Skeletons of the Past

Chapters

Over the Proverbial Ridge
Stand Back I'll Show you how it's Done
Behold the Price of Failure
None who Live can Survive the Flame
You're a Fearsome Warrior Act Like it
Into the Maelstrom of Battle
They Shall Regret Facing us
Visions of the Past
The Sigillite of Canterlot
Revelry Denied
The Doorstep Mile
Innovation and Idiocy
I'm not Crazy
To The Skies
Glory for the First Man to Die

Over the Proverbial Ridge

Chapter Two
Over the Proverbial Ridge

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

The days when you wake up in a pitch black room after talking with someone who was going to send you to Equestria. Those are the ones that make me wish I hadn’t been my own special brand of stupid. Sure I’d play along that’s okay but to let him try it that was just dumb and now I’m probably half way to Mexico already.

Hey there is a bright side I guess, at least… Who am I kidding there is no bright side to this, the only thing worth noting is he didn’t hurt me while I was out. I can’t feel any pain in my body once so ever and I will take that with a smile and thank you.

The room was so dark I couldn’t even see my own body. I turned my head however and ever so faintly I could just make out a light above a door. Not one person was standing guard so I guess that would mark my escape route. I leaned up and immediately hit my nose on the top of what apparently made up a box around me.

‘The whole thing must be made of glass and I’m just in the dark part of the room.’ One important thing I had almost overlooked though was my air supply. Unfortunately with my luck that doctor idiot probably didn’t put holes in the box for air.

‘Let’s take a chance, it’s worth a shot.’ I sucked in as much oxygen as I could but ended up in a coughing fit for some reason I couldn’t take in any air but it did the trick. I couldn’t feel any air flow around my body so that means I’m running on borrowed time, I have to break out of this.

The first thing I remembered was to check how much room I had to work with, I couldn’t one inch punch my way out of this I’m just not that strong. Hands raised gave me about 4 inches of room to punch. My knees had about the same if I wanted to start kicking or thrashing to get out. ‘Let’s get started.’

Okay twenty minutes of slamming my pathetic excuse for punches into the glass yielded nothing, it’s time to start plan B. Thrash around until I fall off whatever is holding the box up or hope I break a seam.

“Here goes all I got” My eyes immediately snapped open in uncontrolled surprise; my voice is the raspiest I have ever heard it. First thing I’m doing is getting the police then finishing that orange soda. My voice sounded like I had spent a week in the desert and was talking from a mile away.

Ten minutes later:

I had been slamming around for a while and fate herself smiled on me. I finally heard the small cracking sound of weakened glass. My vigor was instantly renewed; I started slamming into my fragile prison with fervor. First a louder sound came and at last the sound that could have made me cry right at that moment. Broken glass and the feeling of my fist going through the hole was all that I cared about at that moment. Thoroughly uncaring of any cuts, I clawed at the edge of the hole and ripped bits of glass out until it was just big enough to pull myself through.

I stumbled out of the box haphazardly almost falling on my face within a second of standing on my feet. They felt strange and tingly actually, like I was balancing on half my foot. This all sounded really suspicious; I’m going to take a wild guess and say that whatever he used on me was a sedative to deaden my body and senses.

I stopped leaning on my now broken prison and got onto my two feet only to low and behold fall directly on my face. The very next thought on my mind was if he shot me up with rhino tranquilizer. This didn’t feel right, when I got painkillers at the hospital I could still walk fine even if I was a little wobbly. This was downright depressing.

On a lesser note that face plant into the ground should have hurt a lot, I guess it’s a double edged sword. Can’t walk yet it doesn’t hurt when I fall. I’ll go with that, it could actually be much worse I could have been fully paralyzed. I had managed a slow unbalanced wobble over toward the light till I could make out a couple things by the door. Like next to the door handle was a light switch and jammed in the door seal itself was a letter with a wax seal on it.

“Apparently the queen sends her regards.” I continued my feeble attempts at movement till I was on the periphery of the cone of un-darkened space. The vision granting light rapidly emanating from the bulb above my escape route was a saving grace. I reached my hand out to grab the switch on the panel first. However, out of the darkness came a skeletal hand lacking any kind of flesh in any form at all it was just bone…

Loading…

Brain comprehension systems unresponsive, would you like to close the program or restart?

“HOLY CRAP! WHAT IS THIS SWEET BULLSHIT?”

I jerked my hand back; shakily I stepped into the light and saw the same skeletal hand was actually a claw. It was my claw, which turned into a bone wrist and ran up to a bone arm. My bone arm. Everything was bone, not an ounce of flesh anywhere. I looked at my feet and it didn’t exactly take a genius to see why my feet and legs refused to respond correctly. I was walking on half my usual foot space and my knees were introverted going backwards and then they jutted back out. I was officially entering freak out mode. I could literally see THROUGH my RIBCAGE!

“Doctor, where are you? Answer me!? What am I? I said wanted a lighter version of a diamond dog not a skeleton. God damn it!”

I collapsed right in the middle of the light, right onto my back giving an audible sigh. This couldn’t have been the best body for my specifications or maybe it was and I was just too specific to get anything else. Being a walking skeleton kind of limits my chances to accomplish much. I guess meeting Applejack is out of the question now too. Seeing a dead creature talk to her would probably be too much. She would think I’m a demon sent to destroy her farm or something. I gave another huff just to be sure.

‘All in all, I could sit and mope about never having a legitimate conversation with my favorite pony or I could find ‘The Doctor’ and rip that stupid look of his dumb face for doing this to me…’

“Oh who am I kidding the guy sent me to Equestria and turned me into a skeleton. He would turn me into ash before I even got close enough to hit him. I guess it is my fault anyway ‘something like a diamond dog but with less meat on it.’ yeah nice choice of words dumbass. Look who won the brain dead award.” This was a moment of pure mental berating. Honestly how could I have been anymore vague than that. He specifically warned me about being vague.

“Well he went through the trouble to put me here. I guess I should at least give the whole thing a try, maybe give the letter a read first. It might at least have some tips to start with.”

I got back onto my feet, which is actually much easier when you can see them. Figuring out how to position them so you can walk normally wasn’t that hard but unnatural. Although by the looks of it, my toes were actually clawed as well. ‘I guess that adding natural weaponry to the perks of this body is in order.’ Once I was back on my feet I reached over and plucked the letter out of the door seam and flipped on the lights to the rest of the room. The seal on the letter was stamped into the image of a stylized phone booth.

“Go-go gadget bone claw letter opener.”

‘Ok a guess it isn’t that bad I still have my sense of humor so there is always that.’ I popped the letter open and started reading aloud.

“Hello this is The Doctor, I’m sorry but you never told me your name. Never mind though, we have more important subjects to discuss like maybe what you’re doing in Equestria? Well I’ll tell all, you see you have been selected to play as a piece in the game run by and originated by Discord. Of course, I can’t tell you the rules because that in of itself against the rules.

Moving on your part is simple. Live in on this planet, that means go anywhere unfortunately I’m not allowed to give you any materials so you’ll have to find a map if you wish to travel to other lands. Know that just because I sent you here, doesn’t mean you can do whatever you feel like you still have to obey the laws of these lands or not it is purely up to you. I know of at least three if not four other players who have decided breaking the law suits them fine so if you find it to your liking by all means. Obviously don’t kill anybody that doesn’t need to die I abhor violence but again I have no control over you, so I leave it to your discretion.

Lastly where are you? You are underneath the ‘Royal Canterlot Museum of History’ and YOU, specifically your body was actually an exhibit that was on display a month ago for an exhibition on pre and early Alicorn sisters time periods. Feel free to look around, I’m sure you can find something in the room that you may find of use in your travels.

Something of note is players in the game at some points will come into conflict, don’t get caught out you won’t get another chance. Don’t worry about the people who summoned the other players, as per the rules they can’t hurt you directly. Some aren’t as forgiving as others though and if you draw a particular summoner’s ire they may use other third party sources to attack you or use said sources to draw you into conflict with other players. Depending on who that may be, it could be much worse than fighting a third party.

Lastly the door is set with an alarm so when you open it RUN, stay in Canterlot if you want to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. It will offer you a chance to seek out other players, trust me they will be pretty recognizable. The event will begin one week from tomorrow night. Unfortunately you will have to find your own way in.

This may be one of the first things you do. Find a set of clothes, your obvious lack of flesh or any semblance of life may horrify and anger those who see it. On that train if thought an assumed identity may come in handy if you need a cover story quick. Try recounting your new body’s memories for anything that is of use. Unfortunately having two bodies worth of memories in one mind may have caused you to erase some of you human memories to make way for the new ones sorry about that.

I leave you now as I have other responsibilities to attend. Goodbye and good luck.

-Sincerely The Doctor

PS: This note will disintegrate in 48 hours upon breaking of the seal

PPS: Check the back after you look at display your body was in for you piece in the game.”

Well that is just great, drop a load like this on a guy and I’ve only been here for less than an hour. That is a lot to think about but there is no time like the present.

“Well let’s get started; I’ll need a weapon, some clothes or armour, and I should check that exhibit I was in maybe learn something.” When had I started talking to myself I’ll never know. That I didn’t give him my name though bothered me greatly. It’s…its. “Why can’t I remember my name! Oh yeah it’s Rorke, wait no it isn’t! Why can’t I remember it? Where did Rorke come from?”

I reread the letter and stood there more than a little troubled that I had lost my name, but there are worst names I could obtain than that guess. ‘He was right I should take a look around this place before I leave.’

I walked around the room, which surprisingly had a lot of useless crates but some contained glass displays like I was in. After about 5 minutes I found something useful, a weapons display but it was on its side so I flipped it over and looked. Inside, it had a rusty curved sword kind of thing the placard called it a khopesh and a staff with a sideways axe head on each end. The sword would probably break if it has rusted all the way through. The wood on that axe thing probably couldn’t survive one hit intact, but they were better than nothing at least the axe heads just need to be sharpened and have the divots in it repaired as well.

Another ten minutes of shifting boxes unearthed some great results and less than great results as well mostly broken equipment and old rocks with some hieroglyphics on them. ‘Seriously he said that this was pre-alicorn sister’s period stuff but a lot of it feels like ancient Egypt especially that sword.’

“Now that is what I’m talking about.”

Inside the first crate was an exquisite gauntlet if I do say so. It looked like someone wanted to get fancy with their armour because they put some seriously dark green emeralds points facing outward on all…three knuckles? I looked at my own still slightly disturbing skeletal hand and noticed, I in fact only have 3 fingers and a thumb.

‘Oh well, what does a pinkie do for you anyway?’ I thought to myself but back to the task at hand. The liberation of my first piece of armour was within my grasp. Some characters from a language I had never even seen before were printed all over the black metal of the gauntlet. The metal ran up the whole forearm stopping a couple inches before the elbow. The whole case seemed easy enough but when I hit it, my fist bounced off and almost came back to hit me. Seemed like the museum wants this piece more than the others because they put some sort of sealing spell on the case. I needed a tool for that job.

Honestly it must have been a pretty weak spell, all it took to break through the case was to hit it with the double ended axe thing a few times and the glass shattered. Next on the list was some clothes to hide myself in, I couldn’t walk around Canterlot looking like I had just crawled from the grave without expecting every guard in the city to come kill me. Is it possible to kill a skeleton? Unfortunately I wasn’t in the mood to try that ever actually.

Only about a minute going box to box and soon I found some manageable clothes that weren’t even in a glass case. They looked to be heavily reminiscent of the robes someone would find if they took a walk through a Middle Eastern desert right down to the face wrap. “Great now I won’t bleach my bones in the sun.” They looked to be really old and probably white when they were made but age had turned the edges raggedy and dirty brown while the rest was an off tan brown-ish.

“Huh I just realized I don’t even know what my face looks like. I might not actually have enough cloth to cover my face if it changed too much.” I reached up and felt my face and realized, I had a muzzle now and some still very sharp teeth in my skull no ears though.

“How do I hear things then if I don’t have ears? How do I eat and drink without a throat or stomach? Wait do I do either of those now? Because I don’t really have any need for nutrients of any kind if I can’t digest them. Probably not, for now I’ll just assume I have no use for any biological functions. WAIT that means I never have to go to the bathroom again…”

“YES…YES!” I just kept repeating it in my very best Mr. Bison impression I could give with my new ‘sounds like I smoked 20 packs of cigarettes a day for 6 years’ voice. I threw on the robes and got the robes on surprisingly well and it even had extra cloth to account for the muzzle. They must have been made for this body before it died.

One thing I have to do before I leave is look at the placard for the body I have now see if I can learn at least what the species was called or if Rorke is actually his name or I just made it up without knowing.

I walked over to the display and started to read it out loud like the letter, because honestly it makes it easier to comprehend everything.

“High Priest Rorke Chardstone

-Religious and political leader of the Anubite kingdom of the southern sands.

-First among and last of the Anubite people.

-Born 17 B.S. (Before the Alicorn sister’s ascension to the throne.)

-Died 129 A.A. (After ascension.)

-Lived to be 146 years old an almost unprecedented life span for a time with such archaic medical technology.

-Last of the known Anubite people due to all other known members of the species being unknown in current location all attempts to find them have proven unsuccessful.

-Rumors that have since been disproved stated that Rorke and the other sects of priesthood could use magic.

-Little known fact: Rorke enjoyed honey and cream in his morning tea. (Last fact courtesy of Princess Celestia, a close friend of Rorke’s.)”

I took out the letter and looked at the back and a large image of a bishop chess piece was printed on the back. ‘But there was nothing on the back of the note before I broke the seal…Magic.’

It was at this moment that the door out of the room busted open with a slam; I turned around and saw a couple of earth ponies in gilded armour with swords in mouth standing in the doorway looking at me with anger in their eyes. Honestly it isn’t hard to see why; I did sort of destroy thousands of years of history in my search for equipment. However in my defense though all of it did technically belong to me. ‘Let’s see if they think the same way.’

“Ok I know this looks bad but I can explain.”

“You can explain everything in prison, Thief!” They said in unison continuing to talk together.

“Drop your weapons, all museum property, and surrender.”

“Ok I don’t want to hurt either of you but I’m not going to give up what technically is mine and I’m not trespassing if that’s what you think, I was dumped here by some idiot called the Doctor.”

“A likely story you gem eating mongrel, tell it to the princess.” Okay then, when they get racist only the left one talks, useful note.

Okay apparently the guards here don’t like dogs that much and I’m not about to let them know I’m a reanimated skeleton of the leader for a dead civilization.

“Then it seems we have come to an impasse gentleman.”

“This is your last warning, drop your weapon and surrender or we will subdue you.”

Ok it seems that they don’t want to play nice. “If this is the way it has to be, know that I didn’t start this.” I really hope that Rorke brought some memories of fighting because I have never been in any kind of physical confrontation that can even be described as a fight. I only knew of tactics that are used by squads of people. Knowledge of all things military history, help me.

They charged swords raised and I drew my axe staff. ‘They have numbers and yet they charge head long into the enemy I see why they are patrolling a museum. I wonder if I get hit with a sword if it will hurt so far nothing has hurt me even when it should.’

The left one slashes downward while the one on the right goes for my side. I slide back much faster than I’m used to moving just to avoid the cuts, I thrust the axe blade forward and turned for a stabbing slash effect that caught one guard on the left under the eye. ‘Good I hope that leaves a scar, prick.’

We continued our flurry for a few minutes, I had been dipping and diving around varies crates inadvertently destroying more museum property when they smashed through it. Leaving both of us with wounds mine consisting of only tears in my robe but theirs left them bleeding more than is healthy. I could see them actually getting tired but I felt the same as I had at the beginning of the fight. Unfortunately me standing there thinking was enough time for one guard to slam his sword blade down on the wooden haft of my axe staff shattering the fragile wood in half.

I took the end of the axe in my right hand and slammed the flat of the head into the guard’s head, impacting loudly on the guard’s helmet and stunning him enough for me to do it again. Then I did it again and again till he fell down unconscious leaving only the guard with the cut under his eye and a prejudice toward dogs left to continue the fight. In a stroke of bad luck, it seems I had stood there thinking again for a second to long. He brought his blade down right were my elbow resided separating the top half of my left arm from the bottom dropping the bone. The axe half still being held by the gloved hand as well, it was right on the ground in full view of the guard.

He just stood there staring at my severed arm making exactly the same mistake I had twice and now, it was my turn to take the initiative. I slapped him along the head with flat of the axe head as I still had it in my right hand, only for the wood at the point where the metal meets the haft to break further and the axe head dropping to the floor. The advantage was still in my hands… hand for now; the guard was still whirling from that slam to his helmet. I reached for the khopesh still on my waist and drew it out.

I brought it around as the guard regained his orientation, we ran at each other only to immediately get into a sword lock, the flats of our blades rubbing against each other to try and gain the upper hand in a test of strength. Something became abundantly clear within the first three seconds of the lock. Earth ponies have a lot of muscle and this body is suited for quick movement not upstanding fights, I needed a different strategy fast or he could cut off my other arm and then I would be down to just teeth which actually wouldn’t be that bad but still bad.

I decided quickly that using the sharp talon points on my toes to dig into his foreleg would probably win the fight. I pushed as hard as I could on my sword hoping the rusted blade wouldn’t snap like my axe staff had. Thankfully it held and with the couple of inches of slack, I got my foot forward and raked his leg with the points leaving a stripe of bloodied flesh on his leg. Unfortunately for him the pain was too much for him and he screamed out dropping his sword in the process. I could easily kill him now but that isn’t fair, granted he would kill me if given the chance but not me. However he did deserve a punishment for not letting me explain the situation.

I reared my arm back and slammed the boney knuckle directly into his muzzle effectively breaking his nose from the spray of blood that came out. I repeated the process a couple more times, till he fell down but that wasn’t enough. I reached down and took off his helmet and slammed it against each side of his head a couple times, keeping a close eye on him to make sure he didn’t escape his pain with unconsciousness. He was going to sit there and deal with the pain unlike his partner.

I decided to make a point of attempting to spit on him, as I walked over to my dismembered arm and stared at it only now registering that I felt absolutely no pain from having it hacked off. ‘I guess not having a nervous system will do that to you but how to reattach it.’ First attempt jam it into the joint and see if the magic will take over and connect it. Surprisingly it almost worked but I messed the joint alignment up. I tried again and it worked perfectly, making it now time to collect my broken items and beat a hasty retreat to somewhere with less unconscious guards.

I started picked up the wood bits and reassembled the staff portion of axe staff to see how long it was so it can be replaced effectively. I checked the holes in my robes and none of them are overly revealing to the body that they concealed. Sliding my khopesh back onto my waist and held the axe heads in hand before I got a quick though of revenge for that guard to live with. I put the heads down and grabbed my sword walking over to the newly unconscious guard without his helmet; I leaned down and cut his tail down into a one inch stub so now EVERYONE gets a view of what an asshole he is. ‘Lame pun cinches the victory!’

I got right next to him and even if he couldn’t hear me I hoped that he could “Next time you won’t be so lucky and a cut tail will be the least of your problems.” I gathered up my things again and set out for the door as it I was due a long time ago to leave this stupid room and when these guys don’t report back in they will send more guards I don’t feel like being here when that happens. On the plus side, now the door won’t set off an alarm because it’s already open.

I walked out the door for the first time in the two hours I have been in Equestria and walked down the incredibly long yet surprisingly well lit hallway for about 10 minutes till I found a set of stairs leading up to a hatch. I opened it and was actually surprised it opened to an alleyway. I climbed out and started walking out of the street corridor only to come to a really good view looking down at the rest of the city as the sun was setting. If I didn’t know any better my cliché sense would be going off but I had better things to do I walked out of the alley over to a park and sat under a tree and decided to sleep for the night too much excitement will do that even if you don’t feel like sleeping or are tired, the tree was just so inviting underneath.

Stand Back I'll Show you how it's Done

Chapter Three
Stand Back I’ll Show you how it’s Done

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

“Sir, I’m afraid you are going to have to find somewhere else to sleep.”

I was wrestled out of my pleasant sleep by a guard’s voice. Thankfully he didn’t yell at me and only roused me with a calm mild voice. I already like this guy more than the other two guards; they just attacked before I could spin my tale of woe.

I mean who would believe my story? Being a reanimated skeleton of a dead species, sent to play a game by a doctor with a glowing pen really? ‘Okay I’m a weirdo and even I wouldn’t buy that.’

I grabbed my two axe heads and stood up to leave.

“Sorry about that, I hadn’t meant to doze off last night. Hey, do you know where I can buy a newspaper or something also a way to get some money for said newspaper?”

“If you promise to keep those claws and blades to yourself, I’ll give you a few bits to buy a newspaper how about that?” Really a pony from Canterlot helping someone less fortunate than them? ‘What is this heresy!?’

“I wouldn’t attack someone without adequate reason.”

He beamed a toothy smile up at me, straight into my empty eye sockets. ‘The one place I can’t cover without drawing suspicion’ his smile drew to a frown quickly almost like he could read my mind. “Why are your eyes so black? I can’t even see any detail in them.”

‘Uh oh quick cover story um… blind diamond dog traveler lets go with that.’ “The reason you can’t find any detail is because I don’t have any eyes, I’m blind. I lost my sight when I was a traveling on the road, got into an accident and lost them both. I’ve had to use my other senses for a long time. You could say I’m my own Seeing Eye dog.” Yes good seal the deal with a lame pun, let’s just hope he buys it and doesn’t ask any more questions like that.

“Ohh I’m sorry to bring that up, it must be hard being blind and dealing with all the racism in Equestria toward any non-ponies. Everyone only really just learned about the plight outside of the country a few months ago. Thanks to the Griffin pirates that is.” Okay now we are getting places, apparently Equestria is great and the rest of the world has problems. Definitely not a fan of the racism either and it looks like that guard wasn’t just an isolated incident.

“It’s okay I deal with everything well enough but let’s not have you waste your money on me. You can just tell me what you have heard recently, sound good?” Hearing this from him would be a lot easier than just skimming through some racist tabloid trash.

“Okay I can do that but you’re going to have to keep up with me. I still have to go on patrol through the city. I’ll even give you the scenic guard tour.” That actually sounds pretty good; get a lay of the land and what not.

“Sure let’s get started, just lead the way and I’ll follow next to you.”

“Why don’t you follow behind me that way no one bumps into you?”

“Because I can see just as well as you even without my sight!” That was uncalled for and it’s not like I’m actually blind. Need to not get so emotional on things. I should give him an apology that would probably be good.

He just stared at me devoid of any discernible emotion. That cannot be good at all.

“That was my bad I shouldn’t have yelled at someone who is helping me, I just want to get moving.”

“OK well then let’s go, you are really eager to get going at 7 in the morning I wish more of the new guards were like you. My name is Sturrn by the way”

“I’m Rorke.” Well at least we have each other’s names.

We started to walk out of the park grounds but I kept in mind the way back to that tree. From there I could get back into the museum underground. After a few minutes I decided to take a look at him in detail real quick. I saw he had the standard gold armour of the royal guard. However there was a symbol I didn’t quite recognize on the armour covering his shoulder, other than that he was your standard pegasi.

I decided curiosity would be my friend this day. I drooped my hand over to his armor and felt the symbol.

“If your wondering what the symbol is I’m a Drill sergeant in the royal guard. Normally I would be back at the castle training new recruits but the guard is spread a little thin these days. More threats keep coming to Equestria’s door and the guard has to be there to answer it.”

“Sounds like a tough job, but you’re a lot nicer than I imagine a drill sergeant would be.”

“Yes well let’s just say, I enjoy my job and my private life separate. You know something; you are so much more different than any diamond dog I have heard about. Ponies always say they are overly aggressive and not to very intelligent except for their leaders. You wouldn’t happen to be one of those… uhh Alphas that’s what they are called. Are you an Alpha?”

I sighed ‘honestly this has got to be the stupidest idea I have had in a while but here it goes.’

“OK I’m going to tell you something but I need your absolute silence on the subject, you can’t go to the bar get drunk and spread this around OK?”

“As long as it doesn’t endanger Equestria or its citizens then my lips are sealed. Plus I don’t get drunk I can hold my liquor.”

“Good enough for me, can we stop in that alley right there?”

“Sure but not for long, we have a schedule to keep.” Oh he has no idea, that schedule is going to be the furthest thing on his mind in a minute.

As we entered the alley, I turned around to make sure no other ponies were walking by or looking in after us. Can’t be too sure who sees this. I definitely don’t want a city wide Anubite hunt. I turned to him and knelt down on a knee and began unwrapping my facial cloth quickly revealing my skinless muzzle. Finally I unwound my whole head as I let the cloth fall into my right hand, holding the axe heads as well. ‘I don’t think his eyes can get any bigger, uh oh he’s staggering backward that isn’t good.’

Sturrn opened his mouth to scream only for my hand to clamp down on his muzzle just a second quicker. He decided struggling against my hand would be a great idea. Claws right next to his eyes dissuaded that line of thinking fast however. ‘Honestly you think someone in the guard, a drill sergeant no less would be able to handle this.’

“I said absolute silence on the subject, that doesn’t mean scream your head off!” I snapped at him in a hushed anger just in case anypony was nearby. “I’m going to release your mouth now, are you going to scream again?” He shook his head no. Honestly though I didn’t trust him much however the only other option would be to kill him or tie him up in this alley and that is just mean. so he doesn’t start the hunt for me and he seems like a to good of a guy…stallion to just kill. I slowly crept my hand off his mouth and he made no moves to yell again.

“You have 5 second to tell me, what in Tartarus’ name you are before my hooves get to have an intimate conversation with your face!” OK he is not taking this as well as I thought he would. I should probably skip straight to the explaining part.

“Have you ever visited a museum? Maybe one lately?”

“Not lately but I did have my shift at one last month, now what does that have to do with you not having a face or even an ounce of flesh at all!”

This guy is totally a drill sergeant, he looks like he might actually have a stroke from this much anger. ‘Maybe a little Yoga or Pilates something of that nature would calm him down.’

Probably should omit the part about being an interdimensional traveler. “Calm down and that is great, you probably saw me. Until about oh... 10 hours ago, I was a museum exhibit in the basement so there is that. My full name, if you looked at the placard is Rorke Chardstone High Priest of the Anubite kingdom. Somehow I got brought back to life and here I am.”

He looked to be examining the evidence as he looked at his hooves until his head shot back up and he examined my apparel, yep this might get bad pretty soon.

“You lied to me; you aren’t blind at all are you? Honestly it was pretty convincing.Hey but that means you’re the one who beat and cut the guards, I sent to check a door alarm in the basement last night! You also stole museum property as well as destroying other pieces belonging to the Museum!” This kind of sucks, I was hoping he wouldn’t figure that out this soon

“OK I will give you that one, I did beat your guards but in my defense I just wanted to talk to them and they immediately charged me with their swords drawn. The one without a tail sliced off my left arm and broke my axe staff. For the pieces of museum property destroyed, I’m not taking the fall for that those idiots smashed everything in between them and me regardless of what it was.”

‘That apparently made him calm down, those two must do that kind of thing a lot if me telling him so alleviates his anger.’

“OK I’ll believe you, just because destroying property while on duty is what got them museum duty in the first place. Just don’t do anything that would give this secret away to the public, It wouldn’t end well. Now get that face wrap back on and let’s get out of this alley. We need to get back on patrol, who knows maybe we might do something exciting for once.”

The rest of the patrol was mediocre at best but I did glean some serious info from him. Apparently this Griffin guy has liberating all the Griffins enslaved by the diamond dogs up north in something Gem Fido. He’s been remaking a new country called ‘Dominion’ in the Zebrican isles. A huge battle against hydras was fought some months ago down near a rainforest village called Wethoof and the deciding factor was a Diamond dog apparently. An alpha, if what Sturrn said was true.

Lastly the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up in a week and Griffin has started some recruitment tour across the major Equestrian cities ending with Canterlot for the Gala. Off topic reports listed some strange coming and goings all across the country. Like a wolf creature killing a dragon in Stalliongrad, while a winged wolf had simply been seen walking around but reports on that are sketchy at best.

We stopped outside of the castle as Sturrn turned to me. “OK Rorke it’s 7 and patrol is done, unfortunately I can’t let you just walk off and sleep out in the open.” I tried to interject there but he glared at me hard enough for my blood to cool a bit yet I’m just a bag of bones so how that works I don’t know.

“As I was saying, you can’t sleep outside with weapons just hanging out. You’re going to come back to the barracks with me and take those things to the smith at the castle to get them fixed. After that it’s off to the castle tailor for you because if those robes are as old as you say they are, then the stink that will come off them soon could knock a dragon out. Finally you’re bunking with me till I you get something worked out.” I looked at him with my best ‘Are you serious?’ face I could muster without having any face muscle and a cloth over my muzzle.

“Don’t worry; I’ll list you as a foreign dignitary so no one should mess with you and if they do then let me take care of it.”

“Thank you Sturrn, that is really great of you but it seems like you had this plan set up for a while. Been thinking about this long?”

“Maybe but if you somehow lost your cover in public then you would almost immediately be attacked and brought before the princess in shackles. Honestly your case doesn’t look very good as it stands.”

We arrived back at the castle, going around the left side of a large rectangular blue building with an attached obstacle/ training yard on the right side. He led me to another large Pegasus almost as Big Mac size who was shaping what looked like a breastplate on an anvil.

Sturrn talked to him for a minute before motioning for me to give him the axe heads and the rusty khopesh for repair. I pulled out the wood bits of the staff too, so he could get a reference of the length I would need.

After that the tailor was up, then lights out for him and me at 9 pm sharp. The tailor herself was actually really nice, kind of reminded me of a unicorn version of Granny Smith.

“Oh why hello there I don’t get a lot of work from the guard. You mister look like you came to the right place, those robes look awful. So what can I do for you?”

“Well as you can guess, my companion needs a new set of robes. However he can’t really take them off and a scanning spell would probably be a really bad idea.”

“Now why would it be a bad idea? Is he allergic to magic?” she laughed heartily and just a little bit too high pitched as if to solidify her joke.

“Well actually I’m afraid his body reacts badly to magic, so yes he is actually.” Quick thinking all though that explanation will probably come back to bite us later.

“Well let me get my measuring tape and we can do this in a few minutes.”

Half an hour later and we only just got away from the mare. She was just about as bad as pinkie would be if she was into tailoring. I’ll have brand new robes by tomorrow morning though so not a big loss. We started walking to the barracks and a few minutes later we made it right as the guards changed from day to night, I guess.

Sturrn and I made our way through the crowd of sleepy guards coming from patrol or going out to start theirs. The cat calls about Sturrn leading my like a dog was bad enough but I particularly liked ‘that bucking mongrel is disgracing the castle with its’ filth. It seems like that guard from the basement wasn’t alone in his opinions.’ If Sturrn had heard any of those he played it off well but it was probably just him not hearing it to begin with though.

“OK Rorke I got top bunk because I said so. We wake up at 6 and start patrol at 7. Any questions? No Okay then goodnight.”

“I actually do have a question.”

“Ugh, what is it?”

“Do you have a body length mirror or something of that nature? Also do you remember how tall she said I was?”

He just pointed to a closed door across the hall. Then immediately jumped up to his bed and proceeded to fall asleep before I could even begin turning around. ‘Apparently that's a no and walking around all day in that ridiculous armor tired him out. Honestly if I could feel anything akin to fatigue I would have passed out hours ago.’

I walked over to the door and opened it and a standard bathroom setup greeted me, with the minor exception of multiple showers. This did belong to a barracks full of guards, probably would get worse on a hot summer day. ‘Why did I retain some of my senses like hearing and feeling yet pain and fatigue didn’t come with? Would I be able to smell things at all without a nose? I haven’t consciously smelled anything, I should test it later.’

I walked over and looked into the mirror next to the first shower. I got a thorough look at my apparel for the first time since putting each piece on. The robe was almost on the verge of decaying into nothing, it wasn’t clean on any part. The whole thing was a dark shade of brown but it intensified the closer you got the edge of it, turning the whole outline of it a rotten coffee ground like shade.

For all it was worth at least my gauntlet looked to be in impeccable condition. The gems looked to be slightly glowing inside but that must have been the lights. The metal that made up the whole glove was a matte black that accented the emeralds pretty well and made the whole thing look sleek but deadly. ‘Now it’s time to see what my body looks like.’

I carefully took off my robe and set it down gently, mostly because I still had to wear that thing to the tailor tomorrow morning and get my new ones.

‘I thought bones were supposed to be white?’ My body really was just a bunch of bones with not an ounce of flesh on them. They were tinged a light brown from their obvious age but they didn’t have a single divot or imperfection on them that I could see. I even checked the arm that had been severed and sure enough not a scratch on it. ‘Strange but not the weirdest thing ever, feels like I’m missing something though huh weird.’ I looked down at the toilet to my left and then to my hips continuing that cycle between them for about a minute till the info registered.

“No please NO anything but that! I’m willing to waste time on having to go to the bathroom on a regular basis. I’m a skeleton who knows how long I could live. I don’t want to be a virgin for the rest of an unknown life!”

I felt like I could just cry right there but no tear ducts and I maintain a stronger composition than that, I’m just glad no one heard that at least I hope not. I did however sit on the toilet and prop up one of my legs to examine it. The whole thing was strange to say the least; it was curved into a kind of springy form that was segmented into three major bones. There was the thigh bone that was pretty straight forward but at the knee bone it segmented backward at an angle. Finally it went forward again into what looked like a giant foot but if that was the foot then I could only walk on what accounted for toes. The whole thing was strange looking but not really weird.

My feet felt pretty light actually and in fact, now that I could think about it I shouldn’t weigh that much. ‘I wonder if there is a scale in here.’ The search turned up no results as I searched over and about the whole room till I found it under the sink. It was much wider and longer probably to accommodate the pony’s different body structure. I shifted the large scale onto the floor and stood on it for about five second till the needle stopped at… 43 pounds.

“What the hell? There is no way I can only weigh that much. I’d be a featherweight; a kid could push me down easily.”

I checked again and again, it still came up the same. That was some seriously disheartening news to say the least. ‘My equipment is the only thing keeping me from blowing away in the wind.’ I stepped off the scale and started to put my robes back on, so I could go to bed. Turning off the bathroom light, I made my way to Sturrn’s bunk and just fell into the cushy object.

‘My second day in Equestria, not really as bad as the first one was. Actually it wasn’t bad at all, pretty good in fact but I think tomorrow can be better with new gear.’ My thoughts just stopped moving in any discernible manner and the dream world greeted me with open arms.

Behold the Price of Failure

Chapter four
Behold the Price of Failure

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

I woke to a shaking sense, specifically Sturrn kicking the side of the bunk. He said he wouldn’t stop till I got up and addressed him. Easy, right? Much, much, MUCH harder than you think. Especially, when you’re used to sleeping in till eleven or twelve. “Sturrn” I said using my apparently permanent raspy dry voice “You better have a great reason for getting me up, before the sun has even started to peak.”

“Well then” He said using a tone of indignation. “Let me tell you. I got you up an hour early because if you wake up with all the other guards you will have to wait for a shower or the bathroom. Then breakfast will be cold, and that is just no fun. After all that I’m going to PT you until you DIE...” He said, while keeping the creepiest smile on the whole time. Honestly it was just a special brand of creepy you only find at 3 in the morning at Wal-Mart.

“Sturrn, I’m a skeleton. You do understand that correct?” He nodded up and down full of intent. “Good, then you realize I can’t sweat and getting dirty is difficult if I’m wearing robes all the time. Second I don’t have a digestive system so I can’t eat at all, that also means bathrooms are a non-issue. Lastly training might actually do something for me because honestly, it’s like I can feel my old body contained in these bones. Training may do something it may not but understand this” I got down on one knee and leaned in next to his ear and simply whispered. “I’m already dead, smart one. Good luck killing me again.”

He just grinned sheepishly and mumbled “ohh” repeatedly. I got back up on both legs and for once examined my perspective. I looked down at Sturrn; not metaphorically but literally, really far down. “Hey Sturrn I got a question for you.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think we could go to the tailor now? I really could use a tape measure.”

“Well I can’t go right now, me being all fleshy and ALIVE I actually do take showers and eat but you can go without me. Just follow the path we went down last time and if you get lost just ask a guard.”

“Okay then, I’ll go get my robes and we can start training right after deal?”

“Yeah just don’t try and slink away from training when it gets too hard. Trust me it will get hard very fast so steel yourself.” God, this guy makes it seem like I’ll be running a marathon and immediately go lifting 400 pound weights.

I walked for what felt like hours but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. That is until I somehow, through the magic that is aimless wandering slammed straight into the door that I knew the tailor was behind. The door opened to reveal the same mare from yesterday night.

“I knew if you were with Sturrn you would be up and about early, so I put in a late night to get your robes done.”

“Thank you but you shouldn’t have stayed up just to get some of my stuff done. I could have picked it up after patrol; I do still have these robes.” I pulled on my old rags gingerly, almost half afraid they would fall apart on me.

“Pish-posh, I couldn’t let you go out and represent the guard in that old thing. No, only the finest for our boys in gold.” Does she actually think I’m in the guard? Honestly, it would be better to just go with it and not draw suspicion.

“Well thank you very much; I will put this to great use.” Well that wasn’t technically a lie. I’ll just conveniently let her continue thinking I’m in the guard.

“I made you two sets; the first has a gold edged trim and is a little bigger so you can wear a set of armor underneath it, as long as the armour isn’t plate it should move and breathe freely, that will be your the patrol set. The second one is more simplistic like when you off duty.” We started to walk to a room I presumed housed my robes.

“The main color of both sets is actually a rather difficult to obtain color. You see it looks like desert sand, the kind that is really brown but also a kind of orange. Well anyway I used that because it seemed like it would accent you well.”

“I’m sure it will be fine.” Two sets and both were free just for being mistaken for a new guard. ‘If I still go out on patrol with Sturrn, technically I’ll be an unofficial guard. A militia, maybe?’

We walked into the room as she opened the door to reveal a kind of ‘library’ of clothes. Wall to wall on long shelves sat clothes, dresses and tuxedoes of all kinds and color. However in the middle of the room, a rolling hanger sat there with my robes being the only things on there. She wasn’t kidding about the gold edges. ‘Those edges look sharp enough to be used as a razor.’

“Well there they are, go ahead and try them on I want to make sure they fit perfect. A-a-are y-you, excuse me.” She quit her stammering just in time to give a cough that might have been to clear her throat or something.

“I’m sorry about that, it’s just last night it was dark and you didn’t look as big as you do now. So as I was saying, are you done growing? I ask because I will have to adjust your apparel if you aren’t.” Am I done growing? I’m only 17…wait if I was in that case for a year before I woke up, then that makes me 18 going on 19. Can skeletons even grow? Probably not, unless I inject milk into my bones. I missed my birthday, that’s just saddening.

“Yes, I am done growing. This is as big as I will ever get. Now for trying on the robes, do you maybe have a changing room or just a spare room?”

“Now what kind of tailor would I be if I didn’t have a changing room? Well I’ll tell you, not a very good one. Changing room is that door over there.” She raised a hoof and pointed to an extremely ornate, almost too expensive to use door.

“Thank you, I’ll be right back.” I grabbed the two robes and bid a hasty advance toward the door. Twenty minutes later and an ordeal with a piece of cloth almost getting caught in one of my rib bones, I was out of there.

“Come back, if you ever need any more clothes!”

I simply waved as I began my walk back toward barracks. It was right then that I realized, she said the gold edge set was made to accommodate armor. This means I could probably get some armor too. ‘Maybe something light but strong. She said plate was a no go, also it’s simply too heavy. Either carapace armor or chain mail, do ponies know how to make carapace? Better find out because if they do, I know exactly what I’m getting.

A little bit later, I made it over to the smith just in time to avoid a pack of other guards. I don’t honestly need to explain why a ‘Diamond Dog’ is wearing clothes made for the guard. Especially when I would be ordering armor as well as getting some weapons, that’s a recipe for suspicion. I peered into the shop and saw no one.

“Hello? Are my blades ready yet?”

“Yes, just give me one second.”

He stepped over into sight from behind a doorway on right of the workshop. “You’re the new guard I have been hearing about. I’ve been here for twenty years and have never seen a Diamond Dog here. I didn’t even know they let them into the guard to begin with.”

Okay this is a recipe for disaster, word is spreading that I’m part of the guard. I’m supposed to be a foreign dignitary, time to start acting like it.

“I’m sorry for any confusion. You see I’m not a part of the guard I am a dignitary of…” Damn what was the name of the dog area? Gem snap? Sapphire Island? I think he said Gem Fido or something like that. “Gem Fido, I’m here to talk to ponies.”

“That’s weird; I didn’t think that Fido had a cooperating government. Then again, since only ponies with some serious muscle behind them could get there without getting kidnapped, makes sense that the info wouldn’t get out. Now with that gem embargo even less info is circulating. Anyway, what makes you look the part of the guard, you trying out?”

“Well, I have been tasked with living like the ponies. Mainly to see if a peaceful immigration policy can exist, if dogs are capable are able to do the same jobs as ponies effectively. My position is to see if we can in fact be a part of the guard.” That story flowed pretty well I didn’t even need to think about it too much.

“Okay then, well I’m glad that cooperation is trying to be sought by those inside of Fido. Now down to business, your sword and double ended axe is done. Quite the exotic weapons you have their, haven’t seen either of them except in books. That reminds me actually, are you selling that bit of beauty on your arm?” I looked down at my only possession that fit the criteria of ‘on my arm and beauty’.

Well this could’ve gone much worse but this guy is prying a whole lot. Seriously though, my gauntlet? Is he that strap for gems, or is it worth a lot more than I think it is. I couldn’t rightfully part ways with it; the thing looks too cool and makes a great weapon.

“Sorry but that’s a no go on the glove, it holds sentimental value. Now about my gear, you said it was done?”

“Oh sorry about that, yes it’s done just follow me.” I followed him to the back of his shop as he listed what he did to my sword. “I put a hardened edge on the sword, you won’t be chopping through any stone pillars but it should keep its edge much longer. Also now the back has some added metal; since it’s a chopping weapon your down stroke will be a bit stronger, the blade will be slightly heavier now though.”

We made our way to the back and right there, sitting on the anvil was my old blade. Unfortunately, I couldn’t rightfully call it ‘old’ to begin with. This blade was a work of art. The hilt was a steel handle; two black wires spiraled up from the pommel winding next to the other on the grip.

The hand guard was a simple curve of the handle outward, so my hand wouldn’t slip forward onto the blade. ‘Not that it would hurt me any.’ If the handle was good though, the blade was incredible. The signature curve was still there, in addition to the already mentioned upgrades there was a groove cut slightly into the middle. The blade was a shining example of polished steel.

“This sword is incredible, how did you make it in one night?”

“You don’t know a lot about advanced pony smithing, do you?” I shook my head but honestly, how many ponies know about ‘advanced’ pony smithing, beyond the smiths themselves.

“Well let me explain then. You see regular forges use the techniques you most likely have heard of already. Advanced pony smithing uses a special kind of forge; it’s very expensive but can produce result that would take a week in about 3 hours.

The flame itself is an eternal dragon flame; that has been augmented with enchantments on the main forge body. This allows you to feed raw magic into the flame to get it hotter and speed up effects, almost like bending time. The magic comes from a very large fire ruby underneath the forge about six feet, the energy feeds up through a series of tubes to the actual pit. It’s a lot like the gem drives that power the really good airships. Only this is more efficient at making flames since it has a magically attuned fire to start with. This allows me to get grade-A flames, turning out grade-A work.”

Wow that was hilariously complex yet simple. Apparently, gems are kind of like magic conduits that can be used like electricity. So all the technology that looks like it’s from the human world and runs on electricity, runs on magic here. Unfortunately I should stop my thought there, start focusing on the task at hand.

“Thank you, I never knew any of that.” I used as honest and sincere tone for that as I could, it could easily be considered an insult.

“You’re welcome but enough of that, you’re wondering about your axe aren’t you?”

“Actually yes, I can’t wait and see what you did with it after that show of my sword.” That was the honest truth, if he could make my sword look both incredible and functional I couldn’t wait. That old axe probably looks amazing.

“Disappointed you shall not be then. I started by fixing the axe heads, I was able to salvage a lot of material from them. Turns out the heads were made of titanium, really rare metal you got there extremely tough. I mixed it with aluminum for weight differential; titanium tends to be rather heavy by itself. As for the wooden staff element, I used some enchanted zebra wood for it so breaking won’t be an issue ever again. Lastly I used a technique I didn’t think would ever be of use until now. I hardened the four tips on either side of the axe heads; you should be able to penetrate any kind of metal armour, just don’t go fighting dragons like that griffin. This is still just metal, admittedly if you brought the hardened tips down on it, you might hurt one but I highly recommend against that.”

“So tell me if I’m wrong but the enhancements go like this; the heads are very tough and retain the edge, the staff won’t break, and it has armor piercing tips correct?”

“That is correct now let’s go get it, I’ll have you actually feel the thing and decide if you like it. Now follow me, I polished it last night and left it by the wheel in this room.”

I followed him into the separate room and saw what I could barely recognize as my axe. The staff was a light tan brown with a cross sectioned texture for gripping it, the pattern continued across the whole line of wood making it look very stylized. What caught my eye though was the axe heads, they were a sandy brown color just a step down from being bronze. I distinctly remembered among my scattered human memories, that titanium and aluminum were steel colored.

“Why are the heads that color? Aren’t the metals that make it up steel colored?”

“Honestly that is what I thought but they changed that color in the heat, I promise it won’t impact performance but you have to admit it brings the whole thing together pretty nicely.”

“Yes it actually does look really good, may I hold it?”

“Of course you can hold it that is your weapon; I only fixed it up for you. Now let’s collect you two newest bits of gear and you can go out on patrol. It’s almost 7 o’ clock.”

“Actually I have training with Sturrn today but I would like to put in an additional order. As you might guess guard armor is fit for me so I’m going to need some made. Do you make carapace armor?”

“Carapace armor?” He put a hoof up to his chin for a moment before lowering it once more. “Sorry, I know a lot of different kinds of armor but I’ve never heard of carapace. Is that a special style for Diamond dogs?”

“No, I heard of it from someone. They said it was top notch stuff. Either way, I’ll just put in for a chain mail shirt and some shin guards please. First a couple questions though.”

I honestly didn’t know if additional gear would have to be bought out of pocket or was taken care of. Also I still don’t know my height, this guy… ‘Actually he would be a stallion if I’m not mistaken’. This stallion seems to be really big for a pony and he is still short compared to me, I tower over him. Should have measured at the tailor’s, which would have been much easier tape measure and all.

“What would the questions be?”

“First, will any of this be paid out of pocket? Second, do you have anything I can measure my height with?”

“For your first question, no all services I provide to the guard that pertain in any way to active duty are free. Your second question was if I had anything you can use to see how tall you are, correct?” I nodded a confirmation.

“Well, I do have a yard stick here but only one. That axe is about 67 inches long, so prop it up next to you and I’ll use the stick from there. Sound good to you?”

“Let’s step out of the shop for this. By the way, if I’m this tall and you ponies are shorter, why do all the doorways and ceilings still accommodate me?” That question had been plaguing me since last night, walking out of the doorway after taking my things and walking onto the grass had made me remember it from earlier.

“Well by my estimate you should be about as tall as Celestia, give or take a couple inches. She needs access to every building in the castle, only seems natural they would be built to accept her entrance. Now, lean your axe up and hold still.”

He popped open his wings and hovered up a few feet, suddenly putting the measuring stick on the tip on my axe. He stared at the number for a couple seconds before dropping back to earth.

“You are 6 feet and 10 inches tall. So for that armor, I’m going to need you to take off the robe and let me get some measurements.” That is not good, I hadn’t thought of that. I’m going to need an excuse and quick. Also on that note, DAMN I’m tall! I should tell Sturrn before we start training.

“Well actually I’ll be wearing the mail with this set of robes.” I tugged at the golden edge of my patrol outfit. “So what if I just give you this and you use it as a measurement?”

“Well I guess that might work, though why not let me get some measurements in case you want something else in the future?” He really wanted to pry into this. Ponies are rather nosey; know that I think about it.

“I can’t, it’s kind of personal.” Pansy-ish but it should work, worst possible thing is he thinks I’m a hairless diamond dog. Really how bad could that be? Just a hair… fur deficiency, let’s just go with hair because fur sounds weird.

“Oh I’m sorry; it’s a dog thing that’s my bad I didn’t know, sorry.” Okay that went better than being a hairless dog; he just thinks it’s a cultural thing.

“It’s okay you didn’t know. So are we all done here?”

“Well, you still have to give me something to measure.” Wow I can’t believe I forgot, we literally had just been talking about this for a minute now.

“Okay I’ll slip into the polishing room and change, this gold trimmed robe is specifically tailored for armor to be worn under it.”

