Memories

by HuskSummers

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Wonderbolts, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure
Length: 53907

Memories make up who we are, but are they all worth remembering?

A stallion wakes to the Main Six ponies standing around him. He doesn't know them, and the only memories he has are blurs of sound and light. The Main Six take it upon themselves to help him regain his memories while making some of their own. During it all, there is an ongoing war between a race of wolves called the Lupine, and the Griffons. This war threatens to spill over into the heart of Equestria as Princess Celestia works to bring both sides to a peaceful solution. As the war and his memories gain strength, he may find that sometimes you are better off starting over.

Rated T just in case...you never know what I might write. Cover Image is up!

Just a disclaimer...I have a bit of an idea where this is going, but it is one of my fan fictions and as such it usually is written on the fly, and without a great deal of planning. This is because what feels right to me one day may feel completely wrong the next.

I am an experienced fan fiction writer in other fandoms, but this is my first foray into My Little Pony fan fiction. As such, please be harsh...I like constructive criticism, so if you have an opinion on my writing please post a comment!

Published 2012-04-12 14:24:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-10-26 01:11:17 UTC

My name is...

Quick Author's Note: Yes this chapter is fairly short, and no you shouldn't expect short chapters like this from me. This is purposely short as it is a simply an intro type chapter. I assure you that the following chapters will be much longer.

The voices above me were full of concern. I couldn’t yet comprehend what they were saying. It was as if the voices were coming from far off with the ponies responsible speaking in a barely audible tones. Slowly they became louder and more focused, and I noticed that my ears had been ringing before.

“Rainbow Dash, you should really pay more attention when you’re flying.” The voice came from my immediate left. It hinted at intelligence and a bit of authority, and was obviously a mare’s voice. I could tell that I was on my right side, and my head was rested on the grass.

“He came out of nowhere! I never even saw him!” Another voice spoke in defense. Rainbow Dash is what she’d been called. I could tell she was another mare simply from the voice, but there was something in it…a brashness. She spoke from a position directly above my head. My head was pounding at this point, my back and right foreleg let didn’t feel much better.

“Oh! I hope the poor dear didn’t get hurt too badly!” A fairly loud voice said. It seemed like the sort of thing I imagined a well-to-do pony would say. This voice was near the end of my tail, and it had a little ring to it. This pony was yet another mare.

“Ah think he’ll be fine, he’s an Earth Pony, but it does look as if Rainbow Dash did a number on him.” This voice was one that seemed to resonate inside me. There was something about it that was so familiar to me, but I can’t pin it down. Once again the voice was that of a mare. She was standing somewhere between the first and the third ponies off to my left.

“Maybe we can have a party when he gets better! It can be a…a You’re All Better Celebration!” A very energetic mare exclaimed. This was the voice of someone who was always happy, or so it seemed to me. She was situated near my tail to the right. The others either ignored her or were waiting to respond later, because none spoke to her.

“We sh-should help him. I-I mean if we can…” The soft voice trailed off. It seemed sad and concerned. The voice of someone who hated to see others hurt. Once again it was a mare, and this one was quiet. She was standing near my face, and in the direction my face was pointed. By this point my right foreleg had gone from throbbing softly to waves of intense pain, yet I withstood it. That was, until one particularly sharp stab of pain.

That was the moment my eyes shot open. The expression in them must have been extremely frightening, because the young mare in front of me stumbled back a few paces. She was a Pegasus with a soft yellow coat and a pink mane and tail.
She squeaked as she cowered back. My only reaction was a groan from the pain, and I rolled over. I saw each of the six ponies situated around me as I did this, but the sudden movement brought a new wave of pain to my head.

“He’s hurt pretty bad. We should take him into town to get help.” The purple mare, a unicorn, now in front of my face, said. I wasn’t too happy about that, I had pride, that much I knew, and I wasn’t about to let a bunch of mares carry me to town. So, with great effort, I start to stand. I almost made it too, but the pain in my leg was too much and I collapsed to the ground, exhausted from the effort and the pain.

“Whoa there sugarcube…you ain’t ready to tackle walkin’ jus yet.” The tan mare with the cowboy hat told me in amusement. This much was now obvious to me, but I didn’t state that. I didn’t want my irritation at being hurt to come across as irritation at her or any of the others. “Stallions…stubborn as mules sometimes.” She commented to no one in particular

“Well being stubborn is good! If you’re not stubborn you can't be tough enough to be cool!” The one called Rainbow Dash spoke up. I tilted my head slightly to get a good look at the mare. She was a Pegasus, and she had a light blue coat with a surprising rainbow of colors in her mane and tail. Once I saw her, I let my head drop back into place. It was too much effort to hold it up. I was surprised by the next speaker. It was the quiet one I’d scared upon opening my eyes.

“T-Twilight?” I heard her ask softly.

“Yes Fluttershy?” The purple unicorn responded kindly.

“T-town is too far. M-my home is closest.” She quietly managed to say. I watched as Twilight nodded. She seemed to see the sense in it, and that was good, because the pain in my leg was making most everything hard for me to comprehend.

“That’s a good idea Fluttershy.” Twilight told the soft-spoken Pegasus. “We’re going to get you some help, okay?” The pain at this point was causing my vision to blur, and to keep from groaning again I simply nodded slowly. “Also, what’s your name? Just so we know what to call you.” Twilight asked me in a voice that was genuinely curious and concerned at the same time. I gritted my teeth, preparing for the chore that speaking would be.

“My name is…” And with that I passed into the pitch black of unconsciousness. I was alone in the dark with only the memories of the six mares standing around me to keep me company.

What can you remember?

I have to say thank you all....I really can't believe that I received 20 favorites from just the first chapter. Especially considering the first chapter was barely 1000 words long. You all really surprised me, and that's a good thing. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. It's much longer than the last, as promised.

Please C&C if you have any criticism to give. I enjoy reading what others think, and it helps me to become a better writer. Quick disclaimer: This was finished at 1am, and as such it probably has errors that I missed in proof reading. If you find any feel free to point them out so I may fix them.

I woke with the feeling that I’d been hit by a train. In case anypony was wondering, it wasn’t the most pleasant of sensations. I could tell I was no longer outside. My back was aching, my head pounding, and my front right leg was hurting. The pain was much less noticeable than before I’d passed out, but it was still there. I was a little groggy, but my head wasn’t as plagued by the pain as it was before, so I was able to think fairly clearly. This improvement in my clarity of thought led me to notice that my leg was wrapped tightly in what felt like cloth bandages. That meant I’d been treated.
It took me a few seconds to register that there were voices in the room with me. That they were the same ones from before was obvious though.

“I wrapped his leg as w-well as I could. It’s probably broken…it seems that way at least. His head needed bandages too after I cleaned the b-blood out of his mane. I-I just hope he’ll be okay.” I heard the voice of Fluttershy tell somepony. She seemed so unsure of herself with the way she spoke, but if she had indeed done the bandaging, it felt like solid work. It wasn’t too tight, but it was tight enough to restrict movement. The fact that I had bandages on my head didn’t register when she spoke this, and it didn’t register for quite some time. This annoyed me slightly as I dislike being unable to move in a normal fashion.

“You did a great job Fluttershy. I’m sure he’ll be just fine. Why don’t you take a break and eat something. If he wakes up you’ll know.” This came from the one they called Twilight. At this point I opened my eyes. I didn’t let them shoot open as they had before, because I didn’t want to scare Fluttershy like before. As I opened my eyes I noticed that Twilight and Fluttershy were standing next to the sofa I was on and I could see the others in the next room. Twilight and Fluttershy were still talking so they didn’t notice that I’d opened my eyes. I closed my eyes again so they wouldn’t notice.

“I-I don’t know Twilight. I think I sh-should be here to help when he wakes up.” Fluttershy responded quietly. Twilight however would have none of it.

“You’ve been taking care of him for the past couple of hours. You really need a little rest and food. I’ll come get you as soon as he wakes up.” After this response I definitely wasn’t going to open my eyes. If she’d been taking care of me for that long she definitely needed to eat, and I wasn’t going to keep her from that.

“Okay…” With that I listened as Fluttershy slowly walked out of the room. As soon as she was gone Twilight turned her attention to me. Even if I couldn’t see it, it felt like her eyes were looking right through me, analyzing me, trying to figure me out.

“Who are you?” She asked quietly. It seemed like she was asking herself, and I was supposed to be asleep, so I didn’t answer. Instead I let her mull that question over in her mind. At the same time I pondered it. I thought long and hard, bits and pieces of light and sound flashed through my mind. A distinct scream from a remote corner of my conscience went through my mind, but nothing came with it. I knew my name. That was the moment I realized that my name was the only thing I could remember clearly. This bit of information made me forget all about trying to act like I was sleeping. I sat straight up on the couch I had been laying on. Twilight took a step back as I did so, but she kept her composure.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe.” She reassured me. I just stared at her. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. Then I registered the spike of pain in my leg and I lifted it off the floor. That made it better, but I was still having trouble comprehending. “Who are you?” She repeated her question. This time it had actually been addressed to me, so I guess it was the first time she really asked the question.

“I’m Dohi Waya…it means Peaceful Wolf. You can call me Waya, or Wolf, or whatever you prefer.” I answered calmly. The translation came to me as I spoke. I couldn’t stop it from coming out. She seemed intrigued by this information, and she waited for more. When I didn’t offer anything else up I could see a bit of disappointment in her eyes. Even as I analyzed her she was doing the same to me. I searched her violet eyes with my gray ones for clues to her disposition. I had gray eyes…at least I’m remembering something, I thought with what I knew was false hope.

“Well Waya, I’m Twilight Sparkle. You can call me Twilight. We’re at Fluttershy’s house. She’s the Pegasus who treated your injuries.” I nodded as she explained all of this. I knew it all, I had remembered what they said before, but she was obviously making sure I knew about my situation. That softened me up a bit more towards her. She was trying her best to make me comfortable, even if there was no way I could be comfortable at the moment. I decided to drop a hint that I had been awake when she was talking to Fluttershy.

“You should probably let Fluttershy eat, especially with how long she’s been taking care of me.” As I spoke I saw understanding in her eyes. She now knew that I had been awake before I sat up. I continued after a few seconds of silence, “I feel bad for scaring her earlier. She seems really nice.” I simply spoke what was on my mind. I couldn’t think of much else to say other than that. Twilight nodded her head in agreement with my statement.

“She’s a sweet one, but she’s very shy. She was probably already scared of you before that happened, if only because you’re a stranger. But if there is one thing about her, it’s that she takes care of ponies and animals that need her. Like you.” Her description of Fluttershy made sense, but it also seemed slightly conflicting. It had to take an unbelievable amount of courage to help somepony you were afraid of. I nodded my head in understanding, and we sat in silence for a minute or two. The only sounds were those of animals outside and the others in the next room. Their muffled voices were almost soothing to me for some reason, but I couldn’t pin down why. At that point I noticed the bandage around my head. I don’t know why it took me that long to notice it, but it did. I obviously didn’t know very much at that moment.

Finally Twilight spoke again, “Where are you from Waya?” I knew she would ask this question, and many others to boot, but it still struck me hard when she did. I thought for a minute, trying my best to remember where I lived…to remember anything. Once again all I got was a crashing mess of light and sound, nothing jumped out into distinction. I gave up, resigned to the fact that it may be quite a while before I knew anything important about myself.

“I-I don’t know…I don’t know” I managed to say as I hung my head. This was going to be hard, and I didn’t know if I would be able to stand through it all, especially since I knew nopony at all. After a few moments of silence I looked up at Twilight again. She was still studying me, but her gaze had softened. She looked around after a moment and then spoke. Next, trying to maybe give my memory a jolt she asked about a few towns and cities.

“Well, I’ve never seen you around Ponyville, so that means you must be from out of town. Maybe Fillydelphia? Canterlot? Maybe Trotsdale…it’s a nice town like Ponyville, and they have their own ruler, Empress Aurora, she’s very benevolent.” It was a vain attempt, because nothing she said jogged my memory. I just shook my head at each one. Even the description of Trotsdale didn’t seem familiar to me. I knew all the names, but none of them struck me as home. The concern grew on Twilight’s face as I shook my head. She was obviously worried about who I was, and maybe what I was as well.

“I’m going to tell the others you’re awake. Fluttershy will have finished her meal by now, and everypony will want to see you. Is that okay?” I nodded assent even though I didn’t need to. She was being polite and she didn’t have to be. She could have just as easily told me what was going to happen and acted on her own whims. She turned and went into the other room. I watched her as she spoke to them. I couldn’t hear what she said, but I did hear the very energetic pony.

“He’s awake!” She shouted. Her voice irritated me, but I wouldn’t say that, it would have been wrong to do so.

“Pinkie!” I heard Twilight shush the other pony. Amazingly the hyper one wasn’t the first one in the room, instead it was Fluttershy. She walked into the room slowly as the others followed close behind.

“H-How are you feeling?” She asked in a barely audible voice. I smiled, trying to show I was nicer than I seemed before.

“A lot better now that you fixed me up.” I answered her. It was an honest answer, if not slightly embellished. In truth the physical pain was quite a bit better, but I still had so much racing through my mind that it was hard to say I was feeling great. Fluttershy just blushed and dropped her head to let her hair cover her face. “I’m Dohi Waya by the way. You can call me Waya. I really can’t thank you enough for taking care of me like you did.” This was an attempt to bring her out to speak a bit, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on her as she merely took a step back and mumbled something to her hooves.

Twilight stepped forward to help her, and said, “Well Waya, let’s introduce you to everypony. This is Applejack.” She gestured to the light brown Earth pony wearing the cowboy hat.

“Howdy sugarcube.” Applejack nodded to me. Her voice struck me as so familiar I almost lost focus. She was an Earth pony though, so that meant she was like me. I nodded to her to say hello. I wasn’t the most vocal pony. I had come to notice this since I had woken up. It just didn’t feel right to talk much.

“This is Pinkie Pie.” Twilight motioned to the pink pony that was bouncing up and down repeatedly. She must have been the one who yelled in the other room. This was confirmed when she spoke.

“I’m just so happy to meet you! We’re going to be great friends! What’s with your odd name? I wish I had a name like yours! No, wait…I like Pinkie Pie…I don’t want to change my name! Silly me! OH I KNOW! Let’s sing a song! My name is Pi-“ She started to sing, but was cut off by Twilight.

“Pinkie! You can sing later! He still has to meet everypony else…” She told the energetic one. Pinkie just sat down and nodded in agreement. I could tell she was busting to sing though, and I was worried about how long she’d be able to hold her excitement in.

“To answer your question Pinkie, my name means Peaceful Wolf. So I guess you can call me Wolf or any mix of my name.” I spoke to the entire group instead of just to Pinkie. It was relevant to all of them, so I thought it only right to speak to them all.

The next pony introduced was a stunning Unicorn. “This is Rarity.” Twilight said as Rarity took a step forward.

“Oh Darling, I’m so glad to see you’re doing a little better. It would have been just awful had you been hurt worse.” She seemed a little exaggerated in her manner, but still genuine despite that fact. I smiled and nodded to her.

“This Pegasus,” Twilight motioned to the light blue, rainbow maned Pegasus, “is Rainbow Dash. She was the one who flew into you…at excessive speeds.” The Pegasus pony just smiled sheepishly as she stepped forward. She didn’t seem to have a scratch on her. She must have been built like a tank to run through me and not get hurt. I was almost twice her size.

“Hey I’m sorry about that, but you just kinda appeared out of nowhere! It was probably one of the coolest crashes ever though.” She told me. I took that as the apology it was meant to be, and I responded.

“It’s okay.” My answer was to the point. I knew she was sorry, even if she didn’t exactly show it. With that Twilight turned to Fluttershy.

“You already know who I am, and you know Fluttershy too, but I’ll introduce her anyways. This is Fluttershy.” Her introduction just served to make Fluttershy shrink even more. I watched her in wonder at how such a shy pony could have been the one to patch me up.

“Fluttershy…thank you again for taking care of me.” I told her in the hopes she may say something. While I waited for a response I turned to the others and said, “Thank you all. I don’t know what to say. You all helped me, a complete stranger.”

“It’s jus what we do sugarcube.” Applejack responded first. Her voice was still nagging at the back of my mind, but I figured it would until I remembered something. The others pitched in as well, and then we sat around in silence for a minute or two.

“Well, again, I thank y’all, but I really don’t want to intrude any longer. I best be going.” I told them as I stood up, but before I could take a step I was pushed back into my seat by Applejack.

“Oh no you don’t! The only way you’re leaving here is if we take you to Nurse Redheart.” She stubbornly told me. At this comment Fluttershy jumped up.

“No!" Her sudden outburst surprised me, but she became unsure of herself in an instant, " I-I mean he can’t go. I still have to make sure he’s okay. He’s my patient and…” Her voice trailed off as she realized what was happening. She proceeded to whimper and retreat back to where she had previously been laying. I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions for her. Her shyness made me cringe for her, because I could relate since I didn’t know anypony at the moment. The fact that she’d helped me made me feel indebted to her and the rest of them as well.

Then there were the other ponies. They were all so kind, and doing their best to make me feel comfortable. There was Applejack who was probably more stubborn than I was, and the same seemed to go for Rainbow Dash. She seemed to want to fly outside in the worst way, but she was taking the time to sit there with the rest of us. Twilight was caring, but also analyzing. She never seemed to stop doing that. Then came Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Rarity was kind, and Pinkie was over the top energetic. She was even bouncing in her spot on the floor.

Finally though, I rounded out the group. The lone colt. The pony who remembered next to nothing. It was as if Twilight read my thoughts, and she took a big risk in offending me by asking her next question. Evidently the risk was worth the reward. I wouldn’t go off on her, and she must have sensed this. It wouldn’t be fitting, especially after she and her friends helped me(even if Rainbow Dash caused the injuries in the first place). The question rang in my ears for days to come.

“What can you remember?”

Before any of you ask in the comments, Waya's name comes from the language of the Tsalagi Nation. They are commonly known as the Cherokee Indians, but they call themselves Tsalagi, and I respect their culture in a way that I often refer to them as Tsalagi. This choice of language for his name was easy for me to make, mainly because I am a little familiar with it due to it being part of my ancestry. It will also be key to the plot later on...look for it :D

Waya's not a wolf Dashie!

No real author's note this time. Just keep giving me that C&C, because It's extremely helpful! Y'all really make me feel good merely by reading this!

Twilight’s question was an interesting one. It took me only a few moments to answer it, but it nevertheless made me think.

“All I remember is my name. The rest is a mix of colors flying by and sounds. There will be a small moment of clarity in the sound or sights every so often, but nothing that jumps out at me.” I spoke dejectedly. I was disturbed by the fact that I knew nothing about myself. I’d essentially lost my life, or at least my identity.

“Well, I could try a spell. I don’t know how well it would work though.” Twilight suggested. Her tone unnerved me a bit. She was unsure and nervous. I looked to the others to see what their thoughts were. Fluttershy was still staring at her hooves. Applejack was thinking. Rainbow Dash seemed bored. Pinkie was still bouncing up and down without saying anything, and Rarity eyes were wide.

“Twilight…Do you mean the memory spell? Could it really work?” Rarity gasped her questions out. Her tone seemed exaggerated, but this may actually have been a time where it was necessary. Then Applejack nodded her head.

“It seems like the only option to me.” She said in approval of the idea. Well, she was right. There was no other option, so I decided I was going to let her try.

“Okay…It can’t hurt to try.” I agreed with them. With that Twilight stepped towards me and her horn started glowing. She touched her horn to my forehead, and suddenly memories went flying by. A black mare with a flowing starry mane and tail being struck by a rainbow of magic. A similar rainbow hitting a Draconequus and turning him to stone. Many images of the six ponies in front of me flashed by in all sorts of events. I understood the context of each and every memory.
When it finally ended my head hurt immensely, and Twilight anxiously asked, “Did it work?” I could feel the apprehension in her voice. I couldn’t respond at first though. It was too much, too fast, and I had to let my brain catch up. Once it had I responded.

“It worked, but not how you intended. None of the memories I have are mine.” The faces of all the ponies in the room fell a bit at the news. I felt Twilight needed a better explanation though, “You actually gave me all of the memories of your friendship. I saw all of you fight Nightmare Moon, and Discord. So many other scenes were there as well.” I paused for a second trying to collect my thoughts. Once I figured I knew what to say I continued, “I saw Rainbow Dash perform the Sonic Rainboom. I watched as Applejack tried to harvest an entire orchard of apples on her own. There are others, but my mind is having trouble processing it all.” Twilight was even more concerned after listening to me.

“I was worried it wouldn’t work. I must need to have memories of you to remind you of them. That was the only way I could think of to help revive your memories.” Twilight didn’t let her unhappiness show on her face, but it came through in her voice just plain. I didn’t want all of them to be disappointed in the fact that they couldn’t revive my memories. I shook my head, as if that would bring my memories back, and it obviously didn’t. All I managed to achieve was making myself unsteady. This caused me to lay down on the couch. Fluttershy jumped up and ran to my side as it happened.

“Oh…he needs his rest. He’s still weak….and we don’t know the last time he’s eaten.” She told the others as she put one of her hooves to my forehead. The cooling touch felt good. “He has a fever too. I-I need to get him some ice.” She hurried out of the room and came back with a pack of ice. The site must have been a familiar one for the others to see, because they all smiled a bit as she yellow Pegasus took care of me.

“Thank you Fluttershy.” I spoke up to her as she situated the pack on my head. She backed up a step as soon as she was satisfied with the placement of the pack.

“You’re..um…welcome.” She replied softly before turning around and going back into the other room.

“Is she always as caring as this? For that matter are you all always like this? Y’all are helping a complete stranger.” I asked the rest of them when she was out of the room. Pinkie was the last one I was expecting a response from, but she was obviously busting to speak, and speak she did.

“Silly Waya! You’re not a stranger! You’re a friend we just met!” Pinkie chimed as she continued to bounce. Her excessive energy was quite astounding, what seemed even more surprising was she wasn’t tiring at all. Twilight smiled at Pinkie’s answer and then offered one of her own.

“Pinkie’s right...whether you think so or not, you’re now our friend, and friends help friends. So, to answer your question, yes, we are all normally like this. Fluttershy is usually shyer, but you’re hurt and as I said before, she dislikes seeing others hurt.” As she finished the others nodded their agreement. I smiled at all this attention. I couldn’t pin down why, but this felt different, as if it was something I hadn’t experienced before. Fluttershy came back into the room with a sandwich. It looked to be dandelions and lettuce, and it smelled so good.

I sat up, holding the ice pack so it wouldn’t fall, as she approached. I smiled as she handed me the sandwich. She really was a sweet pony, and I appreciated her taking care of me. “Eat all of that…if you can that is.” She had tried to be assertive, but she lost her confidence again for some reason. She was taking care of me though, so I would listen to her. I probably would listen to her even if she wasn’t taking care of me. I would have felt bad otherwise.

“We’ll leave so you can eat without us watching. I know someponies don’t like to be watched as they eat. Come on guys.” Twilight left the room and the rest followed, except for Fluttershy. She stayed to make sure I ate all of the food, and I did. It was good, and I was starved.

“Thank you for the food. It was really good.” I told her. She smiled a bit, something she hadn’t done yet, but it was only a quick smile, and it faded even quicker than it appeared. The food had relieved my dizziness, and with it I felt strong enough to stand. As I started to stand, Fluttershy’s eyes widened.

“Oh…no…please don’t. You need your rest.” I stopped halfway between standing and sitting as she pleaded with me to sit back down. If I didn’t sit down she was likely to have a nervous breakdown, or at least that was the way it seemed. Maybe she was just acting. If she was, she had an amazing talent for it.

Either way, I ended up sitting back down. “Oh…good. You really do need to be careful.” She told me. It was as if she hadn’t expected me to sit back down. I was stubborn, but I wasn’t about to give her fits just because I wanted to stand. We sat in silence for a few minutes. The others were surprisingly quiet in the other room. That made me think they were eavesdropping, but I let the thought pass. It didn’t matter if they were, because I was the one they were helping. I would let Fluttershy get mad if she wanted to, but judging from her behavior so far I doubted that would happen. Fluttershy finally spoke again, “I guess I’ll go tell the others you’re done eating now.” There was a flurry of movement in the other room as she said this. That assured me the others had been listening in on our conversation, and it even made me chuckle a bit.

She left the room and returned with the others. They stood quiet for a few moments, but I had to say something. “Fluttershy?” I turned to her as she lifted her head

“Um…yes Waya?” She responded timidly. I almost felt bad that I was going to ask her what I wanted to, but I had to.

“Would you be willing to let me stretch my legs and walk around the room?” I wanted her permission, because I didn’t want to distress her anymore than she already seemed to be. She was quiet for a minute, but responded.

“If you want to…I guess it would be okay, but you…um…you should have someone help you.” She assented. I was happy she did, because my legs were tight. Applejack came forward to help.

“Ah’ll help him. He’s no bigger than Big Macintosh and I’ve had to keep him from falling before.” She told everyone. I didn’t know who Big Macintosh was, but if he was around my size than me I trusted her. I stood up slowly, my legs were wobbly under me. It was as if I had to relearn how to walk. Slowly, and with plenty of pain, I put one hoof in front of the other and started to walk around the room with Applejack at my side. “There you go. Now you’re movin’.” She said as she smiled. I looked at her and noticed she had a lot of freckles, more than anypony else in the room. It was such an ordinary thing to notice, but I was still struck by it. As I did this, however, I stumbled. She quickly moved in front of me to keep me from falling forward. I didn’t quite fall, but I came close to it. “Whoa there…Ah guess Ah spoke a bit early.” She laughed softly. I could feel my face start to darken from embarrassment. We took one last lap around the room before I sat back down on the couch.

“Thank you Applejack. I feel much better now.” I told her, and she tipped her hat. It made me smile, I don’t know why, but it did. They were all so kind. I knew that whatever happened from that point on, I would be indebted to them all, especially Fluttershy, Twilight, and Applejack. Those three seemed the most interested in helping me. This isn’t saying that the others weren’t interested in helping, but the first three seemed the most distressed over my current state.

I was about to say something else when Twilight suddenly raised her head. “I know…We’ll take you to Princess Celestia. As soon as you’re better we can go. If anypony knows what to do it’ll be the Princess!” She was obviously extremely excited over having thought of this new idea, because she started to bounce almost as much as Pinkie was still managing. That pony didn’t seem to run out of energy.

I smiled to Twilight and said, “Well if you think it’ll help, then I’m all for it.” Then I thought about Celestia. That name was so familiar. I saw an image of the Princess from the memories Twilight had given me. She looked so familiar too, but it didn’t seem to be from what Twilight had shown me. It went further back than that. I crinkled my brow trying to figure out how I knew the Princess before that, but I couldn’t. I snapped back to attention as soon as Applejack noticed the expression on my face.

“Is there somethin’ on your mind sugarcube?” She asked in her friendly accent. I smiled and shook my head. There was no need bothering them with something that they would put off to the Princess being the Princess.

“Yeah I’m fine. Just a little confused.” I told her. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t a straightforward answer either. I wasn’t comfortable with it, but it looked as if I’d be doing a lot of it if I was going to keep them from becoming worried about me. Twilight had been deep in thought during this exchange. That was obvious by the expression on her face. She snapped out of it and her eyes widened.

“I hope the Princess will be able to see us…I can’t believe I forgot about her talks with the Lupine and Griffon leaders.” This made my eyes widen. That name, the Lupine, was familiar as well. It was so familiar it hurt not being able to remember. I had to ask to keep myself from going crazy.

“Who are the Lupine? I know the Griffons, but who are the Lupine, and why is the Princess speaking with both groups?” I asked Twilight. I knew if anybody had the answer it was her. She thought for a moment before answering. I could only guess she was trying to figure out how to best put it.

“The Lupine is what the Wolves of the North named themselves. They’re a very war-like race. They bow to Celestia’s rule, but it hasn’t always been that way.” Twilight started and I could tell this was going to be an interesting and extensive story. “You see, the Lupine worship the moon. It is key to their way of life. When Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago and tried to steal the throne from Princess Celestia, the Lupine rose in rebellion as well. To them Luna was the Princess they worshipped, because she controlled the moon, and they would follow her anywhere.” Twilight obviously knew this story well. Maybe it was because of her involvement in stopping Nightmare Moon when she returned, but the reason didn’t matter. All that mattered was she knew the story.

“They are a very loyal race. Even though they love Luna better, they have always fiercely protected Equestria whenever it has come under attack during Celestia’s rule. However, with Luna’s return there have been rumors…” Everypony in the room was silent, captivated by the tale she was telling. “There are rumors that the Lupine might be ready to rebel again. You see, when they rebelled the first time, Celestia did not take kindly to it. She forced their leaders into exile, and required the rest to accept her reign. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, but something she was forced to do.” This story was so familiar to me, but it felt wrong as well. I could almost tell the story along with her.

