Discharged

by The_Last_Centurion

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Slice of Life, Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance, Sex, Tragedy
Length: 111188

The Captain of the Lunar Battalion is Honorably Discharged for something he can't control.

"Today, I am being discharged from the Lunar Battalion......"
-Cpt. Crimson Moon Steelhooves (yeah, it's a mouthful)

The Captain of the Lunar Battalion is being discharged from service, plagued with a problem Equestria has not seen since the Pax Equestria. But thanks to the rise of Equestria's enemies, both foreign and internal, he is the first pony to experience it since before Nightmare Moon's banishment. He'll learn what friendships can do to a pony, what they can take and destroy, and what they can repair, throughout his journey into Ponyville's community and himself.

Rated teen for some violent/gory scenes of war, along with swearing and adult themes.

Link to the sequel.

Published 2012-06-19 13:44:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-07-26 22:09:00 UTC

Chapter 1

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

First fanfic! Any critiquing would be great. I just wanna know where I stand.

Chapter 1

Today, I am being discharged from the Lunar Guard.

My name is Cpt. Crimson Moon and I am, sorry was, part of Princess Luna's Special Guard, commonly called the Lunar Battalion (members call ourselves the Luna-tic Battalion).

According to my mother, I was born during the coldest night of the year, in the middle of winter. It was 20 years before Nightmare Moon was defeated and Princess Luna returned, but before then, Princess Celestia had to keep Nightmare Moon's power in check by occasionally pushing the moon into the shadow of Equestria, plunging it into a grisly shadow that colored it blood red. I was born on the last Lunar eclipse since Princess Luna's return. That is how I received my name. However, I received my title a very different way.

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Luna's special guard was formed one month after her return. Initially, Luna was giver her own personal division of the Solar Guard by Celestia. But Luna wanted a division she could truly call her own. That was when she presented the chance to join this guard to any willing and able-bodied pony. Many, including myself, came to Canterlot Gardens in the middle of a nice summer's day expecting a job much like our Solar counterparts.

We were wrong. Incredibly so. In the first half hour, ¾ths of the ponies there had dropped out. Luna had us doing incredibly straining exercises of agility, stamina, and strength. After 2 hours more, the volunteers left were exhausted.

“Do not think the Lunar Battalion will be as cushy and simple a job as the Solar Corps. Just because my sister decides not to use them for more than mere defense does not mean that my troops will behave so.” Luna said in a voice much scarier than her Royal Canterlot voice at full blast. Many of the ponies left give Luna a wide eyed look.

Luna gave out a tinkling laugh. “For those that think we are insane, let us make one thing clear: Equestria does have enemies. Many don't believe this because my sister has been able to keep the peace between the nations through simple diplomatic relations. However, my Lunar Battalion will be the fail-safe for Equestria. Now arise my troops.”

We all rose from the ground hindered by our own exhaustion. Many ponies who could still breath uttered a “Ma'am, yes, Ma'am.”

Luna gave us a manic grin. “No need for that my ponies. We are the force that strikes in the night, the troops of complete silence, the ones that rain darkness on our foes while our loved ones rest their heads. Now retire to your chambers. All following training will be in the night.”

My heart was racing after the first training session. It wasn't from the exercise though.

Chapter 2

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 2

I can hear my hoofsteps reverberate off of the hard stone floor of the Princess' castle. This place is nothing like my home, but it somehow makes me happy. I had always wanted to get out into the world, away from Stalliongrad, see everything I could and then maybe settle down. Maybe even become a Blacksmith pony like my father. But I knew everything would be different the day I saw her.

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It was 2 years ago that I first saw her. I had been in Canterlot square with my father for the Summer Sun Celebration. We had been selling our wares and getting investments for our metal work. But suddenly everything went dark. The sky became a veil of ink as day suddenly receded into the pitch-black of midnight. The upper class ponies and commoners of Canterlot began to panic. Luckily, the Solar Guards, lead by Shining Armor, were there to calm everypony. Father and I did not know what to make of this.

“Perhaps it could be some sort of prank the Princess has planned for the festivities?” my father asked.

I could not reply. I watched as Shining Armor climbed onto a podium and amplified his voice with magic to adress the jittery crowds.

“Listen everypony!” he commanded. “We aren't sure what's going on, but the Solar Guard is here to protect you. As of right now, Princess Celestia is in Ponyville, but what I am sure of is that she will return soon when this whole mess is fixed up. Now please calm down, the Summer Sun Celebration hasn't stopped, so let the festivities continue!”

“Well the Sun has never disappeared during the Summer Sun celebration!” shouted a scared unicorn.

"Come on, ponies! It's not like the setting of the sun has stopped us before. The Celebration last year if I remember correctly went all the way through the night and into the next afternoon.” Shining answered. “Just think of it as celebrating at night.” He continued to say. His words must have assuaged the crowds because they broke up and went back to their normal business.

It was hours later when everypony saw Celestia again. But there was somepony with her. She decided to hold a special address to the public in Canterlot gardens.

“My little ponies” she said jubilantly to the gathering crowds “I have very good news!”

“My dearest sister Luna has returned from her 1000 year banishment as Nightmare Moon.” she said with the largest grin I have ever seen. There was complete silence, before I heard some gentleponies gasp and faint.

“Nightmare Moon is back!” somepony screamed.

Then the panic happened.

Ponies started to scream and run in fear, causing a mass panic. A few other levelheaded ponies like father and myself tried to quell the situation to no avail. It was then a booming voice could be heard from the balcony where Princess Celestia stood.

“SUBJECTS! WE ART NOT NIGHTMARE MOON ANY LONGER. WE HAVE SEEN THE ERR IN OUR ACTIONS, BUT FRET NOT, FOR WE HAVE BEEN FREED FROM OUR OWN ENTOMBMENT MY THE MAGIC OF FRIENDSHIP!”

The speech came from a dark-blue Alicorn who was smaller than Celestia. As many in the crowd cowered beneath the power of her voice, I looked on in fascination. Princess Luna was beautiful. Her coat was a midnight-blue that reminded me of the sky night in summer. Her ethereal mane blew in the same cosmic wind as Celestia's, but contained the pinpricks of hope and beauty us ponies like to call stars. I was truly transfixed with her.

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As I came to stop before the door that led into the great hall of Canterlot Castle, I looked out at the night sky. It's beauty struck me as it always had, stopping my racing heart for just a fraction of a hoofbeat. I took a breath and steeled myself before putting a hoof to the door handle.

“Luna preserve us.” I whispered as I opened the chamber doors.

Chapter 3

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 3

The large doors opened with a resounding echo in the dreadfully silent hall. Being part of the Lunar Battalion for so long had imprinted the need to move silently and swiftly into my mind and body. I cringed at the sound of the doors opening and readied to find cover.

No. You are not in a battle zone. You are in Canterlot. Deep. Breaths. I shook my head and willed my perspiration covered legs forward. I walked down the long carpet, ever looking at the looming throne ahead of me.

I was filled with mixed emotions as I walked on towards the throne. I was ashamed of myself and angry that I was being discharged, however, I was happy to see Luna again. It had been what? Two long months since we saw each other last, and those were under less-than -favorable conditions.

As I approached I saw Luna give a large, yet sad grin from atop her throne. To her right sat one of my best friends in the Solar Guard, Shining Armor. He gave me a smile and a sad caring look.

“How was the Honeymoon? I heard rumors about Cadence being pregnant...” I said playfully to him.

He blushed and started to rub the back of head with a hoof, something he always did when he was embarrassed.

“Umm...I...” He stuttered out.

“I always knew you could work fast in the corps, but holy horseapples, I guess you work even faster when you don't have to pull the whole guard around.”

Shining blushed a deeper red and I and Luna began to laugh. As we calmed down Luna gave me a melancholy look.

“Crimson, It's good to see you in such high spirits. I want to spend a day with you my friend, and I wish that was what you were here for, but it is not.”

“ It pains me to do so, but we must talk about why you are here.” she continued with a grimace. She floated a scroll over to herself and opened it all with magic. Then her face took on a somber tone.

“Captain Crimson Moon Steelhooves of Stalliongrad, Is hereby Honorably Discharged from the Lunar Battalion. You may keep your title, badges, uniform, and this notice of valor. You will be payed on pension from the royal treasury of Canterlot for you services.” Luna said, her voice cracking at the end.

“I'm so sorry Crimson, but you know I can't have you on a mission if you have another fit. Please forgive me.” she said with tears in her eyes.

I ducked my head down to avoid her eyes. “It's alright. I understand.” I said as I slumped to the floor. Everything I had known had just been taken away from me. And it was all my fault. If only I could control this......this sickness. I felt a numbness spread across my body, but it was sent away when I felt a wing surround me. Luna had flown off the throne and wrapped my in one of her famous wing hugs. I smiled as I looked at her. It's true at one point I loved her. From the bottom of my heart and with my entire soul. But after being in the Battalion for so long, I realized that we wouldn't be able to be lovers. But that didn't mean we couldn't be best of friends.

“Crimson....I'm sorry. You know I had the royal doctors try everything.....I...” she said on the verge of crying.

“Shhhss.” I said “I know you did. And I thank you for it, but like you said, I can't be out there throwing fits. It won't just put me in danger, but the rest of the troops too. It's ok. You're still one of my best friends Luna.” I said comforted her.

“And you are one of my first best friends in over 1000 years.” she replied, letting go of me. “There is good in this though. Shining you tell him.”

“Ahem.” Shining said standing up and walking down towards us. “Well Princess Luna had told me of your....condition as soon as it first appeared.”

I cut him off with a sharp look towards Luna. “You bothered him while he was on his honeymoon?”

“Don't worry about it Crimson. I got the letter while Cadence and I were on a boat. Cadence doesn't have the best seahooves, so she stayed below deck, sleeping.” Shining said lightly, smiling. “But the letter was serious, so I started thinking about how I could get one of my best military friends better. You remember my sister, right?”

“The one that shot all those changelings at the wedding? How could I forget!”

“Well, she is Princess Celestia's prized student. So I was thinking that she could help out with your predicament. I already arranged it with her, so if you agree, she'll meet you in Ponyville station tomorrow at 15:00 hours.”

I looked from Shining to Luna hesitantly. “Thank you for all help, both of you. I really mean it, but, are you both sure this is something we can drop on anypony randomly? I think I should be the one who has to bear this burden alone.”

“But haven't you been doing that since you got out of the hospital two months ago?” Luna asked sternly, tapping her hoof on the hard floor.

“Yes.” I said sheepishly.

“And how many attacks have you had since then?”

“Seven” I whispered.

“How many?”

“Seven!” I shouted.

“That settles it. You are hooves down going to Ponyville.” she said with finality.

“But..” I continued.

“Crimson, don't worry about it. Twi thinks this is great. She always wanted to improve her healing magic, and you can do that.” Shining piped in.

“By what? Being a nuisance and possibly throwing an uncontrollable fit in front of her! The last thing I want is for somepony to get hurt by me.” I barked at him.

“Pfft. You think you can hurt her? You saw the magic Cadence and I did at the wedding? She was able to do the same thing a week after, all from memory, by herself. I know because she teleported herself into Cadence and my room in Haywaii just so she could show us. And boy, was it awkward.” Shining deadpanned.

The tense felling in the air had left, and I and Luna were rolling on the floor laughing.

“Teleported....hahahahah!”

“Into THY room????haahahahahhahah!”

I got up and said “By Faust, I feel bad for you. If your sister is a crazy as you say she is, then lets hope she can deal with me. I'll go.”

“Oh thank you Crimson!” Luna hugged me again. “I'll visit as soon as I can.”

“I will too, and Cadence will come along.” Shining said.

“Goodnight. I gotta go pack.” I left the hall with a bounce in my step, until I had passed over the door frame. When I was out of sight, I slowed down and my thoughts were filled with uncertanity.

I looked out at the night sky again.
"I hope the sky is as beautiful in Ponyville" I said aloud as went to go pack.

Chapter 4

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 4

I walked on down the hall and I stopped at the room the Princess's had let me use ever since I got out of the hospital. I could see why Luna was so worried about me. This thing affecting me was all but incurable and ponykind hadn't seen the disease in such a long time, that only four letters remained as a name. It took the royal doctors working with the royal Canterlot librarian three whole weeks just to find out the name after my bodily wounds had been cured.

I opened the door to my room and went inside. The small room was well kept, but it felt empty. But then again, so had every room that I'd stayed in felt this way. Empty. Cold. Without solace. I sighed as I closed the door and sat on the bed. I looked down at my hooves. I tried to force all my emotion into the ends of them, hoping all the anger, shame, and uncertainty would go there and leave my body, like an arc of static electricity. When that didn't happen, I ran my hooves through my mane and grabbed my suitcase from beneath the bed.

“PTSD? Huh.” I said while I placed the suitcase on the bed and opened it. The four letters lingered on my tongue as I pulled the drawers from the dresser and deposited their contents next to the suitcase. The neatly folded fancy clothes feel into a disheveled mess, some of it falling off the bed. I took no real notice of it. I needed something menial to do. Something to bide away the time, since I knew I wouldn't get any sleep tonight. My body worked off of muscle memory, folding the clothes again next to my suitcase. I stopped once to look up at the ceiling and say “PTSD....”

The librarian, a bespectacled old mare had found the disease in one of the oldest books in Equestria. It was from before the joining of the three pony races and it came from the homeland of the pegasi. It was an ancient field doctor's notebook, or so said the librarian. The problem was that the only parts of the page were legible. And even then, it was written in ancient version of neightalian. But from what the librarian and doctors could expunge from the words, were that pegasi on the battlefield used to get this sickness all the time.

“Buck it all!” I shouted as I picked up the suitcase and threw it at the wall. “Why couldn't the rest of the page be legible!”

The doctors had explained that the book was too old, that the page had deteriorated too much. And even if it hadn't the cure was probably only found where the ancient pegasi led their military campaigns, far out of Equestria's borders. When they told me that all I they could do was hope for the best, I became so angry I went into another fit.

So now I was stuck with only the hope that Shining's little sister could save my poor flank. Buck, what was I doing? I'm going to Ponyville just to lay all my problems on another?
I went over to my suitcase and picked it up from against the wall. It had closed on impact, so all my dress clothes were still in there, albeit them being a little shaken up. I smirked at this as I put it back on my bed to continue to pack.

So some greater pony was able to make sure my clothes didn't get mussed up, but my mind didn't matter that much?

I kept folding my clothes and packing them away, until my civilian clothes were all in the suitcase. I took a deep breath, and went over to the locked closet.

The closet was locked because I was scared of the monster in it. Like a little filly, I locked the closet so the monster couldn't escape and eat me up. The only problems were that the “monster” in the closet was actually my closest friend I had during my time in the Battalion. He always had my back, literally. Secondly, the monster wasn't truly in the closet; it was in me.

I unlocked the door and steeled my thoughts.

Inside was a dark gray uniform. On it were many badges signaling not only my rank, but my various “acts of valor”, years of duty, and finally the unit I belonged to.

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We were the Lunar Battalion. 70 ponies strong and ready for action. The battalion was, of course, a mix of the three pony races, but it looked like there were much fewer unicorns and earth ponies to pegasi. But simple amounts didn't count for much. There was some whisperings in the beginning about the Princess of the night favoring the pegasi, but that stopped as soon as Luna found out about these rumors. Whoo boy. A whole month of intensive overhaul training, meant to turn a group to inexperienced fools into trained warriors quells all petty mumblings. We worked every night starting at 17:00 hours and ended at 07:00. And after a month of this, followed by specialized combative, intelligence gathering, and stealth, we were a special force to be proud of. Eventually, Luna decided to break the Battalion up into seven units of ten.

“Soldiers, today you will be split up into your units. You are all still part of the Battalion as a whole, if if used as such, you will all come under my command. However, your units will be like a family. I will select your leader, but you will all work together to keep another going, whether it be in the middle of a battlefield, or at home. Now form into a line.”

We broke our position of seven rows by ten ponies, and formed into one line.

Luna trotted in front of us. She raised small patches into the air with her magic and gave a sharp laugh.

“These, my little ponies, are the badges that will assign you to your unit. They are moons. You may not be able to see them with the naked eye, but they are there, up in the night sky. Believe me, when you're on a moon for 1000 years you tend to notice other heavenly bodies.”

“They differ in size, but are all moons none the less. They are all celestial bodies much like my own, and each are part of the moon family. Do you understand what we are getting at?” Luna finished with a wink. “Each of you will meet with me alone, and then I will give you your unit assignment.”

“Come along fillys and foals. First in line, come to the great hall. Rest of you stay here.”

With that the first in line, a unicorn named Abacus cram went with Luna. Each pony that returned had a new badge, and looked very happy. After the A's and B's I was finally next to go. I went into the castle following Luna, and we turned into a small corridor that came to an end. There was one door on the far end of the corridor, but it was a broom closet. Luna strode up to it and started to open the door.

“Umm...Princess. That's a broom closet. Do you expect to have a conversation with me in there?”

Luna turned and gave me her manic smile. “What”she said playfully “Does being that close to me make you uncomfortable?”

I pulled the straightest face I could. “No, but you might be. I've been told I perform much rougher in tighter spaces. If you know what I mean.”

Luna's jaw almost touched the floor. She stood there looking at me in shock for a minute, and I really re-thought the sanity in me saying such a thing to a commanding officer. Commanding officer? She was a mother-bucking princess!

Then Luna started laughing. She started rolling on the floor grabbing her sides. When she finally stopped, she wiped some tears from her eyes and punched my shoulder playfully.

“Ow.” I said as I rubbed my shoulder.

“No one has had the gall to talk to me in such a way in over 1000 years. I like you foal. What is your name?”

“Crimson moon, princess.”

“A fitting name for a Lunar soldier. Now come, you'll like this.” she said with a smile as she opened up the closet door and stepped through. I followed her in and closed the door.

It was my turn to wonder in amazement and have my jaw drop to the floor. The closet.....it was impossibly larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. The room was extravagantly decorated and the pinnacle of opulence. In the middle of the plush room sat two couches on opposite sides of a table with tea and some sort of cookies.

“A very old friend of mine designed this room for me.” Luna said as she eased her self into one of the couches and served herself to some tea and cookies. “Try the jammy dodgers, they are fantastic.”

“Ok......” I said as I sat myself across from her in the other couch. I waited for her to finish her tea and jammy dodger before I asked “So what unit am I in?”

“Oh that depends on you” Luna said between bites of jammy dodger.

“That's it? No intense personal questions? No secret princess power to find out where I should belong?”

Luna looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “We don't have any 'princess powers' but we will take your decision into consideration and then we will re-arrange you into a different unit if need be. So where do you want to go?”

“What choices do I got?”

“That's a good question...” she said as she bit into a jammy dodger. “Sho we hhave made sheven unitsh. Eachh one a moon.” she said with a full mouth.

“There'sh Charon, Phobos, Tethys, Ganymede, Callisto, Proteus, and Puck. All moonsh.”

“Was the last one actually called 'Buck'?” I asked.

She finished her dodger. “No. Puck. Just like I said it.”

I rolled my eyes. “So what do I pick.”

Luna shrugged. “Go with the one with which thy heart desires.” she said as she dangled a jammy dodger over her open mouth.

I grabbed the jammy dodger before it could fall into her maw. “I'll go with Puck.” I replied as I bit into the dodger. “Well, buck me from two sides! These are delicious.”

“We told you. Now thy must rise, Crimson Moon. You are now assigned to Unit Puck.” she turned me around and I could feel her magics working on my back. From the very center of my back, between my shoulder blades, there was a very small, yet incredibly cold spot. I looked around to get a glimpse at it. I was a very small moon-patch that was now magically sewn into my uniform.

“I will walk you back, and no telling anyone about my little hideaway. Not even Tia knows about our home within our home. Now, any questions?”

“Yeah. Where in tartarus do you get these? There out of this world!”

“Out of this dimension actually, but that is a story for later.” Luna said as she pushed me out the door.

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After all this time, the patch still feels cold. Not uncomfortably cold, just cold enough to let you know it is there. It never made me feel cold which was the best part. It was a sign from Luna that let you keep your head during a battle, a covert op, or even just guard duty. One of the reasons these badges symbolized us as a whole rather than our unit was that we were always ready, always cool in the face of danger, always there but not, much like our moons.

I hoofed at the badge as I held it above my suitcase. No, I told myself. I wasn't going to put one of my closest friends in a suitcase. I knew what I would do with it, even if it did send me into another attack. I looked over to my clock. 02:35 was emblazoned on the front. I moved my packed suitcase off my bed, hung my uniform back up in the closet. I turned off the lights and went to sleep with the closet open, my friend and terror staring me right in the face.

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When the sun arose, I still felt groggy. It's to be expected when you live as a nocturnal creature for 2 years of your life. The rays of Celestia's sun mercilessly beat down upon my face.

“All right, all right, I'll wake up, just buck off...” I muttered from under my pillow.

“Good, I wouldn't want you to miss your train to Ponyville.” said a gentle voice from beside my bed.

I toppled out of bed in a jumble of sheets and pony limbs right at the hooves of a gently laughing, pristine white alicorn.

“Oh, Princess Celestia. Good morning, I didn't mean to tell you to buck off. Yeah, I really didn't mean it.” I said sheepishly.

“I would hope not. Luna wants you to join us for breakfast before you leave for Ponyville, so I told her I'd wake you.”

“Um, thanks. I'll be there in just a moment. I just need to get dressed and grab my suitcase.”

Princess Celestia looked taken aback. “Dressed? For what? I would understand looking good on arrival, but Twilight Sparkle a very casual pony....”

Then she saw me head for the closet and take down my uniform.

Her eyes widened. “Are you sure? The last time you put that on, you went straight into a fit. If you go into one of those seizures on the train, you could hurt somepony, and I. Will. NOT. Be. Amused.” she said threateningly.

“Don't worry princess. I've already thought about this. Now let's go get some breakfast.” I grabbed my suitcase and we cordially walked down to the princess' dining room.

The dining room is quite the large room for just two ponies to eat in. Luna told me that it was just her and her sister, but whenever they could they would have snobby prince Blueblood or the lovely princess Cadence join them. Today, it appeared it was just Celestia, Luna, and I.

Luna first glimpsed at me wearing my uniform, shocked for a spell, then gave me a smile and a wave. She motioned for me to come and sit towards her. I happily obliged, for anything that would get me away from the now freezingly- cold sun princess was little short of a blessing.

“Good morning Crimson.” Luna said in a hoarse whisper. “It was a long night after you left. I got into an argument with the Griffon ambassador and may have strained my voice by using the Royal Canterlot voice at the top of my lungs.” she gave out a husky chuckle.

“How did I sleep through that?”

“You slept? Through my night? Oh naughty foal. I thought I had that imprinted in you at training. That.....”

“......sigh, You only sleep when there is no more darkness to cover us. Then the Solar guards will take up their mantle,yada yada yada.....”

“That's a good little foal.” Luna said as she put my face between her hooves.

“Sister, if you'd like to stop acting like a love-struck schoolfilly, I'd love to have breakfast.”

“Oh Tia, you're just bitter because you haven't gotten laid in 100 years.” Luna said with my face still in her hooves.

I fell out of my chair laughing as Princess Celestia turned the cutest shade of pink.

Breakfast was brought out by the various cookmares and stallions. There was almost an obnoxious amount of dishes to choose from, so I settled for a fruit salad. Celestia, now rigidly quiet, sat eating a salad, while Luna had a large muffin.

Luna broke the silence first. For one who advocated silence throughout training, she was not one to follow her own rules.

“So sister, did you hear Crimson is going to stay with Twilight in Ponyville?”

At this Celestia's eyes went as large as dinner plates, and a horrible glare with the all the condensed heat of the sun bore into my mind.

“Oh, really?” she said between clenched teeth. “Did you know she is my prized student? So. Don't. Try. ANYTHING.”

“Sister, you're driving your fork into your leg.”

“Ah. So I am, Luna dearest. Hahahahahahhah.”

I almost fainted from a mix of holding in my laughter and being deadly afraid of what would happen next.

That's when I felt it. The panic. That racing pain which was not pain at all. It seeped into me from the deepest part of my heart. I stiffened up from shock. Deep breaths, Come on damn it! Deep breaths!

Luna noticed my actions first. She held my right hoof in both of hers.

“Calm down little one, calm down.. You are not on the field of battle. You are here safe with us.”

I didn't notice it, but Celestia had risen from her seat. When she placed her horn on my head, I almost snapped, but then I felt a warm soothing sensation. I felt another sensation wash over me, this one cooling and relaxing. After what seemed like millennium to me was truthfully over in just a few moments. The princesses pulled away from me, leaving me in control of my body once again. However, their magic wasn't enough to completely stop the PTSD. Even though I could control my self again, I could still feel it on the edge of my mind. It was a vulture waiting to strike me when I was weak.

“Thank you.” I said to the princesses.

“Maybe I should escort you to the train....” Luna dithered.

“Sister, do not worry about it. I have asked Shining Armor to help Crimson Moon to the train. If you are truly scared for him on the train, I will ask Shining to perform a sleep spell on him when he's on the train.”

“Yes, please.” I pleaded before Luna could protest.

We finished our meal in silence. And I hugged Luna before I rose to leave.

“Visit sometime.”

“I promise.”

I grabbed my suitcase and then nodded to Celestia who returned the gesture; and then I left the dining room. I turned the corner to enter the grand atrium and saw Shining Armor by the door. I reached him and we strolled out into Canterlot. The streets shone in the mid-morning sunlight, showing off the new and the old. The thing that really made Canterlot stand apart from other cities. In Stalliongrad, everything looks dark, the gray factories and dingy brick apartments. Yet, the darkness of their exterior made the lights on the inside of them glow even brighter.

We walked in stride for stride quiet for a bit. Until, we were almost at the station.

“Sherry fer making yoush eshcourt me an shtuff.” I said around my suitcase.

“It's no problem buddy. I'd do anything for you. Not only have you been one of my greatst friends since the Gala, but you also set me up with Cadence.”

He turned to me. We were at the train station. “I owe you bid time for that one.”

“Oh pleash. You were making fasches at hers all nightmare night. I jusht told you to go dansh with her. You did everything elesh. Plush you two made quite the chouple. The gahmblerpony and the firery devil? Pretty hard to mish.”

“Ha! Still the scoundrel you always were.”

At that the conductor of the train made his final call.

“Come on! Let's get you situated before it leaves.”

We galloped onto the train, gave my ticket to the conductor, and found a place where I could sleep in peace. I stored my suitcase above my seat and thanked Shining again.

“It's nothing for a friend. Now sit down, I'm gonna put you to sleep.” His horn started to glow. “This spell will wear off right before you reach Ponyville. Remember, my sister will be at the station waiting for you. Have a good time, and I hope you get better.”

“Thanks Shining. You're a good friend. I can't wait until you visit.”

Shining smiled and hit me with the spell.

“Crimson?”

“Yeah?” I said before sleep took hold of me.

“You look awesome in uniform.”

“Thanks........”

Sleep luckily held no dreams for me, and I slept soundly all the way to Ponyville.

Chapter 5

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 5

A gentle nudging awoke me.

“Hnng.....Wha??”

The conductor was staring me straight in the face.

“Sir, we've arrived at Ponyville.”

“Thanks” I muttered. I got up and shook my mane back and forth. It fell into my eyes as a sharp red curtain against my silvery coat. I flipped it once again to get it out of my eyes. Rudely woken twice in one day. Definitely a record.

I put my front hooves up on the seat I had recently been sleeping on to grab my suitcase. I walked down the aisle of the train car and looked at all the empty seats. In the rush on the train I didn't notice how many ponies got on, but this few put me on edge. There must've been someponies going further than this right? Maybe to Neighvada or Appleoosia, or wherever. The lack of ponies just weirded me out. I chalked it up to nerves and worries about coming to a new town, and exited the train.

The mid-afternoon sun was glaringly bright, like Celestia made it specifically so, just so she could admonish me again. I looked up at the clock on the station's tower. I was right on time, 3:00 pm; but just like on the train, there was nopony around. I brushed the creeping feeling of restlessness away, and tried to focus on more practical things. So, I started scouring my memories to remember what Shining's sister looked like. I vaguely remembered that her coat was some shade of light blue, or maybe a white? I was still pondering as she found me.

With nopony around, I should have suspected that it would be easy to spot me. I didn't see her until after she gave me a wave and then started to walk towards me. Her mane was a dark purple with pink stripes, akin to Shining's blue mane with light blue stripes. Other than her horn, the family resemblance stopped there. Where Shining had a coat of pure white, his sister had one of a light purple. What was the color....lavender. A lavender coat. A color you don't see often from the norther cities like my home town. Also where Shining had a well muscled frame from his job and duties, his sister had a much softer, yet pleasantly tone frame.

I noticed even more as she came closer to me. Her eyes were a darker shade of her coat's color, but they had a quality to them that made you become mystified. I learned back in the Battalion that a pony's eyes were windows to what they were really thinking, be it a griffon commander trying to bluff dominance, a timber wolf chieftain who is making a decision, or.....or even a changeling manipulating you, they all can have their intentions revealed by giving them a good look in the eye. It's funny, because some of the soldiers back in the battalion had gotten so good at this “look” it took on a different quality in itself, thus making the soldiers name it '“the stare. “

I was broken out of reviver when I realized the mare in front of me was talking.

“I'm sorry could you say that again?” I asked her stupidly.

The mare gave me a smile warmer than the sun on my back. “I said welcome to Ponyville. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and my brother has told me all about you. Here let me get your luggage.” she said as she lifted my suitcase above our heads with magic.

She turned around and beckoned me to follow her into town. She continued on as we walked.

“I hope you have fun while stay with us in Ponyville, and I really hope that I can help you with the disease. From what Shining said, it's truly horrible.”

She paused for a minute, then gave me a worried look.

“I promise my friends and I will do everything in our power to help you, and when you all are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, it's quite a lot of power you have to help you.” she finished with a smile.

It was hard to resist such a hopeful smile, so I returned it.

“Thanks.” I said. “But where are we going?”

“Oh!” she said with a fright. “Shining didn't tell you? You're staying with me at the library.”

Now I understood why Celestia had been so touchy about me and his prized pupil. I admit, she had a good reason for concern. Some soldiers( no matter whether they were mare or stallion) got a little.......pent up while they we on mission. Almost all could wait until they got back, but by then one could say they were “rambunctious” if you catch my drift. Add that up to me being with this mare until Faust know when, and you can see where Celestia came from.

I thanked her again and we walked in silence for a time, until it became blatantly aware the streets of Ponyville were empty. I didn't notice at first since we were talking and I was so busy absorbing the sights. Ponyville had to be one of the most colorful towns I had ever seen. It was different from Canterlot, where the sunlight made everything shine. Here the sunlight just made everything glow. Every building of this quaint town gave off a warmth that I had only felt a special couple times before: when I returned to Stalliongrad after a long mission.

However, the gnawing anxiety constantly at the back of my mind resurfaced when I realized this fact.

I turned to Twilight and said “Where is everypony?”

She hid her face for a moment, then looked back at me. For some reason she had a line of perspiration on her brow.

“Well you came during the mid-afternoon slump when eveypony is busy dong their own thing. I'm certain I can introduce you to everypony in a little while.”

This was actually relieving. One pony at a time. One was enough for a day. I didn't want to do anything that could set off an attack.

“It's no big deal Twilight. I'm certain I'll meet eveypony in due time.” I said nonchalantly. “Now where is your house? I'd like to drop off my suitcase.”

“I was just thinking the same thing!” She stopped and pointed to a large tree. “Here is Ponyville Library and my home!”

A tree. Shining Armor, Captain of the Solar Guard and pretty-much right hoofed stallion to both Immortal princesses, has a sister who. Lives. In. A. Tree. A tree.

It was extremely hard for me to suppress my laughter. Twilight noticed because she gave me a puzzled look.

“What's so funny?” she asked a little dejectedly.

“Nothing just remembered a joke.” I lied as I wiped tears from my eyes.

“Oh! Then you'll love my friend Pinkie Pie. She loves jokes too! And she knows so many!” she trailed on as she opened the front door to her home.

The door opened to reveal a large circular shaped room lined with shelves of books. I guess as a prized pupil and an advocate of knowledge a library was a pretty good home, no matter what it looked like on the outside. The main room led off into a kitchen in the back, another room filled with books to the left, and a room that looked brand new. There were stairs that led to a higher level. I guessed that was where Twilight's room was.

Twilight stepped over to the opening of the brand new room.

“You can use this room. It was originally supposed to be a second book repository, but the shelves aren't done yet, so we can just call it a guest bedroom.”

I walked past her into the “guest bedroom” and took a look around. It was pretty bare. There was a window facing the west and small wardrobe to the right of that, on the wall facing the doorway. Other than those spartan furnishings, there was nothing.

“Oh horseapples! I knew I forgot something!” Twilight exclaimed. Then she yelled “Spike!”

I could hear the tiny scampering of this “Spike” down the stairs and skidding to a halt next Twilight before I could see him.

Then I heard a small childish voice say “Yes Twilight? Whoa is this the guy Shining talked about in his letter?”

I looked around for a minute, then facehoofed myself when I realized he was very short. I looked towards the ground and was surprised to see a purple and green baby dragon.

“Which of the great Jewel clans do you hail from?” I asked him politely.

He looked lost for words and started to paw at the ground with his foot.

“He didn't come from a clan. I hatched him. He's like my little brother. He's been with me ever since I entered the Magical Academy” said Twilight swiftly and sharply.

“And number one assistant!” Spike said with a bounce.

From Twilight's stern glare, something Celestia must have taught her, I guess I accidentially touched a “we don't speak about this” subject. Luckily Spike saved me from any more torment under the glare.

“So what did you need me for Twilight?” he eagerly asked his mentor and “big sister”.

“Oh! I seemed to have forgotten to get a bed for Crimson here.” she said blushing. “Put that on top of my list of things to do tomorrow.”

“Got it.” said Spike when he pulled a scroll and quill out of thin air and started scribbling down what Twilight had just said verbatim.

“I'm sorry Crimson, it just slipped my mind today. I was just so busy helping with the........” she stopped put both hooves over her mouth. “I..I'm gonna make up the pull out couch for you.” she stuttered out and then dashed out of the room, leaving me there with a baby dragon.

“I'm sorry I didn't know about your upbringing. It's just Draconian courtesy to ask a dragon which clan they are from, and then let them brag about it while you compliment it. It's an old custom though.....”

“You've talked to dragons before!” Spike said, his jaw dropping to the floor.

I ran a hoof through my mane. “Well yeah. It wasn't exactly in the job description, but our missions take us all over. Not to mention that it could be any sort of mission too, like a diplomatic one.”

“I've just never truly talked to older dragons before.” he said as hes started to paw at the ground again.

“Hey, it's ok kid. If you really want, the Ambassador of the Ruby forests clan owes me a favor. I could ask him to come here to teach Twilight's number one assistant something about Draconian culture.” I said with a smile.

Spike lifted his eyes off the ground as he gave my the greatest look of admiration I've ever seen.

“You'd really do that?” he said with his hands clasped together and stars in his large eyes.

“Sure. As long as old Fiery ain't busy.” I replied.

Spike jumped into the air and yelled “WHOOOH” at the top of his lungs. The whole thing surprised me, so I faltered back a bit. I almost fell over though, when a pair of scaly green and purple arms wrapped around my legs in an embrace I wouldn't think a creature of his size could manage.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Spike blurted out all in one stream of words. I looked down and smiled at him.

“It's no big deal kid.” I said gently. “I bet you woulda done the same for me if I was you.”

“You bet I would!” he exclaimed as he let go of my legs. “Twilight did you hear that!”

I was surprised to find her at the door frame. “Yes I did Spike. It's a very nice offer from Mr. Steelhooves.” Twilight said as she looked at Spike lovingly.

“Please Twilight, you too Spike, just call me Crimson or Crimson Moon.” I said. It felt good to speak normally for once. No Captain, no Sir, no tears or sadness. Just Crimson.

Spike turned back to me. “Thanks Crimson.” Then to both of us. “I'm gonna be down at Suguarcube Corner with Pinkie. I'll see you soon.” Spike dashed out of the room on his stubby legs and exited the front door. It slammed shut, but opened again a minute later. Spike poked his head into the doorway of my room.

“Hey Crimson?”

“Yeah?”

“I like the uniform. It looks cool.” he said then dashed out the front door again, closing it with a resounding slam.

Twilight just shook her head and smiled.

“It's funny” I told her, “Your brother said the same thing before I got on the train.” I didn't feel like telling her about the sleeping spell, so I just didn't mention it.

“Boys.” she said with a cute smile. “All the same. Baby dragons or full grown and married stallions. They never change.”

“Hey!” I pouted. “Just because my uniform is cool and you don't want to admit it doesn't mean you're allowed to make fun of males.”

Twilight smiled and shook her head again.

“Do you want me to help you unpack?” she asked.

I didn't like the idea of her going though my things, but I said “Yes” before I could stop myself. Twilight moved the suitcase to the middle of the room with magic and opened it and the doors of the wardrobe with another little burst of magic. The few clothes I had chosen to accompany me to Ponyville were quickly put away and then all that were left were my small souvenirs of my journeys and of the Battalion. The first thing she picked up with magic was a large framed picture of the Battalion. She looked at it with awe and set it over by the wall opposite the window. I smiled and went back to putting away some of the more mundane trinkets so she could explore the more interesting ones.

I was setting the letter of Honorary Discharge on top of the wardrobe when Twilight asked “Who's this?”

I turned around to find her holding a picture of me and a leaf-green unicorn with a bark-brown mane with our arms draped over our shoulders. I was smiling and the unicorn was laughing.

I quickly dropped my gaze from the picture, away from Twilight, and closed my eyes. I could feel the tears brim behind my eyelids, but resolved not to break in front of a mare I had barely met.

I could feel a comforting hoof on my shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?” whispered Twilight, her voice filled with concern.

“No” I said my voice on the edge of breaking. “Could we just stop? And Could you put that in the wardrobe for me? Please?”

I heard her put the picture in the wardrobe and shut the wardrobe doors. She must have done it with magic, because her gentle touch never left me. I took a deep breath, raised my head, and opened my eyes. I looked down to Twilight who looked melancholy.

“I think we should go down to Sugarcube Corner.” she said with a spark in her eyes. “You could meet Pinkie Pie and Spike should be waiting for us.”

“Well, I guess you should lead, since this is my first day in town.” I said as an answer.

For some reason Twilight seemed to brim with happiness. She left the room while talking. “Oh you're going to love Pinkie pie! And Sugarcube Corner! It has the best cupcakes! Just give me a minute while I lock up and get somethings.”

I walked out of the room, went outside and gave a long sigh out to the setting sun. I guess all the things we did since 3:00 really ate up the time. It must have been around 7:00 or even 8:00 for the sun to be that low. Time sure does fly when you're meeting new people and traveling around someplace new. I heard a door-lock click closed and turned my head to see Twilight walk out of the library, locking the door with magic.

I followed her in silence, enjoying the tranquility of the night. After a short time, I realized Twilight was staring at me from the corner of her eye.

I looked at her sidelong. “You realize that the uniform does look good?” I asked her slyly.

Twilight blushed and looked down at her hooves.

“No, I was...It.....Never mind” she mumbled.

“What?”

“It's just” she struggled “that when you saw that picture, you got so sad. So why would you wear your uniform around all day?”

I looked up at the pinking sky and replied “When you're in the Battalion you learn that your uniform is more than just a piece of clothing. It's not a jumper, even though it is. Your uniform becomes your closest friend. It's the thing that's always with you. It goes through all the troubles, pains, pleasures, reliefs, and joys along with you. It literally always has your back. I guess I wore it today because it was always with me whenever I went somewhere new, so this shouldn't be any different.”

“So it's like Smarty Pants?” Twilight asked.

“A What?”

“Never mind.”

We walked in silence for the journey as Twilight digested my little speech. I was content to walk on in the beautiful quiet I came to love during my time with the Battalion. It stayed this way, until Twilight saw Sugarcube Corner and pointed it out to me, breaking her pondering over my words with a wave of excitement.

“There's Sugarcube Corner !” she said haphazardly as she became very excited. “Come on!” she shouted as she raced to the front door. I followed, in a slower gait, and got to the door just as she entered. However, she shut the door on me before I could go in. “That's rude” I thought as I opened the door.

Inside it was pitch-black. Asides from my internal alarms going like crazy, I think I would have liked it better there than out here in the sunlight, even if it was quickly disappearing. I took a low crouch and entered the store. After I entered, the door slammed shut behind me. I got ready to use Colt Maga on any attackers, when all the lights flared on inside of the place and I was deafened by a loud “SURPRISE!!!!!” I quickly looked around. At the ceiling and a “Welcome to Ponyville” banner was put up while it looked like all the ponies in Ponyville were laying in wait to surprise me. After the initial suprise, the ponies seemed to go back to their conversations and stopped paying attention to me.

The party did not mix well with the disease. I started to feel the flash of searing heat come from the base of my neck. I started to panic, and I whipped my head around to find Twilight. I saw her standing over by the punch bowl conversing with another pony. I started to walk over to her but was assualted by an erratic blob of vibrating pink that kept blowing a party horn in my face and was throwing confetti everywhere.

“Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Welcome to Ponyville! What's your name? Oooo, nice outfit! I wish I had a cool outfit! But mine would be pink, not grey! And there's be candy on it! I love candy! How about you?.....”

The pink mess was definitely not helping. I tried to keep calm and carry on to Twilight, but the pink thing was getting in my way.

Finally, I just said “I'm Crimson Moon” and ducked out of the way before the pink thing could barrage me any more.

“Twilight!” I said when I reached her.

She was smirking having a good time. “I see you met Pinkie pie.” Then she looked at my face. “What's wrong?” she asked seeing the pained expression.

“I feel an attack coming on.” The feeling was getting worse. I was now sweating from the heat. I realized I had only minutes to go and find a safe, calm place before something bad would happen.

Twilight was shocked. “Ok. What do we do?”

“Leave.” I said panicky.

“Ok. Let's go.”

We were halfway to the door when Pinkie Pie returned. She didn't block my path again. This time we heard her behind us. We both turned around just in time to see her bring my downfall.

“Hey everypony! I love making new ponies feel welcome and making them smile! And what makes them smile more than my super delux mega party cannon?” she said while she was straddled atop what looked like a small magical artillery emplacement She held the string and many ponies were cheering.

“Twilight, put a force field around me.”

“Wha.??”

“NOW!!!” I yelled.

Twilight stood back and put a large pink semi-circle around me.

Then Pinkie Pie decided it was time. “WOOOHOOOO!” she yelled as she pulled the string.

Each blast was muffled by the field, but each sound of it which dug into my skull, each tremendous reverberation which shook my bones, each blast of party confetti and ribbons, which looked sinisterly like weapons, set the heat overboard.

It made me collapse. It consumed my mind. It controlled my body. It ate my soul.

The weirdest and probably worst part of the attacks are that I get glimpses of memories meshed with what is going on around me currently, but I can't control what I do. Even weirder is that I'm out of body the whole time, like a causal observer watching a rampaging monster.. During this attack, I could feel myself rise and throw my body against the barrier. The barrier broke, since Twilight was scared and didn't expect me to be this enraged.

Ponies started screaming when found out what was going on.

Just like that day back in the clearing. They kept screaming. The grass around us was on fire.

The ponies at the party ran out of Sugarcube Corner. I heard a pony barking commands.

I was back on the field. The captain of Phobos unit screaming at me to move to find cover.

Now I was at Sugarcube Corner. My body had found the punchbowl table. The punchbowl shattered as the table was flipped. A chair splintered under my rage.

“Get 'im Big Mac! I need to hog tie 'im!”

“Eeyep!”

I could feel the strong muscles try to restrain me. I flipped him off of me and almost broke his leg, but some thing pulled me away from him.

The grass around me was as red as my mane. But then I looked down. My coat was wet and splotchy with patches red and dark, making my silvery coat tarnished.

My legs were tied, forcing me onto my back, my hooves all pointing to the ceiling. I still struggled for my life.

“Keep holdin' 'im down while Twi' gets the sleep spell ready!

“Eeyep; what does it look like I'm tryin' to do AJ!?”

I was so focused on the patches in my coat that I didn't see where they had come from. I looked beyond my hooves to the body in the grass....

I am upside down and being held down, feeling my world and sanity slip away. Then I get hit with a purple blast.

The grass's color was nothing compared to her coat. It was always like a leaf in the summer sun. But now, her dark brown mane laid against the newly darkened fauna and my bloodied coat.

“OAKLEAF!!!!!!!!” I scream out in my memory and in the real world before I fell into a pit of darkness where my troubled soul could find absolution and relief.

Chapter 6

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 6

“Twilight, I'm so sorry. I should have asked him if it was ok for me to use the party cannon.”

“It's alright Pinkie, everypony is safe and sound, so don't worry about it.”

“Safe and sound?! You saw what he did at Suguarcube corner! He's not safe to be around.”

“Shame on you rainbow Dash! He's just a scared pony. How would you feel if you were dropped in a new place and you knew there was something wrong with yourself?”

“He was fine all day until the party. And that's the reason the Princesses wanted him to come to Ponyville. So we could help him with this.”

“And we shall. That display was quite dreadful, don't you agree? I've never seen a pony act that way before.”

“Aw Rarity, you shoulda seen Big Mac here when he started getting' bigger. Whoowe, he was so angry sometimes he'd jus' go out and buck a whole field of Sweet Apple Acres in an afternoon.”

This cacophony of whispers pulled me out of the darkness and into waking. I realized I was in a bed and the speakers had surrounded my bed. I opened my eyes, but nopony noticed, since they were all talking about me. I looked around until found the pony I wanted to talk to.

“Hey, you” I said to the large red stallion who sat a little away from the mares in a chair, looking off out the window, into the night. He looked over to me as I called him.

“Don't ever do that again.” I admonished him. “That stunt you pulled off where you tried to physically hold me down, yeah, don't try that when I have an attack.”

Now all the mares were looking at me as well. “You could have gotten seriously hurt.” I finished to the hulking stallion.

The cyan coated pegasus a little away from Twilight burst into laughter along with the orange coated cowpony. The pegasus rolled on the ground, her prismatic mane mixing with the hard white tiles. The cowpony was a little more refined. She just stood and let out a large guffaw.

“YOU?! HURT Big Mac?! Hilarious!” said the rainbow maned mare.

The cowpony chimed in. “Sorry sugarcube, but you ain't even close ta Big Mac's size. And he's a work horse. You wouldn't be able to hurt him if ya tried.”

The red stallion spoke up. “Normally I'd agree sis, but after havin' this here fella get out o' my bear-hug, throw me to the ground, and almost break my leg, I'd have to say I'da lost the fight if somepony hadn't pulled him away from me with magic.”

The cowpony stood shocked, her pride in her brother being replaced with sudden fear.

“Really Big Mac? He coulda really hurt you?” she asked with wide eyes.

