Guardians of Harmony: The Champion's Call

Everfree Forest

  Spike was nervous, Fluttershy was terrified both where being ether carried or dragged towards a cave by their human friend. The scent of sulfur and burned flesh was in the air.

   Joan dragged the two them while shaking her head. "What in the name of Princess Twilight are the two of you doing? We need to stay clam and focused to make this work. I know it's frightening, but we can't allow that fear to control us." she said "I know we can do this, just be strong and remember those who are depending on us to succeed. There are many lives at stake here, we can't afford to fail." she said strongly. Joan noted these new smells, she was all to familiar with the sights, sounds, and scents of a battle with a dragon, she'd fought them a number of times and there was no mistaking it.

  "Something is not right why is there so much brunt here?" said Spike.

  As they cleared the last bit of burnt foliage. They see bodies, lots of them, some thirty griffons burnt or crushed. And in the center blood dripping from many wounds and his jaws he a was a green color, and barely hanging on. Fluttershy was barely able to keep from a full panic attack, Spike was now emptying his stomach.

"Lady Fluttershy I need your help to save this dragon's life." she said as he began removing some injury kits and healing potions from her pack.

  "Oh! Right!" She fluttered over to inspect the wounds... "I'm not familiar with these wounds... it must be hose weapons the griffons have."

   The Dragon coughed. "My horde... they took... " He is interrupted by a fit of hacking coughs blood splattering across the ground along with a black goo.

  "Don't speak," Joan said "you'll need your strength to repulse the griffons that are invading. The ensuing battle may yet give you your chance to retrieve your treasure hoard." she said opening one of the potion bottles and pouring it into the dragon's mouth. "This is a very strong potion, it may cause you a slight shock when it kicks in." she said as quietly handed the bandages from the injury kit to Fluttershy. Joan turned to Fluttershy and spoke "You don't know the weapons that the griffons used but Tops does understand them. Will you go back to Ponyville and find him so that he can help us Lady Fluttershy? I can keep him stable for only so long."

  Fluttershy nods and grabs spike before shooting of at a impressive speed. Especially for some pony scared to fly...

  The Dragon coughs again more of the mix of black goo and blood. "Why are you trying to help me. I already failed to stop th-" he is interrupted by another cough " from stealing my hoard, what use could a weakling that is getting weaker by the second be?" That's when she saw it, she saw the black goo seeping from wounds and in his blood.

  "Be quiet for now." Joan said firmly. "Not only did they shoot you with those weapons of theirs, they used a poison to weaken you, I'll bet that Lady Zecora can undo that, but we have to get you in better shape first." she went about applying the bandages and using another of her strongest healing potions to help the dragon survive. "We are going to need the fearsome strength of a dragon to help defend Equestria, and my friend Tops has some kind of plan for the enemy's impending attack."

  Then as if on cue the krogan in question comes in smashing thorough trees leaving a clear line of destruction. "Someone say my name?" He said while holding one of his weapons.

  The dragon coughs again.

  Joan was utterly stunned, this kind of timing was unbelievable at the least. That is unless that pink pony was behind this, then she could believe it very easily. Shaking off her confusion she explained to Tops about her suspicions about the black substance. "Also I know you have some medical know how," she continued. "So I think you can better tend to these injuries than I can."

  "Ok let's have a look." He mumbles. He removes one bandage and frowns. "Ok yeah this bad, and you half right I can do some basic stabilization. But we've got three problems. First we have to dig out all those poisoned rounds from his body. Second their is both the poison and the bleeding. Third we have no clue how deep the wounds go. So here is what I'm going to do. I'm going to have to use ALL of the medigel I have left. It will stop the bleeding and numb the pain so you can move. But it won't stop the poison or heal major damage to your insides. So once I inject it. We have thirty minutes to get you to hospital before it ware's off. After that you be back to this if not worse. So before I do this give me a answer if we save you will you help us fight?" asked Tops his left arm glowing orange.

  "Tops I am certain that this dragon doesn't need this kind of motivation. He has every reason to fight the griffons, they stole from him and tried to kill him." said Joan softly.

  The dragon chuckled. "Your female I-" coughs " -bad as a pony. You have a deal. What ever you are. Save me and I'll fight for you." He starts coughing again.

  Tops walks over. "Thought you see it that way. This will sting." He puts his glowing hand on the open wound there was strange noise and the dragon yelped then staggered to his feet.

"Sting my tail! That burnt, it actually burnt! What was that?" asked the dragon looking at Tops.

"Best battle field medicine ever made. Now come on we have to hurry you still have that poison and bullets in you so we have little time." said Tops as pointed down the path he made that led straight to Ponyville.

  "Alright," Joan said, "we need to move quickly." she says turning in the direction of Ponyville.