“ They accepted her rule, and those who didn’t were exiled. But being the war-like race that they are, they have almost always been fighting one race or another. Their current war is with the Griffons over a dispute about land ownership. The Lupine believe they are entitled to the land that was stripped from them after the first rebellion. This land was given to the Griffons for their loyal service to Celestia in putting down the rebellion.” Her explanation of the conflict seemed wrong to me for some reason, but I let it pass without comment.

Twilight continued explaining it after a moment’s pause, “This fight has been going on for centuries, off and on. Mainly small fights here and there, but they are still fighting. Now however, there has been an escalation in the amount of fighting. This type of chaos is something I thought only Discord could sow, but apparently the Lupine are capable as well. So, now the Princess is trying to resolve this dispute diplomatically, just as she has every time in the past. Only this time the Lupine aren’t as willing to listen.” Everything she said about the Lupine made them out to be rather vicious. I didn’t know if it was true, but I felt as if I needed to know a Lupine before I could accept her word. As I was thinking, Twilight seemed to have some sort of revelation of sorts.

“Your name is Peaceful Wolf. Your cutie mark is a paw print” Twilight stated simply. I thought about it, it seemed too big a coincidence, but I didn’t know anything about the Lupine.

“I don’t know why my cutie mark is a paw print, and I can’t tell you why I was named what I am, but I still remember nothing. Everything you tell me…everything seems familiar, but at the same time none of it does. I can’t pin anything down in my mind. It all moves too fast, none of it slowing enough for me to recall.” I spoke the truth. It hurt me to admit all of it, but I still knew nothing of my past. Rainbow Dash surprised me by speaking next.

“Maybe he’s a wolf in disguise.” She suggested in a half-hearted tone. Pinkie couldn’t resist replying to that comment.

“Waya’s not a wolf Dashie! That’s just his name! First you think Fluttershy’s a tree, and now you think our new friend is a wolf!” She giggled as she spoke to Rainbow Dash. She obviously found it extremely amusing. I raised an eyebrow at the part about Fluttershy. Twilight shook her head and spoke.

“Don’t ask. And she’s right…He’s an earth pony, not a wolf.” Her tone gave me the feeling that she wasn’t all too sure of her statement, but she had to accept it, because there was no evidence that said I was a wolf. Besides I knew in my heart that I was a pony. My heart couldn’t be wrong.

Vivat Nocte

Thank you all for the support! I have enjoyed seeing all of you reading it, and the favorites. This chapter is a little longer than the last couple, but that was necessary to fit all the information I wanted to add. Once again, please give me some constructive criticism, anything is helpful.

Twilight and I looked at each other for a couple of minutes as the others remained silent around us. I could tell we were both trying to think of a way to fix things. At the same time we were both trying to see what was going through the other’s mind. Well, we both must be psychic, or we must have some sort of connection to each other, because at exactly the same moment the same idea popped into our minds.

“I need an alias.” “You need an alias!” We said in unison. Both of us immediately lowered our heads to hide the redness of our cheeks. Everypony else in the room looked slightly shocked at how we had both come to the conclusion simultaneously, well except for Pinkie that is.

“Aliens? Why does he need aliens? We don’t even know if aliens exist Twilight!” Pinkie’s confused voice said. With that the entire room turned to look at her dumbfounded. Then everypony, Fluttershy and I included, started to laugh. She was one baffling pony, and in perfect demonstration of this, Pinkie, being herself, joined along in the laughter, even though I suspected she didn’t know why we were laughing. I probably wasn’t giving her enough credit, but it was the way it seemed to me. Once the laughter died down I decided to correct her.

“Not aliens Pinkie..an alias. It means an alternate identity. Basically it means I need to be a completely different pony.” Twilight opened her mouth right as I began as if she was going to speak, but she closed it immediately. She frowned as I explained, but didn’t say a word. I felt as if I had offended her in some manner. I really didn’t want to make her mad at that moment, because I would need her help if I was to pull off a successful alias. “I need to change my name, and with it my cutie mark…if that’s possible.” I looked to Twilight to see her reaction. If anypony knew a way, it would be her.

“Well, changing your name is easy, but changing your cutie mark will require powerful magic. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it.” She explained to me in a tone that told me she had already forgiven whatever offense I had committed. I understood if she didn’t want to try. It was, of course, her decision. I wasn’t going to push her into it if she didn’t want to do it.

“Well, you don’t have to do this. I am capable of simply changing my name. That might just be enough.” I told her. It could very well be enough, but we wouldn’t know until we attempted a trial. Twilight was analyzing me for almost the hundredth time that night. It was as if I had some secret that she could pry loose simply by staring at me. Slowly she shook her head.

“No, I’ll perform the magic. A simple name change won’t work. You need a completely new identity, and for that you need a new cutie mark. We’ll leave your coat blue and your mane black though. That way you don’t have to give up all of yourself.” She elaborated on the plan. Then she paused in thought for a moment. I smiled at this. It seemed she was always thinking of one thing or another. Her eyes seemed to light up, and she spoke, “I should be able to change your cutie mark easier than I originally thought!” This was good news, and she seemed so proud of having thought of this that I had to suppress a chuckle.

“Okay…I think we should start whenever you’re ready.” I told her, and she nodded. I then continued, “I’ll change my name to Pathfinder for reasons I can’t explain, because I don’t even know why this name came to mind.” It was a confusing experience, having things appear in your mind that you couldn’t explain, or tell why. The others all seemed to agree with the name, so we continued with the process of changing my cutie mark.

“Okay, I’m going to attempt to change your cutie mark now. It shouldn’t be very hard to do…” Twilight told me. Then she started to concentrate. Her horn started to glow purple, and then I felt an odd sensation run down my spine. Suddenly, her horn stopped glowing and she opened her eyes. “Did it work?” She asked tentatively. I looked at my flank, and right where the paw print had previously been was now a forked trail. I turned back to her and moved to show that she had succeeded. “I was trying to make your mark fit your name. I guess I was successful!” She remarked happily.

However, she then became fairly serious. “Everypony…we have to remember not to call him Waya or Wolf while in public. Only call him that when you know nopony else is around. Pathfinder is his name now, so we have to remember to use it.” The others nodded at her, except for Pinkie, who had to comment.

“I liked Waya better! But Pathfinder is great too! I still like Pinkie Pie though, I don’t think I’d ever change my name!” She seemed to bounce around the room as she spoke. The excess amount of hyperactivity in her system was starting to leak out, and it was a sight to both behold and fear. I was worried she might explode from all the energy that seemed built up inside of her.

“Thank you Twilight. I really appreciate your use of your magic to help disguise me.” I bowed my head to her in thanks, and then I turned to address Pinkie. “And thank you Pinkie for your kind words.” I faced the others and thanked them as well, “Truly I must thank you all. I will be forever indebted to each of you, and I can only hope that one day I will be able to repay the favors shown to me today.” It was easy for me to articulate my gratitude. I didn’t have to think of what to say. I simply spoke, and the words seemed to flow of their own accord. It was perplexing, but not unexpected, simply because almost everything I found out about myself surprised me, and I had been getting quite tired of surprises.

“Don’t say another word. You needn’t thank us, because we’re just doing what anypony would do, darling.” Rarity chimed from her spot next to Applejack. It was at that moment that I realized how tired they must all be. They had been watching over me for quite a while. What made me realize this was that Rainbow Dash had suddenly curled up on the floor and promptly fallen asleep. It was getting to be quite dark outside, and I felt bad for all of them. “You really should all get sleep. I know it’s not my place to say so, but I really don’t want all of you to lose sleep over my condition, or for my benefit.” I hoped they would agree, because what I had said was true. I did not want them to lose sleep simply for my sake. Twilight was the one to speak first.

“You’re right, it isn’t your place. But, you are right. I am very tired from the magic I performed today. Please don’t do anything rash tonight Waya. You should listen to what Fluttershy tells you.” Twilight spoke. After her, it was Applejack who spoke.

“You are right. Ah should be getting on back to Sweet Apple Acres to make sure Big Mac put Apple Bloom ta bed. “ Pinkie and Rarity both also said they must be getting home as well, and before they all left they shook Rainbow Dash awake. She drowsily flew out behind the others, grumbling a goodnight, unhappy at having been woken up.

This left only Fluttershy and I, and she quietly said, “I-um-am going to bed. You need to-um-need to sleep. That will help with the healing.” She turned to the bunny that had been roaming about the house all day and called, “Bed time Angel.” The rabbit was a stubborn one though, and he refused to move. I figured that Fluttershy would simply be more forceful with it, but instead she repeated her request. Once again the rabbit didn’t budge. This time, Fluttershy, without raising her voice, repeated her request, but as she did so, she stared it down. This seemed to do the trick, as Angel went off into the other room. Fluttershy smiled to me and then said, “Good night Waya.”

“Good night Fluttershy.” Before I was able to finish she was already out of the room. But she came back in just a few moments and laid a blanket at my hooves. “Thank you…” And once again she was gone. I decided to get comfortable beneath the blanket she provided me, and I let my head rest on the pillow that had been furnished for my head while my lights were out. I tried falling asleep for an hour or so before I gave up the endeavor. There were too many thoughts bouncing around in my head, and the moonlight streaming in through the window was much too enticing.
I sat up and limped my way over to the window. Looking out at the moon calmed me. It was a beautiful night, completely clear, every star in the sky visible, and the moon took center stage. It wasn’t yet a full moon, but it looked to be close. It forced even more thoughts to appear in my mind, and this made me all the more restless.

“I wish I knew who I was. It’s just not right for somepony to have to go through this.” I quietly bemoaned. I was talking to myself, but it didn’t seem all that odd, and I continued, “At least I have the others to help me. Then again, I could save them a lot of trouble by simply disappearing.” This thought was true, but I was having trouble with it. I felt as if I’d offend some amazing ponies if I just left, and I couldn’t do that. However, the temptation to go outside ultimately became too much for me, and I quietly opened the door and hobbled out. I was about to close the door when I heard something behind me. I turned to see Fluttershy standing in the middle of the room. I hadn’t even heard her walk in, so I really didn’t know what she may have heard.

“I knew you were going to leave…” That was all she said. Her tone spoke more than the words did. I wanted to speak, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to hurt her. That was the last thing I’d ever want to do. I had only been going outside for some fresh air, and because the moon was too irresistible to simply view from inside. I noticed a tear starting to well up, and I realized that I had hurt her more than I originally thought. Whether it was her pride, her feelings, or something else I didn’t know. Finally I was able to force myself to speak.

“I wasn’t leaving…I promise you that. I just couldn’t sleep…there’s too much on my mind.” I tried my best to explain why I was going outside, but I felt as if all my explanations were falling short. She was still standing there, just looking at me. I decided to walk over to her, and after a few painful steps I reached her side. Once there I lowered my head and said, “I’m sorry to have hurt you. I didn’t mean to offend you in any way. I really wasn’t going to leave.” She just stood there and didn’t say a thing. I remained in my spot, but I lifted my head. Even though I was sorry that I’d hurt her, I had a pride that wouldn’t let me remain in a stance, such as the one I’d just been in, for very long. I couldn’t explain the reasons for this pride, but I had it, and I would have to fight hard if I was going to overcome it. By this point my thoughts sounded like a broken record to me, but I shook this thought and focused on Fluttershy as she spoke.

“Then…why did you say we would be…um…better off if you disappeared?” She asked quietly. Her voice was that of a pony who didn’t believe what they were being told. It made me sad that she didn’t believe me. I guess it must have looked bad from her viewpoint. Especially since what I said out loud backed up her claim. I breathed deeply, trying to ignore the pain in my leg and head, and tried to find a way to explain.

“What I said was just one of a multitude of thoughts that have been wreaking havoc my brain since this whole thing started. I dismissed the idea as soon as I spoke it.” I told her this in the hopes she would cheer up. I really hadn’t been planning on leaving, even though there was a great temptation to do so. It would have been an easy thing to do, leaving without a trace. Then again, with my condition I likely wouldn’t have gotten very far before they found I was gone, especially since Fluttershy had been expecting it. The sound of Fluttershy’s voice shook me out of these thoughts.

“Okay…um…Why did you want to go outside?” She asked in what was clearly an innocent inquiry. I obviously owed her at least a full explanation. She deserved that much for all the care she had shown me. I wondered how she would respond to some of what was going through my mind.

“To tell the truth, the sky outside is stunningly clear tonight, and the moon has an irresistible draw to it. Do you want to see?” I hoped that by sharing a sight such as the moon, even though it is a common one, would be enough to get her to trust me. Her eyes widened at the prospect.

“Y-you mean outside at n-night?” She asked in a fearful tone. I had to smile and nod my head at the response.

“That’s typically the only time during which you can see the moon and stars like this.” I said in a joking tone, still hoping to cheer her up. Then I added, “I promise that I won’t let anything sneak up on us.” She looked up at me and I could tell she was reluctant to go. So, I turned and started walking towards the door. If she wanted to join me she could, however, I wouldn’t force her.

Once outside I wandered only a short ways into the grass. Once I found a spot I liked, I gently let myself lay on the ground. I was very obviously treating my hurt leg with preference. This bothered me, and I tried to stop myself, as I saw it as a sign of weakness. If you don’t show others that you are hurt, they can’t exploit that weakness. This idea just kind of came to me in a string of rapid-fire thoughts, and I did my best to hold onto it, because it was one of the few things that pointed towards what I was like before today.

Being lost in my thoughts left me very unobservant. The only thing I really noticed was the moon, its beautiful glow that gave everything a soft light. This meant that I didn’t hear Fluttershy as she came up beside me. It could have also been that she seemed to have crawled most of the way from her cabin. I couldn’t tell if this was out of fear, or if it was because she was trying to sneak up on me, either way it worked in surprising me.

“Welcome to the night Fluttershy.” I said with a sly smile. She squeaked, it seemed like she wanted to say something, but she couldn’t. I watched her for a second as she sat down on the ground. She was shivering, it had to be from her fear, because it was a beautifully warm night. “You know you don’t have to be out here with me. I just can’t sleep so I thought I’d let the moon calm me.” In the time since I had last spoken, she had built up the courage to speak.

“I…um…just don’t want you to disappear.” She told me. I chuckled a small bit and assured her I wouldn’t be leaving. I don’t think she believed me, because she replied, “I still want to make sure.” I nodded to show that I understood, and then I went back to looking at the moon. I wanted to remember so bad that it hurt. I realized that my mind just pitied itself, and I forced those thoughts to cease. Instead, I guided my thoughts another way. I forced myself to look at Fluttershy, and think about her.

She was kind, soft spoken, very caring. I ticked them off as a sort of list. Knowing who a person is often is the only way to truly respect and care for them. I respected Fluttershy and her friends on such a level that I thought it only proper to know them inside and out. I went back to my thoughts about Fluttershy after that small little detour of thought. She was a Pegasus mare, and one that was quite good-looking at that. I was merely naming what she was in my head. After a while I realized that while I thought about her I had been watching her the whole time, and it must have made her very uncomfortable, because she hid her face after a short time.

“I’m sorry…I was just thinking. I didn’t mean to stare at you.” I told her in the hopes that she would stop hiding her face. She looked at me with puzzlement. I didn’t understand why she was confused, so I asked, “What are you thinking?” Her eyes widened and she took a couple moments, but she eventually spoke.

“It’s just that…um…usually most ponies point out my shyness negatively. You…um…just kind of…don’t mention it.” The way she said it I had to smile. It made me feel good that I was different.

“Well, I owe you a lot. You fixed me up, and possibly saved my life from what you said about the bleeding from my head. I owe my life to you and your friends.” I hoped that my explanation would suffice. After a few moments of sitting in silence I slowly stood up. “I think we should probably go inside now. You need sleep after taking care of me all day, and I should try my best to fall asleep after the day’s events.” She nodded her head and stood up as well. We walked into the cottage in silence, the whole way the rabbit, Angel, was watching me with what seemed to be suspicion. It was obvious he had been watching the whole time, sitting on a windowsill. Once inside I waited until Fluttershy and Angel were back in their room before lying down on the makeshift bed I had been provided with.

As I did so, I decided to think about the other ponies who had helped me. Applejack, the Earth pony, strong-willed, kind, a bit of an accent. She was strong, and seemed stubborn, and I had to note once again that she was quite good looking. I shook the thought from my head, as it wasn’t appropriate to the task I’d set, then I started to think about Twilight. She was smart, quick-witted, kind, sympathetic, understanding, and the thought crept into my mind again that she too was a very good looking pony. I couldn’t help myself but to think that, and I found it amusingly frustrating. This process of thinking about the others went on for a long period of time before my mind turned to Celestia.

Her name clicked in my mind somehow, but I couldn’t figure out why. That was when I heard a voice in my head, a snippet from a memory, or maybe just an imaginary one. Either way the words spoken were, “You must learn…It is the only way.” The voice reverberated inside me, filling my head with its words. After that I decided to stop thinking about Celestia, and instead turn my thoughts toward her sister, the great Princess Luna.

As soon as I did this, just like with Celestia's name, a memory flashed through my mind. Once again it was only a voice, actually a multitude of thousands of voices. They said two simple lines, spoken in unison and with a great deal of force.

The last one that was spoken was, “Omnus Laudem Luna!”

However, it was the first saying, chanted repeatedly that stuck with me, sending chills down my back with its power. It was:

“Vivat Nocte!”

I'm going to leave you with one last message, "Nothing is always as it seems." Take that as you will :D

Friends

Once again I have to say y'all are great! The reception this fic has gotten is by far the best reception any of my fics have received over any fandom. Now, onto the good stuff. If you're smart enough to pick up on it, there are some rather subtle clues thrown in to each chapter as to who Waya really is. Then there are others that aren't so subtle, and even more meant to throw you off. Let's see if you can pick through them and figure out what is real and what isn't.

I was backed into a corner. There was some large bear-like creature in front of me, lumbering forward menacingly. The sound of its shuffling step seemed much softer than I would have expected of a creature so large. I frowned at this. This couldn’t be real, especially with how quiet it was. I forced myself to open my eyes, truly open them, and I woke from my dream. I must have fallen asleep sometime during the night. I realized that the sound from my dream was still going on, so I looked around to find the source. It was Fluttershy. She moved around the room, cleaning various surfaces, and feeding the animals that walked through the front door. There were so many of them that it was a wonder she kept up with all of them. She seemed to know just what each one liked and disliked, and I made note of it in my mind as another of her characteristics.

I eventually sat up on the couch, and she looked up at the sudden movement. “Oh…I’m sorry. I was…um…trying not to wake you. I was…um…I was worried. You looked like you were having a bad dream, but I didn’t want to wake you. You needed the sleep.” She spoke a surprising amount, especially considering her personality so far. This amused me so thoroughly that I had to laugh. She looked curious as to why I chuckled, but she didn’t ask, so I didn’t explain.

“You didn’t need to do that…I would have been fine if I had woken earlier.” I told her as I sat up, but she shook her head. She very obviously disagreed, and she made it clear.

“No…you need rest…and…um…You really should lie back down and get more rest.” She had done her best to be assertive, and for a moment it sounded like she would pull it off, but she faded back to her normal, quiet tone of voice by the end of her sentence. I smiled at the thought of it, and then another thought crossed my mind. It was rather fitting, yet at the same time it seemed wicked to poke fun. I just couldn’t help myself though.

“Yes Nurse Fluttershy. Right away Nurse Fluttershy.” I said as I quickly lay back down upon the couch. I immediately shut my eyes, leaving them open just a crack to see her reaction. Her initial response was one of confusion, but that gave way to a smile. She seemed very proud of herself. Whether it was being called Nurse Fluttershy, or the fact that she was able to get me to lie back down without any complaints, I would never know, but I did know that it looked as if it made her day. Granted the day was still very young, and I did have a good chance of screwing that up.

I didn’t have to keep my guise of sleep up for very long. No more than 15 minutes had passed and there was a knock at the door. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that I could tell if it was somepony from last night by voice. Fluttershy opened the door and I heard, “Oh…hey Twilight.”

“Hey Fluttershy. I just came over to see how Waya was doing.” I heard Twilight’s voice say. I heard her hooves along with Fluttershy’s on the floor of the cabin. I could feel her stop in front of me. It was that feeling of spatial awareness, when you knew something was there despite not seeing it. Fluttershy spoke as the stood in front of me.

“Well…um…you see he’s asleep right now. I checked his bandages already….and…um….he seems to be healing quickly. Even faster than Rainbow Dash.” I had to resist the temptation to smile at the wonder in her voice. Twilight seemed impressed as well.

“Then he should be in good enough shape to go to Canterlot tomorrow. I just got a message back from Princess Celestia. She told me that tomorrow would be the only day she could see us.” I was taken aback by that last bit, but once again I forced my face to remain in its peaceful resting image. I would meet the princess tomorrow, and hopefully Princess Luna as well. I wanted to speak to her, understand why I had the occurrence last night. It had unsettled me, not because it was there, but because I understood what seemed like a foreign language, almost as if it was my first language. I was taken from my thoughts as I heard Fluttershy respond.

“Oh…I don’t…um..if it really is the only time…then I guess he’ll be okay to go.” She was unhappy that her patient was being forced to move so quickly. I could understand that though. She didn’t want to show she was disappointed though. She seemed to think of others before herself every time.

“I know you don’t think he’ll be ready Fluttershy, but it truly is the only time Princess Celestia will be able to meet with him for quite some time. This is mainly because of the ongoing peace talks between the Griffons and the Wolves. I’m sorry Fluttershy.” Twilight’s understanding voice said. She knew how to calm her gentle friend, and it seemed like this would work, because with my eye opened just a slit, I saw Fluttershy give a small nod. She was still upset, but she would allow me to go. I was thankful for this, because I really wanted clues to my memory. Plus, with just the night of rest my head was feeling much better, and my leg did not hurt nearly as much as before.

“Well…okay. I also found that his leg isn’t broken. It’s just a really bad strain.” Fluttershy admitted. I think she would have rather kept that from Twilight, but she said it and that made me admire her. It felt to me as if she enjoyed taking care of animals and ponies so much that she would sometimes care for them long after they were better. That wasn’t a bad thing, but I could only imagine that it could sometimes lead to problematic situations, especially if the patient didn’t want to be healed, or if they couldn’t be healed. After these thoughts I decided to wake up. I stretched and then opened my eyes fully. Twilight was there looking down on me so I greeted her.

“Good morning Twilight. Nice seeing you here.” I said while sitting up. I then turned to Fluttershy and said, “Morning again Fluttershy.” Twilight looked slightly bewildered as to why I said ‘again’, so I answered the question she had yet to ask. “I woke up earlier, but Nurse Fluttershy asked me to rest again.” With the conclusion of my explanation Twilight smiled.

“Well then, I guess I’ll tell you what I just told Fluttershy. Tomorrow we are all going up to Canterlot to see Princess Celestia. It is the only time we’ll be able to see her for a while, so it must take place tomorrow.” I nodded at her news. Being that I had heard it just moments before, it wasn’t a surprise, but I still had to act as if it was new to me.

“So, I’ll get to have an audience with Princess Celestia. What of Princess Luna? Will she be there as well?” I was asking simply because I felt maybe Luna would be able to help me more than Celestia. Then again, Twilight knew more than me, and if she said Celestia could help, then she was probably right. Twilight thought about my question for a moment before responding.

“I’d imagine she would be there.” Then her eyes widened till they were about the size of dinner platters and she added, “Oh, and maybe Princess Cadence will be there! And maybe Shining Armor as well! This is going to be so wonderful!” Her excitement was palpable, sending waves of it crashing over me. I smiled at this show of emotion. The day before she’d shown some emotion, but nothing on a scale such as this. Now though, I had to ask about Cadence and Shining Armor. I’m sure I heard the names before, but I couldn’t remember. There was something from Twilight’s memories, but those were fading fast.

“So, who is Princess Cadence? And who is Shining Armor?” I asked with genuine curiosity. She stopped for a second and then smiled sheepishly while blushing. She seemed very embarrassed at her little outburst of excitement, but she got through it to answer my questions.

“Well, Princess Cadence is one of the Alicorns, and Shining Armor is her husband, who happens to be the Captain of the Royal Guard, and he’s also my BBBFF!” She smiled as if her explanation was sufficient, but I had absolutely no idea what BBBFF was supposed to stand for. It had absolutely no meaning to me; that was until I asked her what it meant.

“Um…What is a BBBFF?” She smiled sheepishly again, but she quickly regained her composure and answered my question.

“I’m sorry…I keep forgetting you’ve forgotten so much. It means Big Brother Best Friend Forever.” Her matter-of-fact tone made me realize she was quite serious. Apparently BBBFF is common knowledge, and I simply didn’t remember it. It bothered me that I had forgotten something so obvious. It meant that my memory loss was more serious than I had previously thought. I scrunched up my face in frustration and both Fluttershy and Twilight noticed.

“What’s wrong Waya?” Fluttershy spoke first. I looked up at her, and I let my face return to normal. I had to give her an answer, or it would be obvious I was avoiding the question, so I decided upon telling the truth.

“It just bothers me that I don’t have common knowledge. I know so little, and yet I feel it. I know I have the knowledge, the memories, but they just won’t come to me.” I let my distress infect my voice. I would lose my mind if I didn’t get my memories back, or at least lose it for a second time. After thinking for a second I added, “It just feels like I had my identity stolen from me. I am not me. I’m living some other pony’s life right now.” Fluttershy looked ready to cry for me, and Twilight’s gaze softened again. She wasn’t analyzing now, instead she pitied me.

My mind kicked into overdrive again, and I berated myself for falling to such weakness. I was supposed to be proud, what for I didn’t know, but I could feel it deep inside me. I was supposed to be proud, not sniveling at the feet of these two ponies. The two sides to my mind fought back and forth. One reasoned that they had been kind, helpful, and caring, and as such they deserved our respect and kindness. The other said it was only their duty, and that they should be taking care of someone like us. I couldn’t stand the infighting with myself, my head started to hurt, and I put held my head in my hooves. I was going crazy, or maybe I had been crazy before I lost my memories. Finally, on the verge of passing out from the intensity of the headache, I shouted Quiet! inside my head, and suddenly the pain, and my other two voices, were gone. And with that I felt slightly sad. Even though they had been causing me pain, I couldn’t help but feel as if another part of me was suddenly missing in their absence.

When I finally looked up, Fluttershy seemed distraught at the sudden downturn of her patient. Twilight’s face also showed a great deal of concern, and she asked, “Are you alright?” I took a deep breath, gathered my mind back up, and then answered.

“Yes…just a headache.” I lied to her. I didn’t want her to think I was crazy, because then she might not let me see Celestia or Luna, and I felt that they were the key to unlocking my memories. Twilight seemed unconvinced by my cover, but she accepted it.

Then, Fluttershy, in a worried tone, said, “Maybe you just need to…um…eat. I’ll get you some food.” She suddenly turned and trotted out of the room. I was a little confused, but I let her go without a word, because she knew better than I did when it came to treating sick. Instead I turned to Twilight who quickly started to speak.

“You’re an odd pony Waya. Fluttershy doesn’t usually take to strangers this quickly, unless they are an animal.” I raised my eyebrows at her. I think I saw where hse was going with this line of thought, but I still had to ask.

“What exactly to you mean by that?” It seemed innocent enough of a question, but my voice betrayed the thoughts going through my mind. Twilight stared at me for a moment longer, then she shook her head.

“Just some crazy thoughts. Completely illogical.” She replied in answer to my question. She either had decided she was wrong, or as she said, her thoughts were far too illogical. But then I heard her mumble a bit, “…magic…sometimes…illogical.” Those were the only three words I caught, but I could tell whatever had been on her mind before was still there. She could very easily be thinking I was a wolf again. I wouldn’t blame her, because I couldn’t tell her she was wrong, not without my memories at least.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes before Fluttershy returned with my breakfast. “Thank you Fluttershy. It looks great.” I told her, trying to convey my gratitude. Everything on the platter looked delicious, and I ate it all as the other two went into the next room to speak. While they spoke, the bunny, Angel, came up to me and sat on the couch next to me. I stared him down for a second, and he didn’t flinch as he returned it. So, I decided I’d let him stay, and I even offered him a piece of carrot that Fluttershy had given me. He took it willingly and gnawed on it as I ate. Maybe the two of us would become friends, or he would at least stop trying to burn holes in my head with his glare.

Once I had finished, I stood up and walked around the room. I needed to stretch my legs, and this felt good. The pain in my leg had subsided, and it was now merely a dull throb. It seemed so odd to heal so quickly, and the other two seemed to think so as well. As I walked around the room I looked out the front windows and I noticed a tan pony walking up the path towards the cottage. It was Applejack! I was rather excited to see her, but for what reason I couldn’t tell. I figured that Fluttershy wouldn’t mind if Applejack came in, so I met her at the door.

“Howdy Waya. I see yer feelin’ better.” She greeted me with a tip of her Stetson. I nodded and stepped aside as she walked in. Once she was inside and the door was closed I replied.

“Nice to see you too Applejack. Yes, I am feeling a lot better than before. Fluttershy says I’m healing faster than Rainbow Dash does. Is that really a feat?” I asked the question out of my curiosity. If I had some special ability to heal then maybe I could learn a bit about who I was. Her response was to whistle, which I took to be a good sign.