“Eeyep sis. I've been in enough scrambles to know he woulda broken me and then some. His eyes told the whole story.” he said slowly. When he finished he sat back in the chair and chewed on a stalk of hay.

“Horseapples!” said the cyan pegasus who was off the ground, and now fluttering inches from my face. “I'll take you on any day!” she challenged me with a confident smirk.

Twilight opened her mouth to stop this mare before she could continue, but the quiet yellow pegasus beat her to it.

“RAINBOW DASH!” she yelled. “That is ENOUGH! Don't you know what he's been through!”

Rainbow dash shrunk back. “Oh yeah. Sorry.” she said quietly.

“Hey, hey, everypony calm down. We should stop all this fighting. Heck, I haven't even been properly introduced.” I interceded before the argument could expand and affect me. Having two attacks in one day is not my favorite thing to do.

Twilight took the lead. “Crimson, I'd like you to meet my best friends and also other Element bearers.”

She first pointed to the cyan pegasus that sat dejectedly at the foot of my bed. “I'm sure you met Rainbow Dash. She's the element of Loyalty.”

Rainbow Dash gave a sheepish smile. “Also the fastest flier in all of Equestria.”

“For the record” I said “I'll go a few rounds with you, as long as you have the right protection. Mouth-Bit, flank pads, hoof pads, etc.”

Rainbow rose from her slumped seating position to s stand. She gave me a quizzical look, one of her eyebrows raised. She opened her mouth to speak, but Twilight shoved her hoof in it.

She gave me a serious look. “Don't get her riled up Crimson.” before to moving on to the orange mare in the cowpony hat.

“This is Applejack the element of Honesty and owner of Sweet Apple Acres. The big red stallion is her older brother, Big Macintosh.”

“It's good ta met you, even if it ain't to hospitable.” the orange mare said in a country accent with a tip of her hat.

“Those knots were tied really well. You should compete in some rodeos. I always loved the ones they had out in Appleoosia.”

“Thank ya kindly.” she said with a knowing smile.

The massive stallion waited for his sister to fisnish then spoke in the same country accent. He shook my hoof and said “Most 'round here jus' call me Big Mac. I'd like ta know what ya used on me. I used to be on the hoofball team in school, an' I had some friends who were inta that there coltbatives. I just thought they were nuts back then, but fer a pony like you ta throw me clear off the ground....”

“It's not magic or anything like that. You just gotta know where to put yourself. The rest is just waiting for an appropriate time.” I said nonchalantly.

I was going to say more, but Twilight continued with her introductions. She pointed to the quiet yellow pegasus who had the sudden outburst at Rainbow.

“This is Fluttershy. She is the element of Kindness and she takes care of animals in her cottage by the Everfree forest.”

“Hello” she said shyly, just as her name implied. “I'm so sorry for all that you've been through.”

“It's no big deal. Just a day in the life of Crimson Moon Steelhooves....” I trailed on, waving a hoof above my head in a circle.

Twilight next turned to a pure white unicorn with a curled purple mane.

“This is Rarity, element of Generosity and proprietor of Carousel Boutique.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you darling. That uniform is quite dashing on you.” she said. Then she grimaced slightly. “However, I think it could use a wash and a little touch up. Come drop it off at the boutique and I'd love to make it fabulous!”

I chuckled. “Sure. I'm charmed to meet you madam. Just please be careful with it, it's been with me from the beginning of the Battalion.”

“But of course! It would be unheard of me to ruin such a dapper outfit.”

“Thank you.”

Twilight moved on to the last mare. She had a pink coat and her darker pink mane which hung low to the ground. She looked extremely sad and somewhat guilty when Twilight started to speak.

“This is Pinkie Pie. She's the element of laughter and she works at Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie pie looked at me with large sad eyes.

“It's my fault you're in the hospital right now. I'm really really sorry. I just wanted everypony to smile.” she said morosely, finishing with a sigh of defeat.

“Where's the 'laughter' part? It was gonna eventually happen anyway. Better to get it out of the way now I guess.” I replied. “Plus isn't laughter the best medicine? Twilight said you know a lot of good jokes.”

As I muttered the word “jokes” Pinkie looked back at me with wide eyes and a grin. She hopped into the air, and her hair went from straight locks, into a frizzy poof, which looked a lot like cotton candy.

“You're right!” she said excitedly. “I'll be back in a second!”she said as she sprinted out the door of the hospital room. Twilight shook her head in amusement.

“You shouldn't have done that.” said Applejack.

“What?” I said innocently.

Rainbow dash answered bemusedly. “When you become friends with Pinkie pie, you realize to expect the unexpected.”

Then my bed started shaking. I grabbed onto the sides so I wouldn't be thrown off.

“What the buck????” I exclaimed. Out from under the bed came a familiar fuzz-ball pink mane. Pinkie pie was climbing into the room from under my bed. When she got out, she poked her head back under it and started dragging something out which caused my be to shake even worse.

“Hhhhowwww didddd youuuu dooo thatttt?” I asked while she pulled a large silver package out. The bed stopped shaking after she pulled it out, but everyone in the room save Pinkie and I started laughing.

Pinkie said “Hi!” excitedly.

I was still at a loss for words. “But...How...If you just.....Wait.....What??”

“Like Rainbow Dash said” Twilight explained “When you become friends with Pinkie pie, you have to expect the unexpected.”

“Yep!” Pinkie pie agreed cheerily. Then she opened the silver package. A three story cake popped up from the package's depths leaving me even more surprised. From nowhere Pinkie had plates and utensils.

“Who wants cake?” she asked. Everypony agreed to some.

As we ate cake the element bearers started to ask me friendly questions like where I was from and what I did on my off days back when I was in the battalion.

“Stalliongrad, born and raised” I started

Pinkie cut me off “..on the playground was where I spent most of my days!”

I gave her a puzzled look, but then remembering it was Pinkie, I went on with my story.

“Well I was born in Stalliongrad in the middle of winter on the last Lunar eclipse before Luna returned; thus the name. I'm an only pony and my parents both still live in Stalliongrad. My mom stayed at home while my dad was a head smith in a steel forging factory. The Steelhooves have been Smiths since time immemorial, so my parents were a little against me joining the Battalion, but I'm different from the rest of them.”

“Whatdda mean?” said Rainbow between wolfing down pieces of cake.

“Here look” I moved the sheets off of me so they could all get a good look at my cutie mark. It was a sword superimposed on a tree.

“That's the weirdest cutie mark I ever seen.” Rainbow said before getting a harsh look from Fluttershy and Twilight.

“I know. It's because I have a rare talent. Now everypony in my dad's side of the family have some sort of metal working cutie mark. Bellows, Ingots of metal, Tongs, Hammers, and such. But I'm the only one with a different mark. I'm talented in fighting.”

The mares looked at me with understanding. Applejack looked relieved that only somepony talented in fighting could take down her older brother. Rainbow Dash looked a little humbled, knowing she would hold no match against me. Twilight looked at me with pure interest.

“There aren't that many other ponies with talents in fighting. In my time in the Battalion, I met only four: Shining Star in the Solar Guard, Spitfire of the Wonderbolts, Quicksilver Lee, and a monk in Thayland.”

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. “The captain of the Wonderbolts has a special talent for fighting?!”

“Yep.”

“Not flying.”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“I spared with her.” I told Rainbow challengingly. “Ask Soarin' about it.”

“Anyway” I continued “I got my cutie mark when I was playing in the alleys one day after foal school. I caught three older students picking on another younger one. I didn't know any of them, but something in me made me stop. I watched them for a little, until the small foal got mad and threw a hoof into one of the older foal's gut. His hit was weak and earned him a hoof to the face. It was gonna get much worse for the younger foal, but I stepped in. 'Hey pick on somepony your own size; it's not fun to bother sompony smaller.' I told them. They laughed at me and started to circle around me. Then they attacked me.”

I paused and noticed the mares were on the edge of their seats. I went on.

“Well, it was over in minutes, but to me it felt like forever. The three bullies laid on the ground with some pretty bad injuries. One had a broken jaw, another was gasping on the ground, and the last was out cold. I didn't feel it when it came to me, but the younger student pointed out my new cutie mark to me as I helped him up. 'That was soo cool' I remember him saying. But when I got home, it was very confusing. My parents were proud that I had got my cutie mark and so was I, but they were also apprehensive of what it meant. We celebrated me getting my cutie mark, but then I was grounded for the next week for fighting. Eventually, after this happened again, my parents signed me up for Colt Maga, an ancient fighting style that is mostly just practiced for it's tradition. In Stalliongrad, there was only one place to learn Colt Maga, and it was on the other side of town. Twice a week I would go to the dojo, and come back home late at night and extremely tired. The master of the dojo, Tranquil Flame, taught me how to control my urge to fight and how to improve my fighting abilities. He taught me three things that have always stuck with me.”

“One-It's alright to fight.”

“Two-Learn when to fight seriously and when to fight to teach.”

“Three-You can fight anyone, provided they are properly equipped, or are just as good as you .”

The mares chewed their cake and digested the words for a moment, until Big Mac of all ponies
asked “How'd ya join the Battalion?”

I told them the story of how my father and I were in Canterlot when Luna returned.

“When I saw her up there, I knew I'd do anything for her.” I reminisced.

“Dawwwww! Somepony was in love.” said Rainbow mockingly.

“I was.” I said flatly. “But I knew it wouldn't work, so I settled for being best of friends. She said she'd come visit soon. Shining said he'd bring Cadence and come visit too.”

Twilight chocked on her cake. “Princess Luna and My brother and his wife are coming to visit?!” she choked out.

“Yeah. They said they'd just pop in. No need for any big fuss or anything.”

We polished off the few remaining pieces of cake when we all started to notice the time. It was well past midnight. Unlike me, the other ponies were used to a life in the sunlight, so I could see the time getting to them. One by one they bid their adieus and good-nights until it was just Twilight, Applejack, and Big Mack left in the room.

“Goodnight partner. Try to get some shut eye.” Applejack yawned out. “I'm gonna go straight ta Sweet Apple Acres and hit the hay.”

Big Mac rose from the chair he had been statuesquely occupying for the whole night. A few of his massive joints popped as he rose to exit the room. Before he passed the door frame he turned around.

“Tonight might not have been the best night fer ya'll, but I'll have you know if ya ever need help, come around ta Sweet Apple Acres. Now that yer currently jobless, you could even help us buck. Faust knows we could use the help, but Applejack is too stubborn to admit it.”

“Thank you Big Mac.” I said serenely. “You are a good friend.”

It was extremely hard to notice, but Big Mac blushed a little. “Get some shut eye partner.” he said as he left.

That left Twilight and I. The silence in the air was palpable for a short time as Twilight tried to decide between saying something or just leaving. So I decided to end the awkwardness silence.

“I guess this solves your problem of finding me a bed.”

“Haha! Yeah I guess it does.” she said. She bit her lip for a second then said “I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. If I had known the party would have done that to you,I..”

I cut her off with a wave of my hoof. “How many times do you think I had attacks up in Caterlot? I had seven attacks after coming back. Three of those attacks were in public. The worst one was in the middle of a royal luncheon.”

Twilight gasped. “Oh, I'm so....”

I was tired of people saying they were sorry for me. Even if it was a loving, caring mare like Twilight, I couldn't hear that phrase again.

“Don't. Don't be sorry. Just deal with it.” I said sharply. “That's how I've been dealing with it since I got back. The most dangerous thing you face out on the field is your own attitude. If you stay positive and keep looking forward, then little else matters.”

Twilight gave me a sad smile. Tears were on the corners of her eyes. “Oh Crimson..” she said as she pulled me into a tight hug that could rival Big Mac's bear hug.

“At least we don't have to worry about your attitude.” she said releasing me and wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Yeah and I don't have to worry about your strength.” I muttered making Twilight laugh. “Seriously, I'm gonna be in here another few days, cause I think you just broke a dew ribs.” I even foalishly rubbed my sides.

Twilight giggled and hugged me again. This time the hug lasted much longer. It had been a long time since I had shared a hug like this. Luna was like a sister to me and the mares in the Battalion were all my comrades, so my love for them was heart-deep, but it was family love. Twilight's hug re-awoke a long dormant flame inside of me. I returned the embrace in full, and it took Twilight by surprise. But, she didn't fight it. We held each other for an infinity. I turned my head and looked into her eyes. I could tell she felt it too, but she shied away.

“I...I should go and let you rest..” she said letting go of the embrace, blushing madly.

“I guess I'll see you in the morning?” I asked.

“Yep. Spike and I will come pick you up after we get you a bed.” she hurried towards the door, hitting the light switch on the wall, plunging my room in to familiar darkness. She grabbed the door with magic and started to walk out, closing the door behind herself. Sh stopped before she was all the way out and turned her head to give me a sidelong glimpse and small smile.

“Crimson?”

“Yes?”

“Goodnight.”

“Have a goodnight Twilight.” I said to her as she shut the door.

I stayed awake in my room for a while. I did not once think about the attack I had earlier, but I thought about Twilight and her great friends as I peered out the window from under my sheets. Ponyville really wasn't so bad. It was true my first day had been a little hectic, but it could have been much worse. Better yet, I had the six Bearers of Harmony to help me out personally.

I smiled to myself as I thought about the mares. Rainbow Dash, so feisty and rambunctious. I used to case after mares like that, but they had always broke my heart. Applejack, a caring friend that would certainly help me out until both of us had solved the problem of my disease and then help out even afterward too. Fluttershy, a cute mare, that made me feel like I had to protect her. Not in a romantic way, but I couldn't see anything bad happen to such a kind, timid, and gentle creature. Rarity, a little distant, but I'm sure I could become fast friends with her after getting to know her better. She didn't seem too interested in my stories, probably because they were quite gruesome, but I had some gentle stories of my time on duty. Pinkie Pie, even under that fun-loving exterior, I could tell she still harbored some guilt for my attack today. I would chase that away after I teach her some pranks and tricks the units often pulled on one another. And finally Twilight. She was the element of Magic, right? She had to be the element of magic because she definitely put some kind of spell on me. I thought about them until I fell asleep, dreaming about the warm embrace of a certain lavender unicorn.

Chapter 7

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 7

Like always, the morning sunlight was a bane to my comfort. Turning my face away from the warming pesky rays, I covered my head with my pillow. I kept my eyes closed but was fully awake, thinking. Last night I had a dream.

Dreams were figments of the demons inside me. Ever since I came back to normal ponylife, my dreams caused me to wake in a cold sweat. I often found my sheets and pillow torn up from my trashing from the terrors. Not once did I remember what I had dreamt about, but I knew what it was. The same terror I always had. The one that rocked my mind into insanity during my waking attacks.

I laid there and tried to think about it, but the very act brought up the pain and sadness. I could feel that if I kept thinking, I would have another attack. But still, I was amazed that my dreams didn't cause an attack. Could this be a sign I was getting better?

The door of my hospital room opened quietly and a nurse-pony walked in. She carried a breakfast tray with the ever semi-edible hospital food. I guess she though I was still asleep because she set the tray down gently on the nightstand next to my bed and exited the room, shutting the door as quietly as she opened it.

I was content to eat my breakfast alone. I felt good, albeit being a little tired. I thought I might get some more rest, maybe a nice mid-day nap. It was really weird going from a nocturnal lifestyle back to living a life in the sun. I finished my breakfast and started to get snuggled into my sheets again when I heard a vociferous argument from down the hall, through the closed door. It sounded distant, but it was getting closer.

“Rainbow, we'll come back later when he's awake.”

“Heck, if I gotta wake up this early in the morning, he's waking up too.”

“It's 11:00, Rainbow. You call this early?”

“After last night, yeah!”

“Even all the more reason to give Crimson more time to rest.”

“I don't care what you do Twilight, but I'm gonna go get your stallionfriend.”

“Well I think he should...wait,what? Stallionfriend? He's not my....”

“Whatever Twi” Rainbow said as she opened the door to my room. “Wakey, wakey. Come on get up lazy. If I gotta get up this early..”

“Then I guess I have to as well, right?” I said flatly.

“Oh. Hey Twilight, he's already up.”

“I could hear you two from down the hall.”

“What did I tell you Rainbow? Twilight said angrily. “You have to be more quiet. There are other patients here that need the rest.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and Twilight's gaze drifted over to me. She gave me a small smile that Rainbow noticed smugly.

“Good morning Crimson. How are you?” Twilight asked.

I yawned, stretched, and snuggled my self deeper into the sheets of my bed.

“Good, but I'm still tired.”

“Oh no you don't!” Rainbow flew up to my face. “You're coming with us” she said seriously.

I just pulled the sheets up closer around my face. “I don't wanna.”

“You're coming with us buddy.” Rainbow said with finality, her forehead almost touching mine in a challenging way.

I did the only thing a soldier is trained to do at times like this: I gave her a big raspberry. Rainbow became enraged and she and I got into a tug of war with the sheets.

“Let go!”

“I don't wanna.”

“NOW!”

“I don't wanna.”

“GRRR....”

A giggling purple unicorn ended our little battle by separating us with magic.

“Ok” she said stifling back amusement. “I think you two should stop before Nurse Redheart notices some of her best sheets are torn to pieces. Crimson, would you like to come with us? I asked Rainbow to come help me get your bed, but she wanted to get you to come with us first.”

“Sure, I'll come along.” I said rising out of the bed.

Rainbow glared at me then rolled her eyes. “Sure, listen to your marefriend.” she muttered under her breath.

Twilight must have heard her, because her cheeks became flushed as she made the hospital bed with magic, folding the sheets back into corners of the bed.

We all left the hospital and walked out into the bright, almost mid-day, sun. I gave a huge yawn a few feet out of the hospital and Twilight gave me a worrying look.

“Are you sure you're fine?” she asked with concern

“Yep, I's just getting used to a different sleeping pattern.” I said before I yawned again.

“What do ya mean?” Rainbow asked from above me.

“Well, everything the Lunar Battalion did was at night. Missions, training, even the Inter-unit hooflympics were all at night. Only occasionally did we ever do things during the day.”

“I thought it was just all that cake last night that kept you awake...”Rainbow said.

“Everything at night, Interesting?” Twilight said as she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill from her saddlebags. She scribbled something down on it.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“If we're gonna cure an unknown disease, then we have to research what could have caused this to manifest in the first place.”

“Oh.” I understood where she was coming from in a scientific aspect, but it was strange having fragments of my life being written down to be studied. I shook off the feeling and looked around at the scenery of Ponyville. We were quickly approaching the center of town, and I saw what looked like a large fair-ride in the middle of town.

“Is that Carousel Boutique?” I asked the mares.

“Yeah, but Rarity doesn't sell beds.” Rainbow said with an exasperated sigh.

“Let's stop in. Rarity said she'd take my uniform and touch it up, not to mention wash it. And after last night I think it could use one. Then again, so could I.”

Twilight's eyes shone. “That's a good idea! Rainbow after we stop in at the boutique, let's go to the spa!”

“Twilight, you know how much I like that place.” Rainbow said threateningly.

“Oh Rainbow, just don't get a hooficure. Plus, I don't think Crimson would care about your ticklish hoofs.”

“Hey!”Rainbow exclaimed.

“Ticklish hooves? Really?” I said astonished. It was hilarious.

We walked over to the boutique and opened the door. A small bell chimed our arrival and I caught my first glimpse of Rarity's store. The were beautiful and stylish clothes on racks everywhere while there was a large stage in the middle of the store, surrounded on one side by mirrors.

“One minute, darling!” an elegant voice said from behind one of the curtained rooms. I continue to look around, spying a chest full of sapphires on other gems for accentuating the already beautiful clothing.

Rarity burst out from behind the curtained wearing half moon spectacles and a measuring tape around her neck.

“Crimson! So nice to see you up and on your hooves. What could I do for you dear?” she said dramatically.

“Remember last night when you said you would touch up my uniform?”

“But of course!”

“Well I was wondering if you would take it now. I don't think I'll being wearing it again for a while, so put it on the bottom of your list.”

“Oh I'd love to take it now! But it will be sad not seeing you wearing it. Such a magnificent uniform needs to be seen as often as possible!”

“Thank you” I said as I got out of the uniform.

“Such quality!” Rarity exclaimed as she took it from me. “Do you know what this is made from?”

I shook my head.

“It's moon silk, and of the highest quality! Of course it's been magic-treated to resist the elements and such, but it is still moon silk none the less. Tre magnifique! Oh I will make it look even better than when you got it!”

“Thanks, but nothing too serious, ok?”

“Of course darling, but maybe a gold hem around here, some diamonds on the shoulders......” she rambled on, talking out her ideas while she carried it with magic to one of her curtained rooms. I suddenly had a very bad feeling she'd do something terrible to my uniform when Twilight started to pull me out of the boutique.

“Thanks Rarity! See you later” she called as she opened the door and led me outside.

“Oh stop in at any time, you're always welcome to come in!” Rarity said, only being heard not seen as she was still in one of her rooms with my uniform.

My reluctance to leave her with my uniform became apparent when I realized I was being pulled away from the boutique by Twilight's magic, my hooves leaving troughs in the dirt.

“Come on Crimson” Twilight panted.

“But she's gonna make my uniform all......glitzy.” I said with most pitiful look I could off.

Rainbow laughed. “It's probably gonna have pink lace and other girly stuff.” she teased.

“PINK LACE?! What! No!” I struggled to escape Twilight's magical grip, but she held fast.

Rainbow kept laughing, but Twilight gave her an annoyed look.

“Rainbow, cut that out. Don't worry Crimson, she's only teasing. Rarity knows what she's doing.” Twilight said reassuringly.

It didn't quell my worries though, so I crossed my arms and pouted. “I can deal with anything but lace.” I said. “Leather is where it's at.” I finished with a nod.

“What was that ?” asked Twilight suspiciously.

“I said: I love silk pajamas to wear while eating Ice cream.” I lied flatly.

Both mares became excited and started to talk about their favorite flavor. I just smiled and shook my head. That was way too easy.

I continued being dragged like dead weight all the way to the spa. When we got into the spa we went straight to the baths. I immersed myself in the hot sudsy water, loving every minute of it. I wasn't the only pony who thought so.

“This is the best part of this spa. None of those mud-baths, or awkward hooficures, just nice hot baths.” said Rainbow contentedly as she slipped into the water across from me. “It always makes me feel 20 percent cooler when I get out of these things.”

“It's always nice to come to the spa once in a while. Although, I could hardly see myself doing it weekly like Rarity and Fluttershy.” Twilight said as she slipped in next to me. Rainbow saw and gave me a glimpse with her eyebrow raised in amusement, but then shrugged and relaxed in the water. We all sat languidly in the bath for some time, losing all sense of time and stress.

I personally loved every second of the cleansing, relaxing water. I sighed contentedly and relaxed even more, closing my eyes and letting myself float in the water. Then I guess I relaxed too much, because I fell asleep for a moment, and sunk beneath the water.

The breath I took was unnaturally full of water, so my eyes rocketed open to reveal a world of warm water and no oxygen. I started to panic. When my hooves found the floor of the bath, I shot out of the water, choking and coughing. I stood in the middle of the bath in a terrible panic, in lieu of breath, and in fear another attack would rack me in the lovely spa. How could things have been such bliss but a moment ago?

Twilight was the first to react, sitting up from the water, her horn aglow. I kept choking, but I felt something weird on my abdomen. I looked down at my body and saw it surrounded in a purple aura. Suddenly the choking and coughing stopped.

Rainbow who had been relaxing until I stood, looked at Twilight and I with concern.

“What just happened?” she asked.

“Yeah, what did just happen?” I said, immediately regretting I spoke. For some reason my voice was way to high making me sound like a little filly.

Rainbow fell out of the bath laughing up a storm.

I looked over to an amused Twilight and said “What did you do to me?” shocked.

“I knew you were choking on water, but I couldn't remove it without you throwing up. So, I split it up into Oxygen, which your lungs took care of, and Hydrogen, which is making your voice all funny.”

She saw my shocked expression. “Don't worry” she laughed “It'll go away in a little while, but I'd stay away from any open flames if I were you.”

Twilight stood and got out of the bath, floating towels to a laughing Rainbow dash, a shocked and amazed I, and finally herself. She turned away from me and wrapped a towel around her mane, tying it into an intricate knot so it wouldn't slip.

First saving me with magic that would have left the best royal magicians spent, then using precise telekinesis to tie knots? Shining really hadn't lied. His sister had some real heft to her magical abilities. Her flank had some heft to it too. I shook my head. Naughty. How could you think of something like that at a time like this?

Rainbow had risen off the floor and had her towel wrapped around her midsection. My towel still hung in front of me, held by Twilight's magic. Both mares were looking at me.

“You coming?” asked Rainbow suppressing her amusement. Just to spite her, I nodded my head. The act of nodding caused my long mane to fall over my eyes.

“First thing after we're doing after you dry yourself off is get you a well needed mane-cut.”stated Twilight.

I started to shake my head, but Rainbow had other plans.

“What was that? I can't hear you?” she said playfully.

I looked to Twilight for help, but she was caught up in the moment. “Yeah Crimson, I didn't hear you say no.....” she said with a twinkle of mischief in her eye.

I looked pleadingly between the two mares, but to no avail. I finally took my towel in my mouth and climbed out of the bath carefully. I dejectedly dried myself off while the mares waited and giggled. Then draping my towel across my shoulders, I followed them into the salon of the spa.

Two well trained stylists waited for us. I noticed Rainbow give the hooficure table a wide berth and went straight to one of the mane dryers. Twilight told one of the stylists I needed a mane cut and she went over to a massage table to be waited on by the other stylists/masseuse.

I sat down in a barber's chair and the stylist waiting on me draped a sheet across my front to catch my hair. My long mane laid dejectedly in my face ready to meets the end of it's long unruly non-life.

Twilight laid on the table behind me, a decent space away. However, when the masseuses started, she relaxed and gave out small sighs of pleasure. I uncomfortably listened to this as the stylist brought a long, sharp pair of scissors up to my mane, starting the trim near my ear. The sound and feel of cold, deadly metal against my head did not sit well. Twilight's increasing amounts of semi-erotic sighs didn't help either. I closed my eyes and tried to block out all the sounds causing my heart to race in panic and excitement. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I thought of only one thing: relaxing and what it felt like. In my mind, I felt myself back in the bath before I fell asleep. My muscles loosened and I the warm water comforting me. I sighed audibly and continued to think about nothing but relaxing. Out from the depths of my memory, I hear a gentle song. I couldn't place it at first, as it was calming, eluding, but somehow silvan. Then it hit me. This was Oakleaf's song.

My eyes shot open and I leaned forward in the chair grabbing the hoofrests as a cold sweat broke out across my body. Luckily, the stylist was switching scissors and wasn't close to me with the scissors. I tried to close my eyes again and sit back to let the stylist do her job, but every time I closed them, the song played louder. It brought tears to my tightly closed eyes.

“You ok?”asked a sandy voice.

I opened my eyes and shakily turned to see a rainbow-maned mare looking at me with concern.

“I think so.” Then all my tension was gone, as Rainbow started to laugh and I just frowned. My voice still hadn't gone back to normal yet. My voice had dropped, but now I sounded worse, like I did back in my teen-colt years. I grimaced as she laughed and rolled around on the ground. I sat back in the chair and signaled to the stylist who was unsuccessfully hiding her chortles to continue with my mane-cut. Now if only I could have an embarrassing moment before every attack.

When she was done, the stylist untied the sheet from around my neck and I looked at the new cut in the mirror. Where long locks were once, there was a short and sleek shock of red hair.

Rainbow whistled behind me. “Lookin' good, but you sould be 20 percent cooler.”

“Nice Rainbow.” I deadpanned.

“Hey, your voice is back to normal.”

“Let's hope that never happens again.” I said strenly.

Twilight walked up to us with a languid look on her face.

“I really should start coming here more. The massage was lovely.” she said stretching.

Rainbow snickered. “Just have your coltfriend over here give you one.”

Twilight flustered.

“Know what? You should come here more Twilight.” I said innocently. “Just be sure to bring Rainbow for a good hooficure.”

“Hey, who's ready to go get that bed?” Rainbow said hurriedly, already fluttering off the floor.

Twilight and I shared a laugh. Twilight paid the stylist mares while I waited with Rainbow at the door. Rainbow kept herself amused by flying around, showing her prowess in the air. I was amazed at her tricks, but my mind drifted elsewhere. Specifically to an issue about bits. Here I was intruding by taking up a pony's hospitality, which should be enough, but here I was costing her extra money. I knew I could always wait for my pension check to arrive, but I felt like that would be too little, too late.

“So what'd ya think of that?” Rainbow said as she landed.

“What? Sorry. I wasn't watching.”

“Uggh.” rainbow facehoofed herself as Twilight came out of the spa.

“Who says we go get that bed?” Twilight asked with a bounce in her step.

“Let's get this over with.” Rainbow said pulling at her face with her hooves. “I've had enough of these distractions. Look it's almost 5:00. We were in there for way too long.”

“Let's get going then.” I said.

We walked through Ponyville,with me waking in between a sulking Rainbow, since we wasted so much time, and an extremely chipper Twilight. But I was still thinking of the money issue. It took hold of my pride and shook it around, and I wouldn't stand for that.

“Hey” I asked “Where's Sweet Apple Acres?”

Both mares gave me quizzical looks.

“Well it's on the outskirts of Ponyville...”Twilight said.

“Yeah. Why do you wanna go there anyway.?” Rainbow asked.

“I just wanted to talk to Applejack about something.”

Both mares looked at each other perplexed.

“Ok.....” said Twilight.

“You know, I think the store will be closed by the time we get back from Sweet Apple Acres.” Rainbow said, putting a hoof under her chin.

“Then let's race there.” I said as I started running down the main road that snaked out of town.

“Oh, you're on!” shouted Rainbow, completely forgetting about what she had previously said.

I felt bad for Twilight. Leaving the bookish mare back in the dust pained me, but my hurting pride hurt worse. Still I couldn't help but cast a glance over at the mare we left behind. She wasn't there. With a resounding pop she appeared on top o a hill we were about to crest.

“That dirty cheating unicorn and her teleporting. Fine! It's on!” shouted a certain fiery cyan mare as she ripped a head of me.

She could teleport too? I was used to highly-trained military unicorns knowing how to do it, but she knew ho to as well? I had underestimated her magical abilities again.

Even with my head start, I soon became last in our little race. I realized this was a good thing because I didn't know where I was going. Twilight seemed to notice this, since she let Rainbow speed ahead while she teleported short distances to allow me to see her and stay on track. This went on for a bit, but then I saw the sign and Twilight teleported once more, escaping my sight. When I finally got to Sweet Apple Acres, I found Twilight and Rainbow dash sipping apple cider with Applejack. They sipped cider and talked like I wasn't there while I caught my breath. I was winded, but not in a bad way. The run felt like a warm-up to me, like I should go do more exercise, and it felt good.

“Hey Applejack.” I said, taking a big breath to settle myself down.

“Heya partner. It's good ta see ya out of that hospital bed an' movin' around.” she replied.

“It's good to see you too. But I'm here on a business preposition.”

“An' what would that be?” Applejack said puzzled.

“While I was in the hospital, Big Mac said you had an opening for a farm-hand.”

“Wait jest a minute Crimson.” she said as she went into the barn behind her. A loud “BIG MAC!!!” could be hear from inside. Applejack didn't sound pleased.

“You sure you want to work here? Are you sure you should even be working with your, ah condition?” Twilight asked me from the table she and Rainbow sat at.

“Yea, the Apple family gets up before the sun rises. Ew.” Rainbow added, sticking her tongue out and pretended to gag.

“Yes” I said energized. “I already tried sitting around, and do you know how many attacks I had? Seven. In Canterlot, I used to worry about having an attack every where I went. I still do, but all this action today really took my mind off of worrying. I think a hard-working job will really help.”

“But what if you have another attack while on the job?” Twilight asked, unsatisfied.

“Who stopped me at the party?” I gave as evidence.

Applejack came out of the barn looking pissed with Big Mac who was laden with empty bushels.

“Big Mac said he offered you a job.” she said frowning. “I am the owner of Sweet Apple Acres, but when somepony in my family offers a job, I'm obliged ta keep it.”

“However,” she continued “I only hire people if they're cut out fer the job. I gotta see that you can work hard.” Big Mac set the bushels around a tree.

“Go buck that tree as hard as you can.” she said pointing to the tree with bushels around it's trunk.

I went over to the tree and stood facing away from it. I gave my hardest buck, and it made a nice smacking noise. I turned around to the bushels to see if I had filled them up as I expected. Unfortunately, they were only filled about a quarter of the way. I then turned back to Applejack.

“Sorry partner, but ya gotta do better than that.” she said as she started to walk away.

“Sis, give 'im another shot.” said Big Mac seriously.

“We don't need the help, you know that! The Apple family always manages to get by with only us working.” she shouted at him. She obviously didn't like to have her pride hurt by an intruder like me.

“I'm not asking AJ, give him another shot. If he could throw me, he can really help, AJ. Fer Faust's sake, he can THROW me. An' even though it pains me ta say it, Granny Smith ain't gonna be here forever. It's better we get extra help as so as we can.” Big Mac said with finality and a shade of anger.

Applejack was humbled be his speech. “Your....your right.” she said looking at the ground. “Try again Crimson.”

I was shocked by Big Mac's speech. I could understand him being so open in front of his friends, but in front of a stranger he met a day ago?

“Go ahead Crimson, show AJ over here what you're mad of.” Big Mac encouraged me.

What I'm made of, huh? If I showed them that then......wait.

“If I have another attack promise to stop me ok?” I said as I turned stepped closer to the tree.

“What?” Twilight said, but Big Mac cut off any further questions with a loud “Shhs!”

I stood looking at the tree, unsure if what I was about to do would cause another attack. I hope this works I told myself as I unleashed a torrent of Colt Maga moves on the tree. I started with a roundhouse kick first hitting the trunk with the back of my left hoof. Then I let the momentum carry my weight, flipping me over onto my back while in the air, allowing me to continue the kick with my right hoof. The resistance from the tree started to throw me back, but I expected this. I put both my back hooves on the tree and flipped myself, landing on the same back hooves on the ground in front of the tree. I was up on my back hooves, but instead of landing back on all fours like normal, I stayed up and let go a monsoon of front hoof punches. I ducked and weaved, bobbed from side to side, and kept at it for a while. After my breath was gone from the punches, I pulled my self into a clinch with the tree , just like I had been trained. I hit the tree trunk with my right back hoof, then the elbow of my right front hoof. I let go of the clinch and hopped away from the tree. I looked up into it's leafy top and saw one apple left. Time to finish it off with a bang. I sprinted towards the tree and jumped, flipping myself in the air so I could hit the tree with final buck. I hit the tree and landed a little ways away facing the four ponies as the final apple fell into a bushel with a congratulatory sound.

I panted and smiled at the three stunned mares and one stallion who was nodding approvingly.

“Told ya sis. Now closer yer maw. You're gonna end up eatin' a fly.” Big Mac said to Applejack as he turned and went inside.

Rainbow was the first to regain her composure. “Did you see that? How he flipped and stuff?!
Crimson, you so cool!!! If you were a pegasus, you'd so be in the wonderbolts!” she shouted excitedly.

“Well partner, I guess I miss judged you.” Applejack said looking at the now full bushels approvingly. “I'll see you bright an' early tomorrow morning. Also....I'm sorry. I jest get a little touchy when ponies want to help out. Wait, that's not what ah mean...”

“It's alright,” I said. “I wouldn't want somepony to try to help me with my Colt Maga form. I get where you're coming from.”

Applejack went to the tree and carried the bushels back into the farmhouse, gave us a smile and a polite “Goodnight, y'all” and was gone for the night. Rainbow was still talking excitedly, describing my moves.

“Do you see how Spitfire can have a talent in fighting?” I asked her.

“Yeah! The stuff you did almost looked like her acrobatics in the air! I never thought somepony with out a flying cutie mark could be that good.”

“Hey, I don't have wings, but I flew for a little.”

Twilight came out of her shocked reprieve. “Very profound Crimson.”

“I try.” I smiled out before having to stop to catch my breath.

As soon as I started to breathe normally I noticed the sun was going down. Twilight saw too.

“Oh horseapples! I hope you don't mind sleeping on the pull out couch Crimson.” Twilight said sheepishly.

“Goodnight guys.” said Rainbow. “I gotta go organize a big storm breakup tomorrow so I'll need my shut-eye. See ya around.” she said flying away, leaving her trademark rainbow contrail. Twilight and I were left alone outside of Sweet Apple Acres' barn.

“Should we get going?” I asked her. “I think it will be dark by the time we get back to the library though...”

“Come here.” Twilight said motioning to her side. I obediently followed what she said, wondering why she wanted me so close to her. I didn't complain though.

“Ok, hold on.” she said her horn starting to glow.

I threw my front hoof around her shoulder.

“Uh oh.” I muttered.

Then I felt a power course through me, splitting my very atoms apart. It felt like I was drifting away in the wind. Then I started to feel very heavy, and the particle-me started to sink back together. I fell down feeling queasy. I looked up to see Twilight talking to me, but I couldn't hear her. I focused on taking in a deep breath, then a wall of sound hit me.

“Crimson are you ok?” Twilight's voice said.

“Think so. Did you just teleport me with you?”

“Yep.”

“Never again.”

She giggled and helped me up. Truthful to her “yep” we were standing in front of the library. We walked into the already familiar tree-home and I smelled something delicious.

“Is that you Twi? I started dinner. It's just some grilled dandelion and cheese sandwiches though. I'll add grocery shopping to the to do list.” called a childish voice from the kitchen. Twilight went to put away her saddlebags and I went to wash up for dinner. I saw Twilight walk into the kitchen as I came out of the water closet, wiping my hooves on my coat. Instead of following her, I went into my spartan room and noticed Twilight had put an end table with a lap on it into my room. It added little to the decor, but still made the room feel homey. I also noticed my suitcase was under the table. I went over to it and opened it up seeing everything was still in it. I realized that the only things I had unpacked were my clothes, letter of Discharge, and the old photograph. I started to dig through some of my memorabilia, wondering where I should put it.

I was interrupted my a gentle knocking on the door frame. It was Spike.

“Dinner's ready and Twilight's setting the table.” he informed me. Then he noticed my open suitcase full of my memories. “Is that all your stuff from when you were in the Battalion?” he said inquisitively.

“Yeah. I was gonna put away somewhere, but there's nowhere to put it.”

“Oh. Do you need help putting it away?” he asked hopefully with a glint in his eye. He obviously wanted to find out what was in my suitcase.

I thought about it for a moment, wondering if I should do it alone. I knew some of the things in my suitcase might trigger an attack. It also felt like something I should do alone. Something that only I could do alone. But then again, he was so eager. I don't know if he was just real curious, or truly wanted to know more about me, but I couldn't say no to his face.

So I smiled and ruffled the spines on his head. “Sure, but let's eat first.”

“You read my mind!” Spike said and I chuckled as we went into the kitchen and sat down to dine.

Dinner was delicious. I tried to compliment Spike, but he tore through his dinner with childish enthusiasm, like a foal waiting to open presents on Hearth's warming day. Twilight giggled and looked lovingly at her number one assistant. Spike finished his meal and washed his plate before I could even get halfway through my sandwich.

“Come on Crimson! You're so slow!” Spike said as he stood waiting at the kitchen entrance, tapping his small foot.

“Sheesh! At least me finish this amazing sandwich here.” I said as I rolled my eyes. This caused Twilight to giggle more and Spike to cross his arms and tap his foot harder.

“Crimsonnnn.” Spike whined.

“Fine kid. Here watch this.” I said as I threw my sandwich in the air, leaned back in my chair, and caught it all in my mouth.

“Impressive.” Spike said clearly unimpressed. “Now move it!” he said while rocketing out of the kitchen.

I quickly swallowed my food, almost choking, and looked at Twilight apologetically.

“It's alright” she said understandingly. “It's good to Spike like this. I'll clean your plate, don't worry.”

My smile conveyed my feeling of thanks as I got up and went out to get that little rascal. I found him sitting on the couch with my suitcase. The suitcase wasn't open, but I could see Spike was itching to open it. I sat down with the suitcase between us, and popped the durable clasps. The top opened with a familiar spring. Spike looked in at it hungrily. I rested my head on my hoof and looked at him.

“Now be careful. Some of that stuff is fragile, and all of it is precious.” I warned him. “Go at it kid.” He immediately heeded my words and sprung his child claws into my case of treasures. He would pull each item out carefully though, placing it on the coffee table next to the couch. It was obvious which ones he seemed the most interested in though, as he would turn them around in his hands looking at them with interest and wonder. Eventually he had all my items laid out on the table, covering it completely. In actuality, there weren't many trinkets, but all laid out like that, they seemed to take up as much of the table as the memories the held took up my life.

Spike emptied the suitcase, but he still looked fidgety.

I gave him a toothy grin. “Well? You wanna say something?”

He started to wring his claws. “I just wanted to know how you got some of these.”

Ah. So the dragon was out of the bag. He wanted hear some stories.

“Like what?” I asked him. His eyes glowed as he picked up a curved obsidian claw.

“What's this?” he asked holding it reverently.

It was the only weapon-shaped item in all my trinkets, so it was a little obvious he'd pick it up. Little did he know there were actual weapons within my trinkets, only they were unobtrusive and looked insignificant as they were designed.

“Hah! You have a good eye.” I said taking the claw from him, caressing it in my hooves before holding it up in plain view and starting my story.

“This here is a claw.”

“Well I see that.”

Twilight had finished cleaning the dishes and walked over to us, sitting down next to Spike, looking at him and I with a look on her face that said “you two are so cute!”

“Shhsh. It's a claw. From an Arctic Ursa Major.”

“Whaa? No, that's impossible! Ursa Major's are huge! That can't be one of its claws!”

“I have to agree with Spike, Crimson.” Twilight spoke up. “I faced off an Ursa Minor, and its claw alone was at least 40 times bigger than that.”

“For such a booksmart pony, I would've been sure you knew of this.” I said amused. “I guess it's not in the books....”

Now Twilight was truly hooked. She listened as intently as Spike, wanting to learn something her precious books couldn't teach her.

“I got this from helping forge an alliance between Equestria and the Federation of the Timber wolf tribes of the Northern Tundras.”

“Whoaaaa.” said Spike.

“I though the Lunar Battalion was more militaristic than diplomatic?” Twilight wondered.

“The Battalion was made to serve in any way. And this mission was one of both military and diplomacy.” I said as I launched them into my story and myself into my lovely memories.

Chapter 9

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 9

I woke up to a strange buzzing noise coming from around my head. I tried to block it out, clenching my eyes shut and pulling my pillow closer around my head, but it only got louder. My mind groggily realized that my pillow was the source of the strange noise. I threw it off my head and onto the floor where it continued to emanate the noise.

“Buck it all.” I cursed as I climbed out of the pull-out couch bed, still keeping my eyes shut. I rubbed my face with both my hooves and sighed. I was really tired and I just sat there as my mind started to warm up.

I opened my eyes and saw that it was still dark out. I glanced over to the clock in the library. It read a harsh 4:30. I got up and walked into the kitchen looking around for something to drink. I didn't know what in the world had made my pillow act so unnaturally, but my thirst came first. Priorities. I opened up the fridge and inside was the water pitcher, but also a full plate with a cover over it. A note was attached to the cover. Intrigued, I pulled it out with the water pitcher and put them on the table. I got a cup before sitting at the table. I poured the water into the cup, and drank ravenously. Then I took a look at the note.

“Dear, Crimson,” it read in a fluid, refined hoofwriting. “I put some leftovers from dinner into the fridge for you in the morning, since you would be getting up far earlier than Spike or I. I hope the spell I put on your pillow didn't scare you too much, but I didn't have any alarm clocks, so I had to improvise. The Apple family starts working around 5:00 when the sun rises, so you have to get used to getting up early. Have fun and good luck! Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle.” I snorted and almost chocked on my cold grilled dandelion sandwich. That's why I'm even awake at this time! I quickly looked at the clock back in the library. It steadfastly told me it was 4:40.

Horseapples. It took us nearly 20 minutes to get to Sweet Apple Acres last night, and that was when we were all racing. I took one last bite of my sandwich and a final swig of water and hurried across the library and out the front door.

Looked out at Ponyville in the predawn hours. It was serene, but my predicament caused me to miss out on it's cozy charm. I raced through the empty streets taking turns at full speed, sprinting straightaways and dashing out onto the road that led out of town to Sweet Apple Acres. I felt my heart beating hard in my chest along with hearing my pulse in my ears. I kept running faster becoming aware the dark sky were receding into a light pink hue. I breathed harder as I pushed myself to make it to Sweet Apple Acres. I crested the final hill as the sun's first rays broke the horizon. I slowed from a gallop to a canter as I descended down the hill. I came to Sweet Apple Acres' entrance.

I stopped just outside of the farmhouse and sat in the dirty ground regaining my breath.

The door to the farm house opened up and Applejack poked her head outside.

“Don't tell me yer already tired!” She said bemused, her cowpony hat sitting cock-eyed on her head. “Come on in. We got breakfast if'n yer hungry.” she said as she reentered the house.

I got up and followed her into the farm house. The second I entered I was hit with the lovely smell of a well cooked farm breakfast. It felt like I floated to the table in the quaint kitchen following only the scent of a good breakfast. I saw Big Mac seated at the table while Applejack set another place. He was chewing on an apple strudel silently. I nodded to him as I came in and sat down at the worn table. He nodded back in acknowledgment and kept eating. I sat down to his right and Applejack across from him, to my right.

The table was covered in quite the spread of warm, healthy, farm cooking. Apple strudels, oats, muffins, haycakes, and small apple pies were laid across the homey table, all looking more appetizing than the other.

“Dig in partner.” Applejack said to me as she spooned some oatmeal onto her plate. “You're not getting outta here until 1:00. Yer gonna need the energy ta keep up with us farmponies.”

I served myself a little of everything and buckled down into my meal, more ravenously that I expected.

I force-swallowed a large chunk of apple strudel and asked Applejack “Why am I only here until 1:00? Wasn't I hired to work all day?”

“Don't worry about it Crimson.” Big Mac said in his deep voice. “We stop harvesting around 1:00, and start producin' our goods. The production is a family secret.”

I snickered. “Really?”

“No offense sugarcube, but it's been a family secret since ferevah.” Applejack said. “Now finish up, we gotta get going.”

I cleaned my plate of food in record times and followed Applejack and Big Mac in putting the plates in the sink and leaving the house.

The sun had risen in the time since I had first arrived, but still hung reluctantly low to the horizon, like it wanted to go back to sleep, just like me. The Apple siblings led my to the barn. Big Mac walked over to a cart filled with stacks of empty apple bushels and strapped it onto his harness. He then headed off to the north side of the acres without a word.

Applejack led me to another cart. It had a bar in the front, so more than one pony could pull it.

“We're gonna be coverin' one o' the east orchards taday. Big Mac has the one o' the north orchards, but he'll come around in a couple a' hours ta get our bushels and leave some empty ones.” she said as she ducked under the bar and left me some space to squeeze in beside her.

