was not many, but perhaps being pushed to near extinction would be enough to get the remaining few dragons to leave ponies alone. Especially if they listened to her warning.

Bleu turns her head hearing the heavy thud of hoof beats approach where she sat. She looks down one of the halls seeing a blood caked vision from a nightmare striding towards her out of the darkness of the hallway. The whole figure seemed to be dripping blood and gore with a few spots collecting broken and shattered green scales. She blinks a moment as the figure stops looking after the carts pulling eggs away.

“Damn boss what did you do, bathe in the ones you killed?”

“No just saying hello to an former acquaintance, though that hall is clear, most of them ran from me and were taken out by other troops.”

“With how you look boss, I was about to run from you.”

“Whats the status of the operation?”

“Found the dragons hatchery, we are looking to bring Luna two hundred and fifteen eggs by my count. We've cleared everything out in this area and have managed to double back and check what we covered so far. There's a few halls yet we have not cleared and a little bit of organized resistance here and there. Shouldn't take more than another day to finish. No word from fancy tail yet though. Granted no one knew were you were either. Thanks loads for that boss.”

“Sorry, I had to deal with this before I forgot. Any sign of the last dragon god?”

“No, and there’s very few blue dragons at all around here. I can count on my left claw how many we've encountered so far.. There's a chance the god and the others hauled their scaled butts out of here before we got here.”

“There’s a chance of that Bleu. From what I've found out Blue dragons have been rather rare since the first war when they were the primary shock troop. They also seem to be one of the few dragon types not against cross breeding with other dragons. Most dragons consider it a thinning of the blood though the blue's thought it as strengthening the genetic diversity of the species. They evidently had something right as most of the pure breeds we have been dealing with are grade a stupid.”

Jer and Bleu turn as Rhede trots out of another tunnel already launching into another monologue. He was being tailed by a pair of ponies pulling a rather large cart with a tarp packed tight over it. The ones pulling it already looked ready to die as they hauled it along.

“Park it with the eggs gentle colts.”

“So where have you been Rhede?”

“Found the library, figured I would check out some light reading. Had to torch the rest. All lame dime store novels and horrid books about young, dumb, maidens falling in love with glittery leeches and such. Nothing worth keeping. Looks like one of you found the hatchery and the other found the butcher. I suppose I don't have to ask you which is which.”

Bleu sighs as Jer'rahd snorts, though whether it was annoyance or amusement at his friend it was hard to say.

“I think its safe to say boss that we were a little optimistic in saying Cindervale would fall before dawn. Its already late afternoon. The cities been mostly cleared with a few places fighting back, Most of the castles been wiped out too.”

“I've not seen anything like a throne room yet. Any idea's on that Rhede?”

“Dragons are ruled by a council of five dragon gods, thanks to us that's down to one. Never been here so I cannot really tell if there's a throne room or a meeting hall or not. I am surprised that the the blue god has not show her self yet. One would not expect her to just sit by and let this happen.”

“I do not really care if she shows herself or not Rhede, We need to find a way to destroy this place completely. Cindervale's destruction is the goal not the gods. We will find the last one and any that slipped away later. We have the eggs the Princess wanted we need to finish this.”

“Dunno boss, after all this do we really want to leave one of the gods alive? They seem really good at revenge plans.”

“Good point, though we have been at this too long already. Call back all the troops I want a rest shift set up keep the force split into thirds. Bleu your group takes first rest period. Six hours sleep, Rhede your group keeps the cannons going and guards Bleu's group, my group will keep up the siege of the city and the castle. After six hours Bleu your group starts the search mine takes watch and Rhede's rests for six. We keep this up til every nook, cranny, and cave in this place is cleaned out. Its not optimal , but its something.”

“Sounds a plan Boss.”

“Gives me a bit of time to check the books I’ll set the runners out, Bleu go get your group together We'll set up the Library as the make shift barreks. Far as I can tell there's only two ways in and out and its big enough to use with ease. Plus the smoke should be cleared up by now.”

“Good, lets do this, I don't want to go back to the Princess until the blight of this place is wiped clean from the world .”

=====================================================

Velkorn hated this. There was still far too much to do and she could not keep up with everything. The medicine was not helping matters at all. Certainly the results were favorable, more ponies had been saved and the medics were awake and aware, but there were problems and even those benefiting from it were showing the first signs of addiction.

She could tell who had used all three vials she gave them already and who had not. Unfortunately out of the sixty medic's, at least twenty two were showing the signs. Six of them had bad reactions to the mix and were now recovering, and three had already collapsed as the drug left their system after not keeping up the doses every twelve hours. The others were still working, but they were nearing the end of the second day now. By this time tomorrow most of the medics she had left would be down. The only exception would be the two earth pony doctors who had ignored the drug and had taken turns in shifts. Velkorn wished she had the numbers for that, but the stress of running this big of a operation along with the number of injuries and near death cases had forced her hoof into this action.

She had opted for the quick fix trying to save as many at once as she could. While that had helped and far more ponies than expected had been brought back from the brink of death, none of them were out of the woods yet and if not for constant care they may still expire. She was considering making another batch to keep every pony going, but the after effects would be just that much worse for it.

Velkorn's ears perk as she hears a commotion from outside the tent. She snips the last stitch on the ponies side before slipping out of the tent to see what the fuss was. A single black clad pegasus was clearly seen in the air flying rather erraticly towards the camp. Velkorn's eyes narrow as the mare spasms in the air her wings locking up before she begins to fall.

She was rushing through the gathered ponies before the pegasus had dropped more than a pony length, tearing towards where the mare was falling. The zebra had almost made it when a blue glow caught the falling pegasus and lowered her gently to the ground. Princess Luna had evidently seen her as well, and although she seemed to strain using her magic, it was clear that it was returning quickly. The last time Velkorn had seen Luna use all her power it had taken a week running through the Darklands for it to come back.

The medical zebra barely paused as the pony was lowered to the ground, dashing over to her to check on the pegasus. She recognized the mare immediately, Comet Tail, one of Starfall's Shadowbolts. She was one of the three sent back to Canterlot for help.

“Message, ahh, for Princess Luna....ahhh.”

“Velkorn what is wrong with her.”

“Her wing is cramped and she is under great strain, she is clearly exhausted and in quit a bit of pain.”

The pegasus looks up to Luna and Velkorn quickly takes up her view to check her eyes, only to be shoved out of the way as the pegasus tries to stand.

“I have a message from Princess Celestia for you Princess Luna.....”

She does not even make it up to her knees and gives up trying to rise and instead winces as she tries to move her wing to her saddlebag. Velkorn moves over taking out the scroll and the object wrapped in it, offering it to Luna, much to the white pegasus relief.

The Princess opens the note as Velkorn jabs a few of the pegasus' pressure points trying to relieve some of the strain. Only rest would alleviate the exhaustion and only Luna's acknowledgment would stop the damned mare from trying to move.

Luna reads over the letter her eyes narrowing as she floats the white crystal that had been sent along with the note. Velkorn looks up as the Princess sucks in a soft breath.

“It is from Tia..... You flew all the way to Canterlot and back in barely two days time?!”

“Yes Princess. The others are still there we flew as fast as we could there, but I was the only one up to flying back with that. Princess Celestia said it was of great importance so I did not stop. I came back as fast as I could.”

“You did well solider, rest now. Velkorn , can you get her to a bed on your own?”

The zebra nods watching as Luna trots off with the stone still pouring over the note. The zebra sighs lifting the pony onto her back and trotting back towards the camp. The Pegasus had already blacked out and Velkorn made a note to find a clear bed for this one and prepare everything needed for her to have something to eat and drink when she woke. The stripped medic glances back at Luna as she walked away wondering what the crystal was for and what the note said. Velkorn sighs figuring she would find out soon enough. She also planned to tell Starfall about what one of her soldiers did and likely earn a commendation of some sort for the exhausted pegasus mare if it slipped the Princess's mind.

=============================================

Jer'rahd snaps awake with a stifled cry, panting with his body covered in a cold sweat. He grimaces swallowing a little bit of blood from where he bit his tongue again by thrashing in his sleep. He really was not sure if his nightmares were better or worse ,he only knew that he no longer woke himself up from them any more and he had to suffer through them the entire night. Although that might just be due to simple exhaustion keeping his body asleep till it was rested enough.

He pushes himself up from the cot wincing as his muscles protested. He shook most of that off with a stretch before heading out to have a look at the situation and grab something to eat.

The commander reported they cleared out some of the resistance but there was a particularly well dug in group holed up in the keep's kitchens. There was only one known way into the area and the dragons had that covered with their breath weapons and crossbows.

This was taking far longer than it should have been. They were supposed to be back to Luna by now, granted, he had never assaulted a city before so perhaps this was the appropriate length of time.

He trots out of the library nodding to the Ponies guarding the door way, it was still an hour or so before the shift change and the rest of his division was more than welcome to sleep for it. He emerges into the night greeted by a few cannons firing and the sound of a crumbling structure out in the city. He tosses his head a bit looking up into the night sky and the Crescent shape of the Princess's moon smiling softly.

“Well a smile, you must be thinking happy thoughts there boss. Looking at the moon too, guess you and Luna did hit it off fairly well at the Gala after all. Plan complete. Mwahaha.”

“Be careful Bleu you are starting to sound like one of the bad guys from Rhede's stories.”

“ I suppose so, guess you slept like crap again?”

“As usual, find anything of interest?”

“ Started some of my troops sweeping the town for anything we can use. A couple carts of Gems were brought back as well as some star metal and a few books of mild interest. I also have a corpse detail dumping the bodies of dragons in the volcano. We leave them out exposed too long they will attract trolls.”

“Good planning, Any sign of the blue we are looking for?”

“No and I checked most of the bodies too. Out of a few thousand dragons of various ages there’s only been around fifty blue ones. Maybe my color was going extinct?”

“Could be, Rhede seems to know more with those books he has been collecting. At any rate anything else of note?”

“Nah the dragons holed up down there in the kitchen are doing a fairly good job of fending off any advance we make. We've got more injuries from this than the entire siege. “

“Any deaths?”

“Thankfully no, the only ponies we have with us are the ones smart enough to watch each others flank, this group is only forty percent 42nd and they are all acting like they are full on squadies.”

“After this battle any who stay in the Guard will be invited to the 42nd. They have survived and fought to get to this point. None of them are green any more.”

Bleu yawns lightly, looking to the door of the keep.

“Alright boss your break times over, I need a nap and I figure you plan to just bust in the door with a cannon or something.”

“ You still have an hour, though honestly that is not a bad idea Bleu.”

“What is?”

“Breaking through the defenses with a cannon. I can block the hall with a shield until its ready to fire and then simply drop it, fire, raise it reload and repeat.”

Bleu stares at Jer'rahd and he stares back at the dragonling.

“It took us two days to figure that out boss. This needs to end.”

“Agreed.”

===========================================

Luna looks down at the crystal wondering exactly what her sister was up to. The letter did not start off pleasant with more than a few choice words written angrily judging by how bad the hoof writing had gotten, along with a great many attempts to layer guilt upon Luna's shoulders by her sister.

The Princess of war almost destroyed the note then and there, if curiosity had not gotten the better of her about what the crystal was for and that the writing changed towards the end of the note.

It was still in Tia's hoof writing, but it was the normal calm strokes, even if it was fully business like. The text told her to take the crystal out to a open field, set it on the ground, and activate it with a simple light spell. It stated to make sure there was at least enough flat land to fit two of the royal ballrooms. The note also claimed the best time to do this would be high noon and that she should stay next to the crystal when activated.

She trotted to the edge of the camp glancing back at the tent city that had been set up. She had no idea what Tia was up to with this, but when the pegasus had arrived it was nearly night already. Now on the third day since the main force had left for Cindervale she had come out to this field to see what would come of this.

She hoped that this was not some sort of prank or punishment, as Luna was in no mood for it. She floats the crystal to the ground, casting a light spell on it as the note had said. The crystal flashed brightly though nothing happened for at least two minutes.

Luna snorted in annoyance, about to leave when she notices the light was growing brighter from the crystal. She took a step back bringing her wing over her face to shield her eyes before a massive rush of power billows out of the crystal washing over her as it expands.

She winces at the brightness still pouring through her feathers, feeling nearly a dozen mixes of energy flowing over her , primarily it was her sisters but other unicorns as well. She bit her lip in the flash of pain that came as the light brightened again. Even with her eyes closed and wing shielding her face the brightness stung her eyes. Sounds of voices in stages of, both surprise, alarm, and excitement filled the air as the light slowly began to fade. The creak of wood and flap of canvas was noted as well as the power died down. Luna clears her eyes , trying to blink the spots from them, turning slowly looking around her.

Dozens of tents, carts of supplies, and nearly two hundred ponies and zebra's all stood around blinking trying to clear their eyes as well. Several flags hung from one of the tents poles, the most predominate was the one for the Queens Cross, the same symbol painted on all the tents.

Luna stares around wide eyed at the ponies milling about, a few of them dart over to the edge of the camp to review their lunch as the teleportation sickness finally kicks in. A zebra stallion approaches her grumbling at the sight of how many had gotten ill.

“I told you lot not to eat anything, Don't you dare say I didn't, if you get too sick to work from this, you are on bedpan duty for a week.”

The zebra trots over to Luna stopping dead before her to glare up at her a moment, not entirely certain that the dark mare was indeed the Princess he was looking for.

“Baelit... what is all this?”

“Princess? Buck they say war changes ponies but I didn't think physically”

“I looked like this last time I was in Canterlot.”

“Yes and all I saw last time you were back was Celestia's chambers. Sooooooo sorry for not reconizeing you. Not like I have not been busy.... Princess Celestia is going to have a fit. No matter, I gather the wounded are over in the tent city there. “

He moves away from her yelling to the others to start moving towards the tents on the other side of the field. As the Queen's Cross starts to move Baelit trots back over to the still stunned Princess of the Night.

“I do not approve of what you have done here, I have a host of dragons who work with the Queen's Cross for a better world and I had to leave them all behind because half of them would have taken off to see if there was any of their family was left alive in Cindervale. This shit has got to stop and I was hoping that my aunt followed you because she thought you might be able to stop this sort of thing, not add to it.”

Luna tilts her head to the side her ears flattening as she stares down at the zebra. Her eyes taking on a almost reptilian look, glowing softly green.

“While I appreciate the aid you are offering, you do not seem to understand. The dragons are now no longer a threat because they are all dead, or soon will be. They cannot be a threat when there are not enough of them to pose one. When you return to your homeland colt be sure to pass that along in case your people decide to try another play for Equestrian lands.”

Baelit seemed unphased, returning the glare, his own lavender eyes narrowing in turn.

“Your sister will not let you do that. I will be amazed if she lets you do a bucking thing again after this.”

“I will deal with her if she tries to stop me, now begone zebra, you have wounded to tend.”

The zebra stallion snorts turning to trot off with the rest of the Queen's Cross, shouting orders along the way.

Luna shifts her head looking at the dull and broken crystal that acted as a locator for this massive teleport. Tia must have used the Noble unicorns to aid in the spell, she likely was not strong enough to have done something of this size on her own, or if she did she would be even weaker than before.

Nightmare Moon shifts her head back towards the Queen's Cross medics, if Celestia was weak that would make things much easier.

===================================================

“FIRE!”

The roar of the cannon echos through the hall, Jer'rahd drops his shield as the blast of magic tears down the hall raising it again as the shot impacts the barricade at the kitchens entrance.

The raised shield stops a return blast of frozen breath while the cannoneers reload. He glances down as the back of the long tube opens and a blackened rock falls free shattering to dust on the floor. A multi colored gem is placed in the back end of the cannon and the hatch closed and locked. The cannoneer nods to Jer'rahd who drops the shield again, the pony slams his hoof down on a top plunger. The steel spike on the plungers end hits the gem shattering it and releasing the explosion of magic down the hall to slam into the barricade again, blasting it apart.

Jer'rahd rushes towards his shield along with a squad of ponies, dropping it as the group smashes through the charged remains of the barricade.

Several bodies lay just past the doorway as The armored unicorn bursts in, parts of them blown off from the cannon shots, and all clearly dead. Six other dragons of varying colors hung back away from the door clutching improvised weapons and cooking tools. The squad that ran with him rushed past him as he scanned the room engaging the dragons. A large blue dragon stood at the back of the room in front of the door to the larder both. It clutched a pair of curved swords in both claws and stood ready as if expecting an attack from any of them. Age touched the scales of the beast , the edges of its spines and scales having taken a gray tinge and many of the rest of its scales were dulled with age. No other pony had gone near him yet and his gaze locked on Jer'rahd as the pony advanced.

“Are you Wisp Wing?”

The dragon simply roars, lashing out at the advancing pony. Jer'rahd blocks with the floating Waning Moon, ducking under the swing by the second blade. This close he could see the scars covering the scales of the dragon, one of its wings was missing as well, a hard thing to note as tightly as its remaining one was plastered to its back.

This one was no scholar, this was a warrior, an old one at that, One who had yet to leave his place at the door even in attacking the General. Jer'rahd steps back glaring up at the dragon as it stands its ground.

He was half tempted to honor the old warrior with a fair fight without his magic, but the last dragon god could very well be behind that door and he was already far too tired of this to play any more games. He grips his blade in his teeth, magic picking up the body of another dragon off to the side and flinging it at the dragons from the left.

The old warrior reacted to it as if it was an attack whipping both his weapons up to block the corpse allowing the unicorn to slip under his guard and sink his blade into the softer scales under the dragons forearm, the point of the blade sank deep,tearing through a lung and piercing the dragons heart, the beast dieing before it hit the floor.

He shoves the corpse out of the way with his magic, glancing back to see the troops finishing off the others already, the blue was clearly the only warrior here.

He pulls open the door steeping inside the dark larder the light from the doorway reflecting on scores of multi colored eyes as the light touched them. His eyes narrow as his eyes sweep the room passing over the scaled forms of dozens and dozens of whelps, hatchlings, and a few young teen dragons. All of them doing their best to try and hide from his sight in the open room.

“By the stars General...... they were guarding the children? What are we supposed to do now?”

“The same thing we have been doing.”

“But sir these are just foals, errr whelps, whatever the buck the dragons call them.”

“Whelps, and it does not mater, do you want them to grow up to kill your foals in revenge for this?”

“No sir, but … I …. I don't think I can just kill children....”

“Then leave, wake everyone, this was the last bastion of resistance, we are done here when this is dealt with. Take any one else with who doesn't have the stomach to follow orders.”

He looks back seeing every pony in the squad shifting uncomfortable before all of them shuffle out of the room. Large dragons were easy enough to demonize and kill, civilian or not, but the little ones they were almost cute, even to ponies.

Jer'rhad looks down at a small green dragon staring up at him, sucking on its tail. Both his eyes begin glowing softly red.

“My Princess ordered you all destroyed. I will not disobey that command.”

He steps into the room, blade raised.

=================================================

Velkorn was ecstatic and Baelit was confused. The zebra mare was talking so fast in their native tongue that Baelit was having flash backs to when he first learned pony and could not keep up with a normal flow of conversations.

Velkorn pauses her eyes wide as she seems to struggle with the concept of slowing down.

[“I took another vial ,when I should not have to keep going. I have notes on what to give to all the medics here when they fall which should be in within the next few hours. I have quite a few anti toxins set up that I was going to administer to them myself if no help arrived. Since you are here now Baelit I need you to make sure all of my team gets the mix I have. One dose. The moment they wake. That should put them under again for another ten to twelve hours. You give them two doses total and they should be fine. The effects of the drug should be out of their system by then as well.”

[“Wait, what did you do, whats going on here, what the buck are you talking about?”]

[“All of the patients have data at the end of their cots for their injuries and treatments so far, some of the other soldiers can tell you the issues as well. I gather by all the carts you are going to prepare to move all of them back over the mountains to Canterlot?”]

[“Yes, there's other races already chomping at the bit to get in here and take parts of this land that was promised them. Wait what are you going to be doing? Why are you talking like you are not going to be here?”]

[“I will be here, but in approximately two hours after my last rounds I will be taking the detoxification mix I have prepared and will likely sleep for the next two days. Everything shall once again be left in your hooves nephew. Oh also, do not forget Starfall is in the tent at the base of the rocks there. That is also where I am going to be taking my nap. Try not to drop me into the cart too hard there Baelit. Now for my rounds. I am already behind.”]

She darts off leaving the zebra stallion staring after her confused and more than a little concerned. A flutter of paper caught his attention and he looks down to see a stack of papers. Looking over a few they seem to be everything his aunt had just told him only in slightly easier to understand format including the preparations for making the anti toxin to something that was called Chronos. He gathered up the papers wondering if this is what she had been talking about.

Baelit sighed looking at the name of the drug again and the anti toxin for it. What in Tartarus was Chronos?

==============================================

“Bleu is every pony out of the Castle?”

“Aside from us silky tail, they are on their way out of the valley as we speak. So whats all this about?”

Rhede had stacked nearly all of the magic ammunition they had left for the cannons against one wall in a lower level of the castle. The pile was in a direct line of sight to a cannon far back down the hall way. Rhede carefully set the last few crystals on top of the pile and stepped back to admire his hoof work. Jer'rahd regards it a moment before coming to the answer.

“I think, Bleu, that his plan is to punch a hole in the side of the volcano, the lava rushes out and destroys the base of the castle, and covers the town with lava. Eventually the lava will harden, trap any dragons we missed ,and make the city little more than a rock strewn slope as if nothing was ever here.”

“Honestly Jer, I could only HOPE to do something like that. I doubt it will do much more than punch a hole big enough to bring down the keep in one go. I probably need three more piles this size at the other points of the castle to bring it down fully Still your a clever Pony for figuring the general layout.”

Both Bleu and Jer'rahd suck in a sharp breath, the Elements Armor forming around them as they look about franticly for something to happen.

“Um what the heck is this all about?”

“DON”T CALL BOSS A CLEVER PONY, NEVER CALL HIM THAT. Something bad always happens.”

“You two realize that's utter non....”

Rhede's snarky comment was cut off as the ground he was standing on shook slightly, a low rumble seeming to come from the very earth. The light clink of crystal taping on stone was heard as a pair of blue, Purple and red and green eyes watched a single crystal cannon shot roll down the pile and land lightly on the floor. Rhede lets out a breath he did not know he was holding and the other two glare at him. The earth pony opens his mouth to prove his point when the ground rumbles again, stronger this time.

“Umm, every time some one calls you a clever pony Jer, something bad happens?”

“Yes.”

“Every SINGLE time?”

“In my experience yes.”

“I see, well then, only one thing for it I suppose.”

Rhede's armor forms around him as he takes off in a gallop down the hallway as more crystals start to shift and fall. Bleu grabs onto Jer'rahd's tail as he takes off ass well, the dragonling shrinking down with a wince as her wounds pulled as she scrambles onto the unicorns back.

“I thought you knew about that curse Rhede?!?!”

“I assumed it was one of your jokes Bleu!!”

“Less talking you two and more running!”

The ground quakes again and the galloping pair barely keep their hooves under them. A loud explosion sounds behind them and a blast of heat and force sends them flying forward barely keeping upright. The heart flashes even hotter setting Jer'rahds tail hairs on fire. Bleu turns snuffing out the flames as the trio rush out the door of the keep, another massive rumble shaking the ground they ran on.

Lava floods out of the door just behind them, a huge gout of ash and smoke billows out of the top of the mountain in the center of Cindervale, the orange glow of bubbling lava oozing from the top of it casts a bright color against the low clouds in the early night sky.

The keep begins to collapse as more lava bursts start breaking through the rock walls of the castle, pouring from the sides of the mountain. Bleu watches this all with awe as the two ponies rush down the road leading out of the city towards where the troops were gathered.

The whole side of the mountain gives way in a cascade of rock and and molten stone that floods out like a wave of water rushing across the valley and city cascading towards the fleeing ponies.

“Must go faster..... faster boss, go faster.”

“YOU WANT TO GET OFF AN PUSH BLEU!?”

Bleu's weight suddenly leaves his back and Jer'rahd skids to a halt turning to grab her, only to see a wave of lava rushing at him.

“Shit.”

“Drop your armor sir, we got you.”

Jer'rahd doesn't think letting the armor of Loyalty fade from his form as hes swept up in a pair of forelegs and carried aloft rapidly. The rush of molten rock misses his hooves by barely an apples length and he flails his legs trying to put the fire that caught his fur out.

“Did you get Rhede?!?”

“Yes sir, grabbed General Pelt, right after we got General Scale, we would have grabbed you at the same time but you stopped.”

“Thought Bleu fell off.”

“I think she would have been alright any way sir. I hear lava is good for a dragon's scales.”

“ Just … take me to base camp....”

“Yes sir.”

=====================================================

The explosion of fire and smoke was seen as far away as the medical caravan, crossing the pass. Starfall looks up from where she lay on the cart next to a loudly snoring Velkorn, to the billowing smoke and fire lighting the sky in the distance. Luna trots next to the cart pausing as the progression slows to look back at the eruption and the glow from it filling the night sky.

“Damn Princess. Those three don't fool around, do they. You think they are alright?”

“I cannot say for the other two Starfall. But I know that General Kaisur is alive still. I am sure the others are as well or the Elements may have told us somehow.”

“I don't know about that Princess. The General died once, and both Bleu and Velkorn confirm that. My element didn’t tell me anything then.”

“Perhaps they knew he would be back and did not see a need to tell us? In any event we should get back to Canterlot as quickly as we can, most of the troops here need to be placed some where and not moved around like they are being.”
“Can't we just send them back like Celestia sent the Queen's Cross?”

“The shock would kill many of them I am sure, Also I do not have a focus point in Canterlot , nor do I have access to the amount of power she used to do this. “

“Even with all you did?”

“Perhaps in time I will , but for now Celestia is still the stronger of the pair of us.”

Luna glances back to the six carts bringing up the rear, each pulled by a pair of white ponies in a line. All of them piled high with wrapped bodies.

“We have many to bury as well. Let us hope the trip does not make those carts any heavier.”

===========================================================

Rhede , Bleu and Jer'rahd stand at the edge of the valley looking at the glowing lake of fire that filled the valley and was rising higher. There was no longer any sign of a city, or a mountain, there was nothing filling the valley, but lava.

“Huh maybe, the dragons were keeping it from erupting and when we killed them all.”

Bleu's tail connects to the back of Rhede's head with a dull thwap.

“Okay... maybe the dragon god we couldn't find had the power had to do this with the volcano.”

Bleu's tail and Jer'rahd's hoof both smack the back of Rhede's head bring a curse from the large stallion.

“FINE, I won't call Jer that ever again are you happy?”

“It'll do.”

“Come on, we need to make double time if we are going to get back to where the others are. We are already two days late and the Princess may have already started the march back to Canterlot.”

“Honestly I am not looking forward to dealing with Celestia when we get back boss.”

“I do not think any of us are Bleu.”

Twilight steps back away from the table gritting her teeth at what she had seen. This was clearly the start , Luna's threat, what Jer'rahd did, Rhede's casual killing. Only Bleu, Starfall, and Velkorn seemed not to be swayed by the darkness that was growing around the Princess Or perhaps it just had not yet begun to show with them.

The purple unicorn glances back at Rarity who was still reading on the couch. It was still early, but she doubted she could take any more of this tonight. She closed the book barely glancing down at the notes and turned to find out how far her friend had come in her reading.

Sticks and Stones.

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Sticks and Stones.

“I just don't get it, Twilight. This is the second time this year this has happened. Am I losing my edge? Have I lost my touch? You'd tell me right?! PLEASE SAY YOU’D TELL ME!?!”

Twilight's head whipped back and forth as the pink earth pony shook her violently, panic in the party pony’s eyes. Pinkie had been going on and on since she came over about the black-coated mare that came into town earlier that day. She had, of course, zeroed in on a new pony and immediately sought to make friends, only to have the mare vanish on her. Not only did the mare vanish, but she managed to elude a persistent Pinkie Pie long enough for the party pony to actually give up on finding her.

Such a thing was unheard of in Ponyville, though Twilight thought Pinkie was making a bit too big of a deal out of it.

“I am sure she was just passing through, Pinkie; nothing to be concerned about. Sooo… anything happen with your Pinkie sense lately?”

The pink party pony switched gears almost instantly, giving no sign of her previous stress.

“Well, I had a tail twitch, but then that turned out to be Gummy biting me. And there was another twitch, but that was just Mr. Cake falling off a ladder into the cake he was decorating when Dashie did her Sonic Rainboom thing again in practice. Oh, I saw Gilda again, too; she was watching Dashie go through her routine, but she took off when she saw me; guess she's still mad. Oh, and Big Mac and Applejack were there watching her practice, too, and Applejack commented that Gilda looked like she got hurt somehow ‘cause she was bandaged up in some places, but I didn't get to see that and maybe she should see Nurse Redheart, ‘cause seriously, that mare can fix anything and I always get a lollipop after I go and it’s always a cherry one ‘cause the grapes tend to be rather icky and Nurse Redheart knows I like the cherry ones so she tends to stock up when it’s time for me to get a check up and why do they call it a check up, is it cause they have a little list they check to see if you're on the up and up, but then wouldn't the up and up be more of a Guard pony thing to do? I mean- MUMMMFF!!?!?”

Twilight had been trying to get her friend to stop talking gently before she simply gave up and just shoved one of the cupcakes Pinkie had brought along into the earth pony’s mouth. While Pinkie was swallowing, Twilight took the chance to speak.

“No, Pinkie, the itchy hoof sense you had that you were so worried about?”

Pinkie Pie deflates again at the mention of that, her hair hanging down over her face and somehow turning straight.

“Oh... that one... Yeah, it went off again recently... I don't get it, though; last time it was only a month before Applejack's parents... but it was nearly a year with Granny Pie... there's really not any way to tell, Twilight. I'm still worried about it. It was gone for a little while, but it started up again, I don't know if that means someone died, and there's someone else gonna die, or if it just took a break. I don't have that one go off very often. I really don't know what it means...”

Twilight dipped her head. She felt bad she had asked now, but this was still important. She moved over to her friend, giving the pink pony a hug.

“It's okay, Pinkie. I am sure it's nothing we can't handle.”

“But, but, but, it's like that time you visited yourself from the future, though it’s the past now, so your past self visited your past self and you got even more worried and stressed even though you were just gonna tell yourself not to be stressed.”

“Umm… Maybe you could read something to take your mind off it?”

Twilight looked around, having no idea how to deal with this sort of thing, so she fell back on what tended to make her feel better. It seemed to work, as Pinkie brightened suddenly, her hair resuming its normal poofiness.

“Oh yeah, I need to read that book up to where you are, and you should get started with your studies.”

Twilight face hoofs, never sure how to take Pinkie Pie's antics or rapid changes in mood.

“Alright, let’s go with this: do you remember where you were at in the story?”

“Lemme see… I think the unicorn guy had just gotten eaten by a tortoise.”

Another face hoof.

“Careful, Twilee, that might leave a mark.”

“It was a turtle, and you are that far behind? Arrrgh, Princess Luna gives us a task and the only ones who are caught up are Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh yeah, did you know they’re a couple now? They came into Sugar Cube Corner on a date when they thought I wasn't there, but I was. It was soooooooooo cute.”

“Yes, I know; Rarity told me about AJ and Dash, though I didn't know they went on a date.”

“What? AJ and Dashie went on a date? Does Big Mac know?”

“But you just said… Um, I don't think so. He seems to be hanging out at Fluttershy's a lot.”

“WHAAAAT? Fluttershy's in on it too? I didn't see Big Mac there, but he could have been. After all, I wasn't supposed to be there anyway. Ooooh, that's kinda kinky. But isn't that incest or maybe they are not really related, but if they are, that could mean flipper babies, not sure what that means but I would wanna see a seapony they sound cute and I hear they can sing...”

“What?! No! You know what, never mind, forget I asked anything. Here's the book. Please try to catch up with everyone else, Pinkie.”

“Okie Doki Loki.”

Twilight shoved the book into her friend’s chest, causing the pink pony to fall backwards and tumble across the floor, rolling up onto the couch, clutching the book to her chest, and giggling madly. The earth pony bounced a few times on the couch cushions before stretching out and pulling a pair of black-framed reading glasses from her poofy hair, putting them on and suddenly seeming to get very serious in reading the book.

Twilight’s magic grabbed the book, turning it right-side-up, much to Pinkie’s astonishment.

“Oh, wow, that’s much better. Thanks, Twilight.”

The purple unicorn sighed. There was only so much full blown Pinkie Pie she could take sometimes.

“No problem, Pinkie...”

Twilight set herself up and cast the spell, trying to ignore the song Pinkie was loudly humming behind her, particularly since it sounded like a very off-key version of Platinum's last song. That bit of a depressing reminder was not helping her with what she was bracing herself to see tonight.

This was bad. They had left the dragon lands only three days ago, and now this. The caravan had been stopped dead in its tracks, still far outside of the Equestrian borders. There was easily two hundred griffons flying about and blocking the path. Baelit was attempting to argue with the leader of the group out in the front, but the bird was having none of it.
It seemed the Griffons had not been fooled long and had sent a fair-sized force of their troops to aid the Dragons. Luna expected there would be more coming, but it was too late for the dragons anyway. Even so, it seemed the griffons were not about to pass up a chance to capture the majority of the Equestrian forces while they were weakened. They had also found Velkorn as she snored away and recognized her. One of the Generals of the Goddess of the Night would make a perfect trophy.

Luna fully expected the Griffon to have his troops simply attack the camp or kill Velkorn directly, but the griffon was hesitating, trying to wake the drugged zebra up first. A few of his griffons were holding Baelit and the other medics at bay as they protested the treatment. Two of the less-injured ponies had been beaten down when they tried to retaliate and had been left on the ground with new wounds. The griffons were hesitant about killing anyone for some reason.

Luna ducked back into the covered wagon wondering if she was strong enough yet to take out that many on her own. They would be searching the wagons soon and she doubted that they would spare any of the others if they found her here.

“Honorable shits. They won't kill anyone ‘cause they think the injured and non-combatants are not worthy. Velkorn’s fine ‘til she wakes up.”

The Princess of the Night looked down at the heavily-bandaged gray pegasus standing next to her, a fire burning in the mare’s eyes.

“Starfall, you should not be up. Velkorn said you were not to move.”

“Not like I feel a damn thing with all that crap she gave me anyway. ‘Sides, I’m tired of this shit. These damn birds are not gonna keep me from getting back to my daughter.”

Starfall hobbled out of the wagon as Luna hissed at her.

“Back me up, would you, Princess? But stay out of sight; I would never hear the end of it from General Kaisur if you got hurt on my watch.”

The lame pegasus walked out of the covered wagon, hobbling her way towards the lead griffon, using a long tent pole tucked under her wing as a crutch. The moment she moved away from the cart, she was spotted and immediately recognized. Every griffon in the entire force drew their weapons and readied themselves as the injured pony moved closer to the leader of the flock.

Luna frowned; this griffon was very well-informed. Jer'rahd and Starfall might be easily recognizable due to all the media about them, but the leader knew who Velkorn was in a group full of other zebra. That said something. Information on their location had to have been leaked, likely from Canterlot. She would need to do something about that when she returned.
Starfall stopped a few paces from the leader, looking up at the griffon as the larger armored male looked down at her.

“Was hoping there would be more griffons. I never did get to kill enough of your kind with just the mercs the dragons had.”

“General Starfall Silvertail. To think I would be this lucky. I will likely be a General myself once I bring your tattered hide in.”

“You would think that, and it might still happen that way. But I don't plan to make this easy for you. You want me and Velkorn here, fine, but the rest get to head back to Canterlot.”

“No deal, pegasus; I can simply take all of you now. There is no benefit to that to me.”

“Really? Well, what about the location of Princess Luna and General Jer'rahd? Do you have that?”

“Oh, and they are not here?”

“Do you think those two could easily be hurt? I took a giant star metal-filled mace to the head and I'm still glaring at you.”

“Then tell me, mare, and I will make your death quick.”

“Nope.”

Starfall turned, ignoring the griffon’s scowl, hobbling over to one of the 42nd leaning on a wagon clutching his sword to his chest.

“Lemme borrow your blade, Soldier.”

“Sir?”

“Just give it here, and that bit of paper and charcoal too.”

“Yes, sir.”

The bandaged earth pony gived her what she requested. Starfall jotted something down before tucking it into the bandage on her foreleg. The roan-colored stallion then offered the pegasus his blade. The mare pulled it from the scabbard with her teeth, leaving the pony holding the scabbard. She tucked the blade under her bandaged wing, moving back over to the griffon.

“Simple terms so even a feather brain like you can understand: you beat me, you obviously get me, the zebra and the troops, but you get the info on my little note as well. I win, we all trot on our merry way.”

“Or I could simply kill you and be done with it and get everything I want.”

“If you were going to do that, you would not be trying to wake Velkorn up so you don't have to murder a helpless opponent. All you are doing now is stalling for time and acting like the overgrown chicken you are. Or is a wounded mare who cannot even fly still too much of a threat for you, dodo?”

The griffon bristled and a few of the injured ponies behind her laughed.

“So what’s it going to be, you overgrown feather duster?”

“There is no guarantee you are not just stalling, either, General. How do I even know you have anything of value I would even want on that note?”

Starfall lifted her hoof and tapped the amulet on her chest that looked like her cutie mark.

“See this? It’s the Element of Honesty. I'm the chosen bearer of it. I'm sure even you can do the math on what that means.”
The griffon nodded with an annoyed sound. He stepped back, shouting something to the troops, who formed a circle around the pair. Starfall shifted, gripping the blade in her teeth and staggering as she adjusted to the weight of a blade larger than she was used to. Some of the griffons laughed, though the rest of the caravan watched with baited breath as the pegasus nearly fell after putting weight on her injured leg.

The leader didn't laugh. He paused and actually saluted her with his weapon.

“I see; I understand the point of this now. You do not hope to win; you simply wish a warriors death. Respectable; I will let the Queens Cross free for that, at least. I can do no such thing for any others.”

“Thanks, but I have a daughter to get back to. I am not dying here, and not to a stinking griffon.”

The griffon growled, wings flapping as he launched into the air above her. Starfall followed the jump, watching as the bird used the sun to try and blind her as he descended, his spear thrusting down at the wounded pony.

A spray of blood hit the hard-packed earth and the flutter of bandages ripped free, whipping in the stiff breeze. The griffon’s eyes were wide. A collective intake of breath was the only sound anywhere around until the shock wave hit, echoing across the plains.

The griffon’s spear was wrapped in bloodied bandages and sunk deep into the ground. An armored pegasus was pressed between the griffon’s wings, her own body weight driving the blade under the back of the griffon’s helm and out though his neck. The pegasus muttered barely loud enough for the shocked impaled griffon to hear: “I learned a thing or two about honesty when I first went to claim it. I was denied by the guardian, told me that always telling the truth was a lame example of honesty and that I needed to be honest with myself. I took that to account and decided I was going to live how I want and do what I want. What I want is for what family I have left and my friends to thrive. I also want to kill as many of you damned feather dusters as I can before I go. I can remain honest in this as it is truly what I want. Funny how the actions of just one individual can spark so much anger at an entire race. There's been a burning rage in me that I've had since Loc was killed. I let that out too soon once and suffered for it. So, I've been tempering that hate, that rage, ‘til it’s as fine as any sword that exists. I don't need to hide it. I don't need to hold back. I don't have to lie. The note does have where they are, and I am as messed-up as I looked, but anger at your race is stronger than any pain I can endure.”

Starfall rolled off the griffon’s back, yanking the blade free and tucking the bloodied weapon under her armored wing as she rose back to her hooves. Her gaze shifted over to the griffons forming a circle around her as their commander gasped his last few blood-choked attempts for air before collapsing to the hard-packed ground.

Starfall turned to the others gathered and grinned, her muzzle the only part of her the armor did not cover.

“So, do I get another few rounds of killing birds, or do you follow the dead one’s order and get the buck out of my face?”

The griffons collectively stepped back away from the armored pegasus. Murmurs among the griffon ranks started and continued for a time until one of them finally just yelled out.

“Buck this! She’s just one mare; she can't beat all of us.”

A quick series of agreements spread among the griffons at this outburst. Starfall gritted her teeth.

“She's not just one mare; she’s a member of Princess Luna's Royal Guard and our general. You fight her, you fight us.”
Starfall looked back as the entire caravan of injured ponies slowly rose, one by one. Pushing themselves up with crutches or in the back of the wagons, armored in bloody bandages and whatever weapon they could get their hooves on, looking more like an army of the walking dead than the invalids they had been only moments before.

Soldiers that should be in no shape to move joined the others, drawing weapons and focusing all their attention on the two hundred griffons who had suddenly gone from facing a caravan of injured and dying ponies and medics to facing a entire caravan of injured and homicidal ponies with no regard to their own pain and suffering, all of which suddenly seemed very capable of taking on the smaller number of griffons and winning. There was barely a pause before the griffons started taking to the air, flying as fast as they could away from the caravan.

Luna watched them fly off, emerging from the covered wagon and trotting over to Starfall as the ponies who had risen up groaned and sank back down to where they had been, laughing heavily at the griffons’ expense.

The Princess reached the pegasus just as Baelit did, the zebra stallion still gaping in amazement at what had just happened.

“That should not have even been possible. YOU! YEAH ALL OF YOU! CHECK THEM ALL OUT BEFORE WE MOVE! MAKE SURE NO WOUNDS REOPENED FROM THAT! Buck, mare, that was some intense shit.”

Baelit switched between yelling at the medics and talking much lower to Starfall, his ears perking as he barely heard her response.

“Thank you.”

“I will say, I am impressed Starfall. I never doubted you were capable, but this is something beyond what I expected. This is General Kaisur levels of crazy.”

“Glad you approve, princess...”

Luna and Baelit glanced at each other, moving a bit closer to the still-armored pony.

“Starfall, are you all right in there?”

“I think I just re-broke everything... Please don't tell Velkorn.”

=========================================================

The first scouts from Jer'rahd's force found the caravan by the end of the week. Baelit did not wish to stop, though he was willing to slow the wagon train down a bit to allow the others to catch up. The event with the griffons put a few of the injured back on the critical list with what they had done, so he did not wish to stop even if he would welcome a bit of protection from another event like that.

Velkorn and the other medics woke up as well. The zebra mare was frantic over the host of new injuries that happened while she was asleep, particularly with Starfall, though no one would tell her what happened. Starfall did her best to be a good patient and sleep a lot when Velkorn was around.

By the start of the new week, the primary force had rejoined the medical caravan, taking up positions around the wagon train to prevent any more problems. Spirits were rather high as everyone was returning home again.

Jer'rahd, Bleu, and Rhede met up with Luna, offering a salute as they arrived.

“Welcome back, generals. What kept you?”

“Cindervale was a little bigger than I expected, Princess. We had to loot. Dancing hooves here got lost again and we had to ask this polite and heavily-armed group of griffons for directions. There was a bit of a language barrier, but it was easily overcome with liberal use of trauma.”

Rhede glared at Bleu as Jer'rahd sighed. Luna simply smiled.

“It is good to have you back. I gather from the light show that the mission was a success?”

“Yes, and you should never call Jer a clevmmmphphmmm.”

Jer growled as Bleu's tail tightened around the earth pony’s head, filling his mouth with scaled muscle.

“What did I say Pelt!?!”

“A clever pony? Yes I am quite aware of what tends to happen when he is called that, Rhede. For as long as you have been his friend, I am surprised you never noticed it before. “

Rhede slipped free of the dragonling’s tail.

“This is a new thing, I think.”

“If you want to count ‘since my grandfather’ a new thing...”

The group looked at Jer'rahd, suddenly becoming very uncomfortable.

“Bleu and Rhede can fill you in, princess. I am going to make my rounds to make sure everything’s going properly.”

The trio watched the gray unicorn trot off towards the guards ringing the caravan.

“Jeez, Boss has been moody since he broke into the kitchen.”

“Considering what he did in there Bleu, I would be more worried if he was not upset.”

“Point silky locks.”

“Stop that.”

“Excuse me, what exactly happened with General Kaisur?”

The two glanced back at Luna, then turned to watch Jer'rahd before they started arguing over who got to talk to the princess first.

================================================

“So, wait… You protected General Silvertail ‘til General Velkorn got there, then you helped General Kaisur kill a dragon god, and then you helped Generals Scale and Pelt defend Princess Luna?”

“Yep, and then I spent the last few days firing a cannon at the dragon city of Cindervale.”

“I find that hard to believe, Hooves. You, of all ponies, at every major point in that battle?”

“I would believe it, soldier. There is a reason he jumped up two ranks. Granted, from my understanding, so did you.”

“General Kaisur, Sir!”

“Sir!”

Jer'rahd had been roaming the camp for a few days, now, as the caravan progressed. At the outskirts of the guard, he found the newly-promoted (again), Staff Sergeant Hooves and one of Starfall's Shadow Bolts, Comet Tail, who had recently received the rank of Major. Hooves was pulling one of the cannon carts and Comet Tail was riding in the back of it along with the other supplies, still nursing a sprained wing.

The pair was clearly panicked and shocked that he knew them or had even heard of what they had done. The cart had stopped as Hooves turned to look his way and salute. Well, at least he assumed Hooves was looking at him.

“Don't look so surprised. Hooves managed to keep three superior officers safe and aided the princess, as well as playing a part in killing a dragon god. And if not for Major Comet Tail, a great many more would have died than already have. You two are possibly the biggest heroes to come out of this conflict. Keep up the good work.”

“Yes sir... Thank you, sir.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Jer'rahd paused long enough to snap a salute to the two of them, which they both quickly returned as he trotted away again.

“By the stars... He knew our names?”

“I have heard he keeps track of everything, but yeah, that was intense.”

“So... Comet Tail, was it? Wanna go grab a drink or something when we get back?”

“Don't I outrank you?”

“Err, right, you wanna go grab a drink or something, Sir?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

Jer'rahd nearly laughed in spite of himself hearing the last strains of the conversation of the pair fade as he dropped back to the end of the caravan. This was something he always hated, but he always did. He nodded to the white ponies pulling the carts, moving to one of the unicorns keeping the bodies in stasis.

“General Kaisur, Sir. What can I do for you?”

“Do you have a list of the names of the fallen?”

“Yes sir. Day Lily over there has the list in his saddlebags. Day Lily! The General wants the list.”

The pale white unicorn with red fur in spots on his coat floated a large rolled scroll from his saddlebag, sending it over to the other two so Jer'rahd could take it.

“Thank you. I will bring this back to you when I have updated my book.”

“No problem, sir. We have another copy if you want to keep it. Plus, all the bodies have been marked. I am not really looking forward to getting these carts into the city, though. No pony is ever happy to see us at their door.”

“It’s a job that needs to be done. Some pony needs to do it... Do me a favor would you?”

“Whats that, Sir?”

“When you do go to tell the families, find out when they plan to have the funerals and where and bring that information back to me.”

“Sir? That's over seven hundred names and potential funerals. That's if these ponies have any one to even tell. Canterlot, Dullahan, and Manehatten were hit pretty bucking hard sir.”

“If they do not have family, let me know that as well. I will take care of the funeral arrangements myself.”

“Are you sure about that, sir?”

“Yes; they followed me willingly to their deaths in the name of Equestria. The least I can do is see that the land comforts them in their final rest.”

“Yes, sir.”

===============================================

It took a month for the slow-moving wagon train to make it to Canterlot. Bleu had somehow managed to drag Rhede into some sort of improv for the troops to keep morale up, not that it needed too much improvement after crossing the Equestrian border. Watching Bleu's antics reminded him of the old ESO tours before the organization was destroyed irrecoverably at Dullahan. When not entertaining, Bleu spent most of her time guarding the carts full of eggs. Jer'rahd thought it unnecessary at first, but after an incident with a former doctor, he thought it perhaps was for the best.

When not being abused by Bleu, Rhede spent his time pouring over the books he had brought. Luna kept to herself, mostly, and Velkorn continued to do what she did best. Starfall mostly slept or complained when Velkorn was not around, though Jer’rahd was impressed to hear what she had done to be back in her current state.

They had passed more than a few farms and small settlements along the way and were able to resupply and restock at some of them. Reactions, however, were mixed. Some ponies were ecstatic to see the victorious troops home again, the civilians convinced that the actions in the dragon lands would have them safe forever.

Then there was the other side. The ponies that shunned them, believing they brought doom down on them from all the other races and that Equestria would know nothing but war now, thanks to these soldiers. There were, unfortunately, more of the latter, it seemed.

Once they arrived at Canterlot, however, most of that doubt and shunning was gone.

The gates of the city were blocked by a massive throng of ponies of all types. The gathered ponies were almost as large as the returning force itself. A few Royal Guards were trying to keep order and failing miserably. The small force was flung aside as the crowd stampeded towards the caravan.

Nearly every eye in the caravan was suddenly on the Generals, and on Jer'rahd specifically. He nodded lightly and was met with a cheer.

The mob was met halfway by a horde of guard ponies rushing to meet their loved ones and family that they had left behind to undertake the conflict. The caravan stopped dead as even the ones that should not have been up tried to move forward to greet their families.

A large portion of the troops hung back, watching the proceedings. Some were crying openly at the scene, while others were grimly watching the joy before them as if wishing that there was somepony waiting for them. A few from this group walked off together, including Comet Tail and First Sergeant Hooves, though not many of them seemed very happy.

It was to this group Jer'rahd went to. They snapped to attention as he approached, the sudden click of hooves heard even over the cheers. There were about three to four hundred ponies still hanging back, watching the crowd with envy. He knew the losses were great, but this was far beyond what he expected.

“Alright, soldiers; at ease. That's enough gawking and moping. I don't care if you went out seeking revenge, justice, or just something to do. THAT....”

He lifts a hoof to the cheering ponies and the mob that had gathered to welcome the returning soldiers.

“...That, is why we do what we do. We fight to keep them safe so there is something for your brothers and sisters in the Guard to return to. Even if you have nothing left, you should be proud to know that your actions allowed others to return to their loved ones and that what we did will ensure that others will not have to suffer as you did. Now I know you all want to go get wasted in the nearest bar to drown your sorrows. Buck, I assure you I want to do the same thing and put Starcloud out of business, but we are not done yet. I want you to divide into three groups...”

Jer'rahd waved, splitting the ponies apart like he was guiding cart traffic.

“ You lot are going to help the undertakers and any of the civilians who cannot find their families in the crowd. You are to check the lists by the carts and you let them know if their loved ones are on it. It’s a shit job, but it’s better that they be informed of what happened instead of not knowing. GOT IT?”

“YES, SIR.”

He looks to the other group.

“You lot will be helping the Queen's Cross. Do the same deal with the wounded who can't move. If one of the wounded wants to go meet some pony, you bucking make sure they get to, understand? I don't give a crap what the medics say about no visiting for some of them.”

“YES, SIR.”

“Alright, the rest of you are on gear detail. Bring what we brought with us into the city. If there are no new barracks built, you will take over anything that looks promising: a ball room, a hotel, or evensome noble's bucking mansion if you have to. I want some place ready for the ponies who have nowhere else to go and a place to put the wounded if the Queen's Cross doesn't have someplace big enough. I want a roof over our heads tonight, troops. You understand!?”

“YES, SIR!”

“Good; I have to go get screamed at by Princess Celestia for the next few days, unless one of you wants to trade jobs with me? Seriously. Any takers?”

“All you Sir!”
“Pass!”
“Good luck sir; we're rooting for you!”

The ribbing brought a few chuckles to the grim faces. Even if it was forced, Bleu would be proud.

“Fine, then. Get to it. You have your orders.”

“YES, SIR!”

============================================

Princess Luna watched from another part of the caravan, hearing Jer'rahd bark orders to the remaining troops. While part of her felt sorry for them, another part of her was glad they had more connections with the guard than they did otherwise. Troops like that had no connections, and if things panned out badly with her sister, that would be a good thing.

“Starfall, Rhede, both of you go ahead and go. You have ponies waiting for you. Go to them; no sense in letting Tia get to all of us at once.”

“You sure, Princess?”

“Not particularly, but I know my sister is not happy. I would spare as many as I can from that.”

Bleu had shifted, watching the ponies run around from a position on Velkorn's back. The zebra had fussed at her for shrinking down, but when Bleu's usual return banter was not forthcoming, she let it slide, planning to check the dragonling later.

“Not sure I am comfortable leaving you four to take the heat for all of us. We should be there, Princess.”

“Nah, there’s only gonna be three of us taking shit from Celestia. Velky here's gonna help you get home, Starfall.”

“Wait a moment there, Bleu; I should be around to help you, too.”

“Sorry, I'm an outpatient at this point; a check up now and again and I’m set. Starfall there can barely walk, so she’s still in need of a full-time doc. Besides, you said yourself there’s nothing you can do for my wings and that’s the only real issue I have left at this point. She needs more help than I do and as the Bearer of Compassion, I am sure you wouldn't dreeeeeam of stopping her from going to see her daughter, now would you, Velky?”

Everyone looked to the dragonling as she hopped down from the zebra's back and the wide grin on her face.

“I believe you either bumped your head or you have been hanging out far too much with Rhede.”

“Logic is easy. Comedy, now that's hard.”

“No, Velkorn, that one was all Bleu. Anyway, lets go; I don't see Cloud Dancer anywhere.”

“Its fine, Starfall; she was staying with Maw and I see Fox and Wolf with a cart over there. Your daughter’s most likely still in Ponyville. With this many gathered here, I can understand why Maw wouldn't send her.”
Rhede looked up at Luna. “You sure you will be alright, Princess? Your sister was in a mood last time I was here.”

“We will be fine. I have Jer'rahd and Bleu to back me up. If we cannot make her see what we did was needed, then no one can.”

“Good luck, then. Alright, you take one side, Velkorn, I'll take the other. This fool mare's not gonna let us carry her and they won't be able to get that cart through the crowd for a while.

Bleu and Luna watched the trio shamble off towards the waiting Pelt colts. Fox had leaned out since the last time Luna had seen him and Wolf had bulked up considerably, though his gray coat had gotten rather shaggy. The princess briefly wondered if they had the same father, as they looked nothing alike and Rhede looked nothing like either of them.

“So what now, Luna?”

“Sadly, I expect a chess game.”

“What? Oh come on. Now?”

“It helps keep Tia calm; I think we are better off if she does have it out.”

“Ummmmmm, I think we might be in trouble then, cause I ate most of the pieces last time, too.”

=================================================

Luna steeled herself as she pushed open the door to Tia's meeting room. She had not been this reluctant to do something in centuries, yet here she was trying to think of any reason not to go into a room to see her sister.
Still, she was determined to prove to Tia that the proper course of action that was taken. Peaceful solutions only go so far.

The Princess of War was not sorry for what had been done and she would not let her sister make her feel bad about it. She strode into the meeting room, coming face to face with Celestia as her sister entered though the door on the other side of the room.

Luna blinked. Her sister’s flowing pink mane was no longer fully pink. There where waves of blue and green fluttering among the white alicorn’s long tresses. Celestia's eyes were wide as well, looking at Luna and the changes to her.

“What the buck did you do to yourself?”
“What the buck did you do to yourself?”

=======================================================

“Hey MAW! We're back!”

“In the kitchen, Rhede... Hey now! Slow it up!”

A blur of motion tore out of the kitchen, nearly knocking over Rhede and impacting with the injured Starfall, bringing a whimper of pain from the pegasus and a sympathy wince from both Velkorn and Rhede.

“Mommy!”

“Cloud Dancer... hi....”

Rhede briefly wondered if the tears in Starfall's eyes were from the pain or from seeing her daughter; they had been gone a few months. The filly had grown considerably since the last time he had seen her, and Rhede had to stop himself from admiring how she was shaping up. The easiest way to do that was to step in the kitchen and leave the mares outside in the family room.

Maw was at the stove cooking something and his youngest sister Golden was currently doing her best to make noise banging old pots together in the corner. He smiled at the sight of the little one, who glanced up at him a moment before going back to her noise. He looked over to Maw and sighed. His mother was not a young pony, but she seemed to have aged considerably since the Gala. Granted, she still did not act it, but he had not been back home since before he left to the conference in the zebra lands.

“Welcome back, Rhede. Where's Jer'rahd?”

“Probably getting an earful from Celestia at this point. She's not happy with us.”

“’Cause ya'll started another war as revenge.”

“Don't start with me, too, Maw.”

“I ain't. I'm right with you in saying they got what they deserved and what they needed tah have done to ‘em for a long time. Ah'm just saying that’s why the Princess ain't happy. So I gather it’s over then; they're all dead?”

“No, a few escaped and one of their gods was not there, but Cindervale no longer exists. Dragons are closer to being extinct now than they have ever been since history was first recorded.”

“Should be all the way gone. Shoulda made sure you killed ‘em all.”

“Don't forget, Maw, one of your adoptive family members is a dragon. Or did you disown Bleu?”

“Bleu's more like a pony than some ponies I know. I met quite a few dragons back in my trading days and she's nothing like any of them. She's a good girl and proof of nurture over nature. She's been raised by ponies and for all purposes thinks she is one, despite being different.”

“That doesn't make her any less annoying, Maw.”

“She's family. That's family’s job.”

“So how have you been?”

“Been better. So long as I'm doing something though, I don't dwell. It’s when things get quiet... that's when it gets bad. “

Rhede moved over to his mother, hugging the smaller mare as she dropped the spoon into what she was mixing, trying hard not to cry.

“It'll be okay, Maw.”

“I know... it’s just… it ain't easy, even with the weddings.”

“Weddings? You mean those happened already?”

“Yeah, them stallions Jer'rahd brought with him to the Hearth’s Warming party. Potato Wedge and Higgs Boson. Both of ‘em finally got to the point where they were gonna tie the knot with Fisher and Faux. Both of them thought they were getting deployed with yer group and yer sisters convinced them tah get married before they left so that the colts would have something to strive to come home to. Then it turns out they were left here on castle detail.”

“Castle detail?!? Only the old and injured Guard and the Royal Guard were left for that. How did those two... Jer...”

“Pretty nice of him considering. Risky, too; he'd lose some of that respect he's earned playing favorites, though his letter did mention somethin’ about a wedding gift for the four of them. Never could read his writing that well. I guess they went and asked him permission to wed the sisters first, ‘cause you'd already left fer that zebra lands and, well, Paw isn't around tah be asked anymore.”

“Yeah, that was nice of him. Not so nice not to say anything to me at all...”

“Considering where ya'll went. Ah'm sure he had other things on his mind, Rhede.”

=========================================================

“Any reason you lot have decided to walk along with us?”

“Princess Celestia ordered you two escorted to her meeting room so you can speak with her.”

Jer'rahd, with Bleu shrunk down and riding on his back, were guided down the main hall of Canterlot Castle by six of the Royal Guard ponies. All of them were armed and had taken up the six cardinal positions around the pair. Jer'rahd was not amused, though Bleu seemed to be.

“Isn't it a little silly to be guarding guards? I mean what’s the point? Are you gonna stop us from stopping to get something to eat? Prevent us from getting lost. I know the Castle’s big, but still, we have been here enough. Did they rebuild the way to Celestia's meeting room into a maze? That would be neat...”

“It’s pointless and stupid, Bleu. An unnecessary waste.”

“The Royal Guard follows what Princess Celestia orders, unlike you lot.”

The last bit was said under the guard’s breath, but Bleu caught it and she knew Boss caught it. This was not going to end well.

“That is not what I meant when I said this was an unnecessary waste.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, shouldn't castle ornamentation be used for decoration like always? If she actually wanted me escorted by proper Guard she should have asked the 42nd or some colts with sticks not the resident dust-collecting knick knacks...”

The lead guard whirled about, nearly headbutting Jer'rahd as he met the General's glare with his own. The gray unicorn stallion did not so much as flinch from Jer'rahd's eyes, which Bleu thought was impressive.

“We went thought the same training you lot went through, so you can stuff it.”

“Ah yes, and you do such a good job. How many died on your watch? How many dragons and griffons managed to be in the city to attack?”

“The 42nd was on duty as well. I don't see you pointing that out.”

“We were on Gala duty; most of our guests survived your screw up.”

“Yes, great job there. Your princess gets captured and ours nearly gets killed and still manages to stop the enemy leader. And where was that enemy leader hiding? Why, as one of your own generals, and the highest ranking one at that. Point’s in our favor, Demon.”

Jer'rahd growled and both unicorns’ horns flare, unfastening their weapons. Suddenly, both Jer'rahd and the guard were lifted into the air. Bleu tightened her claws around both of them, her full-sized form taking up most of the hallway as she brought both of them up to her eye level. The other guards had all pulled back, but their weapons were drawn.

“Knock it off! Both of you! Everybody bucked up, so stop pointing the blame. Despite what you seem to think, Boss and whatever your name is, we are both on the same side here. Now, can we continue on or do I need to put you both in a time-out?” She squeezed the two of them again for emphasis, though again, neither so much as flinched from the action.

“You colts play nice or I'll make you kiss.”

That brought a slight wince from both the guard and the general, easing on their bodies as well as a few chuckles from the other Royal Guard. She sets them both back down away from each other and shrank down herself, wincing a little before clamoring up onto Jer'rahd's back.

“Ooh, think I pulled something there. Let's get this over with so I can go hit a bar already.”

The rest of the escort thankfully went off without any more incidents, aside from the two stallions occasionally glaring at each other.

====================================================

A tea cup clinked lightly as Celestia took a sip then set the cup back on its tray. Her eyes had yet to leave her sister. Granted, Luna had not taken her eyes off Celestia, either. The whole room was tense, a ripe powder keg; it had been that way since explanations were given out for the new looks they each sported.

Celestia had explained that the magic that healed her had bleached sections of her hair, and when she attempted to fix it her magic was still weak and went a bit awry changing the coloration a bit too much. Princess Luna thought that rather amusing.
When Luna explained what happened to her, Celestia was much less amused.

A rapid-fire argument broke out over the dangers of using the books, something Celestia had deemed an unnecessary risk.
Luna had countered, saying it was quite necessary and if she had not done so, there would have been a great many more lives lost.

As the conversation was steered closer to the crux of the issue, both had gone mostly silent. Luna was the first to break the silence.

“So, then, what do you plan to do now sister? What is done cannot be undone.”

“I have no plans to do anything until I have spoken to all of your generals as well. I will decide after that.”

“You may speak with Jer'rahd and Bleu, but the rest of them are gone already, and I doubt Rhede will be having anything at all to do with you. Your response to his actions last time seems to have soured his relationship to you greatly.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at Luna telling her that she “may” do something.

“Fine, I expected as much from Rhede, but I am already having the other two brought here. If you are worried that I will punish them here, I promise I will not.”

“I expected as much, though I will also expect I will need to tell Jer'rahd not to do anything as well. He has much on his mind at the moment.”

“Considering that your actions brought about the end of an empire and angered nearly every other nation that exists in our world? None of them would dare touch a goddess despite their anger, but every one of them has been screaming for the blood of the Demon of Dullahan. With the papers and his tendency to lead from the front, his involvement was quite clear in the incident. The Griffon and Diamond Dog nations want his head as many of their mercenaries died because of his force, your force. There was also a great row about a civilian mining operation that he destroyed personally that was run by the Diamond Dogs.”

“That mining operation was run by a dragon; it was harvesting star metal pulled from the sky by a Diamond Dog pup god.
We have a cart full of the armor and weapons that were produced from that place as evidence, another one of Pelt’s ideas. I am also sure that if you bring this up with the general, he will simply say that any and all of them are more than welcome to come and get him, provided they bring enough bits to mail their bodies home with.”

“You seem rather confident of his abilities.”

“He has done things that even we were not able to do, Celestia. He has killed five gods on his own and one with the rest of us. He is responsible for your chance to seal a demi god in stone. He has died and returned, become the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty. There is not another soul on this world that I trust more at this moment, Celestia.”

Luna's eyes flicker a deeper green, her pupils briefly changing to reptilian slits. The change was not missed by her sister, though Luna rose before Celestia has a chance to say anything, moving towards the door.

“Luna...”

Nightmare Moon paused at the door, glancing back at the white alicorn.

“I will speak with you again when you have conversed with General Bleu and General Kaisur. And by the way, sister... you may wish to have your confidants checked out. A griffon force knew exactly where to find us as we were returning with the wounded.”

The door clicked lightly behind her as she stepped out.

===========================================================

Bleu stepped into the room to a rather worried-looking Celestia. The dragonling had shifted to her pony-sized form, as it seemed strangely more comfortable in this situation, plus it was easier to carry the massive bag she had some of the troops bring to her while they waited for Luna to finish up. She was reluctant to leave Boss alone with their escorts, but she doubted they would do anything else at this point.

She cranes her neck looking back over her shoulder as the door being closed by the Guard before partially sauntering and partially dancing over towards the Princess. Something about the alicorn's demeanor seemed to scream to Bleu that she needed cheering up or something. It was probably a reason Bleu was asked for after Luna and before Boss. Celestia needed time to process the bad news and prepare for it.

“What, no chess? I skipped breakfast hoping for another few of those tasty things.”

“You ate my chess set last time you were in here.”

“You saved the queens.”

“Yes, well, those are important...”

“Carved in you and your sister’s likeness, one could expect so. But she changed, so I can eat that one and you seem to have lost a bit of weight so I could just nibble around the edges of the white queen...”

“No, Bleu.”

“You should see about getting the rest replaced... maybe with something not so tasty... Now, on to the important stuff.”

“I expect you know why I asked you here.”

“Yeah, but I said important stuff, like what happened to your hair.”

“We have a crisis here and everypony is concerned about my hair?!?”

“I'm a dragon, Princess.”

“Yes, yet you were more than willing to slaughter your own kind at my sister’s word.”

“Right past the formalities, eh?”

Bleu focused on the Princess, taking a deep breath.

“I was willing to slaughter them at my own word, Princess. Like I said before, I was raised by ponies; I don't have the same drive to rule or destroy everything I see like they do. I am a dragon, but I am not a Dragon. If that makes any sense... probably doesn't, but you get what I am saying. You figured out a way to make dragons actually be better than what they were supposed to be. You set up a system to let a pony guide and care for them. You had a whole school of dragons brought up by ponies, a whole new generation of both dragons and ponies that got along. And what did the actual dragons do? They slaughtered them; the school should not have even been a target and they still killed them. I may have been the director of your school's lab, Princess, but I was actually starting to make friends there with other dragons that didn't want to destroy everything. And once again, a life I had got taken away by my “own kind” as you put it. Yer bucking right I slaughtered them and I would not hesitate in the slightest to do it again, either.”

“You aided in killing an entire species, bringing a culture that had lasted hundreds of thousands of years to little more than rubble in the span of a few months. As much as I loved my students, that they were lost due to a rogue faction in the dragon government does not justify an open season on all dragons.”

“They are not all dead and you bucking know it. How long do you think it will take before Jer'rahd or Luna notice that you are hiding some of the survivors in Canterlot?”

Celestia pales, an impressive feat for an already white alicorn, though Bleu's look stops her cold before she can start to deny it.

“How did you know…?”

“My nose is not just a fashion statement. I know what dragon smells like, and that got cemented home in Cindervale. I was surrounded by so many it was all I could smell for the entire time, that and the scent of the hatchery. On the trip back the smell faded from the ponies, but clung to the eggs. By the time we got back to Canterlot I could easily tell a dragon’s scent and even its color just by its smell, probably some sort of repressed instinct. That helped me out in saving a few eggs from an overly eager doctor who was trying to smash them. Trust me, what Velkorn did to him was not pretty. Anyway, to the point: the courtyard smells like dragon, your waiting room smells like dragon, and this room smells like dragon. Blue dragon, there's a scent of electricity clinging to everything. My guess is its Wisp Wing and probably a few others.”

Celestia bit her lip, her horn glowing for a moment.

“Holy buck... holy bucking buck.”

“This was… very unexpected, Bleu. I... I trust you will keep this information to yourself?”

“Yeah... I don't know what boss would do, but... damn... all that searching and it was just... Shit… I want to tell him, but he won't take it well at all, especially after Cindervale. I don't even want to think about what would happen if Luna found out.”

“I doubt my sister would be very happy, either. Alright, Bleu, I shall keep your secret and Jer'rahd's so long as you keep mine.”

“None of this stuff needs to be brought up ‘til things calm down, anyway.”

Celestia sighed, her hair somewhat limp from the excessive casting, though the tiny blue dragon in front of her was practically flying in circles in the air, putting on a show that might have rivaled something by the Wonderbolts, if on a smaller scale.

“I suppose I am as ready as I will ever be to deal with General Kaisur.”

"I'll tell him to be good. He might listen.”

“Bleu, about your earlier comment… Laughter does not always mean comedy; sometimes it can be as simple as making someone feel a bit better or showing a spark of hope that things are not as bad as they seem. You have done that quite well here today.”

“Heh, you picked me for a reason Princess. I'll send in Boss. Later! Take good care of those eggs.”

“I shall.”

Twilight pulled back, blinking in confusion for a moment . Something was very, very, odd here. Did she miss a scene? She glanced around to the star-filled void as if it might have an answer before plunging back into the spell again, reviewing a few moments prior.

“My nose is not just a fashion statement. I know what dragon smells like and that got cemented home in Cindervale. I was surrounded by so many it was all I could smell for the entire time, that and the scent of the hatchery. On the trip back the smell faded from the ponies, but clung to the eggs. By the time we got back to Canterlot I could easily tell a dragon’s scent and even its color just by its smell, probably some sort of repressed instinct. That helped me out in saving a few eggs from a overly eager doctor who was trying to smash them. Trust me; what Velkorn did to him was not pretty. Anyway, to the point: the court yard smells like dragon, your waiting room smells like dragon, and this room smells like dragon. Blue dragon, there's a scent of electricity clinging to everything. My guess is it’s Wisp Wing and probably a few others.”

Celestia bit her lip, her horn glowing for a moment.

“Holy buck... holy bucking buck.”

“This was… very unexpected, Bleu. I... I trust you will keep this information to yourself?”

“Yeah... I don't know what boss would do but... damn... all that searching and it was just... Shit… I want to tell him, but he won't take it well at all, especially after Cindervale. I don't even want to think about what would happen if Luna found out.”

Twilight slipped back out of the window, staring at the drama masks of Bleu's element symbol. The scry was missing a large chunk of space. The sun had drastically changed position, there were trays of food suddenly appearing and Bleu's wounds and wings were healed. She had no idea what happened to freak the pair out after the odd break.

Princess Celestia's horn had started to glow before the break, though there was no way to check on what she cast before the scry stopped.

This was frustrating and she knew there was some sort of big thing happening there and it was already starting to drive her crazy. She sighed and pulled back the rest of the way, returning to her body. This block was something she could not get around without help. That meant going to the spell’s creator and the potential cause of the blockage as well. She had a few questions for her teacher anyway.

Twilight slipped back into her body to the sound of Pinkie Pie bawling.

“Pinkie, what’s wrong? Are you all right?”

She rushed over to her friend, who threw her forehooves into the air, bawling a torrent of tears, soaking the couch and making Twilight wish she had an umbrella.

“He's dead! This young colt is completely dead, just as Taro would be.”

“Um, who's Taro? What are you reading?”

Twilight looked over at the book seeing, Pinkie was already at the part where Jer'rahd had been killed.

“HOW WILL WE EVER WAKE HIM FROM HIS STONEY PRISON NOW!?!? BWAAAAAAAAAAAA”

“Umm, Pinkie, Jer'rahd lives. That's how he was sealed in stone.”

The pink pony sniffled.

“Really?”

“Yes really, he’s in the later chapters, even.”

Pinkie bounced back up right off the couch and hopped around the purple unicorn as if nothing had happened at all.

“That's great! Hey, do you wanna get some ice cream? I feel like ice cream now, maybe some spicy stuff.”

Twilight shook her head.

“Did you need to clean off your glasses from all that crying, Pinkie?”

“Glasses?”

“Glasses.”

The pink pony grinned and pulled off the black-framed glasses, putting her hooftip though the glassless frames and stuck her tongue out at Twilight, who simply facehoofed again.

Fossil Imprints

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Fossil Imprints

Twilight lifted her head to look up at the castle of Canterlot, her mind flooding with images of the city in ruins and bodies scattered about the streets. She shuddered as she trotted onwards to the main gate with her research equipment on her back.

She had Spike send a letter to the Princess with questions regarding the missing time in the scrying spell. The return letter came quite quickly; however, Twilight was surprised when it contained no answers, but a simple message signed by the Princess that read: 'Come see me in Canterlot.'

One train ride later, Twilight was in Canterlot having flashbacks to a time long before her birth. Since she was not occupied with the wedding this trip, she could sightsee and get lost in her own thoughts a little too much. She found herself studying which buildings were new and which were rebuilt after the assault on the city.

This was a very strange perspective to have; following the events in the past and seeing the city then and now was taking some getting used to. It was one Princess Luna must have experienced, and one that the Five Beasts of the Moon might soon deal with as well.

She nodded to the Royal Guards at the gate, making her way past them and the courtyard on the other side of the gates to the castle itself. Greeting the second set of Guards, she stepped through the doors into the great hall. Her hoof beat dulled in the thick carpet as she traveled along the length of the hallway. She had made this trip many times before, though the magnificence of the inner castle always took her breath away: sweeping arches, intricately carved pillars, stained glass windows, and a feeling of... something; it was a feeling that tried to make clear that this was the house of gods. While they were deities, there was no formal worship of Celestia or Luna in Equestria; the Princesses did their best to put a stop to that sort of practice whenever it came up. They wished to be viewed the same as other ponies despite their powers. That was what Twilight had always been taught; with what she was finding, however, she was not sure what to think anymore.

This quest had started as a question, moved into a study, became a curiosity, and then turned into a quest to help Princess Luna. After that, it became a danger, then a chore, then a horror story, and now it had become something more driving. Too many questions had been laid before her and there were still too few answers. Even after nearly a year of work, she was not sure how close she was to the end of the story of the Five Beasts of the Moon.

She had seen signs of what was coming, but now, due to some unknown force, a rather large segment of conversation was missing from her studies. Somewhere in that time frame, Bleu's wings had been healed and the two of them had discovered something. Twilight needed to know what that was.
Her gaze shifted over the throne room as she entered, the twin thrones of the Sun and the Moon sitting there just as they had a thousand years ago. She stopped where Rhede's desk had been, looking down at the stone floor before lifting her eyes to search out the Princess.
The doors at the back of the chamber swung open and Princess Celestia stepped out of the darkness beyond, walking towards her. Twilight sank down into a bow, though she could not help but smile slightly at being back in the Princess’s presence. She had sought the Sun Goddess’s approval nearly her entire life, ever since she first saw the Summer Sun Celebration as a foal. Even with everything she was learning, that awe had yet to lessen.

“I am glad to see you could make it, Twilight Sparkle. Please rise.”

“Thank you, Princess. I am curious why you called me here. Is the answer of what the scry missed that important?”

“To be perfectly honest, student, aside from a vague recollection that it was, I could not tell you directly.”

“Huh?”

“Please walk with me, this conversation may take a while and it is more comfortable in my study.”

Twilight trotted next to the Princess, looking up at her as they moved along through the halls. Celestia was silent at first, though she started talking quietly as they neared the door to her study.

“I told you once before that my memories of events from that long ago were rather hazy. Even only a thousand years will tend to dull the images of and thoughts of the past. Normally, this is not an issue, as Luna has shown that she recalls events of the past with perfect clarity. That is because she will not let them go, and it eats at her. I was taught long ago to let memories fade. One cannot forgive a transgression if you cannot forget what was done; one cannot move on after the loss of a loved one if all you can do is lament. Time can heal all wounds, but only if we let it. One has to forget much of the past in order to live in the present.”

The pair trotted into the chamber and Celestia moved to take a seat on a cushion. Twilight had only been in this room a few times before as Celestia's student and it was only now that she recognized some of the items that were in here. In particular, a pair of chess queens sitting on the mantel above the fire place in front of an ornate sword emblazoned with Celestia's mark. On either side of the queens were a black knight and a white knight, the only salvaged pieces from her original chess set.

Celestia let her student look around the room, knowing Twilight's curiosity often got the better of her.

“Bite marks.”

“Excuse me?”

“The White Queen has nibble marks around it. Bleu got a hold of it, didn't she?”

“I suppose so, I do not recall all of the conversation, but I expect that was something that did happen. I have let most of the memories of that time fade. There were very few good ones.”

Twilight flattened her ears, looking a little depressed herself as a few things came to her mind about what her teacher had said.

“So what about me?”

Celestia looked up curiously at the purple unicorn.

“About you?”

“When I am gone, will be forgotten as well? A faded memory?”

Celestia's eyes widened at the question, though after a moment she smiled again, a hint of sadness to her expression still.

“I may forget many of the things you have done, yes, but what I forget will not matter in the end. Come, I will show you something. I doubt even Luna knows about this… And that may be for the best.”

Celestia rose back up to her hooves, turning to the door on the far side of the room that lead to her quarters; that was one place Twilight had never been. Despite the questions she had, she found this was making her quite nervous. Following the Princess inside, the unicorn mare was not sure what to expect; unfortunately, she quickly realized she knew exactly what to expect.

The room had not changed much since a thousand years ago when Twilight had seen the room though Velkorn's eyes as she cared for the injured alicorn Princess. A new door had been added that led to what she assumed was the modern indoor plumbing and a few other modem conveniences, a record player radio being among the most noticeable. The rest of the room, however, was the same: an ornate hoof-carved bed and dresser and a large window to let in the sun. A large bookcase took up the far wall just as it had in the scry, and Twilight was ecstatic to note her teacher was headed towards this. She wondered what sort of books Celestia kept in her quarters. Perhaps ancient tomes of magic? Books on treaties and history? Twilight tilted her head, squinting at the books to read their titles, her ears flattening as she read through the first few on the row, then the next, and then the next before glaring sourly up at her teacher who at least had the courtesy to look a bit sheepish.

“They really are rather good stories... well, most of them...”

“Just the stories, huh? You and Rarity have the same taste in these things.”

“Ahem, that is not what I wanted to show you, anyway.”

Celestia reached a hoof up, tugging on one book. After a moment, the clank of chains and click of machinery sounded from behind the wall. The bookcase slowly pulled aside, revealing a tunnel.

“The secret passage you tried to escape Velkorn with?”

“Hmm? Oh, no, that one is over there. This is something else entirely: a different sort of escape.”

Celestia started up a winding stairwell, her horn glowing to light the way. After what seemed like a few floors, Twilight began to wonder how they were still going up. If she remembered her architecture right, there should not be anything that would go this high in this part of the castle. Turning another bend of stairs, Celestia paused, looking at something on the wall. Twilight craned her head to see around the taller pony.

Her teacher was looking at a faded painting of a white mare with green hair; continuing up the stairs past her were more paintings of other ponies. Celestia sighed, starting up again, passing the others with a few longing glances to those depicted before emerging in what seemed to be the top of the tower.

The room here was more spacious than even one of the grand ball rooms. Looking around, Twilight saw the walls were all covered with paintings and simple objects, bits of cloth, and even locks of hair, each one placed on or near one of the paintings. On the far side of the room, there were more modern images: photos taken from magic cameras of the past and even some more modern ones.

Twilight glanced up at the Princess, who simply nodded, gesturing that she may look.

Twilight wandered into the room, her eyes scanning over the paintings and the trinkets. The early images were not that good and some of them actually looked more like mutant hippos than ponies; they improved as she trotted along the wall. Each frame had a small tray at the base that held an item. Most seemed to be bits of jewelry, though occasionally, there were other items: a paint brush, a bone, a dagger; there were a few items she was not sure what they were, and a few others that had mostly disintegrated with age. She was midway along the wall before she finally recognized someone from the images.

“Princess, this is Sable... This is the mare I first woke in the Garden...”

"Yes she was once my student."

The Princess nodded as Twilight continued again. Stopping, her eyes widened at the painting of what she thought was Princess Luna. She shook her head; the pony in the image was a pegasus decked out in some sort of war paint and silvery armor, not an alicorn.

She shook her head quickly, finding images of Celestia's students when Bleu was the Director of the school, including a photo of Lily and Seymour. At the start of the photos, there were both a painting and a photo of the Guard Captain that Jer'rahd had been arguing with. there was also a image of Baelit that seemed particularly ornate, the Buffalo chief's son Proud Tail, Rhede's Brothers Wolf and Fox, as well as a image of Starfall's daughter Cloud Dancer and a white unicorn stallion. The was a image of a zebra mare that looked like Zecora, but the paining was old and faded.It had clearly been there for a long time.

There were many photos past that, but much fewer paintings. Then, she came to the last one in the line: an image of herself and her friends, taken before she wrote her first letter to Celestia from Ponyville. Twilight had sent her teacher a copy of it, and here it was.

Twilight swallowed, looking at the tray under the image, her eyes widening as she realized that it was her Smarty Pants doll.
“You have no idea how hard it was getting that from that red stallion.”

“Princess, what is all this?”

Celestia moved to sit down on a cushion in the room’s center. Her gaze swept the room before centering on Twilight.

“These are all of my friends, my students, my lovers from nearly thirteen thousand years of my life. Each item was a part of them or was in some way special to them.”

Twilight looks back at the items under each picture, the reason clicking almost instantly.

“This is why you created the scrying spell.”

“Yes. At times, I will come up here to remember what I have lived through and who I have lost. I do not fear forgetting them because I can look back any time I wish and relive the best memories of that time.”

“But the spell is designed to only allow skipping about to certain scenes once you have already viewed them all. Unless you have viewed all of them, you can't skip to just the best.”

“I had a great deal of time to catch up when my sister was sealed. I have viewed many of these stories countless times, though there are some I have not viewed even once.”

“Not even once? Why? Who?”

“Yours, for starters. You are still living your life; I do not need to view your past when you are still here in the present for me to speak with.”

Twilight flushes a little and Celestia smiles again.

“Another is Aviana and my Element bearers.”

“Your Element bearers?”

“Long before Luna became Princess, another great evil rose to threaten Equestria. Aviana found me and my friends and we used the Elements of Harmony to seal that evil away in Tartarus. This was long before the Garden was thought of. I wielded magic, just as you do now, Avaiana was the Bearer of Generosity, A earth pony named Brick was my Compassion. Cloud Ripper, the griffon god of the time was my Honesty. A pegasus mare named Surprise of all things was my Laughter. And Chief Black hoof, a unicorn stallion... he was my Loyalty... And perhaps the first love I had.”

Twilight winced, watching her teacher deflate in a much slower motion than Pinkie did, but it was still very noticeable on the large alicorn princess.

Twilight trotted over, wrapping her forelegs around her teacher, giving her a hug. The Princess blinked, smiling, and draped a wing over Twilight's back, returning the hug.

“Thank you, Twilight.”

“You looked like you needed that. So, do all the Bearers of magic fall in love with their Elements of Loyalty? Because I really do not feel that way towards Rainbow Dash.”

Celestia chuckled and shook her head.

“I do not believe so; otherwise, when we banished Discord the first time, Luna would have been more than a sister to me. Aviana claimed her Loyalty and Laughter both had a thing for her; she never returned either of their attentions. Granted, her bearer of Laughter took manners into his own claws and forced himself on her. That was perhaps the event that marked the beginning of her end as a goddess. She gave it up several years later and Luna became the next goddess.”

“I am not sure I understand, Princess. How did she give it up? From what I have seen, a god has to die before a new one will be born.”

“That is a secret known only to the gods; it is something I should not share even to you. Suffice to say, there are always a set number of gods for every race. There are always two for Ponies. But that is off the topic at hoof. I was very close to Aviana, and when Discord did what he did, she was traumatized and I was angry.”

Celestia sighs hanging her head a bit.

“You have seen some of what the Five Beasts and my sister did in the Second Dragon War. The Discordian war was much, much bloodier and much longer. In those savage times, I was much easier to anger, much easier to jump into a conflict. Aviana was the voice of reason and balance to my destructive nature. I had lost all my friends centuries prior and Aviana was the last pony close to me. So when she was hurt, all I could think about was vengeance.”

Twilight looked up at Celestia, still half-hugging the larger mare.

“Luna's sorrow may have made a sea, but my rage created a wasteland and ripped the land apart. Ghastly Gorge and the Badlands were both my hoofwork. At least, those are minor ones. There are sections of this world that will never grow again due to the spells I cast in my rage. When Discord was finally cornered in the dark lands, it was only at Aviana's word that I did not simply drop the sun on the land there.”

“I’m not sure where those even are, Princess. I can’t find the Darklands or anything resembling them on a map.”

“They do not exist anymore; Nightmare Moon’s fight with Princess Aqua changed much of the coastline of Equestria. The Darklands are now at the bottom of Horseshoe Bay. It was more proof that the gods should not wage war with one another... oh dear. I know that look. I have spoiled something for you, haven’t I?”

“A bit; I knew they were going to fight, though. But wait, what does any of this have to do with you not wanting to use the scry spell on Aviana?”

“Even as he was being sealed, Discord pleaded his innocence in the matter, claiming she came to him first and that she was tricking us both. I did not believe him then and I still do not now, but there are other things, other rumors and tidings that make me believe that perhaps there was more to my mentor than what she showed the world. When she stepped away from being a Princess to allow Luna to take her place, she made me promise that I would only seek peaceful solutions to any conflicts and do my best not to harm anypony no matter what their transgression was. Luna was a warrior, and there needed to be balance. So, as a friend’s farewell wish, I agreed that I would always seek diplomacy and peace no matter the cost. She vanished after that and I never was able to find her again. I have suffered quite a bit due to that promise, and I wonder now why she asked that I make it, but I cannot bring myself to look back to see why she did what she did. I could not bear to find out that all I have gone through since her passing was based on a lie.”

“I could always look for you Princess. I have gotten quite the handle on this spell. I've even altered it a bit to allow me to write what I am seeing at the same time.”

“Thank you, Twilight, but you already have a task set before you. Perhaps after you have finished with the Five Beasts and helped Lulu, I will consider the offer, granted of course we find anything of hers to scry on. But you seem to be having trouble with that, I gather? Come; let us head back down to the study and set up for your scrying. I saw you brought everything you need with you.”

“I have; I really didn't know what to expect, so I brought everything.”

“Come then, let us see what the problem is. Were there any other questions you had for me, Student?”

The Princess rose, looking down as Twilight stood up as well before trotting towards the stairs again heading back down. The purple unicorn paused to look at some of the painted images curiously.

“A few of these are really good Princess; have you been finding painters to do them over the years?”

“No. All of them I have painted myself. It was something to ease the boredom of the centuries. Occasionally, I will scry on them and repaint the images when the old paintings begin to wear.”

“And you have them all stashed in this tower. I'm not even sure which tower this is.”

“It is not a tower, Twilight. This is the top of Canterlot Mountain. The mines are not just under the castle. This was one such cavern that I found and built to suit my own ends.”

“Wow; how many other secrets do you have stashed around this place?”

Celestia smiled, heading down the stairs.

“The mines under Canterlot are mostly forgotten. They were used when Ponyville was restored, though when it was found that Canterlot could fall if the mines were excavated too much, the mine was closed and Ponyville abandoned back to the Everfree.”

“Geez, how many times has Ponyville been built and destroyed?”

“Six times that I am aware of. The Apple family was granted the land due to a promise made long ago, and they brought the current Ponyville to life with the help of the Rich family. Before that, it was a mining town that was abandoned as I mentioned. Before that, well... you will find out with your studies; I would not wish to spoil anything else for you. The version of it in your scry started as a refugee camp from those surviving the first Dragon War. The three before that were destroyed by Sable's monster, Discord and what Aviana and I fought when we first met long ago.”

“I knew the place had some bad luck, but that’s ridiculous.”

“Yes, well, that close to the wilds of the Everfree Forest, you are bound to have some sort of oddities. Perhaps Dogwoods Spirits... oh dear, I do need to stop talking. Was there anything else that won't have me reveal secrets that you should find out in your study?”

“Just one. No, wait, that would… ummmm, that one too.”

Twilight was silent as she pondered. The pair reached the bottom of the steps and Celestia closed the passage behind them, going so far as to help Twilight set up before the purple unicorn thought of one.

“Got it. How did you find out Rainbow Dash and Starfall Silvertail were related?”

“One does not forget a Sonic Rainboom easily. And even though the first time I had my hooves full with a certain unicorn filly who lost control of her magic, I still sent ponies to investigate. It took me some time to follow Starfall's family line down to the modern age. The only family I could find were a pair of childless pegasi living in Las Pegasus. Suffice to say, that was quite a dead end. Then, when the Best Young Flier competition was held and Rainbow Dash performed the Sonic Rainboom a second time, I was able to trace her history back. The couple in Los Pegasus was not quite the dead end I believed it to be. Rainbow Dash was abandoned as a foal to an orphanage in Cloudsdale. While I believe that no foal should be abandoned, after meeting her parents, they did her a great favor. I would ask you not to look for them. You would not like what you find.”

“But…”

“Your friend will be much better not knowing, I assure you.”

The Princess’s tone had hardened, as had the look on her face. Twilight sighed and finished setting up; she might not know who they were, but she could still ask Dash if she wanted to know or not.

“Is everything ready, then, Twilight?”

“Yes, Princess, but for some reason, the spell has been taking me to this strange in-between place since the incident when the sword broke.”

“Oh? I believe that is a magical plane you are experiencing, though I am surprised you are able to access it. It normally takes a unicorn guard many months of practice for them to be able to join their power and spells there; even then, many cannot access it alone. Shall we go together, then?”

Twilight nodded. She cast the spell, feeling the familiar pull of herself from her body. She opened her eyes, looking around the starry plane, rather surprised that many of the stars had changed position and the two large ones she had seen were nowhere in sight. She glanced back to the nearby star that was always behind her showing her own face as she cast the spell and was nearly blinded by the glow that was there. She was evidently nearly sitting on one of the large stars. She turned her head away, quickly rubbing her eyes when a soft voice floated down from above her.

“Are you all right, student?”

Twilight risked another glance back, squinting and seeing the light had faded some. She opened both her eyes, blinking and realizing she was no longer looking at a star, but a golden hoof the same size as she was. Tracing that upward, she eventually managed to meet the gaze of the Princess, who was bigger than an Ursa Major in this place.

“It seems your power is still growing, student. I honestly did not expect you to be even this big your first time here.”

“What? What is this place, Princess? I have been meaning to study it, but I’ve been trying to finish the research, too.”

“Be careful; it is never a good idea to try and do everything at once, though you still wish to learn; that is good. For lack of another term, this is the magical plane. It has been the source of countless debates of philosophy and study for a long time. Generally, it is only accessible by unicorns and is a good place to share spells and join them for larger effects. It was used for that purpose primarily in most wars to make the largest attack spells possible.”

“Then what are all the stars?”

“Souls of ponies.”

“Souls?”

“Of the living, not the dead, although some claim the dead can be spoken with here. I have never had that opportunity myself. There are many theories about this place. The brighter stars are thought to be the ones with the strongest magical power. This has been true in some cases, but not in others. Another theory is that the brightness is due to the importance destiny has for the soul. But that is also not always true; some ponies who have done great things have barely shown up at all here, yet others who do nothing with their lives shine very brightly. It is one of the greater mysteries of our world, much like the Elements of Harmony themselves.”

“You are not helping matters, Princess. There is only so much I can concentrate on at the same time. I have seen what I am sure are my friends here, but not Spike's”

“Dragons are oddities, it may be that this place is only for ponies and the dragons have their own. Or perhaps it is just dependent on the type of magic they cast. Ponies’ magic comes from within and from those we are close to. Dragons’ magic comes from the land itself; it is why most dragons will leave when their time to die has come so that they may return to the land.”

“Umm, Princess...”

“Oh, sorry. It's just the Elements of Harmony have always been the mystery I have sought an answer for. I was hoping you would find something out about them that I had missed.”

“How would I do that? You were a wielder of two different Elements in your life.”

“Yes, but both times there was a god of one type or another in the group. You and your friends are all normal ponies. I do not think that has happened before, so I was hoping to glean some sort of insight from you and your friends.”

“Did you set all of that up Princess? The book, the trip to Ponyville. You knew what would happen and you bet everything on me?”

“That book was given to several of my students. You were the only one who made the connection, so you were my hope to finally cure Luna.”

“But we could have been killed! I am just now seeing what Nightmare Moon was capable of and you left the Fate of Equestria on a random chance that I would make friends?”

“It was not random, Twilight. You and your friends helped each other before you ever even knew each other. Friends connected by the actions of their foal hood and one very special pegasus.”

“Rainbow Dash's first Sonic Rainboom? How is that even possible? You said yourself you did not know who she was until the best young flier.”

“I hedged my bets a little on that. I found out all the foals who had gained their cutie marks within the same time frame as you gained yours and when they were old enough, I made sure there were attractive offers for them in Ponyville. That is how Pinkie Pie found a job with the Cakes. It is how a certain pegasus found a job as chief weather controller and how another found the bits to open her own store at such a young age. Applejack and Fluttershy were the only ones I did not need to entice. Have you not ever wondered why there are so many young ponies around your age in the town?”

“ Ummm, I can't say I have, really. I was kinda used to it from being around Canterlot and your school.”

“In any event, all six of you were being drawn together before my sister’s return was even considered. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy knew each other as foals in the Cloudsdale orphanage; Rarity and Fluttershy became quick friends as foals as well. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were friends before you even showed up, and Pinkie Pie... well she knows everypony. You were the only one missing for so long because you chose your studies. Yet still, you were drawn to them. I did not choose you to wield the Elements of Harmony. The Elements of Harmony chose you to wield them, Just as they have done in the past. There was a reason they were chosen to play big parts in the Summer Sun Celebration, and a reason I held it in Pony-Ville that year. Nightmare Moon would come to me, and then most likely go after the first town between her and the Elements of Harmony: Ponyville. The best I could hope to do is see that the ones the Elements chose would be there; the rest happened as it was supposed to, just the same as it did with Luna and the Five Beasts of the Moon.”

Twilight looked up at her teacher in the starry expanse in awe of the amount of planning that must have been done just to get even half of that to work properly. It was a nightmare and a half to her just managing the Winter Wrap Up.

“Alright, Twilight. I am sure you may have further questions, but one thing at a time. Please show me what it is that is stopping you.”

Twilight blinked, shaking her head to clear her thoughts before floating over to Bleu's mirror shard. Celestia looked surprised as they were pointed out as if she had not seen them until then.

“There seems to be a time when Bleu came to see you after the fall of Cindervale where something was skipped. It goes from Bleu saying she smelled dragons, with her wings torn up, to all her wounds healed and flying around like a bat with head trauma. There's mention of not telling Jer'rahd something as well.”

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she looked into the shard, fading out of view briefly before reappearing next to Twilight.

“I see; I did not realize my anti spying ward would be that strong. I suppose I could chalk it up to my magic being rather wonky for a time after I recovered. Still, it is a simple matter to adjust the spell past that block.”

The Princess’s horn flashed, the light blinding Twilight as the spell was cast.

“Wha... what did you do?”

“I altered the scry spell to allow you to pass the ward I created back then. I am sure you would have figured it out on your own with some time, student, although I suppose you are in a rush to finish helping Luna now, just so you can look into everything else I have brought to your attention.”

“I am looking forward to looking at everything else you have shown me, Princess, but I am not going to rush through something just to get to the next thing. As Applejack said, there's no point in doing something if you are not going to do it right the first time. This task is far too important for me to simply skim over in order to do something else.”

Celestia smiled. “A good answer, student. Take your time in this study. I will watch over your work tonight.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“I should thank you, Twilight. Despite what this study has put you through, you persist at it to help my sister. I hope that nothing I or my sister has done in the past will turn you away from either of us.”

“I have known you my whole life, Princess. All I am learning is some of what has shaped you into the ruler you are now. There is nothing that is going to change my opinion of you.”

The Princess nodded, vanishing from view. The giant bright star reappeared in her place briefly, blinding Twilight once again. The purple pony turned, looking at the mirror and to Bleu's conversation with Celestia. She closed her eyes, letting herself be drawn to it, feeling warmed in the bright star’s light.

“My nose is not just a fashion statement. I know what dragon smells like and that got cemented home in Cindervale. I was surrounded by so many it was all I could smell for the entire time, that and the scent of the hatchery. On the trip back, the smell faded from the ponies, but clung to the eggs. By the time we got back to Canterlot, I could easily tell a dragon’s scent and even its color just by its smell, probably some sort of repressed instinct. That helped me out in saving a few eggs from an overly eager doctor who was trying to smash them. Trust me, what Velkorn did to him was not pretty. Anyway, to the point: The courtyard smells like dragon, your waiting room smells like dragon, and this room smells like dragon. Blue dragon, there's a scent of electricity clinging to everything. My guess is it’s Wisp Wing and probably a few others.”

Celestia bit her lip, her horn glowing for a moment.

Bleu dropped back into a combat crouch at the sight of the glow from the alicorn’s horn. She was not sure if she was supposed to run or attack before the spell went off; this was one of the princesses of Equestria, after all. The glow spread from the white alicorn's horn in a bubble, rapidly filling the room. Bleu flinched as it passed over her, then looked down, seeing nothing had changed at all.

“What the buck was that all about?”

“A spell to keep prying ears and eyes out of this conversation. That is a dangerous accusation, Bleu, and revealing that to anypony would cause far more problems than it would solve.”

“Not really; find dragons, kill dragons, problem solved.”

“The first would be what causes the problems, but I can see there will not be an end to your way of thinking until I tell you why. However, you are not allowed to tell Jer'rahd or my sister.”

“No promises. If I cannot see a reason to keep whatever you're hiding silent, I won't be doing it. That's the best agreement you are going to get out of me.”

“I suppose I could not hope for anything else at this point in time, though I do hope you will keep a more open mind of the situation than my sister, Jer'rahd, or Rhede.”

“You can probably add Starfall to that list as well. She's developed kinda a thing since her sister was killed.”

Celestia sighed and Bleu shrugged.

“So, in other words, you and Velkorn are the least violent of the Element Bearers.”

“Well, unless you count Velkorn beating the snot out of that doctor... twice... and me when I ripped apart and entire dragon camp, then yeah... But we are getting off subject here, Princess. What’s with the dragons?”

Celestia rises from her cushion wandering over to the large windows over looking the inner courtyard of the castle.

“There are only two dragons right now: Wisp Wing and her mate. They are both hiding below Canterlot in the old gem mines.”

Bleu's eyes narrowed.

“There are way more scents around here than just two. I don't know how many exactly, but two would not be this strong.”

“No, there were about thirty dragons in total. Most of the remaining blue dragons and their mates, with one or two other colors.”