“Yep…that’s some type of healing you got going on. Rainbow heals abnormally fast for a pony, so you are even more abnormal.” She told me honestly. I smiled at the fact that I was abnormal, and as I did so she seemed to realize what she’s said. “Oh…I didn’t mean that Sugarcube. I only meant that you really do have a unique ability there.” She blushed as she tried to make up for her mistake.

I just chuckled and responded, “I know you didn’t mean it. Besides, it didn’t really offend me. I’m just glad to know a bit more about myself.” She seemed relieved upon hearing this. At the same time, Twilight and Fluttershy came in. They must have heard Applejack’s voice, and they all greeted each other. As they did so, I sat back down on the couch. I was starting to feel a little shaky on my hooves, and I didn’t want to fall over in front of these three. While Twilight explained to Applejack what was going to happen tomorrow with regard toward meeting Princess Celestia, I slowly went through the few things in my mind that I did remember. I had an awful lot of trouble doing this simple task, so I gave up and returned to the conversation.

“Well, I just hope that I don’t waste your, or the Princess’s time with this visit. I don’t like to be the burden that I am right now.” I said during a break in the talking. They all turned to me and Twilight was the one to speak.

“Waya, this won’t be a waste of time. Even if she can’t help get your memories back, she may be able to point us in the right direction. She could guide us along toward recovering your former life.” This all seemed logical, but I still disliked how much of a burden I was being. Fluttershy spoke next, and she seemed to be reading my mind.

“It isn’t…um…any trouble to help you. We’re always glad to help ponies in need.” That made me smile, and Applejack added on to it as soon as she finished speaking.

“Fluttershy’s right. It ain’t no trouble at all.” Her demeanor made this a rather powerful statement, and I took it as the truth. Then she thought for a moment, and added, “If this doesn’t go as planned, we should have a plan. He can room at the farm afterwards if he needs to.”

“Good thinking Applejack! The same goes for the Library. If you need a place to stay Waya, the Library will always have a spot cleared.” Twilight chimed in. This set of reassurances made me happy, because they meant I wouldn’t be a burden on Fluttershy anymore. Then Fluttershy spoke up as well.

“He can still stay here too…if he wants to.” She said in a quieter tone than usual. It made it rather hard to hear her, but I understood her shyness did that to her. I smiled at all of them, their generosity was still a little overwhelming.

“Thank you all…I’ll be sure to remember your offers if the time comes when I need the help.” I told them, but then I added, “Only on one condition though. I must be put to work. I won’t take your hospitality without paying you in kind.” This condition had to be accepted, and unsurprisingly, Applejack agreed first.

“Alright sugracube.” She said. Twilight nodded her assent. Fluttershy seemed to be having trouble with it though. Finally she agreed, but only timidly.

“Um…okay…if that’s what you want.” Her sweetness was too much for me, as I would hate when I would be forced to leave. I just hoped that no matter what would happen that I stayed friends with all of them and Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie.

That was an odd thought. Friends with ponies I just met.

They were a little odd at times, but I had friends. and I was determined to keep them.

Princess Luna

Well...I'm back. I'm sorry for the extra week between last chapter and this one, but I had testing last week and I'd been studying for the past two weeks. So, I figured I'd treat you to a little longer chapter. Be forewarned...there are likely to be errors, as I really wanted to get this out for y'all to read. So, if you find any please, by all means, point them out to me.

In addition I would greatly enjoy any constructive criticism you could give.

For a while I sat there and listened to the conversation as Twilight and Applejack went over specifics of what we would need on the trip to Canterlot. I wasn’t focused for very long before my mind began to wander. My first thoughts were of the Griffons, and they weren’t pleasant. I had thought about them for a moment, thinking about their war with the Lupine, when I saw a flash of a memory. A very large Griffon swiped my face with its razor sharp talons. I felt the searing pain; stars filled my vision, and a cacophony of noises filled the background. Back in reality I nearly jumped out of my hide. Twilight, Fluttershy, and AJ were all startled by this occurrence.

“Are you okay Waya?” Twilight asked like anypony would. I looked at her for a moment and nodded.

“Just a memory…or rather portion of one. It kind of took me by storm, so I really don’t know what it means.” I did my best to remain calm, not tipping them off to the turmoil inside my head. My heart was still racing, my breathing slightly faster than normal. I closed my eyes and ordered myself to slow down, calm down, and get a grip on myself. It worked, and I looked at Twilight with a face that concealed everything. She was suspicious though.

“Okay…If you want to talk about it, we’re here.” She spoke, but then she seemed to reconsider for a moment. “Would you excuse us for a moment. There is something we have to speak about of a private nature. It’s…kind of embarrassing.” She said sheepishly. I nodded, because she would do it with or without my approval. She didn’t need my approval for anything she was just being polite. After I nodded she took Fluttershy and Applejack into the other room. This sudden secrecy from Twilight was disturbed me slighlty, but she had plenty of reason to be suspicious of me. I was actually surprised she hadn’t just taken me to a doctor. Instead she was taking me to Princess Celestia. It made no sense to me, but it obviously made sense to her.

It took them only a few minutes in the other room to discuss whatever Twilight wanted to. Twilight and Applejack came back into the room as if nothing had transpired. Fluttershy didn’t come in for several minutes though. I wondered what was wrong with her, but I didn’t ask, because I figured the question would be deflected. When she finally entered, she seemed slightly upset. I frowned at Twilight for causing this, but her gaze remained unflinching. Applejack did her best to facilitate the conversation for the few hours, but everyone spoke reservedly.

Twilight and Applejack both left around the same time. The sun was starting to go down, and they had to tell the others that we were going to Canterlot tomorrow. Before they left, we had all enjoyed a small lunch that Applejack made. I was glad Fluttershy didn’t have to make more food for me, but I was disappointed when they refused to let me help. The meal passed pleasantly, and afterward we talked for a little while before they ultimately left.

“I’m going to take a short walk outside. Is that okay?” I asked Fluttershy after they left. She turned to me, and after thinking for a couple moments she gave me permission. I stood up and slowly, but steadily, walked out the door. I was enjoying the warm sun on my face from the same spot that I where I had basked in the moon, when I heard a noise from far off. I lifted my head and saw a speck grow larger and larger as it disappeared and reappeared multiple times on its way towards the cottage. It only took a couple of moments to notice that it was Twilight. She seemed to be teleporting. That would be a handy trick to know. Too bad I was an Earthy pony and not a Unicorn. As my mind was occupied with these thoughts Twilight managed to teleport right in front of me.

Startled, I jumped to my feet. She was panting from the exertion of getting to me so quickly. I didn’t know if she had run part of the way, or if magic physically exhausted you, but I did know she needed to sit down. “Twilight…let’s get you in the cottage.” At these words she simply nodded. I stood by her side the whole way, ready to keep her up if she fell. Luckily I never had to do that. Fluttershy must have noticed us, because as soon as we reached the door it opened and we made our way to the couch. Twilight sat down and caught her breath.

Finally, she was under control enough to speak, “We need to leave in a couple hours. Princess Celestia sent another message while I was at my library.” She paused for a second before continuing, “She requested we get there tonight so that we may see her in the morning. She says that events taking place that she might need our help with. In addition, she seems very intrigued by Waya.” I raised my eyebrows as much as I could. Then I thought again and decided that it wasn’t all that surprising, especially considering that I had managed to appear among the six ponies who have saved Equestria multiple times. If I was her, I would want to meet this pony at once as well, if only to gauge his usefulness and how much of a threat he posed.

With that thought out of the way I managed to ask, “Did she say what events? And do they involve the war?” Twilight took a short look at me before sighing.

“No…she didn’t say, but I’m afraid you may be right. If the Lupine have decided to go to war with the rest of Equestria…this may be cause for worry.” The tone in her voice was not comforting in the least. If they the wolves did go to war against the ponies, it would be a very ugly affair. It would all hinge on whose side Princess Luna would choose. If she decided to pit her will against her sister’s, it could be a very bloody affair. If the Lupine went to war with Equestria that meant that they were hedging on the support of Luna, the princess they worshiped as a goddess.

“Did you tell the others yet?”

“No, I wanted you two to know first.”

“Why…why us? We have nothing to get around.” Fluttershy managed as her first words in the conversation. Twilight smiled before explaining.

“I figured that Waya would want to help tell the others, or at least come along to stretch his legs. Plus Fluttershy, you’ve only left your house once in the past week, and that was cut short by our encounter with Waya. You really need to come with us.” Twilight did her best to convince the yellow Pegasus, but it didn’t seem to be working.

“Oh…uh…I don’t know Twilight. The animals…they…um…they need to be looked after. I can’t just leave.” The whole time she spoke, her eyes were firmly locked on her own hooves. Angel did not agree with her, and he demonstrated this by going and getting food for himself. I laughed at the insolent little rabbit. He always seemed to be in rebellion. Twilight smiled at Fluttershy as the little one did this, and the Pegasus gave in. “okay…”

Before we left, Fluttershy laid down some rules for Angel, but I was positive he wasn’t going to obey them. With that final thing out of the way we traveled down the path that I assumed led to town. Sure enough, Ponyville appeared within a couple of minutes, but I soon found we weren’t going there yet. At the first crossroads we came to, we turned off onto another well worn path. I didn’t question Twilight, and I soon saw acres upon acres of apple trees.

“This is Sweet Apple Acres?” Even though I asked the question I was already sure of the answer.

“Yes it is. It’s the biggest farm in Ponyville. Applejack’s family has owned it for a very long time.” Her answer confirmed what I already suspected. I was amazed at the sheer size of it. Even though it was a large piece of land, we quickly came upon the road to the farmhouse. Before we even reached the farmhouse Applejack was walking out the front door to meet us.

“Hey y’all. What’s the occasion?” I could tell she was worried by the tone of her question. She may be strong, but she knew that for me to be out there had to be something wrong. She was a smart mare.

“Princess Celestia sent another letter. She wants us to leave tonight. She said she may need us for events taking place.” Twilight’s explanation was all Applejack needed. She seemed to think hard on these words before making a decision that I was sure was made up as soon as she saw us.

“Okay. Ah’ll be right out. Let me say goodbye to mah family, and then we can get the others.” She made her way back into the house with agility, and within a few minutes she was back. As she put her hat on her head, she said, “Okay Twilight. Ah’m ready.” With those words we set back off down the road towards town. This time when we reached the crossroad we turned towards town. Once in town we stopped at a boutique. It was one of those shops where the owner’s house was on the second floor. The decoration of it led me to the idea that this was owned by Rarity. Accordingly, when she answered the door upon our arrival, I wasn’t surprised.

“Oh! Did something dreadful happen?” Her question, like Applejack’s showed her apprehension as to what the answer would be. Twilight’s answer undoubtedly didn’t help.

“We don’t know. Princess Celestia has requested that we leave for Canterlot tonight. She said that she needs us by her side.” Twilight seemed a little frustrated that she didn’t know exactly what was happening. She was leading her friends blindly on the orders of her Princess. It took lots of guts to do a thing like that.

“Well, it’s a good thing that Sweetie Belle left yesterday to visit mother and father. Let me just get a few things and lock up.” Rarity turned around and was in her home for quite some time before returning. Floating in the air beside her was set of travel bags, and all of them seemed to be as full as possible. I raised an eyebrow at her. She seemed hurt as she asked, “What? Can’t a mare bring a few outfits with her? You never know when I might need a stunning dress in Canterlot.” I looked to Applejack for an explanation, and she simply shook her head. I dropped it then and there.
The next place we visited was Twilight’s library. It was set in a tree. That, in and of itself, was awesome.

“Come in while I make sure Spike is ready.” I followed the others through the door upon Twilight’s invitation. She had an extremely large collection of books and scrolls. I walked over to one of the shelves and saw volumes about everything from potion-making to cooking. It was an eclectic assortment, yet it seemed to fit. I noticed that Twilight was helping a baby dragon get a couple books off the shelves to add to a growing pile. I assumed the dragon was the one called Spike. When Twilight had managed, with Spike’s help, to fit all the books into a bag that she levitated she came over to us and said, “Okay, now we need to get Pinkie and Rainbow Dash.” The lot of us nodded and followed her out the door and down the street. As the sun was creeping ever closer to the ground there were fewer ponies about. I couldn’t help but notice how many books that Twilight had decided to bring with her; the bag was about as big as Rarity’s largest one. Along these lines I couldn’t let the question in my mind go unasked

“A little bit of light reading Twilight?” It was a question meant both to lighten the mood and get me the answer I wanted. I hoped that she would elaborate, but I wasn’t met with the relief I expected when she did.

“It’s all we have that even mentions the Lupine. It’s not much. Not nearly enough.” Her answer did not surprise me. Spoken like a true leader, Twilight knew what it took to face an enemy. To know an enemy was half the battle. Knowing the enemy better than they knew themselves was even better. To do either though, you had to know yourself. That final thought caused me to frown. I’d have to do my best to learn about them as well as myself, and I would pray that I figure something out.

As we rounded a corner of the town, a large bakery came into view. The bright colors gave away that Pinkie Pie was the one who lived here. We were about ten feet from the door when Pinkie burst out of them with an overly large pair of sunglasses on.

“Hey guys! What’s going on? Is it a party? Why didn’t I know? I have to get m-“ Twilight cut her off right there.

“Pinkie! There isn’t a party. Princess Celestia wants us in Canterlot…tonight.” Pinkie’s eyes widened to such a size that they were quite possibly larger than the sunglasses.

“Oh boy! I can’t wait! Let’s go!” She hopped and skipped ahead of us, down the street and around the corner. Our group had to speed up to keep up with her, but it was a vain effort. She seemed to disappear, before, suddenly, we found her. We were a little ways out of town and she sat as she looked straight up. When we got there she yelled, “Rainbow! We need to go!” I looked up to where she was, and I saw a house made entirely from clouds. Suddenly a mane of many colors appeared over the edge of one of the clouds. When Rainbow Dash saw who it was, she dove off the cloud. She snapped her wings open ten feet above the ground and came to a screeching halt a few inches before she would have hit.

“What’s wrong?” She was blunt and to the point. I smiled at the approach. It lacked tact, but it was definitely effective.

“Celestia needs us in Canterlot tonight. She wants us there so she can meet with us first thing in the morning. She didn’t say why though.” Rainbow nodded at Twilight’s news and then landed. She was ready to go, and we turned back to town. With everyone gathered I realized that I hadn’t introduced myself to Spike. Twilight had obviously told him who I was, but I felt it necessary to make a formal greeting. I walked over to the little dragon before I spoke.

“You must be Spike. I’m Dohi Waya.” I looked around realizing that I had used my real name. I then corrected myself, “I mean Pathfinder.” He looked at me suspiciously. He obviously didn’t trust me. I was already used to it. I had to accept that nopony could truly trust me, even if they did their best to aid me.

Finally the young dragon said, “Nice to meet you.” That was it. I was prepared for suspicion, but the coldness with which he spoke threw me off.

“Don’t worry about him,” Twilight said. “He’s just grumpy because he wanted to get to bed early tonight. He doesn’t manage well without sleep.” I laughed and Spike scowled.

“I’m not grumpy! I just think I should have been allowed to sleep. She didn’t ask for me to come!” His response was amusing, and it seemed to have played right into Twilight’s hooves.

“Well then, go ahead and stay in the library all alone.” She smiled slyly as the fledgling dragon’s eyes widened.

“Hey! I didn’t say I don’t want to go. I just asked why…” He had to have known he lost the argument, because his voice gradually softened as he spoke. Twilight just rolled her eyes. After this short exchange we only had to walk a bit further before coming up to a large circular building. As we walked around it a pair of large chariots came into view. Two teams of Pegasi were ready to pull them and another met us as we arrived.

“Ms. Sparkle. Princess Celestia sent us to bring you to Canterlot. We were told you had been notified of these arrangements.” The large, armor plated Pegasus spoke in a manner that betrayed his military mind. He obeyed, was hard on himself, and would do anything it took to make sure his mission was completed.

Twilight nodded at his statements and returned, “She told us. Are you ready to leave?” The question didn’t seem necessary. This Pegasus had clearly been ready to leave as soon as he had arrived. He had the whole mission planned, and it was to go off without a hitch. This was a true officer.

“Yes ma’am. We’ll move on your orders.” There was no emotion in the voice of this pony, but I knew that he was far from the emotionless robot many painted soldiers to be. This was merely the façade that a soldier presented. This deception created the illusion absolute control, and it made others feel safe.

“We’re ready to leave now. The sooner we get to Canterlot the better.” Twilight’s response sent the officer into action ordering the Pegasi teams to attention.

“We can only take four per chariot. Except for the dragon. He may go in either chariot.” This didn’t surprise me. Spike wasn’t the biggest, and that meant very little would change with his addition to one of the chariots.

“Okay…Fluttershy, Waya, Spike and I will go with you. Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack and Rarity will take the other.” The group all nodded at her direction. There was no doubt she was in charge. Even the officer understood this. She may be a civilian, but she had authority. Some of that was given by Celestia, but it also seemed to come to her naturally. She was born to be a leader, but she’d had a good education as well. These things all combined to give her an air of authority.

We stepped into the chariots and in minutes were in the air. As soon as we took off I knew it was going to be rough. I didn’t know before, but I found that I disliked flying…a lot. Luckily the Pegasi flew fast, and the ride took only a few minutes. Even with my dislike of flying, I found the view of Canterlot amazing. The whole city was bathed half in moonlight and half in the fading sunlight. It was quite sight to see. The thing that stuck out the most, however, was the large bubble of magic surrounding the castle. I felt the power of it as we passed through two holes that opened up when we approached.

Finally, and mercifully, we landed in a courtyard. We were met by yet more guards, including a large white Unicorn stallion at the head. At the sight of the stallion I heard a squeal of delight that emanated from Twilight. We had barely touched down before she was out of the chariot and running to him.

“Twiley! How are you little sis?” He asked as she tackled him to the ground with a hug. I chuckled as Twilight stood up to let her brother up.

“Now that I get to see my BBBFF again I’m great!” She replied with enthusiasm that made her brother laugh.

“Well, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?” His tone on the word ‘friend’ clearly implied something. I didn’t know why he would think that, but something caused it.

Twilight blushed at his comment, but she quickly regained her composure and scowled at him, “My friend is Pathfinder. We just met him yesterday. He was hurt so we helped him.” Her tone dared him to say something along the same lines as his previous question.

He had the common sense to apologize, “I didn’t mean it Twily. I was only joking.” He then turned to me before continuing, “Hello Pathfinder. I’m Shining Armor, Twilight’s big brother. I’m also the Captain of the Royal Guard.” There was a clear warning in the statements. I understood and nodded to make sure he knew I did. He turned and started to walk as he talked, “Okay then. Let’s escort you to your rooms. You’re all staying in the usual ones. Except for Waya.” Our group came to a screeching halt at his casual use of my real name. “You all didn’t think I wouldn’t know his real name did you? And I’m surprised at you Twilight. Keeping something from your big brother.” He gave us all a big smile, and I couldn’t help but chuckle as I shook my head in disbelief. The others were just as stunned.

“That’s not fair Shining. I didn’t know if Princess Celestia would tell you. I didn’t want to give a secret away unless absolutely necessary. Especially with the current climate of things.” Twilight’s reply showed she was hurt that her brother would think that she didn’t have a good reason to keep my name from him. I knew he was only playing with her, so to help him out I spoke.

“You’re good. The alias is necessary though.” My return did not fall on deaf ears, as he smiled and bobbed his head

“Twilight I was only joking. Thank you Pathfinder. I know it’s necessary. I am the Captain of the Guard after all. Security measures are my specialty.” He laughed a bit and gestured to the magical bubble.

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “You’re maintaining that shield all by yourself? That’s impressive.” It had to take a lot out of him to keep up such a large barrier. His answer betrayed a hint of pride.

“Yes. It’s my spell. This is nothing compared to the one I had to hold up during the wedding. That one covered the whole of Canterlot. The only side effects are these dang migraines. Luckily the smaller the shield the less frequent they are.” As if on cue he stumbled forward a step with a grimace. Self-sacrifice for the good of all. This was yet another soldier who knew his place.

With that thought, we walked for a short time before finally coming to a stop in front of a group of rooms. “Well Twily, you all know which rooms are yours. I’m going to take Pathfinder here to his room.” The group of them stood to watch us walk away, and they were still standing there by the time I turned a corner and lost them from sight.

“So, what’s happening that requires the shield?” I asked the Captain. He looked down at me as we walked. It was like he couldn’t decide what to make of me. For this reason, when he finally replied, it was a bit of a surprise.

“It’s not so much what has happened, but what needs to happen. The shield isn’t to keep anyone out. It’s to keep a certain group in.” There was an annoyance in his tone when he spoke of the group. There was something about them that bothered this stallion who looked to be otherwise untouchable. I gathered the meaning of what group he was referring to, if only because of my talks with Twilight. I remained quiet the rest of the walk to the room that was to be mine, and Shining returned the favor by remaining stoically silent. The corridors twisted and wound every which way. There was no way I would find my way out of this labyrinthine mess of halls without a guide, or at the least a clear reference point.

Luckily I was provided with just such a reference point when given my room. It had a balcony that gave me almost no view at all, except for the fact that I could see the sky. That was the saving grace of this room. It allowed me to see the sky. The room itself was spacious. It had a large bed and all the amenities. I turned to the stallion responsible for getting me here and I thanked him, “Thank you for leading me here. If you have the chance to thank Princess Celestia for me as well I’d be even more grateful.”

The large Captain of the Guard nodded and replied, “Just be sure to stay out of trouble, and it was Princess Luna that requested you be roomed here. For what reasons, I cannot tell you, because I do not know. I only know this is closer to her room than where the others stay.” I was puzzled by this request, but pleased by it as well. If Princess Luna requested I be moved here, then that meant she obviously knew of me, and she wanted something. I just wished I knew what it was. “Now I’ll take my leave. I’ve been gone far too long from my normal duties, and the shield must be kept up. Goodbye Waya, I know we’ll see each other soon.” The use of my real name was fine as the pair of us had been the only two in the room, and as he left I couldn’t help but feel an enormous amount of respect for him. It seemed respect was something that the whole family commanded.

Once he was gone and my door closed behind him, I laid down on my bed. It had been a long day, but I soon found that I could not sleep. So, as with the night before, I found myself outside as I stared at the moon and stars.
After a while I heard a small click in my room. When I looked back, I saw nopony there and nothing in the room had moved. So, I simply passed it off as mice and went back to admiring the heavens.

“They’re beautiful aren’t they?” A soothing, familiar voice spoke behind me. I almost jumped ten feet in the air at the sneaky pony’s words. After standing up I turned, and, upon seeing who my visitor was, I knelt.

“Princess Luna…”

I hope you enjoyed the chapter...and yes I left you hanging again, because to continue the conversation would have made the chapter much too long for many people. And yes LUNA HAS ARRIVED! All Shall Rejoice!

The New Lunar Republic

I know it's been over two weeks once again since my last update, and I apologize for that. The end of school became quite hectic for me, but now I am done. I hope you enjoy this chapter, as it starts to pick up a bit.

Do remember to comment please, and point out any mistakes I've made. Thank you all for reading this.

I bowed to the ground so fast that I almost bounced my nose off of it. Luna was a princess and she deserved to be treated as such, even in moments when nopony else was around to watch.

“So many ponies bow to me nowadays. In almost every case it is a matter of fear for what I was, and what they fear I could become if slighted again. Very few bow out of pure respect. However, the Lupine, they bow out of deferment and respect. I believe I know why you bow, but please elaborate for me Waya.” Her voice was calming and as she spoke my heart stopped beating in overdrive. Before I started to speak, she added, “Rise before you speak. I wish to speak as equals.” I did as I was told and I stood. I looked straight into her eyes.

“I will follow your orders Princess, but I fear that we shall never be equals. There is no way in which I could ever be considered your equal.” I dared to defy her comment, and that was foolish, but I had to speak my mind to her if she was to know me. “As for why I bow, it is out of respect for a Princess. It is a courtesy that should be extended to all true royalty. Though I often detest courtesies, this is one that must be upheld in my mind. Respect holds more power than most realize.” The princess of the night took in my words and thought on them before giving a reply.

“You are a very wise pony for your age Waya. This is good. It will serve you well in the near future, because despite my dear sister’s best attempts, events will occur in which you shall be tested. The Elements will be tested as well, for they will be by your side every step of the way.” The air with which she spoke betrayed a knowledge that could have only come from her centuries of contemplation on the moon. She continued her speech, and what she said next disturbed me, “I know of all the plans my sister has lain, and every last one revolves around you and the Elements. You are her secret weapon, the Elements, her obvious one.” When she said she knew of the plans Celestia had for me I couldn’t resist asking the most burning question.

“You know who I am then?” The eagerness in my voice could not be disguised, and accordingly I did not try to hide it. Instead of answering my question, Luna walked past me and lay down on the balcony. She motioned for me to join her, and I obeyed without question. I sat a respectable distance from her and awaited her reply.

“Yes, Waya. I know your true identity, but I cannot tell you. There are many things that must be done, and in that process you must learn who you are on your own. Remember this though, who you were before does not define who you are now.” Her words took me on a rollercoaster of emotion. First the shooting climb of exhilaration, then the gut-wrenching drop of disappointment, and finally the level plane of contemplation. We sat in silence for a few moments, as it seemed she wanted her words to sink in, but then she spoke again, “You will be my right hoof, and at the same time you will serve Princess Celestia. I will call on you from time to time, but otherwise you shall be at my sister’s beck and call. This must be kept between the two of us, for she does not know I am altering her plans. If I did not alter them though, they would fail.” Her confidence in this matter seemed absolute, and it was not my place to question, so I remained quiet and waited for her to continue speaking.

She finally spoke again, “Your time is fast approaching Waya, and you must be ready. You will be thrust into Equestria’s spotlight, and I think you will shine, but you could just as easily wilt if you are not prepared. And now I must take my leave. I need to be ready for tomorrow, and you do to. Get your rest, for I have a feeling you will meet with more than Celestia.”

With those words we stood. I bowed to her, out of respect, but she shook her head and lifted me up. “No more bowing to me, and you shall call me by my name, not my title. When we meet like this it is on equal terms, and equals do not use titles. I may have wanted to be adored before, but I have learned my lesson now. What it cost has given me a new outlook on such things.” I couldn’t believe what she told me. This was a royal who had crossed the line, paid for it, and actually learned a lesson. That was rare among nobles, especially those who presume to have as much power as Princess Luna actually possessed. “Until we meet again in private Waya, remember what I have told you tonight. It will serve you well. Now, you must sleep.”

“Pri...Luna! They are beautiful.” I looked up to the star-filled night sky, taking in its wonder. Looking down from the sky I saw her pause and smile.

“Thank you Waya…now sleep well.” She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. I found that I was exceedingly tired, much more than I was the night before. After I lay down on the bed I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Light streaming in through the open doors of the balcony woke me moments before a hoof knocked on the hard wood of my room’s door.

“Time to visit Princess Celestia Pathfinder.” The sound of Shining Armor’s voice came through clearer than I thought possible. I declined to respond, but instead I stretched and walked to the door. I opened the heavy swinging door right before Shining was going to knock again. “Glad to see you’re awake. Now off to the throne room. Twilight and the other Elements are already on their way there.” The way he spoke was as if to another soldier. It was a firm and quick briefing, and it sufficed. I was happier this way, because idle chat didn’t sit all that well with me.

Silence marked the rest of our trek through the halls to the throne room. It allowed me to marvel at the architecture of the castle. So much had gone into this palace. Finally we reached our destination and I was ushered in by Shining and two guards. My wonder at the other parts of the castle couldn’t hold a candle to the amazement that the throne room instilled in me. The many colored panes of glass, the pillars that reached toward the heavens and ended in a high-arched ceiling carved beautifully. I may not be the most cultured pony, but I could respect craftsmanship when it was presented to me.

It took me a little while to remember what I was supposed to be doing there, and by that time both Princesses had smiles upon their faces. I quickly kneeled before the pair of them, and Princess Celestia spoke first.

“Rise Pathfinder.” I stood. “My student tells me that you’ve no memory of your past. None at all.” There was a look of amusement on her face that perplexed me, but I put it down to the fact that this had to be the easiest thing she’d done all week.

“Yes, Princess Celestia. That is correct. I can remember nothing but blurs of light and jumbled noises.” My reply was given a tone of utmost respect in order to please her. I hoped that this would win her to my side, but I was skeptical about the possibility of changing her mind if she chose not to help.

“I…” Before she could continue there was a large commotion outside the doors leading into the great hall portion of the palace. Whatever occurred happened quick, and we did not have to wait long to find out what it was. The doors to the throne room flung wide open as a group of wolves stepped through. They were all quite large, excepting one near the front who had a shifty gaze. The lead wolf was much larger than I; scars covered his face and body. His fur was a dark gray color, and his eyes seemed to be made of burning amber. Before he could speak a guard stepped through the door, his helmet on crooked and his spear snapped in two.