I did the same as her but asked “He does a whole part of the farm by himself?” amazed.

“Eeyep.” Applejack chuckled.

We both strained against the bar for a moment, then the cart started to roll and we led it east. Applejack and I walked in silence pushing the cart further and further away from the farmhouse and barn. We traveled down natural corridors formed by the friendly arboreal guardians, eventually stopping when we surrounded on all sides by apple trees. I got out from pulling the cart and looked back where we had come from. The farmhouse and barn were silhouettes.

Applejack grabbed a few bushels and put them around a tree. She motioned for me to follow her lead. As she grabbed two, I decided to grab ten and put them around a cluster of apple trees that grew close together.

Applejack looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Ain't that a bit of an overkill there Crimson?”

“You're forgetting how I buck apples.”

“Okay....” she said skeptically before starting to buck the tree she picked out. I decided to get to work too, so I walked into the center of the cluster of apple trees and started to use my Colt Maga on them.

We worked quietly and diligently and it felt good. Not only was the apple bucking a hard work out, I was also able to keep my mind off of my thoughts about the Battalion. The best part about it all was I was able to use Colt Maga freely again. Ever since I had received my cutie mark and started to learn Colt Maga, it had been therapeutic. The whole act of it, the work out, being able to use my skill constantly, and the emotional rush all made me feel better. Colt Maga had helped me out through the toughest times of my life when I was younger, when it looked like everything was just getting worse. Colt Maga managed to pull me out of my spiral of negativity and raise my spirits to unimaginable heights. The out of breath feeling I always had after using Colt Maga wasn't because I was tired, it was because I was filled with a feeling of awe.

Applejack and I worked in a circle out from the cart, clearing trees of their fruit and clearing our cart of empty bushels. Applejack had taken a tree next to another cluster of trees that I worked on. We were filling the final bushels that were in our cart. After I finished my final dropkick that filled my last bushel, I realized Applejack was watching me.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and asked “What?”

“Nothin'. I jest never thought you would keep at that new-fangled way a' bucking apples.”

“Well I ain't a farmpony, so I gotta improvise.”

Applejack shook her head and started to carry a full bushel back to the cart. I did the same and we went back and forth between the cart and the trees carrying the full bushels to the cart, stacking them on top of another, completely filling the cart and then some.

I sat down against the cart and breathed deeply. “So hat do we do now?”

“Now we have lunch before Big Mac comes with another cart full a' empty bushels.” she answered as she grabbed a bag I hadn't noticed from a side compartment of the cart. Inside were sustaining apple food products like granola and apple bars, dried apple slices, and the ever present apple pies. I took a few slices of dried apples and Applejack sat down next to me. She grabbed a granola bar out of the bag and started to snack.

“So Big Mac can really clear a whole orchard in a few hours?” I asked making idle conversation.

“He's the best apple bucker this side of Appleoosia. Ponies might think I'm the better bucker, but Big Mack is stronger an' faster than I am.” she said proudly.

“Then why do people think you're the stronger one?” I asked politely, not wanting to hurt her pride.

She sighed sadly. “Because most ponies are scared of him. If ya haven't noticed, he's pretty big. He was always big, even when I was a lil' filly. And he's real quiet too. He don't talk to much, so some ponies think he's unsocial or even dumb.” she stated angrily. “But he ain't! He's jest as smart as any other pony, if not a lil' smarter. That's why even though I own Sweet Apple Acres, I lestin to what he has ta say; not jest as a sister, but as a boss. He's quite the genius when it comes ta mechanical stuff. He even works on this thing he's making in the barn...But like I was saying, ponies don't get to know him because they can't see he's jest shy. They let their imaginations make him up.” she finished.

“Applejack,” I said soothingly “some of the biggest and supposedly 'deadly' creatures I have met in the Battalion, were just big old softees like your brother.”

“Like who?” she said suspiciously.

“Like the draconic ambassador from the Ruby Forests, Brightflame.”

Applejack's eyebrows rose in astonishment. “Well I'll be..”

“Yep. He was very quiet when I first met him, and believe me he's a huge dragon. I met him over some tea to discuss the flight of the next great dragon migration from the Ruby forests.”

“We saw one o' them migrations jest a little while back.”

“Yeah, but they were coming from the Diamond Expanse. The Ruby Forests are large forests that have trees as tall as a hill and are a deep mahogany with bright red leaves. The dragons who inhabit them get extremely large because the animals that live in the forests have grown gigantic to get to the leaves on the trees.”

“Whoowe partner.”

“Despite Brightflame being bigger than your barn, he was very timid. When he spoke, it was always in a whisper, and he always moved slowly and carefully around us ponies. Because he acted the way he did, some bureaucratic ponies thought he was stupid. I stood up for Ambassador Brightflame and stopped the bureaucrats from trying to take advantage of him. They thought that they could convince him that the next migration would fly around Equestria, not through it, potentially making the journey much harder for the dragons.”

“Why those sneaky lil' jerks...”

I nodded in agreement. “I told them that if they tried to abuse Brightflame's hospitality, I'd take my unit and leave, leaving the silly ponies unprotected from one big, scary dragon. Brightflame later thanked me and offered his friendship. We've been friends ever since.”

“Wow, Crimson. That's quite the story there. But is he really like big Mac.” she asked.

“Eeyep.” I said in a a best Big Mac voice I could muster.

We were both laughing as Big Mac came up to us pulling a cart full of empty bushels. We got up and helped him out of his harness. He looked dog-tired, but his eyes had a certain spark in them.

“AJ, I'm gonna take the rest of the day off after I take this cart back and get all the apples washed and ready.” he said as the detached the pull-bar from the full cart and placed it against the cart of empty bushels.

“What fer?” Applejack said amused.

“Tah do stuff, AJ. I'm a busy stallion, I got things I gotta do.” Big Mac said gruffly as he attaced himself to the full cart quickly.

Applejack obviously knew what Big Mac was going to do, but liked to tease him. “So yer goin' tah see Fluttershy I take it?” she asked deviously.

Big Mac was slowly trotting away from us, but stood up stiff when Applejack mentioned Fluttershy. He turned his head and gave Applejack a deadly glare, then broke into a canter and left quickly.

Applejack was snickering, pleased at the discomfort she caused him.

“Big Mac and Fluttershy huh? Are they a couple?”

“Yeah. They started going out a while ago. Apparently, Big Mac helped out Fluttershy with her animals during a big storm.” Applejack said nonchalantly.

“Makes sense” I said as in realization. “They're both really shy.”

“Darn tootin'! Now lets finish up buckin' these trees.” she said and we went back to work. We worked harder than we did in the early morning, clearing the trees as fast as we could, since working in the afternoon sun would be horrible and hot. We finished the east orchard within a few hours of getting the new cart. We filled the cart with the literal fruits of our labors. Then we attached the pull-bar to the cart, struggled to pull the cart for a bit, then finally got it moving and back to the barn. Applejack and I pulled it into the barn and left it there.

“We'll get 'em washed an' ready to make some delicious grub.” Applejack said wiping her hooves together to rid them of some dirt.

“So I'm done for the day?”

“Eeyep.”

“I be seeing you tomorrow morning. Bye Applejack.” I said as I started to walk away from the barn and out of Sweet Apple Acres.

“You had a good first day a' work, Crimson. Good Job.” Applejack called after me.

“Thanks!” I said, leaving the Apple's Acres.

I walked slowly along the winding road back to Ponyville and took in the scenery. I breathed in the clean air and looked around at the expanse of Sweet Apple Acres and realized how much work was cut out for me. The orchards followed me on my journey home for at least three hills. I felt a little apprehensive about the work, but I felt good after a nice long, hard day's work.

As I entered Ponyville, the sun was high in the sky and warm on my back, but as always felt a little oppressive. I guess that happens when you are a child of the night. I walked to the library to find a little sign on the door saying it was closed. I tried opening the door, but it was magically locked. Great. I decided to take a walk around Ponyville in the meantime. It would help me get my bearings around the town, and also it seemed like a novel idea on such a nice day.

I was wrong.

I walked through Ponyville absorbing the sights and feel of the happy, nice little town. I walked through the center of town and throughout the market. The ponies there gave me small smiles and even waved, but all the smiles were distant and cold. I realized that they were just like the ponies in Canterlot that had seen my attacks: they were scared of me. I became really angry and sad. What was I? Some sort of mindless monster? I left the town square upset and just kept on walking without noticing where I was going. I finally broke out of my funk when I realized I walked to the town's lake. I looked out onto the placid waters and sighed to myself. Equestria had never truly experienced war. Of course the return of Discord and the Changeling invasion had been bad, but the common pony never experienced the brunt of the battle. Ponyville was the same. It was a town untouched by war. I remembered I should be proud of that since it was me and the Battalion that kept Equestria that way. But still, they just would never understand.......

Then I was tackled from the side.

“Hahaha! I knew that was you Mooney!” said a familiar voice I hardly expected to hear in Ponyville.

I got up from the tangle of me and the other pony. “Muffin-brain, isat you?” I asked.

The gray pegasi got up off the ground and flipped her blonde mane out of her face. She gave me her familiar lovely crooked smile, that matched her crooked stare. When I realized I wasn't dreaming, I gave her a hug, and we laughed out of our happiness of our reunion. Reluctantly I let go of the embrace, but stayed close beside her.

“Last time I saw you was after you got out of the hospital for the detached retina thing. How have you been holding up since then?” I asked my dear friend.

“You don't have to worry about me anymore Mooney.” she held up a hoof with a ring on it and I gave her a stunned look. “I'm married now.” she giggled out.

“Who's the lucky stallion?!” I asked her.

Just then, a stallion with a chestnut brown coat and a dark brown mane came running up to us with a worried expression on his face.

“Ditzy, are you alright?” he asked in a Trottingham accent.

Ditzy pointed to him. “Mooney, I'd like you to meet my husband, the Doctor.”

I reached out a hoof to shake his and he grasped my looking confused.

“Your name is 'The Doctor'?”

“Oh, on this planet I'm called Doctor Whooves. But you can call me anything you want chap. No love, who is this fine pony you bumped into?”

This planet? Was he crazy?

My judgments about him disappeared as I saw how he lovingly looked at Muffin-head and sidled up next to her.

“Doctor,” she said gently to him. “he's Crimson Moon. He's a good friend from back when I was in the Lunar Battalion.”

The Doctor got an enlightened look on his face and grasped my hoof again and shook it vigorously, smiling like a fool the whole time.
“I've heard so much about you mate. Ditzy says you're like the older brother she never had.” he told me with appreciation.

“Why don't you come over to our house for a spell?” Ditzy said. “That is, unless you're busy.”

I looked over to my married friend. “I have all the time in the world.” I told her.

Ditzy and the Doctor burst out laughing.

What did I say?

“Well, not yet you don't Crimson....:” Ditzy said lucratively.

“Dear, should we show him the old girl when we get back?” the Doctor said strangely.

“You read my mind love.” she said as she kissed him gently.

I shook my head at their unabashed love, but coughed gently as their kiss started to last a little long.

“So where do you live?” I asked.

“The house is right near Fluttershy's cottage, but we live everywhere.” said Ditzy.

Oh god. Please tell me this stallion hadn't turned Muffin-head into a hippie.

We started to walk towards the elusive Everfree forest and the Doctor started to make amicable conversation with me.

“So old chap,” he said “how did you meet my lovely wife?”

“Well, we were both in the Lunar Battalion together, but I think you already know that. But what you probably didn't know was that she was a rival of mine, being the captain of Ganymede Unit.”

“You never told me that love.” the Doctor said to his wife astonished.

Ditzy blushed and I went on. “She and I would always get into prank fights whenever we were stationed at the same place.”

“Like when we were both in Canterlot.” Ditzy reminisced. “I don't think the gardeners will ever get over all the frosting that ended up in the Royal Maze.” she laughed.

I laughed too. “Or that spell in Cloudsdale. They be afraid of falling up forever!”

The Doctor was amazed at hearing all the stories of the things Muffin-head and I did in the Battalion. Our conversation made the bad mood I was in evaporate. Not only did my bad mood disappear, but so did the distance to the married couple's house.

Their house was in a little alcove on the edge of the Everfree. It was a very strange house, to say the least. It had a normal first floor, boxy and square in the architecture of normal pony-buildings. However, the second floor seemed impossibly strange. It was a circular room, much like Carousel Boutique, but it hung over the first floor. The roof was a spire and there was a small shed on the side of the house. Despite it's awkward appearance, the house seemed to blend perfectly in with nature itself, looking right at home on the edge of the vast Everfree.

“Come on it. We can have tea and muffins.” the Doctor said.

We entered the majestically strange house and Ditzy and I sat in the drawing room in two small reclining chairs around a small coffee table.. While the Doctor went off to gather the muffins and make some tea. I turned to Ditsy and started to look at her remorsefully.

“I'm sorry I wasn't there in Neighvada when that riot broke out.” I said to her sadly, her smile losing its luster. “If I was there I would have never let those crowds attack your unit. And then that guy with the flyball bat wouldn't have been able...” Ditzy held up a hoof silencing me.

She gave me a small sad smile. “It was unexpected. Nopony would have know that was gonna happen. The doctors said that I was lucky getting off with just a lazy eye. It might have been tough for the a while, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Believe me.” she said knowingly. “I met the Doctor because of my eyes, and my world has never been the same.” she smiled.

“So what about you? What brings you to Ponyville?” she asked trying to steer the conversation towards happy topics.

“I have a mental disease.” I said solemnly.

Ditzy put moth hooves to her mouth and gasped, shocked. “I'm so sorry Mooney. Oh my gosh....”

“We all got our things.” I told her with a forced smile. “Yours is with your eyes, mine is up here.” I said pointing to my head with one hoof, and making small circles around the side of my head with the other. Ditzy's expression lightened and she giggled. The Doctor came in carrying a tray full of muffins, cookies, tea, and other small snacks. He sat down in his own chair and took a tea cup and plate.

He looked at Ditzy with a smile before he told me. “Try the jammy dodgers. They're amazing.”

I looked at him with my eye raised. “You sound just like Luna. She had these things every time we met up for tea. Did you give them to her?”

The Doctor looked amused. “Well, there goes on of my little surprises.” he said a little downcast.

“Really! Where do you get them? These are amazing, but Luna would never tell me where to find them.”

“If Luna's shown him the room I don't think he'll be surprised by the TARDIS, Doctor.” said Ditzy happily.

“Bloody hell! Come on Crimson!” the Doctor said energetically. “Let me show you my oldest companion!” he said as he lifted himself out of the chair and went through the door he came in through.

Ditzy giggled as the Doctor came back in to grab a jammy dodger, and motion to us to follow. Ditzy shook her head amused and followed him through the door. I did the same following them through a kitchen full of strange appliances and out the back door to the outside shed.

The shed itself looked like any other gardening shed most ponies had, but was a little larger. The Doctor opened the doors and went inside tailed by Ditzy and I. I entered the shed in darkness, but the Doctor found the light switch and turned it on. The lights illuminated a large blue box used to call the police in large cities like Canterlot or Trottingham. We even had a few up in Stalliongrad, but they weren't to necessary: Everypony who is sane knows it's too cold to steal and commit crime up north. But this large blue police box had the words 'PONY BOX' printed on its side above two doors that led into it.

“This is the TARDIS, Crimson.” Ditzy said as she and the Doctor entered it.

I followed in suit and found another similarity between the Doctor and Luna: they both had secret rooms that were bigger on the inside. I mentioned this to the Doctor as I closed the doors of the TARDIS.

“But Luna's room can't do this!”he said as he flew around large central console pressing it's buttons. He stopped at a large lever, putting his hoof on it and giving me a manic smile he must've taught a certain princess. “Allons-y” he shouted as he pulled the lever.

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I stepped out of the TARDIS fourteen hours later when it landed behind the library. The sun was setting and my body was confused for a while, but that was to be expected. Traveling around the galaxy for a couple of hours then going to an all night rave in Neighples and then traveling back in time to get to Twilight's before dark was quite the unnatural endeavor. But that didn't mean it wasn't fun.

My first step out of the TARDIS and onto solid Ponyville earth was shaky and I almost fell to the ground.

“Watch it there chap.” the Doctor said as he caught me.

“Thanks, Doc..” I said. Ditzy was just as plastered as I was, but she was leaning on the door of the TARDIS giggling at me.

“Still can't hold yer drinks Mooney.” she said with a slur.

“Pshhht. I can still beat you in a race plastered.” I challenged.

“Now's not the time for that mate. Don't you think Miss. Twilight will want to know where you were?”

“A course! You're a good pony, Doctor. Got a good head on yer flank and whatnot.” I said with a hiccup. The Doctor walked me to the back door to the library and leaned me up against it.

“Good nighty chap. You might want to sleep in tomorrow, since your pony metabolism will have a hard time braking down this much alcohol.” he said smartly as he walked back to the TARDIS.

“Crimson!” Ditzy shouted from the TARDIS “Goodnight!”

“Good night you two!” I replied earnestly with a wave before I reached for the door handle.

“Wait!” cried Ditzy. “If you ever need anything” she said gentler “you can always come to us.”

“Thanks Muffin-head.”

She broke into a big smile as the Doctor sidled up to her. “Get some sleep Mooney!” she shouted back at me. The TARDIS doors closed and it slowly faded from existence making its peculiar sound noise.

I stood there on the doorstep for a moment trying to remember the places we went to throughout the galaxy. I remembered something about a planet inhabited by big monkeys and another place that the Doctor said he and Ditzy had their honeymoon. I could remember that I liked the planet, but not why. Most of my current thoughts and memories were distorted by our antics at the Neighpolitan rave. The various glow-rings around my hoof almost fell off as I opened the door and entered the kitchen from the back, only to find Twilight were looking over a map of Ponyville with the other elements of harmony in the main room of the library. Spike must have already been put to bed.

“...So he was seen at the pond, but after that....” Twilight said worried.

“Don't worry sugarcube, I know we'll find him.” an honest country voice replied comfortingly.

“I just hope he didn't go into that horrid forest.” an elegant voice stated.

“Oh, I would have seen him before he went into the Everfree. The animals would have told me that a new pony was walking into the forest.” a soft voice said.

“Twi, you want me to do another fly-by over Ponyville? I bet I could find him in 10 seconds flat!” an energetically confident voice proclaimed.

I saw that Pinkie was sitting back from the conversation.

“Hey Pinkie.” I said quietly, not wanting to be rude.

“Hay is for horses silly!” she whispered back.

“Wait? Aren't we.....”

“How was the party, Crimson?”

“How'd you know I was at a party?”

“My Pinkie sense was acting up. Two leg jerks, a backflip, and a reverse worm always mean a pony got out of a bad mood and went to a party.”

“That's actually spot-on.” I said amazed.

“They usually are.” she replied shrugging her shoulders. “Plus, only one place sould have produced all those glow-rings.”

“So what's this little meeting about?” I asked.

“Twilight was going to form a search party for you when you didn't come home for dinner.”

“Oh there's no reason for that.” I said flatly.

“I told them that......”

I snuck up behind Twilight and listened in onto their conversation. Everypony around the table were looking down at the map of Ponyville, trying to trace my route earlier today.

“Sightings of Crimson stopped at the pond, so he couldn't have gotten far.” Twilight restated, putting a hoof under her chin.

I laughed next to her, making her jump 10 feet into the air along with everypony else except for Pinkie Pie.

“Couldn't have gotten far huh? You wouldn't believe where I was for the last 14 hours.”

My words went unheard as two mares tackled me; one a rainbow maned pegasi and the other a lavender unicorn.

“Crimson!” they shouted in delight and surprise, while the other three mares looked at us amused but held back.

I got up from the entanglement of limbs and body parts to find the pegasi fluttering above me giving me a noogie and the lavender unicorn giving me a lecture.

“....ever do that again! Do you know how worried I was?” I partially heard her saying.

The vast amount of alcohol made me especially playful. “I love you to.” I said semi-jokingly to Twilight as I blew her a kiss. She immediately turned a shade of red that would rival any of Applejack's apples. Rainbow stopped pestering my head as she fell down laughing at the sight of Twilight's face. I turned to face the other three mares. Applejack wore a smirk as she looked at me and my foolish grin.

“Gawd, yer a fool Crimson.” she said. “Don't do that again, ya hear?” she said seriously.

“Yes dear, Twilight will have wrinkles much too early if she has to worry about you all the time.” Rarity said.

“You made us all worried Crimson.” Fluttershy said almost inaudibly. “If it's okay with you, please tell somepony where you're going.”

I realized that the time I was gone only caused them to fret. My smiled faltered.

“Alright I'm sorry all. I was just having such a good time with an old friend. Plus you don't have to worry about me, I can handle myshelf.” I said starting to let the inebriation take over.

“But we do sugarcube.” Applejack said caringly.

“We don't want to see one of our friends get hurt.” Fluttershy said with such endearment it almost broke my heart.

“Alright” I said seriously “for your sakes it won't happen again.”

The three mares looked relieved.

“Well, we ain't needed around here, so I'm gonna head back home. I got a big day a' work cut out fer me. You too Crimson.” Applejack said leaving.

“I guess I should leave as well.” said Rarity, tossing her mane. “You can come by the boutique at anytime and pick up your uniform dear. Goodnight everypony.”

“I should get back and make sure the all the little creatures are snuggled up. Goodnight.” Fluttershy said as well.

Pinkie Pie walked past me, dragging a cyan pegasi in hysterics by her mane out the door. “Goodnight everypony!” she said impossibly between clenched teeth. “Oh and Crimson, take tomorrow slow.”she finished as she left the library dragging Rainbow all the way.

I turned to face the final mare. She was obviously angry and still red from my moves earlier, but she also had tears sliding down her face.

I was taken back in shock. How did I cause this?

“ Twilight, I...”

“Do you know how worried I was?” she said in a purely sad voice that cut me deep.

“I'm sorry.” I said ashamed of myself. What made it even worse was that the sunglasses that were sitting atop my head fell to the ground, making me cringe in even more unadulterated shame.

However I heard a tinkling laugh. I raised my look from the ground to Twilight's face. She was drying her tears and looked at me with a sad happiness.

“Do you know how ridiculous you look?” she said.

“I am kinda drunk right now, so I presume I look fantastically amazing.”

Twilight giggled. “You look like you've been through a wood chipper and then dressed by Vinyl Scratch wearing a blindfold.”

“Ouch. That's harsh.”

She picked up my new sunglasses off the ground with magic and put them on the table.

“Where did you even go?” she asked before helping me to the couch.

I told her about meeting Doctor Whooves and reuniting with Ditzy Hooves, and our adventures of this afternoon.

“I knew the Doctor had the TARDIS and married Ditzy, but what surprises me more is that Ditzy was part of the Lunar Battalion, and a captain nonetheless!” she said somewhat amazed and amused at my story.

I placed my hooves on my head and found out I had some golden laurels on my head from the party. I placed them on the table next to my sunglasses and started to take off my glow-rings.

I was struggling with the ones around my neck when Twilight said “Let me help you.”

She moved closer to me and had me sit up straight as she worked on the pesky little clasps on that held the rings together. Instead of using magic though, she used her hooves. One by one the came away from my neck and came to rest next to their siblings on the table, and Twilight's hooves slipped down my neck to come to the last ring resting on my shoulders.

I looked into her eyes as she worked with the ring, her movements becoming hasty as she worked under my gaze.

“Twilight, I'm sorry that I made you worry so much tonight.”

“Really?” she said as the final ring fell away from my shoulders. Her hooves didn't though.

I put my hooves around her and said “Yeah, I really wish I could make it up to you.”

“You could have brought me back a souvenir. I always wanted to visit Neighples.” she said a little shyly. “It's the city of amore, or so the locals say.”

“Know what?” I said coyly leaning closer to her. “I did bring something back for you.”

“What?” she said her eyes sparkling in the low lights of the library.

I leaned in and gave her a powerful, full mouthed kiss. I pushed it a little far, leaning so much she almost fell back, but I pulled her away from the ground and held her as she stayed in our embrace breathlessly.

“A good old Neighpolitan kiss. I brought enough only for you though.” I said playfully.

Twilight looked energized and the happiest I had seen her in all my time in Ponyville. I was about to kiss her again but a childish voice from the stairs stopped me.

“Could you two get a room? Or at least leave the house? I am trying to sleep.” said an obnoxious purple and green dragon who was inspecting his claws while sitting on the bottom step of the stairs.

We broke reluctantly from our embrace and Twilight started to blush again. She coughed and turned to me.

“Umm, when we were out.” she started to say before Spike cut her off flatly.

“We got you a bed. It's in your room.” he said indifferently.

“Yes. It was the last type the had left for some reason. I'm sorry, but it's a camping bed, so I'll find you a better one as soon as possible.”

“Why don't you just let him use yours?” Spike said nonchalantly.

“But where would I...OH! SPIKE! GO TO BED!” she said realizing what he implied.

“I was in bed until you two woke me up.....” he said begrudgingly as he sulked back up the stairs.

Twilight started to follow him up, but paused on the spiral to look at me.

“Goodnight Crimson.” she said above me, her voice carrying all I needed to know.

“In Neighples, they say Buona Sera, mi amore.”

She smiled brighter than anypony I had ever seen and finished the walk up her stairs, leaving me in the dark as the candles in the library went out by magic.

I turned and entered my own room to find a small bed waiting for me. The 'camping bed' as Twilight called it was actually the type of bed we used when we were out on missions out in the field, far away from the safety of our barracks or even civilization. I slipped under the sheets placed on it and blew out the candle on my nightstand. I then sunk happily into my comforting and familiar bed resting my head on my pillow and sinking into a deep sleep. I was tuckered out from the time traveling, partying, and rush of emotions of the day.

Chapter 10

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 10

The sound of a million angry bees filled my ears. My head pounded with pain, my pulse feeling like a jackhammer inside of my skull. The buzzing-pillow alarm only worsened my condition, so I tried to throw it off of my head, but ended up getting tangled in my sheets and tumbling off of the bed onto the ground. The pain from the impact jarred my whole body, making the pounding in my head increase. I got up unsteadily, and tried to take a few steps. I almost fell back to the ground, but managed to reach the doorway and brace myself against it. I stood there for a minute trying to regain my breath and chase away the sense of vertigo clamping its jaws around my mind.

“What was in that Neighpolitan wine?” I said aloud, before regretting it. Talking even slightly worsened my headache and caused me to teeter on the edge of throwing up. I clamped my mouth shut with determination and walked out the front door of the library. I closed it behind me and started my arduous journey to Sweet Apple Acres.

In the Battalion, I had marched through some pretty extreme conditions. Blizzards, driving rain, heavy heat, jungle, forests, mountains, and even swimming across a few lakes. Every single one of them was a piece of cake compared to this. Staggering through Ponyville in the wee hours of morning was not fun. My first stop to throw up was in the bushes in Ponyville square. I hoped nopony would notice while they were selling their goods in the market. The next stop to throw up was as I reached the road leading to Sweet Apple Acres. I was leaving the town when I got the urge, so I looked around for something to expel my stomach's contents in. Luckily, the last house on Ponyville's edge had its garbage out, so I borrowed their cans for a few unholy minutes. When I finished, I placed the top back on the can and whispered a prayer to Faust that the occupants of the house wouldn't find out what happened to the can.

I left Ponyville feeling somewhat better, my headache starting to subside along with the feeling of vertigo. I walked slowly to Sweet Apple Acres, knowing I would be late, but not caring too much. I felt the final urge to throw up again, halfway to Sweet Apple Acres. I just walked off the side of the road and did the deed, knowing nopony would come out this way for a long time. I wiped my mouth of the foulness and continued on my journey, feeling better but also like shit at the same time.

I rounded the corner into Sweet Apple Acres after some time and managed to stumble to the barn where I found Applejack and Big Mac waiting for me. Big Mac snorted at the sight of me and shook his head. He started to walk towards the north with cart in tow, as he did the day before.

Applejack however barraged me when she saw me. “Where have ya been? We shoulda started buckin' half an hour ago! Wait a tic, you don't look so good...”

“Second day on the job and I already come to work with a hangover.” I said with chagrin.

Applejack eyed me with apprehension. “You sure you can work taday?”

I ducked under the cart to get into the pulling space and almost fell over. “Let's just get this over with.”

“Ok hon.....” she said as she slipped in beside me. We walked down a different path than we did the day before, but we still headed off to the east. From the look of it, the orchard we went to was pretty close to the one from the yesterday. We set up the cart and grabbed the empty bushels in silence, and started to get to work like yesterday.

Applejack started filling up her bushels much faster than I, since I was moving very slow to acquiesce to my head's constant pulsing. After Applejack had moved onto her fifth tree, I stopped attempting to buck the trees and took a deep breath, focusing on what I had to do. The pulsing in my head diminished as I reopened my eyes and started to buck the trees in my own martial way.

As I moved onto my third cluster of trees I noticed my headache was gone. I paused bucking for a moment as I thought I heard something. Some sort of gentle music. I looked over to Applejack who was diligently bucking her tree.

“Were you just whistling?” I asked her

“Nah, why?”

I blinked my eyes. “I just thought I hear some music...”

“I don't hear anything.”

I went back to bucking the trees and heard it again a little later. It was gentle, but it's tune spoke of the forest. It sounded vaguely familiar.

“You don't hear that?” I said wiping the sweat from my brow. It was really hot for so early in the morning.

“What?”

“That song. Does Big Mac play music or something while he works?”

“Nope. Are you sure yer alright Crimson? Yer sweatin' buckets.”

“It's just a little hot out.”

“No it ain't. I think you might be sick.”

Then it hit me. The song. I knew why it was familiar and I should have took heed of it earlier. I noticed I was getting hotter with a start.

“Applejack, you're right. Do you have rope on you?”

She looked alarmed. “Yea....yea in the cart. Why?”

I started to feel the heated pain in my neck. The world started to blur. The memories started to flood back as I left my body, but saw myself fall to the ground scream-wailing in pain.

The sun at dusk was so beautiful. She sat up in a tree, playing the only personal object she ever brought on missions. While the others in my unit brought pictures or small trinkets they said were 'lucky', she only ever brought a small guitar. And she played it beautifully. She looked prettier than both immortal princesses as she played the lovely sylvan song in the setting sun.

As the sun sunk under the horizon, leaving the sky left with a receding pink, she got down from the tree. I was there to be next to her.

I was back on Sweet Apple Acres thrashing about, overturning apple bushels and throwing myself against trees to stop the memories and the pain. A rope lassoed itself over my neck. I looked back at where it had come from through unfocused, mad eyes overflowing with tears. Applejack held the end of it in her mouth and my enraged body lunged at her. She sidestepped my attack and ran through the cluster of trees I had been bucking. She tied off the end of it onto one of the trees as I chased her.

The beautiful mare in my unit was my love. Not a family-bond like we all had in the Battalion, but she was everything that mattered in my world. She and I had this last mission to complete, then we were to be married by Luna herself and released from the Battalion. We had already talked to Luna about it, and we weren't the first to do an act like this. Two other couples before us had fallen in love and Luna wasn't against it. In fact she endorsed them happily, sending them off with a big celebration, wedding them, and even paying for their honeymoon. We just had this last mission to take care of. It was going to be a cake-walk anyway. We were working with Phobos unit, Luna's 'alpha' unit, so we had nothing to worry about. What really made me happy though, was that I had recently found out she was pregnant.

My mindless body chased Applejack around the tree, eventually being tugged back by the rope around my neck. Like a dog on a leash, I was jerked up to the base of the tree. Then before I could escape the rope, more rope fell across my body, pulling me to the tree and tying me down.

Through my tears and screams I could hear a scared country voice say “I'm sorry, Crimson. I'm sorry..”

The ambush was well planned. We never expected the militant unicorn-supremacist cult to set leave hostages in their place at their camp, making it look like they never left. They attacked on all sides raining down dangerous flame-magics which gave them their name. The grass and trees lit up the night as both Puck and Phobos unit started a fight for our lives. We were confused and scattered by the ambush, but still we fought back knowing what needed to be done. The first few cultists were dealt with after the initial shock disappeared, but they gave enough time for their comrades to act.

The flaming arrows fell from the beautiful night sky like shooting stars of death, claiming few lives, but wounding many, myself included. I was pinned to the ground by an arrow as the cultists pulled out their large weapons. The catapult they had was filled with a fireball created from a culmination of the twisted unicorn's magics. The launched it at us, and I was in the forefront of its path.

I yanked my leg, trying to free it from the ground, but the arrow held true to it's deadly nature. I gave up and excepted the inevitable, but a scream cut my thoughts short.

She ran to me putting up the largest force field I had seen any unicorn ever create. She funneled it so it would catch the whole blast, but I knew it was too much for her. The trotted over to me and gave me one last teary kiss.

“I love you” she said crying. She cantered up to her magical shield as I yelled in pain for her to come back.

The blast shook my soul and broke my heart. It only took one life of our comrades, but it took my world.

I became quiet in my memories and in the current. The tear soaked mare who watched me writhe in pain, breathed a sigh of relief.

I looked around me in my memories, seeing the land around me was covered in flames that licked every living thing mercilessly. The cultists were dead, all eaten by the very flames they tried to control. I looked down at myself numbly seeing my coat was red and splotchy. I was vaguely aware that this wasn't my blood. Then I saw her body.

Bloody and charred it laid on its side, making me think she was asleep and she'd wake up like every morning we spent together. I tried to crawl to her, but my leg was stuck by the arrow. I turned around and bucked it, driving it trough my leg and sending a jolting pain up my body. It was nothing to seeing her there though. I held her in my hooves, crying her name out again and again on that battlefield. I was aware that the captain of Phobos unit, Darkening Night, was calling for me to fall back but Solitary Shadow took Puck unit into a protective wall around us. I held her close to me as I cried, my tears streaming down into her lovely bark-brown mane. Her warm blood covered my gauntlets and hooves, sending wave after wave of grief to wrack my body.

I screamed out her name one last time in my memory and in the real world, startling Applejack, before the darkness took over again.

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I woke up in my bed in Twilight's house. The door was closed to my room and I was alone. I realized that I had an attack at Sweet Apple Acres. I sighed sadly. Wasn't working supposed to help keep my mind off the painful memories? I sat up and rubbed my face. This was just bucking fantastic. It felt like I'd never find a way to make the pain go away.

I got out of bed and opened the door. I walked out to the library to find Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and a Zebra sipping herbal tea on the couch. They started to get up as I entered the room, but Pinkie Pie with her physics-breaking way of travel, got to me first. She gave me a big hug filled with concern and empathy. I hugged her back silently, hoping the touch would convey more than words. I felt Applejack and Twilight join in on the hug while the Zebra mare I didn't know sat back down on the couch. After a few minutes I broke away from the hug and the mares let go of me.

“I......I don't know what tah say.” Applejack started, her eyes brimming with tears.

“That was probably one of my worst attacks to date. I'm sorry you had to see me like that.”

“No, I feel like I........” she stammered on the verge of tears .

“It's alright.” I told her. “So who's this.”

Twilight took up the conversation. “Crimson, this is Zecora.”

The zebra got up off the couch and came over to me. She eyed me up and down and walked around me in a circle. I felt like I was a museum piece up for display. She stopped in front of me and said “This condition, it is a serious one. If it does not get cured, life for you will be no fun.”

“I kind of already know that.” I said sardonically.

“The disease is not in your mind, but in your heart. The cure is simple: tell your story to someone as a start.” she said mystically before turning to Twilight.

“Thank you for the tea and use of your home. But now I must leave to roam.” she said before leaving.

“She's a medicine mare.” Twilight explained. “She is actually very helpful, even if her rhymes can be confusing.”

I looked at Twilight blankly before I asked “How did you find me?”

“I had a twitchy-twitch, and it was a doozy! But it felt sad...” Pinkie Pie said. “So I went and got Zecora and then we came to Twilight's house”

“You mean scaring the living daylights out of me by almost breaking down my front door.” Twilight said, a little peeved off.

“Yep! But it was important.”

“After Pinkie Pie and Zecora broke into the library, while Spike and I were having a lovely breakfast, Pinkie explained everything. So I teleported the three of us to Sweet Apple Acres. We landed in front of the barn as Applejack came running from her orchards. She was very distraught and led us to where you were. She said you had an attack and she had to tie you against a tree so you wouldn't hurt yourself.....”

“Or somepony else.” I finished sadly. I gave Pinkie and Applejack a sad smile “Thanks girls. I think I'm gonna need some rest.”

Applejack and Pinkie gave me another hug.

“You don't have ta come ta work tamorrow. Just take it easy, sugarcube.”

“I told you to take it easy today. Time traveling and parties don't mix well unless you're a time lord.” Pinkie reprimanded gently.

I hugged them back and said nothing. We let go and they left the house with their respective goodbyes. I turned to look at the lavender mare who wore a blatant look of worry on her face.

“I'm gonna get some rest.” I said walking past her and going into my room. She looked dejected as I walked past her, but she muttered a sad “ok” as I went into my room.

I sat back down on my bed and thought about the attack. I was really lucky to have some friends that looked beyond the scariness of the attack, and worried about me. That never happened in Canterlot. I wondered how I would cure this, or even it there was a cure when I remembered the strange Zebra's words. Tell my story? I hadn't done that, ever. It was all in fear of having another attack, and I was never able to be around my close friends long enough to tell them the whole thing when I was in Canterlot. Maybe she was right. Maybe I should start talking.

I walked over to my door and opened it. “Twilight? Could you come here?” I called out the door.

She entered my room shortly after and I sat down on the bed. “I've gotta tell you something. You might want a chair cause it'll take a while.”

“Ok.” she said gently and went back out the door only to enter moments later with a chair from the kitchen. I let her sit down and then I got up, closed the door to my bedroom and walked over to the wardrobe. I sighed heavily in front of it, steeling myself for the pain. I opened up the doors and looked straight at the picture that I had asked Twilight to put in there on the day of my arrival. My eyes started to glisten with tears as I picked it up. I caressed it for a moment, then turned around and gave the picture to a curious Twilight. She looked at it in confusion as I sat on the bed again.

“What I'm going to tell you is something that I have told nopony else. I'd like it if you didn't tell anypony else, even our friends. I think I'll tell them when the time is right. It's just that....you should be the first.”

“Thank you Crimson. I...” she said before I silenced her by holding up my hoof.

“Please just listen. I.....I'm gonna tell you what I see during every attack. It's obviously related to my condition, but I want you to hear it as a friend, not somepony who just wants to cure me.”

She nodded her head in understanding. I took a deep breath, and started to talk.

“The reason I pulled out that picture is because I loved her. The unicorn mare in the picture was named Oakleaf Harp, and I loved her with all my heart. She was part of Puck unit and we had fallen in love over our time in the Battalion. I was going to marry hera nd she was pregnant with our baby. That is, until my last mission.”

I paused and took another breath that racked my body. I stared distantly at the floor and hoped that the story wouldn't cause another attack.

“My last mission was a rescue mission. Puck unit was working with Phobos unit for this one. Phobos was the Battalion's best unit for things like this. They had the most actual fighting experience, but for things like intelligence gathering and diplomatic missions they, weren't too good. That's why Puck was going with them. We of Puck unit were a well rounded unit, we were kind of the jack of all trades unit. We had a four really good pegasi that were fast as lightning and had sharp eyes, so they were great for recon and intelligence gathering. Our three earth ponies, myself included, were all good fighters. One of them, Parchment Declaration, was a great speaker and could take the place of any ambassador if we were ever in deep trouble. And finally, we had three unicorns to round out the unit. My best friend and Lieutenant, Solitary Shadow, was our offensive magics expert, while our medic, Syringe Poultice could fix almost anything. The last unicorn, Oakleaf Harp, was our defensive magics expert.”

“Our mission was to rescue hostages from a Unicorn-supremacist cult know as the Fire-Eater because of their use of offensive fire magics. They were militant and want to rid Equestria of all other races. They even denounced the princesses.”

“Well we were in the south in the middle of a small tropical forest tracking them. They had taken a small village hostage and threatened to kill them if their demands weren't met. It was our job to get into the camp, rescue all hostages and deal with the cult.”

Twilight listened intently to my story, shock growing on her face as she heard about the Fire-Eaters.

“Hard to swallow?” I asked her.

She looked at me in surprise and said “But things like that don't ever happen in Equestria...”

“They do. That's why the Battalion was formed.”

“But we never hear about it in Ponyville.”

“That's because most of the time, we take care of the problem before it gets out of hand.”

“Why wouldn't the princesses tell us about these problems though?”

“Like I said, we take care of them. And they don't tell because they know that common ponies like yourself would get worried. I don't always agree with it myself, but it keeps everypony happy.
When the problems actually effect you, they make sure to warn Ponyville and put some Solar Guards around to Police right?”

“Yeah...” Twilight said slowly.

“So there you are. Nice and safe without a care in the world.”

“But....”

“Let me continue.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“We tracked the cult back to their camp, a few miles away from the village they attacked to get the hostages. We kept an eye on them for a day, having the pegasi do nothing but recon. We learned their patterns and knew a night ambush would settle this issue easily and quickly.

So, during the day before the attack, both units woke up two hours before sunset to prepare and get a final recon on the camp. I had my unit get prepared and after, I spent the time until sunset, our time to leave, with Oakleaf. Her cutie mark was a lyre surrounded by a sun, and true to it, she could play the most beautiful music. She always brought a guitar that was small for me, but perfect for her. She played it with her magic every chance she could get, and she did before sunset that night. I remember that some of the Phobos troops had a problem with her playing before we were to leave, but I told them to back down. We were far enough away from the camp that we couldn't be detected by sight or sound.”

“At sunset, both units set out through the jungle. The pegasi recon team told us that the supremacists were in their camp getting ready to sleep. We found out the recon team was wrong as we came to a clearing in the jungle and were ambushed by the Fire-Eater.”

“A small group of them, about eight or so, came out of the trees surrounding the clearing firing flames from their horns. We were stunned that our recon was wrong, but Oakleaf and the other unicorns of our units started putting up shields and snuffing fires as the others in the units dispatched them. We found out that they were just meant to keep us busy. The brunt of the cult had seethed out of the far end of the clearing with magically drawn bows. Each arrow they launched was searing hot, and cut throught flesh like butter. As the first few lines of archers ran out of arrows, they dropped their bows and drew swords or came at us firing the same flame magics their fallen compatriots had.”

“They charged us while the other few lines of archers emptied their quivers on us. Many of us were wounded, but one pegasus from Phobos lost his life. I fought off the Fire-Eaters as they kept at their tactic of loosing a rain of arrows, then charging as another line of archers took their place. As we slayed the charging Fire-Eater, we knew they couldn't keep at this for much longer, since they only had a force of about 50. Sure it was twice our size, but we were trained. They fought out of desperation. Everypony there knew that, but I was still amazed at their foolish suicide attacks.”

“After they had sent at least 30 ponies to their deaths, I was hit with an arrow in the back of the leg. It sunk through my muscle and pinned me to the ground. Luckily, another wave of charging Fire-Eaters didn't come. But this was just as suspicious as I thought it was 'lucky'. At the far end of the clearing, the remaining Fire-Eaters pulled out a well concealed catapult from what we thought was jungle. In the catapult sat a large magical ball of flame ready to kill us all. I realized that their suicide runs weren't meant to hurt us, but to keep us busy as the first ambush had been. I also realized I was at the forefront of the two units, and I was stuck right smack in the middle of the catapult's trajectory.”

“The other soldiers took up defensive positions as the unicorns from both set up shields to ward off the blast. Darkening Night, the Captain of Phobos, called for me to fall back into the position, but I showed him my leg. I told them to hold their positions. If we could all survive with only one casualty to that behemoth, then I'd be glad it was me and to somepony else. I accepted my fate, crying because I wouldn't be able to see our child grow up, but Oakleaf broke position and ran up to me as the Fire-Eaters launched the fireball.”

“She kissed me and told me that she loved me and ran in front of me. I struggled against the arrow to pull myself from the ground to stop her, but all I could do was watch. As the fireball came closer to us, she set up a large, cone shaped shield that would catch the ball. It caught the ball, but Oakleaf was too weak from casting earlier to throw the ball back. She looked back at me crying and smiling and said I love you one last time.”

I paused to taking a broken breath and realized I was crying. It was strange. I expected to feel the heat and the pain of one of my attacks, but instead, I felt nothing. I was numb, and that scared me more than an attack. I looked over to Twilight to find she was crying too, and trying to stifle her sobs.

She moved from her chair and sat next to me on the bed. She gave me a hug and tried to say 'I'm sorry' but I cut her off by concluding the story. I didn't want to hear any condolences. Not yet.

“She managed to divert the blast of the ball outward so it killed the Fire-Eaters, but not all of it. Some of the blast kicked back and caught her, some hitting the units and I too. But what hit us was nonlethal. We wouldn't be able to hear correctly for a while, but that wouldn't be a problem. The blast shook me and caused me to black out for a quick second. I looked around to regain my bearings and I found out there was fire all over the place and I had spots of blood covering me. I saw Oakleaf's body on the ground where she once stood, and I raced to go to her. I was still held back by the arrow, but I bucked it through my leg. I hobbled and crawled over to her. She looked like she was asleep, but I knew otherwise. I held her there and cried for an eternity before getting up in a fit of rage. I marched on to the camp with only Phobos and parts of my unit following me, while the rest of my unit took care of the body of the pegasus from Phobos and Oakleaf.. Solitary Shadow never left my side.”

“We made it to the camp to find a small force of three Fire-Eaters left to guard the hostages. I mercilessly killed all of them. I even beat their dead bodies, so that Solitary had to pull me off of them. The Phobos troops found out the pegasi recon group hadn't been wrong. The hostages all had small wooden horns magicked to their heads, and if they were pegasi, had their wings turned invisible. One hostage told us fearfully that they were forced to act like the Fire-Eaters while the real ones went out to prepare the ambush. Apparently, the Fire-Eater leader suspected our coming, so he had a constant detection spell going on the surrounding jungle. They knew we were there before we even started a recon on them.”

“For a while I blamed the pegasi. I started blaming everyone, from Unit members to Luna herself. I then came to blame myself. I know I shouldn't, that 'it was just a fluke' but it will always be my fault. Always.”

I was cried silently as Twilight sobbed and hugged me.

“Oh Crimson! When you had you attacks, you always screamed out in pain, but that......” she broke off crying.

I just held her as she cried. Tears trickled down my face too, but I was to numb to feel them. We held each other for an eternity, lost in my sadness and her empathy. Eventually, the tears stopped and we just stayed close to one another. Twilight finally broke away.

“I've had a rough day.” I told her. “I'm gonna get some sleep.”

“Ok.” she said again gently. “Thank you for telling me. We'll find a way to stop the attacks, I promise.”

I smiled at her and climbed under my sheets. “Buona Sera darlin'.”

“Good night, Crimson.” she said smiling as she left the room.

I wasn't really tired, so I laid there looking up at the ceiling of my room without thinking. I glanced out my window and saw that the sun was resting on the horizon. I sat back up feeling better than I had since before my final mission. That Zecora was right. Telling somepony made me feel better, but I knew it wasn't a cure. I could still the PTSD in my body. It sat in the shadows of my mind, nestled in with the most traumatic memories.

