Author's Note

Hi all! So I've finally got this chapter published, and it's mainly dialogue... The next chapter will also be more or less dialogue. In any case I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Metal Blade's Explanation

Ruby sat in the waiting room of the Ponyville Hospital along with Twilight, Luna, and Fluttershy waiting for the results on Metal Blade. Ruby could see the door to the room that held Metal Blade, and as she waited questions ran through her head. Why did she and those other two attack me? How does she know so much? Who does she work for? Will we even tell us anything?

At that moment, Nurse Redheart came up to the four mares.

"Are you here to see Metal Blade?" She inquired.

"Yes." Twilight responded.

"Come." Nurse Redheart said as she turned around. "She has just woken up."

"Thank you." Twilight said as Nurse Redheart opened the door.

"Aaaaaah!" Came a scream from the inside.

"What was that?" Nurse Redheart asked as she peered inside.

There was Metal Blade in a full body cast, looking at Ruby with a terrified expression on her face.

"What is it, Metal Blade?" Nurse Redheart asked her patient, looking uncertain.

"N-n-nothing!" Metal Blade stammered, still looking at Ruby.

"If you're sure..." Nurse Redheart said, still looking uncertain as she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

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Once Nurse Redheart had closed the door behind her, Metal Blade turned her terrified gaze away from Ruby to look at her companions.
A yellow Pegasus, and... TWO princesses? Metal Blade's expression turned into one of complete shock, then she started to whimper.

The yellow Pegasus' face became one of distress, but when she made an effort to to move over to Metal Blade, the smaller princess called her back.

"Fluttershy! Don't go near her! She could be dangerous, even in a cast!"

"But..." Fluttershy faltered, looking from Metal Blade to her friend.

"Okay, Twilight." She said as she made her way back to the group.

"Sorry, Fluttershy." Twilight whispered to her friend., then she turned her attention back to Metal Blade, and then started speaking in a forcefully polite tone.

"Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle." She began as she eyed Metal Blade suspiciously. "This is Luna, Fluttershy, and Ruby." She continued, pointing to each respective mare as she said their names. "And we'd like to ask you some questions."

Metal Blade gulped, and nodded.

"First off, did you aid in the attack against Ruby?"

Metal Blade nodded once more.

"Ruby said the same." Twilight growled.

"Why did you attack me?" Ruby asked, as she walked over to Metal Blade.

Metal Balde was shocked to see no hostility whatsoever in the fillies gaze, only curiousity.

"I was ordered to." Metal Blade responded.

"But why?" Ruby persisted. "Why do something so mean?"

"I won't say." Metal Blade growled.

"You will tell us whatever we wish to know and will do so truthfully!" Luna bellowed, getting right into Metal Blade's face as she did so.

Metal Blade whimpered as she stared into the scowling face of Princess Luna.

"Y-yes princess." Metal Blade stammered, still looking at the scowl that adorned Luna's face.

"So let's try again." Twilight said, taking charge of the inquiry. "Why did you attack Ruby?"

"Our... Our leader told us to." Metal Blade replied, voice still shaking.

"Us?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow at this.

"The Southern Army." Metal Blade said, confidence creeping back into her voice.

"Now who is your leader?" Twilight inquired.

"Lord Argon." Came Metal Blade's reply.

"Stallion?"

"Yes."

"What's his real name?"

"I don't know."

"What does he look like?"

"I only just joined."

"But why would you join?" Ruby asked. "Why would you join something so evil?"

"I... That is..." Metal Blade stammered.

"Well?" Luna asked sharply, her scowl still on her face.

"I was homeless, okay?!" Metal Blade snapped as tears began to roll down her face.

"One night, about two weeks ago, a hang of thieves came into my house, taking all my bits I had on hoof, and burning my house to the ground! About a week ago I in an alleyway, and a hooded figure came up to me. He said that I wouldn't be homeless if I joined some group called the Southern Army. I was barely making it by at the time, and the prospect of a home again sounded like a dream come true! After I joined I began training, I excelled at my field of battle so he told me to accompany Grey Cloud and Yellow Coat to Ponyville! Apparently this thing called the Cyrstal Deity was in Ponyville and Grey Cloud, Yellow Coat, and I were supposed to go and capture it! That's all!" Unable to hold it in anymore, Metal Blade broke into sobs.

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Twilight, Luna, Fluttershy, and Ruby were all staring slack jawed at Metal Blade.

She's been through so much... Ruby thought to herself.

"But that still doesn't explain why you agreed to go on this mission of sorts." Twilight persisted, giving Metal Blade a look that was halfway between pity and anger.

"I d-didn't h-have a choice!" Metal Blade yelled between sobs.

"Th-... There's a c-contract tha-that must be made upon joining! I-if I d-diso-obey an order or run off while o-on a mission I'll be k-killed! Now I will be, seeing as I've told you all so much!"

Twilight considered this new piece of information for a moment as she looked at the distressed unicorn.

"Well it seems that this Argon character operates outside the law... So it might be hard to find him." Twilight mused, looking through the window towards Ponyville.

When Twilight looked back to Metal Blade something in her head clicked.

Metal Blade didn't want this. She didn't want to aid in the capture. She might have faked it at the time, but if she believed that her actions were right... Would she even be crying at all?

"You won't be killed, Metal Blade." Twilight stated in attempts to calm the unicorn down. "We will make sure of that."

Metal Blade's sobbing softened as she looked at Twilight.

"Really?" Metal Blade asked, sounding hopeful.

"Really." Twilight reassured, in a soft, soothing tone. However... Twilight knew she couldn't just let Metal Blade off the hook just like that. Sooner or later she would have to be punished.

"But, Metal Blade..." Twilight began, determined to keep her voice kind. "I'm sorry, but being in a group like that Southern Army just isn't allowed... Once your ribcage heals I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you."

Upon hearing this, Metal Blade looked crestfallen, but nodded all the same.

"Yes, princess." She replied.

"You will be sentenced to seven weeks of community service in Canterlot... Unless you've proven to us that you've changed for the better."

"Wait..." Metal Blade said, confused. "Changed for the better? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I know you're a good pony, Metal Blade. A good pony who has gotten herself into a bad point in life." Twilight replied. "If you were a bad pony, you would have been convinced that what you were doing was right, yet you have made it plain that you believed that what you were doing was wrong. So I believe that you can show that you have changed."

"Huh..." Was all Metal Blade said in reply. She hadn't thought about it that way before. "Are you sure?" She asked Twilight.

"Positive." Came the reply.

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Metal Blade felt reassured by Twilight's reply as she bid the group of mares farewell. Once they left, Metal Blade let her newfound happiness tug her features into a smile. She wouldn't be killed! She was safe!

Feeling a little drowsy, Metal Blade decided to catch a quick rest.

...

Metal Blade groggily opened her eyes, only to be met with darkness.

Must be late. She thought to herself. Might as well hit the hay.

The sound of her room door opening interrupted her train of thought.

"Hello?" Metal Blade asked, nervous as to who or what might be the cause of the door opening.

In one fluid motion a hooded figure jumped from the entryway onto Metal Blade's body cast, stifling her scream with a hoof.

"Lord Argon sends his regards." The pony said, pulling out a knife as they did so.

The next sounds that could be heard were the sounds of metal entering flesh, and the coughing up of blood... Followed by a loud thud.