Celestia glanced back at Bleu, who had not taken her eyes off the Princess.

“What the buck mare, are you daft? You have thirty of the most famously warrior-bent dragons hiding in a city that was just ripped apart by dragons?”

“They will not do anything but hide. Warriors they may be, but they are also the most honorable. They will abide by the agreement. Wisp Wing has been my contact in Cindervale since before the first Dragon War. She and her son Krisis were the ones who brought an end to the first war by convincing Forge Scale to come after us personally, right into the trap we laid for him. She has been actively trying to stop the war and is one of the few dragons I do trust. She was the one who suggested the idea of partners as well, donating one of her own clutches, far before the first dragon war, mind you.”

“Right, so one good dragon; I am not beyond believing that. What about the others.”

“See for yourself; they have been in the courtyard all afternoon with no incidents.”

“What?”

Bleu rose, trundling over to the window and craning her neck to look out into the courtyard. The leaves on the trees had all but fallen away and lay raked neatly around the trunks like brightly colored confetti in the court yard. A few tent poles and various items lay propped against the walls still. Bleu had a feeling that this massive yard was where the Queen's Cross had been teleported from.

In the center of the lawn, a group of about twenty or so ponies lay on the grass looking up at what Bleu assumed was a Royal Guard Captain discussing tactics and drill assignments on the chalk board behind him. Several other Royal Guard ponies stood around the edges of the courtyard watching.

Bleu was about to say something mean to Celestia for this distraction when she noticed two oddities about the scene. The first would likely be missed by anyone who had not attended a military class (or several, like she had with Boss). Every single pony in the grass watching the teacher was focused raptly on the speaker; no snide comments, no sleeping, no looking around or daydreaming. They were all focused on what was being said. That never happened.

Seeing that, Bleu pressed her nose to the glass, looking closer at the ponies, her eyes growing wider the more she stared. There was a small mix of unicorn and Pegasi in the group, though most were earth ponies. All of them were different colorations of coat, mane and tail, but they all had the exact same cutie mark. Every one of them sported and hourglass on their flank, no matter what race they were.

“What the buck is this?”

“Those are the blue dragons you were looking for, Bleu.”

“How the buck... what did you do!?”

“The dragons were willing to trade their former lives for security here in Canterlot. They also wished to reciprocate for the actions of their kin. As dragons, that would have been impossible. They agreed to be changed into ponies to live out the rest of their days. I could not change Wisp Wing with her being a god, and her mate refused to leave her. They are the only two dragons who have come here that remain. They are also possibly the last blue dragons alive, besides you.”

“But how... this... was this what Silver Claw did?”

“Honestly, I have no idea how Silver Claw did what he did. He killed General Mustang and wore his skin for nearly a hundred years with nopony knowing. That sort of magic could have only come from one of the dark tomes, and there was no way he could have had access to those.”

“I am sure Rhede can answer that. He’s been talking about the books on those books he has the whole trip back. But seriously, though? You changed them? Who knows about this?”

“Several of the more trusted of my Guards, and Baelit.”

“So what, are they disguised?”

“No. They are fully ponies now. The only trace of their heritage may be slightly cooler blood running through their bodies and what memories they still have. “

“What about the hourglass?”

“It is a reminder that their time in this life is now much more limited, and they should make the most of it. If they were younger they might have found a cutie mark on their own, but there is little chance of that now, and twenty-some odd ponies without any cutie marks would draw too much attention. They are currently being trained how to be ponies. Thankfully, we can use the current chaos and the number of mentally stricken individuals from the attacks and the war to mask many of their odd traits until they shake those habits. From my understanding, the hardest thing they have to do is learn how not to eat gems. We have had to repair a few sets of teeth already.”

Bleu ran her tongue over her fangs, trying to process all of this.

“ Okay, how? I studied with Platinum, I was Director of your school, and there was no hint of this even being possible. Considering that a few of your students thought of each other as a little more than brother and sister, this sort of thing could have helped them out.”

“I knew of those which you speak, though pony and dragon can have a viable offspring, even without the aid of magic. This sort of thing is not to be undertaken lightly, Bleu. There were thirty four dragons that came to Canterlot; two are in the caves, twenty are out there, and eleven died while undergoing the process. It also requires a great deal of power. That is why I needed help to transport the Queens Cross, not due to my injury. Thankfully, Wisp Wing was able to lend her power to the transport as well without being noticed.”

“Eleven dead and the others were willing to risk it?”

“A chance of death is better than a sure one. “

“I can understand that... I gave that chance to a couple of dragons.”

“Oh?”

“When I found the hatchery, there were three dragons trying to rescue the eggs. Hundreds of dragons left in the keep, and only three were willing to try and save the unhatched. I pointed them to a blind spot in our assault and told them to run, and keep running. They managed to take about thirty eggs or so. No one on watch mentioned seeing them and I didn't find any eggs smashed or dropped near the bodies when we cleaned them up, so I am guessing they made it. That's what’s in the bag, by the way: dragon eggs. I brought you twenty six of them so you can restart the school. Luna is gonna do the same with the others.”

“I see. I take it that means you are willing to keep silent on the dragons here, then?”

“This is out of my league, Princess. This kinda spell and this much effort. It has to say something if they are willing to throw away everything they were just like that.”

Celestia smiled, looking down at the dragonling as she stared out the window.

“Bleu, something has been bothering me since you came in, and I believe it needs to be dealt with.”

“And what’s that?”

“Your wings... or lack of them.”

“Yeah... some griffons tore me up pretty good when I was trying to get away from that star metal mine in the crater. That's not really the point though; what about the... whoa, wait, glowy horn again!”

Celestia's horn glowed brightly once more and Bleu winced, cringing as her body felt like it was on fire as the glow again washed over her. The heat eventually turned from a burning sensation to a warm tickle as the Princess’s horn dimmed, leaving Celestia looking rather exhausted.

Bleu opened one eye, looking around, then checking herself out to see if she was disintegrated for knowing too much. She shrugged, not finding anything wrong with herself, then freeze; she had not found anything wrong with herself. She craned her head back over her shoulder, looking at her tail. Her eyes widened as her wings spread wide, the leathery membranes between the pinions healed as if they had never been damaged. Bleu stood there for a moment in shock as Celestia chuckled.

“You are welcome, Bleu.”

“Wha-? Yeah, thanks, but are you trying to bribe me? ‘Cause it might be working.”

The little dragon changed size, flitting around for a moment, losing control after being grounded so long and promptly crashed into the fireplace.

“Bleu! Are you all right? …Wait a moment... SPIT THAT OUT!”

“Bugger.”

The little dragon tried to smile before she was lifted up by her tail with Celestia's magic and shaken rather hard. A small selection of carved chess pieces fell out of her mouth, including a well-chewed queen. Celestia glared as Bleu smiled sheepishly, putting the black and white knights and queens back on the mantle, though Celestia noticed one of the pawns she had saved was gone.

“I can't help it. They are really, really good.”

Celestia snorted.

“Continuing with the story, only once before has a dragon been willing to take that risk, though he did it for another set of reasons, the least of which was there no way he could return home.”

“Eh? Who was that?”

“Wisp Wing's son, the orange dragon Krisis.”

“Orange dragon? I never heard of an orange dragon. What the heck kinda funky coloration is orange for a dragon?”

“Wisp Wing was not sure either. She claims Krisis was born after a night of drinking with a red friend of hers and an attractive white dragon. They all woke up in rather comprising positions and she later laid and hatched a orange whelp that could breathe lightning.”

“I need to write a bar room ballad about that.”

“Yes, well, anyway… in the first dragon war, he was Forge Scale's right claw; he was responsible for many of the attacks against us.”

Celestia moved back over to the table, taking a seat again as Bleu stared out the window at the dragon ponies.

“Why was he the first one who underwent the change? Doesn't make sense for a dragon set on destroying everything to want to be a pony. You said he was willing, so I guess this was not some sort of punishment.”

Celestia chuckled.

“That depends on how you look at it; I am sure ponies such as Rhede would consider it a punishment.”

“Huh?”

“He fell in love with a pony, and an Equestrian solider at that.”

Bleu glided back away from the window, suddenly quite interested. She plopped down on the other side of the table, staring at Celestia with a wide grin on her face.

“This is pure ballad material here you know... I should be writing this down.”

“I would prefer you did not. While I have proof that you sing quite well, this is not the sort of thing that needs to be told to anyone.”

“Gah, right, ‘cause ponies will, of course, believe a musician’s song is the dead truth. But go on anyway; yah got my interest, Princess.”

“Go on with what?”

“The story! Gah, don't tease me with hints of a story without telling it to me.”

“I can only tell you what I know, which is not terribly much, I am afraid. Just a few things Wisp Wing has mentioned of her son and what happened after.”

“Then give me the whole story for the first dragon war, then. Why the heck did Forge Scale even attack anyway?”

“Forge Scale simply appeared about a two hundred years ago and started gathering political ties and forces. I had never heard of him before, and many of the other dragons did not know of him, either. Then he proved himself a god by killing the gods of the black, and the white dragons at the same time. After that, nearly all the other dragons followed him out of fear or respect, depending on their beliefs. Forge Scale's powers were fire itself. Any flame could be used as his tool; he wielded his own breath weapon as Jer'rahd wields the sword he carries he wore it like armor and nothing could touch him, even other creations of flame. That he was larger than any other dragon before him did not hurt his standing, either. He seemed to have only one goal once he assumed power: destroying Equestria and killing ponies. No, I take that back; he also seemed to have interest in bedding any female he could of his own race; he sired a host of whelps, including Silver Claw.”

“So what was his deal, anyway? Anyone know why he hated ponies?”

“Wisp Wing said that Forgescale always claimed that the ponies had wronged him grievously, and that we would suffer as he had. I have no idea how, but he seemed to target me specifically. He was never in the mood to talk...”

“Okay, so how did the orange one play into this?”

Celestia took a sip of tea, rather surprised that the dragonling was paying such rapt attention to the story.

“Wisp Wing claims her son was swayed by the words of Forgescale, and like many young dragons, was eager to join in the fight against what was considered a lesser race. Wisp Wing was not happy at her son’s choice and told him so, only to have Krisis become an even more reverent follower of Forgescale. During the war, he made a name for himself with insane tactics that that Equestria could not predict or properly defend against. He had a knack for getting behind our defenses and attacking from places where he should not have been able to.”

“Pfft, now that sounds familiar. He probably knew the same size change spell I do.”

“There were many who made names for themselves in the first dragon war, Bleu. Ruin was reawakened for it, Mustang became General, or Silver claw did. But there were few names that rose to glory as fast. Krisis was one such name. His loyalty to Forgescale was only questioned once by one of the dragon god’s own children who had been named a general. Forgescale then gave Krisis the position when there was not enough of the former general left to heal. Oddly, despite her dislike of her son’s chosen path, Wisp Wing seemed quite fond of that part of the story.”

“I'll bet. A dragon really good at killing things… wow, great thing to be proud of, mom...”

“In any event, after that, it was if Forgescale had adopted Krisis as his own brood. Something that did not seem to sit well with his actual brood, but none of them would touch the orange dragon for fear of their father.”

Celesita took another sip of her tea, watching the dragonling squirm with each pause.

“Here is where it gets interesting. Wisp Wing claims her son sent her a letter about midway through the war. The letter was a strange account of a raid on an Equestrian base near the border where Krisis came across a pony he could not kill. An earth pony mare of the Guard… bother, her name is on the tip of my tongue right now, but I cannot recall it. Anyway, the two fought for hours to a complete standstill, something unheard of in those days; it usually took a team of ponies or Ruin to take on a dragon. It had gotten to the point where Krisis had to retreat from the fight and withdraw his forces as the pony would not go down and stay there. The orange dragon had written his mother because this was the first thing that had shaken him. Forgescale preached that ponies were little more than vermin to be destroyed wholesale. Up until that point, Krisis had found it to be the case, having no issues wading through ponies like they were ants, and yet one pony mare had stopped him cold. That was the first doubt that was put into his mind. Wisp Wing used that, urging her son to seek out that mare again and find out what drove her. Clearly, Krisis agreed with this, as the next letter to his mother was written in a panic.”

Bleu leaned forward, her newly-repaired wings fluttering a bit as Celestia took a sip of tea. Trust the Element of Laughter to be the one to love a story.

“As it turns out, he did encounter the mare again; unfortunately, when he found her, it was during a larger assault that Forgescale led himself. She had been injured and when he came upon her, she still tried to kill him before she collapsed. Rather than leave her to die with his questions unanswered, he bound her up and put her in a flight satchel to carry along with him. He wrote his mother again as he had no idea how he was supposed to care for a pony, let alone what he was supposed to do now that he had her. I can only assume what went on between the two was comical as he tried to keep her from escaping or killing him in his sleep at the same time he was trying not to be discovered to be caring for a pony.”

Bleu snorted a small chuckle thinking that over herself.

“Wisp Wing lost contact with her son soon after; no more letters came to Cindervale from Krisis. However, this is when I first encountered him. Krisis was a master of getting into places he should not have been, that was his claim to fame, so imagine my surprise when an earth pony mare and one of the morst feared generals of Forgescale were sitting in my study when I woke up one morning.”

“I'll bet it was pure comedic gold.”

“It was not one of my finest moments; I am ashamed to admit I screamed like a little filly and nearly brought the whole palace down around us. Of course, the mare had expected this sort of reaction and when the Guards came in, both of them were gone; I am still not sure how. Thankfully, when they returned the next morning, I managed to be a bit quieter. It seemed somehow, in the course of her incarceration, Krisis had developed an infatuation with the mare... Vermillion Rose, that was her name. Took me a moment. She was an attractive sort of mare if you liked the warrior type, reminded me a bit of Starfall if she was an earth pony. At any rate, while she did not return his affections for her, she had managed to convince him that Forgescale should not be allowed to continue what he was doing.”

“Hold it, hold it, hold it. Are you gonna end this sort of thing on some moral high note that killing is bad, cause buck the rest of the story if you're trying to teach me some sort of lesson here.”

“Um, well no, actually, though you are correct that would be a nice message if Krisis had not been just as deadly against his own kind as he was against ponies. Krisis was willing to help, though he could not do much as a dragon alongside of us. It was at that point I half-joked about a polymorph spell one of my students had made to use against dragons to turn them into chickens. He thought I was serious and agreed. I cautioned him what could happen and he was still willing. At the time, I think he believed that the only reason Vermillion did not return his affections was because he was a dragon and not a pony. He may very well have been right, to be honest. Suffice to say, he was willing to take the chance for her.”

“D'awwwwww.”

“My reaction as well at the time. The spell worked, though he had no cutie mark. Once he recovered enough, he informed us of everything that we needed to know about the dragon forces. We had been pushed back to Canterlot by that point due to Forgescale's advance. Though with my sister and myself in Canterlot, he was hesitant to just charge in, until he received a message from his most trusted general. Krisis penned a message and had it left for Forgescale in a dead drop that Krisis used when infiltrating various locations. The message stated he had a way inside Canterlot into my chambers. He claimed he would deal with me while I was asleep and hang a red sheet outside the window to signal that he had killed me and to start the invasion of Canterlot as a whole.”

Another sip of tea.

“I do not think Forgescale believed him, but when the red sheet was hung from the window at the time marked in the message, he rushed in himself to finish off Luna and the rest of the city flying right into the trap we set for him. He was quickly frozen in stone and sealed in the garden; with Krisis's help, the other draconic forces were driven out of Equestria. Both Krisis and Vermillion fought to push what forces remained back out of pony lands, and somewhere along the way, it seems he got what he really wanted. I was invited to the wedding, of course, and when Vermillion finally kissed him at the end of the ceremony, Krisis actually gained a cutie mark as well.”

“Well, that's rather sweet. Sappy and very trashy novel-like, but sweet. What was it some sort of heart or some lovey dovey garbage like that?”

Celestia smirks.

“You would think that, but no it was a dragon’s talon that looked like it had been cut from a blue dragon. He told everyone that he was a blank flank when he joined and he got his mark by killing more dragons than any other pony.”

Bleu's eyes widened almost to the point that they seemed to be ready to pop out of the dragonling’s head. Celeistia blinked, a little creeped out by the look.

“A... A dragon’s claw from a blue dragon?”

“Yes.”

“Was his coat a terracotta coloration with a gold mane and tail?”

“Yes, actually; how did you figure that out? By what his scale color was as a dragon?”

Celestia sipped her tea as Bleu swallowed.

“That's Boss's grandpa.”

Bleu was showered with tea as Celestia started to choke. The dragon rushed over, slapping the Princess on the back as she gasped for air.

“IT'S WHAT?!?”

“A terracotta coat, gold mane and tail, though boss says it went silver when he was little, a blue severed dragon’s claw as a cutie mark. Boss told me quite a few times how his grandfather told him the stories of the first dragon war. How he didn't have a cutie mark till the end of it and his cutie mark meant he was good at killing dragons.”

“That's impossible, Bleu; Krisis and Vermillion were discovered by the remains of Forgescale’s group, the Flame Party, and they were killed along with their son by some dragon attackers out by the Great Wall. The dragons loyal to Forgescale took great pride in roaring about their victory over the heroes of the Dragon war.”

“The colt’s name was Amano his cutie mark was a sword crossed over a shield that he got when his father first started training him. He was a gray earth pony with a black mane and tail.”

“By the stars...”

“They were in Ponyville when it was first being founded after the war; that was the first record Boss and I could find of his family name. That was only about eighty years ago. After the war, no one bothered to check refugees’ real names or backgrounds for the new settlements.”

“They must have accepted he was a war vet just by the dragon slayer blade that Vermilion carried. That was a relic even then; only the best soldiers of the war were issued them. While no bodies were ever found, it was not uncommon for dragons to eat ponies they killed. The Flame Party must have been full of parasprite droppings with their claim, trying to drum up support.”

“There was nothing in the records until Amano Kaisur joined the guard years later and met Jer's mom Nevan Blueblood. Jer's grandfather named him and not long after that, Vermillion, or as she was known at that point, Rose, died. Jer's grandfather went by Spartan. They did it to hide they were still alive from the Flame Party to protect their kid.”

Celestia looked at Bleu, who looked back at the Princess. Celestia's horn glowed, bringing an end to the spell, certain the little dragon would not share the secret now.

“Holy buck... holy bucking buck.”

“This was… very unexpected, Bleu. I ... I trust you will keep this information to yourself?”

“Yeah... I don't know what boss would do, but... damn.... all that searching and it was just... Shit… I want to tell him… but he won't take it well at all, especially after Cindervale. I don't even want to think about what would happen if Luna found out.”

“I doubt my sister would be very happy, either. Alright, Bleu; I shall keep your secret and Jer'rahd's so long as you keep mine.”

“None of this stuff needs to be brought up ‘til things calm down, anyway. Yeah, let's do that.”

Celestia sighed, her hair limp from the excessive casting, though the tiny blue dragon in front of her was practically flying in circles in the air, putting on a show that might have rivaled something by the Wonderbolts, if on a smaller scale.
“I suppose I am as ready as I will ever be to deal with General Kaisur.”

“Heh, I'll tell him to be good. He might listen.”

“Bleu, I will ask that you keep one thing in mind: you seem rather distressed as of late. I suspect it may have something to do with the Element you bear. Laughter does not always mean comedy and humor; sometimes it can be as simple as making some one feel a bit better, or showing a spark of hope that things are not as bad as they seem. You have done that quite well here today.”

“Heh, you picked me for a reason, Princess. I'll send in Boss. Take good care of those eggs, especially that purple one. That one’s got real crappy luck.”

“I shall.”

==================================================================

Bleu left the princess’s study in rather high spirits for the first time in a while. She was oddly relieved that Celestia had told her these things. The nagging doubt about destroying Cindervale was still there, but at least it was clear this was not the end.

Of course, the atmosphere in the waiting room hit her like a ton of bricks. Almost like the desk that flew over her head as she opened the door, one that would have hit her if she had still been pony-sized. She blinked, looking at the warzone that was the waiting room. The entire room was smashed or overturned; a section of the room was even on fire. How the heck did this happen without Celestia and her hearing… oh right, the spell.

Several Royal Guards were huddled in one corner, hiding behind a table, while a few others were buried under things imbedded in the walls. In the center of all this, two unicorns were beating the ever-living snot out of one another. The Waning Moon and another, heavily nicked blade were both embedded in the ceiling and the two stallions had opted to simply fight unarmed with their hooves instead of retrieving them.

Occasionally, either Boss or the Royal Guard would grab something with their magic to fling at the other. Bleu ducked at a chair that smashed against the desk that nearly hit her and growled.

“You forgot about the kissy kissy, huh?!?”

The gray unicorn had a few cuts, a bloodied nose, and an eye that was already puffing up from being hit. His armor had chunks knocked out of it and his helm was nowhere to be seen. Boss was not much better, covered in cuts and bruises, and his ear looked like it had been bitten. His dress uniform was in tatters and the medals scattered across the room or crushed under hoof.

Bleu was not sure what was more shocking: that they ignored her threat or that somepony was holding his own against Boss.

“WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE!?”

Bleu winced as the Royal Canterlot voice boomed right behind her head. Both unicorns froze in place, with Boss's left forehoof connected to the side of the Royal Guard’s head and the other unicorn biting into Boss's right foreleg.

“MAJOR SCRAPE, SPIT THAT OUT! YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE IT HAS BEEN. START CLEANING UP THIS MESS. GENERAL KAISUR, GET YOUR BLADE OUT OF OUR CEILING AND GET IN HERE.”

Both ponies winced as the Princess yelled at them, though the kissy noises Bleu added to her own glare made both of them look ill.

Jer'rahd shifted his gaze from the angered Princess to Bleu, then back to the stallion.

“This is not over, pretty colt. Your face needs more adjusting.”

“Bring it anytime, anywhere, demon, I'll rip you in half.”

“NOW!”

They both flinched as their weapons were ripped from the ceiling with a shower of plaster and sheathed in their respective scabbards. The two turned from each other, heading to where they were ordered with one last glare.

=========================================================

“I cannot believe you, fighting in my waiting room with another Guard. You were already in enough trouble before this just due to Cindervale.”

“You should tell your decorations to mind their manners around their betters.”

Celestia turned, glaring at the gray unicorn who seemed unconcerned with her annoyance with him. He was busy tearing the remains of his dress uniform into strips to bind a few of the deeper cuts.

“Betters? You think you are better than other ponies now?”

“No. Not all of them. Just the sad creatures you think can defend your castle from anything more menacing than a gnat fart.”

“They are far more skilled than you give them credit for. There is a reason only a select few manage to become Royal Guards.”

“Because they are pretty enough to be play toys for you, or is it because their mommies and daddies used their pull as nobles to get the cushy jobs for their useless offspring?”

Celestia snorted as Jer'rahd tightened another strip of cloth around his foreleg. That bucking pony hit like a Tank, he would give him that. Celestia was pissed; that was clear, though he found he did not rightly care. She had called him in here to do little more than yell at him for his and Luna's choices and he was not going to let her have an easy time of it. He was already mad and he was not going on the defensive against this mare.

“What happened to the pony that actually had some respect for my authority?!”

“He died, and all Tartarus coughed back up was me. You want to complain and accuse me of things, Celestia? Well, get to it already; I am tired of hearing how bucking mad you are with me. Get whatever you have to say over with so I can go drink ‘til I forget all of it.”

“You’ve turned into a very arrogant son of a prick.”

“Leave my father out of this or I'll bring up that bitch friend of yours who’s responsible for me not getting a bucking hour of peaceful sleep in years now.”

“Aqua is not my friend.”

“I meant Aviana. Every time I hear that damn name, something tries to kill me or make me its bucking pet. You wanna know where my respect for you went? Out the bucking window after those assignments you sent us on. Every one of them nearly killed some pony I care about. We went to Neighlantis on your suggestion Celestia. The only one of those that even panned out was the Buffalo, and that’s who Princess Luna wanted to see first.”

“You are blaming me for events I could not control, Kaisur.”

“If you had told us that the last bucking time you were there she ran your flank out of the city because of a joke, we would have been better prepared for an easily-pissed-off sea goddess.”

“It has been over seven thousand years since I even last saw Aqua. That is far too much of a grudge for a simple coloration spell that could have been fixed by a sea pony with a scrub brush.”

“Some ponies hold long grudges, Celestia. It’s kinda obvious she's one of them now. You’re supposed to be watching everything in your damn country, and yet you missed the fact that she has not allowed trade with the surface world since you left except for one ship!? How many ships have you lost trying?”

“That's what you are doing.”

“What’s what I am doing?”

“You are putting me on the defensive, trying to make this about me instead of you. You are a clever...”

He winced as she starts saying the phrase, though she smirked and stopped. So much for that plan; no, he was not going to lose the edge he gained. She was still pissed, despite what she said.

“Do you know how many other races are calling for your head as a war criminal?”

“Tell them I will meet them outside the front gates, and to bring their own coffins.”

“Hmm, she does know you well. The Cindervale raid is not the issue here.”

“Oh? Then what the buck is?”

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she leaned down to glare at the unicorn in the eyes. Jer'rahd spit out a bit of cloth from his latest bandage that nearly hit the white alicorn in the face.

“That is disgusting, Kaisur. Pick that up.”

“You have maids. Now what is the issue, or should I come back later when you feel like bucking talking?”

“Why the buck did you let my sister use the books?”

“Why would I stop her?”

“Because they are evil.”

“So were the dragons, and you defend them.”

“Discord used them to become even more powerful than he already was, and nearly destroyed Equestria as a result.”

“Your sister used them to stop a violent race from killing ponies whenever they felt like it. From what I hear about Discord, he was rather evil to begin with.

“The books made him worse.”

“Or maybe it was your connection to Aviana that made it seem worse. He knew her, too, when we saw him or the copy or whatever the heck that thing was. Likewise, the dragons seemed already able to use his creations rather quickly. Maybe they were the reason he went mad. Ever consider that?”

“You have no idea, do you? The dragons aided us in defeating him.”

“Probably to get a hold of his land and magic for themselves.”

“YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT!”

“SO ARE YOU! It doesn't matter what the buck a bunch of lizards did thousands of years ago. For the past hundred they have been killing us. Each attack brings new and interesting ways that we can die for them. All this last attack did was make sure that was not going to happen again. Your sister was willing to risk her life for that, while all you wanted to do was throw bucking parties and talk about how we should all give peace a chance. You are a failure as a leader. You sit here in your ivory tower watching others die and tell all the leeches feeding off you that everything will be alright, while those that actually deserve to live are murdered around you. That you are more than willing to protect your nobles and status over the farmers in the field and the traders keeping your country alive is proof that you should not have the power you do.”
“You have no right to say that of me, colt.”

“I have just as much right to tell you that you are a poor leader as you have to tell me what I did was wrong.”
”You have no idea what it takes to keep all this together.”

“What? A gaggle of nobles? All that takes is some bits and for you to flash your flank at them every so often. I would say I have a better idea than you do.”

Celestia's mane and tail flared up like fire, power pouring off of her as her eyes glowed a bright white, staring down at the gray unicorn stallion before her. Jer'rahd took a step back, flicking open the clasp holding the Waning Moon in its scabbard, his magic gripping it.

“Do you really think you are a match for me, colt?”

“I think I am about to add another notch to my scabbard if you want to have a go at me, Celestia”

“YOU WOULD DARE ATTACK YOUR PRINCESS?!”

“You are not my princess.”

“That is enough, out of both of you. General, stand down. Celestia, calm down.”

Jer'rahd turned his head, looking at the speaker, and snapped the clasp of his blade’s sheath closed again. Celestia's hair continued to flare as the unicorn ignored her, bowing his head lightly.

“As you wish, Princess.”

Luna walked forward from the doorway, glaring at them both.

“I suppose I do not have to ask how this meeting went. General, go tend your duties with the Guard. I will speak with my sister. And do not pick any more fights.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Jer'rahd turned and walked out of the room, leaving a slowly-calming Celestia alone with Luna.

“How do you deal with that one?!”

“How did you let him get to you, sister? I have not seen you this angered since we fought Discord.”

“That one was unrelenting with his insults and slander. Even knowing his plan was to put me on defensive and telling him I knew he was doing it, he still persisted in it.”

“He is an accomplished strategist; he realizes no plan survives first contact with the enemy. To that end, he will continue what he believes is the best course of action in a given situation. If he noticed you were still upset, he would have pressed on.”

“This was not a battle field.”

“To him it was.”

“He nearly got himself killed for drawing that sword.”

“I believe that is questionable at this point, Celestia. You barely managed the power for that light show and I am not the only one to draw power from the books. In a fight between you two right now, my bits would be on him.”

“You doubt me that much?”

“No, I simply know what he can do and what your current limits are, sister. You spent a great deal of power to send the Queen’s Cross, and you spent more power to heal Bleu. While I am not unappreciative of what you did for the dragonling, where I could not help her, your power now has a tell, sister. Your magical dye job is fading.”

Celestia glanced back at her tail, seeing most of the green and blue had faded from her hair. Her horn flickered quickly, restoring the coloration before she looked back at Luna.

“You have recovered quickly, sister, but do not overextend yourself. It may cost you much in the future. I have come to a decision on what to do as a result of your political pressure.”

“Fine, and what have you decided to do?”

“I will leave Canterlot, and take whichever Guard forces wish to accompany me. I will set up my own home somewhere. That way, if any of these others wish to attack, they can come for me rather than your peaceful capital. I have no plans to end this war just yet. The Diamond Dogs, the Griffons, the Seaponies, and several other races need to know we are not to be trifled with.”

“I do not agree with this, Luna.”

“Pity, then, that I am not giving you a say in the matter. I shall continue to raise the moon as we have done for centuries, but if you will not accept that strength is the only way to achieve peace, I will need to show you from my own kingdom. The ponies of this land are already divided on the events; many support what we did, and just as many are against it. The conflict has already divided our land in spirit. I will make that divide physical; those who wish to follow you can remain and do so. Those who prefer my methods can come with me.”

“And how do you propose to divide this? Right down the middle?”

“No. The cities and ponies themselves will decide what they chose to do. Something of a republic, I suppose, rather than the monarchy we have kept for so long.”

“You believe they will choose you over me? After all your complaints about how nopony cared for the night?”

“I have shown them something, now, that in all your years of bringing light to the world have never shown them: results. There will never be another dragon war thanks to my actions. I have ruled for barely seven months and I have destroyed one of the greatest threats we have faced. You ruled for centuries and we were always in conflict. The choice will be clear.”

Celestia swallowed, her ears flattening to her head at the cold tone her sister was taking.

“I will require a few weeks to prepare a suitable place for myself and my subjects. Since Canterlot is partially mine from my position as Princess alone, we will remain here until a suitable location is found and a new home built. After that, the city and all that side with you are yours, Celestia.”

“Luna... why are you doing this?”

“My general had the right of it. You are no longer fit to lead Equestria. You are not the warrior I was a sister to; you are little more than a sow catering to the pathetic mewings of weaklings with loud voices. What fire you have left is misdirected to those who would aid Equestria more than you would. I would suggest you retire and find a replacement, but I know you will not.”

Luna turned and trotted out of the room, leaving Celestia with her mouth gaping, trying to find the words.

Twilight pulled back out of the spell, her eyes closing as she felt the shift of her weight as her mind resettled into her body. There was also something else: she felt a bit of constriction about her form that was odd. She opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the light, her ears flattening against her head as she looked down.

Her forehooves were clad in thin mesh stockings with white cuffs around the base of her hooves. Her back legs were in the same stockings, though black leather boots covered half of her rear legs. Her torso was wrapped in what she expected was a black corset of some kind, complete with a red bow tie around her neck. And to top it all off, her tail was fluffed up like a cotton ball and she had a pair of black rabbit ears on her head.

“What... the...?”

“Oh dear, you're awake already... Sorry, I got a little bored.”

Twilight looked back at her teacher sitting on a cushion with a pile of various outfits spread out around her. None of them seemed sized for the Princess, and Twilight was sure she had been in several of them already before this one, judging by how everything was stacked by her teacher.

“You were bored... What is this?”

“A bunny costume. You do look quite cute in it. You should have seen the maid outfit you were in earlier, though that one was a little racy. So, did you want to try the cheerleader or the wizard?"

Twilight blushed furiously and Celestia smiled.

“I suppose this is not really the time for that. With as late as it is getting, I suppose you may wish to return to Ponyville before it becomes a new day entirely. Or, if you like, I can find a room in the palace for you for the night.”

Twilight bit her lip a little, turning a bit to look at the bunny outfit, then at the notes she had been taking while scrying the sword. There was a description of how hurt her teacher had looked as Luna left etched on that page and it almost hurt her to think about it.

“If you do not mind, Princess, I would stay here tonight. There is not much sense in heading back this late.”

“Here? Or in the castle?”

“Errrr… well, to answer your other question, I think the wizard costume would work.”

Celestia smiled as Twilight blushed more.

“Umm, though I do have to ask why you have a bunch of outfits in my size in your quarters...”

Author's Note

ugh i just realized the size of the plot holes in this chapter. I need to revise this one stat.

Paper Thin Shale

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Paper Thin Shale.

Twilight groaned, her hooves rubbing her temples as she looked down at the blade and the set-up for tonight’s scry and sighed. This would be the second time she was going to go into this set of visions.

She had stayed at Canterlot for an extra day with Celestia after the scry on the meeting with Bleu. Before she left, she had tried to take care of another chapter of it while her teacher was still there to question if there was anything else. What resulted was Twilight being bored out of her mind as the scry spell followed their lives though the period of peace between the end of the Second Dragon War and the start of the War of Night.

Jer'rahd sparring; Bleu practicing, joking, and singing; Starfall healing; Velkorn doing the healing; Luna and Rhede both reading; and very little else for several weeks while they were still in Canterlot. Even after all that, the important parts of the story were separated by months sometimes. Over the course of the year, the scry showed her the whole thing and it seemed to drag on forever.

The spell still skipped over quite a few parts, thankfully, but watching Jer'rahd attend the funerals of every single pony who had fallen in the line of duty was a bit much.

Celestia had shown her how to tweak the spell to avoid other unimportant bits, adding a filter of sorts for what she wanted to see. Twilight had run through the course of the scry once already, marking events she wanted a closer look at to watch again later. Her teacher had also shown her a few other things that could be done in the magical area between worlds that could prove useful, though what she had been taught when not studying turned her face beet red just thinking about it.

Spike, of course, had been merciless once she returned, having found out she was staying with the Princess after receiving a letter when she stayed the extra day so he would not be worried. He had put two and two together and come up with an answer that amused him greatly.

“So does this mean I can throw out all that self-insertion fan fiction you wrote about you and the Princess?”
“NO! I mean, what fan fiction?”

“I'm your assistant Twilight. You leave quite a bit out in the open at times. And you think Rarity has bad taste in reading material? Compared to what you write, what she reads is a foal’s book.”

“YOU READ IT?”

“Just what I could stand, which wasn't much. Honestly, you have a very dirty mind, Twilight. Tisk Tisk.”

Spike smirked as Twilight turned a even deeper shade of red, although the amusement in his voice dropped quickly, as did the expression on his face.

“Teasing aside, what are you gonna do?”

“First of all, hide those fics better, then do something not nice to my assistant.”

“Not about that, Twilight. About Celestia?”

“What? What about her?”

“I know you have been attracted to her for a long time, and it seems something finally happened that you had hoped for, particularly judging by the letter I was sent and your reactions. What I want to know is: what are you going to do now? You told me about her room, and I've already copied enough of the stuff about Luna and the statues to know that she's gonna outlive you. Heck, I will probably outlive you unless the mad trio figures out what dragon slaying really means. With luck, they will keep just trying to tell me bad jokes.”

“I don't know... why are you so concerned with this, particularly after your teasing? You shouldn't even be thinking about this sort of stuff at your age.”

Spike shrugged.

“Just because you aggravate the crap out of me sometimes doesn’t mean I don't care. I've been raised by the strongest unicorn magician and the Princess of the Sun from an egg. I do actually listen to what you talk about sometimes in your egghead rants. Just because I don't act it all the time doesn't mean I can't be mature and smart, you know, at least when I feel like it. You are only going to be with her a short time by her life span, Twilight. Do you think she is going to let you, or is she going to try and urge you to find someone else to spend your life with?”

“I really don't know. I am sure my brother and Cadence are going to have plenty of foals, particularly since they just extended their honeymoon by another few months.”

“Geez, waiting for those two to come back is like waiting for your favorite show to come back on TV.”

“What was that, Spike?”

“What was what?”

“Never mind. Still, it is nice to know you are watching out for me.”

“Despite what you seem to think, I do actually care for you, Twilight.”

“Awww Spike… Thank you.”

“That doesn't mean I won't tease the crud out of you, though.”

“Annnnd I am no longer thanking you. If you tell Rarity about this, I will find a way to end you...”

“That's fine; I won't tell Rarity. I'm sure Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Big Mac and Fluttershy will be amused to know about your time with Celestia, though. Especially after you and Rarity go on about them dating every time you two are together. I am sure they would love to hear you are dating the Princess now.”

“We are not dating. She was upset and I didn't want to leave her alone.”

“Considering how you have been acting since you’ve been back? I doubt it was just that. Thanks to you and Rarity’s gossip, I can tell the signs of loooooooooooove.”

“Tell anyone and I tell them about your infatuation with Rarity.”

“Hey, now, you already Pinkie Pie swore you wouldn't.”

“Fine, then should I bring up the stuffed pony version of her you tried to have made?”

“That was a gift for her...”

“Uh huh...”

“Gah! Fine...”

Twilight smiled as the little dragon grumbled and plopped down on the couch.

“The teasing will still remain.”

The purple unicorn sighed, small victories at least.

“Fine. I'm going in.”

Twilight cast the spell, ignoring the dragon’s snickering. She felt herself being pulled into the spell again. She paused her gaze, shifting over the star-filled field and stared at the pair of bright stars in the distance. She sighed.

Twilight was still confused after the events; she had loved it, of course, as she truly did care for her teacher in more ways than just as a student, but the lifespan difference was not something she wanted to put her teacher through. She knew Celestia cared for her, but she was not sure if she was anything more than a passing fling for the sun goddess. Certainly that was a long time away, but a nagging doubt in the back of her mind kept bringing up Pinkie Pie's death twitch. The pink pony was unsure of who or what was going to die, but she was certain it was someone close to them, or it even could be one of her friends.

She sighed, having forgotten to bring up Pinkie's twitch with the Princess, or even the dark portion of this space with the stars that had made her nervous. Granted, even missing those details, it had been an interesting and rather educational few nights.

She chose Jer'rahd's window again, hoping the new parts of the spell would allow her to get past watching him do paperwork for six weeks.

A twig crunched underhoof as he moved around the small clearing. His breath turned to clouds of mist before him in the cool morning air as he scanned over the area. Starfall and Rhede stood not far away, both looking at a map and arguing over it. Fall had come early, clearly still adjusting to the ponies’ winter wrap up at the end of last season, though the tradition would continue on to save Celestia energy while she recovered.

He barely felt the cold air around him; there was something about this place that bugged him and he could not quite put a hoof on it.

Bleu and Velkorn had opted to stay at Canterlot for the time being while the others went out to try and find a suitable spot for Luna's castle. They were near the far side of the Everfree Forest away from Canterlot right now. The four of them had been following a map of the forest Rhede had brought with him, and so far had crossed rivers, traveled through dark woods, and traversed a deep ravine to get to this point. Luna had taken to the air to see if she could spot anything, as it seemed Rhede had gotten them lost again.

“Pelt, where the heck did you get this map?”

“It was in one of the Guard books detailing the land around here.”

Rhede's words brought a realization to Jer'rahd and he began looking around at the edge of the bushes and the tree line frantically.

“Jer? Whats wrong?”

“AHH, here it is. I knew this there was something about this place.”

His magic took hold of a rotted post that had fallen over and been grown over by weeds and brush. Lifting it gingerly into the air, he wiped off the surface of the plank nailed to one end, revealing the number 85 in faded and chipped paint. He lifted it up with a smile, showing the other two.

“By the stars, is that what I think it is, Jer'rahd?”

“Holy crap! You mean this place...?”

“I knew I recognized it. Lot 85, where the three of us were assigned for our survival training.”

“Crap, and I followed that map last time too, Jer. How the buck did I miss it?”

“The place all this began…”

The beat of wings marked Luna's return. She landed lightly, looking to the sign and then to Rhede as he spoke up.

“Well, at least for the three of us. Heh, I remember you offered a prayer to Luna on that night after you fought the cockatrice for us to get back safely.”

“Ahh yes. I recall hearing that prayer and making sure to answer it. I am glad to see it worked out well for you all.”

“Wait, what? REALLY?”

“No, not really.”

Rhede groaned and Starfall smirked as Jer'rahd simply shook his head.

“You have been hanging around Bleu too much, Princess.”

“Perhaps, but I think this shall be the spot. The gorge runs along the west all the way to the river and that flows along enough to put this spot of land with a natural defense on three sides. It is only a day’s march to Dodge City. With that as one of the cities that has sided with the Republic, this location is perfect while still keeping us close to Canterlot if we need to move to defend it as well.”

“So we put the new castle here.”

Rhede snorted.

“Still not sure on this republic nonsense, Princess. The harpies have one of those and elect new officials to lead them every few years. Considering that ponies have always had a monarchy since coming down from the north lands to form Equestria, I’m not sure how they will take it. Besides, there's a chance you will need to step down.”

“I was not going that far with it, Rhede; this is a republic because ponies are being given the choice of who to follow, me or my sister. I do not plan to leave anything important in any ponies’ hooves save my Generals. The Lunar Republic is little more than a name for this first choice being given. It is still a monarchy with one god as its ruler.”

“Meh, still not getting it, really. But then again, I have seen a few other types of governments in my time and they all seem strange compared to Equestria's.”

“Names aside, we at least have a place to start building. Rhede, did you find anyone willing?”

“There's a group of Diamond Dogs willing to build it for a fee paid in gems; they can probably build it the quickest. We have a selection of zebras who are willing to build it as well.”

“I do not trust the Diamond Dogs, Rhede. Find out what the zebras want to come out here and build.”

“Already got that, Princess. They want citizenship in the Lunar Republic under you and their Queen Velkorn.”

“What?”

“Seems a great many of them took a shining to our medic during the single year she was queen and they still follow her like she is their sole leader. Most of them are the warriors and zebras that followed her brother. They believe she still rules by right of succession.”

“That... We can use that, can't we?”

“Already on it, Princess.”

Twilight pulled back as the spell sped up around her, time rushing past her eyes as it moved to the next vital event she had
marked, many months later.

“We have a problem, Princess.”

Luna looked up from her desk as Rhede poked his head up from behind a pile of books he was looking over and sighed. Jer'rahd had yet to bring them any good news at all the entire week.

“Oh goody, what is it this time? A supply caravan get lost? The latest castle burn down, fall over and sink into the swamp?”

“Nothing quite that drastic, Rhede. Princess, your sister's campaign against your methods has cost us most of our troops.”

“How many is ‘most’?”

“Only about five hundred are leaving the Guard to join the Lunar Republic. All of the remaining 42nd and the 63rd, including all of Starfall's Shadowbolts, and a scattering of other Guards with nothing else left to do but fight. They may be the best that exist, but they are also rather small in number. Of course, the Royal Guard is not getting that many, either. We lost more ponies to retirement than to anything else. One war was all most of them could deal with.”

Luna sighed and Rhede looked between the two from over his book fort. Jer'rahd was clearly uncomfortable telling her this and looked rather annoyed with it himself. Rhede considered something and figured he needed to run it by Starfall first.

“Might have a way to double that Princess, but we definitely want to get the castle built first.”

The two of them looked at Rhede as he ducked back down behind the books. Rhede continued on as if he had not said anything.

“Back to what we were talking about before, Princess... Dodge City, Hollow Shades, New Dullahan, and Manehatten are all pledged to the Lunar Republic. Las Pegasus, the new settlement of Cloudsdale, Vanhoover, Fillydelphia and most of the smaller towns are still for your sister.”

“What about Ponyville?”

“Maw has opted to keep neutral and help out both Canterlot and the Republic. What supplies and taxes we get from them will be less, but they are splitting it between the two of us. Maw's old trader instincts have kicked in again.”

“Somehow, I doubt your mother is not paying less by tithing to both of our groups.”

“Well, I saw nothing wrong with how she was going to run it...”

“Alright, Rhede, I will trust your mother to know what she is doing. Even with the possibility of doubling our forces, less than a thousand ponies will not be enough.”

“The zebras may join us to follow their queen. That will at least put us at a thousand.”

“I do not see them as anything more than farmers, Princess. The Buffalo lands are nearby, as well.”

“I will not bother Three Bear again; he has earned his retirement.”

“I can check with the Elk again in Whitetail Woods. Mossflower may have convinced them to be less xenophobic by now. I have been meaning to head back there anyway. I can have Starfall talk to the group I mentioned and see if they are willing.”

“Alright Rhede, I will leave both of those to you, but take a force of the Lunar Guards with you. I do not trust Dogwood.”
“Not a problem; I should get to that later in the year. Too much left to do here yet.”

“That is fine; it will give Starfall more a chance to recover. While she can fly, Velkorn is a bit worried about her left foreleg.”

“That god did hit quite hard.”

“I expected as much of a dragon, though the lack of personnel might be a problem. Jer'rahd, see if you can find any pony or zebra with any sort of skill at handling animals. I would like to see if we cannot copy some of the dragons’ tactics and have nature provide us some troops.”

“I will see what I can scrounge up, Princess.”

Another time jump to a month after that, deep in the Everfree Forest.

“Boss... you are an idiot.”

“Oh come on, Bleu, even you have to admit it’s kinda cute.”

“That’s an URSA MAJOR. You don't train those! You run from them!”

“Why would I run?”

“You wouldn't ‘cause your an idiot.”

The bear in question had growled and lunged at them, though it pulled up short, looking at the pair curiously; they seemed to ignore it and argued between themselves. This was not something it had experienced before, and it was a little confused. Running, it was used to, even fighting from these small creatures, but acting as if it was not even there? This was new. It craned its head down, sniffing at the pony curiously to see if he was really there and got its nose patted by the gray unicorn as a response.

“See? nothing to worry about. It’s friendly enough.”

“I guess; you think this might be one of Three Bear's bears, boss?”

“Hmm… might be; we don't really want to bother them. Let’s go look for a hydra nest, then. See you around, Big Bear.”

The pair trotted off, still arguing, leaving a very confused Ursa Major staring after them.

Another time jump, this time to the site of a half-built castle that Twilight recognized immediately as the place where the Elements of Harmony had been when Nightmare Moon returned. So those ruins were all that remained of the Capitol of the Lunar Republic.

Luna shifted her gaze between Bleu and Jer'rahd as they both talked. Her generals had evidently had a rather amusing time over the last two months, and with Velkorn's help, had documented quite a few creatures.

“Well, we found that Maticores are right out. All it takes is a little bit of pain and they go right into a rage and attack anything. Impossible to deal with. One of those things so much as steps on a tack and they are near uncontrollable.”

“Boss found a hydra nest, though, and brought back some eggs. The zebras say they can be trained from an egg, but it will take time for them to grow up properly. We also found a Cockatrice nest and brought back a few eggs, too.”

“Is that not a bit dangerous, Jer'rahd? They can turn anyone to stone.”

“They are smart, though; the one I encountered was bright enough to know it either did what I said or I would kill it. I am sure they can be trained and we have spells to un-stone ponies if they cannot be.”

“Still, that's not much. At least the castle should be done in another week or so.”

“Good; did they put in the design for the bar I wanted?”

“Yes... I still have no idea how you managed to slip that past me in the plans.”

“I haven't known Rhede this long without picking up a few things.”

“Hey, did Starfall come back, Luna? I am rather curious as to where she went.”

“Not yet Bleu. I am rather...”

“HALF-DRAGONS! HALF DRAGONS HEADED THIS WAY!”

The trio looked at each other before dashing off towards the clearing at the front of the castle. Guards scrambled for weapons, moving into position around the construction site as the workers ducked for cover in the half-finished castle.
Looking up, Luna could make out the forms of hundreds of winged half-dragon ponies of various colorations flying towards them over the Everfree. Jer'rahd's blade was out and his armor on. Bleu had donned her armor as well after growing to her largest size, ready to take to the air.

“Hold on you two... Is that Starfall?”

“What? Where, Princess?”

“At the front of the formation. She is in full armor, not that hard to spot.”

Rhede dashed up to the trio, looking up in the air and smirking.
“Well well; she got more than I thought she would. “

“Pelt, what is this?”

“Well, you see, Princess, it’s like this: when you and Jer went off on your little makeover quest, Starfall and I did a few things of our own, one of which was saving a rather large contingent of half-dragons that had gathered together after the dragons lost control of them. Haven’t you wondered what happened to all the ones that ran off after Onyx Wing died, or why there were so few have been fighting against us lately? Countless numbers of them were born before the attacks started, almost enough to count as their own race.”

“They do not have a god, Rhede. They are not their own race.”

“No, but they are about to, Princess. You should meet the Lunar Republic's new subjects.”

Starfall spotted the group and flew down, landing lightly before the Princess. She trotted over, glancing back at the half-dragons landing behind her, all of them looking about nervously at the gathering Guard. A tall half-dragon slowly approached the group, looking to Starfall for some form of guidance. Starfall smirked, letting her armor fade away, still resting lightly on her left forehoof.

“Princess Luna, allow me to present Commander Lion Heart of the half-dragon colony of Gallopagos, the city of New Dawn. Commander, this is Princess Luna of the Lunar Republic.”

The black stallion’s eyes widened as he was told this, evidently not having recognized her. He dropped into a bow before her, which was quickly mimicked by the other several hundred half-dragons that had come along with him.
Luna, Jer'rahd and Bleu blink, confused, as Rhede's smirk got bigger.

“Pelt, Starfall; an explanation, please.”

“Well, Rhede somewhat took advantage of being left in charge when the existence of a group of half-dragons that had split off from the dragons came to our attention.”

“It was agreed upon by Starfall, though I did need to tell her their true origins.”

Luna turned to glare at Rhede, but he simply shrugged.

“Suffice to say, Princess, we gave them the north end of the Gallopagos Island in the Hooper Sea. Advisors and some watchers were sent as well. Currently, they are at the point where they are another viable provider of resources along with the other cities that have sided with you, but more importantly, they are all trained and loyal troops.”

“Seems the place we gave them is already almost as big as Manehatten. It’s quite impressive. Not sure on the New Dawn name, though. They are using the Princess Bride as a ferry to move supplies from a lumber yard set up along the mainland and several ore mines scattered over the island. They have been keeping busy.”

“At what point were you two planning to tell me about this?”

“When they were ready to be accepted into Equestria, though I figure the Republic would do just as well.”

“Your planning will get you into trouble one day, Rhede.”

“What do you mean ‘one day’? I've already been evicted from Canterlot, pissed off your sister and nearly all the nobles, and had to kill the entire organization I worked for before I came to work for you. I think I am well aware of what happens with my plans. This one... This one actually seems to be paying off.”

Luna turned from the red earth pony and looked over the multicolored forms of the bowing half-dragons. Rhede had a point; she was not able to be very choosy at this point, despite her dislike of them and their progenitor, Onyx Wing. Also, Starfall would not have brought them here if they were dangerous to her.

“RISE, SUBJECTS, AND BE WELCOMED TO THE LUNAR REPUBLIC.”

More images flickered past as time sped up, including Starfall and the other Element Bearers attending Cloud Dancer’s fifteenth birthday. Aside from nearly all the Pelts, Spark and, oddly enough, Princess Celestia made an appearance. Cloud Dancer was in awe, though the members of the Republic were rather leery of her arrival. Tensions ran high, but nothing of any importance was done or said between the two princesses.

“General, are you sure about this?”

“Of course, Princess. How many times have you been drained of magic in a situation where you need to rely on your physical combat skills? Just because you are stronger with magic now does not mean that you should be neglecting what you can do with your hooves or a blade.”

Jer'rahd and Bleu sat at the side lines of a large sandy training area. Rhede was making his preparations to go to the Elk and Starfall was currently testing the half-dragons to see if any were good enough to be put into her team of Shadowbolts. So far, only Lion Heart was keeping up with her.

“I understand that, but if I am to spar, why are you and Bleu sitting over there? “

“Two reasons.”

“The first of which is brute force is not a style of fighting, regardless of what Boss might think. And let’s be honest: I don't play fair and it’s hard to go unarmed when I’ve got claws and lightning.”

“Can I finish, Bleu?”

“Sure.”

“Alright what she said is pretty close, regardless. Relentless is not a style.”

“Neither is pissed off, Boss.”

“I am not that bad.”

“Boss, you have four modes of operation: pissed off, near pissed off, drunk, and asleep.”

“You forgot the General also has near-dead, Bleu.”

“That's near pissed off.”

“Anyway, she will be your opponent.”

Velkorn trotted out onto the sandy training area, bouncing lightly and stretching her limbs out as if preparing to start a workout. Luna paled slightly as Velkorn looked up at her.

“Do not worry, Princess, I will play nice, though the bruises you sustain might need some ice.”

“You're kidding, right?”

“Not at all; Velkorn needs the training just as much as you do. Both of you use different styles as well, so perhaps you can learn something from each other, too. Besides, there's the second reason I am over here and not sparring with you myself.”

“Oh, and what might that be, General?”

“You think I would miss the chance to see you dance again?”

Luna blushed fiercely as Bleu fell over laughing her tail off at the dead serious expression on Jer'rahd's face.

The time skipped by again, showing the finishing of the castle and the short exodus of the guards loyal to Luna leaving Canterlot. There were a few less ponies siding with the Lunar Republic after the half-dragons joined. Old hatred and fear of their origins showed itself regardless of what ponies were told. Even so, this loss was offset by a good many new recruits choosing to join the Republic Guard over the Canterlot one.

The Pelts’ Hearth’s Warming party was in full swing by the time Luna and Starfall arrived. The entire town of Ponyville had been converted into one big party. Bleu and Je'rahd had already ducked out for the unicorn to visit his parents’ and grandparents’ graves. Velkorn was helping to tend to the small horde of young ponies running around the town along with a host of the Pelt mares and some of the older fillies. Rhede was currently tormenting the newlywed guards Biggs and Wedge.

“Now listen, you two; I am quite sure you have heard this from every Pelt you've met so far, but as their brother, I am obligated to tell you that you had better treat those two mares right no matter how annoying they get.”

“We have and we will, sir...”

“Not sure you are quite understanding the gravity of what is being said to you, Potato... or do you prefer Wedge? Either way, Pelts put family above nearly everything else. To that end, you just need to be shown who you are gonna tick off if yah do something to hurt them besides the obvious ones of me, Maw ,and the rest of the massive family that is everywhere in Equestria.“

Rhede reared up, draping a foreleg over the back of each stallion’s neck, turning them to face who he is talking about.

“See, Starfall there is pretty much an honorary Pelt. Maw is taking care of her daughter while she’s busy just because. Velkorn is much the same; granted, Maw wants her to make a honest stallion out of me. Not gonna happen in this lifetime, of course, but Maw can dream.”

He whirled again, practically flinging the smaller ponies around with him.

“Maw practically adopted the princess when she came here the first time, so you can count Luna as a honorary family member.”

As he turned again, the two stallions paled at the mention of Luna being a family member.

“Don't worry; she doesn't blame anypony for staying with the Canterlot Royal Guard over the Lunar Republic, so you have that on your side. Granted, there's two others that sorta do."

“You mean General Kaisur, sir?”

“Right you are, Biggs, though he is officially and legally a Pelt. Maw adopted him after the rest of his family died, and he adopted Bleu when her family died, which makes the little dragon a family member as well.”

“General Scale is a Pelt? I think I will take my chances with Princess Luna if anything does happen, sir.”

Rhede laughed at the pair’s expense and the party continued.

=====================================================

Jer'rahd laid the flowers down on the grave, clearing the snow and leaves from between them before settling down to speak with them. Bleu hung back at the edge of the piled stone wall running along the back side of the garden, freezing, but remaining quiet while the pony finished.

As he stood up and started trotting away, she flapped over and landed lightly on his back, pulling her blanket tighter around her. She needed to know something from him, but she was hesitant to ask about it. Best just spit it out.

“Hey, um, Boss... you every find anything out about your grandfather and your name?”

“No, I have not. Granted, I have not really looked since right after the Gala.”

“Considering all you did looking for who he was, I am surprised you are not still looking.”

“I have too much to do now and no time for something that really does not even matter.”

“Doesn't matter? You weren’t like this when we were looking.”

Jer'rahd smiled, trotting along the path back towards town.

“No, I suppose not. Sorry for putting you through that stress, but after thinking about it, it does not matter what my grandfather’s history was, or why he changed the family name.”

“Ehh?”

“When my father was away, he raised me up to be the stallion I am now. My grandmother died well before I can remember, and he and my parents were all I had. Then my mother passed, and I was left in the care of my father and grandfather. Then my father was killed in a border skirmish with the griffons and my grandfather was all I had till age and sickness took him. Why he changed the family name to what it is does not even matter compared to what he did after the name change. He worked his flank off to make sure I had whatever I needed and he did not take crap from anyone, even when my mother’s parents were treating us like shit and trying to ruin us. He kept us going despite losing his wife, daughter-in-law, and son. He has been watching over me even after his death and was the one who sent me back when I died. I don't give a buck if he killed the former Princess of Equestria, there’s not a damn thing that is going to make me change how much I respected him. There's no point in searching for answers when I don't even need them. The only thing I regret is that I let Silverclaw's words make me even worry about it”

Bleu was silent for a time before leaning forward and hugging the unicorn.
“What was that for?”

“A moving speech, Boss. You have a knack for those. Slightly different reason than why I don't care about my parents. Never met them, never got attached to them, don't care. But still you sounded like you were about to break down there for a second.”

“Maybe. Any way, we have a party to hurry back to before Rhede drinks all the good alcohol.”

“There’s a finite amount? Forget this talking crap! CHARGE!”

More time passed and the Winter Wrap-Up is performed again, even in the Lunar Republic. Little to nothing else happens, save Rhede's departure to go to White Tail Woods.

Rhede smiled as he stood at the top of the hill looking down at the forest before him. Whitetail Woods lay spread out for a few leagues before him, running all the way south to the river. His group had come in from the north along an old trading path that led to edge of the forest closer to the home of the Elks. Most of the Guards saw this as a bit of a waste of time as he was going to be leaving them at the forest’s edge anyway. The colonel in charge, however, was using it as a training exercise and Rhede let him do his thing.

Luna had insisted he bring two hundred guards with him and would not take no for an answer. He was starting to believe she might know something, or at the very least expect some sort of danger or bad reaction after the last visit. Understandable, but nothing he could not have dealt with on his own.

He told everyone he was going to go talk to the Elk again and see if they were more agreeable this time, though in reality he wanted to check up on Mossflower and see if she had a foal. It was odd that he was thinking of the same mare twice, though if she had a child by him it would be a rather rare creature.

He had never seen a half-elk before, though they did supposedly exist. He almost grinned, thinking he might be the cause of such a rare thing. His mind actually lingered on perhaps bringing the foal and Mossflower back to Maw, even if he did have to put up with her threats that he needed to marry this one. His happy thoughts were set aside as a pair of pegasus scouts tore through the air towards him from the edge of the woods. One stays in the air the other lands hard next to him kicking up dust and snapping a salute.

“GENERAL PELT, SIR. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS. GRAY FEATHER, GO GET THE MEDICS.”

The second pegasus took off as the first turned, launching herself back towards the forest urging him along. Rhede broke into a gallop, following the low-flying pony and wondering what sort of disaster had been caused this time.

The pair burst through the brush at the wood’s edge and into a small clearing that the trading trail cut through. Rhede's eyes widened and his blood ran cold.

The clearing was awash with flies and the coppery scent of blood. Elk and a few ponies were hung from trees, most of their bodies teeming with maggots. The trees and rocks were covered in blood and etched with warnings to keep out of the forest.

All written in elk.

Rhede looked over the scene as the pegasus flit around checking the bodies.

“SIR, THIS ONE’S STILL ALIVE!”

Rhede rushed over to the dead tree the Corporal was near and skidded to a stop, looking up at the body there before turning to vomit onto the blood caked ground before his gaze lifted again to the corpse. Mid way up the dead tree, a female elk hung, her legs spread wide, nails driven into each end and her belly cut open and left to bleed out. Flies took off in a cloud of black as he approached, maggots squirming in the remains.

It was Mossflower.

The brush behind them burst open as a group of medics rushed into the clearing, one or two stopping to vomit violently, as well as the pegasus shouted for them. Rhede turned from the visage looking at what the pegasus was pointing to. On the side of the tree was a smaller elk female, nailed much the same way Mossflower was to the dead tree, though her belly was not cut open. She was a scarlet coloration with patches of white. She also had hooves rather than the cloven treads of an elk. On her flank was a cutie mark of a paintbrush and easel. The little elk was breathing, but barely; her mother’s blood had run over her head and her chest had been branded with the elk lettering for impure.

“GET HER DOWN NOW!!”

Rhede stepped back out of the way as several uincorns pulled the nails free of the tree. They brought the elk down slowly, trying not to jostle her as they laid her out on the grass. The unicorns quickly fired off a series of healing spells, the green glow covering the small form. The nails were pulled free and she was bandaged as best as she could be.

Rhede moved away, not able to watch as the medics treated the foal. He looked up to Mossflower's corpse. It was his foal. His eyes swept over the warnings in elk, the writing carved into the tree and he knew what had happened to all the corpses here. They were all younger elk, traders, and travelers. They were the ones who had wanted to open up to the world around them or brought the world to the elk. The ones tired of seclusion.

Dogwood had them slaughtered in order to keep the Elk apart from the world and in his control.

“General!”

Rhede turns running over to the medics and the little elk.

“She's lost too much blood; our spells are not helping enough, sir. I... I don't think we can save her.”

“Do everything, I don't give a buck how, pour all your bucking power into her if need be, but do not let her die.”

“Sir, she’s too far gone. We can't do anything”

“DO IT ANY WAY!”

One of the medics looked up at Rhede and the unicorn medic.

“Sir, she’s trying to say something; I don't speak elk.”

Rhede shoved the unicorn away and crouched down next to her, his ears perking at the whispering voice from the foal. His eyes widened, tears falling from them as the small form repeated the words before gasping one last time and laying still.
Rhede slowly pushed himself up, his ears drooping as he looks up at the form of Mossflower and then out past the clearing to the towering form of the Yggdrasil that marked the Elk's town.

“Sir, what did she say?”

Rhede's voice cracks a little as he speaks.

“She was calling for her mommy and daddy to help her.”

The group looked at each other, then at the tall earth pony leading them. Rhede closed his eyes a moment lifting a foreleg to wipe away the tears. He turned to the gathered ponies, ignoring the crash of the underbrush as the rest of the force arrives. He points to the medics, his voice taking on a tone that most of them were more familiar with coming from General Kaisur.

“You four, take down all of the bodies and set up a funeral pyre outside the forest. This lot wanted to leave their home; the least we can do is see that their ashes are free to travel. Make sure the mother and her child are on a separate pyre.”

He turned to the others, looking to the Colonel who had come with the troops.

“Colonel. I want this entire forest surrounded. Have pegasi watch the river; I want every unit we have ready to march into the center of this forest from all sides as soon as possible. The elk are skilled archers, so I want a flame line set up to proceed the march inward.”

“Sir?”

“You have six hours to set this up. I want those fires lit by sunset. At moonrise, you will begin torching the entire forest. Also, cut down this dead tree and clear the trees from around that great oak at the edge of the forest there.”
He points to a large oak tree directly across from the dead tree.

“Yes sir, but what are we doing?”

“Follow your orders, Colonel. I will return soon enough.”

Rhede pulled a cloak out of his saddlebags, pulling it over his form and vanishing as he galloped off into the woods.

=================================================

The click of hooves against stone filled the hallway as Jer'rahd trotted to his room in the new castle. All six of them had rooms in the same hall. The room he shared with Bleu was right next to Luna's. Starfall's room was on the other side of the Princess’s quarters, with Rhede and Velkorn across the hall. The hall stretched down the middle of the keep and had a set of guards at both ends.

Starfall and Bleu had both fought for the outer rooms flanking the Princess, as both had balconies that they could take flight from. Jer'rahd did not care so long as he was able to get to the princess quickly if there was trouble.

The castle was quite impressive; the zebra workers had done a spectacular job with the construction. He was willing to place bits on this place managing to survive the test of time as well as a few sieges here and there. There were stain glass windows set up to catch sunlight and turn the throne room into a rainbow of coloration, though he never had a chance to see that as he once again worked to adjust his sleeping schedule to match the princess’s. It did look quite impressive in the moonlight, though. The others slept when they could, as their tasks had them up at all hours of the day and night, but Jer'rahd made sure he was awake when Luna was so that she would always have a guard.

Granted, as he headed off to bed, he was in a better mood than usual for two reasons. The first was due to the bar that had been built, and the excellent selection of booze it had. It took him some time to regain his tolerance, and it was still nowhere near what it once was, but he could handle at least three rainbooms now before he started to black out, so it was a start.
The second was the training that morning. Luna's fighting ability was just how he remembered it: graceful and dangerous. Granted, the new look she sported now added quite a bit to it in his opinion. She was leaner now than she was before and her movements almost seemed fluid.

Velkorn, well… he had barely seen the zebra move sometimes before Luna acknowledged a hit from the smaller mare. The two had started comparing notes in Velkorn's native language and he had zoned out, only to be accused by Bleu of staring at Luna's flank. Of course he denied it, truth or not. You could not blame a stallion for admiring a well toned mare as she worked out, especially with the sweat sticking her fur tighter to her form...

He stopped both in his mind and in the hall. He was starting to think like Rhede. He needed a cold bath or to stand under a waterfall or something. Whipping his head, he took another step before a voice called to him.

“General, is something wrong?”

He blushed and shook his head, trying to return to normal before looking in the direction of the voice. The door to Luna's room pulled open a bit more and the princess poked her head out, looking at him curiously.

“No, Princess. Just lost in thought.”

“Ahh, I see.”

He blinked a moment, noting the worried expression on her face.

“Is something the matter, Princess?”

“No there isn't really... Jer'rahd, do you think I am a monster?”

The gray unicorn blinked in surprise at the question.

“Who the buck would say that of you? I'll show them a real monster...”

“No one has said it to me, Jer'rahd. It is just something I worry about as of late.”

“Letting what your sister says get to you is what you are doing, Luna.”

“Perhaps, but still...”

“Does it matter?”

“What?”

“Does it matter if you are thought of as a monster? We both know what we are doing will serve Equestria better than what your sister has done. If we need to be monsters to save the world, then so be it. In time, history will show that our path was the correct one.”

“I guess I knew that already, but it is nice to hear it from someone else.”

“There is that, and the fact that no matter what you do, you still wind up being a smaller monster than me.”

“What?”

“I mean, sure you’re tall, but I could see over the lip of the crater, and that was at least six or seven stories, easily.”

“I would say perhaps three or four stories, Jer'rahd; I was there, but your point has been made, though in the future, please leave the jokes to Bleu. She is much better at them.”

“Ouch.”

“Thank you, regardless, Jer'rahd. For everything.”

“I do my best, Luna...”

The unicorn might have continued on if Luna had not leaned out of the room a bit more and kissed him lightly on the nose before slipping back into the darkness of her room to hide her blush.

“Sleep well, Jer'rahd.”

“Bwah?”

The door clicked closed as the stallion stood in the hall trying to let his brain catch up. When it finally did, a grin crossed his face. As he moved a few paces closer to his room, his mind wandered again, making his face turn deep red.

“Cold bath… cold bath...”

================================================

The flames of the pyre rose high into the night as the medics tossed more wood onto the pile, watching the flame take the bodies away to their afterlife. The sparks rose from the fire, drifting up and vanishing into the star-filled night.
A rustling and shouting in the underbrush of the now-open clearing behind them made them all seek cover and reach for their weapons. They had already been shot at a few times today by elk and were sick of it.

A large red stallion dragged a struggling sack out of the bushes. He let go of the bag before turning to slam his forehoof down savagely on the bag and whatever was within it.

“SHUT THE BUCK UP, ALREADY!”

The troops looked to each other as he dragged the bag to the great oak that had been cleared. Rhede was silent for a moment, save for a few grunts, as he pulled the struggling occupant from the bag with a few more blows from his hooves for good measure.

The Guards looked on as he slammed the figure against the tree. The earth pony’s tail whipped suddenly, and the form against the tree screamed out. Rhede's hoof hammered the creature’s limb against the tree. This repeated three more times until the form was nailed to the tree with daggers much the same way the mare had been.

Looking on as Rhede stepped away from the whimpering figure, the guards could see an older Elk, bruised and battered with one set of his great horns broken and hanging from the oak. The medics looked to each other, then went back to the pyre, not wanting anything to do with this. The colonel remained in at least shouting distance, though he did not wish to watch, either. Thankfully, none of them understood what was being said by the furious general.

[“Do you have any idea what you have done? Do you know, in your tiny little mind, what sort of shit you brought on yourself with your racial cleansing bullshit? DO YOU, DOGWOOD?”]

[“You will address me properly, worm.”]

[“Got it, address you as worm. Let me tell you a little story here, worm. I was named the Element Bearer of Generosity. I have no idea why and I have no idea why I was chosen for it, let alone why I was accepted. But since I was first named that by Princess Celestia, I have done my best to try and live up to that title.”]

He turned from the Elk and called the colonel over.

[“Today, I am no longer feeling generous.]
The unicorn stallion ran up and saluted.

“Sir?”

“Start the fires. I want this entire section of forest turned to ashes. Anything tries to get out of here, I want the line to take it down. Elk, animal, ghost, ANYthing, I want it dead and thrown back into the fire. The goal is a large valley in the center of the forest. Once you get there, I want every tree in that entire area cut down and burned. Slaughter any one still alive there and leave the bodies to rot. Salt the earth of that hole enough so that nothing will come back.”

“Sir?”

“DO IT!”

“Yes sir.”

The solider ran off, shouting orders to a few pegasi in the air who took off to relay the message.

[“You lorded over this place like you were this land’s god, even though you are nothing but a whiny old fart scared to lose what little power you thought you had. You ignored the suffering you caused and punished those trying to make it better so that your own ideals were followed. To top all that off, you killed the ones who only wanted to be free and live and love as they wished. You killed foals, barely old enough to gain their cutie mark, for WHAT? Some mental disorder you developed?”]

[“It is the will of the spirits; a fool like you would never understand.”]

[“I see, the spirits. Ah yes, that makes perfect sense now; the forest spirits, oooooh, I had better watch out. No telling what these fictional entities that only you have ever spoken with might do.”]

Rhede paused the rant and looked back as the first of the fires began to catch. Aided by the unicorn guards’ magic, it would not take much to get even green trees to burn.

[“You know what? I think I was wrong. Seems I am feeling more than generous today after all, because I am giving the silence of death to every elk I find in the forest so they don't have to listen to your inane ramblings any longer. When we get to your village, I am going to see that great piece of lumber you call a tree chopped down and made into outhouses for the refugees of the war.”]

The Elk’s eyes widened at this.

[“You cannot! The Yggdrasil is sacred to the spirits! They shall punish you for this!”]

[“You talk to them and tell them to get in bucking line. I will be more than happy to nail their ghostly flanks to a tree and cut them open just like you.”]

[“Why did you bother to come back? You were not welcome.”]

[“I came to see a mare I had a little fling with and a foal she had birthed.”]

[“ Mossflower and that abomination she spawned was yours. I do not regret its death if it causes you suffering.”]

Rhede's hoof connected across the side of the Elk’s jaw, shattering it. He growled, looking at the mess as the elk started to choke on its blood, spitting out enough to coat its chin and throat.

“MEDIC!”

A unicorn ran up at the order from the pyre, wincing at the sight of the elk.

“Sir?”

“Use your magic; fix this one’s jaw.”

“Sir, shouldn't you just kill him and be done with it?”

“No, not yet...”

“Sir, this is a bit much…”

Rhede turned and the unicorn winced, expecting to get yelled at, but Rhede simply regarded him coolly for a moment before speaking in a normal tone.

“Soldier, you helped take down the bodies from this clearing, correct?”

“Yes, sir, I did, but...”

“How many of the mares were with foal? How many of them were children?”

“...quite... quite a few, sir.”

“How many of them do you think were still alive when they were hung up in these trees, left to rot and suffer a slow death?”

“The same answer, sir. It was easy to see most of them struggled.”

“This one right here is the one who condemned them to that. Ordered his followers to do this to them. His face was the last one many of those killed here ever saw. Do you really think after that I should simply kill him and be done with it? That I should grant him the mercy he refused the ones here?”

The blue unicorn looked from Rhede to the elk, and back to the funeral Pyre. He gritted his teeth and stepped forward, his horn glowing. The crack of the elk’s jaw mended, bringing another groan of pain from the creature.

“Thank you, soldier. I might need you to hang around a moment or two more.”

“Yes, sir.”

Rhede leaned in closer to the elk, his hoof wiggling the blade embedded in one of the outstretched limbs, bringing another wince from the elk.

[“What was her name? Mossflower's child, what was the name she gave it?”]

[“I will not tell- YYAAAAAARRGGGG!!”]

Rhede barely seemed to move, though his forehoof shattered the other antler of the elk, letting the pieces of it fall over the elder’s body.

[“ Tell. Me. Her. Name. WORM!”]

[“ The... she called that abomination River Moss.”]

He slammed his hoof into the gut of the elk, demanding again and getting the same answer. Rhede stepped away from the elk, walking into the clearing and pulling out a book. He flipped open the pages and took a moment to pull out ink and a quill, leaving the elder hanging there. The glow over the forest was growing ever brighter as the flames and smoke rose higher. A pair of elk darted out of the forest, running from the fire and were felled the moment they entered the clearing by Rhede's blades. The earth pony had yet to even look up from his book.

Satisfied with his work, Rhede closed his eyes. Exhaling deeply, he slowly drew a line across both names in the book. He let it dry for a few moments before closing it with a soft thud and rose to his hooves again. Rhede tucked the book away and trotted back over to the elk and the unicorn medic.

“Throw those two back into the brush and start a fire here as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

[“You see what we are doing because of you? If you had just banished them, or better still, gotten over yourself long enough to accept them, this would not be happening. I am going to see this place burned to ash and that hole you live in salted so heavily that nothing will ever grow there again. It will be known as Dogwood Pit on every map of pony kind for the rest of history. A testament to your failure as a living creature that the only thing named after you will be a dead hole.”]

Rhede glanced back as the unicorn medic flung the bodies into the brush, starting a blaze with his magic. The medic was clearly not happy with his task, but there was a grim look of determination on his face that Rhede recognized as the face of someone doing something unpleasant that still needed to be done.

[“I am not going to kill you, worm. I am going to leave you here stuck on this tree watching your beloved forest and the spirits in it die. Trapped here with the smell of ash and burning bodies wafting around you. And when this land has been cleansed of the poison which you filled it, you may finally die, as what animals we missed will be starving and come looking for an easy meal. It's the last mercy and last bit of generosity that I will give your people or this land. We are going to kill them quickly. But you? Well, considering rats and birds are all we are likely to miss, I should warn you that something as fat as you will take them a long time to eat.”]

=============================================================

“Another training session, General?”
“Yup.”

“I am starting to wonder if you have taken too many pages out of Rhede's book and are simply doing this for some sort of perverse thrill.”

“Cold bath.”

“What?”

“Nothing, but no, Velkorn is too busy today, Rhede has not returned yet, and Starfall is still training. I am going to be your opponent today.”

“Really? And what brought this on?”

“I fought a Royal Guard to a standstill. I must be losing my edge in fighting things other than dragons if a window dressing can hold his own against me.”

“I gather the no magic rule is in effect still?”

“For the moment, yes, though I will want to train against that sooner rather than later.”

“Where is Bleu?”

“She's checking up on the eggs, I believe. She might show up later.”

“Rather convenient that all of our friends are busy and it is just you and me out here.”

Picking up a wooden training sword, Jer'rahd stepped out into the sand, watching Luna walk onto the field as well. He floated the sword over to himself and grinned wide.

“Well, I figure it would not be a good thing for anyone to see their princess be beaten by her general.”

“Hmph, is that it? Or did you just not want them to see how inept you will look against me?”

Jer'rahd bit down on the blade, grinning, and the two rushed at each other.

====================================================

“LUNA!!!”

The door burst inward, slamming hard enough against the stone walls at the end of their arc to crack the wood as a pissed off earth pony stormed into castle’s library. Several guards rushed towards the intruder, coming to a dead stop and saluting the General, only to be ignored by Rhede as he stomped towards the Princess sitting at a table with a pile of books.

“Well, I suppose I should say ‘welcome back’, but I doubt I would want to welcome you in this mood.”

Rhede growled, though he paused a moment, a confused look crossing his face as he caught sight of the Princess.
Luna was covered in bandages and one of her wings was in a sling. She also had a bandage over one eye.

“What the buck?”

“Small tip for you if Jer'rahd and I ever decide to spar again: do not let us. Neither of us will admit defeat nor stand down.”

“Wait, you sparred with Jer'rahd? And he actually hit you?”

“Not at first, but I teased him about it and went all out. Velkorn says he should be walking again in a day or two, and his ear will grow back.”

Rhede whipped his head, his thought process completely derailed at this. It took him a moment to get it back.

“You bucking knew, didn't you? That's why you sent all those guards with me, ‘cause you bucking knew what we would find.”

Luna looked up from a strange red book she was reading. Something about it made Rhede even more uneasy than he had been before.

“I have already heard what happened from several of the scouts that came back to complain about your actions. This is twice you have wiped out an entire group on your own judgment, all because you found the results of Dogwood’s latest purge. This is not going to sit well with anyone, Rhede. Or should I use the new nickname you have been given: Blackhoof?”

“’Latest’ purge!?”

“The elk are excessively long-lived, Dogwood has been in control of the Elk for nearly a thousand years. Every few score years he cleanses his tribe of any outside influence. This includes any cross breeds that have... I see now... the foal was yours, wasn't it?”

Rhede said nothing, though Luna seemed to relax just a little at the realization, looking rather upset.

“I am sorry to hear that, Rhede. I sent the guards with you because I expected trouble, and you were insistent to go. I did not realize he had started the killing again; I only knew he stopped trading with the outside world. I am sorry that you had to go through that.”

“Not half as sorry as Dogwood is at this point. The entire forest is charred ruins. I've already set up groups to clear cut it for lumber rather than let anything grow back.”

“This will still cause us problems, Rhede.”

“Why would it cause us any trouble? The Elk were a non-entity in the world circuit and even your sister could not make a deal with Dogwood. The only ones who might care are the elk that got away from Dogwood's purge, and even they are not likely to. If anyone asks why I did it, feel free to tell them they killed a family member along with several trade caravans. They were cleared out just as bandits would be”

“Hmm… Alright; a bit excessive for a simple bandit purge, and many will just use this as an excuse and not care about who it happened to. But a whole forest… we do not need that much lumber, however; where exactly are you planning to send it?”
“Ponyville took in a great many who lost their homes in Canterlot, and nearly all the orphans of the city. There at least four hundred new mouths to feed there and Maw is already having issue caring for them all. Clear-cutting that forest and floating the logs upriver to Ponyville will put some of them to work as well as make it easier to build new houses and schools for the new residents. Plus, I think you need a new door in here, now.

“How generous of you.”

Rhede turned and headed out, his head hanging, as the rage had fled him by this point.

“I am trying.”

Another time jump occurred with Jer'rahd and Luna recovering and Rhede drinking himself to sleep for a few months before finally recovering from the depression enough to at least function. The only clear action that happened from his actions was that Canterlot cut all ties with the Republic. However, despite Luna's prediction, the guards who had participated in the slaughter of the Elk remained with the Republic. The story of why General Pelt gave the order made the rounds and gained him more support than he already had from the troops. Velkorn was rather mixed on her reaction to the news and avoided Rhede for a time.

Jer'rahd trotted down the hall, a very talkative Bleu on his back and a still morose Rhede following alongside of him.

“Alright, see, this is starting to suck. Everyone gets these cool nicknames to strike fear in the hearts of our enemies. The Princess has Nightmare Moon, Boss is locked with the Demon of Dullahan title, fancy fur there just picked up Blackhoof. Very piratey sounding, I have to say. And what do the rest of us get? Starfall and Velkorn get nada and what do I get? Bucking. Laughing. Traitor. Where is the justice? I'm the most badassed one here and I get the lamest name? No justice in the world.”

“Velkorn does have a nickname Bleu. She picked it up in the war with the warlord in the zebra lands. She was known as the
Specter of Life.”

“See, see, that’s still more badass than ‘Laughing Traitor’. I demand a new nickname.”

“Forget it Bleu; I got stuck with Demon, you're stuck with that one.”

The little dragon growled, and even Rhede cracked a smile at the rant before speaking up.

“If you remember when we were caught by the Diamond Dogs, Bleu, they had a name for Starfall as well.”

“Oh? Musta missed that poofy tale. What was it.”

“The Dogs nicknamed her the Light of Death.”

“BUCK IT! AND I GET THE CRAPPY NICKNAME!! I figured it would be something stupid like Rainbow Dash or some such crap, but no, that’s a badass name, too. I demand a recount!”

Bleu's rant continued and Rhede and Jer'rahd tuned it out.

“I wonder what Luna wanted to see us all for, anyway. Think there's an attack, Rhede?”

“It’s almost been a year since we founded the Lunar Republic. Honestly, Jer, I am surprised the groups that hate us have waited this long, if that's what it really is.”

They pushed open the doors to the war room and stopped dead, looking up at the strange device that sat at the end of the room. A large sphere dominated the center, sitting on a raised pedestal. Six steel bars jutted out of the base of the sphere forming into upward facing disks that were currently empty. Luna, Starfall and Velkorn were already standing before it.

“What the buck is that thing, Boss?”

“Should I be worried that it looks a little bit like that thing in Discord's castle?”

“Noticed that too, hmm, Jer? Let’s see what Luna has to say about it. I figure she had it built.”

“I wanna know how she did it without any of us noticing.”

The trio trot up and Luna smiled back at them before looking up at the massive device.

“I am glad you are all here; this took me a bit more time to have constructed than I like.”

“What is it?”

“Both Jer'rahd's death and Rhede's recent trip to the woods have brought something to my attention: we all still bear the Elements of Harmony and if something were to happen to one of us while out on a mission, the Element we bore would be lost.”

“That’s possible, I suppose, Princess, though I don't plan to fall any time soon.”

“With the tasks we have before us, General, that is a very optimistic view. Starfall, if you would demonstrate like I asked.”

The purple-maned pegasus nodded, taking off into the air and soaring out an open window. After a few moments of silence, the device buzzed and one of the plates flashed blindingly. When their eyes cleared, the necklace that had been the Element of Honesty appeared on the disk.

Starfall glided back in. She looked at the device, then the princess before flying over to pick up the necklace and put it back on.

“How far did it get, Starfall?”

“I flew straight up and dropped it. It fell about a story before it vanished, so about two to three pony lengths.”

“If you are killed or the Element is stolen from you, somehow they will return here to this device.”

“Was this in the books?”

“Oddly enough, it was in the one written by Discord. It seems the book of Blue was his study of the Elements and the other two books.”

Rhede looked up at her curiously.

“You mean the Red Tome and the Gray Grimoire? We have those?”

“We do, Rhede. They are responsible for what Jer'rahd and I are both capable of now.”

“Buck, there's nothing good about those two books in what the dragons wrote.”

“Please stop there, Rhede. I have heard far too much about how bad they are from my sister to want to hear it from you.”

Bleu piped in after a strange few moments of silence.

“So what’s with the thing? You sending us somewhere dangerous again?”

“Yes, I am afraid so, Bleu. Rhede and Velkorn will be traveling to the Zebra Lands on a recruitment drive and to see about hiring some mercenaries. The half-dragons’ mines have been quite rich in tradable ore. I would ask, however, you avoid any Diamond Dog and Griffon mercenaries. There is also some trouble with a few of the more warlike tribes that the zebra nation may need help with. See what you can do to make us look good. Unfortunately, I cannot spare more than a score of troops to go with you.”

“Noted, princess.”

Velkorn noded lightly. She looked at Rhede, perhaps still annoyed with him.

“Starfall, I shall be sending the bulk of our troops with you. We have found the aerie that the griffon forces we encountered on the way back from Cindervale came from. I want it cleaned out.”

“Not a problem, Princess.”

“Jer'rahd, you and Bleu will be coming with me.”

“Where to, Luna?”

“We are going to be paying an arrogant sea witch a visit.”

“Well, crap. Can I go with Starfall instead, princess? Somewhere with lots of dry land?”

“Really boss; you scared or something?”

“Even I have my limits, Bleu, and the thought of going anywhere near the ocean again is one of them.”

Twilight pulled out of the spell, not sure what to think. Was Rhede justified in his actions? He had killed ponies when they ordered Jer'rahd's death, but to slaughter a whole race due to a foal he had not even known about? Let alone killing possible innocent elk who likely just followed orders no matter how barbaric. Didn't he and Jer'rahd just come back from doing the same thing?

This was going to take her some time to process. She glanced back to see Spike already sleeping on the couch and sighed. Well, so much for someone to discuss this with right now. Maybe it would make a little more sense in the morning.

Path of Sand, Part 1

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Path of Sand
Part 1

Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash as she reads over the book. The cyan pegasus muttered something to herself about how awesome Starfall had been to fight that griffon even when hurt that bad. Twilight bit her lip, wanting to ask her friend about her parents. She could not think of a way to approach the situation delicately, so she opted for the Bleu approach.

“Hey, Rainbow?”

“Hmm, what’s up?”

“Have you ever thought about your parents?”

“Nope.”

“Errr what? Why?”

“If they were willing to give up somepony as awesome as me, then I don't see a reason to care about giving them up.”

“You've never even thought about it?”

“Nope... What’s with this question, anyway?”

“Err, nothing; I just heard you had been raised in the Cloudsdale orphanage and something in the latest chapter kinda brought it to my attention.”

“Oh. Well, nah, I never really thought about them. Like I said, they didn't care enough about me. Why should I care about them?”

“I suppose…”

“Look, Twilight, are you gonna let me read this or should I go back to my practice?”

“No, No, that was it. Sorry.”

“Right; I'm here so you can study, so get studying.”

Twilight turned, activating the spell, and heard Rainbow mutter under her breath as she slipped into the magical plane.

“Geez, nosy today; least she didn't ask about me and AJ.”

Twilight sighed, feeling bad for making her friend feel bad, but she was awash with emotions with everything she had learned. She had not even told Dash that she was a descendant of Starfall yet. She didn't want that to cloud her friend’s judgment when the time came to make her choice.

She looked at the windows and swallowed hard. Time for the usual starter of Jer'rahd.

=================================================

(Present Day)

Wind rushed over the trio as Bleu flew through the sky, skimming the tops of clouds. Luna sat on the dragon’s back, quite calmly watching the clouds rush below them. Jer'rahd, however, had lost all meaning of the word calm the moment the sea had come into sight, and he was currently curled up on Bleu's back between her wings with a death grip on one of her spines. It could not be comfortable for him and Bleu had already bitched about it. Luna ignored them both, using small shield to block the wind from herself as she looked over the spells in the Gray Grimoire a last time. Aqua was not going to go down easily and she would need Jer'rahd's beast to deal with her… provided he could cease panicking enough to be of any sort of use at all.

Looking back at the fully-armored and trembling unicorn, she was starting to worry if that was going to be possible at all. Bleu had flown up above the clouds, hiding the sea from view, but the unicorn was still panicked as if it was right before him.

They had been over the ocean for about an hour now and were currently closing in on the last known location of the floating island that marked the entrance to Neighlantis. Provided Aqua had not pulled the island back under the waves, it would be a good place to start the hunt.

=================================

(Four days ago.)

This was the longest trip he had ever been on. Rhede was still depressed and had hoped for some sort of conversation to speed the week’s travel to the zebra lands. No such luck. Velkorn was still not speaking with him any more than necessary and most of the guards were too nervous around him to be chatty.

This was not going to be a good trip.

=====================================

(Four days ago.)

This was going to be a great trip. Starfall was doing all she could not to skip and jump around as she made sure her troops were ready. This attack was going to be a clear rebuttal to the Griffon nation to show what happened when they messed with the Lunar Republic. The Princess had not forgotten the group that had met the caravan of wounded leaving the dragon lands.

Rhede and the princess’s informants had traced that group and most of the dragons’ mercenaries back to a trio of Griffon Aries on the far side of the Great Hooper Sea to the northeast.

There was a nagging voice in the back of the pegasus's mind that told her nothing she did would bring back her parents, sister, or Loc. But that nagging voice was much quieter than the ones screaming for revenge.

===================================

(One week before departure)

“Starfall, hold up.”

The pegasus growled, having just come back from visiting her daughter. Normally, she would be in a good mood from this, but her daughter had gotten into a fight with some other young ponies about Starfall's involvement in the Lunar Republic. Cloud Dancer had not taken well to having her mother called a traitor to Equestria and had laid out three of them before being jumped by the rest of the group.
Starfall was beyond pissed that her daughter had gotten hurt, though Maw had managed to talk her out of going around to have a rather violent word or two with the young ponies’ parents. Still, it had put a damper on the visit and the angry mood had persisted. It had not helped matters that most of the Pelts and others in Ponyville had somehow heard about her upcoming mission and had been trying to talk her out of it. They clearly thought there was enough death.

“What is it, General? I have a mission to plan. I don't need any more mindless banter.”

“Knock it off; pointless rage is my thing.”

She glared back at him, barely noticing the box he carried along with him.

“I don't need someone else to bitch to me about my mission, trying to make me feel bad about killing griffons.”

“Why the buck would I say something like that? Do you actually know me, Starfall? My father was killed in a border skirmish with griffons in the same area you are being sent to. Personally, I say send them all to the fires of Tartarus. I was just going to tell you to be careful out there. This is a solo thing for you. While you have the troops to watch your back, none of them are us, so don't get crazy. This is only a raid, get in and do enough damage that they get the message, not to buck with us and get out. However, the Princess wants me to inform you of a secondary objective as well.”

Starfall exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself.

“And here I thought you wanted to fight again.”

“I still think you are a little too focused on killing griffons above anything else, but for now, that works.”

“I am no less determined to kill them all than you were against the dragons.”

“I get that, but don't let the rage overwhelm you too much. That tends not to work out that well for me; I doubt you would fare any differently. Anyway, the Princess wants you to make contact with the Harpies. See if you can hire some mercenaries or recruit a few for the raid. Rhede says your target is one of the most contested areas between the two races. If you manage to get enough support, I say take out the whole lot of them, but only if you can do it with minimum loss on our side. We do not have the numbers to lose many of our troops.”

“Alright, I can do that. A few extra heads helping to rid the world of those liars would be good.”

“Liars?”

“Griffons claim to be the most honorable of all the races. Most of them live by a code that governs everything from their gods all the way down to the shit shovelers. The code covers everything in peace and war. One of the predominant rules of their code of war is that the innocent are not to be harmed. As my parents’ and sister's graves can attest, that is a rather lax code.”

“That was one griffon. And she is being punished.”

“One griffon under orders from her father to terrorize the enemies of their nation as much as she could. She was given free rein to do as she wished by the gods of the griffons. What sort of 'honorable' race allows terrorist acts to go on that violate their own code? Yet ponies got called on it for wiping out the dragons and that is the excuse they are using for why they hate us. Because we attacked civilians.”

“Rather well-versed in griffon politics, I see.”

“Like Stonehoof said in basic. Knowing your enemy is knowing how to defeat them.”

“Not sure he actually said that, but that brings up something. Stonehoof and Meteor Shower came by two days ago while you were still in Ponyville.”

“Really? I am sorry that I missed seeing General Shower again, though not sorry I missed her husband. They didn't come to chide our choices in life, did they?”

“No; far from it. They both wished they could have been there. Granted, it took me time to figure out that every time Stonehoof spoke I didn't have to jump into action on something. I outrank him by far and he still makes me uneasy. However, they did come bearing gifts.”

“Gifts?”

“Stonehoof just passed his last class and retired from the Guard, and well, we know why General Shower retired.”

“Yeah, not the best way to go out, though.”

“She's alive; that's more than many can say. Anyway, she brought these by, said she couldn't use them anymore without her wings. Figured you might be able to. She said she had them made after the attack on the Discord castles, but never had a chance to use them.”

He floated the box over, setting it before her on the ground. She looked down at it curiously, flipping open the catch and lifting the box's lid. The interior was lined with padded red silk with a swath of the material draped over the objects within. Starfall pushed the lid aside, pulling the silk off as well, a small smile forming on her face.

A pair of slightly curved short blades rested in the box. Starfall lifted one up with a wing, letting it catch the light of the hall and smiling wider at the heft of the weapon. The handles were wrapped in orange silk, General Shower’s favorite color. The weapons were only bladed on one side and the other side had an odd groove in it that ran the length of the dull side that ended half way up the blade in a hollow. Two fixed loops were spaced along the blade below the hollow between it and the grip.

“This is very light... what's the groove for?”

“She called it a wing blade. From what she said, your front feather can slide into the groove inside the rings and it will hold it to your wing. I suppose it can give you bladed wings if you figure out how to use it properly.”

“Pity I don't have the time to train with them like that now, but they should work well enough as standard swords. Jer'rahd... the metal in this, is it…?”

“Star metal, yes. Keep in mind I started suggesting that material’s use when we found the dragons had a bunch of it in the attack. The full capabilities of it are little more than dulling magic, or outright blocking it. This is what allows it to be able to kill gods so easily. That and most of the gods think they are invincible and act stupid because of it.”

“I am not sure if I can accept this from General Shower.”

“You were not given a choice. Granted, I was not given a choice to accept my gift, either. I can argue with General Shower all week, but not Stonehoof. That pony still scares the crap out of me.”

“Yeah, likewise; guess you can never get over the terror your drill instructor puts into you. What did he give you, anyway?”

Jer'rahd turned back and pulls something out of his saddlebag. Starfall froze, looking at it as if it was a live wind serpent, as he spun it with his magic.

“By Luna's sparkling tail, is that…?

“Yeah... Stonehoof's drill instructor hat.”

“HE GAVE THAT TO YOU?!”

“Claimed it was a lesson in humility.”

“How the heck can an accomplishment like that be a lesson in humility? He said you were the first pony since he started training that even nicked that thing.”

Jer'rahd turned the hat, showing the slight gash in the hat that he had made in order to keep his grandfather's sword. He then turned the hat, showing a much deeper slice that ran from the brim to the hat’s center, actually cutting into the center portion of the hat.

“The lesson is that no matter how good you are, sooner or later there will be someone better.”

======================================

(One week before departure)

[“Velkorn, do you have a moment?”]

The zebra looked up from packing her medical bags to the Princess of the Night standing at her open door.

[“I have time yet, Princess. What is it you need?”]

[“I have been curious about that potion you made when we were in the dragon lands, the one that kept you and the others awake for several days at a time and seemed to boost your energy.”]

[“That is a dangerous brew, Princess. I am still fighting off the urge to make more of it for myself.”]

Luna glanced around the room and the host of books that Velkorn had, including two very large books Rhede had brought her from the dragons library.

[“I expected as much. I would like to know what exactly it requires; we may need it again at some point. I believe it may be a good idea for at least two ponies to know how to make it and the antidote, much like how the device can recover the Elements if something happens to one of us if something were to happen to you, it would be good to have that information handy rather than need to translate it as you have.”]

[“I understand. I have notes translating what the book says, though I expect you may be able to read old Poneese yourself. If you return before I do, the book for the cure as well as symptoms is the green bound one on the second shelf. There are quite a few useful things in there, as well as many I already knew. I will see if I can make some sort of universal antidote to it when I return; the antidote to it now is full of hard-to-find herbs, which is counterproductive considering how common the plants are to make the energy mix itself.”]

[“I do not need it now, but it is something I will look into if we return. I would like to set up a safety net in case I lose anyone.”]

[“You have been rather morbid as of late, Princess. You should not be so down and detrimental to yourself.”]

[“It is difficult not to do that when there is much hanging over my head with the creation of this new government as well as the possiblity of attacks. And if I am not mistaken, there are still Jer’rahd and Rhede’s prophecies from when they were tested by the Elements yet to come to pass.”]

[“Jer'rahd refuses to tell anyone what happened in his. Rhede is much the same with his, remaining silent. Bleu's has come to pass, as has Starfall's. Mine has only become half true.”]

[“Half true?”]

[“The bodies were there, and my wound is deep, but Rhede has not killed me just yet.”]

=======================================================

(Three days ago)

“Report.”

“The griffons knew we were coming; they evidently saw the ground forces advance and have reinforced themselves in the main aerie we marked as a target. They have also called for backup from some of the other aeries close by, sir.”

Starfall glanced up at the stallion. Lion Heart looked damn good in the Shadowbolts’ uniform. It was a pity he was the only one of the half-dragons who had been able to keep up with her. They were tougher than regular ponies and stronger as well, but also slower in the air. Even the weakest pegasus flier could spin circles around an average half-dragon in the air. There were exceptions, of course; Lion Heart would not have been accepted into the Shadowbolts if he was not one.

She turned, looking down at the cloud she stood on, considering a few moments before sighing.
“Perfect; just what I needed... How many aeries are supporting this one?”

“From what we have been able to tell, three of them. After the destruction of Cindervale, they are not willing to take any chances with the Lunar Republic forces, sir.”

“Good; they are not as stupid as I thought, just predictable.”

“I gather you have a plan, sir?”

“About two dozen. I made the mistake of having a drink or two with General Kaisur before we left. He doesn't shut up when you ask for strategy suggestions. Problem is, while he plans for everything, he only plans for how he would deal with everything. He doesn't think like a flier.”

Starfall looked out over the ground forces before her. At least sixty percent of the forces sent with her were earth ponies and unicorns, as well as the half-dragon equivalents, though those were very rare. Honestly, she could not even remember having seen unicorn or earth pony half-dragons before this. But there were some down there wearing the armor of the Lunar Republic.

Lion Heart said they had others show up after they had settled on the island, including quite a few other small groups that had the same idea as his, but had not been lucky enough to find purpose before losing many of their number to apathy. This allowed them to expand to cover nearly the entire island. The half-dragons still seemed to need something to keep them busy or they would drop into a depression. Thankfully, the few foals that had been born did not seem to share this aliment. Foal rearing was bound to keep the parents occupied enough not to succumb to their apathy.