We both walked back into the shop as I took a right into the polishing room. A couple minutes later, my casual robes were on. Unsurprisingly, it was quite comfy; they must have different kinds of cloth here. This stuff would be unbelievable if I actually had skin, even just my bones feeling it was great. ‘This stuff is so soft; I just want to curl up in it and sleep. Do I really need to go to training? Yeah I probably do, I won’t be able to face Sturrn again if I chicken out.’

I passed my patrol outfit to… I never really got a name from him actually. “Hey! What’s your name? We never really told each other.”

“My name is Molten Steel, fourth generation smith here at the castle. What can I call you?”

“My name would be Rorke Chardstone.” I started out the door before turning around. “I’ll be back after training to get my armor.” I walked out again and started off toward barracks once more.

After a few minutes of walking and my new weapons in hand, my temporary home came into view. However what really got me, was all the thrashing noises I could hear from inside. I walked up to the door and grabbed the handle, opening it just in time for a pony in armor to fly through it and slam into me. Hard. I slammed onto the ground with the guard still on top of me; whatever threw him must be pretty big.

“Get up, you pitiful excuse for a guardstallion! I’m not done beating the prejudice out of you. Now, what exactly is wrong with my choice of company? I think you said something about ‘that bucking mongrel disgracing the castle with his filth’!

Sturrn stepped out of the doorway, looking at the dazed guard as I pushed him off my chest. “You useless sack of hydra excrement, first you dishonor the guard with your blatant racism. Now that the victim of your shame shows up to train and better himself, the first thing you do is use him as a crash mat!”

The unfortunate guard was effectively cowering in front of Sturrn. This was definitely a different side to Sturrn I hadn’t seen. He did say he kept his two lives separate though. “Recruit, you have 5 seconds to right yourself and get back in line or you will be ejected from the guard!” That seemed to get the stallion’s attention; he stood up quickly and ran back into the barracks in less than 3 seconds.

“Get up Rorke; grab your weapons and put them in the footlocker on the right of the bunk, lock it up when they are in there. After that, get in line with the other guards.” Damn, I don’t want to get in any sort of conflict with Sturrn, he’s kind of scary.

I did as Sturrn told me and put my gear away, I decided keep the gauntlet on. The axe and sword can’t be hidden easily; my gauntlet however could just be thrown into a bag and stowed away. My return to the line was met with the beginning of a lecture by Sturrn.

“Stallions, recruit Tempest has dishonored himself and every stallion in the solar guard. I have tried to help him, I have failed. I have failed because YOU have not helped ME. You ponies have not given recruit Tempest the PROPER motivation. So from now on whenever recruit Tempest bucks up, I will not punish him, I will punish all of YOU!” Honestly, this feels exactly like how I would imagine training in the army to be.

“As I see it, you all owe me for that one remark!” Sturrn walked right up to the guard that still had a bit of grass on his armor. Coincidently he happened to be one guard over. “Rorke is right next to you, why don’t you peek over this stallion and get acquainted. Rorke and the rest of these recruits will be doing pushups while you stand and watch! Recruits assume the position, that means you too Rorke.” This is going to be either really easy or just as hard as doing a push up in my old body.

I got onto my hands and after a moment of awkward bending, was leaning on my toes. Sturrn walked over to the middle of everyone and began.

“One!” I lowered myself trying desperately to remember how to do these properly but the memory was lost on me.

“Two!” I lowered again and looked behind me for a second. My robe had ridden up and was revealing my feet, no one was looking so I didn’t think too much of it.

“Three!” My posture seemed to get a little better until I saw Sturrn walking over to me but instead stopping in front of Tempest.

“Recruit Tempest! I’m pretty sure that Rorke is still emotionally shattered that you would say that without even talking to him. You have ten seconds to drivel out something that sounds like a heartfelt apology, if you don’t the next 24 hours of your life will be dedicated to doing pushups until you move the castle itself.”

He mumbled something but it didn’t seem to please Sturrn very much. Actually he seemed to be getting angrier.

“RECRUIT! You will cut that line of crap you just spewed onto my hooves and address Rorke, your apologizing to him not me! Five seconds left!” ‘Wow this guy is stupid, he is actually sitting here contemplating whether to apologize or not.’

He finally relented. “Fine, Rorke I’m sorry that I said that. It was truly unfair of me to assume that you were disgracing the castle or were in fact unclean in the least.”

“Now was that so hard? Get on your hooves; you are going to be doing pushups with everyone else. After that we are all going to the training grounds.”

Six hours later and I was the only one capable of further exercise. ‘Thank god for being unaffected by fatigue or pain.’ The only other pony that was still able to keep up was Sturrn and even he was starting to slow down. He caught up to me for a little chat on the way back to the barrack.

“Rorke you may want to ease up, most ponies can’t do what you just did on their first day of training. If I didn’t know the ‘truth’ I would be pretty suspicious.”

“Don’t worry Sturrn, I have it under control. What do we do now though? Little off note but also, do we have patrol tomorrow?”

“Yes, you and I have patrol because another sergeant will be training the recruits tomorrow.”

“I should go get my armor too.”

“What do you mean armor? When did you go get armor?”

“I must have forgotten to tell you, everyone thinks I’m a guard. Only the smith pushed the issue, so I told him the thing about me being a foreign dignitary from Gem Fido here to study pony life.”

“Okay just stop trying to draw attention to yourself it’s making me nervous. I don’t like lying to the ponies and if word reaches the princesses, I don’t know what will happen. I’m going to go take off my armor at the barracks and go get some food, meet me in the mess hall inside the castle later.”

“I’ll see you in an hour or so, you’re going to like my patrol outfit. It has a sharp gold edge to it and looks good with my new weapons.”

“You’ll have to show me then.”

With that he walked through the door to the barracks. Only then did I realize we had been sitting there just talking the whole time. I immediately started off toward the smith arriving there in just under five minutes.

I poked my head through the doorway. He wasn’t in sight so I called out to him. “Hey, Steel I’m here for my armor!” He immediately poked his head out of the polishing room.

“You’re a very timely dog, you know that? I literally just finished polishing your leg guards; the chain mail was really fast because I have a load of steel loops just lying around.”

“If the mail was fast then why are you just finishing the guards? Didn’t you say the forge speeds up the process?”

“Ooh you’re a smart one, very perceptive. I had to look in the library for diamond dog anatomy to see if your legs differed in any way that would have made me shape the metal differently. As you probably know, the legs curve in a slight almost ‘Z’ type form. I wish you had told me that but no problem, so it is curved at the bottom also to account for the point where your feet turn into legs.”

“You really did your homework, sorry about not telling you. Can I see them?”

“Actually, I have somewhere to be tonight. You will need to take your robe and armor on the go.”

We wordlessly shift through the shop till a couple minutes later; I’m clad in my patrol robe and armor pieces while being rushed out the door by a nervous pegasus. I actually felt more protected with the pieces of metal strapped onto my bones. He had rushed out the door so fast I didn’t get to examine the pieces of metal at all.

I ran over to a nearby tree and sat down behind it. I pulled the cloth back on my robe to reveal the piece of metal strapped to the middle bone of my leg. It was a simple set of greaves really. The color was just raw steel, nothing outstanding like my weapons but what are you going to do. My chainmail was just steel loops linked together but it intertwined between some of the layers in front of my robe. So now if someone saw me they knew I had armor on.

Springing to my feet I made for the mess hall to meet up with Sturrn again. After getting lost twice and thirty wasted minutes I finally found Sturrn sitting at a table with a couple of the other guards. He turned around and waved me over.

“Hey Rorke sit down for a bit, we’re having some drinks.”

That ended up being the single most awkward moment in my life. Turns out, Sturrn was right about being able to hold his liquor but everyone has their limits. His came when the trio that I now knew as Flamberge, Sturrn, and Starfall ordered shots of vodka from Stalliongrad. The toasts that were made can only be described as less than family friendly. Only about 20 minutes before Sturrn and I left did either of the two guards ask about me not eating or drinking anything.

A quick lie was needed; it never came unfortunately. Luckily however, Sturrn passed out and the other two asked if I could bring him back to the barracks. I agreed as he was hefted into my arms and we set out for the building that promised a good night sleep. We got to the door and as I walked down the aisle of bunks making my way to Sturrn and I’s, the other two guards split off toward their beds.

I hefted the stallion up to his top bed armor and all, taking off his armor would have been kind of weird really. Unfortunately with him most certainly assured a hangover tomorrow I had no way to wake up early. Then I realized that was for his benefit not mine, if I woke up early then I would get him up but if not then it was his fault for getting drunk in the first place. I took off my armor though and placed it in the footlocker; I had to make a conscious effort to not let anyone see my body while I took off the greaves and mail.

Finally free of my protective layering, I hopped in the bed which thanks to me curling my legs slightly could hold my whole body. The conscious world slowly started to fade and the dream world of Rorke’s memories floated in to fill the void.

None who Live can Survive the Flame

Chapter Five
None who Live can Survive the Flame

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

The world was a void when I first opened my eyes, darkness everywhere I looked. My own body wasn’t even visible until a small light came into existence on the far side of the endless void. The light crept closer until finally, it flew past and other objects followed. All the objects were the same but portrayed different things, one thing they did have in common though was the original Rorke was in every single one of them. Like miniature movies each of them had what looked to be memories, I stuck my hand out and grabbed one causing my vision to fade again.

I opened my eyes… again but instead of the dark abyss from last time, my eyes were greeted by a room fit for royalty. The walls were made of finely cut sandstone with large clear windows spaced evenly along the smooth wall, allowing sunlight to pour into the room. Blood red curtains hung to either side of each window. Throughout the whole room were gems, bookcases, and varies furniture in the droves. However as soon as I tried to get up, I found my body couldn’t move and I was stuck in bed.

That is until my body got up on its own. My legs swung over the edge of the bed on to the floor revealing them to actually have skin. My legs carried the rest of my over to a table with a mirror attached to it, revealing more of my body. My face, my chest, and my arms really everything had SKIN and FLESH on it. ‘At least he’s wearing some underwear… loincloth thing.’ The whole experience was like being a spectator and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. I did recognize the face though even with the addition of skin tissue and hair, it belonged to Rorke. ‘Okay this shouldn’t be a surprise, I struck a memory in that void and now it’s playing with me as its only viewer.’

He opened a drawer and pulled out a thick bristled brush, which he immediately began using to straighten the hair on his muzzle before placing it once more into the drawer. ‘Self-grooming is another thing I don’t have to worry about with my new body, no more shaving for me.’

As Rorke got up another Anubite in robes much like the ones from the museum burst through the door, speaking so fast I couldn’t begin to tell what he was saying. “Solaron calm down and tell me, what are you trying to say?” Rorke’s voice was full of authority but not really gruff or agitated, just powerful.

“I’m sorry your holiness; I was attempting to tell you, a new breakthrough has been found on the temple line and is being repaired as we speak by the priesthood.”

“Solaron how many times do I have to tell you, it’s simply Rorke and if you insist on the use of a title then please use Sand Priest Chardstone. ‘Your holiness’ makes me feel old and I’m only 36 years old. Also, you know as much as I do, that the line breaks all the time, it’s no need to sprint to my home and alert me”

“Yes of course, I’m sorry your holi-“He coughed a bit to cover up his imminent mistake, Rorke smiled a little at this. ‘So that’s what smiling looks like on an anubite, wish I could smile.’ “I’m sorry Sand Priest Chardstone, now would you like to view your schedule or have me read it aloud as we begin?”

“Read aloud if you would please, it seems by the sun I have slept too long. Just let me grab my robes and we can make for the temple. Do I have time to sit and eat or must it be taken with us?”

Solaron didn't answer immediately. The two anubites headed out of the room through a wooden door and after a walk down some spiral stairs were out of the house. If Rorke’s room looked good then the world outside of it looked incredible. The cityscape looked like a desert version of Rome, sandstone columns and cyan accents were everywhere. Gold was interspersed throughout the area as well; it made Canterlot look tacky in comparison and from the looks of the anubites walking around it hadn’t gone to their head like the Canterlot ponies. The two were walking through an alleyway when Solaron began to talk again

“You have time to sit and eat your meal in peace. Now your schedule today will look like this. Its eight thirty two right now, you will be delivering a speech in the market column at nine thirty after that we must be heading straight back to the temple for a sermon at ten o’ clock sharp. Should those two necessities be completed early, you will have your optional tasks to attend to should you wish it so. That will include talking with Princess Celestia of Equestria, visiting the families of those killed in a caravan raid last week, and finally your afternoon ‘appointment’” He gave a wink to Rorke when he said appointment, apparently Rorke has a date. “With sand priestess Galina.”

“Thank you, it is troubling to see the Ajax have become far bolder in their attacks. Tell the princess that I shall be there at three, I will be seeing Galina at four, and I shall bring my condolences to the families at six. What is being done by our military to stop these attacks?”

“The legion is marching one thousand anubite warriors into the desert; they should be at the Ajax stronghold by next week if the winds are favorable. Rorke I need to tell you this, you know as much as I do that we keep killing the Ajax and they keep coming back. They come back stronger and in greater numbers, last year we only had to send out a hundred warriors. What do we do when we have to bring up the whole army to win? What if that isn’t enough and we lose or are forced to bring up every able bodied anubite to fight? The Ajax don’t have any feeling Rorke. They are like locust, uncaring for the individual, only for the whole system.”

They finally made it out of the long alleyway and into a crowded street just in time for Rorke to begin his rebuttal.
“I understand your fear Solaron, but the priesthood is working as hard as it can to find something anythingthat will beat the Ajax for good. There is the temple, let’s go in-“

Rorke was cut short by a high pitched yelp and a clearly female voice screamed. “Stop THIEF! He took my money!” The voice had come from far left of the street. Rorke’s body tensed up as he scanned the crowd and saw the offending anubite. “Solaron go into the temple and get a couple guards, this thief will need an escort.”

“Yes sand priest Chardstone, right away.” Solaron ran off toward the temple as Rorke rand toward the other side of the street keeping an eye on the thief as he ran. ‘I will only have a single chance to stop him before he can get away from me and that female.’

Looking through his eyes had really been quite an experience so far, but now I finally got to see where Rorke got his memories of fighting that saved me from those guards.

He dashed across the street and was on a collision course with the thief and right as they would have passed each other, Rorke put his arm out and directly in the path of the criminal. Needless to say he went down. Hard. The thief slammed right into his arm as he was looking back to check on his victim, only to meet the crook of Rorke’s arm the instant he turned forward. He immediately left the ground and was flying toward the ground ready to impact back first. Which he did causing him to immediately curl into a large ball and groan loudly.

‘That was incredible, but I guess he gets his weapon expertise later on in life.’ “Let that pain remind you of your crime.” Rorke put his foot down over the thief and pushed him onto his stomach, keeping him in that position and relieving him of his stolen money while he waited for a minute till the guards arrived. Another anubite came over from the crowd that had circled around Rorke after the guards left.

“Thank you sand priest.” The clearly female anubite said. Really they looked just like humans accept for the obvious addition of hair all over their body, jackal heads, and their leg structure. “I’m truly grateful to you for saving my money.” She gave him a light kiss on the right side of his muzzle to accent the point.

“Oh...um...uh… Yes well uh… Your welcome, I was happy to help.” ‘It seems Rorke isn’t too confident with the ladies.’
The ‘woman’ walked away leaving Rorke to return to his venture of following Solaron into the temple. The sequence of events ended there however, the world went black again before it filled with light.

I saw the wooden bottom of Sturrn’s bunk over my head as I lay in bed. My sleep wasn’t interrupted by him kicking the bunk but the sound of what I assume to be Sturrn emptying his stomach contents. I did a quick check under my robes and found that I was in fact still in my skeletal body which was oddly relieving. My legs found their way to the floor quickly after words as I strolled over to the bathroom to find Sturrn there; doing exactly what I had predicted kneeled over a toilet ridding himself of everything in his gut.

“You know Sturrn; I thought you said liquor wasn’t a problem? It only took a few shots to put you down; I don’t think you told them I was a living skeleton of a dead race so that’s good.”

“You know what Rorke? I don’t care, I feel like shit so you can take that fancy glove and jam it straight up your…whatever skeletons have! I don’t know, stop making me think!”

He obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk so I left him alone, and just stood there making sure he didn’t fall asleep IN the toilet. Since Sturrn usually got up before me, he always had his armor on before I woke up. This was really the first time I had seen him without it on. I took in the visual info and found that he was a dull white with a purple mane, his cutie mark being a drill instructor campaign hat with a…riding crop behind it. ‘Oh that is too funny; I probably shouldn’t tell him what those are in my world’

“Okay Rorke I think I’m all good, shouldn’t have gone drinking with patrol scheduled the next day that was a stupid move. It’s five forty right now so we have an hour and twenty minutes to burn. Go get your gear on and weapons fitted after that meet me in the mess hall.”

“What part of the city are we patrolling?”

“I don’t know yet that’s why you’re going to get suited up and meeting me in the mess hall. I’ll be taking a shower and probably barfing up a lung.”

“Okay, see you there.” I made my way back to our bunk and popped open the footlocker to reveal all my new shiny things. Most likely none of them will get any use for a while but it pays to be prepared. I took a look around and saw that none of the other guards were even close to waking up. Taking the initiative I began to undress and redress quickly to limit my window of exposure to prying eyes. My new outfit and armor pieces fit just incredibly well together, although the chain mail felt a little tighter than last night when I tried it on. Quickly slipping my khopesh into the fold of cloth on my waist and grabbing my axe, I ran out the door heading for the mess hall.

“Whoa, slow down young one. Where’s the fire?” I turned backward on the smooth path I was on and saw an old mare struggling to hold a watering can, right over some flowers I didn’t recognize. ‘She makes Granny Smith look like Applebloom, she is OLD.’

I was feeling pretty good after getting to rip on Sturrn this morning for drinking too much. “I was just heading for the mess hall, but would you like some help with those flowers?”

“No no that’s quite okay; I’ve been the head of the Canterlot garden staff for thirty two years now. I can’t hand off my work to someone else, just because I’m having a bit of trouble with the can.” Old but stubborn, actually a really common pairing among really any creature.

“Yes that may be so.” She had the tiniest look of smug on her face. “However, you have to know when to ask for help.” That wiped away her smug quickly.

She thought on it for a second before putting the can down. “Those were some good words. I’m thinking it’s about time I retired.” That was a bit unexpected.

“I just said for you to ask for help not retire.”

“That is true but I’m almost a hundred years old and still working. I’m sure Celestia will understand my decision.”

“Well that was unexpected but I hope you have a good time.”

She finally turned around and gave me a look up and down. After a moment of appraisal she spoke again. “You don’t really see that many Diamond dogs in Canterlot. Are you a diplomat from Gem Fido?”

“I’m a dignitary that is being embedded with the royal guard for diplomatic purposes.” ‘I hope I don’t have to spread that around a lot until someone important comes looking for me.

“Well I shouldn’t be wasting your time; you’re probably a busy dog so I’ll let you go on your way.”

“Well I guess I won’t be seeing you around. Enjoy your retirement.”

“Thank you and I will.”

After what seemed like an hour I made it too the mess hall. Once I found my seat, the waiting game for Sturrn began…

“Hey Rorke I’m here, do me a favor and grab me a cup of coffee would you?”

“I guess but what is with you being so chipper last I saw you had a hangover, also why are you here so early did you even wash behind your ears?”

“I knew coffee would be here and up for grabs even if we only have twenty minutes left before the other guards wake up. While the reason behind me being here quickly is simple, I ran toward the cure all of hangovers.”

“Let me guess this magical cure all for hangovers is coffee.”

He nodded and walked over to the buffet line that was always set out for the guard. The hash browns and eggs weren’t out yet because the kitchen didn’t want them to be cold when the guards actually got up. On the other side though, the coffee and pancakes were in heavy supply. I proceeded to make my way to the coffee area to retrieve Sturrn’s drink; a short pony in a white chef coat came up to me with plans to interrupt my coffee retrieval plan.

“I’m sorry sir but this food and drink is for the solar guard not for public consumption.” He held my gaze through the whole explanation, not an easy thing when you’re confronting something twice your size with weapons.

“Well then soup spoon it’s a good thing that I’m technically part of the guard, even though I’m actually getting this coffee for Sturrn over there.” I pointed to the stallion in question, who could be seen eating whole pancakes in single bites.

“Well in that case might I recommend the vanilla hazelnut, it has superb flavor and I know it’s Sturrn’s favorite blend in the morning after a night of drinking. On the side note, I know that the soup spoon comment was derogative but joke’s on you, my name actually IS Soup spoon.”

I decided to ignore his bad name and focus on the issue. “How did you know that he had been drinking last night?”

He feigned a shocked look even putting a hoof up to his head, prompting an over exaggerated fainting routine. He recovered quickly though and began to speak once more.

“I am shocked that you would even think anything could happen in my kitchen without my knowledge. I saw my sous chef handing off some Stalliongrad vodka to a couple of the guards; they’re probably feeling that this morning.”

“I know Sturrn is feeling it but I have to ask you something.”

“What would that be my vertically prosperous friend?” I’m pretty sure that he just called me tall but I’m not even going to respond to that.

“How is it that you know Sturrn likes vanilla hazelnut after a night of drinking? Did you join him for a little partying?”

“Hardly, I don’t drink more than a glass of wine, last gala though Sturrn and the stallions he was with last night got to go as participants and not guards. Needless to say, when one of them suggested a drinking contest none of them could resist. The morning afterward all three of them came in looking for something to wake them up. I told them water would help them the most and that coffee would actually be bad for them, but they didn’t listen. Now he thinks coffee is best, though why he likes vanilla hazelnut I don’t know.”

I was about to thank him for the tidbit of info on my friend but was interrupted by said friend. “Hey Rorke, what’s taking the coffee so long!?”I turned back toward him and shouted. “I was having a little conversation with someone who doesn’t have a hangover, now sit down and wait for your coffee!”

“You don’t have to yell jeez.” I had the largest urge to facepalm right then but it wouldn’t have made that comment any less stupid.

“Sorry Spoon but it looks like we’re going to have to cut this talk a little short, his majesty the duke of pansies is waiting for his precious elixir.”

“That’s okay um… I never got your name.”

“It’s Rorke”

“That’s okay Rorke, the conversation was good while it lasted, plus I have to get back to the kitchen my sous chef is probably freaking out. It’s funny, that Griffin pirate makes it seem like all Diamond dogs are evil but you’re a great example of the good ones.”

“Thank you; just know you can’t blanket the whole species with only a few examples.” Lying to Soup Spoon was just the a bit difficult, even though we had only known each other for about five minutes. I turned and walked over to the table where Sturrn had already finished off six pancakes. I placed his coffee down which he immediately picked up and guzzled down despite the heat it still retained.

“Well you ready to go? We have a lot of patrolling to do and I know I should say this regularly but, I hope we don’t have to arrest anyone today chasing them with a hangover won’t be fun.” ‘Whose fault is it that you have a hangover? Mister I can hold my liquor’ I decided delaying him would be a bit funnier though.

“Wait, don’t I get anything to eat? I’m famished.”

He got this smug look on his face; I could instantly tell my delaying plan had backfired. “I’m sorry Rorke, you’re right you should eat something you’re absolutely skin and bones.”

I couldn’t resist the call to facepalm this time; his usage of pun technology was too great. I slammed my gauntlet over the left side of my muzzle in shame.

“Wait, you actually shouldn’t eat before we go out. You know how food goes right through you.” The look on his face could only be called one of satisfaction. I took the time to slam my glove onto my muzzle again, a desperate hope that I could ride out the shame of this conversation.

I put my axe on the floor and put my hands up. “Okay, I surrender, put down your puns and let’s get out there. Your just lucky pony puns are hard to come by.” My delaying plan backfired in the worst possible way.

“Wait we can’t go yet, I still have a bone to pick with you.”

“These puns are bad and you should feel bad.”

“Yeah okay I’m done, let’s get out there.”

After escaping the evil that was his terrible puns, we walked out of the mess hall just as other guards were walking in. We walked on the path past the barracks and out of the main castle grounds when I had a strange feeling, the robes I was wearing felt annoyingly tight. I pulled lightly on them but it didn’t relieve the feeling. Sturrn seemed to take notice of this immediately.

“You know I was wondering back in the hall, why you put on your off duty uniform if we were going out on patrol. Did you forget that your other one was fitted to have armor underneath it?”

“Yeah I did forget that. I’ll run back to the barracks and change real quick, hold my axe for me.” I turned to run back but was stopped by a hoof on my leg.

“Two reasons you can’t go back in. One, its guard code that once you leave the castle grounds you don’t come back until your job is done. Two, if I have to suffer from this headache you’re going to suffer a tight robe, now let’s go.”

I wanted to deny him the satisfaction of having a partner in suffering but just couldn’t do it. “You know if you hadn’t drunk yourself silly last night, this wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Yeah well, you’re a skeleton so there.”

This was a perfect time to break out the British accent. “Oh please my lord, don’t give me your verbal lashings, it hurts me so with your great technique for the spoken arts.”

“You know what; I’m not even going to ask how a previously dead for millennia anubite can replicate a Trottingham accent so well.”

Perhaps it would be best to actually tell him who I actually am. “Tell you what Sturrn, if we come to an area where there aren’t any other ponies I’ll tell you how I know about it, sound good?”

He gave an “Eeyup” that could have rivaled Big Mac on levels of emotionlessness. ‘I’m glad I still retain all my memories of ponies or going about the world would have been more awkward than usual.’

Something must have been distracting Canterlot the last time Sturrn and I went on patrol, because a lot of the ponies in areas we walked in stared at me nonstop. I really wanted to jam my axe down this one pony’s throat though; she actually had the gall to SPIT on my robe as I walked by, must have been a dog hater. Luckily Sturrn picked up on that, and gave her a 500 bit ticket for ‘Harassment of a public servant’. Her face when she realized I was a ‘guard’ was incredible. By that point though, patrol was half over and we were entering the market sector of city when Sturrn and I heard a scream.

“Stop that thief, he took my money!” If I wasn’t sure this was reality, then I could have sworn that my mind was still dreaming. I scanned the crowd and felt more like Rorke right then, than I had since being placed into his body. Immediately the thief came into sight from across the market, his erratic movements setting him apart from the crowd.

“Come on Rorke, stop staring off into the beyond, we have to catch that stallion.” If I was listening to him it didn’t show at all. My mind was so far gone from that point; all I could think of was catching the thief.

“Sturrn, hold my axe!”

“What do you mea-“I dropped my axe and was already sprinting after the thief before he could even finish his sentence. I didn’t want my axe weighing me down; a sword would suit my needs perfectly, and for this I wanted my speed more than firepower.

I remembered the line Sturrn had told me after the mare spat on me. “Stop right there, criminal scum!” The saying sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn’t remember it must not have been very important if it was wiped from my memory.

I sprinted but the stallion that I saw was a unicorn and much faster in the crowd, he being a pony just forded the river of other ponies, I had to watch my footing to make sure I didn’t step on anyone. He turned a corner and a few second later I turned the same corner, just in time to see him head for the residential area of the city. Without the crowd to slow me down now I began to gain on him.

He turned his head back and saw me coming up on him fast. A split second decision must have told him to try and slow me down, because he flipped a few trash cans over and sent them rolling toward me. I reacted quickly and jumped over them but instead of coming right back down I soared into the sky. I must have jumped almost twenty or thirty feet, because instead of landing on the street again, I had the distinct pleasure of making impact on the roof of a building.

Now, running on a roof while your target is street level it just sucks it really does. I was jumping every so often and had to slow down to make sure I didn’t slip off. This caused me to start losing ground even with me being much faster than him. My saving grace came however in the form of an alley almost thirty feet ahead of him and on his left. It was perfect to stop the chase right there. We approached the time when I decided to jump from my position on his right, crashing down toward him fast. We both flew into the alley just as planned; I scrambled over to him and grabbed him in a tight hug to keep him from escaping.

“Let go of me you bucking mutt, Princess Celestia will have your head for hurting an equestrian citizen!” Really? He was going to try and pull that card? Well two can do that.

Still holding him tightly against my concealed rib cage, I began my rebuttal. “I honestly don’t think Celestia will care very much that I arrested a thief in her capital city.”

“I can just tell them you stole it, who would believe a dog? Especially when I could just go to the guard and say you attacked me. So why don’t you just let me go and I’ll let you go?”

“I’m really happy you say that because I’m actually embedded with the guard, my patrol partner is on his way here right now. In fact I think I’ll add ‘attempted subversion of a public official’ to your charges, for trying to blackmail me into letting you go.”

He began growling until the growling became full blown snarling. “RAAAaaaahhhHH!” This sound began a new set of him trying to rip himself away from my grasp; all in all it was really a futile effort. I held his forelegs against his chest, keeping all leverage of strength out of his grasp. Unfortunately I forgot he was a unicorn, and at the same time it seemed he remembered he was one. I threw him against the adjacent wall to stun him and try to stop whatever spell he was attempting, but it wasn’t fast enough and my vision filled, first with his horn glowing and then a gout of flames consuming me face first.

“HAHA! Take that, you mutt!” he yelled triumphantly before stumbling to his legs and making a break for the entrance of the alley. Sadly for him, the flames only surprised me for a second. I had already been in the movements of giving him a kick with my greaves, but when he moved the kick that would have impacted his mid-region actually hit his head. Needless to say he was dazed beyond reasoning. ‘Wait if he shot me with fire and I’m not feeling any pain does that mean it failed?’

I stood back up and looked down at my robes, and was greeted with a flame that was rising from my waist to engulf the rest of my robes quickly. “Crap.” Without the shock of pain dealing with the fire wasn’t really an issue, it did torch my robes though. They burned away quickly to reveal a new problem, I was standing there bare bones clad only in a chain mail shirt, some greaves, and my gauntlet. With nothing to hold it up my khopesh fell to the ground, I knelt down to retrieve it only to think of another problem. I was without my robes and a pony was all of five feet from me. Fate was on my side this day however, Sturrn arrived just as the last bit of my robes burned away.

“Rorke what in Tartarus’ name happened to you!?”

“Just put that thief on the other side of the trash can right there.” I pointed toward the steel cylinder and he moved the barely conscious pony over to it.

He got closer to me and lowered his voice. “Now, what happened to your robes? How did you catch him you turned a corner in the market and I lost you.”

I regaled him with the event of the chase; he seemed to like the part where I had jumped onto the roof the best. “So what are we going to do with you, because standing here with the thief isn’t an option. You definitely can’t walk back to the castle without something to cover up.”

“I’m not sure; just give me a second to think.” I looked down at my bones and then toward the entrance of the alley. He was right, I couldn’t just stand there, and ponies would be coming home soon. My eyes shifted all across the alleyway for several minutes until they fell upon my steel made salvation.

“Sturrn, what if I hide in the trashcan there? I think I can fit in it pretty well.”

“That has to be the worst idea I’ve heard in a long time but it’s worth a try. I’ll take the thief in and then come back with your patrol robes and axe.”

“Sounds good, wait what do you mean come back with my axe? Where is it?” The smith said the blades were made of titanium and that the metal was rare. Losing it wasn’t an option.

He threw his hooves up. “Calm down, I left it with a merchant I know. Now get in the can.”

A few minutes later we learned that even though I could fit in the can, there was simply too much of me to fit. We stood there anxiously for a while longer until he came up with a completely idiotic and risky plan that just had the right amount of potential to succeed. I took off all my armor and gauntlet first. Sturrn then took out his sword and began to implement the worst plan in equestrian history. In a flash of steel and a second of time, my right arm was severed from my body. Another second and another arm, I kept a close watch on the pony lying on the ground during the whole event.

After a minute of chopping and several more outlining a plan to get me back to the castle, my body was in a pile at the bottom of the trashcan.

I spoke from the bottom of the can just loud enough for him to hear me. “Sturrn let’s go over the plan one more time, make sure you got it, don’t want a mistake half way through.”

“Okay, for the record, you’re the only person who has or can talk to me like this, so don’t go and get uppity with me. So first, I escort our unconscious friend over there into the dungeon. Second, go back into the barracks and put your gear away while grabbing your patrol robes on the way out.”

He took a gasp of breath, before leaning back into the can to continue. “Third and lastly, take the robes back here, reassemble your body, and get back to the barracks in time to get some sleep and avoid another drinking binge. Correct?”

“That’s perfect I like the no binge part, now get the plan rolling while I sit here and do my imitation of a Halloween prop.”

He leaned out of the can just barely, before he shoved his head back in. “Is Hallow-een an Anubite thing? I don’t remember any part of the exhibit saying anything about ‘Hallow-een’.”

‘Crap, I forgot that all the holidays here aren’t the same as human ones. “I’ll tell you the whole story if we have time before the end of the day, if not then all will be revealed tomorrow.”

He looked once more down the can before back up away, and putting the lid on the can. “That is just creepy the way his jaw moves without any skin, but the whole ‘only thing attached to my body is my head’ is way too much for me.”

“Hey! I can still hear you, putting the lid on doesn’t make the can soundproof.”

I waited a couple seconds for his rebuttal, but instead of words he just kicked the can almost to the point of tipping over. “Sturrn just take that pony to the dungeon and get back here so I can get out of this thing! Kicking it won’t solve anything, plus it smells in here so don’t walk.”

“Yeah okay, I’m going, I’ll see you in a few hours so try not to catch anypony’s attention or get discovered.” I heard his hooves impact on the ground as he walked away, I also heard him say something to the thief but with the lid on and him being so far away I couldn’t make any of it out.

Several hours later and Sturrn still hadn’t come back. The can still stunk of garbage even if there wasn’t any in it at the time. I was just contemplating the fact that, even with our limited time together, Sturrn and I had grown closer than my friends on earth ever were. ‘I guess you could attribute that to the fact that, I had never met any of them face to face ever.’

Suddenly however, the lid of the can opened, I was about to greet Sturrn and rag on him a bit for being so late with my robes. Unfortunately, the pony that I saw wasn’t Sturrn in any way, shape, or form. It was a lime green unicorn with a garbage bag in its mouth.

A very feminine shriek came from the unicorn that is until it coughed loudly and tried to play it off in a very guy like manner. “Seriously, if somepony is going to throw away their Nightmare Night decorations, they should at least use their own trash can.” He set the bag down on the ground before reaching a hoof into my cramped quarters, and took one of my arm bones.

He examined it for a second before speaking again. “Why would anypony throw this thing away? It’s in perfect condition and feels so real.” He reached in with both hooves this time and pulled out my rib cage with my head still attached to it. I was officially freaking out at this point, mostly that he would find out that I was still alive and alert the guards.

“Now I see why they threw it away, all the bones are separated from each other. That’s too much work to put them all together.” He chucked my body back into the can before dropping his garbage bag on my head, and once more placing the lid on top. ‘This is just great, probably one of the worst moments since coming here, and that defiantly includes finding out that I’m a skeletal dog…thing.’

I lost track of time at that point, but my brain was telling me another few hours had passed. Time was drifting by so slow, it almost felt like it stopped before I heard steps from outside of the alleyway again, and then a voice came that I recognized well.

“Hey, get off that trash can you rat!” he spat in an overly venomous tone. “I have a dead dog in there that” He snickered a little. “Needs some help pulling himself together.” The lid was lifted off before he spoke again. “Wait, did I get the wrong can again?”

My voice was muffled a little by the bag on top of my head, but still made the point thorough. “Sturrn I’m in here, just get this bag off my head!” The bag was removed and my vision was filled with the image of Sturrn’s paper white muzzle peering at me.

“There you are, now let’s get you out of that thing and get out of here. We have some work to do tomorrow and it’s almost eleven.” He didn’t look too happy about missing two precious hours of sleep, but I blame the idiot who set me on fire.

“Yeah, just do me one favor okay?” He nodded before he started pulling my bones out of the can. “Seriously stop with the bone jokes, they are quickly becoming the bane of my existence.” He attempted to rebuttal but I was faster. “Don’t try and fool me, I heard the ‘pull himself together’ thing from inside the can. Just give them, up or you won’t have a happy Anubite on your hooves.”

He looked depressed but gave in to my demands, before cracking another smile. “Fine but you have to tell me your whole story tomorrow during patrol, especially how you jumped so high earlier. I was a block away and still saw you flying through the air.”

“Whatever you want just put me back together. I can’t do it myself, even though that would be pretty useful.”

Only about a minute passed before I was once again at my correct stature. “Did you bring my robes? Your whole trip would be for nothing if you didn’t.”He gave a look of shock and indignation that I would even think that. “Come on, who do you take me for? Of course I remembered, now put it on and let’s get going.”

I threw the clothing on, not paying much attention to it now that I lacked armor underneath. We were walking fairly briskly before we made it back to the castle at just past eleven thirty. Once more we made our way toward the barracks, arriving just in time to be very late for lights out. Sturrn had a pretty hard time taking off his armor and getting to bed. His hangover from the morning must have passed much earlier today, because he got into bed fairly quickly once he figured out where it was.

I just waited a minute to adapt to the lighting conditions and then made my way into bed fairly easily. I laid there for a moment however, and pondered something. ‘If I’m a skeleton without need of regular functions or any feeling of fatigue, do I need to sleep?’ The answer never came to me because I decided to test it another time. Day four of my time in Equestria was coming to an end, and day five would be starting in about twenty minutes. The void of unconsciousness came quickly, as soon as I allowed it to.

You're a Fearsome Warrior Act Like it

Chapter Six
You're a Fearsome Warrior Act Like it

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

Waking up early is great, it really is because the effort involved with waking up early keeps you alert. So when vengeful guards come to kill you in your sleep, you’re totally prepared for the attack. I did not wake up early. I was pulled from my slumber by the impacting of hooves onto the floor of the barracks. I ‘opened’ my eyes, how that works without eyes or eyelids I will never know. Once opened however, they were unblinking, and what I saw was strange to say the least. A guard in black armor that looked vaguely familiar was creeping toward my bed with a sword in his mouth.

Upon more in depth inspection, I saw why the guard looked familiar; he was the guard whose tail I cut off a few days ago. The cut under his eye I had given him was a dead gave away. I held stock still in my bed until I knew he had come to do anything that involved me. ‘He may not even recognize me, and could actually be here for Sturrn. Now there’s an idea.’

Those hopes were quickly dashed when he began to speak. “You’re a slippery mongrel, but I finally found you.” He kept his advance toward me slow but sure. “How stupid are you really? Hiding from a guard INSIDE the castle, did you honestly think, just because you tricked the solar guard that you wouldn’t be discovered by the lunar guard?” He crept even closer, until he was standing right over my body. “I would give you the privilege of waking you before your death, but I got so much shit when you cut my tail off, you don’t even deserve that.”

He hissed the last sentence with such hatred I’m surprised he wasn’t born a snake. ‘I’m guessing having his junk on display for everyone to see wasn’t really popular with ponies.’

He continued his evil villain monologue a while longer, so I thought about my rebuttal for a second. “Now, why don’t you do me a favor, and die like the rest of your miserable race.” He reared his head back to plunge the sword forward, but that provided the perfect opportunity to grab the blade. I flexed up, careful to avoid hitting my head on the top of the bunk. Shooting my arm forward I grabbed the thrusting sword by the blade.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t quite catch that last part, do you mind repeating it?” His pupils shrunk immediately and only then did I realize that by lying down and putting my hand up, gravity took over and the part of my robe that concealed my hand was down and revealing my skeletal forearm.

“Oh that is not good, but I guess starting the fight now would be beneficial.” I wretched the sword from his jaw and threw my right fist into the side of his head, sending him tumbling to the floor. Using the immediate lull in combat I jumped out of bed, and readied myself for some unarmed hand to hoof fighting. None of the solar guards had woken from the scuffle, but that would soon change. The stallion whose name I still hadn’t acquired brought himself to his hooves and gave a low growl before charging.

My vision momentarily flooded itself with the knowledge of fights I had never participated in. That knowledge may have helped me had it not blinded me, and left me open to his charge and subsequent buck. His hooves impacted square in my chest, sending me flying across the room easily thirty or more feet until I slammed into an empty bed, sending a metallic ring throughout the barracks. ‘Weighing less than fifty pounds total definitely makes a straight up battle of strength a no go.’

Across the line, I saw a couple of guards were awoken by the loud ring but were nowhere close to stopping the fight. He charged forward closing the distance between us as I got back up to my feet. I was ready for his attack this time though. When he spun at the end, I jumped to the side and lashed out with the claws on my feet raking the side of his armor with jagged lines. Having no armor to speak of and my opponent wearing a full set of plate armor promised to make this fight interesting.

He turned toward me and bucked again, only to get a hoof full of air and a face full of bone. I had slid along the floor to avoid his kick, putting me in the perfect position for an uppercut, and that in of itself deserved a one liner. “Giddy up now, to HELL!” My opponent was pushed a few feet away but managed to stay on his feet. We both began a series of parrying and deflecting blows that left us equally matched.

It seems that he was just bad at swordplay last time, or I’m still bad at hand to hand even with all these memories. We continued to fight for a minute leaving him with four massive gashes on his front legs, and me with a severely torn up robe. He jumped to hoof me in the head but I continued my series of dodging and evasion techniques, just in time to kick him in the back. Unfortunately our fight had woken up the whole barracks and my bones were on permanent display. Given a pause in the battle the stallion made one last effort to push for a nonexistent victory.

After a particularly hard kick to his side, he had been relocated right next to his sword. He drew the weapon into his mouth as I was barreling down on him and couldn’t stop my momentum. The solar guards around us were also attempting to stop the fight, but it was all too late. I practically threw myself on his sword, and taking a note from sharks he thrashed around as I was stuck in his sword tearing a large hole in my robe. A gasp rippled throughout the whole crowd, until someone spoke up.

A far off voice shouted from the other end of the barracks. A voice I knew very well. “Auburn stop this fight that is an order!” Sturrn had been woken up, though a little late. I was thrown off the sword when my only friend in this world slammed directly into my assailant, sending him flying.

Sturrn stood there until he saw me on my back lying on the floor. “Rorke get up, I know that didn’t hurt in the least.” It was a gruff command that I heeded quickly. “Guardstallions, arrest private Auburn.” He turned to me “Sorry for this Rorke, I promise you’ll be free soon.” Once more turning to the crowd he said sharply. “Detain Rorke as well, we will be setting out to the royal court and speaking to the princesses immediately.”

The crowd of guards closed in on us immediately. I simply put my hands forward and allowed a guard to put some cuffs on my wrists. He seemed a little disturbed by the whole ‘no skin or muscle’ thing but he got over it quick. My opponent didn’t offer any resistance either but that was an option thrust upon him instead of a choice. It seemed he was losing consciousness fast, and blood was flowing out at a rate that seemed rather unhealthy.

We were lead out of the barracks in a double line. I stood up and walked next to Sturrn while silently shifting in my robes to disguise my bones. The beaten stallion was carried on another guard’s back. Approaching the main castle entrance; I started getting nervous and wanted to talk to Sturrn, but it wasn’t the time for a conversation. Eventually we made it to the court doors that were flanked on either side by a set of gold plated guards.

One of the door guards began to speak slowly. “What is the purpose of this Sturrn, has there been a disturbance in the guard?”

Sturrn drew in a breath before continuing. “Yes Irongate, I’m afraid there has been a disturbance and we need an audience with both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, immediately if you would.”

Irongate began his slow speech pattern once more. “I will only allow five to enter as a group, court rules state as such. If more are required you will need the princess’s permission. Now please enter and inform the princess inside of your request.”

A confused look spread across Sturrn’s face as he addressed the guard once more. “What do you mean “inform the princess inside” do you not know which is in there?”

“I haven’t opened this gate in almost an hour, usually around this time the princesses switch courts, so no I don’t know which princess is in there.” With that final statement the guard on both the left and right of the gate pushed open the large doors.

I looked inside the hall and saw my favorite pony sitting on the throne surrounded by golden guards. Princess Celestia was beginning court and just walking out the door was Princess Luna. I reached my cuffed hands toward her and shouted. “Princess Luna, wait!” My call earned me hoof to the leg from Sturrn, but also it got the princess to turn around and walk over to our group.

She stared at me perplexedly before speaking. “Was it you in the robes that called for me?”

Sturrn decided to take control of the conversation before I could. “Yes Princess Luna it was and although he shouldn’t have ordered you.” He glared at me a little but my mind was still in fight mode. Calm but ready, and his glare that induced a chilling in my bones was useless this time. He didn’t seem to notice. “Your presence along with your sister’s is required for this trial.”

She perked up a little at that. “A trial you say, would that be why this diamond dog, and my guard behind you are both in cuffs?”

“Yes, unfortunately that would be the case.”

She looked rather disappointed at the guard and then me before speaking again. “Well since this involves both the lunar and solar guard, Tia will be presiding over the trial with me. Sturrn, the diamond dog, private Auburn, and the guards carrying him may enter.” She pointed at the other guards with a hoof. “The rest of you may return to your barracks and get ready for your patrol.”

There was a murmur of ascent, and the groups separated. Sturrn walked toward Princess Celestia before bowing and beginning his conversation with her.

“Princess Celestia, I’m sorry for the court interruption but we had a mild infraction earlier. Private Auburn of the lunar guard and Rorke, the dog in the robes you see over there got into quite the fight.”

She nodded from what I could see and continued. “I see, it’s unfortunate that happened but I must ask what the charges would be as well as who they are being levied against.”

“The charges against Auburn are assault of Rorke Chardstone, the diamond dog, as well as use of a deadly weapon and guard brutality against a law abiding civilian.” That sounds like quite a list but if he’s going to go all out I’ll have my own rap sheet soon too.

“I see Sergeant, and what of Rorke? Did he break any laws?”

He sighed and looked resigned to his fate. “Yes I’m afraid so Princess; three counts of assault on a guard, four counts of stealing royal property, breaking and entering on royal grounds, and lastly impersonation of a guard."

What the FUCK is Sturrn doing! He was supposed to be helping and “making sure I go free” not giving me a million crimes that I’m going to have to debate against.

“I see sergeant, well then let’s get this trial started shall we?” She seemed to be in deep contemplation on something, and this trial wasn’t it.

“Of course princess right away.” He turned to the other guards and motioned them to approach while Luna walked over to Celestia and stood next to her.

Celestia was the first to speak. “Court is now in session, we will start with the trial of Rorke Chardstone. Please step forward.” I did just that and then stood there waiting for her to address me again.

“Rorke Chardstone, you have been accused of three counts of assault on a guard, four counts of stealing royal property, breaking and entering on royal grounds, and impersonation of a solar guard. How do you plead?”

“Not guilty Princess, based on evidence of circumstance.” Yeah let’s go with that. This trial is going to be hard enough without anymore of Sturrn’s ‘help’ but, I don’t think my ‘not a living skeleton’ disguise will function anymore with three guards knowing the truth now.

“Well that is certainly a first, as far as evidence for innocence goes. You may proceed with your case, but first.” She turned toward Luna “Luna do you think you can heal your guard’s wounds. It seems he is hurt and bleeding. I’m sure the guards supporting him don’t appreciate blood draining onto them.” Luna simply nodded, her horn glowed for a few second and then it was done.

“Now, you may plead your case.”

I thought on it for a moment before deciding that it would be better that she see this now instead of accidently seeing it later, or hearing it from her guards. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna may I make a request that what is shown in this room not be spoken of outside of this room?”

Both princesses answered at the same time. “Yes, as long as it doesn’t endanger the Equestrian populace.” They both looked at each other before focusing once more on the issue made prevalent.

“I would like to express my wishes that, though this may look extremely strange and perhaps dangerous, I mean you no harm.” Everyone but Sturrn tensed up a little fully expecting some kind of attack now. I took note of all the guards around me before reaching up with my cuffed hands and removing my face wrap. Revealing my skinless skull, this immediately caused a couple of the guards to flinch and one even looked like he was about to puke. The princesses just stood still with a perceptive look on each of their faces.

I didn’t stop at my head though, almost a minute later my whole skeletal body was on display. That one guard did end up losing his lunch around the time I revealed my stomach area. Another guard behind me also lost his, about the time when my rib cage began showing. Luckily both guards broke their stances and rushed toward the nearest garbage can.

I couldn’t really tell what either princess was feeling at the moment; Luna had adopted Celestia’s emotion withholding facial expression. “So princesses, I will be explaining now exactly what you are viewing and not the censored version I gave Sturrn.” I stole a quick glance at Sturrn and saw a hint of anger smothered under his stone like calm.

Princess Celestia was the first to speak. “Rorke, I think it would be prudent of you to explain, why exactly your body is just a skeleton of a diamond dog yet you are somehow alive.”

“Okay so let’s begin this fascinating tale from the beginning. I’m originally what you would call a human, they’re a-“

Celestia interrupted rather quickly “Rorke, I already know all about humans and have had my fair share of interactions with them. Now I’m going to take a shot it the dark and say, someone offered you a chance to come to Equestria and you took it because your life was going nowhere, but I’m currently at a loss for how you’re a reanimated skeleton.” ‘Wow, I was not expecting that in the least, kind of rude response though. She is under pressure with the Gala coming up soon however.’