“I’m sorry Princesses. We tried to stop them. There overpowered us.” His voice was full of concern. It was clear he did not care about himself, only for the safety of the royals who lives were in his hooves. Princess Celestia looked upon him with a care filled gaze.

“It is okay Razor Wing. You did your best. Call for a relief unit and see that you and your men get to the infirmary.” Her voice was caring, yet there was no mistaking that an order had been issued.

“Yes Princess. As you wish.” Razor Wing closed the doors as he limped out. With that the lead wolf chuckled. It was a deep laugh. It was familiar, and at the same time it sent a shiver down my spine.

“I must give that group that they are rather brave, but their efforts were futile. There is no way they could have stood against even half our number.” His deep voice resonated in the chamber, reverberating off the walls in disturbing fashion. “Now, Celestia…I want the terms I laid down to be met! I want my son back!” The shift in the war-hardened wolf’s tone dropped the temperature in the room by several degrees. Princess Celestia’s did not betray any emotions, or at least none that I could pick up on.

“Chief Blood Warrior, I cannot give you your son, for I do not have him, and neither do the Griffons. You must accept that your son suffered some misfortune upon his travels. I am sorry for your loss, but you cannot blame it on a nation simply because you dislike them.” It was clear that she would not budge in this conversation, but it would undoubtedly carry on. I was, unfortunately, caught in between the two, for I hadn’t the presence of mind to move when they entered. The Chieftain laughed once again, only this time it was more menacing.

“Your lies do not fool me Celestia. I know that the Griffons took him, and they will soon use him as a bargaining chip to have this war come out in their favor. I won’t have it! If you don’t do something soon matters will be taken into my own paws, and you will not like the consequences of that.” The threat was anything but subtle. Celestia, however, took it in stride and refused to acknowledge it, instead issuing a threat of her own.

“You may do as you wish, but do please remember you are a guest in my palace. It also happens that I have the Elements at my disposal should you wish to see them in action. I assure you it is not something you want to see.” Twilight and the others stepped forward upon being mentioned, though Fluttershy did have to be coaxed forward by Rainbow Dash. Blood Warrior seemed unimpressed by this show, and for the third time he laughed.

“Since you will not cooperate, I guess I will just have to force it from you!” He took three long strides before jumping toward the Princesses. Without thinking I launched myself into the air to intercept him. I felt my shoulder make contact with his underside and we went tumbling to the ground. Luckily I landed on top. I quickly regained my sense of direction and did my best to pin him to the ground with one hoof while holding another over his face, ready to stomp down if necessary. A quick snort showed him I was not playing.

“Well, what a brave soul you are. A tip, if I may. Never threaten to do something if you aren’t prepared to act!” Suddenly I saw stars and felt myself flying through the air. Then I my body came to a halt as I hit something and fell to the ground. The pain was worse than it was two days before. My back hurt, there was a searing pain in the right side of my face, and my head pounded. Despite all this I tried to stand. When I managed to stand upright I promptly fell back to the ground. The Lupine Chief’s laughs rung out in the chamber, “You have heart! That is good! But who are you to challenge a Chief? Look at what your insolence brought down upon you!” The rest of the pack joined in his laughter. Celestia, however, would have none of it.

“How dare you attack one of my own subjects in plain sight, let alone in front of me! I want you out! Go back to your forests and mountains. You will get no prisoners from the Griffons! You will leave Equestria at once!” The danger in her voice was unmistakable. While this occurred, my vision cleared enough so that I could watch what was happening as well. Looking over to the Elements they were all standing firmly in place, but a couple did glance from time to time in my direction. I slowly moved my head in the hope that they would stay by the Princesses sides. Being banished from the kingdom seemed not to upset Blood Warrior in the slightest; it almost looked as if it pleased him.

“Now, my standard bearers, I believe is the time to reveal our new banner.” The twisted smile that accompanied his words did nothing to ease my mind. The light blue-winged dark blue crescent moon overlaid by a wand. All of this imposed on a black field with golden stars. Few ponies present reacted, but among those who did were the princesses, Twilight, and Shining Armor.

“I never thought to see those banners again. I had ordered them all destroyed.” The Princess of the Sun voiced her disbelief. This was the reaction Blood Warrior had been hoping for, as he grinned toothily.

“The Lupine have had enough of being under your hoof Celestia! These banners were hidden away from you at the end of the First Lunar Rebellion…in anticipation of the New Lunar Rebellion and the establishment of the New Lunar Republic!” His words mocked the princess openly, and he spoke treason in the Royal Palace. I couldn’t sit there and not do anything, so I tried to stand once again. This time I managed a few steps toward Blood Warrior. He simply smiled and sidestepped to let me fall flat on my face. His hearty laugh once again rang out before he said, “What is your name? You who are so eager to fight? I’d almost say you were a wolf with the fighting spirit that you have!” He took a step forward and pinned me to the ground with one of his large forepaws.

“I’m Pathfinder, and I’m an Earth pony.” I told him before I snorted in his face. This gesture of defiance merely earned me another blow to the head from his other paw. This time I didn’t move, but spots of light danced in front of my eyes.

“Another lesson Pathfinder. Know when defiance is useless and serves no gain. It will save you much trouble in the future.” His words, however much I disliked him, rang true. He wasn’t a foalish being. He really thought his rebellion would have a chance. Could that mean that it did? Otherwise why would he throw away the lives of his people? The questions milling around in my muddled mind were interrupted when Princess Celestia spoke once more.

“Chief Blood Warrior…stand down, or you shall not leave here. I will order your capture if you do not relinquish your foalish ideas of a rebellion!” Her mind was decided on this point, and I didn’t think that anything the Lupine leader could say would sway her. I was very wrong.

“Cut me down then! Let it be known that merciful Celestia is not so merciful after all! Remember, dear Princess, that while I have become Chief of all the tribes of the Lupine, I am not the only leader of the nation. Look in the pack I have brought with me. They are all warriors, and ones that who volunteered for the possibility to lay down their lives in service to the Republic.” Blood Warrior had to know he had her, and he put the last nail in the coffin by adding, “If I die, the Lupine will choose a new leader, and he will have more powers than I was ever given. Do not cut of one of the heads to a Hydra, not unless you’re prepared for the two that will sprout in its place.” Throughout his speech I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Glancing up at the Princesses I finally realized what it was. Luna had not spoken a word. As if she read my mind, Princess Celestia turned to her sister and spoke.

“Did you know of this Luna? Did you know of the rebellion spreading amongst the Lupine? Please tell me you are not a part of this my dear sister.” The words seemed desperate for confirmation that her suspicions were wrong. Luna looked to her sister as I watched them, and after a long moment of silence she answered.

“No Tia. We knew not of what they were planning. All of what we knew was at your disposal.” The words were sincere, or sounded like they were. I felt that they were sincere as well, but my battered brain was having trouble keeping up with the state of things, so I could have easily imagined it. The Chieftain of the Lupine still stood with his forepaw pinning me to the ground. As he listened to Luna and Celestia converse, I couldn’t help but notice the curiosity in his eyes as he studied me. There seemed to be a gleam of recognition on his face, but it faded just as fast. His gaze was torn from my face when Celestia spoke once more.

“You will be allowed to leave. But make sure never to show your face in Equestria again. You will be treated as the leaders of the previous rebellion were, and possibly harsher.” The coldness in her voice was mixed with the resignation of having lost. She then turned to Shining Armor and said, “You may release the shield. They will be leaving immediately.”

“As you command Princess.” I could tell Shining didn’t like it one bit, but he released his hold on the magic shield and let it fall. Blood Warrior smiled with this order.

“The New Lunar Republic is rising, Princess Luna. It is being made for you to rule. All you must do is claim it. Keep that in mind.” His words were spoken as he looked down upon me a final time. Then, he took his paw off my chest. The renewed ability to breathe deeply came as a great relief, but this relief was short-lived, because for the third time, he clubbed me upside my head with his other massive forepaw. This was one time too many. I heard all the Elements react in their own way right before I blacked out from the repeated abuse.

Of Rumps and Rebellions

I'd first like to apologize for the long time between chapters. I have been really tied up with IRL, my art, and other issues. We had a large storm hit our town a week and a half ago and I helped with cleanup for a good half-week. The art has been coming along, but it meant this had to go on hold for a short time. No fear though, because I'm back.

Please leave a comment after reading, because I enjoy constructive criticism!

“Oh…I hope he wakes up. He looked like he was in so much pain. “ Fluttershy’s mention of how my body felt made me suddenly aware of every ache. I sat there for a moment, unable to move. That was when Applejack stepped in to comfort the yellow Pegasus.

“He’ll be just fine Fluttershy. Remember how fast he healed up last time.” I couldn’t tell if it did any good for Fluttershy to hear this, but she did remain quiet. That was usual for her though. It took me a couple tries to build up the fortitude to attempt sitting, but finally I was able to gather the courage, and in one quick motion, I sat up. Once sitting I attempted to open my eyes, and I succeeded, but only half. The side which had been struck by Blood Warrior refused to open, and I could feel a bandage covering that half of my face.

“Nurse he’s awake!” I heard Twilight shout. Then there was a sudden shuffle of hooves as ponies made way for a pretty Unicorn nurse.

“Lie down.” Those were the first words to come from her mouth. I hesitated a moment, but she did not. She pushed me back down on the bed, and then she checked my injuries. Once she seemed satisfied, she said, “You will be able to leave in a week or so. If what your friends say is true, then you may be able to leave sooner, but do not expect it.” She had a gentle voice, but it was firm as well. She knew how to make patients feel welcome, and along that line she said, “My name is Nurse Softcast. If you need me I’ll be in my office.” Then she turned around to my friends and said, “Now, be sure not to get him too agitated. I do not want him to overexert himself.” Twilight and the rest nodded and she walked away to a door at the end of the large room. Once she was gone I had to ask a few questions.

“Where am I? How long have I been out?” Then, with a smile I added, “And why do I keep getting hurt?” The final question seemed to get the response I was looking for, as many of the ponies in front of me smiled. I realized that it wasn’t just the Elements, but several soldiers and guards were there as well, including Shining Armor. Twilight, as usual, was the one to answer my questions.

“You’re in the Palace Infirmary.” This answer came in a factual tone. The next, however, caused Twilight what looked to be a bit of trouble as she tried to think of a way to explain what happened to me. Finally she said, “Well…you’ve been out for the entire day. As for why you keep getting hurt-“

“You’re not tough enough!” Rainbow Dash yelled, and everypony present gave a small laugh.

“Thank you Twilight, and you too Rainbow for the brilliant reasoning behind my injuries.” There was an obvious wryness behind my comment to Rainbow Dash, and everypony, once again, laughed.

“Good to see that you are awake Pathfinder. You’re a brave pony, and I’d like to have a word with you later, if you don’t mind.” Shining Armor looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. I gave him a nod, and he smiled. He had me, no matter what, and he knew I’d do whatever he asked. It obviously played to my personality, or he wouldn’t seem so sure. The guards all followed Shining out, and the regular soldiers followed soon after. Thus it was just the Elements and I left in the infirmary, with a few patients at the other end of the ward.

“So…what happened?” I remembered only what had happened up to the point where Blood Warrior had beaten me half to death and after that…nothing. That was normal though when somepony passes out. I don’t think most ponies typically remember what they were unconscious for. Once again Twilight was uneasy because of my questions, and I took this as a bad sign.

“After you blacked out, the Griffons entered. They wanted something from Celestia as well. She promised them that she would do everything in her power to help them, so long as they remained steadfast friends. The Griffons understood what that meant. They are now on their way back to their homeland to prepare.” The explanation she gave me lacked one crucial piece of information. What was it that the Griffons wanted? I almost asked, but then I noticed Twilight look to the others. It was a look of confusion, as if she didn’t know what to do. Applejack gave her an encouraging nod, and she turned back to me. “The Griffons were asking for one of their own. The Emperor’s daughter, and the Empress-to-be. She went missing about the same time that the Lupine Crown Prince did.” The news hit me like a shock wave. This news was unbelievable, and it changed everything. If both sides had the other’s offspring, then a trade would have been offered immediately. That wasn’t the case though, so someone else had to have the royals.

“Somepony is playing a dangerous game, and it looks like we’re all going to be pawns in it. The only reason for both to be kidnapped is if someone wanted this war to happen, or that person is trying to end the war with some drastic measures.” The last plan, oddly enough, didn’t seem to absurd to me, but it was much more likely that whoever was behind the kidnappings had something to gain from a rebellion. I looked to Twilight for her opinion, and she readily gave it after walking to my side.

“I think you may be right. This isn’t good. Celestia’s already mobilizing the Royal Army and Air Force. The Wonderbolts are being called back from their show in Stalliongrad in order to be briefed. The Griffons already have their military bearing down on the Lupine, but they plan on retreating in order to regroup with our armies when they arrive. They are also marshalling more forces.” She spoke in a hushed voice. This information could be extremely harmful if it got into the wrong hands, so she was right in doing so. Why she suddenly trusted me I didn’t know. It probably had to do with getting my flank handed to me by Blood Warrior in defense of the Princesses.

I wondered for a second if Equestria had any more allies that would be willing to help her in a time of need, and once again it seemed as if Twilight could read my mind, as she spoke, “Princess Celestia is also going to the nomadic Dragons. They are beings of the Sun, and as such owe much to her. The Zebras have already sent back a message that they would help materially, but they cannot spare any of their warriors.”

“Not to mention she has the Elements of Harmony!” Rainbow cockily shouted. Nurse Softcase glared at her through the open office door. It worked just as well as Fluttershy’s Stare worked on the animals. I chuckled and nodded. She was right. The Elements were nothing to scoff at, especially after the memories I had seen of Twilight and the others. One pony I was surprised hadn’t spoken was Applejack. I decided to change this.

“So, we have allies. What do you think Applejack?” She looked at me for quite a long time before answering.

“We’re in a right tough position. These wolves, from what Twilight says, are born an’ raised fighting. They’re ready. They have experience. Worst of all, they have something to fight for. They won’t be easily defeated.” Her Element shined through in the words she spoke. She was right, and that meant all of Equestria was in danger of falling. I suddenly winced in pain, and everypony noticed.

“Oh…are you okay?” The quiet voice of Fluttershy spoke out. Her eyes were wide, so I turned my wince into a smile. I was positive

“I’m fine, just a little sore. I’ll be back on my hooves in no time.” They all knew I was lying, but none of them called me out on it, except of course, Honesty herself.

“Don’t try to sell us that day old fish and tell us it’s fresh! You’re hurt, and you’re staying in bed until you get better!” She seemed hurt that I would lie to them, but also worried about me. I guess that they still wanted to help me, even though I really didn’t mean anything to them.

“I’m sorry Applejack. I just didn’t want any of you to worry, especially when you have bigger things to focus on.” She still didn’t seem happy, but she at least accepted the explanation. Twilight then spoke again.

“Okay girls. Let’s leave him alone now so he can recover. He’s right…right now we have something else to focus on. We can visit him again tomorrow.” She knew what was important, and truly what happened to me didn’t matter all that much in the large scheme of things. What did matter was the fate of Equestria itself. The pain coursing through my body made it hard to fall asleep, but that was what I did. I had plans for that night, and I was going to need my rest if I intended to execute them properly.

I managed to do exactly what I’d planned. The amount of sleep I’d had already made me rested enough that I woke in the middle of the night. Before I left my bed, I made sure to check on Nurse Softcast. The light in her office was off, so I assumed she wasn’t there. Slowly, and with great difficulty and pain, I managed to steady myself on all four hooves on the floor.

I walked toward the end of the Infirmary where Twilight and the others had gone. The whole way I quietly endured the pain that every step caused me. Finally, mercifully, I reached the large double doors. There was no way I was going to open them without making a lot of noise, so I sat for a few minutes staring at the doors. There was something about them that seemed off. Ultimately my slowed cognitive functions caught up with my intuition as I realized there was a smaller set of double doors built into the large set. That was how everypony walked in and out without disturbing the patients. I could have hit myself upside the head for being so stupid, but at that point, it would have likely knocked me out.

Through the door I went, and, to my surprise, there were no guards stationed on the other side. Being that I was no longer in immediate danger, I relaxed a little as I walked. For ages it seemed that I was the only living being in the castle. That changed in an instant. I rounded what felt like the thousandth corner in the maze of corridors, when I ran into an unknown pony.

This collision was exceptionally painful, but I managed to stifle the cry of pain that wanted to escape. The same couldn’t be said for the sound of the Pegasus soldier’s armor. It made quite the clatter as he hit the ground. Unfortunately this also knocked his helmet off, and that set forth a multitude of problems. I stood first, and as I went to help the soldier up, I noticed that he wasn’t a he at all.

I helped the mare to her hooves, and she glared at me. Her long white mane ran from her light brown head all the way to the floor. She quickly picked up her helmet, pulled a cap out of the lining, and then tucked her hair in it as she put it on her head. It was the same color as her coat, so this gave the illusion that her head was shaved. Her wings looked powerful, as if she constantly trained. The whole time, she didn’t take her eyes off of me, and her glare grew in fierceness with every passing moment. The fiery red color of her eyes only added to the effect.

“I’m sor-“ I tried to apologize for running into her, but she cut me off.

“You tell nopony. Understand?” She pushed me up against a wall as she threatened me. Normally I wouldn’t have budged, but, with the state I was in, I shouldn’t have even been walking. That didn’t mean I couldn’t be my same fighting self though.

“Why? What reasons do you have to masquerade like this?” I made sure to put my face as close to hers as possible. It was something to make her uncomfortable, but it didn’t seem to work. She simply shoved me again and glared menacingly. “I’m not backing down that easily.” I warned her, and her eyes widened.

“I know you. You’re that one who stood up to the Lupine Cheiftain. I also happen to know you aren’t supposed to be out of bed, especially with those injuries.” She had me, and I knew it. I couldn’t help but notice how good she looked either. The armor didn’t take away anything from her beauty, and her voice added to it. As I thought this she acted. Instead of pushing me again, she just touched one of her hooves to the bandage on my head. The pain was overwhelmingly excruciating.

“Okay. I get your point.” I stepped back to relieve the pain in my head. She smiled wickedly, and despite this I regained my normal fighting spirit. “You know. We’re at an impasse. So, you have to visit me in the infirmary every day. It’s going to get boring in there with no one to talk to, and the Elements will be too busy to visit. What do you say?” There was a long pause that followed, and finally she answered.

“You’ll get your visits.” She smiled, but this time it wasn’t wicked, in fact it was almost sweet. “Just remember not to tell anyone about me.” I nodded that I wouldn’t and with that she started walking away.

“Wait!” I yelled after her. Thankfully she stopped and turned back to me. “What’s your name?” I asked, suddenly almost too shy. The smile on her face told me I was an amusement to her, and more than likely, nothing more.

“My name is Quicksilver, and while I know who you are, I don’t know your name. May I have the pleasure of knowing the name of the stallion who stood up to Blood Warrior?” Her name was, much like her, beautiful. Her question was overly nice, and I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not. There was also a sparkle in her eyes that told me she had to be thinking something awful to do to me. I responded despite it.

“I’m Pathfinder.” I told her, and as soon as it left my mouth she started to walk away. This time her flank swayed much more, and I found myself mesmerized. It wasn’t until she turned around the corner at the end of the hall that I realized I had been staring. Suddenly I felt a hot blush creep along my cheeks. It was a good thing nopony else was there to see how red I was.

I decided that after this excursion I should stay in my bed in the infirmary. Otherwise I’d likely get caught. The only problem would be finding my way back. After wandering again for an hour or two I finally found it. Sneaking in was just as easy as sneaking out had been, and when I made it to my bed I gingerly laid down on it.
The last thoughts that went through my tired brain that night were of rumps and rebellions.

History Lessons

Wow...This one took a long time to write, and it wasn't for a lack of ideas. I actually had too many ideas. I cut down a lot of what was in this chapter, and I'll figure out a way to incorporate it in later chapters.

I apologize for the length of time between chapters. I don't have an editor/proof-reader, so I do it myself. This means that I proof read it once, let it sit for a day or two, then I proof-read it again with a fresh eye.

Please comment on what you like/dislike/and any errors you see, because I guarantee I've missed some.

WARNING: There is a bit of gore in this chapter! It isn't bad, but I figured I would warn y'all before anyone freaked out on me for not doing so.

My heart was racing as fast as Rainbow Dash when I jumped down to the floor. I was panicked, trying my best to escape the magic that had trapped me. That was when it hit me. The ground was no longer covered in grass and dirt. It was solid stone. It was a moment before I realized I was back in the Infirmary, and that it had only been a dream. Even though it had been a dream, it was such a vivid one that I had thought it to be real. Before I could manage to get back in my bed, I fell over. The sudden movement had caused my body to lock up as soon as it came to rest, and I couldn’t move. I was about to call for Nurse Softcast when I felt somepony help me to my hooves and hold me steady while I regained my ability to move. When I looked to my side I saw no other than the soldier mare from the night before, Quicksilver.

“Please don’t do that again. I don’t feel like protecting you from yourself. It wasn’t in the job description when I was ordered here. Instead I need to be doing my job of standing guard over you in case the Lupine decide to kill you. That affront to their Chieftain didn’t go unnoticed, and some of them may take action without his blessing in order to gain his favor. They have been known to kill for lesser offenses after all.” She smiled slyly as she helped me back into my bed. I wondered why she would be in the Infirmary already, but she explained perfectly, “I was ordered by General Gale Force to guard you with my life. I don’t know why you’re so important, but you have someone who obviously likes you. Plus, if any wolves come in you have the best fighter in the entire Royal Army by your side, besides General Gale Force of course.” I couldn’t help but stare at her for a few moments. I was so confused by her sudden change from the night before.

“How, in Luna’s name, have you managed to keep up your charade this long?” I asked her this out of disbelief. Her voice had to give her away, and if not that, than they had to see her mane once in a while. Those both were dead giveaways as to her being a mare. She just smiled slyly and shook her head.

“What do you mean Pathfinder? A gruff voice said. I looked up from my bed to see smile on her face. That was evidence enough that she had managed it. Although it was fairly convincing, if one tried hard enough, one could discern some feminine qualities to the notes.

“Okay, I guess you can disguise your voice, but what about your mane? No one has mentioned that before? “ I was really amazed at how she had kept the fact that she was a mare quiet for so long.

“Oh, that’s nothing. I only take my cap off to shower. And all the showers stalls here in the castle are assigned by individual, so I never have to worry about others walking in on me.” It was starting to make more sense after her explanation, so I just gave up on it. Instead, I was curious as to why the Equestrian Royal Army maintained a detachment in the castle when there was already the Royal Guard here to protect the Princesses.

“So, why exactly does the Army have a force in the castle when the Royal Guard performs the duty of protecting the Princesses?” My question didn’t catch her off guard, as she answered it with methodical precision.

“The Royal Army’s 1st Corps moved its base of operations back to Canterlot after the Changeling Invasion. Prior to that, Celestia had ordered we set up our HQ in Manehattan. The 1st Corps consists of 3 divisions. There is the 1st Unicorn Division, nicknamed ‘Canterlot’s Pride’. They got that name, because their Division all received training at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Next is the 1st Earth Pony Division, the ‘Iron Ponies’, so named because they have never been broken in battle.” She paused for a second to take a breath. I couldn’t help but think how much history each of these units had.

Finally, she continued, “Then there is my unit, the 1st Pegasus Wing, ‘Staliongrad’s Saviors’ or ‘Stalliongrad’s Survivors’. This unit earned that name during the first Lupine Rebellion. The Lupine had rolled over the 2nd and 3rd Earth Pony Divisions and straight into Stalliongrad. They were pushing through the city, being harassed by the remnants of the ‘Thundering Third’, when our Division arrived. The fighting was brutal. They had superior numbers, but we fought hard, giving up little ground as we hit them quickly and then disappeared. Finally, we were able to turn the tide of battle when one of their generals slipped up. He led his entire command into a trap laid by General Stormwing. His grave miscalculation gave us the upper hoof, and we pushed them out of the city. ” I was amazed at the story. There was so much pride in her voice, and fire in her eyes, that I almost believed she had been there.

“If you’re the 1st Pegasus Division, than why are you a part of the Royal Equestrian Army’s 1st Corps?” It didn’t make any sense in my mind, but maybe she could convince me otherwise. So far, the unexplainable seemed pretty easily explained in her company, and maybe she could keep that going. She grinned at the question, as if she had wanted me to ask it.

“That originates back to the founding of Equestria. The Royal Equestrian Army was created when Equestria was. The 1st Corps was the whole army in the early days. There weren’t enough Pegasi for an Air Force, and so it is tradition that the First Pegasus is a part of the Army instead of the Air Force. This gives us a unique job in the Army of rapid deployment, guerilla warfare, and reconnaissance.” Once again Quicksilver did an outstanding job of explaining everything. This led me to one more question. I figured it was just that she was well versed in the storied history of her unit, but it also seemed she was knowledgeable of more than just her unit when it came to the military.

“So, do you study military history as a hobby, or are you pushing for a commission?” I didn’t sugarcoat the question. I presented it to her plain and simple, and she smiled.

“Both actually. I want to lead more than just a handful of Pegasi into battle, but I also thoroughly enjoy reading up on the history of war. Not just Equestria’s wars either, because looking at history, the most successful generals all knew their enemy well. They also understood the lessons of the past, otherwise they would have been doomed to repeat them. I know the way the Lupine fight. I’ve studied every major war they’ve been involved in from a century prior to their first rebellion to the present.” Her extremely efficient manner of answering questions amused me to no end. She was definitely officer material, and military through and through. She would make a fine general some day, if no one caught her first.

“Well, you don’t happen to know much about me do you?” Now was the time to test whether she was well informed through the secret mill or not. She had been waiting for this moment, and she pounced on it with a sly grin.

“Do you really think I would have come here without finding out everything there is to know about you? Rumor is that you don’t remember exactly who you are. Guards say you have amnesia from an event involving the Elements. Rumor also has it that you aren’t an average pony.” She casually spoke these words to me, watching my every reaction. I raised my eyebrow at the second rumor.

“And why do they say that?” I was genuinely curious now. If I was considered abnormal, on top of the amnesia that is, than I wanted to know why. She just continued to smile that sly half-smile of hers.

“That’s the thing. They say you’ve been trained. You have the hardwired reflexes of a trained warrior. They say that, because only a soldier can intercept an opponent the way you did in the throne room. I was told you performed an intercept maneuver that not even some of our top guards know. It was a technique that originated in an interesting place centuries ago. It came from the Den Forest.” This revelation confused me. I had heard that name in my dream. But that dream had been of Lupine and Griffon’s fighting. The Den Forest was part of the Lupine’s territory. I could have easily been trained by the Lupine, or I could have been trained to fight them. Either one would explain why I knew how to perform that intercept, and why I had battle reflexes. Quicksilver watched me the whole time I thought, obviously looking for a clue as to what I was thinking.

“There’s more too. I checked the records. There is no Earth Pony named Pathfinder recorded for the past 50 years. The last recorded Pathfinder died 50 years ago in Trottingham. So, who are you? You’re obviously an important pony, or you wouldn’t have been brought before Celestia like you were.” I knew there wouldn’t be a record of a Pathfinder, because that had been a name we’d made up. It was an alias intended to keep ponies from worrying over my name. After a few moments of pondering her question, I answered.

“You ask who I am. I wish I could tell you. It isn’t for being ordered to keep it a secret. It’s because I truly do not know who I am, or who I was. You think of me as a threat, and you are a very smart pony to do so. The truth is, I am a pony without an identity. I exist on no official records. By all intents and purposes, I shouldn’t be here.” This was the hardest thing to come to grips with. It was as if I had suddenly appeared in Equestria. I had no past, and as such I had no identity. The emotions I felt had clearly made their way into my facial features, as I saw her gaze soften.

“It must be hard for you, not knowing who you are. Could you at least tell me your real name? I mean, if I am going to be protecting you, I want know who I am guarding.” It was a very reasonable request, but one I wasn’t sure I could grant. It could undo all the precautions taken in bringing me here. I wrestled with the idea for a few moments before making my decision.

“I guess you’re right…I should probably tell you, but you are sworn to secrecy from this point by the Princesses. My name is a secret only the Elements, the Princesses, and Captain Shining Armour know. My name…” I paused for a second to make sure nopony in the infirmary was listening before I continued, “My name is Dohi Waya. It means Peaceful Wolf. Before you ask, no I don’t know why, but it’s my name, and I will hold onto it with my life, because it is the only part of my past that I remember.”

This show of emotion and trust softened her even more. Even though she was military, she was still caring, and my predicament must have set something off in her. She looked at me with pity, and I couldn’t blame her. I must have looked pretty pitiful, with the bandages on my body and the emotions plastered across my face.

“I’m sorry for you Waya. I hope you find out who you are, because your fate is one that nopony should suffer.” I was tired of the pity and the conversation that had led to it, so I stopped talking. There was no need to wallow like this in my own despair. That lead to defeat, and defeat was the one thing Equestria and I could not afford. Suddenly, I noticed Quicksilver stand straight up as she put a serious look on her face.

