Chapter 5

Forged in Flames

As I raced down the mountains watching the railroad as the Generals Train was slowly gaining up on me I had to push my engine once again in order to beat the general. The door to the boiler blew off and hit the back of my seat which I felt and it kinda hurt but not as bad as the resulting flames spewing out of my engine singing the seat. I ignored my problematic engine as I saw PonyVille in the distance. I slowed the engine down and stopped right at the edge of town. I parked my wagon out of site as I put out the flames from the engine completely. I checked my boiler and it had a few bulges in it and some of the rivets had popped out. I worked my beautiful machine to death and the end result was bittersweet. Im glad I got to town before her but in order to make the necessary repairs it will take a least a few months to fix but I had to focus on stopping General Fall and saving my friends, that’s all that matter now. I slowly walked into PonyVille, crouching down trying to avoid being seen by any of her clockwork soldiers. I stopped by the old bridge into town and saw some guards protecting the road into town. By now the Generals Train just pulled into the station. I hid behind a tree and watch as the General now with two books and the mane six bound if chains get off the train. I sickened me too see my friends in chains. The General looked to hear guards

“Guard all roads into town, if the alien attempts to save his friend he’ll have to get through me” she said

She trotted off towards Twilight’s castle with the mane six in tow as her guards stood ready to attack by the roads. I had to work fast in order to get to my barn. I slowly crept up to the old bridge and made my way down towards the river. I looked and saw under the bridge that there was indeed a semi-large pipe where water and waste would flow into the stream. I knew my map would come in handy for such a disgusting task, now came the difficult of navigating the nasty, smelly sewer. I wrapped a shirt around my face to cover my nose and mouth. I also put on a pair of clear goggles so it would splash in my eyes. I took out my flashlight and turned it on and shined the way into the dark abyss of PonyVille’s sewer.

“God this is so nasty” I said to myself

I crouched down and started to waddle my way threw. I kept on going for a good ten minutes following my map when I came to a large opening where multiple way flowed to other rivers.

“Now which one leads towards my house” I looked at the map and found an opening about ten meters away from my house. I took the path as I crouched down and waddled my way there. Once I found the opening I stopped and listened very carefully. I was waiting to hear a tick or a tock from her clockwork soldiers. I heard nothing so I carefully lifted to manhole cover and peeked out. I saw a couple of buildings and my house was not far. I climbed out very carefully trying not to make much noise. I started walking towards my house when i heard the clanking march of her Soldiers. I looked and saw a door and ran through it. I quickly closed the door behind me. I turned around to see: Doctor Whooves, Derpy, Lyra, Bon Bon, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch all huddled together.

“Richard” doc said

“Yeah its me” taking off the shirt and goggles

Some of them sniffed me and immediately cover their noses in disgust

“Oh Celestia what’s that smell” Lyra said

“That would be sewage, that I was crawling around in” I said un-amused

“You crawled through the sewers to get into town,” Octavia said

“All the roads are blocked and guarded it seemed like the only option I had” taking a seat

“Well were glad that your alive and well, so tell us what’s your plan” Doc said

All of them stared at me waiting to answer, to be honest I was still piecing it together, maybe if I made some explosives that’ll definitely kill them. Maybe if I formed a cannon that will help stop the soldiers for a little bit in order to stop them fully I need to cut them, perhaps a swords will do.

“Right I need to get to my barn in order to build something that can stand up to them”

They all looked at me and knew I could handle the challenge

“Were with your Rich” Bon Bon said

“I just need to get to my barn” as I looked out the window and saw soldiers marching up and down the road

“There’s too many guards, perhaps if we distract them long enough for you to make a run for it”

It seemed like an effective strategy, but they might get hurt in the process and I wasn’t going to lose any more ponies

“Seems risky, and I don’t want you guys getting hurt” I said

They all stood up

“We can handle ourselves,” Doc said

“Very well, lets do this” I said opening the door letting them run out into the open

They all began to scream and yell trying to grab the attention of the guards, sure enough the soldiers began to chase after them as they ran down the road into town