I decided to ignore “Well the person who sent me was named ‘The Doctor’ and he asked me what exactly I wanted to be. I made the dumb decision of being vague in my choice. My exact words were “Something like a diamond dog but faster and a little less meat on them.” now that I think on it, the wording was terrible.”

Celestia cracked a mild smile and began to speak as Luna stayed quiet “Yes that was rather poor wording but I can see how that got you the body you now inhabit. A diamond dog skeleton is what your words would entail.”

“Actually Princess, I’m not a diamond dog I’m an Anubite.” Celestia’s smile faltered into a frown before returning to its emotionless state of display.

I continued on anyway. “A very specific Anubite actually, High Priest Rorke Chardstone.” I threw up my still cuffed hands for air quotes. “He’s ‘first among and last of’ the anubites.” Celestia got visibly angry at that last part and let me know it.

“Watch what you say about Rorke. He was a great friend and magnificent ruler to his people.” She had a look of silent rage, like she wanted to tear me apart for saying that about her friend. She took a deep breath before continuing. “He never told me what attacked his people or how he did the things he could, but we always shared a cup of tea at four o’ clock. He especially liked-“

It was my time to interrupt. “He liked honey and cream in his tea didn’t he?” She nodded knowingly.

“Yes, but how did you know?”

“Well Princess, I may be just a human but I have all of Rorke’s memories. Accessing them may take time and knowing exactly what they mean isn’t possible sometimes but on a certain level, Rorke and I are the same person.” I would have figured out the tea thing sooner or later, but telling her about the placard would not have been beneficial at the time.

She actually looked receptive now and Luna decided to put her opinion forward. “Celestia, I think we should push this trial forward and worry about this aspect of Rorke later.” The princess nodded and Luna continued.

“Rorke, you may present your evidence to defend your case now.”

“Thank you princess, now on the account of assault of a guard and stealing royal property those can be explained. When I awoke in the basement of the Canterlot museum I went through the experience of freeing myself from the display case. After that I had a session of anger about my new body before I righted myself. Seeing as all the museum pieces in that room were Rorke’s I figured that taking them would be within my full power. As we speak the double ended axe, the khopesh sword, and gem gauntlet is stowed in the footlocker next to Sturrn and my bunk, the robes however were destroyed and replaced.”

“When I took the gauntlet an alarm must have sounded because two guards came in. The lunar guard over there was one of them and where the other is, I have no idea. Before I could explain why I was taking the objects they attacked me. I won the fight for obvious reasoning that I can’t feel pain, even though that guard cut my left arm off.”

That seemed to grab Luna’s attention but Celestia had a little smirk. “If I had known we would be talking about the museum so much, I would have boned up on the subject.” Luna turned to her sister with an unamused look on her face. “Tia, this is a serious matter and not the time to be making jokes. This being, this ‘Rorke’ is on trial for assaulting my guards, stealing, and masquerading as a guard.”

Celestia sighed and turned to her sister. “Luna, when I first met Rorke thousands of years ago I saw a spark in his eye that said, he was going to do important things. Now that he is back, although lacking the eyes now, I know he is made for important things. Whether for good or evil I don’t know, but should he win this trial I know that events of great priority will follow him.” Celestia just went all prophetic in the middle of court.

“Thank you Princess, that means a lot to me, and rest assured that no evil shall wrest itself from my hands.” That was all I could really give her as a promise for my conduct. Then a feeling I hadn’t encountered since coming to Equestria began to set in, the feeling of nervousness.

I began to tense up like the guards had earlier. What if I’m found guilty and get thrown in the dungeon for life? As far as I can tell, Skeletons don’t age in the traditional sense. Would the princess take that into account? ‘Wait a second, am I really that stupid? She just said she thought I was innocent, but that was just because of who I am or was. I still have to win this trial, and Sturrn better help me with that. I’m up to the part where he came into the picture.’

Luna saw my change in disposition before anyone else. “Please calm yourself Rorke, we haven’t finished the trial. I would offer you a beverage but we are still in court, and I’m not sure you could drink it if it was offered.”

The only way I could tell she was being sincere was the calm and collected smile usually only seen on her sister’s face. “Thank you Princess Luna, but you are correct; I don’t have any living functions anymore so a beverage would probably be a bad idea.”

“Then let us continue, I believe you were explaining what happened after you had just beaten my guards with weapons that were thousands of years old.” She looked more disappointed in her guards than angry at me for hurting them but I was done trying to read the princesses expression. They hid their emotions to well.

“Yes, I finished the fight and had just made my way out of the basement and started off to a nearby tree for some sleep.” She interrupted immediately. “I thought you said you didn’t have any living functions, why did you go to sleep then?”

I really wanted to get to the Sturrn’s part fast, so I sped up the explanation. “I did say that I have no more living functions but I didn’t want to try and not sleep. I had only been in this world for two hours, and already had to break out of a museum after fighting a pair of guards in a body I was sorely unfamiliar with.” She accepted the explanation without further conflict.

I continued my plea of innocence. “As I was saying, I slept next to the tree and was awakened by none other than Sergeant Sturrn. Now that I’m up to his part in all of this, I will call Sturrn as a witness. Unfortunately I don’t know his last name so I’ll let him introduce himself.” I turned expectantly toward Sturrn as he marched to my side, unafraid of my form which was a good comfort.

He cleared his throat and began to speak with great authority. “Hello, I am Sturrn Lash but you all know that already. This seems to be where my part in these events came in.” He took a large breath and continued. “I was just setting out on patrol for the day when I came across a very large figure sleeping on the aforementioned tree. I went to investigate; soon finding that the figure was what I thought to be a diamond dog, and to go along with it he was armed. We talked for a bit during which I found out he was severely lacking in popular knowledge.” ‘It seems Sturrn does have a last name, and isn’t a one named anomaly.’

He took a quick breath and put his drill sergeant voice back to work. He recounted all of the events up to yesterday’s activities on patrol, keenly forgetting to mention his drinking binge the night before. “We had just left the castle and set out on patrol. The only incident up until half way through was a mare having spat on Rorke’s robes; I gave her a ticket for “Harassment of a public servant” because with Rorke helping me he technically became a public servant.” Celestia looked a little perturbed that Sturrn gave the mare an illegitimate ticket but Luna looked happy with it.

“We entered further into the market place when somepony screamed thief. Both of us identified the thief but Rorke made off after him first. I lost view of both of them, so I’ll let Rorke go on from here.” He shifted back to his previous position and looked toward me.

I looked toward the two princesses before me and began once more. “When Sturrn lost view of both the thief and I the chase continued throughout the market, until we ran into the residential district of Canterlot. He started kicking obstacles into my path so I jumped over them; unfortunately my new body brought new surprises to the chase. When the first jump came I flew almost thirty feet into the air, and landed on a roof. I continued the chase by running from rooftop to rooftop before jumped off, and tackling the stallion into an alleyway were we struggled momentarily. That is until he set me on fire.”

I had the feeling that everyone in the room would be used to this kind of info but all the ponies around me had their eyes bugged out in surprise. So I let the revelation sink in before continuing. “Well as you can see fire doesn’t do much to me, it didn’t even scorch my bones but it burned my other set of robes to cinder so there’s that. He made a run for the alleyway entrance but I stopped him before he could escape.”

Celestia was the first to speak, and though she used a sincere voice I could tell it was serious. They both tensed up slightly once more. “Rorke, please tell me you didn’t let anypony see you. I don’t want to have that door over there open and see hundreds of citizens’ pile in, because they saw a flaming skeleton beating a stallion in an alleyway.”

Luna remained quiet that must have been her concern as well. “Don’t worry about that Princess; the only ones who know about my skeletal nature are some of those in the guard, the thief, and you two.” That seemed to assuage their fears because they both visibly relaxed once more. Luna spoke first this time. “That is welcome news, with the Grand Galloping Gala in a few days my sister and I don’t need to pacify the citizens of Canterlot.”

“You’re probably wondering how I got back to the barracks with no clothes on aren’t you?” Neither princess seemed inclined to agree so I pressed on anyway. “Well I’ll tell you anyway, Sturrn came around the corner several seconds later and after explaining the situation to him we formulated a plan of action. He took my sword and cut me apart, and stuffed me in the trashcan nearby. Taking all my weapons and armor along with the prisoner back to the castle, he returned with my spare robes later that night and we got back to the barracks around eleven thirty.”

A guard to my left side spoke up after my explanation. “Mr. Chardstone if you don’t mind me asking how did you escape detection from the guard? It must have taken great stealth and cunning in that endeavor.”

It felt like I was about to crush the guard’s reputation in one fell swoop. “Actually I didn’t hide at all, and really just walked around openly with weapons and gear showing. I think maybe one pony stopped me from doing something and that was a chef, when I went to grab some coffee for Sturrn.” He looked demoralized knowing that the guard had failed to identify me at all. I looked at the other guards and they all had that face.

A particular night affiliated alicorn brought the conversation back to the trial. “Guardstallion Dawnstrike, I would appreciate it if we kept the conversation relevant to the trial as it continues.” Dawnstrike just stared at his hooves.

I was on the last stretch of the evidence run, time to finish strong. “The events have been leading up to this point. When I woke up this morning that guard attacked me, had he actually been stealthy or if I was actually alive, I would be dead right now. We fought until the whole thing was put to a stop by the other guards. We were both escorted here in cuffs, and as you can see he suffered some injuries from both this encounter and his previous one, both were from my actions in self-defense." ‘I really hope all this was enough to sway them because I’m all out of material, unless Sturrn acts as a witness.’

“Is that the end of your litigation? Do you wish to call a witness to testify for you?” Celestia hinted that one pretty hard.

“Actually no, I wish to call Sturrn Lash as a witness.” Sturrn looked at me before nodding and stepping forward once more. I got up from my knees which startled some of the guards, but going nice and slow while making no threatening movements calmed them. Once in front of Sturrn I began my question. “Sturrn, please in your own words relay your experience with me to the court.”

“I would describe it as stressful, challenging, and an experience in of itself. I wouldn’t lie to you Princess Luna or you Princess Celestia, I wouldn’t have hidden him away if my instincts didn’t tell me to do it on a gut level of reasoning. This whole experience has opened my brain up a little and showed me something. Even though yelling at recruits is very VERY VERY fun, I can’t do it while things like this happen in the guard.”

‘What is Sturrn playing at?’ I asked myself as he continued his speech to the court. “So it is with a heavy heart, that I resign from the guard and it’s thanks to Rorke here. He did this for me so I’ll do this for him, if there is any crime that is being thrown at him then please place the blame on me. This is my fault but if you do convict Rorke of any crimes then it is a travesty against the citizens of Canterlot. He has done more in his few days here than any can claim in their first days of life. That is all your majesties.”

He walked back to his previous spot in the court and stood there. Once more I looked around and all the guards had a grim look on their faces which actually looks normal. However the sadness in their eyes was evidence that they would miss Sturrn. I don’t think I could ever thank him enough for his words.

Celestia had kept her stone like calm throughout the speech. “Sturrn, I respect your decision but we must discuss something after this trial. Now that your part in this is done, Luna I believe it’s time to pass judgment.”

Luna looked shocked at her brighter hued sister. “Tia I’m shocked at you, we haven’t even seen Auburn’s half of the story. He is owed due process.” Celestia looked unfazed by her mistake. “Of course Luna, it had only slipped my mind, now if you could wake him so he could give his half of the story.”

Luna started walking toward the stallion but I had an idea. I raised my still shackled hands toward her. “Wait Princess Luna, I have an idea to end this once and for all. Would you like to hear it?”

“Yes I would, what is your plan?”

“I will prove without a doubt, that the guard in custody is guilty of his crimes and what I did was done in self-defense. If you all get behind him and I’m the only one he sees, we will observe his reaction. Is that permissible?”

Luna turned to her sister. “Celestia, what do you think? Is that allowed to be used as evidence?” She nodded and her blue counterpart turned back toward me. “We shall go forth with your plan but I request that you remain in shackles, so as not to tempt you to take revenge on him in his moment of weakness.”

“That is fully doable Princess, now if you could have all the ponies stand about ten feet behind him.”

Luna raised her voice but still kept it below Royal Canterlot Voice levels. “Guards, if you would please relocate yourselves to my side.” There were murmurs of acceptance as they moved. With all the ponies and both princesses behind the guard Luna’s horn flashed and the lunar guard’s eyes fluttered.

His eyes barely opened until they shot open as he saw me standing in front of him. “DOG!” He sprung to his feet and despite the hoof cuffs, jumped forward and knocked me over as he landed on top of my ribs. “You mutant abomination of a mongrel, I don’t know how to kill you but I’ll break every bone to find out!”

It was time to gather some incriminating evidence as he reel his hoof back for the first blow. “What did I-“He struck my muzzle interrupting my speech. “Do to-“Another hoof across my face. “You.” A smirk spread across his bloodied face. “What reason do I need? You’re a dog and need to be put down again by the looks of it.”

A little rebuttal never hurt anyone. “Perhaps, but what will the princesses think of you beating a chained prisoner to death?” Auburn I think his name was, actually laughed at that. “What will they think!? Why Luna herself will pin a medal on my armor for services to Canterlot, even that fat cow Celestia will acknowledge me. Maybe I’ll get a promotion to the royal guard for this.”

I tilted my head to the side to look past Auburn, and saw the royal sister with their guards so red in the face with anger that I’m surprised the fire alarms didn’t go off. “I’m sorry, I really am but you may want to take a look behind you before the beating commences.” He kept his stupid smirk for all of one second as he turned and saw the enraged castle occupants. Even Celestia pissed but then again she was called a fat cow so there’s that.

Luna spoke immediately even using the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I declare this court session over! Rorke Chardstone is innocent of all charges, Auburn Sunleaf you are found guilty on all accounts, and guards take him to the dungeon!” That voice is REALLY loud, if it had been directed at me I would have blown away. Even as it is, my body was scooted a few inches back.

Auburn was taken off of me by guards even as he struggled. “Wait, you can’t do this. I was set up by that dog!” The guards muffled him quickly. “Yeah tell it to somepony who cares.” The guards led him out of a separate door from the main one and Auburn quieted down. The other guards took their positions once more as both princesses walked over to me.

Luna opened up first as Celestia led Sturrn off to the side for her own talk. “Rorke, I’m sorry for the way my guard acted, it was truly shameful to see.”

“It’s okay Princess, just as long as I’m innocent all is right with the world. It was never your fault.” She shook her head. “No Rorke it is, I have been back for a while now and I’m only just finding all the problems with Equestria. I truly thought out of everypony my guards would be fair but even that was a lie.”

She took of my shackles and made to walk away so I left her with some last words. “Just remember Princess, no one is perfect but some more so than others.” She nodded before walked out another door with her guards. “What do you mean I’m being discharged!?” All the guards and I looked to see Sturrn still talking Celestia. “I’m sorry sergeant, but the requirements state that no guard may have active service past the age of forty five. You, my little pony are forty six years old by a few months.”

Sturrn snorted once more. “But princess, there are still recruits to train and Canterlot still needs me.” She smiled down sadly at the belligerent stallion. “Sergeant, you will have an honorable discharge with full benefits for your years of service to the crown. However, I did say active duty did I not?” He nodded “Correct, you are being let go from the Royal guard but I would like you to stay in the castle as head of the Solar guard.”

Sturrn looked like the weirdest combination of depressed and ecstatic I had ever seen. “Is this because I didn’t tell you about Rorke immediately, Princess?”

“Well a little but mainly this is to be accepted as a reward, but if you don’t want to accept I won’t force you to.” Sturrn looked up to her right in the eye. “No princess, I will accept it graciously but would this be a demotion or promotion?” She laughed a little and continued. “No Sturrn, this is a promotion. You will be Captain of the Solar guard and will be convening with Shining armor if an issue ever arises.”

He left the depressed part of his attitude on the side of the road and sped forward with enthusiasm. “Thank you Princess, you will not regret this decision.” He bowed to her gratefully. “May I go and tell my friends now Princess?” “Yes go and celebrate, don’t worry about telling Rorke though. By the looks of it, he’s heard everything we have said.” ‘Crap, I’m busted.’ Sturrn looked back at me as I tried to be incognito. That attempt fail when it became apparent that something that is six ten can’t hide among creatures that are so short it’s not even funny.

He walked over to me as Celestia told her guards to open the court after my robe is back on. “Hey, I suppose you heard that all huh?”

“Good job Sturrn, although I was expecting a disciplinary action against you, not a promotion but I guess Celestia is cool like that.”

“She is more than that, but I’ll let it pass we have to find Flamberge and Starfall to celebrate. That means you’re also going to tell me what a human is too.” ‘I was really hoping he wouldn’t pick up on that. Especially considering that Celestia skipped over it because she knows about humans already. This is a “Very important game” according to The Doctor, so she probably has her own human piece.’

“Yeah I do don’t I? Well let’s go find your friends and I’ll tell you the whole thing over lunch. It’s only ten so we have some time.

We had to wait an hour for his friends to show up but once they got to us we all made our way to the castle kitchen for a talk with Soup Spoon. I told Soup the news and he was so excited for Sturrn that he ‘liberated’ some premium bottles of vodka just for us. Soup sat down with is making it five and they all proceeded to get introduced and start drinking. Three hours later, I was the sole being of any measure of intelligent thought at the table, and it was only one but at least we got the skeleton talk out of the way without anyone screaming. ‘Now seems as good a time as any to dig for some info and have the human talk.’

“So I says to him, I says that’s not my mother that’s a SOUP CAN!” The ponies at the table burst into laughter and slammed their hooves on the table. I will honestly never understand some pony jokes but Flamberge’s are much harder to understand. “Okay, I gots anotha one-” I interrupted him quickly before the joke could get off the ground.

“Excuse me Flamberge, but on Sturrn’s request I’m supposed to tell the story of how I got to Canterlot. Isn’t that right Sturrn?” I lead the question to him and he seemed to understand there would only be one answer. “Yes I did, so why don’t you regale us with you great story o’ lord Chardstone.”

“Well it all started a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…” I let that drift to them as they sat there. “I was once a creature called a human, just imagine an almost hairless creature that’s bi-pedal like me but a twelve inches shorter. The only hair they have that is of any consequence is on top of their head, the rest of their body is just skin. Are you still with me?” They all shook their heads no. “Let’s try this, do any of you have something to write with and to write on?” Starfall ran into the kitchen and came back out almost immediately with a cutting board and a jar of jelly.

“So you’re the one who has been taking so much of my jelly. I almost didn’t have enough for a cake roll going to Princess Luna last week!” Spoon exclaimed. I was more interested why exactly he brought those two items. “How am I supposed to write anything with jelly and a cutting board?”

Starfall was unfazed by my worry and slapped the board down in front of me while prying the top of the jar with his teeth. ‘That can’t be sanitary at all but what else is he going to use?’ The lid flipped off and he placed the jar down before explaining. “You just dip your claws into the jelly and draw on the board” Surprisingly that was a really good idea. “Okay give me a minute, and remember I’m no Da Vinci so don’t expect much.” I dipped my claw into the jar and began drawing.

A couple minutes later I had a pretty good picture of a human body. I turned the board toward them and began my explanation. “This is what a human male looks like on average.” I pointed at the arms. “These are their arms which as you can see, end in fingers not claws. We use those like I use my claws right now.” Sturrn posed a question immediately. “What do humans use to fight? Are they magical”? I don’t see any horn or really anything that can help them in a fight.” ‘Even drunk Sturrn can still phrase a sentence at normal levels, that’s impressive.’ “No, humans aren’t magical in the least even if some claim to be. The reason humans are the dominate species is two part.

“One reason that we are the dominate species is because of our body. Our brains are the largest; we have opposable thumbs, and lastly we can make and use tools that no other creature on our planet can.” They all looked shocked and I couldn’t blame them. Everything that made their world what it was wasn’t present in my world. Starfall was the first to recover from the stupefaction.

“What about the dragons, ponies, and griffins in your world? Aren’t they capable of making tools and using them? They certainly are capable of doing everything these ‘humans’ can do but much better.” It seems my choice of topic knocked the drunk out of these ponies.

This would probably put these ponies on the floor. “Well I’m glad you ask Starfall. You see humans are the ONLY emphasis on only species of creature on my world that is capable of sentient thought like all of us here.” I guess my prediction was right, Spoon and Flamberge fell out of their chairs and Starfall looked a little wobbly. Sturrn held his ground though so time to see to that. “Also Dragons, Griffins, Diamond dogs, and ponies as you know them don’t even exist on Earth. Earth is the name of the planet by the way.” Yep that did it Spoon, Flamberge, and Starfall clocked out of the waking world in a combination of drunkenness and surprise.

“Sturrn, I don’t suppose you would faint if I told you humans also eat meat by the millions?”

“No I wouldn’t, some creatures eat meat and that is a part of life. I was told that in my briefing when I first joined the guard. You are going to have to try harder than that if you want to put a sergeant of the royal guard down.” ‘Well I could bring up our style of wars, or maybe human cuisine… No that’s just knowledge best left on earth, plus that would be kind of an asshole move.’

My thoughts were interrupted by an earth pony mare speaking to my side. “Excuse me gentlestallions…” I was turned toward her and she just stopped talking immediately. I didn’t know why until Sturrn grabbed my attention and pointed to his muzzle. I assumed it was to me, so I grabbed mine and noticed a distinct lack of fabric covering it. I forgot to put my face wrap back on when I showed Spoon and Sturrn’s friends.

I though quickly for an excuse “I’m not a talking skeleton, if that’s what you’re thinking.” ‘Yes because pointing it out to her won’t set off any alarms at all. We have a certified genius over here.’

She just placed a hoof on the table and grabbed a shot of Spoon’s vodka with the other. “You know what? I don’t care what you are; I have had to deal with preparations for the Gala, Changeling attacks, the elements of harmony TWICE, and that crazy pirate flying around. If you told me a skeleton downing shots of Stalliongrad snow would show up in my dining room today, I wouldn’t be surprised. I just want my chef back, so prep work can continue for the gala.”

She is definitely a mare on a mission. “Yes well, I’m Rorke and your chef is on the floor next to you. It seems he’s all tuckered out from drinking.” She scoffed a little before giving a light laugh. “Yeah well, he can sleep when he’s dead or the gala is over, whichever comes first. My name is Square Cut by the way.” With those parting words she grabbed her chef, and dragged him back to the kitchen.

I turned back to Sturrn. “So, what do we do now? We have two drunk and unconscious guards to lug around.”

Sturrn got up and pushed his chair in before flipping ‘Berge from the floor up onto his back, and walking away slowly. “I don’t know about you but I’m going to drop this one off at the barracks and crawl into bed myself. Just because I don’t have to get up early tomorrow”

“That’s a pretty good plan; I think I’ll join you for such an endeavor.” I grabbed Starfall and we walked toward the barracks for a few minutes, until I broke the silence. “Sturrn, the Princess said you were forty six yet you look like you’re not even twenty six. How does that happen?”

He smiled and kept up his pace as he spoke. “You must be in top physical condition for the royal guard, which is why I was able to keep up with you during our training.”

“I can tell you, I wouldn’t want to fight you but it seems we are here.” We entered the door and placed our charges in their appropriate bunks and looked up at the clock over the door. My friend spoke first. “Well it seems it’s only two thirty, but a nap sounds incredible after the day you and I have had. I be up later.”

With that he made his way to our bunk and slipped under the blanket immediately. It seemed prudent to join him, and even if I didn’t need it today was a stressful day and sleeping it off would be nice. So I ended my very unusual day there, back in the bed that started the whole fiasco. ‘Maybe I won’t get stabbed in my sleep tonight.'

Into the Maelstrom of Battle

Chapter Seven
Into the Maelstrom of Battle

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

I entered my dreamless void once more, content to wait for the slideshow of memories to begin in earnest. My anticipation was rewarded shortly, far off in the black distance a flash of memory came forth. I wasn’t going to waste any time picking a memory so I just stuck my claw out and grabbed the shimmering screen as it came by. The glimpse of the memory that I saw before touching it was interesting. The whole thing was a series of fights Rorke was in. ‘Maybe I’ll learn where he got his knack for fighting.’

An eternity passed before I opened my eyes once more, but the location was different from last time I recounted his memories. I noticed a few things right away. One, Rorke was just waking up, and the first thing to catch my eye was a very female anubite that had managed ensnare his chest in a vice grip of sleep cuddling. The second thing I noticed was really weird. The bed looked like a modern bed setup, somehow a civilisation that was behind the present by thousands of years had acquired the knowledge of coiled spring mattresses.

However to top it all off the same dog that was with Rorke last time, was looking at him through a partially opened doorway. He looked ragged and anxious, like he need to speak immediately. Rorke looked up at him and took notice of his state. “Solaron? Why are you in the priestess’ house? What do you need this urgently?”

Solaron spoke fast and incoherently but somehow my body’s last owner seemed to understand it. “Can you go a little slower my friend? I didn’t quite get all that.” Or he didn’t but can I blame him, not really. “I said Rorke wake up...” ‘I swear to whatever dead anubite priests swear to, if I wake and can’t retrieve this memory I’m going to be pissed, and the pony who woke me up is getting a claw to the eye.’

Unfortunately that was the case however. The dream started to peel away like wallpaper revealing the black void of the dreamscape. Once every bit of what could have been historical context was ripped away my eyes opened. How does someone without eyes or eyelids open their eyes? I’m not entirely sure but it works like this. I wake up and my eyes open after that I never blink and they only close when I attempt to sleep.

A sweet voice like dripping honey on sugar cookies spoke. “Please wake up Rorke, we have much to speak of.” I turned my skull toward the sleeping time offender while my right claw launched like a missile toward their face. Rather bad luck though. The offender was none other than Princess Celestia and my claw was still rocketing toward her eye. I wretched my arm back, stopping the bone knives I call my fingers mere centimeters from her right eye. ‘She doesn’t even have a hint of fear in her eyes. That’s impressive but considering the fact that she could bring the power of the sun down to earth I wouldn’t fear much either.’

“I’m glad my face can remain intact another day, this is almost reason to celebrate.” She said with a genuine smile of no ill intent as I brought my claw away from her face. “I was joking about the celebration but I did bring an old friend a present. Maybe in hopes that you would help me with a project tomorrow.” She fluttered her eyelashes at me like one would expect Rarity to do.

I sighed “Well let me get out of bed and put my gear on. Are there any guard in here or coming in?”

“No, nopony is in here and I’ll put up a barrier while you change into your “gear”.” She rose her hooves up in air quotes. Her horn gave off a light for a moment as I brought my body away from the bunk before it resumed its’ normal white unglowing appearance.

I decided to tease the alicorn a bit, seeing as I’m at least for the moment a free person. “Now princess, don’t look while I change. Wouldn’t want you to see something you couldn’t unsee.” I started taking off my robe as she spoke. “Oh but Rorke, I truly enjoyed your little strip show yesterday in court. I think I dreamt about it last night with all that excitement.” ‘Wait what did she say? Not the strip show part, yesterday?’

I continued reassembling my apparel into satisfactory condition as I questioned her. “Princess, what do you mean yesterday? How long was I sleeping?”

“We tried to wake you several time but according to Captain Lash, you were down for at least eighteen hours. It’s currently nine thirty two Canterlot time.”

“That’s weird, but not entirely unheard of to sleep that long, it was a stressful day to say the least.” I finished putting on my armor and only needed my gauntlet and weapons then I would be done. “Does the whole castle know about me yet or just the guard?”

She grimaced but relaxed just as quick. “I swore the solar guard to personal secrecy and that it would be viewed as a personal offence for them to reveal your skeletal nature to those outside of the guard. Seeing as Pvt. Auburn was part of the Lunar Guard, my sister also had to tell her guard, even though none of them knew. So no, no one beyond my sister and I as well as the Solar, Lunar, and the three branches of the Royal Guard.”

“I thought it was weird that there was a Solar, Lunar, and Royal Guard. Would you mind explaining that a bit?”

She gave a calming smile that reeked of serenity. “Of course, it can be rather confusing to those outside of the guard. First there is the Solar Guard, they are the daytime police force for Canterlot and handle daily patrols in the city. The Lunar Guard handle the same work just simply at night.”

‘That made sense, I can at least keep up to that point.’ “Ok, I’m with you so far. What is unique about the Royal Guard that confuses people?”

“The Royal Guard is split up into three sections for each race of pony. You being human probably already know about Captain Shining Armor, do you not?” I nodded as we stood in the middle of the barracks. “Good, he is considered the Captain of the Royal Guard in actuality he only leads the unicorns segment. Captain Barricade Shy leads the pegasi and Captain Harbinger Doom leads the earth ponies. Together they make up the Royal Guard and they are the ones who are responsible for the defence of the castle and would be the first ones into any battle Equestria finds itself in. Any questions so far?”

“Yes but not really about the guard, would Captain Barricade happen to have any relation to Fluttershy?” She nodded. “I’m guessing... mother?”

She gave me a calm smile. “You would be correct, but how did you know? Barricade could be a stallion or mares name.” ‘Time to flash a little thought process... even if I did just guess.’

“To guess that her father was in the guard would seem a little obvious, especially considering the female to male ratio. She probably gets her eternal shyness from her father correct?”

“You would be correct in that assumption.” She said. “Though I have yet to meet her father, apparently meeting me gets him so nervous he can’t follow through. Quite a shame really, I would enjoy meeting him. Is that all?”

I searched my mind for another question and a couple rose up. “So you made Sturrn the daytime equivalent of police chief for Canterlot? Wasn’t there already a Solar Guard Captain, and wouldn’t there be a lot of paperwork or something?”

She had this little self approving smirk on that told me she bent the rules on that one a bit. “You would be amazed how much red tape can be cut simply by being a princess. To answer your question though, no there wasn’t one before him for approximately three months. No other good prospects came up, so I put them all under the command of Shining Armor.”

‘That pretty much sums that up. She said something about a present earlier though, and it isn’t even my birthday.’ “You can lower the barrier now princess, I’ve been decent for a while.” She blushed slightly and the visible twinge of magic on the door down the hall left. “It seems I was swept up in the conversation, you are really a most inquisitive human.”

I stared at her with what I hope was exasperation. Not having eyes or any facial muscles to speak of can make it hard to express emotions through visual aspects. Having my face totally obscured by cloth doesn’t help either. She looked at my cold stare, and it seems she understood that even with my short stay in this body I can no longer consider myself human and being labeled as such feels wrong.

“I-I’m sorry Rorke, excuse me I shouldn’t stutter. You don’t seem to appreciate being called a human, would you like to be called an anubite or something else?” She said

“I would like to be called an anubite, being called a human seems a little disrespectful to my predecessor. Enough of that though, you said you had a present earlier if I help you with a project?”

The glimmer in her eyes was there. “Yes, but first we might want to go to another more suitable location. What do you think of the castle dining hall?” I nodded. “Excellent, I’ll teleport us there right now.” Her overly long horn sparked up with a bright light and we were standing next to a dining room table fit for two. We both sat down as she began. “I’m glad that you can’t be affected by teleportation sickness, it can be rather messy to clean up.”

Did I even want to guess what teleportation sickness did to someone? Probably not, it most likely involved the evacuation of one’s lunch from their stomach. I spoke in a whisper so as not to alert anyone. “Yes well being dead does have some benefits. No pain, fatigue, or biological functions. Good or bad they’re all gone.”

She stared intently at me but her gaze was lower than my face. I looked down and saw that there were plenty of gashes in my robe. All of them were revealing bones and areas that would usually be occupied by internal organs. “Princess-” She interrupted quickly but in a calm way. “Actually Rorke, you may just call me Celestia or...” She had the faintest of blushes on her muzzle. “Tia if you want, it’s up to your discretion. Just don’t say it in front of other ponies.”

“Okay Tia, can you work a bit of magic and fix my robe? I don’t want to freak out the tailor and have to explain what I am to her.” Her blush disappeared and I could feel the threads on my robe weave back together. “Thank you, now this mysterious gift?”

“Ahh yes, one second.” True to her word a second later a medium sized box came into existence next to her head and floated its way over to me. “This belonged to Rorke of the past and I thought you might want it. He gave it to me along with the axe, sword, and gauntlet you now possess. I kept this out of the museum because it felt important to do so.”

I tore into the simply wrapping on the box and used my claw to cut the box open. Lifting the flaps open revealed a type of hat that was purely egyptian in form. A difference was prevalent though by way of a metal fixture on the top. Celestia saw my confused stance as I peered into the box. “It’s the headdress of the High Priest, Rorke wore it when he led his people. It has been kept magically preserved like your gauntlet. Why don’t you pull it out and take a better look at it?”

I did as she said and pulled the headpiece out. The metal part was some kind of steel segmented mohawk. The pieces of metal were as thin as the back of a kitchen knife and the tops were just as sharp and flat. They were spaced about an inch from each other and resembled a shark’s fin if you cut about a third of the way down. They were about four inches long and just as tall, with five segments in all

The rest of the piece was a sturdy cloth that was striped except on the inside where a piece of unknown material secured the steel segments to the rest of it. “The whole thing is called a nemes.” Celestia’s voice snapped me out of my examination stupor. “The metal part was originally a separate headpiece but Rorke united the two crowns of the lower and upper southern sands. He fought the previous high priest for the title. I think he called the event...” She sat in her chair and pondered for a moment before coming back with an answer. “I believe he called it ‘The Horus Heresy’ for the name of the main instigator, Horus. From what he told me, a fully half of his priesthood rebelled and fought against their fellow anubites.

‘Wait, what? The Horus Heresy... was the name of the event. Where half of the priesthood committed heresy and attacked their fellow brothers?’ My mind was flooded with previously forgotten knowledge. ‘Seriously the HORUS HERESY! They couldn’t have picked another name!? I get it, Horus is the war god of Egyptian mythology but seriously?’ Once more the Princess brought me back to reality. “Why don’t you try it on? It is yours after all.” I placed my axe on the ground and held the hat with both hands.

‘That smile again, I swear it’s almost like mental compulsion. She could get anyone to do what she wanted with it.’ I slipped the rather eccentric crown on and stood up as I adjusted it. The whole thing clung to my head rather snugly, but what can you expect when it was made for me by my predecessor. “This actually feels rather fitting. Does it looks as good?”

“Yes, you look like the very image of Rorke himself. I suppose that is a bit redundant though considering you are him. Now, do you have any question I can answer? I’ve taken today and tomorrow away from preparing for the gala.” She replied

“Any chance an old friend could join the party?” I asked half joking half serious. The Doctor did say other humans would be making their attendance known. I wasn’t expecting her reply though. “Of course you can have a ticket, you are a castle guest after all. Sturrn will be receiving one too, as a congratulation present for his promotion. Don’t worry I’ll put both our names on the card.” She said that last part with a cheeky smile but it was funny.

Actually getting a ticket threw me for a loop though, I didn’t imagine she would be that free with the tickets to such an exclusive event. ‘She IS expecting a band of pirates and some kind of wolf to show up though, so it may be expected.’

We continued talking for a few hours on various subjects. They ranged from the exploits of her favorite pirate, the so called “Griffin the griffin” to current news among Canterlot. Apparently my jump onto the rooftops by the marketplace was seen by a few passersby. Eventually I broached the subject of Rorke and who he was like, she had a lot of knowledge about him but almost nothing about the anubites themselves. ‘She probably has some books in the library about them.’

Right then, my favorite chef came out of the kitchen door with his sous chef in tow. They had perfect timing as well because the conversation was just ending. Spoon and Square both bowed to the princess as they approached. “Greetings Princess, is there anything would like to eat seeing as it’s lunchtime?” Soup Spoon said. ‘Square Cut looks a lot less grouchy when she doesn’t have an incapacitated chef to haul back to the kitchen.’

Neither Celestia or I had been around anyone together since talking, but apparently when she talks to her subjects she puts on a mask of sorts. The kind where she looks totally serene and calm, that everything in the world is at ease, and the gaze she casts from her eyes just oozes of ancient wisdom. “Of course, I’ll have a daisy sandwich with a glass of ice water.” She turned to the idle sous chef. “And Square cut , if I could have one of your signature salads in a small bowl please.”

“Of course Princess.” They both said in unison, Soup turned to me. “Unless you’ve grown since last night I don’t suppose you’ll be having anything to eat, will you?” I shook my head. “No okay, one daisy sandwich with ice water and a house salad on the side. We’ll have it out here for you as fast as possible Princess.” The two chefs made their way back toward the kitchen door.

“It seems you have quite the bond with my head chef. How did that come about, might I ask?” I told her of the quest for coffee and bouts of drinking that had occurred up to this point. “He knows that you aren’t exactly alive but does he know that you were human?” She asked with a tinge of worry.

“Yes he does, a pair of guards named Flamberge and Starfall know as well. I explained it to them and drew a picture of what one looks like with some jam on a cutting board.” She looked like she was between emotions, whether it would be better to worry more or laugh. “What flavor was the jam?” She asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“I think it was either raspberry or strawberry, but apparently I’m quite the artist when it comes to rudimentary diagrams with roughly human like shapes.” I replied. It must have been the right answer because her urge to laugh won out.

“Let’s see if my skills.” She snickered a little. “Can match up to your gelatin based artistic prowess.” A brief flash of light and a cutting board was floating in front of her with a jar of strawberry jam floating next to it. ‘She seems a lot more playful than I would have expected she would be.’

“Why don’t you take a heroic stance and I’ll make a portrait of you?” She said.

I needed a little input first. “Which would look better, the sword?” I drew my khopesh out of the cloth that comprised a makeshift belt/sword sheath and held it in my right hand. “Or would my double ended axe be better?” I reached down and picked up the weapon in question as I spoke.

She put a hoof to her chin as she pondered the choice. After a moment she lowered her hoof and came to a decision. “The sword looks better in a portrait, so why don’t you put the axe back on the ground and we can get started before my food gets here.” I did just that and then proceeded to strike the cliche pose, sword pointing up and forward like I was leading a charge of men. “Yes just like that, hold still now I should be done quick.”

A couple minutes later, her food had been delivered and she was almost done. “This turned out to be a pleasant day, no calamities to speak of at all quite a change of pace.” She relented.

She might have spoken too soon, a pony in rather familiar looking armor was running up to her from across the dining room. “You might want to rescind that last statement, somepony is coming over here.” She huffed a sigh and didn’t even bother to turn her head. “I guess having an uneventful day conversing peacefully just wasn’t in my future.” I just maintained my stance and watched the guard coming closer.

About twenty feet away from us the guard, who I could now discern as a stallion began to gather magic in his horn as he charged forward. I broke form and looked at him. “Rorke I’m almost done, just a little longer.” I couldn’t properly form words at that moment. The stallion had released his magic causing a giant three by three kite shield made of purple magic to rocket toward me. “Shining Armor?” I muttered

My identification of the stallion was a little late however. The Princess looked at me just in time for the shield to zoom past her and slam into me HARD... If I still had a normal body that probably would have killed me, as it is I heard several breaks and could feel my right forearm dangling by almost nothing. That wasn’t the worst part though, Shining had kept charging after his attack and Celestia had screamed in surprise falling out of her chair in the process. She wouldn’t be stopping this fight immediately.

I got the worst of it though, and was sent literally flying across the room because of my lack of mass to slow me down. Everything in my flight path to the other end was either forced out of the way or shattered on impact. Unfortunately, shattering was the fate of a few chairs and a single table. “Die!” He shouted in his surferboy accent as he charged toward my still flying body.

I thought to myself as I flew through the air. ‘I didn’t think he would actually sound like that. He should get a voice swap with Sturrn, a lot more commanding.’ The actually stopping process to my flight took almost five seconds, luckily this was a smooth floor or my robe would have been torn apart. I picked myself up and realized I no longer had a weapon except my gauntlet.

He was still charging in with magic flaring on his horn as I righted myself. His magic formed into a purple sphere around his body and it looked like his intent was just to slam into me. “I’ll put you in the grave assassin!” He shouted... five feet away from me.

I had knew I couldn’t win that fight, why not have a bit of fun with it? “You might want to have a chat with your Princess, she could tell you NO GRAVE can hold my body down.” ‘Of course, let’s start death based banter. That always wins people over.’

He seemed dead set on proving me wrong because when that shield hit me my body couldn’t give an ounce of resistance Why should it provide resistance though? He couldn’t hurt me even when he tried too. My body crumpled to the floor several feet from my launching point, I just got up again. He must not get a lot of things that get up from his attacks that much because he looked legitimately confused. “Now I’m not much for fighting, would you like to stop this and perhaps have some lunch with me and Celestia? Maybe we can figure out why you’re so aggressive. Did your dad not give you enough hugs?” Times like that were moments when I wished I could smile, he didn’t share the same sentiment.

If mentioning Celestia made him angry, the crack about his dad got him pissed. He dropped the shield and started firing bolts of magic at me from less than twelve feet away. Surprisingly no other guards had ran into the hall even with all the noise. He shot his bolts at an impressive rate but I dove behind an overturned table. There was no sense in just giving him an easy target, that is until he levitated the table up and slammed it on top of me.

Totally pinned underneath the circular piece of wood, he actually had the gall to saunter over to me as I lay on the ground. “You shouldn’t have come here. You’re under arrest for the attempted assassination of a royal Princess, damage of castle property, and resisting arrest.”

I couldn’t feel my hat on top of my head anymore and that wasn’t something I wanted to lose. “Hey Shining do you see my hat anywhere?”

“What?” He looked like I had just asked him to tell my fortune, and just stood over me. ‘At least my face cover had stayed on this time.’

I explained. “My hat, you see it’s the crown of my people and I don’t want to spend my time in jail without it. So could you be a pal and get it for me while CELESTIA GETS UP!” I shouted the last bit past him hoping she would intervene. I didn’t feel like rotting away in jail till my bones turned to dust.

He got butthurt at me for it though. “Hey, don’t talk to my Princess like that, she deserves respect” He leaned in toward me. “and you will give it to her.” This set up a moment that no matter how much I detest them, I couldn’t give it up.

Luckily I could see Celestia getting up and taking flight over to us. I waited until she landed to continue. “So Shining, you want me to give it to your Princess?”

“Yes.” His look of triumph was unmistakable, and much to my amusement Celestia stood behind him quietly.

I went on. “So, what you’re saying is that you want me to give it to your Princess, and you want me to give it to her because she deserves it.” It took a moment for him to understand but when it came his face went red immediately.

“T-t-that’s not what I meant I-” He stuttered but a large alicorn behind him coughed gently to draw his attention. He turned around as if doing so would be a death sentence.

Celestia had her trademark grin on as she spoke softly. “Shining Armor, though I appreciate your attempts to set me up with Rorke I should inform you that the discussion on my love life has been moved from today to the council meeting next week.” The poor stallion looked flustered at best but since I still had a table on top of me, I went on.

“Now Captain, does this mean I can spank her too?” After that comment I almost felt bad for him. Almost. His face told me he understood but I even got a blush to cross the royal face.

She was quick to rebuttal though. “I’m sorry but it just couldn’t work between us my friend.” The smirk that I knew foretold a pun spread onto said royal face. Shining heard the friend part though and set to work lifting the table off of me as she spoke. “You just don’t have enough meat on your bones.”

‘SON OF A... GAHHH!!! I thought Trollestia was just a stupid joke from the internet! I guess some things take ground in reality. If she wants to play this game though, I’ll play and I will win.’ “Princess, you break my heart like a toy” I pointed at her horn with just the tip of my claw so I wouldn’t have to speak with Shining till this little competition was over. “but I can tell you’re excited to see me, you horn is rock hard..” ‘If this had been a boxing match, she would be on the ropes right now.

Her face ran red quickly and I took the lull in our verbal sparring to stand up and retrieve my crown, which lay a few feet away from where I had been on the ground. She spoke again once it was secure on top of my head. “You seem to be really good at this, but you would have to be or it would be the death of you.”

‘This is just getting bad now, a last volley perhaps?’ “Yes well, I’ve been able to wing it for quite a while.” ‘That sounded so much better in my head...”

She looked at me and then Shining before coming back to me. “Rorke for all our sakes, let’s say you won so we can bring my confused guard Captain up to speed.”

“I think that’s a good idea but you won that, my last one was pretty bad.” She nodded in agreement before we both turned to my least favorite pony at that moment. “Why don’t you take a seat right over there.” I gestured toward a single upright table set up with three chairs. The Chris Hansen impression was just a little bonus for me. Celestia’s horn lit up a bit and everything in the room began to piece itself back together before it stopped and she took a seat at the table.

So began the dreaded hour long discussion and eventual culmination of my favorite event, the great reveal. I looked to Celestia for the go ahead, she gave me the nod so I proceeded forward. “So Captain Armor what can you tell me about the anubites?”

He looked perplexed but the gears were moving. “Umm... Well they were a race of creatures similar to diamond dogs but they stood up much straighter and were quite tall. They hailed from the currently uncharted Southern Sands of the world. According to the archives, they suffered some sort of catastrophe and have either been wiped out or are yet to be located in any number.”

‘Seems he knows his history, let’s see if we can bump it up a notch and jog his memory on particulars.’ I prepped a couple questions in my head real quick. “You’re pretty well versed in the cultures of other nations but you captain a third of the Royal Guard so it’s to be expected. Now for the hard stuff. What do you know of their culture and their leader?”

He didn’t seem to like my questioning even with the complement I paid him. “I’m sorry Princess, but what is this all about? Why am I getting a history review about a dead race?”

Ever calm in the face of emotion, Celestia spoke up. “I’m sorry to just spring this upon you Captain, I’m sure you’re quite busy but it is wholly necessary that these questions be answered.”

“Okay Princess.” He turned back to me with a well disguised scowl. “It seems your parents must have been history buffs as well, because the leader of their nation and populace was named Rorke Chardstone. He was some sort of religious figure as well as a political one. Their culture was very similar to how Equestria is run today, even their technology was thousands of years ahead of the times in places such as having modern mattresses to sleep on.”

‘The knowledge is pretty old but the Princess probably wrote it down and put it in the library if the guard knows about it. I wonder if he will freak out, get angry like Sturrn, or just roll with it like Spoon and Sturrn’s friends?’ I stood up just to be a little dramatic with the whole thing. “You have quite the knowledge on the subject, considering this info is what 6 or 7000 years old, right Princess?”

“Rorke I told you to just call me Celestia, there is no need for titles from one ruler to another. But yes, I would say around 7000 years old.” The accented unicorn in front of me must have caught the ruler part, because his eyes grew bigger than what was probably healthy for him.

“Well now he knows that I’m a ruler, but he should have known that from earlier when I called my headwear a crown. Now is the time for a leap of faith my horned fellow, can you guess what nation I lead?”

He stood up and walked over to my side of the table to begin his examination of my person. He looked up and down my body from every conceivable perspective. He put a hoof on my gauntlet and examined it for a moment, luckily he didn't try to peer into my robes but that probably would have been inappropriate despite my lack of skin.

He finished his look over and we both took a seat at the table once more. Celestia looked as though she knew her bright Captain would know the answer easily, I wasn’t so sure. He actually had to think about it and examine me, if he was listening he would have guessed anubites immediately. “Do you have all your info in order? Are you ready to give your answer?” He nodded. “Well let’s hear it and please go through your thought process please.”

“My thoughts go along this line. You seem to be extremely tall to my estimates around 6’9”. I haven't seen you slouch once since meeting you. When we fought you took hits that others simply could not take without serious injury. I can see you are dog like in your appearance but lack a tail. You have weapons I have not seen in action and ponies don’t know a lot about your people at all. That being the case we couldn’t know that your style of headwear would be a crown or just a fashion statement. So my guess would be...”

Celestia had a grin spread across her face and though I was skeptical, I figured he would probably get the right answer. He stood up from his seat and slammed one forehoof on the table and pointed the other directly at me. He didn’t quite shout but used a loud voice to announce his answer. “You’re an Alpha diamond dog leader from one of the hollows in Gem Fido her to negotiate with Princess Celestia.” My face couldn’t change expression but Celestia’s did.

Her mouth dropped to the floor and her eyes were staring at her guard Captain, silently asking how he could have possibly come to that conclusion from our conversation so far. He obliged her with an explanation. “We haven’t met any alpha’s in some official capacity, we do know that any alpha has certain traits about them though. Traits like being much taller than other diamond dog’s, excellent speech patterns, having much better combat prowess along with a higher resistance to pain and being able to ford through damage that others of your race couldn’t.” He took a breath before continuing.

“The crown threw me off for a moment but like I said we don’t know a lot about your nation or its tradition headgear. The gauntlet is what sealed it for me though, other dogs respect gem wealth and power. Using a little magic I saw you have some incredibly powerful enchantments on that glove of yours. I’ve never seen the black metal or the script that is written all over it but it reeks of authority and the gems have the capacity to hold insane levels of magic in them. That is why I think you’re an Alpha diamond dog.” He put his hoof down and resumed his seat with a sense of hubris about him.