I looked to the entrance to see what had caused her to tense up so quickly. It was the Elements! My mood lifted as soon as I saw the six of them walking down the center aisle of the Infirmary, well, walking really only described half of them. Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity all walked along calmly enough. Fluttershy shuffled along a bit slower, with her eyes on her hooves. Rainbow Dash hovered low to the ground as she moved. Then there was Pinkie. Pinkie bounced along in such a manner that she looked like she had springs attached to her feet.

“So, how are you feeling today Pathfinder?” Twilight asked in her typical tone. I smiled a second, then thought of an answer.

“Well, I feel kind of like I was run over by a ranbow-maned Pegasus.” My response caused the six of them to laugh and RD to blush. I also could’ve sworn that I had seen Quicksilver’s face almost break from its serious expression. Twilight turned her attention to my guard as soon as she stopped laughing. It was obvious that she had been the first thing Twilight had noticed. It was hard not to notice a Pegasus soldier in full armor.

“Name, rank, and unit soldier.” She ordered. Quicksilver’s response was immediate.

“ Corporal Quicksilver of the 1st Corps 1st Pegasus Division, ‘Stalliongrad’s Saviors’ Ma’am!” The response was by the book. It also amused me to see a soldier respond in such a way to a civilian, even if that civilian happened to be the Element of Magic.

“Good. Shining told me that General Gale Force had placed a guard over Pathfinder. My brother couldn’t afford to release any of the Princesses’ guards to protect you, so he suggested to General Force that he do so. I’m happy to see that his suggestion wasn’t taken lightly.”Everypony seemed so worried about my safety that it frustrated me. I wasn’t important enough to rate a guard, yet they gave me one. I should never have had an audience with the Princesses, yet I had one. I felt as if they all knew something about me that I didn’t, and I couldn’t stand that feeling.

“Well, since that’s taken care of…Has any more news come in?’ I really wanted to shift the conversation away from me and to the war. That way no one could feel sorry for and I wouldn’t have to bear their pity. The look Twilight gave me was full of concern, whether it was for me or for the news I couldn’t tell. Next, she glanced to Quicksilver. “She’s trustworthy, and she’ll find it all out eventually, so she might as well know now.” Twilight knew I was right, and so she answered my question.

“The dragons cannot lend us their help. A sudden disease has swept through their nomadic nation. While it is not deadly, it can cripple an afflicted individual for months at a time. We’re also getting reports from Eastern Command of the Leo Republic augmenting their units along the border. They are either preparing to attack while we are preoccupied with the Lupine, or they are merely maintaining the security of their own country to ensure the Lupine don’t attack them as well. Whatever they are doing, it is putting everypony even further on edge.” This was no good at all. Equestria would have to stand against the Lupine with only the Griffons by our side. It wasn’t like the last time. Last time they had support from all over, including the dragons. The Lupine were harassed mercilessly by Equestria’s allies, this time she practically stood alone.

Then a thought occurred to me, How did I know Equestria had help in the last Rebellion? Maybe my memories were returning to me, and I really had been a soldier. Maybe I was a military project, one meant to be unleashed when the Lupine threatened again. That would explain the lack of memories, the knowledge of the First Lupine Rebellion, and the battle reflexes. I decided that would be my current take on what I was until evidence was provided against it. I didn’t want to think that I could possibly be a Lupine plant.

“Well, we have to go again Pathfinder. Princess Celestia wants us to sit in on the war planning so that she may have our input. We promise that we’ll visit if we can. Right girls?” Twilight’s words broke me from my train of thought. The others all nodded and voiced agreement, but it seemed like Pinkie really wanted to say something, and say something she did.

“ONCETHISISALLOVERWECANHAVEACONGRATULATIONSYOU’REALLBETTERPARTYANDTHEREWILLBECAKEANDBALLOONSANDPARTYGAMESANDCUPCAKESANDPUNCHANDWECANINVITEQUICKSILVERANDSHI-“

“Pinkie! Breathe!” Applejack yelled to the Pink mare whose voice was progressively getting higher. AJ’s sudden break from silence surprised me. She hadn’t said a word the whole time, and when she did, it was to yell at Pinkie. It didn’t seem like her, and I was wondering what the problem was. The rest of the group looked at AJ in surprise as well. Clearly they had been taken aback by her sudden reaction to Pinkie’s energy. There was a large intake of air as she inhaled. It would have been comical if it wasn’t so disturbing how long she speak without breathing.

“Okay…We should go now. We’ll see you later Pathfinder” Twilight started walking away and the others went to follow her. This was going to be my only chance to talk to Applejack, so I decided to stop her.

“Hey Applejack! Would you mind staying an extra couple moments? You don’t mind letting her stay, do you Twilight?” The entire group stopped and looked at Applejack and Twilight. Twilight just nodded her head, and Applejack walked back to my bed slowly. “You wouldn’t mind giving the two of us a private conversation would you Quicksilver?” She looked to me, nodded, then walked to the far end of the room, where she stood guard by the doors.

What did you want to talk about Sugarcube?” She tried to feign a happy tone, but I wasn’t buying it. At the same time I smiled at the sound of her voice. It seemed so familiar, but I know I’d never met her before, so there had to have been a pony in my past who talked like her. I decided to let that go and ask her the question on my mind.

“You’ve been quiet since this mess began. I know I don’t know you all that well, but you seem like a pony with opinions that are usually heard. What’s wrong?” I hoped that she wouldn’t get mad at me for this, but it was the only way to make her feel better. Getting things off your chest was the only way you could feel better, and sometimes it helped to have others share your burdens. She stared at me for a long time, and I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She did a good job of keeping emotion off her face, but one can only do that so long before they break, and I could tell that, even though she was tough, she was close to breaking. The way she seemed to snap at Pinkie before was simply the cracks starting to show. Finally, she sighed heavily.

“Ah guess ah cain’t keep going on like this.” The fact that she had just admitted that something was wrong amazed me. She paused for a few moments, and it seemed like she was figuring out the best way to go about her problem. Finally, she seemed to make up her mind, and she started speaking, “This ain’t the first time Ah’ve come into contact with the Lupine.” That revelation alone shocked me, but it already started to make more sense. “Ah was only a filly, didn’t even have mah cutie mark yet. Mah parents and Ah were up north, visiting family in Trottingham. We’d started on our way home, walking the roads. Mah father had just set his hat on mah head because Ah kept pesterin’ him to let me wear it.’” I saw a flash of an image of Applejack as a filly when she mentioned it. For some reason, filly Applejack was crying.

She continued to say, “On a pretty quiet dirt road we were accosted. Three wolves sprung outta their hidin’ spots in the bushes along the road. Mah father stepped between them and mah mother and Ah. It-It…” I could see her start tearing up. I interrupted her for her own sake.

“You don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.” I didn’t know if she would want to finish telling her story or not. She just shook her head after a moment gathering her self and started again.

“It didn’t help. They jumped on him and he yelled to mah mother and Ah, ‘Blossom! Applejack! Run!’ It was the last thing he said, and then he went down fightin’.” While her tone was undoubtedly sad, there was also a hint of pride in it. “He managed to break on of their legs, and that helped us get a little further, but only a little.” I knew it was hurting her to relive this bad memory, but I hoped it would bring her a little ease of mind with someone else to help her bear its burden.

“When they set upon us again, they went for mah mother. I paused, paralyzed in fear. I couldn’t look away as they killed her.” Her story brought the vivid image of a trio of wolves, one bleeding from a compound fracture, tearing into a light red mare as little Applejack sat watching in horror. I felt a burning hatred grow inside me for these wolves. I knew what they were about to do and I had to stop them. I barely heard Applejack recount the rest of her story, because I was watching as it played out in my mind.

“They finished and turned to me. Ah’d never felt as afraid as I did in that moment. Ah knew Ah was dead, but then Ah heard a very angry growl from the tree line to mah right.” I could hear it as well, it was so close by that it was as if it come from inside me. The three wolves advancing on the filly turned their heads to where I was watching to see the newcomer.

“Ah thought another wolf from their pack had joined them, but Ah was wrong.” I noticed, in a momentary lapse in the vision, that her eyes were glazed in recollection and there had been a clear shift in tone in her voice. “The other wolves laughed at the newcomer, he was much smaller than they were, and he seemed quite a bit younger, but he had just reached adulthood by mah guess.” I walked in the footsteps of the younger wolf as he strode towards the group. “He walked towards them calmly and he spoke, ‘For the crimes you have committed, both here today, and since your banishment from the tribes, you are condemned to death by the rule of the Council of Elders. Speak your final words now.’ That was the moment Ah let mahself hope that he was there to help.”

I heard his words and watched as the others sneered at the wolf who dared challenge them while outnumbered. I realized that I was seeing the events from the lone wolf’s perspective. The three wolves spoke, “We are not afraid of anyone the Council sends, not even if he is the son of Blood Warrior. We’ll enjoy killing you” I couldn’t hear Applejack speak now, I was completely drawn into the vision.

“Have it your way. You are hereby proclaimed Didahihi(Murderers) and Dalonige Digadoga(Yellow Tails). Your lives are forfeit.” With that I lunged towards the nearest of the three. My teeth closed around his throat in an instant, and before he had so much as a chance to yelp. The warm wash of blood on my muzzle excited me. Unfortunately, in the progress of attacking the first of the three I had turned my back to the remaining two.

I was tackled from behind by one of them, and we went rolling. The whole way teeth flashed and claws scratched. I had a long scratch down my right side, but it wasn’t deep, so I barely registered the pain. I was lucky when we hit came to a halt, as I landed with his right foreleg in my jaws. All it took was a forceful bite, and I heard the sickeningly satisfying crunch of shattered bone. He yelped, but still had the strength to make an attempt for my now unguarded throat. His attempt, luckily, was just that, as I stepped to the side and used his momentum to run him into a tree. While he was dazed, I finished him.

The last of their little pack tried to get away, but he was running on a broken foreleg and I didn’t let him get far. He turned to face me and I tackled him to the ground.

“Please…mercy! “ The way the injured wolf begged was pitiful. It wasn’t fitting of a Lupine. I felt the rage build up inside of me.

“Mercy? You want mercy?” The pinned wolf nodded emphatically, as he tried to save his own sorry hide. I despised him, yet I also pitied him. He was no longer a wolf. He was a trapped animal. I could practically smell the fear pouring from him. “Fine. Mercy it is. The same mercy you showed the pups you slaughtered and the ponies you murdered.” The look of relief on his face changed to disbelief as I tore his throat out. He had actually expected to receive mercy after what had happened. He had definitely been delusional.

After taking care of the last of the renegades, I walked back to the little filly that was left alone by the death of what I assumed to be her parents. She looked terrified as I approached, even if I had just killed the wolves that murdered her family, I was still a wolf, and I understood that. I was about to speak when suddenly she fainted. I rushed forward, hoping that she hadn’t been injured and that she had only fainted from shock. I had seen enough killing of young ones from the trio of dead murderers than I should have seen in a lifetime, and I didn’t want another on my hands.

I turned her over with my muzzle, making sure there were no significant injuries. Luckily she didn’t seem to be hurt. There was no way to ensure she would be found out here, and I wasn’t about to leave her to fend for herself, so I decided to brave the danger of going into a pony city to take her to the medicine men that they called doctors. I wanted to be sure there weren’t any internal injuries, and at the hospital they could sort out where she belonged.

I noticed a Stetson hat on the ground beside her, so I picked it up and placed it on her head. It was too big for her, and it covered her eyes. The sight made me smile. I wished I could have arrived before they had killed her family, but at least I had saved one life. I hoped that one day this life would save many others. I’d only just met her, but she’d already changed my life, and I was sure she would do the same for many others down the road. That would make it all worth it.

“And that’s why Ah’ve been so quiet the past two days.” Applejack’s voice suddenly brought me out of the vision I was in. “Ah woke up that night in the Trottingham Hospital. Ah had teeth marks on mah neck, and mah father’s Stetson was on the bedside table. Somepony said they saw a wolf walking away from me when they walked out a side door of the hospital. That wolf saved my life, and then he brought me back to the city.” She still seemed surprised by the kind act of the wolf, but I didn’t blame her. If I had seen my parents murdered by wolves the same day, I wouldn’t expect one to save me either.

“I’m sorry you went through that Applejack. “ That was all I could think to say. She really seemed to be a bit better off than she had at the beginning of the recollection, so I hoped this meant that she would be a little more vocal. She obliged me that by speaking again.

“Ah never did get to thank him. So, that’s why Ah despise the Lupine, and why Ah dread going up against them. Ah hope I don’t have to face him, because Ah wouldn’t be able to hurt him.” She was clearly sincere about her last sentiment. If she found him in battle, she wouldn’t be able to fight him. “Thank yah kindly for helping me get that off of mah chest Waya. It means a lot to me Sugarcube.” She leaned over, gave me a kiss on the cheek and then walked off down to the other end of the Infirmary.

I was shocked by the kiss, and I blushed hotly. Once I regained my wits, I couldn’t believe what had happened to me during her recollection.. I had experienced her memory, and that meant that she was one hell of a story teller, or I had actually been there. The latter option scared the hell out of me, because that meant two things.

One, I was Lupine.

Two, I was the son of Blood Warrior.

Iron Pony

Okay, next chapter! Poor Waya hasn't had much luck lately... Maybe that'll change in this chapter.

As always, I appreciate anyone pointing out mistakes, and your comments are always enjoyable for me to read and use to improve my writing. Have a nice time reading!

I turned around to see a very large wolf standing over me. I bolted from my hiding spot, and he gave chase. I wasn’t about to let this wolf embarrass me, so I turned to meet him. Luckily, he was right where I expected him to be, and, without a second thought, I put myself into a controlled backwards fall. The wolf definitely did not expect this, and he continued running right into me. I then rolled, using his momentum and my legs to catapult him over me, muzzle first, into the ground. I heard a yelp and I sprung to my feet to finish the job. As I rushed to him, I raised my hoof, ready to strike. Luna’s voice rang out from her spot beside Celestia, and she stopped me.

“Stand down Pathfinder.” She calmly ordered of me. I looked to her, slightly in disbelief. This wolf had just attacked me, and she wanted me to let him go, but I understood after a moment. Peaceful actions were likely to beget peaceful actions, so I dropped my hoof to the ground and backed away. The large wolf stood up, and was ready to fight when Crazy Ghost spoke.

“Get back in ranks, Atsosestanv(Dizzy).” The large wolf in front of me quickly obeyed, and he returned to the others with his tail down. I snorted in defiance one last time to show I wasn’t afraid, and that I would have taken him if Luna had not restrained me. He started to turn back, but a quick low growl from Crazy Ghost put that idea to an end.

“Now that is cleared up, I wish to say something as well.” Princess Celestia seemed almost amused by the events that had occurred, but then she turned serious, “We won’t tolerate spies either.” There was a sudden yelp and a very slender wolf was shoved out of his hiding place and into the open by a member of the Dawn Guard.

“It’s good to know we trust each other so well, isn’t it?” Crazy Ghost’s question was undoubtedly rhetorical. This situation was becoming much too familiar to me. I once again stood between the Princesses and a leader of a band of Lupine. That leader took interest in me, and he remained quiet for a moment as he studied me. “I’d know you anywhere. You are Pathfinder aren’t you?” I was so stunned that he knew my alias that I almost forgot to reply.

“Yes I am.” I finally gathered myself enough to answer him. He chuckled at my obvious surprise before he explained himself.

“Yes…Their description of your features was spot on.” He tilted his head to the side as he studied me for a second time. “You see, you’ve got quite the price on your head amongst the Lupine. They say that you managed to subdue Blood Warrior, if only for a moment.” I was not happy to learn of the bounty, especially from someone who might be likely to take it.

“I did manage to tackle him, but I hesitated, and he kicked my flank all across the room because I did so.” It was the pure truth. I hesitated, and he capitalized by wiping the floor with me. Crazy Ghost started laughing, and I wondered what was so funny.

“I apologize, but your description does fit, and I’m imagining the look on his face when a pony managed to take him down. From my wolves and myself, I congratulate you, and hope that the next time you face him you kill him.” The coldness of his hope surprised me. This meant he didn’t like Blood Warrior. Celestia voiced the thoughts that gradually worked into my mind.

“You do not support Blood Warrior?” It was the question on everypony's mind.

“We do not, my Princess.” The answer everypony wished for.

“So then, what do we call you? Are you rebels to the Lunar Empire, or are you loyalists to Equestria?” The question was a good one. If they did not wish to fight for Blood Warrior, could we count on them to fight for us? An addition of even a platoon’s worth of Lupine would add another dimension to the forces already at our disposal. There was a short silence as the pack leader contemplated how he would respond.

“We are both Princess. We, as the Aniyawisgi vhnai hia Aniwaya, Army of the Wolves in your language, fight for the good of our wolves. We will no longer fight in support of Blood Warrior’s ongoing feud with the Griffons, nor will we fight for a rebellion that will only serve to kill many Lupine.” I could see why he was the leader of this army. He was charismatic, cared for his warriors and his people, and he was dedicated to a cause. All of these things made him an extremely dangerous wolf. Celestia understood this as well, and as such, she considered her next words before speaking.

“I see. Why then, have you come to me, come to us? If you wish that no Lupine blood be spilled, why come to the very ponies that will, regrettably, have to give the order to spill that blood?” Her words were true. I could tell she wished there was a way to end this peacefully, but Blood Warrior had made it clear that there would be no diplomacy. He only wanted war, and a good leader never went out of his way to find war.

“We have multiple reasons, but there are a few among them that shine brighter than the rest. First, we know that Lupine blood will be spilled, no matter what we do. Therefore, if it is to happen, we must be there to ensure that it wasn’t for naught. We may also be able to convince many warriors to join our ranks and prevent bloodshed that way.” This was noble of him, but I could not see that happen. These Lupine were too stubborn to admit they were wrong, but I did not say a thing, and instead I let Crazy Ghost continue, “We also fight for our former leader, Elawei Waya. Quiet Wolf was the greatest leader to live. He was loved by his warriors, and I was his second. We lost him during a diplomatic mission. The Griffons descended upon us while we flew the banner of peace. We drove them off, but when we looked, we could not find our leader, nor was the enemy leader visible, and I knew that leader all too well.”

The field was quiet, all waited to hear his story, and he obliged, “Their leader was the Deadly Shadow. The one named Talia. Their soon to be Empress. From what we understand, neither of them have been seen since that day. But they aren’t gone. I’ve been friends with Elawei too long, and I would know if he was dead. The last I saw of them, Talia had tackled Elawei. I was about to help when I too was hit by a Griffon warrior, and the battle after kept me from getting to my friend. We are dedicated to him, and we will find him.” I felt for this poor wolf, but I also couldn’t help but feel bad for myself. I couldn’t be absolutely sure, but every piece of evidence now pointed towards the fact that I was the missing Elawei Waya, despite the fact that I remembered my name as Dohi Waya and the obvious fact that I was a pony.

“You have my condolences for your loss. I agree to give you and your wolves a place in our military. You must fight separately from our ponies, because most will not trust you.” Celestia spoke once again like a head of state must, but her words did ring with true emotion. She felt bad for the wolf in front of me, as did I. Crazy Ghost nodded his agreement to the plan, but then he spoke.

“It may have been deceitful, but I have hidden one thing from you in order to judge your openness.” He looked as though he regretted doing so, but what has happened cannot be changed, so I brushed it off.
Celestia raised an eyebrow and asked, “What would that be General Crazy Ghost.” The addition of the new honorific wasn’t surprising to me. He was, after all, now a member of the Equestrian military, and as such he had to be in the rank structure.

“This is only a third of my warriors. This is merely one of the three packs, or platoons as you name them.” With that, he produced a long howl. After only a few seconds of waiting, there was a return howl. “They come.” I had only one idea of where they could be, so I turned my head to the Everfree Forest. I was met by a sight that was both frightening and awe inspiring, close to a hundred wolves sprinting along at full speed from the tree line of the Everfree. Celestia’s surprise was evident on her face, but she quickly brought it under control and spoke.

“While I do not appreciate the deception, I do admit it was a smart ploy on your part. This is a good surprise as well. You now have an entire army under your command. I will see to it that they are given uniforms so that we may distinguish your warriors from those of Blood Warrior.” We definitely wouldn’t want our ponies to attack our allies. The wolf army was impressive. This was a definite advantage we now had. We would know tactics, psychological profiles of enemy commanders, and we would have scouts who knew the land. That would come in great use when we pushed into the forests.
While I was thinking, Celestia turned to me. “You, Pathfinder, shall be appointed as envoy and messenger to our new Lupine army. That is, if you accept a spot within the 1st Earth Pony Division.” I couldn’t believe I was being offered a position amongst the top fighters in Equestria, and it took me a moment to respond.

“I’m honored by this offer. I’d proudly serve in your names.” I was still stunned at the sudden offer. It meant that I’d be in the hardest battles to come. I would fight alongside the greatest warriors of both the Lupine loyalists, and the Equestrian Royal Army’s 1st Corps. Then another thought crept into my mind. It meant I’d likely serve alongside Quicksilver. I shook the thought from my head, because it wasn’t proper for a setting such as this.

“Good, we will have you report to General Gale Force once we arrive back at the castle.” She switched back to Crazy Ghost and said, “We will have orders for you soon. Please do keep out of trouble. The Everfree is a dangerous place.”

“My wolves will stay away from pony towns, including Ponyville. We will maintain our main encampment in the Everfree, and we will remain watchful of danger. We thank you for giving us a chance Princess.” I was positive that these wolves could hold their own. They seemed like a very crisp and dedicated fighting unit. They would not easily be broken. Before either side left, I approached Crazy Ghost to speak with him.

“I’m honored to report to you, sir! Once I have been officially made a member of the Iron Ponies I am sure I will be sent to you in order to establish line of communication. I guess I’ll have to get used to flying a bit.” I shuddered at the thought, and I could tell it disturbed him as well. Flying was something neither of us was born to do, and he could appreciate my fear of it.

“Good. I’m sure you will serve well, and I cannot wait for our first true conversation. I assure you there will be no ranks. We will speak as equals, because what you managed to do in Canterlot is something no wolf has ever done, let alone a pony.” I smiled at the compliments, and nodded that I understood. With that I turned around and walked to the already filling chariots. Once again I took my spot next to Luna and Fluttershy. I had a question for Luna, but I needed to wait until we were underway to ask it.

Finally, we were going fast enough, too fast in my opinion, to ask the question without being overheard. “Princess…you knew that would happen, didn’t you?” It was a straight forward question, and one she likely expected.

“What makes you think that?” Her question made it obvious. She definitely knew it would happen, and it had to be a part of her plan. I raised my eyebrow while watching her, and then I shook my head.

“You always have a plan, and that was clearly a part of your plan.” She smiled and then laughed at the facts I placed forward. I was right.

“Yes, Pathfinder, you are very perceptive. I did plan that, though I didn’t expect that one wolf to chase you. You performed better than I had expected you to. Especially considering the addition of that wolf, Dizzy.” I just rolled my eyes, and then caught myself. That was not something to do in front of a Princess, let alone at a Princess. She merely laughed some more at the look of shock I had on my face from my own actions. Thankfully, this little conversation helped get me through most of the flight and it kept me from getting air sick. I was getting better at this flying thing.
When we landed I was told to go to the very back of the hangar, and follow a series of hallways to the barracks. It took me several minutes to follow the directions correctly, almost getting lost a couple of times along the way. Finally, I arrived at the doors to the barracks, and the guards in front challenged me.

“What is your business here?” They clearly were not happy to see a civilian this far into their domain.

“I am here on orders from Princess Celestia to see General Gale Force. The Earth pony guard that had spoken looked to his Pegasus counterpart. I noticed an almost imperceptible nod from the Pegasus. I quickly went on guard, and I was right to do so.

Without warning the Earth pony guard charged me. I sidestepped and swept his legs from him. This move spun me around, and I was tackled from behind by the, now airborne, Pegasus. I let our momentum carry us into the ground where I curled into a ball and rolled. I landed on my feet at the end of the roll and in the process I tossed the Pegasus against the wall. I turned just in time to block a hoof aimed at my face by the Earth pony, but I wasn’t lucky enough to block the second. It connected with my sternum, and I could feel the air leave my lungs, but I wasn’t about to give up that easily. While he took a step back to gain leverage, I stepped forward and struck him in the throat. I didn’t collapse his trachea, but he would definitely have trouble getting air down with the convulsions in his throat. I was about to hit him again when a voice I recognized stopped me.

“Very good. You did extremely well Pathfinder.” I turned to see the officer that had brought the Elements and I to Canterlot from Ponyville. I was surprised at the least and dumbstruck at the most. “We’ve met before, but I didn’t introduce myself, which was very rude. I am General Gale Force, and you have just passed your first test as a member of the Iron Ponies. Congratulations, Corporal.” Not only was I now a member of the most elite fighting unit in the Equestrian Royal Army’s conventional forces, but I was also a corporal. Things were moving way too fast for me to comprehend. I had gone from somepony with no memory to a top fighter in the matter of a single week. It just didn’t seem right.

“Th…thank you, sir.” I could barely manage to talk, not for lack of breath, but for lack of the ability to think clearly.
“It’s good to know that the rumors about you are true. You won’t need training, because somewhere in your past you were trained extremely well. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to speak to you in private. Follow me.” It was a clear order, he was only being polite, besides, you don’t say no to a superior, especially not a general. We went within the barracks, and crossed to the very back of the room. Everypony that wasn’t asleep looked up from whatever they were doing to watch us. I was an object of fascination, as I looked to be a civilian in the heart of the barracks.

There was one pony in particular that I looked for as I walked through, and when I found her, I couldn’t help but smile at the look on her face. I only got to revel in it for a moment however, as we were soon within an office. Once inside, the General locked the door and turned to me.

“Okay, I want to know anything you can tell me. I dislike not knowing about the ponies under my command. You were clearly trained by a military group, and to be honest you are too well trained to be conventional Royal Army. You just took down two of my top ponies in an uneven fight. If I were to guess, you could have easily disabled them if I had given you a couple moments more.” He was both impressed and disturbed by this, judging by his expression. He shook his head, paced a moment, and then spoke again, “I looked it up, there isn’t a single file on you. Nothing acknowledges your existence. You’re a ghost. Now, I am a General, and that means I get top-level clearance, and everything about you screams black ink. That is, if you had a file. My guess, is that you are Lunar Special Forces, or maybe even Celestial Swords, and those may not even exist. I may be General of the Army, but there are groups that operate outside of my control. What and who are you?” He had every right to interrogate me. He was smart not to trust me. I wouldn’t have if I was in his place. His anger at a soldier he had no knowledge about being forced upon him was righteous. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell him much, because I didn’t know.

“Sir, I am Pathfinder, I am an Earth Pony, I am loyal to the Princesses, and I have been found to be an extremely capable fighter.. I don’t know anything else about myself.” The lie was a good one. If I revealed to him that I may be Lupine, he would have me executed on the spot. I would be a major security risk, and he would be smart to get rid of me.

“By Celestia! You’re telling the truth! I honestly can’t believe it, but you are telling the truth! If there is something you learn in the military it is how to tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and that was the honest to goodness truth.” His incredulity amused me, but I kept it to myself. I didn’t think angering him would do me any good. He sobered up finally, and then he spoke, “Okay then. You’ll need to be outfitted. I will see to that, but for now, I just have one thing to say to you.” I tilted my head to the side unconsciously as my interest was piqued.

“Conratulations, you are now an Iron Pony.”

Heavyweight Challenge

Okay...I apologize for the long time it took to get this one done. I really had some trouble in writing it at first, and coupled with my hectic schedule, that made for a horrible time writing. However, I eventually hit my stride, and then I couldn't stop writing! haha

This chapter is a bit longer than usual, but it is chock full o' fun...at least I hope you see it that way. haha

As always, feel free to leave any comment you have for me in the comments! Cake, puppies, and any other animals are also accepted...Yay?

“Thank you, sir!” I snapped to attention and gave General Gale Force a crisp salute. He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. I was surprised by my own actions. I had never been taught the correct way to salute, but it was clear that I had just performed a perfect one. He returned the salute, and then he spoke.

“Now, we need to get you outfitted for war.” He walked as he talked, so I followed him. We left his office, and went into the barracks. Once there, he quickly shouted, “Quicksilver! Fall in!” She immediately emerged from the forest of cots.

“Reporting Sir,” Quicksilver answered as she stood at attention in front of Gale Force. He looked her over for a moment, and then spoke.

“You and Cpl. Pathfinder know each other well after your position as his guard. I want you to get him ready. He needs armor, and a weapon. I don’t think training will be a problem, but I still want you to give him a rundown.” The orders were given, and she saluted as she gave an affirmative response. He then turned to me and ordered, “Come back to see me once you’re outfitted. Celestia wants you put to work right away, and you have a unique job that needs tending to.”