Nevertheless, I still had a good feeling growing inside me. It was a vast freedom from not having to carry the burden of pain and blame. Don't get me wrong; the burdens weren't gone. I still blamed myself for Oakleaf's death and every time I thought about her, I felt my heart break. But I still felt better knowing that one other shared my loss.

I sat on my bed watching the sun slip beneath the horizon and watch the sky turn dark. This was my favorite time of night. When the bright sky cools into the peaceful darkness of night, and the lovely stars come out. I heard Twilight and Spike go up the stairs to bed, and I had an idea. I waited a while until I heard no more movement, then moved. I picked up the light camping bed and looked underneath it.

I found something unexpected and what I was looking for. Surprisingly, Twilight had put away my trinkets back into my suitcase and underneath the bed.

But what I was looking for was two clasps on the underside of the bed. I found them and pulled them, folding the bed in half. I picked it up and snuck out of my room, opening the door as quietly as I could. I tiphoofed through the library, kitchen, and out the back door I had entered in last night. I went to the backyard and popped open the camping bed. I put on the grass and laid down on it, looking up at the stars. I felt all my worries and thoughts in general disappear as I looked at the beauty of the night sky.

Shortly, I felt myself drift away into the best night of sleep I ever had.

Chapter 11

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 11

I woke up to the sun warming my face and birds singing in the trees. I rubbed my eyes and opened them slowly, letting them adjust to the light gently. It was a wonderful morning outside, and I could feel it would be a wonderful day. I remembered that I was exempt from work today, so I might as well go do something fun. I sprung out of bed and landed on my tiphooves. I bounced and kicked my bed from underneath, making it fold in half. I smiled. Always works.

I entered the house carrying my bed under one hoof and kicking the back door open. Spike, was doing the post breakfast dishes, almost dropped the one he was washing when he jumped three feet in the air. I laughed as he started to yell at me. Twilight came into the kitchen scared and confused.

“What just happened?”

“Crimson just came in through the back door for some reason!” Spike said pointing at me in an incriminatory way.

“Why do you have your bed?” they both said, noticing it for the first time.

“Just felt like sleeping underneath the stars.” I said shrugging my shoulders. I swaggered past Twilight as she was going to say something. She changed her mind last minute and just looked at me surprised. I went into my room and put my bed back where it was, but pulled out my suitcase.

“Hey Twi!” I called energetically. “You got any heavy liftin' to do or any dead trees that need to go?”

Twilight poked her head into my room with a puzzled look on her face. “Uhhmm, no?” Why do you ask?”

“I feel like doing something fun.”

“Well Fulltershy said there were a few dead trees on the edge of the Everfree that...”

“Awesome! Yo Spike, wanna come see those gauntlets I was talking about?”

I heard a pair of quickly scampering feet race into my room. “Where are they?” he asked quickly and alertly.

I opened up my suitcase and had him help me remove my trinkets again. We put the trinkets on my nightstand and on top of my wardrobe. I saw Twilight produce a parchment and quill from somewhere, and start scribbling down something. When my suitcase was empty of all my memorabilia, Spike stuck his head into the suitcase looking around.

“Where are they?” he said almost excitedly as I said. “Step back.”

The bottom of the suitcase was lined with vinyl like the rest of the inside, but it rolled back to reveal a hard metal bottom. I tapped it around the sides until I heard a decent “pop!”. I had made this 'secret' compartment by putting this metal plate in as a bottom. The real bottom was rounded, following the casing of the suitcase. However, in this compartment laid my gauntlets. I put the suitcase on the bed and pulled them out for all to see.

Spike's eyes sparkled with the light reflected off of them. “Woah....” he said stunned. I tossed them to him so he could hold onto them. He caught all four of them very carefully and looked at them reverently.

Even Twilight was mesmerized by them. “Hey, that's Princess Luna's magic on them!”

“Yeah. She put a few spells on them to help me out.”

“Like what?” she said clearly intrigued.

“If you come with me to Fluttershy's, I'll show you.”

“Horseapples. I can't I promised Big Mac I'd help him.”

“Big Mac?” I asked suspiciously. “What does he need help with?”

“I don't know.”Twilight said shrugging her shoulders. “He said he needed me to help him out with a project because I am 'the smartest unicorn ah know'” she said in a pantomime of Big Mac.

“Alright, but I'm gonna take Spike with me.”

Twilight raised her eyebrows. “Gonna?”

“Yep this is a dragonnapping!” I said as I galloped past her and picked up Spike by the scruff of his neck.

“Hey!” he said as I ran out the front door with him. I flipped him up onto my back.

“Hold onto my gauntlets kid.”

“Hurmph. Hold onto the gauntlets, but you don't care what happens to me....” he whined. I startled him by sprinting even faster, making him really hold on.

By the time I got to Fluttershy's cottage, I had gotten lost twice and Spike had to lead me there. Unfortunately, he thought it would be funny to do so by pulling on my mane in the direction he wanted to go. He was laughing hysterically when we stopped at Fluttershy's, but that didn't stop him from tugging on me.

“Come on Crimson, go this way! Giddyup!” he said gleefully.

“Hey kid” I said as I saw a mud puddle a few feet away. “put down my gauntlets.”

He dropped them, and was swiftly bucked off my back into a perfect arc, landing in the mud.

I fell down and laughed at his surprised and muddy face. His look was priceless!

“Now I know why you get along with Rainbow Dash so well.” he muttered as he wiped mud away from his face.

“Don't worry, I'll make it up to you.” I said as I sat up and put my gauntlets on. He eyed them suspiciously as I went up to Fluttershy's cottage and knocked on the door with my head. Spike laughed at this, but he didn't know why I couldn't knock on the door. Shortly, a graceful butter-yellow pegasus opened up the door.

“Oh, hello Crimson! How are you!”

“Great! Twi said you have some dead trees and stuff that you need gone.”

“Oh yes. There are two trees in my backyard that need to go, and then there's a tree that was struck by lighting. It was in the Everfree, but fell. I would be delighted if you would remove it. It's blocking the stream that flows into the pond for all my little fishy friends. I would love it if you helped. I asked Big Mac to do it, but he said he had a surprise that he would show me today.”

“No problem. I'll get this done quickly. If you want to watch, you can.”

“I'd love to.”

“Alright.” I said cracking my neck. “Come on Spike, you're gonna like this.”

We walked to the backyard and over to the first dead tree. I took my front gauntlets off again.

“Hey Spike, go hit that dead tree as hard as you can.” I said.

He raised his muddy eyebrows at me, but complied. He walked over to the tree and winded up, giving the tree a fair “smack”. He shook his claw out afterward blowing on it in pain.

“Now look at this.” I hit it with my front hoof and got a louder “thump” out of it.

Spike laughed and said “What was that? Were you trying to impress me?”

“Nope. Just giving you something to contrast.” I said as I walked back over to my front gauntlets and put them back on my hooves. I walked back over to the dead tree for a final time and stood up on my back hooves to give it a front sucker-hoof. The tree splintered satisfyingly on impact as I knew it would. Spike stared at me with his mouth hanging open. Fluttershy stood smiling at his expression.

“The first thing my lovelies do is amplify my strength. I might not be as big as Big Mac, but with these I'm as strong as he is.” I said as I drop-kicked the stump, shattering it into a million pieces. Then I walked over to the next dead tree. I called Spike over and told him to claw a large “X” into the base of the tree. Then I found a decent sized rock and gently picked it. I gave it to him and told him to go stand next to Fluttershy again. This time even Fluttershy seemed intrigued, even though she was silent. I took up the same stance across from the tree.

“Ok, Spike. Throw the rock at me.”

“What?”

“Do it kid.”

“Whatever.” he said as he lobbed it my way. He didn't throw it hard but I compensated by winding up and firing it with a hook. The rock went from a large semi-spherical shaped stone lazily floating in the air to a sharpened projectile flying fast enough to cut through a dead tree, the two live trees behind it, and then come to rest smoking in the tree behind them. Spike again looked on with an opened mouth and wide eyes, but Fluttershy also watched with wide eyes. I had them hooked.

“The second things my babies do is form a repelling barrier around themselves. So, if somepony throws a rock at me, I can punch it back at them, but return it better than it was given to me.” I said as I went over to the dead tree and poked it in the perfect whole the stone made. The tree fell backwards, and I kicked the stump, making it disappear.

“Now, where's that tree blocking the stream?” I asked casually.

“O..over this way.”Fluttershy stammered looking at the tree.

She led Spike and I further into her backyard which was more of the very entrance to the Everfree forest. We walked from a soft cut grass into the wild vegetation of the forest. Spike looked a little scared, but I just shrugged it off. The Everfree wasn't scary at all. Compared to some of the places I'd been to rescue some ponies, the Everfree was a cute little animal sanctuary.

We reached the pond and I saw it was in a bad shape. The water had stagnated so some algae started to grow on the surface. Fluttershy looked worried for her fish friends for a good reason; if they didn't get fresh water soon, they'd probably die.

I walked from the pond to the tree that had rudely fallen across the vital stream. I started to dig through the thick ground vegetation, until all four of my hooves touched the earth underneath. I closed my eyes and focused.

“What is he doing?” Spike whispered loudly to Fluttershy.

“Um, I don't know Spike. Maybe we should be quiet, he looks like he's trying to focus.”

“Shhhs.” I said with my eyes closed.

After a little while I heard the dragon-pony pair gasp as I worked my will on the tree. I could feel the tree, and I decided to make it into a cute little bridge you could walk over. I opened my eyes to see the bridge that was just in my mind, there where the tree had been and I fell down, sitting on the ground.

Spike and Fluttershy raced over to me.

“How did you do that?” Fluttershy asked.

“The tree! It, it rippled like water! Then it started to change!” Spike exclaimed animatedly.

“The third thing my gauntlets do” I said panting “is amplify my latent power when I touch the earth. You both know how earth ponies are good farmers and metal-smiths?”

They nodded their heads in confirmation.

“That's because earth ponies have latent magics. Where pegasi and unicorns can use their magic to do things like teleport or control the weather, Earth ponies can't do that. The magic we posses is inside of us, and it only comes out when we have a direct contact with the ground. Even then, we can only do things like make crops grow a little better or craft some better metal work. However, earth ponies used to be able to access all their magic when they connected themselves with the earth. I think we still can, it just takes years of practice. But my gauntlets are like a valve that opens my magic up to the earth. When I'm connected, I can impose my will over any thing borne from the earth. Like the tree over there.” I said while pointing to the new bridge.

Spike and Fluttershy helped me up and we walked out of the forest and we talked the whole while.

“Twilight would have loved to see that!” Spike said.

“Thank you for helping out today, Crimson.” Fluttershy said. “I feel like I need to repay you.”

“Oh no, I couldn't except. Just call it as a favor for a friend.”

“I insist. There must be some way I could help you......”

“Hey Fluttershy, give him one of your massages!” Spike broke in.

“What? No, I could....” I stuttered embarrassedly

“That's a great idea Spike!” Fluttershy said.

“Crimson, she can make you super relaxed. She's a pro at it and you feel like rubber when she's done. It's awesome!”

“Uhhh.....Ok, I guess.” I said apprehensively. I didn't think I would like somepony touching my muscles and body, especially when I was trained not to let something like that happen.

We all left the woods in a cheerful mood and went up to Fluttershy's cottage to get some tea and snacks, but before we could get to the back door, Twilight appeared in the backyard.

“Guys you gotta see this!” she said excitedly.

“What?” we all asked her.

“Look!” she said pointing up at the sky.

“I don't see, anything.” Spike said

“Is that a hawk?” I said spotting a far-away dot.

“No, it's not the right shape.” said the animal expert. “What is it?” she asked aloud as it started to descend, getting bigger.

It sped off out of sight past the cottage and we all turned to Twilight to ask her what it was. Then we all heard a loud “YEEEHAAWWWWW!” as the thing sped quickly overhead and did a flip in the air.

Fluttershy was the first one to recognize the voice. “Toshy?!?” she said excited and confused.

Spike and I looked at each other 'Toshy'? Then we saw the flying thing's color.

“BIG MAC!” we shouted dumbfounded. We looked at each other for a tic and then back at the flying form of Big Mac. He did another flip and then landed by us unsteadily.

“I gotta adjust the ailerons and practice my landings. But the maiden flight was a success!” he said happily as he removed the flying goggles around his eyes.

A sudden realization hit me. “THAT is the project you've been working on?!”

“Shoot, did AJ tell ya about this? Dangnabit! She said she wouldn't tell nopony. Well, serves her right. She thought it was all a joke.” he said going through a mix of emotions, starting out a little angry, then finishing smug.

“Honey, what are these?” Fluttershy said.

“Remember when we had dinner out on the ledge above Ponyville? You said you would love to fly with me in the dusk sky?”

Fluttershy blushed at the memory but said “Yes.”

“Well that got me thinkin'. If I cauld fly with you, we go do things that ya love ta do with other pegasi, an' you don't have ta worry about leavin' me behind!” he finished excitedly pulling her into a hug. “These are fer you hunay-bunnay!”

“Oh Toshy, you didn't have to do all that for me!”

Spike and I giggled at their pet-names, but were amazed by seeing Big Mac fly. I had to admit, the wings Big Mac had on looked way cooler than my gauntlets. But I would never trade them for all the cool-looking wings in the world.

“So how'd you make those, Big Mac?” I asked him after he let Fluttershy go.

“You'll like this Crimson, being a son of a blacksmith an' all.” he took them off of his back and laid them on the ground. They were made of metal and looked like two big oblong triangles. There was no weld line down the middle, so it must have all been one piece. I eyed his craftsmanship approvingly, noticing that only the most diligent of workers could get that right. Then I saw the 'ailerons' he talked about. They were two flaps of metal on the back part of the wings.

“What do they do?” I asked him.

“They control which way I want to turn. The also control whether I go up or down.” he said excitedly.

“Then how do you work them?”

He flipped the wings over onto their back. On the other side there was the harness that supported Big Mac as he flew. There was also two metal pulls that were connected to the ailerons and ran up the underside of the wings. They went out along the wings for some time and then jutted out facing forward and coming out. The ends opened up and had a bar across them, so that Big Mac could slip his hooves into them and push or pull, making the ailerons and thus wigs go whichever way he wanted to.

“That's some pretty fancy metalworking there. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Thank ya kindly Crimson.” he said with a smile, turning to Fluttershy. “Now hunnay, would you like to go fer a fly with me?”

“Yes!” she said delightedly.

Big Mac hurriedly picked up his wings and strapped himself into them.

Before he could leave I asked “How do you know the harness won't fail?” with concern.

“It's Solar denim. Rarity said it was the strongest fabric known to ponykind an' that it would go along with all my outfits nicely.” he said amused before he put both hooves in the aileron controls. Then he shot up into the sky to fly away with Fluttershy.

Twilight came over to Spike and I and watched the happy couple fly off into the distance.

“So what did you do?” I asked her.

“I helped Big Mac with the magic part of the wings. He had already done all the calculations and researched which spells would work the best.” she put a hoof to her chin. “I would have never suspected Big Mac to be so.....well book smart! He always seemed kind of slow whenever we had talked before.”

“Maybe he was just shy?” I prompted making Twilight think for a little before she looked over to Spike and saw a dirty baby dragon.

“Spike! How'd you get so muddy?!”

“Ask you coltfriend.” he said sarcastically.

I told her about how he got thrown in the mud.

“Spike you deserved that!” she said to him. “But that doesn't mean you can do that Crimson!” she said to me.

“Oh yeah?” I asked playfully “What are you gonna do?”

“Next time, I'll throw you in the mud and see how you like it!” she said as threateningly as she could.

“Will you jump in there and wrestle him to the ground?” Spike asked

“Yeah!”

“And call me names?” I asked following Spikes lead.

“Yeah!”

“And wear a leather bikini?” Spike said stifling his giggles.

“Yea....Wait, what?”

I high-fived Spike gently, quickly throwing him on my back to gallop off again.

Twilight then realized the picture we had painted her into. “SPIKE!!!!CRIMSON!!!!!! WHEN I GET MY HOOVES ON YOU TWO!!!!” she screamed as she chased after us. Spike and I laughed as I ran as fast as I could from the deadly magical weapon on legs.

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“Ok. Do that again.” Twilight said awhile later after she had calmed down. She had given Spike a bath and he had told her about what I had showed him and Fluttershy. She brushed off the first two effects of my gauntlets since they were simple augmentation and protection spells. But she became interested in the third.

So now she had me in the backyard standing in the dirt, change a large rock she and Spike called 'Tom' for some reason, into different shapes.

I changed it back from a large cube to it's original diamond shape.

“Can you try changing it into something specialized? Like a statue?” she asked from where she was sitting, recording notes on a piece of parchment.

I panted in the hot sun. “I can try.” I felt the rock with my magic through the earth; that was the easy part. Next, I picked a statue from my memory. That cool one from back in the desert outside of Las Pegasus, yeah that one would do. Next, came the hard part, imposing my will on the earth.

When you work with earth as a magical conductor, you find out that some elements are more appeasing to your will. Water would take any form you wanted it to, but was hard to control. Rocks and earth were very stubborn. They were easy to control, but resisted your will with a tenacity. Plants were the best to work with. Not only did they comply the best with Earth ponies, but they listened to you when you asked them to take a certain form, and they would let you control them if you just asked nicely.

But Tom wasn't a plant; he was an annoyingly stubborn rock. I had the picture of the statue in my mind and started to release my magic on Tom. Changing him to take the statue's form was tiring and pernicious. Beads of sweat trickled down my face and over my closed eyes. When I thought it was done, I opened my eyes. There stood Tom, changed into the monolithic slab covered in archaic runes and a large picture of a sun in the middle of it surrounded my alchemical symbols. I started to celebrate,but Tom started to shimmer and he took on a fluid composition as he went back to his original shape.

I picked up a smaller rock and threw it at Tom. “Buck you!” I shouted at him. “You suck! Boooooooo! Get outta here!”

I fell back onto the ground with an exhausted sigh. I closed my tired eyes, but opened them again as the sunlight around me disappeared. I saw Twilight standing over me giggling and floating her notepaper and quill above her head.

“Come on inside. Spike has to have lunch done, and I'm sure you're hungry.” Twilight said.

My stomach growled loudly. “I'm in.”

I got up off the ground and followed Twilight into the house. I agonizingly walked through the delicious smelling kitchen to put my gauntlets into my room and I walked to the washroom to clean my dirty hooves. Then I raced into the kitchen and sat down and had my napkin tied around my neck and fork and knives in my hooves before Twilight could blink. Spike turned around holding an amazing smelling covered-pan wearing a 'kiss the dragon' apron. He placed the pan on a hot pad on the table and stood next to his seat.

“Since we're going over to Sugarcube Corner for dinner, I'd like to present my piece-de-resistance for the day.” he removed the cover and my eyes bulged out of their sockets along with my tongue springing from my mouth.

“This is the braised alfalfa with potatoes and carrots all in a lemon perinon sauce. Enjoy.” he said with flourish.

Twilight and I ooh'd and aww'd. Not only because it was Spike, but because it smelled and looked amazing. I let Twilight and Spike serve themselves, before scooping up a large portion of the meal for myself. I tucked in right as it hit my plate. It didn't only just look and smell amazing, it tasted out of this world! I went through two plates before I began to compliment Spike's cooking. He blushed and shrugged off the compliments modestly. I was complimenting him again when the earlier part of Spike's speech hit me.

“Wait? We're going to Sugarcube Corner for dinner tonight?” I asked them. When did that happen?

“Yes Crimson.” said Twilight. “If you had breakfast with us, you would have known that Pinkie Pie invited all of us to Sugarcube Corner for dinner.”

“It's just an excuse to get us to help take care of the Cake's kids. It's their anniversary tonight, so they're going out for a night in Canterlot.” Spike explained.

Twilight looked at him sternly. “Be that as it may, I already told her we'd be delighted to go.”

“Just so long as she doesn't bring out that party cannon again.” I shuddered at the memory.

“It'll just be us and the girls, so don't worry about it. Pinkie only pulls that out when it's a big party.” Twilight tried to comfort me.

I was apprehensive about it, but the thought of it slipped my mind when Twilight said “So you think you'll be ready to use your magic after lunch.” with a 'I won't take no for an answer' stare.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Ugggh. If only I could escape....wait, that's it! I let the chair teeter over with me in it. Twilight and Spike both tried to catch me to stop me from hitting the ground, but that's what I wanted to happen. I carried the momentum, rolling backwards out of the chair and out of the kitchen into the library. I quickly scrambled up onto all four hooves and blasted out the front door. It was pity I had to sacrifice the rest of Spike's delicious cooking, but I needed my freedom from the magic dictator Twilight.

“See you at Sugarcube Corner!” I called back to the house as I galloped away.

“You don't even know what time to be there! Urghhhhh! Stallions!” Twilight shouted back, slamming the door.

Whatever. I'd make it up to her later, but now I had my freedom, my sweet, sweet freedom. My freedom was apparently all that I saw, because I tried to skid to a stop before I tumbled into a trio of little fillies.

“Hey!”

“Watch it jerk!”

“Why don'tcha watch were yer goin'!”

“Sorry, sorry. I didn't see you.” I said as we untangled ourselves.

“You're lucky we don't go call the cops! For all we know you could be a filly-molester!” said a spunky orange pegasi. I was taken aback at her comment.

“Yeah! Know what! I'm gonna get mah big brother tah beat you up!”

“Hey, hey! It was an accident kids. I didn't mean to bump into you young mares like that.” I said trying to appease them. “I'm not looking for a fight with anypony's brother, and I'm certainly NOT a filly-molester.” Sheesh. Kids these days.

“Hey, you're that stallion Rarity was talking about.” said the small off-white unicorn of the group.

“You know Rarity?”

She nodded, her curly purple and pink stripped mane bouncing with every nod. “I'm Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister.” she said politely and energetically.

“What about your friends, Miss. Belle?”

Sweetie giggled at the use of 'Miss.' in front of her name, but her friends didn't follow her mood.

“I'm not gonna fall fer any a' yer sweet talkin' mister! Mah big brother is three times yer size and can crush you like a bug!”

From her accent and the way she talked about her brother I could guess who she was.

“Your big brother is Big Mac, right? Sorry, but we already had a little tussle, and I came out on top.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “Yer a liar.”

“I'm Crimson Moon. I'm sure Applejack or Big Mac have told you about me; I work on your farm! Here, if I'm lying, then I'll do all of your farm chores for a month.” I extended a hoof.

The little light yellow filly with a red mane that almost matched mine glared at me for a minute. Then she took my hoof in hers and shook. “Deal. Mah name's Applebloom, Mister Crimson.”

Applebloom poked the orange pegasus filly in the side.

“No Applebloom, I still don't trust him. How do we know he isn't a filly....”

“I wouldn't become a filly molester for any fillys, even the three beautiful ones in front of me.” I cut her off and also making all three of them blush.

“So what's your name Miss?”

“I'm Scootaloo.”

“Well where are you three off to, Miss. Scootaloo.”

“We were going to Rarity's” Sweetie started .

“So we could help out” Applebloom continued.

“So we could find out what our talents are!” Scootaloo finished.

“Go Cutie Mark Crusaders!” They shouted together.

I laughed. “You three make quite the triumvirate.”

The all looked at me with weird looks.

“Trium-a-what?” Sweetie said.

I was astounded. “You kids don't learn about Ancient Roam in School?”

“Didn't we do that a while back?” Applebloom asked her friends.

“Yeah, cause we tried to get our cutie marks as gladiator-ponies.” Scootaloo replied.

I shook my head. Kids these days.

“Alright little mares, I'll be seeing you around. Will you be going to Sugarcube Corner tonight to help foalsit with Pinkie Pie?” I asked innocently.

“HUHH!” the three gasped in unison. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Foalsitters go!”

I had the sneaking suspicion I just opened up a can of worms, but I just smiled and walked away before anything more could happen.

I walked on through Ponyville quickly becoming bored. Sure, the little town was vibrant, but it seemed taunting when all it's citizens, except for a select few, were deathly afraid you go ballistic on them. What was worse was that nopony wanted to show out right fear. The just gave me nervous smiles and waves. I tried my best to smile and wave back with as much friendliness I could muster, but it still felt as if the whole town was still distant.

So I kept walking, until I saw a familiar rainbow stripped mane falling off the side of a cloud. I went over to a stand selling carrots and bought two with the small emergency stash of bits I kept in a tiny pouch around my neck. It was colored silver, so it was almost invisible against my coat.

I stopped to nibble on one carrot underneath the cloud Rainbow Dash must've been resting on. I took one of the carrots into my front right hoof and took aim. Ok, her mane was hanging off the side that way, so her head must be....there. I threw the carrot and it struck home. I pumped my hoof in the air as I saw the pegasus jump up after being hit.

“Who threw that!?” she said angrily.

“WHO....Crimson, you jerk.” she said as she saw me doing my celebration dance. She landed beside me to walk next to me and I offered her the other carrot.

“Thanks, so why'd you do that.” she said curiously.

“I was bored.” I replied.

She punched me in the shoulder playfully. “So what do you want to do?”

“I don't know. You tell me.”

“Hey! Why don't you teach me some Colt Maga!”she said excitedly, throwing the end of the carrot off into the distance as she did.

“I don't know.” I said before eating the end of the carrot, stalk and all.

“Dude, that's gross.”

“What?”

“You're not supposed to eat the ends.”

“I always have. Ever since I was a little colt.”

“Whatever. You are a weird stallion. I should have expected it. So you gonna teach me some Colt Maga, or what?”

“You'd need pads and other protective gear.....”

Rainbow put a hoof to her chin, then her eyes lighted up. “Be back in a minute.” she said rocketing into the sky.

I wondered what she was doing, until I saw her pushing a cloud. She landed and pulled it to the ground with her. Then she walked into it, did a little sculpting, and came out of it wearing a perfect set of cloud-pads.

“Stand still.” I said. I walked up to her and punched the clouds on her side at medium strength. “You feel that.”

“Nope!” Rainbow said energetically. “Come on! Let's go!”

“Can we take it somewhere a little less public?”

Rainbow shook off her cloud armor and picked me up by my midsection. “Sure!”

“Wait!NO RAINBOW! DAMN IT!!!!” I cried as she flew away with me.

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We were up on the cliffs overlooking Ponyville. I was sitting down, trying to make my vertigo go away while Rainbow sculpted another set of cloud-pads from a newly captured cloud. She walked over to me when she was done and beckoned me to come at her. I stood up and happily complied.

After the third time she fell to the ground, I helped her back up and asked “You finished?”

She smiled at me and said “Not by a long shot.”

“Alright, I'd better teach you some basics so you can at least have a chance.”

“Let's do this.”she said, her eyes glittering with determination.

“Widen your stance.”

“A little more.”

“Ok. Now lean your weight, so you're stepping on the tips of your hooves.....”

Our lessons continued until the sun was low to the horizon, and we were both comfortably tired. I decided to stop the lessons there for the day so we could get to Sugarcube Corner, but also to make sure Rainbow wouldn't overexert herself. We were relaxing, watching the sunset; I sat in the grass on the overlook while Rainbow laid down, panting and exhausted.

I rose from my seat and told to the athletic mare “I'm walking this time.” seriously.

“What? You didn't like Rainbow Airways?” she said in exhausted delight.

“I'll meet you at Sugarcube corner.” I said as I walked away amused.

My walk was slow, not from lack of energy, but because I felt too relaxed to race around. I'd be a little late, so what? I looked around at the scenery as I traveled down the wooded path that led back into Ponyville. The houses and buildings looked like the gingerbread homes we made for Hearth's Warming Eve in the setting sun. I serenely walked through the settling town and reached Sugarcube Corner as night first touched the sky.

I stopped outside the front door remembering the unpleasant memory of the first time I visited. I shuddered at the thought, but brushed it aside. This wasn't a large party, just dinner with friends. It couldn't be that bad right?

I opened up the front door to be hit with a wave of sound and a billowing of smoke.

“Nononon, pound-y don't fly over there! Pumpkin get that out of your mouth!” cried Pinkie's frantic voice.

Oh boy.

I tried to slowly back out the door, but I was spotted by the pink mare who had been chasing a baby unicorn and pegasus around. She grabbed me and pulled me inside.

“Watch them while I finish the cupcakes!” she ordered me as she sped into the kitchen which was filled with smoke. Caught, I realized I must have been the first pony there, so I had no chance of escape out of the foalsitting. I looked around for the twins and I found the baby pegasus standing on the ceiling upside down, his small wings fluttering. He saw me and gave me a friendly baby greeting, which was him opening his mouth and making baby gurgles. His sister was close by, sitting on the table with the table cover shoved in her mouth. I sighed dejectedly at the ordeal I was about to face.

The first thing I did was find a broom and gently get the little pegasus baby off the ceiling. I delicately caught him, but he stated crying, being deprived of his freedom. Next, I picked up his sister and she started to bawl as well, when I removed the table cover from her tiny maw. With both babies screaming in my ears, I should have expected what would happen next. I started to feel the heat at the base of my neck and I started to panic. I could NOT have an attack while I was with these babies. I walked around Sugarcube corner, and found a room with a couch and a few chairs in it. It appeared to be a family room but I didn't care. I had to get these two to be quiet and calm, or else I would explode. I felt the heat rise with every agonizing wail, and I tried everything to quiet them down. I rocked them in my forehooves and I tried to play peekaboo with them, but nothing seemed to work. I tried to calm myself down by closing my eyes and blocking out their cries, but Oakleaf's song beat the inside of my mind like a sick drum. Then I decided what to do. It was a long shot, and it would probably hurt me more than an attack, but it could just possibly calm down these babies. I took a deep breath, and whistled the song in my head gently.

My whistling immediately seized the babies' attentions, but I didn't notice. I kept my eyes slammed shut so I wouldn't start bawling myself. The whole time I whistled, my memories of her flooded back. Her death was the most prominent and first memory to pop up, but then I started to remember all of my other times I was with her. The patrols, the long walks on our breaks, the parties we had with our unit after another successful mission, the fun we had, and closeness we had. My whistling broke, as I let our a stifled sob. I let the tears flow slowly as I took in a few shaky breaths. I felt two small warm things nuzzling me and I opened up my eyes. The babies on my lap looked worried and were trying to cheer me up by nuzzling my chest and stomach. I smiled sadly at them and nuzzled them back.

I decided I wouldn't bring the two adorable and loving children down with my misery over the past, so I wiped my tears away and started to play a game with them. By the time Pinkie Pie came into the room with a Applejack and Rarity, they found the two children climbing all over me.

They all gave a large “Dawwwww.” when they saw the spectacle and I rolled my eyes, smiling.

“That's so precious darling!” said Rarity, her eyes as big as dinner plates.

I was barraged by a wave of female appreciation to cuteness. The whole time I continued to play with twins, ignoring most of the mares comments on how 'amazingly cute' I was with the babies. After a while of this, we all heard a knock from the front door and Pinkie Pie vanished from the room to greet the new arrivals. The rest of our little get together trickled into the room. Rainbow Dash laughed at me with the babies and Twilight smiled at me, while Fluttershy and Big Mac sat next to me on the couch, too obsessed in each other to notice my antics with the children. \

We conversed for a minute until Pinkie Pie came into the room and announced that dinner was served. I put Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake on my back and followed Pinkie into the dining room. What I suspected to be a sugary-sweet confection, was actually a dinner of normal spaghetti and fried hay-balls with marinara sauce. I tried to put the children in their high-chairs next to Pinkie's seat, but they wailed as soon as they were separated from me.

“Looks like they like you!” Pinkie said eliciting a loud 'Dawwwww...' from the mares again. “You wouldn't mind feeding them, would you?” she asked me.

I mumbled something, but switched seats with Pinkie so I could be next to the children. I barely ate my own dinner, as I had to feed the twins first, which I found out was time consuming and messy. I floated above the pockets of conversation at the table, but managed to grasp wisps of them as I fed the kids.

“...really fast and he even had better reflexes than me!” I heard Rainbow say to Pinkie Pie, recounting our little training session.

I didn't hear any of Fluttershy's and Big Mac's conversation, but they were whispering sweet nothings to each other, I was certain of it from the way they looked at each other.

“...they amplify your earth pony magic, and from what I've gathered allow for magic that could be greater than unicorn or even pegasi magic.” Twilight told Applejack scientifically about my gauntlets. I listened in on Twilight's conversation, not to be creepy, but because I couldn't pull my ears away from her voice.

“Wow, Twi!” Rarity said in a girl-to-girl voice semi-quietly. “You're lucky to have landed such a stallion!”

“He's not my..”

“He's great with kids, has a great personality, and looks absolutely fabulous in a uniform!” Rarity said before pouting. “Why do all the good ones have to be in relationships?”

I pantomimed getting another bite out of my meal, but glanced over at Twilight. She was a bright red and Rarity playfully pouted. Applejack smirked at both of them and then saw me staring. She stifled a giggle and I went back to feeding the kids.

When we finished, we went back to family room and talked some more. I sat in the same place on the couch, but Pumpkin had climbed on top of my head and chewed on my mane while Pound lounged in my lap.

“You're really good with kids Crimson. The first time I foalsat them was almost a disaster.” Pinkie Pie said.

“They're such great kids. I didn't really have to do anything. But talking about kids, I met Applebloom and Sweetie Belle today.”

“I hope they didn't cause too much trouble.” Rarity said.

“Well other than claiming I was a filly-molester, we were fine. In fact the whole thing blew over when they found out who I was. They said they were part of the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' with a little pegasus named Scootaloo. Where are they now? Because they said they were going to help foalsit....”

“Oh so yer the pony who put that idea in their heads?” Applejack commented. “They're back at Sweet Apple Acres havin' a sleepover. When I left, Granny Smith was tryin' to teach them how to talk to the earth or somethin' else. She says it helps the apples grow better.” Applejack said amused.

“Huh. And I had a story all planned out to tell them.....” I lamented.

“Oh, another one? Well go on, tell it!” Twilight said, already captivated.

“It was gonna be for the fillys....”

“Come on, don't leave us hangin'. Jest tell it.” Big Mac said surprising me

“Well it was a story for them” I stammered out “because it was about when I met Daring Doo.”

“Daring Doo is real!” Rainbow shouted, startling the babies.

I quickly calmed them down and said “You all really want to hear it?”

“Yes!” Rainbow and Twilight said excitedly.

“Fine. It was an escort mission......”

Chapter 12

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 12

“It was an escort mission.” I told them letting myself slip back into my memories.

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The desert winds blew warm sand across my coat. Growing up in Stalliongrad, I had only ever felt snow blow in the wind against my coat. This sand was surprising and new to me. It's not that I didn't know what sand was, it was just that I had never seen so much of it.

Puck unit was out in the middle of the Neighvada desert, far away from Las Pegasas, or any civilization for that matter. Everything was sand, for as far as the eye could see. Well, everything except our tents and the magic powered sand riders we used.

We were ordered on this mission to protect archeologists of the Royal Canterlot Museum. Recently, archeologists had been attacked by a mysterious group of bandits. They were most likely common tomb raiders who just wanted the artifacts the archeologists had excavated. However, the attacks were mostly centralized around a small dig site. The archeologists were often found dehydrated and on the verge of death, all muttering something about alchemy. It was our job to protect the newest archeological team, consisting of ponies and bison, that was going into the area and working at the site.

I was told that the archeologist leading the new expedition was the Museum's best, but she was seclusive and like to work only on the fringes of civilization. Luna also hinted that she was famous and I might even know her. I didn't know what to make of that, but Puck unit rode in to the meet-up point 70 miles away from the excavation early in the morning.

The tents set up by the group were mad of green canvas and flapped in the wind, but must have provided ample cover for the ponies and bisons inside. I parked my sand rider next to the largest tent at the end and my unit followed suit. We dismounted and started walking to the tent.

Solitary Shadow came along side me and said “Great day to go play in the sand, righty boss?” through the scarf wrapped around his mouth. My whole unit was dressed in similar fashion, scarves around our mouths to prevent sand from getting in, along with tinted goggles that shielded our eyes from the harsh sand-wind and allowed us to keep some of our night vision/ see through the bright desert.

We entered the tent and I removed my scarf and put my goggles atop my head. My eyes adjusted to the dim light in the tent quickly. Around a table with a map and other notes on it stood three bisons and five ponies. Of the ponies, half were earth ponies and two were unicorns. All of them were now looking at us, except for the lone pegasus and last pony, who was staring at the map. Her gray and black streaked mane hung off to one side, while her sand colored coat showed the tenseness of her body. She wore a green jungle vest, while a safari hat, goggles, and a scarf were laid on the table off to her side.

She ran a hoof through her mane before one of her compatriots spoke up. “Dr. Doo” said the bison “I believe our bodyguards are here.” Her head snapped to attention, looking in our direction and giving us a broad smile. She waved us over to the map while her team made room for us. I walked up to the map and stood directly across the table from her. She extended a hoof. I shook it.

“I'm Dr. Daring Doo. I believe you've heard of me.” she said animatedly.

“Who hasn't?”

She shrugged it off. “Most of the cultures I work with.”

“So who's on your team?”

She pointed to the bison who had spoke up. “Dr. Thunder Stomp and his associate Mr. River Flow.” Next she pointed to a deep blue unicorn “This is Dr. Cartography Stamp and his dig team.” she pointed to the remaining ponies who gave us courteous nods.

“So Miss....Sorry, Dr. , do you know what the plan is?”

“Been working on that since I woke up this morning.” she pointed to the map. “We are over here, 70 miles away from the dig site. We'll break camp and move in within the hour. With any luck these winds will die down and we'll only be out there for a little over two days. We'll follow the route I drew out in red, avoiding the rock formations. Sure, it'll take longer, but I don't want to be ambushed over there.”

“Good thinking. Do we know why these bandits are only attacking this excavation?”

“There are a few rumors, and I have a inkling of why, but I need to go to the site first. So, let's get packed up!” she said as she gathered up her notes and map.

My team and I left the scholars to pack their equipment and went outside to check on our mode of transportation. The archeological team had sand riders much like our own, but theirs were newer. Where we got our from a contact in Las Pegasus and rode them all the way here, the scholars had been airlifted here with brand new equipment. They even had a sand truck to carry all the dig team's excavation equipment.

After we had checked all the magical batteries, engines, and treads, Daring Doo came out of the tent with her scarf, goggles, and trademark safari hat on. She was flanked by her colleagues. The Bisons and Doctors stood over by the transportation and talked about their research while the dig team went off to break down the smaller sleeping tents, leaving Puck unit to deal with the large tent. It wasn't that hard to get down since the winds had slowly come to a halt. However, with out the winds, we realized how hot the desert really was. The heat radiated from everything and everywhere. When we were done with the tents, we all looked as if we had just been caught in the rain, from the amount we had perspired. Everypony mounted their sand rider gladly and we sped off onto the hazy horizon.

20 miles from the dig site we passed a large mesa that jutted out from the sand like a kind of desert colossus. We gave it a wide berth and followed our arcing path to the dig site. I stopped us a mile away from it.

“What's wrong?” Daring inquisitioned.

I called forth the four pegasi in the unit. “Floating Leaf, Raging Winds, Southern Tempest, Lightning Strike, I want aerial recon on the dig site, now.” The pegasi saluted and flew off. “Solitary, Syringe, Oakleaf scan for any life hiding in the ruins.”

“Got it boss-man” Solitary said, his normal foolish twinge gone. When I spoke in my commanding voice, they listened. They knew that I had saved them one too many times from my directions, but I also knew they could be harmed or worse if I ever gave them bad directions. That was the life of the Captain.

“I got nothin' cap.” Solitary said.

“Negative on life. Either there's nothing there or they're already dead.” Syringe told me.

“Same here Crimson.” Oakleaf

The pegasi returned and the “leader” of the group, Lightning Strike said “We didn't see anything Captain.”

“But damn, was that thing huge!” the energetic Floating leaf said.

“Ok. Let's move.” I told them as I mounted my sand rider one more time.

The fragmented ruins laid out in the sand as rock outcroppings and pillars that once held a roof to shield from the unforgiving desert sun. I and my team marveled at the broken pillars and the walls that were all that was left of this glorious building. We parked the sand riders on the northern side, the side which we entered. Immediately after Daring Doo and her other doctor friends ran off into the ruins. Puck unit followed them closely. I was aggravated at the foolish mare, she knew we were her protective force. Why would she insist on acting brash?

We found her doing a celebratory dance, swinging Dr. Stomp around and laughing in glee with Dr. Stamp, in front of a large metal obelisk in the ground. It was slanted at an angle, making it look like a plaque, describing what the ruins were once used for. However, it was larger than the doors to the Royal Throne Room. Also, it was inscribed with strange ruins and a large sun in the middle. Amazed as I was, I still remembered I had priorities. I strode up to the foolishly brave mare.

“What the buck do you think you're doing?” I yelled at her.

“Relax, I'm fine. Plus, it's not like I haven't had to go it alone on some digs.” she said, not caring.

“How many archeologists have gone missing or turned up close to death after 'going it alone' here?!?” I exploded at her.

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“Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this right, not only is Daring Doo a real pony, but you yelled in her face?!” Rainbow interrupted.

“I find it a little hard to believe Daring Doo is a real pony, too.” Twilight said skeptically.

“Go to the Royal Canterlot Museum and go to the 'Load Stone' gallery. Everything in there was all found be Daring.”

Twilight gasped “I used to spend hours in there as a filly. But why would Daring Doo donate all those discoveries under a false name?”

“Because she asked too. Think about how famous she is. If ponies knew she was a real pony....” I explained.

“Oh. Right.”

“Yeah, no back ta the story.” Big Mac said lazily, sitting next to and holding. Fluttershy

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By high noon, the tents had been set up close to the metal engraving. I had Puck split up into teams and choose patrolling hours. I was asleep, but the two ponies on guard duty wrote down that Daring's dig teams had found out the obelisk covered up a hallway dug from the bedrock in the area. As far as we knew the door was sealed with magic indefinitely.

I was woken up for my shift, my team mate being Syringe Poultice. I was originally going with Oakleaf of course, but she was asked to help in the digging because of her telekinetic skills. So was Solitary, so he took my place as her patrol partner for the time being. I put my gauntlets on and went outside into pitch black to greet Syringe. Syringe was a scholarly unicorn, but was strangely not fussy. He was shorter than I and had a white coat and a salt and pepper mane. He wore a pair of glasses that made him look like he was always thinking.

We greeted each other silently in the darkness, how Lunar Soldiers should. We started our rounds but before we could we noticed that someone was still at the door. The lamp they had with them was like a beacon throughout the dark night, sending a signal to everything that there were ponies here at the excavation.

I signaled to Syringe to follow me and find out who it was. It turned out to be the same stubborn mare who led this expedition. She had a lamp on the door and she laid against it, a small brush in her hand. She brushed away at the cracks and engraved runes in the metal with a puzzled look.

“Good Night Daring.” I said waltzing out of the shadows as she jumped into the air and fluttered there, surprised. Syringe followed me smiling at the small prank I pulled on Daring.

“Why are you still up? You can get back to the research in the morning. Plus, I don't like that lamp giving away our position to the whole desert.”

She looked at me and I saw the bags under her eyes. “I'm so close to opening this.”

“Worry about it in the morning.” I said sternly.

She flew up to me and smacked me right in the face. Syringe was never one for up-close-and-personal things, so he stepped off to the side and looked at the door absentmidedly.

“NO!” screamed Daring. “I....I just know that this door is about to open. I will not stop until I solve this. Just, leave me alone.”

I held my temper in check as I spoke slowly. “We have been assigned to protect you. We can't do that if you're throwing yourself into danger.”

“Yeah, because sitting here in the middle of the night is dangerous.”

“It is when you know there are enemies around, but not where they will come from or when they'll attack.”

She closed her eyes and rubbed her face with her hooves. “I....it's.....I'm sorry. I didn't mean to smack you.” she said suddenly sounding weak. “I've just had a long week and now this. I have this gut feeling that this puzzled is about to be revealed, but I just need to focus on it. So, please just let me work on this.” she pleaded.

I conceded. “Alright, but we're going to stay with you.”

She went back to the position we found her in and I followed her, but stood looking at the door with Syringe.

Syringe spoke up. “Ahhem. Dr. Doo, what are these ruins anyways?” he asked politely as always.

She talked as she got out some notes and scribbled things down. “These ruins belonged to an ancient people that once boasted they could become stronger than the immortal alicorns with just a drink. They were a highly advanced society of ponies. For instance, while Equestria was still being founded, this culture had already excepted equality among all the pony races and were working on scientific advancements. They had a common surgery practice far before any other culture had more than medicine ponies and tribal dances.”

“Sounds like they were well educated. So why won't the door open?” he said with a twinkle in his eye. I knew that look. He got that whenever he was going to whop my flank in a game of chess. It meant he knew something that nopony else knew.

“Well, I've discovered something that would lead the door to open, if I knew what to do with it.” she pointed at the sun in the middle of the door. Looking at the door closely, we could see the sun had millions of tiny rays that came out of it in all directions, heading to the sides of the door. In the middle of the sun there was a small circle cut into it.

“You two see the circle?” she asked “I found out when you turn it, it pops out. Furthermore, the whole sun is empty. But I don't know what to do with it.”

“Why not?” I asked her.

She gave me a dirty look and then collapsed onto the door sighing. “I can't read the ancient runes. In all the ancient languages I know of, not one looks even remotely like this. I can't even pick up on consonants or vowels.” she said from between her hooves.

Her anguish was met by a loud cheery laugh from Syringe. Not only did it surprise Daring, but it surprised me too. Syringe was a shy quiet pony. I learned that he would smile candidly at our antics when we fooled around, but he never laughed.

“Dr. Doo; Daring, if I may? Let me ask you something: What did you get your doctorate in?”

She looked as confused as she sounded, but I knew Syringe had found something. “Ancient cultures of course. Why do you ask?”

“Well, as anypony who is working on their chemistry doctorate can tell you, these runes aren't a language, perse, but a series of symbols.” he said his eyes glowing in the firelight of the lantern. “They symbolize certain chemicals, elements, and a recipe to mix them. These are what we chemists like to call Alchemy symbols. The ancient culture was a symposium of Alchemists!”

Daring jumped off of the door and looked wide awake now. “So you know what these are saying?” she said excitedly waving her hoof at the runes.

He nodded wearing a wide smile. “I know what they are asking for, and it's a compound. What's better yet, is that I can make the compound from the things in my medicine bag!” he finished ecstatically.

Daring flew at him, and tackled him in a flying kiss. She broke away and shouted “You are wonderful!”. She was about to say more but shockingly, Syringe pulled her into another kiss. I was absolutely stunned. I stood there with my eyes pooping out of my head and jaw touching the sandy ground. Where had shy, refined Syringe gone?

Syringe pulled out of the kiss and left Daring swooning. “Be right back dear.” he told her.