Starfall shuddered at the thought of foals having foals, but considering all of them looked, sounded, and acted like they were in their late twenties and thirties, the point was rather moot. However, she doubted any of them were physically even Cloud Dancer’s age in truth. Had she really met Jer'rahd and the others eleven years ago? It had been ten since she first did the rain boom and eight since Cloud Dancer gained her cutie mark. Two since her sister was killed and a little over a year since the fall of Cindervale. Time flew by too fast. Six years ‘til she hit forty herself; of course, like General Shower, someone was going to have to tear her wings off before she retired. And even then she would probably fight to keep going.

“Sir?”

She whipped her head, cursing lightly at her zoning out.

“Sorry. What was it?”

“Do we have a plan?”

“Yes, but right now, we go see the harpies.”

==============================================

(Two Days Ago)

Rhede wished he had learned to walk and sleep at the same time. It was a skill he had heard about, but had never thought to try and learn, as he thought it was a joke. Now he wished he knew it just so he would have something to do.

They had entered the Zebra Lands earlier that day, their small caravan of guards on their way to the capital city, Asclepius. The few zebra that had been encountered had taken pains to stay away from the group of well-armed ponies. He had managed to talk to one or two to get the lay of what was going on, but aside from the warnings to steer clear of the south lands, there was nothing of any use.

It was not until they encountered a small group of zebras carrying what looked like all their worldly possessions that some information came their way. The three adult zebra and four foals were just as talkative as the others until one recognized Velkorn as the queen. After the usual bowing and scraping was over with, they told their story.

The group had been part of a larger village in the south lands, one that had been established after the defeat of the warlord and the rise of Velkorn to Queen. The group had settled on the edge of the Green Vale forest on the southern edge of the Zebra Lands. Everything was fine for a year or two, then zebras started vanishing.

At first it had been just one or two of the unwed adults. Most assumed they moved on to find their love or were lost somewhere. But in time, the disappearances became more frequent. Eventually, something was spotted dragging a villager away. The devil-horned creatures glowed red eyes, glaring at the one who spotted it as it left with the struggling captive. The witness had claimed its eyes floated above the treetops of the jungle before vanishing into the darkness. Several nights later, the witness vanished as well.

The exact description changed with each zebra in the small group, but some things remained the same. The creatures were described as zebras, twisted and stretched with evil, the fire glowing behind their eyes a warning of the death to come to any who met their gaze. All accounts made note of their misshapen shapes and the horns atop their head.

Rhede was at a loss, but Velkorn knew what they were.

[“Shadow walkers. They were only thought to still exist in myths and legends of the past.”]

That name did click with Rhede.

[“Shadow walkers? Didn't Blood Tail claim he was trained by someone he called that?”]

[“Yes, but I thought it was little more that bragging. Shadow Walkers are the dark lords of the lands. They were killed along with the Zebra God Kings when the first warlords rose up to destroy their masters. There have been rumors of their continued existence for some time, but never any proof. “]

Velkorn dipped her head a bit as Rhede looked around. They only had two dozen troops with them and most were earth ponies, with only one unicorn mage and a pair of pegasus scouts. If there was a big threat, they would be no match for it. Better to head to the capital and tell them.

[“Rhede, we need to head to this village and see for ourselves.”]

[“Somehow I knew you were going to say that, and no we do not. We need to head to the capital and let them know about this, let them deal with it. We are not here to fight someone else. We have our own mission.”]

[“The ones taken may still be alive. There will be no aid from any other zebra, no one will go near a place cursed by the shadow walkers. That is why these zebras fled rather than fight. Even if the curse of the land did not keep others away, they would not receive help from any others. You know enough of my race to know what the red marks on their cutie marks mean.”]

Rhede glanced at one of the adults, taking not of a line of red mixed in with the normally black-on-white cutie mark coloration all zebras had. He blinked a moment, trying to remember what it meant before the realization dawned on him.

[“Untouchables... delightful.”]

[“I may have freed them from the lowest rank of servitude my brother put them to, but their stigma still keeps them shunned from everyone as a whole.”]

Rhede shook his head. That this group managed to create and run their own village without aid was a surprise in of itself, but Velkorn was right. They would not receive aid from Asclepius; it was not something the zebra folk would do, even if their queen demanded it. Some cultural taboos still stuck fast.

[“Velkorn, we cannot do this alone. We do not have enough troops for any sort of rescue, particularly against some unknown force.”]

[“We will go.”]

[“Don’t make me pull rank on you.”]

[“Then I will go.”]

[“I am not going to let you march off to who the buck knows what alone.”]

[“Then we will go.”]

Rhede frowned, staring at the zebra, who did her best to hide a smirk.

“FINE, WHATEVER. ALRIGHT, EVERYPONY PACK IT UP. WE ARE MOVING OUT. CHANGE OF PLANS: WE HEAD SOUTH.”

Rhede continued the rant for a time as Velkorn looked off into the distance towards the south.

======================================================

(Two days ago. )

Starfall was not sure if this could actually be called a language. She had heard bird song that made more sense that then the eardrum-rupturing screams and squawks that were going on in this meeting hall.

The harpies reminded her of the diamond dogs in a sense as they had no definite size, shape, or coloration. Their torsos, heads, and legs to the knee were also seemingly the same as diamond dogs, save the scant covering of feathers and fur. They had no visible ears, however; just a crest of feathers, and the muzzles were beaks full of razor sharp teeth. They had wings rather than arms, though these had clawed 'hands' on the end of the first joint for manipulation. Below their knees, however their legs were clawed bird legs ending in talons.

An old rumor of their creation was that a diamond dog fell in love with a seagull at one point and brought about their existence. It was not wise to bring up that rumor around them, however.
Lion Heart and another one of her Shadowbolts stood on either side of her as she had addressed the delegation. The Shadowbolt, Blue Skies, had been brought along as a translator, though she was having difficulty keeping up with the rapid-fire manner of talking this council of harpies spoke in.
Lion Heart had simply been brought in as intimidation factor; compared to the other two, he looked like he was the size of Princess Celestia.

The initial meeting had gone well. The offer was fairly well-received, but the arguments started soon after. Skies had been struggling to keep up and was unsure whether the harpies were arguing over which group was going to be forced to help the ponies or which group was fighting to help the ponies.
Starfall had nearly had enough of it. Three hours of high pitched bantering from this ridiculous ruling caste they had, who ever heard of picking new leaders every four years? Was that even enough time to get anything done?

Blue Skies had explained that every four years there was an insane debate and scramble to scream the loudest about how one harpy or another was the best choice and why the others were not. If you could stand the screaming, sometimes it was amusing. Starfall was quite glad she missed that.

Blue Skies sighed, about to give up on keeping up. She was starting to skip words, barely uttering anything that was even a sentence as she was so far behind. Starfall was done with this. She drew in her breath, regretting that instantly at the smell that accompanied it from these creatures.

“SHUT UP!”

The sudden outburst of the pony had the entire council’s collection of fanged beaks turning her way in surprise, and more importantly, silence.

“Translate this, Skies.

The pegasus noded.

“Listen, this is simple: we are going to take down the griffons’ aerie in the northeast and the southwest. We are giving you the chance to help in this attack. If you help, once the aerie is cleared, it’s yours. You don't help, and the Lunar Republic will make sure no one can use it ever again, just like we did to Cindervale. It's not a slight against you, but we do not want Griffons that close to Equestria ever again. I am leaving now. If you get your forces to the spot I designated by dawn tomorrow, I will count that as you accepting. If you don't, then there's going to be a few less habitable mountains in the range.”

She turned and stormed, out followed by the other two, leaving the harpies to stare after them in shock.
As the door shut behind them, Lion Heart finally spoke up.

“While I do not doubt your ability, sir, how exactly are we going to destroy a mountain to the point it cannot be used if they do not aid us?”

“Beats me. But Jer'rahd said Rhede destroyed Cindervale, so if that pony can do it, how hard can it be? Besides, the point here is that they know we have done it and could do it again. That should get them motivated.”

“So what's the plan now, Sir?”

“Simple. We go kill some griffons.”

========================================================

(Yesterday)

The village was easy to find. Of course, at this point, there was nothing left of it. The whole place had been set on fire and burned to charred ash as soon as the small group of untouchables left the previous day. The single zebra from the group that had come back with them to show them the village swore the ramshackle collection of buildings had been intact when they left.

Velkorn had found shattered pottery with traces of some black oily substance scattered around the village. A brief test by a guard using flint and steel set the substance to blaze brightly with a sickly green flame.

[“Someone torched the place as soon as you were out of sight.”]

“Sir, I found some tracks.”

Rhede and Velkorn both trotted over to have a look at what the pegasus scout had found. The tracks were odd, made by cloven hooves and very far apart, as if the maker had been gliding across the ground, only touching down occasionally.

“Well, this is the strangest set of tracks I have encountered.”

Velkorn muttered to herself again and went off to talk with the untouchable that guided them there.

“Sir, I have a question.”

“Hmm? What’s that? Lieutenant Ramirez, right?”

“Yes sir, that’s right. I speak a little bit of zebra, but I am still rather green on the culture. What is the deal with this ‘untouchable’ stuff?”

“Ahh, I can give you a brief history lesson in it, I guess. Not like we can do much else at the moment. This one’s all General Velkorn's mission.”

“If you say so, sir.”

“Alright, you are familiar with the gods of other races, correct?”

“Not personally, sir, though I was in General Kaisur's unit when we rescued the civilians in Manehatten and I saw him fighting the Orc god.”

“Alright, nearly every race has one or more gods. Ponies have two, dragons had five, Diamond Dogs have nine at last count, the griffons have seven, and so on. Generally gods are born to the race when some unknown criteria is met, be it population or simply need. Minotaur and Elk do not have gods as their numbers are so small. Harpies, while their numbers are large, also do not have gods.”

“That is a little confusing, sir.”

“It's supposed to be; no one knows why gods are born or why, but the gods will have all aspects of what their race is. Dragon gods split that into the colors they represent but they are always pinnacles of that type.”

“So since Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are pony gods, they are alicorns, representing all three types of ponies?”

“Right. Zebras have two kinds as well; while there are no pegasus zebras, there are unicorn zebras, though they are very, very rare. Honestly, I can say I have only met one, and he was not a nice creature. They don't have the horns the way unicorns do, either. They have a small bump on their forehead that is like a gemstone.”

“Are you off subject sir? How does this lead to the untouchables?”

“Relax, I am getting to that. Alright. zebras do have gods as well. However, unlike the rest of the world, their gods are put to death as soon as they are born and identified as such. That may be why there are so few zebra unicorns, because the only difference between a zebra unicorn and a zebra god is that their cutie marks are fully red. And like ponies, they don't get that until later in life. It is often safer to kill the zebra unicorns than wait to see the cutie mark, ‘cause by then it could be too late.”

“That's... rather disturbing, sir. Why do they do that.”

“More history. Not long after the Discordian War, there were zebra gods. Five, I think, though I am unsure exactly. They had united the zebra lands to defend against Discord, though he never came this way. Once they had all the zebras under their rule, however, they found they liked it and started abusing their new power. They turned the entirety of their own race into slaves or breeding stock for themselves. They ruled over the lands as God Kings. About twelve hundred years ago, the slaves revolted. Guided by the spirits, a hoof full of slaves were brought to the site of a fallen star and instructed to make weapons of its metal. Using these weapons, the former slaves led their race to over throw and destroy the god kings, becoming the first Warlords of the Zebra lands. They decreed that any god born would be killed so as not to repeat the dark time in their history. Unfortunately, that marked them.”

“Marked them?”

“Zebra magic comes from the spirits rather than the self or stars like pony magic or the earth-like dragon magic. The God Kings were dead, but they still had pull on the spirit world where they ultimately resided. Not much, mind you, but enough for one last blight on their own kind. They marked the warlords’ offspring for all time so that the world would know who had killed them. Take a look at Vekorn's cutie mark you see how its only black and white; that's just like every other zebra out there, though there is sometimes gray. Now look at the Untouchable. See how his has that one red section on the spiral? That's the mark that the god kings left.”

“So what does that even mean?”

“At first, I assumed it meant nothing. The warlords that freed the zebras were still considered heroes, but then it was found out the descendants of anyone who killed a god started bearing that mark and it began to become tradition to have those already marked kill the gods as they were born. I guess after a time all the unpleasant tasks were given to the marked and a stigma grew up around them and they became untouchables. No zebra wants anything to do with one marked for fear of gaining a mark themselves. They developed purification rites and even a segregation system that has lasted a thousand years. Velkorn's brother broke down some of the cultural barriers by allowing mares to be recruited into his forces, something that was unheard of before and one of the few good things he did. The scant months Velkorn ruled, she broke down more. The Untouchables, however, remained, as that was too ingrained into the zebras’ culture to change. The same goes with the killing of the gods. It is the one task that even Velkorn agrees still needs to be done, and the untouchables are the only ones who are to do that, often under penalty of death if they do not comply. For while it is taboo to kill a god if you are not an untouchable, there is no such taboo in regard to killing an untouchable and burning the corpse.”

“That's pretty wild, sir.”

“Hah, you should let me tell you about some of the crap I know about seaponies sometime. That will flip you the buck out.”

Velkorn trotted over and the other zebra galloped off back towards where they had left the others from his village.

[“So did you find out what you needed to, Velkorn?”]

[“Aside from confirming that these are shadow walkers? No.”]

[“So what’s the plan, then?”]

[“There are twenty six missing, including three pregnant mares and several foals. We are going in after them.”]

[“Well, this should be fun.”]

Rhede turned to yell to the troops to get ready to move again before turning back to look down at the tracks.

[“I doubt this is one of your ghost creatures, Velkorn. This thing leaves rather deep tracks for something that’s a spirit.”]

[“The Shadow Walkers are not creatures of spirit. They are the ones who convinced the God Kings to take the paths they chose. They are the ones who taught our casters the dark magic of the dead. They are the ones who trained Blood Tail.”]

[“Bucking wonderful, just what we need to deal with: necromantic, manipulative monsters. Do you have any good news?”]

[“Yes; killing them is secondary in this. We need to rescue the ones they have taken. That should be an easier task than fighting them.”]

[“Often enough, it amounts to the same thing.”]

================================================================

[Current day]

Sunlight shone across the upper cloudscape, illuminating the white, fluffy tops with a brilliant glow that turned the rolling hills and mountains of cloud into a golden landscape right out of a dream. The only mar on this otherwise picturesque scene was the group of black-clad figures standing around a break in the clouds.

Starfall adjusted her goggles for perhaps the hundredth time, looking down into the gap in the clouds and at the mountain far below. The mountain range this was part of was on the northwestern edge of the Darklands. If not for the rain, she might have been able to see the lights of New Dullahan or even the remains of the great wall. The ruins of Cindervale were to the far east of where they were currently. The other two aeries were within sight of this one, though with the storm, they seemed little more than dark shapes against the backdrop of the night. Rain fell from the underside of the clouds, pouring down onto the mountain, grounding all but the most persistent griffon patrols.

Of course, why should this lot worry; this aerie was filled with noncombatants, and the main force of the Lunar Republic was attacking another aerie all together. That was not to say they were undefended, but the strength of the force that was left could not cover all the holes that had been left in the defenses. They had used a similar trick on the Discordian castles. While all the griffons were dealing with the main force, Starfall's unit would take this one and the harpies would attack wherever the other aerie reinforcements were drawn from.

Luna had sent her out to make a raid on one griffon aerie to show that the Lunar Republic was not to be trifled with. Starfall was making sure three would fall.

She checked the breathing spell one more time and adjusted the enchanted mask on her face. The outside of it was painted like an open maw of fangs. The rest of the unit with her was composed of all of her Shadowbolts. It was only thirty-six ponies, but they were the best fliers and fighters in Equestria, save perhaps Luna's Generals themselves.

“We go in five.”

A chorus of muted 'Yes sirs' greeted her time count. The harpies would be staging their assault now as well. The goal of this mission was simple: find the leaders of this aerie and kill them. The harpies had detailed the most likely locations in the aerie for the leaders to be in based on how they knew the griffon aeries were set up.

There was a possible bonus in this, however. One of these three aeries was home to Storm Ripper. The harpies thought he would be at the aerie under assault, leading as a god should. Starfall doubted a coward that would send his daughter to do his dirty work would be on the front lines.

She wanted this god’s head the way Wind Razor had wanted her family and friends as trophies. She placed her bet on the second aerie. It was close enough to the front that when the battle ended, he could fly forward and claim to have been instrumental in victory, yet far enough away that he could run if things went bad.

Starfall smiled, watching as two score of griffons lifted off from the aerie below, flying towards the one under assault by the harpies. Just as planned.

“Let’s go.”

Starfall stepped off the cloud, followed by Lion Heart and then the rest of the Shadowbolts, their dark forms falling from the sky along with the rain.

=================================================

[Current day]

Rhede did not like this place. The whole jungle creeped him out. If it had been a normal jungle, he would have been fine. Things here were far from fine, however. The whole place was covered with a bluish-purple mist. Velkorn showed no fear of it, so the rest of them followed suit, trying to ignore the way it clung to their legs and fur, making the skin underneath feel cold and clammy. A strange blue flower grew everywhere as well; Rhede did not recognize it until Velkorn pointed out it was the native version of poison joke. Unlike the Equestrian joke, however, most of this one’s symptoms were excessively painful. The guards avoided it like the plague.

Another thing that bothered him was the lack of noise. No birds, no insects, no animals. Aside from the hoof falls of the small group, the beat of the pegasi's wings, and the occasional clink of armor, the forest was soundless. Perhaps an acre in to the place, things got weirder.

Rhede spotted them first as he was still tracking the hoof prints. He froze, seeing dark forms hanging from the trees ahead; his eyes widened as he had a flashback to the Elk. He saw bodies dripping with blood hanging from limbs or by their necks strangled with vines and impaled with spears. Some still twitched and moved as if trying to call for help. Zebras, ponies, and even a few elk were strewn everywhere, and who knew how many other bodies were still hidden in the mist. Several of the Guards drew in their breath sharply, clearly catching sight of the bodies as well.

Velkorn, however trudged past them, pausing to look up at one of the forms before rising up on her hind legs and knocking it down out of the tree. Rhede winced at the blow, seeing a spray of blood from the hit and a pained expression on the face of the one who was hit. He was about to say something to her when he noticed what had hit the ground was little more than a bundle of sticks, bones and scraps of cloth.

“What the buck?”

“’Tis nothing but a simple spell, one that makes you think these things are the bodies of those you know well. To cause suffering with parlor tricks is how the Shadow Walkers get their kicks.”

The guards blinked, looking at each other and down at the stick pony.

[“What the heck is this, Velkorn?”]

[“It is dark magic. A simple spell, to be sure. I do not know what any of you saw, but when all I saw was my brother and his family hanging here, I knew it a trick by your reactions to it. Rhede, please inform the guards that we are likely to encounter more things like this and that they cannot trust just one or two of their senses.”]

[“Right.”]

Rhede took a moment to explain to the guards with them. The group grew a bit more sullen at this information, most having clearly just expected a simple escort mission. Now they had to worry about their minds being messed with as well. As they looked over the strange totems and fetishes surrounding them, it was one of the earth ponies that spotted the shadow walker. Major Dutch did not even hesitate yanking a spear from the quiver across his back and slinging it at the dark shape as he cried out a warning to the others.

A high pitched cry sounded and the black and white form turned to gallop off. Rhede got a fair look at the thing before it vanished into the jungle.

Its coloration was the same as a zebra, though there was no cutie mark. It looked as if something had fastened its hooves to the ground and pulled on its head, stretching the creature out like wet clay. Its legs were thin to the point where Rhede was not sure of how it supported the weight of the body and the elongated neck. Its joints seemed swollen up like thick knots on a rope, though that did not seem to hamper its ability to flee from them.

He rushed over with the rest of the Guards to the spot it had been. The Guard who had thrown the spear was swearing.

“I know I hit that thing dead on. I coulda’ punched a hole in a tree with that throw and the bucking thing ran off?”

“The shadow walkers are hard to put to an end; solely on your weapons you cannot depend.”

“Well that’s just bucking great, sir. We get our brains bucked with and now our weapons don't work? What are you going to tell us next, that they can fly and call the dead back to walk the land?”

Rhede trotted over, picking up the spear the green earth pony had thrown. The tip was covered in thick red blood.

“Calm down, Major. You wounded it, if nothing else. If it bleeds, we can kill it.”

Rhede tossed the weapon back to the Major, who looked it over before cleaning the tip off with some scraps from the totem that Velkorn knocked down. The small group set out again, following the new set of tracks and the small splatters of blood.

========================================

Starfall yanked the blade out of the griffon's chest with her teeth, her wing pressing the back of the other blade tight against the bird’s throat to prevent any sound escaping the dying beast. When she was sure it was little more than a corpse, she dragged it to a window, shoving it out to tumble down the mountain with the others they had taken out. That was the sixth guard that had been dispatched in the last fifteen minutes. None of her team was injured and the alarm had not been raised; a good start to the mission.

Down this hallway was the first place the griffon leaders should be, according to the harpies. She raised a wing and pointed at three of her Shadowbolts, motioning for them to guard this end of the hall and the large window that would be their escape from this point in the structure. Another three were sent to the far end to cover them as the rest made ready to enter the large room on the other side of the double doors this last set of griffons had been protecting.

Starfall took position near one door and nodded to Lion Heart, who took a spot on the other side. Several crossbows and blades were readied as the doors were opened. A blast of warmth washed over the rain-dampened ponies as a large fireplace in the room’s center filled the tightly-packed room with heat. The room was tall; the massive fire place stretching up into the darkness far above to an unseen ceiling. Piles of lumber and straw were stacked around the fireplace and a pair of older griffons tended the flame. One barely managed the start of a word in griffon before crossbow bolts ended the pair where they sat.

The group darted in, hoof falls muffled by their uniforms as they moved. Starfall scanned the towering area and the series of boxes lining the walls of the chamber going up into the darkness far above. One of her members flew up, pulling open a box and found it empty before tugging open a few more before discovering one that had something in it. Packed with straw to help keep it warm was a single white griffon egg.

The Shadowbolt flew up to the top and, opening more boxes, discovered perhaps a hundred eggs total in the room. There were ten boxes near the bottom that were gilded in gold and all filled with eggs. There was another large door at the very top that Starfall ordered to be jammed shut. She stood, looking into the fire a moment, thinking on what to do before she came to a conclusion.

“Take this straw, scatter it and the wood all over these boxes, and leave the egg doors open. Take a stick of wood from the fire and light the straw with it. Once the fire catches, we move on and seal the door behind us.”

“This is a bit much, isn't it, Sir?”

Starfall glared at Lion Heart, though she could tell some of the others were not keen on the idea, either.

“I do not see why you would have sympathy for any who will be raised from birth to hate us and want us dead. Consider how many were lost in the War of the North, and that was something the griffons called a skirmish. We are here to strike fear and terror into the griffons, to let them know what happens when they mess with Equestria. A few hundred fried eggs will be a nice start. Now move.”

Several of the other pegasi moved to follow orders, though a few seemed to find it too distasteful simply guarded the door. Lion Heart simply shook his head before joining those who were watching the door.

“I had expected my participation in horrific acts had ended when I left the dragons; I see that I was mistaken.”

“An eye for an eye, solider.”

“Does that only end when everyone is blind?”

“No, it ends when you kill the one who took your eye so they can't have the other.”

She looks up as the hatchery starts to burn, the blaze lapping against the leathery shells in the tight boxes. Starfall shivered a little despite herself before heading out the door, followed by the Shadowbolts who had lit the fires. The others closed the door as they exited, jamming steel spikes into the door jamb and breaking off the door handles so no one else could go in.

“With luck, we will be long gone by the time anyone finds this, or if they do, it will cause enough chaos that we can find someone important enough to warrant killing. Come on; we have two areas left to check on the harpies’ map.”

The group collected the guards at either end of the hall and moved on deeper into the aerie, the first wisps of smoke trickling from the gaps in the door.

===============================================================

“Bleu, hold up; there is the island.”

The blue dragon shifted her wings in flight, circling the small spot of land far below. She glided down hesitantly, landing atop a cloud and poking it experimentally to make sure it could hold her weight. She smirked as she bounced on top of it, amused at the springiness, much to Jer'rahd's terror and the Princess’s annoyance.

“Bleu, I did not give you that spell so you could play on the cloud tops.”

“Sorry, Luna, but this is just neat. And all pegasi can walk on these things? It feels like really squishy, yet semi solid mud.”

Luna hopped off the dragon’s back, leaving her general nearly hyperventilating as he clutched one of Bleu's spines. The Princess sighed as she looked at him; she would have left him at the castle if he had not been needed here. It was a testament to his willpower that he got on Bleu's back at all, knowing where she was going to be flying.

Granted, with the whimpering and general carrying on he had been doing, he did not convey any sort of image of strength at all once they took flight. This was the place he had gained that fear; this would hopefully be the place he got over it.

“So what’s the plan now, Princess?”

“To start with, I get Aqua's attention.”

“So what do we do, knock on the front door of her city and ask to borrow a cup of getting your ass kicked?”

“Something like that, yes. I have not been conserving my power for most of this year for nothing.”

Bleu raised an eye ridge, watching the Princess of War's horn start to glow brightly; the magic quickly swirled around the dark equine form, lifting her tail and mane into the spiral of power rising from her.
The Bearer of Laughter was unsure of what exactly the Princess was doing. Nothing seemed to be changing at all as far as she could tell, but she could feel the magical power pouring off the alicorn and it all seemed to be directed somewhere.

Bleu looked over the edge of the cloud down at the island far below and the light froth around it as the waves struck the false land mass’s shore. That froth seemed to spread slowly from the shore, large bubbles breaking the surface of the water. Bleu tilted her head as the island seemed to suddenly start trying to pull away from the sudden froth of bubbles. Steam began to fill the air as the foam and froth of the water grew larger surrounding the island.

The dragon glanced back at Luna, who had beads of sweat covering her form, eyes shut tight as more magic poured into whatever was being done. Bleu looked back down as a massive shadow started to grow under the surface of the frothing water.

The bubbles and froth spread wider, nearly as far as she could see of the ocean below; the foam easily was larger than Canterlot. Two points broke the surface at the edges of the foamy sea, rising up to tower above the roiling water’s surface. Smoke billowed out of the stony tips and molten lava bubbled over the edges of the conical top, turning the water to steam around them, although the lava inside seemed to be sinking down and draining away. The third peak rose as well, though the water simply ran off this dormant volcano.

Bleu saw the first rush of sea ponies swimming off along the surface away from the three mountains lifted out of the sea. Their escape was aided by a massive wave that had formed when the volcanic mountains had surfaced. As the peaks rose higher, Bleu saw the city stretched out between the peaks. Neighlantis. Luna had lifted the whole bucking city from the seafloor.

Bleu's jaw dropped as her gaze switched between the princess and the massive city that was just now seeing the light of the moon for the first time in its existence. Towers fell, crumbling under their own weight, lava spurting from the shredded volcanoes fell in great globs onto the city. Water coursed through the city, sweeping along any seapony unfortunate enough to be outside and throwing them from the island back into the sea along with tons of debris.

A roar echoed across the open ocean as a large whale-like creature thrashed in the center of the lifted island. Bleu winced at the unearthly sound, looking down at the flailing form of the leviathan Andree; the creature’s head was slick and unscathed from Starfall's attack on it.

“Crap. Guess Starfall didn't get the point for killing Andree after all.”

The island lifted higher from the surface of the sea, seeming to drift away from where it broke the water’s surface before it was dropped back into the ocean. The edges of the new island crumbled away, but the city itself and the draining volcanoes remained above the frothing water’s surface.

Bleu had expected it to sink again, but it remained steady. Perhaps Luna had dropped it on top of one of the other undersea mountains they had passed by on the first trip. In any event, the smell of fish and deep ocean funk reached her sensitive nose even all the way up here.

“By my own dead sexy tail, Luna, that was bucking awesome!”

“Thank you, Bleu. I move a celestial body through the skies every night. Moving a city, even one as gaudy as yours, was barely an effort once I was past the wards.”

Bleu blinked, confused.

“Gaudy as mine? What are you talking about?”

The Princess turned and looked behind the dragon, a sinister smile on her face. Bleu turned back as well, seeing the floating serpentine form of an incredibly pissed off Princess Aqua.

“Greetings again, Aqua. I gather I have your attention?”

“Knock knock, mother bucker, knock knock...”

The goddesses and even Jer'rahd looked at Bleu, who grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

“Sorry, best I could come up with that quick.”

=============================================

The crash of waves greeted the small group as they trotted out of the jungle onto a tropical beach. A few more traps had lain in wait for them, including a few spiked pits, which were easily avoided by the pegasus scouts. The other traps were simple snares or deadfalls; however, a swinging log caught one pony in the middle of the group.

The terracotta earth pony was flung across a clearing as a spiked log tore through the middle of the group, slamming into his side. Velkorn and the unicorn medic with them both charged across the clearing to the earth pony who had pushed himself upright already and was swearing as creatively as Starfall.

“Hawkings, calm down! Are you alright?”

“That bucking hurt!!”

He tore free a section of his armor, flinging it into the ground with a muffled curse. The steel was dented in and he would have some rather heavy bruising, but the spikes had not penetrated. Most of his complaints were about the scrapes he had got on his landing.

Rhede followed the trap’s release back to the loop of root that had triggered it, pointing that out to the scouts so it was seen next time. The rest of the trip to the beach was uneventful.

The black sand of the beach was an odd sight though out at sea was a large mountainous island. Smoke billowed from its top and a rosy glow licked along the edges of its peak.

“Oh lovely, another bucking volcano. Why is it that every bad guy we find has to live in a bucking volcano?”

“It’s a trendy location, perhaps, sir?”

“Stuff it, Major...”

“Sir, look there!”

Rhede looked over where the unicorn pointed out into the water at a dark shape that seemed to be swimming for the island. He regarded it for a moment.

“Dutch, can you hit it from here?”

“Easily, sir.”

“Take it out.”

“Yes, sir.”

The earth pony pulled a spear from the quiver at his side with his mouth. He watched the strange form for a few seconds before dashing a few paces forward, spinning suddenly up on his back hooves and releasing the spear, sending it arcing though the air. A wet thunk and a squeal could be heard over the crash of the waves and the shadowy form thrashed a bit before dropping under the water.

“Nice shot.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I started on spears myself back in basic training, but I switched to daggers before long. The spears never flew right for me out of jealousy.”

“What?”

One of the other earth ponies facehoofed.

“He's talking about his dick, Dutch. The spears were jealous of his dick.”

“I would have got that eventually, Blain.”

“Least he didn't compare it to a hammer like Poncho does.”

Rhede glanced back at the other pegasus, Anna, curiously, then to the earth pony she was talking about. Poncho simply smirked in his direction.

“Dun wanna know. Ramirez, Anna, go bring the body back to shore. I want to have a look at this Shadow Walker.”

“Yes, sir”

Rhede trotted over to Velkorn, who stared at the island from the edge of the water.

[“Let me guess, you want us to go there?”]

[“Yes.”]

[“Wonderful.”]

Rhede turned back to the ponies on the beach.

“Alright, all of you start cutting up some trees. Re-purpose that deadfall if you have to. I want a boat made ten minutes ago.”

“Best you can hope for from us, sir, is a lousy raft.”

A small chuckle ran through the group and Rhede sighed.

“Fine, I will take that so long as it can get us to that island.”

A chorus of 'Yes sirs' greeted him this time. He smirked, wishing they had been this talkative on the trip here. He turned back as the pegasi flew out to the body, slowly dragging it back to shore, his hooves kicking at the sand while he waited. Velkorn had yet to move from staring out at the island.

The pair of pegasi dragged the body to the breakers. Rhede ran into the water to help drag it the rest of the way onto the beach. He turned, coughing and sticking his tongue out and dipping his head to take a mouth full of seawater, swishing it and spitting it out as he coughed.

“By the stars, that’s foul!”

“That's why we tied a rope to it, sir. It’s covered in paint.”

“Paint?”

Velkorn seemed curious as well, finally turning from the island to look over the corpse. The spear had indeed found its mark, right through the eye of the creature. They were never going to hear the end of it from Dutch on this.

The body was indeed stretched out; the neck of it was as tall as Rhede if he was standing on his back legs. A short-cropped strip of mane ran from the head all the way down the neck’s length to the back. The head was vaguely pony-shaped, albeit thinner. The horns on its head were rounded nubs capped in some sort of metal to give them points. The rest of the body also seemed lengthened unnaturally, its legs nearly as long as its neck with the joints swollen as if infected.

The black and white paint had been mostly washed off in the water. Its real fur coloration was cream with brown spots. An orange cutie mark of a unknown symbol graced its flank.

“Well, this is the weirdest thing I have seen in a while.”

“I agree with that, too; also, its tongue is blue.”

Rhede pulled the saddle bag off of it, rummaging through the pouches as Velkorn continued to examine the body. There was not much inside aside from something that looked like its lunch, a few more pots of paint, and a soggy book that he tossed to Velkorn.

Velkorn carefully flipped through the book, sighing slightly, as most of the ink had run from the water. The few lines that were intact were written in a language neither she nor Rhede understood.

They both looked up from the book as one of the guard ponies trotted back down the beach from the woods, whistling lightly. He paused, looking over the body curiously before pulling the spear from its eye.

“Cripes, Major Dutch does not need to see where he hit it.”

“Something happen, Dillion?”

“No sir. We finished the boat, though.”

“No way; you have only been gone about five minutes.”

“Yes, well, turns out we are better ship builders than we thought. Should have been my cutie mark instead of a short sword. Ahh, here come the others with it now.”

Rhede glanced back, waiting to see what horrid contraption this lot cobbled together. His eyes widened at the twin-hulled sail boat that slipped around along the shoreline around a copse of trees. The craft was large enough that the entire group could board and ride it to the island with no problem. A large silk sail was colored a light gray to help it blend into the sky while on the water. Rhede's jaw dropped as the group on board waved, turning the ship to park it on the sandy beach.

“Funny thing is, sir, we didn't have this thing on the water for five minutes when we discovered a stowaway. I guess our boat building skill brings all the things to the yar...”

“That was the worst pirate joke I think I have ever heard, Dillion.”

“Not a fan of nautical nonsense?”

Dutch hopped off the ship and walked over to the group to retrieve his spear.

“I could see that pun coming, Dillion.”

“Geez, Major, no need to get crabby that you didn't come up with it first.”

Rhede winced with each new pun as Ramirez piped in.

“Now, now, you guys are being a little shellfish in keeping these puns to yourself and not sharing them with the rest of the squad.”

“You know you shore are right about that.”

“By the stars, you lot should be working with Bleu.”

“Who do you think chose us to go on this mission with you, sir?”

“Enough. Let’s get going; the sun is setting and I don't want to be on this ocean at night.”

=====================================================

“Did you really think I... GAH!!!”

Luna was not sure of what Aqua was planning to monologue there, but she did not really care to hear it. Still, it felt rather strange cutting her off like that. Perhaps next time she would let whoever she was fighting finish their speeches before she acted, just to see if that somehow made things feel a little better.

Her gaze turned from the charred sea pony goddess, watching as she splashed back into the ocean. One fireball was not going to be the end of Aqua no matter how nice it would be. For the moment, Luna simply wanted a bit of distance from her foe.

“General, I need you to snap out of this and go deal with the leviathan.”

“I don't think he’s listening Luna. He's been biting off one of my spines since we took off.”

“Kaisur, I did not bring you along to simply sight see. I need you to change into the beast and keep Aqua's pet busy so I can deal with her without any interference.”

Again, the gray unicorn did nothing but cower on the dragon’s back. Luna snorted in annoyance.

“FINE! Bleu, get this out of my sight; I cannot guard him and deal with these two at the same time. I had hoped your loyalty to your Princess was stronger than this stupid fear of yours. I see that is not the case.”

“That's a little harsh Luna.”

“This is a life-or-death situation that has just become that much worse for me solely because I could not depend on him.”

Jer'rahd muttered something.

“What was that, boss?”

The grip on her spine loosened, though the teeth marks already there could easily be seen on the armored spike.

“I said throw me at the damn monster ‘cause I am not going to be able to do it myself at this point.”

Bleu chuckled and Luna smirked.

“Yep, reckless as ever, boss. You sure this is alright?”

“Thank you General. It will be fine, Bleu. Do it.”

Bleu leaped into the air, sending Jer'rahd tumbling down her back with a yelp. She whipped her tail hard, sending the unicorn flying off the cloud and arcing towards the island and the floundering leviathan on its surface.

“I did not make out what he was saying as you flung him, Bleu.”

“Well if you take out the swearing, it wasn't really a sentence.”

“Yes, well, get to a higher point in the clouds, Bleu. I need you to stay out of this fight as you are to be our ride back. I doubt either of us will be up to swimming.”

“Geez, so I am just transportation now?”

“Bleu, this is a fight between four gods. It would be best if you are not in the middle of it.”

“Four? What are you talking...”

A roar cut her off; a sound out of a nightmare that had ruptured the line between dream and reality to pursue those that had escaped it in slumber. That roar was answered by a scream that sounded as if the sole purpose of its creation was to cause pain and suffering. Bleu visibly paled before looking over the cloud bank at the massive scaled form of Jer'rahd's beast as it slammed into the newly-raised city of Neighlantis.

The previously-floundering leviathan raised itself up, fins snapping and ripping as they formed clawed legs, giving the massive thing the look of an oversized mutant alligator. It rose up on its six new limbs, answering the challenge issued from the monster Jer'rahd had become.

“I expected as much of that one.”

“What the heck are you talking about, Princess?”

“I see someone has found my books.”

Bleu whipped her head back around, her gaze falling on the undamaged form of Aqua in the air behind them again, already in a stare-down with Luna. The bubble of water around the seapony was hissing into steam already just from the looks the two were giving each other.

“Yeah, I think I am gonna go over there now. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY over there.”

=================================================

Jer'rahd remembered screaming as he fell. The terror of the ocean rushing up to meet him was almost too much to focus past to cast the spell. Once he started, however, the beast rushed forth as if only a paper-thin veil had kept it in check. He felt his consciousness slip away from his body, the shadows wrapping around his form adding to his bulk and mass until there was nothing left on the outside that even remotely resembled him.

He exhaled as the fear leaved him, his gaze shifting over the gray and pale red world he was in now. Two great disks of light cast no illumination, but looking into them allowed him to see what was going on with the beast, though there was nothing to offer him control. Thankfully, he did not have to control anything; the beast’s instinct kicked in and it launched itself at the leviathan.

He was not really inclined to watch anyway, but something else was bugging him. This place seemed bigger than the last time he was here. Last time he had been here, there had been a gray floor, for lack of a better term, and a red sky as far as he could see. Now the floor was black and gray and the sky was a myriad of colors ranging from white all the way to a dark reddish-brown that looked like fired clay.
It felt even more alien to him than before. It was as if this was something else’s mind, not the beast’s. The whole thing was setting him on edge. His gaze swept over the featureless plane trying to figure out what was off.

“Well, at least you seem to have the sense to know something is wrong with your little world. Perhaps you are not as stupid as I initially thought, though that is still not saying much for your mental capacity.”

Jer'rahd turned his head, looking for the source of the voice. It should be easy to find, considering the space in here was featureless, but he saw nothing until the second look around. A lounge chair sat directly between the two large pools of light with a pink beach umbrella set up over it. In the chair, sipping out of what appeared to be a coconut with a smaller umbrella in it was a sky blue earth pony sporting a black mane and tail with red stripes. Jer'rahd could not clearly see his cutie mark, but it seemed to be a serpent wrapped around a spear.

“Who the buck are you?”

“My, my, so brash and impulsive. No wonder she found you interesting. She probably still does, and we cannot have that. It’s always bad when she gets interested in other ponies.”

The pony rose dusting himself off, the umbrella and chair vanishing from behind him. He flung the drink over his shoulder and that fades as well.

“My name, Jer'rahd Kaisur, is Andrew Rose Legosah, or as my mistress has taken to calling me, Andre.”

“You're the leviathan?”

“Don't act so surprised; you are a monstrous beast yourself at the moment, currently trying to tear my face off. What should surprise you is that we can talk like this in such close proximity. Honestly, I blame the books, but then again, I have also trained to be the master of my own mind for several thousand years. Putting myself into your head when you are not in it either is foal’s play.”

He trotted around Jer'rahd, not really seeming to care to explain that further.

“I am sooo much more than that however. I am a former Element Bearer of Loyalty for Princess Aviana, as well as her former lover, though she had many of those: Discord, Forgescale, that Blueblood lout. A right proper little slut goddess that one was. But I suppose the most important thing here is what I was till that little piss-ant friend of yours murdered all of them. I was the founder and head of The Order and the one who suggested to that noble twat to use Scarlet to kill you.”

==================================================================

Things had gone bad fast. The upper door had led into the aerie's guard quarters and when smoke started billowing out of the hatchery, it was quickly noticed and an alarm sounded. With so many griffons rushing around now, Starfall's group was quickly spotted and the stealth mission had rapidly turned into a running battle. She had lost two of her group already and a third was too injured to fight, though he pressed on with the others, staying off his nearly-severed leg.

She urged the group on as they had yet to find any form of leader to take out. Rounding a corner, they came face-to-face with a rather large collection of griffons armed for bear. She was about to order a fallback when Lion Heart stepped forward, seeming to try to hack up a hair ball before he exhaled a cone of acidic spray that struck the armored griffons and reduced the large half-dragon to a coughing fit for a moment. The griffons’ armor and weapons started to melt , along with their fur, feathers, and flesh, the thick acid spreading about as they flailed and the group had to pull back to avoid getting any on themselves.

She looked at the half-dragon who seemed ill from the effort.

“Do not expect any more of those, sir. It takes a day to build up the bile...”

“I didn't expect that! I didn't even know half-dragons could do that.”

“Not all of us can. Usually, it is only those of black dragon decent; it is highly unpleasant.”

“Sir, we need to move.”

“Right; head to the next point and cover Silver Coin ‘til we get to a window. Coin, you head back to the rendezvous as fast as you can and get something better than a blood stanch on that leg.”

“I can still fight, sir.”

“Buck that; you're slowing us down enough as it is. When I say go, you bucking go!”

“Yes, sir.”

The small group made their way rapidly through the halls, pushing the griffons back and keeping on the move to make an organized resistance against them harder. During one of the lulls in combat, they managed to gain a defensible position at a large window. Silver Coin flew up, shattering the stained glass image of a silver griffon holding a sword and a shield before slipping out the hole. The others made to move again when the injured pony poked his head back in.

“Sir! You might want to look at this.”

“What is it?”

Starfall flapped up and looked out the window. She turned back to her troops firing crossbows at griffons gathering at the ends of the halls before doing a double take to look again.

A dark wall took up the horizon; a low roar could be heard but not identified. At first, she thought it was just the thickness of the rain that was giving the appearance of a wall. The flash of lightning glinted off the wall and glistened of water. A few lights dotted its surface and it took Starfall a second to realize they were fires. Large ships had caught fire as they were tossed about in the massive wave that was crashing towards them. The frothing water at the top began to crest as it smashed into the first mountainside in the distance, closing quickly on the aerie they were in.

“By the stars... FLY, EVERYPONY, FLY! GET AS HIGH AS YOU CAN! ABANDON MISSION! GO GO GO!!!”

As the tidal wave drew closer, the dark forms of the pegasi were glimpsed in a lightning flash along with several score of griffons hot on their tails.

=================================

Rhede was not sure if he could be more annoyed than he was right now; it was borderline angry, but he could not quite make it all the way with this group, much like he was most of the time with Bleu. He had spent the entire trip into the zebra lands trying to get some of these soldiers to talk to him and getting nothing; now they would not shut up. Granted, he had wanted conversation and all they were doing now was a pirate chantey. What was worse, as they sailed towards the island, Velkorn was even joining in singing lines of the song in Zebra. So much for the stealth approach.

“What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor,
earlee in the morning?”

“Stuff him in a sack and throw him over.
Stuff him in a sack and throw him over.
Stuff him in a sack and throw him over,
earliee in the morning.”

Rhede sighed as the entire group started in on it at once now, caterwauling loudly enough that anything with ears would know they were coming. He would tell them to shut it, except Velkorn was greatly amused by this and with her mood lately, he could not bring himself to ruin it.

“Feed him to the parasprites for dinner.
Feed him to the parasprites for dinner.
Feed him to the parasprites for dinner,
earliee in the morning.”

[“Way Hey and up she rises.
Way Hey and up she rises.
Way Hey and up she rises
erliee in the morning “]

Rhede stuck his tongue out in disgust, ears flattening to his head as the verses got more morbid. He shifted his hoof on the rudder, adjusting the small craft towards an inlet on the island that seemed a fitting place to dock. He looked up at the volcano, a little confused as he no longer saw the glow or smoke from the top of it. Perhaps this was just a bad angle to see it, though that did not explain the lack of smoke.

“Shoot him through the heart with a loaded crossbow.
Shoot him through the heart with a loaded crossbow.
Shoot him through the heart with a loaded crossbow,
erliee in the morning.”

“Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver.
Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver.
Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver,
erliee in the morning.”

The only thing Rhede could think of was that the fire in the volcano went out or the lava receded. Then again, perhaps there had been no lava and the glow and smoke were just a large bonfire in a dormant volcano or on top of a plateau. That made more sense as to why it would go out like it did.

[“Way Hey and up she rises.
Way Hey and up she rises.
Way Hey and up she rises,
erliee in the morning.”]

The squad cried out cheering, complimenting Velkorn on her singing voice, even though none of them seemed to know what she was saying. Rhede felt a pang of jealousy, though he did his best not to act on it.

“Are you lot done announcing our presence to the entire island?”

“I call it good old-fashioned putting the fear of the goddess into them. They know we are coming and can't do a bucking thing about it. Isn't that right, you delightful ship’s mast head thingy?”

Dutch laughed, looking at the head of the Shadow Walker jutting up from under the boat. Somehow, the group of them had caught this one unaware, knocked it out, and tied it along the underside of the ship between the two hulls that made up the craft. Dutch claimed it was to keep it out of the way so everyone could ride. Granted, it had been gagged half way into the trip as it had started screaming things out no one understood. That was about the time the pirate chanties started.

Rhede was not sure if this was how they always acted or if this squad just got crazier the more dangerous the situation. No wonder Bleu liked them. Perhaps since they were getting more comfortable with him and Velkorn, they were opening up a bit more.

The small craft struck the shore, sliding up onto the sand. The prisoner whimpered as the group disembarks.

“Ramirez, Anna, take to the skies and keep high. Report back any signs of the hostages or enemy placements. Blain, Pancho, you two guard the boat. The rest of you stick close together; we don't know what to expect here.”

“Yes, sir.”

[“Well, Velkorn? Any insight?”]

[“This place is just as alien to me as it is to you, Rhede. All I know is that many of the things that have plagued my homeland have come from this island, as well as many of the things that have plagued me. This island is considered cursed and forbidden I am sure.”]

[“Great, a source of evil. That's just what I wanted to trot in to with barely twenty ponies.”]

[“We have survived worse odds.”]

[“True, but I don't need this to be what was prophesied.”]

Velkorn's ears perked.

[“Oh? Something I should be concerned with? You have been rather tight-lipped about your vision from your trial.”]

[“I will continue to be as well.”]

[“If it is important, then it needs to be known. Judging by your concern, it seems it is.”]

Rhede looked at her for a moment before sighing and glancing back at the squad pulling the boat ashore as they waited for the pegasi to return.

[“My vision was of me dying. Because of what I did, others died as well who might have survived otherwise.”]

He looked to her before snorting, annoyed that he was telling her this.

[“I would prefer that if others had to die because of me, you were not one of them.”]

Velkorn stared at him for some time and Rhede started feeling uneasy at the gaze.

[“This is why you push me away? Because of a vision?”]

[“Half of them have come true already. I have no reason to think the others will not as well. And this is not the time to discuss that.”]

He started to move off when he felt a pair of teeth clamp onto his tail and yank him backwards. He staggered a bit, whirling to come face-to-face with Velkorn. Her eyes bore into his and he could not help but to look away first.

[“If I am to die because of your vision, I would know why you accept any other female that exists, yet spurn my attentions as if I am diseased.”]

Rhede looked as if he was going to try and walk away again, but another glare from Velkorn showed the results would be the same.

[“You should find someone else to focus on. You're too damn good of a pony to be bothering with someone like me. You help anyone who needs it no matter what they have done. You’re too pure a soul for me to be the one to sully.”]

[“Is it my choice to make on who it is that will 'sully' me, Pelt?”]

[“Not when it’s me taking myself out of your equation the best I can.”]

[“You talk so down on yourself, and yet you obviously don't get it do you?”]

[“Clearly.”]

[“You act like and seem to think you are tainted, but you are not. You have killed an entire organization to protect your friends and family because you knew if any lived, those friends would be a target again. You destroyed an entire race of creatures because of what they did to a mare you didn't care about and the foal she had from you, a cycle that had been going on for hundreds of years and you stopped it. The few elk survivors can rebuild and not have to worry about avoiding their own kind for fear of being killed now due to a mad ruler. You went out of your way to save me from Blood Tail going so far as to put yourself in the way of an unknown spell so that I would not be harmed by it. You had the chance to do anything you wanted by accepting my first offer to rule these lands at my side and you refused to be named king, citing that there would be someone better along. Almost everything you do in some way benefits your family or friends and you barely ask for anything in return. All you see is the darkness of what you are doing, simply because you cannot bring yourself to see the light of it. That is what attracts me to you, nothing so shallow as your looks as you seem to think, though I will not say they are not an intriguing factor as well.”]

Rhede turned, looking at the zebra mare who was panting with anger and rage after that rant, clearly pissed at him, though he could not really say why. At the moment, however, he really just wished the ocean would swallow him up just so he could get away from her stare.

“TIDAL WAVE!!!!”

The group turned to see Ramirez flying franticly towards the group. In the distance behind him, a massive wall of water was rapidly approaching the island.

“I didn't bucking mean that thought!”

[“WHAT?”]

“RUN! EVERY PONY GET TO HIGHER GROUND NOW!”

The group took off in a full gallop with Ramirez leading the way, heading towards the volcano as the wave drew closer.

=========================================

“What the buck do you mean you founded the order?”

“Exactly as I said. You are quite dense for a unicorn. The moment I found out that you were spawn of Aviana and were named a Element Bearer, I knew that it was time to kill you. Just one of those would have attracted my Goddesses's attention if she had known. Both, well, both might have made you her favorite over me.”

“There's that damn name again. Who the Buck is Aviana?”

“Ignorant of history as well; I suppose there’s no hope for that given how long ago it was. Six or seven thousand years by my count. Aviana was the previous goddess of ponies before Luna and Celestia. She was Celestia's mentor for a time and the bearer of magic to my Element of Loyalty. Granted, she betrayed that loyalty as well as everyone else who thought her a friend. Aqua and I were the only ones to escape that mare’s traitorous nature unharmed. Butterfly Smiles, however, fared the worst of the lot of us.”

“You're a massively fat whale, and Aqua is an evil fish bitch. I would hate to see how the others fared if you two are the ones that escaped.”

The earth pony snorted in annoyance.

“Typical of one who carries that mare’s blood in his veins. Arrogant and self centered.”

“I don't recall a goddess being in my family tree.”

“You are a Blue Blood, despite disowning them. That family is all offspring of Avaiana. Your blood is highly diluted, but you remain of her ilk. My fears were confirmed when you visited and my princess took an immediate liking to you, because of your damned eyes no less.”

“Great, my one scar that doesn't still sting occasionally and it’s the one that's cause me the most trouble. If you founded the order, why the heck did you steal the elements, anyway?”

“I had used them before, and we all saw what they did to the former Bearer of Laughter. Sealed in stone by that mare’s evil. Misguided fool. I could not stand to see them used on my Princess, so I convinced the ones who bore the elements for Luna at the time to seal them away. I had plenty of accomplices in that and when the time came for the bearers to pass to the next life, I convinced them to become the guardians of the elements. All of them we so set in their ideals that I thought no pony would ever match the lofty standards they set for a bearer... seems I was incorrect on that calculation.”

Jer'rahd growled glancing at the lenses that lead out into the world where the giant creatures were ripping gouts of flesh from one another, the blows healing back nearly instantly.

“And how did a fat whale like you manage to convince anyone?”

“I don't have to be in this form, I simply prefer it. My Princess likes it, so I stay in it unless she wishes otherwise. Occasionally, I return to my normal form to sate any... needs she may have developed in dealing with the lesser toys she keeps.”

“As much as I want to kill you right now, that does not seem to be happening here. I don't think we can do damage to each other that sticks.”

Jer'rahd looked back out the window before a hit sent him flying into the air. He crashed hard, tumbling across the ground. He rolled back to his hooves, looking at the other pony who simply grinned at the unicorn from where he had run up and kicked him.

“Not entirely true, my dear annoyance. While our physical bodies cannot harm one another, considering we are made from the same shadow stuff, here in this place, I can bludgeon your stupid little unicorn head in and you can't even cast a single spell to try and stop me.”

===========================================================

“So the replacement returns, and bringing back the books your predecessor stole from meh too. Don't look so surprised Luna, I can sense them, the same as you can, though with this little bit of nonsense, I doubt you are here just to return them.”

Aqua glanced down off the cloud at the fighting monsters below that were destroying what was left of Neighlantis before snapping her gaze back to Luna.

“Let us get this started then, shall we? It seems I have a city to rebuild... again.”

Lightning launched from the sea goddess’s fins, ripping across the clouds and dissipating them in its wake. The clouds around them rumbled and shook as a storm began to form under the pair set off by the gathering magics.

Luna launched herself skyward, her horn glowing and firing a series of dark bolts of energy at the sea goddess, who darted out of the way, swimming though the air as if it was water. The clouds around them drew closer as more powerful blasts of darkness ripped holes in the gathering cloudscape. Fire, ice, lightning, and shadow screamed and arced though the air between the two as they both ducked and dodged, casting spells about like it was nothing. Neither was landing a hit, however, though Luna was hard-pressed. Aqua simply seemed to grin as she effortlessly dodged anything the Princess of Night threw at her.

Luna flung up a shield, blocking Aqua's escape as a fireball flew at her, though the sea pony countered with a ball of water that rapidly turned to steam as the spell hit.

“Well, I see the childish games have been finished. Shall we play for real now?”

The seapony blurred suddenly, vanishing, before appearing over Luna and lashing out with her long tail, smashing the Princess through the cloud bank she was standing on and down into the pouring rain from the gathered clouds. Luna strained to remain airborne in the deluge. She glanced up at the seapony's throaty laugh.

“You may rule the night, Luna, but the water is mine. All of it. You will never beat me here.”

============================================================

The wave crashed against the mountains, flinging rock and debris into the air, the great landmasses reducing much of the wave’s size as it broke against the range, taking many of the mountains with it and turning the valleys and passes between them into a frothing torrent of raging water. As the wave broke, huge tongues of water and rock were flung into the air. The Shadowbolts all strained to stay ahead of the furious onslaught. The griffons below them were not as lucky, and the breaking wave washed away more of their number as the water seemed to chase them into the air after slamming into the aerie.

Starfall risked a glance back, her eyes widening under the goggles seeing how close the griffons were to their tails, and more importantly, the large bird in the lead struggling to keep ahead of the water.
The massive bird had an odd gray coloration and was dressed in fine, if tattered, robes and was covered in jewelry. That had to be Storm Ripper. Lightning crashed over head, the flash illuminating the belt holding that robe around his form… and the series of tails and furs dangling from it.

The pegasus screamed out in rage, flipping back around and flying down at the griffon as fast as she could, her blade already gripped in her teeth. The two collided in midair, the force of Starfall's decent knocking the much larger griffon back and sending them both into the churning water below.

The Shadowbolts watched in horror as their general vanished under the crashing waves and the tons of rock being thrashed about in the water.

=============================================

“MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! GET HIGHER THAT WATERS STILL RISING.”

For the first time in his life, Rhede wished he was a pegasus and able to fly away from all this nonsense. The wave had swept over the beach behind them and the earth pony guards were charging up the side of the volcano as fast as their legs would carry them. Thankfully, Ramirez had found a wide path for them to use. Unfortunately, the water had also found that path and was rapidly rising up the side of the mountain, pushing along trees, debris, and the boat they had come in on, screaming Shadow Walker included.

Rhede whirled as he ran, flicking his tail and sending a pair of daggers from it into the throat of the Shadow Walker, killing it just before the boat was pulled under the wave and ripped apart by flooding water.

Velkorn glanced at him, though she saved her breath for running. As they rounded a bend, they come across three non-painted, though armored, Shadow Walkers, whom the squad simply galloped past, much to the surprise of the tall creatures. The trio barely had time to scream out as the churning wave rushed over them, grinding them up with everything else that was swept along.

The wave slowly started to subside as they neared the top of the volcano. The pegasus, Ramirez, was nowhere to be seen in the air. As they stopped to catch their breath, the water remained high and only very slowly seemed to recede.

“That was nuts!”

“Right. Dutch, get the troops to secure the perimeter. Velkorn, are you alright?”

“I think that should be my line, but do not worry, I am fine.”

“General, we have contact.”

Rhede looks up from where Velkorn was panting to the tree line where Pancho was pointing. Easily three score of armed zebras were walking towards them; there was also about a dozen Shadow Walkers behind them. They were all armed with primitive weapons, but they seemed quite capable of using them.

[“By the stars, we are too late.”]

[“What? Velkorn whats going on?”]

[“Look at their eyes; their souls are gone. This is what Blood Tail wanted to use on me, as he only cared for my body and rank over everything else. We are in trouble here.”]

“Well buck. What else can go wrong?”

The ground under the group rumbled violently as the sky lit up with flickering lights that did not seem to be lightning. There was no sound from the strange colors and it seemed to be bright, far off in the distance over the ocean. Rain began to pour down, just as the ground quaked again, harder, the rocks around them bouncing and cracking from the violence of it. The rumbling grew even worse as Rhede screamed into the rain.

“OH COME ON!!!!”

It was about then that the ground dropped out from under them. Rhede and the guards cried out as the mountainside they were on collapsed under them. As he plummeted towards the crashing water below, Rhede saw Velkorn still on the ledge with the Zebras and Shadow Walkers rushing towards her before his vision was blocked by the waves.

==========================================

Luna plummeted towards the water below, her wings out, electricity still crackling between her feathers from the hit she took. She grossly under estimated Aqua's power. She thought with the books she would have an advantage, but it seemed the sea pony queen had studied them a great deal more in depth than she had.

“Well something like that, anyway, Princess.”
“Seriously, the bitch had teams of the fishy ponies looking us over, getting their slimy fins all over my pages, disgusting.”

The goddess of the night strained, stretching her wings out further and catching the air. She pulled up from the dive and climbed back into the sky.

She glanced down, eyes widening as a large section of the sea drew up from the surface. It reared up like a snake before lunging up after her, its maw filled with shards of coral and rock.

“We can, of course, help you, Princess. We have no desire to return to the sea, and you still have one god left to kill before your first contract is done.”
“Better think quick, ‘cause that thing look like its gonna hurt.”

Luna tried to fly faster, her wings straining as the snake gained on her, the mocking laughter of Aqua high overhead. What the buck could they ask for this time?

“Just that you take out more than just the dragon gods. The Griffons, the Diamond dogs and even the zebras have gods that need to be removed, although it seems one of your Generals is going to make the Griffon god death tally easier.”
“And if the little goody-two-hooves lives, she might just finish another one or at least have someone kill it.”
“What have you got to lose by doing something you had planned on anyway, Princess?”

Luna winced as her wings cramped, the shadow of the serpent’s maw starting to close around her.

Twilight pulled back into the starry void. This was a great deal to take in. She knew this was the very edge of what she was after all this time. There was already a ton of things to look over and consider just from what she had seen. This had to be the pivotal point just before Nightmare Moon fully awakened, she could feel it. The books were clearly a catalyst in this as well, more so than anyone seemed to know. These events were clearly the start of how the Element bearers became the Five Beasts of the Moon.

By Celestia, it was getting late. She glanced back at the star with her own face in it, wondering if Dash had fallen asleep already. She could hold on the rest of this until later and get a full grip on what was going on. She should be able to stand a little bit of suspense for a while.
She turned, heading to exit the starry void.

Path of Sand, Part 2

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

Path of Sand,
Part 2

“NO, I CAN'T!”

Twilight whirled, rushing right back to the windows without ever having fully left, heading straight for one of them. She had not even made it out of the void before the suspense started to eat at her.

“So what, you plan to just kick me to death? Great plan.”

“Of course; you unicorns have such frail forms. That's all I need to do. Why bother wasting my time trying to destroy you when I can simply crush your stupid skull with my bare hooves?”

“Wait, wait, wait, that's the entire plan? That is ALL of it? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.”

The earth pony Andre stopped his attack, looking at the unicorn as if he had gone mad, which might very well have happened given all that was going on.

“Right, great plan, but let me get this clear: it's you I have to thank for a great deal of the misery that's been in my life and the lives of the others. Perfect. I can finally seal an annoyingly vague chapter of my life away by killing you.”

Andre growled and lashed out again with his hooves, only to impact a wall of unmoving flesh when the attack connected with the unicorn. Jer'rahd barely flinched at the kick.

“I admit, you are a strong one; that power is in your very nature as an earth pony. And cutting me off from magic… that was a nice strategy as well. But if you had paid more attention to me, rather than who my ancestors were, you would find I don't need my magic to kill things. To be perfectly honest you didn't pay much attention to my dad’s side of the family at all, did you?”

Andre panicked a bit, lashing out again with both rear hooves, trying to smash the unicorn’s face. But Jer'rahd had already moved from the blow, a smile crossing his face.

“I've taken worse hits from baby dragons than what you are dishing out. I'm a half-horn, you dumbass, and a soldier at that. If I couldn't take a few kicks here and there, I never would have gotten to the point I am at now. You really are an old one if you think unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies are still segregated, and pretty much an idiot, too. If this was your big plan to kill me, you are in some serious shit right now, Andrew.”

Jer'rahd reared up, his hoof smashing into the side of the earth pony’s face and sending him tumbling back to bounce off the ground a few times before regaining his hooves.

“Perhaps performing as a pampered pony princess’s pet putrefied your pathetic physique... crap, I just said that with a straight face... I have been hanging around Bleu too much.”

Andrew reared back on his hind legs, growing larger and lashing out at Jer'rahd. His attack impacted the floor as Jer'rahd dodged, cracking the gray ground under his hooves with every attempt to stomp the nimble unicorn. His size increased further, nearing the mass of the beast he was. He roared out, sounding more like the monster that was outside than the pony he had been a moment before. Jer'rahd pretended to yawn.

“I still rule in this mindscape, fool. I have been here longer and know everything there is to know about it and how to use it to my advantage.”

“If you know this place like you know me, I have nothing to worry about.”

“GRAAAAH!!”

Jer'rahd's grin grew wider as the monster pony tried to crush him. Bleu was right; getting some ponies mad was rather fun. Of course, he should take this a bit more seriously, but he was fighting an idiot who thought he was stronger just because of his race and the fact he was older. None of his motions had any hint of training; he was simply lashing out like a spoiled foal upset that he didn't get the exact color he wanted on a present.

On top of all that, there was a familiar weight at his side that Andre did not seem to notice. It had come with him when he died, and now it was with him here again. It was a little lighter than it should be, but that was probably due to it no longer being on his physical body.

“Can we wrap this up, fish guts? You need to die quickly, as I have a princess to save.”

=======================================================

The savage current tossed her about as it rushed through the mountain passes, searching for lower ground. Rocks smacked into her sides as she held fast to the griffon. She lashed out every chance she had at the mess of fur and feathers she was clinging to.

The pair of them smashed into a rock, but she barely even notices, her teeth gripping tighter to the bird’s throat as she struck with everything she could. The Element of Honesty armor was doing a great job of protecting her, but the thin air spell was not designed to work underwater, and was fading rapidly. She was not sure if the god could drown, but she continued trying to bludgeon him to death regardless.

The griffon, for the most part, was trying to reach the surface and escape from the mad pony attached to him. Starfall could not get the leverage in the water to use her blades or deliver a solid kick. After another few collisions, she lost her grip on the griffon and was swept away from his larger form.

She struggled up, breaking the surface as the massive wave rushed through the mountains, causing landslides, and collapsing the towering stone monoliths around her. She fought clear of the grip of the sea, taking to the air in time to see a large griffon pull himself onto a rock ledge further along the rushing water.

The pegasus growled and launched herself through the air at the floundering griffon.

===========================================

Rhede fought against the pull of the water. The tidal wave had surged past the island and had pulled him and the others along with it. He finally hit something solid in the current and struggled against it, working his way up to the surface, his lungs screaming for air. Was this what Jer'rahd felt every time he went anywhere near deep water? He had a new appreciation for his friend if it was even close to this.

Rhede yanked himself to the surface, gasping for air and getting a mouthful of palm frond instead. He spit out the plant and lifted his head to look around as he coughed out what felt like most of the ocean. Somehow, he had been carried all the way back to the mainland and impacted one of the trees along the beach. In the distance, he could see the half-crumbled volcano where Velkorn still was. The water was receding, but there was no way he could make it back to the island by swimming against the current.

“GENERALS!?! MAJOR!? ANYPONY?!?”

He looked up at pegasi flying overhead and thanked the stars for small favors.

“RAMIREZ, DOWN HERE!”

The pegasus stopped dead in the air and rushed down to the tree, hovering over the water and spotting Rhede. He exhaled deeply.

“Cripes, thank Luna you're alright, sir.”

“Forget me; get back to that island. Velkorn is still on it with the Shadow Walkers.”

“The others are still missing, sir. I am not leaving my squad ‘til I find them all.”

“That is an order, soldier!”

“Buck you, sir; I am not leaving my friends for one zebra. If you are here, they have to be around somewhere.”

Rhede growled, but the pegasus ignored him, looking around from his vantage point over the tree.

“THEN HURRY THE BUCK UP AND FIND THEM SO YOU CAN GET YOUR FLANK OVER TO SAVE HER!”

The pegasus didn't respond. He took off in another direction at the sound of another voice, leaving Rhede alone, clinging to the tree and staring at the island in the distance. He didn't leave her out of his own choice. This vision wouldn't happen because he was not dead. Velkorn would be fine... he hoped.

==============================================

Luna was rather surprised she was not yet dead. Wounds covered her body from where the water snake's teeth had pierced her flesh, though they were slowly healing already. It would take massive damage, another god’s magic, or star metal to directly kill a god. The snake had hurt, but while it wascreated by magic, it was not of magic.

The current problem was that she could not breathe; again, an inconvenience more than a threat, but it made doing much of anything very difficult. She also could not hear the books anymore.

She opened her eyes and found she was underwater with Aqua staring at her, the saddlebag with the books floating beside the sea princess. Luna flailed, finding her wings and front legs bound up in the long serpentine length of Aqua's tail. The Seapony Queen was holding her down within sight of the surface. Alright, so now drowning might be a problem if she was choked to death by Aqua.

“Honestly, this was less amusing than I thought it would be. After what you did to my city, I fully expected a tougher showdown, but I have fought mud crabs more vicious than you. At the very least, you brought back my books, so for that little favor, I should make your death quick. But you did ruin my city, so I think I will pass on giving mercy.”

The tail tightened around Luna's neck, her gaze turning to the books. Aqua grinned and flicked the tip of her tail across the princess’s face, slapping her muzzle as the laughed.

Her laughter was cut short by a pain-filled roar from the surface. Aqua raised her head, looking toward the massive rock that still held the remains of Neighlantis on its surface. From under the water, Luna could see the land mass had been dropped on top of a set of undersea mountains that had surround the previously-submerged city. Schools of sea ponies still worked to flee the area around the teetering mass as more of it crumbled as the titans fought on top.

“Andre… what? How is this possible... he's losing?!”

Aqua grinned, looking back down at Luna and giving her neck a tighter squeeze.

“I knew that one was special. It will be fun breaking him of his attachment to you. It may take time, but he will make a suitable replacement for Andre.”

Luna gurgles something, bubbles escaping her nose and mouth in a rush.

“What was that, little princess? I cannot hear you. Speak up.”

Luna glared, her horn flaring with light. A whirl of black and silver slid through the water up from the depths like a shark fin tearing through the surf. The Waning Moon ripped between the two goddesses, severing the tail holding Luna.
The seapony queen screamed as Luna surged upward, bursting from the water and shrugging off the remains of the Aqua's tail as she took a deep breath, taking to the air once more. The sword of the night floated beside her, spinning in place like a fan blade.

The water turned red as the Seapony Queen erupted out of the waves, lunging at the flying princess. Luna dodged to the side, keeping out of the seapony’s reach.

“I agree to the terms; I was going to kill that lot anyway.”

The Princes of War's eyes flared a bright green as the power from the books surged into her form once more. She winced a little as her form altered further, her size matching that of her sister now. A grin that bared her fangs formed on her face as she yanked the saddle bag away from the floundering queen.

“You are not allowed to call me Princess, Aqua. To all my enemies, I am NIGHTMARE MOON!”

==============================================

Jer'rahd dodged again as he taunted the giant earth pony, keeping several steps ahead of him. He could feel the Waning Moon, but it was faint, nowhere near close enough to his body for him to use it. It may have sunken down to the seafloor by this point. He really should have had Bleu keep hold of it. He dodged another blow, lashing out with his own hooves, impacting the giant’s leg with a wet thud before darting off as the beast screamed with pain and rage.

Sooner or later, this thing was going to get a lucky shot. While he did not feel tired, he was leery about what Andrew had said about controlling this place. So long as he was mad, he probably couldn't concentrate on doing anything else.
He paused, feeling a sudden weight add to his side, a stall that almost got him crushed, but somehow his blade had gotten a great deal closer, and the soul within it had joined him here fully.

It was strange; there was a dark energy flowing from the weapon, but he could not dwell on that. He turned his head to draw the spiritual Waning Moon from its scabbard, doing his best not to think of the magical implications of that sort of thing. He really did not need the headache.

The giant earth pony glared down, eyes widening at the sight of the blade.

“That is not possible! You should not have a weapon here!”

Jer'rahd's response was simply using said impossibility to nearly sever one of the giant’s forelegs.

========================================================

Bleu was in a full-blown panic. The entire raised city was in rubble and completely saturated with the blood of the two giant beasts, like someone had dumped a massive bucket of blackish-green blood over everything.
The water around the raised island was frothing with steam from the massive rift that had been torn into the sea floor. Bleu was not sure how deep the water was, but there was a bright orange coloration far below the surface that she expected had been where the volcanoes had been pulled from.

The creatures fighting on the surface had yet to make any wounds that lasted longer than a few seconds on each other. How the buck did someone stop those things?

She had been even more stressed when Luna and Aqua started the spell duel. Lightning did not bother her, but the fire, pure energy, and ice would be a big problem if it hit her. She had flown even further off, only able to see the alicorn and the… well, whatever Aqua was, fighting when spells were cast.

She nearly freaked out when the snake had swallowed Luna, though it was not long until the pair broke the surface again. Bleu breathed a sigh of relief until the leviathan screamed out again.

She looked at the great beast as its foreleg simply seemed to fall off in a great gout of blood and gore. She had not even seen Boss attack it. She waited for it to regrow, but it did not seem to be happening.

Bleu shivered. Luna was right; this was not a fight she would have stood a chance in, and watching these four go at it was terrifying to her.

“I wanna go home...”

=========================================================

Rhede was miserable; he could only watch the mountain in the distance and listen to the cries of the other guards as Ramirez found them one by one. He had no idea what was happening with Velkorn on that island and he was getting more and more stressed about it the longer he clung to this tree.

The waters were slowly receding, but it was still over his head at the base of the palm tree, so he had not bothered sliding down it just yet. He had considered trying to swim, but watching bits of debris and bodies float past below him swept along in a massively strong current made him decide against it. He nearly panicked at the sight of every zebra corpse that floated by, though none of them were Velkorn.

[“Ahoy there in the tree. Are you alright pony?”]

Rhede turns his head looking about for the sound of the voice. He leaned a little too far and nearly fell from his perch. He scrambled to keep his legs wrapped around the trunk. The small craft turned on a magic search light, aiming it up at him for a moment before lowering it to the water.

[“You alright there pony? Hello?”]

“That's General... crap, wait. [That important fish hat. Need sing softly for coin return.”]

The zebras on the boat chuckle and Rhede sighs.

“Anna, your zebra is terrible”

“And hello to you, too, sir. “

[“I need to get over to that island right now; my friend is over there and needs help.”]

[“No can do, pony; that place is Lodoss the Accursed Island. It’s taboo; we don't go anywhere near that unless there’s something serious. Besides, we have an entire coastline that just washed away along with several hundred small villages. We have far too much ground to cover to be playing ferry. I doubt anything you have to say is serious enough to make us do more than pick up the rest of your squad and take you back to port for questioning.”]

As the ship drew closer, Rhede noted the ballista on the foredeck and the armed zebra soldiers standing around a few ponies from his squad. Dutch, Ramirez, and Pancho were still missing, but at least the others seemed to be alright, if a bit waterlogged. The zebras helped Rhede onto the boat. He shook off his mane and looked for the captain. Of course, he was easily identifiable as the one with the fanciest hat.

[“Captain, we need to get to that island.”]

[“Didn’t listen, did you colt? We ain't going anywhere near it, just like my first mate said. Simmer down before I put you down.”]

[“My name is ambassador Rhede Pelt, General of the Lunar Republic. Queen Velkorn is currently stranded on that island with a number of hostiles, including a small force of Shadow Walkers. We need to go rescue her now.”]

The grizzled zebra spit to the side and laughed at him.

[“HAH, you almost had me there till you mentioned Shadow Walkers. I'm not gonna be swayed by old mares tales. Now....”]
[“CAPTAIN!! You better take a look at this.”]

The zebra captain barely turned to look at what his first officer was talking about. The zebra at the light pointed at something in the water. Rhede looked at it and smirked. A cream colored body with an overly long neck was hung up on a tree. Black and white paint spotted on its form, though it had mostly been washed away. The creature was jammed into the crook of a partially submerged tree and Rhede was amused to note it was the body of the one Dutch had hit in the eye with his spear. The captain drew in a sharp breath, uttering a small prayer to the spirits before Rhede was in his face.

[“Island! Now! Queen Velkorn is still there!”]

[“BRING THE SHIP ABOUT, FULL SAIL ROW IF YOU HAVE TO! GET US TO THAT ISLAND NOW! MOVE!”]

Rhede moved up with the rest of his group, cracking his neck and watching as the looming island rapidly grew larger as the craft drew closer

“Make ready; General Velkorn is on the island still and we are going to kill every last thing on that accursed rock until we find her.”

“YES, SIR!”

===========================================

The griffon slammed against the rock behind him, one wing lying on the ground at his side, still twitching as blood spurted from the stump that was left. His other wing and most of the tip was cut off of it from a second slash that he had barely avoided.

He thought he had gotten away from the pony that hit him; he also had thought he managed to find safety after crawling his way from the surging flood waters. But the pony had found him again. The Light of Death, as the dogs called her. His daughter’s final target.

He pressed back against the rock behind him, glancing down at the water as it rushed past, wondering if his chances of survival were greater in the rushing flood water or with this mad pony.

Lightning arced across the sky, illuminating the red lenses of the pony’s goggles and the white of her teeth clamped around the orange-gripped blade she held. It was enough for him to be convinced the water was the safer option. He feinted left and dove for the roaring water to the right.

He screamed out as his leg refused to move, suddenly sending him beak-first to the rock’s surface. A searing pain and the crack of rock greeted him as he tried to clear his head.

Glancing back, the black-armored pony was drawing another blade from her scabbard. The first was embedded though his back thigh and deep into the stone underneath, pinning him to the rock.

He whimpered as the pony slammed a hoof against his beak, knocking him onto his back, the blade raised. He flinched expecting a death blow, but it did not come.

“Why?”

He opened one eye to see the pegasus standing over him, the blade cradled in her wings, her eyes unseen under the goggles she wore.

“Wha... what?”

“Why did you allow her to practice what she did? So much death could have been avoided if she followed your race’s rules, and yet she was allowed to hunt those unable to defend themselves. Why?”

The griffon god shifted a little, wincing at the pain he felt in his leg.

“Would you deny your daughter what she wished to do? What she was good at?”

“If it did more harm than good, yes I would. That wench spawn of yours is the whole reason you are even in this place. The whole reason all this happened was because of Wind Razor. Killing my husband and my brother might have been forgiven in time as a casualty of war, but she hunted down my parents who only came to collect the bodies, and then killed my sister as well. She went well beyond what your race should have allowed. All the reports on her link that freedom to you, her father.”

“Perhaps we simply have a differing set of parental values then. She would have been banished or killed for violating the code if I did not cover for her. And what parent would not protect their offspring from something such as that, no matter what her choice in life was?”

Starfall growled, though she doesn't seem to be directing that at him for once.

“All of this could have been avoided if you had simply reined her in more. I would not even be here if she had not killed them.”

The pegasus turned, moving away from the griffon, the rage that had fueled her seemingly burned out for once. She slipped her sword back into the scabbard.

“She is not dead. She was frozen in stone back in Canterlot. I was denied my revenge at killing her. I see her face in every one of your kind; that drives me to kill griffons like a reaper cutting ripe wheat. No remorse, no joy, just rage, and wishing to see you all dead. Because the one I really wish to kill has been denied me.”

The griffon flinched again, shifting to yank the blade from his leg as quietly as he could. He glared down at the weapon as he pulled it free. Star metal; that figured. He rolled onto his belly, and pushed himself upright, wincing at his rear leg. He gripped the blade and hobbled closer to the oblivious pony.

“Perhaps the issue is not me who is a bad father, but you who are a bad mother? After all, you started hunting us rather than tend your own offspring, Light of Death.”

He did not even have time to raise the blade before it was gone from his claw and the sheathed weapon was sunk into his chest. The pegasus stood on the other side of him, sheathing the blade she just took from his claw. He had not even seen her move, but the place where she had stood remained free of rain for a moment before it started falling there again.

“I would say we have differing parental styles, is all. You raised your daughter one way and she became a murderous psychopathic serial killer with a penchant for collecting grisly trophies. My daughter is being raised to respect authority and listen to the advice given to her by those with more experience. Only one of us will see our child again, as well. And since how you raised your daughter is directly responsible for your death, I think I have done a better job.”

Starfall trotted back over to the griffon, ripping the blade from his chest with a wing.

“I do not see the need to collect trophies of those I kill, either. I simply collect the assurance that justice was done.”

She gripped the blade in her teeth, lashing out with it.

The griffon’s body bounced on the stone, sliding off into the rushing water below. His head dropped to the rock before Starfall punted it off into the rushing water as well. She flicked the blade clean of blood and sheathed it before adjusting her goggles and launching herself into the air to find her squad and see if the rest of the army was alright.

=======================================================

Jer'rahd smirked, looking at the bloodied mess of a pony that was still trying to crush him. The giant’s legs had all but been cut out from under him and the effects of the damage he did here was showing on the leviathan outside.

“How... how can you do this?”

“Please, how many years has it been since you were in a fight? Easily six thousand since you were even anything but a fish. All I do all the time is fight and train. The moment you hit me that first time. it was over.”

“But the magic... Unicorns should not be this strong.”

“I know two spells: a shield and how to magically hold my blade. I never relied on my magic because it was always too limited. You would have known that if you did not have fish for brains. But I figure the princess needs me more than I enjoy playing with you. Goodbye, Andre. Not sure how you survived this long from being Aviana's Element Bearer, but you won't live apart from her anymore. Well, if she's in Tartarus, anyway, like you seem to think she is.”

“WAIT, NO!!”

He ignored the cries as he carved his way through the giant’s chest, fighting back the sudden gushing of black ichor and hacking apart the bone, sinew, and muscle from the prone creature. He reached the heart and cut it to ribbons. The crying form of the earth pony started to dissolve around him, leaving the unicorn covered in the black goo.

Jer'rahd spit out the spirit version of his blade, the weapon hovering brightly in front of him. As he glanced at the windows to the outside, he saw the leviathan start to dissolve into shadowy stuff as well, revealing the form of an earth pony that the monster version of him promptly smashed to a pulp in the rocky remains of Neighlantis. He coughed, snorting to try and clear his nose and mouth of the foul ichor, not entirely certain if it would remain in this mindscape or if he could get rid of it somehow.

“This was far more disgusting than the Tank. Still, I cannot complain about finally having an easy fight. This gives me something else to throw in Celestia's face next time I see her, too. Now let’s hope I can figure out what the buck is up with Aviana before something else she did tries to kill me.”

=====================================================

Velkorn stared back as Rhede and the others fell when the ground gave way. The Shadow Walkers before her seemed just as shaken by the event a she was, though the mindless thralls that had been zebras quickly rush towards her. She did not have time to try and save Rhede. He was a strong pony and he should be fine, she hoped. Several of the zebras found themselves knocked into the water as she glared at the towering forms of the Shadow Walkers behind them.

The zebras were not all Untouchables. Many seemed to be normal zebras from the mainland and some of the smaller ones were little more than colts, most of whom had not earned their cutie marks yet. It was the colts that worried her; more than a few had the crystal horn of the zebra unicorns on their forehead. These young ones were hanging back from the ones attacking her. They stood with the Shadow Walkers, but their eyes were free of the control that the adults showed. They also seemed to be enjoying the idea of the others ganging up on Velkorn. There were no mares visible other than one or two older ones, well beyond the age of bearing young.

It was that lack of mares that told Velkorn all she needed to know. It was the same thing that Bloodtail had wanted: a powerful queen with which he could resurrect the gods with and perhaps even steal their power for himself. He did not care for her; just her body, and he would have succeeded if not for Rhede. It was these creatures that that had sent Bloodtail to her brother, and it was that influence that changed him and caused so many to suffer.

Starfall had her griffons. Rhede had his Elk and the Order, Luna and Jer'rahd had the seaponies and the dragons. And Bleu had the one she called Proudmore. All of her friends had things they would go out of their way to ruin or destroy, even beyond what would make sense to anyone else just because of what they had done.

Velkorn tugged off her saddle bags, letting them fall to the ground. The gathered zebras and Shadow Walkers paused the advance, staring at her curiously as she looked up at them, her eyes narrowing.

[“As a healer, I have issue with killing any living creature. As the bearer of the Element of Compassion and a Royal Guard of Princess Luna of Equestria, and a General of the Lunar Republic, that has not changed at all. You were zebra and as such I cannot even consider you as I would a fish. However...”]

Silver and black armor began to rapidly form around her, the metallic sheen reflecting the red glow of the newly-lit volcano as the ground rumbled again and the first sparks of flame were flung into the night sky.

[“You are little more than a cancer. An infectious growth that has plagued these lands for far longer than any should have tolerated. I am here to see to your final removal so my patient, my kingdom, can fully heal. Those you have touched, Shadow Walkers, are already dead, and thus must be removed to prevent the infection spreading.”]

She screamed, throwing herself into the midst of the zebras and Shadow Walkers, her form a blur of motion accompanied by the crunch of bone and the tearing of flesh.

This was what she would go out of her way to destroy. This corruption was her nemesis.

=============================================================

The sea below them was boiling, steam billowing up as the pair of goddesses tore across the surface of the water and just under it. Aqua was running now; her pet was currently being ripped apart and eaten by the massive monster form of Jer’rahd.

Luna was in hot pursuit of the seapony. The Waning Moon lashed out, charged with dark energy that ripped through the water around Aqua with every swing. Massive explosions of fire erupted from the ocean as the Goddess of War threw all she had at the wounded queen. Aqua was fast; even missing a large portion of her tail, she was deftly avoiding the blows and attacks.

Luna's magic tore massive chunks of land from the sea floor, hurling them up at the fleeing seapony, trying to spear her and cut off any chance of escape. She was long past wanting to toy with her and simply wanted the Seapony Queen dead. She lashed out with Jer'rahd's weapon every time the queen broke the surface; somehow, the slippery bitch managed to dodge every attack.

Aqua, of course, was not simply running. Luna was hard-pressed to doge the ice and lightning attacks the seapony flung her way as well. Various sea creatures also tried to get involved at Aqua's behest and the water ran dark with their blood.
New islands erupted from the sea, crashing into one another to make bigger landmasses. All along the tsunami-swept coastlines of the planet, mountains rose or were sucked down into the earth as the tectonic plates were disrupted and shoved about like movers would shift furniture.

Large sections of land vanished under the surging water and others rose from the sea floor. Lands that were not connected before joined and those that may have been landlocked had new beaches. Holes were opened in the sea floor into vast underground caverns and lava tubes. Steam filled the air, forming massive storms and cloud formations as the sea level shrunk from the vaporization of millions of gallons of water from the goddesses’ fight.

The remains of Cindervale were swallowed by the sea, and the Darklands dropped under the waves entirety, taking the strange creatures and things that existed there with them. Thankfully, only the eastern coast of Equestria was affected. Granted, that did little to aid those that lived there.

The initial wave washed over Manehatten, traveling right up the river and washing over large sections of farmland. The city itself was built a little higher than the surrounding land, so was left an island as the waters settled all about them, stranding those in the city who had not been washed away.

The Great Hooper Sea lost its southern border; now the tears shed for the fallen pony Guard bled into the great Equestrian sea.

The port town of Wilmingtrot was wiped out and the Cape Foal River dried up as the mountains shifted from the underground turbulence caused by the brawl of the gods, cutting off its source. New Dullahan became beachfront property, though all that was left of it when the wave hit was rubble.

The ramifications were felt as far inland as Canterlot, where Princess Celestia did her best to quell the powers that shook the world, though even she trembled at the raw strength on display this night.

As the two goddesses empowered by the dark books fought, the world changed around them.

=======================================================

Rhede stared at the island as they drew closer. Several other patrol boats and a host of fishing boats had joined the search along the coast looking for survivors. Aside from the one they were on, however, all of them avoided the island.

There was a small army of zebra sailors and marines with him now. Ramirez had also returned, leading a few smaller boats with the other missing guards on board, somewhat the worse for wear after their tumble through the ocean and down the cliff, but all of them were alive and still able to move and fight, which was all Rhede needed.

The earth pony hoped that would remain the same fate of Velkorn. “Unharmed” would be a good addition to that as well. As the boat moved along the edge of the cliff they had fallen off of, another rumble sent a rock slide down into the water, forcing the captain to move back from the cliff. Rhede did not bother waiting for a safer spot; he was off the boat, leaping among the fallen rocks and bounding ledge to ledge up the treacherous slope as if he was part ram. Anna and Ramirez flew up as well, each carrying a member of the squad to set them on the edge just as Rhede arrived before heading down to pick up some of the others.

Rhede looked over the scene and shivered a little. Easily thirty zebras and two Shadow Walkers lay dead around atop the cliff. Rhede moved closer to one of the zebras, crouching down to take note of the bloodied marks on the otherwise white and black furred form. It was not this zebra’s blood. More like the blood had come from another body, but the bloodied hooves had then struck this one right after.

“Sir!”

Rhede lifted his head and headed over to where Pancho stood. At the earth pony’s hooves was a pile of medical bags adorned with the symbol for “medic” from a multitude of races.

“Shit... No blood on them, so she must have taken them off herself. “

“Where did the General go, though?”

Rhede looked back at the sparse forest as the volcano shuddered again.

“My guess is further up this mountain.”

“Should we wait for the zebra marines to get up here?”

Rhede looked at the bodies of the zebras. Not all of them were untouchables and there were quite a few younger ones.

“I do not think they will be happy to find this. Let’s go before they get up here and find out what’s going on. Our priority is to find Velkorn.”

“Yes, sir.”

==============================================

Velkorn twisted hard, ignoring the squeal and the crack of bone from the downed Shadow Walker as she snapped its neck. Shoving the mangled corpse away, her gaze shifted back over the trail of bodies that she had left behind her. The Shadow Walkers had fled, and she had pursued, ripping apart anything that had gotten in her way.

This one had its forelegs shattered to bring it down low enough for her to finish it off. The feeling was... glorious. She had felt sick when she had killed the sea ponies, even to save her friends, but every time she took out one of these blighted creatures, it was like a rush of energy and elation filled her.

She was enjoying killing these things, and it sickened her.

She bit her lip inside the armor, trying to shake the feeling from her. This was the same feeling her half-brother had professed to have when he killed one of his enemies. He claimed it better that sex. While she was unsure on that last bit, the rush was decidedly far more enjoyable than she liked. She was a doctor; taking life was not supposed to be something she liked, yet here she was, eagerly looking for the next target.

Her ears perked, hearing voices further up the path. She trotted forward, leaving the Shadow Walker's still-twitching form to investigate. The cry of a foal filled the air, the sound echoing off the stone walls of the pass she trotted through. She sped up, skidding to a stop at the edge of the volcano's lip.

The lava far below seemed far too active for her liking, tossing sparks and spurts of magma high into the air. Even with its activity, the walls of the volcano showed it to be far lower than it normally was. A path ran down into the crater and then up the other side. It was where the two paths met that held her attention as another foal's cry came from the small cave situated there.

Her ears flattened to her head as she trotted down towards the cave. Her armored hooves clacked loudly on the stone, the sound echoing off the volcano's rock walls, easily heard over the bubble and hiss of the lava.

The noise clearly alerted someone in the cave. A pair of zebra mares stepped out to check on the source of the noise, their vacant eyes narrowing as they spotted the armored form approaching. The pair rapidly charged up the path towards her.
Velkorn sighs as they move to attack her, whirling away from their clumsy strikes and lashing out with her rear hooves, sending both of them tumbling over the edge and into the hissing pool below. Her ears flattened as the pair do not even scream as they were flash-burned alive. What manner of enthrallment was placed on these zebras?

She swallowed hard as she trotted into the cave mouth, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness as she stayed out of the glow of the torches lining the rough hewn walls.

It seemed like a sickbay at first; many of the beds were filled with zebras. At the back of the room, three Shadow Walkers stood over one mare's bed, looking at a small form bundled in rags on a small table before them. The cries of a foal came from the rags and the three were smiling wide, something that sent a shudder colder than the Windigos’ breath along her spine.

The mare did not seem to be breathing, possibly having died while birthing the foal. At least two dozen other mares were in varying stages of pregnancy across the rest of the room. Most seemed heavily sedated and marked with brands and tattoos of unknown significance to her. Judging by how fresh some of the marks were, she assumed it was done here as some sort of ritual of the Shadow Walkers.

Another group of zebra thralls took note of her and rushed the armored zebra. The movement stirred several of the gravid mares from their beds to join the attack.

Velkorn nearly whimpered as she ended their lives and the lives of the ones unborn as well; at this point, however, it was not a sure thing that what they were carrying to term was even a zebra anymore.

When the last of them lay dead at her hooves, her gaze lifted to the trio of monsters at the other end of the cave that had caused this. The three had seemed to disregard her as the other zebras attacked, but now that they were dead, the trio seemed panicked.

One of them wrapped up the crying foal and backed away to the rear wall, holding the bundle in its mouth. The other two spread out a little, trying to flank her as she stared calmly at them all, glad the armor hid her face to hide her tears at needing to kill so many.

The joy of it all had ended as soon as she came into this cave; the thrill had gone away when she saw what they were doing here. All the mares were simply being used to try and breed new gods. Now, it was simply duty, the removal of things that did not need to exist. Like killing a fox infected with rabies, it needed to be done, but that did not make it any easier.

The other two moved closer, one chanting under his breath as the other uncoiled a length of leather that had been wrapped loosely about its neck, lashing out with it. She ignored the whip as the strikes from it bounced off the armor. A dark miasma rapidly flowed out of the chanting one’s shadow, slithering across the ground towards her.

She moved to dodge just as the whip wrapped around her forelegs, holding her fast. She growled lightly as the shadow blob nearly reached her. She turned, leaping towards the one holding the whip and slamming into him as she slipped free of the leather binding her legs. The Shadow Walker cried out as it was knocked into the path of the darkness. She did not bother to see the effect as she used its falling form as a springboard to attack the caster.

She landed hard atop the creature’s back, her weight forcing it to the ground hard. She ignored the crack of bone as its chest struck the stone floor before she bounded off its back. All four hooves connected with the back of its head, smashing it between her armored form and the floor like an overripe melon.

The final one charged past her, leaping over the rapidly rotting form of the one that had been hit by the spell. She whipped around, galloping after it as the foal cried out again from being bounced around in the makeshift sling the Shadow Walker carried.

She could not allow it to get away with that child.

=======================================================

Starfall stood on a small cloud, staring down at the wreckage of the aerie and the bodies floating in the stagnating water below. The mountains were practically islands at this point. The water was slowly draining away, but who knew how long it would take before this land was back to normal... if it ever was.

In the distance, entire ranges of mountains were missing. The Darklands had vanished, leaving little more than a horseshoe-shaped bay where it used to be, made up of the mountain tops that had once ringed the place.

The dark form of Lion Heart alighted next to her on the cloud. He cleared his throat to announce his presence.

“Report.”

“There were no further casualties among the Shadowbolts, aside from what we lost in the initial raid.”

“Our main force?”

“Believe it or not, only minor injuries from the wave, though there were quite a few lost in the initial skirmish. The wave did not pass through the mountains with enough force produce more than three of four apples deep of water. Some of the smaller ponies were swept away, but they were not taken far. The griffons fled the aerie in light of the attack, the loss of the other two aeries, and the unexpected natural disaster.”

“The harpy forces?”

“Heavy losses at the aerie that they were attacking. The whole mountain is gone and only those who were outside of the structure were spared. That was less than half of their forces.”

Starfall sighs.

“It gets worse, sir.”

“Dare I ask how?”

“We encountered some Royal Guard pegasi investigating the disasters on the coastal cities. Upon finding out we were attacking at the same time, the word is sure to get back to Princess Celestia that the Lunar Republic caused all the damage.”

“Great. How much damage are we talking?”

“It is too early to tell. According to the Royal Guard, New Dullahan is all but gone, Manehatten suffered heavy losses and several smaller ports no longer exist. The east coast of Equestria has been changed in its entirety. The wave supposedly reached the Galapagos as well.”

Starfall glanced back at the expression on the half-dragon’s face. It was the first time she had seen him worried.

“Take three of the others with you and check it out. Send one of them back if you need some sort of help.”

“Yes sir... One question, sir.”

“What’s that?”

“Before the wave even hit, you ordered the death of many yet unhatched. I am curious at the need for such a thing.”
“I see no reason I should be lectured by a five year old on what is appropriate in actions.”

“I was not lecturing, and I am seven, sir.”

“That is not much better.”

“Fine then, if you do not wish to discuss it. When I first met you, you were brutally honest with your intent and words. Now you are simply savage with them.”

“So much for it not being a lecture.”

“So much for you answering my question.”

Lion Heart steps towards the edge of the cloud preparing to take off when Starfall spoke again.

“I see her face in every one of theirs. I cannot help but to hate them.”

“That is your perception, sir. You can, in time, change that. I am sure you had the same reasoning when you first met my kind, and yet here I am, a former enemy, now a member of your elite unit. Perhaps it is time to get over your hatred of the race as a whole. To move on with your life as my race is trying to do.”

“Maybe someday, but do not hold your breath expecting it to happen in your lifetime. Go check on your island, Lion Heart.”

“Yes, sir.”

===================================================

Rhede's ears perked at the sound of a screaming infant. Looking around for the source he spotted the silhouette of a Shadow Walker dashing across the edge of the volcano carrying something before it vanishes again.
“Ramirez, Anna, get up there and see what that was.”

“Geez sir, bossy much?”

“Oh I am terribly sorry you two were born with wings, I can fix that if you like. Besides, if you had followed orders, Ramirez, we wouldn't be chasing shadows.”

“Yes, sir.”

The two pegasi took off, heading rapidly towards the top of the volcano while the others ran along the winding path littered with bodies.

=========================================================

Velkorn galloped after the fleeing Shadow Walker. The creature was slowed carrying the foal, but its long legs still kept it just out of the armored zebra's reach.

It had managed to start down another path on the back side of the volcano, and Velkorn soon followed, just missing being spotted by the pair of winged forms that had flown up after her. The pair of pegasi did spot the cave in the volcano, however and flew back to inform Rhede.

The Shadow Walker was charging haphazardly at this point, taking risks and leaping down sections of the path in order to open the distance between it and Velkorn. It hit the sandy beach first and charged across the shifting sand towards a small copse of trees overhanging the water.

It skidded to a stop at the edge of the trees, allowing Velkorn to catch up and catch a glimpse of the mangled dock that the trees had hidden and the lack of a water craft that, judging by the creature’s expression, should have been there. By the time it turned to face her, she was on it, dealing with the creature the same way she had with the others of its kind: with brutal efficiency.

The bundle of rags landed heavily on the sand and the bawling began again. She paused long enough to flick the blood from her hooves and slowly trotted over to the bundled rags.

She froze, looking down at the creature that had wormed its way out of the raged cloth. It was clearly a zebra; the crystal nub of a horn on its head was a clear sign of it being a spell caster as well. It was the markings on the foal that had startled her. While it had its markings as most foals did soon after birth, she had never seen a child with bright red stripes.

The infant ceased crying as she approached, its eyes opening, solid black orbs looking up at the zebra mare curiously.
A violent shudder ran along her body. This was a zebra god. The Shadow Walkers had been trying to breed a zebra god from the untouchables, and they had succeeded.

She swallowed hard moving closer to stand over the softly-cooing foal. She reared up suddenly, bringing both armored forehooves down on it violently, stomping the creature repeatedly, trying her hardest not to bawl as she destroyed it.
Velkorn stepped back, her body wracked with sobs as turned, not able to look at the body.

She let the armor fade from her form as she started the trek back up the volcano to see if she could find Rhede and the other guards.

Her ears perked at a noise behind her and she whirls around as the infant starts screaming again, the sand and blanket covered in blood, but the foal was undamaged. She barley managed to take this in before a swirling collection of sand gathered around the infant, rapidly picking up intensity until it towered above her, the wind howling as it gathered more sand and debris from the beach, as well as the body of the Shadow Walker.

The infants cry turned into a howl of rage as the funnel grew larger still, yanking the zebra off of her hooves and sucking her into the vortex.