Celestia and I both performed our versions of a simultaneous facepalm. I had used my gloved hand but lowered it quickly so I could speak. I leaned in across the table slightly as Celestia mumbled ‘Oh Captain Armor.’ Truthfully I didn’t need to say it but it would be better for him to hear it from me. “Are you dense or something? Who do you REALLY think I am?!” He didn’t look like he appreciated being called that, but Celestia was right on the edge of agreeing with me if I hadn’t blatantly insulted him. “I’m a goddamn anubite! I AM Rorke Chardstone.” I leaned across the table further.

“My parents weren’t history buffs, they were history. Why would we talk about the anubites otherwise? I fit every criteria for them, even my name was from them and you still guessed wrong.” I backed off the table and sat down again, crossing my arms.

He looked pretty pissed off and embarrassed that he guessed so wrong that I was insulting him for it but Celestia spoke before he could say anything. “Rorke, though I don’t agree with you insulting my guard Captain, I think it would be prudent to show him why he was wrong. Maybe an apology too, if you can muster it.”

‘Okay maybe I didn’t need to insult him but he was so wrong it hurt.’ I put my arms back down. “Sorry about the dense thing but that answer was really far off, I can see where you came from though.” That seemed to placate him a bit. “Let me show you what I mean when I say I’m Rorke, because you’re probably thinking to yourself how it could be possible, am I correct?”

“That would be correct.” He said. “But more so in the fact that Rorke died, his body was on display in a museum a while back. So either you're lying to me and the Princess or something happened that shouldn’t have.” He looked particularly grim and it gave me just enough of a feeling to know he wasn’t going to take kindly that one of the dead had risen up. ‘Technically it would be spirit possession. A body without a soul gets reanimated by a soul from another.

“Celestia can you make sure no one comes into the hall as I do this?” I said.

“Rorke, don’t you think it’s odd that even with all the shouting and breaking objects, that neither a guard or any pony at all has come in her besides our two chefs from earlier?” I tilted my head slightly sideways in the universal sign for the requirement of further explanation. “I placed a spell on all the doors leading in here so that the opener must have my permission to enter, additionally I soundproofed the room and put a two way vision spell on the windows. Right now this room is totally confidential toward all the knowledge within it.”

‘Clever thinking, all the place is missing is a bug sweep for listening devices and nothing would get out.’ I turned to the guard as I stood up. “Captain Armor, just know that we have been talking peacefully and I would like it to stay that way.” I took of my mohawked crown and slowly peeled off the coverings, revealing my fleshless skull to him.

I kept him directly in my vision for a few seconds before moving on. I shifted a bit in my armor and robe before finally getting a wide opening that showed off my rib cage and lack of organs. I thought he was white regularly but if I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn he contracted the plague and was in the midst of dying. His mouth was moving but words refused to come out so I moved on. I bent down and pulled my robe up a couple feet, revealing my leg bones as well as the strips of brown fabric I had put on my feet to stop the clacking of bare bones on the ground.

He was blanched at the sight of me but it looked as though he wouldn’t become violent, I couldn’t blame him though, I probably looked like some abhorrent undead demon creature sent here to gain their trust and kill the Princesses. Luckily ‘Tia came to my rescue with some calming words. “Captain Armor, please look at me.” He tried to pull his eyes from me failing a couple times in the process before succeeding in looking toward the her.

“Rorke has been in the castle, working with the Solar Guard for almost a week now. You heard this earlier already, but he exposed a xenophobic and potentially violent guard to us before he could hurt anyone. The creature you look so worried at, was set on fire in the process of apprehending a market thief. He could have hurt many ponies already but instead helped them, even going on trial to prove his worth and innocence.” She got up and placed a hoof on him as he looked to her. “You have nothing to fear, you’re the Captain of the Unicorn Guard and I know, nothing can break you.”

He stopped looking at her and looked back at me. I saw a bright spark of life behind his eyes, it looked like her words set his soul aflame. He stood up from his chair and walked over to me as I had busied myself with putting my face wrap back on. “Rorke, can you take off you head wrap and come down to my height?” I obliged him and revealed my skull once more, before lowering my stature till I was on one knee and looking at him eye to eye.

He gave a breath before reaching up with a hoof and touching my skull. It was one of the more uncomfortable moments in my life... ‘Okay he’s been touching my face for almost a minute and he’s going awful slow about it. If I didn’t know about his wife, this would probably be a little suspect.’ I stood up and apparently the action had snapped him out of his daydreaming because he jumped a little. “Okay, this has been an experience but i’m done having my face touched.”

“I noticed your magic was working slightly, what were you doing?” Celestia questioned. I hadn’t seen his horn glow though.

He backed away from me before answering. “I was flooding magic into my hoof and reading the echo’s of magic off of him. I wanted to see what is keeping him alive.” ‘Wow, I don’t think I appreciate him doing that without telling me. He wasn’t inclined to say anything before Celestia asked him, seems like he wasn’t going to tell me.’

I took a step toward him but he spoke before I could. “Can you do magic?”

“No I can’t, and whatever you learned about me I want to know, now.” I used my most authoritative voice possible but it didn’t faze him in the least. That is until Celestia spoke up, using a not quite angry voice but she was mad.

“Captain Shining Armor, you will stop this blatant aggression and provocation toward my friend immediately or there will be repercussions. Am I understood?”

“Yes Princess.” He said with his head hung low.

“Good, now Rorke I told you about a project earlier correct.” I nodded. “Well it would have entail doing what he did but with your whole body. I would flood your system with magic and we could visibly see what is keeping you alive. Captain can you tell me what you saw?”

He perked up a bit. “Of course Princess, I saw nothing but power. His body is like a living gemstone, it’s burning magic to keep him alive but like a regular body it’s also making it too. The reason I asked if he could use magic is because, he has more power stored in him than Cadence does, if he could tap that power he would probably give my sister a run for her money.” This got Celestia to pay special interest to his words. “The problem is that all of its inert magic, even if he had a horn to channel it nothing would happen.”

“I see, Rorke we must go to the library and find some things for tomorrow. Thank you for listening Captain.” She started to walk away.

Shining walked over to her. “Wait Princess, I came here originally to tell you something.”

“Yes?”

“Knightmare will be finishing reconstruction some time tomorrow. Is there anything you need him to do before he comes back?” He spoke Knightmare like it was venom.

“No, tell Captain Barricade that they should come back as soon as they’re done.

He nodded and they both began to walk away. I still had something to say to Armor though. “Celestia, I’ll meet you in the library. I need to talk to the Captain her.”He wasn’t expecting that but she did.

“Of course Rorke, don’t take too long he still has some prepping for the Gala to do.”

She walked a bit before opening the door and walking out. I grabbed my crown off the table and put it on as I walked over to the only pony in the room. “Armor-”

He interrupted immediately “It’s CAPTAIN Shining Armor.”

“Okay look, I’m done trying to be nice. You throwing a fit because of me doesn’t add up, you sassed your Princess, and have been an overall asshole since I meet you. What’s wrong? You’re a Captain, things like this don’t just happen for a reason.”

He shifted his eyes a bit, like he was mentally weighing his options before coming to a decision. He huffed an angry breath and lowered his head a bit. “Queen Chrysalis actually has the gall to show up at the castle, like she didn’t ruin my wedding day.” He brought his head up. “She comes back after a failed invasion that almost killed Princess Luna, succeeded in killing several ponies, as well as kidnapping and impersonating my wife!” He slammed his hoof down to accent his anger. “Then there’s Knightmare, another changeling that Celestia seems to have taken an interest in for some reason.”

He continued in his rant. “Then a bucking skeleton dog shows up, what would you be acting like!?”

I knew exactly what I would act like. “You want to know what I would act like? I’ll tell you what I would act like, I would deal with it. I know there is no point in talking to you about hating changelings in general but don’t dwell in your hatred. You should love your wife more since she’s back and make sure nothing like that ever happens again. If you dwell too far into the past, then you risk not being able to get out. As for me showing up, just remember that I have done nothing but good for Equestria since getting here.”

He searched my nonexistent eyes for a moment before speaking. “Okay, I will. I’ll deal with it, and something like that will never befall Equestria again as long as I’m still standing.” I nodded a bit. “I’m still going to hate Knightmare and Chrysalis though.”

“You act like I was trying to change that. No, that’s your choice entirely and nothing I can say would change that. I should get to the library though.”

“I can see why you’re the Princess’s friend. You’re a good thinker and if it’s a conciliation, I’ll put in a word for you to the Royal Guard and the other Captains.” He gave me a genuine smile with his statement as he walked away.

I soon followed him out the door and began my walk to the library and the Princess.

They Shall Regret Facing us

Chapter Eight
They Shall Regret Facing us

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

It had taken a few minutes, a few stares from passing guards thanks to my weapons, and then asking those guards for directions but I eventually arrived at the library doors. After heaving open the surprisingly heavy door I found Celestia waiting for me next to a stack of books, she wasn’t too happy though. I walked over to her and leaned my axe up against a nearby bookcase as she spoke. “I’m sorry for not telling you how to get here. You didn’t have too much trouble did you?”

“No, I wandered aimlessly for a few minutes before asking a few guards. So what are we doing?” I replied.

“Something has come up I’m afraid. We will be unable to proceed through in my project. I must be going but you’re welcome to use the library to your heart’s content, the Star Swirl the Bearded section is off limits though.”

“What came up?” It seemed a little conspicuous that all of a sudden she has to leave, and right when I get there.

“It seems one of my guests to the Gala has shown up earlier than expected.” She walked over and leaned close to my face. “Rorke, I know that you know her, but I want you to promise me that you won’t talk about, talk to, or even be around her. Can you do that for me? You may not be the original Rorke that I knew all those years but you’re still Rorke and I need you to do this for me.” She looked distressed to no end.

“Of course I can do that, but would your early guest be Queen Chrysalis?” Her eyes bugged out for a moment in actual surprise that I knew who she was talking about. “I was talking to Shining Armor, remember? Well as you can guess, he REALLY doesn’t like her or another changeling named Knightmare. Apparently you’ve taken a liking to Knightmare.”

Her eyes shifted ever so slightly, almost nonexistent but I was looking for that and it gave me all the info I needed to solidify a hypothesis. “Yes well, he’s a traveling minstrel and I hired him on as entertainment for the Gala. Speaking of which, I should be going.” She walked much faster than she needed to but then again, I hadn’t seen her nervous about anything. Ever.

A plan was put into effect at that moment. “Wait Tia, how will I get into the Starswirl the Bearded section?” She turned around and brought a sun medallion into existence and shot it over into my possession.

She shouted back to me as she left. “Just show that to the guard and he’ll unlock the room for you.” With that done she left the room. ‘I didn’t think that would actually work. She’s hiding something big and my guess says Chrysalis isn’t the half of it.’ I looked up toward a clock by the door she ran out, and saw it was only six forty two. It was around that time that life set in for me.

I was in the biggest archive of knowledge in probably the whole world, and I had unlimited access to it all. “This definitely makes up for being dead.” I threw myself into the repository of equestrian knowledge with a fervor and had grabbed five books on various subjects. It was going to be a long night. Though I usually avoided it, when I studied talking to myself was an excellent way to hold a conversation. “First up is uhhh.” I threw my stack of textbook sized literature on to a conveniently placed table. “Ahh, first up is ‘The roving lands of the world’ this should be full of geography.”

I continued muttering to myself as I listed off the titles. “Second is ‘Great advances of the millenia’. This one is only a year old, pretty recent.” I placed it next to the first. “Next is ‘The tragedy of an Alicorn’ I’m guessing that is about Princess Luna. I wonder if she would be willing to talk to me about her exile?”

A smooth voice came from behind me. “That depends how nicely you ask. Who knows, maybe we’ll tell you.”

I spun around quickly in my seat and standing behind me in full regalia was the Princess of the night. “Princess Luna! I didn’t realize you were there, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, you being human like Griffin means you know about Nightmare Moon. Would that be correct to assume?” I nodded as she circled to my front and took a seat on the other side of the table. “Well then, let us tell you about the moon. Contrary to some rather foalish claims, we weren't sent TO the moon. The Elements of Harmony sealed us IN the moon with a magical stasis.”

Her demeanor changed from the smooth entrance she had made into a slight downcast temperament, it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it. “Princess-”

She interrupted me. “We may not have known you in life and you're technically not Rorke but we think you can forgo the formalities. Luna would be fine.”

“I see, then Luna, why do you insist on using the royal ‘we’ if you wish to do away with formalities?”

My comment caught her off guard and she stumbled for words before taking a breath and continuing. “We- I use it because court life can be quite dreary as you may well know, correct?” I gave my approval. “When I’m holding court, I like to use the ‘we’ and if a situation calls for it ‘The Royal Canterlot Voice’. They lighten things up, even if it does wake Celestia up sometimes.” She had a knowing smile on.

“I would have imagined both you and your sister to be such pranksters. Doesn’t really fit with the persona of the alicorn sisters.” We both nodded before she began again. “Life was as simple as that. I could feel the years pass but I was numb to the actual change they brought. I was constantly shifting between the waking world and the realm of dreams with the only constant being my sister’s voice calling out to me.” She had a sad smile this time. “She told me how she would fly up to the tallest mountain nearby, just to be closer to the moon and speak to me every night.”

I was getting depressed at that point and Luna looked ready to start crying. “Luna, maybe we should talk about something else.”

She sighed audibly. “That might be best. What would you like to talk about? I was like you when I came back, having to learn almost everything from scratch.” ‘This is going to be good.’

A few hours had been passed with me being lectured on all the aspects of Equestria and life in it. All of that knowledge had been combined to give me an incredible picture of the land with its history and culture. Although as we reached one subject I was beyond consoling. “What do you mean, you don’t know anything beyond the southern hemisphere!?” I shouted angrily as I flew up out of my chair. “You obviously know about the Dominion, The Changeling Wastes, and just about everywhere else, including the fact that there is a land mass in the southern hemisphere.”

Luna was not pleased at being shouted at. “Sit down. Now.” She said in the coldest voice possible. I quickly took my seat once again, mainly in an effort to forestall her wrath. “This is a library Rorke, not a place for you to be raising your voice especially not to me. Now will you let me continue?” I accepted dumbly a with just a little bit of shame. “Good, now, you know that isn’t exactly what I said. What I did say is the southern hemisphere isn’t well documented. Even Saddle Arabia is poorly documented as to the outlying structure of the land nearby.”

“Why is it poorly documented if Celestia visited so often?” I said.

She put a hoof to her chin and gathered her thoughts for a moment before continuing. “You must realize this, when my sister and I first took the throne, we were still a very small nation and thus had a lot of spare time. We spent this time perfecting different arts and one of them was diplomacy. Do you follow what I am saying?”

“You wanted interaction with other countries and civilisations” She nodded sagely.

“That would be correct, I was tasked with reaching out into the areas nearby Equestria and to the north. My sister was tasked with exploring the Zebrican island chain and the land mass to our south. She spent a lot of time in the southern sands, namely spending it with your bodily predecessor.”

“What happened then? Why are you two acting like you barely know what's going on outside of Equestria?”

She sighed. “The simplest answer I can give you is we grew.” I looked at her with what I hope was confusion, it’s hard to know without facial muscles. “Equestria grew at a phenomenal rate. We were secure in peace for the longest time and everypony just got used to it. We never had to fight with others, even when we discovered new nations. Since Equestria grew so much we couldn’t leave and journey the world like we used to.”

She looked at me face to face. “Rorke, we were so wrapped up ruling Equestria that entire civilisations had collapsed around us, and we didn’t lift a hoof to help them.” Her eyes left my gaze as she looked down sadly. “When my exile started, the griffons began to rouse for a war with us. For a hundred years, my ponies lived under almost unilateral fear. Fear that we could be invaded immediately and without warning, that no pony would be taken prisoner and everything they held dear would be destroyed.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Since Celestia was ruling by herself at the time she couldn’t deal with fighting a war and managing Equestria at the same time. Not only that but the loss of life on both sides would have been enormous. So she took the matter into her own hooves and dissolved the Dominion government. What she couldn’t have known was that with no central entity to protect the griffins, the diamond dogs and dragons moved in and established the system you hear of today.” She put her forehooves on the table and leaned across it toward me. “That was HUNDREDS of years ago. It took Griffin coming here and starting his revolution just over a year ago to get us to open our eyes.

“So you’ve been so hold up by your own country, you couldn’t see past its borders?”

She accepted the criticism before continuing. “Rorke, you want to know what lies beyond the Equestrian border correct?”

‘I always did hypothesise what was beyond the show’s scope of view.’ “Yes, I do. That has always drawn me, to see what was beyond reach.”

She leaned back into her chair. “Then would you accept a mission on my word but on behalf of my sister? We need your help and you’re the perfect candidate.”

I was a little skeptical when she said I was the perfect candidate. ‘How can a walking bone pile with a silly looking axe and sword be perfect for anything? Maybe the Egyptian cosplay scene.’ I forged ahead anyway. “What did you have in mind?”

She grinned, not exactly a Celestia brand smile but still convincing. She must have practiced it. “I want you to set out for the Southern Sands and reestablish contact with anyone there. We have a settlement called Saddle Arabia situated there but we only get scattered reports from them at best, and we have nothing on the rest of the area. According to Celestia, some great tragedy befell the anubites but she never told me what happened. I’m convinced that she doesn’t know and if she isn’t sure and there is no evidence to the contrary we must assume that your people are still out there.”

I sat there for a minute and let the conversation up till now sink in. ‘She wants me... ME a newly formed, absolutely no reason to be thoroughly trusted, skeleton to be the equestrian Columbus and rediscover the world. Something doesn’t seem right, I haven't done nearly enough to warrant this kind of responsibility.’ I looked up from my temporary coma and saw her gleaming. “Luna, listen not to sound ungrateful for this opportunity but there is something else behind this. You aren’t telling me something.”

She pulled her hoof up to her chest in such shock only Rarity could match it. “Rorke, I’m shocked you would even think that.”

“You aren’t denying it.” I deadpanned.

She put her hoof down and looked like she was contemplating her options at this point. We sat in silence for a couple moments before she spoke again. “Okay, you win. I haven't told you everything but please promise me that what I say won’t affect your decision too much. This is still very secure information.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “Approximately three weeks ago a series of attacks were stated in the last report from Saddle Arabia. These attacks left no survivors and the ‘bodies’” She air quoted. “were nothing but empty husks. The local guard unit stationed there performed a magical autopsy. What was discovered was unsettling in both indication, and the memories they dredged up.”

She hedged herself for what I could only guess was a real bombshell. “I’ll be honest with you, my sister and I weren't totally truthful when we said we don’t have any info written about the anubites. We don’t have it in the books, but Celestia still remembers most of the things Rorke told her. One of those things was about an enemy that he fought for over ninety years of his life. Are you familiar with a species of creatures called the Ajax?”

That single sentence set off every alarm in my head. I distinctly remembered in my recount of Rorke’s trip to the market that Solaron had been talking and nearly despairing about the Ajax. “Yes, I’m familiar with the name but not of their appearance or anything else about them.”

“We aren’t either, but the reason I’m talking about them is because my sister thinks that the Ajax are the perpetrators of these murders. You see, the Ajax don’t kill their victims by conventional means, magical or otherwise. They don’t even drain the magic out of them, they literally burn the essence of life that every creature has right out of their body. That’s why the only thing left is a husk that falls apart with even the slightest bit of disturbance.”

“Luna , what does this all mean? I know this has a point, we just need to get to it.” She looked a little perturbed at my insistence but I was getting antsy with all this new info.

“I’ll skip to the important part then. Many years into the fight with the Ajax, Rorke had a meeting with Tia to discuss his war along with the effects abroad.” Her face turned rather stone like and totally stoic. “He said and I quote “Princess, if these creatures, these THINGS get away from me it will mean the end of everything and everyone. They must be stopped, and if that means I have to put my entire empire between them and the rest of the world, it will be done.” since everything you see before you is still here we both know he succeeded, at least partially.”

“What was his plan? How did he defeat the Ajax, and why are they resurfacing now? It's been thousands of year, what changed?” I was enraptured by history once again.

“His plan was consolidation. Giving up every city except the capital of Ironpillar to the Ajax, evacuating the populace of each one and bringing them all within the city’s walls. It was a bold move and one that could have failed easily. Public unrest could have soared with so many people in such a confined space but he made it work. How he defeated the Ajax, I’m not sure. We lost all contact with the anubites a year after that. What changed after all this time that has brought their enemy back, I’m not sure.”

“May I offer my current hypothesis?”

“Of course. I wish to know what you think.” She seemed a little sure that I would agree readily, and unfortunately she was right if what I had gathered thus far was correct.

“So from what I’ve gathered up to this point, you need me to” I began to list off my tasks on my armored hand. “A) find transport to Saddle Arabia and get in contact with the guard unit there, B) find out what has caused the Ajax to return and stop it. How am I doing?”

“That is very good but a third objective we need of you and it’s of the utmost of importance. We need you to chart a map of the entire region, it doesn’t need to be topographic or even that detailed. We just need to know what has changed and what has stayed the same. Names of any settlements, landmarks, you find as well as borders pertaining to the government's down there should you find any with legitimacy behind their claims would be critical.”

“So secure transport down south, stop the killings and the Ajax, make a map. Is that what you’re saying?”

“In laypony’s terms, yes. Don’t think that you’re going in alone though. My lovely sister has already gotten a transport docked and crewed at the port nearby. She even managed to get a ‘Canterlot class’ airship. She isn’t taking a chance on letting these fiends get any farther than they already have.”

I didn’t really know battleship sizes back home and the ones here, i knew even less.
“How big is a ‘Canterlot class’ airship exactly? Can you give me a rough estimate?” I said.

She pondered for a moment. “What is your definition of big? I can tell you how long it is.”

“If we’re going by length, I would say about 300-400 feet.” I’m not very good with measurement but 400 seemed pretty good.

She grinned but not her usual calm smile but a slightly creepy and manic smile. “Rorke” She started. “The ‘Canterlot class’ airship is a warship and measures out at 752’ hooves long.” My jaw hit the floor immediately, apparently I get to hitch a ride on a battleship. “It has a crew of almost 200 ponies and on your journey will be loaded with over 700 guards. This is including pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns. Whatever the Ajax are, or have won’t bring harm to anypony, “The Liberator” will stand vigil over the city.”

“How long has the ship been at port waiting to set out? Because if you’ve been waiting on me, then you must be really sure I’ll go.”

She picked her head up and stared at me like I just slapped her. “What do you mean, you are going right?”

“Of course I’m going, but I wanted to know if this whole operation was being hung up on me. If that’s the case you should send them a message to set sail, and I’ll make it there soon enough. I don’t want to have someone to get their life burned away because I was holding the guard up.”

She visibly relaxed at my explanation. “No you aren’t holding them up, the ship has been stocking and preparing for almost three weeks now. It will be setting sail either, when you arrive or two days after the gala. Unless otherwise stated by my sister or I, that ship will be docked for plenty of time for you to get there.”

“Then I will do it. I’ll investigate the Ajax attacks and map out the region. Do you have anyway for me to send you the map without having to come back here? I don’t feel like storing a thousand sheets of paper or racking up that many frequent flyer miles.”

“Of course, I’ll have something delivered to you before the end of tomorrow. If you think of anything else” She brought a lunar medallion into existence just like Celestia’s solar one. “Just show that to any guard and ask them to bring a message to me.”

“Thank you, you won’t be disappointed I promise.”

She got up from her seat and started walking to the door. “I’m sure you won’t, now I’ll let you get back to studying. I suggest the Starswirl section, there’s a lot of good things in that aisle.” And with that she walked out the door.

‘So let’s recap. I’ve just been conscripted by the alicorn sister of Equestria, to serve as a pseudo sheriff slash map maker on the other side of the world. I’ll be taking a gigantic warship there, I’ll probably have to fight the Ajax at some point and then I find out what happened to the anubites...’ I looked at the clock above the door Luna had left out of, it said two thirty six am.

“I’m not even going to guess how our conversation lasted that long, but I’m not walking all the way to the barracks. I can’t drool on the books anymore, I’m sure they won’t mind if I use a history book as a pillow.” I grabbed the aforementioned book and placed it just right on the table. Shimmying in my chainmail a bit so it wouldn’t rattle and adjusting my facial cloth to keep a late night wanderer from getting an eyeful of skeleton was what occupied my time for a bit.

Eventually I was settled until I saw my weapons leaning against the bookcase nearby. I just said screw it and got up, grabbed them, and placed them under my chair before taking my place back on it. I sat there for a few minutes, not really tired but sleep sounded nice enough to attempt it. Within a few minutes I was gone to the world.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Author's Note

I've decided to put some author's notes from now on. Mainly as a way to notify you of something that may influence the story. This chapter isn't the dream sequence I promised and for that I'm sorry, but a major back story involving the Ajax was needed. The Ajax are creatures purely of my own design and will be revealed soon after he gets to the desert, if you want a map of the southern sands and the world so far, go to this link it will have a map. You know the plan know for Rorke now, if any of you know a story set in the actual cities of Saddle Arabia I need to be told. I don't have enough time to go through every chess story and find ones that may screw their and my timeline up. I can't wait to get this thing actually started, but if you see any errors or feel that something was done wrong put a comment. -Sturrn

Visions of the Past

Chapter Nine
Visions of the Past

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

The dreamscape never came, I was swept straight to the point in Rorke’s memory where it was interrupted by Celestia. Solaron was standing in the doorway as Rorke inched his way out of bed... without any pants on. A few moments passed as his lack of pants became more apparent to his friend. “Solaron, I know you have something else to do besides waking me up early and staring.” The anubite smiled nervously and closed the door as he walked away. Surprisingly, the girl in bed didn’t wake up or move at all.

Rorke shuffled over to the closet on the other side of the bed as soon as the door closed. ‘That wasn’t nearly as awkward as I thought it would be.’ Opening the closet revealed a stand with a set of chainmail on it, and some very familiar sand colored robes. A couple minutes passed and Rorke was armored in the same exact way I’m used too. He reached back into the closet before closing it and pulled out his axe staff and walked out of the door. He met Solaron in the next room and they proceeded out of the house.

“So what has you staring at my clothed areas this fine morning?” Rorke said once they began their walk along the street.

“Y-yeah um...” Rorke continued walking as his friend just stuttered along trying to compose a sentence.

It took a couple minutes but he finally snapped out of his mental stupor and exclaimed loudly. “We have to go to the temple Rorke, RIGHT NOW!!”

My predecessor spun his head around and gazed at him with zeal in his eyes. “Why was this not said immediately, we must run and you can tell me along the way.”

They both began to run along the streets. You would think that it would be hard to maneuver among all the people right? I didn’t see a single soul pass by and neither did they as the scenery zoomed away behind them. “Tell me what has happened, and why did you not alert me earlier. This is no time for games.”

“Of course, around midday a fight broke out among the priesthood in the main temple complex. Normally this would be quashed as you know, but not this time. This time was far dire, a full half of the priests in the complex rose against their brothers.” He sighed just loud enough to be heard through the wind as they ran at top speed toward the temple. “Rorke, they had weapons, armor, and surprise. Many Sand Priests fought valiantly but they were decimated.”

I couldn’t tell if it was Rorke who was shaking or me ,but I felt what I assumed was nauseousness just thinking of the betrayal brought forth by his brothers. His eyes shifted and his grip on the axe tightened. “My friend please tell me... How many have perished? How many have fallen to stay the flow of heresy?”

Solaron had tears seeping from his eyes as they ran on, a huge building I could only assume was the temple coming into focus. “More than a hundred Sand Priest have fallen, nearly all of the scribes were killed.” Rorke turned his head and slowed down as his friend opened the floodgates. “My brothers... My friends... My family... They were all murdered down to the dregs. I only live because Esoran threw himself upon a sword, that I might have a chance at escaping.” He finally stopped running and collapsed to the ground in sobs, the full weight of the situation taking effect.

Rorke stopped as well and brought himself down to his compatriots level. “Solaron, I can see you pain, I know how it must hurt but we have to keep going and that means you too. We will lick our wounds and grieve when this is over. Now please tell me more.” He helped his still shaken friend to his feet and they started off again at a fast walking pace.

“Only four other scribes made it out of the libram, of those four only I was able to move of my own volition. Your Holiness, there is something you must know however. The council was in session during this attack.” Just at the mention of ‘The Council’ Rorke picked up a bit of speed and Solaron matched it, now in control of his emotions though the occasional tear still slid past him. “Many Councillors were killed by the guards that were sworn to protect them.”

“How many fell to heretic blades?” Rorke asked in a distraught manner.

“Many, the Fero himself was gravely injured but escaped death with the aid of a handful of escaping priests. The corruption runs deep however, High Priest Moroes leads those that have swayed from the path. No one knows what he is doing but it can’t be allowed to pass.” As soon as he finished they arrived outside the massive structure that could only be the temple complex. Several anubites were milling around like they had been waiting for something, while others guarded the sealed temple doors. All in all there couldn’t have been more than a few hundred there.

One of the milling anubites came toward the pair as they spoke. “Solaron, the Fero wishes to speak to you both immediately. Do you need me to guide you there?”

They both nodded and within a couple minutes had passed several hastily set up tents, with many injured anubites in them being treated by white robed nurses and doctors. They approached one particular that seemed to be larger, the door flanked by a pair of burly anubites with their swords already drawn. One braced his sword and stepped forward. “What business do you have with the Fero?” The surprisingly feminine voiced guard said. She was so musculare I couldn’t tell readily.

Solaron stepped away from his friend and the guide to speak. “I was sent by the Fero himself to bring this Sand Priest to him. We must pass and speak to him.” The pair of guards stared at Solaron and then turned toward Rorke. It was like I could feel them looking past him and directly at me, their gaze held for a few moments before relenting.

“You may pass but know that we are but a moment away from the Fero’s aid.” She turned toward the tent and opened the flap for them. Only Rorke and Solaron entered as their guide walked away.

What was inside the tent could only be described as a train wreck, anubites were coming and going at random. All of them wore the white robes of medical helpers, but nearly all of them were stained red from the blood that seemed to perforate the very air. Solaron looked uneasy but Rorke pressed on toward the center of the room.

At the center were two or three doctors were standing by a white haired anubite with quite a few piercing in his right ear that was talking to them as he lay on a table. When my body got closer to the center I could hear the conversation but it ended as soon as the wounded anubite saw Rorke coming. Rorke kneeled to the canine but he waved it off. “Please no bowing or acknowledgement of that kind Sand Priest, I have urgent news for you and your friend throwing up in the bucket.” Rorke turned around and sure enough the scribe was evacuating his stomach contents into a bucket.

“Solar’ bring your bucket over here, the Fero requires your presence.” The sickened dog hobbled over with the bucket in hand. ‘I can’t really blame him for puking, the floor is covered in blood and the air tastes like iron.’

“Good” The Fero started. “Now as you can guess, my time in the earthly kingdoms is nearing its end. I wish to discuss things for the future of all my people.”

“Please great one, do not think like that. You are in the finest care and it seems like you weren't injured beyond help.” Solaron reasoned with a smile posted right above his bucket.

The Fero smiled as well and began talking but was cut off by the beginning a coughing fit that completely washed the bandages around his stomach with blood. Once settled he began talking again, Rorke was tense and Solaron just stared. “As you can see that may not be the case. The High Priest himself attacked me, specifically with a jagged Ajax mandible. One of the doctors said that I’m missing too much of my body to even make it through the next few hours. So they deadened my pain and began to help others.”

The two looked aghast. I felt a pang of hurt in my heart for the anubite I didn’t even know. ‘He talks about his own life like it was just a passage.’

“We mustn’t focus on that though, what I have to tell you Rorke is of the gravest of importance. This concerns the entire mass that is our empire and its’ future. Listen close, I don’t know how much time I have to talk.” He leaned closer to the fallen royal.

“During the council meeting Moroes was telling us of a plan that would stop the Ajax once and for all. That they would never be a problem again. Tell me do you know of the history behind our city, behind Ironpillar?”

Rorke spoke before Solaron had a chance to. “Yes, every priest must know what they stand for.”

“Then please, tell me the history of Ironpillar.” The leader folded his hands across blood soaked bandages.

“Is this necessary Fero?” He nodded much to Rorke’s chagrin. “Very well then, it started when the desert was young and still in its infancy. The world heaved with growing pains and the woven focus of magic underneath the desert broke though. The ley line poured unparalleled amounts of magic over our land and though the magic of the world along with the grace of the gods we gained our lives to live.” Solaron seemed content to listen to the history lesson, the Fero nodded at certain points of the story, and I was enjoying the backstory of my new race.

He continued on. “The world couldn’t handle the ley line being exposed, an open sore that festered with magic. The priesthood of old prayed to the gods for an answer, for some way to stabilize the opening or close it, if that was what was called for. The answer came to Fero Ziom in a vision sent to him by Amun’Ra. He told him to gather all the metals of resource and construct a great pillar to hold the line stable, it took two years of unrelenting work but the great construct was finished and placed inside the line. After the pillar was secure Amun’Ra sent Ziom another vision, this time a prophecy. Should the pillar ever be removed from the line it would unleash magics that would scour the world of life. So he built the temple complex on top of the pillar and charged the priesthood with protecting it at all cost. The city was renamed Ironpillar and the construct was never seen after the temple's completion.” Rorke took a big breath and sighed before looking to the Fero for an explanation as to why he had to go through a history lesson, when the temple was in heretic possession.

“Well let me give you some information that has been secreted away for a long time. It’s time for the knowledge to become known.” The Fero took a shallow breath seeing as most of his guts were missing. “When Ziom built the temple, he didn’t wish to lose the only thing that had left the anubites with a direct connection to the gods. To solve this dilemma he built the temple so that one room would have the top of the pillar being used as a floor but this was too noticeable. He had a large brazier made and placed on top of the pillar.” The pair of anubites’ eyes grew large as realization hit them. “You know the brazier as the ‘gem forge’. It doesn’t actually make the gems you see, it just carves into their essence making them able to hold much more magic but still retain their size. Enough of that though, know that you know the truth I can tell you what Moroes is planning.”

The pair sat enraptured by the Fero’s tale as did others in the tent, a few were even leaning in just to listen a bit better. “Moroes proposed we use the power in the pillar to aid us in our fight against the Ajax. That we raise the pillar up to temple level, using the power of the line being channeled through it to send a wave of backlashing magic toward the main Ajax hive.” Hushed whispers could be heard as he continued. “Everyone on the council strongly disagreed with this plan, not just on religious grounds but on feasibility ones as well. Once he had a vote of disagreement from every single council member he revealed his deceit. Armed and armored priests swarmed into the room and began cutting anubites down immediately. Rorke understand this, we are facing threats from within and out.”

Everyone in the tent that wasn’t actively saving lives or couldn’t move was huddled in a circle around the three. “Young sand priest, I was only twenty three when I took this crown from my father and though I may not know you, but it brings me great pleasure in passing my crown on to you. My hope is that you will lead our people in these tumultuous times.” There was a room wide gasp and Rorke stood there gaping my wide open.

A minute passed in silence as everyone present absorbed the info. After that the silence was broken by Solaron. “But Fero Anu, what of your daughter? Will she not be outraged that you are effectively robbing her of the crown?”

The old jackal smiled even as his death came closer with every second. “Sand Priest, do you remember little more than a week ago in the market, a thief had taken a young female’s coin pouch?” A nod was given. “My daughter seems to enjoy running away from her guards and walking about in simple disguises, through the market place.”

“But what if someone recognized her and wished her harm! Why would she run from her protectors?” Solaron blurted out almost without thought.

Anu chuckled at his outburst before explaining. “She doesn’t think I know but I have always known. She wanted freedom that the royal life could never give her. My people would view her as more an object than a living being, so I told the guards attached to her to leave convenient slips in their patterns, and if they did discover her they would only give token attempt to follow her.”

“What of her protection?” Rorke said. “Surely you do not just leave her undefended, with only the shield of anonymity for protection?”

“Yes I agree, what of her safety?” Solaron chimed in.

The dying dog smiled. “That is what I have the Vigilante for. A single Vigil will disguise themselves and trail my daughter with complete discreteness. Until that day, not a single problem had arisen. The Vigil that was trailing her was eating a slice of Cozo cacti little more than ten feet away from her when the thief swooped in and out. He dropped his food and bolted toward the thief but a merchant cart moved into his path before he could stop. He was too far behind to chase him but you.” He pointed at Rorke. “You stopped the thief swiftly and without undue aggression.”

“But Great Anu, what does this all mean?” Rorke questioned as Solaron nodded in agreement.

“I’m glad you ask, it allows me to cut to the point. There is no time to spare on frivolous things. ‘What? Are you serious, you just spent the last fifteen minutes getting a history lesson and talking about your daughter! That’s the highest step on frivolousness!’

It seems that my predecessor and his friend shared my sentiments because their faces reeked of ‘Are you serious?’ but the Fero didn’t seem to care as he went on to describe his plan for the kingdom.

“You see Rorke, my daughter has very adamantly explained that she will not accept the crown should I die or be unable to rule. Before this” He pointed to his now leaking bandages. “happened she told me to look to the priesthood. She told me to look for one that could stand against the darkness that is encroaching on our kingdom, one that exemplifies all that is our people and our faith. Although not in such words, but after she got home and inadvertently told me of you I searched out the nameless priest that could lead our people. I asked the other priests for someone of uncompromising devotion and character to protect our people.”

He took a shallow breath a few times throughout the explanation as well as afterwards before continuing on. “Your name, Sand Priest, came up every single time. You also matched the description of the one who saved my daughter’s money, and after learning your name I safeguarded your name until I would be unable to lead. You can plainly see that now, is that time. Scribe, please venture to the other side of this table and retrieve my crown.”

Rorke looked at his friend as he mouthed words without sound. “Please Scribe Solaron, it is fully acceptable to touch my crown I assure you. After all you’re going to be a Keeper of Knowledge. “ He said with a weak smile that almost forecasted that he would die any minute.

“But Great One, am I truly worthy of such an honor?” He asked.

“As far as I know,” He looked behind them toward a blood covered nurse who shook her head. “I’m afraid you are the only scribe left, you will have to rebuild from the very ground up now the crown please.” The scribe scrambled to the other side and leaned down to grab the crown before presenting it to the royal as he began to sit up. The effort seemed to pain him greatly even with the medicine they gave him, he also seemed to lose a great deal of blood in the process.

He finally brought himself to the sitting position as Solaron returned to take a knee next to Rorke. The Fero began to stand but looked greatly pained by the act as blood was flowing in increased amounts. “Please Great One” Rorke reached out a hand but it was swatted away by the now elevated anubite. “standing is truly unnecessary.”

“No, it is necessary. I will stand till you accept your responsibilities to your people.” He brought the crown around to his front. “Rorke please rise.” He stood up but kept his head inclined downward. “With these victims of tragedy and the gods as my witness, I dissolve the two ruling bodies of Ironpillar and task you with ending this heresy and leading our people to brighter days. Will you accept this crown with all the weight that it may bear upon you?” The Fero brought the crown that could only be the one I had gotten from Celestia.

“Yes, I accept the burden that you would bestow upon me.”

The crown was lowered upon his head and the Fero collapsed onto the table in near death. He reached up with a shaky hand and grabbed the robes that Rorke had clad himself in earlier. “Fero Chardstone, you must stop the priests and avenge the fallen, it’s imperative that you not allow them to raise the pillar and carry out Moroes’ plan. Please will you do this?” The dying former ruler pleaded.

“Until my dying breath I will pursue them and bring retribution for their actions this day.” The old dog seemed to take solace in those words as he layed back down on the table much paler than he had been earlier. “Solaron, please gather the remaining priests and have them stage in front of the western entrance to the complex. I’ll address them once I’m done here.” The pack that had the three surrounded silently parted so Solaron could get through.

“Where is your daughter?” Rorke asked solemnly.

The former Fero didn’t answer but just laid on his table, breathing shallowly as the new one gripped his hand. Several minutes passed like this until the light behind Anu’s eyes flickered out and closed. ‘I couldn’t have possibly known him but a great leader passed from the world that day. I wonder if there are any burial rites that Rorke will have to perform.’

Rorke closed his eyes and bowed his head to the dead anubite before looking around the room and seeing everyone's eyes were focused on him.

He composed himself for a moment as he walked out of the tent and saw Solaron running toward him. “Fero Chardstone-”

“Please, just don’t. I don’t want to be called your holiness, Great One, or any other gods forsaken honorifics.” Rorke spat angrily. “Our leader has just died and left me with the task of keeping the empire together, and my very first act as Fero is to stop a heresy the size of which has never taken place in anubite history. I will be taking the the High Priest’s gauntlet and bringing both crowns under a single banner. This will never happen again as long as I live.”

“I’m sorry Stone, I knew this would hit you hard but I should have accommodated for the change slower.” The scribe lamented sadly.

“No that was my fault, I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. Are my brothers assembled at the eastern temple steps?”

“Of course, I would highly recommend telling them what has happened and getting them ready for battle. Speaking of which, is that-”

“Yes it is” Rorke interrupted. “I chose the eastern side for many reasons, but something to remind the priests of what they fight for is needed. We will push toward the archives and pray that the heretics haven't gotten in somehow. Then onward to the gem forge before Moroes raises the pillar.” With that done the pair ran toward the eastern steps with blade axe and crown in singular possession.

‘This is memory is so entrancing, I’ve hardly even thought to myself for a while beyond the Fero dying.’

The scribe and newly appointed leader made their way to the steps. The onlooking doctors and nurses bowed their heads in sadness as the two passed the white tents. They ran for a while until a large gathering of robed anubites with weapons came into view, with one in particular running towards them.

“Rorke, what has happened? Why are you wearing the Fero’s crown?” She questioned before getting snippy and punchy Rorke in the arm slightly. “Why did you leave me in bed if this was going on? You do realize that the priestess’ and I are more than willing to fight?”

The new Fero looked like he had just gotten scolded by his mother before attempting a rebuttal. “A heresy is taking place with High Priest Moroes at its heart. He attacked the council and slaughtered many in it. The Fero barely made it out alive but was wounded beyond aid, after being told he had less than hours left he sent Solaron to find me. We both went to the Fero and he told me to stop this the heresy and lead our people. As for leaving you behind and the priestess’, I just learned of what was happening less than an hour ago. So Galina please listen carefully.”

He detailed a new plan that would have the priestess splitting into three groups and attacking the other three entrances to the temple. Since none of the priestess were swept up in the heresy they were still at a full strength of almost 1000 warriors. Another anubite came to the group and told them that advancing into the halls was impossible at the moment. The heretics had stationed archers and would shoot any that tried to get through the door.

“That could pose a serious problem to entering the complex.” Solaron said with as much wisdom as he could grasp with such a simple sentence.

“Not at all, we’ll simply improvise.” Rorke looked around and saw a few few wooden market stalls standing unoccupied. He ran over to them an pried the long wooden panels out. Thinking fast he sprung to a nearby cart and grabbed a bit of rope and tied it to wooden panel for a hand hold. ‘And just like that, Rorke invented the first riot shield in history.’

“Construct four of these for each entryway and then we’ll move in. Stand in a wall formation and have the other warriors march behind them as we move forward. This should provide more than ample protection for our needs.” He handed makeshift shield to the random priest as he carried out the orders with a few others. A few others ran off to tell the priestess groups of the shield plans.

The three anubites sat on the steps as the few hundred below them prepared to fight. “What will you do when we find Moroes, Rorke?” Galina asked.

“I will bring him to his knees and if he repents then a swift death will be his reward, if he doesn’t repent then a swift death would be the only thing he could wish for. If he does raise the pillar... I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“I meant more along the path of who will be High Priest. Since you’re the Fero know you can’t do both.” She posed.

“Who says I can’t?” The priest rose to his feet. “Fero Anu searched the priesthood for devout faith and uncompromising character that would stand against the darkness. He chose me and with his dying words did he dissolve his lineage of ruling and placed me as the crown’s charge to lead on. I will kill the traitor and combine the duties of both rulers as one.”

The priestess looked like she was just slapped but his friend had an approving notion about him. “B-b-b-but you can’t do that!” She shouted looking up at him. “It has never been done as long as the anubites have existed!”

“And where is it written that I can’t?” His simple rebuttal destroyed her argument in less than two seconds, but as he sat back down an elaborately dressed anubite, with a sword covered in so many gems that it would have been impossible to use in combat came forward. Immediately Rorke’s grip on his bladespear tightened in anticipation.

“Excuse me young Chardstone-” He started only to get cut short by Galina.

“It’s Fero Chardstone now.” Rorke glared at her just as he did with Solaron but he took over the conversation anyway.

“I’m sorry for that interruption, please continue.”

“Yes well, I was overhearing your conversation and from your friend’s insistence, I would take it that you ARE in fact the new Fero, correct?” A nod was all that was needed. I some information if you would like it.” Rorke stood up and descended a couple steps to get face to face with the dog. “You realize that you won’t ever be High Priest and Fero at the same time correct?”

Rorke snarled and poked him in the chest with a sharp claw. “I will tell you and anyone else who says the same, show me a single scrap of writing that says I can’t and I’ll stand down.”

He donned a truly evil smile that reeked of betrayal. “I never said you can’t be, I said you won’t be.”

“That sounds rather heretical in the context.”

“Maybe I am one.” The anubite’s smile was still there as a curved dagger literally dripping with poison came slashing toward Rorke, he jumped back up two steps and thrust his axe like a one handed spear toward the would be assassin. Unfortunately he was fast too as he sidestepped the attack, but he wasn’t ready for the scribe to jump from his sitting position and tackle him. This caused the two to be hurled down the equivalent of congress’ steps straight from the top. They tumbled over each other as they hit step after step leaving the sounds of snapping as they fell.

After a few moments they slammed down at the bottom in front of the gathered priests that just looked on with amazement. Luckily Solaron landed on top of the well dressed assassin. The dog tried to slash him with the knife but in a feat of strength, Solaron bit down on the knife and held it in place as he used his claws to tear the attacker’s throat apart. Galina and Rorke descended the steps to find their friend covered in a spray of blood.

“Solaron, did he get you with that knife!?” Rorke shouted a few steps away while still descending.

He took a knee next to his friend as Solar’ struggled to stand. “No he didn’t but I think falling down all those steps hurt something.” He said as he clutched the left side of his ribcage.

Galina chimed in as she caught up. “Rorke, I think it would be best that you start the assault. I will bring Solaron to the aid stations and catch up with you. Take this bit of flint and start a fire, that was the signal for my warriors to begin.” With that said she leaned Solaron up against her right shoulder and the two began to hobble away, leaving the Fero with the task at hand to bear alone.

‘Things aren’t going to good but you have to give the scribe some credit, he slammed into an armed assassin without a weapon and just fell down a huge set of stairs while still managing to hobble away. Rorke should get going though, its been more than an hour since getting out of bed and that priest is still trying to raise the pillar.’

Rorke walked half way up the steps before turning to the priesthood before him. “Brothers, this day shall stand in the histories of time as one of sacrifice. Moroes, he who should be the greatest of us all has forsaken the light of faith and embraced darker powers. Even now he works to raise the ironpillar that holds our land stable, he wishes to draw the power from the magic beneath us and give it freely to the Ajax. This cannot, this WILL NOT stand!” He slammed his axe on the ground.

“We will storm the temple with our sisters and purge the taint that has so readily taken seed in our land.” He tossed the bit of flint down to a priest below. “Everyone with the shields made from the market stalls will be going in first and be followed immediately by the rest of us. We will fight our way through to the halls of knowledge and then from there into the gem forge. Priest Elmin, please light a fire and get the smoke high. That will be the signal to the priestesses to advance with their forces.”

The anubites looked like they wanted to ask question to learn more but it would probably have to wait. Elmin started gathering a bit more wood for the fire as those with shields began to advance up the steps. The arrow defence took their place in front of the large wooden doors as the others stacked behind them like the cards in a game of solitaire.

Moments later the doors were forced open with Rorke right behind the shields. They advanced as arrows immediately slammed into the makeshift shields en masse. The wooden planks were thick though and held. Rorke shouted above the drum of feet and snap of bowstring. “Not one heretic is to leave, every one of them has fallen far beyond redemption and is to be held accountable to the massacres here.”

The group pushed on until they were a mere twenty feet from the archers that had been desperately trying to shoot them down. The traitor dropped their bows and ran drew their sword and bladespears. “Cut these pathetic loyalist dogs down!” One of them shouted. “They must not interrupt the dark one in his enlightenment!”

“Forward into the light, cut them down!” Rorke shouted as the shields were dropped and the front ranks on both side charge into the fray. Since the hall couldn't have been more than twelve feet wide only about three fighters could fight at a time. It became immediately obvious that even with the weapons and armor the heretics could'nt stand against the loyal priests’ zeal.