He turned around to leave, but Daring smacked him on the flank. “Hurry it up!” she said delighted.

I walked over to Daring in a daze and muttered “I never thought he had it in him....”

“What?” she said.

“He just......and then.....and the laugh.....never mind.”

Daring rose into the air, and did a lazy flip that landed her on the sun, next to the circle. I was still so stunned that I thought I heard music coming from out in the desert, when I saw Syringe come out of the night carrying his bag of medical supplies. He was humming. Humming! What had gotten into him?!? He brought it over to the the door and stared at it with a hoof to his chin. He was humming the whole time he was reading the door. He put the bag down and started to dig through it. Daring landed beside him and sidled up next to him, watching as found the ingredients he was looking for and he mixed them into a compound.

He handed over the cup filled with the compound to Daring. “Add this to the chamber first, then I'll need some help for the second part.” Daring started to fly away, but Syringe pulled her back. “Forgot something.” he said as he grabbed a hoofful of sand and but it into the compound.

“I'll say” said Daring as she kissed him again before flying up to the door to dump the compound in the sun.

I looked on, not sure what to do as Syringe started to mix liquids in a flask. Daring didn't seem to share my insecurity, as she watched every move Syringe made with wonder and delight. He handed her the flask, but held her hoof.

“When the solution and the compound combine, it will be volatile. Right after you pour in the solution, cap the sun.” he pulled the flying pegasus “Be careful.” he warned her as he went in for another kiss.

“Ok, let's get the show on the road. Acting like schoolyard sweethearts. Jessh.” I said.

“Then what would you and Oakleaf be, sir?” Syringe asked politely.

I would have expected that to come from Solitary. I would have even expected Daring to throw something at me after I stopped them. But not in my whole life would I have guessed that Syringe would be giving me sass. It was Syringe for Faust's sake!

Daring flew up to the sun and poured the contents of the flask into it, and she shut the cap quickly. She landed next to Syringe and I just as the chemicals reacted.

The sun started to glow. I started to shine from withing, starting as a hazy yellow, then growing hotter and changing colors. It changed from yellow, to cherry red, to bright white. Each ray connected to the sun glowed along with the heat change, but as the rays got hotter, steam started to billow out of them.

The reaction lasted for a few minutes, but slowly the color faded from the metal and the heat went out into the cold desert night. As the sun cooled back to it's metallic silver, we heard a loud 'pop!'

We all rushed to the door to find it was ajar. We pushed the door and found out it was much lighter than it appeared. I alone was able to push it off the entrance into a musty, dark, and cold corridor. We all stood at the entrance.

I know I should have gone and woken up the next pair, so they would be able to stand guard over the entrance, but I knew what would happen if I left those two alone.

I threw the lantern to Syringe who caught it with telekinesis. Daring picked up his medicine bag.

“Let's go.” I said to them as I ventured into the darkness.

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I took a break to catch my breath and was barraged with questions.

“Did Syringe and Daring become a couple?”

“What was that compound? Or the solution?”

“What did you guys find in there?”

“What was the door made out of?”

“Were there mummies?”

“Pinkie, there were no mummies. I don't know what the solution or compound was. I never really cared to find out. The door was made our of Damarescus steel, a really light and tough metal. And finally yes, Daring and Syringe have been dating ever since. They meet up every time Syringe is off duty.”

I took a deep breath. “Any more questions?” it was like telling little foals a story before they go to bed. I continued on with my story.

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Daring grabbed Syringe and pulled him ahead of me, so she could lead down the corridor. It seems she had gotten over her 'lovestruck filly' condition and regained some of her famous adventurous spirit. I had to canter to keep up with the couple and the light from the lantern, until I saw a glint in the shadows. Daring saw it too, and slowed up. It was another door.

It was made from the same metal, but instead of a sun, it had a large crescent moon shining in the middle. It didn't have rays spreading out from it, but it had stars that surrounded it, and underneath the moon and stars engraved grass blew in the non-existent wind.. Another difference was that it was covered with different runes than that of it's twin from above ground.

Daring shoved the lantern up to the door, her maroon eye alive with the heat of the moment. This was her element, and it was apparent to all of us. She followed the runes, right to left, line after line, her mouth wordlessly moving along with the sounds of the words. After she finished reading she looked back to us, flushed yet confused.

“It's another magically sealed door, like the one above, but it has different keys. The writing on it said that there are three keys, one from each pony. Now I think it means that as in one of each pony race, but then it goes onto the magic of each race.” she said putting a hoof underneath her chin.

“Well what does it tell us about the magic?” Syringe asked.

Daring grimaced. “It says 'the winged folk shall create the wind to turn the world, the horned ones shall make the night glow with power, and the ponies of stone shall create life for us all.'” I get the first two parts, but I don't know if we can do the last part.

“I'm not following. Could you explain?” I asked her confounded.

“Ok. The first part, 'winged folk shall create wind' basically tells me to flap my wings to make wind on the door. The next part 'horned ones shall make the night glow' tells Syringe that he needs to make the moon and stars on the door glow. Now for the hard part. 'The ponies of stone shall create life'. Earth pony magic is hard to manifest as it is, and there's nothing like plants or anything we could use.”

“So you two get the sky and stars and moon. So that means I get the grass, right?”

“Yes.”

“Could we use something other than grass?”

Daring's eyes lit up, then faded again. “Even if we could, it has to be earth pony magic. If we had Syringe put some rocks into the indents, it wouldn't work.”

“Thank Luna for my gauntlets.” I said smiling.

“What?” Daring said surprised.

“Are you sure you can handle it Captain?” Syringe asked concerned. “I remember the amount of stress you put on yourself when we needed a bridge. You could barely walk afterwards.”

“This is different. It's small and easy.” I said, with a tone that ended any of his arguing.

Daring looked confused the whole time but shrugged it off.

“Start doing what you need to do.” I told them as I planted my hooves into the hard bedrock underneath me. I opened up myself to it, to the earth, and started to feel the rock closest to the indents. I felt Daring start to make a wind, and I could feel Syringe's power from his telekinetic spell. Now it was my turn. I forced my will unto the stubborn rock, making it have that same liquid-like consistency. I moved it up from the ground, never breaking the connection. When I needed more rock, I forced it to feed into the earthen tendrils, until it reached the door. I opened my eyes and fell to the ground out of exhaustion, but I saw the door open. For a minute the scene on the door moved on it's own being fed from a mixture of our magic and the magic that held it shut. The moon glowed with the stars and the grass blew in the wind. Then the door fell away inwards on it's hinge. All I could do was look and pant from the ground.

Syringe rushed over to me and beckoned to Daring to give him his medical bag. Daring looked shocked, amazed, and scared. She didn't know what just happened, but she did as Syringe asked. Syringe worked diligently, staying by my side as he mixed some chemicals together. Then he poured the mixture into a cup of water. He stirred it all, and then took a sip of it. He swigged it in his mouth, and then swallowed. He gently lifted my head and poured the strange drink in a slow stream into my mouth.

“Come on Captain, just drink it.” he said to me softly.

I drank it and started to feel better. My energy was slowly coming back. Daring gasped when she saw me rise up on an elbow and chug the rest of the drink.

“What the hell was that Medic Poultice?” I asked him when I finished.

“Just some electrolytes, amino acids, sugar, and water. It was an old trick one of my teachers taught me. He was an alligator from Zebrana. The only aid gator in all of Canterlot too.....”

I laughed. “I have not idea what the buck you're talking about Syringe, but thanks. Would you mind helping me up?” I asked, still feeling too weak to trust myself.

He smiled. “No problem Captain.” he said as he pulled me to my hooves.

I swayed a bit, but then was caught by both Daring and Syringe. “Captain, we should really take you back up.”

“Say something like that again, and I'll demote you to corporal.”

He laughed as we slowly walked through the newly opened door. “And who will take my place? Thick Brick?”

I shook my head and was about to say something, but all our merriment was replaced by awe as we entered the new room. It was lined by statues and columns, all leading down to a small altar. The altar was lit up by moonlight which streamed in from unidentifiable point in the ceiling. The altar held a large glass flask of a red liquid. On the wall behind it stood a large disk of the same metal the doors were made out of. Engraved in the metal disk was stars that all interconnected into one large circle. The insignia in the middle was one we all knew by hearts, the Royal Seal of Equestria.

“The drink of the gods created by those who disobeyed Chaos and looked to Harmony. The Philosopher's Draught.” daring read off of the altar. We all looked at each other in confusion, so I did the only thing I could, I took the corked flask in my mouth and turned around.

We all expected the ruins to come tumbling down around us, triggered by the trap that we all thought was connected to the flask. We all sighed a breath of relief that there was none, and started to walk out of the ruins, felling accomplished.

That feeling disappeared though, when Dr. Stomp's associate, River Flow, came running into the room bloody and frantic.

“Daring! Daring!” he cried running up to us, before tripping over his own hooves, falling to the ground and staying there.

“The bandits! They attacked!” he gasped.

“Syringe, quickly treat him!” I told him as he was already checking the young bison.

“They overwhelmed the bodyguards and now have them hostage along with Dr. Stamp and his crew.” he continued, valiantly trying to stay conscious.

I felt sick and Daring looked horrified.

“Where's Dr. Stomp?” she asked quietly, both hooves to her mouth.

“They killed him when he tried to stop them. That's how I got this sla....” he said as he fainted.

I felt the anger rise in me and looked over to see Daring just as angry, only tears were running down her face.

I nodded to her “Let's go.”

I put the flask in my saddlebags and we started to run, but my vision became blurry and I a stumbled before catching myself.

“You're still to weak Captain! If you go you might die!” screamed Syringe at me while he sewed up the bison's wound.

“If I don't go, they will!” I shouted and I charged out the door after Daring.

I reached the entrance of the corridor to the surface, but held back as I heard Daring's voice.

“...Bastards! Kill a poor professor in cold blood!” I heard her spit, and then she was smacked by somepony.

“Now tell me where the drink of the gods is.” said an angry voice in a thick-accent. “I know who you are, Daring Doo, and I know you saw it down there. Now you will tell me where it is or I start killing your friends.” I heard the voice threaten as I heard a sword being drawn.

I pulled the flask out from my saddlebags and jumped out of the corridor.

“ Release everypony, or I break the glass!” I shouted, between my teeth.

My friends were all held hostage off to the left near the tents by ponies holding swords and wearing thick, black scarves around their heads. I knew my unit could escape, but not without having the other hostages killed. The other hostages, which were Dr. Stamp, his crew, and now Daring, were held off to the right, by a smaller contingent of the black scarfed ponies. However, one pony wasn't wearing a scarf, and from the way he held himself, he was the leader. He had a brown and black coat with and orange mane, was easily three times bigger than me, and was missing an ear. He looked at me in shock, but calmed down to try to play it cool.

“Now, now friend, you break the flask, we kill your friends.” he said in a threateningly sweet voice. “Just give it to me and everypony is let go.”

“Let them go first” I said as I slowly started to circle to the left of him. My head spun with each step, but I knew they wouldn't attack me for fear of me breaking their goods.

“I give you my word” he lied “they will be let go when I get the flask.”

I had now sidestepped 180 degrees around him, so my back was to the open desert night.

“Why do you want this so badly anyway? What is so valuable that somepony would leave archeologists to die in the desert?”

The leader of the bandits looked genuinely taken aback. “You mean you have no idea what you have risked your life for? Your Adventurous friend has not tole you?” he said glancing wide eyed at Daring.

“What you and your friends almost died for is the drink that made Celestia and Luna immortal. It gave them powers beyond the might of any being. If you give it to me, I will free your friends and offer you a spot with my marauders.”

“I'm listening.” I said as I uncorked the bottle.

He started to loose his nerve. “Give it to me! Give it to me now! Or they all die!”

“You really want it so much?”

“GIVE IT TO ME NOW!” he said unsheathing his sword.

“Come an' get it.” I said as I threw my head back and chugged the drink in two gulps.

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“Wait? Why aren't you super-powered now, then?”

“RAINBOW DASH, SHUT UP!!!” said everypony.

Rainbow shrank under their gazes, but I stopped them.

“The doctors said the drink was way less potent after a couple thousand years, so alas no superpowers.”

“So what happened?”

“RAINBOW DASH, SHUT UP SO HE CAN FINISH THE STORY!!!” everypony said again.

I chuckled and continued.

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“KILL HIM NOW!” screamed the leader of the bandits after I spat the bottle out of my mouth. I felt funky so I fell to the sand, curling up into a ball. My team must have distracted the bandits, because nopony came at for a bit, until I hear the leader shout again.

“FORGET THE HOSTAGES! THE FIRST ONE TO BRING ME HIS HEAD WILL BECOME A GOD IN OUR NEW WORLD!!!!”

I thought he was crazy as he said all this stupid stuff. And this was the guy who killed the poor, nice, friendly, old Bison?! That just made me sick. I felt the anger claw its way into my mouth and I rose.

I saw almost all the bandits charging me, the leader at the back letting his men go first. So he was a coward too? That made me even more angry. This anger coursed through my veins, setting my body ablaze with energy. They started to get closer and I realized I wouldn't be able to fight them all with nothing but my hooves. I looked at them quickly, and realized I was standing in sand.

I opened myself up to the earth. Sure, I might not be able to fight them alone, but with the help of the Earth itself, they would be beaten easily. I hoped that sand was 'earthy' enough to fall under my jurisdiction, and I went to it.

I heard the first of the bandits run up to me and utter a horrible war-whinny, but this didn't distract me. He flew up into the air as a sand-geyser launched him away from me. I opened my eyes to see the horde slow and stop charging at me. I gave them the devil's smile and let all my fury take them.

Some shot off in different directions by sand-geysers, some were swallowed whole by the sands , but most were whipped to and fro by small dust devils I summoned. I walked through the horde, thinning their numbers, until I reached the leader. His legs shook with fear, but his mouth twitched with anger and malice. I had something special I thought up for him as I walked through the horde.

I stopped a few feet from him and focused. Dust devils formed around me, and then surrounded all four of my hooves. I took my fighting stance and beckoned him forward. He rose his sword in his mouth and gave me the scariest war-whinny I've heard to date.

He was beaten quickly and fiercely. He dared to attack my friends? Then he would pay with his body. He dared to kill the innocent for personal gain? Then he would pay with his life. This was the job given to me by Princess Luna; I planned to finish it to the brutal end.

When I was done with him, I let his body sink under the shifting sands and I went back to my friends. Everypony was fine, including young River Flow. I felt fine, but extremely tired. I let the unit help pack up. We found the body of Dr. Stomp and we held a small funeral for him. The last thing I did with my power was to make a tomb of glass around him. River Flow said he would take the body back to his people and he would never forget me. We all said our goodbyes after our small service. Daring's and Syringe's goodbye was the most disgusting show of love I had ever seen, the crying and the kissing mixed and was just horrible. And yet I held Oakleaf and looked at them, not disgusted, but happy for them. A love like that happens only once in a life time.

We departed and went our separate ways, speeding across the desert in different directions, hopefully to meet again one day.

I was riding back to back with Oakleaf since I was too tired to drive my own rider. We had mine hooked up to Solitary's so he could drag it along.

The sun was just rising as we left the ruins in the distance, their shape forever on the horizon in my mind.

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Everypony started to clap quietly when I was done telling my story. I didn't realize it but not only had everypony been enthralled by my story, the Cake babies had fallen asleep on me. Pound was curled up in a ball of comfort on my lap, while Pumpkin hung on my head, still sucking on my mane in her sleep.

I quietly bid everypony goodnight until the only adult ponies left were Pinkie, Twilight, and I. Pinkie gently scooped up Pumpkin from my head and I picked up Pound just as gently. We carried them up the stairs carefully and put them in their beds silently, not wanting to disturb their bliss. As I looked at them asleep, I realized that, they were the true reason I went into the Battalion. Sure, I initially joined to serve the lovely princess of the night, but as I went through more time in the Battalion, and more time with Oakleaf, I realized I fought for them. My future child, my future wife, my friends, my family, the lives of ponies I don't even know. I had fought in the Battalion for them. And now, I need to stay sane for them too.

Pinkie and I left the room and she seemed to have read my mind. She gave me a big hug and whispered “Thank you for being such a good foalsitter. Now I know who to call when I need help, that is if you're not busy with Twilight.” she finished with a wink.

“I don't think Twilight would like you talking about us that way.” I said amused

“'Us'! Ha! You two are a couple!”

I shook my head and hugged the pink mare tighter. "Goodnight Pinkie.”

She returned my hug. “Goodnight Crimson.”

I went down the stairs and saw Twilight waiting at the bottom. I smiled at her and we left Sugarcube Corner.

We started walking home, and I sidled up next to Twilight, and held her hoof as we walked. I looked at her and saw her looking at the ground, while blushing.

“So how'd you like my story?”

She laughed, her blush subsiding a bit. “I have got to stop staying out so late with you. Look at the time.” she said waiving our joined hooves to the sky.

I looked up at the stars. “2:34 am. A beautiful time for a walk home.”

“You can tell the time just by looking at the stars?” she asked incredulously.

“Check when we get home.”

We kept on walking and flirting until we reached the library. We parted for a moment, Twilight going to put her saddlebags away, me to my room to make sure my gauntlets were put away from earlier.

Then Twilight came back to my room. I went up to her and held her.

“This is where we say goodnight.” I said to her after we stared into each others eyes for a couple of minutes. Twilight surprised my by pulling me into a kiss. I stumbled into my room, and we fell into my bed. We kept on kissing, and I didn't realize where we were until I separated.

There she was laid out on my bed and I felt like I loved her. But, something held me back. It was past coming back to me again. I saw her there and I realized, I was taking this too fast. I had just lost my wife and unborn son, two months ago. Two! Bucking! Months! I knew I was rushing this so that I could escape the pain. If I could get somepony else to fill the void, then I could move on, right? But I knew it didn't work that way. I knew I would always love Oakleaf no matter what.

“I'm sorry Twilight, I can't do this. It's too soon.” I said softly, so my voice wouldn't crack. I hoped she couldn't see the tears on my face.

She looked disappointed, but understanding. “It's alright Crimson. I.....I'll come back when you're ready, I guess.” she said as she left the room quickly.

No! I didn't want it to be this way. But I couldn't love her. Not yet anyways.

“Twilight?”

“Yes?” answered a meek voice.

“Buona......Goodnight.” I said in a broken voice as I closed my bedroom door.

I went to my bed and laid there wait for sleep that never came. I thought about my old love and my new love and would could happen in the future, if my past was able to leave me alone. I kept on thinking a conglomeration of sad and painful thoughts until, I came to a conclusion: I was a coward and I betrayed my wife's memory by seeking this comfort with another mare. With that thought, I cried myself to sleep.

Chapter 13

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 13

My mood didn't get better in the morning. I went to Sweet Apple Acres glum and depressed. But it didn't stop there. The next six days went by quickly as I went to work in the mornings and came home in the afternoon only to sink into a state of sadness.

“What's wrong with him?” I overheard Spike ask Twilight say one day.

“He'll get better. Just give him some time.” she replied sadly.

Throughout my week off depression, my friends tried to cheer me up in their own way. Rainbow offered another sparring match. Pinkie asked me to come foalsit again. Rarity praised my looks and told me my uniform was ready and how it would look amazing on me. Applejack was the most upfront about it, blatantly asking me what was wrong each day at work. Twilight stuck to what she told Spike, gaving me space and waiting patiently. But none of their attempts worked.

It was the sixth day of this gloom when I was finally cured.

I was finishing up work at Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack and I were pulling the cart back to the barn in uncomfortable silence. Applejack had become angry with me over the week since I wouldn't tell her anything. I was pulling the cart next to her, too encased in my oppressive depression to care about whether she was angry or not.

When we pulled up to the barn and got out of the cart-pull, we found Fluttershy waiting for us.

“Um. Excuse me, Applejack? Do you know where Big Mac is?” she asked meekly.

“Gosh darn it!” she exploded, letting all her anger towards me cascade over Fluttershy. “Didn't I already tell ya; he's in Canterlot ta show our wares. We need ta sell ta them fancy-ponies this fall.”

Fluttershy shrunk back. “I'm sorry.”

Applejack sighed “It ain't yer fault Fluttershy.” she jerked her head in my direction. “Some things jest got me riled up while we was workin', right Crimson?” she said bitterly.

I just nodded my head in silence, not caring. Applejack saw this and uttered an angry sigh.

“We're done workin' fer the day. Go on, git.” she said to me.

I started to walk out of Sweet Apple Acres slowly, knowing that I had a long day of moping at the house when I heard a soft fluttering and then a gentle land next to me.

“Don't mind her Crimson.” the gentle mare said. “She just want you to feel better.”

“Really?” I asked sardonically.

“We all do. I still owe you for helping me with my yard. Why don't you come back to my cottage for that nice massage?”

I was reluctant to take up her offer. I knew she held no bad intentions, but I wasn't sure she could actually help.

I started to decline politely, when I noticed we had taken a different turn at the fork in the road. Fluttershy had been leading me to her house the whole time without me noticing. She might have been a gently, shy mare, but she was crafty. When I noticed we were about to come to her house, I finally conceded my defeat.

“Oh alright.” I blurted out. “If it makes you feel better, you can do that massage thing.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you Crimson. I'll meet you in the back.” she said as she entered her house quickly. I walked around the back and sat down on her back porch. I looked out at the forest angrily and put both of my hooves under my chin. I grumbled when I heard Fluttershy come out of her house dragging something. I turned to see her dragging a large wooden table out from the cottage. I got up and begrudgingly helped her mumbling under my breath the whole time.

We moved it out onto the lawn and dug it into the ground a little, just to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere.

She looked at me and said “Would you please lay on it?”

I looked at her quizzically. A massage on a wooden bed? It didn't sound that comfortable, but hey, I could tell her to stop at any time. I clambered up and laid on my stomach, finding out that table was actually exquisitely comfortable. I felt my body automatically relax as I laid there. But then I tensed up again as Fluttershy placed her hooves on my back gently.

“It's alright Crimson. Just let it go.” she told me softly as she started to work on the muscles along my back. She went slowly and carefully, kneading through the tight muscles and my stress. Each time I tensed up, my body reacting from years of training to not let anypony touch me, lest they kill me, she slowed down and went at me rhythmically.

“You're extremely tense Crimson.” she said as she worked, her voice as soothing as her hooves. “You're harboring too much stress. Why have you been trying to do that?”

“I don't want to put my burden on other ponies.”

“We're all your friends, so your burden is our burden. So why have you been so depressed this last week?”

I sighed and turned my head away from her. “It's complicated.”

Her hooves worked slowly. “I have time.”

I took in a deep breath. “I'm gonna tell you something that's very private to me. Twilight is the only other pony who knows.”

“I understand Crimson. I won't tell a soul.”

I told her the story of my last mission and how I lost Oakleaf. At the end she had a horrified look on her face, and I could see tears brim on her eyes. She had stopped massaging me as I got deeper into my story, and now she held her hooves at her mouth.

“Crimson, I'm so sorry.” she said as she hugged me.

I patted her on the back. “But that's only been part of what's been bothering me this week.”

I let myself lay back down. “It was after Pinkie's dinner, when Twilight and I went home....” I started as I told her of how I almost slept with Twilight.

I covered my head with my hooves. “I'm so angry at myself. I just can't deal with all this.”

Fluttershy took that as the time to continue with the massage. “Talk to me. It will help you feel better.”

“This week I've been depressed because I felt like I betrayed my wife. My family has been dead two months. Two months! And already I act like this. I shouldn't even try.”

“I'm sure Twilight understands. You told her right?”

“Mostly. I want to love her, I really do. But, my past is a tangible thing. It haunts me with my attacks and a constant hurt.”

Fluttershy gently worked out a knot in my muscle. “Then don't try to fight it.” she said as I felt the muscle lose it's tension and a wave of relief washed over me.

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

“You keep on thinking about your dead wife before you let yourself have any joy. You also try to keep it all bottled up, but maybe that causes your attacks. Your story tell it to everypony, and don't let the memory control you. You can mourn for her, but that shouldn't mean you can't ever experience love again.” she said calmly.

Her words were truthful, and that was what hurt the most. But it was a good hurt, like removing a bandage for the last time.

“Thanks Fluttershy.” I said to her graciously and sincerely, getting up off the table. From what she had said, I knew what I had to do.

She waved at me as I started galloping to the library. I knew I had to apologize to all my friends, starting with the most important mare. I slowed for a minute trying to plan out what I'd say, but I shrugged it off and galloped away at full speed. A best plan is a plan made up on the fly.

I entered the library a little winded from my run to find Applejack and Twilight animatedly discussing a book, Twilight sitting on the pull out couch and Applejack sitting in the chair across from it. However, both saw me enter and an awkward silence fell between all three of us. Instead of going into my room and sulking like I had done for the last six days, I walked up to the mares.

Applejack refused to look at me with anything other than a glare, and Twilight looked at me with a mix of nervousness and sadness. I sat down next to Twilight, surprising her. Then I made sure I had both mares' attention and I spoke.

“I'm sorry I was so.......unsociable the last few days. I had a lot of conflicting feelings and I'm sorry.”

Twilight was the first to speak. “It's alright Crimson. I know you had felt messed up, that much was obvious from how you acted.”

“The least ya could do is tell yer friends what's wrong.” Applejack said a little angry. Twilight gave her a look that silenced her, but I waved it off.

“I understand Applejack. You want to hear what's bothering me?....” I said as I told her the story of the last mission. At the end of it she was chocked up.

“An here I was angry that ya didn't trust us with yer feelings.”she said in a wracked breath. “I more of a fool than a filly in the summer. Could ya fergive me Crimson?”

I pulled her and Twilight into a hug. “I forgive you, but I'm the one who should be sorry.” I held it for a little while as I felt Applejack cry a little and Twilight relax.

“I had a chat with Fluttershy today, and she set me straight.”

Both mares pulled out of the hug and looked at me like I was a new pony. I certainly felt like one.

I heard Spike calling down the stairs .

“Twilight, I finished sorting the books upstairs!” he called as he 'plumped' down each step.

I suddenly felt like doing something fun, something to celebrate my loss of the depression, for now. I got the same manic smile that Luna taught me. Twilight and Applejack looked at me with a mix of curiosity and apprehension as I hid near the bottom of the staircase.

“Twilight? Did you hear me? What do you want me to do next?” Spike asked obediently as he stepped off the last step.

“Try to escape the dragonnapping monster!” I shouted as I lunged at him. We went head-over-tail for a minute, until I got him and threw him onto my back. Then I proceeded to gallop out the front door.

I heard Twilight moan “Males” as we left both making us laugh.

“Do you have any idea where we're going Crimson?” Spike asked me after the escape.

“Nope! You got any ideas?”

“Why don't we go to Rarity's.” saying Rarity's name with a loving sigh.

“Oh! So it's like that huh?”

“It's not her fault she's the most beautiful mare in the world.”

“Whatever kid.” I said rolling my eyes as I sped off to Carousel Boutique.

We arrived there shortly and Spike knocked on the door, since I was catching my breath. Rarity came to the door wearing her half-moon glasses, which must have meant she was working. However, her mood didn't show it.

“Crimson! Spike! How delightful to see both of you!” she said her eyes growing wide. Then she gasped dramatically “Are you hear to pick up your uniform?”

I looked over at Spike who was starting at Rarity, his eyes heart shaped and his mouth open.

“Sure, something like that.” I said amused to Rarity.

“Well come in, come in! You will love it!” she said motioning us into the Boutique.

As usual, I marveled at the lavish extravagance of the inside of the boutique. It was much more richly decorated than any other place in Ponyville, and yet it could still be called a workshop. It emanated a feel of princeliness, but also of determination and long hours spent perfecting a craft. The evidence for that was in the racks of beautiful dresses. Some were intricate, some simple, some covered in jewels, and some lacked any decoration at all. All were what could be called priceless in my mind, and they all felt loved. I knew right there that all my doubts about her work on my uniform from earlier were in vain.

“Woah.” I said feeling one of the dresses on the rack. It felt velvety, but a little rough too. Not unpleasantly so, though.

“I know” Spike said still gazing at Rarity as she went into one of her curtained work rooms. “she's so beautiful.”

“Damn kid, you're really lovestruck.”

He turned to me and he looked dead serious as he said “I'm gonna marry her one day.”

I was about to laugh but the way he said it made me stop. He was a kid, but the way he said that made me know he was telling the truth.

“Good luck with that.” I said as she walked back out of the room pushing a cart. On it stood a mannequine that was covered in a sheet. She pushed it in front of us and then gave a beaming smile.

“I present to you Crimson, the restoration of your beautiful uniform. It is tre magnifique now, thanks to my wondrous talent!” she proclaimed before pulling the sheet off with a flourish.

The sheet fell away to reveal a mannequine that I thought was naked for a minute, until I saw it. I gasped as I saw it anew. She had managed to clean it magnificently with her magic, so much so that it looked like it did the first day I put it on. The gray was no longer a dingy gray, but the gray of shadows in the moonlight, the gray of a being's sleep. It also had a new hem on the sleeves and the neck. The hem was a midnight black, but it didn't stand out from the gray. She had chosen the color so perfectly, it had blended in an amazingly handsome way. There was also a hem on all the patches, a stark moonlight silver which was intimidating to look at on such a dark article of clothing, yet it didn't menace you; it made the uniform look alive. I stood in a joyed shock as Rarity took it off of the mannequine and held in front of me with magic.

“It's rude to keep a lady waiting.” she prompted me.

I reverently put my uniform on, feeling it's familiar and comfortable embrace once again. I zippered it up and felt myself automatically loosen up and yet my senses became sharper too. I felt in my element, and I knew I would always have somepony, or actually a uniform, that would fight alongside me.

I looked to Rarity with glistening eyes. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. If there is any way I can repay you...”

“On no darling. Seeing you this happy is payment enough” she said gladly.

I insisted that I repay her somehow, and she put a hoof to her chin.

“There is one thing...” she said as her eyes brightened.

Before I knew it, Rarity had taken my uniform off and put it back on the mannequine and I was standing on her stage. I few seconds later I became a living mannequine. Rarity had pieces of different fabrics on me and I was holding pins in my mouth as she worked.

“Ow! Watch the pins!” I said as one pierced my skin.

“Stop breathing so much then. I simply can't make the right colors work if you move so much.”

Spike watched the spectacle amused as he sat on a dramaticly large couch eating some gems. He laughed smugly as another pin got me.

“Hey Rarity,” I said mischievously “Spike was saying how he wanted to clean your cat's litter box today.”

“What a dear! Why Spike the....” she said before looking at Spike to find a sick looking dragon.

Spike belched a loud, but short green flame. Out of the fire came a neat little scroll, emblazoned with the royal seal. Spike quickly caught it, undoing the wax seal and reading it with a puzzled look. Then he became really happy as he reached the bottom of the scroll. He jumped to his feet.

“Crimson we gotta get back to the Library! I gotta tell Twilight about this!”

“What did it say?” I asked before wincing as yet another pin found a small home in my flank.

“Shining and Cadence are coming for a visit tomorrow!”

There was a large gasp from my side. “Princess Cadence! Shining Armor! If the rumors are true I could be making some foal clothes for royalty!” the fashionista said too herself.

“I'm sorry Crimson” she said removing the fabrics from me, along with all the pins. “But you must simply go” she continued pushing me and Spike out the door before throwing my uniform at me with magic. “I have to create a masterpiece!” she shouted as she slammed the door on us.

“I still don't get what you see in her.” I muttered sourly to Spike.

He jumped onto my back, held onto my mane with one claw, my uniform with the other and shouted “Yee-haww!”

I grumbled, but I felt just as excited as he did. After all, Shining and Cadence were not only the cutest couple ever, but also close friends of mine. I went through Ponyville and reached the Library. Applejack must've left earlier and Twilight was no where to be seen. Spike jumped off my back and scampered up the stairs to Twi's room as fast as possible, calling her name the whole time. I simply went to my room and hung up my uniform, staring at it in awe for a bit. I still couldn't believe it looked this good. I saluted my uniform, and closed the doors of the wardrobe. I was so happy my most confidential friend was this beautiful.

I came out of my room to shouting and a lavender, green, and pink blur spinning around the room.

“Shining's coming! Shining's coming!” It shouted in a cacophony of two voices, muddled by the speed they generated.

I grabbed onto a chair to avoid from being pulled into the fray.

“HEY! CALM DOWN!” I shouted in vain. Then I thought about something pretty vital. “WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO STAY? ALL THE ROOMS IN YOUR HOUSE ARE USED UP!”

The tornado of joy stopped in an instant. Twilight stood in front of me with an 'oh yeah' look on her face while Spike was flung across the room, embedding his head in the wall. Twilight moved her lips in silent thinking, then had a look of anguish on her face.

“Spike, what are we going to do??” she whined.

“Urmmumghrrr.” was all that was heard from the dragon. I went over and pulled him out and he looked up at me dazed. He raised a claw to say something, but became unconscious. Twilight saw and came over to him and tried to wake him up.

“Spike! This isn't a time for sleeping! Come on!”

I pulled her off of him. “Jeeze, Twi. Just let him sleep. Why are you so frantic? I'm sure one of our friends wouldn't mind putting him and Cadence up for a night or two.”

“You don't understand!” she yelled crazily. She noticed the level of her voice and quieted. “He's my bbbff.”she whispered.

“Um, Ok. But still, you have a pull out couch. I could sleep on it while they take my room.”

“I couldn't do that to you Crimson.” she said. “Ughhh. If only we had another...” she became wide eyed and smiled at me ferociously.

“Crimson!” she shouted while advancing towards me. I slunk back, only to be trapped by the wall.

“You said plant life was the easiest to control for your earth pony magic right?”

“Uhhh, yeah. Why?” I asked, but I already knew what she was thinking.

“You can make another room!” she said in triumph.

“I don't know Twi. I mean, this is some pretty big stuff. The biggest I ever did in the Battalion was make a bridge.......”

“Pleasepleasepleaseplease?” she begged, almost crushing me against the wall.

“Yeah, yeah! Just lemme go get my gauntlets...” I took the opportunity to escape from between the rock and a hard place. I went to my room as fast as I could and took my sweet time getting my gauntlets and putting them on. I was more than apprehensive about this whole ordeal, I was a little scared. If I screwed something up, it could cause irreversible damage to Twilight's home. My thoughts were cut short by a manic banging on my door.

“Crimson! Come on!” screamed the insane lavender mare.

I shuddered but opened the door. She came barging in and looked around my room frantically for some reason. Then she calmed down, sat on my bed, sighed, and looked out the window.

“So where do you want this new room?” I asked.

“I don't know.” she said, now sounding crestfallen. “My house is a tree, so it's mostly circular. I don't know where we could add another room without it distorting the whole home.”

“Well instead of out, can we go up or down?”

She looked at me open-mouthed, then smiled and tackled me.

“You're a genius!!! Let's go!” she said, getting up from the ground and racing out my bedroom door. I heard her hoofsteps on the stairs, so as soon as I got up, I followed in pursuit. I slightly realized that this was the first time I had been upstairs, but was overtaken by the heat of the moment to care. I came up into a small loft that had smaller shelves of books than downstairs, but still looked mostly the same. However, it was homelier, with a bed, a telescope pointing out the window, a writing desk covered in papers, books, and candles, and other small knick-nacks that told me that this was truly Twilight's room. Twilight was inspecting her ceiling, so I took this time to look at some of the books Twilight had up here. Many were study books pertaining to things like 'Advanced Magical theory' and 'Quantum-Multi-dimensional Plane Mathematics'. But to my surprise, I saw a few other more known books, like the Daring Doo series, a large book of Legends, and even a romance book!

“That should do it!” Twilight said, breaking my interest in her books. She had put a large shield around the lower base of the ceiling. “Can you raise the roof?” she asked.

“You know I can.” I said as I did a little disco move. She facehoofed herself. “But yes, I can. Hold that shield tight, I don't know if my magic will work or not.”

I started to focus and loosen myself to the earth. True, I was standing on wood, but it is the best conductor, so my magic started to flow with the earth's flow throughout the tree. I willed the tree to move, but soon found myself exhausted. I stopped the connection and looked at the ceiling. It had only moved five feet up! Not nearly enough for an extra room. I took a deep breath and tried again, but decided to change my strategy. If I couldn't move and bend the tree to my will, then I would take what it wanted to do naturally, and boost it. I willed to grow taller, and grow it did. I felt a rumbling in the room as the ceiling rose an extra ten feet. I then cut off my magic to allow it to grow and it stopped.

Next, I had to make a sturdy floor and stairs to it. I started with the stairs, willing the tree to grow a part of it inwards. This caused a little disturbance though, as the sudden growing of stairs made Twilight's books fall from their now distorted shelves. I paused and realized I was about to pass out, but I struggled on. I climbed up the stairs and stood on its last step. If I moved any further, I'd fall a seven foot drop to Twilight's room. Here was where I started the floor of the bedroom. I reconnected to the earth for the last time and I willed small branches of the tree to grow inwardly, connecting in the middle of the soon-to-be floor. The connection made the floor look like a large wheel with spokes, but I was about to change that. I willed more to come and connect to the center. Next, I willed them to grow wider, flowing and connecting with their siblings and making a sturdy floor. I disconnected and took a step onto the floor to make sure it was sturdy. Luckily, it held when I fell to it unconscious.

I woke up a couple of minutes later cold and wet, gasping for air.

“Oh, good. You're fine. You gave me such a scare when I couldn't wake you up alone.” Twilight said, lowering the bucket to the floor. All I could do was sit up, and hope I didn't go under again.

“Crimson, the room is beautiful!” she commented. “But it could use a few windows.” she said as her horn lit up and four circles, each at the points of the compass, glowed on the newly formed walls. The circles faded and four, equal sized chunks of wall fell inwardly, producing four perfect holes for window-glass.

“We'll need some drapes, a carpet, and a large bed of course, and...” she went on verbally listing what she'd need for the room as I fell back asleep.

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I woke up in my bed with my gauntlets still on at night for the first time since I had arrived in Ponyville. It felt normal, but for some reason, strange at the same time. I didn't notice the true effect of Ponyville on me until now. My sleeping habits had been changed, but so had my outlook on my condition. I knew I had friends I could share my troubles with, friends who would cry with me, but also friends who would cheer on my victories. They were just like my Battalion-family.

My candid thoughts were cut short by my stomach which rumbled angrily. I walked out of my room, used to darkness, and straight into the kitchen. I rustled through the fridge, foraging and eating until my stomach didn't pain me so much.

I sat down at the table in this midnight hour finishing my snack, and I thought about what happened earlier. I remembered falling asleep as Twilight was talking, but.....the room! I decided I needed to see how it turned out.

I rose from the table and started my sneaky journey up the stairs. I tiphoofed up the stairs into Twilight's room. I saw Spike in his basket-bed at the foot of Twilight's bed, and then I saw her. My heart melted as I looked upon her sleeping face. She was so beautiful, and Luna's moonlight which drifted through the window only made it more pronounced. I wanted to go kiss her, but Spike snored loudly, scaring me up the second set of stairs and into the new room.

I saw the room had gotten glass for the windows and Twilight had put up dark green drapes around them. The drapes matched the leaves of the tree which hung outside the windows. Other than that, the room was still bare. There was no bed, no dressers, and I knew we wouldn't be able to get all the furniture before the couple arrived the next mid-morning. So, I got to work.

First, I connected to the earth through the tree and made the floor of the room smooth and caressing, an easy feat. But then came the hard parts. I decided to make the bed. I started knowing just what I wanted. Like earlier, instead of forcing my will, I decided to direct the tree with my will. From the center of the room, four pillars grew up from the floor to the ceiling, spiraling themselves by a touch of force be me. Next, I the center of the four pillars, I grew a large base up, one that would be able to hold a mattress.

I eyed my work, thinking there was something missing. I realized it was a top to the poster bed, so I grew a large sweeping top from the ceiling. I hoped that Twilight would be able to put drapes around the bed as well, but I knew I had more work cut out for me.

I turned to the walls between the windows. From the north-eastern wall, I grew a small table. From the north-western, I made a small conclave that would serve as a shallow Closet. The south-eastern wall held longer table, one that covered the whole corner. The south-western wall held nothing, as it was where the stairs came up.

I looked around the room tiredly and nodded to myself. All that we needed to do was buy things like lamps, a mirror, and a mattress. I started to tiphoof back down the stairs when I realized the room didn't have a door. I facehoffed myself. I mean, they were a relatively new married couple. Of course they'd need their privacy. I went back up and grew a small sliding door, which was much more complicated than I originally thought.

When the door slid closed, I realized I was exhausted again. I went over to the new bed and laid on it. For a bed without a mattress, it was pretty bucking comfortable. I looked up at the ceiling and thought. I thought about what I had just done and looked at it with surprise and pride. I never could have thought I could have made a room. I didn't think I could be even close to strong enough to make something bigger than a bridge. Any time I used my magic in the Battalion, I would feel like I did now, but I would carry on until I could get some rest. I guess I still did that, but to be able to create something this big? I wondered what I could truly achieve, if I went all out and used nothing but my powers.

I drifted off to sleep wondering what my true limits were, and hoping to Faust that they were enough to protect the homey town and the ponies I loved in it.

Chapter 14

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 14

My eyes snapped open to find an awed lavender mare in the new room. She stood by the side of the bed, but looked at all the things I had created last night. When she noticed I was awake, she looked at me with amazement.

“Did you...?” she started.

I nodded my head and put my hooves out to her. “Help me up, please.” I asked quietly.

She obeyed a little too quickly, which threw her off balance. She tried to pull me up, but ended up falling into me. She looked at me straight in the face, and blushed a deep red which made me smile. She moved so she wasn't right on top of me, but she didn't try to get out of my embrace. Instead, we ended up on our sides, with me still holding her. After a few moments of peaceful silence, Twilight spoke.

“We have a lot of work cut out for us if we are going to make this room complete in time. I already talked to Applejack and told her you couldn't come to work today.” she stated.

“Umhum.” I said as I pulled her closer to me. She nuzzled me with her head, rubbing my cheek.

“Come on Crimson. Spike is making breakfast and has the list of things ready. We can't be up here all day.” she said turning her face to mine. “Plus, this is going to be their room. We can do these things in your room.” she said with a sultry wink.

I looked at her as she got up with a wild smile. Where did that come from? I shook my head, happy I could spend my time with such a mare, and got up. I followed her down the two sets of stairs and into the kitchen. There, we found our cooked breakfast on the stove top, put there on plates because the table was in use.

The table was covered in the same map of Ponyville Twilight had out when she thought I was missing. Instead of worried mares surrounding it, Spike sat contemplatively at one side of the table, wearing a green-camo helmet. At the other side stood Pinkie Pie, dressed in a black sneaking suit. She donned a headpiece and night-vision goggles and stared at the map in thought too.

Of how Pinkie Pie got into the house, I'll never know. Why she was wearing such an outfit, I didn't want to know. What I do know is that that mare brings up more questions than she answers.

“Good morning Spike, Pinkie.” Twilight and I said to the pair who gave us curt nods, military like.

Twi and I grabbed our plates of scrambled eggs with celery and we put them on the counter in the middle of the kitchen, eating standing up. We watched the pair of miscreants whisper to each other and make gestures to the map. They were obviously trying to hide something from us, but they weren't being to discreet. All their clowning around ended up giving us breakfast and a show.

When we finished eating Twilight got up and walked over to them as I washed the plates.

“Spike, what are you planning?” she said in a stern big-sister voice.

Spike's demeanor as a gruff, battle-hardened general faltered and he glanced down to the floor.

“Nothing.” he said pawing the ground. Pinkie looked back and forth between the two.

“Spike...” Twilight said a little more seriously.

“WeweregonnathrowabisurpriseforArmorandCadence.” he spluttered out.

Twilight stood there trying to discern his fast words, but Pinkie broke the silence.

“Spike? SSSSSPPPPIIIIIKKKKEEEE! NOOOOOOOOO! You need to stop Metal Gear!”

“Pinkie, what are you talking about?” Spike said as he gave her a crazy look.

Twilight spoke up before Pinkie could answer “Go ahead. Just make sure you don't make a mess or hurt anypony. Crimson and I have to get their room ready, so we can't help you two.” she said like it was nothing. She turned away from them, but looked over her shoulder. “Oh, and make it something big.”

Pinkie and Spike gave her a salute. Spike folded up the map and Pinkie grabbed him into a hug. Then she ran out of the kitchen holding onto Spike, and into the chimney. Twilight was about to tell Pinkie to get out of there, but Pinkie pulled out a crossbow and pointed up the chimney. She shot it, and it's arrow carried a line of thread which she attached to her outfit. Then she and Spike put on sunglasses and disappeared up the chimney.

Twilight stood there stunned, but I broke out laughing.

“How did she? And the crossbow? The sunglasses! The sunglasses!” I laughed out as I rolled on the floor. Pinkie certainly lived up to the bearer of laughter. Twilight looked at my rolling on the ground and rolled her eyes.

“Come on Crimson, we have to go get a lot of stuff today.” she said.

I got up and wiped the tears from my eyes, my mirth slowly subsiding, and followed the lavender mare out of her home and into Ponyville. She had her bit-bag and a list, but nothing more. I wondered where her saddlebags were as we walked together to Beds and Pencils, Ponyville's bed store. I found it really strange that a store would sell nothing but beds and pencils. I told this to Twilight and she told me that there was another store that only sold quills and couches. As I expected from the beginning, Ponyville was a weird little town. But that weirdness gave it its own irresistible charm.

Twilight eventually choose a king sized mattress and sheets to go with the room. She payed for the thing and I grunted and huffed as I put it on my back to carry it home. However, fate had other plans.

“Holy, horseapples! Look at the time!” she shouted as she looked at the sky. “Crimson, we don't have that much time! Hold on!” she said as she grabbed me. I looked at her horn and saw it was glowing.

“Aw crap.......” I muttered as I felt a rush of magic around me, distorting the world.

I felt my body expand and then explode magically, making me nothing but particles. I felt myself fly to the library and into the new room, my particles being directed by magic and nothing more. Then I felt heavy, really, really heavy. I felt like I was being crushed as I came back into existence in the room with a 'pop'. Twilight appeared right next to me, and then I felt the weight of the mattress on my back. I slipped and fell to the floor, the mattress crushing me smugly.

Twilight quickly moved the mattress off of me and onto the bed with magic, asking me if I was alright the whole while.

“Yeah. I'm fine. Just.....just don't ever do that again.” I said getting up and popping my joints.

Twilight giggled. “Fine then. You stay here and make the bed and tidy-up while I go and get the other things.” she said before teleporting out of the room, leaving me alone.

I decided that this wouldn't do. I would make sure this room was clean and ready for the guests, but working alone and bored? Nope. I went downstairs to my room and rooted through my suitcase until I found it. It was a little metal box with a crank on its side. I had gotten it as a present from Luna for my last birthday, and it's one of the greatest things I ever got. I brought it up to the new room and put it on the table grown out of the wall. Then I turned the crank for a few minutes and turned it on.