==============================================================

Shards of ice flew at Luna, but she threw herself to the side in time to avoid them. Aqua broke the surface again, her large fins sending a cascade of water skyward that turned into a column of ice shards that flew after the Princess of the Night.
She spun about, ducking and rolling to avoid the blades of ice and lashing out with the Waning Moon to try to reduce their numbers, though all her attacks did was make more of them as the larger ones were shattered.

Aqua flew out of the water, chasing her and laughing as the first shard struck Luna's flank from behind, leaving a deep gash across her flesh that quickly headed itself. She glanced back, seeing all of the shards she had dodged turning in the air to come back at her, even as more were forming from the sea water.

“Stop struggling and die.”

The princess growled in response to the queen, doing her best to dodge as she tried to fly out of the attacking range higher into the sky away from Aqua. The swirling mass of ice followed her climb into the air along with a manically laughing sea goddess.

=======================================================

The wind flung her about, smashing her with gathered sticks and body parts before throwing her free to crash to the ground, tumbling across the sand. Velkorn winced, feeling the lap of the waves along the shore wash over her rear hooves. She struggled to lift herself up, trying to clear her head, her ears still howled and the sand had rubbed raw her nose and any other parts of her body not covered with fur, but she was alive and mostly undamaged.

The wind howled like the demon child at the center of it as she took stock of her injuries. The worst was a gash across her cutie mark that had bled enough to obscure the lower half of the serpent staff; a few other cuts and abrasions covered her as well. She looked up at the towering cyclone of wind and sand, the pull of it tugging her mane and tail towards the mass again, though it was not strong enough at this distance to drag her back in.

She knew she had killed it; no foal should have been able to survive that, but this one had and was already displaying its anger and power. If it could control the wind like this as a new born foal, it could not be allowed to live long enough to gain full control over its power. That pain that she was being forced to kill a foal was greater than what she had endured physically. She was also worried about what Rhede would say about this; he had never liked the long list of rituals and taboos that most zebras displayed. There was also the idea that this was a newborn; that would not likely sit well.

Velkorn whipped her head, unsure of how to go about killing it anyway. She needed to deal with what she could deal with first and worry about what others would think later. The first warlords had used star metal. While Rhede, Jer'rahd, and Starfall used the material in their weapons, she had no such need. Or she had no such need before this point.

She wished she knew where Rhede was, though he may have been washed out to sea or back to the mainland. While she was sure if he was able, he would be coming back, she did not know when that would be. She also did not believe he would be capable of killing a child. She was surprised she was this determined to end it.

The zebra medic turned, looking out to sea and the flashes of lightning in the far distance. A glint of something in the water caught her eye during one such display of light. She watched the spot for a few moments until the sky was lit up again and saw the silhouette of a body along with the glint.

Darting out into the surf she caught a hold of it dragging it closer to shore, expecting it to perhaps be one of the guards that had come with them. She winced, spitting out something foul tasting from the body before realizing it was paint. Shaking her head and spitting out the disgusting mix, doing much the same as Rhede had by swishing with salt water. Looking at the body she recognized this Shadow Walker, the ropes and sections of wood tied to it gave it away as the same one that had been tied to the underside of the boat.

The same one Rhede had killed with his daggers out of mercy.

She rolled the body over in the water, looking for the glint of metal she had seen before. A single star metal dagger remained deep in the creature’s neck, the other having been lost to the sea.

She turned, looking back at the cyclone of sand and the screaming of the new god.

One was all she needed.

=======================================================

Luna soared through the air, ducking and diving from the ice chasing her. The laughing sea pony followed her, casting another spell to aid the first. Electricity arced between the shards of frozen water as they flew after the princess, now making them even more dangerous to try and dodge.

Luna suddenly stopped, detonating a massive ball of dark fire from around her form, melting the ice before it struck her and turning it to mist that filled the air around them.

“Bah, do you think that is going to stop me, Luna? I can make any water my weapon. It may be your night but we are over my ocean.”

“No, we are over your former city.”

“What the buck does that matter? There's still plenty of water.”

“In truth, going by your powers Aqua, nothing. In terms of promising someone else they could kill you if able, it is very important. And I told you to call me Nightmare Moon.

Luna's ears flattened to her head. The roar from below was deafening, though the look on Aqua's face when she realized what was going on was priceless. Luna could not help to smile as a massive set of jaws rose up through the mist, slamming shut with a sickening crunch around the body of the sea goddess before dropping back out of the cloud of mist.

A massive crunch of earth and stone filled the air as the beast landed, gnashing its teeth and grinding the seapony body to little more than paste before spitting it out to splatter across the surface of the ruined city, a look of disgust on the massive creature’s face. Luna glided down, alighting atop the massive reptilian head. The creature growled as if annoyed at her presence, but did not do anything that might disturb her perch.

“I think that may have been a bit more than I expected, General, though it seems the conflict is at an end. I expect you very much wish to change back, so please feel free to do so.”

She flapped her wings lightly, lifting off the massive creature’s head. The moment her hooves left the surface, the creature began to dissolve into shadows, the shades whipping about and condensing smaller and smaller before they fade out and scatter, leaving a very tired-looking gray-coated unicorn.

He coughed violently, spitting more than a few times and cursing before sitting down hard to pant.

“I am never going to get that taste out of my mouth.”

“You tasted what the beast ate?”

“Not physically, no, but I know what it tasted like. Seems cursed darkness-filled earth ponies taste like sour fruit, and seapony gods taste like rotted fish.”

“I shall keep that in mind if I am ever offered one to eat. What do you mean, cursed earth pony?”

“That's what Andre was. An earth pony, head of the Order, former love of Avaiana, and participant of the same ritual that made me the beast. He claimed he was the Element Bearer of Loyalty as well.”

“You two talked with each other as beasts?”

“Sorta. Its... well I still don't quite get it. But yeah, we talked.”

Luna looks up at the sky, wondering where Bleu was.

“Did Aviana make him like this?”

“I doubt it; he was insanely loyal to Aqua. I figure she's the one who made him. Explains why her power was so high. Do the books say anything about it?”

“They have gone strangely silent, General. I do not think they were expecting the outcome to happen like this. I am under the impression the gray one was rooting for Aqua.”

“Goody, I like that we have those things even less now.”

“They have been useful, General, and though a powerful foe has fallen here... well, was eaten here, we still have many left.”
“Point them out and I will deal with them, Princess.”

Luna smiled softly as she noted a soft glow in Jer'rahd's eyes, though the leathery flap of wings followed by a great deal of cursing drew her attention skyward. Bleu glided into view, landing hard on the ground between the pair. Her head whipped as she tried to take them both in at the same time.

“THAT WAS NUTS!”

“Heh… well, Bleu, are you up for flying us out of here? Because if I have to sit on this island a moment longer, I am likely going to accidentally look up and see the ocean. I would rather be secure when I freak out.”

“You still have that issue? I though killing the queen would fix that?”

“I am too tired to be properly terrified, but I am getting more and more edgy with every crash of the waves I hear.”

“Right, Boss. Luna, you ready to go?”

“As I will ever be.”

=============================================================

The armor formed around her as she galloped into the tornado of sand. She barely kept on her hooves as she darted into the maelstrom. While she was not swept up as she was before, she was pushed along the ground, her hooves leaving furrows in the sand that had not been yet sucked into the vortex.

She forced her way through, one hoof in front of the other, doing her best not to get dizzy and wondering how long this foal could keep this up.

She broke free of the funnel to the center of the whirlwind. She shook her head, clearing the sand from her armor as she looked down at the flailing godling in the sand. Its black eyes opened again, staring up at her with more malice than childlike innocence. She gripped the weapon tighter in her teeth before bringing it down into the foal's chest.

The godling screamed, the sound like a dragon’s claws down miles of chalkboard. Its last wail filled the air and was likely heard across the water for leagues as the dagger bit into its flesh. Its eyes went wide a last time and its struggles ceased.
The swirling sandstorm slowed to a stop, dropping massive amounts of sand, rocks, and flayed Shadow Walker body parts to the beach around her.

Several cries forced her to lift her head. There were several craft out on the water, a magical light source pointed at her. She glanced back the other way to see Rhede and the Lunar Republic troops galloping towards her from the volcano.
She let the armor retract back into the Element's necklace, looking down at the corpse of the godling.

She shuddered, sitting back hard as Rhede reached her. The other zebras seemed hesitant about leaving their boat to set hoof on the island.

The large earth pony looked down at her and the corpse in the sand that the boat’s light shone onto and winced lightly.
[“Is that?”]

[“A godling zebra, yes.”]

[“I didn't think they would be red.”]

[“It matters very little at this point what it looks like. It is dead and I have killed it.”]

[“Well, it needed to be done. Judging by the history... oh no...”]

[“Yes. If it was just you and the Guards, everything would have been fine, but there are other zebras here, royal sailors and marines at that. The word will get back.”]

[“We could kill them. No one would know a thing.”]

Velkorn pushes herself up and flicks her tail free of sand.

[“No, there has been enough death caused by me today. I will deal with this as I should once we make it to the capital. The very worst they can do for this is to banish me.”]

[“It’s bullshit.”]

[“It is the way of things. An untouchable is not allowed to hold rank or privilege in zebra society, and due to my actions here, that is what I will be regarded as from this point on.”]

[“Buck it. Fine, let’s get back to the mainland before another wave shows up. We are lucky the coastal villages sent out these patrols so quickly to look for those swept away... though we are also rather unlucky.”]

[“It will be fine.”]

The guards moved around, looking at the body, one of them taking time to bury it in the sand before the group approached the boat. The captain was sitting on the edge of the ship, looking down at them.

[“You ready to get off this rock, Captain?”]

[“I am, but there's no room on this ship for her. “]

[“What?”]

[“Former queen or not, she’s untouchable now; whole crew saw it, and we don't take that kind on our craft, lest the curse becomes our own.”]

[“Superstitious bullshit is what it is.”]

[“You are lucky I am allowing any of you on at all; this island is cursed for a reason. You lot are likely why the tidal wave hit; you angered the spirits.”]

Velkorn was about to tell Rhede to go on without her when she caught the look in his eye and was about to tell him once again not to kill them when he spoke.

“Alright that's it I have had enough of this bull shit.”

“What’s going on, sir?”

“She killed a zebra godling and now they won't let her on the ship.”

“What?”
“Well that’s stupid?”
“Why the buck not?”
“This have to do with that untouchable thing you were telling me about earlier, sir?”

“Yes, it does.”

“So what’s the plan? I know we are not leaving her here.”

“No, we are not.”

“So then...”

Rhede grinned, looking back at the other soldiers in the spotlight from the ship, the wide grin adding a touch of madness to his eyes.

“How did that song go again? What do you do with a drunken sailor?”

They all stare at him a moment though slowly Dutch and some of the others caught on.

“YAR!”

Velkorn simply slapped her face with her hoof as the group yelled out and rushes the boat.

=================================================

(Two weeks later)

Starfall sighed, knocking on the door. This had been an unmitigated fiasco. The harpies had lost a great number of their warriors, only to have the burnt out remains of one aerie to their names. They had demanded all three and raised hell when they found out the waves had destroyed the other two.

She was called a liar and accused of tricking the Harpies into sacrificing so many of their warriors for nothing, despite the harpies having agreed to help. Rumors of that had reached as far as the west coast of Equestria by this point and it was not likely going to help matters with the Lunar Republic. Now she had two avian groups screaming for her blood and claiming she was a monster.

The news got worse as well. The entire city and just under half of the half-dragons on Gallopagos had been killed when the wave crossed the flat lands between the Hooper Sea and the Great Equestrian Ocean and swept across the island. Many were drowned working in the mines or sleeping.

Lion Heart and many of the other Republic half-dragon guards had returned home to try and aid in the recovery. She had sent her Shadowbolts to help as well, along with any others who would go.

She had arrived in Ponyville to see Cloud Dancer and every one either ran from her or glared at her. Evidently, the rumors were quite widespread that she had caused the destruction with her sonic rainboom.

Frankly, while that was absurd, it seemed like everyone wanted somepony to blame and the rumors had pointed to her as the cause. Why else would most of the Republic Guard be untouched when their enemies were stuck full force barely a league from them?

No one bothered to consider that there was an entire mountain range between the sea and the battle the majority of the Guard were in. Starfall did not care, though; there was only one pony’s opinion she gave a rat’s ass about in this whole town.
She knocked on the door again, stopping as it creaked op a bit and Maw Pelt stuck her head out.
“Ah I expected yah ta come by sooner or later, Starfall.”

“Hello, Maw. I came by to see Cloud Dancer. I have a few days clear of anything.”

“Ah don't think that's a good idea.”

“What?”

“Normally, I’d break it down gently, but yer not the type tah take kindly to that. She dun wanna see you, Starfall. She's been hearing too many things from everyone. She's bullied in school and taunted by normal folks too, jus fer being yer daughter. The boys get it, too, fer being Rhede's brother, but they can handle it. She ain't never had any one not like her just cause of who she’s related too.”

“I didn't cause the bucking wave.”

“Anyone with two bits to rub together in their brain ken see that, Starfall. The problem is you and Rhede are loyal to the one who probably did cause it. I think all of yah as family still and even ah am having issues with some of what your princess's been doing.”

“So what now, then...?”

“I'd say leave the Republic, but we both know you can't do that. Yer friends are there and yah swore loyalty to tha Princess. Yer too honorable to break those bonds. Best I ken tell yah is give her some time to herself, let her figure it out. Ah'll be sure to make sure she knows it wasn't you that killed all them griffons.”

“I did kill the griffons.”

“...well, I will tell her about the wave not being your fault, anyway. Have a good day, Starfall.”

The pegasus's ears drooped as the door closed in her face.

===================================================

(Two weeks later)

Rhede was pissed; granted with all that had happened it was no small surprise.

Velkorn had been banished from the zebra lands. The taboos about the untouchables and the fact that one they considered their queen had broken them had gone exactly as she had said.

The rest of the Republic Guard were going to be put on trial for piracy until Rhede reminded the council of exactly how many races that the Lunar Republic had wiped out. He then questioned if they would like to be the next considering they had just severed their only connection to the Republic by banishing Velkorn.

The council hastily reconsidered and simply had the lot of them escorted to the edge of the lands, striking Velkorn's name from any of their history and announcing Baelit as the current royalty.

None of the guards that had come with them thought it was anything but a steaming pile of shit. While the group was much more talkative to him on the way back, Rhede was more concerned with Velkorn; she had not so much said a word since the judgment was passed.

Rhede moved up near Ramirez, the pegasus flinching at the proximity of the general.

“So which one is it?”

“Sir?”

“You clearly have feelings for one of the others; that’s the only reason I can think of that you disobeyed a direct order.”

The pegasus flattened his ears down and seemed to be thinking of an excuse to get out of this.

“I will not press on who, Ramirez, but considering there were only a few still missing at the end, including you, I have a good idea. In any event, everything worked out alright this time. However, if you are part of a unit I lead and you do this sort of thing again, I will find out who you love, kill them in front of you, and then end your life. Are we clear?!”

The pegasus's eyes widened in terror as he looked up at the tall earth pony, who simply glared at the soldier.

“Yes... yes, sir.”

“Good, then this does not need to be brought up again.”

Rhede fell back to walk beside Velkorn again as the pegasus staggered a bit under the weight of the threat.

The Lunar Republic castle was in sight by the time Velkorn finally spoke. He sent the others ahead to Winnysor Castle and hung back to talk with the now-banished zebra. Velkorn moved, taking a seat on the grass and looking up at the sky and the setting sun. He watched her for a moment, not entirely certain what her reaction was going to be to all this.

[“Have you decided what you are going to do now?”]

[“What do you mean by that, Rhede?”]

He blinked and narrowed his eyes, wondering if she was in shock.

[“About the banishment.”]

[“I expected you meant that, but I am unsure what it is you think I should do about it. The council I put into place to rule did their job.”]

[“But...”]

[“Keep in mind, Rhede, I never wanted to be queen anyway. Besides, when was the last time you heard me mention anything about wanting to go back there at all?”]

[“Wha?”]

[“While I am not entirely happy with the way I was forced to leave, I had no desire to go back after I left the first time following you.”]

Velkorn smiled softly.

[“I may mope for a time that I can never go back, but I am more upset about those I had to kill. You are not the only one willing to wipe out a whole race for the good of those you have never met, no matter the consequences. The worst thing to come out of this is that we did not gain the Zebra lands’ support.”]

[“There are going to be a great deal of ugly rumors.”]

[“I have already heard them all in the capital. The fact I set hoof on that island is being blamed for the tidal wave that swept across the zebra lands. At least six villages are gone because of it. A great deal were saved due to the rapid mobilization of the marine units there. You and the other guards are being blamed for the deaths that you may have caused by commandeering that ship.”]

[“Not like they were going to listen to our side of things anyway.”]

[“Nevertheless, despite the outcome, thank you for coming back for me and aiding my escape.”]

[“You think I would do otherwise?”]

[“No, and that is another reason I pursue your affections. While you may still refuse me, you will not let me down.”]

She rose and trotted off, leaving Rhede to stare after her.

=================================================

(Two Weeks Later)

Bleu was rather concerned about boss. He had been out cold for three days before waking up and eating anything put in front of him. Which was to say, about the amount Maw Pelt made for Hearths Warming for the whole family.

Granted, that had happened last time this went on, too. She had watched him train and generally go about the business of being one of Luna's Generals the same as always, but now he just seemed… off.

Slightly more savage when training, a bit more strict with the troops, and seemingly even more infatuated with the princess.
She was not sure if it was anything, or if it was a side effect of what she had watched. Honestly, though, she was getting a little scared of him and Luna both.

===========================================================

(Two Weeks Later.)

Jer'rahd was in a good mood, which, given the events of the past few years, was an odd thing to be sure.
He had been asleep for at least half week and had spent a few more days simply recovering. Using that beast spell was draining on him in ways he could not even describe. He had expected Bleu to make a snarky comment about it, but she had oddly abstained.

In any case, he had spent the last few days training for lack of anything better to do. Luna was still recovering, Rhede and Velkorn had not returned yet, and Starfall had gone to visit Cloud Dancer. Bleu was around somewhere, though she seemed a bit skittish since they had returned. He assumed it had something to do with the fight or the sight of what he turned into. Unfortunately, with no one else about but the Guards, who all knew better than to try and spar with him, this was going to be a boring few days.

He yawned lightly, trotting back up to his room. The sun was starting to come up already and he was working to match his sleep schedule with Luna's again, so as soon as dawn broke, he was often already heading to bed, unless something dire needed his attention.

A light creak of hinges caught his attention as he passed the Princess's door. He paused, glancing back at it as Luna stepped out into the hall, stretching her wings with a soft yawn. She had gotten taller again; while that was an odd sort of growth spurt, he could not help to admire that her form had become a bit sexier than before. Granted, he still preferred how she looked that first time she had been powerless, with the steel blue coloration to her mane and tail. He dipped into a bow as she saw him, and she took a few steps closer to him as he rose.

“I would say good morning, princess, but I figured you might be headed off to bed the same as me.”

“Perhaps in a bit. How are you recovering from the mission, Jer'rahd.”

“Fairly well; my phobia is still there, as are the nightmares. Aqua screwed me up pretty good with this crap.”

“Yet you persevere through all of it. Impressive as always. I will admit, however, Aqua was correct on one thing she said.”

His ears perked up.

“Oh? And what is that, Princess?”

She moved closer to him, leaning down to look at him eye to eye. He blinked at the closeness and the odd shape her eyes had taken; they almost seemed like a dragon’s now rather than a pony’s, glowing softly when they caught the light.

“You do have pretty eyes.”

His eyes widened and he blushed furiously as she slowly pulled back. A smile crossed her face before she turned with a flick of her tail as she went back into her room.

“Let us see if we cannot find a way to rid you of the nightmares, Jer'rahd.”

“Ummm… yes, Princess...”

He whipped his head at that, turning to head to his room for a very cold bath, when she spokr again. He glanced back, seeing her door still open.

“Jer'rahd.”

“Yes, Princess?”

“That was an invitation. Come in here and attend your Princess.”

He stared at the door in shock a moment before a grin split his face. He offerd a glance down the hall before heading into her quarters.

“As you wish, Luna”

The door clicked lightly shut behind him.

Twilight pulled back from the sword, not really wanting to watch any of Jer'rahd and Luna's 'escapades'; she had seen enough of that when he was seeing Scarlet. Honestly, she was starting to think Celestia had designed this spell to be as pervy as possible, though this did shed new light on the relationship between the two of them. Twilight still had a lingering doubt that the one in charge of the goddess was no longer Luna, however.

“Oh, you back, Twilight?”

“Yeah, that was a bit of a long one.”

Dash hopped up off the couch, stretching her wings.

“Tell me about it, least I got caught up now. I'm headed out, then.”

“Alright then, have a good night Rainbow. Be careful out there, it’s fairly late.”

“Yeah, I'm not worried about that. Later!”

Dash trotted over to the door. Pausing her ears flattened before she glanced back as the purple unicorn put the sword away.

“Hey, Twi.”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“About what you asked before…”

“About your parents?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry about that; it was kinda rude of me to ask, but what about it.”

“I haven’t thought about it in a long time, but there was a time when that was all I did. I would have loved having a family. It’s one of the reasons I became friends with Fluttershy. We were both at the same orphanage and she tried to be everyone’s mother. I guess she had her own way to cope with it.”

“Fluttershy was abandoned?”

“Nah, her parents were killed by a dragon. It’s one of the reasons she's so afraid of them.”
“I… didn't know that.”

“And you still don't, not even sure why I'm telling yah. Not my place to. But yeah, once in a while, I do wonder about what it would be like to have a family. Not those bucking idiots who abandoned me, but somepony who actually cared.”
“You have us, Rainbow; me, Fluttershy, Rarity, and AppleJack and Pinkie too.”

“Heh, yeah, I know. GAAAAH! I must be tired if I'm gushing about this sorta crap. You tell anyone ‘bout this, Twi, and next time me and Pinkie go pranking, you’re the target all day.”

“Don't worry. I won't mention it to anyone... Does AJ know?”

“Yeah, though she doesn't make a big deal out of it, since she went through the same stuff after her parents died and all. Why are you asking about AJ... never mind.”

“Get some sleep, Rainbow. I'll see you later.”

“Yup, later.”

Dash slipped out, leaving Twilight alone in the library.

“Well that was informative and depressing... Wait a moment… Where's Spike?”

Iron Resolve

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Iron Resolve

Twilight paced back and forth in front of the sword. She was still angry at what she had found out last time she had viewed history. One thousand years had hidden some of the horrors that Luna had committed, but all of that was coming back to light now with this study.

The very idea that she would allow something like this to go on under her nose was staggering. Twilight was sure that Nightmare Moon knew what was going on as well. This was a far cry from the largely inept villain that her friends had beaten when they first met. She was still unsure if Jer'rahd was faking not knowing or not; he had seemed mostly clueless and just as shocked as the others about the attack.

It was odd, but she could not access Luna's mirror anymore, even though it was clear she was still wearing the blade shard. It was easy to see how Jer'rahd had missed seeing any of this if he was innocent; The Princess had kept him occupied with other things. She knew stallions tended to be easily distracted by that sort of thing. Still, it was not likely she could continue to help Luna like this.

A knock at the door brought her pacing to a halt. She had been expecting Rainbow Dash to sit with her tonight, but the pegasus had some unexpected duty to take care of in Cloudsdale. All of her other friends were busy, and Spike had gone off again to watch the girls to keep them out of Rarity's hair while she worked. No matter how annoyed with the unicorn that dragon got, the fashion designer could still mold him like putty with just a few sweet words.

She trotted over to the door. Pulling it open, she looked up at a cloaked figure with softly glowing amber eyes.

“Oh, hello, Zecora. I didn't expect you to come by tonight.”

“Greetings, Twilight my young friend. If this is a bad time, I do not wish to offend.”

“No, it's fine; come on in. I just have something else on my mind is all. So, what brings you by?”

The zebra mare pulled back her hood and stepped inside the house as Twilight trotted back over to the table, glaring at the sword once more.

“I brought back a book I borrowed that you might have missed, though at the moment I am simply curious why you seem pissed.”

“I have seen a few things lately that have been… problematic.”

“Ah, then what bothers you is not a mystery; it is due to your delving into history.”

Twilight looked at the zebra as she walked over to the table and looked over the blade curiously.

“How did you know I was studying history?” she asked.

“That information is not a secret to any around you. I have my own sources on top of that, too.”

“Yeah, okay, that is actually it,” she admitted.

“Then what is the nature of the ill? It must be something big to be bugging you still.”

“I have found out some of the things Luna did as Nightmare Moon, and I am questioning why Celestia would bother to forgive her. I mean, I watched the others do just as bad or even worse, but I can't get past the acts she was willing to allow, and then be forgiven as if nothing happened at all.”

Zecora tapped her chin as she thought on that a moment, humming as a response. “I have a question in regards to that: was she always evil? I mean, right off the bat?”

“No; I mean, she started like she was now, but progressively, she got worse.”

“Perhaps you should considered her heroic deeds. Do they negate her darker needs?”

“What you mean? Like, does her evil outweigh what good she’s done?”

“That is exactly what I am trying to say. She was bad as Nightmare Moon, but was she always that way? Think of if it happened to you. Would everyone forget all your good, too?”

“No... no, I suppose she was not. Before she became Nightmare Moon, she was doing her best to try and save everypony. This study has shown me that, while powerful and long lived, no pony is infallible, not even Princess Celestia.”

“The goal is not always to avoid failing what you do; what is done to atone for it is important, too.”

“She helped stop Discord, two Dragon Wars, and who knows what else in the course of her eight thousand years of life. Well, eight by my count; I don't know for sure. The only really bad things she had done have been as Nightmare Moon, and that’s just been nonstop.”

“Then you may indeed see the plight. How much dark will it take to erase the light?”

“You're right, Zecora. I suppose I am looking at this from the wrong side of things. I went into this knowing I was going to see the worst of what went on a thousand years ago. It would explain why Luna was so reluctant to let me pry into her past. She is still feared by so many still, though she tries to be non-threatening.”

“It is difficult to live in peace when all one knows is strife. Since her return, she has had a hard time adjusting to her life.”

“I know, I know, I get it. I guess I just need to finish to find out everything. I really should not be surprised anymore; this is not the most horrible thing I have seen...”

“Since you seem to be short Spike, I can help you with this, if you like.”

“I really don't want to bring someone else into this story. Spike seems to think it is causing problems with other ponies.”

“Well, I am not a pony, as you can see. You need not worry about an opinion from me.”

“That would help, I suppose . Alright; just this once, though. I don't think the princess wanted everypony to know the stuff from her past.”

“I doubt Princess Luna would mind me much, but there are other things to read here besides history and such.”

“Well, okay...”

Twilight showed the zebra the spell-canceling trigger she had set up for the others to use, as well as showing her where the bathroom and kitchen were in case she wanted something. She waited for the zebra to get settled in before she trotted to the table, looking down at the sword.

The end of this story was close. All that was left was to see how everything was going to play out in the finale. She simply hoped she could stomach the rest and hoped her opinion of Luna would not get much lower. She cast the spell, slipping into the world of stars and then into the mirror of Jer'rahd.

Bleu soars over the Everfree Forest towards Ponyville. Jer'rahd stood on her back, staring at the rising pillars of smoke from the settlement. Starfall and Lion Heart flew along beside the dragon.

As they drew closer, screams and roars filled the air. Looking down, the town was scattered with bodies; most of them were ponies, though a few half-dragons and other creatures dressed in Lunar Republic armor lay dead as well. Griffons armored the same way flew in the air with pegasus Guards, dive bombing any townspony fleeing their burning home and ripping them apart. The entire town was on fire; only the great tree Celestia had planted near the town’s center seemed to remain untouched by the violence.

“Starfall, Lion Heart, get those pegasi to stop. Bleu take me to that group over there near the guard tower. They are likely the commanders of this raid. I want this stopped now.”

The groups split off one another as Jer'rahd and Bleu winged towards a large group of ponies directing a siege against the Royal Guard tower at the edge of town.

=======================================

[One hour earlier.]

Rhede and Velkorn had exited the cave quite some time ago and were still following the tracks of the force that had left there. Rhede and Velkorn both had gotten over the shock of what they found, realizing that the small pit could not have contained the bodies of every foal that was missing.

Rhede noticed the tracks seemed rather organized for a random collection of monsters and prisoners; it was almost a proper military formation. The side path eventually joined up with a larger dirt road that was the highway between Winnysor and Ponyville. Rhede's eyes narrowed a bit, seeing the massive set of other tracks that were joining the first, though the new set was mostly pony.

The hard-packed dirt of the road would make tracking one or two hard, but the size of this group was quite easy to follow; granted, it was also clear they were headed to Ponyville. He looked up into the afternoon sky through an opening in the tree, his blood running cold at the smoke filling the air. Rhede and Velkorn galloped faster, hoping to get there in time to do something.

======================================================================

[Present]

Bleu dipped low, allowing Jer'rahd to leap off her back before she flapped up into the air again. The unicorn charged towards the group, seeing Oroboros looking up at the tower as a hydra smashed against the stone, trying to get at the ponies within. Clearly thinking the charging unicorn was a threat to the leaders, a flock of six griffons dove to attack him.
The Waning Moon was only seen being returned to its sheath as their bodies hit the ground around him.

Oroboros heard the screams of the birds and glanced towards the sound idly, taking note of the approaching pony as if he was unconcerned with his approach. He muttered something to the other cult members around him, who simply stepped out of the way.

“Greetings, General; nice of you to show up finally, we have the last of the resistance cornered and we shall be purging them rather soon.”

“WHAT THE BUCK IS GOING ON HERE, OROBOROS?!”

“I would think that would be obvious, even to a mentally inferior subject such as yourself. we are destroying a threat to the Lunar Republic, just as you instructed us to do.”

“These ponies are not a threat to us!”

“I beg to differ. There were far too many Canterlot sympathizers here. They even had their own division of Royal Guards stationed in this place. Clearly, a threat this close to Winnysor needed to be dealt with quickly; it was the perfect staging ground for the enemy to attack us.”

“Canterlot does not agree with us, but they are not the enemy!”

“They are, now, General. The sooner you realize this was going to happen anyway, the sooner you will know this was a sound tactic and that we strike first.”

“Call off this attack and get back to the castle.”

“The attack is already over, General. All that is left is...”

“NOW!”

Oroboros shrugged lightly and nodded to his troops, who darted off in all directions to stop the attack. “By your command, General, at least for the moment. With the lack of foresight you have and this misguided sympathy for those who should be beneath you, I doubt you will remain such a rank for much longer.”

“Get back to the castle; I will deal with you there.”

“Of course you will. In fact, I am looking forward to the attempt.”

A loud roar cut the rest of his words off as Bleu slammed into the Hydra, tearing through the startled beast as it continued the attack on the tower. She had ignored the heads slamming straight into the body with a blast of lightning and claws shredding. Her tail whipped as she dragged the creature down with her weight, crushing the cult pony that had been guiding it.

“Well, that was a waste of a month’s worth of training. Pity.”

Jer'rahd glared at him as he trotted off, joining the others who were starting to fall back. A massive horde of creatures as well as the regular Lunar Republic forces gathered and started back up the road towards Winnysor. Bleu padded over to him, shrinking down to her pony-sized form and flicking the blood from her claws as Starfall and Lion Heart landed nearby.

“Lion Heart, that was nearly all of our forces. I thought I told you to keep the new half-dragons out of the fight?”

“I am only a Commander, General. The Colonels overrode my orders. Only the half-dragons that I brought with me, your Shadowbolts, and the remaining members of the 42nd remain at the castle.”

“Looks like they managed to convince the prisoners to help them. There's quite a few monsters in that group, too, and I don't mean the minotaurs.”

Jer'rahd glanced back, spotting a red pony and a zebra tearing into town. Rhede ignored most of the destruction, heading straight for the Pelt house, but he stopped and rushed towards the four of them as Velkorn yelled at him.

“JER, WHAT THE HELLS HAPPENED HERE?!”

“Oroboros happened.”

He looked up at the tower as a few bricks fell from the side of the ruined structure.

“Oh hells, where is Maw? Where is anypony?!”

“I am not sur...”

“RAHHH!!!!”

The sudden cry behind him caused Jer'rahd to whirl about, his magic gripping his blade and lashing out more on instinct that anything else. The blade slashed through the spear aimed at the back of his head and the battle-worn golden armor of the pegasus attacking him. His eyes widened and he stopped the blade before it completed the slash, though the already-injured pony crumpled from the attack.

Rhede offered a curse and Jer'rahd's eyes widened in shock as well. Wedge glared at him, his destroyed spear gripped tightly in his wing, still trying to attack Jer'rahd before the spear fell to the ground and the pony coughed a gout of blood on the unicorn’s hooves as he fell.

“Bucking traitor...”

Jer'rahd stared down as the pegasus slipped from his blade, falling to the ground at his hooves. Velkorn rushed over to check him, all but tearing free the armor to try and patch the pegasus up. After a moment, though, she simply sighed, rising back to her hooves with a shake of her head as a wail emerged from the door of the tower.

Fisher made to rush out at them before she was grabbed by two other ponies and held down from charging the generals. A foal's scream announced the presence of others slowly emerging from the tower. A singed and bloodied Maw Pelt stared at the lot of them, Golden bawling on her back. Others moved past her, including a barely-standing Biggs. The earth pony was half-filled with crossbow bolts and one side of his face was so soaked in blood, Jer'rahd was not sure he even had an eye left.

These were the only two Guard ponies in town. Between the pair of them, they had managed to save a rather sizable portion of the town by guarding the tower, and he had just killed one of the heroes.

Rhede's gaze was on Maw. The elder Pelt was crying heavily, looking down at her dead son in law and the screaming of her remaining eldest daughter. Several others moved to bring Fisher back inside. Maw moved a bit closer, urging them back. Faux moved to press against Biggs, helping him remain standing as the Guard pony placed himself between the tower and the Five Beasts, a cracked sword gripped tight in his mouth.

Maw simply glared back at Rhede and Jer'rahd, turning her head to spit on the ground as the tears ran down her face.

“Go back to that bucking devil you follow. None of you are welcome here anymore. The Pelt name is yours alone, now, Blackhoof. Do with it whatever the buck you want. Tell Nightmare Moon that she can have this place if she's so set on it. Git out of here or hurry up and finish the rest of us off if that's yer intent. In either case, Ah dun wanna see any of yer faces again.”

Rhede's ears drooped.

“But Maw...”

“DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN! I DIDN'T RAISE A PIECE OF SHIT LIKE YOU. AH DON'T CARE IF YER TRYING TO SAVE EVERYTHING AT THIS POINT OR NOT; WE LOST FAR TOO MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS HERE TODAY CAUSE AH TRIED TAH HOLD OUT THINKING YAH MIGHT TURN OUT DECENT, AND YER JUST SHIT, THA LOT OF YAH. AIN'T NO WONDER YER DAUGHTER RAN AWAY; SHOULDA DONE THAT OURSELVES. NOW GIT!”

The elder mare scooped up a chunk of the tower with her tail, flinging it towards the group. The stone glanced off the side of Rhede's head, though he barely seemed to notice the gash it caused.

“Bleu, grab Rhede. We need to get back to the Castle. Starfall, Lion Heart, get moving.”

Starfall's wings had drooped considerably as Maw kept yelling at them, with the rest of the survivors joining in along with her in throwing stones.

“What about you?”

“I will be along shortly; I need to make sure all of them left the town.”

Another chunk of stone clattered to the ground, not quite reaching them.

“You gonna be alright here, Boss?”

“I will be fine. They don't have anything that can get past my armor and I have no intention of fighting them anyway.”

“I will kill them......”

“Make sure Rhede doesn't kill anything ‘til I get back, either. I want all of you to find a spot and stay put until I talk to Luna about this.”

“No promises, Boss. I think we all want first crack.”

“I want to know why, first. And you all know, out of the five of us, if Luna needs to be dealt with, I am the only one who has a chance.”

“Provided yer dick will let you, Boss.”

He winces a little at that as Starfall nodded in agreement. Bleu picked up Rhede and Velkorn, taking to the air with the pegasus and half-dragon following. Jer'rahd watched them fly into the air, ignoring the rocks bouncing off of his form. He had not activated his armor, though he turned back, glaring down a young stallion that had run up to try and hit him with a pitchfork. The pony froze upon meeting the gray unicorn’s gaze, trying to backpedal and falling over himself. Jer'rahd looked down at the pony.

“Take every pony you can and go as far away as you can get. Canterlot will not be safe, soon enough. Hollow Shades or what’s left of Manehatten would be your best bet.”

“...Why? Why, should I listen to anything you have to say!?”

A rock bounced off his side, but he ignored it and the screaming and cursing as he focused on the pony.

“Believe what you want, but Canterlot is the next place that will be hit. That is why they attacked here; so there would be no resistance when they start to move. Warn them if you want, but do not stay there unless you plan to fight.”

He glanced back again at Maw and the other surviving ponies as the colt darted away. There could not be more than twenty or thirty ponies left in that tower out of a town that housed easily two hundred before the attack. He hoped some remained hidden and this was not all that was left.

He turned, leaving the war-ravaged group and trotting further into the fire-filled town. He looked towards a blank section of land that still had nothing on it and sighed. He had another stop to make while he was here, and there would not likely be another chance to do so .

=======================================

(Two hours later)

Starfall looked down from her balcony to the parade grounds below, watching the strange mix of creatures mill about. They mostly seemed to be half-dragons and cult members, though she was unsure when thirty-nine cult members became a few hundred. All of them wore a silver amulet shaped like a crescent moon. Some of them she recognized as normal guards.
The monsters were much like the hydra Bleu had killed. There were a few trolls, some bears, and a smaller hydra being watched by some of the cult members. A large two-legged creature vaguely resembling a minotaur crossed with a pony that Bleu had called an ogre sat back against a outbuilding, nearly crushing it under its weight. Rows of blank-faced griffons and Diamond Dogs as well as one young red dragon with the same expression stood in rank and file, staring at nothing.

Velkorn had seen them and cursed very loudly and prolifically enough that Bleu had blushed and Rhede snapped out of his shock. Granted, he suddenly switched to being rather crazy and dashed out of the room before anyone other than Starfall could follow. Oddly, he ran into his own room and started rummaging around in the small library he kept for paper and quill.
Velkorn agreed to watch him, and Bleu stayed with Starfall. The pegasus's eyes narrowed, watching Luna walk amongst the beasts being spoken to by Oroboros and Jester. She really hated that pegasus.

She snorted in anger at the Goddess of the Night's approving nod at the creatures. Bleu, for the most part, had spent the last few hours pacing and cussing in every language she knew.

“This is bucking bad. Really, really bad.”

“No shit, Bleu. I think we can all agree that we are neck deep in shit and doing a forehoof stand. I am with Jer'rahd, however, in that I want answers. This might have been building a while, but this is far out of character for the Princess. What brought this sort of act on? It's clear she knew about them with how she is trotting about on that field, but why did she allow it?”

“Not six months ago she was willing to do anything to protect Equestria, now she wants to rip it apart by starting a civil war with Canterlot?”

“It doesn't even make tactical sense; every pony in Equestria will be forced to choose sides. With the Republic openly attacking a neutral town, most of them are going to side with Canterlot.”

Starfall sighed, walking away from the balcony.

“Think there's something we don't see, Starfall?”

“Clearly. My greatest concern, however, is Jer'rahd.”

Bleu sighed, sitting down in a huff and crossing her arms.

“I know. Boss may have seemed angry while we were in Ponyville, but normally, he would have just killed someone who did something like this, yet he just told Oroboros to retreat.”

“Do you think perhaps he knew about this?”

“I don't know. He clearly didn't know about the attack, but the other stuff, I am not so sure. He has been staying with Luna for so long, he had to have heard something. He was still not willing to believe us at first. If nothing else, she has him wrapped around her hoof. That was what I had hoped for, and now it's the worst possible thing.”

“The trail to Tartarus is paved with good intentions. After this, though, we need to figure out what all of us are going to do and if Jer'rahd will continue to support Luna or not.”

Starfall glanced back out over the balcony, watching as the aforementioned pony trotted towards Luna and Oroboros, saying something to both of them.

“Speak of the demon... Where the buck has he been for the last two hours?”

Bleu moved to the Pegasus’s side to look out as well.

“No telling, but he still seems mad. That’s a good thing. Plus, it seems Luna is still willing to talk with him.”

“True, but Oroboros seems far too smug about that.”

“So what do we do if Boss stays with her, though?”

Starfall sighed, her ears flattening.

“We have not been given much of a choice at this point. We are too well-known as followers of Princess Luna. Our only chance of survival may be to stay with her as well. There has got to be a reason, and hopefully, we can figure it out in time to try and fix all this.”

“I think we are beyond fixing this, Starfall.”

==========================================

(One Hour ago)

“...so that's the situation we are in. We are hated by nearly every creature on the planet, including most of our own troops, who only follow out of fear. My friends are questioning my loyalty to them, and with good reason, the mare I fell in love with may have become the very thing she fought against.” Jer'rahd sighed. “Or maybe she followed the pattern of my life. Luna is dead and Nightmare Moon replaced her to betray me... us... So what am I supposed to do?”

There was no response, save a bird chirping in the distance.

“This is one of the few times in my life I have no idea what to do. I knew I was going to join the Guard. I knew I was going to fight and I trained hard for it. I knew I would do anything to protect my friends, and then the princess I served. Now the Princess I served is perhaps no longer worthy of that loyalty, even though I am far closer to her now than when I was when I swore myself to her.” His ears flattened as he drooped his head. “There is no easy answer this time, no way I can see a happy ending for any of us, let alone me. No matter what I do now, someone is going to suffer because of it. I have done more than a few things I regret since the last time we talked. Honestly, I am not even sure if I am the same pony anymore.”

He kicked his hoof in the dirt a little, shaking his head slightly.

“It seems I either need to betray my love and my duty, or betray my friends and my own morals. Right now, I cannot see myself doing either. I have no idea what I am supposed to do. I doubt any of you even want to listen to this. You have probably made up your own minds on what I have done. I don't think I should expect any sort of forgiveness from any of you at this point either. But still I needed to come out here a last time. Depending on how the next few days go, I will either never see you again, or I will be seeing you very soon.”

He pushed himself back up to his hooves, looking down at the four graves before him. A small bundle of wildflowers rested on each grave, a last tribute to the memorial of the family that was buried here, whether thy still considered him a part of it or not.

“My five friends are the only family I have left. I am not even sure what they think about me anymore.”

He turned, heading away from the gravesite and the Pelt farm and trotting towards the woods and the road leading to Winnysor Castle. No matter what happened next, some pony was going to die.

========================================================

Rhede scribbled the words on the paper, writing furiously as he translated the book. For lack of much else to do and unwilling to sink into a depression until he had revenge on the cult, he had opened the Book of the Blue and started to work on translating it. Luna had done the same when it was first found, but he did not have access to those notes that time.
He had not expected to find anything useful, but the opposite had been the case. The book was insanely informative once one got past the strange writing pattern and the odd tangents into nonsense. The first half of the book was the easiest to translate; it explained the magic required to find the Elements of Harmony no matter where they lay hidden, the same thing they had used to find where The Order hidden them so long ago.

The later chapters, however, were on the use of the Elements, oddly. A strange thing for a god of chaos to know. He was starting to think there might have been more to that one’s story than what was widely known. In the past, they had formed into jewelry, armor, glowing crystals, and even weapons, dependent on whatever will of the stars guided the relics.

He was also rather surprised to find a small chapter on how they extend the natural life of the bearers far beyond what would be normal for their species. Just what he needed: to live longer being hated.

All of that paled compared to what he was finding out now. The books were not mentioned in any great detail, though the connection to the Elements was mentioned several times and not elaborated on. The writing devolved into mad gibbering involving fairy cakes and their value as currency to sea turtles. He did find out that there were six books, at least in the beginning.

The Grey Grimiore, The Red Tome, The Blue Book, The Silver Script, The Purple Pamphlet, and the Teal Text. All but two of them had been destroyed, but it was not revealed how, unless the scribbles about marmalade-powered constructs was it. But it seemed the Book of the Blue was not one of them, oddly.

Translating further, he found that Discord had wished to use the power of the Elements of Harmony on himself to cure something that had been done to him by the books and his former lover. He had instigated the war to force the ponies to do just that, completely certain that the Elements would be able to cure him.

There were more explanations on how the power of the Elements of Harmony could be tuned to cleanse anyone tainted by the books. Unfortunately, halfway through the explanations, there was nothing but a few pages cursing somepony named Jean' Luc and large print saying 'I am the Batman'.

The rest of the book was little more than gibberish that finished with the phrase. 'The sisters are here, finally; perhaps now this will all end.'

Rhede glanced outside to the brightening sky. He had been at this since yesterday afternoon already it seemed. He turned his gaze over to Velkorn, asleep at the foot of his bed, and smirked, moving over to pull a blanket over her and heading to his door. He needed some air and to find out what happened to Jer.

===================================================

“What the Buck is going on Luna?”

“You will address me properly, General.”

“Your bucking pet idiots wiped out Ponyville and I am supposed to be calm long enough to address you properly? The Tartarus with that! Now what the hell is going on? Why did you allow them to do all of this?”

Luna glared down at Jer'rahd, who did not so much as blink from the glare, returning it in kind. The pair of them had made it as far as the throne room before the conversation started. Thankfully, the few servants in the great room had fled at the sight of the pair. This was not a conversation the unicorn was looking forward to.

“I am aware they attacked Ponyville. And while that was not on my order directly, it does progress my goals well enough.”

“We have family there. Most of your Guards are from there. Shit, ALMOST ALL OF THE PELTS ARE THERE . You knew about it and didn't stop them?!”

“I was not aware I was supposed to stop anypony lower-ranking than you. Are you not supposed to be able to deal with your subordinates? They managed to move an entire army under your nose and you knew nothing? If you are not able to keep up with your own troops, perhaps I should find someone who can.”

He growled at the alicorn, catching himself as he did so and stopping, though his ears remained plastered back to his head.

“Do you even know what those ponies did below this castle? That was your decision to let them have it, not mine.”

“They were increasing the size of my army any way they could. While some of their methods were distasteful, as I see no reason we should keep lesser creatures alive, the attack has proven that, if drugged enough, they can indeed be useful.”

“And the foals?!”

“Unwanted children who were little more than leeches on society. They were given a purpose, a better life. The very act of combining them with the dragon eggs aided the existing half-dragons. After the great loss of their numbers during Nightmare Night, this was a way to swell their ranks as well as mine at the same time. I do reward those who remain loyal. Which brings me to you, Jer'rahd.”

She tilted her head, glaring down at him, her eyes flaring brightly, and he found he could not meet her gaze anymore.

“Where do your loyalties still lie?”

“Where they always have: with my friends.”

She laughed, a shudder running along his spine at the humorlessness of it.

“Worthless. There is no point in friends, General. There is little point in those that you know will leave you, or those who would struggle against you. A sentimental folly that I have indulged in for far too long. You all are kept around due to your bearing the Elements, and that you have all been useful in getting the Lunar Republic this far. Do not think this makes any of you immune to my displeasure at your current antics. “

“They are your friends as well. You know that!”

“I have no need of friends. I have need of reliable generals who will do what is needed to ensure victory. All of you can be replaced, even you and Starfall, though with your abilities, I am reluctant to do so. But you are all becoming more trouble than you are actually worth as of late.”

“Why? Why are you using things that, before, you were fully against. The very things you condoned and used as a reason to wage war against other races?”

“Why?”

The Princess paused a moment, as if briefly not sure of the answer herself. Her eyes dimmed to their normal coloration, though they quickly glowed brightly again, and Jer'rahd could almost hear the books himself.

“To truly serve my goals, Kaisur, the last bastion of resistance needs to be removed: Canterlot. I will stop at nothing and do anything to make sure that refuge of all that I am against falls. Celestia has allowed the griffons, the dragons, and any other race willing to stand against the Lunar Republic into her decadent city. The last dragon god is there as well. I know it, and my sister protects him. The Diamond Dogs have sought refuge there. All the traitorous curs who fled the Republic went crawling back to my sister as well. Canterlot also houses a force of Griffons even now. So long as she remains, she will keep this land divided, at war. I will not stop until Canterlot falls, no matter what the cost.”

She was mad; there was little doubt about that now, but she was also correct. This war would not stop until she was defeated, or Celestia was.

“So then, General, now that you know all this, what are you going to do?”

He turned his head slightly, looking away.

“I will need to think about that, Princess.”

“Do not think too long, General. There are others very eager for your position at my side. I am starting to have my doubts that you are even worth keeping as a mate if you are not willing to do what is necessary to make the land a proper place for your princess.”

He did not respond; he simply trotted out of the throne room, the Goddess of War staring after him.

============================================

Starfall sighed, glancing at Bleu, who had paced herself out and fallen asleep on the pegasus's bed. She needed some air, but for once, she did not feel like flying. She had not been able to sleep anyway, and figured it may be a decent idea to actually head out and wander the halls a little, or at the very least, check on Rhede and see what happened to Jer'rahd.
She stepped out into the hall, closing the door lightly behind her as to not wake the dragonling inside. Her ears perked up as the door across the hall opened and Rhede slipped out, clearly closing the door softly as not to wake Velkorn. He looked surprised to see her awake this time of day. Before either could say anything, a echo of heavy hoof falls was hear through the halls.

A flare of red light was the first thing they noticed, though the thick form of the war pony as he approached was easily recognizable. Jer'rahd paused briefly between the two of them, offering each a glance and a faint nod before heading down the stairs away from their rooms. Starfall looked over to Rhede, who met her gaze and nodded as well. He yanked his robes free of his form, exposing his light leather armor and the multitude of blades covering it before trotting after Jer'rahd.
Starfall watched them before checking the catches on her blades and following after them.

======================================================

The doors did not stand much chance against a pissed-off Jer'rahd, and the Prison Guards wisely stayed out of the way in their quarters, running like hell to get away from the three generals that had smashed their way into the lower part of the castle. None of them were willing to inform the trio that they were on the ‘do not allow’ list.

The cells were again empty as they progressed through, though only Rhede seemed to take note of that, as Jer'rahd was too focused on smashing open the doors and Starfall was simply being uncomfortable in the tight spaces.

The door to Oroboros's study was destroyed as well, though nopony was inside. Jer'rahd took note of the egg shells briefly before heading down the tunnel to the larger caverns. The trio’s heavy hooffalls down the tunnel sent a few cult members scurrying away, likely to warn the others that the Generals were coming.

Jer'rahd paused at the entrance to the cavern; the others stopped as well, looking over the room. Rhede sighed softly, noting the corpse of a giant chicken along with several Diamond Dog and Griffon statues along with the first pony it had turned to stone. The trio had not spoken a word the entire trip down here; at this point, they did not need to. They all knew what they were going to do and how to go about it.

Jer'rahd lifted a hoof, motioning for the other two to wait there before he trotted out of the cave mouth and headed towards a group emerging from the large door on the far wall.

Oroboros, Jester, Oak Leaf, and four other cult members trotted across the dusty floor towards him, stopping in the middle of the room. Oroboros remained before him, though the others moved to partially surround the gray unicorn. Jer'rahd's attention remained focused on the leader before him: Oroboros.

“I would like to have a few words with you, Colonel.”

“I would expect so. So nice of you to finally grace us with your presence down here, General... or is that your rank still? I somehow doubt the meeting with the goddess went the way you hoped.”

“This is not about her. This is about you and your little experiments and ulterior motives.”

“Just following your orders to protect the Lunar Republic from anything that might be a threat.”

“Ponyville was not a threat. The foals you killed were not a threat. The Diamond Dogs you set up to be attacked were not a threat, before. You have been drugging our own troops to keep them loyal, and you have done the same with the prisoners.”

“What of it? It bolsters our forces and no one really seems to care. Well, no one important.”

“That you are working so hard to subvert my connection to the Princess is staggering. You are willing to go above and beyond what is expected of you and perform deplorable acts to justify your own ambitions.”

“Ahh, of course, jealousy; I should have guessed. I guess she does like me more, after all. Still, did you figure that all out by yourself, or did your little friend over there help you?”

He nodded lightly in Rhede's direction.

“ Once you stopped trying to hide, I put it together rather easily.”

“Well aren’t you a clev...”

Oroboros did not manage to finish the phrase before Jer'rahd was moving The unicorn whirled on his forehooves faster than Starfall had ever seen him move. Both his back hooves struck out, connecting solidly to the underside of the black unicorn’s chin. The crunch of bone was heard echoing across the cavern and a spray of blood and teeth escaped Oroboros’s mouth as he was flung backwards over his own flank, tumbling across the dirt to smash into one of the iron cages in the room.
Jester was the first to recover from the surprise and his blades were out rushing Jer'rahd. The gray unicorn was less than a pony length away, though he did little more than readjust his stance, ignoring the attacker. Jester barely managed a wing flap towards Jer'rahd when the gray and purple blur hit him. The screaming echo of a half-formed rainboom drowed out all other sounds in the cavern for a moment as Starfall drove Jester’s body into the rock wall, maintaining her speed and dragging the pony's head across the uneven stone as she tore across the room, leaving a red line of flesh and blood in her wake.

Oak Leaf was still staring at Oroboros where he lay, though the other cult members had lunged at the General, gripping their blades tightly. The noise from Starfall all but drowned out the wet thunks as dozens of blades dug into the flesh of the ponies attacking Jer'rahd. Each one would have been a kill shot, but four or five embedded into each of the others.

Oroboros's horn glowed green; the spell washed over him, slowly starting to heal his injuries. Oak Leaf smirked, finally turning her attention to Jer'rahd.

On the other side of the room, Starfall tossed the now-headless pegasus away from her, pulling her blades and advancing on the large earth pony who still stood there as Oroboros rose, coughing out some blood.

“Seems you were right again, my dear.”

The large earth pony smirked as she sidestepped suddenly and lashed out with her back hooves at Jer'rahd's side. He managed to raise a shield, but her hooves tore through it like it was paper. He winced at the familiar headache of star metal breaking his shield just before her hooves connected and sent him tumbling across the dirt and smashing into the stone wall near where Jester had first hit. He was fairly certain something had been broken in that kick.

A blast of magic from Oroboros arced towards Starfall. She dodged the first few shots, but the rapid firing of the unicorn’s spells did not allow her time to avoid them all. A larger blast clipped her side, sending her to the ground near Jer'rahd, her wing partially paralyzed at the spell’s effect.

The large mare whistled suddenly and a rush of griffons, whimpering Diamond Dogs, and the rest of the cultists tear into the room.

“What the buck are you supposed to be?”

“The one who is behind your descent into being one of the most hated ponies in the world, of course.”

“What?”

Another rush of cultists and more Griffon prisoners emerged from the tunnel, forcing Rhede to leave his spot and dart over to stand next to Jer'rahd and Starfall.

“You only got half of it, you bucking idiot.”

The three of them blinked a little, confused at Oak Leaf saying anything aside from a few grunts or nods.

“Goddess, why does every pony always think strong equals dumb?”

“Probably because you let me do most of the talking, love... No hope for Jester, though. Even I can't heal that mess.”

Jer'rahd drew the Waning Moon, looking at the several dozen gathered cultists and prisoners. The prisoners were little problem, but the cultists might be some issue; however, Oroboros and Oak Leaf were decidedly the biggest threats here.

“Pity about Jester, but that's what happens when you try to take on the fastest pegasus alive, I suppose. He served his purpose, anyway.”

“So what in the name of Tartarus is this about, then, Oak Leaf?”

Oroboros snorted.

“Like we need to tell a group of corpses what is going on.”

“Shut it, Oroboros. I have been waiting to lord this over him since we started. Make him know what he brought on himself.”

The black unicorn oddly looked cowed by the larger earth pony, which was odd considering how much of a egotistical bastard he normally was.

“Do you know how hard it has been for us to get to this point? What we endured because of you?”

Rhede snorted.

“No, but I have the feeling you are going to explain it.”

She continued on as if she had not been interrupted,

“For years I followed your media-darling antics, looking for anything to ruin you, Kaisur. It was a chance that was dropped into our laps by the Goddess of the Night herself with this Lunar Republic of hers. Oroboros found out about the books and we saw what was happening. We watched how your actions grew more and more oppressive to those in Equestria, and once the attack on Cindervale was launched, the rest was easy. Equestria was divided and the right words in the right ears spread the rumors like wildfire.”

Jer'rahd was not certain, but he thought Rhede was taking notes.

“It had the desired result: it turned you and your friends from the heroes of Equestria into the Five Beasts of the Moon, hated by everyone.”

“And the point of this elaborate bit of bullshit is?”

“Revenge, of course. Pure, simple, and amazingly sweet.”

Jer'rahd sighed, wondering how many more people bent on seeking revenge on him he was going to have to deal with in his lifetime.

“Great, another one. So what makes your revenge so special, aside from the elaborate and somewhat successful nature of it? Who are you ponies?”

“Jester and the rest are the last members of the Order; well, he was. The group Blackhoof there destroyed and was made famous for. Oroboros is a member of the Bluebloods, a group you nearly ruined with your slanderous lies against them.”

“They are a bunch of simper cowards without a pair of balls between the lot of them. Not my fault that they tried to hop on my back for a free ride of fame.”

“SHUT THE BUCK UP!”

“Oroboros, hold it.”

“Oh goody, here’s the big reveal of why you want a piece of me. Let me guess; you’re the sister of that bitch who tired to kill me? Oh wait, I bet you’re the long lost daughter of Claymore here to avenge your daddy?”

“How the buck did you figure that out...?”

“Oh shit, I was right?”

“Even a broken clock gets it correct twice a day, Jer.”

“Shut up, Rhede.”

“So yes, Demon of Dullahan, that is my reason for seeking to make you more hated than anything you have fought. To drag your name and the names of everyone you care about though so much shit, you would be forever hated. And we did so beautifully, all with the help of your Princess.”

“Great, my world bucked up due to baby Claymore's meddling. Bleu will never let me live this down.”

“SHUT THE BUCK UP! YOU WILL NOT SPEAK ABOUT HIM THAT WAY! I was not content with killing you; I needed you to suffer. You never died a hero, so welcome to being one of the most despicable villains in Equestria.”

“So you did not do anything to Luna?”

“We didn't need to. She was so tainted by the books, anything we suggested for quick power was easily accepted and made us look even better in her eyes, thus ruining her connection to you.”

Jer'rahd growled lightly, wishing this lot had done something to her, as it would have given him an easy way out. His eyes shifted over the group, a small smirk forming on his face that turned into a grin of bared fangs. A few of the cultists shifted nervously at the look, though a hard hoof stomp from Oak Leaf stopped them from running. He glanced back at Rhede and then to Starfall, who managed to rise back up to her hooves.

“Quit being afraid, you dumbasses; Starfall and the Demon are injured, and between Oroboros and myself, they are not even a threat with this many of us.”

“Well, I still have my friends. And we are always a threat.”

“And you will die with them as well. I shall take great joy in skinning that dragon and the zebra as well. Perhaps for a rug or curtains.”

“Now why would you do that? Velkorn's coat doesn't match anything that would go with a rug made of my hide.”

“What!?”

A blast of lightning ripped though half the group of cultists and prisoners, frying them where they stood as the white-hot bolt of energy arced between them. Bleu pushed her way out of the large door behind them, Velkorn having lead the large dragon to the rear door of the cave system for a surprise attack.

Several of the soldiers with crossbows fired them off as they convulsed with the power running through their bodies. The bolts glanced off the rocks around the trio, showering them with dust as they ricocheted around the room, forcing those not hit with the dragon’s breath weapon to seek cover.

Oroboros quickly raised a shield around himself and Oak Leaf just before a glass jar shattered against it, exploding into a billowing cloud of green smoke. The cloud quickly flowed down the shield, enveloping the other cultists and prisoners, who started coughing, rubbing their eyes, and gasping for air as they struggled to get out of the cloud, fighting each other to get away from the thick smoke. Oak Leaf continued shouting orders to the guards, who tried to obey, but were unable to see straight enough through the tears and snot running down their faces to fire accurately.

Jer'rahd whipped the Waning Moon out with his magic. The blade flared blue, matching the intensity of the red and green glow of his eyes. The sword sliced through the shield as if it was nothing, lopping off Oroboros's horn. His magic faded as he screamed, though the sound was cut off as the blade turned in the air, screaming back to finish the job and severing the unicorn’s head from his shoulders.

Oak Leaf roared, charging out of the smoke towards the three, the star metal horseshoes on her hooves kicking up sparks over the stone as she ran. Jer'rahd brought the blade back around as Rhede flung a few of his own. The large pony dodged the smaller blades,\ and kicked the Waning Moon out of the air with a forehoof before resuming her charge at the trio.

“By the stars, what is this bitch made of? Move!”

Rhede, Starfall, and Jer'rahd leaped aside as the earth pony smashed into the wall they were near, punching a hole easily two pony lengths deep into the stone. She ripped out of the wall with a roar, galloping after Jer'rahd. He flung up another shield that she smashed through as she had the others as she closed. There had to be something else done to this pony; there was no other way she could be this tough without armor. He turned and galloped away from her, hoping he could at least outdistance her for another attack, his head still ringing from his broken shield.

A sharp jerk on his tail gave him the warning to lash out with both rear hooves, connecting both hard to the mare’s chest. He winced at the impact to his hooves, feeling like he just impacted a steel wall. Oak Leaf tightened her grip on his tail, yanking back and flinging him into the air over her head. He struck the ground, wincing as he hit the side she had kicked before. Raising his head, he flinched as the massive pony reared up before him to crush his skull. Suddenly, she flew into the air with a flap of large leathery wings.

“ NO! DAMN IT, PUT ME DOWN YOU DAMNABLE BEAST! I WILL FINISH THIS!”

“I don't think so. I know dragon earth magic when I see it, and on the ground, yer practically unbeatable. But your issue is with me, anyway, sunshine. Your daddy killed my sister and I didn't nearly make him suffer enough for that. So guess who gets to deal with all that pent up anger.”

The earth pony screamed as Bleu's claws sank into her flesh, the dragon just managing to fly in the large cavern. Bleu quickly started biting at the pony, ripping off chunks of flesh and skin and letting them fall with wet splatters to the ground as Oak Leaf struggled. The ground under her stained red as the pony was torn apart in the air, the body finally dropped when the head was torn free. Bleu snarled, flinging the corpse aside like a used hanky before landing hard on the ground wiping her claws clean in the dirt. She stared down at Jer'rahd, her maw and neck covered in gore.

“Well, Boss? What do you have to say about leaving us behind while you three decided to clean house?”

Jer'rahd winced lightly as he rose to his hooves and collected his sword. A glance to the others saw the ones that had not been killed laying on the ground at Velkorn's hooves. Rhede and Starfall both moved among them, killing off the unconscious cultists.

“ I say you need a bath, and I need a drink.”

================================================

Jer'rahd sat at the end of the table, doing his best to ignore the others as he looked at the large collection of bottles in front of him and with a slight bit of depression at the empty glass before him. This was the worst time of his life, and the stupid beast would not even let him drink himself into forgetting it. Everything he had killed in his life had become stars and was now conspiring against him.

Bleu was still doing her equivalent of an 'I told you so' speech to him. Velkorn was rambling in zebra to Rhede about something who was starting to lose the rush he had gained that got him through the night and the battle. Starfall was still nursing a charred wing, though Velkorn had said it was fine; it would just feel like it was melting for a few hours.

His own wound was already non-existent, save the pair of horseshoe-shaped welts on his side where he had first been kicked. Star metal was proof against him now as well; good to know. He tipped over one of the empty bottles, reminiscing on the short period of time after his death when a stiff ale would knock him out. Now, he had cleared out the bar and there was nothing happening.

“So Luna is not under the control of anyone. Perfect. What are we supposed to do about that?”

“She is still the one we chose to follow. Even if we turn on her and go back to Celestia, we will not be well-received for what we have already done…”

[“Rhede, why are you not more upset over your family disowning you and changing their name?”]

[“Honestly, I think I am still in shock. I expected it when I first killed the Order. Then again when I took out the Elk. It's going to hit me hard sooner or later, but I just need to keep my focus and I will be at least able to function for a while.”]

“We have to do something. Is there any way we can convince Luna to give up on this?”

“Not likely, Starfall. If she allowed all this stuff, she is already past backing down.”

Bleu sighed and Starfall bit her lip before speaking again. “We cannot let this continue; far to many more would suffer. We may have to try and kill her ourselves.”

“NO!”

The bottle exploded on the table as Jer'rahd's magic slammed it down. He yanked another from the bar without skipping a beat, draining it and flinging it aside before sweeping the table clear of the glass and slapping both hooves down on top of it, glaring at the others, who mostly looked bored with the sudden explosion of rage. He was getting predictable.

“I would rather watch the world burn than hurt her. If you choose that route, I will have to try and stop you. And since I don't want to hurt any of you, either, that would be a decidedly strange confrontation.”

“Well, what the buck do you expect to do, then, Boss? Velkorn, take that bottle away from him. We need a sober love-struck idiot, not a drunk one.”

“I am, unfortunately, too sober right now.”

“Got to be something else some other way.”

“There is another way, but there's a problem that makes it impossible to do.”

All of them looked at Rhede, who, despite being half-awake, smirked lightly as if back to his usual smug self.

“What the buck is it, Rhede? We owe Luna enough to try and save her.”

“We could use the Elements of Harmony.”

Jer'rahd lifted his head from the table, looking at the earth pony curiously.

“Yes, because turning her to stone or crystal is a much better thing to do, certainly not killing her or fixing the problem. That would just put it on hold for a while.”

“Jer, seriously? What the buck is my specialty?”

“Being caught unawares, and chasing mares?”
“Making crappy jokes and lame innuendo?”
“Pissing off Velky?”
“Getting insulted by your friends so your ego is kept in check?”

“No, buck it... information. I read the Book of the Blue. Discord was trying to cure himself of the books’ influence. He started the whole Discordian War as a way to cure himself by making sure someone used the Elements on him.”

“Do you really expect a book written by a mad creature would be the slightest bit truthful? And didn't he just get turned to stone?”

Rhede snapped back at Jer'rahd, slamming his hoof on the table.

“Do you have something better then!?”

“Hey, fluffy ears... Luna is the sixth Element bearer. We can't use the ones we have without her.”

Rhede dropped back to his seat.

“And that is why it’s impossible to do.”

The group lapsed into silence until Jer'rahd finally stood up, moving away from the table.

“Fine then. We go with what I planned.”

“Your plan? What plan is that, boss? You have not exactly been good for anything like that lately.”

“The Princess wanted an easy army for a last attack. We killed the ones eager to give it to her and we need to act now to make sure she doesn't find some other pony willing to do it. Luna wants to take Canterlot. I say we do it for her.”

“That's bucking crazy Jer; that's what we are trying to prevent!”

“No, what we are trying to prevent is excessive loss of life. If we take Canterlot, that will remove all the remaining resistance to the Lunar Republic in Equestria. She will have no more need to destroy any towns or do anything else like that. She will trust all of us completely again and we can shape how we want her to go with her rule for as long as we can. We might be able to turn her back to how she was by giving her what she wants.”

“That is a stupid plan.”

“Like you said, Rhede: do you have something better? If we pull this off correctly, we may not even have to kill Celestia. I may be able to convince Luna to just seal her in stone. Maybe everypony against us could be treated that way. There's a chance that they might be forgiven and let loose later rather than killed outright, thus saving more ponies.”

The group went silent for a time before Bleu spoke up.

“I hate to say it, Boss, but that does look like the best chance we have.”

Starfall sighs,

“Go all in, or cause more suffering than need be. The next place attacked might be where Cloud Dancer went; I'm in.”

“I'm the only one of the Pelts left. Not like I can screw up the name any further. I'm in, Jer.”

“I do not like this plan, but I will help you if I can.”

The gray unicorn nodded.

“I am sorry it came to this point. We all made mistakes and we all are responsible for them, me most of all. The only way to save everyone is to become what they already think we are.”

Rhede's ears perked up a bit as he looked at his friend.

“You don't sound convinced, Jer.”

“I don't need to be convinced. I just need to convince Nightmare Moon.”

Twilight lifted her head, letting the spell fade. She was feeling an odd sense of justice, coupled with a little bit of joy, seeing the cult group die. She felt ashamed at that feeling, however, and did her best to shake it.

What really bothered her was that Discord wrote that he was trying to cure himself with the Elements. Was Discord another one that had been influenced by their power? What did that have to do with his rape of Aviana? Why did that princess steal the books from Aqua in the first place?

“I gather your head is filled with more mysteries. I expect there will be quite a bit more delving into history.”

Twilight blinked, having briefly forgotten Zecora was here.

“Yes, something like that. I am sorry for keeping you awake this long, but I do thank you for your time here tonight, Zecora.”

The zebra slipped off the couch, stretching.

“Helping a friend is no trouble to me, though when you finish the book, I would like to see.”

“I will if Princess Celestia… or Luna allows it.”

“Still having trouble feeling sorry for that one? It may very well be why she never allows her work to be done.”

“What? Yes, I suppose she is always trying to keep busy, even more so than Princess Celestia. Do you think she believes she might not have atoned for what she did?”

“It could indeed be true, though that final judgment, I leave to you. Well, that is enough for me; time to head back to the Everfree.”

“Good night, Zecora. Thank you again.”

Meteoric Iron

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Meteoric Iron

Twilight stared across the table at the Princess of the Night. Luna, for the most part, had been unable to meet Twilight's eyes since she arrived. It may have been the tone of Twilight's voice when she invited the dark alicorn in or the ever-present glare she was giving the princess, but Luna looked as if she was ashamed to be here.

Twilight did her best to ignore Luna's uncomfortable state. The Goddess had come of her own volition for something. The longer Luna stayed, the longer it would take for Twilight to finish her task.

She was about to simply tell the princess to get on with it when Luna finally spoke.

“We gather you have seen some of what we hath done in the past by now. We simply wish to know if you still wish to complete our task or if we should not hold out hope for an outside point of view to the situation?”

“We are not done with the book just yet, but yes, I have seen and my friends have read what was done in the Lunar Republic.”

The dark alicorn seemed to deflate a little more at that.

“We see. We had expected you would come across that before long. We did expect that it would be enough for a change of opinion on everything, though our sister predicted you would not let what was done in the past affect your studies. It is not your studies we worry about, though.”

“I have no plans to stop before I finish this, Princess, but none of my friends were too happy reading that part. There should not be much more left. Princess Celestia mentioned you were stopped while attacking Canterlot.”

“Yes, we were, and that is the crux of our issue. We... I would ask that when you are finished with the story of the five that you continue to follow the path the blade and the shards will show to you. I do not know if it will follow me still to the moon, but what happens after my imprisonment should be of interest to you at any rate.”

“You should not expect that to change my opinion of you right now.”

“I am not suggesting you look into the aftermath for my sake. I did not expect your study to do anything more than show others what I need to atone for. I do not agree with my sister’s decision to hide the truth.”

Twilight tilted her head a bit. “Hide the truth?”

“Have you not wondered why nopony recognized me, and yet you all celebrate Nightmare Night? Why nopony has blamed the royalty for altering the very map of the coastline? Tia made sure it was all hidden. That it was forgotten so that when I returned, I would not have to fight my own past for redemption. It seems that when I allowed an outsider to look into my past, I may have removed all that Tia hoped to accomplish by turning my tale into a foals’ story.”

“Not entirely. You are not on trial here, Luna. Even if you were, there is quite a bit of evidence showing you were not you. A friend of mine asked me when I first started stressing over this if your actions as Nightmare Moon would cancel out all that you did before that or after. Honestly, I am still mulling over that. I am not sure I can forgive even the indirect evil that you caused, but I also cannot forget those that you saved before that.”

“I see. I could not ask for anything more than that.”

Twilight sighed, looking down at the sword between them. The faint harmless blue flame licked around the edge of the weapon in the Goddess of Night's presence.

“Princess Celestia was willing to forgive you. That is enough for me, Princess Luna. I may not have to like it, but that is not what I am supposed to be looking for here. Perhaps if you explained why you are having so much difficulty deciding on whether to free them or not, I could help you more.”

Luna bit her lip, clearly not thrilled with the direction this had turned. “I have a few reasons, really, Twilight. The first among them is that even though I know they did it for my benefit, I am still angry. It is an anger that I unleashed upon them the last time they woke.”

“Wait, what? When did they wake up before?”

“They were awoken not that long ago, but I will leave that for you to witness when you get to that point. If the sword will not show you, I can find another item that was there for you to scry. I could have let them be free then, but I let my anger and the memories of the last time I saw them get the better of me. They were sealed again knowing I was angry and heaped with more guilt than they had before... particularly Jer'rahd. This was knowing that he once again nearly died for me.”

“I really am missing something here.”

“I am sorry, but I am sure you would prefer to find this out your way instead of mine. There is another reason, however, yet it is pure selfishness on my part. I am not sure if my anger is the real reason, or if this is.”

“Fine; one thing at a time. I will check up on that after I finish the main story. What's the other reason?”

“If they are freed of the stone, they will age, and they will die. I will lose another group of my friends and I will be alone again. So long as they are in stone, they will never do any of these things.”

Twilight blinked, her ears flattening to her head. “Oh geez... I don't know how to respond to that one, Princess. It’s not fair to them, though.”

“I am aware of that, Twilight Sparkle. That is why I asked you to help me make the decision. I cannot do it myself.”

“And yet you miss them enough that you still raise the moon from that spot and spent the entire wedding there.”

Luna blinked as she looked at the smaller unicorn, wondering where that information had come from. She smiled softly, realizing it was most likely her sister.

“I think you may be a better influence on my sister than I had first thought.”

Twilight blushed suddenly. “Wait, what?!”

“It is no secret that you two have shared of yourselves... Tia is… not quiet and my room is across the hall.”

Twilight turned brighter red and really wished Luna would leave. The lunar mare smiled a bit more, trying not to tease.

“In any event, I have never been able to follow her method for selecting a suitor. It is not often she allows herself to become fully attached as she seems to have done with you. Granted, she was much more attached to her last one.”

“Her last one?!”

“Be at ease, Twilight. The last love my sister had was a thousand years ago, after I was banished. It was an interesting situation, to say the least. I was only recently made aware of the full implications of it.”

“You really need to stop adding more things to my list of what I want to know.”

“My apologies.”

“You know who it was?”

“Indeed, but ‘tis not my place to say. Besides, that is why I suggested you continue to scry the story. I will not be telling you and Tia supports your study. I do not think she is aware of what you may find. I know when the Waning Moon was finally sealed and for what reason. You should see it yourself when you get that far. Once the weapon is sealed, the next vision should be of the five’s first return.”

“Can you at least tell me how I might compare?”

“Compare?”

“To her former love?”

“I do not think there are any similarities, and to be truthful, I do not wish to think of my sister like that.”

“There's got to be something you know, something she enjoyed about whoever it was.”

“I suppose there is one thing, going by how she regaled me with the tale. It was something she brought up a little too often for my taste that she loved, though it is nothing you can replicate.”

“I still want to know; maybe I can do something.”

Luna smirked softly, shaking her head. She was not quite as uncomfortable now, though the feeling of depression still nagged at her.

“It is warms me greatly to see you wish to do your best to make my sister happy, but I doubt this information will aid you. I suppose, though, if you are able to produce a phallus from yourself as long and thick as my foreleg, you could replicate what she enjoyed. Thankfully, I never sought to learn that spell.”

Twilight turned nearly as red as Big Mac as she stammered at the thought of that.

“I should leave you to your study. I have lingered too long and the moon will need to be raised soon. Please remain in contact and let me know if there is anything you need from me, Twilight. I will do what I can to aid you.”

Luna moved to the door and stepped out, motioning to her Guards to ready the chariot. Her ears perked as Twilight spoke softly behind her. “Do you think you have atoned for your actions?”

Luna paused, her ears flattening.

“Others may think I already have, or even soon will. I do not believe I will ever forgive myself for allowing the darkness to consume me. So no, I do not, but that will not stop me from trying to do so.”

Luna stepped out the door, closing it lightly behind her. Spike poked his head out from the closet he was hiding in.

“Is she gone?”

“Yes, Spike; she's gone.”

“Do you think she meant what she said?”

“She has no reason to lie, and it is clear she feels bad about what she did.”

“I guess so; she was trapped for a thousand years on the moon. That's like jail time or something. Not sure it was enough, though.”

“In any case, Spike, that's not our task here. We need to finish this. Princess Celestia forgives her enough to accept her back as the Goddess of the Night, so the least we should do is the same.”

“Alright, go ahead and get this over with already.”

“You realize all this did was give me a few thousand other avenues of study, right?”

“Wait what... oh no. I should have guessed as much.”

“Yep, this is gonna be a much more common thing as I check out everything else for study. Plenty of notes and dissertations along with hypotheses on everything that I have been avoiding with this story. The magic space, Avaiana, the full nature of the Elements and the books. I have years’ worth of work ahead from this.”

“And that, of course, means more work for me… great...”

“Cheer up, Spike. At least the sword will be gone, as it has little to no connection to any of that.”

“There is that, at least.”

“Okay, here we go then.”

“Just one more question, Twilight.”

“What’s that Spike?”

“What's a phallus?”

“I am NOT having that discussion with you now.”

“What?”

“Into the spell I go.”

Twilight let the outside world fade as she cast the spell. A glance back showed the little purple star that was Spike was still there. He was still mad, but at least for now he was hiding it better. She was still not sure of the true reason he was being bothered. Granted, it could very well be the story. He was seeing the sordid underbelly of history and his race as a whole.
She knew he could believe it after his encounter with those teenaged dragons on his quest. That trip had bothered him and now he was finding out why they were like that.

She glanced to the dark spot in the stars, that area still bothering her. She would have plenty of time to study it soon enough. Looking to the windows that had shown her the Five Beasts of the Moon's tale, she sighed.

This would likely be the last time she journeyed into their lives before their fate met them. She moved to slip into Jer'rahd's window, a bit pensive. All of this was strangely due to Discord. Without his snide remark, she might have never known of these Stories in Stone.

Three ponies, a zebra, a dragon, and an alicorn stood around a large table with a map of Canterlot and the surrounding area in the middle. Chess pieces covered the map at various locations. A white queen rested in the center of Canterlot; hordes of pawns and a few more rooks than a normal chess set would contain sat about it representing key guards and troop formations. A collection of black pawns with a few rooks as well rested in various points around the city.

“Scouting from the air has shown that after the attack on Ponyville two days ago, Celestia pulled most of her forces back to Canterlot, expecting an attack. A few of the Shadowbolts were spotted watching the city, but they managed to get away before any Royal Guards or griffons could be sent to catch them.”Canterlot is simply on high alert regardless. Nearly every Royal Guard is in the city right now.”

“My network reports there are currently three gods other than Celestia residing in Canterlot: the last dragon god and a pair of griffon gods. It is suspected that there are diamond dog gods there as well, but they are keeping to the abandoned mines under the city.”

“Going by Fluffy Mane’s information, they are fielding quite a few things that were created by Celestia's school. We can expect mage cannons and airships at the very least. Celestia's got the war machine chugging away in there. She also has the other nations helping her build it up faster and supply raw materials.”

[“The soldiers have all been given a variation of the drug Oroboros concocted. The effects are the same, though there is less chance of a complete mental or physical breakdown now. If you had come to me first for this, I would have made something that didn't have such a high death toll.”]

“Alright, so we know what we are up against. I have sent the remaining 42nd to secure our assets in the remaining cities under our control. Since they are all ponies, involving them in this attack could bring about more defection. The primary attack force will be the prisoners, the trained monsters, the remaining Cult of the Moon members, and their creations. The Princess can command a large force of trolls and shadow creations to aid in this attack as well. With those additions, even without the 42nd, we outnumber the Canterlot defenders two to one. Here's the plan.”

The others looked to Jer'rahd as his magic picked up another series of pieces, placing five black knights to one side of Canterlot. His magic took all the black pawns, moving them to the rear of the castle to the gate there.

“The shadows and trolls will be taking the main brunt of the fire and they will be the first to attack Canterlot from behind. The gate there has been rebuilt, but it is harder to defend from that vantage due to the layout of the walls and parapets. The goal, however, is to harass and get as many defenders to focus on the mass hitting the back door. This is not the real attack.”

Jer'rahd moved most of the white pawns to the rear of the castle and moved another group of black pawns to the front of the castle.

“After the first attack is engaged, the secondary force will move to attack the side outer garden. This will be the Cult, the monsters, and the mercenaries we have. There is an entrance there that leads directly to Celestia's chambers that Velkorn found. Celestia will know we know about it. When she sees our forces headed there, she will move her own to stop us. This is where most of our mage cannons will be. The goal again is distraction. We want to keep most of the defenders alive if possible."

“Why is that? Should we not simply kill them all?”

“The goal is Celestia. The game is over for the others when we have her. If we kill everything there will be no one left for the Lunar Republic to rule over.”

He pointed to the white queen with a hoof, his magic moving the other pawns to the new location where the secret entrance was.

“I suspect we are represented by the black knights? So what is it we are doing, Jer?”

The gray unicorn smiled, fangs glistening in the light of the room.

“Waltzing in the front door like we own the place, of course. With the Guards distracted everywhere else, Bleu can fly Rhede, Velkorn, and me over the wall with Starfall. From there, we head up the main path to the castle proper. With the castle guard keeping our forces from using the secret entrance, we can simply waltz in the front gate as well. Resistance should be minimal until we get to Celestia.”

His magic moved the five black knight figures to the front of the castle between the distracted pawns.

“A grand plan, General, but I do not see my part in this scheme.”

“On top of calling the shadows and the trolls, you have one of the most important parts, Princess. Keeping Celestia busy and draining her power while we move in.”

“I do not follow.”

“The attack will begin at dawn; all you need to do is refuse to lower the moon. That should be a struggle enough between the two of you, yet you will be safe here and she will be under assault. I am sure the books would be willing to lend you more power if you need it. When she stops fighting you for control of the skies, that will be the time for you to move. None of us know a spell to seal her away, so that will be left to you.”

Jer'rahd moved the black queen to a spot near the castle before the knights and the white queen.

“Why not simply kill her and be done with it?”

“Several reasons, Princess. The first is that she knows more magic and lore than any of us do, including the location of possible allies to us that were threats to Equestria before. The second is that as long as she is alive, we can keep most of the other ponies in line by holding her hostage. There is also the fact that as long as she is alive there will not be another pony god born who might rise up with some strange ability that may be a threat. On top of all that, you will be able to gloat whenever you feel like it.”

The others stared at Jer'rahd, surprised and a little worried he had come up with all that so quickly. Nightmare Moon, however, smiled.

“I see you are doing your best to get back into my good graces.”

“I was unaware I was out of them, past a difference in how we want things to work. There is also my annoyance that you would bother to rely on fools to do what was needed. The five of us have already been through hell and back for you. What makes you think that would change when it came right down to it?”

“Valid point. When does this attack commence, then?”

“In two days; that will give us enough time to prepare the forces we have and get the cult’s monsters and prisoners under control. This also gives time for Celestia to pull back all her forces so we can remove this last bastion of resistance in Canterlot in one fell swoop. After this, all that will be left are the griffons. Tomorrow will be the last full day to ready our forces and move into positions around Canterlot. We will attack the dawn of the next day. We will be well-rested while Canterlot will be expecting an attack all night from us and be on high alert.”

“Hmmm… an impressive plan as always. I gather you have worked past your issue with my previous methods?”

“No, but once Canterlot falls, there will be little use for those methods again. Therefore, there will be no issue anymore. It is not as if there is anything left of the Hollow Shades group’s leadership to do anything more than feed the worms, anyway.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, but her smile grew a little wider. The others remained silent as they stared at the two, not sure if they liked where this was going.

“I see. Effective as always, Jer'rahd. “

“Thank you, Princess.”

“I would speak with you again on other things. Come to my study and we will talk there. The rest of you know what to do, so go to it.”

Nightmare Moon turned, trotting out of the war room, followed by Jer'rahd, who offered a glance back to Rhede. The earth pony gritted his teeth, recognizing that grin as the same one he used every time he left a bar with a mare when they were younger. He was about to say something when a loud click drew his attention back to the table.

The door shut behind the gray unicorn and the princess, leaving the four alone in the room. Bleu cursed heavily under her breath, and Starfall and Velkorn both sighed.

“Delightful; we are back to not knowing if Boss is going to go off for a bit of plot.”

Rhede scanned the table, seeing the faint green light of Jer'rahd's magic fade from a single piece on the map, a small smirk crossing his lips.

“I don't think we have to worry about anything. We all know Jer wouldn’t do anything that would get us hurt directly. I think there may be something else to this plan as well.”

“ Really? Any ideas on what, Rhede? Because I cannot figure out shit.”

“No, I just have a hunch this is not going to happen like he explained it. He's holding his cards close for some reason.”

They all stared at the piece for a few moments until a series of coughs and spitting sounded from Bleu. The little dragon backed away from the table, scraping her tongue with her claws, bits of wood falling from her mouth.

“Bleu, did you just try and eat some of the pawns?”

“They looked sooo tasty, but it was a tricksy trick... they are carved and painted wood.”

Rhede smiled slightly, looking back at the center of the table where the black queen had been carefully laid down in front of the five black knights and the white queen.

==========================================

This was the last night before the attack on Canterlot and Jer'rahd was trying hard to sleep. Luna, or rather, Nightmare Moon lay asleep on the bed as he paced, unable to think of a better plan than what he had come up with. He sighed, looking at the sleeping form of his Princess and smiled. She almost seemed back to normal while she slumbered; it was a false peace, however.

Soon, this would be over, one way or another. His gaze shifted around the room, focusing on the bookcase and the two books resting on it. The source of most of his troubles. There was an oppressive feeling of being watched and judged in the room that he had only noticed as of late. He shook his head, moving to the nightstand to look in the mirror and prepare his gear.

He considered going back into his room once more, but the only thing of value to him still in there was the painting. He was willing to let that go, as he would most likely see them soon anyway.

Fighting Celestia would not be easy, and there was no guarantee he would win even with his abilities. He could only hope they would weaken her enough for Luna to finish her off.

He looked down at the top of the dresser. The Element of Magic sat on the corner in a small jewelry box; next to it was his saddlebag and the items he would be bringing with him.

The star metal dagger, the shard of his grandfather’s blade that had become the Element of Loyalty, the Waning Moon, the patch he received upon joining the 42nd, Stonehoof's drill hat, an autographed image of Platinum, a map of Canterlot, a fragment of bone from a Tank, two gemstone earrings that he had given as a gift to a mare that tried to kill him, two large books of names of the fallen, and one of his father’s medals.Everything that had made him what he was sat on this table, all that had guided him to this point of his life. All he truly had to his name anymore. In what he knew could be his last battle, he thought it fitting to bring along all that he was.

A noise from behind him announced the stirring of the princess from her slumber. He swept everything but his sword into his saddlebags with a hoof. He attached the bags to his harness before sheathing the blade at his side.

“You're still awake?”

“It is almost time to join the troops for the attack. I cannot sleep with this much on my mind, Princess.”

“Considering how you spent your last night, I expected you would fall asleep quickly.”

“I do not find that sort of thing with you tiring at all.”

She chuckled and rose from the bed, stretching her wings and glancing briefly at the books. She smiled softly.

“You are rather determined to do this for me, are you not?”

“You deserve a fitting group of Generals. Let this be more proof to you that we are all that you will need for anything.”

“I shall keep that in mind, Jer'rahd, though you should purge those thoughts of failing from your mind. Your plan is sound; Celestia and Canterlot shall fall. When you succeed, there shall always be a place for you at my side.”

“I have no desire to be anywhere else Princess, but I have no want to rule.”

“And if I ask you to be my King?”

“I would not deny you.”

She smiled again, leaning forward lightly to kiss him. “Then you had best be victorious, as I would not think to take another as such.”

“As you wish, Princess.”

============================================================

Rhede slept poorly. He had spent most of the night preparing and arguing with Velkorn. The zebra mare had fallen asleep on his bed again and he had taken the couch. Even now, with the rays of dawn still hours away, the discussion continued.

[“There is no reason for you to go along with us, Velkorn. You will be of more use in the field hospital; there's no need to put yourself in danger.”]

[“I am more use in case one of you gets hurt. Besides, Jer'rahd has stated that he wants us all there.”]

[“I am sure he would make an exception for you; you are not really a combatant like the rest of us.”]

He rose, stretching, but a sudden impact knocked all four of his legs out from under him, throwing the earth pony back onto the couch with a thud. Velkorn moved swiftly, pressing a hoof up hard to his chest, her muzzle nearly touching his as she kept him pinned on his back.

[“I am a master of hoof to hoof combat, Rhede. You know this very well. My tally of kills may not be anywhere near yours or the others, but that is because I prefer not to kill, though I have proven that I am able to do so several times in the past. I am also the only one of the group who can easily keep up with you. If you are worried about your stupid prophesy again, then you best remember your promise to never let it happen to me. If you do that, you should never have to worry about that vision again.”]

[“I will have you know, stallions tend not to like forceful mares.”]

[“And I will have you know that I know better about your tastes.”]

[“Fine, fine, fine... I give. Don't think that means I am giving in to you, however. You can do far better for yourself.”]

Velkorn looked ready to smack him again when one of his rear hooves managed to lift up to poke her lightly in her side just below the rib cage. Her eyes widened as she stifled back a sudden burst of laughter, yanking away from his hoof and allowing him to roll back upright.

[“Glad to see that spot is still as ticklish as ever.”]

[“Cheater.”]

[“If you know me so well, my dear zebra, you should know I exploit any weakness. Come on, grab what you need. We only have a few hours before we need to be in position.”]

===================================================

Bleu stared at her hoard, her head and wings drooped. She cradled a small stuffed pony that had seen better days. The small figure’s black velvet coat had grayed with age, the silvery hair mostly gone, save a few strands.

With all the fighting, she had never managed to gain her sister the recognition that she deserved. There would be no epic tales of her life; no one would ever hear her voice again. Even the few ponies who knew her were either dead or had moved on with their lives. The only lasting memory that would remain was the Platinum Swan, and with how Equestria viewed her right now, that name might even be changed.

There was no real chance for Bleu to do anything at all to have her remembered. No one would listen to what she had to say. Even if the Lunar Republic won this fight, she could do nothing. She might be able to tell ponies they should remember the singer, but they would do so out of fear, not respect. That was not the way she wanted things.

She did not fault Boss for moving on. She knew he still had one of the few photos taken of her in the things he kept, but she had pushed him to move past Platinum and find some other pony. It took him some time to do that, and even longer to find one who didn't try to kill him, though the last mare he fell for still did a good job ruining his life.

It was only a few hours until they were to move out. This may be the last time she would see any of those things. Though, perhaps she would be seeing her sister again, and she would no longer need these things. She only hoped there would be a happy ending from all from all of this.

She wondered if they would deserve it, though.

======================================================

Starfall stared at the small photo on her dresser. The magic photo moved slightly as she watched a tiny filly being tossed in the air by her mother with two other mares watching, smiles plastered on their faces.

Her sister, Starshine, and her sister's marefriend, Stormsong, herself, and Cloud Dancer. The photo was taken not long after she had graduated basic training. The joy in all the faces present was quite clear. Now two of those faces were gone forever and a third was missing.

Starfall sighed. When was the last time she had felt like that? She had done nothing but rage and panic and go through the motions of living and fighting for several years now. The only time she even remembered smiling was when she could see her daughter, even for the short times she had.

Lately, she had not even had that luxury. She felt more like the emotionless half-dragon Lion Heart every day. He clearly cared about things, but he never showed it. He was more like a rock than a pony.

No matter the outcome of things, she would not give up hope that she could make amends with her daughter someday. She honestly considered it the only thing that kept her going now.

No. That was not true, not anymore.

She actually felt for her friends as well. Even if something did happen to Cloud Dancer, she would not abandon those that had stuck by her no matter what had happened. They may not think she owed them anything, but she still held out she owed them everything.

The five of them had shown her that she could live again beyond just her daughter and beyond the loss of Loc and revenge. They showed her that she might very well be able to move on past her grief some day. At times, she actually forgot about it for a while; forgot revenge, forgot that she was the fastest pony in Equestria and could do something no one had ever seen before, and act just like she was just a normal pony.

Win or lose at this point, however, those days were over. Either they would be killed taking on the Goddess of the Sun, or they would be known the world over as the Beasts of the Moon. There was never going to be a normal day again for them.

===========================================

Jer'rahd stared up at the sky, then back to Castle Winnysor. Nightmare Moon had begun to hold back the day. It was possibly the strangest thing he had ever seen. The red light of the coming dawn continuously faded in and out, making the landscape brighter before the color again faded to the black of night.

He looks over to Lion Heart, who was watching the spectacle with the same awe and fear that Jer'rahd felt.

“Enough gawking, Major. I have a task for you.”

“What is it you need, General?”

“I want you to take twenty of the most trusted half-dragons you have, the ones from Gallopagos, not the new ones, and stay with the Princess. Let nothing get close to her until she leaves. After that, leave the castle and return to your troops at Canterlot.”

“You are not leaving us to guard the castle?”

“There is no point. If we win, we will be staying in Canterlot; if we lose, there will be no one left alive anyway. “

“I see.”

Jer'rahd shook his head.

“No, you don't, but you will. When you get to Canterlot, I want you to round up all of the half-dragons you can, including the new ones, and go back home to Gallapagos Island. Bring the Shadowbolts with you as well.”

“General... wha?”

“Don't argue, Lion Heart. I questioned allowing you to join the Republic at first. That was a mistake; you are one of the best soldiers I have had the pleasure of serving with. Consider my orders as a last reward for this service.”

The half-dragon narrowed his eyes.

“You do not expect to win, do you General? You expect that you will all die here.”

“Not at all, Major. I expect to win; I always expect to win. In this battle particularly, there is nothing that will stop me from achieving victory here. The reward for a victory is too great this time to even contemplate the alternative.”

“I wish I had your confidence, General.”

“You would not like the other problems that come with it. Make sure you follow my orders, Lion Heart.”

“Yes, sir.”

==========================================================

The red glow of the sun trying to rise into the sky gave the white walls of Canterlot a blood red coloration. The five stood on a cliff facing the city, watching as the first set of troops began to move towards the back gate. This was the end of it; the only acceptable outcome now would be victory.

Bleu sighed softly, bringing a small glance from Jer'rahd as she changed size to let the others climb on her back. She hummed softly, closing her eyes, her voice carrying much further than the soft words should have.

“A warning to the ponies, the good and the evil. This. Is. War.”

She launches herself into the air, followed by Starfall, their shadows cast over the walls of Canterlot by the red glow from the horizon.

A griffon in armor looked up to the sky from the city as she guided an older mare into a shelter.

“To the soldier, the civilian.”

A tear fell from the blue dragon’s eye as a flash of Platinum's face crossed her mind.

“To the martyr and the victim, This. Is. War.”

The second wave begins the attack. The Canterlot Guard follow the predicted response, force of the battle shifts to he left side of the city. Jer'rahd grips the dragons spine hard as she descends still singing.

“It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie.
The moment to live and the moment to die.”

Bleu swung low, tearing across the city streets, her wing tips nearly clipping the shops on either side of the cobblestone road. Starfall streaked ahead of her, a trail of light following the purple-maned pegasus. The rainboom exploded, throwing several squads of guards on the ground off their hooves. The energy she built up impacted the front gates of the castle proper, the wood and stone exploding into a shower of debris and rainbow-colored smoke.

“The moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight!, TO FIGHT!”

Bleu sailed through the rubble as it showered the guards on the other side of the gate. The great arching doorway collapsed behind them, sealing the other soldiers outside. Rhede, Jer'rahd and Velkorn leaped off her back, landing among the startled palace guards and striking out quickly before they recovered from the sudden attack.

“To the right, to the left
We will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth
It's a brave new world from the last to the first”

Several guards went flying as the singing dragon lashed out with her tail. Jer'rahd layed out around him with his hooves and the back of the Waning Moon as the others did much the same. With the entryway clear, they moved for the next door and the main hall.

“A warning to the Prophet,”

Velkorn leaped into the air, knocking a pegasus from the sky with a few quick strikes.

“the liar,”

Rhede vanished from in front of a diamond dog wearing an imperial breast plate. The dog whirled around, looking for him before collapsing in a heap. Rhede pulled the hood back, scanning the room for another target, a sap gripped in its mouth.

“the Honest.”

Starfall slammed into a pair of griffons, sending them crashing into a wall to fall unconscious to the ground. She glared at the fallen foes a moment before moving on without finishing them off.

“This is war.”

The group smashed though the foyer door, charging down the great hall towards the throne room. The stained glass windows decorating the walls cast an eerie light over the hall and the charging group.

“To the leader...”

Jer'rahd galloped ahead, the armor forming around him as he smashed through a formation of guards trying to block their way.

“...the pariah...”

The group rushed past a stained glass window depicting Princess Luna before her moon.

“...the victim...”

Velkorn stopped, looking to a servant pony cowering behind an overturned table before galloping on.

“...the messiah.”

They smashed into the last door at the end of the hall, bursting into the throne room. The Princess of the Sun sat on her throne, eyes barely open as her magic flared, trying to hold back Nightmare Moon's efforts.

“This is war...”

=======================================

Rhede flattened his ears. This was too easy. Why would she even be in the throne room now of all times? With no guards?

“TRAP!”

“One that you fell for… brother.”

The last word dripped venom that did not seem to fit the mellow-sounding voice. Rhede did not have time to find out who said it before a huge armored stallion smashed into the ground next to him, dropping from the ceiling. Rhede's eyes widened as he dove to the side in time to dodge the stallion’s strike, the floor where he was standing exploding into dust from the impact.

The others scattered at the attack, whirling about to face the new challenge. Starfall drew one of her blades and dived for the armored stallion, only to be knocked out of the air by a blue blur. She bounced off the floor and slid across the tile, her armored hooves kicking up sparks as she came to a stop, shaking off the impact. Her eyes narrowed as she came face-to-face with her attacker. The mare was dressed in a bright blue armored outfit that was a mockery of the Shadowbolts armor she wore. Like Starfall's armor, her face was covered with a mask and she wore goggles over her eyes. A short-cut white mane and tail were all of the pony that could be seen under the armor

Bleu moved to aid Starfall, but before she could take more than a step, the ground under her exploded and a massive silver form slammed into her armored underbelly. She winced as she was flung into the air hard enough to impact the vaulted ceiling. The plaster and tile rained down with her as she fell back down, impacting hard against the tile floor. She lifted her head and glared at her attacker. It seemed to be an armored buffalo, though surrounding him, almost looking as if it was drawn in the air, was an outline of a giant mole. The image withdrew back into the armor as the silver-armored creature snorted.