‘Nothing really scars your psyche like watching people hack each other to death with blades, up close and personal. Though it is truly sad, seeing brothers kill each other because of one dog’s madness-’ My thoughts were interrupted by a shriek as the first causality of the initial fight lost their life. A loyalist had cut the traitor’s arm off at the shoulder and got him through the neck as he fell. The battle progressed and I could feel my eye ‘twitch’ somehow as I watched the carnage, an arm here and a leg there until the traitors were all dead save for one.

He was being held at the blade point of two priest as Rorke kneeled down and held his head before beginning to talk. “What did Moroes tell that could sway you from the faith, what was promised? Did he affect you somehow? I must know.”

The fallen priest just laughed. “You honestly think that he ‘affected’ me? With what, his honeyed words? No, this fight is of our own volition and everyone of us fights for a purpose you and your pathetic false gods could never understand.” He capped off his rant by spitting on Rorke’s robes as he was executed, taking both normal spears through his neck.

Rorke stood up and turned to the priest behind him. “It is as I predicted, these blasphemous wretches were not controlled or tempted. They truly believe what they do is right, a dark task is ahead of us.” He turned back and the warrior-priests marched on down the long hall. Occasionally they had to clear a room but the defenders were always unprepared and cut down quickly. Eventually the group stopped at a large steel door with a lock on it that two anubites had been trying to break open. They didn’t even scream...

“This is it, the halls of knowledge. Protect this doorway while I’m inside and let no one come inside.” Rorke pulled out the key Solaron must have been talking about. It had a sun not unlike Celestia’s cutiemark emblazoned on the handle, he placed it in lock which popped open immediately and Rorke stepped in quickly before shutting the door. “The knowledge of every Fero before in one place. The greatest weapons and armor made by anubite hands, here for those willing to use them in the defense of those hands.” He finally turned around and I saw a room filled with a LOT of chests, each of them with a unique symbol portrayed on the lid, and all of them locked.

He walked around for a bit but it didn’t take a genius to figure out which chest he was supposed to open. ‘I bet he’s just taking in the feel of the hall, it’s a pretty big deal for his people.’ Eventually he stopped wandering the hall and wasting time that could be used to stop Moroes and found the sun chest. “The history that this armor has seen must be incredible.” With that said he finally placed the key inside the lock and popped it off and opened the chest. The lid flew open and revealed a set of armor that couldn’t be described easily or well. The whole thing was like a personification of anubite death.

The helmet that rested on top of the whole set was made of a silvery metal that I would guess to be titanium like his bladespear. It looked like an anubite skull without the jaw that slipped over the whole head and down the muzzle, complete with intricately designed teeth. On the back of the skull were four turquoise feathers, two one each side. Rorke began to remove his robes, armor, and crown to put the new set one, luckily he was wearing a type of loincloth thing. ‘Joy, I don’t get an eyeful of anubite junk... Wait, if that’s my body just in the past isn’t it technically mine? It’s owned by him but technically it’s mine too, interesting.’

My estranged thoughts on body part ownership ended when Rorke began to place the next piece of armor on his body. A chest piece was a metal scale jerkin but with a thick rib cage attached over it.The scales were colored a dark grey almost black color that made the shiny titanium ribs burst out like a beacon. Once that was slipped on he reached in the chest and pulled a pair of shoulder armor pieces as well as some bracers. The shoulders were simple and plain, the only flair on them were four turquoise feathers on the backside of each of them flared upward.

The bracers were flexible pieces of metal that bent with his hand movements and ended with razor like claws that were just a bit longer than Rorke’s own. ‘Why is he only putting one on?’ He didn’t talk at all as he donned the last two pieces of armor so I couldn’t get an answer. The first of the two looked like the bottom half of my robe. While the last piece was a scabbard and belt with a short curved sword that was between a scimitar and a khopesh placed into it. Rorke seemed to know the sword without even pulling it out to look at it.

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “Thank you Amun’Ra, for the protection you offer the land.” He went down on one knee with his eyes still closed. “Thank you Horus, for the means to bring vengeance have been placed in worthy hands.” He brought his leg down and kneeled. “Bastet, Sekhmet, I ask for your blessing in this fight. Protect me that I may lead your people out of this dark hour.” He stood up and began to walk out of the hall, not bothering to reclaim the key or his clothes, only his bladespear.

He walked out of the hall and looked to his priests as they began to whisper on his new armor. They were barely hearable but not impossible as they muttered on. “He’s wearing the aegis of Amun’Ra.” one stunned spoke to another. “The edge of Horus sits on his waist, to carry such relics.” Another began to speak but was cut short by a massive tremor shaking the whole temple, the shaking threw all the priests to the ground in a heap. A few were cut by their axes and swords but they were negligible injuries at best.

Rorke was the first one up however as he began to bolt down the hall, getting closer and closer to the end before the others could even stand. ‘I’m willing to bet that the Ironpillar just broke free of the ground.’ The only thing standing between the Fero and the last door was a single guard. He was trembling as the anubite warrior bared down the hall toward him, he didn’t even try to resist the blade that went through his neck.

He struggled for a moment to heave the large door open but it eventually swung open as the other priests caught up with Rorke. “Please do not run ahead like that, Great One.” He was about to turn and give the dog a verbal lashing for calling him that, when a brown tendril shot forward and wrapped itself around the newly armored priest’s waist. It jerked backward as fast as it came forward, the only noise that came from Rorke was a pained grunt. “Great One!” One of the priest shouted. “We must not let him fall!”

The tendril looked to be made of earth and stone but writhed around his waist like a living creature. My observation time however was limited,as it stopped ripping him through the air and down the long hallway when he flew a doorway and slammed into the ground. “Ahh, thank you for gracing me with your presence Fero though you’re a bit late.” The disembodied voice chortled as Rorke slowly got up, using his axe for leverage as he stood. “Oh my, and you even brought me relics of your false gods that you wish destroyed. This must be an advantageous day for me.”

Rorke turned and gaped at the sight before him. ‘Well that explains the tremor, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that.’ The ‘Ironpillar’ was a smooth, black, obviously metal obelisk and it was HUGE. The thing slammed through the ceiling leaving shafts of light coming through the whole but something was odd. The light seemed to avoid the pillar and abstain from touching it, like doing so would hurt. “Do you like it? The ritual to raise it was costly but I feel it was worth it, after all it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg.” He laughed at his own joke like it was the funniest thing on the planet.

Rorke looked around the room and saw many of his fallen brothers dead, limbs hacked from their bodies at random, the space around Moroes and Moroes himself was drenched in blood. “You monster!” The sand priest charged at his fallen brother axe clutched tightly.

“Pathetic,fine be this way. I’ll be honorable and duel you.” He drew a short wicked dagger with serrations along its’ edge and stood firm. After a moment of running the two weapons met. They began a series of attempts to end the fight but every dagger thrust was stopped and every axe thrust was dodged. Minutes inched past as the two fought and finally Moroes had enough. He yelled something in a language I couldn’t understand as he waved his gemmed gauntlet and a shaft of earth shot out of the ground and slammed into Rorke, he was sent flying several feet away but I was still looking at the gauntlet.

‘So that's what the glove is for, I need to learn how to do that.’ The enraged priest shouted in his unknown language and stone encased Rorke’s hands and feet immediately. His immobilization of the Fero seemed to calm him down a small bit, apparently not enough though as he walked over him and kneeled down. “You sad, sad little whelp. You truly thought to fight me and win? I was greater than before and I’m still greater than you could ever aspire to be.” He caressed Rorke’s muzzle a bit before dragging the jagged knife across it eliciting a yelp. “Oh please that was nothing, I need blood from a champion of the sun god. I’ll show you real pain if you think that was anything.”

He leaned over the subdued warrior and slammed the dagger down into his back twice ripping with the edge on his blade as he pulled it out. It went straight through the scaled metal of his armor. Rorke just screamed as he was stabbed and bled. Moroes got up and walked over to the pillar as he began to speak. “You know, I think you would have been a great servant of the master. He rewards blind devotion like yours, greatly and you have excellent fighting prowess. Had I not been in control of this trinket of the sun god, you might well have beaten me. Never mind that though, you’re probably wondering why I need your blood correct?”

If Rorke had any wish to know he didn’t show it, instead just trying to not scream as the burning in his back that even I could feel slightly ate away at him. ‘Its not really a pain just a hot sensation, I’m sure Rorke would disagree though.’ “Well I’ll tell you anyway” He said. “even if you with you being so uncooperative. You see the Ajax are just a symptom of power. They’re bastards of the master, corrupted blood of his. I am in the process of bringing a true blooded child of the master to this very room. Using the pillar very pillar used to protect us, I’m sending pure power to the Ajax as well and with these two factors I will remake this desert into an oasis.”

My predecessor bit through his pain to reply. “You heretic, you know nothing of what will happen when the Ajax get that power! Our people will not stand for your tyranny when they know you gave the Ajax this power! By the gods I know you will fail.”

Moroes turned to him. “You mean they won’t stand for it even when I’m the only thing holding them back?” He smiled. “I think of the Ajax as an expendable army to use as well as my personal insurance policy for leadership. Know this though, your false gods cannot do anything and will fall soon enough. They can’t even protect themselves.” He said

“Now be quiet as I finish the ritual. Wouldn’t want any mishaps now would we?” He chuckled and began chanting slowly in that unknown language. After seven or so minutes the chanting stopped and a black smoke drifted out of the pillar coalescing into a large shape before fully fleshing out into a horrifying creature. It looked like a carnifex-slash-shade creature and its presence felt like it was burning reality around it. It got worse when it began to talk in a voice like chewed metal.

“You have done great work in bringing my father one step closer to being released.” It said.

Moroes bowed before the monstrosity. “Thank you Great One, I live to serve and would die to further your aims.” The abomination grinned.

“Excellent because I require such a service now.” A black tentacle speared out of the creature and stabbed Moroes through the head obliterating it. Before the body could fall, the tentacle reached out and ripped the gauntlet from his hand and tossed it to Rorke. “You have more devotion than that worm could ever have, take that glove and follow by my side.” It was almost a request but sounded more like an order.

“I am pinned to the ground by that worm’s stonework.” Rorke spat still feeling great pain from his two stab wounds.

“So you are.” Another tentacle out and broke the holds on him as well as helping the anubite to his feet and lifting the gauntlet.

The wounded anubite place the gemmed glove on his left hand that had been lacking a bracer from earlier. Now fully on his feet, he retrieved his bladespear and checked his waist for the sword, it was still there. “Now let us leave this accursed sun god sheep farm and bring the world back under control.” It said as getting closer to the door that would no doubt be smashed open.

“No, you won’t leave this sacred ground alive.” The gravely wounded anubite said.

He pulled the sword out of its scabbard and held his axe in the other hand. The creature turned and growled. “Why must you be so stubborn? So be it, Moroes was of some use and got a quick death. Yours won’t be so quick.” Less than a second passed by before a pair of tentacle shot out and pierced Rorke in the same spots Moroes had, this time going all the way through however. He smashed the dog all over the temple first against the ceiling, then the walls, and finally against the floor stopping only just before he was about to die.

“This is the best challenge your people have? A single wounded mutt who thinks standing against me will be all that is needed to win, disgraceful.” He said as his grip on Rorke pushed him more and more into the stone floor leaving a puddle of blood, a drop of blood in the ocean that has washed into the room. “Even your so-called ‘gods’ couldn’t help you, in their own place of worship and center of power. They are weak and pitiful just like you, your people, and this whole world.” It gloated.

Rorke began to cough blood but managed to form cohesive words. “Please creator, save me. Your people cannot beat this monster alone.”

The beast brought its twisted face close to Rorke’s. “A monster am I? Then call to your gods and hear their answer to your pleas!” He slammed Rorke into the ground again. “I said call to them!”

The anubite writhed in pain but still called to his gods. “Horus, Sekhmet, Bastet please lend me your aid!” The squelching demon just laughed with a sound like he was gargling mouthwash.

“I truly enjoy seeing your faith crushed, call to them again! I wish to see you crushed physically and mentally!” This thing was torturing him and laughing while doing it...

“Please, Amun’Ra, will you not lend me your aid!?” He managed to scream to the heavens even as he was bleeding out.

Before the monstrosity of life could gloat over his victim, a shaft of light slammed into Rorke through the whole in the ceiling along with a voice. “You have called for my aid and YOU SHALL HAVE IT!” The voice called.

The light must have burnt and pained the creature greatly because he ripped his hand back as Rorke began to glow brightly. His wounds shown with pure sunlight as the voice spoke once more. “You have my power, my wings, and my support. Take victory against this beast and I will stop the pillar.” Rorke started to cry as his armor and wounds mended. The silvery titanium turning golden, the turquoise feathers becoming brown, and finally the holes in his armor being repaired as well.

Even just reliving the memory as a dream I could feel the power fill Rorke as well as myself. “You answered.” Rorke muttered.

“Yes but please do not cry, you must be ready to kill just know I will help you.” The voice said no longer out loud but mentally. Rorke nodded his head and grabbed his sword from nearby as the shade creature began to right itself. With eyes aglow with yellow light, wings of fire and feather, as well as a permanent corona resting behind his head the anubite charged forward. The abomination sent a flurry of its’ tentacle spears at the newly empowered dog but where he was fast before, the wings made Rorke even faster.

He jumped into the air and slashed at the giant but was stopped by a set of newly revealed armor-like chitin on his arm. “So, your god actually answered you. Good, I’ll kill you, then his followers, and then I’ll kill him taking all that power for myself.” It said as a tentacle wrapped around Rorke’s waist and threw him across the room and through the stone door Moroes had put up.

He went straight through the rock and came out the other side much to the surprise of all the gathered priests, especially Galina. “Rorke what happened to you!” She shrieked but he never answered as he flew back into the room and began to fight again. He turned just in time to avoid getting spear and putting him right next to his axe. He grabbed the weapon in his right hand and flew back toward his opponent ‘Okay seriously, does this thing even have a name!? It’s kind of hard to think of something as monstrous as this and not give it a name, I think I’ll call it a Dweller.’

The Dweller tried in vain to stop the flurry of blades as Rorke advanced on it. Tentacles, scythe-like appendages, and even his right hand were removed by the fast work of the anubite. Of course when a sweeping strike misses no amount of speed will make you any less vulnerable. The Dweller gripped the temporary god in his remaining hand and began to squeeze, to make the job quicker a spear of chitin stabbed through his shoulder and a scythe removed his wings in tandem. Amun’Ra spoke to Rorke mentally once more. “I cannot repair more damage than this and still stop the pillar, focus on sun and close your eyes!”

A moment later the corona on the back of his head exploded in light blinding the Dweller, me, and every priest watching through the doorway. The moment of distraction worked and Rorke managed to get out of the death grip with his body still intact. “I cannot stay with you for much longer, you must finish this. Repeat these words and throw your sword.” ‘He’s using the same language Moroes used, but it just sounds like a dog growling and coughing at the same time and- Holy crap is his sword on fire!?’

The blade had burst into flames as the Dweller reopened his eyes, so the first thing he saw was a flaming sword being hurled and a rage filled priest both flying toward him. In the second it took to bring his arm up to block the flaming blade Rorke had already jumped past it, now lacking wings to fly past it. In a movement like flowing water his bladespear slammed into and through the Dweller’s neck severing his tremendous head. The behemoth fell quickly and the god within Rorke left him just as quick. ‘Your brothers and sisters will see to your health, I must stop the pillar. You may rest now knowing your job is done for now but far from over.’

With that Rorke passed out with a large chunk of his shoulder missing. ‘Wait if Rorke is knocked out, how come I’m still in his memory?’

“Hello Rorke of the future-” The now fast working god said... to me.

“Do not be alarmed, I merely wish to speak to you on matters most dire. This was a tremendous battle but the repercussions will only begin to be felt in your time. Seek the spire of sand and wind, bring life to the barren land, claim the sun and earth, with these tasks set forth; stand against those that would herald the end.’

‘What does claiming the sun and earth mean? Did he just give me one of the most cryptic prophecies I have ever heard AND do it assassin’s creed style from past to the future?’ My thoughts had to wait however as I came forward into the waking world.

Author's note time: These are a couple songs I listen to while I write Song 1 and Song 2
Been a while since I updated but I have an excuse, not a very good one but life works like that. I was forcibly taken to lincoln city, Oregon; the whole thing was fun but that's where 4 days of my non updating time was spent.

This brings me to a couple story element that need addressing. Would anyone like to see a 'visions of the future' chapter or should I just get to the gala already and leave Canterlot? As for the gods, I changed a couple names: Amun'ra is Ra, not really hard to see that one. Bastet is the full name of Bast. Horus stayed the same but has been relegated from head of the Egyptian pantheon to second in the Anubite pantheon behind Amun'Ra. Finally, I'm not sure if anyone remembers in the first chapter were Rorke says he's a weirdo but that particular aspect is going to be expanded on a little later.
-Sturrn

The Sigillite of Canterlot

Chapter Ten
The Sigillite of Canterlot

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

My ‘eyes’ if they can truly be called that, opened to a room completely different from the one I had fallen asleep in. Accompanying this mystery was a new feeling in my body. There was a feeling in my mouth like a worm or something and well I didn’t think after that part. “What the fuck is in my mouth!?” I screamed louder than I probably needed to. I didn’t care. I leaned up in the bed I was apparently placed in and grabbed at my still cloth covered muzzle to grab whatever had made its home in my mouth during my slumber.

As soon as I grabbed the offending creature a familiar pony stumbled out of a chair on the other side of room and ran over to me. “Rorke, it’s okay, that’s just your tongue, don’t try and rip it out or anything.” He said as he placed his hooves on my hands still clamped on my ‘tongue’.

“Mi tongw?” I said.

“I’m going to pretend I know what you said and say yes. You have a tongue now.” He replied while he tried to pry my exposed hands off the slime ridden flesh of my tongue. He succeeded after a moment as I let go of it to question him further on the subject.

“Why do I have a tongue at all? Aren’t those reserved for things that require them to speak, eat, or I don’t know LIVE?” I replied sarcastically.

“Well that requires me telling you what happened to you this morning. A huge flash of light was seen in the library and when the guard rushed in to investigate you were shining like a miniature sun.” He walked back over to his chair and gathered some papers that must have been sent flying as he rushed over. “You were lit up like a hearth’s warming tree for about twenty minutes before the light just blinked out.”

I knew what the light probably meant but I would tell him later. “Didn’t any of you try and wake me up? Sparking up like the sun isn’t exactly healthy, even for a skeleton.”

Rorke opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a tan earth pony mare in a nurse’s hat, sticking her head through the doorway. “I heard screaming, is everypony okay in here?” She asked.

I drew my hands back slightly into the baggy sleeves of my robes that hid them from everyday viewing. “Yes, everything is well.” Sturrn answered.

“Excellent.” She replied with a smile before leaving the room. Only to return a second later. “You know I’m really happy for you two.” The mare said.

“Why is that?” Sturrn questioned.

“Well you don’t let anything get in the way of your love for each other.” She said with a grin the size of texas as she raised a hoof like she was counting with fingers. “You didn’t let gender barriers, species, social distinction, or even occupation stop your love for each other. Mister Chardstone, did you know he personally brought you to the infirmary this morning?”

Sturrn looked stupefied but I was going to keep going, this was something that only happened once in a lifetime. “Is that so? Thank you Lash.” Sturrn took that moment to snap out of it and realize that he was still holding my hands.

“We aren’t gay!” He exclaimed as he let go and backed away from the bed.

“Please Captain, there’s no need to feel ashamed of your partner. We here in the castle are very accepting of relationships of this nature. If your guards knew how dedicated you were to him, I’m sure they will understand perfectly.” She replied happily.

She walked through the door revealing a red brick colored mane and cutie mark that consisted of a pair of needles x’ed over a red cross. She worked her way next to me before leaning in and speaking once more. “Did you know after he carried you in here he stayed in that chair until you woke up.” She “So cute.” I couldn’t help it at that point, laughter was all I could use to respond

“Oh you think that’s funny, do you?” He ran up to and jumped on the bed before he started hitting me with his hooves.

“CAPTAIN LASH!” She screeched as I was pummeled with hooves. ‘Honestly If I could feel any of this it would probably hurt a lot.’ I put up a meager defence but he was getting good shots in. He couldn’t hurt me but getting hit with a hoof repeatedly in the face wasn’t fun either.

After a few moments I struck back and pushed him off the bed. “Okay Sturrn enough of that. Nurse...”

“Killer, nurse Pain Killer.” She said with a little more force than was necessary.

“Indeed, Nurse Killer I assure you that Captain Lash is perfectly straight stallion. Neither him or I are in a relationship of that kind.” ‘That sounded so formal I might as well be wearing a suit.’

She looked at the ground for a moment as Sturrn whispered his embittered thanks to me before threatening to put his hoof in places I’m sure skeletons don’t have, if I were to say something like that again. ‘Someone is a little insecure...’

The nurse looked back up with a look in her eyes that I couldn’t readily recognize. “So does that mean you’re available?” Her smile back on.

‘Quick think of something you idiot!’ “I’m sorry Nurse but I’m afraid not.”

Her smile fell away as she turned her head. “Oh okay, you probably have a mare back home waiting for you huh?”

“Not really.” I admitted causing her expression to fall even more. I had to salvage the situation right then. “I just have a ‘condition’ I guess you could call it. The whole thing makes a relationship virtually impossible.” She didn’t take it too well. “Nurse...”

“No no, I’m a strong mare. This isn’t the first time I’ve been rejected.” She started walking out of the room. “Feel free to leave whenever you want, no sign out required.” With that said she left the room and a silence drifted in to fill the void.

Sturrn spoke first. “Not exactly how I wanted to wake you up, but what can you do?” He stood up from his chair and brought the papers from earlier and dropped them on the bed. ‘Way to be a cold bastard.’

“Do you think I should talk to her?” I asked.

The reply never came, instead a different line of thinking was introduced. “Rorke, here in this stack of paper are the reports of quite a few Equestrian military base in the world as we know it. They all pertain to visitors with some semblance of authority. One in particular caught my eye, around four years ago in a island naval base within the Zebra island chain as well as a year ago, courtesy of everyponies favorite pirate turned revolutionary.”

“What happened?” I questioned but not forgetting my previous line of questioning.

“Princess Kalin of the Southern Dunes, The Desert Orchid, and Priestess of the singing cloud were the honorifics stated in the report. She was travelling with an armed entourage to find an old friend and here’s the kicker, she wasn’t a pony.” He said smugly while nudging me in the ribs. He looked at the paper once more. “The bottom of the paper says that the scribe had a hard time recording things she said because of a thick accent.” He frowned deeply. “What kind of two-bit scribe gets hung up by an accent, they train for that kind of stuff.”

“Sorry to interrupt your scribe hatred, but what is this for exactly?” I questioned

“Come on Rorke really? You’re leaving for Saddle Arabia soon and your people are currently missing in that area of the world. Don't you want to find them? This is a huge clue, it may mean they’re looking for you.” He said excitedly pushing the stack of papers closer to me.

“Sturrn, Rorke has been dead for over 7000 years.” I managed to deadpan. “Why would they be looking for me after all this time?”

“Because magic!” He shouted like a little kid talking about ice cream.

It took an honest effort not to snort twice or laugh at all. After a few moment I composed myself enough to continue. “Just this one time, you ARE going to have to explain.”

He sighed before continuing. “It goes like this. Since you have Rorke’s body that must mean you got some of his traits as well, correct?” I nodded. “Then you probably have his memories or at least some of them. Use them and search for anyone like that.”

“I guess this is a good time to tell you I’ve already been doing that when I sleep. The only name that fits is a Priestess named Galina. She was Rorke’s girlfriend when he became Fero.”

We sat in silence for a minute before he broke the silence. “What’s a Fero?”

“One of their rulers, the other was the High Priest who betrayed the anubites and was killed by Rorke.” I explained

“So the Fero is like a prince?” He questioned.

“Yeah, I guess so.” I replied tentatively.

“See, this Kalin could just be Galina. they’re both Princesses, Priestesses, and come from the Southern Sands.” I had to admit his thinking was impressive but there was one major glaring flaw in his thinking.

“The accent may have obscured the G with an K and taken away the A at the end of her name. That doesn’t however, explain how she has managed to live longer than any mortal could. She would be 7000 plus years old, mind explaining that?”

He looked perplexed for a moment but regained himself. “Three ways this could have happened. She could have been placed in stasis magically, she discovered a way to prolong life somehow, or Kalin is a descendant of hers.”

“My guess is stasis, but how could the descendent theory work?” I asked.

“Ponies don’t exactly have any religion to fall upon but it wasn’t always like that. There have been a few points in equine history were the Princesses have been held aloft as deities. My understanding of religion is that sometimes a member of the group comes forward with a prophecy foretelling things. Maybe your return was prophesied? He explained.

“That makes sense but what about the fact that anubites haven't been seen since Rorke’s death? One just magically coming out of the woodwork isn’t something that just happens. How do we even know it was an anubite and not something else?”

He thrust a paper in my face and grinned smugly once more. On the paper was a word for word description of a typical anubite, on the other side however was a detailed drawing of one in full robed regalia. “Okay okay, you got me on that one but what now?”

His smug disappeared along with his smile. “Well... Um, I’m not entirely sure but if you’re heading toward anubite lands then you might find another. This is pretty much your operation now.”

“Okay next question, what does this have to do with Griffin?”

“Well let me read the report itself.” He sifted a couple of pages around and pulled one close to his face. “Says here he disguised himself and his crew as desert dwellers and tricked their way into a island military base. The formerly ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie was masqueraded as the Princess. The mayor was well acquainted with the real princess so he knew she was a fake and tried to capture them all. Griffin managed to get himself and his entire crew off the island and escape though. If that incident hadn’t occurred I would never have found the earlier report.”

“Sounds like a psycho or a badass if he can shred through all their defense and still get away.” With that said my questions ceased and I busied myself alongside Sturrn with looking and examining reports from the stack of papers. After about two hours of sifting I had enough.

“Okay Sturrn this is ridiculous, I’m in every bronies dream and I’ve done nothing with it. I’m going out in the city and exploring, pass me that curtain!” Sturrn just looked at me like I was crazy. ‘Maybe he’s right, but I’m going to have fun anyway.’

He reached behind him and removed the tan hospital curtain carefully before handing it to me. I proceeded to tear strips of it off. “Rorke what are you doing!?” He shouted harshly.

“I’m tired of trying to hide my hands and I’m pretty sure some ponies have seen my feet when I walk. These robes can’t hide everything.” I tore off more strips from the unfortunate curtain until I had about eight strips and half a curtain left. I handed the unfortunate cloth to Sturrn. “Can you put this back for me?” He just silently took the curtain and strung it back up.

I began wrapping my hands in two strips each till I covered most of the bone. My feet were much harder to wrap. “Sturrn, can you give me a hand here?” He looked pointedly at me. “What?” He raised his hoof. “Yeah okay I’m dumb, we can agree on that.” It took me a few minutes but I got my feet and hand wraps finished. All that was showing was the bony ends of my claws.

“What are you going to do, just walk around the city and play with your tongue?” He asked.

“Why not? I won’t be able to see Equestria like I wanted to. I gotta get to the Liberator, and then I won’t even be on the same continent as everyone and everywhere I want to see.” I paused for a moment and contemplated latching onto my new tongue for just a second. “I might play with my new tongue later, but for now.” I hopped out of bed and onto my feet. “Lets get going.” But before I could even take a step he grabbed onto my robes.

“Sorry no can do, I have to take care of some Captain business and dig up more info on anything that can help you on your trip.”

“Seriously? Can’t you just take the day off or something? I’m leaving after tomorrow, come on.” I pleaded.

“What do you think I’m doing tomorrow? We both got tickets to the gala remember?” I want to get as much work done before tomorrow.” He replied.

“Okay, I’ll see you... Um, where exactly do you work now?”

“I forgot to tell you, I got my own office in the dawn wing. Just ask somepony in the castle for Captain Lash’s office and they’ll lead you there. Now I have to go, enjoy your ‘Brony Day’ whatever that is.” With that said he walked out of the room and it left me with a strange conundrum. ‘Do I tell him? No, definitely not. I didn’t even tell my friends that were human. Telling a pony that stuff would probably break the world.’

I walked out of the door into the hallway and proceeded outside to grassy areas surrounding the hospital. The scenery actually got me thinking a little, beyond the stares was currently getting and will be getting for the rest of my ‘life’. ‘It’s funny, I’ve only been in Equestria for about six days. I don’t even consider myself a human anymore. I’ve gotten into more fights this week than in my entire life combined. Others have actually tried to kill me, Auburn didn’t even know I was undead or just a skeleton really. He tried to kill me in my sleep regardless.’ My contemplations brought me to a bench that seemed woefully close to the ground for my style, but ponies are hilariously short compared to me.

I sat there contemplating my time in a land of technicolor ponies, even as time for my brony adventure day passed by. “Why am I even a priest? I was freaking atheist before, now I’m some sort of super-pope to a people that are just as dead to the world as I am.” I looked up from my sudden fit of philosophical self degradation and looked into a pair of eyes very close to my own.

“You realize you just said all of that aloud right?” She said as I looked deeper into her eyes before breaking their mental grasp and seeing that it was in fact Pain Killer.

‘Okay, decision time. Lie my teeth off or tell the truth?’ “Yes I realize I said all of that aloud, but in my defense I didn’t realize someone was nearby.” Truth seemed best in this situation.

She looked at me for a few moments. She squinted and un-squinted at me before walking over and sitting on the bench next to me. “What’s religion, or a ‘super-pope’?” She asked inquisitively.

‘Why!? What did I do to deserve being the one that has to break the religion stick over ponykind’s head. Sturrn said its happened before but looks like the world at large is without it. Celestia preserve me.’ I reached my hand up and stroked my make believe beard in a weirdo attempt to appear more sagely than I could ever be. "Religion is strange. It can do so much good yet throughout history it has always been used as an excuse to perpetrate great evil it also promotes hatred and ignorance when done wrong. Following that, it isn't all bad. I guess I’ll just ignore your question for now and ask you to accompany on my drift through Canterlot.” My pseudo-offer made her beam like a girl getting asked to prom.

“Like a date!?” She shouted while standing up on the bench. ‘This could only happen to me. Work tirelessly when I was human, to make myself presentable and behave perfectly, yet I don’t even get a backward glance. Become an undead jackal creature on a planet of ponies and all of a sudden I don’t even have to try anymore.’

“I’m going to come clean with you. I leave for a warship heading to a land literally on the other side of the world. I don’t think a long distance relationship can work that far.” With that said I managed to once more annihilated her dream. ‘For saying she’s a strong mare she seems to be really emotional.’

She looked up at me from her sad state. “Does that mean I can’t go along with you around Canterlot?”

“You can still come with” I replied. “but you can’t ask me about where I come from. Today is all about Equestria and ponykind.”

She was starting to freak me out a little. Her personality flipped faster than Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush. This coupled with a leaping LITERAL face hug that threw me off the bench onto the ground didn’t really help her case too much either. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise you’ll love this, I’ll show you the best places in Canterlot.” I wasn’t so sure.

We departed the bench and headed off toward her first objective and the first tiding of doom, Pony joe’s donut shop. “Don’t worry Rorke, he serves more than just donuts you know.” The off duty nurse claimed cheerfully. “In fact, one of his best customers is a cute little dragon named Spike so I’m sure he’ll have some gems for you to munch on.”

That statement ruined every plan I had for the day. “Sorry Killer, I’m not very hungry, maybe we can move past that?”

“Of course we can. We are having dinner somewhere later though. You have to keep your strength up if you don’t want to go back to the infirmary again.” ‘Crap, that failed, better switch to plan B then.’

‘Well, plan B failed worse than plan A...’ We ended up just lazing the afternoon away walking around the city seeing all the best sites in the city. I got to socialize with some of the ponies that were brave enough to approach me, being over twice as tall as most of them didn’t exactly help. Those brave enough to venture a conversation were well rewarded however. It seemed like the bravest ones to talk to me were foals that didn’t have the urgent sense of danger that their parents had. After that and much debating I managed to eschew a formal eating session from our plans and we did something I never even thought of doing before. We went to a bar.

“You’re going to love this place.” Pain Killer gushed as she strolled through the door.

I liked the place itself but the ponies inside could be better. Unfortunately, Pain Killer decided it was in her best interest to get drunk. This immediately attracted the wrong kind of attention, especially when you have an almost seven foot creature pry a mare off the jukebox because she still wanted to sing with Dean Maretin. Two things happened after that. The first was me dying a little on the inside from the pun, and the second was giving her a piggyback ride to her house. This proved more than awkward as I shimmied out of the door and into the dark Canterlot street.

Looking up at the street clock I saw it was almost midnight but I figured tonight would be a great chance to test my no sleeping theory. I walked with her high up on my shoulders up and down various streets because she couldn't really remember where she lived. I couldn’t be mad at her though, as far as I know skeletons don’t age beyond the physical degradation so I had all the time in the world... Okay, and she decided to start nuzzling the side of my face which made up for everything that had happened to me since coming to Equestria. She was the very epitome of soft. “You know, it’s a long walk back to the castle. You should probably stay with me tonight.”

‘Aaaand just like that, my day goes down the toilet, into the sewer and back to the festering pit that my life seems to have become. She’s still soft and that makes it better though.’ I ignored her statement thinking she would forget but she began to gather her coherent thoughts together and finally got me to the door of her house. ‘Yeah, “house.” That’s an villa if I’ve ever seen it.’ The whole house was clean cut and looked like cubes stacked on top of each other in different ways, like the modern homes on earth. I looked over the small fence beside her front door and saw it even had a pretty good sized pool.

“Pain Killer, how can you afford this on a nurses budget? You aren’t pulling a Heisenberg and selling meth are you?” I asked the inebriated mare.

“I don’t know what meth is.” She said between laughter before explaining her home. Apparently her father used to be a huge player in the stock market and retired with more than enough money to suit him.

“You have a key then?” She fumbled around behind me before handing the key over. I unlocked the door and walked in, next to the door was a nice couch I could set her on. She was asleep before hitting the cushions. I searched a closet nearby and brought over a blanket, draping it over her sleeping form before checking a clock and leaving the house. Once it hit midnight I began talking to myself, i’d never figured out why but it always seemed to happen that way. Tonight was no exception. As I walked out of the door and toward the shadows of the streets it all started “Being dead kind of sucks. It has some awesome things about it but the whole thing just sucks.”

If I had been paying attention instead of prancing about like an idiot blathering on about death, I would have noticed the multitude of eyes and clanking of armor that seemed to be following my walk. Eventually I noticed them, as soon as I saw them though, the eyes disappeared around a shadowy corner. I followed them and came upon a single lunar guard who slammed into me as I turned the corner. As much as I didn’t want to think it, this guard was a real pansy. We slammed into each other and he screamed higher than one of the mares from earlier.

He quickly tried to right himself but the damage was done and the eyes were gone. “Oh, um.” He coughed a bit and puffed out his chest in an effort to look more impressive. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Riiiight. Did you see where those eyes... Why are you staring at me?” I asked slightly irritated. One thing I can never stand is when someone blatantly stares at me, a sneaking stare is fine but doing it openly just rubs me the wrong way.

“Just a random thought but you wouldn’t happen to be Rorke, would you?” He asked with all the confidence of a cucumber.

“What gave it away, the fact that I’m the only one as tall as Celestia or the whole dog in robes thing?” I asked with sarcasm dripping in every word. Losing track of those eyes kind of pissed me off.

“Th-the tall as Celestia thing.” He said as he prodded the ground nervously with his hoof.

“well?”

“Oh um, are y-you a s-ske....” His voice drifting off to Fluttershy levels until I couldn’t even figure if he was making legitimate words. ‘I want to know who’s the idiot who made this guy a guard, he couldn’t fight a pinecone with a longsword.’

“Okay this is starting to annoy me, just tell me what you want.” My voice starting to rise despite myself.

“Are you a skeleton?!” He shouted finally before covering his mouth with his hooves and launching into a flurry of apologies.

“Yes, I am.” I said simply. There wasn’t a reason to try and mince words, it was the reality of my situation. Fortunately he cut his apology off as soon as I said that.

“Wait, what? Are you serious? I thought that was just the Captain trying to be funny.” He said just in time to reflex and stumble back into a mediocre example of a fighting stance. “I won’t let you hurt anyone.” Flaring his now revealed wings as he backed his way into a streetlight. I could finally see his whole body but nothing really outstanding. He looked just like a solar guard except a dark silver instead of gold and with more red than I thought there would be.

“Oh put your big boy pants on and calm down. Have I done anything bad since I’ve gotten here?” I asked plainly.

“Well-” He began earnestly.

“I’ll cut you off there and say no I haven’t. I’m sure Auburn would beg to differ but he’s in jail so I don’t care what he thinks. I thought Princess Luna told you all herself?”

“She just told the Captain to tell us, and what would happen if we spread the knowledge around.”

“Yeah, I’m sure plenty of ponies aren’t going to be so accepting of me. Hey at least I’ve only gotten one pony thats tried to kill me, and it wasn’t even because I’m dead.” I exclaimed happily.

“Can I see?” He asked quietly.

“See what?”

“Your... Well anything really. I want to see your face actually.” He looked up to me eye to ‘eye’ “Please?”

“Let’s cross over to that streetlight and I’ll show you.” We crossed the street and walked into the light before I pulled the wrap on my muzzle and head off. The bone shone off dully in the lamps’ gaze.

“That’s all I needed to see.” He said slowly before whistling out a bird call of some sort.

I heard footsteps behind me and as I turned, out of the darkness came three other ponies dressed in the same dark silver and red armor. “It seems our trust in you was not mistaken, Iron Shot.” They all had swords on their sides minus Iron Shot. What had me minutely worried however, was the stallion in the middle that seemed to be the boss had an outrageously large sword also resting on his back.

“You aren’t Lunar Guards, are you?” I asked calmly.

“No.” The leader, who was obviously compensating with such a large and familiar sword, said. “We are something much stronger than the mere foals that work in our so-called Princesses service. The Argent Crusade won’t stand for scourge beasts like you ruining Equestria.” He said gravely.

I began chuckling and the stallion asked me why. I ignored him and began laughing more even as he drew his sword and began to demand I stop laughing. By this point I was laughing hysterically. “Damnit, why are you laughing?!” He yelled.

“Oh man, this is hilarious.” I wiped away a nonexistent tear. “If I’m a scourge beast does that mean you’re the pony version of Tirion Fordring?”

“My name, is Moroes!.” He said with malice intent.

“Wait wait” I interrupted. “Does this make me the Lich King? Oh man, this is too funny.” I almost fell over from laughing.

The other three soldiers were audibly grinding their teeth, but if they were mad ‘Moroes’ was pissed beyond measure. He swung his sword at me in a wide arc missing by a mile but causing me to leap back. “You will give us the respect we have earned, monster. I’m sure that nurse would agree...”

That got me to snap back to reality. “Stay away from her.” I said coldly.

He smirk as he stood with a hoof placed on his sword. “Maybe she’s an undead sympathizer. We simply can’t allow that to continue.” He said as he waved one of his goons off toward Killer’s house.

“Hurting an innocent to stop evil, looks like you’re becoming monsters yourselves.” I spoke subtly.

“Maybe, but who is going to argue when no body is found and you’re sitting ten feet under.” He said something after that but I was paying more attention to the pony that had run. I needed to stop him. ‘Option A, jump and see if I go as high as last time, hop roof to roof and cut him off. Option B, fight these three and hope Killer can hold her own... Obvious choice there.’

I reeled back and hoped beyond hope to catch enough air that I wouldn’t slam into side of a building instead of getting to the roof. I managed to get to a height just at the rim and grab on before leveraging my way to scrabbling to the top. Moroes began yelling something but I was too far up to hear what. I got to my feet and began to jump from rooftop to rooftop trying to spot the galloping crusader but it was fruitless in the pitch darkness of the city. That is, until I had spotted the shadowy armored pony running past a series of streetlights.

I jumped off the building, no doubt waking up the occupants, and aimed myself for a direct intercept course to tackle the charging stallion. trajectory had other plans however and I slammed directly into the streetlight he had just passed by. A bit of bone actually chipped off the bridge between my eyes but I stood up anyway. I turned and was immediately slammed to the ground by my target. “You’ll regret facing me, you abomination!” He yelled a foot away from my face before abruptly ramming his sword through my skull.

My first thoughts probably should have been about getting a large hunk of sharpened steel rammed through head but they actually drifted to more along the lines of ‘Why is no one waking up from all this yelling? Seriously, I’ve heard nothing but shouting and not a soul has come out to see what it’s all about.’

Eventually my thoughts returned to the situation at hand as he wretched the blade from my eye socket. He tried for another strike but was stopped prematurely by my fist to the side of his helmet. Unfortunately this didn’t get him off my chest but throwing a mean left hook with my gauntlet sure did. He collapsed onto the ground with a spray of blood leaking from his mouth, only then did I realize how he was talking and still able to stab me, due to the fact that he was a unicorn.

“You won’t beat me that easily, skeleton freak.” He said spitting more blood as his sword rose into the air once more.

“Sure do love your smack talk, don't you?” I replied. I was never good at smack talk before a fight but this was really a victim of circumstance. I had never been in a single fight before come here and all of a sudden it feels like an almost daily occurrence. ‘Canterlot feels like a fantasy version of New York. Replace guns with magic and mafiosos with jacked up, mentally unstable crusaders.’

He charged toward me as his sword began to swipe at me mid-air. I could have easily just walked through the blade and been unhurt but I didn’t have another set of robes and those were the ones that made me look like a guard. So it was, I dodged and weaved through the biting lines of the weapon and engaged the pony himself. He reared up and slammed an armored hoof into my ribcage pushing the cloth inward and getting his leg jammed in between a pair of the bones. He looked up at me with a panicked expression and got exactly what he deserved.

I did what should never be done in a fight, a bit of knowledge that even I knew. My enemy was immobilized though so I felt it was okay. I reared my armored fist as far back as possible and slammed it straight into the side of his head. The force of impact actually broke a pair of my ribs as his foot was forcibly removed from my body. The effects following that weren’t fun for him to say the least, his helmet had all but been caved in on the side as he flipped comically through the air.

‘Nothing puts someone down like haymaker.’ I thought as I walked over to the downed stallion. “You know I’m a guard right? You’re definitely under arrest, wish I had some cuffs though.” He leaned up from his collapsed position, a couple of teeth being left on the ground and blood dripping out of his mouth.

“You hold no authority over the righteous” He muttered half heartedly.

“Really now?” I said as I picked him up by the plates on his neck. “Because I’m sure both the princesses and the Solar Guard would beg to differ.”

He chuckled lightly. “I’m sure they would beg from a dog.”

“Don’t test me zealot. I’m not a killer but I’m more than willing to leave you as a puddle on the street.” I warned him as my jaw began to pitch back to bare my teeth despite a conscious effort to stop it.

He smiled showing off his multitude of missing teeth and the blood caking the others. “I’d much rather leave you as a pile of bones left to rot out in the sun.” He said right before his horn began to glow. I heard the scrape of metal coming off stone, it was all the warning I got. I wretched my whole body to the left and let go of the crusader. All I heard was an irking sound of surprise before a crackle of metal sounded on the cobblestone street.

To my right was something I’d seen a million times before but could never be prepared for in real life. No picture, video, or words could describe seeing someone who was just very much alive one second, die right next to you. He had attempted to thrust his sword through the back of my head but couldn't stop the blade when I was no longer in its’ path. Jutting out of his head was his own sword.

I stumbled backwards as I could feel my mind stress and creak as the weight of the situation caved in on it. Hairline fractures could almost be felt on my psyche. “H-h-he’s dead.” I stuttered to myself. Auburn had tried the same thing that one had, but he lived through the attempt, pretty beat up but he lived. The only thing that managed to make the situation worse was the arrival of the other crusaders.

Moroes ran up the street with the other two as I was sprawled on the ground in a heap of disbelief. He stopped so sharply that I could hear his hooves scrape on the stone roadway. “Iron Shod, Venerable, take the body back to the warden. Let everypony know I’m taking care of the problem myself.” I turned and saw them gallop up and place the body on Iron’s back before they ran sprinted away in disgust.

He approached me calmly with his sword held against his side with a wing. “You’re much stronger than I thought you would be. That was my nephew you know. He never was that good of a fighter but what can you do? He did do one useful thing with his life...” He began creeping toward me with a smile on his face only to be stopped by a flash of light from above us. Above us a light had been flicked on inside a nearby house and it was shining right on us.

He had frozen his walk for just long enough to get me out of my episode and up on my feet to run. I had gone just over ten feet before he started giving chase. ‘Okay, okay, I just indirectly killed a pony... Who was trying to kill me. Who jammed his own sword in his eye...’ I kept thinking to myself as I ran farther and farther away from the city with Moroes hot on my heels, sword in tow. ‘How exactly is that my fault? Technically I just punched him, really hard but still just a punch. Something about this situation makes me think I’m not going to sleep tonight though.’

Almost three minutes of nonstop running and getting out of public areas led me to a lightly forested area on the outskirts of Canterlot. I turned and saw the crusader huffing and puffing toward me with his massive sword still in place. I figured that the weight must throw him off in flight too much to attempt it or he would have just flown instead of running. “I-I’ve got you now.” He said before heaving plenty of deep breaths and slipping his sword back out.

“I’m going to kill you and drop your corpse at the Grand Warden’s hooves.” He said confidently as he started to inch toward me trying with all his effort to look menacing but coming off totally inept.

“You know, telling your opponent that you’re going to kill them before the fight has even started is really bad luck.” I warned.

“Bad luck or no, I have the Ashbringer at my side.” He said showing off the blade. “No undead monstrosity can stand before the most holy of weapons.”

‘That’s where I remember the sword from. This means I need to be careful, pain or no pain that thing could turn me to dust if he uses it right.’ I shifted my body into a form that I thought would most resemble a decent fighting stance. He shifted in front of me as he encroached further toward me until at around twenty feet he charged, the glow of Ashbringer lighting the forest up ever so slightly. I was fighting open handed compared to his hyper effective undead killing machine, life just falls apart that way.

He seemed to be holding the sword with his mouth but also guiding it with one of his wings. He stabbed forward as I leaned to the right, I didn’t account for sudden shifts in blade direction as he slammed the flat of the blade against my hips. You wouldn’t figure it from such a diminutive size but that hit packed a lot of power. I was sent end over end across the clearing until I hit a tree and flattened myself against its’ face. A couple of cracks that I could only assume were some of my bones breaking sent a calm echo through the surprisingly quiet forest.

I had barely gotten to my feet when I was faced with the angry crusader in my face again. He swung that blade like it was the fastest thing on the planet, I didn’t have time to dodge all or even half of his attacks but luckily the only fatality of those strikes was my guard uniform. Unfortunately, I had taken off my mail when I went to sleep in the library and never retrieved it, I didn’t know if it would make a difference but it would stop that blade from touching me and burning me down to a cinder.

Barely a minute had passed before the first injury of the fight was incurred. Injury as in pain and wounding, both of those being rested on my end of the fight. He had waited for just the right opening and thrust the blade into the side of my ribs cutting a few of them straight off. That wasn’t the worse aspect, the bones would heal but I felt PAIN. I hadn’t felt pain since getting Rorke’s body but nothing sparks up the memory like first hand experience. The bastardized crusader actually smiled as he twisted the blade. Smiling as he made me scream out in mind splitting agony once more. The blade actually burned my bones and sent the sensation through my entire body.

Time seemed to slow down as the unreal flames of torment coursed directly throughout my body making me attempt to scream but it only came out a little more than a pained gasp. Moroes didn’t say anything but his wicked smile and overtly gleeful expression told me he was eating my torment like ice cream. “You’re lucky you know that?” He said before twisting the blade, pulling it out, and stabbing me through the ribs again cutting the whole left side off and tearing a massive hole in my robe. “Most undead can't stand a moment in contact with the Ashbringer before they die, you’re special, its been a whole ten seconds and you’re still alive.”

At that time I was resigned to my fate. ‘I am going to die and no one is going to know how, where, or why.’ I was actually surprised I could still think through the tortuous grasp of pain wracking my body. So it was that I sat there for almost thirty second of pure undying pain with a pony wrenching his sword through me bones trying to kill me. It was around that time however that I learned one true thing that life on earth had never given me a chance to confront and perceive.

‘I don’t want to die.’ It was a simple as that and I refused to die. I drew up my open handed claw and raked the unarmored section behind one of his legs making him lose focus. I took the initiative and pushed him off of me, he took the sword down with him. He looked wobbly in his stature but it was beyond time to end it. I jumped at him but he rolled away and brought his sword back up to fend me off further. He wasn’t ready for what was going to do next though. I had been fighting his fight up until then; I was taller, lighter, and faster with greater reach so I began to put them to use.

I swept with my legs and used every approach possible to close the distance, to negate the effect his sword had on the fight but he was much better than the pony from earlier. He kept his distance and back pedaled like a champ even as his leg splashed blood with his every movement. It was really a bad idea I had come up with but with such a large sword he wouldn’t have been able to pull it out in time.