“You guys take care now,” I said

I made a run for the hill keeping my eye out for any stragglers; I ran up the hill towards the barn and unlocked the barn door. I opened it just enough for me to squeeze through and then quickly shut it. I took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh of relief. I finally made it home safe and sound. I fell to the floor looking up at the ceiling thinking about my friends. I hope there doing alright the thought of them getting tortured was on my mind and I knew I had to keep going if I ever want to save them. I went over to my workbench, which had a pile of books about Mechanical Wonders of Equestria and on Ore’s and Rocks. I grabbed the one about rocks and skimmed through it trying to figure out what I should use to make a sword. It seems carbon and iron makes for good steel. So I grabbed some blueprints and started drawing out ideas for my cannon and sword.

My cannon will be small and put on a stick like those old Chinese hand cannon from the history books. As for my sword it should be made in the traditional samurai wakazashi. I started drawing and soon my creation was done, well on paper anyway. I they put on my leather apron and gloves and started to forge my cannon. I heated of my forge as I sculpted my cannon out of wax and put it into a flash and filled it with investment. I then heated the flask up hardening the investment and melting the wax inside making a solid mold casting to work with. I then added some iron ingots into a crucible and melted it down. After the iron was liquid I carefully pulled the crucible out of the fire and poured it into the investment flask as it stood on a vibrating square to let all the air pockets out in order to eliminate the possibility of total catastrophic failure. After the iron cooled I took the flask and dumped it into a barrel of cold water. It hissed a little as it was still quite hot and the investment washed away revealing my hand cannon. I took it out of the barrel and clean it up and made it look decent. I then added a long hickory stick with a spike at the end.

“Now for the boom” I said

I went over to my storage box on the other side of the barn and unlocked it. Inside was a lot of coal and sulfur. I knew full well what happens when you grind these two together. I slowly began grinding them up into a fine powder. I then began filling some grenades that I also casted out of iron and made a few Tnt sticks as well. I had enough powder to fire the cannon too. I also made a few iron balls I can use for ammo. Unfortunately I didn’t have any more iron and carbon for that matter. I had to go out and find some in order to make my sword. I glanced back at the Ore book and it said that large deposits of iron and carbon could be found in the deserts of Apple Loosa.

“Crap I have to go all the way to the desert find some stupid rocks,” I said throwing the book away in frustration.

I didn’t have time for this, my friends are in danger and I need to work fast in order to save them. I thought about going but how would I be able to get there my wagon was out of the question, I have no means of going that far. Then I thought, what about the train, if I steal the Generals train I might be able to get faster.

“It’s settled im going, but I have to be quick about, I don’t want to stay longer than I have too”

Then I heard some knocking on my barn door, I quickly ran and opened it and in poured multiple ponies. I quickly shut the door and took a count as to who came. We had doc, derp, lybon, octy, vinyl, mayor mare, the flower ponies, cranky, lotus and aloe, Zecora to name a few. i didn’t have time to remember everyponies name

“Geez its like the whole village is here” I said jokingly

“Well we had to save some people while we were helping you” Doc said

“This General is such a tyrant” Mayor said

“Is there a way to stop her?” Bon said

They all looked at me with my gear on hoping I would be able to stand up to her, but frankly I wasn’t ready to face her, not yet anyway.

“Im almost ready but there’s one thing I need and its out far in the desert of Apple Lossa”

“Don’t tell me your leaving us,” Doc said

“Im not leaving you guys to suffer at her hands, Im leaving in order to save my friends, and that’s what I intend to do, I wont take a lot of time and I’ll be back as quick as I can”

They all knew I would return ready to fight but now is not the time

“Can we at least stay here until you return” Octy said

“Yes make full use of my forge make what you guys need, and I’ll be back to finish this once and for all”

I walked up to my barn door to peek out and see if there were any soldiers. I stepped out and slowly closed the door when I heard the door lock I started heading towards the train station. Sticking to the shadows of night I was able to sneak past some guards and make my way towards the station. I hid from behind a bush and saw that the train was indeed guarded. One stood on the platform; one stood on top of the train and one was inside the train cab. I had to think of a way to take them down quickly. I pull out a grenade; lit it and lobbed it toward the one on the platform. It bounced and rolled right underneath him, it turned and looked as the fuse went-

Ka-Boom

The soldier went into a dozens pieces as they flew in all directions, the one the top jumped down and rushed to where the explosion took place. I ran out of hiding with my cannon in hand up to the guard and rammed to point end of my staff into it eye and slammed it heads on the platform. I looked up to see the guard behind the engine ready to fire his horn. I quickly pulled the staff and aimed my cannon at it and fired.