A series of crossbow bolts launched from the shadows, forcing Rhede to dodge again. Velkorn spotted his attacker hidden among the ceiling arches and moved to take care of him, but she pulled up short, leaping aside to avoid a kick by a pony wrapped in bandages.

The white cloth covering him was stained in blood, but with the colorations of it, the blood was clearly not all his. Only his amber eyes were fully visible and they did little but show a burning rage. He lashed out again, forcing the zebra mare to dodge once more. His forehoof impacted the pillar she slipped behind, shattering a large chunk of marble from it. He flicked his hoof lightly from the impact, though clearly uninjured by the blow.

Jer'rahd looked back at his friends before his attention turned again to Celestia. He narrowed his eyes as the image flickered and faded away, leaving the throne empty.

A unicorn stallion stepped from behind the throne, trotting towards him and stopping in the middle of the room as the armored buffalo rushed past, hammering into the dragon.

Jer'rahd moved to stand before the unicorn. Sizing him up, a small smirk crossed his muzzle at the armor the unicorn was wearing.

The bone had been polished to an almost metallic sheen and had been inlaid with silver. The patch for the 42nd carved into the shoulder guards had been replaced by the sigil of the Royal Guard. A pair of blue glowing eyes glared at him from within the eye sockets, the muzzle visible under the helm white enough to match the bone.

“I wondered what had happened to that armor.”

The unicorn said nothing; his horn glowed, his magic pulling a silver blade from its scabbard at his side. The blade was similar in design to the Waning Moon, though the twin blades were double sided and straight from the central grip rather than single sided and curved. The grip itself was white and the blade bright silver. The weapon was devoid of ornamentation much as his was, though a golden flame danced along the edge of the blade as the unicorn leveled it before him.
He felt the Waning Moon react to the other blade. Drawing his sword, the edge flared to life with dark blue fire. He stared at his blade a moment before leveling it before him and staring down the unicorn.

“Nice of you to want to do this honorably, so I will give you one chance to step aside and let us see Celestia.”

“You will go no further, Demon of Dullahan. Your attack ends here, as does your terror.”

“You have no idea what you are getting into, colt.”

He lashed out with the blade, his magic sending it screaming towards the unicorn. He was too close now to let some stupid trick stop him. The white unicorn did the same with his weapon, flinging it at the General. Both swords collided in midair...

Twilight screamed, stumbling backwards over her own rump in the starry void. She shivered, rubbing her head with a hoof as the impact of the two weapons ejected her from the scry on the Waning Moon.

What had happened? Did the sword break again? Looking at the window to the blade, multicolored flames flickered around it, though the window remained whole. She looked to the other windows, seeing no change in the shards of blade that they showed. She moved to Rhede's shard, slipping back into the battle.

Rhede was bouncing between the crossbow bolts raining down on him when the explosion hit him. He was unsure what happened, though a blinding light filled the room just before a shock wave hit. It felt like being at ground zero to one of Starfall's rain nukes. He glanced around, seeing most of the others flung about the room. Velkorn and her attacker both seemed to be the only ones to land gracefully.

A globe of power filled the center of the room, obscuring what was going on between the two unicorns. Blue and white fire swirled around the globe as a loud ringing of metal on metal filled the room. Thankfully, the Royal Guard they were dealing with did not seem to have expected that either and were staring at the globe with just as much confusion as the generals were.

After a few moments, the globe cleared, showing the two unicorns braced where they stood, their shadows burned into the tile floor. Both where charred, though neither seemed the slightest bit injured. Jer'rahd’s red and green eyes glowed just as brightly as the two blades locked in the air between the two. The white unicorn’s eyes flared a brilliant blue as he held back the Demon of Dullahan's attack.

“What the buck was that supposed to be?”

Rhede blinked, turning his head to the lanky pony against the wall near him. The dark orange earth pony was clad in black leather armor; his silver mane was tugged back into a long ponytail that draped over his neck, resting on one of the multitude of quivers full of crossbow bolts. A strangely-designed crossbow was clutched in his fore legs.

Rhede's eyes widened upon recognizing him. “Fox?!? What the buck?!”

The pony glared at his brother with a sneer.

“What in Tartarus do you mean ‘what the buck’, you damnable cur?!”

“I mean what the buck are you doing here?”

“Being a proper Royal Guard, you jackass, what the buck do you think I am doing here?!”

“Wait, that means that massive lump over there is Wolf and the pegasus is... oh shit.”

“Yeah, like what you are in for making Maw cry, you monster!”

Rhede rolled off the wall as the spot he was pressed against was filled with crossbow bolts from the angry earth pony. Rhede barely dodged that before the massive form of the heavily-armored Wolf charged him again, destroying another section of the tile floor.

“BLEU, SWITCH TARGETS WITH STARFALL NOW!”

==============================================

“I'M A LITTLE BUSY, FIRM FLANK!”

The wall exploded as Bleu shrank to avoid an attack from the armored buffalo. She flitted up into the air, changing back to pony size and firing off a blast of lightning at the armored bulk. The buffalo turned, taking the blast head-on without so much as a flinch. He lifted his head up and stared at the surprised Bleu, muttering something under his breath. A large pair of black and red wings emerged from the armor of his back. Much like the strange mole outline, the wings did not seem properly real, more like a tribal drawing’s attempts to look alive. The buffalo growled, kicking off the ground and flying into the air with a down sweep of the strange wings.

“OH COME ON!!”

“You think my kind do not have ways of dealing with you thunder lizards? You were our great foe in the first war. Though if you are an indication of your kind’s supposed skill, I do not understand why your race had that honor.”

=============================================

Velkorn leaped among the rubble caused by the armored earth pony, the dragon, and buffalo. The white-clad figure bounded after her using a very similar style to her own bare hoof combat. The white wrappings covering his form were offering a layer of light armor as well as hiding his movements enough to give him a small edge.

Her armor prevented him from landing an effective blow and his cloth made figuring out where to strike him without hitting a spot that would kill him impossible. This one knew her reluctance to taking a life and was using it to his advantage.

==============================

This bitch was fast. Not quite as fast as she was, but damn close. Starfall had recovered her blade and was meeting the mare’s attacks rather easily. Still, she was surprised at the savagery of the other pegasus's attacks.

She had two wing blades and held a third sword in her mouth as she attacked, her white mane and tail cut very short, giving Starfall the impression she either had not been out of basic long or was following Jer'rahd's school of mane care. The latter seemed more likely simply due to the skill she displayed.

The blast had thrown them both into the wall, though the mare was up before Starfall was and commencing the attack. Starfall growled glancing back to Jer'rahd and wondering if he would mind at least one death here, as she doubted this one would relent.

Seeing the purple maned pegasus's slight distraction, the crimson goggles of the other mare glinted as she lunged forward.
The rush was with a greater burst of speed than she had previously shown. Starfall yelped and launched into the air over the attack and slashed down with her blade, scoring the first blood of this match: a deep gash that sliced through the armor on the other mare’s flank.

Her ears perked up as Rhede yelled.

“Switch for what? She's not faster than I can... deal with...”

Starfall watched the mare bounce back from the blow, the armor over her flank wide open, exposing her pale blue coat and a white cloud cutie mark that was shaped like a dancing pony.

“By the stars...”

“Hello Mother... Die!”

============================================

Jer'rahd was quite aware of what was going on with the others and this was an unexpected problem with the plan. Rhede would not hurt his brothers and Starfall would not even so much as touch her daughter. The buffalo was likely Proud Tail and the unicorn Cyan. The only one he was unsure of was the masked pony.

He should have known Celestia would try something to demoralize the group and having Starfall's daughter and one of Rhede's family members fight was a sure way to put those two at a serious disadvantage. She must have had Proud Tail here after hearing about the agreement that was made, though that would mean that the buffalo had already sided with Celestia. Nightmare Moon was not going to like that.

The biggest surprise was the sword and his armor with Cyan. How the colt had managed to get either of them would likely be an interesting story, but he did not have time for that.

His horn glowed brighter, forcing the Waning Moon closer to the unicorn, but his magic poured from his horn, holding back the general's efforts.

“Stand aside, Sparkle; our business is with Celestia.”

“I will not allow you to come anywhere near her while I still draw breath.”

“That can be arranged, colt.”

“You do not know what you are dealing with this time, Demon. I am not the same pony you saved in Manehatten.”

“I am not the same pony that saved you.”

“Which is why I will not allow you near the Princess.”

Jer'rahd lunged towards him, ducking under the blades as he charged. The white unicorn clearly expected this and launched a few energy bolts from his horn while maintaining the struggle with the weapons.

“Does every unicorn in Equestria know how to do two spells at once now?”

He dodged another bolt of power, growling as he used some of the rubble for cover. He was getting tired of this. Starfall was going to be killed at this rate and Rhede was having a hard time fighting his brothers. Time to change things up a little.

“Yer good, colt, but let me show you how this is done.”

He charged at Cyan again, dropping his hold on the Waning Moon and letting it fall. He flung a pair of shields up, blocking both the sword and the bolts of magic. He caught his blade in his mouth as he galloped across the short distance to the colt.
Cyan stepped back and flung up his own shield, only to have Jer'rahd run past him to leap between Starfall and Cloud Dancer, blocking a sword strike from the younger pegasus.

“Black Knight Five to White Knights Three and Four.”

Bleu smirked, dodging a charge from the buffalo before growing to pony size suddenly and dropping down onto Wolf's back. She dug her claws into his armor, yanking at it and pulling sections of the metal plate away. Fox lifted his crossbow to fire at her, but was forced to dive aside as a lightning bolt arced his way. She hung on as the pony started to buck to throw her off.

“YEEEHAW!! I need a hat!”

“Black Knight Two to White Knight Six.”

Starfall blinked snapping out of the shock of finding her daughter. Instinct kicked in as she followed the order, launching herself upward and slashing her star metal blade through the buffalo's magic wing, sending the large armored form crashing to the ground.

“Black Knight Four to White Knight Two.”

Velkorn leaped over the fallen buffalo, kicking him in the top of his armored head for good measure, to launch herself in the air at Cloud Dancer. The tight armor the mare wore would not be much resistance to the zebra's stunning blows. The pegasus realized this and changed her attempt to continue the attack on Starfall, focusing on dodging the zebra.

“Black Knight Three to White Knight One.”

“Oh yes, ‘cause that's such a good idea, Jer; that colt is nuts.”

Rhede galloped past Jer'rahd, bouncing off the buffalo as he tried to get up and shoved him back into the rubble. He briefly managed to attain an airborne state over the white unicorn to unleash a barrage of star metal daggers at the colt. The unicorn raised a shield, screaming out as the blades dug into the magic shield. The backlash of it dropped him to his knees, but the blades did not manage to get past the shield.

Jer'rahd smirked, having called it right. The colt had practiced the same as he did, though it still gave a headache to end all headaches trying to stop a great amount of star metal, and Rhede had an ample supply.

He turned his attention to the bandaged pony, flinging up a shield to stop a blow he was aiming at Bleu. The masked one bounced off of it, flipping through the air to land before the war pony.

Jer'rahd darted towards the bandaged figure as he landed, a grin crossing his face. The pony dodged to the side from the charge, but the Waning Moon smacked into his side with the blade flat, sending him crashing to the ground.

====================================================

Starfall focused on the buffalo, doing her best to ignore the fight with her daughter. She knew Velkorn would not kill her and she was sure that was why Jer'rahd had given that order. Her focus was on the behemoth of a creature before her now. The armored buffalo barely seemed to be phased by the fall or the use of his head as a springboard as he rose up, the remaining wing fading away. He muttered again, inks seems to pour out of the metal armor, forming around him like a new set of clothing, though much more massive. It quickly took the shape of a giant cat, one that lashed out at Starfall following the buffalo's movements. This was an interesting ability.

Bleu was finally flung off the large stallion and was currently scampering across the hall with the massive pony on her tail. She smirked, tossing insults at both the large pony and the one trying to shoot her, along with the occasional blast of lightning. Her main goal was to keep the attention of both of them on her. Wolf was clearly easy to anger and she paused every so often just to make sure he remained on her tail by slapping him across the face with it.

“Now this is interesting; the big ole Wolf is just as much of a tail chaser as his brother HAHA!”

“SHUT UP!”

“Oh come on, you know you want a piece of this sexy thing; otherwise, you would not be trying so hard to get it.”

Velkorn was having a little bit of difficulty; she was keeping Cloud Dancer occupied, but she could not lay a hoof on the speedy mare. Thankfully, the pegasus was cautious enough to not press an attack that would put her in the zebra's reach… which was any attack at this point.

All in all, this was more a stalemate than anything else.

==============================================

Jer'rahd smirked; the masked pony was far faster than he was, and after the surprise attack with the blade, he had not managed to so much as touch the bouncing lunatic. The upside to this was no matter how much the unarmed fighter hit Jer'rahd, nothing was getting past his armor to cause issue.

“DO YOU THINK WE ONLY TRAINED TO TAKE ON ONE OF YOU EACH?”

He glanced back at the yelling unicorn, a sharp pain in his side causes him to throw himself sideways and glare at the wrapped combatant. The masked pony was holding two of Rhede's star metal daggers in the loose bindings at the end of his fore hooves, using them like bladed whips. One was already dripping with blood from the wound he inflicted. It was not a deep stab, but it was more of a warning of what he could do.

“Delightful.”

================================================

Rhede was hauling flank, bits of stone and gravel exploding behind him as the unicorn flung out a barrage of spells. Rhede countered the first few by disrupting them with his daggers, but he found he was rapidly running out of his favored weapons.
Whatever honor duel this pony had with Jer, it didn't transfer over to him.

Bleu winced as a small explosion flung her to the side. A bomb attached to a crossbow bolt had detonated near her. She was not hurt from the blast, but it was more than enough to make her head ring. That brief pause was all Wolf needed to grab her tail.

“Oh shit!”

The massive pony bit down harder, tossing his head about and smashing the dragonling into the ground before yanking her up to sling her into the wall, his death grip on her tail being used as a pivot point to swing her about.
Starfall could not touch the buffalo. Whatever armor he was wearing was preventing her from landing any sure strikes. It had to be thicker than normal Guard plate for her blades to only be scratching it. It did not help matters that he was barely offering her any sort of opening.

The buffalo, however, was wasting no time trying to crush the much smaller pegasus. He was playing with her like a cat plays with a small bird it caught.

Velkorn was wrong. This mare was not trying to stay out of her reach; she was herding her. Every dodge, every attack, was designed to get the zebra to back into someone else's attack or into a clear line of sight with the unicorn. A single blast of magic aimed to her instead of Rhede was all the proof she needed.

This was no longer a deadlocked fight.

=============================================

“Black Knight Four to White Knight Three, Three to Two. Sorry, Three Bear, Two to Five!”

Jer'rahd raised his shield, blocking a knife strike, barely flinching at the feedback as he charged at the armored buffalo.
Starfall pulled away from the catlike thing around Proud Tail, gathering enough speed to slam a blade flat into the masked pony on Jer'rahd before he could doge, sending him flying back into a wall.
Velkorn moved away from Cloud Dancer, kicking off Wolf, who was still slinging Bleu about like a rag doll, staggering him as she leaped at a cursing Fox.

Rhede launched a barrage of daggers at Cloud Dancer, forcing her to veer off from chasing Velkorn.
Jer'rahd flung up a multitude of shields around Sparkle, blocking any chance of a clear shot with his magic until he dealt with them. That gave the group a few seconds of not dealing with the caster. The gray unicorn continued his charge, plowing into the side of the buffalo. Brute force meeting brute force should have been a stalemate or favored the larger creature, but the strange power the buffalo had made him lighter to add to his speed as he went after Starfall. The cat form broke, the ink-like form fading back into the buffalo as he was sent tumbling across the room. He smashed into and through a pillar, landing near Cyan.

Wolf continued to simply brutalize Bleu by smashing her into every surface he could before she finally had had enough and changed back to full size as he lifted her to mash again. She landed atop of him, squishing the massive pony under her.

“BLEU!”

“WHAT ?! THIS SUCKER’S STILL BITING MY TAIL! HE'S FINE!”

Jer'rahd winced as his shields were ripped through by the unicorn’s glowing blade and another series of blasts flew off the pony's horn. He flung up another series of shields, blocking the shots aimed at his friends, but the magic blasts curved around the protection, slamming into the lunar Republic generals.
Jer'rahd shook off the pain of the energy coursing through him as one of the blasts struck home against his chest.

“THAT IS IT! ALL KNIGHTS, WEAPONS FREE! WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!”

“ Jer... it's my brothers and Starfall's daughter!”

“WHICH IS WHY WE DO NOT NEED TO WASTE ANY MORE TIME HERE! IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THEM LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT!”

The Royal Guard had wasted no time climbing back to their hooves to continue the attack. Jer'rahd did not bother to move from the buffalo’s charge. His magic gripped the massive form, turning the charge and then adding more force to it, sending the out-of-control buffalo back at Cyan Sparkle.

The unicorn was quick to counter, catching the buffalo in his own magic rather than dodging, slowing his charge so that Proud Tail was not hurt.

Jer'rahd smirked at this. All the others’ faces were hidden in armor so he could not be sure, but these six worked well enough together because they were friends. He was sure every hit they took was reflected on their friends’ faces. The Generals had been together enough that they knew how much they each could take and were not swayed any by someone taking a hit or two. These ponies were still recruits at best and did not have the experience to ignore any one else's injuries.

===========================================

Velkorn lashed out in an effort to stun the lanky orange pony, who seemed to only barely dodge her. The bouncing around the pair were doing prevented him from reloading his weapon, however. Fox threw the whole crossbow at her, forcing
Velkorn to dodge before he yanked a hood over his head and vanished from sight.

[“HE'S GOT A CLOAK, RHEDE!”]

Velkorn staggered from an impact to her chest. The blow did not get past her armor, but it was enough to know she was going to feel it in the morning, if there was one. The bandaged pony was hopping around, dodging Starfall's attacks while Cloud Dancer was closing in on her mother from behind.

Rhede cursed, seeing the pegasus tear towards Starfall, and he reached for a few of his own blades, finding his quiver empty. His mind raced and a small smirk crossed his lips as he looked to Sparkle. Well, the colt was a noble at one point, here's hoping this would work.

[“JER, THROW YOU SWORD AT CLOUD DANCER! QUICK!!”]

A blue shield suddenly sprung up between Cloud Dancer and Jer'rahd, forcing the pegasus to veer away from Starfall.
Jer'rahd ignored the yelling and charged the unicorn.

Sparkle raised his blade quickly, only to have Jer'rahd run past it, deflecting the blade by throwing the Waning Moon with his teeth. His horn glowed and his magic wrapped around the bone helm on the unicorn’s head.

“I will have my armor back now, Sparkle.”

At the touch of its true owner’s magic, the helm pulled free, bone plates falling with a clatter to the floor around the wide-eyed unicorn. Before he could fire off a spell or fall back, Jer'rahd brought the helm around, smashing the white colt across the face with it. The white unicorn staggered, a gash opened in the side of his head before another blow with the Tank skull helmet sent him crashing to the floor.

“SPARK!”

“CYAN!”

“SHIT!”

“ALL OF YOU, STAND THE BUCK DOWN NOW OR I FINISH HIM OFF!”

Jer'rahd turned back, glaring at the others. His magic gripped his sword, poised to bring it down and finish the fallen pony.

“IGNORE HIM! STOP THEM BEFORE THEY GET TO THE PRINCESS!”

“You all know damn well that I am not bluffing. Stand down and drop your weapons or you will be one less in your little group.” He moved the blade closer, pressing it to Sparkle's throat for emphasis.
“Bucking monster.”

“I have been called worse. Weapons down, now. That means you sit down, Baelit.”

Both Velkorn and the masked pony seemed surprised. Jer'rahd smirked, glad he guessed correctly. The zebra glared at him as he sat down. Cloud Dancer landed as well, dropping her swords.

“Son of a bitch.”

“I wouldn't know; she died while I was rather young. Drop the cloak, Fox.”

Rhede's brother reappeared standing next to Baelit.

“Bleu... get off of Wolf before you smother him”

“You saying I got a big flank, boss?!”

“Yes. Now move.”

“Ungrateful lout.”

“Proud Tail, I don't know what the heck you are doing here, but don't make me go against what I promised your father.”

“I see no reason to believe you would honor anything at all.”

“You are still alive, are you not? You want to keep it that way, stand down. You lot are good, but it’s clear you don't have the experience just yet. If this had happened a few years from now, there’s a good chance you might even have won. Lucky for us, it didn't.” Jer'rahd looked over to Rhede. “What the buck were you screaming over there? You know I don't speak zebra.”

The white unicorn on the ground cursed as Rhede laughed.

“You know your name; that was enough. Curious how you knew it was Baelit, though.”

“I guessed, he would be the only one I could think of who would go after Velkorn first. This whole group seems assembled to take us down.”

“So what now? Planning to finish us off, demon?”

“No. Encountering you was not even in the plan. Besides, regardless of what you may think Fox, we don't kill family. We are only here for Celestia.”

“And you have her now, Demon of Dullahan.”

Jer'rahd looked up from the white unicorn to the white alicorn stepping through the doors at the back of the ruined throne room. Golden armor covered her form, a brilliant mirror of the dark armor Nightmare Moon wore. It crackled with golden flames that danced around her form, illuminating the room almost too brightly to look at.

Jer'rahd smiled, fangs bared.

“Velkorn, tend the unicorn here. He took a rather hard shot. Looks like we have the Princess in check.”

He tossed the skull helm away, approaching the glaring princess. He picked up his sword with his magic, stopping at the foot of the dais that the two thrones sat upon, somehow untouched throughout the combat.

He ignored Rhede's whistle and comment about the Sun Goddess’s flank, his gaze yet to leave the princess’s.
Celestia's eyes seemed to cast their own light, little flames licking from the edges. Her horn continued to glow as if she was still fighting back Nightmare Moon's power. He slipped the Waning Moon into its scabbard leaving the clasp open to quickly draw it if need be.

“You should know, Kaisur, that just because you put the queen in check does not mean it is checkmate.”

“And you should know that after finding out you cheat to win, I have no hesitation about doing the same.”

Celestia tensed, taking a small step back as his armor slid from his form, retreating into the Element of Loyalty that hung about his neck. There was no way she could deal with the beast with in him and her sister at the same time.

Her eyes widened as he sank down, kneeling before her, his head dipping, horn nearly touching the ground. Every face in the room had the same confused look as Celestia had, with the exception of Rhede, who simply had the largest grin anyone had seen him wear.

“Princess Celestia of Equestria. We, the Generals of the Lunar Republic, have come to ask your aid in stopping Nightmare Moon.”

======================================================

Velkorn helped the white unicorn back to his hooves after making sure Jer'rahd did not give him a concussion. He fought her and struggled to pull away, grabbing for his blade with a wince as he rushed to place himself between Jer'rahd and Celestia.

Starfall sighed, turning her attention to Cloud Dancer who pointedly ignored her mother. Bleu shrank down to her small size but remained sitting on Wolfs back, still teasing him. Fox reloaded his crossbow, seemingly ready to open fire again if this was a trick.

Rhede, of course, simply looked smug, as he knew something was up and Velkorn really wanted to slap that grin from his face.

The other, Baelit, moved to check on Cyan as well, ignoring the unicorn's urging that he was fine. Velkorn noted her nephew also was placing himself between Celestia and Jer'rahd and was focusing more on the general than on his own friend.

============================================

“Forgive me for not believing you, Kaisur, but one bearing the Element of Loyalty should not so easily turn on the one they are beholden to.”

“I swore to Princess Luna. Nightmare Moon is not Princess Luna. She is there somewhere, mind you, but not fully in control anymore.”

“Seems you were right on the books being a corruptive influence, Princess.” Celestia looked up to Rhede as he spoke. “Pity we did not catch onto that ‘til now. Though if he is going for the plan I think he is, then this is not over by a long shot.”

“What do you mean?!”

“Rhede found a way that we can cure her from the corruption of the books. The Elements of Harmony are theorized to be able to purge said corruption.”

“That may be, but Luna is the Bearer of Magic. To use the Elements, you would need all six bearers.”

“Am I correct in assuming you have wielded Magic before, Celestia?”

“I have wielded all of them at some point in my life, Kaisur.”

Jer'rahd smiled, letting out a long draw of breath he had not known he was holding. His horn glowed as he opened his saddle bag, pulling a dark crown from its confines and holding it up to Celestia. The Sun goddess's eyes widened further.

“Would you be willing to do it again to save your sister?”

Her eyes narrowed as she looked around the room at the others, focusing on the members of the Lunar Republic.

“I still do not trust that this is not a trap.”

“It is, just not for you. The signal for our defeat of you was that your fight over the day stops. When that happens, Nightmare Moon will show up to where we are. We need to be ready for her at that point. I don't care if you trust anything else I say; you should know that I am here to save Luna before everything else. If I thought a way to do that involved destroying you and Canterlot, it would have already been done, as I simply would have turned loose the Beast on the city. This was the best way I could come up with.”

“Fine then, Kaisur. What is your plan?”

“How long can you hold out against her keeping the moon raised?”

“For some time longer. She is expending more energy than I am.”

“Good. That gives us time to sort things out in case this fails horribly and she kills everyone.”

“Well, that is optimistic, Kaisur.”

“It is realistic, Celestia. Despite your assurance that you have more power than her right now, that is only due to the fact she is saving her energy as well. Starfall, Rhede, Velkorn, I figure you three need to have some talks with some ponies. Bleu... take Proud Tail and get something for us to eat.”

“Food, Boss? Yer kidding.”

“No; make sure it’s one fit for a last meal.”

“Geez, soo depressing.”

“Proud Tail, take Bleu to the east kitchens.”

“East kitchens... is that not where...”

“Yes. I have my reasons; now go.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“I do not like that you are spacing us out, Demon.”

“Do you have a better plan, Sparkle? Besides, they need to sort things out while there is still a chance, and I need to talk to Celestia without them present. I doubt I will get rid of you, however.”

“No, you will not, but you will leave your blade here if you wish to speak with her alone.”

“Fine.”

Jer'rahd drew the blade and laid it across the cushion on the throne of the night before starting to walk past the other two towards the hall leading to Celestia's study. Cyan raised an eyebrow, surprised that the general disarmed so quickly. He looks to Celestia, who nodded lightly. The white unicorn picked up his own blade before the pair turned to follow, the white unicorn making sure to stay between the Princess and the General.

=======================================================

“A freaking food run. Why the heck am I going on a freaking food run? Fer crying out loud, I'm not a cook! I burn water!”

“Do you shut up?”

The buffalo snorted in annoyance at the dragonling, who had opted to sit on his back the whole trip down to the kitchens. There was a war waging outside and he was ordered to escort one of the enemy generals to get food. This was humiliating.

“Not normally, no. So then, thick head… if your dad dies, does that make you chief, or are there others that could get it?”

Proud Tail stopped dead, flinging the little dragon off his back and glaring down at her as she rubbed her tail from the fall.

“You dare threaten my father!?”

“That wasn't a threat, you tonnage of hamburger, that was a question. Last I heard he was not doing too well at all.”

“It is none of your concern, lizard.”

“Fine be a pain in the ass. See if I care. Let’s get some food and get back before something stupid happens.”

“While I agree with that, if barely, your boss may have sent you for food, but Princess Celestia did not.”

“What, this some sort of double cross? Wait, if we crossed Luna and then got crossed by crossing is it a triple cross…?”

“IT IS NOT AN ANYTHING CROSS.”

“What in the world is this yelling about?!?”

Bleu turned her head, looking to the door of the kitchen as it opened. The spines along her back rose like hackles on a cat at the massive blue scaled head that poked out the door.

“Holy buck.”

“Ahhh, I gather since she is with one of the Guard, and at least somewhat peacefully, that something interesting has happened?”

The buffalo smirked at the expression on Bleu's face as she looked up to the visage of the last dragon god.

===========================================================

[“So why did you do it?”]

[“And what are you blaming me for this time, Baelit? The killing of the god? The experiments using my notes? Siding with Luna only to turn on her?”]

[“Actually, I was going to ask why you stuck to Rhede like flies on honey, but those are good questions, too.”]

Velkorn smiled a little, sighing.

[“Rhede is an interesting case. Despite what you know about him and what he has shown, he is far more complex than he seems. Far more worthy of what he denies than he seems to realize.”]

[“And the other things?”]

[“The god, you know why; the experiments were not mine, and Luna is... was a friend. “]

[“Do you know what sort of problems you have caused in our homeland? The mess you made for me to try and clean up?”]

[“I did nothing but follow the rules and judgment I was given. I did not foresee, nor control, any of this happening. Why anyone would kill others in my name goes against everything I worked for while I was queen.”]

Baelit took a seat next to her.

[“And yet here you are assaulting the castle with the others.”]

[“No one has died from our attack to get here. At the time, it was the only choice offered to us. To end the war, we needed to stop one of the goddesses. I did expect we would be fighting Celestia, not working with her, however. I find this choice much preferable.”]

[“I did not expect that Jer'rahd would choose Celestia over Luna.”]

Velkorn shook her head.

[“He did not choose Celestia over Luna. Her actions have shown she is no longer the princess we knew. The one he turned on was, as he stated, Nightmare Moon. He still hopes to save Luna from her; I am sure of this.”]

[“Let us hope that he is as honest with his intentions as you seem to think he is. He has been touched by the books as well. He may not be the same pony you once knew.”]

[“None of us are who we once were. No matter how much Jer'rahd has changed, his stubbornness and single-mindedness to a goal are the same, as is his loyalty. If he says he is willing to do this, then he is.”]

============================================================

“So what am I supposed to say?”

“I would prefer you did not say anything. Turning on the one you followed now after the hell you put this world through is not going to change anything. You have still managed to bring about nothing but suffering with your revenge. This will not be enough to unsully my father’s name either. You have dragged the name Silvertail through shit. Do you have any idea what sort of grief I received from others, or what I had to go through after signing up for the Guard?”

“No... no I don't...”

Cloud Dancer stared at the pegasus before her, a mare she used to think of as a mother, though now all she saw was a monster. The sooner Celestia finished off Luna, the sooner she could destroy this thing that sat before her and put an end to her own suffering.

=======================================================

“Fine, go ahead, lay the guilt trip on me. I know that’s what you two are planning to do anyway. How you joined the Royal
Guard to put an end to my sullying of the family name and all that. Just spit it out and get it over with already.”

“Doesn't sound like we need to, Rhede. You're spelling out everything we wanted to rant about anyway.” Fox looked over the odd crossbow, checking the damage, though Rhede was sure he was only doing so to have it ready to fire at him the moment he tried anything.

A hollow echo of a voice came from inside the armor of the pony standing next to the reclining Fox. Wolf had grown up massively and was taller than Rhede by the time he was fifteen. Four years later, and in armor, Rhede was surprised he fit through any doors.

“You made Maw cry, Rhede. That is more than enough for us to want you destroyed.”

Rhede snorted. “I probably did that more than she was willing to admit. She hit me with a brick, you know, last time I saw her. A bucking brick.”

“And?”

“And nothing... But if she had tried to do more than that, I would have let her.”

Fox and Wolf glanced to each other. “If you are looking for sympathy from us Rhede, you won't get it.”

“Good. I don't deserve it at this point, but what’s done is done, and I will not make apologies for things that I did. At the time, it was the choice I made. Wrong or right, I made the choice and I will back up that choice no matter how wrong others consider it. While I regret how things turned out from those choices, I cannot say I would have done anything different if the chance to do them again came up. Those choices got me this far in life and in many cases even the bad ones wound up with good results, just like this is turning out to be.”

“Typical ego there, Rhede.”

“Pfft. Without that, what am I? So tell me, did you join the Guard to get back at me or to pick up mares?”

Fox snorted, barely holding back a laugh, and Wolf simply shook his head.

“Fox joined for the mares, but I still get more of them.”

“Only ‘cause the mares seem to like them big and dumb.”

Rhede smiled slightly at the bickering, rather enjoying this brief respite, though he knew it would not last.

=====================================================

“So why did you wish to speak with me alone, Kaisur?”

Jer'rahd moved over to the fireplace, looking at the four chess pieces residing on the mantle: a black knight and queen, and a white knight and queen. He looked back at the unarmored white unicorn and his cutie mark. It was a polar opposite of his own: a golden shield with a white chess knight on it. He smiled slightly at the sight of it, which only made Sparkle scowl harder.

“Following a little to close after me, I think, colt.”

“Kaisur...”

He looked up to the annoyed face of Celestia, his smirk fading. This was the crux of the issue that he had been considering here.

“What are you going to do when she is cured, Celestia?”

“What?”

“Luna... if this works and Nightmare Moon is no more, what are you going to do? I seriously doubt after all this, the other nations of the world are simply going to think everything is alright and go back home peacefully.”

“You are correct. They will want her head.”

“You, of course, will not let that happen, with her being your sister, and therefore, the other nations will be alienated and we will be back to square one in our relationships with other races.”

Celestia bit her lip a little. “It should not come to that.”

“You know it will, Celestia. Even if she is cured, she would not be able to do anything for a long time without fear of starting another war. Buck, her very continued existence might start wars.”

Celestia sighed. “I am aware of all this, Kaisur. Why are you so intent on dashing the little bit of light that you managed to bring into this situation?”

Jer'rahd sighed, shaking his head. “I am not dashing that hope, Celestia. I am cementing it.”

“How so?”

“When she is cured, you will blame everything that has happened on me.”

Celestia's ears perked and Cyan's eyes widened.

“Again, I think I am missing something, Kaisur.”

“I do not see how, but I will use smaller words if you like, colt. I did nearly smash your head in earlier.”

“Do not push your luck, Kaisur.”

“Heh, at any rate, the other races want a scapegoat; a target for all that has happened, some pony to blame who can be brought to justice and punished for the crimes and slights that have been committed and have been perceived to be committed. Rather than let Princess Luna take the blame for anything, I am willing to accept all of it.”

“Do you really think they will believe one unicorn could accomplish all that has happened?”

“Why not? I went from nothing to a General in under six years, I kept an army from taking over a single keep with barely any force ready to repel the invaders, and I was personally invited to be a member of Luna's Royal Guard. I somehow managed to become a Bearer of an Element of Harmony despite my utter contempt for nearly everything and everyone that did not agree with me. Even without all that, both Claymore and Mustang showed that it could easily be done."

“Kaisur, you know two spells. No one is going to believe that with just...”

“Three.”

“What?”

“I know three spells. The last one allows me to turn into the beast. That power is well known from rumors and confirmed sightings among the Dragons, Griffons, and Diamond Dogs that escaped from the star metal crater, not to mention the members of the Guard that were there to see me climb out of that pit. Why would it be so hard to think that somepony who can do that does not have a way to influence a Goddess? I have killed more gods in my stint as a Guard than anyone likely even knew existed. You could say I stole the sun and put it in my saddle bag and everyone would believe it at this point.”

“Jer'rahd you realize that if you do that, you will be killed. It is not as if you could be put into the garden; they will want your blood.”

“Luna will be safe and my friends will be safe. Honestly, I would say that's a fair trade for all the crap that we have done. Just to only lose one of us.”

“She will not like it.”

“I know. This could be another Hooper situation, only this time, she will have the others to help her get over it. With someone else to blame, Rhede can spin something and perhaps be forgiven by the Pelts... or at least Maw. Velkorn might have the chance to stop the civil war in the zebra lands with Baelit's help. Starfall may even be able to come to some sort of terms with her daughter. Bleu... you will need to watch her. Hopefully, she and Luna will manage to keep each other distracted long enough to get on with their lives.”

“...This is something you have thought about a bit too long, I think, Kaisur.”

“Someone was going to die in this. I knew that from the start, though whether it was going to be you, Nightmare Moon, or me was the only thing I had not figured out. Since I would not kill Nightmare Moon because she could still be saved, that only left the two of us. We both know this is the best case scenario right now. One death to save five lives and keep the peace in the world. Fair trade. I will go to the chopping block smiling if I know the others will be safe.”

“Your friends would not agree.”

“Of course not; that is why I needed to talk to you alone. There are some last things, however. “

“And what are those?”

“When Nightmare Moon makes her move to come after you, the half-dragons are going to leave, along with the Shadowbolts. You should let them go; they will be leaving the Republic at that point as I ordered. The remaining members of the 42nd that fought in the last dragon war are currently all in position around Dullahan base camp. They are likely going to stay there. Don’t let these other idiots wipe them out; they are some good ponies who were loyal to the wrong team. You can most likely still talk to them. Major Dutch is in charge of that operation and Lion Heart is leading the half-dragons and Shadowbolts.”

“I see.”

“One more thing.”

“What is that?”

“Make sure the ax that takes my head is star metal, or my head might grow back.”

=================================================

Bleu had changed size and was now staring at the dragon god eye to eye. Wisp Wing had also not moved from the door and was staring at the somewhat smaller dragon. Proud Tail wondered if the pair were going to fight or just stare at each other. After only a few moments, he had enough.

“Princess Celestia sent her to this kitchen, Wisp Wing.”

“Oh... why?”

“Do you think I know that crap? She told me to come down here with the dragon, so I came down here with the dragon. Do I look like I can read the mind of an alicorn? Do I look like some spellcasting pony with a crystal ball or a deck of cards here to predict what the motives are behind everything?”

“You still have anger issues. You brought her here; now you can leave.”

“I am not letting her run about the castle unescorted.”

The larger dragon rolled her eyes, something Bleu almost broke into a smirk over.

“Fine. Sit here and be a good buffalo. I did not expect the company, but I would like to have a few words with this one. Celestia knew that, I suppose.”

“I do have a name.”

“It was granted to you by a pony and therefore does not count to dragons, whelpling.”

“Like I give a buck what dragons think of my name. It was given to me by someone I cared about. There's only three reasons I am not gutting you right now, Wisp Wing, if nothing else but for the insult you just slapped me with”

“Oh? I gather one has to do with why you have been allowed back in the castle with minimal guard.”

“Good guess; we have something going on with the princess.”

The larger dragon nodded.

“I expected as much; the other reason has to do with my son and his connection to your partner?”

Bleu's eyes narrowed as Proud Tail got more confused and angry. They both were guests for the moment, so he could not just smash them. However, there was also the fact these two were very large thunder lizards, both of them ready to fight. The better choice would be to sit back and stay out of the way.

“So she told you, did she?”

“Considering the situation, it was something that should have been brought up well before. Suffice to say that makes it that much harder for me to deal with after Cindervale. Your existence simply adds to that stress.”

“Oh?”

“Starscream was my daughter.”

Bleu blinked slowly, letting that sink in. When it finally clicked, she glanced back over her shoulder in the general direction of the throne room and Jer'rahd, muttering to herself.

“Holy buck. We really are related...” She turned back to the dragon. “You owe me a few dozen Hearth’s Warming cards, or sweaters, or something, you know.”

“...Yes, well past that. Image my annoyance when I find you two are the ones that forced me into the situation I am now in.”

“After all that was done to those I cared about, knowing you are my grandmother would not have changed anything, Wisp Wing.”

Proud Tail's ears perked, though he continued just to let the two rant. Fox was going to love this bit of info, however.

“Fine then, what is the third thing?”

“Can't guess that one, can you?”

“Honestly, considering how closely you follow my daughter’s antics, I would say it has something to do with the cake that is being baked.”

Bleu growled and points a claw at the older blue dragon. “You're good...”

==================================

Rhede sighed, rising to his hooves andlooking down at his brothers. He whipped his head a little, watching as they both rose as well, flanking him.

“I need you two to do something for me after this is done.”

“Why would we bother to do anything for you?”

Rhede tapped his hoof on his chin, glaring lightly at Wolf.

“Perhaps saying it is for me is a bit off. This is something for Maw, and don't bucking tell me I am not allowed to call her that. She already threw me out of the family and hit me with a brick. There is not much else she can do.”

“There is plenty she can still do, Rhede. But unlike Wolf, I am at least willing to listen to your shit before I laugh in your face.”

“Give it a rest, Fox. I am likely gonna get my ass killed when Nightmare Moon finds out about this. My biggest problem is gonna be not letting the vision happen.”

“What?”

“Never mind, it's not important.” Rhede turned, craning his head down into his ambassador robe, and pulled out a thick book. He set it on a splintered section of pillar in the middle of the throne room and slapped a hoof lightly on it, looking to Fox. His brother raised a brow, looking between the worn book and Rhede and waiting for a explanation. “Despite what she thinks of me, the ones in this book have done nothing wrong. Many are on bad times due to the civil war and she might very well still be interested in knowing them. It doesn't matter if she decides to contact them or not, so long as she sees the book and what is in it. Let’s face it; even if I survive this, I am never going to be adding any more names to this. These names will be pointless if they go with me.”

“You seem pretty sure that if Nightmare Moon doesn't kill you, yer dead anyway. Why?”

“Aside from the pair of you and your charming conversation about doing just that, it is a safe bet that the other nations are not going to be satisfied with Luna simply being cured.”

Rhede sighed, stepping away from the pillar and the book. Fox moved up, flipping the cover open curiously and looking over the names and locations. Wolf had not taken his eyes off his former brother.

“So what is it you hope to accomplish then, knowing this?”

“Well, considering what the options are, I plan to fully take the blame for everything that's happened. I figure you could somehow spin the thing enough to make it believable that I was the one who set everything up. I am sure Celestia will divulge a few of my records for just that purpose. I did quite a few nasty things working for The Order that would be choice bits.”

Both Wolf and Fox stared at him wondering briefly if he was serious. “Don't you two give me that look. Fox, you know exactly what would happen if we cure Luna. No one is going to believe it. Equestria will be back to square one with all the other nations. Give them a scapegoat and they should be happy enough to let the peace last a little longer.”

“You are an earth pony. I doubt it will be believed that you did all this. “

“So was Mustang, and he nearly beat all of us and almost killed Celestia. Look, Starfall needs time to try and get Cloud
Dancer not to hate her. That will not happen if everypony still blames her. Bleu has yet to do anything wrong and should not even be in the trouble she is in. Jer and Luna actually seemed to hook up finally, and after the shit he has been through and her story about Hooper, I don't plan to let those two lose what they gained this far.”

“You are not getting any sympathy from us on this, Rhede. You have done far too much shit.”

“You're talking to me. That's already better than I hoped when Maw disowned me.”

Fox had been listening, though most of his attention was on the book.

“Rhede, there’s nearly a hundred names in here not crossed out.”

Wolf and Rhede both looked over to the lanky pony.

“There are one hundred and seven, left.

“Earth pony, pegasus, unicorn. Buck, there's even a griffon, a couple of zebras, a minotaur, a dragon. The buck, Rhede...”

“Yes, well, the dragon was an interesting experience, and long before the war. I really don't know if she had an egg from me or not. My guess is, however, she was one of the ones killed in Cindervale.”

“The only things missing are a harpy and a diamond dog.”

“I never really found either of those races that attractive, but it is also missing a Shadow Walker and a Windigo... though the latter was not from lack of trying. And I regret the seapony...”

“What about Velkorn?”

Rhede sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head lightly.

“With me dead, she might finally get the hint that she needs to find someone else. That is the hope, anyway.”

===================================================

Starfall had endured the glare of her daughter long enough by this point. It was unlikely anything that was done now could make the filly... no, she was no longer a filly, could make the mare's hatred of her mother any worse. Starfall stood, ignoring the sudden rush of movement from Cloud Dancer. Her daughter simply seemed to be asking for her to do something. Starfall simply regarded her daughter sadly. “Since nothing I say will change your mind on your hating me, then I do not need to worry about what my future actions will do.”

She reached a wing into her saddlebag, pulling out a silver chain with a gold wing band on the end of it and tossed the jewelry to her daughter. Cloud Dancer snatched it out of the air and looked at it. “Now you have the matching set. And if anyone doubts you, feel free to tell them you took it from me by force.”

“Your wedding band...”

“It is not as if I will need it. Either Nightmare Moon will win and I am going to be killed by her or she loses and I die anyway.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I am not going to lie to hide what I have done. The world will want someone to pay for all that has happened and I will do it. Celestia will likely be able to convince everyone that the pegasus that could perform a Rainboom had other powers as well. Powers enough to control a god…”

“Why would you do that?”

Starfall looked back at her daughter, glad to see something other than anger on the younger pegasus's face, even if it was only confusion.

“Luna is a friend of mine, despite what she has become. The others are as well, and if I can do something to ensure that they do not suffer further when all this is over, I will do so, and finally consider my debt to them repaid.” She closed her eyes, her ears flattening a little to her head. “And since my daughter hates me and wishes for my death as well, I can consider my life a last gift for her. After that, the only one who I will need to ask forgiveness from is Loc when I meet him again.”

Starfall turned, trotting away from her daughter, pulling her goggles back over her eyes to hide her crying.

================================================

“You know what you are doing is dangerous?”

“Most of what I do is dangerous, grahmaw. Haven’t you figured that out yet? This is just one more chance I’m giving death tah finish me off.”

Wisp Wing tilted her head back, looking at the now-pony-sized dragon devouring a rather large cake. The pastry had been meant for the guards at the wall, but she could make more. Celestia had forbidden either of them participating in this battle and her mate had blatantly ignored the Princess, choosing instead to lead the remaining dragon forces against Nightmare Moon's army. That the leaders were here had not stopped some of the more ambitious officers and mercenaries from pressing the attack on Canterlot's walls despite orders.

Wisp Wing would have been in the air with him for a last battle, but her energy was not what it should be after what she had done. She was lucky to be able to argue with her granddaughter with as weary as she felt.

“Quite like your mother; no fear of death at all.”

“Nearly everyone I know and love is already dead. Why would I worry about the chance to meet them again? If it was not for the few still alive I would probably be seeking death out rather than just giving it a chance at me.”

Wisp Wing nodded lightly, sliding another tray into the oven. The kitchen had been remodeled and all of the eggs that Bleu had recovered and given to Celestia were here, basking in the oven’s heat as Wisp Wing baked. An odd thing for a dragon to know how to do, but there was no one who would tell her she could not do what she wished.

“So what's a god like you hiding in a basement making cakes for anyway? Celestia tell you to sit tight or something?”

“Something like that, yes, though I am not a god anymore.”

“Ehh? Not a god?”

Wisp Wing stretched, the sound of her spine popping echoing around the large room.

“I am old, and likely one of the targets of an attack such as this.”

“Hey, I didn't tell anyone you were here; I promised Celestia that.”

“I did not say you did. But a god’s power is not easy to mask from another god. Nightmare Moon probably knows. When I passed my power on, she likely felt that too. “

“So who is the blue dragon god now? Your mate?”

“No, and there is no such thing as a blue, red, or whatever color dragon god. Color does not matter at all. Most non-dragons assume it to be so, however, as it simply appears to be the case.” She sighed. “There is far too much to try and teach you and far too little time to do it in. I should have taken the princess’s advice from the start and written a book on how to be a proper dragon.”

“Why would I want to be a proper dragon? I have seen what you do.”

“You have seen what many of our race chose to do, not what all of them chose to do. You have also seen that some of them are willing to act in a much less savage manner. You let them go from Cindervale, if Celestia is correct.”

“You still eat ponies.”

“And ponies eat grass and plants. Do any of them stop to see if the plants feel pain?”

“Most plants are grown just to be eaten.”

“And that is what Forgescale managed to convince most of the other dragons. If you found out tomorrow that the apples you had been eating were alive, had loved ones who would miss them if they were gone, would you starve to death to let them live, or would you continue as you have been, ignoring that fact?”

“Errr…”

“Dragons are not carnivores as the Harpies and Diamond Dogs are. We eat plants, meat and gems. The Flame Party did what they could to bring out the meat eating side of our nature, and they succeeded quite well. Forgescale brought out the bestial nature of our kind, and until his legacy was removed, there was little hope of that changing. Silver Claw was truly his father’s son in that regard. The Flame party undermined any effort for peace and urged the younger dragons to hate everything not of our kind.” Wisp Wing dipped her head, opening the steel door to look in on the cake. “Your mother was like that, as was Krisis. Krisis found a proper path, your mother did not. I was not happy to learn of her death, nor that my son led the group that took her down. That act cemented his place on the side of Equestria and provided a large number of eggs for the school Celestia and I founded.”

“You founded?”

“It was a somewhat foolish attempt to find some sort of lasting peace before the first dragon war began. A hope that somehow the two would be able to at least coexist. It worked for a time, then Forgescale returned and it was all destroyed. The goal was that the dragons would return after their partner had passed of old age. They would then be properly named and allowed to begin their life anew in adulthood with a proper respect for life.”

“Wasn't a complete loss.”

“Hmm?”

“If it had not been for my belief in that fabled coexistence I would have destroyed the dragons in Cindervale as well as all the eggs.”

Wisp Wing chuckled a little.

“I suppose it is not a complete failure then, if even one other than Celestia and I believe in it. You seem rather at ease for all this information you are receiving.”

Bleu leaned back and smirked slightly.

“I learned a trick a while back. If it is something that has already happened, or that you can do absolutely nothing about, accept it. If there is still a chance to alter or change it, do everything you can to do so. All you have been telling me is stuff that there's nothing I can do about at all since it has already happened, in some cases before I was even born. So why should I be stressed over it?”

“Rather wise for one of your age.”

“I had a very good teacher.”

Wisp Wing raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps I should reconsider accepting the name you were given.”

“I don't care if you do or not. Now if you are going to teach me anything, how ‘bout something useful?”

“You can already fly, breathe two types of fire, and alter your size. There is very little that I can teach you past this point that will aid you beyond history.”

“Not entirely true.”

“Oh?”

“There are three things you could tell me that I still want to know.” The older dragon sighed as Bleu held up three clawed fingers.

“Yes, you can have another cake...” One finger went down. “No I will not tell you who the new dragon god is. Suffice to say I still do not fully trust what is going on here. And no, it is not you.” Another clawed finger was lowered. The older dragon stared at the little dragon and her rude gesture as she started in on another cake. “I will say you have me stumped on the last question.”

Bleu licked her muzzle, cleaning off some of the cream frosting.

“The hint was there with the gesture. Exactly how does the dragon mating process even go about? I understand the sex and egg laying, but is there any term before that, any special treatments or requirements for that sort of thing? Any specifics or dangers involved? Excetera, excetera.”

Wisp Wing looked in shock at the seriousness on the little dragons face.

“Forty thousand years of history and cultural information to draw upon, and you ask me about the birds and the bees?”

“I ask about what’s important to me. I might not have anyone in mind anytime soon, but I will be damned if I wind up being the last dragon in my family line. I don't have any glowy kung fu skills, and I don't have a Scottish accent either. Something like this may wind up being fairly important. Buck, I don't even know how to properly care for the eggs.”

“The eggs are fine so long as they are not broken. They could last nearly forever if left alone. They are kept warm because it is more comfortable to us and it aids in the hatching when the time comes. Potent magic or the parents’ breath is what is needed to wake them. As for the rest… I wish your mother was alive, because I always hated explaining this to young ones. So long as my great grandson is not in need of this information...”

“Trust me, if the sounds coming out of that room he shared with Luna are any indication, he could probably give Rhede pointers... either that, or the princess is reaaaaaaaaly sensitive.”

“Bleu… have you ever heard the term ‘too much information’?”

“That is another one of those things I chose to ignore... now quit stalling and start ‘splaining; there’s not much time left.”

=====================================================

Just past what should be high noon, the five stood on the dais overlooking the Gardens of Canterlot. Knowing what lay below them, this seemed more like a prison watchtower than anything else.
Celestia stood with her Guard, watching the five as they stood in silent contemplation, save Bleu who was nomming on her third cake.

She turned her attention to the Royal Guards. The six of them had been chosen to be her personal Guard as the ones that might have the most shock value in stalling the Generals. They were trained harder than any other guard before them and they all threw themselves into it with the force of a landslide.

The only problem was it had failed. They were still beaten; the five had known little but war their entire lives, and due to their connection with Luna, they had been in the thick of it constantly. She had been foolish to think surprise would give any edge over them, particularly since they had turned around to surprise her instead.

Speaking with Fox and Cloud Dancer, she was surprised to find that Rhede and Starfall were also willing to give up their lives. Celestia knew that any of them doing so was going to cause issue with the others. Of course, the hard part was going to be getting to the point where blame would need to be given.

She informed her Guard to seek cover in positions around the dais; they would stay out of the encounter unless it seemed the Generals were going to turn on her. She doubted that would be the case, but it was best to be safe.

Celestia closed her eyes, watching the members of her Royal Guard depart. This had been hard on them as well, and now she was putting far more trust than she wanted to in the hooves of those who had helped her sister become what she was right now.

Given the choice, she would let Kaisur die for the others. Out of all of them, he was the most responsible for aiding Luna's change into Nightmare Moon. Not to mention what he had within him now may be just as dangerous as the monster her sister had become. His death could very well be the easiest choice she had made lately. She did not like that she reached that decision so easily. Choosing to kill one pony over another should never be something that she should allow her emotions to control, but in all honesty, that pony was as grating on her as they came. She moved towards the group, still on top of the dais, looking at each of Luna's Royal Guard.

Rhede and Starfall both seemed to wish that this was over already; both were pensive and constantly looking to Jer'rahd, as if they both were afraid of what he might say when he heard of their decision.

Velkorn was upset, though her attention was focused more on Rhede than Jer'rahd.

Bleu was staring at something nearby in the garden, an angry look on her cake-smeared face. Following her gaze, Celestia sighed, seeing the blue tail that had to belong to Wisp Wing sticking out from behind some bushes. She was quite annoyed with this entire family of dragons. Granted, she could blame most of it on Wisp Wing as she was the mother or grandparent to them.

Jer'rahd was the one that worried her the most. He had no expression on his face that was readable. Even his usual tell of a glowing red eye was missing at this point. His gaze was unwavering to the sky, looking at the bright full moon that held defiantly in the sky above them. He seemed to notice her staring at him and lowered his gaze to meet hers.

“Are you ready, Celestia?”

She nodded, her magic adjusting the dark crown that housed the Element of Magic on her head, hiding it under her own golden ornamentation. She was unsure this plan would work properly, but they all had the same goal in this: curing her sister. The other four moved to positions around her. She exhales deeply, letting the magic fade, the soft glow vanishing from her horn. The red glow of the dawn slowly faded from the horizon, leaving only the pale white moon to light the black night.

Jer'rahd closed his eyes. His ears perked, hearing the cannons roaring as the shelling of the city continues. The castle remained in fairly good shape due to the magic of the Royal Guard's unicorns. Most of the damage was repaired as soon as it happened or was simply blocked from connecting with the castle walls.

“She's coming; be ready.”

Celestia looked to Jer'rahd, rather surprised that he could sense Luna, though the connection with the books might have something to do with that.

“She has the books with her as well; we will need to be quick. I hope you remember how to use that amulet, Celestia, or we are likely all going to die here.”

“Delightful optimism you have, Boss. We're not gonna die. We can't die, Boss. You know why? Because we are so... very... pretty. We are just too pretty for the stars to let us die.”

Rhede stifled a laugh and Velkorn grinned. Even Starfall and Jer'rahd tried to hide a smirk from Bleu's comments. Celestia offered a smile as well before whipping her head up to an approaching cloud, the dark mist twinkling as if full of stars.

“She's here.”

=========================================

The dark cloud drifted down, rapidly forming into a black alicorn just before it alit on the platform before the small group. Celestia swallowed hard as Jer'rahd nodded to the dark alicorn before them. Luna was holding a great deal of power within her at the moment, so much so that even Jer'rahd could feel it. He gritted his teeth, knowing something was wrong immediately as she formed. It was not the power she had built up that worried him, however. What worried him was that she had clearly been crying. Her face was still streaked with tears. This had already gone the worst possible way. Either the books had not been fooled by what he forced himself to think, or they had simply convinced her that she was betrayed.
He was possibly the only one not surprised when she lashed out with a dark bolt of energy. His shield was up before the others had time to react, though the power pouring off of Nightmare Moon was ripping chunks out of the green shield, shrinking it down as she unleashed her attack, screaming at the top of her lungs in a blind rage.

“MISSION COMPROMISED! SCATTER! DON'T GIVE HER A CLEAR TARGET!”

He shoved Celestia out of the way as Starfall launched skyward. Rhede and Velkorn were scooped up by Bleu as she followed the pegasus into the air.

The green shield shattered and the bolt of raw power struck the gray unicorn dead on, shattering the armor of his chest and helm and flinging him back off the edge of the dais, his body crackling with dark power.
Nightmare Moon snarled as he fell, ignoring him to glare at her sister.

“You all dare to betray me to her? After all I have done, all the times I have forgiven you. ALL THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED AND YOU TURN ON ME NOW!?” Nightmare Moon focused on Celestia as the Princess of the Sun pushed herself up to her hooves. “You seek to use this on me, sister?!” The dark alicorn's horn glowed, yanking the Element of Magic from the Goddess of the Sun's head. “I will not be undone by a trinket!”

“NO!”

The Goddess of War ignored the cry, slinging the crown to the ground at her hooves and stomping it, shattering the Element of Harmony into thousands of pieces.

“I should have done that a long time ago. Now then, sister... I will deal with you, then the rest of these traitors. I should have known they could not be trusted. No one can be, except myself. I should have known they would choose you. They ALWAYS choose you over me.” She snarled again. “Let us see if your precious subjects will choose you over me when you are naught but a rotting corpse!”

Nightmare Moon's horn glowed as she gathered power once more. A high pitched whine made her ears perk. Her head snapped up suddenly at the sound of the gathered energy releasing skyward at the gray pegasus streaking towards her. The blast was met with a barrage of star metal daggers that disrupted its power before it reached the falling pegasus.

The rainbow nimbus appeared around the pegasus, the air seeming to stretch before breaking. The wave of light and energy exploded around the pegasus and trailed after her as she rocketed at Nightmare Moon.
The dark alicorn sneered at the deflection of her spell. Her hair lashes out, smacking the pegasus aside as one might swat away a fly. The trail of light bounced off, arching over the garden in a wild spiral, only to be caught by Bleu before hitting the ground.

The raging alicorn screamed again, firing off a series of dark bolts of magic at the blue dragonling and stunned pegasus before turning her attention towards finding the source of the daggers. Bleu dodged the lead bolt, causing the deep purple blast to strike a statue in the garden instead. The statue almost instantly turns into a puddle of gray goo. Bleu's eyes widened as the others veered towards her. She took off flying over the garden, the blasts of magic in pursuit.

The Mare of the Night glared down at her sister as Celestia tried to recover from the shock of seeing the artifact destroyed before her. Nightmare Moon suddenly lashed out with her rear hooves, impacting solidly with something. Velkorn's face was awash with pain as the hood fell from her head, canceling the stealth cloak’s magic. She stopped suddenly in midair before falling off the pillar. The hood fell back off Rhede's head, revealing him before setting the zebra down.

Bleu fired a bolt of lightning back at the streaks of darkness chasing her, cursing as they sucked up the energy and increased in speed, gaining on her. Another form impacted into the side of the speeding dragon, knocking her out of the air. The bolts of energy struck the larger blue-scaled form, rapidly turning it to ash. Bleu hit the ground, cradling the injured Starfall, her eyes wide as her newly discovered grandmother turned to dust before her.

“There is a great potential for a final peace riding on you, granddaughter. Do not let me down, Bleu”

===========================================

“YOU FOOLS THINK YOU ARE ANY MATCH FOR ME!? I WILL KILL YOU ALL!”

Nightmare Moon's eyes flared brightly, her body crackling with power as she pulled it from her celestial object. The moon far above rapidly changed its phases and shrank down as the goddess drew power from it.
Her mane and tail began to swirl as shadows lengthened around her. Rhede winced at the familiar sight; this was what she had cast that ripped apart the dragon armies. Rhede flattened his ears to his head, having no idea how to counter this.

The Dark Goddess screamed out again, unleashing the shadows just as a green glowing shield formed around her and the writhing dark forms.

A loud growl came from the edge of the dais as Jer'rahd pulled himself back up. His armor was gone from his head and down to his shoulders where the first blast hit him. The molten metal had run rivulets though his fur. The blast itself had stripped the flesh on the side of his face down to the bone, barely missing his eye, but exposing his jaw and the meat of his neck.

The wound swirled with shadow, the rapidly regrowing fur and flesh having a much darker coloration to it. His tail whipped, seeming more serpentine than pony, and his legs ended in claws rather than hooves. His teeth were clenched tightly as he struggled to maintain control.

Celestia's eyes widened at the sight. She looked to the screaming form of her sister lashing out under the cracking dome of energy, then down to the shattered remains of the Element of Magic.

===========================================

“I am sorry sister, please forgive me for what I must do, but there is no time left to search for another way.”

Celestia stood, spreading her wings wide. A bright flare of energy and white hot flame enveloped her form, illuminating the garden as bright as the noonday sun.

Rhede winced, hiding his gaze from the brilliant light, though he could feel the immense heat pouring off the Princess of the Sun. The bright light focused suddenly into a ball of light at the tip of her horn, the very air around the goddess catching fire before being drawn into the tiny globe.

Celestia released the power suddenly, the white light blazing from her horn shredding the green shield and the shadows trapped inside to strike the black alicorn within. Jer'rahd screamed out, collapsing as his shield was shredded and Nightmare Moon's scream at the touch of that power echos across the whole of Equestria, bringing a pause to the battle that, until then, had still been raging.

The power flared brighter, encompassing the entire garden before shrinking to a pin prick of light where the dark alicorn had been before streaking upwards into the sky.

When Rhede's eyes finally adjusted, both the shield and Nightmare Moon were gone. Where she had stood, four hoof prints were burned into the marble top of the rise. Celestia staggered, her form much smaller than Rhede had ever seen it, her hair a mix of pink and white, though she barely seemed able to keep her hooves.

“WHAT THE BUCK DID YOU DO TO HER!!?”

The cry was more like a roar as Jer'rahd turned on Celestia, his eyes flaring a red that flowed from the charred socket like a burning ember. The Waning Moon did not leave the scabbard at his side, so much as rip from it and destroy the rest of the Armor of Loyalty from the sheer force of it being pulled away from his side. The weapon spun with a black fire as he rushed at the weakened Celestia. The Waning Moon screamed as it swung at the white alicorn.

Rhede managed two steps towards Jer to try and stop him when his weapon impacted into a blade of glowing white fire, a blue shield forming around the stunned Princess at the same time. A shockwave of light similar to what happened in the throne room threw Rhede off his hooves.

Two massive armored forms slammed hard into the unicorn, trying to force him to the ground as he raged. Proud Tail and Wolf were flung free as if they were nothing, and Cyan Sparkle's blade was flung aside as Jer'rahd advanced on Celestia. The shadows swirled around him, making him look more draconic than anything else as the creature within him surged and tried to break free. He lashed out with the weapon, shattering Cyan's shield like glass before glaring down at the Princess.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?!”

“Boss... look at the moon.”

Jer'rahd spared a glance to Bleu as she landed next to him, still holding Starfall. He tore his eyes away from Celestia long enough to follow the dragon’s gaze to the sky to the glowing white orb that was fully restored in the sky.
There, on the lunar surface, was the silhouette of a mare’s face etched into the moon. His eyes widened at the sight, the red glow leaving his eye. The Waning Moon fell to clatter on the stone before him.

“We could not cure her with the Element of Magic destroyed. I do not think we could have anyway, as I am a lousy substitute for a friend, particularly with what I was thinking the whole time. We were not friends, Jer'rahd Kaisur; the elements only work with that bond. I was forced to do what I could to save everyone. The amount of power she held, I could not seal her in stone. I was forced to send her back along the energy she was drawing on, back to the source of her power and seal her there, in the moon.”

“No...”

“I am sorry, Jer'rahd.”

The gray unicorn fell to the ground, still staring up at the full moon and Luna's visage on its surface. All of the signs of the beast that had been starting to show faded, leaving him with a new scar on his face of the same leathery skin that the other wounds had become.

“It was not supposed to happen like this.”

His head dropped to his forehooves, sobs beginning to wrack his form. The Demon of Dullahan, the second most feared creature alive on Equestria, proceeded to bawl like a foal.

======================================================

Rhede looked out off the balcony of Luna's former quarters. Velkorn and Starfall were asleep on the bed. The zebra had a few cracked ribs that only the armor had stopped from being worse, and one of Starfall's wings had been crushed when Bleu caught her. Aside from those injuries and Jer's breakdown, they got off light for this failure.

Bleu had gone somewhere and Jer was still out there in the garden atop the pillar.

They had tended to the wounded first before checking on him. Aside from a demand to be left alone, he refused to answer anything. There had been one attempt to move him, which wound up with Proud Tail and Wolf being flung across the garden again before it was decided to simply leave him be. Celestia had put them up in Luna's old room, under guard of course, until such time as something could be figured out to do with them. With Luna gone, all the plans had fallen apart.

The battle had stopped as soon as the light show started and Luna's visage appeared on the moon. The half-dragons were already gone by this point, following Jer's orders, and the remaining ponies and monsters had all fled back to Winnysor.
The moon still hung in the sky, as Celestia did not have the energy to move it aside to raise her sun. That did not seem to bother the castle’s defenders as a massive celebration had started the moment the princess confirmed that Nightmare Moon was defeated.

While the exact details of the battle between the sisters were unknown to those outside the personal guard of the two princesses, most did not care, as it meant the War of Night was over.

A light knock at the door drew Rhede's attention away from the new face of the moon. He movd away from the window, trotting over to the door as the knock sounded again. Pulling open the door, he was rather surprised to see both Fox and

Wolf standing there. He sighed, his ears flattening.

“Come to gloat?”

“You're the ass, brother, not us... well, maybe Wolf here is too, but not me.”

Wolf growled lightly and Fox smirks. Rhede sighed, not really in the mood for it. “So what do you want, then?”

“Money, power, mares... mostly mares.”

Wolf cuffed Fox in the back of the head, glaring down at the lanky pony.

“Right, right, to the point then. We will give that book to Maw. What she does with it is up to her, though you might not be thrown out if she hears about what happened here. If not for you five, Nightmare Moon would have killed everyone.”

“No...”

“Ehh?”

“I have done enough damage to everyone; its better if no one knows our parts in this.”

“What? Why? All that crap might be forgiven or at least not used against you for what you did!”

Rhede sighed, looking back into the room and the two mares asleep on the bed.

“I generally try not to speak for everyone else if I can help it, but its better we remain the villains in this. There are still far too many races out there who hate ponies. This battle justified that belief further to some of them.”

Fox tilted his head and Wolf looked completely lost. Rhede sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hoof.

“If the world thinks that Princess Celestia defeated Nightmare Moon and the Five Beasts of the Moon by herself, do you really think there is a single other nation in the world that would even consider bucking with ponies ever again?”

Both the brothers stared at their older brother in a bit of shock as the realization set in. Fox was the first to recover from it.

“Clever, Rhede. Clever. Do you know what you are going to do now, then?”

“No. I know a few spots in the world where we can all vanish if need be. Places that have yet to be really settled. Not exactly the best idea, but it's one of the options we have. I need to figure out what the others want to do first. Especially Jer.”

“I see. Let us know what you decide, bro...”

“Alright... unless someone tells me otherwise, I will.”

“Apple.”

Rhede looked up to Wolf, the shaggy gray pony stares down at him and at first Rhede was not sure he said anything. Fox smirked, looking to the larger pony.

“What?”

“Apple. That is what was decided to be the new name when Pelt was abandoned. Golden chose it.”

“The Apple family, huh? Thanks for that, Wolf.”

The large pony nodded and turned, trotting down the hall with Fox as they moved back into their position to guard the room. Rhede smiled slightly and closed the door again.

==================================================

Celestia lay back on her bed, finally having stopped crying. Baelit had repeatedly come in to check on her before she sent the zebra off to his own bed. She could have used the company, but she felt more like being alone for a time. Sleep eluded her, however, and she found herself staring at the ceiling for several hours. She could barely move after such a spell, though she could feel her power returning to her. With Luna gone, the power to control the moon had come to her and the silver orb was restoring her magic, just as the sun would.

She closed her eyes in another attempt to rest when a light scraping noise caught her attention. Her ears perked. As the sound repeated, she opened her eyes, scanning over the darkened room. Next to her head was a large slice of frosted cake on a small platter with a fork sticking out of it. She slowly sat up, wincing. She stared at the cake for a moment, then looked around her quarters, trying to see who had brought it.

“It's from the last one she made. I had to frost it, though; she didn't manage to make it back to do that. Her mate didn't make it back, either. So now, you and me? We are the last two to know my families secrets. I figure a bit of cake might help me come to terms with that, but I lost my appetite a while ago.”

Celestia leaned forward, looking down over the edge of her bed at the blue dragonling leaning against the side of it.

“How did you manage to get in here, Bleu?”

“Dragon secret.”

“I see. I gather that you did manage to talk to Wisp Wing?”

“Yeah. Did you know she was my grandmother?”

“She told me when I informed her about Jer'rahd's linage. She had found out about yours some time ago and had been watching you.”

“She said she gave up her god status... she maybe could have lived if she kept it.”

“She knew it was her time to go and she chose to do so how she saw fit.”

“How the buck would she know that?”

“I gather she did not explain everything about dragons to you, then?”

“I didn't care.”

“I asked the same question when she told me she was going to pass on her godhood. Elder dragons know when their time in the world is over and they seek out a hidden place in which to finally pass on. Many believe it is in the Windigo lands, though some do not even believe it resides on this world at all. She and her mate were going to leave to that place when the Republic attack came.”

“Great, something else we screwed up.”

Celestia poked the cake with a fork, holding the utensil with her wing. “I do not think that. I think it was the best thing that could have happened for those two.”

“Ehh?”

“Wisp Wing's mate was named Rahs. I am not entirely certain if he was your grandfather, though I know he was not Jer'rahd's great grandfather. He was a warrior and a blacksmith; with my help and power he forged the weapon that Cyan now wields: the counterpoint to the Waning Moon, the Brilliant Dawn. He joined the battle hoping to die in combat, something that was granted to him.”

“Yeah, great for him.Sound's like a crappy way to go to me.”

“Wisp Wing got to meet her last direct descendant. She had not produced a clutch since the one that bore your mother and

Jer'rahd's grandfather about six hundred years ago. To find out you were not the monster she had been lead to believe surely lifted a heavier weight from her than anything else. She gave her life to save yours, so it was clear she believed in you.”

“Doesn't make it right. She should not have been there. None of this should have happened.”

“Because she was there, you are still alive. She thought it was a fair tradeoff.”

“It is not a fair trade off when someone dies because they care about you.”

Bleu dipped her head, staring at the end of her tail. Celestia briefly wondered if the dragonling had fallen asleep like that all of a sudden. A small melodic hum caused her ears to perk as the dragonling started to softly sing. Celestia smiled slightly, taking a bite of the cake as she listened to Bleu.

“A falling star... fell from your heart, and landed in my eyes...”

==================================================

Jer'rahd slowly lifts himself up. His face still streaked with tears as he raised his head, gaze lifting to the night sky and the moon still far above. He did not think he had any more tears in him.

He sighed and closed his eyes. A cool breeze blew through his fur, ruffling his tail and mane. An owl hooted in the distance and the din of the celebration of victory could still be heard even in the maze of the gardens.

“I am sorry, Princess. I had only hoped to make everything better. All I did was make everything worse. I did not mean for any of this to happen this way. I am sorry.”

His horn glowed, lifting the Waning Moon from where he had dropped it and floated it over before him. His eyes looked over the weapon, ears perking at the soft song the wind played as the edge of the weapon cut it .
He closes his eyes, pressing the blade to his throat and looking up again at the moon. “I am sorry I failed you, Princess. It will never happen again. You shall not need to worry that I sought another or spent any of my days enjoying the life I have while you are imprisoned.”

He hesitated, a bead of blood running down the edge blade as he chuckled softly. “I remember the last time I was going to do this, for that stupid rule of three thing. The whole Wu joke you pulled and your sister’s threat to me... What was it? Ah yeah... she threatened to turn me to stone so she could wake me up when she saw fit to punish me again. She was rather pissed at me before she flung me into the lake...”

He blinked and slowly pulled the blade away from his throat. “She was going to turn me to stone. Like everything else in the garden...”

The wind picked up, blowing his mane and tail hard. It rustled the bushes and trees of the garden below him, revealing countless statues of monsters and ponies sealed in a rock state. Nearly all of it was visible in the moon’s white light. All of the occupants sat there, unmoving, neither dead nor alive, waiting until someone came along and forgave them for whatever their crimes were. Unmoving, unflinching, undying, until they were forgiven...

A small smile crossed his features, growing larger as he looked over the garden.

“...she would turn me to stone...”

====================================

Celestia rubbed her temples with her hooves, trying not to meet the gaze of the clearly mad pony before her. Yesterday was enough of a tragedy as it was, and her magic, while returning, was still nowhere near strong enough to grant this request. She had already dealt with far too much today in her state, and if not for Baelit and Cyan at her side, she would have probably curled into a ball somewhere to cry some more.

The sun was raised, though it had taken the power of most of her unicorn mages to do so, and now they were all exhausted. She planned to leave the sun in the sky for longer this time as she had neither the inkling nor the energy to raise the moon herself yet.

The remaining dragons were outraged at the death of both Wisp Wing and Rahs and were eager to press the attack against the remaining Lunar Republic. The Griffons and Diamond Dogs were more than happy to do the same. The groups were preparing to move out when Celestia intervened.

She made it quite clear that the forces would be doing nothing until she gave them the go-ahead. With what she was rumored to have done, there was no argument from any of the gathered generals or gods. The rumors of Celestia having single-hoofedly beaten both Nightmare Moon and all five of the Beasts of the Moon was already being spread by everyone, though she felt that Fox may have had a hoof in it as well.

That the King of the Zebra Lands and the new Chief of the Buffalo tribes also swore by this rumor, coupled with the evidence in the very astral body that filled the sky at night, was more than enough to guarantee that when the Princess of the Sun spoke, there was not a single creature that did not listen.

Well, there was one creature who would not listen, and that was the issue right now. Thankfully, he waited until the throne room was cleared of anypony but her and Cyan.

“Jer'rahd, why in Equestria would I want to do that? I am not turning you into a statue.”

The smirk on the unicorn’s face was enough to assure her he had snapped, but despite the flawed logic, he was insistent.

“Honestly, I don't care what you would want to do. This is what I want. You have no idea how long she will be sealed. You do not even know what will happen now that the Element of Magic is destroyed.”

“When the five others have gathered, the sixth shall appear. That was how it was when I first used the Element of Magic. It did not exist until it was needed. I have no doubt that it shall be that way again. That is still not a valid reason for me to seal you away. That is a punishment reserved for those who deserve it. You have nearly redeemed yourself with your actions. Nearly.”

She sighed. Cyan Sparkle glanced from her to Jer'rahd, remaining oddly silent about the gray unicorn’s request.

“I know you are suffering as much as I am due to my sister’s banishment, but there is no reason you need to join her.”

“There is nothing for me here. I understand why Ruin did what he did. There is no place for a warrior in a time of peace. I would be forced to hide for the rest of my life. And according to Rhede, that is going to be a very long time just due to my interaction with the Element of Loyalty. Then there are the books.”

“The books are going to be sealed in Tartarus. When I have recovered enough, my knights and I will be going there to do so.”

“How nice for you. Allow me to give you this bit of warning, Celestia. I don't give a shit about you, Canterlot, or Equestria. What I do care about I know you will not touch just to get to me, particularly since they are just as responsible for stopping Nightmare Moon as I am. But I will not hesitate to let the whole world know I am still very much alive and still very capable of very bad things until you have no choice but to either kill me or seal me away. I took a blast in the face that was meant to kill you and got up with only a new scar. You don't have enough of an army left to take me out if I cut loose.”

“After all that has been done, all the suffering that has gone on, you again threaten me? You have a chance at forgiveness for your actions, Kaisur.”

“I don't give a buck about your forgiveness, Celestia. I don't care if the whole world keeps on hating me forever. There is only one princess I wish to be forgiven by, and she's the one I failed when she needed me the most. Now then, are you going to grant my request or do I start tearing up the place?”

“It is not as if I am able to do anything right now anyway.”

“I can wait.”

“Do you think your friends will not have an issue with this?”

“This is not their choice. They are not even involved in this.”

“I beg to differ, Jer.”
“Seriously, General? This is the plan?”
“Yer an idiot, Boss.”
“You plan to leave us all alone and spend your days sealed in stone?”

“Buck me...”

Celestia smileed slightly as the others trotted out of where they had been hiding since Jer'rahd had stormed into the throne room. Surely they would be able to talk sense into him. This was one hassle she did not want to deal with.

“Honestly, though, it's not that bad of an idea.”
“I agree with Rhede.”
“Ehh, why not?”
“We never will again be quite as free. This may be our out; we shall have to see.”

…Or they all could have gone mad. Celestia smacked her face with a hoof.

“What are you all talking about? He wants to be made a statue to wait for Nightmare Moon to return!”

Rhede shrugged.

“The longer I remain running about in the world, the more likely it will be that someone recognizes me and the whole family gets in trouble all over again. I can't go back to the Pelts. My only hope to continue the lifestyle I have come to enjoy is to vanish for a while and come back when everypony has forgotten me. I'm thinking a few thousand years or so might do it.”

“I expect jokes from Bleu, not you, Rhede.”

“Don't get me started. Not like sexy hooves there can sing either. But I am taking this seriously. After all that's happened, the only family I have left is my brother.”

“Well then, go to him!”

“I am. The idiot is looking to turn himself into a rock.”

Celestia gritted her teeth.

“Starfall, please tell me you are not considering this, seriously?”

“My daughter hates me, Celestia. The only people who still care about me are looking to turn themselves into statues. Besides, if your sister comes back and wants revenge, I would rather she seek it on me than on any family that I might have at the time. If Cloud Dancer has children, I do not want them worrying about someone seeking revenge for what their grandmother did. I am fully for this.”

“Velkorn?”

[“What do I have for me here? A broken kingdom that does not want me, just what they think I stand for, a host of ponies and other creatures that hate me. My friends and the one I have chosen are insistent on waiting for Luna as prisoners in your garden. Why should you think I would want anything different?”]

“You have a choice in the matter. You do not need to blindly follow Rhede!”

[“It is my choice if I wish to blindly follow Rhede and the others.”]

“GAAAAH!!” You are all nuts.”

Jer'rahd growled, glaring at the others.

“No; I refuse to allow you to do this. This is my choice alone; I order you not to follow me!”

“When have I ever listened to you, Jer?”
“Ditto, Boss.”
“With the Lunar Republic gone, you are no longer a general above me. I don't have to listen to you.”
[“Learn to speak zebra and perhaps I will listen.”]

“Great... this is the damned vision. This is how I kill every one and Luna.”

Bleu reached over with her tail and walloped Jer'rahd across the back of the head with it, snorting a bit of electricity in annoyance.

“Stop being so bucking melodramatic, boss. This is just as much our choice as yours. You really think we didn't know you were gonna offer yerself up as the mastermind if we did succeed, just so the rest of us could go free?”

“Wait, he was? Crap, Jer, I was planning the same thing so you and Luna could still be together.”

“I was as well, so that Velkorn might finally have a chance with you, Rhede.”

[“I think I am going to bludgeon the lot of you and not stop until I feel better.”]

“Oookay, I WAS the only one who saw that coming.”

Celestia snorted in anger. “I never agreed to any of this!”

“True... well, we could always find a cockatrice.”
“Pity that big one was killed; it would have been the most effective.”
“Maybe we can find that snake-haired pony of legend.”
[“I might be able to make something if I had enough time and some rare regents.”]

“You are all insane, you know that? Let me do what I want and go live your bucking lives!”

“Shut up, Boss; the adults are talking here.”

The group started arguing before the princess. Celestia was not thrilled, though both Baelit and Cyan do their best not to laugh at their antics. Their repressed snickers made her want to smack the lot of them.

“ALRIGHT, FINE!”

They all stopped and stared at the ranting Princess.

“I will turn you to stone and place you in the garden on the very dais where we fought my sister. It is going to take me some time to regain my power enough to even perform that spell. Until that time, you are to all remain here. If there is anything you need to have done, do it. I suggest you find something that will keep you from thinking becoming a lawn ornament is the best course of action!”

“I don't need to do anything. Any affairs I may have had to put in order are moot with the Republic's death.”

“You could always stop the 42nd from rampaging after news of your death!”

“The members of the 42nd who are not simply slaving beasts or war mongers have already left. I saw to that same as I did with the half-dragons. Most of them are currently in or around Dullahan. You tell them to stand down and most of them will.”

“We will need to deal with them and the half-dragons.”

“No, you will have to deal with them. I plan to be a statue by that point.”

“You are requiring a great deal from me, Kaisur.”

“He is keeping you busy, Princess. He knows depression will set in if you are not occupied nearly all the time. Is that not right, Kaisur?”

Jer'rahd looked over at the unicorn standing next to the princess as he spoke, a small smirk on the younger stallion’s face.

“Got it in one.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head.

“You have until I recover to deal with what you have left. I pray you find a reason not to follow this foalish plan.”

“Nah; we're stubborn like that, Princess. Best get yer spell casting booties on or whatever, ‘cause we gonna rock.”

=======================================

Celestia recovered her power far faster than she had wished. With both the moon and the sun aiding in her recovery, she had enough power to cast the spell that would seal them several times over. She did not bother to tell the five that, however.
Velkorn took the time to develop an antidote to what the Cult had done to the prisoners. It would provide an antidote to the addition and the brain washing, though it was no substitute for the therapy and help that the recovering thralls would need.
She also requested several blank tomes and the aid of Baelit and some scribes. The four days that Celestia gave them saw her documenting everything she knew about medicine down to the smallest detail. This included all she knew about caring for alicorns. That book was only given to Baelit, along with the star metal surgery tools. Bleu aided them as well, and in that short period of time, thirty six tomes of the pinnacles of medical knowledge were crafted. She gave permission for them to be copied and sent to every hospital that could be found.

Rhede dropped in on a noble who owed him a favor. Apart from nearly scaring the poor pony half to death, he managed to arrange his finances.Celestia found out later what he truly had done. A rather large sum of money was stored to be doled out to all those still alive in the book of names he had given Fox. A set amount was to be given to his foals when they came of age to allow them to pursue the training they wanted in order to make the most out of their lives.

Starfall sulked and recovered from her injury. Celestia was unsure of what could be done for the pegasus as she did not wish to be bothered.

Bleu somehow managed to track down the Platinum Swan and turned over the entire collection of songs that she had written, as well as all the ones she could recall Platinum singing. She also helped them select a new lead singer for the group. She was also suspected ofthe savage clubbing a pony named Proudmore, nearly to death with a bass guitar, though there was no direct evidence of that.

Jer'rahd and Cyan sparred. Due to this, the training grounds and several other areas would be added to the list of sections of the castle that needed to be repaired. After each session, both of them looked as if they had gone hoof to hoof with a army of hydra, but it was mostly to pass time as well as pass on some skills. It was clear that he considered the younger pony his successor, though he never said as much.

At the end of the week, she was prepared to do as the five asked. They met atop the dais in the garden. Celestia was escorted up to where they stood by her Royal Guard.

Velkorn stood in her leather guard armor, pouches and packs filled with a variety of things. The multitude of packs covered her form, each adorned with dozens of symbols of medicine from other races. Two new patches stood out among the others. One was a red plus mark outlined in silver; that was the symbol for the Queen's Cross. Baelit had kept one when the design had changed and now gave it to his aunt. She had also sewn in the new blue and gold cross that was the symbol for the King's Cross, a name Baelit still refused to acknowledge.

Bleu was there in her pony sized form, tapping a clawed finger against her jaw as if plotting something. She glanced to the others curiously, waiting for now, it seemed. The only thing she wore was the silver necklace of the Element of Laughter.

Jer'rahd stood in a new suit of armor that had been recovered from Winnysor. His rank, the patch for the 42nd, and the patch for the Lunar Republic were emblazoned on it. The Waning Moon hung at his side in its new scabbard. Out of all of them, he seemed the most determined to go through with this.

Rhede was dressed in what Celestia could have sworn was the same thing he wore to the last Gala. That ever-present smirk on his face seemed much more forced this time.

Starfall stood a little apart from the others, her gaze shifting between Cloud Dancer and her own friends. She wore the Shadowbolts’ armor, minus the hood, with her goggles about her neck. The twin wing blades she had been given by Meteor Shower were sheathed at her sides.

Celestia's gaze turned to the Waning Moon, then up to look at Jer'rahd.

“If you are still serious about doing this, General, I will need to ask you to give up your blade.”

“Why?”

“It is star metal, as are Starfall's weapons... and oddly, most of Rhede. I will not be able to overcome the resistance to magic it has in my state. You will need to give up what you have.”

Rhede sighed and started digging around in his suit, pulling daggers free. Starfall unfastened the scabbards from her sides, looking to Cloud Dancer, then back to the blades before setting them down on the ground near Rhede's pile of daggers. Rhede then started plucking blades out of his tail.

Jer'rahd drew his sword, floating it up before his eyes and watching the fading sunlight reflect off the blade. He lifted the weapon higher, looking over it to the rising moon in the distance. The unicorn mages had managed to not screw up the spell too badly tonight. Celestia almost wished they had so she would not have the power to do this.

Rhede pulled a few more blades from his clothing. Velkorn smiled a bit, having already given Baelit the only star metal she possessed. A few more clinks of metal on stone signaled that Rhede had more blades still. Jer'rahd floated the Waning Moon over to Cyan, nodding for him to take the weapon.

“She may fight you for a bit, but if you treat her well, she will do the same for you. There are not many I would allow to wield her. You're at least close enough for now, Sparkle.”

He smirked as Cyan took the blade, glaring at Jer'rahd, The blade nearly dropped away from his magic as the fight started between the two already. The white unicorn stared at the blade he was barely keeping a loft in surprise and Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Told you. I also have this. You may want it, Celestia, as it is pretty much what started all of this.”

His magic gripped a single jagged dagger made of star metal and sized for a Diamond Dog from his pouch, floating it over to lay it to rest at Celestia's hooves.

A loud thud drew the attention of everyone on the dais. A spell cannon sat atop the pile of daggers Rhede had been producing. The weapon was larger than the pony was. The whole group stared at the earth pony as he hopped around a bit while Bleu snickered to herself .

“Well, I feel a great deal lighter now.”

Fox looked over at Bleu and shook his head, having spotted the dragon’s claw marks on the weapon’s barrel, though he was unsure where she had retrieved it from.

“Um, thank you, Kaisur. But I most assuredly do not want something that lead to all of this. I will put it somewhere, however, for when you awaken. Was there anything else?”

Jer'rahd watched Proud Tail and Wolf haul the pile of things away from the dais.

“No, though I wish the others had not chosen to follow me. In any event, I will leave you with this; it is something we did discuss: if something comes up and you need somepony to do what we do best, feel free to let us out. But until Luna forgives us, we will return to statues once that task is done.”

The others nodded before moving to stand in the middle of the dais. They all looked up to the moon rising over the horizon as Celestia cast the spell, the stone slowly forming up over their hoves and crackling likeiceunderhoof as it formed covering their bodies, turning the Five Beasts of the Moon into statues.

A bright glow formed around each one of the figures, the energy spiraling into the air in a multitude of colors before shooting off towards the Everfree Forest.Cloud Dancer launched herself airborne, flying after the energy to see where it was going.
The others looked to Celestia as she sighed.

“So now what, Princess?”

“Now the cleanup begins. Come; let us head back inside. I do not wish to remain out here. It is already far too depressing.”

As they trotted off, she spared a glance back at the five new statues in the garden bathing in the pale moonlight.

Twilight pulled back from the vision with a gasp, her ears flattening as she shook her head a little. She knew this was coming and expected it, but still, to witness the end of ponies she had grown attached to over the course of this study bothered her.

It was like this for her every time a story ended; she always wished for more and rarely was it given. Luna had told her there was more after they were sealed in stone, but she was not up to looking into that right now. She had enough for what was needed.

“Spike, are you still awake?”

“Barely; that took a lot longer than normal.”

“Sorry, I did not want to stop until it was over this time.”

The purple dragon yawned softly, stretching as he slid off the couch and clamored up to look at some of the writing in the book.

“I guess the next steps are to copy this and let the others read it?”

“Yes. Once everyone is caught up, we can make a decision, though I am not really sure what that might be right now.”

Epilogue, Moon Rocks

Epilogue, Moon Rocks

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Epilogue
Moon Rocks

Twilight rubbed her eyes and sighed. Her ears perked up as Rarity closed the book with a dull thud. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat on the couch with Applejack between them, muttering something among themselves. Pinkie Pie had been strangely quiet while Rarity caught up in the story, though she had slipped away to raid the fridge at some point along with Spike.

The purple unicorn still wondered what her friends were thinking about all of this. Luna did not need them to make her decision, but she would still be going by what they decided. Well, Twilight thought, she might go with what they decided; it was hard to tell what the Princess of the Night was thinking. Even if they all said no, however, Luna may ask another group the same question in the future, despite knowing that Twilight was still on the fence with her choice. There were reasons to let them free and just as many to keep them imprisoned.

She briefly looked to the blade lying in the open case on the table. It was all set to be sent back to the princess along with the decision they came to. The only thing still nagging her was Luna's suggestion that she follow the scry until the blade was sealed.

Why would it matter? The princess had said there was nothing that would influence her decision, so she had not bothered to check it out before letting the others make their choice. Still, she figured she would look once things were over tonight.
Pinkie and Spike moved back out of the kitchen as Rarity rubbed her chin a little, thinking on what she had just finished.

“Honestly, Twilight darling, I did not really expect all that. Didn't the princess say she had used the Elements of Harmony to seal Nightmare Moon?”

“In a sense, she did; well, the bearers of the Elements, at any rate.”

“What about the Elements themselves? Where did they go?”

“I think to that machine in Winnysor that Luna built. That must have been the device we found them on.”
Fluttershy spoke up, “Umm, why would she leave them there? Wouldn't it be dangerous to have them in the open like that that?”

“Well, to be honest, I don't think anyone knew where they went, and if they did, would they recognize them as the stone balls we found? They were armor when most ponies saw them.”

Spike piped in.

“It might just be something else that happened. There's still a lot left to figure out. The point is, we have all the information we need. Luna wants to know if the five of them should be free again. That's what we are here to decide.”

“‘We’, Spike?”

“Don't even try to tell me I don't get a say in this. I know more about what went on than anyone aside from you; that includes the two princesses that were there. Celestia forgot most of it and Luna wasn’t there for all of it.”

“How do you know so much then?”

“I've copied that story at least four times over. I can probably recite whole sections of it just from memory. I have also seen some of the stuff you had me edit out. too.”

“Good point. Okay, I’ll get your vote too. That works out better anyway in case we wind up deadlocked.”

Twilight unrolled a blank parchment and looked around at the others as she readied her quill. She was set to document all this to send to Princess Luna.

“So who wants to start? Aside from just saying yes or no, it might help to give the reason why.”

Rarity shook out her mane, looking to the others.

“If no one minds, I would like to give my decision while all that I have read is still fresh in my mind.” A few nods and a shrug were the only response; the white unicorn took that as a sign to go ahead. She cleared her throat, gesturing with a forehoof.

“Yes, they should indeed be freed, and forgiven for what was done. After a thousand years trapped in the moon, Nightmare Moon was forgiven by Celestia rather easily. What they did was indeed dreadful, but they worked hard to fix it, even allowing themselves to be locked away as punishment. If Luna can be allowed back into society, why should they not have the same release for the same acts?”

Twilight jotted all of it down as a few muttered comments passed between the others. A loud meep from Fluttershy brought Twilight's attention to the pale yellow pegasus. Fluttershy glared back at Applejack, who simply had a grin on her face.

“You okay, Fluttershy?”

“Um, yes. I'm fine... I just…” She bit her lip, straightening up and trying to ignore everyone staring at her. “No.”

Twilight blinked, not having expected this choice from her. The word being spoken seemed to give her a bit of confidence as she continued.

“They are all warriors and soldiers. Even with some of the troubles that we have now a days, Equestria is still a land of peace. Nearly all of our issues come from either misunderstood ponies or monsters that wander in from the Everfree forest. The monsters are just misunderstood, but after reading the story, they all seem to have an 'attack first and not ask questions unless they miss killing someone,' way about them. Honestly, there may be a time we need ponies like that again, but it is not now.”

“Okay, thank you, Fluttershy. So who's next?”

“I might as well get this out of the way, not really in the mood to be thinking about this.”

“Umm, okay Rainbow, go ahead.”

“Yeah they should be free. I mean, heck, can you think of what it would be like to be able to fly with the only other pony to do a Sonic Rainboom? How awesome is that?”

Applejack facehoofed as Dash went on to describe a few maneuvers. Twilight was about to cut her friend off when the rainbow-haired pegasus's entire tone changed back to the somewhat darker mood she had been in earlier. “...There's also the fact that no matter what happened, they stuck by their friends, no matter the differences or the problems. They were always there to help each other out. We could use a little more loyalty like that in the world...”

Twilight tilted her head, watching Dash deflate. The others had looks of concern as well. What had happened when Rainbow had missed that night of study to rush back to Cloudsdale?

Twilight was about to say something when a hoof holding a pink frosted cupcake was shoved into Rainbow Dash's face. The pegasus blinked, looking down, before taking the cup cake. A slightly amused look crossed her face as Pinkie Pie patted her on the head with a “there, there” and bounded into the middle of the room.

“Dashie is right; it could be a whole lot of fun. I vote yes that they should be free, ‘cause no pony should be a rock. I mean’ unless they were born a rock, but then they wouldn’t be a pony. I mean, come on, bo~ring! They were just good ponies tossed into a bad situation and had to make choices the best they could at the time, or they let their emotions get the better of them in certain cases. I mean, sure Rhede could have held back, but that was sorta a family member and he was really protective of them. I mean what would happen if one of us did something really bad without meaning to or kept a secret that could be an issue if it ever came out? Would everyone hate us, or would they remember we stopped Discord, and parasprites and Nightmare Moon and that dragon with the snoring... what was up with him, anyway? I mean there's other dragons and their snoring doesn't blot out the sun, ooooh maybe he was a dragon god and smoke was his thing! That would make a whole lot of sense and I bet the writer of this fic is getting bored now trying to figure out what I am supposed to say next so I better stop but this is a run on sentence from heck here that just not want to stop though I guess what I really am saying is we need to free them so Luna can be happy and they can be happy and we can party and can hear that dragon sing and hit Jer'rahd with a pie so maybe he'll cheer up or at least smile ‘cause I’ve never seen a pony with fangs except the fake ones Luna put in for Nightmare Night and that was fun and scary and she was like ROAR and I was like AH! NIGHTMARE MOON! and I ran then Twilight caught me and I said it was fun being scared and ooomph!!!”

Rather than eat the cupcake, Rainbow Dash had done everyone else a favor and shoved it into Pinkie Pie's mouth.

“Okay that's three yeses and one no. Applejack?”

“I reckon ah'll make this short after that rampage there. Ah say no. They killed an awful lot of ponies and critters that didn't deserve it right along with the ones that did. That they tried tah stop Nightmare Moon doesn't mean a thing since they all did it for their own reasons. It may have been tah save a friend, but they shoulda’ done somthin’ sooner. They coulda’ stopped her themselves, but they chose a gamble that really didn't have much chance tah pay off anyway. One that could have cost more lives than it woulda saved if Celestia hadn’t done what she did. The five had selfish intentions to tha very end. That ain’t a reason tah be forgiven.”

Twilight blinked, looking at the farm pony with a bit of interest. She was not sure if the revelation that the Apples were descended from the Pelts and quite possibly Rhede had swayed her decision, but it was a valid point.

“That should not matter much, Applejack. As I stated, Nightmare Moon did not even have that selfish act to her name and she was forgiven.”

“A selfish act is still a selfish act.”

Applejack and Rarity start bickering over each other’s decisions, with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie throwing into the argument every so often.

“GIRLS, STOP! I am here to find out what you think, not to have a discussion group. We can do that later once I hear from everyone. Spike.”

The little dragon had been sitting back quietly, polishing off a plate of cupcakes.

“Glad to see you remembered me this time.”

“Don't start that again, Spike; you wanted a vote, now's your chance.”

“Spiky, you agree with me, don't you?”

“Rarity, stop trying to sway his vote.”

“No, I don't, Rarity, and no. After everything was said and done, they all had choices. They could have picked a harder choice that would have resulted in less death nearly every time. Sure they couldn't stop the dragons peacefully, but they didn't have to go after Cindervale, or Aqua, or the griffons. Rhede and Starfall did not need to suddenly go for blood, Velkorn preached about doing away with the stereotypes of her race but was more than willing to follow them and kill that foal. Jer'rahd could have stopped being star-eyed for Luna long enough to see what the problem was and try to fix it instead of just fawning over her. The only one out of the entire group of them that I think has a chance of forgiveness is Bleu, and we can't let her out without the others, so they all should stay. Every choice they made was the wrong one and they kept making them. They never learned from their mistakes until it was too late to matter anymore. They should stay locked up. I figure someday maybe they might be freed, but I don't want to see it anytime soon. “

Spike crossed his arms, staring up at Twilight as she wrote everything down. Rarity looked a little hurt, while Applejack had a smug look on her face. Dash looked annoyed and Pinkie had a sad look. Fluttershy was likely under the couch still, where she hid when Rarity and AJ had started bickering.

“Alright then, that makes it three for and three against. Figures I would be the tie breaker.”

“More like ‘fitting’, darling. As Spiky said, you have seen more of this than anyone else. I dare say you may have even developed a better understanding of it than even those who where there. They would only have been able to see their own side of things and you were able to view it from everypony’s standpoint.”

“That's true. ‘Sides, you were the first one that was asked to check this out. If you hadn’a gone to the gardens, none of us would even know anything about it at all.”

Rainbow Dash nodded lightly and Pinkie smile.d looking to be ready to say something when she spotted the clock and freaked out.

“Oh no, it’s nearly noon? I need to get back to foalsit for the Cakes. Sorry I can't stay, Twilight, but you know how Mrs. Cake stresses over time.”

“Alright, bye then, Pinkie...” The pink pony was gone before Twilight even managed to finish the sentence.