“Yessir!” With my response he nodded and we were dismissed. I followed Quicksilver out of the barracks, and she moved fast. We walked together in silence for a few moments before I spoke, “Is there something wrong? Why won’t you speak to me?” She stopped in her tracks and turned to glare at me.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? The rumblings in the 1st Corps have already started. Your entrance has caused an even greater stir than my own! Most ponies fight for years before given the chance at 1st Corps. It took me only a month, but you. You just waltz right in and, in one day, no training, you are given the rank of Corporal and the title of ‘Iron Pony’.” Her rant made sense. I’d pissed off a whole lot of ponies today with this sudden offer of a spot within the 1st Corps.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t ask for the position. It was offered to me. I don’t know what the rumor mill is saying about it yet, but I was given a job by Princess Celestia herself.” None of what I said seemed to surprise her, so I continued, because it would all be common knowledge soon enough. “What she has requested of me is being an envoy between the Royal Equestrian Army, and a group of Lupine that have remained loyal to Equestria.” Once again she was unimpressed.

“I already know all of this. The entire outfit knows. The question they’re asking is, which Princess are you doing? Yes, it’s crude, but that’s the easiest way they can find to explain it. Until you prove yourself, you’ll be the target of a whole lot of scorn.” I couldn’t tell if she was mad as well that I had the position. If I remember correctly from what she told me, typically these types of jobs were reserved for Pegasi due to their ability to get around easier. After a moment or two, I had an idea of how to convince the group that I had earned my position.

“I have an idea, but you have to trust me on it, and let me go with it. Maybe I won’t even have to follow through with it, based on all you’ve said about the resentment in the 1st Corps. More than likely someone will approach me in the Barracks, and I’ll fix it right then and there.” She looked at me as I spoke, and there was a long pause after during which she stared at me. Then she shook her head and laughed.

“Go on then. Tell me your, Big Plan.” The nature of her comment stung a little, but I shook it off as I explained my idea to her.

~~------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~

A few minutes later, as I neared the end of the plan’s explanation, she became progressively more stunned, and once again she shook her head.

“You’re a crazy pony, and your stubborn nature is going to get you killed, but that plan will definitely work. If you succeed, that is.” I rolled my eyes at her lack of confidence. She didn’t think I could do it. I’d just have to prove her wrong. We continued walking for only a couple more minutes and we arrived at the armory of the castle. An Earth pony, of typical blacksmith musculature, was inside. His coat was a dark grey, his mane was an aged silver, and he had a hammer crossed with a lightning bolt as his cutie mark. He seemed to be looking over a multitude of metal armor and weapons. He looked up from his work as we entered.

“Who’s this now?” The pony’s gruff voice only added to his intimidating build. I looked to Quicksilver to answer, because the question seemed as if it was addressed to her.

“This is Cpl. Pathfinder. He’s in need of armor and weaponry. We were sent by General Gale Force.” The armorer looked at us, studying, before he spoke again.

“Any other day o’ the week I’d be turning the two of you away fer bein’ scoundrels and liars. I mean, whose ever heard of a Corporal that doesn’t ‘ave a proper set o’ armor, much less one that was just given a spot in the 1st Corps. But I’ve already been given orders, straight from Celestia herself no less, to see that you are outfitted properly. It seems you ‘ave a right tough job ahead of you, judging by these requisitions.” The way he put it did make it seem very unbelievable. How often had something like this ever happened in the history of the 1st Corps? My guess was never. “Okay then, follow me. We’ll get you sorted out and on your way.” He suddenly stood up from the piece of armor he was inspecting. He set it on the table in front of him, and then walked away. The pair of us followed him to the very back of the armory.

On the way, he told me his name, “I’m Steelhoof, the royal blacksmith and such. As you’ve probably realized by me accent, I’m not from Canterlot. I’m from the small village of Cromarety in the Northern Highlands. That’s all you need to know about that.” It was no surprise to me that he wasn’t from Canterlot. He was a small-town pony, and that was fine by me. We reached our destination within a few seconds of the end of his introduction.

“What yer about to see…you tell nopony.” He was deathly serious in his tone, and we both nodded. He reached into a rack of weapons, and at the back, he grabbed an old, chipped sword. This seemed out of place, especially considering the great condition of all the other weapons and armor in the place. He moved the sword, quickly turning it on the peg it was hung upon, and a large thunk accompanied his efforts. He looked to us with the smile of someone with a secret, and he grabbed the edge of the weapons rack. As he pulled it forward, an entire section of the wall came with it.

“Well, don’t jus’ stand there slack-jawed. Get walkin’!” On his orders we allowed our mouths to close and we headed down a long, torch-lit flight of stairs. At the end was a very old Oaken door. I turned around to the old blacksmith as he pulled a large key from a seemingly solid stone wall. “Ye can’t ‘ave too much security. Remember that.” He pulled open the door, and, just like before, our mouths hung wide open.

“This room doesn’t officially exist. It is the second armory. The one meant for special operations.” The pride in his voice was clear. I could tell he had a hoof in making many of the weapons and sets of armor in the room. As I glanced around, I noticed there was a stallion carefully studying a piece of armor. “That’s Stalker. His name is all I can tell ya.” I wasn’t sure if it was a joke, but he didn’t seem like the joking kind, so I took it seriously.

Stalker wasn’t the largest stallion, but he sure wasn’t small. He was completely black, except for his eyes. They were a startling green color that seemed to pierce everything their gaze fell upon. I couldn’t see a cutie mark at first, but then I realized his cutie mark was a slightly lighter black. It was the silhouette of a pony. His special talent was now very clear to me. I turned away from him and followed the now moving blacksmith to one of the many sets of shelves in this secret armory. He stopped in front of a couple dummies outfitted with sleek looking black armor.

“This is the armor you’ll be wearing. It’s made from dragon hide, as it is some o’ the toughest, yet most flexible materials in existence.” Both Quicksilver and I gave him odd looks upon being told it was dragon hide, but before we could speak, he answered our question. “No, don’t even think that. I didn’ kill a dragon for it. The only hides we get are given by dragons that volunteer to give it after they have passed. This actually works better, because as a dragon ages, it’s scales become tougher and tougher to penetrate, yet they maintain their flexibility.” Our relief was palpable, and he chuckled a low rumbling laugh. He took one of the body pieces off the dummies and said, “Let’s get you fitted.” He had undid a latch on either side of the body and it opened to let me put my head through the top. When he closed it around me and latched it again, it felt extremely loose.

I was about to say something about it when he spoke again, “Wait a second. You’ll see.” I waited, and suddenly I felt the armor fit itself to my body. It was a perfect fit, and it felt as light as air. It was hard to believe that something this light could be as strong as it was. “Magic…enchanted by none other than Princess Luna. She seems to enjoy visiting and using her magic.” With that he paused in thought for a moment. “Would you like a helm, or no?” I thought about the question. It would be nice to have the extra protection, but it would feel off at the same time. I weighed the pros and cons in my head before answering.

“I’ll take one, after all, I’d rather have more protection than I need, than need more protection than I have.” The decision seemed to please Steelhoof, who turned around and grabbed the helm off of the dummy.

“You’re a smart lad, you are.” When he handed the helm to me, I placed it on my head, and, after a moment, it fit to my head much like the body armor had. He then reached for the hoof-protection, but I spoke up.

“I’d rather go bare-hoof. It doesn’t feel right to have a barrier between the Earth and myself.” Once again, he smiled.

“A true Earth pony!” He boomed, obviously impressed with my choices thus far. Without saying another word, he trotted to another nearby section of shelves and motioned for us to follow. I noticed, with curiosity, that he had, to this point, never shown his left side to us. This struck me as odd, but I pushed the thought away as we walked to him. “These…these are of my own design.” He grabbed a metal contraption from the shelf. It was as long as my forearm, and it was pretty thin. “Right or left?” The question was simple, but I had to think. Which would feel right? Once I made my decision, I answered.

“Right.” He nodded at my answer and quickly strapped it to my forearm, showing me the process as he went. He then took a step back and looked at me before speaking.

“Now, to use it, just rotate your forearm out with force, and rotate in to retract.” I followed his directions and three blades slid from the device. My face lit up at this surprise. It was an unbelievable weapon. After a few moments of admiring the blades, a thought formed in my head.

“Is it modeled after…” I started to ask in awe, when suddenly I was interrupted by Steelhoof.

“the Lupine’s claws? Aye, that it is. You can say that I’ve had first hoof experience in finding out just how sharp those claws are.” The reason why he had only shown his right side to us before was revealed as he turned to show us his left. Running from just under his jaw, and ending mid-Cutie mark, were the unmistakable scars that were left by a Lupine’s claws. It was a stunning injury, and a wonder that he had lived through it. The claws had obviously shredded the body tissue, and there must have been an unimaginable amount of bleeding. His gruff voice pulled me from my thoughts, “I love the irony of it. You’ll be killing them with weapons designed off their own claws.” This was a pony that had clear hatred for the Lupine, for what they had done to him. I couldn’t blame him either, not after his experience.

“Thank you for this. I will use them wisely, and justly.” I only added the last part for my own conscience. Before he could reply, a cool voice came from behind me.

“If you were wise, you would use them without reservation. That’ll keep your flank alive.” I turned to see Stalker standing behind me, dressed in a full armor. It was tough to see where the armor ended and where his fur began due to the similarity of their hues of black. It felt like he was staring right through me as he looked me up and down. Then, he brushed me aside and walked out a concealed door in another part of the wall.

“Don’ mind his manner. He’s always been a like that. I tell you to heed his words though, for they’re truer than any you’ll hear. Now, you are done. You may leave, but Quicksilver needs to stay. He must get fitted for is armor.” Quicksilver and I looked at him dumbfounded.

“What do you mean? I have my armor!” Quicksilver surprised me with the forcefulness of her response. Steelhoof just smiled as he explained.

“When I got requisitions to fit Pathfinder, I was also asked to fit you as well. Don’t ask me why, because I wasn’t told. If I were to guess though, I’d say you two are the start of a new team. One that they’ll piece together fairly quickly. Now, go to the training rooms. Once you leave the armory, just take the first left and continue down the hall till you hit the doors.” With that I was clearly dismissed. I gave Quicksilver a look, and she was still so surprised that she didn’t seem to notice.

So, with Quicksilver occupied, I took off to the training grounds to implement my plan. It was only a short walk, and when I pushed open the doors the giant space in front of me made my face light up. There were so many different areas to this training room that it was hard to believe. All sorts of ponies worked on a multitude of skills. I noticed off to the side was a doorway, and I surmised that it must lead to a storage area. Sure enough, when I went through the doors, I found a gear storage area, and there was already a locker with my name on it. I wondered how to work the locker at first, but it quickly became apparent as other ponies walked in and opened them. All I had to do was press my hoof to a large pad set into the locker door.

I later found out that the pads were magic, and by placing my hoof on it the first time, I registered it as mine, and only my hoof would open it from that point on. Once I had taken off and stored all my gear, I made my way back out onto the training room floor. There was a large square ring in the middle of the room, and many ponies were around it cheering on the two fighters inside the ropes. After watching for a few moments, I knew that this would be my stage. The next job would be finding a pony to fight.

I scanned the multitude of ponies for the right opponent. I had to pick just the right one, and I quickly found the stallion I needed for my plan. He was a large Earth pony, with stone-grey fur and a moss-green mane. He was by far the largest pony I had seen. I figured that I could take him with my speed, and I decided he would be the one to help me to prove myself. I sauntered over to him, and, he looked down on me. He was a head taller than me, and much more muscular.

“How would you like to go a round in the ring?” The proposition clearly surprised the two Pegasi he was talking to, judging by their wide-eyed looks. My opponent merely seemed amused.

“Well, if’n you’re willing to have a go, I’m always up fer a fight. Jus’ don’ be mad when ya lose.” His drawl made it clear he had grown up in a small town, most likely on a farm. It made sense why he would be this big. The two Pegasi with him now laughed. They probably figured I’d be dropped in seconds.

The pair of us walked over to the ring, and we waited as the current pair of fighters finished. Finally, one of them took a shot to the padded helmet, and even the padding wasn’t enough to save him from that blow.

“Alright, that was a good fight! Who’s next?” The pony in the ring acting as referee asked the crowd, clearly wanting volunteers. The behemoth next to me and I both stepped forward. Everyone around the ring grew quiet. They obviously thought I was biting off more than I could chew. They were probably right, but I had to do something to prove I could hang with the best of them. When the pair of us got into the ring, we went off to opposite corners and a crew of ponies fitted us with padded helmets and gloves. The gloves weren’t overly big, and they had nice enough grip that I could dance around on all four hooves if necessary. They also fitted a mouthpiece, fresh out of the box, to my teeth.

“Okay then! We’ve got Stonewall, defending Royal Army Heavyweight Champ, in the blue corner, and the newest Iron Pony, Pathfinder, in the red corner!” The ref was clearly faking his enthusiasm for this fight. The fact that he was the heavyweight champ surprised me at first, but then it made a lot of sense. That was why those two Pegasi had seemed so stunned when I challenged him.

The ref then turned to me, and he quietly asked, “Are you sure about this?” I just gave him a grin and nodded. He shook his head in disbelief and then returned to the center as Stonewall and I came out. “Stallions, I want a clean fight. So, in other words, everything but biting is accepted.” That got a chuckle from the crowd, and he proceeded. “I want you to touch gloves, your right then your left.” We did as he ordered, and he backed up. “Ready!” A bell rung, and the fight began.

I quickly danced back, out of his reach. There was no way I’d let him land a solid blow. I moved around, and then darted in for a quick jab to his head. He let it hit, and I jumped back, away from his large hooves. When I went in for a second attack, he timed it perfectly. I saw stars as his right hoof landed hard against the side of my head. The ropes stopped my flight, and I fell hard to the canvas. As I stood up, I had to shake the cobwebs from my head. That was one hell of a hit.

I noticed that the ponies gathered around all cheered upon Stonewall’s successful strike. I was clearly the underdog, and they definitely had little love for me. Quicksilver had been right. When I stood up though, they seemed a bit surprised. Stonewall must have had a reputation of finishing his opponents quickly. Before coming back to my opponent I took a glance around the room. Every single soldier had stopped to watch the fight unfolding.

“You’re strong,” I managed to say through my mouthpiece. My matter-of-fact tone amused him, as he chuckled. His reply was a bemused one.

“And you can take a hit.” I just gave a toothless grin, and moved forward to meet him again. This time, I darted in and I was ready for his hoof. I sidestepped his attack and then propelled myself into his now unstable body. If you took one of the four legs out of a table, just a little push could make it fall, and this is what I did to Stonewall.

He crashed to the canvas and I got a few good shots in to his head before backing away and letting him up. The crowd booed my success, and I let it fuel me. I didn’t want to be the bad guy, but if that was what they felt. I danced around a bit, just at the edge of his reach. Finally, we closed and I dodged another of his powerful hits. I peppered his side with a few blows, and then I bounced away. This would be my game plan. Wear him down bit by bit.

Before I could go in for another strike, the bell rang, signaling the end of the round. The crowd seemed stunned at the sound of the bell. Good, I hoped I could shock them at least once more, hopefully with a win. Stonewall and I nodded to each other before we headed to our respective corners of the ring.

“I’ve never seen anypony last a full round with Stonewall, you have guts son,” said the unicorn who attended to me. He gave me a quick squirt of water from a bottle and then put a very warm iron to my hide. I hadn’t even realized I had been bleeding. “Now, just a tip. If you want to beat him, you’ll definitely need to land a few solid blows. Those quick little jabs aren’t going to do anything for you.” The bell rang again and my attending trainer climbed out of the ring. A second ring of the bell and the next round began.

This time, I started just as I had previously. Stonewall had expected it, but he didn’t react the same way as before. This time, he turned around and bucked. I was lucky enough to instinctively jump. In midair, I pushed off his fully-extended hind-legs, and propelled myself to over his head. As I did so, I landed two hard jabs to the base of his neck and the top of his head. This aerial maneuver seemed to surprise the group of ponies watching. It was either a rare method of attack for an Earth pony, or they had never before seen it. A couple of them broke from their stunned silence and stomped their hooves. That surprised me. I now had at least a few on my side.

I didn’t have time to admire this fact though, because Stonewall had suddenly charged me like a freight train. I spun to the right, but he had been expecting it. He rotated and kicked his legs out, landing a shot that threatened to break my ribs. I flew into the ropes for the second time, but I didn’t let myself fall to the floor this time. Instead, I ignored the pain in my side to launch a rapid counter-attack. The large Earth pony stumbled back a couple steps in the face of my onslaught. More ponies started to stomp and cheer for me. I was slowly winning the crowd over. I saw his left hoof move to strike me, and I was barely able to get away. The blow skimmed my helmet, but didn’t connect cleanly.

I grinned at the thought that I would beat the muscular stallion, but then I quickly reprimanded myself. It was too early to think about winning. I had a lot more fight left to go. When he next attacked, I deflected his first hoof and lashed out. I made contact, but it barely fazed him, and he landed a shot to my chest that drove me back a couple feet. I regained the breath he had forced from my body by circling around him. I started to go in for another attack when the bell rang again. The entire crowd of pony warriors was going crazy by this point. They were being treated to a special fight, and now they were cheering both of us on. Stonewall just shook his head in amusement and I grinned right back at him.

Back in my corner of the ring, the trainer attended to me, giving me some water and advice, “Another good round, you went out and gave as good as you got. Honestly, I don’t think anypony expected to see Stonewall matched like this. One more round. Knock him out or get knocked out. Otherwise you have to settle for a stalemate, and nopony want’s that.” He grinned and gave me another swig of water before leaving the ring at the first bell. I stood and slowly made my way to the middle of the ring. Stonewall did the same, and the third round started.

He wasted no time in attacking this time, as he charged me right out of the gate. I couldn’t dodge in time as he swung his right hoof around. Bright flashes of color filled my vision as I hit one of the turnbuckles. This acted as another hit to my body, and I, once again, hit the canvas hard. I tried to stand as I shook my head to clear it, but I only managed to stumble to the ground. I wouldn’t go out like that, so I stood a second time, and succeeded in staying on my hooves. My thoughts were a little sluggish, as were my moves, but I made my way to the middle of the ring. I thought back to earlier that day, and the eventful meeting with the Lupine. It was in these thoughts that I found my strategy.

I waited for Stonewall to charge again, and when he did, I calmly fell backwards. As he reached me, I used his momentum to catapult him into the ropes behind me. He hit them hard and bounced off, back onto the canvas. I rolled up to my hooves, and went to where Stonewall was already starting to stand. I ripped off two vicious hooks to his head, and I thought I saw him falter. Unfortunately for me, that was the next to last thing I saw.

The last thing I heard was the roar of the assembled ponies, but that wasn’t the important part. The final image I saw was the important part. It was his right hoof, and it took up all of my vision before everything went black and stayed that way.

Assembling the Pieces

It's about time I got this done and posted. College has started here for me, so my writing time has been severely limited, but I did get around to churning this chapter out, and I'm proud of myself for pushing through some major writer's block at the beginning. After a while though, I hit my stride, and I almost couldn't stop writing.

Anyways, as always, I really appreciate comments telling me what your opinion on the chapter and story is. It's nice to gauge how much people like the story, and what I need to improve on.

“He’s coming around.” A familiar voice said. I slowly opened my eyes, to see something oddly familiar. Six ponies were standing around me. My head, being in the state that it was, took a minute to realize who they all were. A biting smell suddenly brought me to full attention, and I snapped into an upright position. This was the wrong thing to do as pain coursed through my head, and I quickly lay back down.

“Hey now, you shouldn’t be doing that,” The low, slow voice of Stonewall droned. I looked up to him and just smiled.

“I think I can take a little pain.” My reply was rather dry, but there was a hint of humor there, and luckily he caught it. A big, country grin spread across his face before he replied.

“I see your point, still…it didn’t stop me from bucking you into next week, Sir.” The assembled ponies all chuckled at that one, and despite my condition, I even had a laugh. With the help of Stonewall and Quicksilver, I was able to stand on all four hooves.

“I’ll tell you this; you are a hell of a fighter. What would you say to joining my group? If I do in fact have an outfit. I’d have to clear it with General Gale Force, but I’m sure he’d grant the request, considering the nature of the assignment.” I hoped he would accept the offer, because it would be immensely helpful to have a pony of his strength on board. Thankfully, he didn’t leave me in suspense for his answer.

“Ah’d be honored ta fight beside ya, sir,” he said with certainty. Looking to Quicksilver, I saw that she was outfitted in her dragon-hide armor. Realizing that Stonewall would need to be fitted, I turned to Steelhoof and raised my eyebrows. He gave a grunt and nodded before motioning to Stonewall to follow him. With that taken care of, I decided it was time to head off and talk to General Gale Force.

Quicksilver helped me to my feet, and then we started walking. First, we headed into the locker room to retrieve my armor. On our way to the General, I faltered, and she quickly caught me. It reminded me so much of the time when Applejack had caught me in Fluttershy’s cabin that I felt my cheeks burn a bit.

She must have seen it, but if she did, she didn’t say a thing and I was glad for it. We passed the rest of the walk without incident, and I knocked on the General’s office door.

“Come in, “ the gruff voice of the General spoke. The pair of us entered and saluted him. He returned the salute and motioned for us to sit down. “I take it you have figured out that you are going to be given a team?” I nodded in silence and he was satisfied with it. “This team will be considered a unit of its own, and as such you will have to name it. Until you provide a suitable name, you will simply be known as the Pony Team Six. You and Quicksilver are the first two members of your team. You may choose up to 4 more of my ponies. Is there anypony you had in mind yet?” The question was my opening to ask, and I took it.

“Sir, I ask that you assign Pvt. Stonewall to my team.” General Gale Force studied me after my response, looking over my obviously battered body. Then he nodded.

“You’ll have him. Now, as for your bruises, I take it those are from training?” His voice betrayed the fact that he knew more than he let on. I answered the question anyways, because I was, after all, his subordinate.

“Not exactly sir. I had a boxing match with Stonewall. He is a hell of a fighter. I held my own for a while, but he knocked me out in the final round.” I weakly smiled as I finished, and the General just stared. Then he broke out in laughter.

“I’ve already heard the story, they tend to spread like wildfire amongst the ranks. You’ve gained a lot of respect from the soldiers here. Any doubts they had before are gone. You’ve done a good job. Is there anything else you need?” I was happy he asked once again, because I did need to request one more addition to my team.

“If you would be kind enough to oblige sir, I’d ask that you assign a unicorn to my team. I need someone proficient in combat magic, but also multilingual. If he speaks Lupine, that’s all the better. Seeing as the Lupine might not be the only species we meet, I might need a pony with language talents.” At this, the General smiled again.

“I know precisely the pony you need. He’s a little odd, but he is everything you just described. He is Specialist Rhetoric. He should be at his bunk currently. He’s had a rough past few days, translating communications from our allies.” I nodded to him, and took it as permission to leave. We saluted, and turned to the door.

As Quicksilver and I reached the door however, we were stopped, “One more thing. Good job Sergeant Pathfinder.” He saluted to me, and I saluted back with wide eyes. Then he gave me a small black insignia to place on my uniform.

I was so shocked that I almost dropped it. I had been promoted already. I hadn’t even led a mission, and I had been promoted. It made no military sense whatsoever, and yet it had just happened. There had to be a reason. The only one I saw was that it gave me rank over all the ponies under my command, but that still didn’t seem to warrant a promotion on the spot. He could have waited until after I had led a mission and done my job.

I forced myself to forget about it, so as not to dwell, and I turned to Quicksilver as we left. She just grinned at me, and shook her head in amusement. “How did you manage that?” Her voice had such an amused tone that it made me smile.

“I really don’t know. I’m just as surprised as you.” I let out a nervous chuckle, and she just shook her head.

“You know this will just make things harder on you,” she said, and I nodded solemnly. I knew it very well.

“Well, let’s just go get our newest member.” She nodded in response, and led me to Rhetoric’s bunk. There on the bed was a white pony with a short, spiky black mane and tail. He was fast asleep, and I almost felt bad for having to wake him.

“Specialist Rhetoric,” I spoke, and he stirred. After a couple moments he sat up, and looked at the pair of us. “Specialist Rhetoric, I’m Sergeant Pathfinder.” At the mention of my rank, he stood up rapidly and saluted. I returned the salute, and ordered him at ease. “I have a proposition for you. I’ve been told you are one of the top upcoming linguists in the military, and that you have combat magic skills as well. These skills make you a perfect fit for my unit. We’re new, Pony Team Six for the moment. You’ll be in close contact with Lupine, mainly our allied Lupine. What do you say?” The unicorn seemed stunned at this offer. Then a wide smile spread across his face.

“This is a joke isn’t it? I know it is. The guys are playing another joke on me. There is no way anyone would offer me a spot with a special unit. I-“ I stared at him till he cut off mid-sentence. “Okay, so it isn’t a joke. Why me?”

“I already told you why. First though, I have a question or two to ask you. What languages are you familiar with?” I wanted to gauge his usefulness to me. Sure, the General had said he was good, and I trusted his judgment, but I also wanted to know for myself. The Specialist turned around and picked up a pair of glasses and put them on his face. He probably should have already done that, but I didn’t comment.

“I am fluent in all dialects of Equestrian, as well as Zebrican, Lupine, Dragonian, Griffic, Ibexian, Leonic, and I can translate High Equestrian runes, “ he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. This pleased me. He was confident, and I would have need of confident warriors. “Any other questions sir?” I smiled at his question, then I nodded.

“What kind of combat magic can you perform?” It was a simple question, and broad enough for him to elaborate where he wanted to.

“I can perform many maneuvers with a weapon, and I can fire magical bolts. I can also wield my magic as a sword, slashing and hacking with its edge. This is often deadlier than a real blade, because it can bite through armor and flesh easily,” Once again his response was good, so I asked my final question.

“So then, what do you say? Will you join me?” I looked him in the eyes, and I knew that I had him. There was a fire burning there, and I hoped it never went out.

“I accept the offer sir. If you don’t mind, I also have a name for the unit,” His second statement took me off guard, but I was pleasantly surprised. I nodded to him to continue, and he spoke again, “How about The Equestrian Misfits” I couldn’t help but smile at the name. It fit so well, and for reasons that Rhetoric wouldn’t even know. I had practically no memory of my past, Quicksilver was a mare, Rhetoric was possibly the nerdiest pony in the military, and then there was the behemoth of a pony that Stonewall was. That name would do just fine.

“That fits amazingly well. I can see your talents were not exaggerated. Okay, now that you are in, you need to report to Steelhoof in the armory. He will get you outfitted. We will more than likely be leaving before the night falls,” I ordered him. He nodded, saluted, and ran off to the armory. Passing him on the way in was Stonewall, he had his armor on, and with it he was even more intimidating.

“Sir, I am ready to go,” he spoke as he saluted. I nodded, and then responded.

“You have a few hours to collect whatever you wish to take. I will find you when we are to leave, be ready.” He saluted me, and I saluted back before walking away. Quicksilver remained by my side as I walked back to the General’s office. I knocked and was beckoned in. After pleasantries were exchanged, I told him of the name, “Sir, we’d like to be The Equestrian Misfits. I feel it fits well.” Gale Force chuckled in amusement.

“I agree with you. It definitely fits. It’s a good thing you came by. I just received your first orders.” With that, he handed me a sheet of parchment. It had Luna’s seal upon it. I broke the seal and read it.

My loyal subject Waya,

We hereby request you leave Canterlot upon assembling your team. You are to report to General Crazy Ghost of the 1st Lupine Regiment. You shall stay with he and his wolves. We need you, if your previous actions have not already done so, to gain their complete trust. You must work well with them, for they shall be among your greatest allies when you go into battle. Celestia wishes for you to be an envoy, so be it, but you are also my instrument. Always remember this, whenever all seems lost, look to my night sky and to those around you. It is there you will find solace, and it is there you will find the courage to continue.

Princess Luna

Once I had finished reading, I folded the parchment and put it in a hidden pocket within the armor. “Thank you sir. I must go gather the other two ponies in my unit.” He stopped me before I saluted however, and he spoke.

“Go then, and be careful amongst the Lupine. You can never know where their loyalties lie. Don’t trust anyone, nor anypony. That will keep you alive, and you are more useful alive than dead. Celestia-speed Sergeant Pathfinder,” Gale Force spoke softly. It was a moment that I’d remember for a very long time after. I gave him a salute, and he returned it crisply. With that, I gathered my ponies.

Once we were all ready to go, we reported to the hangar and quickly jumped into the waiting chariots. In the air I noticed that our guard was small, but sufficient. We were all warriors, and if attacked, we could fight right alongside the Pegasi slated to be our protectors. Mercifully though, the flight was short, and I did not have to deal much with my fear of flight. I seemed to be outgrowing it a bit. The chariots had set down in a small clearing just inside the Everfree Forest. I was silently handed a map by the Captain in charge of the detail, and pointed towards the Lupine camp.