Thoom

The cannon went off, as I held it in place, the iron ball shot out and went right through the head of the soldier obliterating it. It fell of the train as I stood holding my cannon shaking a little the one soldier on the ground started to move again. I stabbed it in the head again to make it stop, I pulled out a stick of TNT and placed it in the hole I made and lit the fuse. Quickly I jumped on the train and ducked as the explosion went off. I looked back to see the smoky body twitching on the platform. I unhitched the train from the rest of the cars and started up the engine, the engine was slow to start be eventually got moving. Now I was off to the desert of Apple Loosa to find what I needed.
I was Chugging along when I spotted some soldiers fly towards me shooting fireballs from their hooves at me. I ducked down trying to reload my cannon. One of them landed on top of the coal box right behind me. I quickly aim and fired a ball at him hitting and piercing through his chest as he fell bouncing on the ground multiple times. One landed and kicked me in the face knocking the cannon out of my hands. I got back up with a grenade in my hand and lit the fuse using the train’s furnace. I ran up too the soldier and shoved the grenade into his armor and roundhouse kicked him off as he tumbled away. As the train progressed I heard the explosion go off behind me and I could continue with my journey undisturbed. I kept on riding the train for a good long while now and that’s when the sun came up. I wondered how Celestia was able to raise the sun after being trapped in the book.

Maybe it was the Generals Doing either way I looked in the distance and saw the Apple Loosa stop. I stopped the train right next to the platform and got off. I walked into the town but it was deserted, not a single pony in sight.

“Boy I hope Braeburn’s okay,” I said

I continued to walk down into town, as I passed some shops that had goods, tools, clocks, clothes and other necessities. Then I heard the clopping of somepony behind me.

“So them soldiers got themselves an alien ally, well not in my town mister” said a familiar voice

I turned around to Braeburn with a pitchfork in his hand

“Get out of our town or taste some Apple Loosa justice”

To be honest I wasn’t in the mood to be threatened cause I was in a hurry so I quickly responded back

“It’s alright im a friend of Applejack and Princess Twilight as well”

Braeburn just looked at me with a confused look on his face

“You know cousin Aj”

“Yeah I work with her at Sweet apple acres”

Braeburn looked like he was still unconvinced

“How do I know your not lying to me”? He asked

“Cause if I wanted to kill ya, I would have done it already”

He seemed to take that for an honest answer and walked over to me

“So you know Applejack” he said

“Yeah and Applebloom, Big Mac and Granny smith”

“Huh you weren’t lying well its mighty fine to have you here but we shouldn’t be out here in the open follow me” he said leading me into one of the stores.

Inside were other ponies were trying to hide from the soldiers

“Everypony listen up this here is a friend of cousin Applejack and he is not an enemy” he said

“He’s Probably wearing I disguise or something” one of them said

“Yeah because they have skin fabric at the local craft store” I said jokingly

He shut up and went back to his business. I took out my map and looked south east-ish to plan my next move. I looked and found the desert was not far from my current position.

“So what are ya’ll doin here in Apple Loosa anyway” he asked

“Oh im just looking for some simple ores in order to make a sword in order to combat these metal soldiers”

He understood what I was talking about but he seem like he didn’t know anything about ores and a like.

“Well if you need a fire the blacksmith’s shop is across town hope you find some use of it”

“Thanks Braeburn” I said

I put my map away as I got ready to walk out the door.