   Later Ponyville Hospital

  Tops could not stay having other matters to attend to leaving the dragon in the hooves of the ponies and Joan hands.

  "Yhaaaa!" Shouted the dragon before falling in to another coughing fit. As a unicorn slowly removed another poisoned bullet from it's body.

  The x-ray had shown fifty of the evil little things inside of him. As well as a sword with its owners arm still attached to it.

  Joan stared at the offending appendage blankly. " I really don't want to know how this happened. So how bad is the damage?" she asked the unicorn doctor.

"Well he'll live once we get the antivenin from Fluttershy. I think Tops medigel what slowed it's spread. The griffons are using enhanced manticore venom on their weapons projectiles and Fluttershy has is the only pony that can get the venom for the antidote cause she has a tamed one." said the doctor.

  "They are very desperate then, I wonder why. This kind of all out warfare is not normal even in Thedas, they are concealing something, and if we can discover it we may gain an advantage. I shall remain here until Lady Fluttershy's return then I will go and give report to Princess Twilight. I think she'll want this information, to give to the capitol." she said thoughtfully.

  "Ok here take these things with you that Tops fellow might have a use for them." he floated a bucket full of metal balls to her.

  Joan smiled "Oh I'm sure Tops can use these alright, he seems to be the innovative sort. Really it's like the enemy just gives him ammunition, that is a fatal mistake." Joan puts the bucket down out of the way and continues to assist while awaiting Fluttershy's return.

  Fluttershy came up with a cart of milk tanks with black liquid in them. "Sorry I took so long but when I told Chewy about what happened he insisted I we have enough of his to make as much anti-venom we could need. He really is a sweetheart."

  Joan simply decided to take Fluttershy at her word "Well I would remain to help out, but Princess Twilight needs to be informed." she looked at the pretty pegasus "I would like to get to better know you Lady Fluttershy, I do hope that we will get a chance to know each other a little better soon." she picked up the bucket and left to return to the castle.

"Oh, um sure...?" said Fluttershy missing Joan's meaning altogether.

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

At the castle an increasingly common sight greeted her.

Tops in a argument with Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and Princess Twilight was rubbing her head.

  Tops points at the dam on the map. "What if we use a water attack on them draw them in to tunnels look them in with grates pull our troops clear then blow the dam."

  "That will wreck the town!" shouted Dash

  "And destroy the crops we ain't harvested." said A.J.

"This battle is not a matter of wining but burning out their forces. They outnumber us as is. If or more likely when we have to abandon this position we would have had to torch the crops and the town any way to cut them off from using any of the resources it could have offered." argued Tops.

  Joan walked up to them "Actually that is not an option here," she sighed " the griffons have many ponies captive. That kind of attack will only succeed in killing innocents. I suspect they may have done this in part to hinder us and make life harder for us, we need to find a way to drive them back and free their captives. Until then we can't fight back very hard, or so they think." Joan said with a sly smile.

  "Fire attacks then? Set up burn spots in the tunnels, trenches and some of the houses? We have to kill them in large numbers with as few losses. And if what thy said a about eating ponies is true... Well if it was me I'd prefer to die mercifully in attack from my allies then just waiting to be eaten. By the way what's in the bucket?" said Tops

"The projectiles from the griffon's weapons that were removed from the dragon, the doctor thought you might be able to use them. Also I've been thinking about what that griffon scout said, and I don't believe it. It sounds more to me like an attempt to scare the ponies into submission. Griffons are predators by nature and ponies prey, therefore spreading such information would frighten a lot ponies into complying for fear of being killed and eaten."

  Joan looked over the map "With the proper help I can't set devastating traps all over Ponyville that will badly compromise the enemy forces, I can even show the Diamond Dogs how to rig rock fall traps in their tunnels that will winnow the griffon's numbers and keep them from being able to retreat. All we need is for them to enter the tunnels." she continued to look over the map evaluating the best and most effective places for her traps.

Tops picked up one of the iron balls and licked it. "Wow still a strong toxic coating to them. They know there poisons. And this gives me idea. Any of you heard of grape shot?" said tops with a cruel smile.

  "No, Joan said "but there is a kind of magic arrow that fracture on contact with an enemy and projects the shards to all nearby enemies. the damage is limited but it produces a stunning effect that can render large group of enemies incapacitated. That's similar I suspect, but not the same. As for poisons let me know if you would like any for yourself, I can make whatever is needed with the right ingredients."