“I hate to run as well, Twilight, but I do have a few dresses on an order I must complete. I don’t want to leave you without having a nice discussion, but I am afraid it cannot be helped. I am sure Applejack will agree that we should let you draw your own conclusion instead of trying to sway you.”

“Sounds more like somthin’ you'd do. Ah gotta git back to the farm any way. Ya might wanna head home, too, Fluttershy. Mac's gonna bring another load of them old apples for yer critters.”

Rainbow Dash's ears perked up a little though she still seemed a little morose as she looked to the farm pony.

“Spike, yah gonna keep watch on Apple Bloom an’ the others today?”

“Yep; they plan to try their hooves at baking with Granny Smith. I am definitely not gonna miss that. Even their worst could turn out pretty good.”

“Ah keep fergetting you liked those baked bad things... alright, ah'll let ‘em know yer coming.”

“Right.”

Twilight watched as Rarity and Applejack bickered a little more before heading out the door. It was not nearly as bad as when she first met them both, though the pair seemed to have more fun arguing than anything else. Dash sat back on the couch, yawning a little before looking at Twilight.

“So you going to do it then?”

“What? Do what, Rainbow?”

“Spike said earlier that Luna came by and told you there was more to see. Weather duty’s light today, so Cloud Kicker can handle it. I'm kinda curious as to what else there might be. I doubt it's gonna change my mind, but you need somepony here to watch you anyhow. I'm free ‘til later tonight, so I'll keep watch for you.”

“You sure? I haven't gotten any more books that are up your alley as of late.”

“Nah, its fine. I figure I’ll look back over what you wrote. I wanna see if maybe I missed something that AJ saw that made her choose ‘no’. Otherwise, we will probably argue about it for a while.”

“Well, alright, if you're sure.”

“Yeah, I’m not feeling up to much at the moment, anyway.”

Twilight looked back as Rainbow Dash pulled open the tome to start reading the story again. She could tell something was wrong with the light blue pegasus, but she couldn't tell what. She sighed, planning to ask later after she was done with this. One more look wouldn't hurt. The Princess of the Moon had gotten her curiosity up again.

The purple unicorn cast the spell, letting the familiar feeling wash over her as she was pulled into the magic world. She opened her eyes, looking at only one window: the one that lead to the Waning Moon.

She sighed, saddened that this was the last visit before she sent the weapon back to Celestia, before slipping into the window.

It had been three months since the defeat of Nightmare Moon and the Lunar Republic. Far too much had happened in such a short time. Winnysor Castle and the Lunar Republic city around it were destroyed utterly, with only a few sections of the castle itself remaining, at Celestia's order. The throne room in particular was to be left undisturbed with the strange device in its center with the five Elements of Harmony resting on it, frozen in stone as their bearers were.

The 42nd had remained where Jer'rahd had sent them last: the ruins of Dullahan and the abandoned military base that was there. When the Royal Guard and the allied armies of the nations arrived demanding their surrender, the officers refused. They cited they had been ordered by the only one they followed to hold this position. They were not leaving. One large attempt was made by the joint forces to remove the ponies from the military fort and the ruins of the city. That met with total disaster and the 42nd held their ground still. A few smaller attempts were made to remove Luna's Hoof from the area as well; all met with failure.

Finally, an ambassador was sent in to negotiate, as Celestia had seen enough death. The 42nd agreed to surrender, but refused to vacate the area. It was eventually allowed, though several Royal Guard outposts were set up in the area to make sure the group would not try anything.

Though unhappy with the allowance, the joint armies agreed with Celestia's solution, if reluctantly.

========================================

When the issue with the half-dragons was addressed, it was not due to them being hunted down as the 42nd was. A month after Nightmare Moon's defeat, a dozen of the older half-dragons flew into Canterlot. A flight of Royal Guard pegasi went out to intercept the small group, and finding they were unarmed and unarmored, escorted them back to the castle itself.
Celestia allowed the small group into the still-damaged throne room to speak with them. The large half-dragon, Lion Heart, spoke for the group.

“I wish that you would show my kind mercy, Princess. There are far too few of us left for any more losses. What Nightmare Night did not kill, the war did. There are barely a hundred of my race left and only about two hundred of the new breed. If you still require justice to be served for our actions, those of us who have come here, the leaders of our race, will accept that punishment. We only ask that you spare the others who were following our orders.”

“No.”

The half-dragons winced at the stern face and answer the Princess had given. None of them made a move, however, though several of the Royal Guards moved around them. Lion Heart's ears droopd, but his gaze remained unwaveringly on the Princess. Celesta ignored the looks and continued,

“There has been enough death and sacrifice in Equestria as of late. You are correct that what has been done cannot go unpunished. The Minotaur have been removed from the council of races and are forced to live on the fringes of the lands to be considered by many as little more than monsters. It time, perhaps, they will be ready to rejoin, but they are a stubborn lot. You, however, have come to me. That shows some merit, admitting you were in the wrong and yet still trying to save the rest of your kind. I am well aware of your creation and what the dragons of the Flame Party did. I only offer you one option.”

Lion Heart perked his ears, listening as the others glanced from him to the Princess.

“You will disband all military forces you have, as well as cease training of said forces that you may be undergoing. Your land was devastated and you will need all of those that would be an army to rebuild it. You will submit to becoming a providence of Equestria and swear to me as you did to my sister. I will not have a military leader in any of my providences, so none of your rank and file nonsense will apply, even that which came about from your time with the dragons. The remaining Shadowbolts that accompanied your initial retreat fall under this requirement as well.”

The half-dragon nodded, but his expression gave no indication on whether he approved of what she asked or not.

“Furthermore, in light of your actions, as well as a partial agreement I made to someone in regards to your loyalty and decisions in the Lunar Republic before its fall, I am appointing you, Lion Heart, as governor of the new province. There will, of course, be Royal Guard stationed and a selection of advisers and investigators to make certain you follow the guidelines that you will receive as the Gallopagos becomes a providence of Equestria. Is this acceptable, or will there be issue?”

The half-dragon regarded her curiously a moment, his ears flat to his head. The Royal Guards around the group shifted their weapons as if to emphasis what might happen if there was a issue. Lion Heart remained unfazed by the bolster, his gaze yet to have left Celestia.

“I question your choice of the one to lead, Princess, but I will abide by it if that is what is required to save the others.”

The large half-dragon sank to a bow before the Princess of the Sun, the others following suit.

====================================================

A lone pegasus stood on the raised dais, staring at the five new statues added to the garden. Cloud Dancer sighed, shifting the rucksack draped over her back, making sure her wings were free so she could fly. The white bleaching of her mane and tail was starting to fade and the bright pink was showing again at the roots. She exhaled deeply, staring at the stone face of her mother; even in rock, the mare looked saddened. Her ears perked at the sound of hoof falls behind her.

“I figured I would find you here.”

“You realize I have been sitting here waiting for you about an hour now, right, Cyan?”

“Not my fault you can fly; some of us still have to walk.”

“Please, don't tell me you're getting old already. You were faster than this in basic.”

The unicorn snorted his annoyance and stepped from the thin hidden path to the surface of the marble rise. He moved to the edge to look out over the garden, the Brilliant Dawn and Waning Moon hanging on either side of his torso.

“So you still plan to leave?”

“Yeah.”

“We could still use you. There are a great number of issues that might still need some fancy flying to deal with.”

“I am not going to be like my mother. I only joined the Guard to get over my fear of her and bring her to justice and I did that. I have no other use for the Guard now that my own revenge is done.”

“I suppose. So what are you going to do now?”

“There's still a lot of ponies in this world that need help. I am not against doing that, just not with the Guard. Maybe the King's Cross, though I don't know anything about medicine. Maybe they need a messenger or something. Pity I can't just help by flying.”

“That is not entirely true.”

“What, you know something?”

“Yeah, sorta; it is a bit of a long shot I suppose. You know where your mother got the idea for the Shadowbolts, right?”

“She claimed it was from an old stunt show that traveled with the Equestrian Service Organization. She said she enjoyed the one show of theirs she saw, but they were all wiped out in Dullahan trying to fight back against the attacking force, even though they were civilians.”

“Yep. Well you know that mare I met when I got out of basic?”

“The one calling herself Silver Sparkle? Yeah, what about her?”

“That's her stage name. It was a stage name her aunt used as her first stage name. Anyway, she’s trying to rebuild the ESO.
She already made a name for herself by being the one the Platinum Swan chose as their lead singer for their first tour season. Celestia has also agreed to help her rebuild the ESO to what it once was. Equestria needs something like that after all that has happened, a way to forget about the troubles for a while. She is looking to find replacements for the Wonderbolts as well. I suggested you as the first one to talk to.”

“I am not much of an entertainer.”

“But you fly, and you are one of the best, if not the best left now...” He glanced to the frozen Starfall. “Buck, you have always been one push away from being able to do a Sonic Rainboom yourself. Besides, it is not as if you would be stuck just being a show mare. A unit like that could also be used for rescues and a fast response team to disasters. The full list of what they would do would be up to you… if you accepted the offer to be in charge of the group.”

Cloud Dancer chuckled. “I never will make that push, Cyan. If nothing else, my mother can remain the only pegasus to do a Rainboom. I will leave her that. As for the Wonderbolts? I might look into it after a time. Not like I am doing anything else with my life.”

“I suppose I could not ask for much more than that. You know where to find me when you decide.”

The pegasus nodded as she walked over to the stone statue of Starfall, brushing a wing feather over the frozen figure’s cheek.

“I don't hate you, mommy. I never really did.”

She launched herself into the air, wings spread wide as she flew off into the cloudless sky.

=========================================

“So she left as well? Do you think she may take up the offer?”

“It is possible, Princess. She might also go help with that new pegasus city, Cloudsdale, or whatever it was going to be called.”

Celestia sighed, sitting back in her cushion and looking down at the table before her. Baelit sat to one side of her and Cyan simply stood on the other side of the table. Behind him, Fox and a Wolf stood patiently.

The food before them all was, of course, some of the best, and the Princess regretted letting it go to waste, but even after a month, she was still struggling to hold back the onset of depression. Damn that Kaisur for being right about something yet again.

“Yes, Cloudsdale. In all honesty, they could use one of her skill as well. With the Nightmare Night disaster as well as all the weather changes we ourselves have done with Winter Wrap-Up, Equestria is now in need of full-time weather pegasi. In its current state, the environment is still too unpredictable and potentially disastrous. It seems that the rumors of Aqua controlling the weather over the seas as well as the waters themselves were not simply rumors. Cloudsdale will be needed to ensure that Equestria is not turned into a wasteland by the forces of nature itself. What of Proud Tail?”

“Chief Proud Tail is still participating in the mourning ritual following the death of his father. When that is over, he will become their chief to lead them to the new grazing lands for the summer. He will not be returning to your Guard, Princess, much like Cloud Dancer.”

“I did not expect he would. He realized I was using you all against Luna's Generals.”

“He was content with that Princess. He was using the Guard to try and gain the power that his father had. With the tribal tattoo magic he rediscovered, he may very well have done just that. Besides, we all knew that was why you gathered us together. We all had our own reasons for agreeing to join your personal guard, and while it did not work out as we hoped, this was still a better solution than many predicted outcomes.”

The white unicorn glanced at the notes floating before him in the air. “Shall I continue with the reports?”

“Yes. Please do, Cyan.”

“Manehatten is already up and running. The city itself was rebuilt over the ruins of the old city, atop a pony-made island in the middle of the water, of all things. The 42nd have begun rebuilding Dullahan as a city. There is talk of setting it up as a shipping port. Major Dutch- sorry, Govener Dutch, and his advisers have seemingly changed their strategy for holding on to the land. Since Horseshoe Bay and areas around it are technically new land due to their former existence as the Darklands, they were never claimed by Equestria. They are planning to invoke settlers’ right to hold the land and use it as they see fit.”

“They do realize that makes them accountable to Equestrian law again, correct?”

“It seems they do. It also allows them to continue to follow General Kaisur's final order to them to hold that position without causing further strife among the other nations. As with any new settlement, it will need to be named. Since Dullahan was wiped out completely and there are far too many against renaming it that anyway due to General Kaisur's nickname, they are looking to call it Baltimare”

“I did not expect Kaisur would put an idiot in charge of that unit; it seems I was correct. Go on, Cyan.”

“Let’s see... the new mountain range south of Hollow Shades has been dubbed the Foal Mountain Range, with the largest simply being Foal Mountain. Ponyville is now completely uninhabited to the point where not even the ruins really remain. A patrol into Winnysor confirmed there are no more forces in the ruins and the device and the Elements remain untouched, despite the massive destruction inflicted by our allies. Seems they were not willing to fiddle with something Nightmare Moon made.”

“How long until the representatives arrive?”

“Within the next month or so; things should have calmed enough for the conference. The dragons, harpies, and minotaurs will not be in attendance. The zebras, griffons, and diamond dogs will attend, as well as several of the other races, including a representative of the seaponies. Evidently, she was the former captain of the Princess Bride and one of the few seaponies not enthralled by Aqua. After Nightmare Night they started a colony along the string of islands that were once the mountain range keeping the Hooper Sea from the Equestrian Ocean.“

“While that is a good sign of peace with our waterborne cousins, why will the dragons not be attending? They are a primary race.”

“According to one of the remaining officers, there is only a few hundred of their race left, and they are all so scattered that there is no point in trying to pull them back together to find a leader. It was simply stated that the dragons would agree with the terms proposed by the Lunar Peace Pact when each individual dragon was made to do so. It seems that there is no longer a dragon nation at all, and yet they are still stubborn bucking creatures.”

“That will cause issues down the line, I am sure. Was that everything?”

“Almost, though I will let the Apple brothers speak with you first, as what remains is on a more personal level.”

“All right; Wolf, Fox, I gather everything has gone well for your family?”

The lanky pony shrugged, blowing a bit of hair out of his eyes. Wolf nodded lightly, letting his brother do most of the talking.

“Well enough. Maw is a bit eager to get a move on; itchy hooves from sitting in one place too long. She told me to thank you for the offer to use the grand ball room for the Apple family’s first Hearths Warming Party, but she declines. Too many bad memories, it seems. I can't really blame her, though she might appreciate a little help finding some ponies, if you are willing Princess.”

“Finding some ponies?”

The orange-furred pony held up a scroll with a hoof.

“Names of some mares and foals that she hasn't found yet. Seems Rhede managed to make her cry one last time with that final gift of his.” Celestia smiled softly.

“Now that that bit is out of the way, I figure you called us here again from setting up the caravan ‘cause you needed something.”

“I need you to write a book about what has happened, Fox.”

“I suppose I can do that. But wouldn't it be a better idea to cover it up?”

“I am already making sure most of the documents even regarding Luna's existence are removed: the artifacts, the stained glass windows, her throne, everything.”

“So why do you need me to write a book about the events? Wouldn't it be better if it was completely forgotten so that what she has done will be lost into history until you can find a cure for her?”

“I have calculated the amount of time that she will be sealed in the moon, Fox. It is one of the reasons I am allowing that day she was banished to become a holiday. The Summer Sun Celebration will not only be a remembrance of the Lunar Republic's fall, but also a reminder that on the thousandth year of that day, she well return.”

“I am still missing the point, Princess.”

“I need an old mares’ tale written, Fox; something that everyone will know, but no one will believe fully. When she does return, I will need something to give to the ones I have found who can use the Elements of Harmony to finally cure her. I failed the others by thinking of which of them I would sacrifice to keep Luna free. I was never their friend; my sister was. The ones who will be needed to cure her have yet to be found. When they are, I will need a book or a story that will tell them what they need to know to heal her.”

“You are asking me to craft a tale that will both be well-known and ignored at the same time, and that will teach someone in a thousand years how to harness the Elements of Harmony enough to stop your sister?”

“Yes.”

A rather wide grin crossed Fox's face that showed an uncanny resemblance to his older brother, Rhede.

“Sounds like fun. A little foals’ tale about a couple of sisters and a bit of jealousy about something simple should do nicely. Simple and memorable.”

“I shall enjoy reading it when you have finished, Fox. I take it you two are leaving the Guard to help the family?”

“Ooh, got it in one. There's a lot of work for us to do, Princess. As much fun as it would be to remain your Royal Guards, it was never really something to suit us farmer pony types. We agreed to get to Rhede, though that didn't turn out how anyone expected. But I will be sure to work on that book for you.”

“Thank you. I would ask you tell your mother one more thing for me.”

“What's that?”

“If her family is ever tired of their travels, weary from the road and wish a place to finally settle once more, come to me and I will ensure that the Apples, or whatever name your family follows then, will have a place in Ponyville.”

“Rather nice of you, Princess. But with how stubborn we are, don't expect that offer to be taken up for a long time.”
Celestia sighed as Fox pulls out some scrolls, starting to take notes on ideas as they crossed his mind. She looked over to Wolf, who simply shrugged and gestures to the white unicorn. “I suppose that brings us back to you, Cyan Sparkle. What was it you wished to bring up?”

“Just the notice of my retirement, Celestia.”

“What? Not you as well. Is everyone planning to leave?”

“I am not going anywhere, Princess; I am simply stepping down from a position in the Guard.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You seem to be missing a big part of this reconstruction, Princess. You have plenty of soldiers on your side. You do not have any nobles. Most of them still complain that you should have acted earlier and there are many, even after your actions, who do not consider you fit to rule anymore. The Sparkles were never a major house in the game, Princess, but the name is still very respected. I would not see everything that has been worked for unraveled because of petty greed and infighting, particularly not from those who think themselves better than anypony else. Someone will need to watch that group for you to make sure you stay several steps ahead of any plans against you.”

“You could remain a Royal Guard and still do that.”

“No, most will think that I am little more than a spy and will shut themselves off to me. As just a noble, I can get into things and end them before they get bad. We do not need another Order.”

He floated the Waning Moon and the Brilliant Dawn to the table before her, setting them lightly down on a clear spot.

“I never considered myself worthy of either of these, anyway. That, and my marefriend doesn't want to marry a guardspony.”

“You do work fast. Did you not only meet her just out of basic? “

“That was a year ago, and yes, but what can I say, Princess? A beautiful mare with a gorgeous voice is something that only a foolish stallion would pass up.”

“I do hope I can hear her at some point.”

“If you hold the Gala next year and The Platinum Swan performs, you will. Hint hint, and all that.”

“I shall do that. Thank you for everything, Cyan. “

“Of course, Princess. Alright, Apples, let’s get moving. There’s lots to do. See you around, Baelit.”

“Later, Princess. Later, Kingy.”

“I wish you both well. Good luck, Baelit; you may need said luck, with what you have planned.”

Baelit frowned at the smirk Wolf showed, though the other two seemed just as confused by the statement as the Princess was.
“I will send you a letter regarding the outcome, Wolf; now shoo.”

“Just remember to pay me for that metalwork I did, my friend.”

“I already told you I will; now in your native drawl, GIT!”

The large pony laughed, trotting out of the room with the others, leaving Celestia and Baelit alone. The princess stared at the zebra as he regarded the food on his plate with sudden interest.

“I suppose you will need to return home soon as well, Baelit.”

“I have time. It is not as if Velkorn's death has changed anything in my homeland; the civil war still rages.”

“There is much cleanup left to do in Equestria, but I will offer aid to you if I am able.”

“I know you will, and there is perhaps something you can do about it with relatively little effort on your part. It is one reason I came here today.”

“Oh? And here I thought it was for the joy of my company.”

“That is a given, Celestia, though as your doctor, I am a little worried about you.”

“Oh you are my personal doctor now?”

“Among other things, and with my aunt's… retirement, I am possibly the only one alive who knows how to treat an alicorn. So yes, I can say I am your doctor with a straight face.”

“So what is the issue then, Doc?”

“Everyone is leaving you: your Guards, the older nobles you are familiar with, even the other gods. To make things worse, you had to banish your own sister, the one pony you have been close with for centuries. I am particularly concerned with how depression will affect you. Equestria cannot survive if something happens to you as well.”

“I am not depressed.”

“You are a horrid liar. I would think at your age you would be better at it.”

“That is rude, Baelit.”

“The age or the calling you a bad liar?”

“Both.”

“Well it is not exactly easy to find things wrong with you to tease you about, so I have to use what I can.”

“So what exactly do you recommend for my 'depression' then?”

Baelit smiled. “A vacation.”

“You're joking. This is the absolute worst time for that.”

“I am not so sure on that. Take a working vacation if you must, but if nothing else, you need to get out of the castle. It will aid in your image as well to be seen around the damaged lands overseeing their revival. You need to not sit here and sulk away with the memories you have. You should get out and have new ones. Save the depression for when nopony is looking. Equestria needs a strong leader right now; it does not need to see you weep over what they consider the greatest evil of their lives.”

Celestia sighed, looking down to push a fork around on her plate, the meal untouched.

“So what should I do then? You are correct in that everything I have cared for is gone. Kaisur was correct in that I will need something to work on. He always was far too accurate in such things.”

“Considering how much death he experienced in his life, I would say he could very well be an expert on dealing with it.”

“All running about would do now is make things take longer to fix.”

“Yes, thus keeping you distracted longer. Also, your vacation might very well fix the issues in the zebra lands.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow as Baelit took a sip of his drink. “You mentioned that earlier. How would my presence fix anything? The zebra's hate gods.”

“No, no. The zebras hate [i ]zebra gods. They are quite enamored with alicorns. Luna was rather well-received when she was there. As for how you would fix things... How long have I known you now?”

“Almost three years. Why the sudden subject change?”

“And how long have we been, ahem... closer than that?”

“A little over a year and a half... it may have been longer if your aunt had not had so much issue with it… wait...”

“The easiest way for the civil war to end is by someone who is well respected and feared by both sides to get involved. Someone who defeated the greatest threat since the God Kings. Someone who could easily be made queen and thus rally the full support of the entire country behind its king.”

Celestia stared at him, a small smirk barely crossing his muzzle as he set a small box on the table, flipping it open show a golden horn ring with a rather impressive diamond and very intricate detail on the band.

She looked between him and the box, her gaze a cross between disbelief and confusion.

“That is by far one of the worst proposals I have heard. It makes you sound like a two bit story villain. 'Rally the country behind the king'. Honestly?”

Baelit facehoofed, his face turning a bright red as he seemed to try to hide it.

“Well, excuuuuse me, Princess. I have not had a few thousand years to practice this sort of thing.”

“Picking on me due to my age again, are you?”

“That is not an answer, Celestia.”

The Princess of the Sun sighed. “I do not get attached Baelit. It never ends well. I will not age and you will wither and die before me.”

“I see.”

“I am sorry.”

“So you will pass up the good years that you could have simply because of what will happen much later?”
Celestia's eyes narrowed.

“I said that to Pelt, you know.”

“Does it make it any less true? I am still a young zebra; I’ve got a good hundred years or so left in me.”

“Maybe about forty ‘til the plumbing doesn't work.”

He chuckled. “I am one of the best medics in the world; I am quite sure I can come up with something so my sexy queen would not have to do without her favored ride for much longer than that.”

“Now you are simply being foalish.”

“I am still waiting for an answer. I can promise I will do my best to make sure you remain happy as long as I am able. There is very little more anyone else could do. Had I the magical knowledge, I would seek my own way to godhood to remain with you. As it stands, I will simply have to live well to stay around longer.”

“You are a persistent one.”

“I have not even begun to be persistent. It is a bit of a family trait, to be honest.”

“Alright. I might regret this, but yes...”

Twilight pulled back, shaking her head. She was actually both mad and jealous at the same time. She knew she should not be as Baelit was long dead by now, but that twinge of anger at someone else wanting and getting the Princesses affections bothered her greatly. Perhaps he was the one Luna had spoken of.
She twitched slightly, looking down at her foreleg and remembering what Luna had said. She looked back at the window, biting her lip, curiosity getting the better of her as she slipped back in.

(Three years later.)

Celestia tilted her head, frowning as she looked up at the crossed blades on the mantle before her. The Waning Moon and the Brilliant Dawn both had little flames running along their bare edges in the presence of the mare that controlled both the sun and the moon.

The princess sighed, looking at them and shaking her head. She turned about, looking towards the white unicorn stallion standing on the far side of the room by the door. In just this short time, Cyan had grown larger both in stature and a bit in girth as well. The soft life of a noble was getting to his physical form, though thankfully, his wife did not seem to mind. That softness did nothing to dull his mind, however, as was clear by the reports he had been giving her, though this time Celestia was only half listening.

The wedding had happened a year ago on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. The choice was made so that every pony would have something else to remember the day for rather than the defeat of Nightmare Moon.

Baelit had been correct in that the civil war stopped as soon as the news of the engagement came into light. Celestia's presence and acceptance as the new queen had changed many opinions on the zebra council. Some, who did not agree with the king and new queen's requests to find common ground, stepped down from the council, fearing Celestia's ire if they continued to fight. A number of rebel leaders were appointed in their place and at Baelit and Celestia's urging, a single Untouchable was appointed to the council as well.

The new zebra council had decided that despite the marriage between their king and the princess, they would remain independent of Equestria. Both Baelit and Celestia were fine with this, as despite being little more than political figureheads, their word could still sway decisions that were needed.

One of the first decisions made was to allow a free trade between the two nations, something that Fox was quick to jump on. The resulting negotiations placed the Apple family as the primary trade group between the two lands.

The pair had spent the better part of that first year traveling and seeing to the rebuilding of the land. They even stopped by Baltimare, and Celestia was rather surprised at the warm reception they had received from the former Luna Republic forces that were the primary inhabitants of the new city.

“Are you even listing, Princess?”

She snapped back to reality, glancing over to an annoyed Cyan. “Only partially, but I will be hearing about it several more times anyway.”

“Yes, well, you wanted to hear it from me first, so here I am. I could be doing other things...”

Celestia turned to stare at him, her eyes narrowing. “No need to get annoyed, Cyan. I know you would rather be with your wife and son. I do appreciate these reports you bring me. I am just a bit easily riled today.

“As you wish, though that does bring up a question I have had for a few days that I would like to ask you.”

She sat down, lifting a tea cup to her lips and glancing down at the paperwork on the table with a small shake of her head.

“Hmm, and what is that?”

“How far along are you with foal?”

Celestia nearly choked on her tea, the liquid spraying from her lips andhitting a shield Cyan had the foresight to put up over the papers on the table. She coughs again catching her breath. “What?!”

“Do not try and pass it over on me, Celestia. My wife just had our first and she showed signs of it prior to the large belly. You show several of them on top of a rather ineffective illusion spell to cover the obvious signs. Is that why Baelit has spent the last few months in the zebra lands alone?”

“He is looking into some things that he is worried about, nothing more, though he may also be somewhat afraid of my reaction as well. He will be back well before she is due.”

“You already know the gender, I see. I may need to borrow that magic if Silver and I manage a second foal. In all honesty, I am surprised you are having one.”

“I was a little surprised as well when it first came to my attention, though it seems there are certain things I neglected to do spell-wise due to all that has been going on.”

“Yet you still plan to keep her. Good for you, Princess though you are going to make my job a bit of a nightmare with this.”

“Yes, well, on to some other related news that I have for you, Cyan. I have the invite to Proud Tail's wedding for you and the others, and it seems some mare has her hooves on Wolf as well. Fox is livid, of course. He is still unable to get so much as a date.”

“I gather you got a rather long letter about that from him.”

“Yes, I did. How is Cloud Dancer working out?”

“An absolute horror to work for. I constantly give thanks to the stars I was not born a pegasus. The Wonderbolts, however, are quite amazing under her leadership. They have a few routines set up and have already performed quite a number of search and rescue operations. Despite the complaints from the others in the team, she is quite apt at what she does. None of them have even considered quitting no matter how hard she pushes them. Granted, several of them are fighting for her, ahem, affections. It seems her mother’s name has not turned anyone against her.”

“So it seems everyone is doing well for themselves, then. That is good.”

“Unless you try to strangle Baelit during foal birth like my wife attempted to do to me.”

===================================

( Four years later)

Celestia smiled, hoping Baelit would return soon from his trip to the zebra lands. Hearth’s Warming was coming, and she really wanted him to be here. The last two years had been some of the worst for her, though they were rapidly getting better.
She was reminded again of her sister when a pair of mares named Shim and Sham had shown up in Hollow Shades convincing the population there to give tributes to Nightmare Moon again by making her reappear with a bit of stage magic and big talk.

She was going to send Guards to have them arrested, but Fox sent word to leave them be. He had gone himself and sent word back that they were selling costumes, masks, and cheap trinkets to tribute, but were not touching the supposed offering. After some talk, it seemed that Fox had managed to convince them to make it into some sort of festival. It also seemed that Fox had managed to convince the pair of other things as well, considering how the rest of his letter had gone. She decided to let him deal with it. Turning something that should be a remembrance of a disaster into some sort of holiday for foals fit well for what she wanted to do.

The other nations had agreed to step down most of their forces, leaving little more than a royal guard as part of the Lunar Peace Accord.

For the first time since before the first dragon war, there was an actual peace. The next generation being born would not need to know what their parents had gone through and in a few generations, none of them would even remember it at all.
She had done her best to see to the removal and destruction of quite a bit of the technology that had been developed for war. A whole joint force of all nations had been formed to do this and track down any remaining trolls that had escaped. She did not like the need to destroy another race, but trolls were little more than living weapons of war created by Discord. Destroying them would be a boon to the world at large.

The orcs were also hunted, though for a different reason. However, only a hoofful of villages were found in the former dragon lands. The rams and the orcs had taken over the lands and claimed them as their own. This worried some groups, though they only wished to be left alone. The half-dragons were the same; unless asked, they kept to themselves, though their land grew quickly and quite wealthy due to the problems inactivity caused the older generation.

Celestia smiled, looking down at the oak box on the table before her. The Brilliant Dawn was already sealed away along with the bone armor. Her visage reflected in the Waning Moon as she regarded it in its velvet-lined case for a last time before moving it into the library. The only other lasting weapons of the war, the Gray Grimoire and the Red Tome, were sealed in Tartarus before she and Baelit had even wed. The boat pony and his pet that guarded the entrance were quite content to allow her access to the accursed place in order to seal the evil of the books inside.

She exhaled softly, pulling a swath of fabric over the weapon. Her ears perked as a small red and white blur galloped past behind her. Celestia turnd, a frown crossing her face at the sound of the foal's laughter. She closed the box, sealing the sword and smirking softly.

“No you don't, my sunshine. It's bedtime for you...”

What. The. Buck. Was. That!?

Twilight floated in the space, her eyes wide in shock. Her teacher had a FOAL?! A zebra FOAL? A RED striped zebra foal?
She spun in place in space a moment before whipping her head about and sighing. It was not her business to ask that sort of thing. If Celestia wanted her to know, she would have told her.

GRAHHH! But she wanted to know!

She watched as the window of the Waning Moon closed. It was a somewhat sad sight though, she knew it would happen sooner or later. If she needed to, she could always turn the spell back to the very start to view it again.

A small glimmer in the air before her drew her attention to what she thought was a star in the distance. It was instead a tiny window that had been hidden by the larger window created by the Waning Moon.

She blinked, floating around it curiously. This was something new; a shard or fragment that had been missed somewhere, perhaps? Well, one way to find out. She dived into the window.

A dull gray landscape stretched out before her. Twilight blinked, turning about to see the strange dusty plain. A soft light from above illuminated the land, though not as brightly as Celestia's sun. She wondered briefly if the spell had gone wrong. She could still feel the connection to herself, though. Perhaps there simply was nobody here for her to look through.

She studied the area around her. Gray dust and rock, little more than a desert of sand and dirt. In the distance, she made out what seemed to be a hill or a rise of some kind. She started trotting towards it, glancing back in some amusement and seeing she was leaving no signs of her passing. She was still little more than a spirit here, much like the place the spell took her. With the higher vantage point that hill could offer, she might be able to figure out where she was.

Reaching the top she, was rather disappointed, as a gray landscape stretched out before her as far as she could see. Twilight sighed, thinking again that the spell had messed up. She was about to try and make her way back when a glimmer of blue light caught her eye from the shadow at the base of the hill. She stared at the spot until the light flickered again before she started galloping towards it.

At the base of the hill among some large rocks, she found what had caused the glow. Twilight’s eyes widened as she slows to a stop, looking down into a small crater at a dark equine form curled into a ball on the ground. A dark blue coat, platinum gray mane and tail, and a purple splotch with a crescent moon as her cutie mark. The soft blue glow of light surrounded her like a shield.

This was Princess Luna... then that would mean... Twilight looked up to the source of the light that had guided her path. A whole world lay above her; landmasses, oceans and rivers covered with a mix of clouds and storms. A portion of the world was in shadow and another portion in light. The princess’s sun was just barely seen on the far side of the world. The land far above her in the middle of the landmass covered in the shadow was Equestria. This was what the world looked like from the moon at nighttime.

Twilight’s jaw dropped in awe of the spectacle until a voice snapped her attention back to the sealed princess. Four ponies stood around the glowing dome that covered the moon goddess.

“Wake up, Luna. It is time for your return”

A black pegasus stallion with a tail and mane to match the color of his coat stood to the left of the small bubble. The flower of a plant Twilight did not recognize adorned his flank. Somehow, she thought he was familiar, though.

“Seriously, sleepy head. Wake up; you’re gonna miss the party.”

A bright pink unicorn with a mane and tail that was awash with more colors than Rainbow Dash's poked at the side of the shield with a hoof. What looked like a cat wearing some sort of pastry and riding a rainbow was his cutie mark.

A dark blue pegasus mare with a white mane and a gray tail stood on the far side of the bubble staring at the alicorn with in it. Twilight could not see her cutie mark from this angle.

A tan earth pony with a dark blue mane and tail that seemed to move and flow about her form like a magical aura stands nearest to Twilight.

“I do not wish to. Leave me be.”

Twilight looked towards the alicorn, surprised the princess was awake and seemingly herself.

“Sorry, no can do, Princess. The time has come. You don't want that that whole prophecy thing Imbrium made and gave to that Apple colt so he could write that book to turn up fake, do you? He worked soooo hard on it.”

“Shadow, be quiet. Leave me alone. The dead should not bother the living. Let me rot here.”

The colorful unicorn snorted in annoyance at that.

“Let me just kick her flank out of bed and be done with it .”

“No, Nightshade. We must not force it. Besides, Imbrium won the coin toss, so if anyone gets to throw the princess out of bed, it is her.”

The black stallion growled and Twilight remembered where she saw him from. When Starfall took the test to become a Bearer of Honesty, this was the stallion who spoke with her. These must be the Bearers of the Elements from when Luna and Celestia sealed Discord!

The dark blue pegasus mare spoke again, looking to Nightshade.

“I understand you are still mad that we were tricked by Aviana's Bearer of Loyalty, but justice came to him as it should be. This is what we have waited for, so we might make that wrong right again.”

“Perhaps that is what you think; I do not see how we can ever make that error right again. No matter; we have a task. Get up, princess, or we let Imbrium have a go. Your Generosity is rather annoyed with you.”

“Why should I return to a place where no one wants or cares for me?”

“Don't be like that. We loved and cared for you; your sister does the same. Heck, there's five ponies who had themselves turned to stone just so they would be there when you came back. That has got to be boring for them.”

“You were not supposed to tell her that, Shadow.”

The multi-hued stallion shrugged. “Oops.”

“I do not care. They were not my friends, just his. They are always his. He is the only one who ever cared for me, and yet even he betrayed me.”

“What the buck is she talking about, Dusk?”

The dark blue pegasus sighed.

“She is speaking about Hooper. Her mind is muddled with fighting off the darkness consuming her, and she thinks that Jer'rahd is a reincarnated Hooper. Those books did a number on her.”

“Oh for buck’s sake, that's it. Imbrium, kick this foal out of bed. I can only stand being nice for so long before I want to go back to the way we used to do things: somepony pisses you off, kick them in the head!”

“You are far too violent, Nightshade.”

“It comes from getting tricked and dying, then spending the next six thousand years watching your one living friend screw everything up.”

The earth pony closest to Twilight had been silent the entire time. She looks towards the others, who grew silent, and then back away from the dome as the mare moved closer. As the mare moved, Twilight could finally see the full moon cutie mark on her flank.

“WAKE THE BUCK UP, YOU STUPID COW! I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUR SHIT!”

Twilight's eyes widened at the outburst. The mare’s voice boomed across the gray landscape, kicking up dust and rock and flinging it about Twilight. This was far beyond any version of the Royal Canterlot Voice she had ever heard before. The mare roared on...

“Enough with this damn ‘poor me’ pity party you have going on up here. You lost. Deal with it. The Nightmare is still in control, so sitting here on this rock is not going to help anypony. Sooner or later, it's gonna be too strong for you to hold on to and it's gonna bust loose anyway after eating you fully. You think everything sucks for you, yet you do nothing to change anything about it. Honestly, I don't know why I am bothering to tell you this shit since you’re not gonna remember a lick of it anyway, but here's something that better stick in that tiny brain of yours, little sister.”

The mare smashed a hoof against the shield, shattering the glowing dome and leaning close to the squirming princess.

“If no pony cared for you, we would not be here. If Celestia did not care for you, she would not have set up all she did for your return. If they were not your friends, the Elements would not have worked. Jer'rahd is not Hooper's soul returned. There have been several ponies that have fallen in love with you over your long life, none of them the same. It is only the stubbornness of those two that managed to get past that wall you put around yourself. If you opened your damn eyes, you would see that you are just as cared for , if not more so, than your sister. Five of them even stood against your sister on countless occasions for you, and now they wait for your return. So get your ass up and get down there. The thousandth year of your imprisonment is over. You can go home.”

“But it will be...”

The form of Luna shuddered, a black energy wrapping about her, a dark laugh echoing across the gray surface as the miasma of energy shots upward from the lunar surface, heading towards Equestria. Twilight knew what was about to happen; she saw the other side of this story. This was Nightmare Moon's return; only an egghead and five newly-found friends would be there to stop her.

“Well, current bearer of Magic, is this what you expected to see? “

Twilight took an involuntary step back as Imbrium turned to look at her. The mare’s eyes burned red spots of light in the shadow of her mane.

“You can see me?”

“Why not? Harmony could.”

“I suppose, though I did not expect the legends of ponies being stars to be true.”

“There are many things you may as of yet not understand. That is fine; I expect you will know more than any of us when your end finally comes. I thank you for what you will do... ‘have done’, I suppose, by your view point.”

“What you mean? Beating Nightmare Moon? I was not given much of another option.”

“There are always choices, Bearer of Magic. You did far more than you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you recall the prophecy of Nightmare Moon? The last part of it?”

“Yes... why?”

“On the longest day of the thousandth year the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring nighttime eternal.”

“I’m sorry, but I do not understand the relevance. I now know you four helped her escape, and since you’re dead, I guess your stars... this is very confusing.”

“You seem to be missing the point, Bearer of Magic. The reason we thank you for what you have done is that we are not the stars that freed her. You are.”

“What...”

“The prison was not the moon, but the Nightmare that held her. The night time eternal is the immortal Princess Luna, for as long as she lives, she will bring the night. The stars that aided her escape are the ones that adorn your flank and represent your friends and the connection you have with them. You are the one who fulfilled the prophecy, Bearer of Magic. You released our friend from the pain she had suffered for a thousand years.”

“But how would Fox know about me, or how would you even know about me to tell Fox... GAH! I hate time travel.”

“Honestly, does it matter, at this point? What is done is done, though there are far more pressing and dangerous things for you to worry about. You future is still shrouded, Bearer of Magic. A much greater task and much pain await you. A trial is coming that you must overcome, for if you do not, ponykind will be destroyed. You should wake now; the next chapter of your life is about to begin.”

Twilight yelped, tumbling backwards away from the sword. She crashed into the couch, knocking it over to land on the floor with a dull thud.

“Ow...”

Rainbow Dash poked her head over the back of the couch.

“Um, Twilight? That is you, right? Not one of the other yous?”

“What? Yes, Dash, it’s me. Why would you think it would be one of the other ones?”

“Well, you started glowing and your mane caught fire, so I started hitting the panic button and nothing happened.”

“It shouldn't do that... Ugh, never mind. That is probably it for the sword. GAH! Every time I answer something, there's a whole new slew of questions! Gah, who do I have to choke to get a straight answer from the dead!?”

Rainbow Dash winced and Twilight perked her ears at the look on her friend’s face. She exhaled, trying to calm down, focusing on her friend.

“Alright, Rainbow. What’s wrong? You've not been yourself since you came back from Cloudsdale.”

“Not something I really want to talk about.”

Twilight sighed. “I can't help if you don't tell me.”

“Not like you can help this anyway.”

“Dash... I am at least trying.”

The pegasus muttered something. Her ears flattened to her head as she closed her eyes, her forehooves draping over the back of the couch as she sank down behind it further, as if using it as a wall to hide from Twilight. The purple unicorn was about to give up when her friend finally spoke up. “My friend Gilda is dead.”

Twilight's eyes widened.

“Gilda? The griffon Pinkie Pie party-pranked? What? How?”

“No one really knows. They found her body in Cloudsdale. I think someone her family knew might have gotten to her. That's one of the reasons she was in Cloudsdale when we were younger. Her parents sent her there to get her away from the trouble that was going on at home. Supposedly, she was from some important family or something that had a lot of enemies. I guess one of them must have finally found her. It looked like something out of that book you wrote about the past. They actually needed me to identify her. I only knew it was her by a tattoo she had on her wrist.”

“By the stars, Dash... why didn't you tell one of us?”

“No one here really liked her. I didn't think anyone would care.”

“You know that's not true, Rainbow...”

A loud pounding at the front door cut off what she was saying. She was going to ignore it when the door burst open.

Pinkie Pie tumbled into the room, her eyes wide in a panic. She spotted Twilight, leaping onto the unicorn and knocking her back over the couch with a crash. Rainbow Dash shot skyward, barely avoiding getting wrapped up in the pile as well.

“Pinkie, what in the world?!”

“IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN! ITCHY BACK HOOVES!! ITCHY BACK HOOVES!”

“Pinkie, what?!”

“THE TWITCH, THE DEATH TWITCH, MAKE IT STOOOOP!!!”

“Pinkie we found out what happened...”

Twilight looked over to Dash, who nodded lightly and looked even more depressed. Pinkie stopped her panic dead, looking from Twilight to Rainbow Dash.

“... Gilda died.”

“Gilda... oh no; when did she die?”

Rainbow sighed. “A couple of weeks ago, judging by what the guards said.”

“A couple of weeks? THEN WHY DO I STILL HAVE THE TWITCHY TWITCH NOW!?!”

“TWILIGHT!!!”

The purple unicorn sighed and pushed the panicking pink pony off of her. Celestia had a foal, she had a warning from dead ponies, Pinkie was freaking out, Rainbow Dash was more depressed than Twilight had ever seen her, and now Applejack was screaming for her as well.

This was turning out to be a much more chaotic and depressing day than she wanted. She whipped her head, trying to clear out the frustration as Applejack rushed in. Twilight blinked surprised at the panic on the farm pony’s face.

“Twilight, we need tah git tah Fluttershy's now! She's been attacked by some ponies, an’ mah brothers been hurt real bad!”

“What? Why did you come here instead of getting him to the hospital?! GAH!!”

Rainbow Dash tore out of the house, ripping most of the books from the shelves just from the force of her passing.

“BUCK IT, DASH!”

“She brings up a good point, why didn't you take him to the hospital?”

Applejack looked at Twilight, biting her lip.

“‘Cause where he was cut has got tha markings of poison. Its tha same description of what was affecting that pony in tha story you been working on, and yer prolly the only one who remembers the cure tah that stuff.”

“Pony in the story...”

Her jaw dropped as the realization hits.

“Wind serpent venom? Mac was attacked by some pony using wind serpent venom?”

~Fin~

====================================================

To be continued in Book 2,

Stories in Stone, Memories of Twilight.

Author's Note

Part 2 is here.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/71261/stories-in-stone-memories-of-twilight
Here is also a link to the other off shoots of the SiS series i am working on
Reign of Night,
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/109436/stories-in-stone-reign-of-night
and Lost Empire
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/110333/stories-in-stone-lost-empire
And now the prequal The Mare, the Dragon, and the Draconequus.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/147065/the-mare-the-dragon-and-the-draconequus

Luna's Royal Guard. [Prologue] (R)

Author's Note

just a heads up to those who might see this on their feed again. This is not a new story. This is me revising the whole bloody thing and trying to clean up what i wrote in 2011 to what my current standard of writing is and fix some plot holes and the like.

This will be slow going of course.

Luna's Royal Guard. Prologue

Stories in Stone.
Luna's Royal Guard
by
TDR

Stories in the Stones,
Prologue

Twilight fell back, her eyes wide as she stared in horror at the scene before her. The garden quickly grew quiet again, the echo of the scream fading into the hedgerows. Even at the full light of noon the Canterlot Royal Gardens suddenly had a very sinister look to it in her eyes.

Twilight lifted her gaze, and watched as the last of the pony's flesh was consumed once more by stone. Her eyes remained on the statue long afterward, the cold gray stone showing no sign that it was anything but artwork, despite Twilight still hearing the echo of the mares pleading for help and screaming for Princess Celestia to forgive her.

The scream had disrupted her concentration, and cost her control of the depetrification spell she had been casting, as such the mare was quickly returned to her cold inert state.

The purple pony lay on the grass, her mind galloping millions of miles an hour. Twilight's head slowly turned, as she took in the hundreds of other statues decorating the garden, and these were just the ones she could see. The gardens covered acres of land, the territory magically folded back in on itself to save space in the city. The spell was a marvel, giving more land, but taking up less space; a feat only a Goddess could have mustered the power for, it was a pity the land was too magically and had too high of an upkeep magically to be able to use for proper farmland.

Still, there was no telling how many statues there truly were in this place. Was Discord correct? Did the Princesses really turn ponies to stone? The little pony in her head screamed a definitive “YES”, along with an command to run, run far and fast and never look back.

Discord's comment had nagged at her for months, adding in no small part to her breakdown a few weeks ago. The Smarty Pants thing would be held over her head by the town for some time she was sure.

She decided to take a small vacation after Nightmare Night in order to visit her family in Canterlot and try and calm down. Visiting her parents resulted in the usual small talk of how she was doing, along with her mothers not so subtle queries about if she had found a proper stallion yet. She had left Spike with her parents, telling them she would be back later, and had hurried to the palace grounds to find out for herself. The words of the chaos god still echoing in her mind.

After the cockatrice had turned her to stone, she had put a great deal of effort into finding a cure that would not require the bird to be agreeable.

Twilight had found several spells of that nature including a few that worked on other petrification spells. Everything from a gorgons stare, to several different schools of magical casting.

It was one of these spells she had cast on the statue in the garden, she had come here expecting nothing more than another one of Discord’s lies.

To find he was truthful had been a shock that she was still trying to recover from.

Twilight slowly pushed herself to her hooves, not even sure what she was to do next. Could she tell some pony? Was it even possible to confront Celestia over this? Could anything really be done if she did indeed turn any pony she wished into a statue?

She barely noticed the shadow looming over her until its owner spoke.

“You should not have done that Twilight Sparkle. Some things exist that you should not seek to learn.”

Twilight’s ears flattened to her head as she whirled around, yelping loudly as her eyes traveled up the white form to the grim visage of Princess Celestia. The purple unicorn back peddled furiously, only to smack into the pedestal of the pony she nearly freed, before she dropped forward into a half bow, half grovel with her hooves over her face.

The Goddess of the Sun offered a small sigh at her antics.

“I should have guessed you of all ponies would be curious about the words Discord let slip. Likely the only one who would have noticed as well. Come, Twilight Sparkle, walk with me.“ Princess Celestia ordered.

The Princess turned, trotting a few paces down the path before she paused to glance back at her student. She frowned, seeing that Twilight remained cowering; having yet to move from where she was.

“That was not a request Twilight.” Princess Celestia stated with a hint of annoyance.

The purple mare jumped to her hooves with a start at the command, she swallowed hard and followed slowly after the Princess. She wondered briefly if she was being taken some where to join the Garden's inhabitants. Would any pony ever figure out what happened to her if she was? Rumors had abounded for a long time about swings in the Sun Goddess' temperament. Her own experience with her mentor’s disfavor was still clear in her mind after her breakdown with the doll. Twilight shuddered, hooves plodding lightly on the cobblestone as she followed her teacher along the path.

The Princess strode to a small dais in a clear area of the hedges. Several larger statues rested here as well as a pillar that rose into the air and seemed to have several more statues at the top of it. The Princess stepped onto the dais, her hooves clicking lightly on the stone before she turned to face the cowering pony behind her as she sat down on the flat stone.

”Faithful student, do you know what the Canterlot Gardens are for? Why Luna and myself put so much effort into maintaining them?” Celestia asked.

Twilight swallowed hard, thinking on the question. She was hesitant to answer rapidly, so she could be sure of the answer, but she did not wish to make the clearly annoyed Goddess any angrier.

“It.. It is supposed to be a place of quiet tranquility. A monument to ages past and the great heroes and villains of Equestria's history. A way not to forget the reasons for the past even if the history is lost.”

As she rattled off the words, some calm came back to her; her mind finding the familiar comfort of the words from the text she had read. The Princess did not seem upset by her response, which eased the tension a bit further.

“Well spoken, Twilight. Nearly a perfect recitation of the pamphlets for tour groups. But that is only the partial truth. The Canterlot Gardens are a prison. Nothing more, nothing less; regardless of what they look like and what ponies have chosen to believe they are." Celestia explained.

Twilight lifted her head, a bit confused by the term prison. From her reading she knew it was supposedly a larger jail. One meant to hold ponies for far longer than to sleep off a night of Sonic Rain Boom shots, or sticky hooves that were waiting a trial.

The Princess raised a hoof pointing to a statue of a dragon taking up most of the clearing. The amount of stone that would have gone into forming the beast alone would have made a road from Ponyville to Canterlot six stallions wide. That is, if it was stone.

“Do you know who that statue is supposed to be?” Celestia inquired.

Twilight lifted her head, examining the dragon statue. She quickly recognized it as a statue of Forge Scale the Terrible, a beast that ravaged the countryside thousands of years ago. His very actions started the First Dragon War. Eventually he simply vanished, bringing the war to a close. She explained all this to her teacher who simply nodded.

“Use your spell on that statue Twilight.” Celestia instructed.

Twilight swallowed a bit, her horn glowing as her gaze locked on the statue. A small patch on the great dragons side starting to glow with a lavender hue. The stone in that patch peeled back, bearing a bright crimson scaled flank. A wash of heat scorched the grass around the bared flesh and set one of the bushes nearby ablaze. The exposed scales burned hotly, molten fire dripped from the spaces between them. Twilight cried out as the searing heat washed over her and she once more lost control of the spell; the flesh changing back to stone before she got more than singed.

“Wha... what was that ?! “ Twilight exclaimed.

“The statue is not OF Forge Scale student. It IS Forge Scale. “ Princess Celestia said, a hint of worry in her voice that Twilight was able to uncover even that much of the dragon.

Princess Celestia lifted her head, looking somewhat wistful as Twilight’s eyes widened further; threatening to pop from her skull as her gaze bounced between the petrified dragon and the Princess of the Sun.

”I long ago promised never to take a life of another creature Twilight. It is a rule I made for myself long ago. My sister has no such rule guiding her. If the situation called for it, she had no issue with ending a life. She was....Is, the aspect of war and I am the aspect of peace. The pair of us have many titles, but those are two many have forgotten in this quiet age. The Garden had been here long before Discord was defeated, but it was his addition that brought about the Garden as it is now. Luna lent me her power to craft this place, it is practically endless, yet both of us can find our way around with little trouble. The idea was that even if I would not kill, I could remove those who threatened Equestria.” Celestia explained carefully to her bewildered student.

The Princess shifted a little, her expression softening as she spoke.

“That pony you woke was the creator of a abomination; a monstrosity that wiped out thousands. One she released to take vengeance on a unfaithful lover. A creature that grew as it killed allowing it to kill more. A monster that devoured any living thing it could. The creature killed my sisters first love, Twilight. He and many others gave their lives to slow it down so that we could find a way to stop it. The hoof prints cracking the base of the pedestal she stands on are all Luna's; my sisters rage was such that I had to intervene personally to stop her from shattering the statue and crushing it to rubble. Her grief was such that she cried for a hundred years, her tears forming the great inland sea. That mare will never again be free, or my sister would surely kill her outright rather than ever let her trot the land again." Celestia continued.

Twilight had shifted into student mode, her ears perked up, listening intently as Celestia spoke. Her teacher never spoke of the past like this. She straightened up a little, watching the Princess closely; waiting for her to continue and hoping she would. The tale of the mare was shocking to say the least, although it was no less of a surprise that Luna's grief was what created The Hooper Sea in southern Equestria.

Twilight’s initial panic was not fully gone but if her Teacher wished to turn her to stone, there was no reason to explain things first. Twilight turned her head back to look at the patch of scorched grass and the charred remains of the bush. She could see now why her teacher had been upset. She could have accidentally released something far worse than a screaming pony.

“The ones placed here are ponies and beasts that have caused untold destruction and death. They are all sealed here, most with no chance of ever being freed let alone being forgiven. Of course, only my sister and I were supposed to be able to awaken them. Your power has grown again my student. That spell should not have been enough to break the enchantment.“ Celestia explained, her voice having a slight tone of pride at her students abilities.

Twilight could not help but smile at the compliment; an action that brought the same sort of smile from the Princess.

“I know that all I have done is peak your interest in this place. So, rather than sending you away with just a few answers, I will give you a new task; one that may help you to understand how things were a thousand years ago. And perhaps the knowledge will prepare you for things in the future. Not all that are imprisoned here are enemies of pony-kind. Some are here for other reasons. The monument over there," Celestia spoke, motioning her hoof towards a group of statues atop a large raised dais. "What do you know of it?”

Twilight looked up to the outline of five forms atop the monolith. She could not make out much more than the outlines from this distance, but she had seen this monument quite often from outside of the garden; unfortunately never thinking much of what it was past the information provided in the tour, which was little more than a name and deed.

“I think that’s the monument to the five heroes that served to help you end the reign of Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony. “ Twilight replied.

“Yes. That is what is told now. Though it is correct in a sense, it is also very wrong. They were, and still are, Luna's personal honor guard. She hoof picked each of them before she became Nightmare Moon. They followed her then, and they followed her even after she became Nightmare Moon. Then in order to save Equestria, they betrayed her, then afterward they followed her into imprisonment. Come Twilight, let me introduce you to The Beasts of The Moon.”

Princess Celestia went on, motioning her pupil forward.

Twilight followed her teacher as she moved again, the name she uttered sending a shiver along Twilight's spine. The Five Beasts of the Moon were another little known old mares tale. The true meaning of the name was lost, much as Nightmare Moon's name had become little more than a holiday boogie mare used to frighten foals. The only thing she had found about the Beasts was from a few references in the book: The Elements of Harmony. The Beasts were Nightmare Moon's generals in the time of the Lunar Republic. They had caused nearly as much destruction and terror to the lands as Nightmare Moon herself had done, though that was all that was mentioned of them. They seemed to have vanished after Nightmare Moon's fall.

The Princess approached the monolith trotting up a thin path, nearly invisible from afar that spiraled up the side of the structure to the stone top. The Princesses' hooves clacked against the marble as she walked up the ramp, Twilight following behind. Even with the Princess telling her that nearly every creature here was a threat to Equestria, the concept of sealing something forever in stone still bothered her greatly. Reaching the top, the Princess moved towards the figures, letting Twilight have a clear view of them.

The first surprised her; a zebra of all things, one clad in what seemed to be light armor that looked as if it was based off antique Royal Guard armor. Her mane reminded Twilight of Pinkie Pie's curls and even her tail was poofy. She had never seen a zebra with that sort of hair style. This zebra also wore no jewelry save a small necklace with what looked like a bit of metal or stone hanging from it. Her armor was adorned with countless pouches and festooned with patches, all the symbols of zebra, pony, and a number of other race's medical service, as well as quite a few that Twilight had never seen before. Twilight guessed the patches must be the medic symbol for other races Twilight didn't recognize, as that seemed to fit the pattern with the ones she knew.

The zebra mare was half bowed, her head lowered but eyes open and cast upward, as if she was not willing to take her eyes off of whatever stood before her in case it became hostile. Her stance also reminded Twilight of Rarity's cat when it was about to attack something.

The second figure stood behind the Zebra; a pony sized Dragon sporting a wide grin on her fanged maw that reminded Twilight eerily of Discords grin, though the dragons smile seemed less sinister. The figure was reared up, wings spread wide with one arm across her chest as if she was preparing to bow; the other clawed hoof outstretched gesturing to the zebra. Twilight blinked a moment noticing what looked like a stick of charcoal in the outstretched claw. Moving around them as Celestia snickered lightly, she nearly fell off the raised platform seeing the phrase, “ Lick Me!” written on the flank covering portion of the zebras armor. The dragon too had a small necklace with a bit of metal hanging from it.

Shaking her head at the time frozen joke, she moved to the unicorn in the middle. This one simply looked despondent. The stallion was standing upright, but his head was lowered to the ground enough that his horn touched the marble surface. His eyes were shut tight and moisture had collected around his muzzle, and closed eyes giving the impression of tears. He wore heavier armor that reminded Twilight of the Guard armor worn by Princess Luna's chariot pullers. It was a much fancier version of that armor, which seemed to be fitting of an officer; though where badges would be the stone looked like it had been torn and something removed from the armor. His short tail hung between his legs and where his flesh was not covered it was easy to see the discoloration of scars crossing the petrified flesh. His position and the clear wounds made it seem to Twilight that he might have been beaten into supplication like this. The ground at his hooves was covered with what Twilight thought was jagged bits of stone,though looking closer they seemed to be medals and rank insignia. It was likely this was what was torn from the armor.

She glanced to the Princess, her expression unchanged before moving to the next stallion. This one was engaged in a deep formal bow to the central ponies' right. He was a rather large earth pony; perhaps even larger than Big Mac. He wore a sly smirk that, even in stone form, seemed to say he knew things that you did not. His gaze, however, was just at the right angle to make Twilight feel uneasy; as if the statue was staring at her rump. She could not help but compare him to Apple Jack’s brother, although his coat and mane were much better cared for than the farm ponies. It was as if he spent as much time in front of a mirror than Rarity did. His clothing reminded Twilight of the robes the ambassadors wore, though much much older. The expression he had and how he seemed to carry himself gave Twilight the impression this stallion expected any mare he met to fall over themselves for him.

The final figure was a stern looking pegasus mare. Her wings were folded tight at her sides, though her mane and tail were stretched out. The effect made her look like she was being blown by a strong wind before she was frozen in stone. She wore armor much like that of Rainbow Dash's Nightmare Night Shadowbolt costume, though she did not wear a mask. Her gaze rested between the earth pony and the unicorn, an expression of worry etched onto her features. Twilight thought it looked as if she was considering whether she should be there or not.

“These are the five heroes of Princess Luna's Honor guard. These are the five Beasts of the Moon that rampaged the land at the head of the Lunar Republic. Based on their actions, Luna selected these ponies to be at her side. They were her guards, her generals, and her friends. Individually, these five accomplished great acts. With Luna at their lead, this team brought down many threats to Equestria. With Nightmare Moon at their lead, they committed atrocities untold. And finally, with me at their lead, we sealed Nightmare Moon for a thousand years.” Celestia explained somewhat sadly.

Twilight glanced back at her teacher, the alicorn having moved to a spot at the front of the obelisk where four hoof prints had been seared into the marbles surface; each one looking more like a crescent moon than a hoof print.

“This is where Nightmare Moon was sealed. The Elements of Harmony, used on a god for the first time in centuries by some pony other than my sister and I. Used against her by family and those she trusted and loved the most.“ Celestia continued, whispering mostly to herself in sadness.

Twilight walked up to her teacher; the tone of the alicorn's voice worried her. The memories evidently being painfully brought back to the Sun Goddess. Twilight lifted a hoof, touching the Princess's shoulder lightly. Celestia lifted her head, blinking lightly before turning to her student and smiling as she spoke again.

“Thank you, Twilight. I often choose to try and forget painful memories and details that tend to be lost in time even to me. I do not recall the true reason of my sisters transformation into Nightmare Moon. Suffice to say, it was enough for her to raise armies against the rest of Equestria. I can say, however, it had nothing to do with that fabled beautiful night nonsense she was spouting when she returned. Her magic and evidently her sanity had not quite remained as strong as when she was first sealed. The Lunar Republic was a group of dissidents she brought together along with evils left from Discords rule and with any pony else with a grudge against the world; which in those days of war was quite a large number of ponies. Her honor guard became her generals, guiding the troops to sweeping victories over any force that stood before them. Had events not turned out like they had, she would have likely ruled alone with me imprisoned or banished.” Celestia explained coldly.

At that moment, Twilight could have sworn her teacher aged to all her years with the weariness she displayed. She slowly moved from the hoof prints to the leering pony statue. The image of her age was fleeting, but terrible to think of as well.

“Rhederic Pelt," Celestia began. "Bearer of the element of Generosity. To be honest, at the time I was the reason my sister chose him. I believed it rather funny, as he was an agreeable stallion and a smooth talker who likely could converse his way out of anything. But he showed no other qualities that would have made him fit for Luna's inner circle. Perhaps his ability to negotiate was what she was after? Perhaps it was simply due to his being friends with the others. It might have actually been something to do with me as well. I do remember he played an important role at some point... He was a mare’s stallion, pure and simple. It would not surprise me in the slightest to find that nearly every pony in Equestria could trace their linage back to him somewhere. He claimed on more than one occasion his sole purpose of joining the Guard was, as he put it: ”Mares love a stallion in uniform.”

Celestia moved to the pegasus mare behind Rhede, looking the mare in the eyes with a faint sigh.

“Starfall Silvertail, bearer of the Element of Honesty. The first known pegasus to perform a Sonic Rainboom and likely the fastest pegasus that ever lived. Baring perhaps her direct descendant, your friend Rainbow Dash. Starfall was married to a Guard and took with foal while about your age. When her husband was killed in a land clash with the griffons, she refused the financial aid that was offered in recompense for his death. She preferred to work honestly for her bits. She joined the Guard, leaving her daughter in the care of her sister and sending back everything she earned to help the foal. She saved the life of my sister and was the primary cause of the surrender of the Diamond Dogs attacking our western border." Celestia explained rather fondly.

The Princess moved past the unicorn to the dragon, glancing at the note and the charcoal; smirking slightly as if she likely had seen it countless times before.

“Bleu Scale the dragoness." Celestia spoke with pride. "Bearer of the element of Laughter, obviously. She was not even considered to be a Guard, as she was a entertainer for the E.S.O.; a group sent out to bolster troop moral. I am told that during her last performance, the base she was at was attacked. She joined the fight immediately, repelling the attacking forces. Songs she preformed drove soldiers to great heights, and the smaller force of Guard was able to repel the attackers because of her. Without her at the battle, the attackers would have claimed the base and many more lives would have been lost. She joined Luna's Guard not long after, and Bleu agreed having by that point partnered with another of her guard.”

Celestia offers a final look at the note on the zebra mare as she passed, her eyes locking with Twilight's as she grinned.

“Velkorn the Zebra: first Queen the Zebras and bearer of the Element of Compassion. The Zebra lands at that point were ruled by warlords, bandits and military groups all clinging to power. Equestria had moved to deal with one of the larger warlords whose actions were causing issues along the border as well as suffering among the zebras. Velkron was a combat medic in the conflict on no ones side. In the battle, she crossed the lines countless times while braving spells, arrows, and explosions to tend any wounded she found; be they zebra or pony. Many times it was thought she was killed, only to show up later crossing the field and dragging some pony else to safety. She had no regard for her own life, as she worked to save others. She became somewhat of a legend on the field of battle, earning the nickname 'The Specter of Life'. The warlord, however, was not happy that she was treating every pony and sent down some of his personal guard to kill all the ponies found in Velkorn's medical tent. They had barely lifted a blade to kill one of her patients before she made all of them into patients. Velkorn was a master of the zebra weaponless combat style that focused on subduing opponents. It was not always painlessly, or with out damage, but they lived. She had put her years of medical knowledge to work as well, honing the talent. Princess Luna met her personally, bringing several cartloads of supplies for her medical unit after the battle. She asked the Zebra if she would join her Guard unit and Velkorn agreed, knowing that where ever the Goddess of War went, it would be at the forefront of battle that would require her skills." Celestia spoke, her voice straining as she explained so much.

The Princess moved back to the unicorn in the center of the rise, glaring down at him as if in both pity and anger at the same time. Twilight sat in rapt attention through every description, her mind making notes of what battles her teacher spoke of and pairing them in the nearly blank time line of history of a thousand years ago.

“Jer'rahd Kaisur, bearer of the Element of Loyalty." Celestia said in clear annoyance. "He was the first to join my sister's inner Guard, having nearly sacrificed himself on several occasions on her behalf. He knew all the others as well. He was a foal hood friend of Rhede, and they both signed up for the guard at the same time and were paired with Starfall for training. His life was saved by Velkorn on the battlefield, and he aided Bleu in keeping her show going while under attack. He was in the thick of nearly every major battle that happened at that time as well. His suggestions were likely the reason Luna choose the others for her guard and likely the reason they made him their leader. He was skilled with his chosen weapon, a true terror on the battlefield. He was also violent, his temper easily getting the best of him and he seemed to have rather poor luck as well if that could be considered a personal flaw. His spells were quite limited, but the few he could cast he did better than any other unicorn before him. He survived things that no other pony could have, and he was a rather clever strategist as well. He seemed to always have some sort of plan ready. He would do anything for those he considered his friends and was a relentless foe to any who were his enemies. However, to say he held a candle for my sister would be a fallacy; it was more like a lighthouse. His affections seemed clear to every pony but Luna. He never admitted his feelings as far as I knew; he simply acted as he was supposed to as a guard. Perhaps if things had remained as they were, Luna might have returned his attentions. When she became Nightmare Moon, his loyalty to her was such that he followed her still without question. And the others followed him. He trailed after her like a small yet very dangerous puppy. He would not hesitate to attack any who spoke ill of her, and the level of savagery he displayed against any wishing her harm was the stuff of nightmares. He displayed this same devotion to the others as well. He gave my sister his life, and in return she gave him her absolute trust.”

The Princess approached Twilight, settling down next to her and leaning against the smaller mare for a bit of support with her tail swishing lightly as she spoke, making it brush across Twilight’s back and rump as it moved. The lavender unicorn blushed, trying to ignore the feeling of her teachers touch and focus on the tale. Celestia continued on, not seeming to notice her students unease.

“They became Generals of the Lunar Republic, and their armies did things that would make even the most violent among us now a days cringe. They were called The Beasts of the Moon. On their order, cities fell, creatures were slaughtered, fields were burned and salted. Nightmare Moon used all of Discords creations and some she made herself against Equestria, as well as any pony or monster willing to fight under the banner of the Lunar Republic. It was a dark time indeed for the land, as ponies are not meant for war. We prefer peace to conflict, but once riled or directed we are formidable. But the forces that Nightmare Moon gathered. War was all they knew. Peace had never weakened them. We had no chance against them, and Equestria would have been lost if not for Jer'rahd and the rest of them.” Celestia spoke.

“These five, along with my sister, were chosen by the Elements of Harmony. That power helped bring about the end of Second Dragon War. They came to me with a plan: the Elements had sealed Discord in the past and had brought the end of The Second Dragon War. Jer'rahd and Rhede believed that the Elements could be used to turn Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna. They had taken the Elements from Luna's Castle in the Everfree forest and brought them to me, as they wished for my aid in returning Luna to her old self.”Celestia said softly, as if saddened and joyous of her memories.

“The plan should have worked- it did work when you and your friends preformed it properly. When my sister came to this dais, she expected to be greeted by her loyal Guard and her sister as a prisoner. What she received was a trap. I used the power of magic, drawing on the other Elements and it was not enough. The five were Princess Luna's friends, not mine. At best I could only banish her, not cure her. I was little more than a stand in as they tried to help their true friend; my sister. “ Celestia whispered, fighting back a tear.

Princess Celestia sighed, looking up at the last rays of sunlight as the sun sank into the west.

“None of them were happy with this, particularly Jer'rahd. They understood perfectly, but they were not happy. Jer'rahd looked up to see Luna's silhouette on the moon and simply dropped into a heap on the surface here weeping openly. This was a pony that had his limbs cut off, survived explosions, magic attacks, and had broken nearly every bone in his body at least once. And yet he lay there crying like a colt over the failure. His friends could do nothing to comfort him, and I was in no shape to do much of anything as I had spent my magic sealing my sister in the moon. He refused to move from that spot and he refused to eat. He simply remained collapsed on the marble surface, fighting off any attempts to move him. The others accepted my invitation to join me in the castle at least, but he did not. The loss of their leader and generals had all but broken the Lunar Republic's back, sending the lot of them against each other for control or fleeing into the night in fear of their lives. When I recovered enough to raise the moon for my sister for the first time, I came back to this spot along with the others to check on Jer'rahd. We found him standing here, starring at the sky. It was then that he asked me for something, his voice calm and without even the hint of the sobbing wreck he had been before.”Celestia said, pausing to look at the marble floor.

“I want you to turn me to stone, as you have done the others here in the garden.” Celestia quoted, doing her best to imitate Jer'rahd's voice.

“I refused of course, but he was adamant about it. He claimed he could not live with himself knowing he had betrayed the trust my sister had placed in him; the trust the ponies of the land put in him. He argued that he was not worthy of remaining free while his princess was sealed away. I still refused, ordering him directly to leave this place and live his life, a direct order to a Royal Guardsman. He refused of course.“ Celestia said as her chest swelled; perhaps inspired by her memories of his actions.

“You are not my Princess, Celestia, and you never will be. You use this place to keep those who have committed crimes against Equestria. How many more of your subjects need I murder before you seal me here? I do not want your pity or forgiveness. There is only one pony who I want to forgive me and I am willing to wait as long as it takes for Luna to do that.“ Celestia growled, again imitating the powerful general.

“It was at this point Bleu laughed and figured that I should do it. Better my spell than Jer'rahd running off into the Everfree to find a basilisk or something. She also agreed with him and was willing to join him in stone, so at least while he waited he would not be lonely. Rhede agreed soon after with Velkorn nodding. Only Starfall seemed torn. Jer'rahd's demands and orders that they do no such thing were completely ignored by the others. I gave them all three days and a disguise spell to hide who they were. There was little reason for them to be seen as The Beasts of the Moon while out finding a reason to live. If they still wished to be petrified, they would return here in three days.

Starfall nodded and flew off first, the others slowly dispersing as well save for Jer'rahd who remained where he was. I managed at least to get him to eat something, but he refused to depart the pillar. He slept during the days bowing his head and not meeting the sight of the moon at night." Celestia spoke.

The Princess glanced up as the sun had finally set, her sister soon to show up and raise the moon.

“All of them returned three days later. Velkorn had taken the time and all the bits she had saved from the adventures and donated it to every medical center she could find in Equestria. Her massive contributions sped forward non magical medicine in the lands by leaps and bounds. Bleu showed up not long after, not really having had much to do anyway considering this group was her family. She had simply gone out drinking and was looking forward to what new jokes might be around when she awoke. Rhede claimed he was going to enjoy this break, before any more mares showed up with colts they claimed were his. I almost refused to turn him then and there, but he had shown up and I did promise. I found out later he had been keeping track of very single foal he had sired. Nearly every bit he had earned went into a fund to pay for his foals schooling so they might better their lives. I was impressed enough by this act that when the bits ran out from his accounts I paid for the ones who had not managed to receive bits to go to school. Eventually, it turned into a grant program that was available to any pony who wished to apply for it. I left his name attached however, calling it The Pelt Grant. Starfall was the last to arrive. We had all hoped she would not come and would go home to raise her foal, but she returned red eyed and seeming on the verge of tears. Her daughter hated her. Her own daughter would not have anything to do with her due to her actions. We all told her to go back and keep trying, but it was clear with the acts tied to their names even if she had wanted to stay she would have had to stay on the run with her daughter. Starfall finally claimed it was likely better this way. If Luna returned and sought vengeance, then she would be able to slake the thirst on her and not any of her descendants. Jer'rahd and the others prepared themselves as I cast the spell, though I still do not know how Bleu managed to put that note on Velkorn. I am also quite sure Rhede only bowed that low to get a look under my tail. Even in this somethings did not change. After the spell was cast, the Elements returned to where they were stored in Princess Luna's castle in the Everfree forest. The Elements themselves turning to stone as well. “ Celestia sighed as she finished the tale.

The faint hoof falls of some pony approaching caused Princess Celestia to glance back towards the gardens entrance. Twilight looked back as well to see the dark form of Princess Luna heading into the garden.

“Teacher, it has been over a year. Does she know about all of this? Why hasn't your sister done anything? These five were loyal to her even past when they should have been .“ Twilight whispered in disbelief.

“She knows, but betrayal is a hard thing to forgive, no matter the reason. And for all their good intentions, that is what her closest friends did to her. They betrayed her, and had her sealed in the moon for a thousand years. It is not something one can easily forgive. I believe at times she only forgives me because we are family and she remembers what she had planned for me as Nightmare Moon. She comes here nearly every night to raise the moon and I think she may talk to them, but I do not listen in. Perhaps she is at least considering forgiveness.” Princess Celestia whispered back.

Princess Celestia rose to her hooves as Princess Luna took to the air landing lightly on top of the monolith. She paused, one eyebrow raising at the sight of the two ponies on top of the monument. Princess Luna opened her mouth as Twilight rose, as if trying to think of what to say or ask before giving up and simply closing her mouth as they started back down the spiraling path.

“Good Night Sister.” Celestia whispered sadly.

“Good Night Tia. Twilight Sparkle. “ Luna replied with a small nod.

“Good night Princess Luna.” Twilight chimed in softly.

Twilight glanced back at the monument, watching as Luna settled down where they had been before. The moon slowly rose into the night sky, shining its pale light down on the statues of the Garden.

Take No One for Granite. [3]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Chapter 3
Take no one for Granite.

Twilight opened the door to her library, finding everything right where she had left it. She sighed in relief. She had gone shopping with Spike, which had taken most of the day. Along the way Rarity had caught up with her and insisted that Twilight visit the spa, with her and Fluttershy. Twilight had attempted to refuse, only to be met with a disapproving look from the pale yellow pegasus; faced with odds like that, she immediately gave in. Rarity was able to convince Spike, without much difficulty, to do the rest of the shopping himself while they herded Twilight into the building with them.

Twilight sighed. While she did enjoy the trips here, she really wanted to get back to her studies. There was no telling when Luna might find out about what Twilight was doing, and take offense with Twilight's investigation of her past with the five.

It didn't take long for the real reason she had been waylaid to become clear, her friends were worried about her, again. She had spent the last week so focused on writing about what she had found, they all had been worried about her becoming obsessed.

Twilight found that she could go back and forth over what she had scryed before, bypassing all the dull parts to look at certain scenes again. She was usually tired with the longer hours she put into it, but it was exciting to be seeing a part of history there was so little information on. Her friends, however, were worried she was working too hard, and might suffer another 'Episode.'

While Rarity was far more subtle with her questions regarding Twilight's state of mind, that sort of thing did not seem to come easily to Fluttershy. After a few botched, or out right direct questions regarding her well being from her pink maned friend, she had figured out the purpose of this encounter.

“It's alright girls, you don't have to worry. I'm not stressed this time, I just found something interesting, and I really want to stick with it until I'm finished.” Twilight placates.

“Mmm, I see. Spike did mention you had calmed down a bit after a great deal of frustration at first, so we rather hoped it wasn't anything too serious. But it doesn't hurt to check.”, said Rarity.

“No, I suppose not, it's just that Princess Celestia has allowed me to work with something from an unrecorded period in Equestria's history. The problem is, Princess Luna might not like it and I might have to stop at any time. So I am trying to cram as much information as I can into what time I have.”

“Oh. Unrecorded history? Do you mean the big area of time from around a thousand years ago, between when the first dragon war took place and when Princess Celestia sealed Nightmare Moon? Most of the books and scrolls of the era were either destroyed by the Lunar Republic or by Celestia's forces to keep certain information from being known for some reason. The only things that survived were general histories of certain events, a few time lines, and a scattering of unimportant documents that are impossible to put together in any coherent picture of the past. That whole period had several known wars including the second dragon war and the War of Night or the Equestrian civil war as it was called.…....... Um or so I have heard.“ Fluttershy blurted out.

Twilight looked at her friend in awe, the cucumbers dropping from her eyes as she stared at the green faced pegasus. Rarity simply yawned from the other side of Twilight, reaching over and pushing the purple unicorn's jaw shut with her hoof.

“Don't let it bother you dear. On top of a freaky knowledge of sewing, our dear friend Fluttershy tends to have far too much knowledge of history and, of all things, politics.” Rarity beams.

“I just sorta know about what I find interesting is all. Though when you finish your research, Twilight, if it's OK with you, do you think I might have a look at what you've found out?”

“Um sure Fluttershy, if the uh Princess says it's OK .” Twilight mutters.

“Yay..... Oh, thank you Twilight.”

Once their time at the spa was over and her friends were reassured she was not going nuts again she managed to make it back home. She had been worried with all that normally went on in Ponyville something might have happened to the house while she was gone, though more importantly, to the sword.

The trip to the spa had been quite relaxing, even if it did cut into her studies. She was also quite nervous about leaving the artifact alone for long. With her studies progressing at this rate she likely would go nuts if something happened to it, and her quest was cut short with finding out everything. She hurried along, finishing the few chores she had left to free up her time for the rest of the night. Spike arrived and started putting the things that he had bought away, freeing her up from that chore as well.

Twilight was a bit annoyed that the scrying did not pass on what was happening to the others. She had no idea what became of Rhede after he went to some sort of specialized training, aside from the occasional letter from the earth pony to Jer'rahd. Most of which was a running tally of how many mares had enjoyed his company, and how boring the training was. Starfall might have been at the same base as Jer'rahd, but he only occasionally met the pegasus in the mess hall for a few moments before one of them had to run off for duty.

Even with these few meetings it was clear how withdrawn and upset Starfall was. She had not been apart from her foal for long before this and it was going on a year since she had been assigned at the base.

Twilight supposed since the scrying was linked to the blade, she could only follow the one who carried it. Which thankfully, Jer'rahd did not do when he went into the bath. The showers in the base were split into male and female, and most of the stallions were rather well built, might not be too bad an idea to see how they looked wet.... Twilight whipped her head clearing those thoughts out quickly. She hoped at some point she could learn to control the spell a little better to actively skip a few things.

She cast the spell, falling back into the unicorn stallion's form again.

==========================================================

Dirt, sand, grit, rock, and more dirt. This was not a place for ponies. Mountains loomed over them to the north stretching around the valley all the way to the southeast, the range was what separated this section of land from the rest of Equestria. Further to the west across a wide river with no name pronounceable in pony, was the start of the Diamond Dog lands. On this side of the river there were perhaps two cities in this scrub land filled valley. The first of them was little more than a oversized gem mining town. The town had only grown so large because it sat on the pass through the mountains. It had become a trade hub for the miners and the Guard base here as the only place for any leave time. The name was not official, but the ponies who lived in the town called it Quartz.

The other city was the massive complex of the Guard base, Camp Geode. The base had started as little more than an outpost, but after a massive pack of Diamond Dogs pushed into the area about a year ago, the base grew quickly.

Gem stones were the only reason any pony cared about this section of Equestria, and this land scape was ripe with them. Glimmering stones could be found in the waterways and often simply picked up from the ground where the sand had been blow clear. The encroaching Diamond Dogs however, did not care who owned the land, they simply wanted the gems.

The main nation of the dogs claimed this was a splinter group, that they had nothing to do with them. The pack had taken this to heart evidently and started calling themselves the Bone Hounds. Even with the supposed faction split, the group never seemed short on supplies or troops. The Equestria ambassadors were given the run around, and any investigations usually were delayed or derailed until well past being useful. Several times the Diamond Dog nation had been caught deliberately hindering an operation or screwing it up. Their usual response the accusations was telling the ambassadors it was a cultural mistake between the two forces and of no ill intent.

The most pressing rumor of all was that the leader of the Bone Hounds was one of the Diamond Dog's own gods. All major races had a number of apex members of their species. Ones that ruled and were treated as deities. The Equestrian Princesses controlled the sun and moon making them the most visibly powerful, but the others were nothing minor. The Sea Pony Princess Aqua was known to command the storms at sea and the tides. One of the Griffon's leaders was known to control the weather of his land on his own. The Dragon's primarch Forgescale the Firebrand had nearly destroyed Equestria and had finally been stopped at the gates of Canterlot itself. What exactly happened to the massive dragon was still a mystery, though it was known that the Princesses had needed to work together to stop him, much as they had Discord.

There were other gods as well and each race seemed to have a set number with a new god appearing after the death of an older one.

Due to the threat the Bone Hounds and their god leader represented, the base was always in motion, always in a state of being ready to attack, or be attacked. Smaller mining settlements and patrols occasionally went missing, bodies never found. The air cavalry stationed here was not any safer, since the Bone Hounds had set up some sort of anti-air weapons that fired rocks, sticks, or anything else of a suitable size in a wide arc into the air. The force of it often shredding wings and bodies of pegasus not fast enough to get out of the area of effect. Several of these devices had been tracked down and destroyed, but more seemed to pop up as soon as one was removed.

It had been over six months since the two of them had been transferred to this outpost. Six grueling months of patrols, random attacks, and assaults that always ended back across the border. The Guard had standing orders not to cross the border into the Diamond Dog lands. More than a few arguments had arisen from that act among the higher ups and the headache it was causing everyone.

Jer'rahd had not had a easy time of it. He had seen quite a few ponies die, swallowed up by the earth or ripped apart as a Bone Hound burst from the ground under them. There was always a small tremor before one of them broke through the surface, often enough of a warning to move. Some of the Vets had gotten good enough to move aside and place their spear so the hound killed itself as it emerged from the ground. Although even these skilled warriors were sometimes caught unaware.

He had been placed with the supply caravan. A wagon train that ran from the base to the city a few leagues away at least once a week. The rest of the time was spent delivering supplies to some of the border outposts. On more than one occasion they had found the outposts deserted or destroyed with no sign of the former occupants at all.

The hounds were by no means slow, but a pony at full gallop could easily outpace them. This was the best way to keep the wagon train safe, to keep it moving at top speed. Nearly all the unicorns were trained to detect tunnels with their magic as well. This helped avoid dead falls and traps the hounds might have set up for them and the lead ponies of the train always had at least one skilled detector up front with them. The path that was taken changed with every trip as well, never following the main road to the city if it could be helped.

Once more Jer'rahd's limitation with magic kept him from being useful for something that should have been easy. However, rather than put him on outpost duty he was brought along in the caravan for his shield ability. If a dead fall, or pit was discovered on the route, more often than not he could use his shield to form a bridge that could be used to cross. This saved a great deal of time and often confused the hounds as to why their traps did not work.

Unfortunately his new found usefulness meant that if a caravan was going out, he was going with it, no matter what. For as limited as his spells were, no other unicorn could get their shield spell to function properly as a bridge for the entire caravan like he could. This constant use of his spell seemed to help him strengthen it more and increase both the durability of the shield, the speed he could cast it, and the time he could keep it up. He figured in time he might very well be able to make a road of the shield panels for the caravan to run on.

Still it was rather stressful, at any moment there could be an attack, even with the unicorns scouting the way. The whole troop always consisted of twenty or so ponies, including the scouts, with two pegasus for close air support. There were also always at least two with the ability to contact the base and outposts. The communication ponies were almost always unicorns, but any pony could use the gem powered boxes they carried to send messages. The promotion he had earned back in graduation meant little to nothing out here, particularly on the caravan. The supply line was far to important to be left to rookies and all the others were veterans. All of them outranking Jer'rahd.

They had just arrived at Quartz for that weeks pick up. Dust billowed up from the hard packed road to the city behind them as they slowed for the gate. The run was tiring, but at least this soon out of basic he was still used to the constant exercise having had no down time to become lazy in.

As one of the low ranking ponies in the train he was more often than not selected to pull one of the carts. While he was annoyed having the pulling jobs always passed off to him while others simply got to run along side the wagons, there was little point in complaining. Rank had it's privileges.

The way had been clear for this run, the engineers having fixed the traps they found on the last trip already. The Captain had gone to the gate house to check on the delivery for this trip, there were no new recruits and it seemed just to be the usual food and supplies set to go back to Camp Geode. Nothing new. It was not until a few ponies pulled a great iron and steel spiked wagon covered in armored plates from behind the supply depot that most of the train's ponies took notice.

A VIP carriage was going this time too. The structure was like a giant armored box on wheels with whoever was in it locked up tight. It was not the first time there had been one of these carts pulled along with them. The last one Jer'rahd had seen held a small blue dragon from the Equestrian Service Organization and a famous singer who's name eluded him for the time being. The group had put on a small show to entertain the troops, and boost moral. He had unfortunately missed the show, being assigned duty on another run of the train, but Starfall had been there. She had said the dragon was the funniest thing she had seen in a long time.

He made a note to try harder to be off the next time the show came through. Anything that could make the rather stoic Starfall laugh had to be worth a look.

The Captain trotted to the front of the line shouting orders to hook up to the wagons, all the while muttering about another ambassador headed for failure.

That gave the clue that it was simply some noble in the wagon this time. Yet another trip for the peace makers to the Diamond Dog territories, not a uncommon thing, but always useless. The determination and resolve for peace that they showed was to be admired however, no matter how futile. The dogs denied any ties with the Bone Hounds, though the group was too large and organized for it to simply be written off as a bandit pack.

Most of the carts were one pony affairs, the VIP cart had enough armor on it to require at least two ponies to pull it. Two of the larger vets moved to attach themselves, as Jer'rahd tugged on the harness of his cart. There was a quick release in case they were attacked on each harness, designed so that the pony strapped in could get free easily. Afterward it took forever to get reattached, even as a unicorn, so it was best not to use it unless one really needed to get free.

Setting out from the town a roar echoed from the mines near the pass on the far side of town. A powder charge blasting apart rocks to clear a path, or find gems, or what ever they were doing today with them. The first time that Jer'rahd had heard one of those explosions he nearly dove under his cart. After the vets were done laughing at him, they explained what was going on. By now he had heard the sound enough that he barely noticed it any more. Another explosion sounded across the mountain side like a starter's whistle, setting the wagon train moving. The trip back always seemed shorter, even though they where hauling weight now, it was a nice little illusion that he tended to enjoy. The team often ran double time just to get back as fast as they could, the wagons were a ripe target for any Bone Hounds looking for a way to hurt the base.

About halfway back to base, the ground lurched suddenly under the train. Dirt and rock flew into the air with a roar like a dragon. The explosion threw the lead ponies skyward, along with much of the road, the first few wagons, and a great gout of flame. A second blast tore into the rear of the train sending the great iron coach into the air. The team hitched to it screamed out for a split second before the fire and rock consumed them.

The coach landed hard, metal groaning as the axles broke, wheels rolling wildly away from the cart,as the carriage fell hard on its side and started tumbling down the embankment flipping faster towards the rocky valley between the hills. Metal plates of armor flying off the iron wagon as it bounced off every rock and bolder on the way down the slope before stopping with a sudden sickening crunch at the bottom of the valley, half crushed against a large set of boulders.

Jer'rahd yanked the quick release of his wagon hitch, flinging a shield over the unexploded section of the road under as many wagons and ponies as he could. A final rumbling blast slammed up against it cracking then shattering the shield, thankfully most of the force of the explosion was still directed away from the ponies and wagons doing little more than knocking most of them over and singeing a few others.

“THIS IS UNIT FOUR WE NEED SUPPORT NOW, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK I REPEAT WE ARE UNDER ATTACK NEAR CHECKPOINT SIX.” bellows a unicorn into the gem communications link.

The Captain started yelling orders, several of the carts were on fire, and the sole remaining unicorn with the transmitter was screaming into it. His voice dying with a gurgle and a spray of blood over the equipment as a spear thrust up from the ground under him impaling the unicorn through the throat. The glow faded from his horn as the Bone Hound pushed up through the dirt the rest of the way flinging the body aside and smashing the transmitter.

“BONE HOUNDS INBOUND, WATCH YOUR FLANK!!” shouts the Captain.

Magic flared and weapons were drawn, the guttural howls of the hounds filled the air surrounding the wagon train. Holes opened in the ground Bone Hounds pouring out of them, their axes and clubs spiked with cracked jagged gems,that glimmered almost prettily in the sunlight. In any other situation the weapons could almost be thought of as art, now every one was more concerned with the use they were to have. The surviving ponies moved to engage the Hounds, magic firing and weapons being brought to bare against the dogs.

A cry went up from some pony about the VIP cart being under attack as well. Jer'rahd growled around the sword hilt clutched in his mouth. He dropped the shield he brought up to block a Hounds mace as the beast crumpled, his own blade ripping out of the creatures belly. The dog whimpered, falling to its knees trying to scoop its guts back inside itself before a second swing of Jer'rahd's weapon ended its life fully.

Jer'rahd was no longer even remotely squeamish about killing these creatures. He had felt bad for a few weeks after killing the first Hound that attacked him. Being put on the wagon train every time it went out exposed him to more than a few ambushes and results of the Hound's attacks. Any hesitation he may have had fled quickly after seeing first hoof the claw work of the Bone Hounds on other Guards and civilians. The act of killing these creatures no longer even registered in his mind as killing, it was something that simply needed to be done. Some of the vets he had talked to said what he was feeling always happened. Ponies were not meant for battle, but once they had killed, it became easier with each ended life. He never thought he could act like that, even after he killed the cockatrice, but time had proven him wrong.

Jer'rahd glanced to the ravine and the black mass of metal at its base. It was possible who ever was in it survived. The outside looked like a Ursa Major had used it for a chew toy, but likely those inside had survived the blast. The wagon was armored for a reason.

“GET TO THE VIP CART IF YOU'RE CLEAR, NOW!”

He looked back at the Captain as the earth pony crushed the skull of a hound under his hoof while shouting out the order. The pony turned to engage another Hound that broke the surface as a few shouts of 'yes sir' filled the air.

A couple of ponies charged down the hill towards the VIP cart, and perhaps the largest Diamond Dog Jer'rahd had ever seen. Jer'rahd finished off another attacker before starting his own decent towards the cart at the bottom of the hill.

The Bone Hound barely offered a glance back to the ones charging down the slope towards him and the small scattering of Hounds with him, his gaze fixed soly on the carriage. The giant finally looked back at the ponies when they were nearly on top of his group.

A pair of curved horns swept back over the tangled mane of black hair that hung wild down his back. Crimson eyes glowed under the sloped brow of the beast, a huge maw of perfectly white teeth were bared as the creature seemed to grin.

The dog straightened up, towering over the crushed wagon, black stone armor glimmering over his chest, seemingly fashioned from gemstone. He whipped his arm out towards the charging ponies, the flesh of it pierced with spikes of rock that looked like they broke from out of his skin like growths.

A spell from the lead unicorn caught him in the chest and all he did was laugh at it, a braying sound that echoed in the valley and sounded higher pitched than the creature should have been able to make.

He slowly drew back his arm whipping it forward before him, making a slashing motion in the air, the spurs in his arm glowing briefly. The ground under the ponies in front of Jer'rahd erupted in a burst of fire and rock, just as the road under the carriages had.

The volcano of fire tore through the dirt as if a giant invisible diamond dog had slashed it's claws through the earth, flinging everything before it into the air. There were no screams, the ponies were dead before their bodies even fully left the ground, there was only the dogs laughter, the hiss of melting rock, and the scent of chard meat filling the air as the explosion subsided.

Jer'rahd tried to halt, but he was going to fast down hill to stop. The airborne earth descended rapidly crashing down around him. The green energy of his shields appeared above him and before him in the air, creating a strange sort of umbrella tunnel against the falling rock as he ran on towards the Bone Hounds. He pushed himself harder gripping his sword tighter as he tried to gain speed to avoid a second attack.

The hound had turned back to the carriage at the deaths of the other ponies and ripped the door from the carriage flinging the massive iron door away like it was a bit of bark pulled from a tree. He reached inside grabbing something and yanking out a pony in Royal Guard armor. The pegasus was clearly dead by the angle of his head with the rest of his body, not having survived the crash. This pony evidently was not what the Bone hound was looking for and the corpse was flung away with no effort, much like the door.

One of other Hounds with the massive one shouted, pointing at Jer'rahd as the last bit of rock and earth crashed down behind him. The large one barked something that sounded like a command, most likely something akin to “deal with it”, and the smaller hounds moved to intercept. Jer'rahd's teeth clenched on the grip of his blade tighter, this big one was an officer. Possibly even the one who ordered the attack on the train, he obviously was some sort of commander.

Cut off the head and the serpent dies, a simple tactic, but one that almost always worked, killing this beast now would likely save more ponies in the future as well as cause the dogs still fighting to fall back. He had his target, and he would avenge the fallen, even if magic did not work, a blade in the right spot should finish it off. He just needed a chance.

He formed two shields before him before met the charging dogs and used it as a ramp to run up and leap over the lesser Hounds that moved to intercept them. He used the force of running down the hill to turn himself into several hundred pounds of muscle and armor plated force, flying straight at the large hound.

“Pathetic pony. Better than your kin, but still pathetic.“ the Bone Hound hisses

The giant beast whips his arm back with out even a glance, batting Jer'rahd out of the air like a rag doll. Jer'rahd hit the ground hard rolling and regaining his hooves, rushing the dog again before the others had time to get back to their leaders aid.

The Bone Hound moved his arm in another sweep, the red claw marks appeared on the ground before him as he moved. Jer'rahd's eyes widen and he quickly forms a shield under him. The explosion tore though the green barrier bathing the unicorn in fire and charring his fur sending him into the air to crash hard against the rock that had stopped the carriage.

His blade skittered across the ground out of sight somewhere as Jer'rahd slumps to the ground, barely managing to breath after all the impacts and the fire bath. His fur and armor smoldered. He winces lifting his head some, ears ringing loudly as he flattened them to his head. He tried pushing himself back up but his left front hoof did not want to work properly. His gaze drifted down his eyes swimming in and out of focus, though he found the reason why his leg wasn't cooperating. It was no longer there.

A half charred bloodied stump was all that remained of it. His gaze shifted spotting what looked like the rest of his leg over by the other side of the carriage, though his eyes were drawn to the large Bone Hound. The Hound spared a glance to the unicorn as he stirred, though he was quickly ignored again as the hound went back to the wagon.

The Hound reached in again, fanged maw spreading wider as it drew out the prize. The slender mare hung limp in the beasts clawed hand. The dog's hand closed tighter around the ponies midsection as it lifted her skyward with a triumphant laugh.

Jer'rahd shook his head, vision clearing a bit, the dark blue coated unicorn groaned lightly as she was raised, her silvery blue hair falling limply around her shoulders and over her face, the broken metal of some sort of amulet lay dangling from her graceful neck. The Hound's laughter continued as he reached to his belt drawing a large jagged blade, the ragged edge of the weapon glinted in the dusky light, seeming pulling all the light from around it to make itself seem brighter.

Jer'rahd could not stop his gaze from falling down to the mares flank, his eyes widening and the haze of pain lost instantly at seeing a pair of wings dangling limply from her back, his gaze dropped lower to her cutie mark. A black patch on her coat with a shock white crescent moon slicing though it.

Princess Luna, the VIP had been the Goddess of the Moon!

The hell hound was spouting something loud enough to get almost past the ringing in Jer'rahd's ears. He only managed to make out the laughing and a comment of being able to kill a goddess now. He took time to gloat tapping her horn and describing in detail which bits of her he would eat first.

One of the Bone Hounds that had gathered around to watch suddenly started whine, covering his ears, a few others joined as well and even the large one himself flattened his ears to his head and looked around. Jer'rahd's hearing was quickly improving, but he still heard nothing that would make the hounds whimper. Granted he was rather focused on not blacking out and in a bit of shock that the Princess was here.

“Boss what that noise it hurts, graah make it stop boss.”

“Shut up, will be done in a moment, and we can kill the noise then.”

“But Boss!!?”

“Shut UP, it is hard to think with the noise and your whining.”

“It getting louder!!”

Even in saying that a few of them fell to the ground yowling and clawing at their ears. Jer'rahd's gaze was on the knife and the slowly stirring Princess. His horn glowed softly, eyes watering as he gathered the energy to try and cast a shield, his head feeling like it was being crushed. He could not muster the concentration to even try and grab the dagger from the hound, or put a shield around the princess. To let something happen to one of the Goddesses right in front of him like this and fail to try to do something was not acceptable. If he failed he hoped at least one of the Hounds would remember to kill him as well, as he would not be able to live with himself if he let the Princess be killed.

The sound had reached Jer'rahd's ears now, sort of a high pitched whine coming from the sky. The large hound raised his head, eyes widening as he looked up. Jer'rahd tracked his gaze to the silver blur tearing towards the besieged caravan.

The air around the figure seemed to bend as it drew closer. The form tore across the sky aiming towards the battle on the road. A bright flash of light spread from the figure suddenly, exploding in a bright ring of rainbow colored light that spread out from the falling form. Jer'rahd blinked a moment seeing the pony causing this, a rainbow trail of light forming her mane and tail, Starfall?

As the wave of color passed over them it was followed by a roar. The sound even making the Bone Hound giant wince and fight not to cover his ears. The form suddenly slams into the ground in the middle of the Caravan train, sending a mushroom shaped cloud of colored smoke soaring into the air and launching a second wave of brilliant color tearing across the landscape. The wave of light flowing over the ground in a wave washing over everything.

The blast of the rainbow light washing over him cleared Jer'rahd's head like a shock of cold water would to a sleeping cat. Most of the dogs that had been standing were flung across the ground bouncing off rocks and each other as they tumbled across the sand. He heard a whimper from the large dog and his attention returned to the creature he caught a glimpse of the Princess's eyes opening as well.

The Hound saw it too and seemed to panic, his arm lifted rapidly, bringing down the blade. With his head cleared, Jer'rahd flung up a shield between the blade and the Princess, pouring as much power as he could muster into it.

The weapon struck the shield bringing a scream from his lips as there was a sudden back lash from the contact that made his horn feel like it had been split down the middle along with his skull. He nearly blacked out, as spots clouded his vision, though he managed to remain awake enough to see that he had deflected the blade at least from doing more than scratching the Princesses shoulder.

The hounds crimson gaze whipped over to Jer'rahd, panic evident in his eyes. A dark blue energy wrapped tightly around the Hound's arm yanking it back with a sickening snap as it was torn out of it's socket, before being yanked forward by the wrist to drive the strange dagger into the beasts neck, guided by the dark glow.