He swung wide to keep me from closing in but I persisted until I was right next to him, I didn’t predict his next move though. He reared up and kicked my spine itself with his uninjured leg throwing me back to the ground, that screw up my attack but his next move corrected the course of events. As I fell he brought the slanted point of the sword down and removed my leg just below the hip. The pain was beyond measure but I couldn’t let him redouble his efforts when I was lacking mobility at that critical point. I leaned forward and grabbed the sword with both hand, the passive essence of the sword burning my entire body even as the only contact was the claw tips.

Ripping the sword from his mouth was immediate but the consequence of that was he flopping on top of me, it wasn’t unwelcome as that allowed me to continue my efforts immediately. His face was grimaced as I laid the points of my gauntlet directly into his throat and head as well as clawing the same area. A mere few moments later and the fight was over, my face and chest drenched in blood that couldn’t be my own and the body of my opponent laying right next to me. “How had the day come to this?” I said to myself. “The day started off so well and now I’m drenched in blood, my robe is in tatters, and I have to figure out what to do with this whole situation...” I let the sentence hang in the air as I thought to myself.

‘I have to get up first and that requires both of my legs. I really hope that the cuts from Ashbringer will still heal.’ They did but it took almost half an hour of gathering the several missing ribs and sitting still to have both them and my leg reattach themselves. After that I spent my time carefully handling the overly painful sword and using it as a shovel. I had to dig Moroes a grave, it wasn’t out of respect or anything along those lines. I just couldn’t have some foal walk into the forest and find a dead pony in armor getting eaten by animals.

After about half an hour I had managed to dig a deep enough hole but it left a decision to be made. “Do I take Ashbringer and try to find a way to use it or do I bury it with him?” I felt considering that the blade burned me immensely that no matter how good it could be, it wasn’t worth keeping so I threw it into the hole and pushed the dirt on top of it by hand. My last act in that forest completed I walked out, only to walk back in when I realized I was still covered in blood. After a few minutes of walking I found a small stream that was just deep enough let me flail about in it and get most of the blood off. Then I was finally done and strode out of the forest with my thoughts still tied up by the actions of the day.

As I entered the city something caught my eye. A street clock once more displaying the time, it was fifteen minutes to four as I strode down the street toward the castle. ‘The Grand Galloping Gala is today.’

All aboard the Gala train! I won't be taking part in any of them main festivities you have all seen unless I was told I could. Rorke will be having his own things to deal with regarding that evenings events but he'll be heading toward the 'Liberator' before long. Another update, I'll be commissioning some cover art from a friend of mine that I don't get to see enough but if that falls through I'll draw it myself. Before September is out you will have a picture of Rorke. I think that's all I have to say.
-Sturrn

Revelry Denied

Chapter Eleven
Revelry Denied

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

I walked through the streets of Canterlot much worse for wear. ‘I killed him...’ That thought had been sending my mind into absolute disarray all night. I had been getting in almost non-stop fights with ponies since I woke up in this world, and now I would have to explain how I killed one with my own hands. I looked at the offending appendages as I neared the castle. When I finally got there I was a greeted by an actual Lunar Guard, wearing dark blue armor and saying a simple “Welcome to the castle.”

I thanked her and continued on to the castle entrance looking for the one pony that I could talk to about recent events. Luna probably would’ve been a better choice, but Celestia just seemed to have a better grasp on things than her sister, and she had made a bone pun in court so I figured she liked me. I asked a passing pony if he had the time, much to my annoyance it took him a second to calm down from being scared by the ‘monster’ as he called me. It was just past four thirty in the morning, and I was making great time comparatively to the start of the gala itself. I didn’t know exactly when it was supposed to start, but I figured that I was making great time nevertheless.

Eventually my efforts paid off and my search for Celestia came to an end in front of what I could have only guessed was her bedroom. A pair of heavily armored solar guards with halberds drawn were stationed at the door. I approached and tried to open the door, I knew they wouldn’t let me in that easily but I figured they might have been new on the job. “Halt!” The pair shouted unnecessarily as they crossed their weapons in front of the door. “Nopony is allowed to enter the Princess’ chambers right now.”

I gave a large sigh. “I need to talk to the Princess, and no, it can’t wait.” I said, my words dripping with venom.

He maintained his emotionless expression as he began to go over court hours during which I could visit. I tried to cut him off but he kept talking and his partner just stood there. Finally I just blew up. “Okay I get it!” I shouted making them tense up and bring their halberds closer. “I don’t care if I look like a tool, I’m pulling rank on this one.” I said only slightly calmer as I pulled out the twin amulets the Princesses had given me. “Now open the door.” I knew he was just jerking me around, Celestia had told all the guards about me, he was clearly hiding something if the guard was willing to pull that act.

They each took an amulet in hoof and examined them before silently opening the door. I quickly retrieved my possessions from them and walked through the door without a word before they closed it behind me. The room was large and likely well-decorated, but at the time I wasn’t really that interested in seeing what was in it. “Princess!” I called out. There was no answer so I searched around. After a few minutes I opened her closet, truly unthinking of the invasion of her privacy. It was a good thing I had, as the closet held a large trap door that was left open, and revealed a staircase completely devoid of any light whatsoever.

I slowly started descending the stairs, and several minutes later I finally came upon a light at the end: a single, large chamber. Standing in the well lit room, with plenty of science equipment surrounding her, was Princess Celestia. “Hello Rorke.” She said turning around to greet me with a subdued and gentle smile. “Welcome to my archive.” Her smile didn’t last too long though, as she took a closer look at me. “What happened to you?”

I didn’t see a chair, even if I had I probably would have still sat on the floor like I did. “Yesterday was hell, plain and simple.” She simply walked over and sat down on the ground next to me.

I began to describe the entire day in detail up until the first death. “The story doesn’t end there, but I would like to hear what you think.” I said calmly, even with my head abuzz with thoughts.

She put a hoof to her chin and pondered for a moment, her eyes closed in thorough concentration. A minute later they popped open. “This isn’t what I want to hear about my little ponies.” She said with a note of sadness. “Undead or not, you have helped Equestria in ways others could not. That isn’t what you want to hear though, is it?” I shook my head like a child wanting validation for their actions. “If you were wondering whether you would be charged for the crusader’s death, you won’t, there isn’t proof that his death even took place.”

“Why?” I questioned, even with the answer being rather obvious.

“He killed himself trying to kill you, even if you had killed the stallion yourself you wouldn’t have been convicted, not in my court.” She said firmly.

“Then perhaps I should tell the rest of the story.” I replied sadly.

I managed to get through the whole story, relaying my feelings as they had been throughout the events and immediately following them. “Every bastard in society gets a grave.” I noted. “Moroes didn’t deserve one, but I gave him one anyway.” I paused for a moment. “So, what happens now?”

“I think it’s obvious.” She said as her horn flared with light and I was pulled to my feet. She accompanied me on my vertical ascent and when we hit the peak of my height something I wasn’t expecting happened. She reared onto her hind legs, putting her just a head taller than myself, and gave me a strong hug. “Griffin may be able to do it without thought, and so may many of my guards as well, but it takes a real stallion to feel the bite of guilt after taking a life. Those like Griffin just take the life and block it out until they can’t anymore, and though I wish it didn’t have to be, the ponies within the guard are trained to do the same.” She released me and used her hoof to raise my gauntlet up. “If we may venture a thought for a moment, I would like you to be better able to handle yourself in a fight.”

I raised my gemmed metal glove out of her hoof and looked at it closely. The gemmed knuckles twinkled just a bit as I stared at them. “How?”

“I’m going to take the lock off of your gauntlet.” She said as she walked over to a bookshelf.

I stopped her mid-stride and leaned down a bit to give her a quick hug around her neck. “Thank you.” I said quietly as an honest-to-god blush spread across her face.

“You’re most welcome.” She replied before turning back to and pulling a book from a nearby shelf with her magic. “If you would hoof me your gauntlet, I’ll begin.” I pulled the armor off my hand to reveal the wrappings I had placed there yesterday. Her magic took hold of it and she began, while I merely stood in silence behind her, waiting. Several minutes later the gauntlet was returned to me and Celestia looked drained as a result of her efforts.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

She looked at me happily. “I am, removing the ward wasn’t a problem, but I took the liberty of filling up your gems with new magic. I forgot how much work Rorke put into making that glove what it is. The charge those gems can hold would probably power the ‘Liberator’ for months, if not a whole year.”

I felt a question creep up. “Doesn’t that mean that the gems would have to be huge, like the one powering the guard forge?” She left my question hanging in the air, unanswered.

“I will be giving you a basic speed course on how to use magic.”

I wasn’t really sure how to respond to the statement. Was I supposed to be excited? How did non-unicorns use magic? I heard that pirate had managed to do it. “How?” I asked plainly.

She pulled another book down from the shelf and turned back to me. “There are several types of magic as you may know. Enchanted items for instance don’t require a unicorn to create. A passive magic user can make them, and in fact can sometimes imbue stronger enchantments on an item than magically active races can. The scripture on your gauntlet is a list of spells, written in the anubites’ holy language.”

That lit up a whole new line of thinking for me. “What do you know about religion? Sturrn said that back in the day ponies used to worship you.” She had a little smile on her face.

“It’s true.” She explained. “Long ago my sister and I were held aloft as goddesses of the day and night, but eventually it felt like we had actually lost touch with the fact that we weren’t and still aren’t. We are just long lived mortals.”

“I was never really a religious person back on earth, I remember that much. Please,continue, you were talking about the script on the glove.”

“Of course. A caster like you would normally use words as a catalyst to do magic. However I don’t actually know the words that Griffin uses and what kind of training is required to do it, so until a time comes when I can learn his technique you will be learning the unicorn way.”

“Does that mean magical kindergarten?” I asked haphazardly.

“No.” She said solemnly. “I wouldn’t subject you to that kind of treatment. The institution in charge of magical kindergarten only does what is absolutely needed to instill concentration and discipline within the young ponies.”

I got a feeling that I truly didn’t want to know what went on in those classrooms. “Okay, then what?”

She conjured a guard training dummy and placed it a few feet in front of me. “You will repeat the words on your gauntlet and bring your will forward to attack the target.” She patted the dummy with a hoof.

“One problem, I can’t read this stuff, it’s just a bunch of squiggly lines.”

She squinted at the lines. “I’m afraid I can’t help you on the actual translation beyond telling you the meaning of the precious few words I can remember.” She strolled across the smooth stone floor and took a long look at my glove. “I’m afraid many of these words are lost on me, not even the archeologist of today could translate this, but this first phrase here,” She poked a set of squiggles right in the middle of the area where the wrist part met the hand. “Means ‘earth’, but I’m afraid that is as much as I remember, they didn’t teach it to those outside of the church. The only reason I know was because Rorke took the time to actually teach me a bit. There was also a severe hindrance when learning to speak it, the language absolutely requires an anubite tongue to form the words properly.”

“What do you mean it requires an anubite tongue!?” I exclaimed angrily.

She was quick to respond. “The words simply do not form correctly without one. It seems you have it under control though.”

‘What is she talking about...’ I thought silently for a moment before unanimously deciding through a mental vote that I was an idiot. “I have a tongue.” I said slowly.

“It seems you obtained one during your hospital visit, do you know how?”

“No, but I have a feeling it has something to do with a dream I had.”

She ushered for me to keep talking as the alicorn trotted over to the bookcase once more. “Well, I usually end up watching moments in Rorke’s life when I go to sleep, like a movie.” She had pulled out a book, but when I said that she placed the book back and walked over as I continued. “One of Rorke’s gods, I think it was Ra or something, gave me, as in ME not Rorke, a prophecy to complete.”

“And what was the prophecy?” She asked with apparent interest.

“Seek the spire of sand and wind” I said with barely any effort at remembering. “bring life to the barren land, claim the sun and earth. With those task done I’m supposed to ‘stand against those that would herald the end.’”

She stood for a moment in contemplation. “I’m unsure of what the prophecy specifically means, but I know an aspect of it I will be telling a certain griffin when he arrives today. That’s enough distractions though. Take a stance and just speak out what you think the word looks like, remember it isn’t an actual word though, it is merely a series of enunciation.” She instructed as she pointed to the dummy.

‘What does that even mean?’ I thought to myself. ‘If it isn’t an actual word, what is it? Do I just growl and hope I fling a rock at it?’ I stared down at the ‘word’ and tried to say it without actually saying a word. regardless of my efforts it didn’t work, it didn’t work that time, or the next, or even the one after that. One hundred and twenty six attempts later I finally felt that I was getting closer. The more I tried, the more it sounded like something Rorke would say, the gems seemed to agree as they released a feeling of pressure around them. I tried to remember what Rorke sounded like when he was fighting that creature in the temple. It took me a while to do so, but after sitting in memory lane for a bit I lifted my gauntlet and gave it my all.

My best wasn’t good enough though, not by a long shot. I stopped trying after that.

“Have you been in contact with Twilight lately?” I asked out of the blue.

She looked up from her papers. “Every week or so, why do you ask?”

“Actually I want to know about Spike. You know about his love for a certain white unicorn. Extremely generous, somewhat obsessed with fashion?” I hinted.

“You’re speaking of Rarity, correct?” I nodded. “Yes, I am aware of his affection for her.”

“Has anything come of it?” It was strange why I was doing it, but I hoped beyond hope.

She looked a little surprised at my line of questioning but answered anyway. “I’m afraid not. It seems that after the other Elements and her tried to capture Griffin when he was a wanted criminal, she finally understood that she did not return Spike’s love.” Just like that my nerd moment that wished for a happy ending between those two went up in flames, she didn’t notice and continued on. “After returning to ponyville she told the young drake. Twilight tells me he was extremely upset but he managed to dig himself out of the sadness.” Her smile beamed as a scroll was brought into existence next to her and floated it over to me. “He even wrote me a friendship report on the subject. He has grown into quite the mature one.” She said, each word filled with motherly pride.

‘She did help raise him, I can’t blame her.’ I thought as I read the report silently. “He’s a bigger man than I. My reaction would have amounted to sitting in the corner and crying for days.” She laughed without a trace of malevolence.

“Yes, love can hurt, but they have a wonderful friendship that has only grown stronger as a result. I must ask though, why did you want to know?”

“A happy ending is all anyone can really ask for. If I send you a letter would you be able to forward it to him?”

“Of course. And Rorke” She said, stopping me from going up the staircase. “the ‘Liberator’ leaves in two days. The ship is moored at the Manehattan dockside district. They have instructions to wait an extra day there for you, should you become lost on your way there, but please try and get there on time.”

“Do you have a map I can use?”

“Not here I’m afraid, talk to Sturrn and he should get you ready for your trip.” With that done she returned to her work and I started up the overly dark staircase. It just seemed strange to open a trapdoor and come of Celestia’s closet. A clock on the wall said six forty five as I walked out of the room and past the pair of guards. I almost felt them drilling holes in the back of my head with their stares as I passed them on my way to Sturrn. Unfortunately Sturrn had told me to ask a guard for the location of his office, so I grudgingly turned around and approached them again.

“Do you happen to know where Captain Lash’s new office is?” I asked in the most agreeable tone possible.

The left one answered first. “Take this hall down to the area marked ‘Dawn’ and find the giant painting of Princess Celestia. Take a left from there and his office should be right down the hall.” I thanked him and continued on my way. True to his word, I found the painting and took a left straight to his office. I opened the door slowly and peeked inside. Sleeping on his desk was the new Captain himself... with a bottle of what else but ‘Stalliongrad 100% pure Grade A vodka’. I began thinking to myself whether or not he had a problem. He’d been getting wasted almost non-stop lately. A drink from time to time was okay, but getting smashed on a daily basis, that’s another thing entirely.

I walked over to the sleeping stallion and pulled the bottle from his hooves causing him to mumble something in his sleep. I didn’t waste any time waking him up. His eyes creeped open very slowly before they shot up and he stared at me. I had expected his eyes to be bloodshot from the late night he had probably had. “Rorke? What do you want?” He said without a hint of slurring or anger for waking him. “What time is it?”

“I would say about six fifty.” He immediately sprang up and started moving about in a hurry. “Why? What’s going on?” I asked with a bit of surprise at his immediate movements.

He grabbed several papers and shuffled them into a variety of folders as he trotted around his office. “I’m supposed to be taking the recruits out on patrol at seven. I haven’t even given Princess Celestia my status report on how they’re doing yet.” He exclaimed franticly.

“Actually the Princess just sent me over here to get the stuff for my trip. She said to ask you about it.”

He was still scrambling about like someone had a match over each of his papers and he needed to get them all before they set on fire. “Rorke can I ask you a favor?” He said as he swept through the office on his wings just to speed things up. “I need you to go on patrol with me. We’re pulling a double shift city sweep before the gala. I’ll get your stuff after the gala is over.”

“Okay, did you get anymore info on the anubites? Maybe a translation guide to equestrian?” I grasped at the only hope I had of figuring out the glove’s magic, but nothing came of it.

“Sorry.” He said slowing down from his frantic pace. “The papers from yesterday were actually the only thing on record that weren’t sealed with royal privileges. Only Celestia or Luna could get those documents. Even Princess Cadance couldn’t get a hold of them.”

“Should we get to the barracks then?”

“Yeah, let me just grab my helmet and we’ll leave.” Soon we were out of his office and walking through the halls of the castle, his shiny helmet gleaming in the light coming through the windows, when a question popped into my head.

“Sturrn, what would you have done in Celestia’s place? I threw myself at her mercy, as a corruption of life no less, and she made a pun about it, during court. What would you have done, had you been Prince Sturrn?” What followed after that could only be known as a deafening silence that echoed throughout the halls.

Several minutes later, he still hadn’t answered me and seemed to be finding the tiles on the floor increasingly interesting as we walked along. “Well?” I asked, verbally snapping at his heels.

“I can’t answer that.” He said pitifully.

“Don’t give me that line Sturrn. You would have killed me, right?” I said in a calm matter of fact tone that caused his head to shoot up from its’ low position, his eyes full of surprise.

“You’re not angry?” He said, like his decision to ‘kill’ me would actually upset me.

“Not really, I would have killed me too. I‘m not sure how you could kill me but I came real close to finding out last night.”

“What happened last night?” He asked.

I would have started to regale him with my mediocre story telling skills but there were guards up and down the hall that would be listening. “Actually I’ll tell you after patrol.” He seemed content on the postponement. We picked up the pace and made it to the barracks with just a minute left for him to put the rest of his armor on. The new recruits were already outside and in line. I walked over to my bunk and opened the foot locker. ‘Why do they call it a foot locker here, if they say hoof for everything else?”

I contemplated on that strange question as I pulled the top half of my robe off and put on my chain mail. It was strange actually seeing my bones with just a thin bit of metal covering them. I pulled my robe back on and reached back into the chest. Inside was my helmet-crown, blade spear, and sword. Something was different though, inside the chest was a piece of flat metal with some snapping loops and a belt on as well as a sword sheath. “Hey Sturrn, what's this?” I asked, holding up the metal bit.

He ran over in a new set of Captain’s armor. “Oh, that’s a set of loops that let you put your axe on your back, and a sheath for your sword. I had them made so you can keep your hands free on patrol.” He took the loops and popped them open. “See? Just pull your weapon and they will pop open like the loops on a paper binder.”

“That’s great! Let’s get going though, the recruits probably don’t like us standing here chatting.” We walked out of the door as I started putting the two weapon braces on.

He strutted over to the line of recruit in a self-superior manner that just didn’t fit him. “Listen up recruits!” He barked loudly. “Corporal Chardstone and I will be leading a double shift city sweep before the gala tonight. The rest of the Solar Guard are already out in the city in pairs of two, you will be going in squads of four.” He started organizing squads and listening patrol routes but I was thinking about being called a Corporal. It was strange to actually think of it but I never had a title before.

“Rorke!” Sturrn must have been talking to me because all the recruits were gone and only the two of us and four recruits were all that was left. “You ready?” He asked.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking.”

He ran over to me and started to whisper. “Actually I can’t promote you so just act like an corporal for today.” He turned and started barking orders to the recruits once more, we left the castle soon after and started walking about the city. The recruits managed to make as little sound as possible but Sturrn and I began chatting up a storm.

I saw plenty of things during the walk. A massive airship that gleamed like the sun was docked at the castle. My guess was that the ship was the Griffin’s ride to the party. There were also scattered reports of something big making its way inside the city, Sturrn said the regulars among the guard would handle it if a threat was found. After that not much else happened and it didn’t take long for Sturrn to dismiss the recruits back to the barracks. We made our own way to the castle, albeit in a much slower fashion.

“You wanted to know what I did last night, right?” He perked right up when I mentioned it.

“Yeah, what happened? I heard you took that nurse out to a bar.” He said as I started guiding through the streets. ‘How does everyone know about that!? Do they have gossip ninjas patrolling the streets?’

“I don’t really want to go over the whole thing again-”

“Again!” He cut me off. “Who did you tell?”

“The Princess.” I deadpanned. His anger got a cold bucket thrown on it and he apologized.

I just continued with my outrageously lengthy explanation. Sturrn kept walking in a state of comprehension as he tried to work through all the data. I could almost see a loading bar over his head. I didn’t want to wait so I poked his face with my pinkie claw. ‘Is it still a pinkie though? I only have four fingers now.’

“Ahh!” He yelled in surprise. “Don’t do that! I almost had a heart attack.”

I managed a chuckle as we continued on before I redirected us. “Actually, let’s go back to the castle. The party should really start kicking into gear about now.” I contemplated my next move fairly carefully before going ahead with it. “Do me a favor too, don’t get drunk off your rocker this time. I don’t want to carry you through the halls trying to find a place to put you down before you throw up.”

“I take offense to that, I don't get drunk easily.” He said hastily.

“Riiiight, so you didn’t get drunk twice with your friends and Soup Spoon. You didn’t get drunk last night either, with a bottle of vodka between your hooves.” He stopped in his path and stared at me.

“That was water!” He yelled despite the fact that we had stopped in a residential neighbourhood. “I didn’t want to waste the bottle so filled it with water last night and fell asleep working.” He had explained rapidly as we began walking again.

“Hey, I’m not calling you a liar but your ‘truth’ could use a little more work.” He just groaned as I laughed. Eventually we made it to the castle again and the whole place was pounding with music. We both greeted the sad looking lunar guard at the front gate, we got a simple and depressed. “Welcome to the castle.”

He didn’t look too happy being out at the door when all the fun was being had inside. We were just passing him when I turned back around and pulled my ticket out of thin air. ‘Don’t think about it, don’t try to understand it.’ I walked back to the guard and bent down to his height. “What’s your name?” I asked him.

“Morning glory, sir.” He said, making a slight effort at a salute.

“Put your hoof down, here.” I handed him the ticket. “I can just walk in. You look like you could use some fun though.” He looked like a child I who just won a toy store. What happened next I wasn’t expecting though. How many could honestly say a Lunar Guard in full armor and suit glomped them with enough force that they fell to the ground?

He was squeezing me so tightly in fact, that my ribs began to tighten as he thanked me over and over again. “Glory” I started. “if you want to thank me you can let go, please.” He stepped off of me with a awkward blush across his face.

“Sorry about that, I’m a huggy kind of stallion.” He said as I got up. “Thank you for the ticket.” Another quick hug later and he ran off to join the gala.

“You know, you could have sold that ticket for a few thousands bits right? Any of the lower class nobles that didn’t get an invite would have easily paid 3000 for it.” Sturrn remarked.

“Would they have used it like he’s going to? To enjoy themselves instead of just trying to garner favor from the Princesses and the elite nobles? The thought would never cross their mind.”

“I would have sold the ticket.”

“Yeah but you have to ‘eat’ I don’t. How much is three thousand bits worth anyway?” I asked with a slight laugh.

“You could start a business for that much.”

“Damnit.” Was all I could muster as a response. ‘Did I really give away a ticket worth that much?

“You screwed up big time. Come on, lets go get me a drink.” He said walking into the main hall.

“Of course he would want a drink.” I said to no one at all.

I walked over guard checking tickets and tried to get in but was rebuffed. “Sorry, you can’t go in.”

“What do you mean I can’t?” I asked the stoic guard. “I’ve been living here for a week now and the Princess herself invited me. Why can’t I go in?”.

“We don’t allow criminals into the gala.” He said matter-of-factly.

“You don’t let criminals in? That stupid pirate got in and I can’t?” My voice rising a bit.

He let the snootiness flow with his voice. “He was given an official pardon by Princess Celestia, you didn’t get one.”

“I wasn’t convicted.”

He broke his stoicism for just a moment and he poked my thigh bone. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have punched me in the face and wrecked Auburn so hard. The rest of the guard would leave us alone about getting beaten so badly.”

I just stood there looking all the way down at the armor pony. “You attacked me just as I’m about to leave, and wanted me to give up what was mine. How is any of that my fault?”

He snarled at me but retained his composure. “You put my friend in the dungeon. Now get out of the way, the ponies behind you actually have tickets.”

I looked behind me and saw several ponies dressed in top hats and dresses with plenty of frills. I turned back to him but he was already absorbed in letting the ponies in. I muttered a good amount of sailor like words as I left.

I wandered around for a few minutes until I came to rest within the garden. The animals there avoided me like the plague.I didn’t really care too much, except for this stupid vulture that would leave me alone. I sat there for nearly half and hour stewing in my anger and swatting the stupid bird away until a familiar voice spoke up. “Bird troubles?” I ripped myself from my thoughts and saw Pain Killer staring at me. “Well?” She asked but I hadn’t heard her and I continued not to. I was looking at her dress, it was slim and black with a white line going down the side, she pulled it off really well. “HELLO!” She shouted right next to my face. “Equis to Rorke, can you hear me?”

“Yeah sorry, what were you saying?” I blabbed out.

She gave a tremendous sigh and repeated herself. “I asked if you wanna enter the gala now? The party is really jumping with the pirates being here.”

“I can’t, I gave my ticket to a sad guard and the guard in charge of entry hates me, he won’t let me in.”

“Are you kidding me.” She replied in exasperation. “Let’s go talk to him, I’m sure this can all be worked through.”

It definitely COULDN’T be worked through. Half way through the unsuccessful negotiation the guard, whose name I still didn’t know, chose to described Killer as “So easy, even a mutt could do it.” That didn’t go over so well with her and she ended up decking him with buck strong enough to make Big Mac jealous. Unfortunately, the rude stallion took the both hooves to his face and the only thing that kept his head on was his poor helmet. His body flopped to the floor in a heap a few feet away, and Pain freaked out. “Oh Celestia, I didn’t mean to!” She cried out before turning to me.

‘Okay, situation assessment time. Guard turns me away, Killer tries to get us in, ends up kicking him in the face and knocking him out. He can arrest her but then I can go after him for barring me from the gala and misconduct. We should probably just leave.’ I grabbed Killer and carried her away as she squirmed in my grasp demanding to be let go. After we were a good distance away I explained my line of thinking to her and she agreed. We weren’t going to be anywhere near the gala that night. “This sucks.” She admonished.

“Yes it does, look on the bright side though...” I tried to search my mind desperately for a silver lining but nothing came of my search.

“Exactly.” She went limp in my arms and huffed out deep breaths. “Want to go back to my place and listen to my new Dj-Pon3 record?” Her words sounded hollow and emotionless. ‘I just helped ruin her entire night, think Rorke think.’

We walked in silence before I took an abrupt turn toward ‘Idiots-with- too-much-money district’ it was actually called downtown but I looked at some of the prices when we went through it. Anyone who could afford a sandwich there was made of money. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“We’re going to a club Sturrn seemed to like, it’s called capital, little c big a.” She must have known what I was talking about because her whole attitude turned around completely.

“You mean the Capital.” She said, still being carried by me. “The biggest bar and nightclub in Canterlot?” I was tempted to say ‘Eeyup’ but knew I would hate myself for it later, I just settled for a yes. “How are you going to get us in? The line is always a mile long with VIP's.” She noted.

“Where are all the big names in Equestria going to be tonight?” I asked, setting the answer up for her.

She thought on it for a second before realization dawned on her. “The Grand Galloping Gala is going on right now, why go to some club when you could go to the castle.” Her smile lit up across her face and all her previous sadness retreated. “Great thinking. You know, for a diamond dog you’re really smart. I-I mean you’re really smart in general, not that dogs are stupid-”

I interrupted her before she dug herself into a hole. “I know what you mean.” I didn’t bother saying I wasn’t a dog because that would have drawn a million questions I was sure I wouldn’t have known. Another minute of walking and the club came into sight and just like I thought, there was less than six ponies waiting to get in. I walked up and stood in line, not even bothering to put Killer down but she didn’t mind. After a few minutes we were about to go in when the bouncer put a hoof out and stopped me.

“Sorry ma’am, no weapons inside.” The pony said, he looked like a humanized bouncer pony. Blue short cut mane, grey fur, with muscles like bags of turtles contained in the overly tight shirt he was wearing. His cutie mark was a velvet rope which almost seemed cliche. “I can put it in the back if you want.” He offered.

I took a breath through where my nose would have been, breathing through there instead of my mouth didn’t make me go into a coughing fit. “I’m not a ma’am, first of all. Second, I’m not letting you have my weapons.”

The stallion at least had the decency to get embarrassed over his slip up but was adamant over the weapons.“I’m sorry about the confusion sir, but I must insist that your weapons be away from the rest of the club goers.”

I reached for the medallions that had helped me a couple times already and handed him the one from Celestia. “I’m part of the guard, I need the weapons to stay with me.” I insisted, Killer just languished through the debate as she laid in my arms.

“You can have your weapons but can I at least request you put the giant axe thing behind the counter?” He asked with a nervous smile.

‘At least I’ll have my sword and glove.’ I took the weapon in question and handed it to him, he took it in hoof but struggled with it for a second. He mustn’t have been expecting the titanium blades to weigh so much. The bouncer disappeared into the club for a few seconds before returning and he opened the door for us. “Enjoy your visit to cApital.”

Pain Killer and I both thanked him and walked in. I had to duck almost a foot underneath the doorway to get in but the ceiling was fine. The club’s decor was very... techno. They must have put a noise canceling spell on the place because as soon as we got through the doorway we were assaulted with wubs.

My hearing, from what I could gather was much better than a ponies. It was a double edged sword though, I could hear quieter stuff better but loud things rendered me deaf, if I was alive my ears would have been bleeding at that point. “This club is awesome!” Killer shouted at me. I walked over to the bar and put her on the seat next to me. No one would have believe me if I told them I was only about eighteen or so. ‘That’s sad, I don’t even know how old I am. That’s what happens when you don’t wake up for almost a year.’

The bartender walked over and got an order from the nurse but I waved him off. “Rorke, why don’t you try one? I promise you’ll like it.” I turned and there she was, with a smile on her face and drink in hoof.

“I’m good.” I shouted over the music, pushing the drink back to her. She just drank it down and ordered another. Another bartender came over with her drink, a fruity little martini, to the the mare’s credit she didn’t give me more than a raised eyebrow. That much couldn’t be said for the rest of the ponies behind me, I could feel their eyes boring holes into me.

A cycle seemed to have formed at the bar. Killer would buy a drink, attempt for me to try it, fail and then she would guzzle it down. After the ninth drink she wasn’t looking outstanding but was still able to walk by herself. We just sat at the bar until Pain sprung out of her seat and dragged me by the belt straight onto the dance floor. She got right into my face. “If you aren’t going to drink, you’re going to dance.” Menace was evident in her voice.

If there was one thing I could it was, athleticism wasn't my style but I could break dance like no other. Being second lead on the dance team at high school would do that for a person. I got to my feet and was ready to start the routine I would use during competitions when the song changed. What came on next could barely be described. Every pony in the club began tap dancing, which seemed easy for them due to the hooves. The music kicked in and every pony in the place, even Pain, started dancing. I had only learned a bit of tap to help with leg work but it looked like I was going to put it to use. I scowered my memory for the right technique but only came up with half of them. I just followed their lead, the uncovered bone tips of my feet clacking on the floor. "Puttin on the Ritz!" Everyone shouted in time with the song. The whole ordeal was unnerving but I managed to pick up the dance fast, half way through song the ponies around me formed a circle and began watching me intently. I didn't notice and kept on dancing , when I finally did notice I almost tripped over my own feet. I kept going though and after another minute of nervous dancing the song ended. Every pony in the circle around me cheered except Killer. She was posted up at the bar cheering.

I walked over to her as the various ponies around me kept cheering. When I reached the heavily inebriated mare another more club appropriate song began playing loudly. "You did great Rorke!" The nurse exclaimed loudly over the music, the alcohol in her system completely un-affecting her. "and that griffin says dogs are bad, HA!"

"Why does a dance club have a song like that even in stock?" I asked.

She just laughed and laughed until I poked her and brought her mind back to the question. "Sorry just a funny memory, at the last gala one of the elements of harmony made the musicians play the pony-pokey. A lot of nobles were upset but a fair number liked it and one just happened to be the owner of this place. He decided to put a bunch of new music into this place and everypony grew to love it."

"They like tap dancing in a nightclub?" My disbelief showing.

"YEAH!" She shouted. "It's Canterlot, we like that kind of stuff. They ran a newspaper article about it, that's how I know."

'Makes sense.' I waved the bartender over to get the time but there wasn't a clock in the entire place. I turned to Killer and found her slumped over the counter, completely blacked out. Apparently the liquor hit her harder than I had thought. So with a wave goodbye to the bartender and bit of cheering from a group of mares, I picked up my friend and walked out of the club, collecting my blade spear on the way out. The bouncer smiled at me so I decided to ask him the critical party question. "Why do I always have to carry the drunks out?" He just kept smiling and shrugged his shoulders.

I walked away from "cApital" and into the darkness, my last night in Canterlot. 'The Liberator awaits.'

Edited by: Salacar, proofreader extraordinare

This chapter was so hard to make and it still came out bad. I had seven ideas to use for this chapter but a change of opinion destroyed two of them, and the other five were either substantially more boring than the three I used for this or were destroyed by the official gala collab. Initially it started with Rorke searching all the time for a way to get in the party and eventually making it in only to be thrown out a window by Ember the dragon. I would have done that but it was really clunky writing the events up to it and seemed a little contrived. This chapter was more about some character development than any real action.

I will be rewriting 8 or 9 of the chapters that lead up to and including this chapter. It won't be happening now or anytime soon really, unless I get a massive amount of free time. I want to get on with the main plot and that starts with the Liberator.
Thule has helped immensely with this part and his contribution will increase the quality of the chapters to come and decreased the time it takes to write them. 'keep saying that yet they still take two weeks to updated...'

The new cover art... my contact on that decided he wanted to stop returning my inquires on it, so I'm not sure if I can deliver the art I promised but I'll try. That's all for now.

-Sturrn
P.S. Sorry Salacar for writing that last part about the dancing and not showing you, it was spur of the moment.

The Doorstep Mile

Chapter Twelve
The Doorstep Mile

I walked through the dark night of Canterlot endlessly. Not because I was lost but I wanted to enjoy the city one last time. I would be going aboard the Liberator and flying to Saddle Arabia, when I would return to Canterlot if ever I had no idea. Responding to that, my thoughts drifted to and fro on the subject. ‘How long will the flight be? Will the quarters be cramped like a submarine or spacious like a cruise ship? How am I going to keep them from knowing the truth about me?’ The questions kept coming but I had one final act left to perform in the city proper. I had to put Pain Killer to be bed and say goodbye to her and Sturrn.

The walk to her house was calming. The streets didn’t have a single pony in them and it was quiet. After a bit of walking I made it once more to Killer’s villa, the bad news was she had drooled on my robes during the trip. “I don’t care if you’re drunk or not, that’s just disgusting.” I said to her unconscious form. She murmured something in her sleep but it was unintelligible at best. Only then did I realize that I would need her keys to get in. ‘Maybe she has a cat door I can shimmy through?’ I hopped the tiny fence that separated the front yard from the back. Her back door was a sliding glass one, and it was locked too.

‘Looks like I’m going to wake her up then.’ I thought bitterly to myself. I scanned her back yard and saw across the pool was a lawnchair I could put her on. The ground wouldn’t have been a good place to wake her up on. Once she was on the chair I realized I didn’t know how to wake her up. I contemplated throwing her in the pool but drunks can’t swim and I didn’t know if skeletons could either. As I was looking at the pool she muttered something in her sleep. I turned around just in time to see her roll off the chair and fall on the ground face first. She hadn’t even bat an eye at the sudden impact and went on sleeping. I walked over to put her back on the chair when I saw a small set of keys on the ground “Well isn’t that just convenient.” I said to the snoozing mare.

I picked up the keys and the party girl before heading out front and opening the door. Placing her on the couch seemed better than rifling through her house to see which room was her’s. She seemed to like the couch but I heard her muttering again, this time it was more coherent. With a minimal of slurring she said. “Rorke.” I leaned in right next to her face to hear more but was surprised by her sudden waking. Her forelegs grabbed my head and she left a lingering kiss on my clothed muzzle. Her eyes were bloodshot with a large tooth filled smile underneath them. “I’ll miss you.” She spoke the words with slowly, and with care for each one.

I may not have been used to affection from girls, pony or otherwise but I knew one thing. She was the only one who didn’t know what was underneath the robes. With a heavy heart I rose back up to my full height. “I’ll miss you too, I’ll come back to Equestria though. I have a few ponies to meet.” She smiled and I thought about how conversations just weren’t the same without expressions.

“Can you do me a favor?” She asked.

“Sure.” I replied nonchalantly.

She stood up on the couch and stared at me. “Can I see your face?”

‘And then life just sucked a little more...’ I contemplated my internal thoughts with her request and unfortunately came up with a single word response. “No.” Her smile almost fell apart but still remained.

“Then can you promise to show me when you come back?” She said, making one last grab for hope.

“Pinkie Promise?”

She gave me a confused look. “What?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I began repeating the sacred oath and the motions with it. “I pinkie promise to show you my face when I get back. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She smiled once more and gave me a hug before laying back down. I let myself out as I heard a light sigh from behind me.

‘At least that bought me some time to think of a good reason why I’m dead.’ The walk back to the castle was faster than usual but wasn’t anywhere as fun alone. When I arrived at the castle I knew something was extremely wrong. Not guard had greeted me, there was glass strewn across the ground, and ponies were all over the place cleaning. I walked over to a random pony. “Hey, what happened to the party?”

She looked up at me before turning around and walking away with expedience. I repeated the process and received the same result until I stopped after the sixth attempt. “What happened at the gala?!” I shouted to everyone in the courtyard.

“So glad you could join the party.” Came a voice. I turned to it and standing there was an armored and bandaged Sturrn. “You missed the fun.” He said with a smirk splayed across his face.

“What happened to you? What happened to everything?!” I exclaimed, flailing my arms around.

“Come on, I’ll tell you everything on the flight to Manehattan.”

He tried to walk away but I grabbed him by the tail. “Can we see Celestia real quick? I want to say goodbye in person.” He shook his head.

“The Princess is sleeping off a case and a half of the royal pink, she isn’t going to be waking up anytime soon. She told me to take you to the Manehattan dockside but we have to grab your supplies and a chariot first.” He wrenched his tail from my grasp and began walking toward the castle. “We have to go as soon as possible.”

I followed him through the castle halls that led to a sort of take off area filled with chariots and carriages. He grabbed a bag full of stuff as we walked to a gold chariot with a single harness in front. “Sturrn, are you pulling this by yourself?” I asked.

“Yep, didn’t hurt my wing so I’m good to go.” He flexed them outward and for a bare second I saw the inklings of pain writhe across his back. “Can you help me strap in?”He asked, I went around to the front and latched the harness onto him and retreated back to my seat with the supplies in hand. “You ready for take off?” He asked with a bit of excitement.

I nodded before I realized he couldn’t see me. “Y-yeah.”

“Nervous about your first time in the air?”

“No, I used to fly all the time but this.” I gestured around me, he still couldn’t see me. “ is so open and it’s scary. Like I’ll just fall out.”

“Well we’re going to take off so just hold on and it’ll be smooth flying after that.” He didn’t wait for a response before pulling the cart forward. The area was just one long take off strip as he ran fast and faster until he leaped into the air, wings spread large to catch as much lift as possible. The wheels left the ground and we were fully off the ground, and climbing further into the sky. I was busy trying not to pee myself, whether or not the dead can do that was irrelevant. “You okay back there?” He called.

“I’m good.” I had to shout over the wind shear but he understood.

“Pilot to passenger conversations aren’t that good.” He shouted back. “We’ll talk on when we land. Just don’t stare at the moon and get flight sick. I’ll let you know when we’re close. We should land by around noon.”

I looked behind my shoulder and saw that the moon was in fact STILL out. “What time is it?”

“About four o'clock in the morning.” Even from behind, I could see the makings of a grin.

“Have you gotten any sleep since I woke you up yesterday?”

“Have you?” He asked back.

“No.”

“Well I did, but not the voluntary kind.” He said with a laugh.

I just waved it off and sat down on the floor of the chariot. It became apparent though that I was too long and had to let my legs dangle off the back. It was a little scary but my thoughts drifted. ‘I haven’t slept since fighting those crusaders. How long ago was that?’ I couldn’t remember very well, so I did the one thing Sturrn asked me not to do. I sat and stared at the moon, it was calming but I liked the sun better. I always felt stronger in the sun, like I could face anything. It was strange to think of it like that but it’s how I felt. I had a few philosophies that held true no matter what.

‘Only the weak hide in the shadows, evil has no qualms with stepping into the light. The strong have no fear of taking their path away from the light, of stepping into the darkness to root out what lives there.’ The thought depressed me though, the whole thing was dreary but the atmosphere around me did nothing to brighten my mood. I used my time after that constructively, I rifled through the bag of mystery items. Inside was a few typical things. There was a ton of paper that was labeled for map making, a prototype “self-contained inked-quill” which really meant she gave me a fountain pen.

In a few of the pockets were pencils, erasers, and everything else I would need for map drawing including a how-to guide on map drawing which was good because I didn’t know how to draw a map. What interested me most was at the bottom though. A handful of small gems, a large red one, and a small bag filled around with twenty five small gold coins. I wanted to ask Sturrn how much money they were worth but decided to wait until we landed. ‘Killer didn’t pay for her drinks at the club.’ I thought of the revelation before chuckling. ‘They must have lost a hundred dollars in liquor.’ I looked back inside the pack but there was nothing left, having seen all the contents it had to offer I picked up the map making guide and started to go through it. I hoped it would have lasted me until the trip was over but reading nine words a second made most books go by fast.

I finished it before the trip was over so I practiced a bit on my drawing. I was halfway through my second crudely drawn map when Sturrn shouted back to me. “We’ll be landing a little ahead of schedule and across town from the docks, I’m stopping for lunch. Is that okay?” He shouted one last time.

“You’re the one flying.” I shouted back as I put the shoddily made maps into the bag. I stood up in the puny flying cart and looked out over the city. There were skyscrapers studding the horizon of the afternoon sun and a lot of pegasi flying around. A few stopped in mid-air and stared at us as we passed by but I just waved an armored hand at them. They waved back absentmindedly. Hanging in the sky was a massive object that was reflecting the sun and obscuring what it was. When the flying cart finally ducked below the skyline the blurs of color below us became defined. Ponies, diamond dogs, and even a couple of buffalo came into view. Finally the cart hit the ground with a suppressed thud, Sturrn kept walking along, pulling the chariot down the street until he stopped in front of a sandwich shop.

We were in a rush so Sturrn grabbed his sandwich to go and within a couple of minutes we were back up into the air, low enough thought that we didn’t need to shout. “Hey Sturrn.”

“Yeah?”

“Wheres the Liberator? Isn’t it supposed to be some massive airship? I don’t see it anywhere.”

“Do you see the light being reflected over there?” He pointed with a hoof to the mass of light from earlier.

“Yeah, is that it?”

“Yep, I’m going to land on the deck and you’ll hop off. Do you have any questions before we fly over?”

“How long is the trip going to be?” I asked with worry. “I looked at a map and Manehattan to Canterlot isn’t very far but it took us almost eight hours to get here.”

He chewed on the notion for a moment as the mass of reflecting light bore closer. “I would say about three months if-”

“THREE MONTHS!!!” I yelled, much to his chagrin. He turned back and gave me a harsh stare.

“Yes, three months. This is a heavy laden warship, not a luxury cruise it takes time to travel, and you’re going very far away. Make some friends while you’re onboard the boat.” He said with a slight stab of sarcasm.

“You know, I told my mom the same thing before I was sent here.” I admitted. The notion of not see family again darkened my mood slightly for the second time that day. ‘The doctor could have at least let me write a note saying goodbye.’

Sturrn interject through my thoughts. “You never told me you were actually sent here, I don’t think you told me how you got that body of yours either.” He pointed out.

“It’s not a long story but I’ll save it till I come back, it’ll give you a reason to put up with a dead guy.” We laughed but it was true that we wouldn’t see each other for a long time.

We flew in silence until we punched through the shroud of reflecting light and I saw the Liberator in its’ entirety. The whole thing was massive in every definition of the word. It looked like someone had strapped an ironclad wood ship the size of an aircraft carrier to a similarly ironclad balloon that was the length of the ship. No one was on the deck though, I didn’t see anyone on the ship at all. “It’s pretty impressive huh?” Sturrn said before we ascended to wind shear height. “We’ll be landing on the deck, don’t forget your bag.” He shouted over the wind. Another minute of flying and we landed on the deck, still no pony was in sight.

I walked around to the front of the chariot with my bag over shoulder. “You should find the Captain first, see about your,” He gave a shit eating grin. “UNLIVING conditions.” He laughed hugely.

“Wow,” My voice lacking any emotion to it. “I can’t believe you just said that. That pun was worst than Celestia’s and quite possibly SO bad it might have given me cancer.” We both shared a last laugh at the terrible joke. “I’m going to miss you.” I said once the mirth had worn off.

“I’ll miss you too,” He replied before adding an addendum to his statement. “just don’t get all soppy before I leave. I’m still Captain of the guard, remember?” A calm smile plastered over his face.

“That’s cool.” I replied before scooping him up off the ground in a rib crushing hug.

The unfortunate pegasus was still strapped to his chariot but the whole contraption flipped up and allowed my to hug him even tighter. He started to gasp for air so I knew I was doing it right. “Rorke...” He gasped for more air. “Bandages, need... air.” He managed to squeak out.

“Awww.” I released him from the death hug and the cart flopped to the ground again. Sturrn was back on the ground panting for air and muttering ‘ow’ repeatedly. “Sorry, forgot about your bandages. I just wanted to say goodbye properly.”

“No problem.” He huffed for air as he stood up once more. “Goodbye Rorke, I’m glad to call you my friend.” His voice wholly sincere.

“Now who’s getting sappy?” That earned my a hoof in the knee. It was like a hit in the arm but being two and a half feet taller than the person throwing the punch makes it hard for them to hit that high.

“Goodbye.” He said with finality before taking flight, chariot in tow.

I only knew him for a week but he was always going to be a friend in my book. I stood on the deck alone for what felt like hours, it couldn’t have been more than a minute. ‘Guess I should see if anyone is actually here. You’d think a ship with almost a 1000 ponies on board would be packed.’ I scanned the deck but there wasn’t a shred of evidence that said anyone was aboard. “Hello!” I called out. It was a huge mistake.

“Surprise!” A mass of voices shouted. Out of the woodwork sprang every pony that was unaccounted for in my initial search. They appeared from barrels and any other conceivable place a pony could hide on the ship’s deck. When I was confronted with the well planned surprise greeting I did the single most logical thing I could think of. I dropped the satchel I was holding, fell to the ground in a scramble, and ran to the side of the ship only to jump right off of it. Before I left the railing a singular voice rang out. “Cutter!” I descended through the air fast but it didn’t take me long to realize I was an idiot. ‘Hold on guys, surprise greeting better jump off the side of the ship.’

I was glad when a griffin shot off the side of the ship after me. I wondered something though. ‘Why is a griffin on an Equestrian warship?’ Despite my fleeting thoughts he dive bombed after me and caught my falling body with easy. The sudden deceleration felt weird on my bones, but being held in the griffin’s arms like I was the bride he intended to carry though the door of their house was weirded. “You sure know how say hello.” He said with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve seen anypony jump overboard just from a crew greeting call.”

“They popped out of nowhere, how would you have react?” I asked with just a little agitation.

“You speak really well compared to other diamond dogs, and I’m the one who taught them to do that.” I didn’t really know what dogs sounded like but the compliment was nice either way. We landed on the deck softly and he deftly dropped me to my feet.

“Thanks, and sorry for jumping off the ship.”

“It’s fine, you’re really light and the thrill was kind of fun.” How he smiled with a beak I’m not sure. “Dad, I guess you can do the introduction since everypony went back to work.”