Luna had called it a 'Radiation Automated Detecting Inter-Operator' or a RADIO. She said it worked by some magic found in music. Music's magic could be picked up on this little device and played back. It was probably much more complicated than what she told me, but I didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that I could listen to Jump Jett and the Blackhooves and The Drop-hoof Murpheys.

I listened to my favorite bands as I made the bed, pausing only to get a broom to sweep and my gauntlets to fix a few rough patches of the room.

Twilight surprised me by teleporting into the room while I was pretending to be Jump Jett, playing guitar with the broom and singing “Oh, I don't give a hay about my reputation!” She popped in and saw me. She was surprised for a minute and the sound of Jump Jett filled the room. Then she started laughing. I was embarrassed for a second, but decided to go with it and keep singing. She dropped the two candelabras she was holding in her hooves as I started to jump around the room rocking out with the song. I stopped on the bed and threw the broom to the ground, finishing “Not Me!” with the song. I was hot and sweaty, but it felt good to screw around like this. Twilight laughed herself to the ground and tears of joy streaming from her eyes. She looked up at me on top of the bed and I did the only thing I could; I bounced on the bed, and landed in front of her in a pose. She clapped and got up inches away from my face.

“You should go be a rock star.” she said slyly.

“Yeah! We could be a band, and you could be the singer.” I said moving closer to her.

“Only if we get to share a room on the tourbus.” She replied before we kissed.

It was brief, but every second was incredibly blissful. We broke away looking into each others eyes, when Twilight gave a seductive glance to the new bed. I was stunned, but not unpleasantly so.

“So you want to get it on in your brother and sister-in-law's new bed?” I asked amazed at how lusty Twilight was acting today. She gasped remembering why we were getting this room ready.

“I still have so much to go get!” she cried before giving me a quick kiss and teleporting away again.

I shook my head after her, finding that I missed her already. But then I hear one of my favorite bands, Flogging Mare, and decided to get back to work.

Over the next two hours, Twilight popped in and out of the room quickly with random pieces of furniture. A large dresser, a standing mirror, a wardrobe like mine, two small bed side tables, a small sitting couch, and another telescope.

As she came in leaving the furniture, I set them around the room, where I thought they looked best. One lamp on the long wall-table, one a bedside table next to the bed. The wardrobe went behind the bed and acted as a headboard, while I put the dresser at the foot of the bed. The small sitting couch went under the eastern window and the mirror in the doorless-closet. But I was stuck with where I should put the telescope.

So I thought up an idea and told Twilight before she went back out to get the drapes for the bed next, but get a few extra.

She looked at me puzzled, but I told her “Trust me.” She shrugged and left. I turned to the northern window and cracked my neck. I connected to the earth again and left my magic seep over to the north wall. I couldn't make it grow for what I had in mind so I was left with forcing it to move. I started and the top of the wall slowly started to recede, leaving a gap between the eastern and western walls. However, as the wall melted downwards to the floor, I pushed it out of the room. I heard the window-glass fall out of the window frame and hit the floor with a resounding 'thud', but I paid attention to what I was doing. Making a balcony was serious business. Not only did I have to push and form the extra matter, but I had to support it from below with other matter. It was mentally taxing. When I felt it was done I cut my magic to it and felt the wave of tiredness I always felt after using my magic, but it was much less than yesterday. I had to make sure the new balcony was stable, so I walked out onto it. It held as I walked about it, and then I decided to jump around on it. Luckily it still held, but I almost fell over the edge thanks to my coordination. I decided to make it fool-proof by making a bannister to surround the balcony. It took a little more effort than I expected, but that was just because I made all the stakes that connected it to the balcony swirled, like the pillars of the poster-bed.

I smiled at my hoofwork and then sat on the bed. I felt tired, but not as much as last night, which surprised me. I actually felt a little energized from the sudden use of energy, like the one I get after a short run. Tired, but just tired enough to know you didn't even try your hardest. I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling like I did last night, only fully awake. Could my magic be getting stronger? Or was it just because I did something small compared to yesterday? I couldn't say. I closed my eyes and let the gentle morning breeze caress me. The balcony was definitely a good idea, and I found out I wasn't the only pony who thought so.

Twilight teleported into the room for the last time with a 'pop' that echoed out of the room. She didn't see the balcony right away, which I laughed at, since it WAS a missing wall.

“Crimson! Get off the bed and help me put up the bed drapes! Now where is that breeze.....Oh my! Crimson, it's beautiful! I always wanted a balcony!”

“Isn't this room for your brother and his wife?”

“Oh yeah. Speaking of them, we gotta finish up quick! The train is going to arrive at the station in half an hour!” she said a little off-hoofedly.

I sprung up off the bed. “Why didn't you say so earlier! Let's go!”

We raced to finish the room and made it just in time to go take showers and get a little presentable. While Twilight was putting on some make-up in her room, I was in my room putting on my uniform and brushing my mane. It was starting to get a little unruly again, but it wasn't as long as had been when I first came to Ponyville. Now, it was a little long, but still short, so I was able to brush it to a good shine.

“Crimson?! You ready?” Twilight called from the stairs.

I stepped out of my room. “Let's go greet them.”

“Wow....Your uniform is.....”

“It's all Rarity's work.” I smiled at her. “Now, let's get moving.”

“That's the thing Crimson. We won't be able to make it there by hoof.” Twilight said mischievously, her horn starting to glow.

“Wait, that means...NO!” I shouted as the lavender mare laughed and jumped on me, teleporting us as soon as she touched me.

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We popped into existence outside the Ponyville Train station, which probably wasn't the best idea. I say that because when we arrived we startled some Solar Guards and they had us surrounded and at spear point before we could move our tails. We slowly opened our mouths and tried to explain.

“Hold it!” said the Solar Guard in charge. “Who are you and state your business!” He and his soldiers were obviously for Shining and Cadence.

“Captain Crimson Moon Steelhooves of the Lunar Battalion escorting Twilight Sparkle, sister to Shining Armor and Princess Celestia's protegee.” I said in my most official military voice. “Move aside Soldier, we are here to greet the royals and take them home.”

“But...” he faltered, his spear point dropping.

“That is an order soldier! I may not be part of the Solar Guard, but I still take order over you and your men. NOW MOVE!”

He looked from me to Twilight to his men and then to me again. Then his gaze dropped and he said “Yes sir.” He backed away from us, and so did his soldiers. We walked briskly away from them to the terminal.

“Do you really have enough power to command them around like that?” Twilight asked as we waited for the train to arrive.

I shifted a little uncomfortably. “Well, I did.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, in times of emergency, like during the Changeling invasion, I was able to command any soldier of any army up to the rank of General, and my title changed from Captain to Legate, like your brother. But that's nothing, look at what you could do during times of emergency.”

“But that's just me and the girls, just six of us. You could lead a whole battalion.”

“And you think ponies wouldn't follow you? In a dire emergency, you could lead an army.”

Twilight looked dismayed after I said this. She was silent for a time while we looked for the train.

“But how could you take care of all those ponies?” she asked eventually.

“You talk to them, keep them fed, keep them warm, and try to keep them safe. Make sure to put them first in your mind, but most important, make them your friends.” I said looking to Twilight. “After all, friendship is magic.”

She smiled and said “I kind of get it now” before leaning on me. I threw a hoof around her shoulder and we waited.

The train could be heard before we saw it. Its whistle blew quite loudly before it rounded the bend in the track, making it visible, but still distant. I watched as the candy-colored train slowed and pulled to a loud halt in front of us. The steam from the exhaust along with the smoke created from the breaks billowed around us, making the bright morning seem a little creepy. All creepiness disappeared after the doors opened. The train was empty of passengers except for two.

Shining wore his vest that held all his medal and he led a dainty Princess Cadence be her hoof out of the train. Her gorgeous pink coat shone in the sun and her lovely mane was swept to the side of her face, showing how much joy she radiated. What really surprised me though, was that the first sign of being pregnant could be seen in Cadence's slight baby bump.

After Shining helped Cadence out of the train he turned to Twilight “Come give your bbbff a big hug Twi!”

“Shiny!” she squealed as she dove into a hug.

I snorted at the two as the had a rapid conversation and I went over to give Cadence a hug.

“You look well Crimson.” she said. “If you're doing as well as your uniform looks, then you're set.”

“What about you?” I said playfully. “Radiating beauty like that should be illegal. I'm going blind!”

She giggled and gave me a friendly kiss on the cheek. “I forgot you taught Shining how to be charming.”

I leaned back out of the hug “Damn right! That little filly you call a husband wouldn't have even met you if I didn't almost throw him at you.”

“Hey!” Shining said as he and Twi walked over to us. The mares exchanged greetings while I replied to Shining.

“Hay is for horses.” I said repeating a certain insane mare.

Shining punched me in the shoulder. “Still just as weird.”

“Yeah, and just as tough too.” I replied giving him a toothy smile.

“Dude, your uniform is even better than before you left. How'd it happen?”

“One of Twilight's friends said she would touch it up.”

“Oh, so you know all of the element bearers by now.”

“Met them all on my first day here. It happens when you're a mares-stallion.” I said breathing on my hoof and then rubbing it on my uniform. Shining laughed and slapped me on the back as the mares started looking at us.

“Well, shall we go?” Twilight asked

“Yeah, yeah sis.” he said to her before whispering “God, living with her was hard, but now you're stuck with her! Ha!” to me jokingly.

“I don't know, living with her has its benefits.” I said slyly.

Shining's eyes narrowed. “You bastard.... you didn't.....”

“Ok Twilight, time to go!” I shouted before cantering away from Shining.

“Get back here you!”

“Sorry Shining, I think I hear Cadence telling you to slow down.” I said throwing a glance over my shoulder to see two laughing mares and one unicorn stallion sprinting at me. I increased my speed too, and suddenly we were out side of the station, racing past the Solar Guards and down the street into Ponyville.

I slowed down when I thought I heard something, and Shining caught me by tackling me to the ground.

“You little devil!” he shouted at me. “You better not have done any....”

“Shhhs.” I said holding up a hoof. “You hear that?” I asked

“Hear wha......wait, yeah. What is that?”

“I don't know.” I replied as we tried to find out what was making the strange rumbling noise. Then the ground started to shake too and we both looked at each other in wonder. However, that was when Spike and Pinkie decided to round the corner. They had some how made an oversized float which was pulled by two elephants who were quickly stomping down the street towards us.

“Run?”

“Yep.”

We sprinted back the way we came. The mares were just leaving the station as we reentered it and we pulled them back into the safety of the station.

“Crimson?” Twilight asked me.

“What's going on Shining?” Cadence asked her husband.

We both answered in pieces, since we were regaining our breath.

“Pinkie....”

“Spike....”

“Loud noise....”

“On elephants....”

“Huge float.........”

The mares looked at each other, trying to discern what we had just said.

“Did you say elephants?” they both asked at the same time.

A concussive trumpeting came from behind the mares and they turned around quickly to see Spike's and Pinkie's surprise.

“Shalom!” Pinkie yelled from atop her elephant waving and wearing a turban, like the ponies of the Samarea Desert.

“Hi Crimson! Hi Cadence!” Spike yell similarly.

“Pinkie how did you get elephants?” Twilight asked.

“Gypsy magic!” she said energetically.

We all got the look of confusion Pinkie Pie causes on sane ponies, but then we realized it was Pinkie.

“These guy owed me a favor, so I asked them to come say hi!” she continued. “Go on Jumbo, say hi!” she said patting her elephant. It raised its trunk as if it were to trumpet again, but instead it shot confetti and streamers out.

“You too, Little Tom.” Pinkie said to the other elephant. It reached into a saddlebag at its side with its trunk. It pulled out a large box on wheels and placed it in front of us. Then it took away the box, leaving a large cake on wheels.

“Welcome to Ponyville!” Pinkie and Spike shouted as fireworks went off a few meter above their heads.

“Um, thanks.” Shining muttered, not sure what to say.

Cadence took the lead in this. “Thank you so much! We both love the display and the gifts. Now, we want to get home now since we're tired from our journey, but we'll be ready to party later!”

“Ok. Just remember, no bringing peanuts; these guys are allergic.” Pinkie said as she and Spike turned the elephants around and rode away in the noonday sun.

“That was.....weird.” Shining said.

“Nope, that was Pinkie Pie.” I said, making Twilight laugh.

Shining rolled his eyes and we walked to the library talking about what Shining and Cadence had been up to after their honeymoon. Shining and Cadence had been busy buying a home in
Canterlot and managing the Solar Guard away from the Royal castle. Now that Shining was married, Celestia pulled him off the front lines. Shining and Cadence had also been busy meeting with dignitaries from foreign countries.

“So you guys know King Sharpbeak?” I asked the couple as we walked into the library.

“The griffon king? Yes, why?” Cadence asked.

“Did you go to the kingdom to meet him, or did he come here?”

“We went to the kingdom. Does it matter?” Shining inquired.

“Yeah! You should have seen him last time. He got smashed and was quite the sight.”

“Really? Wow....”

“Yep. He can't hold a drink at all, but he's a riot when he's smashed. You'd be surprised how well he can fly.....”

“Do you have any other stories about the dignitaries?” Twilight asked over the couple's laughter

“Nah, we'd be up all night.”

“Then tell us what you've been up to.” Shining said.

Twilight and I took turns telling them about what has happened in my time in Ponyville. Twilight told him about everything, except the story of my last mission, and I added to the parts that she didn't know.

“Ditzy Hooves was a Captain in the Lunar Battalion!” Twilight exclaimed when I told them about the day I met the Doctor.

“You didn't know that?”

“She just the mailmare, and usually she's a little....scatterbrained.” Twilight said a little ashamedly.

“She probably just got bored. Did she talk in a goofy voice?”

“Yeah. It made a lot of ponies think she's....” she trailed off.

“Ditzy just likes to mess with ponies. She also doesn't care what other ponies think of her. She's quite the amazing girl.”.

“She's like a sister to me.” I finished as I got strange looks from everypony.

They all nodded in understanding and Twilight and I continued telling them about our escapades.

“...and then we came and picked you up.” Twilight finished, breathless.

“Oh, the room must be beautiful!” Cadence said, her eyes alight with anticipation. “I can't wait to see it!”

Shining looked at me with a raised eyebrow “So you're telling me an earth pony made this room with magic?”

“You wanna see how 'magical' it is?” I asked him, brotherly.

“Yes please!” Cadence answered for him.

“Come on!” Twilight said, springing up the stairs.

I rolled my eyes and went up a little slower with the anticipating couple.

We reached the top of the stairs where Twilight waited for us. It wasn't the best idea to wait at the top, since there was little room, but she was jubilant, so I brushed it off.

“You go in first Crimson!” Twilight squealed excitedly.

I carefully walked around the couple and Twilight, almost falling off the stairs in the process. I mentally told myself to make a railing for the stairs as I opened up the sliding door and walking into the room.

I was greeted by a warm, gentle breeze. I looked proudly at the drapes surrounding the bed that swayed softly in the gentle breeze. I sighed contentedly as I walked away from the door to the balcony, allowing my friends to enter the room. I leaned on the bannister of the balcony as I heard the couple enter the room, signified by a loud gasp from Cadence.

“You, you made this, Crimson?” Shining asked from behind me, sounding as surprised as he must have looked. I turned around to face them, but still leaned on the bannister. I saw that Shining was stunned and Cadence was estatic.

“Crimson, this is so beautiful! I can't believe you did this all for us!” Cadence said with glee as she spun in a circle taking in all the room had to offer.

“Yeah, I can't believe it either...” Shining muttered as he felt a pillar around the bed. “You really did all this with magic?” he asked skeptically.

“With good-old earth pony magic.” I replied smugly.

“I knew you had a few tricks up your sleeves, but this....” he said as he waved a hoof around the room.

“Shining! Don't be rude! Don't you love this?” Cadence said sharply.

Shining smiled at her and then smiled at me too.

“Yeah, I actually do.” he said as he pulled Cadence to his side.

“Did you two bring any luggage?” Twilight asked while she examined the inside of the new wardrobe.

“Don't worry about it sis. The guards from the station will bring it all later. Plus, it's not like we packed a lot.”

“Why not?” Twilight asked surprised and a little crestfallen. Apparently she didn't care to find out how long they were staying from the letter.

“Oh you know....dead fish and house guests.....” Shining said weakly.

“What?”

“They both stink after three days.” I said flatly.

“No they don't! Well my house guests don't! Especially when it's Shining and Cadence!”

I walked past the mare rolling my eyes. “It's only an expression.”

“Oh.”

“So you wanna show us how you made this?” Shining asked with a sidelong smirk.

“Sure, but we have to go outside. I'll meet all of you there.” I said as I walked to the stairs and started to descend. I thought I just acted a little harsh, but Twilight.....she was so.....

I felt just as excited as she did, but she was overdoing it. When Shining told her that they wouldn't be staying, she was so sad. Why didn't she act that way towards me?

Holy buck. I was jealous.

I stopped short as I realized this on the last step of the stairs. Was I really like that? Like a colt in love? Damn. I smacked myself to break my trance. Nah, that wasn't me. I really liked Twilight, I knew that much for sure. I also knew I felt happiest when I was with her and that I wouldn't give anything to be apart from her, but I couldn't be in love, right?

But then, I remembered Fluttershy's words to me. Her words combined with my thoughts and just conflicted my feeling even more.

Did I just want to have fun with Twilight?

No, I knew I'd never want to do anything to hurt the beautiful mare.

Did I really lover her?

I wasn't sure I could answer that right now.

But why? Is it because of Oakleaf?

No. Yes. Urgggh.

I shook my head to clear my mind and found that I had subconsciously walked into my room. I took the act of my hooves as a blessing and grabbed my suitcase from under the bed. I undid the latches and put my gauntlets on, letting their feel and metallic sheen clear my mind of confusing thoughts and feelings. I walked out of my room briskly to make sure I wasn't left alone with myself for too long, before more thoughts invaded my mind.

I stood at the door frame that separated the kitchen from the outside world. It was bright and warm outside in the noonday sun, with the same warm, gentle breeze wafting it's way in the backyard. Twilight, Shining, and Cadence were engaged in idle chit-chat. Twilight looked so happy and bright in the sunshine with her brother and sister-in-law. For a minute I thought of going back inside to leave them to their cheerful selves, but Twilight spotted me.

“Hey Crimson! What took you?” she asked happily from across the yard.

I couldn't fight her addictive mood, so I smiled and stepped out into the light and crossed over to them.

“Twilight told us about your gauntlets Crimson. May I see them?” Cadence asked me to my surprise.

“Sure” I said as I loosened one off of my hoof. “But why?”

“Oh, my father, the Baron Mi Amore, loves to collect things like these.” she said as she looked at one of my gauntlets discerningly, flipping over and over in her hooves. “He has a a whole wall of swords used by all the pony cultures around the world. Dad also has a lot of other weapons like maces and some exotic things. He even has a full set of armor, yet nopony was crazy to use gauntlets alone.” she said looking up to me, with an uncharacteristic smile.

“You came from Stalliongrad, correct?” she asked

“Yeah.”

“And your father's name?”

“Oh, it's Billows Steelhooves.”

She flipped the gauntlet back to me and I caught it. “I might have to have you introduce him to Dad; those gauntlets are some of the best pieces of metal work I've ever seen.”

I smiled proudly. “Thanks. But I never expected that you of all people would have a father into weapons.”

“Why?” she asked in all seriousness.

“You know, the whole love-magic thing.”

“Daddy has a love for weapons. To him, they are magic.” she said with a wicked smile.

I whistled, amazed to Shining. “Wow, you landed quite the catch.”

“Oh, I know it.” he said hugging her lovingly. “Now how about you show us how you made that room.”

“Ah! Of course. However, it might take a while, so may I offer you a seat?” I said politely and mischievously.

They looked at me confused as I loosed myself up to the earth and focused.

Blocks of compact earth shot up from the ground underneath the trio of ponies. They all gasped in surprise and looked shocked, until they found themselves sitting in a crude, earthen couch. I disconnected myself and bowed, giving a wave with my hoof.

They were all stunned for a second, until Twilight started clapping. Then Cadence gave a delightful twinkling laugh that made Shining break out of his amazed stupor and smile at me. Before they could ask any questions, I gave them a brief description of the properties of my gauntlets. Shining put a hoof under his chin and listened intently. Then he whispered something to Twilight which made her first frown, then light up in interest. She jumped up from the sod couch.

“Let me get my note pad first!” she said before teleporting away.

Where was she off to?

“Crimson,” Shining said standing up from the couch too. “What do you say to a friendly little spar?”

I was shocked. So was Cadence.

“Shining, what in Celestia's name are you doing?” she shouted at him.

“We're not gonna fight with our hooves, but with magic!”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, before you came outside, Twi was telling us about how you created the room yesterday, and then went back in the night to create even more.” Shining said, his eyes aglow. “And then how you created the balcony this morning.”

“Yeah, but did she tell you how I was exhausted after each time.”

“Not this morning.”

“Oh please, the balcony was much easier than a whole room.”

He grabbed my face with his front hooves. “You don't understand Crimson! Making any of the things you managed to do, with just magic, could kill any other pony. Even a strong mage like me or Twi would have a hard time making just the balcony alone! You're much stronger than you know!”

I brushed him off of me, a little disgusted at him, but also lost in thought. Could I really be that strong? But I couldn't teleport, use telekinesis, or use any spells. Yet, I didn't see any unicorns who could mold the earth as I could.

My thinking was broken by Cadence reprimanding Shining.

“How dare you?!” she yelled at him, tugging at his ear. “We're here not one day, and you already manage to anger your friends and cause some trouble! What is wrong with you!?!”

“Ow,ow,ow. Calm down dear.” Shining tried to assuage her.

Twilight teleported in on the spectacle and tried to separate the quarreling couple. Soon it became a large cacophony of chaos.

“ENOUGH!” I shouted over the noise.

The three ponies stopped immediately in a pose I thought incredibly painful, yet funny.

“I'll do it. I want to see my limits. But nothing that we couldn't stop, ok?”

“Of course! It's just to see what you can do.” Shining said, attempting to nod his head while Cadence still held him in her headlock.

“And I'll record everything!” Twilight said from under Cadence's hooves.

Cadence looked angry, but she released the siblings.

“Humph.” she said angrily, washing her hooves of us by going back to the sod couch and sitting down. She crossed her hooves and watched Shining with a glare that would put Celestia's sun to shame.

Twilight put us at opposite sides of the yard and drew two large boxes around us in the grass with magic. The lines glowed a pulsing purple as more lines sprung across the grass, putting my box and Shining's box into a larger one. It had a line across the middle and looked a lot like a hoofball field.

“Ok.” Twilight said sitting down next to a simmering Cadence. If she noticed Cadence was still pissed she must not have cared, because her pad and her quill floated above her ready to transcribe any notes.

“The object of this is to make the other mage submit. Normally, it would go on until one of you either submitted by will, or fell unconscious from exhaustion. However, this is only to test Crimson.” she said officially.

“You two can't leave the smaller boxes, and your spells are confined to the larger box. Nothing to serious boys. We don't want anypony getting hurt.” she said, casting a glance to a smiling Shining.

“You ready Shining?”

“You know it Twi.”

She looked to me. “Are you ready Crimson?” she asked softer.

I took a moment to connect myself to the earth, to feel it's power and mine, and also to ready myself.

I opened my eyes. “Yeah. Let's get going.”

Twilight smiled, but looked at us with fierce intensity.

“You make the first move Shining.” She told him.

He nodded and looked at me.

“Ready?” the sadistic lavender mare asked.

“Go!”

Chapter 15

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 15

Shining looked across the makeshift field at me with a devilish grin before his horn started to glow. I knew something was going to happen, but not what, so I guess I had to rely on reflexes. However, that was tricky, since I never had really used my magic as a need. Only to make pathways or clear the way for my team. I rarely had ever used it offensively or defensively, so all of this was a first. Lucky me......

Shining's telekinetic slap almost threw me from the my hooves, but I crouched down and took the first few slaps, until one somehow go under my chin and threw my head and body skywards. It made me rear up on my back hooves and almost topple over backwards.

I knew from Colt Maga this was possible the worst position I could be in, but I also knew from Colt Maga, that this was when your enemies least expected a counter attack.

I gritted my teeth and found my inner magic flowing with the magic of the earth. I thought up something quick, and decided to act. It wasn't anything big or showy, but I knew I could pull it off quickly, and hopefully it surprised Shining. I channeled my magic to the ground underneath the smirking Shining and let it influence the grass.

The grass all around Shining, especially under him, shot up towards the sky, making it look like the yard had a suddenly grown a mo-hawk in one section. Shining was thrown off by my harmless attack and his telekinetic slaps stopped.

I regained my footing on all four hooves and Shining started laughing.

“That was pretty sneaky!” he shouted from inside the grass. The top half of the grass suddenly fell away, revealing a smug Shining, his horn aglow with a blue aura.

“Nice trick! But you're gonna have to do better than that!” he said in challenge as I started to get batted around again.

This time I was ready though. I crouched down again like before, but I channeled my magic into the earth around me. Since it was topsoil, and not heavy rock, I could control it fairly easily. I made a large sod turtle shell around me, encasing me in darkness, but protecting me from the outside attacks. Each smack made a resounding 'poomf' on the walls of my shield, making it rain a little sod each time. I knew this wouldn't hold for long, so I needed to think up a counterattack quickly. I felt the earth with my magic trying to come up with something. I thought back to the grass. Shining would be expecting something with it though. But maybe if I could distract him.......

I brought down the dome's wall in front of me making up my plan as I went along. Then I used the sod from the wall to make three pillars where the wall used to be before Shining's attacks could reach me. I observed his side and looked at the now half-height grass. Yeah, that plan would work.

“Dropping a wall for bars? What, are you trapping yourself?” Shining asked while strengthing his attacks. I could tell, because each hit made the shell rain more sod than the last.

I had to act and act quickly.

I hoofstomped the ground accidentally after a telekinetic slap created cracks in my wall. Unexpectedly, my stomp made the ground around me rise a little. I tentatively tried it again, and the sod around me raised a little. I smiled. I now knew how to win.

I stomped again, focusing my magic on the pillars, cutting them from the ground so they would be thrown into the air. I laughed as I unleashed a fury of punches and kicks to the pillars, breaking them up into smaller bits that flew at Shining with incredible speeds.

Shining saw this and pulled off all his telekinetic attacks to form a shield in front of him.

“You really think a head on attack will get me? I'm the strongest defensive mage in all of Canterlot!” he said smugly. That was when I enacted my true plan.

While he boasted and caught the sod projectiles on his glowing blue shield, I funneled my magic into the grass around him, influencing it to grow. He didn't notice, but it grew around him, not in a boxy shape like last time, but like snakes twining themselves around his hooves and midsection.

Cadence and Twilight gasped aloud, alerting Shining to what was happening to the lower half of his body.

He saw and immediately dropped the shield and projectiles and struggled to break free. Some of the grass started to rip away from the ground, so I funneled more of my magic into what remained. The grass grew more rapidly, forming large vines and vegetation rope. Shining still struggled and even cut at the vines with magic outbursts, but the grass grew too fast to stop all of it. Soon, Shining was encased in a ball of grass vines. I cut my magic to the grass and panted., letting the sweat run down my face. I was tired, but not exhausted, and I knew I had won.

The grass prison shook for a second, snapping my attention onto it. Then it bust away from its prisoner. Shining was surrounded by a large orb shield, much like the one he had created around Canterlot.

“You had me scared there for a minute.” he said confidently, but I could see he was shaken. “Now it's my turn.” he said dropping the shield and readying himself for offensive maneuvers.

I rolled my eyes at the cliché but I saw a large telekinetic wave coming at me. He was planning on going full out! I rose a large wall of sod and willed it to move. The two fronts collided with a loud 'BOOM'.

I fell to the ground tired and panting and Shining looked over to me.

“You ok Crimson?” he said a little mockingly.

I grit my teeth and rose from the ground, feeling my anger rise. I felt the earth's magic and mine flow together, and I realized something. Earth ponies are creatures of the earth. Our magic is the same as the earth's, so why couldn't I just use the earth's magic instead of mine? I reached into the earth's magic, letting it flow into me instead of my magic flowing into it. I could feel it, the massive amount of power. I felt energized and ready for anything, like I did on that night in the desert, but more importantly, I could feel the will of all the elements in the ground. Apparently, plants weren't the only things that wanted to 'grow'. I could feel the groundwater's want to flow, the rock's want to solidify, even the dirt's want to cover. I took all their wants into account, and I was ready to act.

“Yep.” I replied as I felt the earth around my hooves, alive with it's magic, ready to act.

I saw Shining start another wave of telekinetic energy, but I was ready.

The ground rumbled shaking everypony while scaring them too. A jet of groundwater shot up under Shining, drenching him and stopping his attack. When the water stopped, he looked at me in disbelief for a minute. Then he got a look of determination and his horn started to glow again. Before he could do anything, I stomped the ground, creating a large dust cloud over the field. It cleared in seconds thanks to Shining's magic, but I saw what I wanted; Shining's chest, back, and lower body had been covered in dust. I willed the dust to take on the form it wanted, the form all lower materials wanted to take on, the form of the mighty rock.

Shining attacked be with a barrage of telekinesis, but I didn't notice as I focused on the dust. At first it looked like he was covered in dirty flour, but as it started to dry and coagulate, it started to look like dried paint. But it didn't stop there. The dust coat started to thicken and solidify and Shining became aware of what was happening. He tried to blast the rock away, but it was infused with the earth's and my magic, making every blast ricochet off of it. Slowly, the rock covered Shining's entire lower body and started to grow up his neck. He started to panic.

“Stop! I submit.” he shouted resignedly.

I pumped my hooves into the sky and cut the magic to the growing rock. I felt a rush of exaltation and I smiled widely. And then the 'exaltation' hit me, and I found out it wasn't exaltation at all.

I fell to the ground and bent over, emptying the contents of my stomach all over the ground. I felt burnt out and empty. My magic was totally depleted and with the absence of earth's magic in my body, I felt the full force of what happens when I break my boundaries. I chocked a little and threw up some more, vaguely realizing that somepony was near me. I finished and fell off to the side, away from my vomit and laid in the grass shivering.

Through bleary senses, I felt a horn touch me. I felt a warm wave break through the cold surrounding my insides, but it wasn't enough to completely cast off this veil of sickness. I tried to say 'thank you' to whoever was helping me, but I couldn't open my mouth without being sick again. I focused on just breathing as I felt myself getting levitated off the grass and through the air. I was gently put onto something comfortable and then somepony put a blanket over me, dispelling the cold.

I didn't sleep, but I had my eyes closed and stayed there while I tried to make myself better. What could have caused this? I knew I went a little overboard, but I should have been exhausted, not sick. Was it because I used an energy that wasn't mine? Or was it because I was just too weak?

I opened up my eyes slowly when I felt somepony gently taking off my gauntlets. I found out it was Cadence, slipping the gauntlets off with all the care in the world. We were in the library, and I was on the couch, covered by a nice, large blanket.

“Thanks.” I whispered hoarsely, surprising her.

“I knew something like this would happen, but when those two stubborn idiots get an idea in their heads.......”

I chuckled, but stopped since it made me queasy again. “Where are they anyway?”

“Twilight is currently chipping that dumb stallion out of your spell. That should teach him not to cause trouble.” she murmured as she took of one of my gauntlets a little roughly.

I gave her a small grin. “But he's your dumb stallion.”

She sighed. “Yes. Yes, he is.” She looked at me concerned. “Are you going to be alright?”

“I hope so. I don't know what happened.”

“Maybe Twilight can explain.” she said as we saw Twilight enter the room with her brother who walked quite stiffly.

Twilight rushed over to me. “Are you alright Crimson?”

Shining hobbled over, interrupting her. “That was crazy! That spell! Look!” he said animatedly as he pointed to his legs. His body had been freed from the stone, but his legs and hooves were still somewhat encased. That explained why he was oddly hobbling around.

“Shining, can you show him all that later? I think we should find out what made him sick first.” Cadence said coldly.

“Oh, yeah. Right, sorry.” he replied, looking like a colt who had been scolded by his mother.

“So what happened out there?” Twilight asked, her ever present note-pad floating above her.

I told her about using the earth's magic instead of my own and how much stronger I had become from it. She sighed after the quick recap.

“It's just some magical feed back.” she said. “It's what happens when a mage tries to use a power that is much stronger than themselves. It's pretty dangerous if you're not strong enough.” she admonished.

“Yeah, but why did I get sick?”

“You let in all that energy and released it too fast without having something to replace it. Think of it as making a something out of metal. You need to heat it slowly and then you can mold it as much as you want. But, when you want it to keep it's shape, you need to cool it slowly. If you heat it up really fast and then cool it just as fast, it'll break.”

“So I was basically the metal.”

“You should be glad that you just got sick. You could have 'broken'.” she said said worrying, touching my cheek with her hoof.

I laid back onto the couch and took a deep breath. I felt angry at myself. Not for almost killing myself foolishly, but for making this lovely mare so worried. How could I have been stupid? Why did I even agree to the stupid fight? I chuckled to myself with chagrin. Fighting was my special talent, so it's pretty hard for me to refuse one. My and my instincts.......

I rubbed my face as Twilight stood up and told the couple. “Let's let him get some rest. Come on everypony....” She ascended the stairs with the couple, chatting softly with them.

It was funny watching them go upstairs and trying to be quiet for my sake when every step Shining took made a loud 'CLUMP' on each step. I covered my eyes with a hoof, and started to drift off, knowing there was probably a Pinkie Pie party to attend later today. I grimaced at the thought; I'd need to be in tip-top condition for that.

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I went to Pinkie's party with everypony else around dusk. I was more than apprehensive, but it was for Cadence and Shining.

“Don't worry Crimson, Pinkie promised me she wouldn't pull out the party cannon.” she told me before we left with a reassuring hoof. As much I would have liked to believe her, I remembered who was throwing the party. I knew Pinkie would never want to intentionally hurt anypony, but when it came to parties, I doubted Pinkie could control herself. She was a great friend, but I knew how she was.

Thus, as we walked up to Sugarcube Corner, I tentatively opened the door to an antagonizingly familiar darkness, before stepping off to the side, where I would be safe. Then the lights shot on.

“Surprise!” shouted all the inhabitants of Ponyville and I even heard the two elephants trumpet from inside. I glanced to Shining and Cadence, who were smiling broadly as the entered the house. Twilight followed them and grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, dragging me in with her.

Sugarcube Corner was decked out with steamers and balloons. There was food on every table, cupcakes and other sugary delights. There was a large table with speakers at one side of the room and the host of the party darted around the room and in between the clusters of ponies so fast it made my head spin. She spotted us right after she had a long conversation with the guests of honor and she appeared next to me before I could slink away.

“Hiya Crimson! Twilight!”

“It's a nice party Pinkie. But I have to ask; How did you get the elephants in here?”

“Two hundred sticks of butter and lots of elbow grease. The elbow grease just lets 'em slide right in.....”

Twilight raised an eyebrow before dropping the question she was about to ask.

“So how are you Crimson?”

“Ok, I guess.” I said quietly, and a little upset.

Now don't let me fool you. I could deal with parties. Small parties were a breeze to me, but big parties......well, we don't mix that well. The biggest party I had been to in over a year was the Neighpolian rave I went to with Ditzy and the Doctor. Now that was a huge party. The only reason I could deal with that was because I might have been just a tad bit drunk when I attended it. Without anything to take my mind off the fact I surrounded by ponies I could hurt, I always felt antsy and nervous at things like these. I wanted to get out before something bad happened again.

Pinkie grabbed me and said “Come with me.” I looked to Twilight questioningly, but she just gave me a shrug. Pinkie pulled me through the crowd of ponies and into the large kitchen of the bakery.

The bakery was large and was filled with color. It seemed like every counter was a light blue, yellow, of pink. Other than obnoxious colors, the kitchen was filled with appliances, utensils, and spaces to cook. Counters lined two walls, the large double sink and magic dish washer being built into the one across from the door. Off to the right was the stove, the extra large magical refrigerator next to it, and opposite of that on the left was a wall of four extra-large ovens. In the middle of the spacious room was a large counter that had baking utensils above it, hanging off of racks. The counter was dusted with a light coating of flour, showing Pinkie had used it earlier to make all the snacks outside.

“Pinkie, why'd you bring me in here?”

“I'm going to eat your brain!” she said turning around to face me, holding two bendy-straws in her hooves.

“Seriously Pinkie.” I deadpanned.

“You're no fun!” she stuck her tongue at me. She waltzed over to the counter next to the fridge and stove. She reached underneath, openinig a cupboard and removing a large bowl and a whisk from a drawer. She placed the bowl on the counter and turned around throwing the whisk at me. I caught it quickly.

“Nice catch!”

“Pinkie come on..”

“Ok, ok. I know you don't like crowd and big parties, so I thought you'd like to help me cook up the dessert.”

“Wait, there's a dessert? What about the cake outside?”

“Pffft. Not even close.” she waved a hoof at me.

“Um, ok Pinkie. I'll gladly help you, but I'm not that great of a cook.” I said feeling better.

“Just follow what I tell you, soldier!” she replied in a gruff voice. “Now get over here, double time!”

I smiled and saluted with the whisk. “Sir, yes sir!”

Pinkie pulled a Top hat and a monocle out of nowhere and placed them on herself.

“Now I'm a sir!!!”

I laughed at her antics as I walked over to her. She stepped behind me and opened up the fridge. She was blocked out of my view for a minute as she rooted around in the fridge. When she pulled her head out of the fridge, the top hat and monocle were gone, but now she was carrying two cartons of eggs.

“You get to beat these yolks, I'll go save my folks!” she said as she put the cartons down next to me.

“What?” I said too late. Pinkie dashed around the room humming a song as she pulled random ingredients out for baking. I just shook my head and decided to focus on the eggs. I cracked them all into the large bowl and whisked them until the egg-y solution was ready.

“I'll take over for now. You go wash your hooves.” Pinkie said from behind me. I turned around to find the pink mare balancing all the ingredients in a stack on her head. I just shook my head as to the sink. I washed my hooves while what sounded like a buzz-saw at work was going off behind me. I glanced at Pinkie, who was wearing welding goggles and working on something. I went back to washing my hooves.

“Come on slowpoke!” Pinkie said to me as I dried my hooves with a towel that hung off the sink's facet. She was at the large counter in the middle of the room wearing an apron. She tossed me one, which I put quickly. At her hooves was a large glob of stuff.

“What is that?” I exclaimed.

Pinkie giggled. “It's the dough silly!”

“Oh.” I fixed my apron a little embarrassed. “When I said I wasn't such a good cook, it's because I've never really done it.”

“Don't worry Crimson. Even Pumpkin and Pound love helping me with this part.”

Easy for foals to do? I could pull that off.

I walked up to the counter and put my front hooves on it like Pinkie had done. Pinkie grabbed the gloop and pulled it, stretching it and then broke it into two separate lumps. She passed me one of them and then opened up a white container on the counter. She put her hoof into it and extracted a hoofful of white powder. She dashed it into the gloop and started to roll and mold it.

“Roll the dough around and add some flour if it starts to break apart.” she instructed me.

I started rolling around the gloop across from Pinkie. At first, it was a little weird. The dough was cold and messy and a little wet. But as I kept rolling it around and adding flour, it became warmer and took on a texture that wasn't so gross.

“You know, this is just like playing with clay back in kindergarten.” I said without looking up. I smiled as I molded the dough into a little box.

“FLOUR ASSUALT!” Pinkie cried as she reached into the container and threw a hoofful of flour into my face.

I wiped the flour from my eyes. “This means war.” I said clearing two lines of flour from under my eyes and reaching for some to retaliate. I returned Pinkie's attack with just as much flour, but she must have been expecting it, since she threw another hoofful at me. We circled the counter exchanging flour attacks. Pinkie stopped at where I was just a moment ago and started sculpting my dough with incredible speed. My jaw dropped to the floor as she made a whole castle wall from the dough. Pinkie opened up a small dough window that was right in the center of the wall.

She looked down at me and declared “You dare attack the kingdom of Dough-mainia?”

I pulled myself out of my shock. “Sure.”

“FIRE ALL DOUGH BALLS!”

I was hit from all sides as the dough wall was demolished to create dough-balls that were thrown at me. Thinking fast, I grabbed a rolling pin that hung overhead. I used it as a bat to hit the dough-balls back to Pinkie, who caught them and added them back to the dough on the counter.

Her attack stopped and I took a deep breath. Those dough-balls were thrown fast and in large amounts. I had to work hard to reflect all of them. I looked back to where Pinkie had been, only to find she was missing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something metallic come down at my head. I reacted instinctively, putting up the rolling pin to block the attack. I found out that the metal object was a large stirring spoon.

“Crimson, I am your father.” Pinkie said in a deep voice as she pressed down on the spoon and me.

“No you're not. Pinkie, you are so weird.” I replied as I moved fluidly, letting the spoon slide down the rolling pin. I was going to trap her hoof and take the spoon out of it, but Pinkie jumped away from me.

“I know.”she giggled as she rushed at me.

“Here we go again.” I said, cracking my neck and returning her rush.

We collided and our cooking utensils created a rain of impossible sparks as they clashed together. We fluttered about each other, unleashing a flurry of utensil-play that I didn't think Pinkie could have done. I saw that Pinkie was determined and excited, giving her a strange expression I never thought she could make. But, she was still Pinkie. Every time Pinkie's spoon and my rolling pin hit each other, she would make “bwggss” noises. When I gave her a small push with my rolling pin, she back-flipped, landing on her back hooves and putting her free hoof up.

“What are you doing?” I asked her during the lull.

“It's the force, sillypony! You're supposed to fly backwards....” she said a little dejectedly that this 'force' wasn't answering her call. I shook my head and resumed the battle.

Our swordplay went on until we were both covered in sweat and were breathing heavily. However, neither one of us wanted to be the first to give up. I sluggishly charged in at Pinkie to find she wasn't as tired as she looked. When I came close to her, she blocked my rolling pin with her spoon and kicked out my hooves from under me. I fell down and Pinkie whipped the rolling pin out of hoof and into the air with a twist of her spoon. She caught it in her outstretched hoof, and smiled down at me.

I was shocked and confused. First of all, Pinkie was a master at swordplay. Second, I just lost. It had been over 5 years since I last lost a fight, and I was amazed that this pink mare could do what most couldn't in just a short time. I gazed up at the mare in amazement as she put the rolling pin on the counter and reached a hoof in my direction. I took it and she helped me up.

“Let's go slowpoke! The dough just got a good show, so it'sa ready to go!” Pinkie rhymed.

“What?”

“Oh sorry. I forgot that not everypony knows how to make a super-cake.”

“Super-what?” I asked, starting to sound like a broken record.

“Just follow my lead.” Pinkie said as she replaced her spoon for the rolling pin and rolled out the dough. She started folding it upon itself after she had rolled it out into a sheet, then she rolled it out again. She repeated this process a few times, then put it into a large mixing bowl. Then stopped and bowed to it. She looked at me and motioned for me to do the same. I reluctantly did so, and I heard a loud 'splop!' I looked up to see the dough had turned to batter and had filled the bowl.

“Watch as the matter turns to batter...” Pinkie muttered as we looked at the transformed dough.

“Crimson, could you get me a couple of cake tins?”

“Sure thing.” I said before looking through half the kitchen cupboards to find them. The whole time I was looking, Pinkie was grabbing random ingredients and dashing them into the mix, stirring the whole thing. Some of the ingredients were normal things like sugar and honey, but most were weird things in unmarked shakers. I saw Pinkie add what looked like gem-sprinkles and had to wonder what she was putting into the cake. I really hoped she knew what she was doing.

I brought over the cake tins and put them on the counter next to Pinkie.

“Ok. Now it's time to dance.”

“Why?”

“It's part of the baking process! First, we weld some tasty ticks into the mix. Then we mold fun into the dough, and give it playfulness with a show! After that some respect goes in, then we find ourselves dancing again! Finally we cheer as it bakes in the oven, and we pull it out and eat it with lovin!” she rhymed the little chant, before grabbing me by a hoof, shoving me into the center of the room, and turning off the lights.

The darkness wasn't a problem for me, but I saw a bunch of shapes and things moving about within it, which concerned me. I didn't know what Pinkie was up to, but I was a little apprehensive about whatever she was going to do.

Then a small red ring started glowing in front of me. Then a green one. Next a blue one. Rings of all colors lit up and I found out they were necklaces being worn by Pinkie. Pinkie had sunglasses on for some reason and held up some more glow-necklaces to me. I took them in my mouth and flipped them onto my head.

“Hit it!” Pinkie said, as laser-lights showed up everywhere and a strobe light was flashing from one side of the kitchen. Then a steady, driving techno beat filled the room. Pinkie started dancing around, bouncing off of everything and everywhere.

“Come on, dance! You gotta, or else the cake won't taste good!” she said when she saw me standing there.

“I can't dance to this!” I argued weakly.

“Ok.” She clapped her hooves together and the strobe light and music shut off. Then a different light lit up from the same corner of the kitchen and illuminated a large disco-ball hanging from the ceiling. I hadn't noticed it and when the floor started to light up too, I got a little freaked out. But then the music came back on.

The bass shook the room, showing it was a full-fledged funky beat. I couldn't help but tap my hoof along.

“That's it!” Pinkie exclaimed, still bouncing around without a care.

“Well you can tell by the way I use my walk, I mare's pony, no time to talk........” the music sang. For some reason, I just couldn't help myself. I struck a pose, then I danced with it. My dancing isn't that great, but I didn't care at all as I let my inner disco-pony out.

“Yeah, that's it!” Pinkie exclaimed, copying my moves.

I spun around and stopped on a hoof, then I went on my tip-hooves and slid into a pointing stance. I rotated my front hooves around themselves and pointed out to the non-existent crowd, sweeping out along them. I imagined Twilight was among them, and I motioned for the imaginary mare to come forward. I smiled and did some more disco moves. I ended with a knee-slide into my imaginary crowd, as the song was ending. The room went dark again, and then Pinkie flipped on the lights. I was still on my knees as I looked around the room. It was just the normal kitchen again. No disco-ball, no strobe lights, no speakers. It looked like they all disappeared when the lights came back on. How did Pinkie do that?

She waltzed over to me, still wearing the glow-necklaces around her neck.

“Come on silly, we're almost done!”

I got up and followed her back to the counter, where she started pouring the batter into the eight cake tins. I held them as Pinkie filled them one after another. Then she grabbed one and went over to the ovens and opened up one of them.

The heat spilled out of it, making me cringe. I grew up in the north, a place where cold was common and summers were chilly at their warmest. I really wasn't to suited to the heat, but that didn't stop Pinkie from opening up the three other ovens. The heat wave multiplied itself as Pinkie put in the first cake tin. I handed her the next as she put that into a different oven. We did this process until there was two cakes to each oven. Then to my pleasure, Pinkie closed the oven doors.

However, she rushed to a small pantry and returned in a minute wearing a large sportspony hat, the kind that holds two drinks so that a pony can drink from a tube. She also dragged two folding chairs behind her. I took one of the chairs and followed her lead as she set it up in front of the oven.