The journey from was supposed to take about an hour to complete, if everything went right. Unfortunately it didn’t. We had been traveling along a rarely used path for around fifteen minutes when an unnerving shriek pierced the night air. It caused my fur to stand on end. I knew that screech.

“Take cover in the trees!” My order was clear, and my unit didn’t hesitate to follow it. As I ducked behind the nearest tree, I turned and saw the beast that had made the noise. It was a wyvern. They were almost unnatural in their fierce visage, and they were more than lethal enough to take down a pony. Suddenly, images went flooding through my mind of a Lupine fighting a Wyvern. I knew what I had to do.

“Quicksilver! You’re in charge now! Get to the Lupine camp, and bring back help if you can. I know how to hold him off,” I bellowed the command, and they hesitated, but I got them moving by shouting, “Now! That’s an order!” With that, they three of them went sprinting off into the night. I jumped into the path to distract the wyvern, and it worked. He dove at me again, and I barely had time to roll to the side.

My next move was to wait for it to come back. I hid behind a tree as it made another pass, and then I jumped on its back. Its scaled hide made it hard to hold on, but I had an idea. I quickly activated my gauntlet and the blade shot out, right through the wyvern’s armored skin. This only seemed to enrage the beast, as it started bucking around in mid-air, flailing its tail at my head repeatedly. Thankfully I was able to dodge each of the attacks, but the bucking, accompanied with the slickness of the wyvern’s blood, managed to dislodge my blade. Needless to say, I went flying, and I wasn’t amused.

As I flew through the air, the wyvern twisted its body and darted for me. I wasn’t about to die without a fight, so I spun to face it. As it neared, I prepped my swing. Before I could take my swipe at the creature, I was hit from the side. The resulting landing was surprisingly light, as the thing that tackled me, set me down softly. Looking at the being that had saved me, I realized it was a tiger. This wasn’t any normal tiger though. It stood taller than Princess Celestia, and it’s snow white fur was broken only by its pitch black stripes. He stood up, and then addressed me.

“Are you okay bud?” The manner in which the tiger spoke was surprising. In fact, it was surprising that the tiger spoke at all. Once I got over it, I was able to answer.

“Yes, I’m fine. Let’s wait for introductions until after we dispatch this creature, shall we?” He nodded in response, and we took off in opposite directions. The wyvern had to make a choice, and it choose me. It’s screams of rage tore through the sky, and I knew it wanted revenge. Instead of running from it, I stood and waited. As it swooped down, I rolled into it, and dragged my sword across its stomach. I made a gash, but the gash, though deep, wasn’t fatal, and it only served to piss the beast off more.

When I finished my roll and I was on my hooves, I heard a loud roar. The tiger jumped out of a tree and land on the wyvern, much like I had, except his claws gave him much more purchase. As he did this, I noticed his paws were wrapped in what seemed to be silver fire. As soon as he latched on to the wyvern, the fire engulfed the creature and it fell from the sky. The tiger lithely leapt off of it before it hit the ground. It incinerated upon impact, and I was dumbstruck. It was just too amazing to believe. This tiger had one hell of an ability.

As he approached, I studied him. He was very large, rather muscular, even with his thick covering of fur, and he seemed amused by most everything. This last part struck me as odd, but I would reserve judgment until after I mad learned more from him.

“Thank you for your help. If you hadn’t intervened, I likely would have been that wyvern’s dinner. May I ask your name?” I spoke truly. He had saved my hide. The question came out of curiosity. He stood there, much taller than I, just looking at me for a few moments. Then he seemed to decide it was time to speak.

“I find it highly amusing that you seem so calm near a predator such as myself. Most ponies run when they first meet me, yet you stand and speak to me as an equal. Then again, I find much amusing. My name is Shirotora. It means-“ He spoke with a strong voice, but at the mention of his name, I was stunned to find out that I knew what it meant, and I involuntarily cut him off.

“White Tiger,” I blurted suddenly. This caused the Shirotora to smile, flashing his large, sharp teeth.

“You know Neighponese?” The amused tiger asked. I didn’t know how to answer him, so I answered truthfully.

“I really don’t know. I just somehow knew what it meant.” I shook my head, trying to bring back any flash of a memory I could, but to no avail.

“Well then, in that case, call me Shiro, everypony does. So, what’s your name my little pony?” He chuckled at his own words, and it confused me a bit, but the most interesting was his mention of Everypony. He spoke Equestrian quite well.

“My name is Pathfinder. I serve in the Equestrian military,” I answered with precision. Once again I seemed to amuse him, as he gave a deep chuckle. I raised my eyebrow at him, and he stopped to explain.

“It’s just, you don’t seem like a Pathfinder to me. More like a Waya.” When he said my real name, I recoiled. He smiled upon seeing this and said, “I knew I was right. Good old Chaos magic. You can always trust it…usually.” He gave a wicked smile as he finished, and I couldn’t hold my military bearing. I started laughing, which triggered Shiro to laugh as well. Once we had calmed, I had a question to ask of him.

“So, you wield Chaos magic? Like Discord?” He understood where I was going with my questions, because he held a paw out to stop me.

“Yes, I use Chaos magic, but I’m far from Discord. Chaos is a part of harmony after all. If it weren’t for chaos, things would be extremely boring. It helps to have a little chaos in your day. Besides, I’ve lived in Equestria for some time now, even lived in Ponyville until a month ago. Do you think old Sunshine and Lulu would have let me live with the Elements if I was all that bad?” His explanation made sense, and I was amazed at his audacity in nicknaming the Princesses. Then I thought of something. I had to make sure he wasn’t lying, and Luna did say she would hear me my prayers…

“I could call Princess Luna here, to confirm your story. Are you sure you want to stick to it?” I had to be absolutely sure I could trust this strange being. This seemed to be the only way I could think of. The smile on Shiro’s face only grew wider at the mention of calling Princess Luna.

“I’m positive, and when you call her, be sure to keep it a secret who she’s meeting. I haven’t seen her in a couple months, so I want to surprise her,” the tiger eagerly replied. I stared at him for a moment as I tried to decide if he was joking or not. I finally determined he wasn’t joking, and I prayed to Luna.

Luna, I need your help. Please come to me, I prayed, hoping she would hear.

“I am here my child of the night.” Luna’s voice scared me, and I jumped in place. I turned around, bowing to the Goddess of the Night that had appeared so silently behind me. “What a…” Her voice trailed off as she looked at Shiro, now directly behind me. I heard a gleeful noise from the Princess that I hadn’t known she could make.

“Shiro! My wonderful kitten!” Her excitement amused me, and it was all the confirmation I needed. Shiro didn’t seem to care being called a kitten, and I stepped out of his way as he walked forward to give Luna a hug.

"Lulu, I've missed you!" Shiro's nickname for her amused me, because she took it so well. I waited while the two caught up for a short time. Right as Luna turned to speak to me, I heard a noise in the brush to my right.

“Princess! Stay behind us!” Shiro and I both took up defensive postures in front of Luna. We would both, I had no doubt, defend her with our last breath if need be. I yelled towards the noise, “Show yourselves!” As if they were compelled by my command, three Lupine warriors emerged from the shadows. Leading them was Crazy Ghost himself. When they saw who we were protecting, they bowed.

“We are sorry Princess for scaring you. We were told that our good friend Pathfinder had taken the great task of fighting off a Wyvern upon himself, and we rushed to help as fast as we could,” Crazy Ghost spoke while rising from a gesture from Luna. I saw him sniff the air, then he said, “Judging by the scent, we did not have to worry. Pathfinder is a very skilled warrior. Even most Lupine would be foolish to take on a Wyvern alone.” I couldn’t take all the credit, and as such I spoke out.

“I would have died, had it not been for the help of Shirotora,” I replied as I motioned to the large tiger beside me. Crazy Ghost looked the tiger over, and decided he was an ally quickly.

“Then we have you to thank for keeping Pathfinder alive. You have our gratitude.” The way he spoke, it was as if he had become the leader of a nation, rather than the leader of an army. This thought was cut short when I was blindsided by a speeding brown object. My attacker and I went flying over a pair of overturned logs and into a small hole. At the bottom of the hole I heard a familiar voice.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” Quicksilver pinned me to the ground as she spoke in her actual voice. I was confused by this sudden reaction.

“Umm…Quicksilver?” The realization of what she had done dawned on her as I spoke. Her cheeks burned brightly with a blush, but luckily no one saw, as we were still in the small hole. I smiled at how awkward she looked, but then I shook my head. I couldn’t be thinking like that now. Especially since I might lose her. I couldn’t get attached. “You might want to get off me…Then we can return to the others.” Her cheeks once again blazed with heat. She pushed up off me, hard, and then made her way up the small slope to the others.

I followed shortly after, and when I returned everyone had a laugh about what had just happened. In the time we were down the slope, Stonewall and Rhet had both joined the group. Out of the entire group, only two seemed suspicious of Quicksilver and I. They were Luna and Shiro. I shook this off, and hoped it would just be forgotten.

“Pathfinder? Have you received the help you were hoping for?” Luna’s melodic voice asked. I turned to her, and answered strongly.

“Yes my Princess, thank you for all of your help.” I hoped that was a sufficient thanks, but she was a Princess, and I didn’t know what was proper. She smiled down upon me with my answer, and then she spoke.

“Good. Now I must be back to Canterlot. I must guard the night as usual. Stay safe my children, and let the shadows of the night embrace you,” Her voice trailed as she teleported away. With that, the Lupine decided to turn around. I ordered my ponies to follow them. I decided I was going to travel with Shiro, and see if I could convert him.

“So, Shiro, would you like to join my unit? Sure, it’s a pony unit, but we could really use someone of your talents.” I hoped my pitch would work. I didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Shiro looked at me for a short time before he replied.

“Why not? I am going to be fighting anyways, might as well have fun with my new friends while I’m at it!” His response surprised me. I had expected him to decline. I even had a whole new pitch ready for when he did so.

“You’re in? Just like that? I don’t need to cajole, or convince you? That was almost disappointingly easy,” My remark made us both laugh heartily. Finally, Shiro managed to speak again.

“I think we’re going to be great friends, you and I. Frustrating to each other, yet good friends nonetheless.” I had to agree with him on the frustrating part. Everything about him made little sense. Then again, nothing about me made much of any sense, from my memory loss to the fighting skills that were second nature to me. The one thing I did know was that the team was coming together.

I was slowly assembling the pieces, and hopefully I’d have one hell of a military machine ready when we went into battle.

Shirotora is an original character created by Shirotora. He stars in the fic Chaotic Harmony! Go check it out!(Keep an eye out for Waya in later chapters of that fic).

Getting Dizzy

I apologize to all my readers for how long it took me to write this chapter. It was much too long in getting written. I have my reasons, being very ill for a good portion of the past 6 months being the main one, but still I feel as though I need to apologize repeatedly for how long it took me to get this written. I hope that the quality of my writing has not deteriorated over this time, and that this chapter is scene as suitable by my readers.

As always, please leave comments, as the constructive criticism is something I always enjoy getting.

As the Misfits walked beside their Lupine allies, I decided that I needed to have a talk with General Crazy Ghost. It was going to be necessary any way I looked at it, and the sooner we reached the Lupine camp the better. On the way however, I decided to get to know the white tiger, Shirotora.

“Shiro, may I ask a few questions about yourself?” I hoped he wouldn’t mind, as I needed to know him better if I were to properly utilize him in the battles that would surely come to us. His gaze fell upon my face and he smiled a large, toothy grin.

“Let’s make a deal. You ask me a question, and then I ask you one. This way we get to know each other, rather than you only knowing me, because where’s the fun in that?” I couldn’t tell if his question was rhetorical or if he really wanted an answer, so I deigned to just accept his offer.

“Okay, I agree. First question…How did you end up in Equestria?” It was a question that had to be asked. If he had been raised here, that made more sense as to his peaceful nature. Otherwise he had quite a bit of explaining to do as to his origins. As usual, the large cat smiled widely at the question as if it was one he was waiting for.

“Well, if you want the truth you’re going to get it, even if you aren’t likely to believe it,” his tone of voice showed his amusement, and for some reason it seemed to fit him. He delved into his story, “To understand how I came to be here, you must first understand my people’s past. I am the last of my kind. Our race was mighty, spanning the entirety of the southern jungles. We were devout followers of chaos magic. We encountered the ponies as we were pushing to expand our reach, yet we didn’t make contact, for, as mighty as we were, we were also wary,” his tone seemed to indicate he was speaking the truth, and I kept listening without interrupting.

“When Discord came to power, ruling over the ponies, and the rest of the species of Equestria and the surrounding nations, we supported him. He was, after all, a living embodiment of the magic we devoted our lives to. However, we were blind in our support. He used his chaos for all the wrong reasons, and yet we followed, and that proved to be our downfall. When the two sisters, one of darkness and one of light, rose to challenge Discord, we fought beside him against the pony armies that they had marshaled.” Here he paused, clearly reliving painful memories. It took him a moment, but he was soon able to speak again.

“A unicorn under Celestia and Luna learned of a disease that affected only my race, something we thought had been defeated centuries before. He took the disease, and in his desperation to turn the tides of war, for we were seemingly unstoppable, and he altered it with magic. He made it much more aggressive, and immune to the cure we had devised in the past.” The sorrow in his voice rang true, but he pushed through, “It hit our armies hard, we died by the hundreds at first, but the disease somehow made it back to our jungle villages. My entire race, brought to its knees by something we could not fight. I was sent by my people far to the North, past the mountains and forests that the Lupine call home, for one of our Farseers believed a cure could be found there.” I couldn’t imagine what it had been like, to watch as your species was wiped from the face of the planet like they had never been there.

I hoped it would end, because I could tell it was hurting him to remember, but he forged on, “There, I was climbing a mountain when suddenly the ground gave way. In my frustration, I roared. That caused the avalanche that trapped me, and my chaos magic managed to keep me alive in there. Fast forward a few millennia, my people are dead,and Discord is unleashed once more upon the land. The chaos that he unleashed upon the land stirred me from my slumber and freed me,” the tiger spoke without pause, and it was clear to me that he wasn’t lying, unbelievable as his story may be. We walked in silence for a minute, Shiro making what appeared to be a little puzzle form in front of him out of thin air. He worked on it for mere seconds before tossing it over his shoulder. Upon landing on the ground it sprouted into a very large, multi-colored tree.

“Now it’s my turn to ask you a question. Where are you from? And don’t give me a bullish answer, I want the truth.” He gave me a knowing look, so I knew the background I had made up wouldn’t pass with him. I would have to give him the truth and quietly, but that didn’t mean I had to give him the whole truth.

“Okay…Like you warned me, the truth isn’t very believable. I don’t know where I came from. I awoke not too long ago to see the Elements standing over me. I had no memories that made any sense. I knew only my name,” I spoke softly so none of the others would hear, as the only other one to know the truth present was Quicksilver. I also refused to tell him what I refused to tell everypony else. My dreams were mine, but they seemed so real that I had started to regard them as memory. I was a wolf in pony clothing, and that bothered me. Shiro seemed to notice I was holding back, but he didn’t push it.

“Well then, while that is different, it’s not totally unheard of. So then, what is your next question?” His quick acceptance of my story told me a lot about him. He trusted me, maybe not fully, but he trusted me quite a bit to take my word for fact. Plus he had that Chaos magic that probably helped him in many aspects including sniffing out lies.

“Okay…” I was surprised at my lack of being ready with a question, but I quickly thought of one, “Why did you live in Ponyville?”

“A good question. I believe there were multiple reasons for me being allowed to stay in Ponyville. One was that I think the Princesses felt that if the Elements could handle my special brand of chaos, they could handle much of what came to them. After seeing the devastation that Discord had wrought upon the land, the suffering, I realized my people had been wrong to side with him, and so I changed. I proved early on that I was a good by saving a couple ponies from a manticore, and the added protection for the Elements let Celestia breathe a bit easier. Then again, I also think that my devilishly good looks and brilliant mind were contributing factors,“ he spoke in a contemplative tone of voice. Throughout his answer he kept a straight face, but he punctuated his final reasons with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a sly grin on his face. I rolled my eyes at his antics, they just didn’t seem to fit with a warrior of his skill. Everything about them clashed with this, but at the same time they seemed completely natural to him. He had been right. He sure was frustrating me, and every attempt I made at understanding him only frustrated me further.

“Okay, I guess those reasons make sense. That means it’s your turn to ask me something.” I was completely in the dark as to what he might ask. There was absolutely nothing I could think of that he could ask, but then I saw the wicked grin he had and I knew what was coming. We were far enough behind the group at this point that we wouldn’t be overheard, and for that I was thankful.

“So…about you and that mare…” He started to ask his question but I had to cut him off on principle of keeping up appearances.

“What mare?” I tried to parry his initial question, but it was clear I was outmatched from the get go.

“The one that tackled you upon seeing you were still alive.” He was prepared for my block as he took another quick stab. I had to act quickly to deflect this statement.

“Quicksilver? He’s a very loyal Pegasus. He was just happy to see that he wouldn’t have to explain why the leader of his new team had died so quickly,” I explained, but I knew there was no way I could keep up this dance, Shiro was much too good.

“Really now? It sure seemed she was happy that you were alive, but the way she was blushing says it was for different reasons.” This disarmed me, and Shiro knew he had me. I simply chuckled and shook my head. I refused to give him a straight answer, and I’d stick by that to the very end.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about Shiro. You seem to be quite gender confused.” My statements were the obvious dying gasps of my side of the argument. As if by a miracle, a sight ahead breathed new life into my argument. We had reached the Lupine encampment. I ended the conversation by saying, “We are here. I must leave you now to go speak with General Crazy Ghost. You should follow the others, and get to know them better.” The large tiger looked down on me, and the mirth in his eyes told me that our conversation was not over by a longshot. Thankfully, he nodded and moved off as I broke from the group to follow Crazy Ghost.

As I followed him, I glanced around the camp. If the wolves had all been in their shelters, it would have been hard to distinguish this place from any other in the woods. The camouflage was done so well that it barely looked like the forest scenery was broken at all. The only obvious structure was a large ring of rocks in the middle of the camp. Around this circle stood many Lupine warriors, and inside it, two fought in one on one combat. I didn’t watch long however as Crazy Ghost walked into a tent and I followed right behind, the guards watching me warily.
When we were both inside, the General motioned for me to join him at a large rock, flattened rock. It was set up as a table, and upon it a map had been stretched out.

“Pathfinder, I can tell you honestly that it relieves me and my wolves to know you arrived safely. Though, if it were not for your own skill and that of your tiger friend, we may have lost you,” the Lupine Commander spoke from his heart. That much was evident in his tone and at the same time, he was not as tense as the first time I had seen him. He continued with, “I see that you have brought together a unit to assist you in your duties. This is good. I hope that they are up to the task of fighting beside my wolves, because we shall strike swiftly and fight fiercely.”

I simply nodded at his comments before I answered, “They are ready. We are well equipped, and I chose this group specifically because they seemed to fit my conventions of fighting the best. The addition of Shirotora was simply one of good luck and mutual benefit. His potential is endless. Though, at five we are an odd number.” I paused for a minute as a thought formulated in my mind. Before I could voice my idea, Nuda Asgina cut in.

“I could afford you one of my wolves. You would have your pick of any of my warriors, the finest fighters in all of the Den Forest.” His proposition was one that I was thankful for, and as such I expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you very much General. I will need a short while to decide whom to choose, but I think I have a good idea of which wolf would fit well in my unit. The one named Atsosestanv,” I stated my request boldly, because I was almost positive that he was the wolf I needed. Obviously Crazy Ghost did not follow my line of logic, for he raised a furry brow.

“The same Atsosestanv whose pride is still very tender at having been beaten by a pony? I am unsure of this, but I trust you. For some reason, I feel the same qualities in you that I once felt in my dear friend Elawei Waya. He had a talent for seeing what others could not, and making that which seemed impossible blossom into life. I hope, for the sake of the inhabitants of these lands that you are much the same, for we will have sore need of those like you in the coming war.” His long speech came to an end, and I was honored that he felt that way about me. Then again, this just furthered the idea that I was, in fact, the missing Prince.

“Thank you very much. Your kind words really are too much praise for someone who is, as of yet, untested in battle. I assure you that I will not let you down,” I answered with confidence. I felt the weight of what he said press down upon me, but I didn’t let my worry break through. The look he gave me said that he approved, and his words only acted to bolster that perception.

“Good. A leader’s confidence is infectious, but so is despair. You may feel despair at times throughout your battles, but never let your warriors see it. If they see their leader has given up, they themselves will give in, and the battle has already been lost. Never lose the battle without having given it your all,” he finished solemnly. I could tell he had learned this lesson from someone close to him, because it was clear he held it as scripture. Luckily I didn’t have time to dwell on it as he added, “And with that final lesson for the night, I must tell you to go and find your sixth member. He will most likely be among the warriors at the Circle of Equals. You will likely have to defeat him again before he will submit to your rule, so I recommend you appear there, and learn what it means to fight as equals.”

I saluted to him upon what was a clear dismissal, and after his return salute, I turned out of the tent. It took no more than a minute for me to trot to what he had named the Circle of Equals. Once there, I saw that many Lupine warriors were pressed close around the Circle, jeering and cheering at the two combatants fighting. It was eerily similar to the situation I had been in back in the Iron Pony training room with the boxing ring. Except here there were no referees, there were no gloves, and there was no headgear. I watched a few fights before I figured out the premise behind them.

Any warrior could challenge any fighter, and rank disappeared once they were within the Circle, making them Equals. The fight had to be approved by a majority of the warriors in attendance, but in the time I was there none were denied. The reasons for the fights were many, ranging from small slights to major insults, and anything in between. I knew that if I was to gain Dizzy for my unit I’d have to beat him in the eyes of all his peers. So, having spotted him quickly upon reaching the Circle, I waited until I had the chance to speak up. I pounced upon the opportunity when it was presented.

“I challenge Atsosestanv(Dizzy)!” My voice rang out over the din of the Lupine warriors. This caused them to quiet, and turn my way.

“And what right do you claim to fight in the Circle?” The question came from off to my right. Its owner padded through the crowd, and I was not surprised to find it to be Dizzy. I looked at him and snorted.

“I claim the right by virtue of being in command of a unit that is to fight alongside you. I operate under my own command, yet I take orders from both General Gale Force and General Crazy Ghost. If you deny me, you might as well call yourself a yellow tail!” I knew that yellow tail was a common name for coward among the Lupine, and my harsh words had the intended effect, as the large wolf snarled at me while baring his fangs. However, before he could do anything, a voice rose up in the deathly silent night.

“Ayv gohiyudodi(I approve)!” A gray wolf with very dark markings stepped forward. He carried himself with an air of command, and I could tell he was respected among his fellows, for many soon followed his example, and soon the entire group joined. Dizzy was stunned, and he turned on the instigator of the approval.

“Usvi Alisgisgi! Nehi galonuhesgi!(Night Dancer! You traitor!)” Dizzy was clearly unhappy with the situation, and his words to his companion made that apparent.

“Let us speak not the language of our ancestors so that our guest may understand as well. You call me traitor? Are we not all traitors? Now get into the Circle, or disgrace is yours,” Night Dancer’s response was swift, and thoughtful. The perfectly executed rebuttal was enough to silence Dizzy, and he made his way to the Circle.

I turned to Night Dancer to thank him, but what happened surprised both of us, “Wado ayastigi. (Thank you warrior.)” My eyes opened wide. I hadn’t meant to speak in their language, but it had come out as clear as day. After his initial surprise, a flash of mirth settled upon the wolf’s face. The rest of those gathered however were too stunned to speak.

“Well, I guess I won’t have to worry if I switch between languages. This is a good thing,” Night Dancer said. He turned to the rest of the wolves and continued, “He honors us by speaking in the language we have spoken for millennia!” This seemed to bring the other wolves out of their trance, and they, without warning started a short howl. I took this as a good thing, and I thanked Night Dancer once again before trotting into the circle.

Dizzy stood at the far end, so I took up a position opposite him. As soon as I stepped into the circle, the mass of wolves closed behind me, and the stone circle was completed by a mass of bodies. This arena was unforgiving, and the anticipation rose within me.

Night Dancer stood on all fours on the edge of the ring, perfectly in the middle. “There are no rules here, but remember to carry yourselves honorably, and Luna will look favorably upon you. With that in your minds you may now go to war.” Luna’s name was spoken with reverence, and every warrior assembled tensed seemed to send a silent prayer to the Night Princess.

Upon his command Dizzy and I started to circle. I could see the muscles ripple through his fur as he took slow, tensed steps. I watched him, hoping to find an opening to use, and I quickly found one. As we circled, we drew slowly closer to one another, and I put my plan in action when I knew I could close the distance in a single bound. I waited for him to start his step, and I pounced.

He was ready for this tactic, and he managed to push off of his right legs and into me. He had the size advantage, and that was no more evident than when his body crashed into mine. The pine-needle strewn ground rushed up to meet us. My head made quick acquaintance with the dirt, and multi-colored lights danced in front of my eyes. I tried to stand as my vision cleared, but Dizzy’s weight was still on me, and I couldn’t move an inch. He realized that he had me, and I felt the burn of one of his claws raking my side. I started to panic. This wasn’t going the way it was supposed to, and if I didn’t do something quickly it would end very badly for me.

I finally thought of something, and I waited for the right moment, right as he brought his left paw back for a strike, and I stopped defending myself. I lashed out at his face, completely unprotected due to all his concentration being on his own offensive. My hoof met his muzzle, and his head snapped to the side, taking his body with it just enough to let me roll out from under him. Standing up, I noticed I was bleeding in several places on my body and face, but I ignored them to focus on the fight.

My attack had done its job and more, as I could tell Dizzy wasn’t all there when he stood up. This evened the playing field, and I quickly sprang into action to maintain my momentum. I landed three quick strikes to his midsection, and then I rolled off to the right and swept his legs. He moved faster than I expected he could, and my leg sweep only managed to send me off balance with my back to my opponent. He used this as he jumped onto my back, forcing me to the ground again, but this time I knew what to expect, and I was able to use our forward momentum to roll.

This time luck was on my side and I ended up on top, I gave him two fast shots to the head before he could recover. With him being clearly dazed, I used the claw blades that Steelhoof had designed. I quickly slid the claws out, and placed them against his throat. I pressed them just hard enough to draw a bit of blood, but not hard enough to seriously injure him. As I did these things, I let out a growl that even the Lupine would be proud of.

“Aleswidodi! Stop!” The voice of Night Dancer called out. I looked to him, and without a word I sheathed the blades as I stood. Dizzy however, was not as content with the decision to end the fight. He, after regaining his balance, stood up and protested.

“He used a weapon! He is a disgrace!” His shouts were filled with anger and hatred. I had, once again, beaten him in front of his comrades. This was one too many blows to his ego. Before Night Dancer had a chance to respond, I spoke up.

“Weapon?” I asked coyly. “I have no clue what you are talking about. I merely used my claws! Just as Lupine are born with claws, so are all ponies! Would you like to see mine again?” My display brought the warriors around us to tears with laughter. Even Night Dancer let himself have a little smirk at my words. I turned once again to face Dizzy, and I assumed an air of command, “You are under my command from now on. Do not try to refuse these orders, for they come directly from General Crazy Ghost. You are officially a member of the Misfits, I expect you to report to my tent at daybreak tomorrow. You are dismissed.” There was complete silence around the ring; no soul dared speak after me.

The murderous look I was given by the newest member of my team made it clear I had crossed a line. I knew I was going to, and I shouldn’t have done it in front of the rest of his comrades, but it had been done. There was nothing I could do now to change that fact, and the consequences would have to be accepted, for there would be consequences. Without another look, I turned from the Circle and walked through the group of wolves.

Once I was out of the group, I could feel someone, or something, watching me. I turned towards the feeling and saw Shiro leaning against a tree, standing on his hind legs. He regarded me with a curious look, and so I went to him.

“That was poorly handled,” he said flatly. This tone surprised me, after his joking nature previously, I had not been ready for him to be serious. This seemed to fade quickly though, as he added, “Now that mutt will be after your tail instead of his own!” I couldn’t help but smile at this comment, as the image it brought to mind seemed absolutely ridiculous. I just shook my head at the large grin that had plastered itself on his face.

“You know one of these days, both of us are going to get in way over our heads because of the things we say,” I told him, and this just made him smile wider.

“Who says I haven’t done so already?”

A Wall Torn Down

Author's Note: I'd like to apologize once again for all the time that I have taken in writing and not writing this story along with my other fics. Life has taken its toll on my ability to have time to write, and I won't promise anything, but I will do my best in trying to get more written soon. But, as the author Rust can tell you, the schooling I'm going through is no joke, and it requires many hours of dedication, oft consuming any time you thought you had free.

As always, please leave me constructive criticism in the comments, especially now as I try my best to shake off the rust of nearly a year-long hiatus from writing. As such, i must apologize before hand for the shortness of this chapter. I felt that if i did not cut it where i did that it would go on forever.