The Bone Hound leader fell back, blood gurgling from his lips as he dropped the Princess, her horn glowing in the same dark blue light that had surrounded the hounds arm.

The Moon Goddess landed lightly on her hooves, wings fanning once as she looked over the scene taking note of the other Bone hounds climbing back to their feet. as well as the bodies of the Guard and Jer'rahd.

The remaining Hounds paused briefly seeing their leader felled before rushing at the Princess weapons out, seeking blood. As they lept at her the Princess moved her gaze from Jer'rahd, coolly regarding the attackers, she took one step and then started to dance.

No movement was wasted, every shift of her hoof, every flick of her tail, every toss of her head, either struck one of the hounds,blocked an attack, or moved her into position for a killing blow. Her horn was wielded like a sword, rending limb and head alike, her hooves crushing bones, impacting skulls, and ending lives, even her wings and tail were used with a brutal efficiency Jer'rahd had never heard of before.

Blood flowed, showering like rain across the dry earth, crimson trails following the arc of her form like light show tracers. The falling blood never even touched her, the red rain soaking into the ground turning it to scarlet mud, and the Princess danced through it untouched by the death she brought.

Jer'rahd's eyes stayed locked on her movements, he had never seen anything like this before. Her motions were flawless, graceful, beautiful, and utterly terrifying. She moved past and through easily twenty hostile Bone Hounds in less time than most of the Guard could defeat even one. The body parts and corpses struck the earth, the bloody rain ending with none left standing but her and none left alive but the two of them. Her dance quickly came to a stop a good distance away from where it started, a path of clean sand showing her path though her enemies.

Jer'rahd's jaw remained dropped as her eyes shifted over the area, checking the other bodies of ponies before returning to where he lay. The battered pony's gaze remained fixed on her as she approached him.

A silver streak rose from the cloud of dust over the wagon train shooting a bit shakily into the sky and spiraling around the wagon train.

“Jer'rahd!!! Jer'rahd!! Where are you ? Goddess damn you, Rhede's gonna kill me if you're dead.” Starfall shouts snapping Jer'rahd out of his trance.

“Down, ugh… DOWN here Starfall.”

Princess Luna looked down at him curiously.

“WE ARE GLAD TO SEE YOU STILL LIVE SOLIDER. GET BACK ON YOUR HOOVES WE SHOULD DEPART HERE.”

Jer'rahd was rather glad his hearing was not quite fully back yet. Royal speech was painful this close. But at least he could hear her.

“My apologies Princess, but as you can see, I am short one of those at the moment.” He winced inwardly at the joke not sure why he had forced something so lame out of his muzzle, in front of the Princess no less. The Moon Goddess snorted a moment as if holding back a snicker, though there was no other sign that she had even heard the comment.

“INDEED, PERHAPS WE CAN AID YOU THIS TIME. FOR THE AID YOU PROVIDED US.”

Jer'rahd blinks as Starfall zips up, stopping short as she sees the Princess. The Moon Goddess pauses a moment to look about finding Jer'rahd's severed leg. Her magic flared over the tattered and burnt limb cleaning it as well as the stump. She moved her head, magic pressing the limb back to the oozing wound.

Her magic flares brightly as the leg was magically reconnected where it was severed. His eyes watered at the new rush of pain, though his gaze had yet to leave the Moon Goddess. The flesh closes together, bone knitting and skin closing up around the wound.

“TREAD LIGHTLY ON THAT HOOF GUARD. WE HAVE REATTACHED IT, BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME TO HEAL PROPERLY. OUR SKILL IN HEALING ARTS IS LIMITED.”

“Thank you Princess.” Jer'rahd mutters trying to rise enough to bow to her.

Luna glances back looking at the kneeling Starfall.

“ARE YOU THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT EVENT, PEGASUS?”

“Um, I think so, your prin, err, your highn,....... Princess Luna.” Starfall stammers.

“I WILL WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU AT A LATER TIME. YOU AS WELL AS THIS GUARD HERE, WE MUST GO CHECK ON THE REST OF THE TRANSPORT TROOPS AND CONTINUE OUR MISSION HERE.”

The Princess drops her head closer to Jer'rahd muttering in his ear. Her voice easily heard even over the ringing of his ears.

“Collect that dagger Guard, and hide it with you. Tell no one what you have seen here, and do not let that weapon from your sight until I come for it, do you understand?”

“Yes Princess.” Jer'rahd blinks at the order.

“Good.” Luna nods. “ Private see to it the Corporal makes it back to base.”

“Yes Princess.” stammers Starfall.

A commotion from the road draws the Princess's attention from the pair. She sighs softly flapping her wings once and launching into the air to fly over the destroyed caravan, shouting orders at the Guards below her. Several dozen dots appeared in the sky from the direction of the base as the echo of thundering hooves sounded from the same direction as reinforcements got closer.

Jer'rahd's gaze focused on the dagger mustering up the energy to pull it to him. He shudders feeling the touch of the blade and grabs a rock instead, using it to push the blade into his grasp before tucking it away into a saddle bag on his side that some how survived the explosion. Starfall turned from watching the Princess fly away moving over to Jer'rahd.

“Well, I guess I owe you one now. Looks like the rest of your wing is finally catching up too.” Jer'rahd commented, finding that remaining nearly motionless at least dulled the pain to a sharp throb rather than a scream.

“Slow pokes. You don't owe me anything, you saved my flank from that cockatrice.” said Starfall.

“Yeah, but I didn’t rip open a hole in the sky to do that. I say the save was a bit uneven.” Jer'rahd chuckles as he winces.

“I have never seen a spell that reattaches limbs like that before.”

“I have, takes a lot of power though, did she seem strained flying up there? Granted that might have just been from the tumble the carriage took with her in it. I have no idea how an alicorn low on power would act, or even if they can be low on power. Of course, as neat as that spell was, you should have seen her dance. That was breath taking.” Jer'rahd sighs, a grin spreading over his face.

“What?”

“Nothing. Forget I said anything. Would you mind doing me one more favor and see if you can find my grandfathers sword down here?”

“Ok, now you will owe me one.” the pegasus chuckles.

“Oh, and one more, one more thing, Starfall.” Jer'rahd comments clearly trying to keep a straight face.

“What now!?”

“As your superior officer, I must point out that you are out of uniform.”

“What?”

Starfall glances down, her lightly armored uniform all but falling off of her body, completely shredded and torn, the leather and cloth reduced to little more than strips, leaving the pegasus mostly bare.

“Son of a bitch.” the pegasus curses.

“Find my sword and I might forget this little infraction.” Jer'rahd laughs.

“You're an asshole, you know that.”

“Hey, I still outrank you.” Jer'rahd smirks.

“Fine, you're an asshole, sir.”

“Better.” Jer'rahd laughs and flinches immediately regretting the action.

============================================================

Twilight closed her eyes, ending the spell. Was that was the first sonic rain boom? A friend seeking to save the life of another friend. Just like Rainbow Dash had saved Rarity. Well not quite as cleanly done, it wound up being the Princess that saved Jer'rahd. But they both would have died had it not been for Starfall's action and Jer'rahd's shield. She reached a hoof up rubbing her ear, still feeling a twinge from that Royal speak, even the scrying had made it loud.

She was not sure why her ears hurt when all this was in her head, but still. Thankfully even that was translated into common pony. Luna was easy enough to understand, but the old speech still sounded off.

She shook her head, figuring that was enough for one day. She had plenty of things to write in her notes now. Best to get on with that, as she was likely to be up far longer tonight than she had intended to be, again.

Author's Note

Edited by StormyVenture

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen. Part 3 [14] [E]

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen. Part 3 [14] [E]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen.
Part 3

[ Finally ]

“So this is it?”Starfall asks.

“So help me if he named this place AGGGGH or Anthrax I will scream.” Bleu growls.

“While I do not pretend to understand that joke Bleu, the castle is simply named, Discord's Castle.” Luna states

“Wait, that's it?”Rhede stammers.

“That is what he named it.” Luna admits.

“All this nonsense getting here and the castle is just Discord's Castle? Where is the creativity?” Bleu rants.

“Honestly Bleu that is quite creative. Every one expects some strange or complex name and then, BAM , he makes it so simple it seems crazy. Truly a master of the mind screw.” Rhede nods sagely.

“While I am so glad you have developed an appreciation of him Rhede lets just go in and get the book and go home.” Jer'rahd mutters in annoyance.

“I second that “Starfall grumbles.

Velkorn nods her agreement as well.

The structure itself stood upon a rather steep hill with a spiral walk way leading up to the main gates. There was a stench that smelled like some sort of dead beached sea creature that lingered in the air as they climbed.

The castle itself was a towering edifice made of stone, dirt, wood, metal and what looked like sea salt ice cream at some points. The general shape of it was not that different from Canterlot castle though the towering spires seemed to twist and loop among each other in a way that made them difficult to look at without going cross-eyed.

As they made it to the main gate it was clear this place had seen better days. Everything inside looked chard as if it had been subjected to a great heat. The front gate was smashed in, and a half chewed portcullis made of red and black licorice dangled half stuck on a broken section of the wall. The court yard itself was filled with statues of Discord posed every way one could think of, from regal and daring, to eating a bowel of cereal and sitting on the toilet in a thinker pose.

Many were knocked over, some were embedded in the walls, others placed on the walls as if the walls were the ground, and some even floated about in the air, lazily drifting about. Once past the gate everything smelled of an odd combination of cinnamon and lemons, which was not exactly a welcome change from the dead fish smell outside.

Only one door was in the courtyard and that opened to the main keep. Pushing the tattered neon purple canvas door open revealed a spiraling landscape of madness, with doors and stairs leading to impossible angles often times doubling back on themselves in mid air. One set of stair cases formed a square floating in mid air that connected with each other , but always seemed to be going up. Ladders and inflatable landing pads ran every where nearly covering every surface giving the place a look of a circus fun house.

“Ummm.” Rhede mutters.
“Errr” Jer'rahd blinks.
“Hey what is this thing?” Bleu asks.

The whole group snaps their attention to the little dragon as Bleu tugs on a green string sticking out of the floor and the entire scene of madness suddenly shoots upward rolling into it self with several flaps of canvas like a scroll before it vanishes leaving a much more plain room with five hallways leading away from it.

“Have I mentioned I hate this place?” Luna states.

“What does the map show now?” Starfall asks.

Luna pulls out the map the others glancing at it as it now shows the inside of the keep and the five paths before them. Bleu's eyes narrow at the caption across the top. 'Power to restore the ones we lost'. The dragonling whips her head letting the Princess and Jer'rahd decide, she didn't want to think what the map was trying to lead her too.

“The map is showing me that the way is the third hall.” Luna states.

“Same for me Princess.” Jer'rahd comments.

“Likewise Boss.” Bleu adds.

“Shows the first one for me.” Rhede points out.

“Fourth for me Princess.”Starfall explains.

“The path it shows to me, is the same one that Rhede can see.” Velkorn observes.

“Well majority is the third one, seems like a good a start as any.” Jer'rahd puts forth.

The group begins making their way down the chosen path, though barely twenty paces down the path Velkorn stops them, her ears perked up high on her head.

“Are all your ears full of fuzz, or am I the only one to hear that buzz?” the zebra chimes looking around.

“Now that you mention it, crap that’s not parasprites again is it?..”Starfall shudders before her eyes go wide. “What the buck!? Bees!! Get to cover no telling what these things will do.”

“I have this, Starfall.” Luna placates.

Luna's magic bursts forth from her horn, the wave of energy burning through the swarm. The hall is silent for a moment before the buzzing increases and a even larger swarm appears. Many of these new bees are glowing with the same coloration of Luna's magic. A second blast from the Princess has no effect on the glowing ones at all and new bees seem to replace the destroyed ones almost instantly, more and more of them glowing. Jer'rahd's green wall of energy forms blocking off the entire hallway, stopping the bees from advancing.

“Alright any ideas while they are held off?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Umm boss? They are eating through your shield” Bleu points out.

“What? Crap.” the gray unicorn curses.

Looking back the purple bee's remain flying behind the wall but the ones that did not glow were eating into the green shield taking on the coloration of his magic.

“New plan, find a new path.”Luna states.

“Goody more running away.”Starfall snarks.

“Better plan Starfall?” Rhede asks.

“Strategic withdrawal.”Bleu suggests.

“No, just call it what it is.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

Jer'rahd raises a few more shields hoping to slow them down, but the glowing green ones were completely unaffected this time. Luna pauses and blasts the green ones that made it though the shield, though the force of her attack knocked out the weakened shields allowing the others to advance. Jer'rahd manages to shake off the ache of having his shields destroyed and toss up a few more to slow them down again.

The group dashed back down the hall Luna and Jer'rahd bringing up the rear, as the pair of rear guards make it back into the open area where the halls split the others were gone. Two of the other hallways and the exit outside had vanished as well.

“So much for easy. Pick a path Luna here's hoping you have a better time of it than me.... GAAAH sonofa. “Jer'rahd swears smashing a bee to the ground with his hoof only to be stung by another.

“Jer'rahd what OW!!”Luna curses a blast of energy flung over her self vaporizing several of the bees but a couple of the blue ones flew off after stinging her.

She lashes out with her tail swatting one of the bees that had managed to sting her flank, another had gotten though and stung Jer'rahd's exposed jaw. Both offending bugs fled just as quickly as they had stung. The advancing swarm slowed as if confused then disappearing back to the hall they came from.

“That is not a good sign.” Luna frowns.

Luna's horn flares the magic covering Jer'rahd.

“Ehh?” Jer'rahd grunts rubbing his jaw.

“There does not seem to be any poisons in your body. Trace amounts of that alcohol you had with the bears, but nothing more than that. And aside from your eye no odd magical ailments either.” Luna comments.

“My eye? What about you?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I am a goddess Jer'rahd there is not anything here that could hurt me.”Luna admits

“Unless Discord made something that was just to hurt alicorns. You did fight him. He might have rigged up some defense here. Might be anything wrong with me because I'm not an alicorn.”

“Yes, but at the time I was not...... you raise a valid point.” Luna admits.

“I do that from time to time. Bleu calls it the thousand monkeys at typewriters effect.” Jer'rahd grumbles as Luna runs the scan over herself.

“I know monkeys, but what are typewriters?” Luna asks. “ I am clear as well. Odd there is not even the usual toxin left over from a normal be sting.”

“A Bleu thing, its easier to think of it like that. The others should be fine on their own, they probably ran down the paths that sealed themselves up. Not sure I want to know what this place would do if we started smashing it. We might as well head back down this corridor. If the bee's are leave us alone anyway.” Jer'rahd considers, Luna nods in agreement and the pair of them head back down the path they had run from.

“Did we lose them?” Starfall asks panting.

“It seems we lost the others.” Rhede grumbles working to catch his breath as well.

“What? Oh crap. Just us then I suppose Rhede.”Starfall sighs.

“Please try to contain your enthusiasm Starfall.”Rhede mutters.

“What about Velkorn and Bleu? They are kinda the rookies here.” Starfall comments.

“Oh crap.”Rhede face hooves.

“Oh crap, oh crap, where are they? Where is every one else? Wheres Boss!?! Oh Buck, shit, shit, what am I gonna do ..?!?!? I can't lose some body else...” Bleu wails.

[“Please slow down Bleu, I cannot understand you that well. My studies have yet to teach me many of the swear words you are using, I do wish to memorize them for when I need to yell at Rhede.”] Velkorn comments in zebra.

“WHERE ARE THEY VELKORN?!?!?” Bleu flails her wings fanning madly.

“You should calm down please, or do you think our friends can be bested by bees?”Velkorn sighs.

“Calm yes, calm I’m doing, that I’m calming.” Bleu continues to flail

[“No you are hyperventilating. Sit down.”] Velkorn commands.

Velkorn grabs the little dragon by the spines on the back of her neck tossing the panicked dragonling onto her back and starts heading down the hall.

“What where are we going? They are all back there!” Bleu shouts.

“Since when have you know them to stay in place, to our goal it is already a race.”Velkorn responds.

“ Dammit Velkorn! Pick a language and stick to it!!” Bleu rants.

“This place is interfering with my magic I cannot detect any of them.” Luna admits.

“What about that spell you cast on the necklaces?” Jer'rahd asks.

“You noticed that?” Luna smiles.

The pair of them had slowly returned to moving back down the hall they started on listening for any signs of more bees. So far there was buzzing, but not as loudly as before.

“I am a unicorn you know. “ Jer'rahd snorts.

“Yes well.....” Luna admits

“You did not expect me to be able to notice anything out side the two spells I can cast?” Jer'rahd asks.

“I am sorry, I did not mean to assume.” Luna tries to explain getting a snort from Jer'rahd that was not annoyance.

“Don't be, I rather enjoy it when I am underestimated. I might not be able to cast many spells, but I can recognize the general types of ones I can feel being cast, just like every other unicorn. Any way anything from the necklaces?” the gray unicorn asks.

“All I can tell everyone is alive, nothing more than that. “ Luna responds after concentrating a moment.

“Good.” Jer'rahd responds.

“Good?” Luna questions.

“In case you have not been paying attention, every pony here can handle themselves in adverse situations. By now I am sure they are working to get back to us. Or at the very least trying to find each other or the book we are after.” Jer'rahd explains speaking rather proudly of how his friends would be dealing with this. He pauses at an archway at the end of the hall with a small whistle. “Hmm look at that. I expect we are here Luna.”

Luna moves closer looking up into the vast chamber the hall way had ended in. Countless shelves ran along the walls , filled with books of various stages of decay, some little more than dust, others looking newly printed. The room smelled of mildew and honey strongly enough to make her feel a bit queezy

Occasionally one book would fly off a shelf and slide into another spot, some crawled along the shelves on their own and others seemed to be reading themselves on one of the libraries desks. There were rows of shelves seeming to stretch back much further than the outside of the castle could have possibly contained.

“Well..... good I guess, now we just need to find the one book we need in all this mess.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Why do I have the uneasy feeling this is what you wanted Rhede?” Starfall grumbles as she shouts back at the galloping red stallion.

“Well lets do the math. A very large collection of hot mare's, check. All of them really want to get it on with me, check. Suddenly sprouting extra appendages and mouths with fangs that try to eat me, no check.” Rhede shouts back.

“Well if I was not stuck here with you running for my life, I would be much more amused by this.” Starfall snarks

Rhede glances back as the pair gallop down the narrow hall ways being chased by a horde of scantily dressed, shapely mares of all colors. Most of said mars had grown spikes, hooked limbs or had parts of their body split open into fanged maws or writhing masses of tentacles. All of them were screaming for Rhede's body and not in the way he would have liked.

“Shut up and fly faster!” Rhede shouts.

[“You... you killed him!!”]Velkorn stammers.

[“I killed it, yes.”]Bleu growls.

[“How could you kill him like that? “] Velkorn asks sitting down hard.

[“Your turn to calm down Velkorn. When was the last time a pony bled green worms?”] Bleu snarls.

[“But he was perfect, it was Rhede.....”] Velkorn mutters.

[“Considering he seemed to have suddenly taken an interest in you after how long of spurning your advances. He also knew nothing of the others and did not seem to care. Then when he returned my flirting it got kinda obvious.”] Bleu spits out having a hard time getting rid of the foul taste from where she tore the doppleganger's throat out.

[“But....”]

[“Lets go, this place is no longer funny.”] Bleu snaps.

Velkorn looks down at the pile of goo that had up until Bleu ripped its throat out a perfect copy of Rhede Pelt. She swallowed following along behind the angry dragonling. At the very least Bleu was no longer panicking, though Velkorn felt like she might start.

“I think I found it Luna.” Jer'rahd comments from a few shelves over.

Luna moves around the shelves following his upturned gaze to the oddity before them. The thing was vaguely egg shaped and took up a spot where a good three of four rows of shelves should have been. She had no idea how she had missed the thing during their first look around.

“Where did this come from?” Luna asks.

“It sort of appeared when I pulled a book off a shelf titled easy answers to complex problems.” Jer'rahd admits.

The entire thing seemed to be made out of copper, brass, wood, and what seemed to be cheesecake. Large and small pipes of assorted metals ran in and out of the machine some venting steam others doubling back into the machine or running into the walls, many of the pipes were of odd materials as well including bacon , paper , and pretzel. Poles and fans and other spinning or bouncing bits stuck out of the central body at odd angles doing what ever it was they did. A giant blue gemstone, easily half the size of the machine sat dead center of the whirling mess showing the pairs slightly distorted reflection.

The bees that had attacked earlier buzzed around the machine unbothered by the steam or their presence, the soft glow of Luna and Jer'rahd's magic still clinging to some. The entire thing seemed to be half made by a toddler with access to building blocks, and the other half a master crafts pony of unparalleled skill. Just under the giant gem sat a silver pedestal with three books atop it, two of them covered in wires and glowing softly, the third just simply sitting there.

“The Book of Blue, The Red Tome, and the Gray Grimoire, Discord had all three, but he still was defeated? This does not make any sense.” Luna mutters to herself.

“From what I have seen he did not make any sense any way. Why? What are the Red Tome and Gray Grimiore?”

“The Blue Book deals with the elements of harmony, it tracks them allows their recovery, it's what we were after here. It's just supposed to be a guidebook to the Elements and other things. Really it's just Discord's journal, he claimed to know how to get the Element's of harmony during the war and that book has that info. Supposedly.” Luna admits.

“You don't know for sure?”

“No but it was our best chance.” Luna admits.

“ So I gather the others are different.” Jer'rahd comments ignoring that Luna admitted this could have been a wild goose chase.

“The Red Tome is a spell book of dark magic. It raises dead, summons demons, and the like. The Gray Grimiore is rumored to have the ability to grant wishes and make gods.“ Luna hisses.

“Well now, as much trouble as we went though to get just the blue one better take them all so no one else follows our trail of destruction.” Jer'rahd nods.

“That may be for the best.” Luna hesitates before agreeing.

The dark alicorn floats the books up off the table, tucking all three into the saddle bags she wore. No sooner had she done so then the gem starts glowing brightly and a strange face appears on the surface. Jer'rahd thought it looked some what like a snaggle tooth bearded pony with mismatched eyes a curled horn and a straight one, the rest of the creature was either hidden from view or it did not have anything past its shoulders.

“Well, well what is this that comes into my lair. OOOh look a new set of toys. I think those maps were the best idea I ever had. I must remember not to break these toys too soon. It has been a while since I've had a plaything.” a echoing voice with constantly changing pitches speaks out of some spot hidden on the machine.

“DISCORD!!!” Luna snarls.

“Ahh crap.” Jer'rahd mutters.

Star fall staggers back looking down at the crumpled form, then at her blood covered hooves and sword. Her sword drops to the floor with a clang, the blade having been pressed to the stallions throat ready to take his head. She stumbles back as the red stallion sits down hard reaching a hoof up to rub his neck.

“Oh goddess, I am sorry Rhede...... please... I’m sorry..... “Starfall stammers tears welling in her eyes.

“You know,ugh, while I expect lovely mares to cry over me when I’m gone, I don't expect it to happen because they tried to make me gone.” Rhede chuckles with a wince.

Starfall opens her tear soaked eyes as Rhede slowly gets back to his hooves. He was bleeding from a multitude of cuts and torn skin where her hooves had impacted him. The flowing blood was making a mess of his coat and the light armor he wore. He winces a bit, lifting his front hoof off the ground not willing to put any weight on it. Starfall drops her head back down. Not able to look at him.

“I'm sorry.....” she mutters.

”You're fine ow... mares dig scars... I mean look at Jer....” Rhede chuckles. “Okay maybe not. Aside from Platinum most of the ones after him have been total bitches.”

“But....” Starfall protests.

“Stuff it Starfall, you reacted pretty much how I expected you to. Okay to be honest I was hoping you would catch on a little sooner. But at least you managed to realize it before you actually managed to kill me.”

“I... it looked like her, sounded like her, buck Rhede, it even smelled like Cloud Dancer, with how this place is, it could have been her. I ….am am sorry I lost control, you, when you killed it......all I saw was my daughter with your dagger buried in her.” Starfall explains.

The corpse of what Starfall had thought was Cloud Dancer lay several feet away, the steel grip of one of Rhede's daggers buried in the bubbling mess, a scorpion like tail twitching against the floor as muscles spasm. The face of it still looked like cloud dancer, but even that was starting to dissolve.

“Well I am glad I managed that much, before what ever that was got you. I suggest in the future not to hug anything here......” Rhede comments dryly.

“I'm sorry....”

“Well if you're really sorry, we could see if there's a bed room some where in this place that's normal. After you patch me up of course.” Rhede grins.

“ I am not THAT sorry.” Starfall snorts.

[“You are hyperventilating again Bleu.”] Velkorn comments shakily.

“I have seen easily twenty different gory deaths of Boss since we started along this path.” Bleu snarls.

[“And they have all appeared to be Rhede to me.”]Velkorn states coldly.

“That is the only reason I am not completely freaking out right now. Especially after that one where he was impaled on all the spears.....” Bleu shudders. “ Something about that one....”

[“There is more noise ahead, it sounds like some one talking, we should hurry to see what is going on.”] Velkorn swiftly changes the subject.

“Lets go, I'm hoping its a clear target of some kind. I feel up for a little bit of the ol' ultra violence after all this emotional trauma.” Bleu growls.

“How is this even possible your sealed in stone!!” Luna shouts.

“OOOH so that’s what that light beam did to me, pretty rainbows and all. But I do have a secret. I'm not really Discord... well no I take that back. I am, but not anything more than a imprint of him on this machine.... and yes that's what its called, This Machine. Honestly it seems I was experimenting with being dull for a while there. Call me D2 if you must. Bigger longer and uncut. Hmm now for my questions. The first of which is, which one are you. Your not Celestia or Aviana, but you are a alicorn, the blood confirms that..... oooh you must be a replacement... which one left, oh I do hope it was Celestia. I would get a good chuckle of thinking of that fire brand having grown all old and decrepit. Sadly it was probably Aviana, pity because that means I can't kill her. Ahhhh wait, I recognize you now. That warrior hanging around with princess fat flank, so being a proper hoof licker paid off for you in the end.”

“Shut up Discord. I beat the real you once. This toy of yours should be foals play to destroy.”Luna snarls.

“Wait what does he mean by your blood confirms it?” Jer'rahd interjects having been quiet through the pair yelling at each other.

“I lay out a potentially embarrassing secrets for you about how your whole belief in the goddesses could be false and its THAT part of what I said that you focus on!?!” Discord snaps.

“The rest is none of my concern.” Jer'rahd admits. “ What they were before doesn't mean anything as they are now Goddesses.

“Pffft, boring. Its no fun when you're are not even willing to play. Nothing spectacular about you either just boring old unicorn and earth pony blood.......... I think this is earth pony blood. Never looked at the mud hooves red matter before. Well there must be something special about you to have made it this far. And that armor is rather snazzy, who's your tailor?” Discord rants.” Wait I recognize those bones!! Those are from a Tank!! No way..... you took down one of my Totally Awesome Nag Killers.”

“I thought the T was for Tortoise.” Jer'rahd comments.

“It was a turtle!!! Never mind, to answer that little query it's another one of my little experiments. My little bees here took a bit of the magical blood from you both as you seem to be the most interesting in that little adventuring party. Well she is, you're not, so don't get your hopes up you lump of gray fur. The bees just go after any magic user anywhere near them. You were just there so you got stuck. But lets play match maker shall we? Or at least geneticist. Ever wonder what your kid will look like, oh come on you've been hanging out with such a delightfully well formed mare over here and you have not given any thought to banging her? What are you gay? Never mind, just think on it now cause once she comes out you won't have long to consider before she kills you. Toodles.”

“Did the real Discord ever shut up or take a breath?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Not that I can recall no.” Luna admits.

The image of Discord swings both his arms to the left, both mismatched hands pointing to that side of 'this machine'. A large seam splits along the side of the egg, the split swinging apart like beetle wings opening. A rush of steam and smoke billows out of the opening along with flashing lights and what sounds like a synthesizer trying to play muskrat love as played by an accordion.

A tall form steps out of the heated mist, red and aqua colored eyes glowing menacingly as the mare clears the billowing steam. A single flap of leathery green wings sends her airborne to land lightly before the two of them. Her black coat was highlighted by amber hair that swayed and waved in a unfelt breeze, her tail was made of the same coloration as her mane though it seemed to be dotted with sparkling points of light like Luna's. The cutie mark gracing her flank was the same crescent moon on a shield that had been imprinted on the armor they all wore. A long jade colored horn spiraled from her forehead a black light radiated from it as she regarded the two of them. Her well muscled form easily taller than Luna's giving the impression she was looking down on them both .”

“Hello mother, father, I am Nocturne. I am your end.” The alicorn snarls.

“OK, Rhede I am now freaked out a little.”Starfall mutters.

“Oh, why is that? The bodies of our fallen friends? The other bodies of all the ponies you have ever known and loved?” Rhede grumbles.

“No sadly I have gotten used to that. What bugs me is that you have been walking on your hind legs for a while now, how are you even doing that?” Starfall asks.

“Tha's whats is bothering you?”

“Well given it's like you are trying to put your junk on display....” Starfall mutters.

“Practice is how, besides not like I can use my left hoof here.” Rhede snaps.

“Are you going to continue to make me feel miserable about attacking you.”Starfall grumbles

“No, that's not my intent but given how much you're complaining it seems you are trying to find a reason to be miserable.” Rhede grumbles.

“Yes well, how many bodies of the others have we passed now.” she sighs.

“None.”Rhede states.

“How are you so sure?”the pegasus snaps.

“I have my reasons, but until we actually find the others I have no plans to reveal that. No telling if the castle will take note and make it harder.” Rhede admits.

“Can't this place get into your mind and find out what that is?”Starfall shivers.

“At first yes, But that was because I did not expect it. Now no it can't.” Rhede states as if it was fact.

“How...?”

“Training. Its more of mind conditioning exercise for torture survival than anything else. Works surprisingly well against variations of mind reading too.” Rhede grins.” Unicorns hate it.”

“What the buck kind of training did you go through after basic?” Starfall stammers.

“Hold up... Do you hear that ?” Rhede asks stopping and dropping back down to three hooves.

“Don't try and change the....... yeah what is that?”Starfall comments.

Starfall stopped glancing back at the upright stallion her ears perking a bit. The crash of metal and crackle of magic easily heard when their hoof falls stop.

“Sounds like fighting, probably Jer'rahd.” Starfall nods.

“My thoughts exactly. If there is combat Jer will find it.” Rhede grins.

“More like it finds him.” Starfall sighs.

The first bolt of energy was cast so suddenly it took Luna by surprise, the shock of Discord and now this new alicorn had thrown her for a loop. Jer'rahd on the other hoof did not seem to be bothered by any of it. A green shield snapped up between Luna and the blast of magic the blot barely slowing as it pierced his shield fortunately for Luna he had started moving as soon as the other alicorn's spell had been cast. Luna yelps as she's knocked aside, the energy bolt struck him hard in the side , flinging him back through the air, and several book cases before he impacted a stone wall.

Luna snaps out of her surprise, horn flaring brightly as a swarm of energy blasts launch back at the alicorn. A panel of almost black light with traces of green forms in front of the new alicorn deflecting Luna's attack effortlessly. The mare calling herself Nocturne grins firing a number of her own bolts around the raised shelf seeming to not have the same issue with them Jer'rahd did. Luna hops and flips easily out of the way of the bolts, though the impact of them smashing into the floor and ceiling dropped a portion of the latter onto the spot Jer'rahd had landed.

“Oh! hey now stop that, your going to mess up my new rug.... oh wait, the moths ate that centuries ago... carry on then hehehe.” D2 cackled.

The rubble explodes outward as Jer'rahd bursts free of it rushing the mare with a growl. Bits of stone and and wood being flung at Nocturne as he charged her.

Nocturne shifted dancing about the flying debris flapping into the air as nearly tackles her twirling in place and planting a hard kick on the back of his armored head, sending him crashing through another series of book shelves.

“NOOO that was my Porn!!” D2 screams. “Not the good stuff mind you....”

Luna took advantage of the opening landing a hoof blow again the other alicorn who moved with the kick reducing the impact. Jer’rahd pushed up to his hooves again shaking the rubble free of his armored form before moving over to flank the mare between himself and Luna.

“I really love this armor.” Jer'rahd grins.

“If you love it so much why not marry it? Hmmm. I'm sure that's legal some where. Maybe Haygas.” D2 chimes.

Jer'rahd responded by yanking a pipe out of the side of the egg with his magic, tearing a hole in the metal, a wide grin seen on his muzzle. He rushed forward again, copper pipe swinging at the new alicorn. He bites down on the pipe, his own green shields appearing, deflecting the hoof strikes of the mare as she fires a few blasts of magic at Luna at the same time.

Nocturne could not land anything more than a glancing blow on either of them , but they could not manage much more than that on her either.

“They are not doing to bad.“ Bleu comments.

“It seems they are under great duress, if indeed that is Jer'rahd and the Princess.” Velkorn responds.

“The better question is if you two are who you are supposed to be.” Starfall states

Bleu and Velkorn whip around staring down the two ponies coming up the hall way behind them.

[“Rhede what happened?”] Velkorn asks stepping forward only to be stopped by Bleu's tail.

“Hold up Velkorn.... are you who you are supposed to be?”Bleu asks.

“Kind of a loaded question. If we say yes, we might be lying if we say no then that’s the same thing, how about you two slide to the left a bit and let me have a look at this battle.” Rhede mutters.

“Rhede.....” Starfall warns.

“Do keep in mind Starfall, I told you I could tell. These two are who they are supposed to be, but I want to make sure the ones out there are...... oooh through the wall?” Rhede winces watching as a whip of the alicorn's tail sends Jer'rahd smashing though some of the remaining untouched book shelves and through a stone wall on the other side of them.

“Good idea with the shields though.”Starfall comments.

“Try anything stud muffin, and I will gut you.” Bleu snaps

“Stop calling me that ….. I can't tell with Jer, of course I doubted I could with that armor, but that is the Princess.” Rhede states.

“How do you even know that?” Bleu grumbles.

“The castle has yet to duplicate your gift to us Bleu. None of the bodies have the sword fragments, just the vine of the necklace. I am not sure if they cannot be duplicated or the place just did not notice.” Rhede responds.

The three others look at each other, then each others necklaces, then back at Rhede who grinned before slumping against a wall with a wince.

“You are a lousy medic Starfall, now get out there and help before those two get killed.” Rhede orders.

“Enough of this foolishness” Nocturne screams.

Nocturne’s magic flares destroying all the green shields and flinging Luna and Jer'rahd back to crash to the ground. Jer'rahd was on his hooves quickly the bent copper pipe floating beside him. He moves in front of Luna as she regains her hooves shaking her head to clear the after effects of the spell blast.

“I know all of your powers and weakness' and I am stronger than both of you.” Nocturne snarls.

“So how are you going to turn the inability to talk to mares and the thing with raisins against us?” Jer'rahd snarks.

“Heh, still time to be snarky in the middle of all this?” Nocturne states grinning wide. “Well aren’t you a clever pony, father.”

“SHIT!” Jer'rahd stumbles back looking around wildly.

“Is that a weakness? Being called clever is a weakness? Honestly General that is the lamest weakness ever.” Luna growls.

“You have no idea what that little phrase has done to me.” Jer'rahd responds glaring at Nocturne. “ Of course it should work against you too.”

Nocturne's tail lashes out wrapping around Jer'rahd's throat yanking him into the air between Luna and Nocturne. Luna hesitates firing at the other alicorn for a second though Nocturne had no such limitation. A blast of power burst from her horn, barely dodged by the hanging Jer'rahd. Luna however takes the brunt of the blast full force and is sent crashing back to tumble through the shatter remains of the library.

Jer'rahd growls, his magic grabbing the pipe and belting the dark alicorn in the side of the head, slipping free of her coiled hair, He lands hard in front of the mare, lunging forward to finish her only to slam into a shield , bounce off and then get flung back as the panel exploded.

Luna mages to get to her hooves just in time for the flung Jer'rahd to crash into her sending both of them crashing back into a wall, chunks of rock and wood falling atop of them with a horrendous crash. The led pipe thudded to the ground near by her. The mare barely spares it a glance before a flicker of her magic melts it into slag with a maniacal laugh from the Discord image.

“OOOOh this is delightful. Finish them off dear and then we'll go see what happened to the others.” D2 cackles.

“I do not take orders from you. But I was planning to do that any way. With this I become better than you both. A child outdoing the wastrels that spawned her.”Nocturne smirks baring fangs.

“DEATH FROM ABOVE!!!”

“What?”Nocturne blinks looking up.

The bright glow around Nocturnes horn fades as dragonling lands hard on her back as her full pony size, flattening the mare to the floor. The alicorn sweeps her wings back screaming as a lightning bolt from the dragon burns a hole though one of them. She spines suddenly , bucking the dragon off of her back, Bleu's claws digging furrows in the mares back. Starfall's rear hooves slam into her blind side with the crunch of bone that sent the alicorn staggering to the her right foreleg crushed. Her mane whips at the pegasus who leaps back avoiding the blow, blades whirling along her wings, severing the strands before they get close. Nocturne winces taking the weight off her injured hoof as three daggers impact into her flank. She fires a blast in the direction they came from but Rhede had already moved. She screams out with rage power flaring about her as the shields form a bubble about her trapping the others outside away from her as her bones start to knit.

“You bastards, I will make your skulls water bowls for the rats!! DIE ALL OF... HURRRK.....!!” the mare shrieks before suddenly being cut off.

The alicorn jerks, a gush of blood escaping her mouth as she attempts to breath. Her eyes drop down to the half invisible zebra mare standing just in front of her. Velkorn smiled a little,she had just managed to get close before the alicorn put up her shields, a few dozen blows to the mares ribs and belly from the zebra was all it took to take her out. The newborn goddess' shields fell and a heartbeat or two later so did she.

“That went better than expected, every one still alive?”Starfall calls out.

“Well I’m still bleeding a bit but I don't know about Jer and Luna.” Rhede responds.

“Hey what about me? I am still supposed to be ranting here about how you all will rue the day and all that ….. where are the bee's, oh wait she fried them all hmmm maybe a maticore or something what can I make... I do have a lot of blood in here. Maybe a bee crossed with a bear, a bugbear oh that sounds perfect....” D2 rants.

“Bleu fry that thing.” Starfall orders.

“Not a problem.”Bleu grumbles

The gem stone dwelling Discord blinks and yelps as Bleu breaths a bolt of electricity at him, the metal and wood deflecting he lightning which strikes another wall in a shower of stone chips and dust and sets some of the books on fire.

“HAHA, this shell is impervious to your paltry dragon spitting, nothing you can do about it.” D2 yells triumphantly.

“What if she shot it into holes where that pipe used to be, would that be enough to ruin this things guts?” Rhede suggests.

“What cuts... oh right the pipe, that was for grounding I think........ hmm I suppose I did not think this taunting the electric dragon thing through GAAAAHHhzzzzztt......” D2 comments as Bleu shoots a bolt of lightning through the gaping rent in the side of the machine.

“Well that's it for that one,Velkorn go check on the Princess and Jer'rahd what do we do with this one?”Starfall asks looking down at the alicorn.

“No clue Starfall. Not sure we even have the power to kill her. Her wings already healed up same with the cuts.” Rhede points out as he hobbles over.

Bleu had already darted over and was tossing rubble off the fallen pair as soon as the machine was fried. Flinging another rock aside she exposed the dust coated back of Jer'rahd's armor. She rapidly cleared off the rest of them nearly beaning Velkorn as she dug. Jer'rahd half stood over the Princess locked in place over the unconscious Luna. A soft panting was heard from the armor, though a drip of blood fell from his muzzle splattering in a growing pool next to the Princesses head.

“He better not be dead I need to smack him for making me worry.” Bleu growls.

“He is bleeding but seems well, I suppose it's thanks to that armored shell.” Velkorn admits.

“And the Princess?” Starfall calls out.

“I do not know,my alicorn knowledge is low.”Velkorn frowns.

“Bleu get him out of that armor.” Rhede orders.

“Why don't you come over here and help then Rhede...... oh wait, your in crap shape too.” Bleu sighs.

“Here, I'll help, lets get him out of there first... Oh crap he weighs a ton....” Starfall winces

Between the three of them, with directions barked out by Rhede, they get Jer'rahd from the pile of rubble and manage to lay him down. However they utterly fail to get the helm off of him even with all three of them trying.

Leaving him alone a moment Velkorn checks over Luna finding nothing really wrong with her save some small burns on her chest. Velkorn pulls some smelling salts from her bag running them under Luna's nose. The Princess suddenly sits bolt upright with a yelp, winces, and nearly passes out again.

“Easy there Luna, its all good at the moment. Least until this thing wakes up. So I know we have been separated a while, but you and Jer had a kid I hear? He does work fast that one.” Rhede chimes from the other side of the room where he was looking over some books.

“What are you rambling about?” Luna mutters.

“Never mind, humor aside you up for helping get that thing off of him?” Starfall asks pointing to Jer'rahd. “ Velkorn can't check on him very well with the bone armor on.”

“Get what off, arrgh my head....” Luna winces. “ What happened here?”

“Well you did just have a rather large armored stallion smack into you, maybe a few rocks as well not sure if he blocked them all.” Bleu comments.

“How is he ?” Luna asks.

“I could tell you that which you seek, but with the armor on I can't even peek.” Velkorn snaps.

“It needs to be magically, ugh, Alright give me a moment.” Luna sighs rubbing her temple with a hoof.

Her horn flares,the visible wince bringing a sympathetic wince from the others as well. The helm of Jer'rahd's armor glows as she pulls it off over his horn the rest of the plate falling off to crash on the floor around him. The slow rise and fall of Jer'rahd's chest the only movement he offers though there seemed to be no visible wounds. Velkorn begins checking him over rapidly.

“How is he Velkorn..?”Rhede asks.

“There is no reason to fuss or shout, it seems that all that is wrong is he is knocked out.” Velkorn sighs.

“But the blood?” Bleu asks.

“Here we all were about to flip, and it seems the fool just bit his lip.” Velkorn chuckles.

“Yep, defiantly gonna kick him.”Starfall growls.

“How the heck does he get flung through several walls, blasted with magic, have half a building fall on him and hes fine. Yet he bounces off a nice soft mare and has another few rocks bounce off his head, and that knocks him out?” Rhede questions.

“I'm not exactly soft.” Luna mutters.

The next few hours went rather well. Velkorn stuns the alicorn a few more times before Luna recovers enough to seal her in a stasis spell. The Princess planned to bring her back to study how she was made. This was met with protests until Luna pointed out they didn't know how she could be killed, and leaving her here and free was a worse idea. The others calmed down a bit more when Luna stated she would likely be placed in the Garden if Discord's programming could not be removed.

Jer'rahd had awoken to Bleu hugging him, then smacking the fool out of him, then hugging him again. Velkorn had checked Luna then had been fussing over Rhede for a good while now. Starfall was sitting off to the side watching Rhede and Velkorn with as dark an expression as she had when she told the story of her husband. Something had happened and Jer'rahd was not sure he wanted to know, doubtless it probably wasn't good , but Rhede didn't seem to show any signs of a issue with Starfall. Perhaps he should ask later. Despite Velkorn's protests he put the armor back on letting Bleu ride around on his back as he went to check on the Princess and Nocturne.

“So what now Princess?” Jer'rahd asks.

“We head home shortly, my magic should be strong up enough for that, even with the new body. The clear magic room is through one of the walls you were thrown through.” Luna answers.

“Which one?” Jer'rahd asks looking at the holes in the wall around them.

“What ? Oh the first wall. “Luna admits pointing a wing at a particular hole.

“So whats wrong with you now?” Jer'rahd asks.

“What makes you think anything is wrong.” Luna snorts.

“Well you managed to get out of your silent brooding contemplation through most of the trip. Kinda was hoping it would stay that way, but its back. I can tell by the look on your face.” Jer'rahd smirks.

“I was ill prepared for this. We could have died. I should have done better.”Luna admits.

“We could be killed walking down the street of Canterlot. A clumsy pegasus mover could drop a piano on our heads. If you worry to much about the stuff that can kill you, you never get any where. Granted all you have to worry about is strange daggers.” Jer'rahd whispers the last.

“And mystical copies of myself.” Luna admits.

“Keep in mind part of me is in her as well.” Jer'rahd states.” She has my hair.”

“So should I worry about you being something trying to kill me?” Luna snarks

“Why not, the rest of Equestria seems to already consider me ready to eat them when they sleep.” Jer'rahd shrugs.

“Mostly the nobles, but yeah, boss here is a scary one.” Bleu comments landing on Jer'rahd's back suddenly. “Throwing himself into a energy beam to save you and stuff.”

“Wait you saw that? Why didn’t you help earlier then?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Err we were not sure you were you.” Bleu admits.

“What?” Luna asks.

“I'll tell you later. For now are we set to go? This place lost its funny a while back.” Bleu grumbles.

“Yes. I should have enough power to get us back to Canterlot now.” Luna admits slowly rising to her hooves.

“Please try to keep me out of the lake this time Luna.” Jer'rahd smirks. “Starfall! Steel your gut, we're getting ready to go.”

“Glad I have not eaten anything in a while. Starfall comments.

The group moves into the half collapsed room, Jer'rahd floating the unconscious alicorn behind him, before dropping her unceremoniously on the floor in the middle of them all.

“ Boss! You don't shake the baby!” Bleu gasps.

“Seriously?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

Luna smiles a little her horn glowing brightly as she starts to cast a spell. All of them quite happy to leave this madness behind them, and return to the relative normalcy of Canterlot.

The spell fades leaving them standing in a sealed court yard inside the castle. Jer'rahd lets out a sigh of relief that he hadn't been dumped in a lake this time, and Starfall looked ready to hurl. The group barely had time to get their bearings before Princess Celestia appeared with a loud pop of teleportation , nearly tackling Luna. The group froze looking at the worried expression on the Princess of the Sun's face.

“You're all right sister, what in the name of Equestria happened?!”Celestia shouts.

“Relax Tia, we are alright, the trip took a few days longer than I planned, but we have not missed our return time by more than a week. Nothing to have you fret over.” Luna states.

“A week? Sister you and the others have been gone for nearly ten years.” Celestia exclaims.

**********************************************************************

Twilight opened her eyes, her horn's magic fading. She blinks lightly, eyes adjusting to the rooms soft light. She glances back noting Spike passed out on the couch and Fluttershy humming softly to herself next to him.

“Welcome back Twilight. Was it interesting this time?” Fluttershy asks.

“Actually it was, very informative, and confusing. All that talk of watching over me and he still falls asleep.” Twilight sighs.

“Well he did try. He is very loyal, maybe he would have made a good new Rainbow Dash after all.” Fluttershy giggles as Twilight rolls her eyes. “Well, he would have if the rest of us were ourselves at the time too. I suppose since your back, you want to write about it? I better get going then Angel might get worried.”

“Thanks Fluttershy.” Twilight nods.

“I promise I will be back, oh, I keep meaning to ask you what you want for your birthday coming up. Oh yes, and what Spike wants for his.” Fluttershy asks a bit quieter in case the dragonling woke up.

“I think both of us are pretty happy with just about anything. But you don't have to get me a gift Fluttershy. Just to have every one show up at my party will be enough.” Twilight admits.

“I still think to get you something, maybe Rarity will have a better idea. Good night Twilight.” Fluttershy states.

“I said don't worry about it. Good night Fluttershy.” twilight responds as she Picks spike up to take him to bed while the pegasus slips out the door.

Cast the First Stone.

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
by TDR

Cast the First Stone.

Twilight sighs, rubbing her temples with a hoof, glad all of that nonsense was over. It had been a very busy few weeks. She had spent the last few days watching pegasus train to increase their wing power. She was rather impressed by the improvement of Fluttershy, though it seemed Spike’s time with the teenaged dragons had rubbed off on him the wrong way. What little tact he had seemed to have vanished completely, although Peewee was a interesting addition to the family it did mean that Spike was with Fluttershy more trying to learn to care for the little Phoenix.

She glances back, watching Apple Jack read over what she had written so far. The farm pony was still rather miffed over her sisters involvement with the school paper rumors. While the farm pony claimed she was over it, the tone and ferocity was enough to clue Twilight in that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were not off the hook yet with her. Granted Rarity did go from supporting the Gabby name to turning on her in a eye blink. It was a bit of a hypocritical in Twilight's opinion, but at least it was over with.

“You all set then Applejack?”

“Yeah ah am. Still not seeing much on what might cause Princess Luna tah not want ta forgive these ponies though. They seem tah have been alright, just shoved in really bad situations.”

“Well so far everything I have seen is just them getting to the point where they are the Princesses' friends. I still have not seen what caused her to become Nightmare Moon. Though the story is hinting that the Second Dragon War might be coming to a close. Princess Celestia did say that it was after the war that she transformed into Nightmare Moon.”

“Wait a tick if Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon after the dragon war, why didn't that book ah yers say anything about it at all?”

“I am still trying to figure that out. Once the second dragon war started nearly all records of it and Princess Luna were lost except a few books for foals. The one that told the tale of her was one such book of old mare's tales. If I had not seen the name mare in the moon in another book I would not have even noticed. Neither of them mentioned the war, but there's only the rare document of the first Dragon war. Not many books survived from a thousand years ago. I suppose sooner or later I might find out why , but I am not liking what the implications might be. The few that are still around that even tell any stories of it likely were written long after the event with those who possible did not even understand what had happened. I think there was more too it than that though other wise Celestia would not have had me read the book. She must have known I would figure it out.”

“Mighta been somethin as simple as who ever wrote the book thought the Princess would handle it and didn't see a reason to go inta any detail as the why and the who. Having yer sister turn out to be a forcah evil is not something most folk's want well known....”

“Maybe. This might be the only way to find out though. I suppose I should get started and we can find out for sure.”

“Sounds good, Ahm still a few chapters back any way.”

Twilight nods starting the spell, she breathes in softly letting it pull her into the star filled void. Once the familiar void surrounds her she exhales the drawn breath not even really needing too here. Nothing had changed once more she felt something was building here, but right now everything felt stagnate. Even the stars that worried her seemed to have faded a bit and no longer seemed as menacing. She shakes her head looking over the windows with hesitation. Did she really want to see another battle? Even the victories with these ponies were ripe with horrors. She had a bad feeling before everyone of these conflicts and nearly every one had proven that feeling right.

She looks up at the crescent moon shaped window,moving towards it, planing to start with Princess Luna this time. Perhaps it would not be that bad.

Luna was pissed, the alarms blaring and the guests running about in a panic did not help that feeling. She had actually been starting to enjoy herself at one of these events for once and then this happened. She was never coming to another one after this no matter what Tia threatened.

Bleu had left the band and ditched her dress forming the armor around her that the Element of Laughter provided. Jer'rahd's own armor had already been donned and his medals and dress uniform shredded as a result. She was almost sure he was relieved at the destruction of the uniform. Not as if it mattered she had several more ready just in case. Bleu had been correct that it was fun teasing him.

He was already issuing orders to the Guard's and the 42nd in attendance Bleu had taken up guarding her on one side along with Jer'rahd. Rhede and Velkorn had done the same with Celestia. General Mustang and General Shower had taken off to find out what was going on as soon as the alarms sounded. Starfall and Maw Pelt both had gone to round up the younger ponies that were present to get them to safety.

“EVERY PONY YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE, WE URGE YOU TO STAY CALM AND MOVE TO THE ADJOINING ROOMS. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM ANY WINDOWS AND DO NOT HAMPER THE GUARD WITH ANY QUESTIONS.”

Luna looks up at her sister it was not often Celestia used the Royal Canterlot voice. Her gaze shifts to the great glass windows showing the slowly setting sun. The Princess had decided to let the sun and moon sit on the edge of setting in order to create a cascade of light and glorious sunset for the Gala. Once the dance was over the night would have begun properly, but for now that would be on hold.
She looks back to the ponies scrambling about to get to a more sheltered area.

A explosion of glass and wood showers those who had not managed to move through the doors yet as a red dragon smashes through the large skylights landing on and crushing the refreshment table. It barely managed a roar before Jer'rahd, Starfall, and other members of the 42nd were upon it, ripping the beast into a bloody mess of scales and blood before it could attack any pony. Jer'rahd moves back to her side the moment the dragon breaths its last, flicking its blood from the Waning Moon his gaze turned more skyward now.

Ruin, and General Mustang and General Shower return taking up positions around Celestia letting Velkorn run over to check on the Ponies that were hit with the falling glass, Rhede however remained where he was on the balcony looking over everything from a more elevated position and listing in to what the Generals were telling Celestia. All of them turn to the group of griffons who drop in and the scream of rage that suddenly burst from Starfall.

The lead griffon drew Luna's gaze as the bird's eyes widened with shock at the sight of Starfall. The griffon's beak curled up into a sardonic smirk, clearly reconizeing her. She was clearly a female and a older, some what war worn one as well. The armor she wore had seen heavy use though remained whole. Her claws were covered in bladed gauntlets, that looked to be forged of star metal and she wore a pair of short swords tucked under her wings. Her fur was a dark brown that spread out to her wings and darkened until it became black at the tips. Her head was crowned by a fluffed mane of gray hair and feathers that fell down her neck with a pair of white markings over her cobalt eyes.

What caused Starfall to swear in front of the foals and take off across the ballroom fast enough to rip a groove in the floor was what was hanging from the griffons belt and scabbards. Tails, pony tails of varying coloration’s and colors including one that looked that looked much like Cloud Dancer's mane and tail.

“WIND RAZOR!!!!!!!!!”

The griffons eyes widened at the charging pony and she launches herself into the air just avoiding Starfall's attack. The rest of her squad, was not so lucky and was flung about the room by the sudden explosion of color from the short range Rain boom. Chunks of the dead dragon showered the ball room though Starfall had already taking to the air in pursuit of the griffon. The 42nd rapidly fell on the stunned griffons slaughtering them where they lay.

“STARFALL GET BACK HERE!!”

“She is already gone Princess and she would not listen any way, I can assume that was the griffon she has been hunting all this time. When she comes back we can discuss this, but I know what she is feeling with that. So do you. We need to concentrate on getting these ponies to safety before any thing else crashes into the party.”

Luna glares at Jer'rahd before sighing with a nod before looking up feeling the magic pour off of her sister. A huge white and blue bubble shield suddenly springs to life around Canterlot castle forcing a great many of the attackers back away from the walls and buildings. At least for a moment any way. In seconds rents started appearing in the bubble nearly as soon as it was raised. The dragons and griffons were all clawing their way back in shredding the bubble like it was made of soap, rather than an alicorns magic.

General Mustang starts bellowing orders to the Guards as Jer'rahd and General Shower work to organize the 42nd and the air wing respectively. Cloud Dancer's tail is grabbed by the unicorn colt yanking her back down from following her mother. Luna was not sure what was said, but the pair move off towards the stage and the musicians still up there with Fox, Wolf, and Baelit in tow. She did not have time to stop them, but she would keep an eye on Cloud Dancer for Starfall at least, Velkorn seemed to be doing the same.

Celestia glides down from the balcony landing beside her sister looking rather worried.

“They are cutting through my shield Lulu.”

“How is that possible Tia? Even Forge Scale could not pierce that spell.”

Bleu groans lightly, as if realizing something.

“Princess you taught one of your students that spell right?”

“I did.”

“That spell was used to make the shield stones. We outfitted a great many troops with those stones during the last attack.”

“They dragons may have come across them and found a counter. I understand Bleu. Lulu do you think you could raise a shield to keep them out?”

“I learned the spell from you sister, and I have yet to be able to make it as strong, they would get through mine as well. We need a shield they have not broken before.”

Celestia blinks looking at Luna along with Bleu , then the three of them look over to Jer'rahd, the intent clear. Jer'rahd, however did not seem to notice as another wave of attackers had burst through the glass seeking whatever targets they could.

“GENERAL KAISUR, WE HAVE NEED OF YOU.”

He glances back wincing as a griffon's talons rake across his armor. He slams his hoof down crushing its attacking claw and ending its life with a second stomp. He flicks the blood from his armored hooves before galloping over to them.

“Yes Princess?”

“We need you to put a shield up around the castle.”

Jer'rahd seems to stare at her a moment though it was hard to tell with the armor hiding his eyes.

“I am afraid I do not have that sort of power Princess. Not even close, I would be strained protecting the ball room, let alone the entire castle.”

Another explosion rocked the castle, Luna looked up wondering what they were attacking with. She could see smoke rising from where the Guard base should be. The explosion set off a cacophony of noise as the band seemed to struggle with gathering some of their instruments with the help of Cloud Dancer and the others. What they were doing up there instead of running for a shelter was beyond her , but she still had no time for children's antics, nor the insanity of the band members. Bleu winced at the crash, but made no effort to make them do anything, perhaps they were simply trying to protect their lively hood. It was still stupid ion her eyes, but at least there was an explanation. The explosion also knocked over a few candelabras setting some over turned tables on fire. Some of the Guards were working to put it out while the Princesses considered the options. Celestia was the first to speak.

“General, are you familiar with channeling?”

He looks to Celestia.

“Yes, We use it every so often to make more power full attack spells. A group of unicorn mage's pooling their abilities to share spells or cast a spell stronger than any one alone can make. I practiced with it a few times back in basic, but there has never been a reason for me to know anything more than the basics. I am not much of a caster. I never could use another's spell. That and I am not sure I am comfortable with the method.”

“That is fine, have others been able to use your shield?”

“ As I said I have not tired since basic , but I could share the spell then, it was never something any other tried to learn however, Celestia.”

“Good, remove your armor, we will need that ability.”

Jer'rahd looks nervously at Luna who sighs nodding. She glances at Celestia as her sisters dress fades out of existence. Her own had been shredded the moment she put on her armor. Jer'rahd looked flushed as his own armor faded back into the amulet. Luna was more amused at his reluctance than anything, but she also knew this if the situation was not dire, Tia would be taking full advantage of it to have a little fun at both her and Jer'rahd's expense.

The gray unicorn pony freezes in shock and Luna and Celestia move to either side of him, the sisters pressing against either side of him their own horns cross and lightly touch to his. Luna almost enjoyed seeing him sweat like this. She almost blushed herself feeling him tensing up against her side, but there were more important things to consider here. The expressions on Bleu and Rhede's faces were priceless.

“Thinking dirty thoughts about me General?”

“Wha.. no!”

“Oh prefer to have them about Luna more?”

“Yes I mean no I mean Gah, no Princess Celestia....”

“Liar.”

“Tia please....”

“Fine, Lulu and just when it was getting interesting.”

The world around them faded into nothing but a star filled void.

=====================================================

Jer'rahd blinks, his gaze shifting around. A starry expanse stretched out before him, bright dots flickering across the darkness. Some shining brighter than others, occasionally one or more winking out of existence and leaving a dark void where they had been.

He had been here twice before, once when he died and then back in basic when he went though the futile training. He only now made the connection that they were the same place. He scanned over the stars with no small feeling of dread as more winked out of existence.

The common theory was that these were the souls of ponies, it was a debate he saw no point in at the time though for many other unicorns it became a heated debate. With his own experiences and what he was seeing now however he was inclined to believe that was what they were. Why some shown differently and some never appeared no one had an answer for. He did not think he could recognize any of them any way.

A flicker of light caught his attention and he zeroed in on three stars immediately. A brilliant solid red star that seemed to be what dew his attention, A smaller green star that seemed to spiral about itself and hovered near the red star And a flickering blue star that seemed a different coloration every time it flashed. His gaze pulled away from them to a Purple star with a rainbow colored glow about it , not far from the others. He was not sure why, but he knew who they were clearly. A small smirk crossed his face before he realized that he had yet to see Princess Luna or Celestia here.

He looked around a bit feeling a little odd however as he could still feel both of them against his sides and every shift and intake of breath of their bodies. He flushed and whipped his head about trying to surpress what he was thinking.

==========================================

“ Alright how long are they supposed to be doing this th........HELLO!!!”

“Damnit Jer you're embarrassing yourself.”

Velkon moves around behind the group to see what Bleu and Rhede were talking about and whistles chuckling, making Rhede that much more annoyed. He storms over to a table yanking free a table cloth and throwing it over the trio.

“Jealous of what the boss is packing there Rhede? Or that hes the meat in a Princess sandwich?”

“Shut it Bleu...”

===============================

“Do take your mind out of the gutter General, Please.”

He winces looking around trying to find the source of Luna's voice. He was rather confused that he had not seen her yet though eventually a bit of motion above him drew his gaze upward. All he saw at first was the starry mass above him though it all seemed to be moving differently than the other stars in the void. After a moment he noted it was moving like Luna's mane he eventually took note of the slight curve of what could be her neck before he gave up trying to see all of her.

This place tended to reflect ones power level with size. While he had gotten used to being dwarfed in training he doubted he would even be as big as Luna's eyelash here.

“He is a stallion Lulu, and this is a rather intimate way of casting spells, to those unused to it. One can expect a few dirty thoughts. Or a whole bunch, he has some control, just be glad we did not need to do this with Pelt.”

He turns trying to find Celestia though he saw nothing but the expanse of stars. With as bright a coloration and personality as Celestia was he was expecting to easily see her or part of her any way, but there was no sign of her.

“Do not try to comprehend my sister here General, I can sense you are straining simply to see me. Tia is much the same to me as I am to you. She likely considers this a reason enough to call me little sister..... Now then, you will provide the source of the spell, Tia will power it and I shall shape it as it needs to be. Once cast it should be no trouble for her to maintain it and we can return to deal with the invaders.“

“ I am not sure if my spell is flexible enough to force them out while not damaging everything else as yours did.”

“Do not worry General, I do have a plan of my own. Lulu if you can, alter the stone spell we used before to affect everyone who is not supposed to be here?”

“That is risky sister would it not be easier to simply fling them away and then mop up whats left before they recover?”

“Perhaps, but if any one else is affected we can simply remove the spell from them and turn them back to normal later. If we catch the wrong pony and fling them out it will be a bit harder to save them. I would rather end this now with as little bloodshed as possible.”

“I shall see what I can do sister.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Just focus on casting the shield spell General, Tia and I shall handle the rest.”

“Yes Princess.”

Jer'rahd sighs focusing on bringing up his shield. The energy came easily as if it was being fed to him from another source, his horn glowed a brighter green than normal. It was a odd feeling as nothing was forming but he could feel the energy from it being pulled away and tampered with as soon as it was cast.

=======================================================

“So how long have they been in there? “

“About thirty seconds or So Bleu.”

“What the buck is taking them so long Rhede?”

“You're kidding right?

The pair grow silent as General Mustang and General Shower approach, Mustang snorts looking at the Princesses covered in the blanket with Jer'rahd in the middle. If Rhede did not know any better he could have sworn the old stallion had a twinge of Jealousy in his voice.

“What the hay is going on here, Pelt what is this nonsense? Some sort of inane sleepover rite?”

“Do I look like a unicorn general? They said something about making a shield. I am sure they know what they are doing. Well the Princesses do....”

Rhede looks back at the trio as a green glow starts around the them, he steps back a bit reflexively as the sphere grows a bit larger before expanding suddenly washing over the surprised Generals and Element bearers before growing wider rushing out in a expanding wave. Another dragon drops down into the skylight striking the shield and being flung back its legs and body rapidly turning to stone. The force of the spell is enough to throw the now stone beast into a far tower shattering it against the battlement. Every Griffon and Dragon that touched the sporadicly expanding sphere was forced back and rapidly turned to stone. Most of them fell from the sky shattering against the hard ground. A great many of the invaders turned and ran from the expanding shield thus saving themselves a stony fate.

=============================================

Jer'rahd did not need to see the expression or even hear the tone of her voice. The sheer violence and scorn in Celestia's near roar sent him tumbling through the air of the spectral space. The whole void of stars seemed to rumble with the Sun Princesses disapproval. When he could finally hear again after the initial roar it was only to hear the two Princesses nearly screaming at each other in argument.

“Luna what are you doing slow the transformation down , most of them are still flying.”

“I am aware of that sister. I am also aware I do not want captives from this attack, I rather hope all of them are flying.”

“LUNA!!”

============================================

Starfall screamed out in rage. Her blades ran red with the blood of countless griffons and dragons that had gotten in her way. A path of bodies and wounded lay behind her as she tore after the source of all her hate.

Wind Razor managed to stay just ahead of her, whipping between buildings and using her own force to slow the pegasus down. The griffon was laughing at her the whole time, playing with her, flaunting the trophies of Starfall's fallen family, the whole thing was like a game to the twisted bitch. She could have over taken the bird if she just had a clear run for longer than a few paces. But the griffon kept changing directions, Starfall had yet to meet anything that could out fly her and this only added to her frustration.

Several of the guard had been shoved in her way or wound up there as well. They were dodged or knocked aside, her rage not such yet that she could not tell friend from foe. She could also tell she was being led into a trap, the difference there was that she didn't care so long as she killed Wind Razor

Rounding another building after the griffon the beast had finally stopped to wait for her lashing out at the pegasus with her star metal shod claws. Starfall did not even slow down, slamming hard into the griffon the birds claws piercing her armor and gouging into her sides. The impact kept Wind Razor's claws from digging in deep enough to cause serious harm and sent both of them crashing to the ground.
She kicks free of the bird, blades drawn before her hooves even touched dirt and launched herself back at her prey the moment they did.

Sparks flew as the griffons claws blocked the blades as Starfall attacked , metal clanging in the air the shock of the impacts making Starfall's teeth rattle as she gripped one blade the other dancing between her wings , hooves and tail striking out at any opening. A few light grazes flash crimson lines across the griffons chest and neck though the smug grin never left the avian's face. The griffon shoves back hard with her claws forcing Starfall back a few paces.

“Tisk Tisk . So eager to rush to your death little pony?”

Starfall growls around the blade in her mouth, tearing forward and ripping up the cobblestones lashing out in a dervish, one cut short as the blade in her mouth is caught in a gauntleted claw. She rips the blade free her tail striking out holding the blade like a scorpion only to have that caught as well. Her eyes narrow as she kicks at the griffon yanking one blade free the other snapped in half by a twist of Wind Razor's wrist.

“I grow tired of this. I had hoped you would be more fun than that idiot you were married to.”

The griffons tail lashes out between the beasts legs the tip of it capped in a blade, plunging deep into Starfall's chest, piercing through the armor of harmony. She yanks back, blood oozing from the wound, the griffon presses her advantage, claws and tail lashing out,opening more gashes and cuts across the pegasus form.

Wind Razor lunges forward suddenly catching and shattering Starfall's other blade her clawed hand gripping the pegasus by the wing and slamming her to the ground on her back. Before Starfall could even move Wind Razor Drove two large shards of her own broken blade into her wings pinning them to the ground.

She screams out lashing out with her hooves and trying to rip herself free Though the Griffon knocks her blows aside gauntleted claw closing around her throat metal tips piercing into her neck lightly.
She leans her beak in close to Starfall's face practically laying atop of the pony. She reaches back to her belt pulling out a pair of bloodied tails. Starfall recognizes them at once, Starshine and Stormsong, the griffon had already been to her home just as the test had predicted....

“Lovely only two more to complete this set. I expected so much from such a famous pony. Though you are rather lousy at hiding your secrets from your own people. The news media was kind enough to track down your location for me more than once. I just needed the chance.“

Starfall shivers at the sight of the new trophies her rage turning to fear at the griffon atop of her.

“Your tail will make a delightful trophy. Killing you is going to let me write my own ticket. Who would have thought taking out a couple of useless grunts when I was bored was going to lead me to a trophy like you. I could retire after collecting the bounties on you alone. But that would be boring. One more to go in this set anyway once I have your tail. I was hoping to kill that little filly of yours in front of you or the other way around, but I’ll settle for choking her to death with your tail. Won't that be fun? Mommy and daughters last outing before they are both out for good. Any last screams to make at me pony? Any begging?”

“I am going to kill you and I will make it hurt.”

The griffon laughs her grip eased about Starfall's throat just enough to let her speak. Wind Razor seems about to respond when a wave of green washed over them, the sarcastic grin on the griffons beak freezing in stone as Starfall watches. She falls over landing heavily atop of Starfall pinning her to the ground more securely than he had been while alive. She blinks a moment struggling a little before she screams out thrashing futility at the stone and the ground as stone dragons and griffons crash down on the ground around her shattering on the earth.

==========================================

The Bubble of the shield surrounds Canterlot, a soft green glow of light falling over the entire city as the dome of green light circles it. Several of the attackers who had not made it into the city yet struck at the shield nearly instantly turning to stone and slide across the shield to fall and shatter down the mountain side. The rest hovered around the shield looking for a way in, swarms of dragons and griffons continued to collect around the green orb surrounding Canterlot, like flies around rotting meat.

Luna and Celestia stepped away from Jer'rahd, the unicorn's ear were flat as he looked between the two wondering briefly if he was going to wind up becoming deaf. The Princess of the sun had taken control of the shield away from Luna, though The Goddess of the Moon had already done more than enough damage to the enemies' ranks.

Celestia was clearly disappointed and Luna was still refusing to even think her course of action was not justified. Jer'rahd would rather be dropped into the ocean than be put in the middle of those two arguing again. It was like a pair of hurricanes clashing over who would do the most damage. Pointless and terrifying. Celestia takes note of the ponies around the trio and the rather grim look on General Mustang's face.

“General Mustang what is the situation?”

Jer'rahd lifts his head, ears still ringing from the shouting match glancing over to Mustang wondering what had brought that expression to his face. General Shower had moved to the stage to yell at the band members, Cloud Dancer and the others up there to get to a shelter. Ruin as always stood by watching over everything clearly wishing to be out fighting rather than playing guard. As mustang approached Jer'rahd caught a glint of metal though a tear in his uniform, likely from a griffon though Jer'rahd was not sure why his eye was drawn to it until Mustang stood before Celestia.

That glint was revealed as a Star metal dagger. One that was rapidly slashed across Celestia's neck by the General.

The Princess of the Sun's eyes widen as she falls, blood spraying from the wound. The General turns flinging out his other fore hoof, a chain of the same material slamming into and wrapping around Luna, the force of it enough to throw her back into a wall to collapse in a heap.

Ruin was the first to recover from the shock. Red energy pouring from his armored back forming blade like wings, he surged forward as Mustang whirled on the charging suit of armor, his mouth opening wide as a gout of pure white fire burst from his maw engulfing Ruin. The warrior ponies armor melts along with the stone under his hooves and on the wall behind him at the great heat of the fire. The blast set several tables and draperies on fire that were not even near the blast and reduced the armored pony to a pile of molten slag metal.

Bleu surged forward with a roar the armor forming about her as she charged with Jer'rahd and Rhede right behind her. Mustang turns into her charge rising up on his back hooves Bringing on around and smacking Bleu away as if she was nothing. She cries out tumbling back across the floor crashing into both Jer'rahd and Rhede. General shower's eyes remained wide her jaw dropped, still in shock that her father-in-law had just stabbed Princess Celestia and attacked Princess Luna.

The green shield flickered above them disintegrating as the power supplying it faded out much as Celestia's life blood did across the dance floor.

“One hundred years of planning, a hundred years of preparation for this conquest. The plots the suffering the degradation of having to live like this. A hundred years in this rotting pony suit.”

General Mustang's skin seems to stretch and warp tearing along his spine and rending clothing as spikes burst forth from his back increasing in size as bright red wings burst from his back as well. The General's whole form warping and twisting, the tearing of skin and flesh echoing in the room as his cutie mark shreds a long serpentine tail covered in red scales ripping out as the rapidly growing dragon bursts out of the skin of the general with a roar, like a butterfly leaving a cocoon.

The beast rears up, flinging free the discarded skin and looking down at the ponies before it. It grows even larger than Onyx Wing had been. His scale's glowed a fiery red, small bits of flame lapping over the edges as he stretches out to his full height. The the glowing fire dances over his ash black claws casting a silvery light about them.

“You should see the looks on your faces.......”

The sounds of explosions and combat resume as the attack begins again at the shields fall. Swarms of enemies continue to arrive Some appearing as if brought hereby a gate spell, many surging up the mountainside itself. Red dragons, black dragons, griffons,several trained beasts, and a small number of half breeds swarm over the city meeting the 42nd and the Guards directly.

General Shower finally manages to speak though she barely seems able to stand.

“What... what happened to Mustang?!?”

The dragon glances over to her snorting a bit of flame.

“You never met Mustang, he was dead in the first war. I just took his place. That idiot you married is not even his, it was adopted to keep up appearances before I killed Mustangs wife. An embarrassing mistake there having to pretend to care about some damned ponies, I will rectify that later.”

Shower cries out, flying at the dragon her body igniting in a massive ball of fire. The dragon barely seems to notice, his attention focused more on the alicorns. Just as she is about to strike his arm whips up snatching her out of the air slamming her to the ground and pinning her down with a clawed foot. He growls, gripping her wings and tearing both from the prone mare.

General Shower's screams echoed across the ball room and likely could be heard across Canterlot. Jer'rahd, Bleu and Rhede surge forward again though they are forced to doge aside as a gout of flame leaves the dragons maw turning the floor they had been standing on to molten slag.

The band cowered at the back of the stage, having not made it out in time with the others. Several other ponies hid in the back with them. Sparkler standing in front of them trying to protect them with a guard spear he had gotten. Baelit was watching from behind one of the curtains wincing at the sight before him.

The dragon tosses the wings up, snapping them out of the air and swallowing them like a delicacy. Pegasus blood drips from his jaws as he picks up the limp mare and flings her out of a great window. Shower falls out of sight to the ground below. A host of Griffons dive after the body intent of getting a meal of the General. The echo of hoof beats is heard and the vanishing tail of a zebra tail is seen darting out of the ball room after the wingless pegasus.

“Ahh, I missed that taste, how you creatures can survive off plants is beyond me. I always preferred the wings however, the meat is much leaner.”

The Waning moon tears across the dragons chest ripping through scales and drawing blood forcing the red dragons attention on the pony whose magic flung it. Jer'rahd snaps the blade out of the air gripping it tightly with his jaws and surging forward , Bleu and Rhede flanking him in the charge. Bleu's maw parts a arc of lightning firing out at the dragon as a barrage of Daggers from Rhede fly towards the beast.

He sidesteps the bolt a large wing curling over his side deflecting the smaller blades. He whirls , his tail pelting Bleu across the head as Jer'rahd ducks under the attack. Rhede flings another set of blades with his tail as Jer'rahd leaps at the dragon going for his throat.

The beast shrinks suddenly, dropping down letting the pony sail over him before returning to normal size and grabbing the short blond tail of the armored unicorn whipping him back and throwing him into the floor. Jer'rahd cries out , his armor saving him from the worst of the impact but as he bounces off the floor the dragons tail swings around smashing into him and sending him to crashing into Rhede, flinging them both across the room towards Bleu. Bleu moves stopping them both from impacting the wall behind her though the Waning Moon slams hard into the wall near the stage burying itself half way in the stone.

“You have been a nuisance to my plans for far to long you insignificant piece of shit. Your damnable luck and annoying tenacity have screwed me over for the last time.”

The dragon gestures,symbols etched into the scales of his forearm glowing brightly then vanishing as a dome of light forms around the trio Trapping them inside. The magic sphere rapidly contracts washing over the three before they fade out of existence forcibly teleported away.

“Watch your world crumble Jer'rahd Kaisur. Suffer knowing you can do nothing. Watch your world burn then die. And when it is all gone you will know what it feels like for me to have watched you succeed for so long. Now begone.”

The group vanishes leaving the dragon alone with the bound Princess of the Night and the dying goddess of the Sun.

==============================================

A burst of light fills the cave as Jer'rahd, Bleu, and Rhede crash to the ground at the other end of the spell. Jer'rahd is on his hooves in a moment gaze sweeping the darkness trying to figure out where they were.

“Buck it, where are we now?”

“I dunno Jer, but we are not alone here.....”

The sound of digging and growling fills the air. Bleu spits out a bolt of lightning, the flash of light sending a swarm of Diamond dogs back into the shadows.

“Perfect.”

===========================================

The dragon paces towards the bound Luna as she struggles. He growls, pausing long enough to plant a kick into Celestia's belly sending her body tumbling away to crash at the base of the stage.

“You and your toys have caused me no end to trouble mare, if not for your dogged insistence on keeping the 42nd and the Guard active I never would have gotten this close. But every chance you got you went out on your own or over my head to change how things were going. Dullahan would have been mine already if not for your sending me and that idiot out there. The Guard would still be in the Dog lands if you had not gone out there yourself and ripped their god apart. And you sent Pelt to the zebra lands ruining that stalling tactic as well. Between you and that idiot you set me back years. I expected that of you, but when he started following by example and doing things his way no matter what I said all with your support.”

He growls looking down at the bound Princess.

“But here at last, all that work and all these setbacks are finally coming to a head. Celestia has fallen, and do you know why I left your pathetic little self alive?”

“So you can gloat like a villain in a bad spy book? By the stars Rhede was right, there are creatures who say things like that.”

“I will not deny my ego has some to do with this. But it is that spell you placed on my father that is the real reason. A rather potent enchantment to hold a god.”

Luna struggles in the chains the star metal making her magic useless just like the cage she was in.

“Silverclaw..... so that's who you are.... what makes you think I would free that monster any way?”

“I expect resistance Princess, in your mind set now I have no doubt you would never give in to any sort of torture you think I might come up with. However despite being a pervert onyx Wing has his uses, he made a little crack in that armor you wrap yourself in. I command a rather large army princess and most of them are far from home and their mates. I am quite sure they would line up around any camp if they were given the chance to get a bit of flank from a goddess, pony or otherwise. All I have to do is wait until you are broken, and when you are little more than a quivering mass of violated mewing flesh willing to do anything to make it stop, I will ask again and you will free him. And after that I might put you out of your misery, or throw you back to the troops, depending on my mood.

Luna's eyes widen in a panic.

“Kaisur will not be coming to a rescue this time. The Diamond Dogs are having words with those three as we speak, Wind Razor is already likely wearing the pegasus tail and the zebra has fled. Your generals are all dead, as is your sister. What hope do you have left Princess?”

================================

“We do not have time for this argument. Do it Bleu.”

“Like buck I will boss, do you know what happens to those letters I send? They turn to ash before reforming where I send them. I am not burning you to a crisp.”

“Luna is alone with that dragon and Celestia is dying, if she is not already dead. This may be the only chance I have to get back in time to do anything. I need to go back not stay here and add to the body count of a war that should have been over.”

Piles of Diamond dog bodies lay about them already. The creatures still massed in the darkness of the caves around them. Their first frontal assault met with horrid failure against just these three. The rest fell back waiting for back up and trying to figure out what to do.

“Buck it Bleu. After everything we have been through with the Princess and after all that nonsense you have done trying to get Luna and me together. You are going to tell me that you are going to let something as simple as not knowing what might happen stop you?”

The dragon looks at Rhede who shrugs a little.

“Jer has a point. If it works he might be able to get back in time to do something. Or he could be showing up to die.”

“It will work, and I will save her.”

Both Bleu and Rhede look at him as he nearly growls out the last words. Rhede sighs and Bleu slaps her face with a claw, all the plans she made to get Boss and Luna to hook up back firing at this point. She couldn't speak for Luna, but last time the boss had that look on his face, he had been fighting to save Platinum. If she didn't do this and something happened, boss would never forgive her.

“Fine..... it had better. I don't need to think about if it doesn't....... Your ready?”

“I was ready when I first asked you Bleu. Can you handle things here?”

“I would like to know where we are, but these dogs are pathetic Jer. We got this, go save the Princess, and Velkorn if she is still there.”

Jer'rahd lets the armor fade from his form looking over at Rhede with a small smirk at how he tried to play off being worried about the zebra.

“I wouldn't worry Rhede, she is probably out patching some one up.”

Bleu inhales deeply green flame escaping her maw as she builds it up finally breathing the crackling energy out. The flames wash over Jer'rahd searing his unarmored form. He did not even have time to scream before he was turned to ash and whisked away on a unseen wind.

“That didn't look good.”

“You think Boss'll be OK Rhede?”

“Beats me, knowing him he should be fine once he gets his flank kicked around a bit. I am more worried about ourselves however. There's more down here than dogs.....”

A roar shook the cavern as something massive approached from the shadows sending the Diamond dogs swarming away. A few cheers sound from the dogs at the approach, clearly this was their reinforcement.

“Glad Jer didn't hear that or he never would have left.”

“What? You wanted him to go?”

“Jer's got the best chance out of all of us in succeeding, he drew blood with that blade of his. Besides with no one else there to back him up and his back to the wall protecting Luna he can go off without us getting in the way. Now then shall we meet our new friend?”

The roar echos again much closer this time and the thud of its foot steps shaking the cavern and showering them with dirt.

“I hope it wants a tea party.”

===========================================================

Another explosion rocks the castle, the dragon glances back as a tower collapses outside, smiling as it fell.

“I think I have changed my mind. Even bound Princess, you are too much of a danger, to much of a martyr for these bits of meat to rally behind. I should kill you and simply spend more time studying the spell to free him. I am sure I would find something eventually, with you two gone and your subjects reduced to the food source they are I will have plenty of time.”

The great dragon moves yanking the Waning Moon from the stone wall turning back and advancing on the bound Luna. He looks down at the weapon as the blade seems to tremble in his grasp.

“A blade like this, forged to kill gods and enchanted by the goddess of the moon herself. Quite potent, when it tastes your blood will it grow in power, or destroy itself I wonder? Let us see...”

“KAAAHHBONG!!!!!”

“Ka what?”

The sound of smashing wood and the loud twang of metal strings snapping and flying about echos in the room along with a collective gasp of shock from the band still on stage. Silver Claw gets a strange expression on his face and turns around, the remains of a blue bass guitar tumbling down his armored back as he looks down at the trembling earth pony that hit him.

Tigerlily spits out the arm of the Lady Macbeth wincing at the sound of the shattered instrument hitting the floor.

“Leave her the buck alone...”

Silver claw turns away his tail lashing out to strike the nuisance sending him flying onto the stage with a crash of drums and symbols and the scream of Janis.

“See, even the weakest among you will rally to your aid. That is not acceptable you need to die in obscurity.....What is that..?”

A green flame rose from Luna's horn spiraling from the tip to grow larger as it floated away from her. Silverclaw looks to the Princess who seems just as surprised as he was. The green flicker of flame approached the floor between the two slowly growing larger. The scream was heard first, as if a soul was being rent into pieces, this was followed by ash swirling in the green flame before the dust solidified into the skeleton of a unicorn. Liver, intestines, stomach, and a still beating heart reformed from the green fire the green flames still dancing over the organs as lines of sinew and muscle started to cover them. The muscle started forming over the skeleton giving it a strong build before skin started appearing over the muscle in patches growing quickly. An amber mane and tail all but erupting from the form as a wash of gray fur sprouted covering the body with an effect similar to wind blowing through fields of wheat. A silver shield with a black chess knight in the center appears on its flanks as the pony drops a few inches to the ground, hooves scraping against the stone. Its eyes snap open, green flames flickering in them as they reform lifting to glare up at the dragon. A snort from the unicorn sent out a last burst of emerald fire as his lungs reformed, smoke pouring from his fur and nostrils.

Silver Claw steps back looking down at the Jer'rahd. His eyes widen further as one of his clawed feet does not move from where it was. Looking down the dragon saw the slow craw of gray stone creeping up his legs turning his flesh to rock. His head whips about in panic trying to find the source before his gaze fell on Celestia.

Her eyes were open staring at him with a menace that no one but Rhede and Luna had ever seen. Her horn glows softly forcing the stone form on the great dragon. Blood soaked her coat, but a hasty bandage had been wrapped about her neck to stanch the flow of the wound.

Silver claw roars flinging the Waning Moon at Celestia. The blade arcs true before a loud clang sends the blade spiraling off to the side impacting a wall and sticking there. Velkorn pulls back her hood revealing herself standing before Celestia shaking the hoof she used to deflect the attack trying to get some feeling back into it.

“YOU RAN OUT!!”

“There are two here in my races guise, it is not my fault we look the same in your eyes.”

The stone creeps higher to the dragons waist and he growls looking down then starts to laugh rather crazily. He glares down at Jer'rahd who returns the stare.

“A century of planning ruined by a half horn, a slut, a race traitor, a one trick pony, and a striped bitch. Truly I have fallen as low as I can. Seems you were well named though Jer'rahd Kaisur, Shield of gods.... it never ceases to amaze me how you ponies manage to be so stupid about your names when they almost always seem to match what you will do with your lives or what your identifying mark will be.”

“What the buck are you talking about?”

“Your name is old draconic.... I wonder if your family even knew that. No matter this is not over, this will not keep me from my mission.”

The stone rose faster as Celestia seemed to strain, the dragon now fully stone below his neck. Luna growls struggling in the chains cursing the dragon.

“If I decide not to shatter you out right beast, I will be sure to place you right in front of your father so he knows how much a failure the thing that he spawned is. Hopefully you will be awake to see that disapproving stare he gives, forever.”

The stone creeps up covering the dragons head the sardonic grin freezing in place on the beasts maw. Everything remains still a moment more before Jer'rahd falls over in a heap not able to keep himself upright any longer.

“What.. Jer'rahd!?”

“I would rather be eaten by another giant tortoise than go through that again. I can't move.....”

“Not well enough to let it be, that seemed more like a turtle to me.”

Velkorn checks Jer'rahd rather quickly before pulling the chains off of Luna. She looks over the Goddess of the moon before running back over to Celestia as she collapses again.

“Where are the others General?”

“I don't know.”

==============================================

“GRAAAAH!!!!”

“BLEU YOU IDIOT!”

The giant six legged armadillo like creature roars again, jaws slamming shut around the dragonling gulping it down with out a second thought before it moves to advance on the red coated pony.

“Buck.... I can't believe shes gonna do this. HURRY UP IN THERE!!”

The beast stops confused before it screams out in pain trashing wildly as a much larger and fully armored dragon claw rips free of its belly a second claw tearing through from the inside shredding the giant creatures form from the inside out. Eventually the beast collapses crashing into the side of the tunnel as a fully armored and much larger Bleu bursts out of its chest like some alien parasite.

She staggers a moment shaking the gore from her form before promptly turning and throwing up a very large portion of bile and blood. Rhede starts to laugh before the smell of the body hits him and he has to fight back the urge to vomit himself.

“Let this be a lesson Bleu, don't follow Jer's example. Oh buck what did that thing eat?”

“You mean aside from me? I really need a shower. Lets get going before any of the Diamond dogs think to attack again.”

“ Fine just walk downwind Bleu...”

=========================================

“Velkorn how is Tia?”

“I have stanched the blood flow, but my skills at treating gods are limited you know.”

“GET THE WOUNDED IN HERE I WANT THIS ENTIRE BALLROOM TURNED INTO A TRIAGE AN HOUR AGO, MOVE!”

“Well Jer'rahd seems better at least, though I am surprised princess you are not trying to make every griffon and dragon still around deceased.”

“I would like nothing better than to do just that Velkorn. But some one has act as the ruler in this time of crisis ,and my sister is in no shape to do so. I am barely in a shape to do so, but I am holding back my anger for the time being.”

Luna's gaze wanders to the ones up on the stage and a battered, but oddly happy earth pony practically being smothered over by one of the unicorn sisters. Luna could not remember the name of the mare, though the earth pony was Tigerlily. She was not sure why a musician would risk his life like that for her, though perhaps it was not for her, but for Celestia or even the mare fawning over him now. In any case that act had stalled the dragon enough for the chain of events following it to come to pass. She would find out what he may want as a reward later, for now there were other problems. Several doctors had come in as well as dozens of guards and wounded civilians from the palace and city. She remained where she was as Jer'rahd ran about shouting orders on where to set things up, he was clearly worried about Rhede and Bleu though he had no idea where they had been sent, aside from it was filled with Diamond Dogs.

Her sisters sun was still above the horizon as Celestia had not gone to lower it before the attack began. Luna had not bothered to try and move it either, leaving the sun light lingering to help in the effort to remove the last of the attackers and find any survivors. Her gaze shifted again to the giant statue of the red dragon, eyes narrowing as her gaze fell to the shredded uniform and skin of one she had trusted. One who had betrayed her and Equestria as a whole, and nearly destroyed everyone. She could not deal with this openly, but it was limiting her she could not trust any pony now.....

A glint of light caught her eye, she looked over at Velkorn and the simple necklace adorned with her cutie mark hanging from the zebras neck. A glance to Jer'rahd showed he wore the one he was given as well as an element bearer. She looks down at the bit of metal from the General's sword still hanging from her neck. No there were those she could still trust. If to do nothing more than what she expected from them they would not betray her. They were her friends.

“General Kaisur.”

“Yes Princess?”

“ As soon as the situation here is secure you are to find the other element bearers as fast as you can.”

“Understood Princess I already have a good idea where Starfall is and we also found General Shower, and General Three Bear.”

“General Shower is still alive?”

“Barely they are bringing her in now she cauterized her own wing stumps to stop the bleeding and had at least a twenty kill count before she collapsed. The head of the Queen's Cross Baelit found her and is trying to bring her in here now.”

“And Threebear?”

“According to the reports, he just arrived at the outskirts of the city he is not in very good shape either.”

“Have them both treated though keep them both away from here for the time being I do not want any more surprises. We will move my sister to her room as soon as Velkorn thinks she is able to be moved.”

“Understood, we also have a doctor here claiming to be the personal doctor of you two.”

“Saw Bones... I expected him to sleep through all this. Do not let him near Tia.”

“If he is trained to be able to help alicorns shouldn't...”

“I said no General. Until this is settled I am not going to trust any one that I formally did.”

Jer'rahd winces a bit and Luna sighs though he nods.

“Are you going to trust us enough to let us help?”

“....... Only you five.......”

He nods.

“As you wish Princess, it's a start. VELKORN! talk to Saw Bones over there, find out what you can but don't let him near Celestia. You three up there quite flapping around trying to look busy and track down Air Commander Starfall. You up there on the stage get your injured down here to be treated. I don't care how comfortable he thinks he is, then get your flanks out of here and in with the rest of the other guests. Fox,Wolf. find Maw let her know whats going on. You colt you guard Cloud Dancer with your life cause if anything happen to her I will not get in the way of Starfall. Get her to the shelter. NOW EVERY PONY MOVE WITH A PURPOSE, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO I WILL FIND YOU SOMETHING!!”

Jer'rahd continues to run about shouting orders at every pony who even slowed down in his line of sight. Velkorn had moved over to talk with Sawbones evidently interested in something he had in a small box. Though once again that left Luna alone with her thoughts and the unconscious form of her sister.

=======================================

“So what now? Do we have a plan B?”

“Considering where we are, no. I don't think we have a plan B Bleu.”

“Buck I really hoped we had something else....”

“VELL VHAT IS YOUR ANSWER THEN PONY?!”

The pair looked up at the overly large Diamond dog standing on a rock behind what could easily have been thousands of Diamond dogs in fully military gear surrounding them. More than a few of the armadillo like creatures thrashed and growled among the ranks as well eager to be turned loose.

“Well I suppose we surrender.... this has been a rather horrid misunderstanding..... I am Ambassador Pelt of Equestria.....”

“Ve know who you are, that is vhy ve are even bothing to give you a chance to surrender. Ze price for turning you two back over to you lands shall be quite exceptional.”

“Buck me....”

“Much fun as that might be, is this really the time Rhede?”

“Quiet you.”

======================================================

Velkorn sighed finishing the last stitch in the wound on the Princesses neck. Her breathing was ragged but it was stabilizing. This had been the most insane thing she had ever done. Celestia should have been dead. A cut that deep into her throat actually severed a major artery, The amount of blood that was on the floor was more than was even in the bodies of most ponies and yet it was still gushing from Celestia until the wound was sewn shut. Doc Saw Bones had been useless except for one thing. He had a set of surgery tools given to him by Celestia made out of star metal. Clearly the Princess liked being prepared for any event, but to plan this far ahead?It was insane. Perhaps it was not that far ahead as the doc said she only gave them to him a few years ago, about the time of the Diamond Dog campaign when Princess Luna was attacked. The tools had helped immensely though she had to cut some of Celestia's own mane for thread that would work for the stitches.

As she closed the main wound the best she could hope for was that the Goddesses' own healing could take over from that point. She looked down at herself her muzzle and hooves were soaked in the Blood of the Princess, and splotches of it covered her chest and neck. It had been messy having to do all the delicate work by hoof and teeth. A unicorn could have helped immensely and yet Luna would not let anyone but Velkorn close. She knew the Moon Goddess was suffering after what happened with Mustang, she only hoped that lack of trust did not cost Celestia anything more.

=========================================================

The nobles and higher ranking members of the Guard were constantly badgering her, and all Luna wanted to do was find a dark corner to cry in. That option was not available to her though. Starfall had not come any where near her since the gala, Velkorn had stayed with Celestia. Bleu and Rhede where still missing, General Shower and General Threebear were both injured severely and Luna was not quite trusting of either of them any way.

Only Jer'rahd had been with her the whole time doing what he could to help her out barely even sleeping. She had been raising the sun and the moon for the last four days now and he looked like she felt. Even he was gone right now, to go speak with Starfall and find out why she had not come back. As much as she wanted him to stay, she could not deny him from finding Starfall. And if the nobles had given her so much a moment to herself she would have gone with him.

This meeting was called the moment Jer'rahd had left her side. The nobles were clearly waiting for him to be gone. As the last active General she had he was more than willing to stare down any pony that said something he disagreed with. He had actively thrown one unicorn out of the meeting after a snide comment under his breath made about the Princess.

She had been here three hours now listening to them babble about damages repercussions and intent of what to do in rebuilding. Not a one even mentioned a counter attack or even a hint that they should do something other than roll over an take this from the Dogs and the dragons and the griffons.

It was when one of them jokingly suggested that they hire Griffon mercenaries to protect them as the Guard did not seem to be doing a good enough job that she finally lost it.

======================================================

The nobles in the room were all huddled against one wall the table they had been at had been shattered and torn to splinters by the raging form of darkness that was Princess Luna. She had been screaming at them and smashing everything within her range for the past twenty minutes now. If she had not flung bits of the table at one of the nobles trying to escape they likely would have all fled. Still they tried to talk their way out of it

“But Princess Luna your sister always sought a peaceful.......”

“SHE NOT IN CHARGE AT THE MOMENT DUE TO THIS UNPROVOKED ATTACK. WE ARE IN CHARGE OF EQUESTRIA RIGHT NOW AND WE WILL NOT BE CATERING AND BOWING TO THE FOOLS WHO DARE TREAT US AS A TARGET WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE. WE ARE NOT WEAK, WE ARE NOT TARGETS. COUNTLESS LIVES WERE LOST BECAUSE OF HASTY PEACE TREATIES THAT WERE MADE. PEACE TREATIES WHERE IT IS ALWAYS EQUESTRIA RECEIVING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. WE WILL ACCEPT THIS NO LONGER.

“What, what do you want us to do then princess Luna?”

“WE STRIKE BACK , READY EVERYTHING, THIS IS THE LAST INSULT I SHALL STAND FOR. THE DRAGON NATION WILL FALL, IF THE GRIFFONS INTERFERE THEY SHALL FOLLOW, THE SAME WITH ANY NATION THAT DARES STAND BETWEEN EQUESTRIA AND JUSTICE. THE SUNLIT CAMPAIGN OF PEACE MY SISTER SOUGHT IS OVER. PEACE HAS HAD ITS CHANCE AND IT HAS FAILED. IT IS TIME FOR THE REIGN OF DARKNESS, THAT DOES NOT SEEK PEACE AND GIVES NO MERCY ,NO QUARTER. WE WILL BE A NIGHTMARE UNTO THEM ALL.”

“And how long will this last, this nightmare campaign against everyone, Princess.”

“WHEN EQUESTRIAN'S ARE FREE TO LIVE AS THEY WISH WITHOUT HAVING TO LIVE IN FEAR OF ATTACK BY ANY CREATURE THAT VALUES THEM AS A MEAL.”

“That is a near impossibility Princess, many races do not even really see us as anything but food. There is no way we can change all of their minds.”

“THEN THE NIGHT SHALL LAST FOREVER!!”

Twilight pulls her head back with a gasp, the green reptilian eyes that Luna had when she was yelling had seemed to be staring directly at her as she pulled back where the same as Nightmare Moon's.

Was this what had been the turning point? What had happened to Celestia? She was clearly alright now, but a wound like that. And the griffon and dragon, she had never encountered anything with that degree of evil. Even Discord seemed more like a prankster compared to what Silver Claw and Razor Wing had done and were going to do.

“Sugar cube are you alright?”

“Yeah... yeah I’m fine AJ. Just a bit more information than I wanted. Its darker than I expected too. “

“Nothing good happening in here I suspect?”

“No … they won.... sorta..... and we know it turned out alright in the end any way, but GAAAAH. Its frustrating, I know what happens but not why.”

“Calm down Twilight. Tell yah what. I'll talk tah the girls and we'll have a picnic this weekend just tha six of us, be nice tah get you outta here every so often get some fresh air, a little bit of time tah relax. Not like there's any rush No ponies going any where for a while and everything seems worked out any way. A lil picnic should do yah some good.”

“Yeah that sounds nice..... I need to write all this down before I forget though. I think I am done with the scrying for the night however.”

“Well alright I figure I should head home get a little shut eye myself . We'll see about getting that picnic going here shortly. A nice calm outing.”

“Alright well have a good night AppleJack. Be careful going home.”

“No worries, not that late yet.”

Twilight follows AJ to the door waving good by before turning to finish up for the night herself.

Twelve Hundred Degrees Celsius

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR

Twelve Hundred Degrees Celsius

Spike was in a bad mood, though in all honesty, Twilight could not really blame him. While she had been studying with Rainbow Dash, Spike had been left swinging by his tail from a tree.

The crusaders had gone about trying to get a trapper cutie mark; granted, as usual, they got bored halfway through watching the one trap they set up and wandered off. Spike had gone looking for them to try and keep them out of trouble and had stumbled into the trap. He had been yanked into the air and left there for most of the day and far into the evening before she had noticed.

Suffice to say, when Twilight and Owlowiscious finally found him, he was cold, tired, starving, and royally pissed off. It had been a week now and he was still fuming. He was spending a great deal more time in the library as well, not wanting to have anything to do with the crusaders after that incident.