'Finally we cheer as it bakes in the oven' I said under by breath as I sat down next to Pinkie. She had found a giant foam hoof with a “#1” on it. She also was waving a flag with a cake on it

“Let's go! Yeah, you bake that! Whooo!” she shouted. She elbowed me in the side when she didn't hear anything from me.

“Yeah. Whooo.” I cheered halfheartedly. Pinkie gave me a shove, that almost toppled me out of my chair.

“Ok, jeez. Just calm down.” I said to her. “LET'S GO CAKE! YOU GOT THIS BABY, YOU GOT THIS!” I shouted at the ovens.

“Put me in Coach! I got this!” I heard Pinkie whisper in a high voice.

“YOU GOT THIS CAKE!”

“I got this Coach!”

“YOU GOT THIS CAKE!”

“I GOT THIS COACH!” Pinkie finished, yelling in her high 'cake' voice.

“WHOOOO!” we both cheered until the timer went off a minute later.

Pinkie quickly got some heat-gloves as I got some hot-pads and put them on the counter. Pinkie removed the cakes, opening the ovens to my despair. She put the cake-tins, each containing a golden tastiness, on the hot-pads and closed the ovens.

We both looked at the cakes for a second in awe, until Pinkie went over to a cupboard and pulled out a very small bottle and carried it reverently over to the cakes. I saw it was made of black glass and filled with some sort of liquid.

“This is Sonic Rainboom Essence.” she told me seriously. “I collect some after every sonic rainboom Rainbow does. It's very hard to get so we have to be careful with it.”

“Take these” she said to me as she removed a pair of sunglasses and welding goggles from her mane. Well that explained one of her mysteries.

I put on the sunglasses offered to me as she put on the welding goggles and hovered the small bottle above the first cake.

“You ready?”

“Yeah.”

She uncorked the bottle and a bright, white light spilled from the top of the bottle. Pinkie pored one drop onto the cake and did the same with the next seven. Each cake rippled when the drop of Rainboom Essence hit it. Then they changed colors with a loud 'clap' sound. There was a red cake, an orange cake, a yellow cake, a green cake, a blue cake, a purple cake, and a shining silver cake.

“Grab a big platter please.” she asked me as she removed her goggles and went to put the Essence back. I looked around for one, and found a big plate. Close enough. I carried it over to the counter and held it as Pinkie placed the multicolored cakes on it in an circle.

“Now, it's time to eat this!”

“'With lovin' right?”

“Yep!” she exclaimed while walking out the kitchen door. I followed her out, carrying the precious cargo on my back.

“Hey everypony!” Pinkie called to the crowd of party goers. It looked like the crowd had diminished while Pinkie and I were making the super-cake. It wasn't surprising that some would leave, but it looked like a big chunk of ponies had left. I glanced around the room until I caught sight of a clock. 11:30?!? We had been in the kitchen for over two hours?!?

“Sous-Chef Crimson Moon and I would like to present,” Pinkie built up, making the crowd watch with expectation. “The Fantastic, the amazing, the spine-tingling masterpiece, that is the cake of the storms!” she said with a flourish pointing to me. I clumsily turned around to allow the crowd to get a better look at the cakes.

There was a lot of “oooh”s and “aahhh”s as Pinkie led me to an open table. I placed the plate of cakes on the table and Pinkie stood behind it with a large pie-cutter. I watched with appreciation when ponies started to line up with plates and hungry looks on their faces.

“So what do you want?” Pinkie asked me.

“Oh no. Don't worry about it, I'm fine.”

“First slice always goes to Sous-chef” she said officially. I realized she wouldn't back down from this.

“Fine.” I sighed. “How a bout a slice of the silver cake?”

Pinkie raised an eyebrow. “Adventurous I see.” She cut a slice and put it on a plate close to her, passing it to before saying “Be careful. That one has quite the kick.”

I shrugged and walked towards the back of the line until I found Twilight, the other mares, and the couple all standing together. They all held plates and welcomed me warmly.

“So now we know where you were all night.” Rarity said.

“That snack looks mighty delicious. Not as good as a good ole' apple pie though.” Applejack said playfully.

“How'd you get it to glow?” Shining asked.

“Trade secret.”

“Come on tell us!” Twilight pleaded.

I looked around, pretending to make sure nopony was listening. “Sonic Rainboom Essence.”

“What? How is that possible?” Twilight asked, astonished.

“Pinkie has this whole contraption. I see her use it after I fire a rainboom off.” Rainbow said nonchalantly. “I think what's the most important now, is how it tastes.”

“Crimson?....”

“Ok.” I said picking up my fork. I snickered at their inpatients. I took a bite of the cake.

It's deliciousness shocked me. Literally. It tasted soft and creamy, but it coursed with power. I felt my mouth buzz. I swallowed the bite and opened my mouth to speak. However, the electricity from the cake had other plans. There was a loud thunderclap as I opened my mouth, and static electricity ran off of me, standing my mane up on end.

“WOAH!” I shouted. The sudden release of the static electricity was more of a rush than the actual taste of the cake.

“Told you!” called Pinkie from the head of the line.

Everypony around me laughed as they looked at me. I laughed along with them.

“Your mane is all poof!!!!” Rainbow laughed, flailing her hooves around to emphasize my mane.

“Dang partner. Ya look like ya been wrestlin' a bear.” said the orange country mare.

“Nah. He wasn't so burnt-smelling last time.” Shining said.

Everypony laughed again.

We all tasted each others cakes when we got slices. The red tasted spicy, the orange was tangy, the yellow creamy, the green minty, the blue cool, and the purple sweet. We dabbled and ate as the other ponies started to leave the party and go home. Eventually, it was just the five mares, the two couples of Shining and Cadence and Fluttershy and Big Mac, and a few other ponies I didn't know so well. We all sat down around a large table and started some idle chit-chat until the door to Sugarcube Corner flew open.

“Are you sure we made it on time?” asked a certain gray pegasi.

“Of course love. I think we might actually be a tad early.” said her time-lord husband.

“Ditzy! Doctor!” I said standing up from my chair.

“Mooney!” Ditzy cried as she flew into a hug.

“Doctor.” I greeted him with a smile as I shook an extended hoof.

“Here guys, take a seat.” I grabbed another two chairs and put them right next to me.

“I didn't know you knew Derp.....I mean Ditzy.” said Rainbow.

“Muffin-head's an old buddy from the battalion.” I said rubbing her head.

“You were in the battalion?!?”

“Buck yeah! Some of the best times of my life.....” Ditzy replied with a smile.

“Der....Ditzy, why aren't you-you know...” Twilight asked tentatively.

“Talking like I'm a moron? Because I'm not. I get bored being the mail-mare, so I like to liven things up a bit.” she said with a mischievous smile.

“So that time you......”

“Yep.”

“And then when you....”

“Yep.”

“But what about when.....”

“Ok, I was a little drunk when that happened.”

“Muffin-head, what have you been up to?” I asked accusingly.

She looked abashed. “Nothing of any sort! How dare you threaten an honest mail-mare!”

“Who just happens to like shocking a certain blue pegasus with lightning.” the Doctor said while looking at a hoof.

Everypony laughed as Ditzy blushed.

“See I'm not crazy! I knew she was always doing it on purpose!” Rainbow said jovially, making everypony laugh harder.

“Well it's not like you're innocent either.” Ditzy said to me. “Remember Las Pegasus.”

“What about Trottingham! The fake zom-pony riot! That almost caused a national incident.”

“Pfft. That was nothing compared to the paint war.”

“Hahahaha! You're so right!”

My laughter made me notice everypony else was silent. I looked around the table and saw everypony was looking at me and Ditzy.

“What?”

“Crimson,” Twilight said. “You know you need to tell us a story now.”

“Awwww, do I have to.”

“YES!” came a resounding shout from everypony at the table.

“About what though?”

“All those pranks you guys pulled!” Pinkie said.

“That don't sound like too bad of an idea.” said Ditsy. “I'll help you out Mooney.”

“Ok, but which story.”

“How about the one that got us kicked out of Hoofston.”

“Oh, that's a good one.”

“SO TELL IT ALREADY!”

“Ok, don't get your bridles all bunched up. This was about a month before the Grand Galloping Gala.......”

Chapter 16

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 16

“About a month before the Grand Galloping Gala, Puck was sent to Hoofston on patrol.”

“Why?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, Luna just likes to keep us on our hooves.” Ditzy answered. “But it was the same for Ganymede.”

“Yep, and when you have two Lunar Battalion units in your town, it's either because you're in big trouble, or your boring.”

“And Luna sure does love to brighten up a pony's night.”

“And we help that cause with our antics.” I said with a wide smile.

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Hoofston is out in the west, much like Appleoosa, but a litter farther south. Because of that it's pretty hot and is out of the way; thus, it doesn't get many tourists. Many bureaucratic ponies in Canterlot thought that it was to become a ghost town, and when I first entered the town I had to agree with them.

A dusty tumble weed blew across the western town's street. The dusty street was surrounded on both sides by dusty wooden homes. Everything in this town looked brown and wind-worn, just like the canyon you had to go through to get here. The main road my team and I traveled down shimmered with the heat from the noon-day sun.

“What a lovely ho-dunk town cap'n.” said Solitary Shadow.

“Could you be any less rude?” Oakleaf replied.

I nodded to a pony packing up a wagon as we walked down the street. He nodded back and went back to packing.

“I don't know. I don't think it's that bad. Just a little.....drab.” I said aloud.

“You could say that again.” Solitary muttered under his breath before Oakleaf punched him in the shoulder.

“Stop it. I'm serious. I've really had enough of your rudeness.” Oakleaf said angrily.

“Oooo, ain't you though! Go ahead, make my day.” Solitary egged her on.

Now you ponies have to realize, Oakleaf and Solitary weren't usually at each others throats. Most of the time, they were best of friends, always trying to involve me in a prank war or two, just because they knew I had the best ideas. The only time they fought was when it was hot out.

I sighed and was about to break them up, but luckily, Syringe got there first.

“Solitary, would you come back here with me? I need some help finding a full map of the town.” Syringe interceded, pretending to look intently through his saddlebags. Solitary just grumbled and walked over to him. I fell back and walked next to Oakleaf.

“Everything alright?”

Oakleaf first glared at me, for she hated any indication that she was weak, but then her expression softened and she leaned against me. She sighed and I could feel how hot she truly was. Her coat felt hotter than the dusty dirt we walked upon.

Coming from Stalliongrad, I thought of this heat as a little blessing, but Oakleaf was born in Maredrid, and blamed this for her hate of the heat. I found it a ridiculous excuse, since Maredrid is close to the equator, but she grew up in the mountains. Still, it wasn't even close to as cold as Stalliongrad.

Either way, I knew Puck unit couldn't stay out in this heat for much longer. I stopped walking and glanced around, but the main road seemed to go on forever thanks to the heat mirages. I squinted through the waves of heat and found a sign on one of the buildings. To my luck, it was the town's saloon. Not only was it a good place to get out of the heat, but my team could relax and refresh.

“Come on everypony. I see the saloon up ahead. Double-time!” I shouted trying to invigorate my soldiers. Oakleaf stood up straight and gave a relieved sigh that we were almost there. I cast a glance at her and was surprised at her. She looked like she was melting!

I led my team into a brisk canter, to chase some of the lethargy away, but the air was thick and only weighed us down as we ran. Luckily, the saloon was closer than it looked. Those heat waves distorted everything, but they disappeared as we entered the saloon.

Three lazy fans turned slowly on the wooden roof of the saloon. It was dark and cool inside compared to the outside heat, but the humidity still permeated through the walls of the building. We walked into the saloon and there were few customers there. The bartender and a the scant other occupants of the bar watched us with boredom. We pulled out the stools lining the bar counter and sat down.

“Ten waters please.” I asked the bartender. We may have been in a bar, but there was no drinking on a mission, period.

“Awww, but I wanted a chocolate milk!” whined Solitary. The rest of the team and I groaned.

“Ten waters right?” asked the bartender looking straight at us.

“Yeah, that's what I said.”

“Ok. I'm gonna have to go in the back to get them.” he said a little loudly. He quickly went through two swinging doors on the other side of the counter. The other ponies sitting at the bar got up and went to a table occupied by the only other patron in the bar. I started to wonder at their weird behavior. Something was up........

“ATTACK! ATTACK! FIRE ALL LAZERS!!!!!” shouted a familiar voice from behind the counter as ten ponies popped up, each holding the hoses that the bartender would use to fill drinks. I found my self face to face as Ditzy Doo and the rest of Ganymede unit sprayed my soldiers with water. I could hear Oakleaf sigh in relief as she was drenched in water, but the rest of the team wasn't so compliant. I sputtered and chocked a little until the water stopped. I wiped away the water from my eyes and saw Ditzy's lovely golden eyes staring straight into mine.

“How ya doing Mooney! You look like you're flooded with work.” she said cheerfully as she leaned onto the counter. The rest of Ganymede stopped with her and followed her lead, talking to Puck unit.

“Nice pun.” I said flatly. “You know I once entered a pun contest....”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I entered ten puns.”

“So how did you do?”

“Well I wanted to win, but no pun in ten did.”

She stared at me for a second, contemplating what I just said. A goofy grin spread along her face and she broke into a fit of giggles. She reached out and pinched my cheeks with her hooves.

“Such a cute colt you are.” she said before smacking me gently.

“You know, we're not gonna let you get away with this.”

“Oooh, you sound like the Batmare. Ok, I got this. Why so serious batsy?”

I shook my head at my friend's craziness. “Seriously, we're gonna get you back for this.”

Ditzy leaned closer until she was almost touching my forehead with hers. “Try to catch me. GANYMEDE, ESCAPE PLAN ALPHA! GO, GO, GO!”

Each pony behind the bar picked up their hooves and threw down a soot pellet. They exploded into a cloud of black dust on the bar and stuck to our wet faces and manes, blinding us as they left. I coughed like the others in my unit and cleared my eyes of soot. I looked around the saloon as the dust settled. Ganymede and Ditzy were nowhere in sight.

Oakleaf looked at me with big eyes and I started to laugh. Her entire face was a puff of black compared to her normally leafy-green coat. The base of her long brown mane was a shock of black as well.

Oakleaf knew what I was laughing at. “You should look at yourself before you start laughing!”

I looked around for a mirror of some sort and found it in a clear bottle of vodka on the other side of the bar counter. I could see a distorted reflection of a stallion with a blood-red mane that had a globby black in it as well as in his shiny silver coat, making him look like he had spilled paint onto his face. I chuckled at myself. Muffin-head had got us good, and there was no doubt she had more coming. Knowing her, this was just a warm-up. I looked down the bar to my soaked and stained compatriots and I fell off my stool laughing when I saw Solitary Shadow. Since his coat was black, Ditzy had given the pony that ambushed him a different colored smoke pellet. Instead of his face being a darker shade of black, it was an unfashionable shade of florescent green. Ditzy had thought of everything!

I got up off the ground when the others started to get our of their stools and look at each other. I heard snickering coming from the corner of the bar. I looked over to see the three occupants of the bar, plus the bartender all watching us. I walked over to them with a smile on my face.

“She told you we were coming, didn't she.”

The bartender, and elderly southern pony, said “Eeyup” with a thick drawl.

“Did she pay you blokes off or something o' that sort?” Solitary asked from beside me.

One of the ponies broke out laughing and fell backwards out of his chair.

“Nope, just promised us some entertainment.” said one of the customers, chuckling.

I rolled my eyes. Of course, promise a show in this boring town, and you can get anything.

“So do you fellas know where she went?” asked Oakleaf from my other side.

“Not at all.”

I sighed and walked back to the bar. The rest of Puck waited for commands.

“Got any ideas ponies?”

“We could do the old poo in a burning bag.”

“We don't know where their headquarters is Solitary.”

“Right. Sorry cap'n.”

“I saw we go get them from the air!” said one of the three pegasi, Thunderhead Flash.

“By doing what?”

“Well, they colored us with this stuff, so why don't we return the favor?”

I was intrigued by this notion.

“Alright, Flash take the other three and go find them from the air. Come back as soon as you see them go into a building.” They saluted and sprinted out the saloon's front door and we could hear them take off. I pulled everypony else into a huddle. “ First we're gonna clean off our faces and then this is what we're gonna do......”

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Three hours later, I had all of Puck unit stationed up in groups of two on top of the roofs of buildings around Hoofston's only spa. Oakleaf and I were grouped together and all of us had our eyes trained on the building and Thunderhead and the other pegasi were on it's roof. We waited in the hot afternoon heat, ready to strike the on cue.

Thunderhead had come back to the saloon half an hour after I had sent them to find Ditzy and the rest of Ganymede. Thunderhead had told me he caught glimpses of them sneaking into the spa, exuberant that they had pranked us so easily. After a short stop at Hoofston's hardware store, I was ready to change that.

Ditzy came out of the spa laughing and joking with her lieutenant, and earth pony named Heavy, apparently from Moosecow, by his accent. He was a huge pony, but easy to laughter. Ditzy looked beautiful with her golden mane brushed down one side of her head, falling across her back to the other side. I smiled wickedly as the rest of Ganymede walked out of the spa. This was exactly what I was looking for.

As she and Ganymede came closer to us, I gave the hoof signal to Thunderhead. He nodded and rose precariously from the roof of the spa. He and the other pegasi were leaden with a heavy load. They flew up higher into the air, and then coasted down in an diving-bomb arc towards out targets. I signaled to the rest of my unit, all on other roofs to get ready. I pulled my bucket of projectiles closer to myself as I tensed up.

Thunderhead started the signal when he got close enough to the unit we were attacking.

“Wheeeewwww.” he whistled as he deposited his load onto the unsuspecting ponies. The other two pegasi followed suit and Ganymede was soon in chaos.

The blue water balloons struck their marks truly, exploding on them. However, instead of covering them in drenching water, Ganymede was covered in bubble-gum pink paint.

“TAKE COVER!” screeched Ditzy as she wiped paint from her eyes. It was too late sadly. We all popped up from our spots on the roofs and attacked, throwing our own balloons at them, coating them with even more paint.

I laughed maniacally while Ganymede huddled against a door to a closed store. “Told you we'd get you back! MUWAHAHAHA!!!!!!”

I heard a click and the door opened up.

“This isn't over yet Mooney!” declared a pink Muffin-head as she and Ganymede filed into the store and closed the door behind them.

Thunderhead landed next to me. “Should we chase after them?”

“No let them go. It wouldn't be fun to beat them now. Let's give them a fight chance, huh.”

“I don't think that's the greatest of ideas Crimson.” Oakleaf said.

“Pffft.” I waved my hoof. “What could she do?”

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Late that night, I was asleep in the hotel we had booked for our selves. I and Solitary shared a room, and the rest of Puck was paired away in room around ours. I was deep asleep, feeling the heat of the night even in my sleep. Because of the heat, Solitary and I left the room's only window open that night. That was our downfall.

I woke from my sleep when I thought I heard something in the dark night. I opened my eyes to blearily look around the room, but I didn't see anything. I rested my head back onto my pillow and started to drift back asleep, when a blazing light lit up the room and I was hit with something cold, slimy, and smelly.

My eyes shot open when another one of the things hit my face and I heard evil laughter. I saw Ditzy throwing oddly shaped things at Solitary and I while Heavy held the bucket of these things. Another hit my head and instead of falling off stuck to my cheek by a long rubbery appendage. I slowly came to realize what it was as Ditzy threw the last one at me before jumping out the window. Heavy followed after her and didn't quite fit through, breaking the window as he jumped.

I shot up from my bed and printed to the window. I saw Ditzy flying away, holding Heavy buy the hooves as I heard quick hoofsteps running down the hall outside our door. Ganymede had pulled off a full on night-time assault.

I held up one of Ditzy's weapons and shouted after her vanishing form.

“WHERE THE BUCK DID YOU GET SQUIDS?!?!? BUCKING SQUIDS!!!!!!!!”

I heard Ditzy's lovely laugh carry on through the night. I turned away from the window and threw the squid on to my bed. Every squid was squirming on my bed, the floor, and all over a sleepy Solitary. He just held one squid in each hoof and wore one like a disgusting hat while he smacked his lips.

“Mornin' gov'ner. What's with all these aquatic invertebrates?” he asked as the squids started to change color to camouflage themselves with Solitary's coat.

“Do you know how long these things can survive out of water?” I asked as id gingerly picked one of them up with the ti of my hoof.

“Not too long, I don't think.”

“Let's get these things in the bathroom sink then. We'll move them to the tubs after we each take a shower. But first go tell the rest of Puck to do the same. Tell them to come here when they're clean.”

“Alright cap'n.” Solitary saluted with a squid on his hoof. “But why do they need to come here?”

I cast a glance at him as I walked into the bathroom with a couple squirming squids in my hooves.

“Ditzy used squids. Squids, Solitary.”

“Does this mean what I think it does?”

“Yes Solitary, this means war.”

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Ditzy sat down at the dining table of Hoofston's only five star restaurant, The Ranch, for a nice breakfast. Most of Ganymede had sat down alongside her, but the rest stood guard around the doors into their private dining room. After last night's stunt, she knew she was in for a dozy of a prank. I saw her open her menu and talk to a waitress from my binoculars. She then closed the menu, gave it to the waitress who took down her order, along with the other five ponies of Ganymede that sat at her table. After the waitress left, I tapped Solitary who was laying prone next to me. The tap signaled to him to send a magical message to Syringe and Oakleaf who were both in wait with the rest of Puck split up between them.

Syringe and his squad had taken over the kitchen of The Ranch by paying off the chefs and the waiters and waitresses. They prepared special food just for Ditzy's table and it was going to deliver it shortly. After the food was delivered Oakleaf's group would wait for Ditzy and the rest at the table to eat some, before tranquilizing the other four ponies that guarded the doors. After that, I would come in with the equipment and we would leave before they even knew what hit them.

I watched as the dishes were delivered and Ditzy and the others tucked into them. I tapped Solitary again and he sent the secondary message. I saw Ditzy start to slow in her eating and the others at the table did so too. They noticed too late that their meals were spiked. They may have been trained to detect all poisons and dangerous chemicals in their food, but this wasn't an assassin, it was Syringe Poultice; master of all things medicinal.

The other four of Ganymede were caught off guard by Oakleaf and my three other soldiers as they were disguised as customers. The each took them down with a hidden stun-stick and dragged them over to the table filled with the others from Ganymede. I saw Syringe walk out of the kitchen with the rest of my unit.

“Let's go.” I said to Solitary standing up from under our hidden spotter's post (an upside-down cardboard box in an alleyway across the street from The Ranch).

“Gotcha cap'n.” Solitary said, picking up the large plastic bag of our equipment.

We sprinted across the street and into the restaurant, waiving off the seating-ponies and we headed straight to the secluded dining room. I nodded to my unit as I came inside, finding Ganymede lined up in a neat row on the floor. Syringe had even been so nice as to clean the recently eating ponies faces.

I smiled evilly as I pulled out the main tool of chaos from the bag and turned it on. It made a buzzing sound and I stood over Ditzy.

“This is for all the squids currently swimming around in my hotel room's bathtub.” I declared as I went to work. The rest of my team reached into the bag and similarly started.

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An hour later, we all took up hidden positions that faced towards the entrance of The Range. I smiled as I heard a blood curdling scream. I heard commotion coming from The Range and I had to bit my cheeks not to give away my position.

Ditzy burst out of the front door. “WHERE IS HE?!?” she screamed to a mostly empty street. The few ponies walking around first giggled and then decided to seek shelter as fast as possible.

The gray pegasi mare gave out a scream of frustration. “AAHHHGGRRR! STEELHOOVES!!!!!”

I knew I had it coming to me right there and then; Ditzy only called me by my last name when she was really angry. But perhaps I had it coming. That last prank was pretty bad, which could bee seen by Ditzy appearance. Her mane had been shorn down by our magical mane clippers and then spiked up into a liberty-spikes with the gel we had in the bag. We did different hairstyles to each of the ponies and even shaved some bald, coat on the top of their scalp and all.

Ditzy flapped around with pure hatred in her eyes looking for the creator of her distress.

Heavy came out of The Range, his long white mane put up into a beehive doo. He grasped at Ditzy's hooves.

“Ditzy.” he said with a thick accent. “Ve vill get him back. Now let us leave. Revenge is a dish served best cold, no?”

Ditzy breathed hard and allowed herself to be pulled along by Heavy, but she still flapped in the air.

“I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!!!! MAIN ROAD INTO TOWN! OUTSIDE THE SALLOON! HIGH NOON!!!!” she called out to me as she was lead away and Ganymede left the scene. I waited until I was sure they were gone and then I slowly crawled out from under the cardboard box. The rest of my team came out of their various hiding spots, from under dumpsters, carts, behind walls, and down from roofs. I took a deep shaky breath and looked at my team mates.

“Um....I went too far with the last one.” I said rubbing a hoof on the back of my head.

“What makes you say that cap'n?” Solitary asked sarcastically.

“This isn't the time Solitary. Look Ditzy is more than a little ticked off at our last prank; she's outright pissed. It's ok because she's only pissed at me, which means you guys will stay out of the way later today.”

“Cap'n.....”

“Crimson there's no way.....”

“That's illogical Crimson.....”

“Not even air support????”

I cut off their protests. “No. I know that it'll probably turn into a fight, and a big one at that. Ditzy would never intentionally hurt any of you guys, but with when she pissed off...........
Look, just say out of it ok? If she's angry, she can be angry at me. We all know I can take it.”

“But it don't seem right, sending yer cap'n off into a fight alone.” Solitary shook his head.

“I concur Crimson. It's not safe.” Syringe said.

“Crimson, don't do it.” Oakleaf pleaded.

“I'll be fine guys. Remember back at training camp? She and I were always a mostly even match, and that was without my gauntlets! Please, just stay out of the way, you'll case me trouble if I have to worry about you guys. I know Ditzy won't let anypony else from Ganymede join in, so it will be an even fight and we'll be both fine. She just needs to let some of her anger out, that's all.”

Oakleaf came up and nuzzled my cheek. “That doesn't mean we won't worry about you.”

I nuzzled her back. “Believe me, I'll be fine. This is just one of Ditzy's temper tantrums. Just a temper tantrum, that's all.”

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The noonday sun was made everything a blazing inferno. The ground shimmered as I walked on it, the heat making my gauntlets feel like they were frying pans. Took a few deep breaths until I stood directly across from the angry mare that was like family to me. We both shuffled uneasily, the silence along with the heat palpable as Ditzy glared at me with two focused eyes of yellow malice.

The silence was broken when Solitary sarcastically sang “Wah wah wahhh.”

I looked up and saw a smiling Solitary sitting on the edge of the roof of the building, holding a bag of popcorn. Oakleaf and Syringe stood close to him, both looking disapprovingly at him and at my current predicament. The rest of Puck was up there, but so was Ganymede. As I suspected, the only one who took the prank seriously was Ditzy. Nopony really wanted to see their captains fight alone, but it was like Solitary was doing; if you can't join in, might as well have fun watching. I rolled my eyes as his lightheartedness, but turned my gaze back to Ditzy. She still glared at me.

“Mooney” she said in a sinister sing-song voice. “You know how I feel about my mane.......”

“Sorry Muffin-Head, but you know I have a thing against sea-food.”

She gave me a trite laugh. “You wrote a will before you came here right?”

Oh horseapples. She was much more pissed than I thought.

“I knew I forgot something......” I said as I felt a breeze. I brought up my guard just in time to block a fierce lunge. Ditzy broke around my guard with her wings, slashing at my body and face. Oh boy, I was way in over my head. I pushed Ditzy off of me to get some space. I didn't want to hurt her, but I didn't want to end up going home in a body bag.

I barely had time to sidestep Ditzy as she did a flip in the air and lunged at me again. She saw me sidestep and threw me off my hooves with a gust of wind. I rolled onto my back as she tried to attack me again, but I put up my back hooves and rolled her over my head with her momentum. I quickly jumped to my hooves as I heard Ditzy scream in frustration. I turned around to face her and found that she had gone just a tad bit berserk.

She was flapping off the ground but producing a massive amount of wind. She rose higher into the air and her wings started to flap at incredible speeds, creating minor high and low pressure areas. Miniature tornadoes came into being around her hooves and arched down to the ground while small thunderclouds formed around her.

Oh buck. She was more than pissed. She was furious. Just like that one time in training..... It had taken me, some of the other captains, and Princess Luna just to calm her down. It turns out that her bubbly cutie mark wasn't because she was hair brained, but because she made all of the ponies that made her angry pop like bubbles. And right now I was one of those ponies.

She whipped a tornado tendril towards me, and only my talent for fighting saved my flank. I realized I wouldn't be able to do this alone. I opened my self up to the earth and felt around. Water? Nope. Vegetation? Nope. Only pure earth. I sighed and realized I'd have to make due with small amounts. I popped a disk of earth up into the air as a shield just as a lighting bolt arched towards me. The earthen disk exploded and I was sent flying by the concussive force.

Over the winds I could hear the spectating soldiers gasp and Solitary say “Woah!!”

I got up quickly knowing an attack was coming. The second I got to my hooves, I had to sprint in a zig-zag path as to dodge the lighting bolts that Ditzy sent my way. I ran closer to her and she whipped at me with the tornadoes.

“Ditzy! Calm down! I'm sorry alright! I never meant to hurt your feelings with one of my pranks, you knew that!” I called to her, but in her enraged state she wouldn't listen.

However, my short outburst gave her enough time to think up something deadly. She whipped the tornadoes back up towards her, and sucked up a few thunder clouds with them. She then smiled wickedly as she whipped them towards me. They missed me, but hit the ground sending a wave of lighting out from all corners. I was shocked and thrown into the sky, only to be smacked back down to the earth by another tornado whip. I grunted at the impact of the earth. I ground me teeth.

That's it, no more Mr. nice pony.

I stomped the earth and another block of earth sprung up into the air. Before it fell back down, I got up and bicycle kicked hit. It went flying towards Ditzy. The block exploded against her tornadoes. However, it distracted her while I stomped the earth again, sending a pillar of sod skyward, directly beneath her. It hit her underside and she fell down from the sky, her tornadoes and thunderclouds disappearing when she hit the ground.

I breathed a sigh of relief and raced over to her limp form.

“You ok Ditzy?”

She didn't answer, so I poked her.

“RRRAAAGHHHH!!!” she screamed, lighting exploding from her hooves and wings as she sent me flying. I smelled burnt fur and mane when I landed on the ground. I shook my head to clear my sight, as I struck again with the jolting shock that signifies lighting strikes. My body arched in pain, and I knew it was time to end this. I rose from my smoking heap on the ground and dived sideways, anticipating another lighting strike. It shocked the earth where I was but a moment ago, and I saw more coming. I raised my hoof and punched the lighting.

The magical properties of my gauntlets served me the best in those split second moments before the lighting struck me. I could feel the charge of the lighting as it touched the metal, wanting to course through it and my body, but the spells held true. In a feat only magic could pull of, I saw the lighting bounce off the metal with a sound louder than any thunderclap I had ever heard. It raced back to Ditzy, hitting her unexpectedly. He body arched from the current, and lighting bolts shot off in all directions from her form, striking the wooden buildings and setting some aflame.

Ditzy fell to the ground holding her head.

“Ow.”

Finally she was back to normal. “Ditzy, you gotta learn how to control your anger.” I sighed rubbing my burnt face with both hooves.

Ditzy smiled sheepishly and looked around at her surroundings. There were craters and scorch marks all over the dirt road, some of the buildings had small fires blazing on their roof corners and porches. Our teammates all were patting out the fires on their roof and Ditzy could see that I was burnt to a crisp. My mane and coat were blackened to a crisp and my hair was in a frizzy afro.

“Hehe. Sorry Mooney.”

I pulled myself tiredly up off the ground. “Puck! Ganymede! Let's go get some rest. I'm sure were all tired of this little fight, so let's call an armistice.”

“Yeah, I agree. Sorry everypony!” Ditzy said smiling. I helped her up and the two units stared to come down from the roof by means of a fire escape. I started to walk away with Ditzy. Finally, this was all done.

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HOOVES IN THE AIR!” called a megaphone from behind us. We complied by putting our hooves in the air, but I also turned to face who was speaking.

I was shocked to find that we were surrounded by a contingent of police-ponies.

“ I AM CHIEF GUMSHOE AND THIS IS DEPUTY FLATFOOT. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU PONIES IS UNDER ARREST!”

A few of the police ponies started to inch toward us with drawn swords.

“What? Why are we under arrest?”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? BOTH OF YOUR LITTLE TAMS HAVE BEEN WITNESSED COMMITING CRIMES. YOU ARE HEREBY PLACED UNDERE ARREST ON ALL ACCOUNTS OF VANDILIZATION, BREAKING AND ENTERING, ROBBERY OF ONE HUNDRED SQUIDS FROM THE HOOFSTON AQUARIUM, ILLEGAL TAKE OVER OF A DINING ESTABLISHMENT, MORE VADALIZATION, ATTEMPTED ARSON, AND DISTURBING THE PEACE!!!!! TAKE 'EM AWAY BOYS.” He shouted turning away from us.

I went over the last day in my mind, trying to link what we had done. Oh man, were going to be in big trouble this time. I glanced over to Ditzy who had the same sheepish expression on her face as I did.

“Whoops.” we said as the police ponies came up to us with swords and hoof-cuffs.

“Well there's only one thing to do at a time like this.” said Ditzy.

“Muffin-head, you really think we'll make it?”

“Only one way to find out.”

She brought down her raised wings creating a blast of wind. I let the top layer of dust on the ground become loose and it effectively mad a smokescreen. As the police ponies lunged at us, I yelled.

“Puck! Ganymede! Escape plan Zeta!”.

Ditsy started flying off and I jumped into the air. She caught me by the hooves and we took off. I could see the rest of Puck and Ganymede take similar routes, some flying off with the pegasi of their team, other teleporting out of there with the unicorns. I heard the police chief swear through the megaphone as we flew away. He sent three pegasi police after us, but Ditzy was too good of a flier to be caught by them.

She ascended to the clouds and they followed in hot pursuit, but she dipped and dove and duck and dodged through the clouds losing one of the pegasi. Yet, the other two came after us diligently. Ditzy broke into a spiraling dive, pulling up right before we hit the ground, losing another pegasi when he crashed. The last one followed us as Ditzy pulled up into a steep climb. She slowed after breaking the cloud cover and tossed me into the air.

As she pulled away from me, going into another dive, gravity took hold of me.

“Bombs away!” she called to me. I nodded and streamlined myself, back hooves down. The other pegasi came up through the clouds just to see Ditzy go back underneath. However, he wasn't fast enough to escape. I hit into his torso and plummeted with him. He had gone unconscious from my hit and I held onto his as we fell. I hugged his limp body in one hoof and stuck up my other. I was jerked as Ditzy came out of her dive and caught me by my outstretched hoof. We descended and circled back, skimming the ground until we found the other pegasi who had hit the ground. He rubbed his muzzle sorely and looked at us with big eyes as he saw me holding his comrade.

I dropped him down in front of the pegasi and told him “He's fine, just knocked out. Look, we'll pay for any damages later, but we're sorry. Just stay here, don't make it hard on yourself. Say we were too fast, ok.”

The pegasi looked at his compatriot and then back up to me. He nodded sternly and Ditzy and I flew off to meet the res of Puck and Ganymede at the rocky canyon that was a few miles outside of Hoofston.

“Let's go home guys.” I said to all of them as Ditzy and I arrived.

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“So you guys ran away?” asked Twilight.

“Well yeah, and boy did we get yelled at when we got back to Canterlot.”

“Remember how red Luna turned? She looked like you Big Mac.” Luna said giggling at the memory.

“Yeah we got restricted to janitorial duty in the castle for a whole month. We also got a lot of money taken out of pension to pay for the damages we did to Hoofston.”

“I just remember the look on Luna's face when she read that letter that said we were banned from Hoofston.”

“Oh that was great.” I said laughing with her.

“Wait just a second...” as sandy voice said.

“I never thought I'd hear Rainbow Dash say wait.” I commented, making all the ponies at the table snicker.

“Real funny, but this is important. Ditzy, if you could do all that stuff back then, what happened to make you so......” Rainbow asked, getting cut off by a stern glare from me. I felt a hoof squeeze my front leg. It was Ditzy.

“It's ok.” she said to me.

“About two months after the whole Hoofston escapade, I and Ganymede were sent as backup to Las Pegasus.”

“Weren't there a large riot back there? Ah remember, 'cause our apple shipments to Las Pegasus stopped short around then. It caused us quite a pain....” said the orange country mare.

“Yeah. There was a large protest over increased taxes and Ganymede was sent to help the local police department. On one of the worst nights, the protestors swarmed around main hall. We tried to restore order and calm down everypony, but a few fights broke out between some of the protestors. As I was breaking one up, a protestor with a metal hoofball bat caught me off guard.”

Rainbow gasped. “Oh Ditzy......”

“Woke up two days later in Las Pegasus General Hospital. The doctors did everything they could for me, but double detached retinas are hard to fix. They miraculously saved my eyesight, but all my depth perception was gone.”

“So that's why you crash all the time....But why act dumb?”

“It's easier to act dumb then it is to explain what happened over and over again.” Ditzy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “It's not my favorite of memories. I still get nightmares of the bat sometimes.” she finished, the Doctor hugging her tightly. Everypony around the table looked sad, but I knew exactly what Ditzy was going through.

“Ditzy, I'm really sorry if I was ever mean to you. I just...” Rainbow said breaking the silence.

“It's ok Dashie. Don't worry about it. I'm happy that things turned out the way they did. If I never came to Ponyville,” she said looking lovingly at the Doctor's face, “I would have never met him.”

The whole table burst into a loud “D'awwwwwww” as Ditzy and Doctor kissed. I smiled for her. She used to be depressed and anti-social like I had been, but Ponyville changed her. I thought about what I had gone through and I knew the same could be said for me. It was just the way everypony cared about you and wanted to make you feel welcome. It was a magic beyond words and actions. It was the magic of friendship.

“I think it's time we all head home.” Twilight said as she glimpsed the clock on the wall across the room. I didn't really want to leave the company of my friends, but I was dog tired too. Something about having fun with friends and telling stores does that to a pony. Twilight picked up a sleeping Spike and rose along with Shining, Cadence, Ditzy, the Doctor, and I. We all gave our goodbyes to our friends and left Sugarcube Corner.

The outside night was cool and clear. Luna's moon and stars shone brightly in the onyx night sky.

“Just like when we out in field, huh?” Ditzy said as all of us gazed into the night sky with wonder.

“Yeah.” I muttered breathlessly. The night sky always did that to me. Our group walked down the road, not really paying attention to where we were traveling, just so long as we were together. We eventually ended up outside of the library. Shining, Cadence, and Twilight all gave their goodbyes and went inside. I lingered back, wanting to give my dearest friend and her husband the goodbye they deserved. Ditzy and I hugged before we parted.

“Let the night protect us...” I said starting the oath each member of the battalion learned.

“...And may we find solace with in its darkness. Good night Crimson.” Ditzy said holding me tighter.

“You too Ditzy.” we broke our hug and the Doctor gave me one as well.

“G'night chap.”

“Goodnight Doctor. You take care of Ditzy, alright?”

He let go of the embrace and he started to walk away with Ditzy. “I always have and always will.” He glanced in my direction. “I'll be seeing you in no time chap.” he said with a wink.

The pair walked away into the night, the Doctor whistling a gentle tune that I'd never heard before, but form the way it sounded, it was obviously a lullaby.

I sighed gently as the pair walked away. I was a little jealous that two ponies could be so deeply in love, but I was happy for Ditzy as well.

“Aren't they so cute together?” said a mare's voice from behind me.

“More than cute Twilight. Heart meltingly cute.”

“Come on inside Crimson. It time to go to sleep.”

“Know what? I'm gonna sleep outside again. It's too beautiful a night not to.” I smiled at her as I went into the semi-lit library. I grabbed my bed, sheet, and pillow from my room and headed into the kitchen.

“Wait up.” said Twilight. “I want to sleep outside too.” she said with a blush.

“Go grab a blanket. I'll meet you in the back.”

“But what about a tent and a sleeping bag and a bedroll and then I'll need a rain-fly for the tent and also a parka in case it gets humghtmffff.” she rambled off as I stuck my hoof into her mouth. I shook my head.

“No need. Just grab a blanket.” I said with a gentle push towards the stairs. She gave me a skeptical look, but it melted away as she smiled and ascended the stairs slowly. I went back into my room and grabbed one of my gauntlets.

I went outside and set up my bed, piling the sheet and pillow onto it. Then I put on the gauntlet and focused on the patch of ground next to my bed. I opened myself up to the earth and I made a slab of stone rise out of the ground and form a bed next to mine. I then gave a little energy to the grass on the top of the slab, making it grow in patches that were bare until I had a soft coating. I threw the sheet on the slab and then yawned widely. Making the bed had used up a surprising amount of energy, which just piled onto my tiredness. I snuggled under the sheet and onto the bed, pulling my gauntlet off and next to my bed on the unaffected ground. Then I put both hooves behind my head and looked up at the stars. My tiredness subsided as I looked at all of them.

Luna had once told me that each and every star was made with a pony in mind. She said that was how she coped with being immortal. All of her past friends and future ones may leave this world before her, but she would said she would never be lonely. She put the stars in the sky after them, so she would remember and know that a little bit of that cherished pony was up there, watching out for her. I liked the way her explanation of the stars made me feel somewhat small, but always peaceful.

My thoughts about the stars were taken from me as I heard Twilight come outside.

“You didn't need to do that Crimson.” she said laying down on my bed. “I have a tent and stuff in the basement.”

“There's a basement? But no. If you were in a tent, how would you be able to see all of this?”

Twilight fell silent and we both gazed into the night sky. I started to drift off, gazing at the moon which was almost directly overhead us.

“Thank you Crimson.” said Twilight softly.

“For what?”

“I just felt like I needed to thank you. All the help you've been and...”

“And all the problems I've caused thanks to my condition pretty much blot out the help I have been.”

“Don't say that.” Twilight said with concern. “You've been more help than you realize and the whole town adores you.”

I rolled my eyes tiredly. I wanted to end the conversation there, but I could feel a pair of eyes boring into my head. I rolled onto my side and looked straight into the lavender mare's eyes. They were big and full of worry.

“I... Thanks Twilight.” I replied, shutting my eyes after I saw her expression ease.

“Goodnight Crimson.”

I was going to say goodnight back, but I had already dozed off in the cool night, under the gaze of the gentle moon, friendly stars, and lovely mare.

Chapter 17

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 17

The first rays of sunlight illuminated my eyelids, but I didn't want to open them. I was so comfortable and warm. I pulled my pillow closer to my bod and snuggled against it. I let out a relaxed breath and felt my pillow do the same.

What?

Both of my eyes opened to find my hooves wrapped around a certain lavender mare. Some time in the night, she ended up in my bed. The only thing I couldn't vouch for is weather she did it subconciously, or on purpose. Either way, this was more that comfortable. I let my eyes close and I basked in the feeling. Everything was right in the world during those blissful moments, but I remembered reluctantly that I had to go to work. I slipped out of the bed as gently as I could and was transfixed by her sleeping form. She was so beautiful. I planted a gentle kiss on her cheek before fixing the sheet on her. She sighed contentedly in her sleep and my heart melted. I picked up my gauntlet off of the ground and turned towards the library to put it inside, before I found out I had been watched.

I started in shock at a smiling Cadence who was overlooking me from the balcony. I started to blush and she giggled softly. I tried to hide my blush by clearing my throat and going inside, but she had seen everything. I quickly headed to my room, to put the gauntlet away. I wanted to get out of the house as soon as possible.

“How was your night Crimson?” asked a bubbly voice from my doorway.

I turned around to face the evil pink alicorn that was tormenting me. She had a large smile plastered on her face.

“You sure get around fast for a pregnant mare.”

“Oh please. I'm in my first trimester. I won't get slow for another few months or so.”

“Lucky me.” I deadpanned. “Look, I really need to go to Sweet...”

“I know, I know. I just want you to know, I'm really happy for you.” she said as she hugged me.

“Um..thanks Cadence.”

She let go of the hug and blushed a little. “Sorry. It's just when I see two ponies in love.....you know, it's my special talent. I love to see love.” she smiled.

I rubbed a hoof through my mane, and my spirits fell a little.

“What?” Cadence asked when she saw my mood dampen.

I took a deep breath. “Do you know how I got this condition?”

She surprised me. “Yes. Shining told about it. I'm very sorry.”

“Well, then you must know how I'm feeling. I don't know if I really......”she stuck a hoof in my mouth and smiled at me.

“It will all work out. Just give it some time. Believe me. I know.” she said, her horn glowing faintly.

I smiled and hugged her. “Thanks Cadence.”

“Anytime. I promise not to tell Shining.”

My shoulders relaxed. “Oh Luna, he would kill me.”

Cadence laughed. “Or at least try to.”

“Thanks again Cadence.” I said stepping by her. “I'm off.”

“See you later Crimson.”

I dashed out of the library and into the morning Ponyville. The familiar path to Sweet Apple Acres went by too fast as I thought about what Cadence said. She must have known how I felt, but why had she been so confidant that she was right? I personally knew that I'd never get over Oakleaf, but I also felt so good with Twilight. She made everything perfect......

But still it was too painful to say, or even think, that I loved her. Oakleaf was always in my mind and she was my greatest love. It hurt so bad to think that anypony else could be like her. I shook my thoughts and tears from me as I entered Sweet Apple acres. Applejack was waiting for me with the cart and we headed out to the orchards we were to buck today.

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“......but what about the wood of the barrel?” I asked.

“That's where ya git yer accentuatin' flavors.” the country mare said. “What really matters is that ya keep an eye on the date a when you stored 'em.”

While we were working, we had been idly chit-chatting and somehow the conversation had turned towards the other products that Sweet Apple Acres produced. Other than the obvious supply of apples they sold, they also sold all the apple foodstuff a pony could name. They also sold the elusive Sweet Apple Cider, which I was told was the greatest drink in Equestria (according to Rainbow Dash). However, Applejack just brushed the cider comments off.

“Well that's just RD sayin' things. I know fer a fact that the cider is good, but Zap Apple jam is much better. Plus, RD didn't tell ya about Sweet Apple Acres Hard Cider......”

Thus our conversation in the process of making said hard cider commenced. Applejack had talked about how they started by making normal apple cider, then they added some secret herbs, and let the cider sit for a few months.

“It's the best thing anypony can have in the middle o' a cold winter. It warms ya up faster than cayenne peppers in the middle a July.” she said dragging a full bushel to the cart.

“I'm gonna have to try some.” I said giving my tree one last buck to dislodge some stubborn fruit.

“Heh! I don't think ya could stomach it partner.” she spoke smugly. I pulled my full bushel to the cart and shrugged my shoulders.

“You ever have straight Stalliongrad vodka?”

“Stallion whosywhatsit?”