On those nights when you want nothing more than to slip into a peaceful slumber, your mind has a way of running through every possible thought, every scenario, that could keep you awake. There were far too many players in the game. Some were bound to be merely pawns, and others the one moving them about the board. The question that bore down on me the most was how many pawns would they have to sacrifice for their happy ending?

After laying down for several hours to no avail, I finally gave up on slumber, and stood. The small tent that Crazy Ghost had afforded me was just big enough that I could comfortably stretch before donning my armor and heading out into the camp. However, as soon as I stepped through the flaps of my tent, I found Dizzy waiting.

“Here are our orders from General Crazy Ghost. I have agreed to serve under you…” Dizzy did not speak with enthusiasm, but at least his grudging acceptance was still acceptance. He would not be giving me any troubles, or at least that’s what I hoped.

“Thank you Dizzy. You are a great warrior, and I do not want you to look poorly upon your performance against me,” I said, trying my best to win him over. I’d be compassionate, as I would with any of my soldiers. If that didn’t work I would end up having to be a little more assertive in our interactions.

Without waiting for a response from the wolf, I opened up the orders. I looked to Dizzy as I finished reading.

“Did the general give you any indication as to what we would be doing?” The question was no sooner out of my mouth than he responded with a quick shake of his head. Good...that meant everyone would get the news together. “Thank you for delivering these. Now, if you could round everyone up and gather them by the grandfather tree near the Circle, we can get on our way.”

Dizzy faltered for a moment. “Who taught you of the grandfather trees?” It seemed an innocent question, but it brought up a good point, a point that I had to think quickly to deflect.

“General Crazy Ghost brought up the name in passing as we spoke yesterday,” I lied to the beastly wolf. Thankfully he accepted what I said without question, at least without questioning aloud, and he took off to do as I had asked.

Due to the nature of my team General Crazy Ghost had put all our tents in the same general location, so I did not have to wait long for the team to assemble. Shirotora was the first to appear, seemingly out of nowhere as he is wont to do.

“So Wolfie...what are we going to do today? The same thing we do every day?” The sudden appearance of the large cat nearly made me jump out of my skin. Upon looking at him, I realized he was smiling. It had been his intention to scare me, and even without a true reaction he knew it had worked. I put a hoof to my face and shook my head, both amused and bemused by the character I was quickly coming to know.

“Where did that nickname come from?” The way he had casually said it seemed natural to him, as if he’d said it many times before, and so I couldn’t just let it go without question.

“Chaos magic...it just felt fitting. It feels especially fitting now after seeing your reaction,” he teased. I shook my head at his antics...this kitten was going to give me many headaches.

“Don’t call me that,” I told him, but then I thought about it for a moment and amended, “You’ll do it anyways...so at least try to keep it to when the troops aren’t around.”

“Aye aye Sergeant Wolfie,” Shirotora answered in an overly serious tone, punctuated by a salute. I turned away from the predator in exasperation, just barely running into Quicksilver, our noses touching. The pair of us froze, unable to react to the situation that had just presented itself until we got a little incentive in the form of Shiro clearing his throat. Just as suddenly as it had happened, we back away from one another, nearly falling over ourselves doing so.

My cheeks burned and this worsened upon seeing the grin plastered on Shiro’s face. I didn’t have the heart to look at, or speak to, Quicksilver as we waited for the rest of the team. By the time everyone had arrived, I had finally managed to regain my own composure. “Soldiers, I’ve got our first orders. Today we are to move ahead of the Lupine, further into the Everfree, scouting during the day to help set up the night time movement of General Crazy Ghost’s forces. Any questions?” When none came, I turned around, motioning for them to follow.

“Stonewall, you’ll be on point to start. Rhetoric, you keep him company up there. Quicksilver and Dizzy take the middle. I’ll bring up the rear with Shirotora,” I laid out the plan as we walked to the edge of the clearing in the direction we would be advancing. Shiro and I would take the rear guard positions due to the fact that it was the most dangerous assignment in a scouting mission like this. Especially with the Lupines’ affinity for taking out the rear of an opposing force first.

With our orders given and the mission planned, the we moved into the brush of the Everfree. After several slow hours of moving through the heavy brush, keeping alert for any possible sign that NLR forces were in the area, we became relaxed and started to casually speak to one another.

“Hey Seargent! I watched ya fight Dizzy yesterday. Yer gonna have to do better than that if you want to beat me,” Stonewall cockily shot back over his shoulder.

“Is that right? Well, you’re lucky I took it easy on you last time,” I returned with a laugh. The moment that he turned his head to respond was the moment that everything ground to a halt. His expression changed instantly to surprise and then to determination as he launched himself into the much smaller Rhetoric. As Rhetoric went to the ground, he was cast into shadow by multiple forms leaping at the large earth pony.

Before I could react to help, I instinctively brought my clawed hoof up to my right. My leg was jammed into its socket by the force of the Lupine warrior impaling himself upon my blades. With the first one down, I turned to see two more approaching with caution. They didn’t want to make the same mistake that their predecessor had, but they had to act, and I forced them to by running at them.

As they leapt into the air towards me, I tucked into a roll, blade flashing out and gutting one of the two before launching myself shoulder first into the other’s exposed underside. The pair of us tumbled a short ways, but I ended up with the advantage and my blades sliced through muscle and tendons, crippling his left hind leg. “Yield now!” I ordered him. I did not want to kill him. It would not be honorable, and it would be a senseless death, however his warrior pride, his Lupine pride, would not allow that, and so he mustered the little strength he had left and ran towards me, fangs bared. I met him and gave him the death he had been looking for. It was clean, and he brought great honor to his clan.

As I finished off the last of my three opponents, I turned my gaze to the others. I could see them all, holding their ground...all except Stonewall. Rhetoric stood, wielding his magic to cut down foes at the same time as he wielded his claws, but he couldn’t seem to do it fast enough to reach the overwhelmed earth pony that had saved his life. I did my best, rushing to their side, taking two by surprise. In the process a third attacked me from behind, but before I could deal with him, a set of blades impaled him from behind. I swiftly ended his suffering with a swipe that went clean through his neck.

This was the last of the enemies, and as I he fell, I quickly went to help in evaluating the damage done to Stonewall. His wounds were many, and while most were shallow and forgiving, others were sure to be deadly if he didn’t get treatment fast. Seeing his wounds suddenly sent flashes of similar wounds upon my own body from when I was a Lupine, falling to those wounds, and reawakening in a small hut being taken care of by a wise mare.

“I know of only one person qualified to heal him this far into the Everfree,” I said as I looked to the rest of my team. Shiro’s eyes seemed to light up in understanding. We needed her brand of witchcraft.

We needed Zebra magic.

Healing Wounds

Hey y'all...been a very long time. I haven't been a part of the fandom for quite some time, but for some reason, I saw some of my unfinished work sitting there, and inspiration hit me to write. It isn't much, but it flowed from me freely, and it simply would not leave me alone until I wrote it all out.

So, for the first time in a year or so, here is a new chapter of Memories. Once again I apologize for the shortness of it. I do hope that you will comment and criticize it heavily, because I deserve it, and need the help with getting the rust out.

I wonder how easily this will slip under the radar. I don't know how many people actually follow it anymore.

Being as far into the Everfree as my Misfits were, the trek to her hut was short. She was the only Zebra I had ever met outside of their ancestral lands. Wise beyond her years; she was practiced in the ancient healing arts of the Zebra shamans. It was something that had come in handy when she had found me years ago, left for dead and surrounded by carrion birds.

I had become cocky...full of myself after dealing with the trio of wolves that had slain so many pups, saving a small earth pony in the process. As such, they caught me by surprise...an ambush committed by an organized criminal pack of Lupine deep in the Everfree Forest. All of the signs were there, but I paid them no heed.

The air was still and the forest deadly quiet. Both should have alerted me. Instead, they fell upon me quickly, catching me unawares. Claws flashed, fangs tore, and I fell beneath their onslaught. Had they taken a moment to really look, they might have realized just who I was, possibly even taken me back to their den to hold for ransom. Instead, they left me battered, broken, and bleeding out.

When the vultures started approaching, I can’t quite remember, but I do remember when she appeared. A high pitched sound tore me from the darkness that was enveloping me, if only temporarily. Calmly, she approached me, spinning a large staff in the air, the source of the sound. The birds of Death that had been waiting for my end scattered at her approach. Her appearance was like a light to me in the deep darkness that was the Everfree. Unfortunately, the shadows enveloped me one final time, or so I thought, right before I got a good look under her hood.

Thankfully, I was wrong, and I awoke to see my wounds dressed and healing. I had been moved to a small hut after I had passed out. I would later spend a decent amount of time recovering in the Everfree, learning from the Zebra shaman named Zecora.

Suddenly, I was brought back to the present, just as we came to a small clearing. In the clearing the tree that was Zecora’s hut grew. Shirotora, with his massive physique, had carried the wounded Stonewall alone. Upon seeing the familiar door to the Zebra shaman’s hut, I broke into a gallop.

“Ms. Zecora! We have a wounded stallion! Would you please help us?” I pleaded loudly as I knocked on the wooden door embedded into the base of the tree. With barely a pause, a Zebra mare opened the door, and came trotting out.

“It matters not who calls on me...bring me this wounded pony,” Zecora told me face to face as she stood in the doorway. Following the shaman into her hut, Shirotora set Stonewall onto the table indicated by the zebra.

“These wounds are quite deep. What form of trouble did you reap?” The light of recognition shone in her eyes, and I knew that i was being tested. She knew exactly what caused Stonewall’s wounds, but she wanted to hear me say it.It oculd easily have been a test of trust, and I didn’t blame her for it. Since there was no reason to hide it, I answered her.

“Lupine. A small section of their scouting element took us by surprise, and Stonewall was wounded when he took the brunt of the attack. If you were not aware, the kingdom of Equestria is now at war with Lupine separatists proclaiming to be a New Lunar Republic,” I answered, trying my best to fit as much detail into the quick summary as I could. The nod I received from the Zebra as she worked to clean and dress his many wounds seemed dismissive, but I could tell that our conversation was not over, it was merely on hold. I was about to leave when Zecora stopped me.

“If you wish to help here is where you must stay. Take care to do everything exactly as I say,” her rhyming lilt fell upon my ears soft but firm. She went about her work, with the aid of my hooves, calmly and efficiently.

“A bandage placed here, and this wound will disappear,” her orders were not orders in the typical sense, instead, mere facts she spoke aloud to guide me to her aid. I did not speak for fear of missing her orders as her focus grew more and more intense. To and fro I moved, from shelf to shelf and back to the operating table. Time sped by as we treated him, and only when we were utterly exhausted, supplies strewn about, were we done.

“His condition is unnerving, He must remain for observing,” Zecora delivered in her trademark accent. Her statement of the facts did little to alleviate the weight pressing on my mind.

She then added, “You and I must take a walk, for we need to have a talk,” The zebra shaman spoke before she slowly walked off, leaving me to scrambling to follow. Upon exiting the cabin I gave Shiro a nod toward the cabin door. Seeing that he entered the cabin to watch over Stonewall gave me some relief. While following Zecora, my mind wandered, quickly posing the question of whether or not she recognized me. If anypony could, this mystical Zebra would be it.

“You may wonder why I want to speak, but we both know you are quite unique. A wolf become pony. To everyone a phony. I remember caring for you, the challenges you went through. How have you come to be, trapped in the body of an Earth Pony?” The sheer number of words she spoke surprised me. She was usually a mare of such few words, even during our conversations when she had cared for my injuries. For her to speak this much told me that she was worried. Knowing my usual response would not satisfy her, I had to think hard before responding.

“I am not sure how I came to possess this body. But I do know that I appeared before the Elements of Harmony for a reason. I need to be the one to end my father’s tyranny. I only hope that I am up to the task, and that I don’t become my father in the process,” I admitted openly. The Zebra had a way of getting me to be honest with myself. The time I had spent healing in her cabin had been, despite the pain, some of the most comforting of my life. As I got lost in my thoughts, Zecora spoke again.

“Waya, so much have you grown, but you are not on this quest alone. Your friends stand beside you, and it is with their help you will pull through. Do not fear playing your father’s part, for you are much too pure of heart. You will do what you must, and end the rule of the unjust,” Her words sent a shiver down my back, their rhyming quality giving them an almost prophetic feel. At the same time, her words filled me with courage. She believed in me, and I did not want to prove her faith was mislaid. Before I could thank her, she spoke again.

“Now we must return, and alleviate you friends’ concern,” she once again spoke while walking away from me. Her mannerisms never failed to amaze me. But she had given me what I had needed, the courage to stay the course. With that thought, I followed the wise Zebra Shaman back to her home, realizing she had healed more than Stonewall’s injuries.

Lesson to Learn

So, this chapter is a bit short, but there are good reasons for it. It'll give you some major food for thought as I start work on the next chapter.

As always I love the reviews and comments folks!

I was running through a dark forest, my best friend, Nuda Asgina(Crazy Ghost), was at my side. The unmistakable sounds of a small skirmish were all around us, yet I saw none of my guards or attackers through the heavy brush on the border of the Everfree and Den Forests. We had been so close to crossing into neutral territory, and as such, so close to preventing something like this from happening.

“Elawei my friend, what are they doing? This was supposed to be a diplomatic mission! We flew the flags! These Griffon bastards have no honor!” Crazy Ghost yelled as we ran. As much as the pair of us wanted to stand and fight, we had our orders, straight from the top. If anything like this happened, our men were to sacrifice themselves so that we may move on with the mission. We had to get to Canterlot. We were the only hope of anything being settled diplomatically. I knew we were just a ruse, even if Ghost had not been told, and it almost killed me not to tell him.

There would be no diplomatic solution. We were to stall for time while Blood Warrior convinced the rest of the Lupine Nations rise up and marshal their full might. Most of them were already fighting, but a few of the tribes had remained aloof of the conflict. This was mainly because they had not lost any ancestral lands during the aftermath of the Lupine Rebellion. My tribe had been the hardest hit. The Lunar Tribe, typically the birthplace of Chieftains, had been harshly punished for its role in inciting the rebellions.

Lost in thought is not a good place to be in the middle of a fight, and that was proven when I was tackled hard from above. My attacker and I went tumbling right into a tree, and I was lucky enough to land in a position that allowed me to throw the Griffon off. The foolish Griffon was now on my territory, and I would rip his wings off, unless of course he surrendered. I was about to attack the grounded Griffon when I realized this wasn’t the typical male warrior. It was a she-Griffon. They weren’t extremely uncommon in battle, but they were fairly rare. She also wore marks of rank. She wasn’t any plain officer.

This was the Griffon Empress-to-be, Talia. Among the Lupine however, she had another name. She was called Deadly Shadow. She was quiet, efficient, and most of all deadly, and the Lupine had granted her this name out of respect for her prowess. She would take prisoners from time to time, but most Lupine would rather fight to the death than to have the dishonor of surrender. That said, this one knew what she was doing.

“Surrender now Quiet Wolf. Your wolves are outnumbered and will be annihilated otherwise. We have proof that says your diplomatic mission is nothing more than a trick to buy you time. We will not stand for this, and you shall accompany us back to Gray Feather Keep where you will be used as a bargaining chip to end the war.” Her voice was surprisingly melodic, even with the harsh tones and terms. Sadly she was right. Since it was a ruse, I could not, in good conscience, admit it wasn’t.

“You’re right. Blood Warrior never meant for a peace. He won’t care that you have me either. His war will be waged, and no reason, logic, or prisoner can change that. The only way this war will end is with his death or that of your father.” I hoped that, unlike my father, Talia would listen to reason. I did not want to hurt her, and I sure as hell didn’t want to keep fighting this war. I was tired of watching countless souls die for nothing. I understood the need for war, but there was no need for this one. I knew that I’d be treated with dignity as a prisoner, but I couldn’t say the same for her, “I will not surrender. It is not the Lupine way Talia. Neither will I take you prisoner, for I know the horrors that will await you at Chief Blood Warrior’s paws. Go now, and for my sake and yours, never get caught by my forces or those of the other Nations.” I hoped she took the warning to heart, because if she was caught, there was no way for me to stop what would happen to her.

I turned from her at that moment to find Crazy Ghost. I couldn’t leave without him. He was my second-in-command, and the only true friend that had stuck by my side ever since we were pups. As I looked around, I noticed something wrong. There were no more sounds of the struggle between my guards and the ambush force. I started to run, and I realized that there weren’t any signs of the battle at all. It was as if it had never happened. Suddenly, as I contemplated the loss of my men and my best friend, I was blindsided for the second time that night. Once again it was the Crown Princess of the Griffon Empire that was the offending party.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY GRIFFONS?” She screeched as she held me down with her talons. I just looked at her and shook my head softly before I spoke.

“Look around. Then tell me that your Griffons are the only ones missing. Where are my Wolves? They are not here either. Something is amiss, and to find out what, we’ll need to work together.” I let my logic sink in for a few moments before removing her talons from my hide. She didn’t resist, so she had obviously seen the truth behind my statement. I looked around the forest we were in. I was unfamiliar with this forest, which meant that we were not in the Everfree Forest or the Den Forest.

I turned back to Talia, and before I finished my turn, I noticed a warm sensation on my fur. It was as if a warm patch of sunlight suddenly made its way through the canopy of the forest to rest on my gray fur. I ignored it after a few seconds and looked to her.

“What is this sorcery Lupine?” Talia asked me in a panic-stricken voice as she was lifted from the ground. She was surrounded in a fine light-gold magical aura, and she was being lifted into the air by it. After a few seconds I noticed that I too was surrounded in the aura, and only a few moments later I rose into the air alongside her. A voice, seemingly coming from the heavens, spoke to us.

“You must learn. It is the only way.” The magic around us surged brightly, and with blinding pain, I passed out.¬

So, what did you think? Tell me in the comments!

The Good and the Bad

Okay, here's the next chapter. I apologize for the irregular updates. Between work, getting ready for college, and setting up my new laptop, things have been a little crazy here. I hope that the content in this chapter makes up for it.

As always, I ask that you please comment to notify me of error, and just t tell me what you think. These comments help me to become a better writer, and give me a feel for what you all like.

The thought that I could very well be the son of the enemy was one that plagued me the rest of the week. Luckily though, I had Quicksilver to keep my mind occupied for most of that time. She had an unbelievable knowledge of the military’s history, and she recounted some of the most important battles in Equestria’s history. She also asked me questions. They were always fairly simple, as if she was trying to avoid something I wouldn’t remember, but I was glad she made the effort. I learned any things from her, including that the Royal Guard was most often handpicked from the 1st Corps, and cases such as Shining Armor’s were extremely rare.

As my time with her ended, I found myself wishing it wouldn’t. She had a genuinely interesting personality, she was unbelievably smart, and she was pretty even with all the armor on. It was my last day in the Infirmary, and I had just been discharged when I decided that we should continue our talks.

“Quicksilver…I was thinking that we could keep up with meeting each other. I mean…I’d like to talk with you more...I really enjoy listening to you…” I stumbled over my words embarrassingly. My eyes widened as I realized that what I had said sounded pretty bad. “OH I mean-“ I tried to explain, but she interrupted me with a smile.

“I know what you mean. I’d love to continue our conversations. The other ponies in the Corps aren’t exactly great at keeping a conversation going. How about we meet every day at 5pm in this spot? It’s not far from where I know you are staying.” Everything she said was welcome, because it meant I didn’t have to make a fool out of myself talking again. I knew I had to respond, so I made it a simple one.

“That sounds like a plan.”

“Well, now we should get you to the Princesses. They wanted to see you as soon as you recovered.” I looked at her with an eyebrow raised and she laughed. “Don’t give me that look. I don’t know why they want to see you. I’m just following orders.”

“Okay than…I guess we should get there.” It wasn’t a very long walk to the throne room. When we reached the doors, the guardsponies, one each of the Dawn Guard and Dusk Guard, in front of them blocked our way.

“What is the meaning of this? Celestia and Luna requested to see Pathfinder!” Quicksilver was clearly unhappy with the pair of guards. They exchanged glances with each other, and then one of them spoke.

“Pathfinder…We’d like to thank you, on behalf of all the Royal Guard. You, in your daring actions this week, performed our job where we had failed. For that you will always have our gratitude.” The pair of them nodded, and then opened the doors for us into the chamber. I was a little stunned as I entered the room. They clearly respected me for my actions, but I felt as if getting my flank handed to me didn’t really merit this respect. I had only done what any other pony would have done in my situation. As I walked into the room, I didn’t notice all the ponies gathered on either side of the large red carpet in the center of the room.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I noticed Quicksilver break away from my side and head to take her place in the front row on the right. I realized that I was right in front of the thrones, and I dropped into a respectful bow.

“Rise Pathfinder,” Celestia requested of me. I did as ordered and I stood at the top of the steps of the dais. I couldn’t ascertain anything from her voice, so I looked around the room for the Elements. The entire group of them was smiling, even Fluttershy had a small smile. So, I hoped that the reasons behind being called here were good. “Your actions during the meeting with Chief Blood Warrior very well may have saved the lives of Luna, Cadence, and myself. For that, there is no way in which we can thank you enough. We will try our best though, and as such, you have been awarded with the Lunar Cross. It is the highest honor bestowed upon citizens of Equestria.” I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe that this was happening. I was being awarded a medal for getting my flank handed to me. I was too dumbstruck to speak as she magically placed the medal around my neck. The entire audience applauded me once she had given me the medal.

That was when the horns sounded. At first, I thought they were a part of the ceremony, but I was wrong. A Pegasus with his armor slightly askew rand through the doors and stopped in front of the Princesses of Equestria.

“Lupine have been spotted! They are just outside of Ponyville!” The crowd suddenly buzzed at the news. How could they have reached this far into the heart of Equestria? Had no one been watching for them? I pondered this as the poor messenger caught his breath.

“How is this possible? I thought we had strict surveillance set up to ensure this very thing would not happen!” The worry in Celestia’s voice did not go unnoticed by the crowd, as they too took on a tone of worry to their conversation.

“We do not know. They slipped past all our defenses, and now they make camp on the plains outside of Ponyville.” Suddenly, there was another loud blast of trumpets and in came another overworked looking Pegasus.

“They are here to see the Princesses. They fly the Equestrian colors!” That just made things a whole lot more interesting, and the buzz in the room became twice as loud.

“As Captain of your Guard, I must advise against meeting with them. This has to be a trap to get a hold of you. The Lupine don’t surrender.” Shining Armor’s voice was filled with desperate hope that Celestia would listen to him. Those hopes were dashed when she next spoke..

“I thank you for your counsel Captain Armor, but the rules of diplomacy must be followed. I will meet with them. Ready the chariots.” Celestia was obviously interested in these wolves that infiltrated this far into her kingdom only to fly a flag of truce, and I had to say I couldn’t blame her. I wanted to know just how they had managed it, and why they would give up so close to their obvious target. I was torn from these thoughts as Celestia spoke to the audience. “Everypony, please return to your homes. You shall be safe if you remain in Canterlot.” With that the entire gathering dispersed. It was amazing the loyalty she commanded in her subjects.

“I want you and the Elements to accompany Luna and I. We will have both the Dawn and Dusk guard with us, but your presence can only assure us more safety.” The way she spoke made it clear this wasn’t negotiable, and I preferred it over staying here and doing nothing. I was, however, worried that something would happen.

“We are prepared to leave on your command Princess.” Shining Armor had returned, and I waited until Celestia addressed him before I walked over to him.

“I agree with you. I don’t believe this can be anything good. You can count on me if we end up having to protect the Princesses.” The Captain of the Royal Guard looked at me for a few moments before answering.
“I’m glad to have an extra pair of eyes and some muscle in case things turn ugly.” I took his compliment with pride. I remembered then that he had wanted to talk to me about something the first day he visited me with the others in the Infirmary.

“You said you wanted to talk to me about something?” I made the question sound as if I was just reminding him, and he nodded.

“Yes, but I think it may have to wait a little while. I feel that this meeting could change a lot, or it could change very little. Either way, it must wait.” I couldn’t help but feel that there was something else that held him back from discussing his topic with me, but I didn’t press him further. I simply nodded before he walked up to lead the group to the chariots.

My breath was taken away when we entered an area of the castle I had not been to before. We walked into a large hangar embedded into the side of the mountain that Canterlot jutted from. It was full of all sorts of devices of war being prepared for use. Standing on a cleared runway in the middle were six chariots. Three of them were bright, shining gold, with graceful, benevolent curves. They each had four Pegasi of the Dawn Guard ready to take off. The remaining three chariots were sleek, angular, and colored a deep purple. Their angles gave them a look not unlike that of a bird of prey. These three were to be pulled by two Pegasi of the Dusk Guard each.

“Twilight, I’d like you and Shining to ride with me. The rest of the Elements should split up, one to each chariot.” Her orders were followed immediately, and that left me standing in the middle of the floor all alone. Suddenly, Celestia walked to me, and said, “Do not think I have forgotten about you, my little pony. You are to ride with Luna, as she tells me that she would enjoy your company.” I was surprised that Luna had requested that I ride in her chariot, but at the same time it made sense. I was hers to command after all. I followed her direction, and I climbed into the chariot with the Princess of the Moon. On her other side was Fluttershy.

“We shall speak once we are underway.” Luna seemed extremely calm about meeting the Lupine, but that could easily have been a façade. Any ponies who lead others had to remain calm in the face of danger, otherwise their subordinates would panic. Fluttershy, as usual, remained quiet. After several moments of waiting, a voice boomed through the hangar.

“Takeoff is clear. Day and Night are go!” The chariots quickly took to the air on command, and we left the hangar surprisingly fast. Once out of the mountain, we were surrounded on all sides by the Dusk and Dawn Guard. They had appeared out of nowhere, and encircled the six chariots. They had clearly rehearsed this many times before, and their precision was amazing. It amazed me so much so that I forgot flying made me sick, at least for a while.

“Now we may talk.” Princess Luna turned to me as we flew through the sky at speeds no Earth pony was meant to travel. “I want you to separate from our group when we land. Station yourself to the side of our meeting, and keep a close eye on the Alpha of this pack, as well as some of his more prominent subordinates.” Her command surprised me. I had been told to remove myself from the group, even though Celestia had brought me along to stay with the pair of them. I decided that it didn’t put me too far out of reach, and it gave Luna a scout in case anything was attempted.

“As you order Princess.” My response was simple, but unneeded. She knew I would follow her every command. After a while, my airsickness started to appear. Thankfully, right as it came, we landed in a small field dotted with foliage. I had to admit that the camp the Lupine had looked a little small. There couldn’t be very many of them, and if this was an attempt to attack the Princesses, than it would be a short lived one.

Once we had landed, the guards harnessed to the chariots quickly unattached themselves and formed ranks with the others. I looked to Luna and she nodded, so I jumped down and walked around behind the chariot. It took me a short while, but after several minutes of maneuvering I was in a concealed position under a bush, able to watch and study the Lupine without being interrupted.

Celestia and Luna stepped forward, Celestia leading the way. Captain Shining Armor stood on Celestia’s right, and the guards stood close enough to perform their duty if need be. Next, a large wolf strode towards the royals. He was attended by two other Lupine that stood behind and to either side of him.

This leader struck me as familiar, but I couldn’t tell why. As I looked at him, I noticed he had a large scar that ran from his left ear to the tip of his muzzle. This was a veteran, somepony who had seen and done his fair share of terrible things. He walked with a powerful stride and he had a sense of command about him. He could easily order any of his wolves to do something, and I would stake my life on the fact that they wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

I also noticed that they did indeed fly the Equestrian banner. This struck me as odd, because I had been under the impression that all Lupine were for the Rebellion. Suddenly, the leading wolf bowed, and those who followed him quickly joined. There couldn’t be more than 70 of them, but that was enough to cause significant havoc if left unchecked. There were many guards, but I didn’t think they could stand to this many Lupine. The lead wolf then stood again and his pack followed suit.

“Thank you for gracing us with your presence Princesses. We have been looking forward to speaking with you for a few days now.” His voice now struck me as familiar as well. It had the unmistakable air of command, but there was a hint of uncertainty in the tone. It was as if he was relatively new to being first in command. Celestia nodded to the show and then spoke.

“We do not come here lightly. The Lupine have seceded from Equestria and declared themselves the New Lunar Republic. You being here is an act of war. State your name, and your business here. If they are not answers that please me, you will not like they consequences.” The seriousness in her tone was clear. This wolf had better not screw up, or his soldiers would pay for it. I could sense the slight nervousness of the leader, but that was quickly brushed away and replaced by the confidence of somepony that knows he is in the right.

“My name is Nuda Asgina, or, in this language, Crazy Ghost. I am the Alpha of this little pack.” The name hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the wolf that had fought beside me in my dream, the wolf I felt I’d known my entire life. I broke out of this thought as I heard him speak again. “As for why we are here, I’ll get to that in a moment. First though, I’d like to clear one thing up.” I wondered where he was going with this, as he was clearly wasting an opportunity to save his wolves. “We don’t like being spied upon when we come to you in peace.”

I didn’t even have to think about it to realize he was talking about me.

A deep, ominous growl from behind came right on cue.

Buck my life.