He had agreed to keep an eye on Twilight as she went about her studies, though that had taken a little more effort to convince him than usual. He had even been rather cold to Rarity lately. Twilight was not entirely certain what was wrong with him, it had to be more than the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ trap.

Twilight paused setting up for her study of the past, looking back at Spike as he plopped down on the sofa with a stack of comic books. Quite a few of them had come from the CMC as a way of apologizing to him for the trap. She was not sure if he had forgiven them or not at this point. His attitude, however, was finally starting to wear on her.

“Alright, that's it, Spike. What is eating you?”

“What do you mean what’s eating me?”

“You have had a rather crappy attitude for the past few months or so, and its only gotten worse after you got caught in that trap.”

“I dunno what you are talking about.”

“Spike...”

“Alright fine... you want to know what’s been bugging me? It’s everything. You, this stupid task, how its affecting every other pony, everything.”

“What?”

Spike growled lightly.

“You don't see any of it, do you? Hanging in that tree for six hours brought quite a few things into clarity. Sure, there have been times where you helped me out of a situation, but at the same time I've done the same for you. After all that we have been through, it seems at times you still see me as an inconvenience, or at worst a slave or a problem. You tend to have outbursts of panic and frustration that make me wanna get a suit of armor to avoid getting killed by something you do without thinking.”

He took a breath as Twilight twitched a little.

“You conveniently seem to forget to invite me to anything important. Like your birthday party for starters. You had me set up the decorations here, order a cake and everything, then you went to Canterlot with the others without even telling me. You all go to watch Rainbow Dash compete in the Best Young Fliers competition and you leave me behind. Let’s not even forget how all of you practically fled from me at the Gala. You knew I wanted to go see the Cake twins when they were born and yet once again I get left at home, you wouldn't take me to see Dash when she got hurt either. I tried to go myself, but they wouldn't let me in ‘cause I’m a dragon. You even went to the great Equestrian baking contest and left me behind AGAIN. So yeah, all that and you wonder why I am mad?”

“Spike, we talked about most of that and I apologized for nearly all of it, too.”

“Yet you still do it. I get that you want to hang out with the others, but so do I. Stuff like that little picnic I didn't mind, but the other stuff was big once-in-a-lifetime or at least a year events. And I get blown off like I am nothing.”

“Its not like that... wait, what do you mean ‘this task and how its affecting every pony’? What’s wrong with the assignment for Luna?”

Spike slapped his forehead with a claw.

“You haven't seen that, either?”

“Clearly not.”

“Look at every pony who's read this thing. Pinkie Pie is having conniption fits expecting something horrid to happen. AJ and Rainbow Dash are getting more sullen and reclusive, Rarity is becoming a full-on gossip mare about everything, Fluttershy is becoming even more jumpy, if that was possible, and you are obsessed.”

Twilight turned to look at the little dragon, wondering if he was joking. His glare said he was not. His attitude had gone from annoyance with her to downright making her mad. Especially as he got quite a bit of it wrong.

“Alright, hold it there, Spike. One, this is an assignment not just from Princess Celestia, but Princess Luna as well; BOTH princesses are counting on me, US, to come to a decision about the lives of five individuals. We can't do that without knowing everything. TWO, Pinkie Pie is not freaking out over the book, she’s got something else going on that I made a Pinkie Pie Promise not to talk about. THREE, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are probably so reclusive so they can spend more time together. FOUR, I have not seen any real change in Rarity at all; she did the same thing with the Gabby Gums incident. She does this every time there’s something interesting to bring up. FIVE, Fluttershy has go to be jumpy from everyone asking about her and Big Mac. The only one who seems to have a problem with any of this is you. All it seems to me is that you are making excuses for why you have been in such a bad mood by trying to force it off on the others. Don't even give me some nonsense about the girls stressing you out or you not being appreciated for doing it. Maybe that was true at first , but since you have been watching those three, most every pony has been treating you like a Celestia-sent angel. And as for the work you have been doing for me? It has drastically lightened u,p since I am only studying one thing now and not a few hundred for you to keep track of, so you are not overworked. Now then, what is the real problem?”

“ Its just like I said: even if it’s not extra work, you lose it when I make even a few grammatical mistakes in this book. There’s a lot of writing that’s gonna happen. The sword is still here after all this time and that thing still bugs me. You have already been hurt and had some weird stuff happen because of this study, you ignored my requests for you to stop it already, and I bet you still have not given the slightest bit of thought about what’s going to happen with you and the Princess.”

“Errr...”

“I thought not.”

The little dragon exhaled deeply as he leaned back and dipped his head a bit.

“Sorry, Twilight... It’s been a rather annoying few days. All this is not helping matters.”

“Quit a rant you had there.”

“Yeah, yeah. I feel a little better for letting it out, but I don't really know what’s wrong; everything’s just making me angry lately, even stuff that shouldn't, and the only thing that’s been different than normal has been the book and this study of yours.”

“Well, that, at least, is almost done, so a few more sessions and you won't have to worry about something else happening to me.”

Spike sighed and shook his head.

“I suppose not. Well, go ahead and get started. It’s not gonna finish itself.”

“You sure? You don't want to talk about this any more?”

“I do, but I would rather you be done with this so you are not distracted. Who knows? Everything might go back to normal anyway once you're done.”

“Well, if you are sure… This is a little unlike you, though. Well, except for that time you thought I was gonna replace you with Owlowiscious”

“Yeah, yeah...”

Twilight started casting the spell, more than a little worried about her assistant. He had a few valid points, but it was odd he was bringing them all up all at once like this, and so angrily.

She dove head first into the void, opening her eyes to regard the place and the stars twinkling. She blinked, looking back and seeing a small purple star that was not there before. It was tiny, but she knew who it was.

“Spike?”

This place was becoming even more maddeningly frustrating every time she came in here. Dragons had no stars, and Spike did not before, but now he did. Celestia had said this place sometimes showed the souls of those who had a greater destiny than they knew or a bigger part to play. Did this mean that, before this talk, Spike did not have a part to play?

She threw up her hooves in disgust and looked over the windows before her, selecting one to dive into and trusting the spell to show her what she needed.

“Four major cities wiped out, leagues of farmland drown, thousands of ponies killed and it is entirely your fault, Luna! At least attempt to express some sort of remorse!”

Princess Luna looked back at her sister as she stood on the large dais that was built to overlook the garden in Canterlot. From this vantage point, she could see the six newest additions to the prison, as well as the hulking stone form of Forgescale, the twisted body of Discord, the killer of her first love, and a multitude of others.

She had been doing her best to focus on them instead of listing to Tia's ranting. In all honesty, she did not care. She was thinking that she needed to destroy all of these statues when the opportunity came.

“This is nothing to concern yourself with, Celestia. This display of power hurt a great many of our enemies as well, and has put the fear of what we can do into every race. A few cities and some farm land are nothing compared to the fear that has been put into every creature. None would dare try to attack us after this. I have proven that a pony can change the very world they live in with one act. They would not risk seeing another.”

“You have the wrong idea on how the races of the world will act. The Lunar Republic is responsible for the near-eradication of two races and the genocide of another.”

“None of them cared for any of those now gone before they were destroyed, why should they care now unless they fear they are next?”

“No one will stand for this, sister. They will all seek to destroy you now, lest they suffer the fate of the others.”

“Such an act will see them doomed. They are little more than rats before the Republic, ripe for the slaughter the moment they show their teeth.”

“A cornered rat may still kill a cat, sister. You would do well to remember that.”

Luna turned to glare at the Princess of the sun. She wore a thick necklace now to hide her scar as if she was self-conscious about it; at least her necklace matched the crown. Her sister should be showing the wound, however, proving that even star metal was not enough to kill them.

“I care not of what the insects do; most of them will fall soon enough anyway for defying us in the past. What I wish to know, and the whole reason I have come here tonight, was to find out what your position is on all this.”

Celestia turned her head, looking out across the garden with a sigh.

“I cannot support the path you have chosen. You must give it up before it is too late. Things can still be fixed and returned to the way they were.”

Luna snorted, her ears flattening.

“Yes, let us go back to the way things were, where ponies flinched at every shadow, feared all the other races, and cowered from the night. Back to the time when you were loved and worshiped and I was barely tolerated by those I fought to protect. Such a great thing to return to.”

The Princess of the Night stalked away from her sister.

“Luna...”

“If you are not with me, Celestia, then you are against me, and thus my enemy. If you dare address me in the future, you will call me Nightmare Moon.”

The dark alicorn took off into the night sky, leaving her sister to stare after her with a look of sadness etched on her features.

=================================================

After the events of what was being called Nightmare Night, several things happened that changed Equestria's views on the Lunar Republic. Princess Luna shocked every pony by openly admitting fault for the disaster. She claimed that the one who started the events that lead to the disaster, Princess Aqua, had already started the spell that created the event before Luna was able to get there and stop her. The Night Princess claimed to feel sorrow for failing to stop Aqua in time to save the coastlines, but there was evidence that it could have been much worse, as the true plan was discovered to destroy all land dwellers, an effort that the Lunar Republic was able to prevent, if barely.

The Goddess of War swore that she would not allow anyone else to perform anything like this again, and her Lunar Republic would be stepping up their actions against threats to the peace of Equestria.

This was a wildly-disputed claim that caused many issues of its own. However, it did cause the lines between the Lunar Republic and everyone else to be clearly drawn.

The Griffons and the Diamond Dogs both swore to destroy the Republic. Both sides had lost a potent ally with the destruction of the dragon nation and the Griffons’ collective beak had been bloodied yet again with the destruction of their aeries and the death of one of their gods. The few dragon forces that remained and were still willing to fight joined this collective. The vast majority of the remaining dragon race were unwilling to fight. Those able fled to the lands across the sea and simply kept going. And yet, there was still no sign of the last dragon god.

The zebras wanted nothing to do with the Lunar Republic at all, wishing to pretend that the Untouchable queen did not exist. However, this caused strife in their own land with those who still chose to follow the Queen, feeling her actions were solely for the betterment of the land and should not be grounds for punishment

This erupted into a civil war in the zebra lands, with the nobles and most of the military on one side and a larger portion of the population, as well as all of those marked as Untouchables, on the other. The opening battle over this wound up being a bloodier conflict than anything previously seen in the zebra lands since the God Kings were overthrown. That zebras were going to war in her name caused Velkorn no end of grief, but she was not allowed back into the zebra lands to try and stop it.

The Harpies were still furious with the Republic over the loss of most of their army and the promised aeries, but considering the number of their warriors that had been lost, they could put forth no great attack force. The Griffons considered them to be allies of the Lunar Republic for their part in the attack as well. The few remaining soldiers of the Harpy military were kept close in case the Griffons came after them.

The Minotaurs, having been a coastal race as well as a sea faring one knew firsthand what sort of monster Aqua had been and believed every word of Luna's story. Every able-bodied individual from their race joined the republic and the leaders themselves pledged their support.

Canterlot remained silent about whose side they were on, but they officially announced that they would offer aid to any refugees to the war that was to come. They also accepted back any pony who left the Lunar Republic without any reservation.

The Queen’s Cross was renamed the King’s Cross in honor of Baelit's ascension to full royalty, despite his claims to the contrary. He was the only one who continued to refer to his group as the Queen’s Cross, as well.

Equestria itself was divided on what had happened and who was to blame. Ponyville did its best to remain neutral, although Maw Pelt was taking a great deal of flak from the towns folk in regards to her stance. Many who had before sided with Canterlot switched to support the Republic. Unfortunately, there were some who left the Republic to rejoin Canterlot. That, coupled with the farmland and the lost cities, kept the balance of supplies rather even. One group that had joined the
Republic was a selection of thirty-nine ponies from Hollow Shades. While they were little more than an even number of all three races of ponies, they all seemed to have rather extensive military training. They also all belonged to a cult dedicated to the worship of Princess Luna and her aspect of war, Nightmare Moon.

Luna was oddly amused by them. Rhede was disgusted by the idea of the religious fervor towards the princess the lot of them showed. Velkorn and Starfall were a tad wary of them, but held no real reservations about their existence or beliefs. Bleu's only comment about the cult was to inform all of them not to drink any offered grape flavored drinks from them.

Jer'rahd was curious as to the extent of their skills and decided to have a few matches with the new recruits. He did not seem to care about the religious natures of the group, only the martial ones.

While testing them, he found that all of them had been trained by three ponies that had been acting as the cult’s leaders. The main leader, Oroboros, was a black unicorn stallion with a green mane and short cropped tail. His cutie mark was of a snake eating its own tail. He wielded a blade much like the Waning Moon, though it was a straight bar with both sides of the weapon bladed: a double-edged sword.

The pegasus that seemed to be his second was a white stallion with a shock of bright pink coloring his mane and tail. He went by the name Jester and wielded a pair of wing blades. His cutie mark was a harlequin mask.

The earth pony was the only female member of the group’s main three. Her coat, mane, and tail were all the same dried-blood red. She carried a spiked mace almost as big as she was and went by the name of Oak Leaf. Her cutie mark was an acorn with a small crack in it.

The three had claimed to have joined the Guard just after the Second Dragon War and had finished their training just in time for the Lunar Republic to split off from Canterlot. Serving at a Guard outpost in Hollow Shades, they found others of their mindset and formed the Church of the Moon. When this was brought to the attention of their superiors, they had been discharged and had since come to offer their services to Princess Luna directly.

Jer'rahd had drilled the lot of them and found them at least adequate enough to avoid any further basic training, but all of them were rather lax in some areas. When the time came to test the leaders, the three of them requested to face Jer'rahd together.

“That would not exactly be a fair spar,”

“As the grand General of the Republic's forces and Princess Luna's second in command, should you not be able to handle at least as much as three?”

“No, you misunderstand. It would not be a fair fight for you. I would need to get a bit more serious with that many of you.”

“Perhaps just to first contact, then, instead of a usual spar? I am quite sure it would be interesting to the Goddess to see what we might be fully capable of.”

Jer'rahd glanced back at Luna, who simply nodded. He shrugged, shifted a hoof in the sand, and picking up his training sword with his magic.

“Alright then, ready yourselves.”

Oak Leaf was on top of him before the order to begin had left Starfall's lips fully. His eyes widened at the speed the mare had displayed as he threw up his shield and bounding back. Her wooden mace shattered against his shield, sending a myriad of spider webs through the green panel of energy.

He threw himself to the side as the ground under his hooves erupted in explosions of sand and dirt as Oroboros ripped the ground apart with spells. The pegasus had already vanished somewhere though the spell barrage kept him from looking for the pony directly.

The earth pony caught another wooden mace dropped from above and the General managed to look up in time to dodge the attack from the pegasus. They were not bad, but this was a standard tactic that he could easily turn around. He blinked as a hard thunk against his side made him pause. It was definitely a weapon connecting with his side, but the nearest attacker was the Pegasus, and he had landed a good two pony lengths away. He glanced down, seeing the shifting sand and a group of hoof prints in the sand near him.

Luna smirked slightly.

“Impressive use of that spell, Oroboros.”

“Thank you, Princess; your praise is music to my ears.”

Jer'rahd shook off the blow and looked curiously at the pegasus, wondering briefly what sort of spell was used.

“Mind filling me in on that trick?”

“It is a simple illusion spell with my own flair to it, sir. Many creatures use more than one sense to pinpoint attackers, but primary sight. Jester was there as the image showed, thus fooling smell and hearing, but he was a few apples to one side so that any attack or dodge would be misjudged.”

“Interesting.”

“I can teach you if you like, sir.”

“That will be fine. I do not need any more spells.”

“Variety can be useful sir.”

“It can, but so can knowing a set number like the back of your hoof.” Jer'rahd grumbled lightly as the unicorn simply nodded as if agreeing.

“General.”

“Yes, Princess?”

“If you do not mind, I believe I have a place for this lot. They clearly do not require much training, and their skills will prove valuable to some missions I have in mind.”

Rhede glanced up.

“What sort of missions could they be put on that one of us would not be better suited to?”

“It is not that one of you would not be better suited, General, it is that you have a host of other duties to deal with first, and I cannot always rely simply on you five to do everything. Besides, Jer'rahd and Starfall have rookies to train.”

“This is true Princess.”

“Then it is settled; this group shall answer directly to me and you five as need be.”

“As you wish Princess.”

Jer'rahd glared at the group, sighing softly. “Despite what new status you think you have, your job is the same as anyone else here. You are to protect the Princess and the Lunar Republic against any threats. And you are to deal with those threats without any hesitation or remorse. The well-being of the Lunar Republic and its Princess are your top priority.”

A chorus of 'yes sir' greeted him from the group, though Jer'rahd felt oddly ill at ease with this. He shrugged it off as annoyance at being bested by a simple spell.

========================================================

Six months passed filled with training, negotiations, and threats, but no real action from any side. It was as close to peace as any of them had seen in years, but there was still an edge, an undercurrent that everything was little more than a eye blink from erupting into conflict again.

Peace never lasted.

Starfall was in a panic, nearly hyperventilating as she paced around the base camp she shared with Rhede and Bleu.

Jer'rahd and Velkorn had remained at Winnysor Castle to assist Princess Luna. At least eighty percent of the Lunar

Republic forces had ventured to the Diamond Dog lands again in a mad charge that turned a three week trip into one that took only eight days. The pegasus general had rushed the entire force out there, barely restraining herself from going alone, and that was only due to Rhede and Bleu making sure she didn't.

“Damn it, Starfall calm down already.”

“Calm down? CALM DOWN?! MY DAUGHTER IS MISSING AND YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN?!”

“Yes, because having you freak out is not going to help any pony here. You already ran the entire force ragged just getting here; we are giving them a rest before we assault the city, so sit down, shut up, and find your calm, or I will have Bleu sit on you. Again.”

“Trust me, Starfall, you don't want that, I put on a few pound lately, rich gem diet and all that.”

Despite the seemingly calm nature the pair displayed, both of them were about ready to rip apart the Diamond Dog Capital of Crystal Tooth. Less than a month ago, close to a hundred foals went missing from Ponyville. Most of them were orphans from the dragon war, but a few were children of locals. Rhede's brothers Wolf and Fox were among the ones missing, as was Starfall's daughter Cloud Dancer.

The Lunar Republic and the Royal Guard had somewhat set their differences aside for a time to find the cause of their absence, though heated words and the occasional fight still broke out in the neutral territory of Ponyville.

Starfall had joined the search in a blind panic, though it was one of the Royal Guards that found the first tunnel. Further investigation revealed a long series of tunnels under the city seemingly dug by Diamond Dogs.

Proof was found in the form of six bodies: two Diamond Dogs and four foals. The ones found were some of the older ones; two had already gained their cutie marks. Evidently, this group had fought back and managed to take out two of their foalnappers before they were killed. Small hoofprints from the foals’ attack as well as deep burns and spell damage from unicorn spells seemed to have been what finished the two. The foals were partially ripped apart by thick claws.

Maw Pelt did her best to give all the groups all the aid she could, but she did not have time to talk to anyone at length. One of the Republic officers that had first responded to the situation was the one who told Starfall about the disappearance of her daughter, though he could not explain more than that, aside from adding that Rhede's brothers had gone missing, too.
The Diamond Dog nation, of course, swore up and down that they had no idea what was going on. They suggested perhaps it was a splinter group like the bone hounds had been.

Investigation of the dogs’ bodies that where found showed they both had nearly new armor on under their rags. Armor that was issued to the Diamond Dog Imperial Army.

Princess Luna brought to the world’s attention that a splinter group is what thy said about the Bone Hounds and that had been directly funded and supplied by the nation. While Celestia kept her Royal Guard in Equestria to hunt for the splinter group, Princess Luna took a different approach. She sent Rhede and Bleu along with the majority of their forces to the Diamond Dog nation by way of Camp Geode. Starfall went along as well, whether any one liked it or not.

Less than a month later, they were staring at the capital of the Diamond Dogs’ empire, Crystal Tooth. Rhede was amused that the layout had not changed at all since he and Bleu were imprisoned here.

Rhede looked over to Starfall, who was still pacing, and sighed again before looking over to the others who were present in this little meeting.

“You all know the plan. Bleu, are you ready to go?”

“You sure I shouldn't stay here with Starfall and make sure she doesn't skip ahead a little?”

“She won't; it may be her daughter’s life at stake here. If she orders the attack before we come back, there's a good chance she will just bury her daughter alive along with us.”

“You are not helping me calm down, Rhede.”

“You were not calming down anyway. I just want you to be clear-headed so as not to do anything rash.”

Starfall snorted as Rhede looked over the other four officers that would be in on this plan. Rhede was still a little leery of the
sudden promotions of the ponies from Hollow Shades, but he could not doubt their effectiveness.

Dutch was with them on this as well and was leading his own unit. Lion Heart had also been given command of the pegasi and Half-Dragons that were not in the Shadowbolts. Starfall had been impressed enough with him to make him her second-in-command. Oak Leaf and Jester had also come with them. Jester was in command of a unit of mage cannoners and Oak Leaf was leading a charge of some rather bloodthirsty ponies who would be racing to be the first inside the city when the order came.

“Stick to the plan and everything will be all right. Bleu and I have been here before, and we can find out where the foals are being held, and perhaps why.”

“Sir, we do not even know if they are being held here.”

“It's the only lead we have, Dutch. Unless you have a better place to start, I suggest you stick to the plan. Lets go, Bleu.”

Rhede pulled a cloak over his head and vanisheds from sight as Bleu shrank down and slipped under his vanishing cloak, groping as she went.

“GAH! WATCH THE CLAWS, BLEU!”

“Oops, I just couldn't help myself.”

===========================================================

“Are you sure this information is correct, Oroboros?”

“I am, indeed, General. There was talk of it before my group left, but now they have begun to make their move. I do not wish ill on my home town, but I will not stand by and see them betray the Princess they are beholden too.”

Jer'rahd glanced back at Luna as the half-dragon-drawn chariot pulled them across the night sky towards Hollow Shades.

The green-maned unicorn was adamant that the city council be confronted by Luna herself to show them that this sort of thing would not be tolerated. While Hollow Shades was not a primary supporter of the Lunar Republic, the loss of any supplies could be problematic at this point.

He sighed, looking down at the new range of mountains that had been thrust up from the ground in the events of Nightmare Night. It was not the only change to the land that had happened, but it was the closest to Canterlot and the furthest inland.

“Oroboros, has this range been given a name yet?”

“Given the newness of it, nothing official yet. The locals have, however, taken to calling them the Foal Mountains.”

“Fitting.”

“I hope you have not made too many plans for the next few days, General. We have another stop to make before we return.”

“Pity; I was looking forward to showing a few more recruits they are not as skilled as they think.”

“Much the same way we showed you, General?”

Jer'rahd glared at the unicorn, who simply smirked lightly.

“It would have been a much different story if it had been a real fight.”

“Yes, you would be dead now and not worrying about being beaten, General.”

“I've killed gods, colt. You three are nothing I cannot deal with.”

“From my understanding, you have always had help in that regard, primarily from the Princess.”

“Why you...”

“Silence! I do not wish to hear you two bicker the entire trip.”

“Yes, Princess”

“As you wish, Princess.”

========================================================

Velkorn was a little perplexed as she sat in her personal library. While she had agreed that Luna should have access to the recipes she had written down in her books, she had not expected Luna to take them all.

Of course, that was not exactly what worried her. There was a certain book that Rhede had found and given to her that would be very bad if it got out. She knew Princess Luna was aware of the situation and had possibly simply taken it along with the others. She would feel better, though, if she could get that one back at least. It was not a secret Luna was unaware of, anyway.

She was sure the half-dragons would prefer that news of their creation be under wraps as well.

=====================================================

Three hours after the infiltration, Rhede and Bleu met up in a small storage room they had found to see if there had been any luck in the search.

“Have you found anything?”

“ Not yet, sexy hooves; just a bunch of near-panicked Diamond Dogs jumping at shadows. That makes getting around a bit difficult.”

“Stop calling me stuff. The cells are all empty as well. It doesn't look like there ever was any one down there. I caught one of the guards and questioned him as well. He still maintains the innocence of the dogs. Something is not adding up here.”

“It fits the reports of Camp Geode not hearing anything either. To move that many foals, even sedated, would take a great many dogs. Maybe they are still in Equestria somewhere.”

“So what’s the plan, oh fluffy flanked one?”

“We head up to where the leader is and have a word with him.”

“That might be a little more risk than I am comfortable with.”

“He ain't nothing but a hound dog, an old one at that. Besides, it would not be the first god we have dealt with.”

“It would be the first one with out Jer'rahd. We need to head back and let Starfall know what’s going on anyway. Its almost been three hours; we need to check in so they don't start blasting the place.”

“We still have an hour before we are supposed to check in.”

An explosion rocked the ground they stood on, sending a cascade of rock dust down on their heads.

“What the buck?”

Another explosion shook free more rocks and dust, followed by a series of other explosions in a rapid fire rhythm.

“They started shelling already; we have to get out of here!”

“We had another hour, damnit, Starfall!”

======================================================

“WHAT THE BUCK ARE YOU IDIOTS DOING?!”

“Returning fire, General; we were attacked!”

Jester pointed a wing to the smoking crater not far from one of the mage cannons in his grouping. The troops under his command continued to fire at the city, great gouts of stone and smoke were thrown into the air with every impact of the spell cannons charges against the city of Crystal Tooth.

“WELL STOP IT, CEASE FIRE CEASE BUCK IT!”

Even as the cannons stopped in Jester’s unit, several others started firing on the city from other vantage points. The heightened tension of the siege had caused the other groups to start firing as soon as the first started. Star fall turned, racing away to tell the others to stop. As she flew off, she did not notice the cannons behind her being reloaded to commence firing again on Jesters order.

================================================

Rhede and Bleu darted though the collapsing structure, ignoring the Diamond Dogs running around most of whom were also ignoring the pair as they fled for their own lives towards the tunnels under the city. The earth pony and dragonling, however, were looking to go up and out.

It was as Rhede had predicted when they were here last. The city was barely defensible; the dogs had hollowed out so many of the thick walls and rock in Crystal Tooth to house their population that the entire city was like a house of cards ready to come down at the slightest shove.

The place was like a maze as well; in the rush for an exit, the pair had taken a wrong turn into the warrens and were lost in the overabundance of apartments and small shops carved in the rock.

Rounding a corner, Bleu suddenly grabbed Rhede by the tail, yanking him backwards as a ton of rubble crashed down to where he had been. The earth pony winced at the yank and glared briefly back at the dragon, but still muttered a thanks in response.

Rhede growled lightly at the collapse that blocked the stairwell leading up, trapping them in the collapsing city. “Shit, we need to go back down, quick.”

“ I can always send you to Luna. You'd get out of here.”

“Buck that, I'm not leaving you to get squished. Besides, I heard that method of travel is immensely painful.”

Bleu chuckled as Rhede galloped back down the stairs, skidding to a halt at a landing and looking at one of the walls. Bleu stopped as well, looking at him and the wall he was staring at.

“What’s the deal, Rhede?”

“You don't feel that? There’s a really strong breeze right here.”

“Nah, I got nothing, thick scales and all.”

Rhede moved to the wall and pushed on it with a hoof, but got no response from it. A low rumble was heard deeper in the city as something massive collapsed; the vibration knocked something loose on the other side of the wall, blowing wind harder through the cracks, along with a cloud of dust.

“Bleu, do you think you can break through this wall? I think it may lead to outside.”

“What, am I on the brute squad now?”

“You are the brute squad, unless you want to be squished when this place comes down.”

“It may do that anyway if I break the wall. Ah well, nothing ventured and all that. BLEU SMASH!”

Rhede dove aside as the dragonling grews to her full size, nearly filling the hallway. She threw herself bodily against the wall, sending a cascade of rock and dust from above as well as knocking loose a few bricks. She paused, looking through the hole with a smirk before clawing at it, ripping more bricks away before grabbing Rhede and tossing him through.

“Bleu, what? GAAAAH!”

Rhede flinched, expecting to smack into stone, though he was pleasantly surprised to bounce off a bed and crash onto a carpeted floor. Looking around as he got to his hooves, he found he was in some diamond dog's bedroom. The previous owner lay splattered across the floor and the far wall had a large jagged hole in it where a spell cannon shot had hit. A strong wind blew though the hole.

The earth pony glanced back as a shrunken dragonling popped though the hole, bouncing on the bed before landing perfectly on the floor after a double somersault in the air.

“TAH DAH!”

“I call foul; you used your wings to stay in the air a bit longer.”

“ Everyone's a critic. Lets go while the getting's good.”

“Agreed. Dibs on the one who fired first.”

“BUCK IT! I was gonna say that.”

Bleu moved to the hole, ducking back as more of the structure collapsed and fell past the hole. She resumed her large form, allowing the earth pony to hop onto her back and secure himself before she launched out into the air. Rhede glanced back, waiting for the room to collapse in a dramatic 'just escaped' effect, but the room remained stubbornly intact until the pair had flown out of sight of it.

“Well, that was anticlimactic.”

==================================================

Hollow Shades lived up to its name. The entire town was in perpetual shadow from the great trees that had been hollowed out as home for the majority of the ponies living there. Bleu would have had quite a bit of fun with that joke on its name, hollowed out trees in the shade. Luna's arrival was not unnoticed and quite the panic was going on bellow as ponies scramble to get away from the landing chariot.

The panic turned to absolute terror when they saw that it was the Princess and her General stepping off the chariot. At least, that was what Jer'rahd assumed at first. It did not take him long to notice more of the gathered and nervous ponies were looking at Oroboros than him.

Luna regards the gathered ponies without expression. There were frantic signs of movement at the back of the crowd before several of the ponies pushed an older unicorn to the front of the group. His black coat and green mane and tail had all grayed with age. His eyes widened at the sight of Oroboros, ears flattening to his head.

Jer'rahd ignored them as his gaze traveled over the town. Most of these villagers seemed like farmers with a few shop keepers; no real threat to the princess. His eyes fell on a few ponies with rather grievous, if old, wounds standing or sitting back apart from the rest of the gathered masses, simply watching. A pair of pegasi, three earth ponies, and a unicorn. Both the pegasi were missing wings, two of the earth ponies were missing a leg, and one of them was rather badly burned and blind it seemed. The unicorn also had some burns, and his horn was little more than a shattered chunk of bone jutting from his skull.

One of the earth ponies noticed his gaze in their direction and gave a sharp salute with his remaining foreleg. The others seemed to notice, including the blind one, and snapped to attention with a salute as best they were able.

Jer'rahd swallowed returning the salute with a quick snap. He turned back to the Princess quickly, realizing Luna and the elder unicorn had been talking while he was looking around.

“I am sorry, Princess, but with the new demands you have made in our tithing, and the disaster, we cannot afford to give you all you have asked. Our town cannot subsist on so little through the winter.”

“That does not explain why you have instead chosen to side with Canterlot, mayor.”

“…Again, I am sorry, but your sister is willing to forgo our tithe until we recover from the disaster. The new mountain range destroyed more than half of our fields. With as late in the season as it is, we may not even have enough to make it through the winter without aid, something Princess Celestia has promised us.”

The Goddess of Night’s eyes narrowed. “So rather than bring this to my attention, you simply decided to leave the Republic and go crawling back to Canterlot, thus leaving us not even so much as a warning that we will not be getting a needed tithe from you.”

“It is not like that Princess...”

“SILENCE! WE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH FROM YOU. YOU OPENLY ADMIT YOU WILL BETRAY US FOR OUR SISTER AND THEN EXPECT US TO LISTEN TO MORE OF YOUR SNIVELING?!”

Luna's horn glowed brightly, sending a bolt of darkness lancing out at the elder pony. The old unicorn cried out in horror as the bolt slammed into a green glowing shield before connecting to him.

The moon goddess whirled and glared at Jer'rahd, who dropped his shield, not liking the grin Oroboros had on his face until he had saved the old pony.

“General, what...!?”

“They are no good to anyone dead, Princess. They have a new mountain range to explore and plenty of timber and other goods besides food that we can use. Unless you just start blasting them. Corpses might make good fertilizer, but not if there’s no one to tend the fields.”

“They have sinned against the goddess and need to be...”

“Shut your bucking mouth, colt, before I shut it for you, and make no mistake I will highly enjoy doing just that. I don't know what your issue is with this place, but I suggest you stop trying to convince the Princess to do things she would regret later. There does not need to be any sort of example here. The mayor’s already soiled himself in terror.” He looked back up at Princess Luna, noting her glare had barely softened. “It is better you give them some sort of an ultimatum and make them prove their loyalty is really with you instead of simply destroying them.”

Luna regarded Jer'rahd curiously for a moment. The entire town seemed to collectively breathe in sharply, adding to the oppressive silence. Oroboros opened his mouth as if to break the quiet or argue with the General, but the loud snap of a catch being released on the Waning Moon's scabbard kept him silent until the princess was done pondering the situation.

“You are correct, General; that would have been a pointless waste. Though I have a interesting idea for what to do with this lot now.”

“So long as it is not a waste of resources we need, Princess.”

Luna snorted, then leaped into the air with a sudden down stroke of her wings. Jer'rahds's ears flattened as he noted the inhalation she usually did before starting in on the Royal Voice.

“HEAR US, OH TRAITOROUS PONIES! YOUR PLANS HAVE BEEN FOUND OUT AND SHALL NOT GO UNPUNISHED. FROM THIS POINT ON, YOUR TITHE SHALL BE DOUBLED AND DUE ON THIS DAY. WHAT EVER YOU OWN AND WHAT YOU GAIN OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LABORS SHALL HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF IT GRANTED ONTO US AND THE LUNAR REPUBLIC.”

Jer'rahd shook his head, looking around again at the ponies, all of whom were staring with terror at the angry alicorn before them. All of them save Oroboros, who only seemed to focus on Jer'rahd. The gray unicorn ignored the pouty black-coated colt, looking up as Luna continued her order.

“BECAUSE OF YOUR TRAITOROUS WAYS, WHEN THIS TITHE IS DUE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE DEMAND THAT YOU ALL HIDE YOUR FACES AND THE VERY FACT THAT YOU CLAIM TO EVEN BE PONIES. PONIES DO NOT TRY AND SNEAK THEIR WAY OUT OF THEIR AGREEMENTS, AND THEY DO NOT BETRAY THEIR GODDESS. YOU LOT ARE NO BETTER THAN DRAGONS AND ORCS IN THAT REGARD.”

Jer'rahd frowned, wondering where she was going with this. Oroboros had ceased his glaring, clearly curious as well.

“THAT STATED, ON THE NIGHT OF YOUR TITHE, IF I SEE ANY CREATURE NOT HIDING WHAT THEY ARE, TO BRAZENLY THINK THEMSELVES A PONY AFTER THIS BETRAYAL, WE WILL SEE THEM CONSUMED BY MY WRATH AND THEIR SOULS DEVOURED!! NOW BEGONE FROM OUR SIGHT!”

A bolt of lightning arced across the sky behind her, the sudden peal of thunder adding a bit of oomph to her words and sending the entire town running away screaming. The mayor also soiled himself a second time as he took off. The only ones who had not run off were the group of injured Guards. They slowly made their way back towards their homes, ignoring the panic of the other ponies.

Jer'rahd was certain they were retired members of the 42nd. He felt rather ill at ease having had this happen before them.
They deserved not to be treated like criminals because of what their towns leaders did.

The Princess landed, glaring at her General.

“Is that more to your liking, Kaisur?”

“We did not lose something we needed and yet the entire town is now highly motivated to produce what we require of them, if at an altered time than normal. I would say that is quite to my liking Princess. It benefits the Lunar Republic far more that the first action you considered.”

“They were given another year. That is the only mercy they shall get from me.”

“They should be lucky to have that, Princess.”

“Hmmph. Oroboros, you have business to finish here. Make your way back to Winnysor when you are done. The General and I have another stop to make.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“And leave your father alone ‘til he gets a bath.”

The unicorn turned to stare at Jer'rahd with such venom that he fully expected to be turned to stone for a moment. The

General smirked as he climbed onto the chariot after the princess. It was nice to see that he still had a way of aggravating his opponents. Of course, recognizing the two similar-colored unicorns were related did not take any small leap of logic, though seeing as how happy Oroboros had been that his father was almost killed made him feel rather ill.

================================================

“RHEDE!”

“Oh Shii....”

Bleu banked hard, nearly knocked out of the sky by a blur of a gray and purple. The pegasus impacted the earth pony on her back, sending them both sailing through the air. The dragon expected the pair to crash into the ground below, though evidently Starfall still had enough sense to brake the decent so that the impact, while still jarring, was not harmful. Bleu sighed, flying down to help Rhede.

“Did you find her? Was she there? What happened? Argh, your not talking! IS SHE DEAD? GAH DON'T TELL ME IF SHE IS ! IS SHE?”

Rhede for the most part was trying to make sure his head was not shaken off as the pegasus nearly throttled him. She probably would have continued to panic and shake the crap out of him, but Bleu arrived to pull the flailing pegasus off of

Rhede by her sword belt, holding her in the air as she squirmed
.
“You okay, squishy fur?”

“Stop calling me... what the heck does that even mean, Bleu? Never mind. Starfall, we did not find any trace of any foals there at all, nor any sign that any had been there or still to arrive. None of the dogs I questioned knew anything about it, either.”

His ears perked up at the sound of shouting. Standing up and dusting off, he climbed up on top of a pile of rocks and looked back towards the city of Crystal Tooth and the army charging the gates.

“Starfall, what happened out here? We were supposed to have another hour easy.”

“One of the cannon crews was attacked and they started firing, a fair-sized blast was not far from their position. Once one started firing, they all did, it took me some time to get them all to stop. Once that happened, I ordered the ground attack just in case you two had been trapped or something.”

“I think the dogs, well, these dogs, anyway, are innocent in this one, Starfall. And like everything else we have been doing lately, we are simply destroying something for our own reasons.”

“They took my daughter, Rhede. I would wipe the entire race of them off the planet for so much as hurting a tail hair, and they took her. They also took your brothers. Are you not concerned about them?”

Rhede sighed. He was about to comment, but Bleu cut him off.

“No offense to your judgment, Starfall, but something doesn't add up. Follow me in this if you see where I am going, silky mane.”

“Stop... never mind, what is it?”

“It's been bugging me for a while. Every foal they took had yet to get their cutie mark or had just gotten them except those three. Why did they grab a couple of ponies that are maybe a year from being adults along with the foals? It just doesn't make much sense, and if they did, knowing those three, it should have been them we found dead in the tunnels after fighting back, not a couple of blank flanks.”

“What are you saying, Bleu? You don't think my daughter was taken? Then were is she?”

“I didn't say it answers everything. Its just something that's been bugging me from the information we have. We were kinda rushed into this attack, don't you think? Who actually told you that Cloud Dancer, Fox and Wolf were taken?”

“One of the Lieutenants in the investigation, Maw and the other Pelts were running too ragged with everything to talk to me.”

Rhede climbed down off the rock, leaving the battle to go on with out them.

“She brings up a interesting point. Fox and Wolf would have fought tooth and hoof against any one trying to take them, and with as big as Wolf has gotten he would have taken down more than just one or two Diamond dogs.”

Starfall looked between the two, confused, yet still on edge.

“So what does this mean then? You don't think they were foalnapped?”

“Much as you want to believe it, Starfall, Cloud Dancer is not a foal anymore. I have a feeling Maw knows something, and that lieutenant might have embellished something.”

Starfall bit her lip, ignoring the sounds of battle in the distance.

“So what now?”

“Now we have a talk with that idiot who fired while we were still in the city. Then, when this is all wrapped up, we go talk to Maw. After that, we start looking into this on our own. Luna was far too quick to send everyone out here.”

Starfall and Bleu glance to each other, then to the earth pony.

“You don't think she had something to do with this do, you?”

“I don't trust that she's been using the books. I have been watching her since I found out. She's gotten a bit more bloodthirsty as of late. I hope I am mistaken in this, because if she is behind the missing foals, I have no idea what we would
do about it.”

“Boss is not going to like it either way, particularly with how close the two of them have become. I spent a good while trying to get those two together and now that it happened, I am not sure I should have done so.”

===============================================

Velkorn looked out the window of the castle's library across the training field to the new recruits going though drills. It was a mixed lot of ponies, a scattering of zebras, and Minotaurs. The primary race that had been recruited, however, seemed to be half-dragons; a rather sizable force of them had recently joined.

After the number that were lost when the tidal wave washed over Gallopagos Island, she was unsure where this group had been before the wave hit. The pegasus Jester claimed they had turned up not far from Hollow Shades, evidently having lost the island they had been living on.

While it made sense, the majority of the half-dragons had been Black with the occasional Blue. None of the other dragons wanted anything to do with the crossbreeds, let alone add their own genetics to the batch, particularly reds.

But this lot was different. There were all colors here, predominately reds, but there were a greater number of all the others, including some of the mixes as well. The differences would likely be unnoticed to anyone who wasn’t familiar with half-dragons or a trained medic who would notice physical oddities.

Lion Heart was a perfect example of how a half-dragon normally was: tall and imposing, with bat-like wings and scales around their hooves, muzzle and shoulders. Most of the time, they also tended not to have a cutie mark, either, with their flank covered in scales and extending into a thick lizard-like tail.

This group, however, was more pony-like. Their ears were longer than a normal pony’s and they still had scales around their hooves and the bat-like wings, but their tails were pony-like and quite a number of them had cutie marks, though most of them seemed to be hourglasses, oddly enough. The few she had talked to had no idea how they gained the cutie mark, claiming to have had it for as long as they remembered.

The other major oddity was that there were not just pegasi half-breeds. There were unicorn versions that had gnarled or curved horns and the earth pony ones that were massive beasts of ponies, towering over everyone else in the field.

That was the part that did not make sense. At least ninety percent of the half-dragons from Gallopagos were crossed with pegasi. This group, which had supposedly come from an island somewhere, had only thirty percent of their number crossed with pegasi.

The book stated that dragons did not care for any of the other types of pony, favoring ones who could fly and the occasional caster. Lion Heart had only been able to save a few of the other types, as the unicorns had a greatly shortened life spans compared to the others. How could this group have survived since the dragon empire was defeated?

Something was very wrong here.

=============================================================

“So you say the shot fell here?”

“Yes, sir; you can see the crater it caused. That spooked everypony and we just started firing. I apologize, sir. At the time, we did not think to consider you and General Scale were in the city before shelling it.”

“That's fine, Jester; we got out alright. Go back to your team and get them moving, the Dogs are already trying to surrender and I need everypony to guard the prisoners and search the city.”

“Yes, sir.”

The pegasus took to the air, flying back to the other side of the small rise to where the other cannoneers were preparing to move. Bleu and Starfall watch him fly off as Rhede looked down at the blast area.

“I don't like him. I don't like any of the ones from that cult.”

“The Princess thinks they are useful, Bleu; that's really all that matters at this point.”

“None of them have done anything that we know of, yet they always scurry around like rats under claw. Plus, if there’s a issue or a problem somewhere, these guys are always there. It's only been two months since they joined and I already want to deep fry them.”

“Calm down, Bleu; you are only mad because they almost killed you.”

“Actually, Starfall, I think Bleu is onto something. This blast is from a magic cannon shot. There's still crystal shards in the ground from the explosion.”

“I could tell that, Rhede. I am not ignorant on the weapons of war.”

“Only two races developed these, Starfall: us, and then the dragons mimicked our design. Diamond Dogs don't have spell cannons, they have ballista and catapults.”

“Maybe they got some from the dragons. They were allies, after all.”

“So the dogs got one cannon and aimed it at one group that was the furthest from them even though if they could see this group, they could likely see the leader flying around and only fired one shot before they gave up? You would be easily recognized by any Dog attackers. They are the ones who gave you your name , 'Light of death'.”

“Well, when you put it that way...”

Bleu growled a bit. “So he set off one of our own shells to make it seem he was under attack then could start blasting the city early while we were still in it?”

“Looks that way, Bleu, but why? You have any ideas, Rhede?”

Rhede sighed as he trotted away from the crater. “Pretty simple, and annoying as well. These ponies are from a cult that worships Luna as a Goddess of Night and War. If any of her Generals fall, it is likely that one of them, being the Princess’s current favorite ponies, gets our position and they get closer to their goddess.”

“Bucking lovely. So I have to watch my flank from my own soldiers now.”

“No, Starfall, I think you are safe. No other pony can perform the Sonic Rainboom. Even these idiots wouldn't try to remove you before they found a way to mimic what you do. Velkorn is also relatively safe as she has more medical knowledge in one strand of her mane than the best unicorn medic has in their entire body.”

“So the only ones at risk are me, fabulous mane here, and Boss.”

“Looks that way. My guess its was a way to get rid of us and possibly cover something up.”

“Oh yes, this was a great day to get out of bed.”

====================================================

The chariot arced across the sky, crossing over the Everfree and the new settlement of Dodge City. Jer'rahd knew where they were going, but was not liking the idea. While it would be nice to see those who had helped him before, he was not looking forward to the ultimatum that Luna would likely give.

The night had barely begun when they landed outside of the Buffalo encampment. Thankfully, the camp was at its closest point to the Everfree this time of year. There were a few tense moments when the braves refused to let them near the camp, not recognizing Luna at all. The ones who recognized him, however, went to find the Chief.

After a time, a large, older Buffalo trotted out from the ring of braves, dismissing them with a wave of his hoof before approaching the two. It took Jer'rahd a moment to recognize the elder as Chief Three Bear.

The buffalo had wasted away considerably, maintaining very little of his former mass. The expression on Jer'rahd's face must have been easy to read as the buffalo chuckled.

“We all grow old and fade, General Kaisur. My time is closing before long. The loss of Hastiin has caused me great anguish; Makawee and Nituna will no longer speak with me. The last few winters have not been kind since that battle.”

“You should not have aged this much in such a short time, Three Bear.”

“I made a pact with creatures of magic and the stars. That contract has kept me alive far longer than many expected. With that contract over, my age has simply caught up with me. I expect I know why you two are here, but I will let you speak your piece before I respond to it.”

Luna nodded, not seeming to be surprised that Three Bear had all but wasted away. She evidently knew about the contract, or had simply been keeping up with him.

“There is another great conflict coming, General. I would ask that you and your tribe not chose a side and stay out of everyone's way. This is not something you need be involved with.”

Jer'rahd and Three Bear both seemed surprised at this, though the buffalo chief smiles.

“I see, you are finally granting me the peace I had desired for so long.”

“Your lands will not see war from the Lunar Republic... unless you side with Canterlot or any of the other races. So long as you remain free and independent, I will ensure you stay that way.”

“Are you that worried that my small tribe will be able to sway the balance of power in the world that much?”

“You alone were enough to sway the very tide of the last wars that have been fought in Equestria. I would prefer not to see what your whole tribe could accomplish if so pressed.”

Three Bear laughed and Luna smiled a little.

“I can agree to that, Princess. We have not wanted to be part of a conflict since the first we were dragged into by the Thunder Lizards. We will remain out of this one as a tribe. If you do not mind, however, Princess, I would like to speak to my successor as General for a moment.”

“If you wish, though we do not have much time with all that has been going on.”

“It should not take long, Princess. Please stop by again when you have the chance.”

“I shall do what I can, Chief Three Bear, but I can make no promise in that regard.”

The princess of the night trotted back to the chariot. A sigh of relief escaped the buffalo.

“Something wrong?”

“Several things, Kaisur. Something has changed inside of Princess Luna. She is not the same... the same can be said of you to a lesser degree.”

“Quite a great deal has happened since Canterlot was attacked.”

“There has always been a darkness about her, Kaisur. She suffered much in her time as the goddess of war and night.

Those are two things no pony is comfortable with even in the best of times. What affects her now is a deeper trouble than anything I have felt from her before.”

“I thought Buffalo did not cast spells.”

“We have some ties to nature and the spirits of the world, but I do not even training in them to sense something very wrong with her. Be on your guard, Kaisur. I do not wish to see you dragged down with her if she continues her path as she has.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The winds carry ill omens in regards to her Lunar Republic. I gather you have not noticed any changes with her, I suppose you would not notice anything gradual if you are with her all the time. I have not seen the Princess in over a season’s time and she has greatly altered herself from when I last saw her.”

“She had some physical changes yes...”

“That is not what I speak of. Her mannerisms, the way she carries herself, and tone has changed. Her spirit is very different as well. I am reminded of a a conqueror instead of a protector seeing her now. As I said, she is much darker and the shadow within her is growing even as I watch.”

“Cryptic.”

“I suppose so. But I have done all I can to warn you in this regard. There is another thing I would like to address, however.”

“What’s that?”

The buffalo chief seemed to age even faster before Jer'rahd’s eyes as he glanced back at the camp behind him.

“Several braves have already left the tribe to join the Equestrian Guard. One of them is my son, Proud Tail. The Republic is not viewed well out here.”

Jer'rahd sighed, nodding.

“If he has joined the Royal Guard, I may have to face him. I cannot promise you I will not fight him, I can only promise I will not seek him out.”

“I suppose I cannot ask for more than that.”

“Sorry I could not offer more, Chief.”

“It is quite alright; that is enough for me. This will likely be our last meeting, General Kaisur. I wish you well. Please consider my words. I would meet you and the Princess again in the afterlife if I could, but if your souls are doomed to Tartarus, such will not be the case.”

Jer'rahd glanced at the Buffalo as he slowly rose and moved away back towards the collection of his tribe’s tents. This was not something he had wanted to see. He knew Three Bear was over a hundred, but to see him this far gone in such a short time was disheartening.

“Three Bear!”

“Yes General?”

“When we meet again, we shall not be using these ranks. You had best call me by my first name.”

The buffalo stopped and turned back to look at the unicorn, a slow smile crossing his muzzle as he chuckled.

“I shall, indeed, Kaisur. But not until then.”

==========================================================

[ One month later.]

The trip back to Winnysor Castle had been a rather tedious one, particularly with the lack of information about the foals that had gone missing. The generals considered the trip a bust, though the Church of the Moon members had considered it a great success as the Diamond Dog nation was scattered with the destruction of their main city and several outlying towns that had been found on or near the surface.

The attack had gone off surprisingly well, with very few Republic Guards being killed or injured. The Diamond Dogs had offered a stiff resistance at first, but once Starfall and her team joined the fight with repeated sonic rainbooms, that resistance fell apart and most of the dog soldiers ran off screaming and clutching their ears.

At least two Diamond Dog gods were conformed to be killed, still leaving the known total at five. The Republic wiped out any dogs in the cities, but no pony was stupid enough to follow the dogs that ran into the ground.

Crystal Tooth was no more; once again, the Lunar Republic had flexed its power and brought another race to its knees. Unlike other attacks, however, the Republic forces were ordered to capture as many of the Diamond Dogs as possible to bring back with them.

Starfall had been greatly annoyed by Jester. Her Shadowbolts had cornered one of the gods, but before she could question it, the creature was killed by a star metal crossbow bolt shot by Jester.

The pegasus explained the god looked ready to attack and he was only protecting his General, but it still pissed her off at how smug the little shit was about it. Jester had killed one god and it was later found that it had been Oak Leaf who killed the other. The large earth pony did not gloat about it as Jester did; she simply sought something else to fight and kill.
Once they were back, however, there were more pressing issues. The three delegated the tasks of getting the troops situated to other officers as they planned their next move.

Bleu would report to the princess, while Rhede and Starfall would gather Velkorn and travel to Ponyville to start their own personal investigation into it. Rhede stopped just out side the castle’s main gate, looking at the other two.

“Alright, so we know that it was one of Jester's subordinates who told you Cloud Dancer and my brothers were missing; you didn't actually talk to Maw.”

“No, and I was a little too panicked at the time to think of doing so.”

“Alright, the plan’s still the same, then. Bleu, I need you to keep an eye on Jer'rahd as well. He has been rather odd as of late.”

“That's ‘cause he and Luna finally hooked up. That pony was all smiles for a week after that. The fact he has not been to his own bed since we got back means they are still doing pretty well. I am just glad the walls are thick.”

“Too much information, Bleu.”

“I know, but I also know that something has changed since we got back from Neighlantis. Before, he would simply defend the Princess when something came up or fire some comments right back if some one insulted Luna. Now he’s ready to kill any pony who even looks at her in what he thinks is the wrong way. It's almost like those cult Zealots. I don't care how good her plot is, that's not like him.”

“I had not noticed any of that.”

“You have been worried about Cloud Dancer; its understandable if you miss some things.”

“If you say so, Bleu.”

Rhede stared skyward, shaking his mane out of his face. He turned his gaze to the line of captured Diamond Dogs being led to what he had learned were special holding cells in the dungeon that would not allow them to dig out. He was rather curious as to what Luna wanted them for. With how things were looking, he did not like the idea of the dogs being here or what might happen to them.

“We cannot do anything unl we have proof something is really wrong. We could just be stressed with the way things have gone in the last year or so. We'll stick to the plan and see what we can find out in Ponyville. Lets go find Velkorn, Starfall.

Maybe she noticed something while we were gone.”

================================================

Jer'rahd lay back in bed, the slumbering form of the Goddess of Night pressed against his side. For all purposes, he should likely be the giddiest pony in Equestria right now. That was not far from the truth, but several things were nagging at him, Three Bear's words chief among them.

He had been dwelling on the warning the whole trip back. Now, in the middle of when he should be sleeping, he was lying awake stressing over what had been said. He could not help but see it now that it had been pointed out to him. Luna had grown… colder, he supposed was the term. He was not surprised how she treated the other races, as she had fought nearly all of them at some point or another. How she viewed them and spoke of them, however, was different now. It was less on how they were a threat to Equestria and more on how they should all be destroyed or brought under the rule of ponies; even the ones that had not caused Equestria any harm were being viewed as such.

The minotaurs had joined the Republic on their own, but most of the time, she refused to deal with them at all.

Then there were the bounties. Jer'rahd was not even sure when these were put up, let along scattered across Equestria.
The Lunar Republic was offering rewards to the capture or confirmed kill of any Diamond Dog, Griffon, Dragon, or Sea Pony. Granted, the sea pony bounty had been with drawn when he reminded her that half of the crew on the Princess Bride were Sea Ponies. Even that she did with some reluctance. It was odd; when they first met, she was the one who sought to calm him down in situations, but now it was the other way around. The only time he felt like she was her old self was when they were alone and she did not bother to hide any strain she felt.

He was not sure about the prisoners, either, though she seemed to want quite a few of them. When he asked about it, Luna simply commented that she was giving them a chance to side with the Lunar Republic. The way she spoke of it made it seem that she was sure that the prisoners would join, as if their loyalty would not ever be in question. While that was a rather optimistic view to think a former enemy could become an ally, it also contrasted sharply to how she seemed to regard those
who were not ponies.

=================================================

(One week later)

Bleu was not a happy dragon. Normally, this wouldn't mean much to any one, as she rarely let anger show through the goofy nature she usually displayed. Currently, however, as she loomed over a pair of guards in her largest form, she didn't bother with goofy. Both of the guards looked on the verge of full-blown panic at the fact that one of their generals was looming over them with the look of ripping them both a new asshole each. Only their combat training from the second dragon war likely kept them from soiling themselves. Both were aware, however, that this was not a normal dragon; this was General Scale, and one did not get to be a General of Princess Luna by asking politely.

“Tell. Me. That. Again.”

“We are sorry, General, but our orders are clear and directly from Princess Luna. We are not to allow anyone in the lower chambers. The prisoners are all being sequestered there, sir.”

“As are the dragon eggs I am supposed to be tending.”

“ I understand, sir, but the guards posted here were given a list of names allowed in and your name was not on it, sir.”

“It was on the other list...”

“SHHH!”

Bleu looked at the first earth pony guard, then to the unicorn that had been speaking with her.

“What other list?”

“We are not supposed to reveal our orders...”

“Allow me to make a point to you, solider, before you go on. Right now, you two are alone, in a big hallway, with a couple of swords and with a very large, very angry dragon who is not only your superior officer, but also the bearer of the Element of Laughter. And just in case you two have not noticed, I am NOT laughing.” Bleu slapped a clawed hand on the stone between the two. She clenched her claw into a fist, digging furrows in the stone. “While I will accept that there is a order from Luna barring my path right now, you already let slip this list. What is it and who is on it?”

The guards looked to one another, then looked around as if hoping someone else would come along to help them. Not seeing anyone, the earth pony spoke up.

“We, the dungeon guards, I mean, sir. We were given a list of those not allowed down here at all... its... it is quite long list but... your name, General Velkorn, General Pelt and General Silvertail are all on the top of that list.”

“ Who is allowed in?”

“The dungeon Guards of course sir... Well, at least into some areas. The prisoners of course... Princess Luna.....”

Bleu growled, her bared fangs inching closer to the guard.

“I am sorry, sir; the only other ones allowed in are the colonels that were just appointed.”

“What colonels? The highest rank we have aside from the generals is Major.”

“Princess Luna and General Kaisur sent word a few days ago of the Promotion to Colonel of six individuals, SIR. “

“Which six?”

The unicorn spoke up, saying the names as if he was spitting,

“The Cult of the Moon Leaders, of course: Oroboros, Jester, and Oak Leaf. I spend six years of my life in the Guard and the best I can get is Sergeant and these idiots show up and in not even six months are a higher rank than nearly every pony? I call bullshit... sir.”

Bleu blinked at the sudden revealing nature of the unicorn. The stallion shrugged.

“Any reason you are suddenly so informative?”

“First sir, tubbo over there...”

“HEY! I HAVE LARGE BONES!”

“Whatever, he was gonna tell you everything anyway. The longer you stand out here, the more likely that someone else would come along and get us in the shit. Better if you get what we can tell you and leave. I admit you are intimidating, but I do not see you killing ponies just for doing our job, sir.”

Bleu's eyes narrowed.

“Don't bet to heavily on that. I am General Kaisur's partner, after all.”

“True, but you also don't like that Hollow Shade bunch sir. Same as most of the rest of us.”

“So what are they doing in there?”

“I don't know, sir; the prison guards are not privy to what goes on further in.”

Bleu blinked

“That is not very informative.”

“Its the best I can offer, sir, though in all honesty, I was hoping you were going to fire us.”

“What? Why?”

“I signed up to fight the enemies of Equestria, not other ponies like we are preparing for.”

“With luck, it will not come to that.”

=========================================================

“So nothing?”

“No, nothing. There's the obvious worry about town, but no one is willing to talk to us because of who we are. We aren’t well-liked for some reason, Starfall. Velkorn has gone off to talk to Maw; with luck she might find something out.”

“What about those two guards over there?”

Rhede looked up at the two Royal Guards sitting on a bench staring at them. It took him a moment to place them, as their helmets hid their faces, but he recognized the pair that had just recently married into the Pelts.

“Biggs, Wedge! How nice to see your smiling faces... Well, your grinning armor-plated face coverings any way.”

The pair of them fidgeted at being recognized, even more so by the sudden attention the red earth pony had suddenly brought upon the two from every other pony in ear shot. And the way Rhede was yelling, that was nearly the whole town.

“Geez, quiet down, Rhede. I don't want to get mobbed along with the pair of you.”

Rhede raised an eyebrow as he and Starfall trotted over to the pair who both looked as if they would like to be anywhere else.

“Still posted in Ponyville. My sister’s not driven you away yet, I see.”

“It's not likely Faux could ever drive me away. Wedge and Fisher are expecting their second foal soon.”

“How’s your colt doing, Biggs? I heard you've been spoiling him rotten already.”

“Can we talk about something else, Rhede? This familiarity with me and my family by you is making me uneasy.”

“We are practically related, so I should hope to know something, but yes, yes we can. We can start with why we are making you, Wedge, and every other pony in this town uneasy. We are trying to find the missing foals and all we are getting is polite, but firm refusals to help us out with anything.”

“No one here wants another war, Rhede.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it. The Princess had an army ready to go in under a week’s time to march to the Diamond Dog capital to destroy it. The foals going missing was just an excuse so she could get away with it. Most ponies believe Luna is the one responsible for the missing ponies and you all as well.”

“I have heard that. The thing is, Luna does not need an excuse to attack anyone; she had already planned to deal with the dogs. Her taking the foals doesn't make any sense in that regard.”

“Unless she had another reason to take them, Rhede.”

“That's a great deal of speculation.”

“There's a great deal of talk, and a lot of it makes sense. She was always feared as being too bloodthirsty. This just proves what happens when Princess Celestia is not able to keep her in check.”

Starfall had remained silent for this long, though Rhede was not surprised when she finally burst out what she was thinking.

“Alright, I get you are not trusting of us, but keep in mind, my daughter is one of the ones missing, as well as two of your brothers-in-law. I don't give a shit if it was the dogs or Luna or even fucking Celestia; we need to find them and deal with whoever did it!”

The pair of guard ponies looked at each other, confused for a moment, before looking back at Starfall.

“She doesn't know, Wedge.”

“Yeah, he doesn't either. Why didn't Maw tell them?”

“I guess she had her reasons.”

Starfall blinked and even Rhede looked a little confused. “What are you two talking about?”

“Fox, Cloud Dancer, and Wolf were not foalnapped with the others. They ran away months ago, well before any of the foals went missing, not long after the events of Nightmare Night.”

“WHAT?!”
“WHAT?!”

“Oh bugger, I shouldn't have said anything.”

============================================

Bleu wiggled her way down an air chute, doing her best not to curse. Even in her smallest form, this was a rather tight fit. These vents were designed to let air into the lower levels of the castle, not anything living. Well, okay, sure, a rat could get in here, but those little things could get anywhere.

The smell was what she was looking for as she caught hints of it at the door she was not allowed into. The scent lead her to a grate along the base of the castle. She knew these things existed from looking over the map with Boss as the place was being built, but she never considered needing to use one. The scent was strong here: blood, bile, and something very acidic-smelling.

The grate was cemented into the stone wall, though that was not much of an issue for a full-grown dragon. Being quiet was a little harder to do, but she had been picking up pointers from Rhede on sneaking for a few years now. With luck, no one would notice the grate was gone or that it was at the bottom of a pond on the other side of the courtyard. She squirmed down the stone chute, pausing when she heard voices. Unable to make them out, she moved further along, popping out in a larger area with six iron covered vents leading into differing rooms. The voices seemed to be coming from the first vent to her right and she slipped over to take a peek.

The large room on the other side of the grate opened to what looked to be the barracks of the prison guards. She spotted a few ponies sleeping on cots and another couple playing cards. She could not see very much of the room otherwise, though she could make out the edge of a large iron door on the far wall and the door that she had been not allowed in earlier. This did not tell her anything aside from the pegasus at the table was cheating.

She moved back, crawling over to the next vent opening. The blood was very strong from this vent. She bit her lip. Looking at the bodies hanging from hooks in the room, her claws dug into the rock as she had flashbacks to the Seapony kitchen, before she noticed something. The bodies were of pigs and cows. Still distasteful, but it was clear what they were here for now. She paused and sighed, thinking she might be the only dragon left in the world that found meat distasteful.
This was a kitchen of some kind. Griffons, Diamond Dogs, and Dragons where carnivores; it made a little sense that the idiot cousins of the orcs and minotaurs would be used as food for them. The fact that this slaughterhouse was even here meant the prisoners were at least being fed. What worried her was that this was where the dragon eggs had been kept before. She recognized the room’s large stove as the former nest for the lot of them.

As she pulled back, crawling over to the next vent in the half circle alcove, she started to worry a bit. The oven was built to keep the eggs warm so they would not die. Had Luna given up on them with out telling her, or was something else going on?
The next vent opened to the largest room yet; the next two vents went to it as well, and that allowed her to see more of this room than the others. The room stretched out into darkness and was filled with cells that stretched out farther than she could see, but it was easily beyond what should be under the castle.

Most of the cells were little more than iron boxes and bars for the diamond dogs, though a good three dozen griffons were also sequestered here, and Bleu smelled a dragon or two in the mix as well. Most of them seemed alert and awake, though there were a few who she thought were dead until a wing or claw twitched. The silence was what got to her; with that many dogs and griffons, there should be some talking or at least shuffling, but they all sat or stood where they were, calmly, without even a guard in sight to watch over them. Perhaps they were already convinced to join the Republic and had simply not been moved elsewhere yet.

Bleu pulled back, looking to the last two vents. So far, there was nothing clearly wrong here. Moving to the next vent, Bleu frowned. The first was pitch black and the other had something like a bookshelf in front of it. She was a little annoyed that she was stuck looking at the backs of the books, though she didn't do anything, as she could hear movement on the other side of them, as well as muttering of some kind. Pulling one thin book from the shelf, she peered in through the small gap. A black unicorn sat across from the bookshelf, writing something in a large tome. He kept glancing to something at his left and muttering to himself.

He eventually rose, closing the tome and floating the book over to the shelf, slipping it back into a spot below Bleu's peephole with out so much as a glance at the shelf. “You had so much potential in you, and yet you were a failure as well... What am I missing? Why are dragons the only ones compatible in this regard?” He sighed, shook his head, and trotted back across Bleu's field of vision, his horn glowing as he trotted past. Floating along behind him was something Bleu recognized immediately: a dragon egg.

The door opened and he stepped into the next room, Bleu quickly moveed over to the other room, shielding her eyes as the wall scones flared to life. The unicorn trotted on, unconcerned with the light change as his magic lit more of the torches.
Bleu's eyes narrowed. Oroboros was rather skilled; that was at least two spells going at once with no sign of even concentrating on what he was doing. While they were not potent, she remembered how hard it had been for Platinum to even keep a body alteration spell going along with her normal unicorn manipulation magic. This stallion barely seemed to notice he was doing something most unicorns considered hard, if not impossible.

Bleu bit her tongue, her eyes widening as she looked over the contents of the room. The room was rather small, though slightly larger than the cells in the next room. Across from the vent, there was another opening that led away from the vent with a downward slant hinting at another level of the under castle that was not in the plans she had looked over with the Boss and Luna. The large door across from the one he entered lead back out to the prison, though none of that held Bleu's gaze as much as the shards of shell scattered about the floor in this room. The ground was littered with broken egg shells with only a small path big enough for a pony between them.

Oroboros ignored the room of waste, trotting down the new hall to where ever it lead. Bleu cursed lightly to herself as she looked over the room, taking it all in. The fate of the eggs angered her; certainly, there were far more than just what lay here, but who knew what had been done with the others? She had worked too hard to get them to let the next generation of dragons be used for prisoner omelets. There was no room in here to get any bigger in the vent, and she couldn't move the bars at her current size. She gave the room another glance over, expecting she would need Rhede's help for this one.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she moved over to the study area. She pulled a few books through the vent slats and read the spines, or at least the ones she could read. Most of them seemed to be medical books, save the first blue tome she pulled through, which had no markings on the outer cover and was written in a language that seemed to change with every word. Sighing at the uselessness of the find, she started putting the books back into the spots on the shelf.
It was unlikely she was going to be able to convince anyone that this was bad aside from Velkorn. None of them had liked the idea of bringing the dragon eggs back and hearing of their destruction was not likely going to cause any strife. To Bleu, however, it meant that Luna could no longer be trusted, and if Boss had a hoof in this, he probably could not, either. Those thoughts upset her far more than the loss of the eggs.

The only reason she bothered to bring the eggs back was the hope that some pony might be able to have one as a partner, much like Celestia's school. With the eggs destroyed, that was not going to happen.

Though why had all the shells been empty? What had they done with the bodies?

She was putting the last book into place when a pile of dust fell from the top of the blue book right onto her nose, forcing a sneeze. She managed to turn her head enough to not fry the books with lightning, but the sudden jerk of her arm knocked down the entire row sending them thudding to the floor on the other side of the shelf. Bleu cursed, glaring at the blue book in her claw before she looked back in the room to see if she might be able to reach any of the books.

She froze, her eyes locked on a table that had been hidden from view by the rest of the shelf. Oroboros had not been talking to the egg he carried. He was talking to something else, or what was left of it.

At first glance, the creature seemed to be a young griffon, but rather than claws, it had twisted hooves. The tawny fur covering it was patchworked with a bright blue coloration of what seemed a different kind of fur mixed in with the normal griffon colors. Feathers jutted out from various parts of its body as if they did not know the proper way to grow. She couldn't see its eyes, but a malformed beak hung open, showing a series of flat teeth that seemed more fitting for a herbivore. The tail was an odd mix of a bright pink pony tail and a long feline tail that most griffons had. A short wing more reminiscent of a pegasus lay draped over its side with the other out of sight.

Bleu covered her mouth, feeling nauseous. There had not been any griffon chicks captured, but several adult griffons had been brought in, and a host of small ponies had gone missing. Bleu turned, scrambling back up the incline to the outside of the castle, the blue book still clutched in her claw all but forgotten.

======================================================

Velkorn calmly sipped her tea, offering the occasional glance to Maw Pelt as she sat across the table staring into her own drink. The conversation had been all but nonexistent for a time now, as all the polite topics had been discussed. It was time to utilize the Bleu method of conversation again.

[ “So why is the Republic hated here so suddenly, Mrs. Pelt?” ]

Maw blinked, looking away from Velkorn as if she didn't want to really answer, and the zebra did not bother to press. She would talk when she was ready.

[“You know you lot are being called the five Beasts of the Moon now?”]

[“I was aware of many of our nicknames, but being called such as a group is new.”]

[“Been under a lot of pressure from the towns folk about severing ties to the Lunar Republic. Been getting a lot of suggestions for family name changes too.”]

[“Name changes?”]

[“The Pelts are primary a trading family, and a trading family is only as good as their name. So if one family member screws up bad enough to make the name known with those screw ups, the only way to ensure business is not ruined because of it is to change the name. Far as I know, it only happened once in the family history, before my time, so I don't know the details, but it’s always been a warning to the foals.”]

[“I see. I take it that means most believe Rhede has shamed the name, as it were?”]

[“He already has with some of the things that have been done, same with all of yah. I know there's likely more to it than what
the rumors say, but there’s far too many rumors flying around and quite a few have been proven fact.”]

[“There is indeed always more going on that it seems, but all of us have our own beliefs and goals we follow. It is why I was banished from the zebra lands.”]

[“Heard about that. Not sure what to think about it, but it’s rumors like that that make ponies scared of zebras: dark magics and a murderous queen who kills gods.”]

[“They do not know my land’s history of suffering at the hooves of those gods.”]

Maw took a sip from her tea, glancing over at her youngest daughter playing on the floor.

[“ I was all for the dragons being taken out, but then y’all went after the griffons and seaponies and the Diamond Dogs. Much as they annoy me, they have been fairly decent trading partners in the past. Now this.”]

[“The foal napping? I will admit you seem fairly relaxed for that to have happened.”]

[“It's been a few months. The panicked rush has worn off and there’s nothing we found out or ken do. Dun mean ah'm not worried; the foal napping is just part of the issue, though. A'hm not sure what they hoped to accomplish. Ah do know that
destroying their city was useless as nothing was found. That's a might worrying.”]

[“Starfall agrees with you on that. She is nearly pulling her mane out worrying over Cloud Dancer.”]

Maw dipped her head a little.

[“Mare’s gonna do something stupid over nothing.”]

[“She already has. But why is finding her daughter nothing?”]

[“Cloud Dancer didn't get foalnapped, she just made everyone promise not to tell Starfall that she was leaving. The colts went with her, so I know she’s safe, but not where they went. She's heard all the things being said about her mother and she’s seen some of the results first hoof. She thinks her mother is tarnishing her father’s name by staying with the Republic. Same as most of the Pelts think Rhede is doing. Might have been their talk that got her thinking about it, but in Rhede's case, the rumors are right. The few Pelts still running the routes are being treated like crap because of the name. Quite a few have been openly vandalized or been turned away from trading points. That's ponies’ livelihoods getting ruined because they are distant relatives of Rhede.”]

[“That is troublesome.”]

[“It is, and if it continues, I won't have much choice but to change the name. I would like you to try and convince him to leave the Lunar Republic before it comes to that. All it would take is one more act by him to sway me over fully. I know he’s not evil like is being said; he’s just… I don't know anymore.”]

[“ He does not listen to anything else I say. Why would he listen to this?”]

“APPAL APAAA APPAAA APPA!!”

Both mares blinked, looking over to the foal who was trying to climb onto the kitchen counter to get to a apple sitting on the counter.

[“Her first words?”]

[“ She's been saying them for a week or so now. Quiet as a mouse most times ‘til she sees an apple; then she just starts screaming out for it. Yah got more sway with him than yah seem tah think, Velkorn.”]

[“I might, but I also know he will not leave his friends. The others may be willing to listen, but no one will leave. Luna is a friend of ours. I will not abandon Rhede, and none of us will abandon Jer'rahd. I can assure you now that he will not leave Princess Luna.”]

Maw looked back to her daughter, then to the zebra with a sigh. [“Was afraid of that, but ah ken tell you this. That mare you serve is not Princess Luna. Whatever happened to change how she looks changed her inside, too. Ya'll might not be able tah see it as often as yer around her, but from those of us who only occasionally see her, she's like a whole different pony.”]

[“I have noticed some change as well. Not for the better, but she is not in a easy position fighting all the wars for Equestria.”]

[“If she keeps attacking others, soon, the only thing left for her to fight will be Equestria.”]

=============================

Rhede, Starfall, and Velkorn trotted back to Winnysor Castle in a rather depressed state. Velkorn had shared what she found out and the news had hit both of them much harder than the zebra had expected. The entire trip back had been nothing but sullen silence. Velkorn wished there was something she could do for the pair, but there were no words of comfort that she could offer that might mean anything. They all agreed that they needed to confront Jer'rahd and Luna about this, perhaps get the Princess to tone back her actions a little. They should not be hated or feared by the very ones they were trying to protect.

The depressing silence was interrupted by a blue blur that crashed into Rhede and sent him tumbling back down the path, swearing and yelling. Starfall and Velkorn rushed to his aid, only to find a panicked Bleu shaking the crud out of him in her pony-sized form. Velkorn flattened her ears, not even sure what the dragonling was on about as she was talking so fast and incomplete words between gasps for air. She did note the book clutched in a death grip in one claw. It looked as if it had been used as a shoe and run through all manner of things.

“BLEU, SHUT UP A MOMENT!”

Starfall was doing her best to peel the panicked dragonling off the flailing earth pony with some limited results. Getting her off Rhede, the pegasus promptly sat on the dragon and was rapidly joined by Velkorn to try and keep her down long enough to catch her breath to speak calmly. Rhede was quite relieved to no longer be throttled as well.

“Honestly, what is it with you two and choking the life out of me? That's twice in as many months.”

“Git offa mai head!!”

“You going to be calm enough to tell us what’s got you in a panic?”

“Was trying to anyway, Rhede.”

“Alright, let her up. If she’s not using stupid pet names for me, something is wrong.”

“Buck right, something is wrong! I found the missing foals... Well, one of them anyway, it has to be!”

“What? Where?!?”

Bleu rattled off what she had seen, getting stopped occasionally to slow down or repeat something. Starfall and Velkorn were ready to tear off and do some damage, but Rhede managed to get them to stop.

“What the buck, Rhede?! We need to go save them if we can.”

“I am aware of that, but we can't just go rushing in. If Bleu is right and whatever that thing was used to be was a foal, it is also likely that Oroboros would destroy them to remove any evidence of wrongdoing. Not to mention if we bust open the dungeon around all these other guards and show that the foals were kidnapped by us, the Lunar Republic is finished. Nothing any of us say or do past that point is going to mean anything and we will be hunted just like the others, and by our own ponies at that.”

“Sadly, I agree with you. What is it you suggest we do?”

“If Bleu is correct in that Oroboros is that skilled in magic, we will need something to deal with him.”

“I know what I saw, Rhede, and both our casters might be in on this.”

“That's a problem as well, though I doubt Jer would allow this if he knew. Starfall, you and Bleu go try and get him down there. Velkorn and I are going to do a bit of a stealth mission.”

“ I can get the Shadowbolts to aid me if need be as well. While they are loyal to the Princess, they follow my orders over hers.”

“Good, ‘cause if Luna did give Oroboros permission, we are going to need all the help we can get.”

Rhede nodded to Bleu, glancing over to Velkorn as she taps him on the shoulder and points to the book Bleu is still clutching. His ears fall back to his head as he recognized it.

“Bleu... where did you get that book?”

“Down in the dungeons out of the room with the body. This damn thing is what made me sneeze and knock everything over.”

“Let me see that.”

Bleu handed over the book and Rhede set it on a rock, flipping through the pages with a hoof and biting his lip lightly at the strange print. He closed it, tucking the tome into his saddlebag.

“We need to hurry. This may be worse than we thought.”

=================================================

Things were going along quite well for once.

“Indeed they are, Princess.”
“Not violent enough for my tastes.”

The violence would come; there were still plenty of gods left to destroy. Oroboros's experiments had limited success as well, but there were still too many failures.

“Still, he has managed to do some rather impressive work with the diamond dogs that were captured.”
“I like the term he came up for with the cross as well. Lupus Draconus just sounds vicious and fancy.”

The information from the books was still proving useful to her. More importantly, it was proving useful to her subjects that did not have the moral complications her Generals did. Oroboros and his ilk from Hollow Shade had proven themselves invaluable assets, if a bit too into the whole worship of her new form. For the life of her, though, she could not recall why she had once thought it a bad thing to have churches in her honor and the zealous followers that came with them.

“Likely something instilled into you by your sister.”
“She ain't shit. Pushing you down to make herself seem more important. You've done more on yer own in a year’s time towards bringing peace to Equestria than she has in thousands of years.”

Celestia would be dealt with in time. For now, her primary concern was her Generals. Starfall was too concerned with her daughter going missing to be a problem, even though she had not been foalnapped like the others. Rhede was always a thorn; far too inquisitive to questioning. Even when he did what he was supposed to, he somehow managed to do it in a way that made her question whether it was sarcastically or not.

“That colt ain't right.”

Velkorn would not be an easy issue, either. It would be too easy for the zebra to side with Rhede if he became difficult, or simply be an issue on her own if she did not like how things were going. So long as she was in the dark, everything was fine.

“With her race banishing her, no one would miss her passing in the middle of the war that started. She might even be made a martyr and prolong the conflict.”

Bleu was the most troublesome. Oroboros had found one of her scales in a vent that led into his lab. She had seen the eggs shells and the failure. It was only a matter of time before the others knew. She had been hoping to keep the whole thing under wraps until she was the sole god left in the world, but the unexpected always happened with this group. She briefly wondered why she thought it was a sound plan to make them all generals. It would have saved a great deal of trouble if she had not brought them with her or only brought Starfall and Jer'rahd.

Luna's head dipped as she sat in her chambers, looking down at the armor crossing her chest and the silver cord connected to a metal shard from an old sword.

“Useless trinket; it does not become a ruler of all to have such sentimental things.”
“Its a bit of metal on a string. An adornment fit more for a common foal than a future goddess of everything.”

She ignored the books, looking at her dresser and the crown that was the Element of Magic. She could not hear their voices when she wore it and their wisdom was needed in times such as this, particularly in regards to Jer'rahd.

“Quite strong that one.”
“Dangerous, too, if he turns against you. You should kill him.”

She shook that thought from her head. Out of all of them, Jer'rahd was the one she could live without the least. She had not felt this way about any pony since Hooper, but at the same time, she could not let him get in her way. It was the main reason she had not made a move against her sister. While he would do almost anything she asked of him, going to war with Canterlot itself and all the other ponies might be something he would not tolerate. He had shown he was willing to stop her when she made what he considered a bad decision.

“Why should you care what he can stand? You are his Princess; he should be swayed by your choices and opinions, not the other way around.”
“You already have done some questionable things in his mind. Why stop with minor stuff? Besides, it is better to forward the plan now that the lizard knows. The Demon will find out sooner or later what’s been going on anyway. Better he does not have a chance to stop you.”

That was sound; strike first and worry about the repercussions later. It was easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

“Oroboros.”

The unicorn had been kneeling before her this entire time and had not moved during her inner dialogue. “Yes, my Goddess?”

“Begin phase one. Bring the new batch along for live testing.”

“At once, Princess.”

The unicorn rose and scurried out, starting to shout orders to the guards on either side of the door to ready the troops and the rest of the Cult.

“You know, that one reminds us of how the Demon used to be: eager to please and ready to ask how high when you say ‘jump’.”
“Quite a bit of power in him as well. He might make a better mate than that half horn of yours...”

“ENOUGH. BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP.”

Luna whirled, destroying the book shelf the Red Tome and Gray Grimiore rested on with a blast of raw magic. Scrolls and other books disintegrated at the flare of power, but the two books simply floated there a moment before slowly sinking down to an end table.

“There will come a point when he betrays you. We all know this.”
“We have seen him at his lowest. He fears the vision he was given at the test for loyalty more than anything else.”

Luna narrowed her eyes, not believing it. Jer'rahd had told no one what he saw, only that he would die before he let it come true.

“And he might just.”
“After all, it would kill him to murder the one he loves, wouldn't it?”

=========================================================

Getting in was far easier than it should have been. The prison guards were little more than the soldiers who had some disciplinary issues, or managed to tick off one of the officers enough to get the posting here. Their whole reason down here was a formality; such a small force would not even be able to handle a prison break if one happened. They probably could have gotten past the lot even without The Order's invisibility cloaks. The guards outside were a mess; one was asleep and the other was so wrapped up in writing a letter that he did not even notice the door open. The ones inside were absorbed in a game of cards or doing their own thing to notice the outer chamber door or the inner chamber door open.

The kitchen was disgusting, but it was exactly as Bleu said. The only ponies that this room would piss off were the activists for pig and cow rights.

Rhede paused, closing the door lightly behind him, and looked over the rows and rows of empty cages. Bleu had said most of them were filled, yet they all stood open and empty. Velkorn sniffs the air lightly moving to look over one of the cages curiously.

[“There were prisoners here. I do not know where they went, however, but they were likely moved within the last five hours or so since Bleu was down here.”]

[“Come on; I want to see these other rooms. We will worry about the prisoners later.”]

Moving through the cell area, they came to the next door. They slowly pushed it open and slipped inside. The light crunch under their hooves was proof enough that something else Bleu had said was accurate.

Velkorn produced a small vial from her pouch and tossed her head with it clenched in her mouth. A bright glow started as the chemicals inside mixed, casting a greenish light over the contents of the room.

Egg shells littered the floor, the size easily marking them as dragon eggs. Most of them looked like they had been crushed to fine dust, however, from the passage of hooves, and only the piles in the rooms corners remained. The pair nod lightly to each other. Velkorn watched the open passage leading down as Rhede fiddled with the locked door on the far side of the room. A light click was the only sound of his lockpicking success before they both slipped inside.

The room was exactly how the Bearer of Laughter described it. There were books on the floor pushed from a vent behind the book case, and a bloodied table that was covered with arcane sigils. There was no body, however. A few griffon feathers lay on the floor and a tuft of bright blue fur clung to a jagged corner on the table.

[“These are my books.”]

[“All of them?”]

[“The ones that were missing, anyway. What worries me is I also had the book on the creation of the half-dragons and that one is still missing. The book that Bleu had, however is not one of mine. I label mine if they do not have markings.”]

[“I know what the book she had is, that's why I took it from her. I am more worried about it being here than any others.”]

[“Why? What is it? I saw it was odd, but you have yet to say why.”]

Rhede glances over the shelf, looking for the other two, though he doubted they would be here. [“It is Discord's book. The Book of the Blue. I only got a glimpse of it to help Luna translate some once before, but it is definitely the same book. For now, we need to check that sub basement for the foals.”]

==============================================

“Generals, do you have a moment?”

Starfall paused, glancing back at Lion Heart as Bleu darted ahead, though the dragonling stopped and rushed back to her.

“We need to go talk to Boss. Can this wait, lizard head?”

Lion Heart bristled a moment at the insult, but then got a confused look on his face considering who had said it. Starfall sighed, ignoring Bleu for a moment.

“Can it wait? There is a pressing matter to attend to.”

“I am aware, General. You have told us of the situation already. I wished to speak with you then, but you rushed off too quickly. This matter may pertain to the Hollow Shades group.”

“Alright, what is it, Lion Heart?”

“The other half-dragons and I have been told by the Colonels that the new half-dragon troops are from other groups that broke away from the dragons at the end of the war and were stirred from their home by the events of Nightmare Night.”

“Yes, that is the same as we were told. Why, do you think something is wrong with that?”

“I do; several things, actually. There is a mixture of all the dragon races in the batch of half-dragons that have shown themselves. That cannot be; Blacks, Blues, and a few of the cross breeds of dragons were all that was used to make us. The Reds and Greens would have nothing to do with those races they considered inferior. There were no Red or Green half dragons... until this lot showed up.”

“There may have been other groups you did not know of.”

“I had considered that, but this group has something that I find vastly worrying and hopeful at the same time. They do not suffer from our sickness. They know boredom and idleness and it does not work to kill them.”

“Really? That should be great news, then.”

“It would be, though the oldest of them is only about two months old.”

“What? You can tell that?”

“We are a created race, General Scale. We have a strange aging process as it is, but yes, we can tell.”

Blue’s eyes widened and Starfall growled.

“You know what this means if you are right, Lion Heart?”

“Yes, General, I do. It means we have found Ponyville's missing foals.”

“No way. There are too many of them for that to have happened. We have nearly four hundred new half-dragons. There was barely a hundred foals missing.”

“Consider this, General Scale: we were made from dragon males and pony females. Ponies generally only have one foal at a time. During the war, that process was magically altered to create anything from twins to quintuplets, often at the expense of the mother. Dragon eggs could be changed similarly, perhaps, and easily four to six newborn foals could fit in a normal dragon’s egg. I do not know of magic that could do so, but it is a sound theory.”

“Take all of them off of combat duty immediately. I want Velkorn looking them over before they do anything else.”

“Yes, General.”

“We need to find Boss now, Starfall.”

“No shit.”

====================================================

Rhede and Velkorn stuck to the shadows. Not as if they needed to; the Order's cloaks hid both of them nearly perfectly with a potent invisibility spell, but there was no need to take the chance of stumbling into someone. The winding path led far deeper underground than Rhede had anticipated. They likely had traveled down further than Winnysor was tall at its highest spire by the time they reached the massive cavern at the bottom.

The room seemed carved out of the very earth; it was far too smooth and clean to be a natural formation. The amount of work and time that was put into this must have been massive, particularly right under the castle. The place was easily twice the size of the grand ballroom in Canterlot. Half the room was filled with giant cages and the other half was clear, save for some strange glyphs and runes covering spots on the floor. There were more dragon egg shells and a great deal of blood scattered around the circles. All of the cages were empty, save one on the end with a, earth pony sitting before it. Rhede could not remember the mare’s name, though the white pony was one of the ones from Hollow Shades, a member of the Church of the Moon.

The creature in the cage growls and the mare clicked at it with her tongue, chuckling softly. She turned, looking towards the entrance, he, hair slicked back over her head and a light green blanket draped across her back. Her bright red hair seemed almost to glow as she looked over the room, her red eyes wild. “You may as well come out now. Wilber knows you are here already. He can smell you, you know.”

Rhede scratches his hoof in the sandy floor, leaving a note for Velkorn for a second before he whisked it away with his tail. He was unsure if she got the message, but he would know in a moment. “I take you can understand the noises it makes, then?”

“He never speaks unless he has something to say. All you need to do is listen.”

“Interesting.”

The mare’s ears perked and a grin that almost seemed too wide and by far too joyous crossed her face. “General Pelt, I presume, by the sound of your voice. I have heard quite a bit about you. Quite the dangerous one at that. Might I inquire what brings you down here?”

Rhede flips back the hood of his cloak, stepping away from where he left the note and smirking slightly at the mare. She might have been rather attractive if not for that grin. “Quite a few nasty rumors have come up regarding you Moon Cult lot. None of them good. From what I have seen down here, I am inclined to agree.”

“Please spare me the attempt to get me to talk, General. I know you have found nothing aside from some shattered shells and empty cells. You have nothing that you can show anyone to prove your case. You and the dragon are alone in this.”

“Perhaps, but it should not take much to convince Princess Luna to look into what you have been doing down here. She will decidedly put a stop to it.”

The mare laughs again, moving to the cell and looking up at the shadowy form within. Rhede shuddered at the mirth the pony seemed to have. The last mare to send a shudder up his spine like that had been Scarlet. This one was bad news.

“Do you honestly believe that? That we could create all this under her very castle without her knowing about it? Please, she was the one who suggested all this, though since you seem intent on putting a stop to this, and a stop to something the Goddess ordered to be done, I can follow the orders of General Kaisur and declare you a threat to the well-being of the Lunar Republic. Oh, it will be fun killing you, particularly since it means I will be able to take your place at the side of the goddess. HEHEHHEHE.”

“You're nuts.”

“Perhaps, but I am not about to be dead like you are.”

She slams her hoof against a latch, releasing the lock on the cage door and letting the massive work of iron swing open. The creature inside wasted no time getting free of the cage, nearly bowling over the earth pony who continued to laugh at him.

“Meet Wilber, one of the greatest war machines ever created.”

Rhede winces, looking up at the creature as it slowly stepped out of the shadows. The creature was a mass of feathers with a giant red comb draped over his head. Its sickly-looking flesh ended in a beak and soulless black eyes.
Rhede stared a moment more, then blinked and tilted his head slightly to one side to see around the two story beast.

“Your greatest war machine ever... is a giant chicken?”

“YES! BWHAHAHAHAHA! KILL HIM, WILBER!”

Rhede watched as the creature turned and scratched the dirt with a claw, kicking up massive amounts of rock as it jerkily turned its head, looking for something to eat in its scratchings. Rhede would rather hate to see the bug something that big would eat.

“Seriously, a giant chicken?”

“Oh shut up. I am dead serious here.”

“You're a loony.”

“Silence! Wilber, kill!”

The chicken ignored her again, scratching at the ground. She screamed out in annoyance, then ran up to it, reared on her hind legs, and smacked the crap out of the creature’s beak as it pecked the ground. The chicken yanked its head back, roaring again... or maybe it was just a prolonged squawk to pine for the fjords; in either case, it made Rhede's ears hurt.

The mare laughed again as she pointed at Rhede, the stupid grin still on her face as the chicken glared at her A bright red flash from the chicken’s eyes beam over the mare along with a faint sizzling sound. Rhede instinctively turned his head, feeling the energy pouring out of the creature. He looked, back his eyes widening as the earth pony mare stood as she was, laughing and pointing at him, frozen in stone.

“Oh buck me… It’s not a giant chicken; its a giant cockatrice!”

The statement seemed to alert the giant white bird that there was something else here. It focused its attention on Rhede, crying out and charging towards him.

“Oh buck.”

Rhede turned and ran away, dodging between the cages as a very large angry bird slammed its beak into the ground where he had been, snipping off several of his tail hairs in the process.

“Velkorn! A little help... you better not be laughing at me because of this!”

A whistle sounded from behind one of the large cages. Rhede tore past it, spotting a small door on the other side of the cavern. He made a beeline for it, the door opening as he approached. He charged in, hearing it slam shut behind him along with the sizzling of the bird’s eye beams as the door and most of the wall behind them turned to the same stone the mare was now.

“Oh you are kidding me.”

[“Quite the interesting thing, is it not? I have never seen one of that size before, nor with an ability to turn anything to stone. Dangerous, for sure, but watching you run from an oversized chicken shall amuse me for years.”]

Rhede snorted.

[“Yes, thank you for that. We need to find a way out of here; I don't think that thing can get out the tunnel we came down, and some of those other cages were rather large, too. There's got to be another way to get out of here.”]

Velkorn pulls back the hood and stepps out of the darkness, shaking open another light to look around the room they were in. Clearly an armory, if a mostly empty one; spears, giant axes, swords and a multitude of other weapons, both personal and siege, covered the walls and sat around on the floor. There were quite a number of empty racks, however, and most of the weapons that were left seemed in need of repairs.

[“Hmm… Well, we could always kill it with that ballista there.”]

[“It is a wild animal. A dangerous one, yes, but just a wild animal. I would prefer not killing it if we are able. Come; there is a door against this wall. Let us see if we have any answers to find yet.”]

[“Fine, but if that thing turns you to stone, I have no idea how I am gonna fix it.”]

[“I am sure you will find a way.”]

The pair trot to the door, pushing it open slowly before slipping past it. Another large chamber just like the first opened up before them. There were no cages here, and next to the small door they left, further down the wal,l was a massive, and thankfully closed, door that lead back to where the cockatrice was.

[“Huh. How did I miss that?”]

[“The giant chicken probably distracted you.”]

Tracks covered the floor of the room: quite a few pony, some that appeared to be Diamond Dog, and some that were Griffon. The vast majority, however, Rhede did not recognize. Following the tracks lead them to the other side of the cavern, and another massive door that remained slightly ajar. A few smaller doors were along the same wall as the large one and the pair moved to investigate them first.

Rhede started checking at one end, finding little more than barren supply rooms and private quarters. Velkorn gallopped to the other side, working back towards him, checking the rooms and looking for anything incriminating or even useful.

[“RHEDE!”]

The earth pony darted out of the room, dashing to where Velkorn was backpedaling out of a room. He gazed into the dark room, seeing the dim glow of the zebra medic's light showing a few piles of debris and a large opening in the floor. He was about to ask what happened when the smell of a charnel house hit his nose, making him gag and nearly vomit. Velkorn was already revisiting her lunch at this point and had moved away from the room.

He pulls his cloak over his muzzle, stepping slowly forward on three hooves to peer into the hole. Velkorn's light was on the floor next to a fairly large waste pit. Random garbage and papers lay around the edge of the hole. The smell was strongest from the pit and the red glow of burning embers aided in the light at the bottom of the hole. A glance up showed a rather large tunnel leading straight up with a small patch of light at the top that had to be the surface.

He glances back down into the hole, hearing Velkorn once again empty the contents of her stomach on the floor outside. For something to have shaken the zebra medic this badly, he was not sure he wanted to know what she had seen. He trotted over to the light, looking down at the glowing embers and trying to breathe though his mouth as he picked up the light, holding it over the pit.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to see past the glow just under his chin, but when he did, he regretted it.
Bleu was right again. She had found the foals, or at least what they had become.

Blackened corpses with little flesh remaining lay at the bottom of the wide pit. In spots, the fire had burned all the way down to the bottom of the stone pit, likely a magical flame meant to burn away everything, but in their rush to hide what they had done, the spell was cast improperly and bodies still remained. Small mangled bodies that did not seem to even be fully ponies any more lay among the bodies of what seemed to have once been Diamond Dogs and Griffons.

Rhede closed his eyes, his teeth clenching on the jar’s lid before he spit it out onto the floor and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him, breathing deeply of the cleaner air. Velkorn was pressed against the wall, a puddle of mess at her front hooves.

He glanced her way and growled lightly.

[“Come on; I have seen more than enough. Let’s open that big door and find out where they went. Someone is going to pay for this, be it Oroboros or Luna.”]

Velkorn nodded and the pair gallopped over and out of the slightly ajar great door, following the tracks.

======================================

“I find that a little hard to believe, Bleu. That you would believe rumors and gossip over your friend is rather disheartening.”

“BOSS, would you bucking listen!? I know what the difference between what was said and what I saw. I don't even know if
Luna has anything to do with it, but something like this she must have known about. Those Hollow Shade ponies are her current favorite pets, after all.”

“I do not like them, either, but what you suggest goes from treasonous into the profane. And you bring the Princess's name into it as if you are accusing her directly.”

The little dragon swore up a storm, glaring at the unicorn as her tail whipped angrily. He could tell she was pissed off, but he was a little mad as well to have her blaming the Princess for anything. If it was anyone else, he likely would have decked them by now. Perhaps it was just jealousy or a way of getting attention. He had been spending a great deal of time with the Princess as of late. Still, to come up with something like this was a little over the top. He sighed, looking to the pegasus that came along with her.

“And what do you think about all this, Starfall?”

“Honestly, a great deal points to the Hollow Shade group being bad news. I am also sure something is going on. I will hold my final judgment until Rhede and Velkorn return from checking it out, however...”

“See, that is a bit easier to deal with. Just calm down. Luna allowed them to set up shop down there in order to try and convince and placate the prisoners and coerce them to fight for Equestria. Perhaps what you saw was little more than a excessive example of that. A prisoner put to too much torture perhaps. I will believe that before I would believe Luna allowed this sort of thing to go on under her nose.”

“I SAID, HOWEVER, GENERAL, AS IF I HAVE MORE TO SAY, NOT ‘FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ME LIKE A BUCKING LOVESTRUCK FOAL‘!”

Jer'rahd blinked, glaring at Starfall, who returned the look without so much as a flinch. “Fine then, continue.”

“All I have left to say is that someone is making new half-dragons, and the book Bleu retrieved is quite damning evidence for Oroboros anyway.”

“What book?”

“Rhede called it the Book of the Blue, Discord’s book. If I am not mistaken, that was the one we went into the Darklands for, the book of a mad beast.”

Jer'rahd turned his head, looking at the fiercely-nodding Bleu.

“Where is this book?”

Starfall sighs.

“Rhede has it as well.”

“So as you said then: we wait for Rhede. I am curious what he has to say, though I am sure it will be little more than
confirming what you have said is misinformation.”

Starfall was about to comment, as was the annoyed Bleu, when the door to the study burst open and Lion Heart rushed into the room, panting hard as he galloped towards the small group.

“Have you not heard of knocking, Captain?”

“My apologizes, sir, but this is an emergency! Ponyville is under attack!”

Jer'rahd's blood ran cold at the thought, his armor instinctively covering his form as the others stared at the half-dragon, mouths agape.

“I want every available solider on their way to Ponyville now! Starfall, take your pegasi and get there fast. Hold off who ever is attacking as best you can till the rest of us get there. Captain, who is attacking? The Dogs? Griffons?”

Lion Heart swallowed hard as they all looked at him. The group seemed to be getting more and more pissed the more he delayed.

“Well, Captain?”

“We are, sir. The Lunar Republic is attacking Ponyville.”

Twilight gasped, pulling back into the real world and coughing. The smell of the pit still felt like it lingered in her nose. She panted, trying hard to hold back the contents of her stomach.

“Twilight! Are you okay!?”

Spike rushed over to her, clearly worried, though he still offered a glare of menace at the blade.

“I'm fine, Spike. It’s just… Sometimes, what I see in the spell is a little too much for my senses.”

“From what you've written so far, there's a lot of stuff that went on back then that shouldn't be brought up nowadays.”

“It’s a far cry from torture and bloody combat to what I just saw.”

“Why? What did you see?”

Twilight closed her eyes and sat back onto her rump. When she opened them again, there was a steely look of anger in her gaze.

“If all the signs I am seeing are correct, Spike, what I see is that Luna should be sealed in stone along with the others.”