I didn’t see another griffin on the deck but instead a medium built stallion that stepped forward. He was the first pony I had seen with any facial hair besides Fancy Pants, a thick Gorton’s fisherman beard clinging to his face, white with age that contrasted the dim grey hair coating the rest of his body. A black top hat rested atop his head covering a navy blue mane, the only part of his attire that seemed out of place was the broken unicorn horn strung onto his hat. “We still need to wait for the ambassador.” The pony replied. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off and see Steam Cog?” The griffin beamed and flew off.

He turned to me with a smile that soon died. “I’m sorry, I never told you my name.” He raised a hoof. “My name is Thule, and I’m the Captain of his fine ship.”

I took his hoof in hand. “Rorke, nice to meet you.” He shook my hand with a deceivingly subtle strength.

“You aren’t a diamond dog.” He stated before pulling his hoof back.

I looked at him and zoned in on a couple of subtle details. The horn on his hat was his own, peeking out slightly from under his hat was a shattered stub. Another detail was his beard, it wasn’t a sailor beard that only grew because he let it go untrimmed. It was too precise and uniform, his beard was maintained to a fine point. After my examination of him I snapped back to the conversation. “No I’m not, a lot of ponies seem to think that though.”

He nodded sagely. “Not many ponies have seen an Alpha and lived through the experience. Enough of that though, if you would follow me please.” I grabbed my bag and we walked down a set of stairs and the first thing that surprised me was the ceiling, it was high enough for me to stand in.

“Thule, if this is an Equestrian airship why is the ceiling so high? No pony grows this big.” I stated.

“You would be correct, the reason is diplomatic actually. If a minotaur or other similarly bipedal creature comes aboard we don’t want them hunching over to walk. If either of the Princesses come aboard we surely can’t have them touring with poor posture.” The explanation made sense but I was just glad I didn’t have to spend three months crouching through the halls. Thule led me all the way to the rear of the ship to his office. It had a simple brass plaque ,with his name etched into it, nailed to the door. With a slow push the door was open and I was escorted in. “Please, take a seat. You may place your bag wherever you like.” I sat in the closer of the two chairs and sunk right into it, placing my bag and blade spear on the floor.

The Captain took the other seat as well and began the conversation. “So, what do you think of the ship so far? First impression are always the most important.”

I didn’t want to say anything bad about his ship but I didn’t have anything outstanding to say either. “It’s... Big, and uh... Shiny?” I felt like an idiot saying that and the questioning look he gave me was evidence of that.

“Big and shiny?” He pondered the notion before laughing. Even his laugh was different from the ponies I had met. It boomed with volume so you knew he was laughing but it wasn’t intrusive or harmful to the ears. He also put emotion behind it, I could tell he wasn’t mocking me but enjoying the statement itself. “Big and shiny indeed, but enough of me interrogating you. Do you have any questions?”

“A lot of them, I hope you’re comfy in that chair.”

“I hoofpicked these chairs myself.” He said with confidence.

“Let’s do an easy one first. Is the trip really going to be three months long?”

He chuckled a bit. “No, that’s just a joke among the various guards. The trip should last no longer than two months total. The ‘Liberator pulls good speed on nice days but a choppy sea breeze will slow any ship down. Princess Celestia specifically instructed me to stay over land the entire journey, she doesn’t want a storm to throw us off course and prolong the trip.”

‘That’s not much better than three but two is still pretty good.’ I twiddled my claws together before another question came to mind quickly. “What can you tell me about the ship specifically?”

“Oh that’s a good one.” I could tell he liked the ship a lot. “This airship is called the H.M.S. Liberator. A first rate, canterlot class, airship boasting over seven deck and enough carry for a 1000 guardsponies plus the 200 hundred crew. 106 cannons total and four inches of metal composite armor on both the ship itself and the balloon keeping us aloft. She’s my pride and joy behind Cutter.”

That rose another question altogether. “That griffin called you dad, I suppose that you’re his father and his name is Cutter then?”

“As far as he and I are concerned, yes.” He explained. “When Cutter was about six years old, he escaped the wreck that was the Dominion. Life shined on him and his little wings managed to carry him all the way to an Equestrian airyard where the Liberator was docked. He snuck aboard during the night and lived undetected on board the ship for two weeks, stealing food and water in the darkness. His capture came when he started to molt his feathers and left a trail of them right back to his hiding place. I had been a Captain for a couple months by then, I still had my horn by that point.”

I think he noticed when I scooted closer to the edge of my seat but he didn’t say anything. “The crew who found him wanted to give him to the authorities in town but I didn’t. I told them to release him and the instant they did he tried to fly away. I’m just glad magic is a little more nimble than flying. I caught him and brought him to the mess hall for a real meal. We talked for quite a while and he decided to stay aboard, officially he’s still a stowaway but in reality he’s the the main deck observer. He’s guided us out of more storms than I can think of.” He had the smile of a knowing parent.

“Couldn’t he be thrown off the ship or arrested if anyone finds out he’s still a stowaway?”

“He can still be arrested for it.” He stared at me with a hard expression “Can I trust you with this information?” He asked curtly, dropping all pretence of humor in his voice and adopting an air of complete seriousness.

“I won’t let a word pass my lips.” I responded in the same tone even as lesser ideas passed through my mind. ‘I don’t have lips. Does that mean I’ll still break his trust if I tell anyone?’

He jovial attitude returned. “Excellent. Can you keep with a secret?”

“Didn’t you just ask me that?” I asked incredulously.

“A different one.” He quickly scampered over to his desk... scampered... and came back with a scroll sealed with a golden buckle. “As a gift for thirty years in the fleet and ten as Captain, Princess Celestia gave me this.” The buckle came unclasped and the paper unfurled.

“Recruitment papers?” It looked like army papers from back on Earth.

He shook his head but stopped abruptly. “Well yes, but it’s a little different.” He prodded a golden seal at the bottom. “That’s Celestia’s military seal.” He noted like the proud dad he was. “She’s offering Cutter immediate enlistment aboard the Liberator and officer ranking. I’m giving these to him on his eighteenth birthday in a few weeks.”

‘Wait, it was mid-September when I was sent here.’ “What day is it today?”

“I believe it’s September twenty sixth” He replied.

“My birthday is in three weeks then.” It sounds stupid but I was half expecting Pinkie Pie to pop out of nowhere and announce a party. No such luck.

“I’ll mark it down and have Butter make you a cake. Would you like pegasus food cake or Germane chocolate cake?” He leaned over his chair to my side. “Go with the chocolate, she’s not a unicorn but there’s magic in that cake.”

Just his face as he said it made me laugh. I was barely able to get a response out I was laughing so hard. “I’ll go with chocolate.”

“Hoh, I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.” He admitted before he stood and walked to his desk, coming back with a small wooden case. “Do you mind if I smoke?”

That surprised me, I never knew ponies had anything that they smoked. “It’s fine.” I didn’t think second hand smoke would affect a skeleton.

“Thank you, ponies always like it better if you ask first.” He undid the latch on the case and inside was a long two piece wooden pipe and a small jar of what I guessed was the tobacco. ‘I hope it’s tobacco. Maybe he’s secretly a well to do crackhead and prefers to smoke up in luxury?’

It was actually tobacco, just dried and cut into small pieces. He smoked at a fairly slow pace as we sat and chewed the fat. The conversation wasn’t really tied to any single topic or of any relevance but we got to know each other a bit more. “You should retire early, you’re going to need the rest for dinner tonight when you meet the rest of the crew.” He said, dumping the last bit of ash out of his pipe and packing it away.

“Where is that, Thule?”

“Captain Thule, if you please.” He insisted.

I never really had a problem with authority but ranks always threw me against a wall. It’s why I didn’t like pulling those medallions out to Celestia’s guards. “I’m sorry, but I'm not good with ranking systems..” His calm exterior broke for a single second before it reformed into shape once again.

“That’s fine,” He sighed lightly, as if announcing that it wasn’t fine in the least. “let me escort you to your room.”

He got up from his chair and I followed him with axe and bag in hand. Thinking about our respective ranks, Fero as opposed to Captain, while traversing the long wooden halls, passing easily a hundred ponies on the way. We finally arrived outside a room labeled ‘115’. “This will be your room, if Steam Cog doesn’t sleep in her workshop you can bang on the door marked ‘116’ and ask her questions. I’ll leave you to it then, here’s the key.” I picked the key out of his hoof and watched him walk away before opening my door. The room inside wasn’t bad but felt a little bare, there wasn’t a thing on the wall. I didn’t really care, at least not enough to do anything but the bed was comfy. I laid down instantly, dropping my axe and bag onto the floor again. ‘Why does It seem like everything important ends with me falling asleep?’ My last conscious thought drifted away as darkness invaded my vision.

So, we had our not so tear jerking goodbye from both Pain Killer and Sturrn. He got on the ship fine and only (almost) pissed himself once and had his little chit-chat with Thule. Sounds like a productive day and it all gets topped off with him falling asleep ONCE AGAIN.

This was a strange chapter to write. I barely revealed anything about Rorke up front when the story started and it's coming back to bite me, hard. I feel like I can't write anything about his previous life without it seeming contrived. The events that will be happening on the Liberator and centered around developing who Rorke is, don't think there won't be awkward conversations and mediocre fighting skills though because that always finds a way into situations. Lastly, criticism? It feels like I'm writing garbage but I'm getting very little, if any, feedback about the actual quality.

(Of no difference to the story: I gave Rorke my birthday, yes I feel bad about doing it. I pushed the publish button by accident so if there is two notices that's why.)
Edited by:
Salacar (Proofreader)
Thule (Makes dialogue not garbage)

-Sturrn

Innovation and Idiocy

Chapter Thirteen
Innovation and Idiocy

I couldn’t really say I opened my eyes, so I’ll just say my vision returned to me with my consciousness. “What time is it?” I muttered to no one but myself. I lifted my head to look for a clock and realized quickly that not only was the clock missing, but my mohawk-crown-thingy was too. “Crap, please tell me I didn’t leave it back at the castle. I’m not flying all the way back for a hat.” I searched fruitlessly through my bag on the floor and only found what I had on me earlier in the chariot. I didn’t find the helmet, but I found an alarm clock on the room dresser. It was the old kind that had a bell on each side of an little hammer. I got a little pissed off when the clock told me that I missed dinner by over two and a half hours.

I sighed greatly in defeat. ‘Guess I should go see if I anyone is still up.’ I grabbed my axe and threw it on my back before quietly opening the door and walking out. The hallway was empty, as well as the next one, and the one after that. Every hall I went down was devoid of life, not even a single pony crossed my path until I saw a single door slightly ajar and leaking light into the dim hallway. As I walked closer I could hear grunting and the impact of hooves coming from inside the room. “Please don’t be doing what I think you’re doing.” I said quietly, hoping that I wouldn’t be walking in on something private.

I peeked through the door cautiously and saw a lone stallion training in what looked like some sort of half gym half sparring arena. My vision was transfixed for a few moment. “I know you’re there!” He shouted without even turning to face me. Of course my reaction was to yelp like a kicked puppy, jump back, and successfully hit the back of my head on the wall a few feet behind me and fall on my face.

“That didn’t happen.” I got up from the floor and saw the pony standing in the doorway staring at me.

“So you’re the famous Rorke?” The unnamed stallion said in an oddly familiar voice.

Regardless, I got up from the floor and stood tall once more.“Who needs first impressions, right?” That got a good laugh out of the stallion who I could see was a pegasus. He had iron colored fur and a blue mane like a half submerged iceberg. If the pun could be bypassed, his appearance was chilling.

“Well you missed dinner so let’s get the meet and greet out of the way.” He drew a hoof up toward me. “I’m Lieutenant Colonel Maple Danish.”

“I’m Rorke.” I took his hoof in hand and gave it a good shake.

“Nice to meet you. Would you mind helping me with some endurance training? My guards aren’t very good for the task.”

I almost said ‘A skeletons gotta stay in shape somehow.’ but saved myself at the last second with a simple “Okay.”

“Great, come inside here and we can spar for a bit. I don’t get to do it that often anymore. Most of the guards have a problem. They either don’t want to hit a superior officer or they think it gives them a free pass to try and beat me into the floorboards.” He said with a burning gaze and steeled complexion. I figured he was trying for some heroic guard look but I just walked through the door regardless. “You’re gonna have to put those weapons and that face mauler away before we start.” He advised.

I looked at him strangely, but he simply pointed at my glove and it made sense. I unclasped my sword belt and put my axe along with the sheathed sword on the ground, placing the ‘face mauler’ next to them in a corner of the room. “Stand on the other side of this circle.” He instructed, pointing to the white sumo-like circle on the floor. “Ready?”

One would think ‘sparring’ meant a bit of friendly competition and ‘little contact’ meant to not injure the other person, right? Not even close, the moment I said “Ready.” he sprung into the air on his wings and started throwing hooves at me immediately. I sidestepped, but he was like a ninja in the air, hitting me three times in the face and knocking me out of the circle with a yelp before five seconds of the match had even passed.

“You don’t have a lot of experience fighting, do you.” He said factually with no question to it, even as he was still hovering a few feet in the air.

“I’ve fought plenty in the past week,” I replied as I got up and stepped back into the circle. “only a couple of ponies put up what could be considered a fight though.”

“Well that clinches it, I’m done with my training.”

“What?” I asked in surprise.

“Your training just started though. I’m going to teach you how to start and finish a fight. Ready?”

“Ready.” I had a plan in mind I was going to try. It involved not getting hit in the face and actually throwing a punch.

He used the same opener as last time, so I ducked under the hoof strikes and threw a bony-knuckled punch right under his chin. Of course it didn’t hit and I was sent hurtling off the mat. He had given me a flying buck to the side of the head and being only about forty pounds meant I was literally sent flying and hit the wall of the room with a resounding slam.

“Definitely better, you managed to put up some semblance of a mediocre attack. Let’s try again.”

“Again.” Another toss out of the ring.

“Again.” Thrown against the wall.

“Again.” I managed to get a solid hit in, before getting kicked in the leg and tossed out of the circle. ‘I think I know why his guards don't spar with him. Freaking last kick broke my leg.' It was strange to think, but I was starting to accept that I was going to be a skeleton for the rest of my life.

We sparred for hours, right into the bleak daytime hours. He didn’t even look fazed by all the work, but he was a guard so it could be dismissed easily. “You pick up things a lot faster than most guards their first day. I didn’t expect you to come with this much endurance though, one last round. Let’s see what you learned.” He said confidently. Whether he was confident in himself or me would be up for debate.

I took a place in my half of the circle and lowered my point of gravity. Earlier on he had taught me being tall in a fight against something tiny is more often than not a huge disadvantage. I kept my hands closer to my chest so he wouldn’t headbutt me out of the circle again. I had a crazy idea and just had to try it. The world around me looked like a cartoon, why couldn’t it act like one too? “You want to try something new?” I asked the skilled pegasus.

“Like what?” He asked with a hint of anticipation in his voice.

I pointed to the marked lines we had been using for all our fights. “Let’s forget the ring since this is our last fight. What do you think?”

His face contorted into a devious smirk, though he had no idea. How could he? Even I wasn’t sure if my plan would work. We started the match in the circle, but the boundaries it displayed were no longer relevant.

He started us off just like every other fight. After eighty three losses though, the same opening loses its surprise and opens him up for retaliation. He charged forward and gave the equivalent of a flying roundhouse kick. Easily blocked when you’re expecting it. I caught his leg in the crook of my arm and brought my other arm down on the base of that leg. If I had hit his knee with a forceful blow it would have broken the joint in half. It’s truly amazing what memories Rorke had given me, a little disturbing for a few, but amazing all the same.

His flight-bound form slumped in front of me and for once I held the momentary advantage. My fist made a quick acquaintanceship with the side of his muzzle and my elbow met his chest on the return trip. I released his leg suddenly and the appendage’s escape threw his wings into a flutter. He groaned deeply as he laid on the floor. “You okay?” I asked. ‘Please tell me I didn’t break ANOTHER pony's muzzle. I’m not even wearing my gauntlet this time.’

He groaned some more and I saw a bit of blood leaking out of his nose. “Crap! Come on, lets get you up.” I rushed over to him and picked him up. I noticed the evil smile and raised hoof before I realized I’d been had in the worst way possible. He punched me square in the face and with a cracking sound broke MY muzzle. It was an easy enough fix, but the additional seven punches and four kicks made the task impossible. My back was to the wall before a reflexive punch gave me some breathing room, as well as putting a bit more blood on the floor. ‘I’m not losing again, insanely stupid plan GO!’

I bolted from my position and began running around the room with Maple in tow, the numerous hits to the head making his flight slower than he probably would have liked. I gained a bit of speed and with a jump of no skill at all, I achieved what only a movie star in a kung fu movie could do. ‘Screw physics, I running on the walls!’ My sparring partner took immediate notice of my disregard for gravity and stopped his flight. I rounded the corners of the square room and in an instant was behind him. Only then did he realize that staying still had been a bad idea.

With all the dramatics of a pro-wrestler I jumped from the wall and neck slammed the unfortunate officer into the floor. His body shuddered and he groaned out in pain, it probably hurt... a lot. I was surprised my miniscule weight managed to put him on the ground, but the fight was over and the tally finally matched up. “One to sixty four.” I said, getting back up. “That makes us even in my book.” He groaned some more as I offered my hand down to help him up.

He stopped eating floorboard for a moment and tossed a hoof into my grasp. “That was really good for your first day. You know how to use that axe?” He said as I helped him on his hooves.

In truth I almost got pulled down on top of him. Forty pounds trying to counter balance over a hundred doesn’t figure well. “Actually no, I’ve barely used it at all. My sword gets more use on average.”

The toothy smile he had almost broke his face in half. “I took a course on some exotic weapon techniques and could teach you a thing or two. We need to have a proper meet and greet first though.”

“Can’t wait.” I said as he walked out. I wasn’t sure what he would want to talk about, but it didn’t feel like it would be something entirely pleasant. If it was, then why wait? I retrieved my undisturbed weapons and armor piece. I was surprised that the chainmail I still wore hadn’t made a sound during all the sparring except for the occasional small jingling of metal. I walked out of the room and up the hallway. The hall led to some stairs, and before I knew it I was on the deck looking out at the city below me. I had watched over Canterlot back when I emerged from the museum basement, but the view from atop the Liberator, when the sun wasn’t even a sliver over the horizon. It was amazing. I stood there with my hands on the rail for a make believe eternity, it couldn’t have been more than six minutes.

A strange sound coming from behind me shattered the morning silence. A mix of nails tapping on wood, and what sounded like someone with boxing gloves on their feet, walking along the deck. I figured the griffin was behind me, Cutter. “Hello Rorke.” I took one last look at the city and turned around. I never did get a good look at him when he saved me after I jumped off the ship. His feathers were a dim grey all across his body, a lot like Thule. “Looking at the city?” He asked.

“I was.” I replied curtly. 'Why ask? It's obvious what I'm was doing.'

He ignored my spoken lash. “Dad told me a bit about you.”

I should have been expecting him to say something like that. “And what did he say?”

“Well you didn’t tell him a lot, so all I have is a tattered remnant of what could be a story about yourself. You said you aren’t a diamond dog and have a bit of an issue calling him Captain.”

“Then it looks like you got some good info.” His face screwed up in confusion, and even though I wasn’t that good at seeing past someones expression I knew he had something he wanted to say. I gave a breath out. “Well, go ahead, ask away.”

“What do you mean?” He asked trying to step away from the subject.

“I know you’re going to ask about the Captain thing, go ahead.”

Determination posed itself across his beak. “Okay then, why can’t you address my father as Captain?”

“I’m not a fan of ranking equal people on a different scale. I don’t call Celestia Princess or my friend Sturrn Captain unless it’s needed. It doesn’t seem necessary.”

“Wait, you don’t even call Celestia Princess? What about Princess Luna?” I gave a shake of my head. “Is it some kind of weirdo respect thing?” He asked with no erring inclination to the subject.

Without even thinking of it my arms crossed and I thought about what he said for a minute or two. “Except for the weirdo part, yes,” I stated. “I’ve seen what Celestia can do and what Sturrn has done. I understand why they deserve their titles. Thule hasn’t gained the same from me, I might be more inclined to use that Maple guy’s title. He wrecked me so many times the title came with the beatings.” I explained tensely. I just really hated the way I knew he would try to change my perception.

“How old are you?” He asked in a serious manner. The question actually took me back, I wasn’t expecting it.

“What?”

“How old are you?” He repeated.

“I’m not really sure anymore.” I thought on the notion for a second. ‘Do I use my age or Rorke’s? Do all the years he was dead still add up? I blame the weirdo that sent me here.’

“Y-you don’t know how old you are?” He stuttered out incredulously.

“Can you blame me for not knowing?” I replied. “I woke up in a box, surrounded by darkness, and little memory.. My birthday is coming up and I know that much.” I replied as my thoughts betrayed me. ‘It’s so hard remembering things from before. Ha, lot of good ‘The Doctor’ did. What happened to the Hippocratic oath?’ I thought with all the sarcasm vested in my body.

Cutter nodded absently, ignorant of my thoughts. I knew telling him about my lack of memory would come back to bite me sometime. What would anyone say to that kind of story? After a few moments of silence I went back to watching the city below. All the clouds were shifting away from their cover of the city, either through pegasi maneuvering or natural winds. “You want to share a bit about yourself? I’ll go first if you want. I just thought if we’re going to be on the same ship for a couple months we should get to know each other a little.”

“Sounds good, I’ll go first though.” I wanted to spin the most amazing web of intrigue and adventure possible for a dog of the non-diamond variety, but it ended up being pretty plain. He was surprisingly polite through the whole thing. The stand up of high school had attuned me think the absolute worst of any teenager I happened to meet. He was totally quiet through the whole thing and it looked like he was hanging onto every word. His act was pretty good. “So what about you?” I asked. “I’m sure there is more to it than just the quickie stowaway story your ‘dad’ told me.”

How a griffin smiles with a beak I’ll never know, but he made it happen. “Actually that IS the whole story. My parents died before I could even get a look at their faces. I was taken in by a family with some extra food and some clay for a bed. When I turned six I flew as far as my little wings could take me and ended up on the Liberator. Thule took me by his side when I got caught and I’ve been learning from him ever since.”

“There has to be more to it than that. What happened when you were caught?”

The smile shrunk down to a much smaller size. “I was scared.” He admitted freely. “I had finally been able to have a full stomach and a safe place to curl up at night. It was warm, safe, and well stocked. I didn’t exactly want to give that up when they found me, one of my claws got a crew-member pretty bad.” An embarrassed red pigment flowed over his beak and face, how that’s possible on a beak the world may never know. “They were grabbing some rope to gift wrap me for the port guards when Thule stepped in. He still had them tie me up, but I was delivered to his quarters instead.”

‘If they still tied him up I’m sure his claw got the crew-member worse than he’s telling.’ I gestured for him to continue regardless. “He untied me as soon as the door was closed. He didn’t want to do it outside and have me fly off.” That explained it. “He sat me down and we talked for hours, about a million things, he was born in a diamond dog warren you know?”

That tidbit was interesting. “I heard the word before, what’s a warren?” An explanation would have deciphered Thule's comment from earlier. ‘Not many ponies can say they’ve seen an alpha and still walk away from it.’

“A warren is the giant mining-housing complexes for the diamond dogs and their slaves. The one Thule came from was called Marble Pillar and is the only one that doesn’t use slave labor. It also allows the miners to have actual lives, they can leave just like Thule did. It’s pretty much a safe haven for any runaway slaves or anyone that could use some safety from the badlands.”

‘Looks like I wasn’t the only one keeping things private.’ The aged stallion hadn’t made a single reference to being born in a warren, even with the hours of conversation we had. It would explain the Alpha comment though. “Thule is pretty well traveled.” I stated with little emotion leaking into my voice.

Cutter didn’t really say anything to that as he took a spot next to me on the rail, grasping the wood with his talons like it was a porterhouse prime cut. “You were at the gala, right? In Canterlot?” He asked haphazardly.

“I was, I’m also sure those things aren’t supposed to be destroyed by the guests every time one takes place. Why?”

“Did you meet Griffin?” Which griffin he was talking about was plainly obvious, he interest on the subject was too.

“I saw him, but we didn’t speak. If you want my opinion though, the guy sounds like a psycho and not the good kind either.”

“How can you say that without meeting him? And how is there a good kind of psychopath?”

“A good psycho is one that is obvious, anti-social to the extreme, and can be identified easily.”

“How would that be a GOOD psycho? They would be caught instantly.” He replied, making sure his voice didn’t rise too high. It was still insanely early in morning and a lot of the crew was probably still asleep.

“Exactly, they would be caught. It wouldn’t give them time to destroy much or hurt anyone. The ones you have to watch for are those like Griffin. Just from the info I’ve gathered and the snippets of conversation I heard I know he’s the worst kind.”

“And how exactly is he the worst?” He asked impatiently.

“I’ve only seen it once, but he has every indication of severe mental instability. The griffins that resided in the Dominion just handed the reins to their future over to someone ripe for institutionalizing. I have every confidence he’ll make a difference in this world, but what kind of difference is up for debate.”

Cutter and I stood in silence for an eternity on the deck of the ship, letting the conversation soak in. The sun was exactly TWO slivers over the horizon by the time either of us spoke. “I’m not sure right now, but I think you’re wrong. The Princesses wouldn’t let a griffin like that be in charge.”

My rebuttal was instantaneous. “Maybe, but let’s change the subject. Save the political debate for another time.” So we did. It seemed like no matter what I did I got sucked into a few hours of conversation. This one was much more enjoyable though, someone who was intellectually my equal, but not filled with scathing knowledge that seemed to leak into their everyday speech. We joked around for a while and got into a mock fist fight when I mentioned sparring with Maple. I hadn’t even taken my glove off before he wrapped his tail around my boney ankle and pulled. Gravity took revenge on me for defying it earlier and I fell down, but Cutter decided that wasn’t good enough. He threw me off the ship. ‘Once more the idiot award goes out to...’

I was somewhat glad my thought were cut off by Cutter diving off the ship after me. It would have been hard to explain how I would have still been alive after hitting the ground. “I gotcha string bean.” He said as his talons sunk into my bone and busted a couple links in my chain mail, even going as far as putting a few small holes in my robe as well. ‘Did he just call me string bean!?’ I thought angrily, maybe my brain wasn’t squared on my apparel at that moment.

“You know I was sure last time but you’re really light for a not-diamond dog. You’re just skin and bones!” He resounded with a laugh. ‘He just make a PUN!’ I couldn’t stand the nickname, but a pun? That was just crossing the line. ‘I’m adding that to the list of reasons why I’m not telling anyone I’m a dead guy. Right at the top, next to mass panic and being chased like Frankenstein’s monster.’

We landed on the deck a tad better than last time but not by much, I still fell down and right as I was going to tell Cutter about making puns with the word “bone’ in it a static shot through the air of the ship. “This is Captain Thule speaking, Cutter report to the bridge for your daily beating and cup of gruel. Rorke is to report to Steam Cog in engineering. That is all.” Apparently the ship had a PA system I hadn’t seen.

I turned to Cutter and watched as he rested a claw over his face, not really a facepalm but close enough. “Your daily beating and cup of gruel?” I asked accompanied by a skeletal equivalent to a raised eyebrow.

He put his claw back down and grinned back up at me sheepishly. “It’s a joke aboard the ship, don’t ask.”

I was so tempted to ask, but figured it would be explained later. Things seemed to happen that way. I offered an alternate question instead. “So which way is engineering? I never got a look around the ship.”

Cutter was about to say something when he saw a blue earth pony strut by. “Stonehoof!” The pony turned and walked over. “Can you do me a favor and get Rorke here over to engineering? I need to see my dad.”

“Depends, can I have your dessert tonight?” The pony was ruthless in his demands.

Cutter almost got tears in his eyes from the aggressive negotiations. “B-but Bread n’ Butter made brownies.” He said sorrowfully. Stonehoof leaned in closer and flashed an evil smile, Cutter looked ready to cry. “Fine,” He said dejectedly. “You can have mine, but I have to go.” He swept himself into the air and took off.

I looked down at the pony and just stared at him. Bringing my eyeless stare into a gaze. “What?”

“You just extorted his dessert from him.” I replied darkly.

He backed up and I stepped forward. “Y-yeah, so?”

“You took food from his mouth...” I rested a hand on my sword. “What sick person take brownies from someone.” I stared at him with intensity.

He tried to put on a brave face, but faced with the prospect of fighting something almost twice his height that was armed as well, he just about looked ready to pee himself. “Y-yeah, I know right?” He said weakly, almost above a whimper but not quite. “Um, w-w-we should get going.” He chuckled all too nervously.

‘A griffin’s dessert has been saved this day.’ I took my hand off the sword. “Great, let’s get to engineering then, I’m sure whoever the person waiting for me is, doesn’t want to wait longer than they have too.” I tried to sound as cheerful as possible. I didn’t need him running away from me, he still needed to get me there and I didn’t have a clue where that part of the ship was.

“Yeah, let’s go.” We walked down the stairs, throughout the corridors, and before I knew it we were outside a door marked ‘Engineering’. “Well here you go, say hi to Steam Cog for me.” He ran off as quickly as he could as I opened the door. Ordinary wooden door? No, it was one of the first things that didn’t make any sense, whatsoever, aboard the Liberator. It opened just fine, but on the other side of the wood was easily SIX INCHES of metal, steel or otherwise.

“Hey!” An angry voice shouted. “Close blast door, I am working with prototype in here!” I took my eyes away from the door and looked around. The fairly thick russian voice was hidden somewhere in the clustered room that had been marked ‘Engineering’. It looked like a steampunk workshop had thrown up in there. Brass and bronze everywhere you looked, valves and regulators in abundance with pipes running through the whole place. I obeyed the voice and closed the door, it wasn’t nearly as heavy as it looked.

I walked around the workplace and examined every little trinket and doodad that looked interesting. “What’s this?” I asked myself quietly. The object was mystical if anything at all. It was a sphere that housed several layers of spheres in it that seemed to be moving constantly in random directions. When I held it solely in my gloved hand the gems on my gauntlet actually arced with the ball, it unsettled me a little, though I still kept the object firmly grasped. Running along the middle of it was a smooth ring connected to the sphere. The whole setup looked like someone had replaced Saturn with a version of earth, the various mantles of earth being visible in sections and flowing over each other in layers of what I could only guess was blue pigmented magic.

If I had been paying attention I would have notice the clip clopping of hooves behind me. “Put that down!” The now deciphered female voice from earlier shouted.Unfortunately I wasn’t known for my iron grip. My arm had jerked upward and the sphere shot out of my claw. “Nyet! Grab it, grab it!” She screeched in distress. My hand sprung into the air within the second. The globe almost hit the roof but my reaction had stopped it before gravity claimed another victim. “Thank you, but please put it back, is a work in progress and very fragile.”

“Sorry.” I replied turning around, not at all ready for what I saw there. She started to say something but it didn’t even register. A tall pony, obviously a mare, with a welder’s mask on and a well used work apron stood in front of me. She cocked her head a little and we looked at each other, entranced for different reasons. She brought a hoof up and raised the face guard of the mask, taking in my height once more.

“Woah.” I shot out. She looked like an earth pony variant of Fleur di Lis. Her stature and general shape was almost exactly the same, and the only thing different was the lack of horn and a color shift. Like someone had ripped the colors straight off of Spitfire and thrown them on the mare that stood in front of me.

“You are Rorke, yes?” She asked in a proper inside voice rather than the shouting from earlier.

“Yeah... I’m Rorke.” I dulled out. ‘Wow I actually managed to keep my thoughts above the stupid line long enough to say something, that’s impressive.’ She had the stature of Fleur and the looks to boot. It was mesmerizing just looking at her, I didn’t even bother entertaining thoughts of her looks beyond registering she had them though. It would have been a slap in the face to Painkiller.

“I am Steam Cog, but this you already know. Welcome to steambuck central station” She propped herself up on a short stool. “Why did Captain call you down here? Only Cutter and Rose Thorn enter my den.”

“I’m not sure.” I replied. “Maybe he wants me to help you?” It could have been his notion, but I didn’t think about it too much. ‘Ponies with steampunk, just when you thought it was safe to go outside.’

She put a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. “Perhaps, what do you know of steambuck?”

“Absolutely nothing” I admitted a little too cheerfully.

“Would not surprise me,” She rebutted. “never was Canterlot business. Bitsburg, Stalliongrad as well; is where you find good product. You can still help though.”

Thule DID send me there so it wasn’t like I could just say no and leave. Learning about ‘steambuck’ sounded like a good venture too. ‘I just wish I could understand her though, she’s laying the russian on thick.’ I mumbled nondescript words to myself before speaking up. “Sure, what are we looking at first?”

She grinned hugely, motioning for me to follow as we walked through the workshop. “I need fresh look at new work. I thought a non-lethal ranged weapon would be handy, we aren’t murderers.” I didn’t really put much stock into what she said. Getting attempts on your life exclusively from ponies does that to a person. I wasn’t in a big rush to shoot her thought bubble down though.

“How do you put a pony down without killing them? From range as well, and no magic?” We approached a table which had a sheet-covered object on it. Only later did I realize most of our meeting had been a setup by Thule and her to see this. “I present the answer!” She exclaimed, pulling the sheet off.

I took one look at it before I fell over laughing. “Non-lethal!” I blurted out before continuing the very definition of ‘rofl’. Needless to say she wasn’t very happy with having her invention laughed at.

“Get up you idiot!” She kicked me with a hoof. “What is so funny?” It was a full two minutes before I could gather myself, she kicked me the whole time. Finally I grabbed the table nearest to me and eased myself up. My laughter died down to a few snickers in the meantime. “Now, what is so funny?!” She demanded.

I gathered a tremendous sigh and rested a claw on her shoulder. “Congratulations, you just invented the magic of guns.” Under the white sheet had been a primed and ready blunderbuss.

So, that's some of the crew. Rorke saves a brownie from certain doom, gets the snot beaten out of him whilst defying gravity in all its forms, and meets a Russian with a gun. All in all a good day.

This part is about me and what happened to 'updating faster than before'.
The chapter would have been out two weeks ago but it was so bad I deleted it... three times. I kept rewriting and now you see the finished product. If you have seen some of the old chapters you may notice I put a notice on them.
All chapters marked are due for re-writing. It is canon to the story itself that Rorke went to the gala but I'm not putting anything to outrageous in any new chapters that reference the party until I actually get that chapter rewritten.

Edited by:
Salacar
and
Thule

I'm not Crazy

Chapter Fourteen
I'm not Crazy

“No, not ‘gun’, a ‘Portable Shatter Cannon mk. 1.’” It wasn’t the best name but it definitely fit the bill. It looked to be hand forged instead of machine pressed, it made sense though. They didn’t have factories anywhere on the planet that would have the machines necessary to manufacture a gun, especially considering the one I held in my hands was the first and only prototype. “I told you, it needs no magic. Is very good for earth ponies,” She insisted further, a stubborn look on her face.

I looked down from her face and into the funneled barrel, confirming one of my suspicions. She had the gun loaded, but not with any kind of bullet I had ever seen. “Yeah, I know, you said that, it was just a little joke.”

Not even a pity chuckle came from the tech savvy mare. “I did not realize,” She replied before leaning to watch me inspect the firearm. “What are you looking for? Captain Thule would not allow my device on his ship if it was dangerous.”

I gave a breathless chuckle at her admittance. ‘She invents the gun and doesn’t think it’s dangerous. I’m pretty sure they said the same thing about dynamite.’ I waved my thoughts away and took a look at the firing system. She went about as far back as possible with it, flintlock firing arm and a flash pan. “What did you load it with?” I questioned obtusely.

“Flashing powder from cannons on board,” the accented mare explained. “I put ball bearings instead of arrows. They would not fit ” She scuffed the ground with her foot as an embarrassed heat spread across her face. “And I may... have also blown out the first prototype when I did put arrows in it.”

I turned my head back and gave her a quick stare. ‘She invented a shotgun... and put arrows in it. Not exactly the best idea but she’s going to kill herself if she fires a gun with loose powder and a design like this.’ I looked around her desk real quick. Cog noticed my search right away. “What are you looking for?”

“Pen and paper, this thing is primitive beyond belief and loose powder will get you killed.” I thought on the notion for a second and decided against it. “Actually, never mind, I’ll scribble away later. Now, what else do you need?” How I would regret ever asking that, she must have taken some insult from me calling her “Shatter Cannon” primitive. One evil grin, and two hours of lifting scrap metal later, Cog poked me with a hoof.

I turned to her slowly, like a man awaiting execution. “You don’t have another pile hidden away do you? I’m not afraid to complain like a little girl if I have to lift some more.” She laughed, a little too heartily if I was to be asked.

“No, that is all the metal, is almost time for breakfast as well. We can start the-” A slamming noise echoed through the shop and the quiet sound of the door clicking shut. She muttered something in whatever a person could call the equestrian version of russian. “Who is there?” she shouted past me and toward the new occupant.

I heard the soft ‘plop’ of padded feet with a ‘click’ of talons, and I knew who it was before an answer even came. “It’s Cutter, I came by to see if you need some help,” the griffon responded before finally coming into view around a corner. “Oh, hey Rorke, how’s Steam treating you?” he asked with a smile on his beak.

“I got to lift piles of metal and almost dropped a swirly thing. Oh, and guns.” I held up the firearm for him to see.

Cutter gave an overly dramatic gasp. “Steam Cog, you would make this poor creature toil away in your shop of villainy and evil, without so much as a whip to make him go faster? You’re losing your edge.” They shared a laugh as I stayed silent by their side. Inside jokes were never my thing to try and get in on, even if this one was obvious.

When the laughing subsided Steam Cog slowly sauntered over to Cutter, shaking her hips all the way, and ran a hoof through the feathers on top of his head. He visibly tensed under her hoof. “Why would I do that? I have strong griffin assistant here to help me make him go faster.” My silence may as well have made me invisible as Steam Cog went about buttering up the griffin in front of me.

I folded my arms and let my thoughts roam. ‘She’s schmoozing the poor guy up. And here I thought only Rarity did that to her helper.’ The two talked incessantly for a while while I kept myself entertained, walking through the shop itself was interesting but add to that all the doo-dads and bits of simple machinery. I picked up the magic sphere thing from earlier when I heard both of them call for me.

I ran my way through the shop once more and among the things I was expecting to see, a blunderbuss pointing at me wasn’t one of them. “Woah!” I dove back around the corner. “Don’t point a gun at me!” I shouted from my meager point of cover.

A clacking of nails sounded out on the wooden floor a couple seconds before Cutter stood over me. “Come on Rorke,” He urged mildly. “Steam’s cannon couldn’t hurt a fly, we just need to test it on a live target.” The irony of that statement wasn’t truly lost on me, I ignored it thoroughly though.

I looked down and straight into his bird shaped eyes. “That has to be the single dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard in my life. No.” The deadpan seemed to work, his eyes shut themselves partially and his gaze hardened. ‘Skeleton or not, no way am I getting shot for science. He seems hell bent on doing it though.’ My thoughts were proven all too true, Cutter lurched toward me with claws extended and ready for an easy grab. I was just happy I had been anticipating it, or I wouldn’t have reacted in time. Even as it was, I barely managed to slip away from his grasp. I jumped to my feet and sprinted off into the maze of metal and steam, with a stowaway griffin and gun happy engineer nipping at my heels.

I jumped over another set of several desks and under a thick pipe with all my speed intact. Looking backwards didn’t help my cause though. Steam and her feathered minion were right behind me. Only when I looked back and then forward did I realize the corner I was turning would be the one to get me shot. ‘Skeleton or not, this is going to hurt me, I know it.’ Not getting shot was probably my human perspective cutting into things but it still didn’t appeal to me. The thought lasted for all of two second before the report from the gun hit my ears... and all of one second before that when the first shot ripped through my robes, my chain mail, and out the other side. Only a single bullet actually hit bone, but it only took that one to send my world into a spiraling hell of pain.

“AHHH!” I positively SCREECHED in pain. Falling face first onto the wooden floor didn’t even phase me, but my spine felt like magma was flowing through its length. It was the same agony wrought by the Ashbringer, and just as it had then, the pain perforated through my whole body. Cutter and Steam Cog ran to my side as I was screaming with pain unmeasurable coursing its way into and out of my skeletal form.

“Rorke!” I wasn’t sure who screamed my name but both of the gun happy traitors were next to me as I laid on the ground. Their voices fading in and out but still staying legible overall. “No, this should not have happened.” If I had been more coherent and used my mouth for witty rebuttals instead of screaming on the floor and writhing around I probably would have said something akin to ‘Because I remember when chasing people through workshops and shooting them in the back wasn’t supposed to hurt them!’ That never came out though.

I could only think those words to myself as the pair ran away from me. Leaving me to lay on the floor, spasming in pain every second or so. ‘Someone’s been shot... and they leave them on the floor... real geniuses those two.’ My thoughts were pessimistic to say the least, then a pleasant black void seemed to greet me and wipe those thoughts away, just as it had always done. The pain ebbed away gradually as the darkness of impending unconsciousness took hold of my vision.

Normally I would have been greeted by the dreamscape I had become familiar with, but not this time. I was flung straight into a series of panels that were flashing pictures of anubites fighting. I never entered them though, like panes of glass they shattered as I impacted them with my body. I destroyed several memory panes before my momentum slowed to the point where I could hit one without it shattering. The first one of these didn’t look anything like the others. My vision coalesced into the image I had seen, I was laying down on a bed unlike the anubite one. Vision wasn’t my friend at that moment, it was blurry like I had just woken up. Even though I was just a viewer of that particular memory a pair of hands rose up to rub the vision clearer.

‘No way...’ Once the picture became easier to see I took a long look at the hands before my mental eyes. They were HUMAN hands. A shrill voice broke my contemplation of the appendages. “Johnathan Henry Bromhead, getcha arse out of bed!” The shrill voice was soon identified as belonging to a middle aged woman who had burst into the room. MY room, the woman was MY mother. “John, get out of bed.” She ripped the covers off the bed. “Change ya bloody clothes, and be out the door in five minutes! I’ll be waitin in the lorry.” She walked out of the room just as fast as she had entered.

‘Wow...’ That was all I could think of to say. My name was Johnathan, my mom was a lot bitchier than I remembered, and I was a boxers kind-of-guy. “God she gets british when she’s annoyed.” All the sensations I had experienced reliving Rorke’s life began anew looking at my body again. John, or me, I didn’t know how to label him, griped a little more before finally hopping out of the bed. ‘My name is John...’ The information soaked in as human me got dressed. ‘Johnathan Henry Bromhead. Feels foreign. How does your own name sound alien to you though?’

I was left pondering the notion, trying not to get lost on the subject though my thoughts were quickly drawn in another direction. I had walked into the bathroom and for once I got an actual look at myself once again. If the fact that my mother was as british as could be didn’t tell me I looked like a brit’ too, looking at my face in the mirror sure did.

Hazelnut hair, cut just over the ears, and pasty white skin. Just a dash of barely visible, sun acquired, freckles were visible under my eyes. ‘The Doctor was british too. Was that why he chose me?’ My thoughts lingered that way as I did everything that would be associated with the bathroom. A shower, brushing teeth, and the all important ‘going’ to the bathroom.

“John, let’s go!” Came the screech from my mother. Just as I jumped in the dreamscape, so too did John in the bathroom. He ran back into his room and grabbed a coat and dufflebag from the floor. He rushed out the door and into the car, my, or really his, mom gave him a “Bollocking”. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it involved plenty of shouting and my human self just taking it in stride. Just watching myself was painful, it was like I was dead to the world; sitting emotionless in that car seat proved the point. The scenery around the car started to become more city-like when a large beam of sunlight reflected off a nearby skyscraper right into my eyes.

I reopened them and found myself completely out of place. I was standing in a convenience store, buying all sorts of everyday things. Cereal, milk, and... ‘apparently doritos are a necessity in my human human diet.’ The things I was picking off of the shelf made absolutely no sense at all. ‘Seriously, what possessed me to pick up a pack of Tic-Tacs? Those things are only useful as candy, they just happen to freshen your breath at the same time.’ After another few minutes of picking up random items I finally approached the cashier. Another minute and I was out of the store, bag in hand, and walking down the sidewalk.

The light that seemed to come all too often flashed once more, this time it didn’t even have a source. The sidewalk was gone and I was on the move again, groceries in hand and the same dead-to-the-world look glued to my face. It was raining as I looked out the window of what I could see was a bus. A buzzing seemed to come over the intercom before silencing itself. ‘This is boring beyond belief and I need to know what’s going on. If I wake up from this and my body is being paraded around the ship, I’m going to be pissed.’ The intercom flicked back on for a moment. “Denying... keep... observe...” The voice cut out just after finishing the message. My human self didn’t react at all to it.

Another, more familiar, if slightly distorted, voice came over. “Problem... how... possibility...” It was just about that point when my human counterpart wasn’t reacting that I figured something out. ‘This isn’t part of the memory.’ The voices were coming from an outside source. “Security... ship... not acceptable...” Whoever was saying that didn’t seem pleased at all.

“Preserve... uphold... skeleton...” That almost clinched the matter entirely. ‘The only question now is what will happen when I wake up.’ I seemed to be rather calm but my brain was racing on whether or not I would EVER wake up. Considering they knew I was a skeleton, the odds didn’t look too good. “Save him... it’s on your head... don’t make me regret this...” The voices ceased for a long while and each minute that passed, my nervousness and fear increased. “You better thank me for this...” Immediately it felt like someone had started pulling on my back, and not in any normal way. I took one last cursory glance at my hands as the skin melted away, the bones underneath elongated into claws shortly after.

The pressure on my back increased as the dreamscape started to give way, the memory of myself as a human fading away in front of me. Finally, the pressure seemed to surge as I exited the memory completely. It was centralized in the middle of my spine and I could feel something yanking and ripping on it. The process started to hurt just as the ripping started, two things could have been happening. ‘Either they’re getting the bullet out, or they decided to saw my spine in half lengthwise.’ The binding pain seared through my back, up to my head, and rested there. Like my head was imploding in on itself with nothing to mitigate the unbridled agony. My body started to fall apart in front of me, my bones breaking off at the joints. Bit by bit, my claws gave way to the fingers supporting them, those in turn gave way to the hands that supported those.

All of this seemed to happen slowly, like my very existence was a stain on the universe, and it wanted me to suffer for the simple crime of living my life. The disintegration of my body had progressed up to my shoulders before the pain eased. I vaguely heard another one of the voices sounding off in the darkness. “This would go faster if you stopped thrashing around!” If I was thrashing around as just a disembodied head in the darkness, it was lost on me. My screams were finally cut as the bottom of my jaw came undone. The work continued and I finally accepted the inevitability of it, darkness blacker than the dreamscape surrounding me took hold.

After a few moment or an eternity of limbo a glow pierced the dark. The world around me came into focus once more and this time I wasn’t blinded by light. “Finally!” someone exclaimed close to me. I looked toward the noise and saw a stallion of rather small stature in surgeon scrubs and with a pair of pliers I his hooves. He had my robe undone and the pain from my spine was missing, I noticed something else as well. Nearly my whole body was exposed and my limbs were strapped to a vertical table, spread outward.

“What the FUCK is going on!?” I shouted at the pony.

“Congratulations, you still have a problem, and now it’s awake. I expect you to follow through and be professional about it.” The voice was easily recognizable as Thule’s but something was different, it held a cold air to it, and the authority permeated it thoroughly. “I have to brief Rose Thorn before the ambassador arrives in a couple of hours. If all is well, send him to my office when you’re done.” I could see him glaring at me before leaving. ‘It’s always too much to ask that no one knows about me. Figures...’

The aptly named, Stable, nodded to him before the Captain walked out the door. I strained against the bindings on my limbs to no avail. “Do you mind letting me down? I don’t feel like being some doctor’s science experiment.” My question came out far calmer than I was feeling on the inside. On the inside my metaphorical blood was boiling in a cold way. It made no sense to me and would be hard to explain.

He turned back to me. “I’m sorry, doctor’s orders, you need some bed rest.” He had a smirk on his face that I could see even with his mask on.

I decided to just glare at him, though my lack of eyes diminished the effect. “That’s not funny, now let me down.”

“Maybe now wasn’t the proper time for a joke, I apologize. I’m afraid I still can’t let you down though. Captain Thule wants some tests done, and that you be strapped down until they’re done.” Stable replied. He didn’t seem to be all that put off by the fact that I was a skeleton.

“You’re not going to be probe me are you?” I asked hesitantly.

He laughed genuinely. “No, none of that.” He pulled down his mask, a subdued smile shone through the rather dimly lit room. “Before we begin, would you like me to answer any questions?”

I thought on the notion for a quick moment. “You don’t seem fazed by the fact that you’re talking to a dead body though, mind explaining?”

