The Final Report of Thunder Crescent

Quartz looked at thunder who appeared to be in a daze.

"pretty impressive eh," she boasted "well let's go down and meet everyone or rather I give you a tour of this fine establishment," she said gesturing to a stone set of stairs spiralling along the wall to the floor.

As the two began walking down the stairs Thunder crescents head was filled with so many questions, he held back the urge to ask them all at once and stuck to the basics. "How does all this exist," he questioned his eyes scanning every inch of the environment. "not that I'm ungrateful but how does this even exist," he said redirecting his look back to quartz.

She giggled to herself "well you see when I broke out of my cocoon I contemplated just leaving, but then I thought what about folks who don't have a cutie mark that lets you dig through anything,".

"but I got out just fine by moving a lot" Thunder interrupted.

"Well through the cocoon yeah sure, but if you didn't have wings all that were waiting for ya was a large drop to the abyss" she retorted. now being halfway down the stairs the buildings were somewhat more present and harder to ignore. Though hard to believe she constructed this herself what was believable was that everyone looked starved, or rather filled with less energy. quartz noticed this and was slightly disheartened. she decided to skip the tour and head straight to the main base. A building covered in red cloth. "I'm taking you to our leaders first, as they will know what to do with you more than I could".

This news shocked Thunder "you mean you aren't the leader? but you built all this" he asked. to which she laughed and shook her head.

"Just because the builders made the castle doesn't mean they get to be the princess, besides I couldn't do any of those hard decisions, I just want to help as many people as I can when I can," she said with mild enthusiasm.

Thunder opened his mouth to say something "words like those are the sort of things good leaders say, not to mention you get your hands dirty " he hadn't known her long put she came across as someone honest a trait that he found lacking among the leaders he had met on his journey to find canterlot.

Quartz laughed "you think so" she blushed slightly before shaking her head as they arrived at the entrance a long piece of red cloth being the only thing stopping them from seeing inside. there was also two ponies with spears and armour who looked slightly sleep depraved. they spoke as if they have said the same lines a hundred times.

"I'm sorry but at present there is a meeting taking place, no citizens or workers are allowed in during the meeting, if you have any problems be sure to come back once the meeting is over" his words themselves sounded exhausted.

"Ah come on, brighten up buddy, you get to look at my charming face. I'm sure you can make an exception for little old me can'tcha " she said teasingly.

The guard brightened up almost instantly "well if it isn't Quartz the boys and I were wondering where you had run off to".

"I was doing my job, you know saving people, digging tunnels the usual stuff".

"I see, and where's the fella you saved or is it a mare this time," he said his tone somewhat hopeful.

Quartz shook her head "Now why would I do that when a mare is standing right here," she said puffing out her chest and pointing at herself " Nah this time it's a colt and he's a bat-pony" she blurted out wondering whether it was okay to kill him that "This is Thunder Crescent" she stepped aside revealing Thunder who was walking towards them already.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance I am Thunder Crescent," he said somewhat formally.

The guard only laughed and smacked his shoulder "Finally! another guard. maybe I can take a break finally".

Quartz narrowed her gaze "Hey you get breaks a plenty, if anything I should get a break all this digging and work has made me out of touch with my feminine side" she said rubbing her flank "digging tunnels all day takes its toll y'know, I just want a nice hot bath, just one!".

The guard laughed again "A Bat-pony eh? don't see many of the-" he was cut off as a bowl flew out from the door slamming into Thunder's face making a pleasant dong sound. the sound of arguing could be heard from within the tent.

"They at it again?" quartz questioned as the bowl that his Thunders face slid off revealing a rather unhappy Thunder Crescent.

The guard sighed "Been at it since you left, I suppose if I let you in maybe something will actually happen and I can take a break," he pondered aloud "Well what's the worse they can do, fire me" he chuckled "go on in" he said moving aside. "and my name is Granite, Captain Granite" he said eyeing Thunder up and down. probably thinking of jobs to get him to do.

As Quartz lifted the cloth the arguing became more present, Thunder and quartz walked in side by side and let the door cloth fall behind them.

***

As they entered the base of operations there were two ponies one was a somewhat older earth pony with her white mane tied into a bun and her skin a peach yellow.

"You don't understand. We Can't try, we're exhausted we need to focus on getting supplies: food, water, bedding. basic commodities that are essential for us to continue on! If we attempt this we'll all DIE!" she shouted at the other pony who was a Pegasus clothed head to toe in Silver armour, it looked regal perhaps she once served someone before getting trapped.