  Tops nodded. "That's close grape or canister shot is tight packaging made of wood and paper, with iron balls in them. Divided in to tiers by more thin pieces of wood. When fired from a cannon, it acts like my shotgun only bigger spread, spraying the enemy ranks with burning wood and metal balls. I'm thinking of using these poisoned balls of theirs and sending them back at them in loads of grape shot. Given how sick they made that dragon, and how strong it's taste is I think the would probably kill most ponies and griffons in about twenty minutes. So have a party cannon at the end of a tunnel loaded with these little toys and given them some payback with burning interest." Tops was a nice krogan but like all krogan he took great joy in combat and whatever was going on in his mind gave a vary scary smile on his face.

Joan just stared blankly at Tops for a moment "That is brilliant! They would never expect to have their own innovations turned against them!" Joan was loving this, it was clever, unexpected, and going to be absolutely devastating in it's effectiveness. Those enemies not killed by the immediate blast would be in a very desperate fight with time, a fight that time always won.

  "I know right old human weapons are always interesting, but modern combat you can't use them. So I have been going through old earth history and that of other races to see what I can apply here. I only wish I had some toxic waste to dip the rounds in now. They got banned not too long ago but toxic rounds where a fave of mine during my mercenary days. Nothing like putting a bullet in someone and watching them dissolve from the inside out in to a bubbling pile toxic burning goo. Not even the were bones left." he said with glee. Then there was the sound of hooves and the distant sound of puking in the distance. Tops blinks.... "Was it something I said?" he asked looking confused.

  Joan's palm promptly met with her face, her suspicion in that moment is that this would happen again.  "Tops that was vastly more information than any of us needed." she replies sharply.

"Really? Must be a cultural thing. Well you come up with a plan to get the enemy where we I can set up the cannons let me know I have a surprise to build. Heh heh heh." He picks up the bucket and walks off with a smile.

  Joan simply looked at Tops. "You krogan are different to be sure tops. I need to speak to Princess Twilight about meeting Lady Zecora, I am hopping she can help me with supplies for my trap making and my alchemy as well" she says leaving the room to find the mare in question.

  Twilight was just coming out of a bathroom. "Tops needs a social class."

  Joan laughed "I fear he would cause no end of frustration to the teacher my princess. Anyway I need you to take me to meet Lady Zecora, as I understand it she is an alchemist of formidable ability and could help me greatly with securing what I need to make my traps, poisons, and potions. I can even give her and you the recipes for the potions to make them yourselves if you'd like. I'll just need to know what around here causes the effects I am looking for, also i will need to find a place to obtain lengths or wire and scrap metals for my traps." she said "Also I need to know if you have an alchemy lab in your castle as I will need somewhere to work on all of this."

  "Well my last lab kind of got wrecked, and I haven't yet set up a new one." She said taping her hoof. As to Zecora we haven't spoken face to face seance she told us she has seen griffins near her place. She lives in the Everfree, so given its dangerous normally we really can't go see her. Best we can do is see what alchemy books I have in my library. We will have to go to Barn Yard Bargains to see what the have we can use. " said Twilight.

   Joan blinked "Barn Yard Bargains? What my princess is that exactly? Some kind of shop?" she asked

  She giggled. "You can say that come on I'll show you." She said after a short walk the reach a large building near the train station.

  The building was two story and it was wide and long as most castles. "This is Barn Yard Bargains. The head office and flag ship store of the company a local stallion named Filthy Rich own it and some two dozen other smaller ones across Equestria and even in some other nations. His grandfather started the company I'm told. As this is the main branch he prides him self on having anything and everything. With the promise that if we don't have it we can get it. He is basically the biggest competition to the local markets but if you want anything exotic in bulk or from far away you come here. Fresher or home made goods are what the local markets sell. But his supply has dropped some from the war." she explained.

  "Well let's see what they have." Joan replied.

  They walked in the store and well it was more impressive inside some of the shelves where bare but others where packed to bursting with products.

  Joan was overwhelmed, she had no idea that a store could achieve such a thing. It was simply remarkable to her that all of this could be in one place! She was struck speechless as she looked around the store and following Twilight in a daze

  Twilight was pulling a shopping cart. "We will need some alchemy tools, probably some building materials too. Oh look the weapons section." She pointed to sign that said hunting and defiance tools. "Think Tops would like a sword? After all his weapons have limit of how much he could use them." asked Twilight

Joan nodded "Yes I think that he could make use of a sword, he seems adept in melee. That strange tool of him can produce a blade, but we don't know what the limits of it are." Joan followed Twilight's lead and made note of anything she could make use of.

  The weapons where of varied types of weapons some where made fore ponies others are clearly not. "What you think he would like? I mean other then big?" she asked.