He walked around the room gathering up tools and stripping off his scrubs. ‘I’ll amend my previous thoughts, he IS a small pony.’ Looking down at him I could see he barely came half way past my knee. A thick blonde mane gave him another couple inches but he didn’t even come up to my waist. It made the ensuing conversation a little awkward. His lavender fur accented it well enough, a royal purple would have suited him better though. “I’m a doctor, Stable Mind by the way, and oddly enough I’ve seen bones before. Some broken in half, others bisected down the middle, and even a few ground into a disgusting paste that nopony should ever have to see. Meeting a creature composed solely of them isn’t exactly terror material for me. Excellent question though, anymore?”

I didn’t even need to think about my next question. “These ‘tests’.” I managed to mime air quotes even with my arms spread far across. “What exactly do they entail? I’m not a fan of skeletal vivisection, just in case you were wondering.”

He gave me a quick glance as he started to sort the tools he had gathered, most of which looked harmless. Most... “The first test is a rather simple question.” He finished his sorting and gave me his full attention. “Do you know how your body works?”

“It’s like a self-charging battery, but with magic.”

He looked at me with confusion. “A... battery?” he said, cocking his head slightly. ‘Oh yeah, gems, not batteries.’

“Actually, skip the battery thing. I’m a self-charging gemstone. Magic is what’s keeping me together and alive as you could guess. Just like a living creature my body seems to make its own magic so I won’t just fall apart.” He pulled out a clipboard and started to write what I said down. “I’ve got another question actually.” He motioned for me to continue. “What’ll happen if I fail a test?”

Stable sighed heavily and placed his clipboard down. “You seem nice enough but, if you fail even a single test I have orders to turn you over in shackles to Captain Thule. After that, I’m unsure of the consequences.” His voice was cold, and distant. He picked up the board again and proceed with a few sets of standard sort-of hospital based questions. A lot of them became pretty redundant with my lack of a more than a few organs and body parts. “Does it burn when you... Okay this is just getting silly, I’ll fill out the rest later. I need something from you now.” The stallion spoke with a little mirth in his voice.

“And the answers I’ve been giving you don’t count?” I asked with limited disbelief.

He did the quintessential doctor sigh. “Of course they count, but I need something from you in the more literal sense.”

“Would I be right to suggest that you’re talking about an actual sample from my body?” I wasn’t particularly fond of having a piece of my body cut away by a race capable of magic. Curses, hexes, and all that brand of evilness. A nod from him confirmed it as he strode to the other side of the room, a second later the light flipped on high and the room was in complete illumination. I looked to him with confusion. “Why were the lights on low to begin with? That doesn’t make much sense.”

He strolled back to my side, a shiny and extremely sharp looking hacksaw in his clutches. “Well you wear those robes all the time, the Captain and I figured your bones may have adverse effects to light. We assumed that dimming the light with your bones totally exposed would be beneficial.”

“That’s all fine, but you aren’t coming within and inch of me with that saw...” My voice low and menacing.

He contemplated for a moment. “What is your pain tolerance? Obviously having that ‘bullet’ in your spinal cord hurt you immensely, but what constitutes pain for you, exactly?”

“Well... It’s sort of a toss-up. If you let me down, I’ll tell you more.” I felt dumb for even saying that. It was a bad proposition to begin with, but surprisingly he looked to be considering it.

“You know that if you were to attack me, several guards would swarm in and apprehend you. Correct?” I nodded. “Very well. Hold still.” He unbuckled my legs first before rearing up and... “I’m a little short, as you can see.” He couldn’t reach the top clasp and looked pretty sad that he needed to use a stepping stool to reach it.

I wasn’t ready for gravity to take effect and ended up falling down for the hundredth time that day. “I really need to learn some balance,” I muttered more to myself than to Stable. Who, of course, was staring dutifully at me with his ‘clipboard of evil™’. “I’m free so here it is. Pain is somewhat of a hit and miss sort of thing. I’ve had my arm lopped off by an overzealous guard, set on fire by a thief, and all manner of minor injuries. I never felt so much as a hint of pain from those, just a tingling feeling that let me know it was happening.”

He flipped through a couple papers and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out what looked like a handheld metal detector security in airports would have. “Barring your recent spinal injury, have you felt pain before?”

I stood up straight and rubbed my wrists purely for the feeling that I could feel my own hands. “Once, when I was stabbed in the face with a sword as wide as a shovel. Right before I woke up too, other than that I can’t really feel pain.” I watched him pace the office, he was thinking pretty heavily. It could be seen just from the way he walked about the room, it was similar to the way Twilight paced before she went crazy. The only exception being that Stable Mind kept true to his name. A few more paces around the room and he found his way back to me with his wand thing.

“I have a theory and it would exclude the process of me having to take a sample of your bone structure. Would you like to try it?” It was a loaded question in actuality. ‘Either cut off my pinkie and give it to him or see what he wants with the wand, hmm.’

“How about you tell me what the process includes and we’ll see.” I replied, not entirely sure what this particular doctor has up his non-existent sleeves.

He held up the device with, for the first time I could see, a wing. He was a pegasus. “This device will allo-”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupted as cleanly as I could. “but, you’re a pegasus?”

He ‘oh’d’ in surprise. “Um, yes, I am. You aren’t the first one to be surprised by that actually. Even my special someone didn’t know I was a pegasus until I started flying. As I was saying though, this device should allow me to scan you magic field and natural ley lines. It works significantly better than the casted unicorn variation.” He held the gadget up. “Mh moo urn aroo.” It was my turn to be confused. He rolled his eyes and gave a little twirl of his hoof though.

“Turn around?” He nodded and I turned. The device beeped as he ran it up and down the whole length of my body, flapping his wings lightly to gain the necessary altitude. “You said special someone, are they not a pony?” He murmured around the scanning wand. “I’ll let you finish.” Another murmur and a few beeps as I turned around to face him once more.

He pulled the device from his mouth and placed it on the small cart of tools next to him. “That’s better and no, she’s a pony, head chef aboard the ship actually. She was pretty sad that you’ve been skipping her meals. This,” He gestured at my body. “sort of explains it however. I’ll probably be telling her not to expect you for any meals.”

“You aren’t going to tell her, are you? I don’t feel like having another incident where everyone knows what I am. Last time that happened, I got near unilateral stares of contempt from every guard at the castle. Something about being an abomination against life, the princesses and guard captains seemed to like me better than the actual guards.”

Despite the foreboding aura that hung in the room Stable actually managed a chuckle that turned into a minor laugh. “In all the excitement, we forgot you were sent by Celestia herself.” His laugh died back down. “From the sounds of it, she knew about your ‘condition’. Would that be correct to assume?” I nodded tersely.

“She was the one who sent me here, remember? Going to Saddle Arabia, solving the murders there, stop a race bent on the destruction of the world. Ring any bells?” He looked down but I could see the heat on his muzzle from embarrassment. “Thule and you forgot, didn’t you?” I asked in a rather accusatory tone.

He gave a shallow sigh. “Yes, we did. Had we remembered, you wouldn’t have had to do any of this besides getting that metal removed.”

I let out a much deeper sigh, not entirely sure where the breath came from. “Its reached the point of, I honestly don’t care. What does your magic airport wand say, and what’s next after that?” My voice having lost its’ edge.

“Anyway.” He flipped open a panel on the device and looked at it. “You mentioned having your arm hacked away from your body, being set on fire, and having a sword go through you head. Only the head injury actually caused you pain, correct?”

“Pain seems like an understatement in the scope of things. Think of... a red hot brand. Pressed on the inside of your skull.” The doctor nodded as he processed the description. “Now, think of that pain being spread throughout your body, and centering itself in your spine. It may sound a little melodramatic coming from a skeleton but pain like that is harrowing...” My voice drifted off of its own accord. I had never truly thought of the pain itself. What had caused it or even the ramifications of it. “You know, I wasn’t like this before. I wasn’t a skeleton.” The doctor, of who maintained no relation to “The Doctor” cut me off there.

“I wish to stop you there. Celestia’s verdict stops Thule or I from doing anything to you, but orders from the Captain must still be fulfilled. This information will also enlighten you as well.”

“Captain Shining Armor scanned my body and it told of some basic information. You said this scan would be more in-depth?” I asked. ‘Seems like I’m always relaying info that should already be known. The Princess didn’t even bother sending them a letter explaining my purpose.’

“Excellent, then you already know of the ley lines running through your body and the passive aura you exert?” It still astounded me that he was taking the whole ‘living dead’ thing in stride. I assented and he continued. “You don’t know why the pain occurs though?”

“I assume getting stabbed in the head, or being shot in the spine, helps the process along?” He smirked and it was really the first time I had seen him do so.

“Yes, but not quite for the reasons you think.” He explained, taking flight into the air, prodding the back of my head with a hoof. “On the back of your head, as well as other places on your body, is a seal. They are the focus that keeps you flowing with the correct amount of magic. When that sword went through your skull, it impacted and cut through the seal. I must ask though, was the sword magical in any way?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it was called Ashbringer. By all accounts, it should have burned me to a cinder on contact. Hurt to touch it but no actual burns.” He rubbed a hoof down the side of his muzzle.

“That explains it then. If a normal weapon impacts or somehow carves into the seal on its’ face then you will feel that level of pain. Having a sword infused with magic foreign to your body negated the facing effect of the seal and severed it from inside your skull. It seems that the seal on your head is the most crucial though, the others you have are negligible in size and effect. This is truly fascinating as far as a research opportunity goes.”

He picked up a clipboard and started putting down notes. I still had a question that wasn’t explained. “What about the bullet?” He looked up from his notes. “It wasn’t magical, just a spare ball bearing she had in the shop.”

He didn’t even skip a beat before explaining. “The evidence doesn’t theorize a seal may be contained in your spine, but I have my own hypothesis on that matter. You see, being that your spine is the only means to transfer magic to the lower half of your body, I assume it must contain quite a bit of magic inside.”

“Then why didn’t I just heal the wound like I normally do?” I took to pacing around the table I had been strapped to, I really should have been angrier at being tied up, but I just couldn’t find the rage to do so. As I walked, I took a look at Stable and his eyes reeked of questions. “Didn’t I mention that, when you were trying to get me with that saw?”

He thought on it for a moment before lamenting. “No, I don’t think so.”

I waved it off. “Meh, well, my bones heal really fast. They repair pretty quickly, if all the pieces are there and placed back together that is. I haven’t tried re-growing a foot.” My voice was stale from start to finish. The conversation was monotonous and boring. ‘Who knew talking about your own weirdo body could be this dull.’

“Then that would explain why you were in so much pain then, your body was flooding itself with magic in an attempt to heal the wound. With the bullet still in place it couldn’t heal fully, but it also couldn’t stop trying to do so. Your body began to reject its own magic and the seals on your body went into flux. Had the bullet NOT been pulled out, you may well have caused an explosion from the buildup of magic.”

That part definitely got my attention. ‘Note to self, don’t get stuff lodged in spine. Exploding can be hazardous to the average skeleton’s health.’ With that out of the way I started to walk toward the door.

“We aren’t done yet, Rorke. We have one more test to run.”

I groaned as I begrudgingly turned back around. “Seriously, what else is there? I wanted to see Thule, call him names, and maybe get an apology from Steam and Cutter. Is that so much to ask?” My voice full of mild contempt. The long waiting was testing my nerves, I still couldn’t be called angry by any definition of the word but it helped venting the frustration I was feeling.

I glared down at the flighty pony but he stayed ever cool, not even a reaction. “It’s a perfectly reasonable thing to ask, but we have to complete your psychological exam. This may very well be the most important test and don’t worry, every crew member has to undergo one. Mandatory, no exceptions.” I really didn’t like the idea of having to talk about my body and then whats been rolling around inside my head.

In a bit of internal honesty, I hadn’t thought insanely deep, or even as deep as I should have on my situation since coming into possession of my new body. “Fine,” I gruffed. “I’ll talk to the head doctor, he’ll call me a nutcase, toss some meds my way and we’ll be done here.” Stable’s eyes narrowed at me before he cantered over to another one of the cabinets that lined the wall opposite me. I figured he must have been friends with the other doctor. I couldn’t resist another jab though. “I’m pretty sure you don’t keep a psychiatrist next to the leg splints.”

After another moment he turned back to me, with the stereotypical goatee of a therapist hanging on his muzzle by a string. “Actually, I do. I’m trained to handle all medical matters, mental or physical.” The beard looked ridiculous on him, I just couldn’t help but laugh. He even allowed himself a chuckle with me, pulling a couple of chairs over from one side of the room.

After the mirth died down I just had to ask. “Okay, what’s up with the fake goatee?” I was glad I didn’t say what I was really thinking. ‘And here I was, thinking the patients were the crazy ones...’ It wasn’t the harshest thought that had pervaded my mind before, but I didn’t feel like calling my therapist crazy, out loud that is. Something like that couldn’t end in good fashion.

He even took to stroking the imitation facial hair. “According to a study that I have tested personally aboard this ship. Ponies and intelligent creatures in general are more willing to talk to a psychological examiner with facial hair. It makes the doctor more approachable and appear kinder in general when trimmed in the right manner. I am unable to grow any though, so that being the case a beard on a string is my only option.”

That took care of that question. We took our respective seats and he pulled a small, brown notebook out of an unseen pocket. “Taking notes?”

“Of course.” He opened the book up and scribbled something in it. “Now, we’ve talked enough about your body for quite a while. Why don’t you tell me about who you are? Tell me about yourself, and take your time.”

I had never been to a therapist before and regardless of the studies surrounding his beard, I still felt tense and nervous. “I can tell you a lot about myself, but I need an answer from you. Would you like to know about Johnathan Bromhead, Rorke Chardstone the First, or Rorke the Second? Technically I’m all three, and no, it’s not a personality disorder.” I interjected that bit of info quickly as he was scribbling down notes in his book. “I only managed to remember my human name after you pulled the bullet from my spine, so thanks for that.” He nodded slowly and continued scribbling before looking up.

“Can you tell me something about them each? Perhaps the first one?” His tone made it sound almost like he didn’t believe me. In all reality, I just wished I could STOP believing what was happening around me. My whole existence, and everything around me, was sickening with its' disregard for my previous reality.

Time passed us by though, as he asked and I answered various questions. Some were easy, others not so much. It resembled more of a rigorous interview than a mental examination, maybe that was the point though. “You said you’ve been having dreams, of the past Rorke? And you relive points of his life in these dreams, correct?” He enquired, I was happy that our stressful time together was almost at an end.

“Yes,” I answered, “but it doesn’t really feel like a dream. It’s like I’m seeing the whole thing from Rorke’s view, and I’m just sitting over his shoulder.”

He scratched something out. “So a first, and third, pony perspective.” His eyes fluttered frantically randomly. “I’m sorry, but you never told anyone what you are, originally that is.”

My hands were shifting nervously over themselves, the wrappings I had placed on them were still in place. “If you feel like being technical and considering my body’s legacy, I was and still am an anubite. You already heard me explain humans, saying I was born one only makes me sound crazier, although I can’t really help that.”

“Of course,” he replied. “I must say though, this ‘Earth’ sound like quite an exciting place. They have no magic, yet you say these ‘humans’ have made just as many, if not more, advances in technology than we have. This is truly a fascinating prospect.” It was getting exceedingly hard to determine whether he was being sincere, just rolling along with the crazy, or actually thought I was telling the truth of the matter.

‘He’s a therapist,’ I thought bitterly despite myself, ‘he knows just how to string along a patient to get the job done.’ I sighed loudly, my thoughts making me tense. I curtly asked if the session... test, or whatever he felt like calling it, was over. “Yes, Rorke, you may leave in a moment. I wish to schedule another appointment however.” My jaw tensed and a low dog-like growl emanated from my person. “Please don’t think of it that way,” He pleaded lamely.

“Then explain how I should think of it?!” I exclaimed, probably angrier than I should have been. Being called crazy in a world of ponies, coupled with being classified as an abomination against life tends to make someone high strung though. “You obviously think I’m some nutcase or science experiment you can take apart to make yourself look better! Why not just strap me to the table again, huh? You and Thule obviously didn’t think too much if it, that the newest person aboard, despite aloofness, never hurt anyone! Never did anything to anyone!” It was right about the time that I looked down and saw his hoof rubbing along the lower half of my leg. It would have been awkward had I not know it to be a soothing motion.

“Because,” he replied after my rant, his voice ever calm, temperament stable and cool. “It isn’t healthy for anyone to subsist themselves on perceived hatred. Please understand that your body was strange and foreign to us, the Captain was scared for his crew. We... well, that is I, know now that you’re not going to turn into some slavering beast circle-bound on our demise. Would you have done all that different from us, given the circumstances?”

I sighed loudly knowing the answer wouldn’t help me all that much. “No, I probably would have done the same thing, not the medical questions though. That was just... silly.” I dared another look at the newest doctor to intrude upon my life. He was waiting patiently for an answer to a question asked. I huffed another sigh to accompany the first. “Fine, I’ll come back for another appointment. I better not get anymore question about my body functions though, I’m fairly sure I don’t have those anymore.”

“Well actually-” he started before I grabbed his muzzle, effectively closing it tight.

“That was fairly rhetorical. Do I have to bring anything signed by you to Thule before I call him names inappropriate for children?” The doctor snorted in amusement as I released his muzzle. He grabbed a set of papers, the journal he had scribbled in, and piled them together into a manilla folder. He whipped out a stamp, slammed it down on the folder and handed it to me.

“Give that to him and everything should be in order. You’re ready to go, if there are no emergencies feel free to stop by in a couple days, or anytime really. The door is always open; good luck with Thule.” He gave me a warm smile and opened the door for me as I walked out.

I began my walk through the many halls of the ship, seeing easily a few hundred ponies along the way. Many were in what looked like specialized desert armor and a few weren’t. I stopped one in armor after finally breaking through the top layer of the ship and seeing the sun just at the beginning of its’ descent. Apparently the ambassador had arrived and was meeting with the Captain as we spoke, and the troops that would be accompanying us into the desert were surging aboard. A pair of small airships were ferrying unicorns and earth ponies onto the Liberator from the ground below.

I thanked the guardsmare and began walking down the long deck of the ship towards the bridge. Thule was in the middle of his meeting and calling him an asshole then and there probably wouldn’t have garnered me many friends. My steps slowed considerably midway through the walk. As I put more thought into the Captain’s side of things and less of what could be done to me, I started to come around to his way of thinking. Stable had been right. I would have done the same thing. It didn’t make the open betrayal hurt any less though. To be openly disregarded as a threat to people I considered well-versed acquaintances, if not friends, was... well, words seemed meager to describe the feeling.

I truthfully wanted to hate Thule for what he put me through in just a short time but, really? I had been strapped to a table, made to answer stupid questions, and get called crazy. They were all minor in the scope of things that had happened to me up till then. I would still have a fair set of choice words with him, but it wouldn’t be a sword plunged down his throat sideways. As I was walking with my thoughts, another, smaller ship came along side and started releasing its cargo of unicorns and earth ponies. All of them were in the same armor as the mare from earlier and carrying large saddlebags that looked to be nearly bursting.

More than a few of the unicorns were using their magic to lift long crates with weapon stamps on them. Of course I was getting a lot of stares along the way, but truthfully, a moment never existed where ponies didn’t stare at me. ‘Ponies seem to be insatiably curious.’ Whether it was to their detriment or not, I couldn't fathom a guess. Finally making my way to the bridge I could hear more than a single voice inside. Simply on instinct I leaned my head against the door, as if I still had an ear, and listened in. Unfortunately, everything was so garbled by the door and distance that I couldn’t hear a thing clearly. There was but a single thing left for me to do.

Author's Note

I want to thank my proofreader Salacar for making this readable. In addition to that, I'll thank Thule as well. He got me back to work on this and made sure everyone sounded and acted in a particular manner. The ideas he comes up with will probably be half of the later chapter's content. I won't be having the time that it takes for the ship to travel in day by day sections. I'll be skipping forward to important events and times aboard the Liberator.
Its been a while. October was the last update, too long but nothing could be done about it.
On the up note though, I've been working on a few things. The previous chapter have almost all been marked for a rewrite. I'm going to refine the personality and actions of many of the characters. This shouldn't affect new chapter production.
I also have a new non-chess story I've worked on in earnest. It's only in the lore and planning stage, the first sentence hasn't even been written. This shouldn't affect new chapters production either. I either feel like working on this or I don't. Trying to force a session of writing will get nothing done.

-Sturrn

To The Skies

Chapter Fifteen
To The Skies

I reached for the strangely ornate door handle that had absolutely no business on a ship helmed by creatures without any fingers to speak of. Being that it was me reaching for the handle, the only logical thing that could happen was the door flying open and hitting me in the face. Simply on reflex I grabbed my nose and muttered a quiet and low, “Ow.” It didn’t hurt me in the least, but, it sort of worked like muscle memory. I’d been living with the notion that being hit in the face with a door hurt me, and even though that no longer applied the memory was still there.

“Watch it, stowaway, officer coming through,” a rather snooty looking unicorn said, a cockney ‘I’m better than you.’ smile on the stallion’s face. He looked like the typical pampered snob, puffed up in a uniform covered by so much gold and royal purple that I couldn’t even see his body. The only thing I could see was a well taken care of brown mane and tail done up in a style that made him look like a pure, unadulterated, sissy. I quickly closed the door on said tail as he continued walking forward. He was jerked back onto the floor as his trapped tail refused to allow him to leave. He glared at me with nothing more than average annoyance. “I believe you closed the door on my tail.” His voice licked with a dense accent I was unfamiliar with, though the annoyance was perceptible.

“Oh my, I didn’t even notice,” I replied sarcastically. “My apologies, you know how clumsy we stowaways can be.” He snorted indignantly as he got back on his feet and fired up his horn to open the door, which took the perfect opportune moment to open up. The door hit him square in the butt and caused him to faceplant beautifully onto the floor.

A smaller pegasus stallion peeked out from the open door with a silly smile on his face. “Rose Thorn, what are you doing on the ground? You’re supposed to be grabbing the maps and inkwells.” The newly deemed Rose Thorn scrambled to his hooves and strutted away, but not before throwing me and the pegasus a glare so venomous it could strike an elephant dead. After a solid moment of apprehension I turned to find that my unknown ally was gone. “Hi there!”

Precisely at that moment, my brain only registered two things. A loud noise, and that said noise was right next to my head. Obviously the only reasonable reaction I had was to jump back and wave my hands around in a stupid pseudo-form of karate. ‘As if I knew a single move...’ The weird “Hwaaa,” noise that usually accompanied it wasn’t anymore threatening in real-life life than it was in the movies.

“Hah, you’re pretty funny.” The pegasus was hovering in the air on wings far too big for his body. He kept talking about something, and I think I heard my name a couple times but I sort of tuned it out, his wings were mesmerizing. On the scale of wing magnitude from Scootaloo to Celestia, he was sitting at the royal level. They were peach colored like the rest of his body, his mane was a messy, unkempt, mass of terracotta red with the only piece of clothing he had on being a checkered scarf. “My name’s Nappa.” He put a hoof my way. “You’re Rorke, right?”

“Yeah.” I took his hoof in hand, the texture of it reminding me that my gauntlet wasn’t on. At the very least my wraps were still in place. “A lefty, huh?” Why Nappa started chuckling as we shook seemed to be beyond my reasoning however. “Why are you laughing? Am I supposed to extend my thumb thirty four degrees upward when I shake a pony’s hoof, or something?” He just chuckled more.

“I’m sorry, but this has been happening all day and it’s kind of funny. When you shake a deck pony’s hoof you only do it with your left.” We both took our appendages back, but this tidbit of knowledge had me intrigued. Nappa started explaining before the question could even make its way out of my mouth. The whole thing was sort of a tradition among sailors. When pirates were still roaming the world and looking for prey, the royal marines and ponies of the Equestrian navy would greet suspected raiders with their left hoof, keeping the right on a weapon if the greeting wasn’t well received.

In truth the whole thing was probably boring beyond belief but Nappa was quite the storyteller. I lost track of time, though not much had passed by the time he was done with the whole explanation. More guards in armor had come aboard, covering the ship with materials for the trip, and overall giving the impression of being pony-sized ants with some of the loads they were carrying. We were finally snapped out of conversation when a snobby voice, one that was fairly easy to recognize, came from behind me. “Nappa, the door.”

Rose Thorn was closing in with a pair of saddlebags full of ink, paper, and quills; a bundle of hastily rolled up maps were also held in his magic. “Yes, Sir.” He barely flapped twice before having the door open and Rose Thorn being ushered inside. He had only just turned around to say goodbye before I grabbed the handle with a heavy grip. His eyes met mine in safe curiosity. “You need to talk to the Captain?” His voice picked up with a happy tone that just made me want to smile, if I could.

“Just a little chat and then we can get to the fun and excitement of map examination.” I really hoped my voice sounded upbeat and not dull or threatening, Nappa just smiled though, and I was thankful for it. My voice had changed so much in such a short time that I could hardly believe it was still mine. I still sounded like an eighty-something, six-pack-a-day, smoker who couldn’t get the sand out of his throat. The whole thing was surreal but I didn’t dwell on it, even if I wished it would go back to not sounding like that.

“Well lets get in there then.” Nappa said happily as I opened the door further and walked in. ‘Of all ponies that could have been inside...’ My fanboy alert started going off immediately as my eyes fell upon the form of Second best pony. His mustache and coat were a little out of sorts from the high winds in the clouds but still well kept. He was talking to the Captain, who he towered over, as they both started to look over one of Rose Thorn’s maps. “Oh, Rorke, this is Fancypants. He’s going to be ambassador aboard the ship!” Nappa exclaimed excitedly as he trotted over to the Captain’s side.

At the mention of his name the stallion turned towards me and let his eyes keep climbing until they reached my face. A large grin worked itself over his face as he walked over to me, the Captain behind him keeping stoic at seeing me once more. “HEL-LO,” He shouted loudly, sounding out the words syllable by syllable. “MY NAME IS FAN-CY PANTS!” He gestured with a hoof toward me. “WHAT. IS. YOUR. NAME?”

“It’s... Um, Rorke?” I said after a brief pause, feeling a little weird just standing there with my head barely bent downwards from the slight short ceiling. “Why are you talking like that?” I asked with just a bit of timidity, not sure if he would spend the entire trip talking to me like an idiot. Luckily, my fears were unfounded.

Fancypants didn’t even show any hint or sign of embarrassment and simply brought a hoof up to readjust his monocle. “Quite sorry about that,” He replied in a softer tone as he corrected himself figuratively and literally. “No one plainly told me if you could speak Equestrian. No one has told me much really, this little expedition has been a real hush-hush ordeal.” He offered a hoof that actually came up further than any other ponies to date. I took it in claw and shook it firmly.

“Well-” I began before being cut off by Rose Thorn.

“That can be quickly remedied, Ambassador. If you take a look at the maps here we can convene this meeting.” Following the small bustle as everyone found a spot around the table, Thule unrolled a map that looked like it was ripped from a first grader’s coloring book.

He gestured to the largest squiggly bit and swung his hoof to the right of it. “We are here,” Rose prodded what I assumed was the city we were floating above,marked with a simple dot, and traced a winding curve down to a green marked area with another dot on it as the Captain took over the explanation. “and we will be traversing the thermals from outer-Equestria as we trail to our last resupply point before the open ocean.” Thule cracked a smile as examined the map closer before whirling around and flipping through a calendar book behind him. “Ah!” He exclaimed excitedly poking the book several times as he turned back around to our small gathering. “If we maintain course, and keep schedule with today’s loading, then we should arrive at the mission station the day of Nightmare Night.”

There was a loud cacophony as what I could only guess was the entire ship started ‘whooping’ and cheering in excitement. The five of us looked at each other, puzzled at how the crew knew to cheer until our collective gaze fell on Nappa. He looked at us in wonderment that we would take time to stare at him mid-meeting. “What?” He asked, oblivious, until he looked at Rose who was motioning for him to look down. He finally saw what we all had been looking at, that one hoof was placed flat across the ship’s intercom button. The large winged stallion chuckled nervously to himself as he slowly pulled away from the button.

Thule and Rose Thorn loosed as large sigh together, Fancy Pants chuckled to himself quietly, and I just stood there being dead and what not. “Rose Thorn,” Thule barked with command intent. “Go outside and keep us on schedule, I don’t want the crew to disappoint themselves chatting about what they’re going to wear so much so that they don’t get to wear anything.”

Thorn snapped a salute and a quick “Yes, sir.” Before making his way toward the door.

“Take Rorke with you as well, I’m sure he would be excellent company.” The Captain had a smarmy little grin that made his order grate against me all that much more. Even with my limited interaction with the First Mate, I could tell this wouldn’t end well. He didn’t seem to like me and that just about makes it the easiest way to say I don’t like him. Also, he had a stupid haircut, so there’s that.

The First Mate and I stepped away from the table at the same time, eyeing each other with no small amount of trepidation in our movements as we made for the door side by side. I went for the door handle just in time to see it grasped in magic, not even a second after that my vision was filled with wooden planks and the gilded edge of a door to face. A snap decision of self-preservation saw a wrapped hand of mine grasp the door not even a centimeter from my face.

It was pure reaction that stopped me from having a second helping of door for the day. Needless to say I felt a little more than badass for catching it, right up until I realized I had launched my boney fingers straight into the door itself and now had approximately three of my claw tips stuck in the wood. ‘I would say me and the door are one-for-one right now, but getting your hand caught in a chunk of oak is kind of a match ending point.’

I tugged on my hand a few times, just to see if it was easily removed. It wasn’t. I tried wrenching myself from the door for a good half minute to absolutely no avail. All of this with Rose looking at me like an idiot. Finally, after way too much effort on my half, did he light up his horn and pull my hand free with a bit of magic. I mumbled my thanks, even if he was the one who got me stuck to begin with. His expression was stoic as he walked through the open portal. “Prick…” I muttered to myself, the old ego just took a hit and that soothed it well. I stepped through after him, but, stopped rather quickly, much to my companion’s dismay.

I took in the great moving scene before me. A new set of ponies were boarding the ship, but these ones were distinct. Instead of the normal gold armor, or even the desert variant, these ponies were coming aboard in what amounted to armor fit for a tank, all of it unpainted grey. Stamped and inked onto the side of each set of armor was the phrase ‘Mobile Heavy Armor Corp: Seventh Division’. In contrast to the standard blue mane enchantment and openness of the golden armor; the heavy armor these ponies were wearing was almost entirely enclosed. If the royal guard was supposed to be an elite fighting force, then this was the real deal.

“Come on, stowaway, I don’t feel like having a picnic.” His voice was partially drowned out by the noise of movement all around us as the crew, the soldiers coming aboard, and all the gear with them was loaded up. True to the Captain’s word, everyone in a crewman uniform was chatting each other up about Nightmare Night. Amid all the excitement I nearly lost Rose Thorn in the crowd. He kept weaving through the crowd with a state of ease that several feet of skeleton just couldn’t match.

Eventually he finally lost me as we went below deck to escape the crowded top level, not the lower levels were much better. Ponies of all types gummed up the ship’s hallways with varying level of hurry in their stride. I couldn’t help but narrate my thoughts as I plied the hallways. “I wish these ceilings were just a little taller, this head bowing is getting annoying. The not-knowing-where-I’m-going thing isn’t much better, either.”

I heard a sigh from behind me almost immediately. “Perhaps staying with me would serve you well then.” I turned around as more ponies passed by me. “Do you need to hold my tail so you don’t get lost?” As more ponies went past a few took the time to chuckle at my expense, I growled at them, which was kind of cool to hear. The noise also widened their eyes and put some pep in their step, so that was a bonus.

“I think I’ll make due,” I replied. “Just as long as you don’t scamper off again. Long legs don’t do well amongst a horde of midgets that seem content to get under my feet any chance they can get.” He scowled at me and started walking away, his stride just as quick as before. I grabbed his tail and he stopped dead in his tracks.

He turned his head back. “I was being sarcastic; or are you slow on the uptake?” His face was past mild annoyance this time and straight into full-on glare mode.

“I could tell, but, it did seem like a good idea since you won’t slow down. I’m just glad you’re wearing a pretty concealing uniform or having your tail up this high might get a little awkward.” Scowling, and with just a tinge of red embarrassment on his cheeks, he pulled his tail away from me with a flick. He conveniently decided to walk slower as we went back down the hallway toward… wherever we were going. “Thule-”

“That’s, Captain Thule, stowaway, he’s more than earned his command.” Rose interrupted with a voice cold like tundran ice. The intensity caught me off guard.

“Sorry… I guess. Captain Thule sent us to keep the crew on track yet we left a room with a perfectly good intercom system to go where exactly? Seems a little redundant, if you ask me.” We weaved our way through several sets of corridors and hallways through at least three section of the ship and four deck, at least. All of this in complete silence, ponies of all uniform coming and going with the flow of bodies to get where we were all trying to go.

“He needs a presence on top.” Rose uttered, out of the blue, as we turned another corner near a block of storage areas. Several ponies were milling about casually around stack of crates loaded with who knows what, making it seem like they were being productive. Rose Thorn, it turned out, was just a little smarter than that, or had the same trick used on him by the crew. He barked a few commands out as we were passing by that got them all moving.

I thought on those few words for a time as we passed each compartment of the ship. That if he needed a presence up top, why send his second? Wouldn’t a leader be better suited to… leading? ‘That sounded bad, even in my head.’

After a marathon of hall walking we finally came out of the cramped sub-decks and into the cool sea breeze of the main platform. Surrounding us were more ponies in armor. It was actually starting to piss me off a little having to step around each of the little bastards. It actually seemed as if they were trying to get stepped on, luckily, before I had a skeletal aneurysm, we closed in on our destination. We had arrived at a door marked with a plain wooden sign as ‘sound’.

Rose opened the door in a burst of magic and strolled into the partially lit room. As I walked in after him I noticed just how spartan the room was for something labeled as a sound room. Inside was a periscope, a microphone on a stool, and a pull cord hanging from the only light in the room. I pulled the door shut as Rose pulled on the light cord… with his mouth. ‘I’ll never understand how ponies can be any amount of clean when they have their mouths all over everything.’

The First Mate cleared his throat as he brought the periscope down and his microphone close. He peered into the scope before speaking, presumably to me. “Do you understand what I said before, about needing someone up top, and why the Captain couldn’t do it?”

Truthfully, I still didn’t. Command structure, or really anything to do with command structure, was beyond me. “Not really, I still think think the intercom in the map room would have been just as good.” Saying that made me feel like an idiot but only because I was being folded into a subject I knew nothing about. The best I came to any of this in function was getting my gear in Canterlot and playing Starcraft at home. I had accepted my new role in life so quickly I didn’t even realized all the little things I was leaving behind. A pang of sadness hit me as Thorn started speaking again.

“Captain Thule can’t be everywhere at once,” Rose explained, his eyes still locked to the parascope studiously. “It simply isn’t feasible for him to deal with every problem and duty on the ship. That’s why Nappa and I are needed. We put out the fires, keep the crew’s spirits up, and make sure the whole operation runs smoothly. Our Captain is too busy, with matters that actually require his attention, to deal with anything else.”

I opted to say nothing as Rose continued on with his business. He pulled the microphone close and began, quite possibly, the funniest berating I’d ever had the pleasure of witnessing as an outsider. “Gooberson!” He yelled tremendously into the receiver. “Stop picking your nose and get back to work!” A scant few seconds passed before he began yelling with more vigour than I’d seen since meeting him. “That doesn’t mean you wipe your snotty hoof on that crate of hats, now wipe that up, grab that crate, and get it stowed away before I get a wet noodle on deck! You don’t want me to drive you with soggy pasta, it’s not a pretty sight, I must assure you of that notion.”

I stood in complete shock as this lion-of-a-pony struck his crew into a frenzy the likes of which I had never seen in my life. As the minutes ticked by though I felt myself leave Rose to his work and walk outside to observe the results myself. The First Mate’s voice pouring into my ear as a vision of ant-like efficiency poured onto the deck. Supplies were being offloaded and stowed faster than they could be brought aboard by the pegasi flitting to and fro around the ship. Some of the things Thorn said were ridiculous, bordering on idiotic, but the crew heeded his silly words with reverence and stepped up their effort in concert.

More than one pony was threatened with a lashing of the soggy pasta variety, but real orders came every once and while. Only after a short while did the supplies finally cease coming aboard. Everything the crew, and soldiers accompanying us, would need was now aboard and just needed to be stored in the decks below. I strode back into the sound room to see Rose pulling away from scope and adjusting his collar with a hoof.

“I’m not entirely sure what that was, but it seems like it was the right move for everyone. The last of the boxes just got onboard and everyone is in a hustle to get us moving.” I was genuinely impressed by the stallion, he got the ball moving in the silliest way possible. ‘Because screw regular pep talks.’

“I should hope so, we need to be pulling away from the city in the next few minutes to stay ahead of schedule.” His finished with his collar and started putting up the scope and moving the table.

“The whole shtick you gave was pretty cool too, really entertaining if you ask me.” I chuckled a bit, I didn’t think I would actually compliment him but it sort of came out of itself.

It seemed that one of the knobs on the periscope was stuck because he was still fiddling with it as we spoke. “Thank you. I do strive for the betterment of stowaway opinions as I work.” There was no anger, no snideness or ice in his voice, just cut and dry, toned, words.

That may have been what angered me more than anything. He was just so calm with an opinion that I was some dwelling rat, hiding in the narrow confines of his precious ship, and was to be run out like any other vermin. I payed him compliment and turns around to verbally spit in my face. Thoughts raced in my head as the door I had been holding opened was slammed shut with force enough to rattle the bastard’s table.

“Okay, I’m done with this, what the hell is your problem?!” My voice booming in the small chamber as I stamped over to the stallion who had yet to even look up or acknowledge my anger. “I’ve done nothing to you that warrants any of this!” He continued his work on the scope as I raged on, the only notice that he was listening to me was a quickening of his breath. “I left Canterlot on YOUR Princesses’ orders, not mine. I left people that I cared about, friends, good friends, and for what? Now i’m stuck on a ship with your merry little band.”

“A second with half a clue, the captain’s first mate has a chip on his shoulder like nothing else. Maybe we can talk about me getting shot or, perhaps, that I was strapped to a table waiting to have my bones sawzall’d open!” I took a breath of nothing, my tongue flicking over teeth that were not my own. I could almost taste the age of them and it was a pleasant notion that calmed my words. “I’ve had nothing but shit handed my way since day one.”

The tips of my feet clacked against the wood of the floor as I walked closer to Rose, nearly hanging over his shoulder. “I don’t expect that to stop, it happens to everyone, but the stream of crap that follows me on this ship needs to stop, do you understand?” He gave no sign of such as he was nearly done with the scope. “I think we’ve come to an understand, if you would?” I put my left hand forward, it seemed like a good use of Nappa’s knowledge.

The room was filled with a whirr as Rose’s scope knob finally spun into place and he stepped away. A part of me wished I had left before he had finished. His distant eyes seemed miles away and cold like nothing I had seen before. “You petulant child,” He spat with icy venom. “You have caused my Captain nothing but hardship since your arrival.” I almost wished he would yell but his voice kept calm and even.

“You withheld information that was beyond importance to my Captain. Your actions have left no doubt in my mind that you are the worst kind of idiot. A fool with a bit of knowledge is the worst kind and I won’t let you tear my Captain apart with your idiocy. Just in the time you’ve been on board he has taken in more alcohol than I’ve ever seen in my time by his side…”

“So he’s a drunkard?” Yep, definitely an idiot. I saw the kick coming, it was inevitable, what I didn’t see was him holding my limbs down with his magic.

The frozen distance in his eyes was gone, I was up close and personal with fire incarnate. “I won’t let you destroy us.” He muttered quietly. “I will keep this ship untarnished, it’s crew, unblemished, and when I become Captain, it’s legacy will be kept whole and filled with words of glory.” He leaned in close to my face, peering into my empty skull. “I will give my life’s work just for the thought that the diarchy may look at upon a simple piece of paper with this ship’s name on it and smile knowing good has been done for Equestria.”

The magic that held me still dissipated as the entire ship lurched forward. Rose Thorn leaned away from me and made for the door, stopping just short to turn his head back toward me. “I will take this ship to new heights, give it a name for everypony to learn, and I will do this, even if I must carry it to those unassailable heights myself.”

Thoughtful silence hung over the room like blanket snow. Our thought must have differed greatly, or maybe not, I wouldn’t talk to him of it again, I knew that to be true. “I’m sorry.” I didn’t say for what I was apologizing for, but held onto it for my general trespassing. He didn’t react, his only movement being to open the door.

“We have left our anchorage, the Captain will be expecting us.” He left me lying on the floor in a daze of thought.

Author's Note

I'm not dead, I guess that much can be said, I only fell off the face of the earth for about thirteen months.
I have a series of good reasons however.
- Graduating high school became a do or die process of four months that required a usual twelve hour day to be put in during the school week.
- I joined the US army as a combat medic (68w, healthcare specialist, what have you) with airborne marks, because jumping out is the best way to leave an airplane.
- Writer's block, probably the most debilitating of reasons but I got over it and I know where the story is heading now.
- I took time to learn about writing by observing the techniques of those in writing, (I read good books) Some of those good books
I highly recommend Super Powereds if anyone is willing to take me on my word that it's a great series. The books are free on his website and Year Three gets updated every Tuesday and Thursday. I thought dropping this here would be a good way of giving back for the help reading those books gave me.

I have exactly one month and a day from this now before I ship to Ft. Sill, Sam Houston, and Benning over a time of around 7 months and 2 weeks.
What those of you who took the time to read this may be wondering, is if this will be getting another update in that month of free time.
I wouldn't bet on it but the odds are low enough that I will say no. The next chapter will be short and focus on some character building of Rorke's thought process, which I think has been neglected heavily in favor of me just writing whatever I feel like and saying to hell with any difficulty it may present later on.

That's about it as far as news goes, just thought I would drop an info dump here if anyone was willing to read it through.
-Sturrn

Glory for the First Man to Die

Chapter One
Glory for the First Man to Die

This Chapter is pending a re-write.

Day by day life always went on and managed to do it normally. I would get up; go to school, come home and end the day by talking with the two people on the internet that I know can hold onto an intelligent conversation for more than a couple minutes.

Unsurprisingly; and through mysticism unknown to me, the conversation would always drift off into the realm of some insanely stupid subject like Jay Leno’s chin. Today however wasn’t one of those days, with the conversation being non-existent we all just logged off.

School was out and senior year would start in September, after which I would finally be free of the evil that is the public education system. OK it really isn’t evil as I had left all my enemies back in California and no one had replaced them. At least I had an actual friend that I could talk to so it wasn’t nearly as awful, but he was my only friend.

This combined to make the months of summer an uneventful period of the year, especially with both of my parents on a cruise around the world for the duration, leaving me here at my request. Stupid me thought something interesting might happen here in the middle of suburban nowhere.

So a man in black slacks and a brown coat holding a strange glowing pen was a bit unexpected, especially considering the he just walked into my backyard while I was mowing the lawn.

“HELLO THERE! How are you good sir, are we able to talk?”

Okay, what do I do that makes it so all the weirdos to notice me? Is it me? Yeah it probably is. I’m a weirdo myself and we seek each other out. It’s in our nature. “Hey, you can’t be back here! Sorry but you’re going to have to leave.”

I turned back to the lawnmower, only to realize that I was done already. Strange since I’d only started a few minutes ago. My ‘weirdo alarm’ was blaring loudly in my head and there was an eerie feeling in my gut. He looked harmless enough though and since I was apparently done with the lawn I figured I could humor him.

“Okay, I guess we can talk. Let me grab a couple of orange soda from inside. Why don’t you take a seat over on one of the patio chairs and I’ll be right back.”

“Excellent! We have a lot to discuss and I’m quite sure it will change your life for the better. Trust me, I’m a doctor.”

“Yeah I’m sure.” Either he’s just a con artist looking for a quick buck or a crooked doctor looking to pawn off a stack of pills on the nearest teenager. But I’m probably being too negative. I grabbed a couple of orange sodas and came back to see him fiddling with the same glowing pen… thing. I sat in the chair next to him and handed him a soda as I twisted the top off of mine.

“Ah, thank you. Cheers.” He managed to down half the bottle and set it next to the chair leg before I had even pulled mine away from my first sip. Impressive, I set my drink down as well and waited for him to start talking. However, he just continued messing with his glowing pen, seemingly ignoring me. Looks like I would be starting the conversation.

“So mister…?”

“Just call me ‘The Doctor’.” Definitely looking more like a drug dealer. He doesn’t want to give a real name, shows up out of nowhere in particular, and is insisting he can change my life for the better

“Okay Doctor, what is it exactly you would like to discuss? Oh, and if you’re going to try and sell me some stupid product that doesn’t work or excess pills from your office, then you can just give me my soda back and get out of my yard right now.”

“Oh no, nothing like that. What I am offering is something else entirely, and might I add, extraordinary. You see, I’m a purveyor of knowledge and chance encounters, for those whom are in the right place at the right time, and you my good sir just so happen to be in said right time at said right place. As such, you get to play a very important part in a very important game.”

“While this seems like a rather interesting proposition Doctor, I’m afraid you’ve lost me from the very beginning. So would you mind explaining that again in terms the average sack of potatoes can understand? You mentioned a game right?”

“I know things, a great deal of them in fact! For instance, you are a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, you hypothesize what the areas in and around Ponyville as well as Canterlot are like, and this is the good part, I know how you can get there. That is, if you’re willing to help me whilst there.”

This conversation was tripped every alarm I have that tells me to walk away, especially with him knowing about my preference in show choices. On the other hand it’s not like I try and hide the fact that I’m a fan of a cartoon show for girls, just that I don’t go blaring it to the world or even telling… well, anyone.

Though, in my defense, it’s not like anyone ever asked. This mention of a game though was weirding me out. If the internet has taught me anything, it’s that when strangers tell you they want to play a game it is generally best to walk away. Quickly. Probably run in fact. Still though, he hasn’t been acting aggressive like he wants to kidnap me for this game of his, so I suppose I could humor him. Especially if it got him out of my backyard that much faster, for all I know this game of his could just be a board game.

“Okay, sure, I’ll go to Equestria. Just like that eh? ‘Poof!’ and I wake up in the Everfree Forest, or next to Fluttershy’s cottage? Oh! Perhaps I’ll go on an adventure and then settle down to live my life in harmony with the ponies happily ever after. Sorry Doctor, but I think you’ve been reading a few to many fanfics. I’ve been there trust me, they are good reading material but some of them just don’t stack up. But unfortunately I can’t see any way that Equestria could be real, though if it was I’d buy my ticket years in advance just for a chance to go.”

“Let’s assume it’s not real, hmm? Then what do you have to fear if I try to send you there? Well barring if I told you to take some pills to get there, but you’d have to be silly to accept that idea! Who knows what a person would do once in that position! However, assuming that Equestria is in fact real, I can tell you that there are already a few who have been sent there.

Why, I know of a griffon and wolf that are having a blast! Or at least they will, or they have been? Hmm, no definitely the first one, seeing as they’re leaving in a few minutes. In fact everyone participating will be leaving today. Unfortunately you’ll be tad late, a bit late actually, well more like quite a bit late, okay your will be stuck in your body for around 13 months or so as the seal works its stuff it will only be a few seconds to you. You’ll make it in time, well time enough anyway. So what do you say? Willing to take a chance on a mad man with a box?”

There is no doubt this guy is crazy. I mean, he even called himself a mad man with a box, whatever that means. Honestly though, what’s the worst that can happen right? Okay, yeah I probably just jinxed myself even by thinking that, but so long as he doesn’t ask me to take any pills or anything it should be fine.

“Let’s get something out of the way first. Assuming I do go to Equestria, what will everyone here think? Will they just assume I’ve died? Can I at least leave a note or something?”

“I can’t tell you what will happen in regards to what those who you leave behind will think and notes are against the rules. That’s just the way these things work I’m afraid. If it were up to me then I would let you at least leave a note, however I’m just a player in the game. Now, time for the important question. When you arrive, and this is assuming you would like to join, you need to choose what you will arrive as. Tell me what you want and I’ll try to match you up as best as I can”

Hmm, I get to choose what I wind up as? This could be cool, assuming it’s not all a con. Gotta choose carefully though. This would be my new body and I’ll have to live with it.

“Alright, I’m terrified of heights so dragon and griffons are out, and I refuse to not have fingers, so no ponies. Not even magic can sway that decision. Hmm, maybe a diamond dog or something but faster. I’m more speed based, not really into hand to hand so something like a diamond dog but with less meat on it. Plus I do enjoy being an omnivore.

“Okay, so let me get this down because I can’t choose exactly what you get if you generalize too much. You want a kind of diamond dog that is fast and on the lighter side. Less weight on you, correct?”

“Correct”

“Alright! Hold still now.” Saying this, he stood up abruptly spilling his soda and pointed his weird pen at my face, the crazy thing still glowing.

“Whoa, dude what is that thing anyway?! Don’t point it at my fa-“The pen tip glowed a bright green and emitted a loud buzzing, then the world went black. Oh man, I didn’t even get to finish my soda.