The armoured mare removed her helmet which resembled a fearsome dragon and slammed it onto the table revealing a flowing mane of crimson hair and pale white coat. "No YOU don't get it, the changelings are gathering more and more numbers. and recently some strong commanders have been coming here one by one. if we don't move now then we won't be able to move at ALL!".

the two continued to argue despite two ponies entering the room. Quartz raised her voice to interject but it made no difference they just ignored her.

Thunder raised an eyebrow and picked up the bowl that had been thrown at him "borrowing this" he said to Granite who stood outside with a raised eyebrow and a look of intrigue on his face.

Thunder picked which one to throw it at and in the end picked up another bowl and threw a bowl at each ponies respective faces. The armoured mare dodged effortlessly "Hah you missed!" she said realising finally that someone else had entered the room. her train of thought interrupted by a dong coming from the pony across the room who had made no effort to dodge at all.

"who threw that I demand you reveal yourself!" she said the pot fixed firmly to her face.

Quartz helped remove the pot while the armoured mare approached Thunder "Armour? are you a guard or a warrior" she said expectantly. Thunder nodded then saluted as he had been taught.

"Yes ma'am commander Thunder Crescent at your service," he stood proudly "well, not a commander anymore,"

The armoured mare smiled and breathed a sigh of relief "Thank goodness, we can always use experienced soldiers they are somewhat of a rarity to come across, either killed or killing themselves before the enemy can get any info out of them" upon saying that she looked at Thunder "why are you still here" she said "all the guards found had been tortured for information".

Thunder looked down woefully "I'm afraid my village was already taken over by the time I was captured. I suppose that rendered my knowledge useless and not worth the effort," he said then was surprised by the armoured mare embracing him briefly

"It can't have been easy, but rest assured we'll pay those changelings back tenfold," she said a look of determination on her face. She turned as the other pony approached them.

"So this one is the newcomer, not much to look at," she said bluntly this comment angered the armoured mare but she restrained herself "still another mouth to feed, but you have wings so we have some use for you and you aren't exhausted yet so we could get some good mileage while you still have that energy".

"Enough!" the armoured mare said, "he is not another tool, he has had military experience, he's invaluable and so he'll become part of my section. I do not want to start another argument" she interrupted angered by the elderly ponies words both before after and during the time they spent together.

The elderly pony grunted and scoffed "Just cause he's your age, you whippersnappers are all the same" she mumbled as she left "We must reach a decision tomorrow, otherwise regardless of which we take none of us will survive" she said finally as she parted the red cloth and left the room.

The armoured mare introduced herself "I am Lisea Scarlet commander of the anti-changeling forces or whatever you'd call our numbers" she said smiling "A pleasure to meet you Mr.Crescent," she then pointed out the door "the pony with the bun is Beatrice or as the men and me call her, Beety,".

Thunder crescent exchanged a few words before she asked him to walk with her, upon closer Inspection she was a pegasus and her armour was all metal nor brushes or plumes on her helmet which was being carried by her wing, If Thunder wasn't a married colt he'd definitely consider her as prime material, but he let such thoughts not distract him and instead focused on the conversation which he'd accidently tuned out of.

"To summarise we're low on food and supplies, thankfully we have a natural reservoir of clean water so thirst isn't a problem but ponies can't live off water forever. Our energy will only decrease and even if we find a stable food source, which chances of happening are in the realms of the divine, even if we found a food source the changelings are amassing here and it doesn't look like they're going to stop anytime soon,"

Thunder nodded in agreement recalling the one changeling he saw with scars all across its body. he turned his attention to his surroundings where he noticed the area they had entered had more guards and a banner of red cloth whereas a banner of green cloth lay in the opposite end of the chamber back the way they came.

Lisea gestured for Thunder to follow her, and upon reaching her his eyes widened as she spoke.

"If you think quartz making the village was impressive then you underestimate the equestrian armies resolve" she said revealing a section filled with what looked like multiple gua\rd barracks each with sign similar to a pub jutting out from the building each with a different crest "we are the anti-changeling forces and we will take back Equestria" she said as the noise of camaraderie and shouting resembling more a tavern than a barracks "I know it's been a rough induction to our community but I hope you'll feel right at home" she said patting him on the back as they both looked out to the barracks there was even a second floor visible even from the entrance.

Truly it was astonishing and the sheer number of able-bodied combat ready colts and mares was astounding. something resonated within Thunder a feeling he had not felt since his time as a commander. He smiled, remembering those peaceful days. Seeing these soldiers nay, these ponies filled him with determination.