“Here take these, you might need them,” he said handing me a shovel and a pickaxe

I had a feeling I was so I took them without question

“Thanks again, don’t worry I will stop this, no matter what is takes”

I opened the door and looked around and saw nothing. I then proceeded to walk in the direction of the desert. I kept walking in the hot sun as sweat began to roll down my cheek. I looked out and saw the old dusty rock formations a few good miles away and knew I was in the right spot. Now I just have to find those ores. I pulled out the shovel and began digging. I kept digging until I made a big enough hole for me to work in. I found some rocks but they weren’t the ones I was looking for. I found some random gems and took them just in case. I kept at it for a few hours but I didn’t find any of the ones I was looking for.

“This was a waste of time, I knew I shouldn’t have come here, Damnit,” I yelled

I began to break down and cry a little. I let my friends, my family and Equestria down. I rested my head of the edge of the hole and sobbed. I heard the wind cry out to me and I looked up and saw a weird lump appear as the wind blew the sand off it. It was a bit black and a bit grey like it had been burned of something. I crawled out of the hole and went over to the metallic rock. I struck it with the pickaxe and it didn’t break. So I hit it a few times and still nothing happened. I look at the pickaxe and it was dented inward. Whatever this thing is definitely a hard ore of some kind. I picked it up anyways and made my way back town. Luckily there weren’t any soldiers around so I made my way to the blacksmith. Once inside I found that whoever ran this job had a very similar setup like mine. I began by heating up the forge and placing the weird rock in a crucible. As it heated up I began making a casting in the shape of my sword. By the time I was done the ore had liquefied. I took the crucible out of the flames and poured it into the mold. I skimmed a little dross of the top and waited for it too cool. Once it cooled i made my way over to the sandstone wheel and began sharpening my blade. The wheel got a lot smaller but my blade was sharp and that’s all that mattered. I fastened together a handle out of some old recycled wood and a tsuba from the leftover metal for my sword and soon it was complete. Then Braeburn came in to see what I was working on. I held the blade up into the air ready for combat. Then a Soldier burst through the door grabbing Braeburn. I looked as he took him away and then another soldier came into the barn to confront me

“Dead or Alive you’re Coming with me” it said

I held my sword up ready to fight

“We shall see,” I said

The soldier pulled out his own sword and swung it at me. I swung my sword and it sliced through his like nothing. He sword was broken in two; he dropped his useless metal and got ready to charge at me. I ran toward him as I guided my sword and sliced him right in half. He fell apart in two pieces and then began to turn to dust and blew away in the breeze.

“Man this sword can cut through anything,” I said holding my sword.

I went outside where more soldiers were holding the townsfolk hostage. They all looked at me and stared waiting for me. I flung my sword toward
them ready to fight.

“Who’s next” I said

Everyone single one of them charged at me and I cut through them all like butter. Soon there were no more soldiers to fight and the townsfolk cheered me on. It felt good this was my first of many victories in a long battle for Equestria.

“Yawhoo you did it partner you took those guys out like there were cheese…paper” Braeburn said

“Thanks I had no idea that this random ore could be so deadly, I think im in love with it,” I said looking at the shiny blade

“I suppose you’ll be going back now”

“Yup I have to stop her, and end this war once and for all” I said

After i began gathering my things from the blacksmith when all of a sudden another idea came to me. I think I know how to make my cannon function better. I took my hand cannon out and began to rework it. I began by sawing off the barrel and throw the rest away. I then started adding a flintlock mechanism that I cast from the excess iron and some clock work pieces from the town store. I finished by carving and staining the stock and soon had a very beautiful looking blunderbuss.

“Argh” I said trying to sound like a pirate.

I put the blunderbuss on my back and headed out. The townsfolk waited for me at the train station as I got everything ready, some of them gave me food and supplies.

“Thank you everypony, I think I’ll manage”

“Ya’ll take care now ya here”

I just nodded my head ready for what was to come next

“I will" i said

I pulled the lever back and the engine began to chug in reverse back to PonyVille. As the train made its way back I loaded up my
Blunderbuss and got my sword ready to battle the soldiers of Ponyville.

“Twilight, I’m coming home” I said as we head back to town

Author's Note

Richard is now ready, who will win and who will fall