  Joan was thoughtful for a few moments "Tops is probably as skilled as he is strong, in truth it would be a shock were that not the case given the long life of his race. It will need to be durable as well as sharp and flexible, any really good sword will be trust me. We will have to make a carefully considered choice, we don't want the sword to break when he strikes the enemy's armor, that would be bad." she replied

  "Or just brakes in his hands. I swear that when he hog tied Dash and A.J. he wasn't trying. He is stronger the most anypony I've seen, maybe even some dragons." said Twilight as she looked at some weapons. "Maybe something minoturain made would fit best. They are larger then ponies as well having hands. But with them attacking us I doubt there be much in stock from Labrintha." said Twilight as she looked around.

  Joan nodded "Yes from what Tops is indicating all Krogan are this strong, it's a little hard to imagine honestly. So what works here for causing healing, explosions, and besides Manticore venom what could I use for poisons. Normally I'd use Elfroot, Deathroot, and Fire Shards for such things. I don't think those exist here." Joan said

  Twilight levitates a large ax in to the cart. "Well I don't know the magical plants that we'll but I'd you want a boom Tops was cooking up what he called krogan noise makers. With some minerals the dogs gave him. As to healing we have a few plants but poisons one's are almost never sold and not grown in gardens."

  Joan sighed "That's why I need to speak with lady Zecora, there is much I can offer in defense of Equestria and it's citizens, but I need to use some means that many of you might not like. The griffons are already resorting to methods that the Antivan Crows would find reprehensible, and they are a group of assassins."

"Tops said he thinks they are to be commanded for playing of natural fears like that. He also sees how it can work saying his people evolved from pray animals of his world like the ponies. Though the predators of his world are bigger and dumber. Oh look chemistry sets are on sale two for one deal!" she squealed and trotted towards the sale display.

   Joan shook her head and and followed Twilight as they continued their shopping.

  After three hours getting a copy of "Death Touch's 1001 deadly poisons you run in to in every day life." two sets of Alchemy tools and a heavy battle Ax made in Neighpon though of Minotaur design, and a lot of tools including some griffon made animal hunting traps. (Insert irony here) They started home passing several dogs digging some of the trench works.

   As they entered the castle they overheard Tops and Pinkie talking. Joan wondered what was going on as she opened the door to the room they were in. "Tops, Pinkie we're back, and we've got somethings that will help us. Oh and we got something for you as well Tops, I think you'll like it." she said announcing their presence.

   "Oh hay, there welcome to the party!" shouted Pinkie. Tops' arm thing was playing music and there was a board game on the table. "Discord and Alicorns" (pony version of axis and Allies if Hasbro sees this make it happen). Pinkie, Discord, spike and Fluttershy Sat with tops seemingly happy Rarity Sat net to tops clearly not play but just watching. A.J. and Dash where having a cider drinking game with Spitfire Sorin and the unicorn and earth pony captains. A.J. was winning. The Banner that hung in the room Read "Happy eight hundred and thirty fourth birthday Tops!"

"I am as surprised as you are Joan." he said seeing Joan's face. "She walked in fired her party cannon and well instant party. I can't figure out how she learned it was my birthday? But hay it's nice to relax a little even with a battle looming. And while it's more tame then a krogan party. It's nice helps lift the mood a little. She did bring a strategy game to play tho, and little Fluttershy would make a great General. She has stopped my advance cold and managed to force Discord here out of his capital."

Discord spoke up. "In my defense I can't actually fight in real wars because Conquest is my big brother and spirit of war, but he dose let me play war games. But that dose not mean I'm not as good at them as he is. Never could beat him at them but Fluttershy could teach my brother a thing or two."

  Fluttershy just blushes.

"Well then I guess I when I give you this I should say happy birthday. We thought you might need it when we where out shopping and got it for you." said Twilight floating a large Ax to him.

  Tops tilted his new hat up that Rarity had made him as he looked it over taking it in one hand. He took a feel of its weight then gently set it down. He stood up walked over to Twilight and Joan. Then hugged them ho the tight as he started Crying. "Ahhh. You guys are the best! I never had such a great birthday! My new hat, the party, and then you two give me a new weapon! Your all are just the best!" he said crying tears of joy.

  "Well'" Joan began "I am very happy that we could get you such a thoughtful gift." Joan was stunned, yet again Pinkie had managed to do something that seemed impossible. She shuddered to think what would happen if Pinkie actually got involved in the fighting to come. She was also beaming with respect for the ever surprising timid yellow pegasus, Fluttershy was a force to be reckoned with to be sure.   Tops released the hug.

  "Come have some cake. Careful though it's so surgery it might give me diabetes. Heh heh heh."

  Twilight laid her ears back. "Tops that's nothing to joke about."

  Joan cocked her head in confusion "Diabetes? What's that?"

Tops started laughing, as Twilight sighs "I'll explain latter. Let's just enjoy Tops' party.

  Joan nodded and joined everyone.