“Exactly. I think we should do a little competition.”

Applejack's eyes blazed. “Like Granny says, don't bite off more than you can chew.”

I shrugged and smiled condescendingly. The second I mentioned a competition, I had her hooked.

“All I was gonna say was that we could have a little drink-off.”

“Oh really?”

“We'll see how many glasses of the other drink we can take. Sweet Apple Hard Cider for me, Stalliongrad Vodka for you.”

“What do we git outta it if we win?”

“If I win, I get a full barrel of hard cider. If you win, I'll do your share of the applebucking next season..”

Applejack looked at me skeptically. “Ah doubt that ya could do all of it.”

“I'm not using my gauntlets right now.....” I trailed off.

Applejack snorted, but lept at the challenge. She stuck out a hoof and I shook it.

“Deal.” we both said before laughing.

“Well partner, you sure got yerself in over......”

Her words were cut off by a high pitched filly's scream.

“TIMBERWOLF!!!!!!” echoed throughout the farm. Applejack and I looked at each other, fear playing on our faces. We sprinted away from where we were bucking and back towards the homestead. We passed trees that seemed less friendly and more pesky, blocking our view from the house. We both heard Applebloom scream again and we rushed faster and faster.

We erupted from the trees and saw a large gray timberwolf laying down in the middle of the yard, calmly cleaning his paws.

“Git outta her ya varmit!” screamed old Granny Smith from the porch of the farm house as she shielded Applebloom with her body. Applejack and I saw a long gray tail vanish into orchards.

“Is everypony alright?” I asked, shocked that a timberwolf would be this far south. Applejack rushed up to her sister and held her while I heard small childish cries of fear. Her grandmother looked out sternly at where the timberwolf disappeared from our sights. I sighed in relief and followed her gaze. Shortly, I heard booming hoofsteps coming from the opposite direction from where we came.

“Granny! Applebloom! Ya'll alright?!” called the gigantic farm stallion as he screeched to a halt next to me.

“Crimson! Wha' happened here?” he said panicked, the expression foreign on his face.

I looked at him seriously. “It was a timberwolf. Everypony is fine, but he went off that way.” I said pointing my hoof at where he disappeared to.

“That varmit is headin' ta town, younguns.” came a frail and yet deadly serious voice. Granny Smith broke her gaze from the trees and looked to Big Mac and Applejack.

“You youngsters and yer friend should go warn inta town and warn everypony.”

“But Granny,” said Applejack, letting go of Applebloom's tight embrace. “That means ya'll be here by yerself.”

The old green mare pulled herself up straighter. “Ah'll be here with yer sister AJ. Now git yer rope and go to town. We can take care of ourselves.”

“But....”

“This ain't a choice Applejack. Now go.” ordered the mare as she gently picked up Applebloom by the scruff of her neck with her teeth and pulled her into the house. Applejack sighed and walked dejectedly down the stairs of the porch.

“You alright?” I asked.

She looked up and her green eyes filled with a determination. “Lemme git mah rope.”

“Let's go sis.” said Big Mac who shuffled his hooves nervously. It was a little scary and amusing to see the normally calm and collected stallion to act so nervous. He was truly scared.

Applejack dashed out of the barn with a rope slung across herself and Big Mac bolted for the road as soon as he saw her.

“Woah...” I muttered aloud, amazed at the show of speed for a pony so big.

“Come on Crimson!” said Applejack as she passed by me. I shook my head and started to run after her. When we reached the road, I caught up to her and we both saw large red blur a few hills ahead of us.

“When the buck did he get so fast?”

Applejack sighed. “He gits like this when he's scared.”

“Of a timberwolf? He's just as big as them and twice as strong!”

Again she sighed. “There's a reason, but I don' think it's mah place.”

I shrugged my shoulders as we ran, making me almost topple over a stone in the road. Applejack smiled nervously, but I spoke up before she could say anything.

“I understand. Now let's go catch up to the big guy.”

“Now yer talkin' partner.”

We both ran faster, kicking up a cloud of dust behind us as we tried to catch up to the fast stallion.

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As we ran into Ponyville, we heard screaming. It was loud and came from many different scared voices. We could hear doors and windows slamming shut and the breaking of wooden stalls and flowerpots. Applejack and I looked at each other in fear and ran towards the epicenter of all the sound.

We came into the center of town and saw carts that were knocked over by ponies who ran for their lives. The ponies' fear and haste also caused some ponies to get left behind. We heard a loud and continuous scream coming from an earth pony with a manilla coat. Her mane was wine-red and she screamed at the top of her lungs. This was because she was cornered between a stall and the fountain in the the center of the town by the timberwolf.

“HE'S GONNA EAT ROSE!” Applejack gasped. She undid the rope deftly and started swinging it between her teeth. I tensed up and got ready to fight the timberwolf, but something was tugging at the back of my mind. I took a long look at the wolf and could see only it's tail, but ti didn't look like it was about to pounce or attack at all. In fact, if it wanted to attack, wouldn't it have done so already?

“Hey Applejack, I don't......” my words came too late. Her rope arced through the air and caught around the wolf's tail. Applejack planted her hooves into the ground and pulled back sharply with her head. The timberwolf uttered a surprised 'yip' as he was pulled back onto his haunches, away from Rose. Rose immediately scurried off to the safety of a random house, while her aggressor got up and turned to face us. The timberwolf growled at us and I finally got a good look at his face. His ice blue eyes were all that I needed to see.

“Fenrir?”

The timberwolf looked at me when I said his name, and then his snarl turned into a big, friendly smile.

“Crimson! I've been looking all over for you!”

Applejack gave me a confused look, the rope still caught between her teeth.

“It's ok.” I explained. “He's a friend.”

Applejack's eyes widened and she dropped the rope from her mouth when I went up to Fenrir and gave him a quick brotherly hug.

“It's been so long!” I said, my fear turning to ambivalence.

“Indeed it has! We last saw each other at your Father's last birthday.”

I smiled at the memory. “Such a fun party....”

“Especially when we played pin the tail on the Solitary Shadow.”

We both laughed, remembering Solitary's face after the first tail went on.

“So what brings you here Fenrir?”

The large timberwolf pointed to his chest with one claw. I saw that he had a long necklace that went around his massive neck and held a comically small orb right on his chest. I smiled, knowing that orb anywhere.

“You're part of Puck now?!?” I said as I punched him gently on his shoulder.

He chuckled. “Yes. And now that means we are true pack-brothers.”

I rolled my eyes. All of the drama the timberwolves had about families and packs.......

But then his voice turned serious. “But I am not only here to tell you of this good news. I was told by Luna herself to....”

“GIT AWAY FROM CRIMSON YA MONSTER!!!” screamed a stallion's voice as I was shoved away from Fenrir and my timberwolf friend was bucked in the shoulder. He jumped back from the massive red wall of stallion that separated me from him. Fenrir growled at Big Mac and I could see his hackles raise.

“Big Mac, it's alright. He's a friend.” I tried to explain to him.

Big Mac turned his head to look at me sharply. That was when I realized there was no talking with him.

I had seen his face on ponies who were unfortunately dragged into a fight that wasn't there's. The wide eyes with extremely small pupils. The jittery muscles in the face and body. The mouth that moved, but said nothing. It was fear, and an overwhelming amount of it.

“The varmit is gonna kill ponies jus' like he did ta Pappy.” he whispered to me.

“No he's not.”

“Yes. Yes, he is.” said Big Mac, shaking his head uncontrollably. “But I'm stoppin him!” Big Mack bucked my gently away from him and I fell to the ground gasping for breath.

“Don't hurt him Fenrir!” I raspily shouted as I heard a loud whinny. I coughed and then felt a pair of hooves help me to my hooves.

“Ya alright Crimson?” asked the orange mare.

I nodded my head. “We gotta stop him before somepony gets hurt.”

Applejack nodded curtly and she grabbed her rope again. It fell off of Fenrir's tail as soon as she let go, but she had it flying in the air again in seconds.

“I'll get him to the ground, then you hog tie him.” I ordered in my Lunar Captain voice before rushing off into the fray. Fenrir was dodging the farm stallion's lethal buck and stomps like a pro, only ever attacking with the soft bottoms of his paws. Yet this only angered Big Mac and threw him deeper into his frenzy of fear. I saw an opening when Big Mac faced away from me. I jumped up onto his back and threw my hooves around his neck.. I put him in a sleeper hold and I tried to talk him down.

“Big Mac. Stop this. He's not going to kill anypony.”

“DON'T LIE TAH ME!” screamed the stallion. His scream surprised me and my grip on his neck loosened. I fell to the ground and then found myself face to face with Big Mac's back hooves, poised and ready to buck.

“Son of a......”

I flew high into the air and landed heavily on my head a good ten feet away. I was vaguely aware that Fenrir and Applejack were calling my name, but the throbbing in my head took priority. My eyesight started to darken, but something stopped me from falling into a gentle rest.

My nostrils filled with the smell of smoke and my heart started to race. I opened my eyes and saw flames around me on the stone cobbles of Ponyville's center. I wearily picked myself up on a hoof and saw two large beasts fighting, but my vision blurred and they turned into flames. My eyes grew wide as I saw a small, sad pony sitting in front of the flames. She turned to face me and I gasped in fear. Her lovely bark-brown mane was burnt and dead and part of her face was blasted away. I felt myself throw up, but I never looked away from the mare.

“You didn't save me...” her sickening, but somehow lovely singsong voice called to me.

I chocked on the smoke that filled my nostrils.

“I tried!” I cried out to her as I chocked and cried all at the same time.

“Then why am I dead?”

I felt all my pain well up inside of me and turn into energy. I unconsciously opened myself up to the earth. I felt my power mix with the Earth's.

“OAKLEAF!!!!!!!” I screamed as tears streaked down my face. The Earth reacted to my pain and I could feel it convulse underneath me.

“OAKLEAF!!!!!!” I cried again, feeling my pain grow worse and worse. With every feeling of guilt, sadness, and anger the Earth convulsed harder and harder until I felt everything shake.

“RRRAGHHHH!” I screamed in pain before I heard a long and loud howl. It came from one of the flame-beasts and I faced him with all my fury. I forced the Earth to attack him, but his howl....it made me so heavy. I started to sink and the Earth slowly calmed, but I did not. I still raged, even worse now that I was restrained. I went on like this for what seemed to be hours, until I felt a gentle power on my forehead. It was not a sleeping spell, for it felt warm and fiery. At first it only aggravated my rage, but then I felt the warmth seep through my body and I was peaceful. I felt like every single emotional wound I ever had was being cured, but I knew that was impossible. I looked up to thank whoever was helping me, but all I saw was blurry green pony with a brown mane.

“I love you.” whispered a voice as I fell into the darkness.

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“It is like that of your princesses' magic. It comes from the universe itself.”

“Amazing. To think a culture just a few miles away from our north border can harness so much magic.”

“A few hundred miles that is.”

“Still....”

“Look! My brother is awaking!”

I tentatively opened my eyes. I closed them again with a loud groan. The harsh lights of where ever I was laying split my skull. And I also felt this horrible felling in the pit of my stomach. I groaned again and rolled onto my side.

“Step back ponies.”

“Why?” asked a familiar mare's voice before I threw up off the side of my bed. “Oh.” she deadpanned.

“Sorry.” I groaned hoarsely. I felt a comforting hoof on my cheek.

“It's alright as long as you're still here.” the voice said before cracking. I was surprised by the sudden tone in Twilight's voice that told me she was crying. I cracked an eye open and looked at her face.

Tears ran down her face, but she smiled. “I thought you had died when I first saw you there.” she sobbed.

“Sorry.” I said sheepishly. I closed my eyes again when I felt her hug me.

“Twilight, you know I just threw up.”

“I don't care.”

Fenrir's predatory laughing made me open my eyes to the bright room. I looked around quickly and saw that I was back in the library on Twilight's couch opposite of the fireplace. I closed my eyes again as the pain from the lights overwhelmed me.

“Hey Fenrir?”

“Yes Crimson?”

“Could you turn the lights down?”

“But of course.”

From behind my eyelids, I saw the lights go off and I opened my eyes to the now dark library.

“You didn't have to turn them off.” Fenrir gave me a large grin and snickered at me. He walked over to the fireplace and I knew what he was doing. I shook Twilight's shoulders.

“You can cry later, but you'll want to see this Twi.” She let go of the hug and looked into my eyes. I looked back at her and we stayed like this until I heard snickering coming from beside us. I looked over to see Fenrir standing on his back paws. He had his front paws cupped around his mouth and was making slurpy-kissing noises between childish snickers. I just rolled my eyes as Twilight noticed and let go of me.

“Are you going to light the fire or not?” I said with a sigh.

“But she already lit yours....” Fenrir snickered with his tongue sticking out between his teeth. I sighed again and he fell back to all fours and walked over to the fireplace. He took a deep breath in and gave a short low-pitched howl.

Blue flames erupted out of his maw and coated the empty fireplace. Where any other flame shouldn't be able to exist, the blue flame did. It emanated light and a cool heat onto us. Twilight gasped and stared at the flame. She scrambled over to the fireplace and inspected Fenrir's handiwork.

“How is this possible?” she asked as she wafted a hoof through the fire.

“You can do many impossible things with magic,” said Fenrir. “Isn't this right Crimson?”

“Huh?”

Twilight pulled her gaze from the fireplace and looked right into my eyes with a worried look on her face.

“You don't remember what happened?”

I started to stammer. “Uhhhh, I know I had another attack.......”

“I think it's best if we show him.” said Fenrir seriously.

Twilight started to object, but I cut her off. “Show me what happened.” I commanded feeling a little scared.

Twilight sighed and let go of me. I started to sit up slowly and she cringed her nose at me.

“Before we do anything, you need to take a shower.” I looked down at my coat and had to agree. There was a layer greasy vomit in places along with small cuts I got from the tussle with Big Mac. I could also tell that I smelled of sweat and grime and it made me respect Twilight even more for hugging me as long as she did. I shakily got off the couch and stumbled into the bathroom downstairs. I could hear Twilight and Fenrir talk in whispers, but I paid no attention to it as I ran a bath. I rubbed my face as the water started to steam and I looked at myself in the mirror. I was a train wreck.

I gently touch a deep bruise on my cheek and twinged as my hoof got close. I saw all the shallow cuts on my face and the horrible mix of dried blood and vomit resting around the edges of my lips. The mirror started to steam and I turned away from the ghoulish figure that was me.

The hot water rushed over my body, coming out in rivulets of red and a sickly yellow as it fell from my coat and mane. My closed cuts reopened under the water and started to sting. They felt even worse as I picked up Twilight's lavender-smelling soap and washed the grime from my body slowly.

“What do you have to show me?” I asked coming out of the bathroom, clean and wrapped in a towel. The towel was taken off of me by Twilight's magic, as she and Fenrir walked towards me.

“Come my friend.” Fenrir said gravely.

“Wait.” Twilight interceded. “Are you sure you want to see Crimson?”

I looked at them dumbly. “Why wouldn't I?”

They exchanged worrying glances.

“You may not like what you see.....” twilight said, shuffling her hooves.

“I don't care. Let's go.” I said as I stepped towards the door and stumbled. I was caught by a large gray, wooden paw.

“Careful brother.” said the lupine voice as he steadied me to my hooves. “Perhaps this could wait until later? I...”

“No.” I interjected. “I'm going to find out what I did, even if you two won't help me.”

I heard a low, agitated growl from beside me. I was surprised to find out it was Twilight. “Fine. Have it your way, but we're not letting you go alone.”

I smiled knowing I had won. “Thanks.” I said as the pair helped me out the front door.

We came out of the library and everything looked the same as everyday, only I there was a heavy atmosphere. I looked around inquisitively and also glanced at Twilight and Fenrir. From what I saw, their attitudes were pretty melodramatic. However, before I could say anything, Fenrir nuged me forward. I rolled my eyes as we walked forward towards the town center, but my light mood started to fall as we walked further into town. First, it started with a few homes and buildings with some missing roof tiles or a shutter hanging off of a window. Then it got worse quickly. The normally even cobble road started to get unnaturally bumpy and I saw some buildings were getting horribly distorted. At first I thought my magic had changed the buildings, but then I realized the magic had changed the ground the buildings had stood on. My fears became reality as we had to crest our first small hill on the way to the town center. My guilt grew with each hill we had to crest, the growing in their height just pushed my mood down further into despair.

We finally reached the town center, a small oasis of even ground among the convulsed earth, and I looked around at all the terror I had produced. The earth rose creating a ring, making me fell like a beast trapped by his own actions. I saw the charming houses and brightly colored buildings that normally made Ponyville a happy village, but now they were crooked and slanted, disheveled and broken. I sat down on my haunches and rose my shaking hooves to my face. How many ponylives had I ruined? When the homes were hit, was anypony......... I shook my head and felt the hot tears on my cheeks. How could this happen? Whenever I had a “normal” attack, it just ended up with me raving, and at my worst breaking something. But this........

“How?” I asked to the air, not looking away from my hooves. Any shred of trust I had in myself was gone. My actions, as unconscious as they might have been, hurt Ponyville, my friends, and innocent ponies. A gentle hoof fell across my shoulders, but in my numbness I didn't feel it.

“I got to the town center just as you jumped onto Big Mac's back. And then I saw him buck you.......oh, Celestia I thought you died Crimson.” she hugged me tighter but I still didn't feel anything.

“And then you got up and I was so relieved.” she continued. “But then you started talking, and at first Applejack and Fenrir told me they thought you were talking to them, but then you started screaming Oakleaf's name again and we all knew something was wrong. And then you stood up and the earth started rumbling as you stood up. Big Mac and Fenrir stopped fighting and everypony was looking at you. Then, the earth started moving, like waves of water. I could feel the magic emanating from them and I knew you were somehow doing it.”

“I felt the same Brother.” Fenrir said rubbing up against me reassuringly. “That was why I used my magic upon you. It was only to stop your magic.”

“This should be impossible.....I didn't even...”

“Have your gauntlets?” Twilight finished for me, sounding a little excited despite me. “This is why this is so amazing Crimson. You managed to unlock a source of magic that almost nopony of this ear has been able to!” I looked up from the ground and I could feel Twilight tense up when she saw my face at her words. I looked out into the town.

“Maybe we weren't supposed to.” I said sullenly. Twilight let our a quiet sob and pulled me into a tight hug, but I remained solid, like the stone that carried out my destructive impulses.

I shrugged our of Twilight's hug and looked at her sternly. “Was anypony hurt?”

“Only a few scrapes and cuts, but nothing the local nurse can not heal.” Fenrir said.

I pointed to a close house that was half demolished. “So that caused only cuts and scrapes?” I shouted as I looked angrily at Fenrir. His eyes dodged my gaze and his ears folded back as he looked at the ground.

“All able-bodied ponies are helping search through the wreckage of some of the buildings as we speak. There are still a few ponies missing.”

“And how many were dead?”

Fenrir sunk lower to the ground as I stood up on hooves steadied by anger.

“I said, HOW MANT DEAD!” I shouted.

“Three.” said a quiet voice behind me. I whirled around to see a crying mare sitting on the ground. Twilight sobbed silently as I looked at her angrily. I wasn't angry with her, but with myself. I let my emotions go crazy and I ended up hurting up, and killing, innocent ponies.

“Who were they?” I asked quietly, but the ever-present anger tainted my words.

Twilight wiped her eyes. “Twinkleshine, her sister Rainbowshine, and Berry Punch.”

My whole body trembled in anger and I let out a loud shout of anger. Fenrir and Twilight jumped and looked at me, worried. I rubbed the bridge of my muzzle and I started to walk away from the epicenter of my destruction. Twilight and Fenrir started to follow me, but I cast a glare backwards to them.

“I'm going for a walk. Alone.”

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My walk led me away from the center of town in the opposite direction of the library. I walked slowly and without direction, only trying to let go of my anger. Though, no matter what I did, it wouldn't leave me. It was a festering thing, draining me of my patience with myself and everypony, and it just served to worsen my mood.

I rounded a corner of a street to find a group of ponies outside of a collapsed house, cause by my magic. There were unicorns and pegasi holding beams and debris while earth ponies dug into what used to be a home. I froze up and unfortunately was spotted. My sighting was accompanied by a loud gasp by one of the pegasi.

“There he is! The monster that caused all of this!” she screamed while pointing at me with her one free hoof, the other holding a broken piece of timber. Her words stung deeply. Monster? Was that what I was now? A creature of terror and despair like Dicord or Crysalis?

A pink head popped out of the wreckage. “Crimson's here!?! Where?” asked Pinkie Pie as she looked around for me. Before I knew it she was standing a few feet in front of me, confusing everypony, including myself, to as how she managed to do that. She pulled me into a warm, friendly hug. “We were all so worried about you.” she said.

The unicorns and pegasi looked at each other puzzled at their group leader's actions, but they didn't have long to question Pinkie Pie's actions as a gruff “I found somepony!” came from the collapsed home. Pinkie let go of me, and with remarkable speed, moved to help the other ponies. A dark gray stallion dragged a beaten up unicorn our of the wreckage.

The unicorn, her coat still a shimmery yellow underneath the grime, open cuts, and matted blood, had her eyes closed and everypony surrounded her in a circle. I tentatively walked closer to see her better.

“She's not breathing!” said the stallion who had rescued her.

“Ok everypony, step back!” said Pinkie Pie as the stallion rolled the unicorn mare onto her back. He started to pump his hooves on her chest as Pinkie put her ear to the unicorn's mouth. After a few chest pumps, Pinkie opened up the unicorn's mouth and kissed her, sending air into her lungs. The unicorn didn't stir.

“Do it again.” Pinkie told the stallion who was now crying. They repeated the cycle two more times until the unicorn started to gasp and cough. She hacked and wheezed, but she was breathing. Everypony looked relieved, that is until they saw me.

“Why?” asked the same pegasi with teary eyes. I couldn't answer her. An earth pony came up to me and shoved me. “Get out of here! How can you live with yourself!?! You caused all of this! All of this!” he shouted into my face. I took a few steps back from the circle of ponies who had turned angry. My hooves started to shake. It was the first time I had felt scared in the face of danger. I stumbled on a hole in the road and fell backward onto my haunches as the angry crowd started to surround me.

“Stop it everypony!” shouted a pink wall between me and the aggressive villagers. Again she had moved with amazing speed, but I took a little solace knowing I had one pony on my side.

“Get outta the way Pinkie! He shouldn't even be here! You saw what he did!” said the earth pony who shoved me. The crowd voiced their agreement loudly.

“Yeah, leave!”

“Get out of town!”

“Go back to where you came from!”

Pinkie looked at the advancing crowd frantically. “We're all FRIENDS, everypony! It wasn't Crimson's fault! He didn't mean...”

“How can you say that Pinkie?” interrupted the earth pony. “From the first day he was here, he's been causing destruction!”

“Yeah! He wrecked your welcoming party!”

“And almost killed Big Mac!”

“Not to mention he was helping that timberwolf!”

Pinkie looked frantically at the crowd, speechless. I could see her start to shake. “Everypony.....” she said in a sad voice, vocalizing her tears.

A piece of wood came flying out of nowhere and hit my head, making a gash above my left eyebrow. “Get out of here you monster!” shouted the pegasi that announced my arrival and had thrown the wood. I got up and started to run. I could hear Pinkie call my name, but her cries were drowned out by the cheering crowd of Ponyville citizens.

I ran out of town, away from the only place that had ever, even if for but a moment, had soothed the effects of my PTSD. I kept running as I felt streams of tears run across my cheeks and mik with the dripping blood from the cut above my eye.

I should have expected this. First, I run out of the Lunar Battalion. Then, out of high society and Canterlot. And now, well now I just know I can't live with normal ponies. I really shouldn't have been as stupid to take up Luna's offer. I could have just stayed in my room in the Royal Castle and died a quiet death without hurting anymore ponies. There was, and will never be a place for me in the normal pony world.

I ran as the sun started to set and found myself entering a forest. It was like the great Everfree forest on the other side of Ponyville, but this one seemed less ominous and glowed in the setting sun. I ran into it's silent depths in the coming evening until reached a stream deep in the forest. I fell down into a heap on the stream's edge and cried as Luna's moon rose into the sky and set once more; I cried still when Celestia's sun rose and set. However, my tears dried and my sobs became silent as I fell into a tired and sad sleep around midnight of the next day.

Chapter 18

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 18

I awoke groggily and uncomfortably to an annoying noise that rung in my head. I sat up on one hoof and a traveling cloak slid off of my body. I slowly rubbed my eyes before almost jumping out of my skin. Where had the cloak come from?!? I took stock of where I was by looking aroun in a large circle. Ok, still in a forest on the outskirts of Ponyville, but it wasn't the Everfree. From where the sun was, it looked like it was a little after noon. So where, or more likely, from who did this cloak come from?

My musings melted away when I heard the trickling of the stream next to me and my stomach growled loudly. I inched towards the water, suddenly feeling very weak and I took a small sip of the water. It tasted cool, crisp, and fresh. I eyed it, wondering if it was truly good to drink, but I forgot about it when my stomach growled again, making me dig my muzzle into the stream and drink deeply. I slowly sat up when I was finished drinking and climbed to my hooves even slower, feeling the hunger take it's toll on my body. I realized that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, two days ago. I walked away from the stream slowly and stumbled before falling to the ground.

I closed my eyes expecting to hit the ground hard, but I opened them in wonder when I didn't. I glanced around and found myself encased in a silver glow.

“Easy there boyo. Don't want you hurtin' yourself so soon.” said a deep voice from behind me. I felt the magic slowly fade, and I caught myself on my hooves. I tried to move quickly to face the unicorn that had held me in his magic, but nopony was there when I did so.

“I know you're out there.” I said to the suddenly quiet forest as I glanced around.

CRRRRUNCH! Went the sound of an apple being bitten into right beside my ear. I jumped and instinctively kicked at the noise. My kick hit nothing but air and I hear the deep voice again.

“Tisk, tisk, tisk. That won't do you any good.”

I was getting fed up with the playing around of the random unicorn. “Come out right now! I know you're playing with me!” An apple core flew out of nowhere and bounced gently off of my head, from right between my eyes. I heard a sly chuckle from behind me and I flipped around and aimed a kick at the voice.

I was caught mid-air in the magical field again, only this time I was completely immobile. “If you can't take the kid from the fight, then take the fight from the kid.” said the voice as I was lowered and re-positioned into sitting on my haunches against a large boulder. My eyes went wide at I saw the owner of the voice who slowly fluttered down to the ground in front of me.

He was a large elderly stallion with a coat of pure white and a mane of silver. He had a goatee of silver as well, but what made my eyes go wide was that he had a large pair of snowy wings AND a long shining horn.

“An alicorn?” I tried to say.

The alicorn saw the look on my face and smiled. “What? You thought your Princesses were the only ones?”

I tried to nod, but was unsuccessful. The alicorn saw this and grimaced. “Sorry about that.” he said as the glow faded from around me and his horn. Then my mouth fell open and I just gawked at him. He looked amused at me and struck a pose.

“I know. I'm magnificent ain't I?” he said mockingly.

I closed my mouth quickly and shook my head as he laughed. “But how is there another alicorn?”

“There is Princess Cadenza Mi Amore.....” said the alicorn, looking at his hoof a little boredly.

“Yeah, but there should only be three.”

Te alicorn cast a sidelong glance at me and shook his head. “Schools these day just aren't what they used to be. Ever read your history book as a kid?”

“I guess...?”

“I'm just screwin' with ya'. Celestia never published THAT history book.” he said rolling his eyes.

“So who are you?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” he said at he magicked the cloak over to himself and pulled out a delicious looking apple from one of its pockets. I eyed it carnivorously and he saw with a flat look on his face. He threw it to me, which I caught quickly as he said “I guess I'll start with the introductions.”

“I am Century Sentry. Alicorn of Time and all that is to be or ever has been. Also older brother to Celestia and Luna and Great-Great-Great-Uncle to Princess Cadence.” he said a bow and gesture of his hoof. I chocked on the apple as he said the part about Celestia, Luna, and Cadence.

“If you're their brother, why didn't you ever visit?” I coughed out.

“Even if I can control time, there are rules. I only meet with my siblings and relatives when the time is right.”

I nodded, not sure if I could trust what he was saying. But then again, he WAS an alicorn.... “So it's like the thing where you can't go back in time and talk to yourself?”

He looked at me and then a large, crazy smile broke out on his face. “Oh buck no! I do that all the time. A past, or future, you make for an interesting drinking buddy.” he said as he looked off into the distance. “Good times, good times....” I heard him mutter under his breath before he faced me again. “So who are you?”

“Aren't you the 'alicorn of all that is to be or ever has been'?” I asked between bites of the apple.

He rolled his eyes. “Great. Another smart-ass. Just because I am all that, doesn't mean I have to know your name. So who in Tartarus are you?”

I pointed to the cloak again. “Another apple please.” Century Sentry sighed and produced another apple, passing it to me with his wing. I took a few bites and Century waited with his head on a hoof for me to finish.

“My name's Crimson. Ex-Captain of Puck Unit of the Lunar Battalion.”

“Ahh, very nice. So how'd you become 'ex-captain'?”

I took another bite and chewed it slowly. “I have a mental disease. PTSD.”

“Bummer.” Century said, making a face that made him look like he had just sucked on a lemon.

“Yeah.” I said before continuing to eat the apple. There was an awkward silence between us for a while as I ate. Even when I was done with the apple, Century didn't start to talk again. Actually, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky and started to whistle a song. I looked at him and was very puzzled.

I had just met an alicorn, one of which nopony knew existed, and all I got from him was two apples and an introduction. He was an alicorn, so he could help me, right? I cleared my throat, but Century didn't look up.

“Since you're an alicorn can you.....”

“Was that you a day or two ago?” he interrupted me.

“What do you mean?”

“The earthquake in Ponyville.” he said rolling over onto his side to look at me. He propped his head up on a hoof and asked “Was that you?”

I gulped and shuffled my hooves while my gaze drifted to the ground. “Yeah.” I said guiltily, like a colt caught eating a cookie before dinner.

Century whistled. “Quite a lot of power condensed in one little package.”

“Hey!”

“But a few problems in letting it all out. Probably a stopped up exit.” he nodded to himself as he stood up again. He took a big step away from me and shrugged his shoulders and cracked his neck. “Alright kiddie, come on.” he said waiving a hoof in the universal 'come at me'.

“You gotta be kidding me.”

Century shrugged his shoulders. “Fine. If you're too scared to start this dance, I will.”

I was thrown off of my hooves less than a second later.

I landed on the hard earth and saw stars. I shook my head and Century was hopping in place where I had once stood.

“That was cheap! You used magic.”

“No magic, no wings. I promise.” Century said grimly. “Now come on, we only have a night to do this.” I wondered what he meant, but I stood up anyway. I took up my fighting position I had learned so long ago in my very first Colt Maga classes and readied myself. I was thrown back again.

Getting up for a second time, I growled at Century's attacks. He had to be cheating somehow.

“You need to feel.” he said to me as we squared off again.

“Yeah, and you'll feel this!” I said as I lunged quickly at him. My front hoof hit air as Century sidestepped me and I felt a hoof hit my chest. I felt all the air leave my lungs and I went flying for a third time, but I didn't get up from this one. Century stepped on my side as I gasped for air, pinning me to the earth.

“Tisk. Tisk. Tisk. That's enough fighting for now. I know what your problem is.”

“That. I. Have. Random. Outbreaks. Of. Insanity. And. Destroy. Things.” I said in a staccato breath.

“Sorta.” Century said while he scratched behind an ear with his wing. “It has more to do with your mental thing, but mostly from your magic.”

“What?” I asked as Century pulled his hoof off of me and sat down.

“Sit up. But yes, it all stems from your magic...kinda. Tell me how you got PTSD.”

I sat there and told him about my unit, Puck, about the love of my life, Oakleaf Harp, and about how she met her end, and I met the end of my normal life. By the time I was done, the sun had sunk low in the sky, and from what my stomach told me, it was dinner time. Century heard my stomach and must have agreed with it, since he magicked his cloak over to himself and turned it upside down, pulling one of the pockets open wide, and a rain of apples came out. He flipped the cloak right-side up and I counted fifteen apples from that one pocket.

“Hmmm. Quite the dilemma.” he said while chewing into an apple. I took one and bit into it as well while Century continued to look at the apples, pondering what to do next.

“So it sounds like your problem is the memory of your late-great wife, huh?”

“Counting that I scream her name every time I have an attack, I'd say yes.” I quipped back sharply, not liking how he casually talked about Oakleaf.

“Ok.” he said noticing my tone, but not caring from the look on his face. “So let me guess, a few ponies have told you to 'move on' and other bs like that?”

“Um, yeah actually.”i said surprised.

“Yeah, that's not gonna work to well. You're gonna keep on trying to 'move on' but small things will remind you of her and you'll have an attack again.” he said calmly, eating his apple. “Basically, I'm gonna teach you that you don't need to move on. You can live with her memory and your present life together, in harmony.”

“So you'll help me?”

“Meh, to a point.” he said before he gazed into my eyes seriously. “But first I need you to promise me some things.”

“Yeah, sure. Anything.”

Century snorted. “Careful when you say that. But first, you must promise me that you will listen to and do everything I tell you to tonight, even if it hurts.”

“Ok.” I nodded.

Century pointed towards the way I had come from a two days ago. “No matter what you hear coming from that town, Ponyville, you MUST NOT leave the forest tonight. If you leave tonight, not only will you never be able to beat your disease and master your attacks, but you will die after hurting all the ponies that you love and care for.”

The apple in my hoof slipped and fell to the ground. “What?” I asked shakily.

“Do you promise not to leave these woods?” he asked gravely.

“Yeah.” I said, scared for my life for the second time in two days.

Century sat back. “Good. At least you're not stupid.” He ate another apple and we sat in silence, each taking an apple when we wanted another. We continued until all the apples were gone and the sun had started to set. Century stood up and stretched and motioned for me to do the same.

“You're not gonna be able to move for a while, so you might as well stretch while you can.” His words left me guessing, but I did as he instructed. I felt some of my joints and bones crack and pop and I flexed my muscles slowly, helping warm up my whole body. Then Century took up a stance on the ground and dug his hooves into the earth, locking his legs in place. I continued to follow his lead.

“Remember when I said that some of this stuff might hurt?” he said as his horn started to glow. I suddenly felt very apprehensive about what I was doing in these woods with this relative stranger.

“Now hold still or I might rip your sanity away.”

“Hold up.......AHHHHHH!!” I shouted as Century blasted me with a magical spell.

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I awoke floating in darkness, but like in my attacks, I could see my body in third person. I looked around and saw nothing but pitch black. Then a flash of brilliant light blinded me for a second and Century appeared.

“It always takes a few seconds to get myself in too.” his voice echoed throughout the darkness.

“Where are we?” I asked, my voice echoing as well.

“Just in your mind. Nothing too fancy. Now let's go solve your little problem.” he said as his horn glowed again. The darkness we were floating in exploded into light and color and my past experiences flew past me from various angles. Some were in first person, others in third, and possibly the weirdest of all, some were in the perspective of other ponies and I could see my reactions and facial expressions in each of them.

My past kept flooding past me, the last attack, the party with Ditzy, the couple's arrival, the first attack in Ponyville, my arrival, me first attack I ever had, my time in the hospital, and finally the fight where Oakleaf was killed and my life fell into this cycle of pain. The blur of motion slowed and the scene stopped at the point right before Oakleaf was about to die.

My whole team was frozen, as was that of the unicorn cult, and even the fireball that was about to engulf my love was frozen mid-air. It's heat was visible in my third person view, coiling around Oakleaf and her magical shield. It hurt to see my pained expression along with Oakleaf's sad but knowing one. I turned my head from the sight, but Century pulled me.

“Look. This is where it all started.”

“I know.” I whispered in pain.

Century played the memory for me again and I felt the pain rise in my soul. My heart wrenched to save Oakleaf and to stop this unnecessary pain. However, Century watched intently. Reflected in his eyes, I could see every movement, every breath, scream, and bead of sweat. But I also saw something more. I saw the past of each pony and for some, their futures.

Century looked at me sharply and grabbed my leg with his hoof.

“You ready?” he asked.

“For what?” I said gazing into his eternal eyes.

“To show me what you feel.” he said as he pushed me. I fell from where we were watching and landed into my body. I gazed out at the all to familiar scene as Century's horn glowed again. I saw Oakleaf glance back to me and my world fell apart right there. There was nothing in this world left for me and I knew I would destroy everything until I had her back.

“There!” Century said from beside me. I jumped and the scene froze at the beginning again. “That was when your end began. But we can change it for the better.”

“How?”

“Tell me what you felt right there. When your wife was encompassed in flame.”

Biting back the pain and urge to hit Century I spoke. “I felt like nothing else in the world mattered.”

“And?”

“And that I'd do anything to get her back.”

“And?”

“And that I'd destroy everything until I get her back.” I said realizing what he was trying to get me to notice. “But how does this have anything to do with my PTSD?”

“Do not watch, but feel rather. Close your eyes and focus on what you feel.” Century mentored.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt the same pain and anger as the horrible event played out, but I felt something else too. Something I didn't even know I had done.

“I was connected to the earth's magic.” I said with understanding, opening my eyes.

“And?”

“And when my feelings mixed with all the magic, something happened.”

“Exactly.” Century said nodding slowly. “I believe you are familiar with magical feedback?”

“Yeah. It happened to me once, and I felt as sick as a dog.”

“Well it's impossible for earth ponies to get magical feedback.”

“Then...”

“Since earth ponies are always connected to the earth's magic, even when they aren't trying, it is almost impossible for them to get magical feedback. But what happened to you is much different.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling hopeful for the first time in what seemed like centuries.

“As every earth pony knows, the Earth itself is a living thing. You feel when it's best to plant, or where the best metals are to be forged and used as tools. So why do you get sick and have attacks now?”

“It's because I remember this.” I said waving a hoof around at the memorial scene.

“Yes! Now when your emotions and pain mixed with the Earth's magic, it reacted. Its magic is meant to give life and protect, not destroy! So what do you think happened?”

I racked my brain. All of this was so confusing. “I don't know.....From what you say, the Earth probably.....put up a barrier to stop me from using it's magic destructively.” I said. It all dawned on me. The moment my rage and despair touched the Earth's magic, it stopped me from abusing it. So that horrible day so many months ago was when this truly started. The PTSD was just a side effect from the barrier the earth had put on my magic supply. Every time I remembered Oakleaf's death, the precise moment of my destructive impulses, the Earth reacted based on my emotions. The more I remembered it, the more the Earth reacted. It was a big cycle.

“But Century, we can't change it. It was a few months ago....unless you cant take me back int time!” I said excitedly.

“I can do something better.” he said with a sad smile. “But this will hurt the worst.” He grabbed my arm and threw me again, but this time I went sailing across the few yards and landed in Oakleaf's body.

I could feel the heat and the pain the fireball caused, and I could also feel the frantic heartbeats in Oakleaf as she realized she was going to die. But then I felt something magical. She turned her head to face me and I felt the incredible love she felt for me and the rest of the team. Her smile brought happiness and solace to my broken heart and she turned to face the fireball once again. I felt her open her horn's magic up to the power of anything around her, mainly, the power of the earth. I opened up myself to the Earth along with her and I felt the rush of energy, energy meant to protect and give life build up in her and give her the strength to stop the powerful destruction of the fireball by herself.

Her death came swift and I was left with the most conflicted feeling I have ever felt. I was crying not only because I was in pain at her death, but because I was happy too. Her strong feelings of love fought against my pain at missing her. Slowly, my tears stopped and my sobs became hiccups and then my hiccups became laughter. I realized that Oakleaf had been the very essence of what the Earth was. She was protection and life, while I tried to be something I wasn't destruction and hatred. I shouldn't want to destroy and kill the Fire-Eaters or any other ponies. I should only want to protect all my loved ones. That's all that really mattered.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder and looked up to see a smiling Century. I returned his smile with a genuine, happy smile, something I hadn't had in a long time. His horn glowed and we left the scene of pain, but also of love, and possibly redemption.

Chapter 19

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 19

I sighed deeply as I returned to my body ans sunk to the ground. I wasn't miraculously healed, but for the first time since Oakleaf's death, I felt like my life wasn't just a string of continuous pain. The reason she died, was because she loved me, because she loved all of her friends and comrades. I shouldn't hate anypony for something so instinctual. I knew I would do the same if I was in her position.

“Ahem.” coughed a comforting voice. “Are you alright?” I looked up slowly to Century and wiped away the last of my tears.

“Not quite, but I'm feeling better than I have in about forever.”

Century smiled. “That's what I was counting on. Now stand up. It's time you learn how to use your magic.”

I stood up slowly with a question playing on my lips. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Luna taught me how to use my magic back in training a few years ago.”

“She taught you to influence the Earth with your will. But she did not teach you how to work with the Earth.” Century said, confusing me again. Before I could say anything, he continued.

“As you now know, the Earth is a living thing, with it's own magical conscious. It has it's own wants and aspects that nopony can control with just force. For example, it gets pretty hard to raise large boulders and such after a while, right? But you have a strong will, for this reason you can do things like the earthquake, even if it was a fluke.”

“But that was uncontrolled! Even if I wanted to do that again, I doubt I could.” I interjected.

“Well yes.” Century said slowly. “But that was because you were trying to force the Earth to bend to your will. The Earth is a strong and inflexible element; it doesn't like to be bossed around. But, if a pony works along with the Earth.....” he trailed off. Then he closed his eyes and without his horn glowing, a massive pillar of earth rose from the ground right next to him.

I gawked at it as he continued. “If a pony works with the Earth's will then they won't have any problem moving stone, growing plants, and shifting the world, literally.”

“How did you???” I asked glancing between Century and the pillar.

Century rolled his eyes and fachhoofed. “Alicorn, remember? But it has been a while since I had to do that.” he yawned. “Erda was the best at that sort of stuff.”

I shook off his musings and stared straight at him. “So how do I do this? I don't even have my gauntlets....”

“No need, unless you're not an earth pony. But you already know what to do.”

“But I always needed my gauntlets to use my magic, and I have no clue what to do.”

Century waved a hoof at me back and forth. “Naughty, naughty. Have you forgotten what you just learned? Plus, your gauntlets only amplify your magic, and you really won't need them for this. Believe me.”

“Would you stop speaking in riddles!” I yelled at the elderly alicorn. “I've had enough of this! I thought you said you would help me.”

“Don't get pissy. I already have. Think boyo. What causes your attacks and the magical feedback in you?”

“Wanting to hurt ponies just to save her.” I said, feeling sick as I did.

“Now what made your late wife so powerful? Don't guess, feel. You know this.”

I took a deep breath and felt back to when we were in my mind, when I felt Oakleaf's last moments. A solitary tear slid down on of my cheeks as I remembered.

“It was her love, wasn't it?”

Century beamed. “You're not as stupid as you look.” he joked. “Her love and those strong feelings of wanting to protect you and all of her loved ones let her utilize the Earth's power. Even if she was a unicorn, her feelings reverberated through her magic, and the Earth answered, wanting to do the same.”

“The Earth wanted to protect us?”

Century nodded. “The Earth is strong because it can give life, thus it also wants to protect the life it created. That's one reason the nickname 'mother Earth' is completely correct.”

“You sound like such a hippie.”

“Yeah, real funny, but it doesn't change the fact that it is true. Now use your magic.”

I shook my head thinking about what he had said. It was ridiculous, but I knew he was right. I remembered the rush of power into Oakleaf before she.....before she died. I swallowed my grief again and looked up to the now midnight sky. I whispered a silent prayer to the stars and Luna's moon and opened myself up to the Earth.

At first, I couldn't feel anything, but then I tried to concentrate on the same feeling that I got every time I used my magic with my gauntlets. I had a sharp intake of breath as I felt a small throbbing that I knew emanated from the Earth itself.

“I told you. Now try to use your magic.” coached Century.

I focused as hard as I could on the throb of the Earth's magic as I added my own to the Earth. I choose a small patch of ground in front of me and tried to make it rise. I panted and huffed until I was coated in a thin sheen of sweat, but the patch of ground didn't move. I slumped over and cut off my magic, feeling tired and beaten.

“Don't try to force the earth to do anything it doesn't want to. Remember, the Earth is alive. It wants to grow, to spread its life, to protect the life.” Century coached. I grumbled under my breath, certain that he never felt this tired. Hell, he was an alicorn! They never had the same troubles we normal ponies had.

“Try again.” he said and I cussed at him in a shallow whisper, knowing he was playing with me. Despite this, I tried again.

This time my magic connected with the Earth's much smoother, but it was still weak. However, instead of just trying to force the Earth to my will, I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. I felt the Earth's magic puling at the touch of my magic and I just focused on its beat for a while. Badah-dah-bum, Badah-dah-dum, Badah-dah-bah. Slowly, I felt a small whispering feeling in the back of my mind. It didn't say anything, but gave me a feeling of wanting to spread, to grow and never stop, to be as hard as rock but as sinuous as a sapling. I smiled at the feel of it and I let my magic flow into the Earth. Surprisingly, magic flowed back into me and I cut the connection out of surprise.

I was energized and it was like all the abuses and emotional scars hadn't happened to me. I could feel my body race with energy and I was intoxicated by the feeling. I looked down at my hooves and they seemed to buzz. I closed my eyes and connected to the Earth again. This time, the connection was much stronger and as I let my magic flow into the Earth, it let its magic flow into me. The Earth and I were one, inseparable being, and I knew the time was right to use my magic.

I began to push my will into the Earth's magic, but I stopped before I did anything. 'Don't make the Earth do anything it doesn't want to.' I remembered, so I slowly let go of my wants. I felt the wanting to grow and spread in the back of my mind again, and I knew what I had to do. I focused on the same thing and thought about the patch of ground in front of me growing and spreading. There was a rush of magic and I opened my eyes without disconnecting my magic.

“Very well done for a beginner.” Century said jovially, nodding to me as he walked over to the thin pillar that shot up from the ground. It stood over Century's pillar, but it was thinner and covered in overgrown grass. I smiled at it and felt a flush of warmth over my body. I realized with a shock that it wasn't me that shivered. It was the Earth that spread a wave of warm energy into me.

“It really is alive.” I muttered dumbfounded.

“Haven't I been....SHPIEW—BOOOM!!!!” A loud explosion interrupted Century's words. He and I quickly turned to where the sound had come from, the direction of Ponyville. Another loud explosion went off, and I felt it reverberate though the Earth's magic. I looked at Century with despair and ran off in the direction of Ponyville.

“STOP!” Century yelled as I was caught in a magical grip. I struggled against the magicla bond with all my strength and the Earth's magic fluctuated with my every move, reacting with me.

“Let me go!” I yelled, accidentally using my combined magic. A slab of earth beneath me shot up from the ground and sent me flying towards the woods, away from Century and the stream.

I felt a rush of energy, and the Earth's magic became sluggish and cold in my body. I found myself frozen mid-air between the ground and the treeline. Century flew in front of me and I saw that his eyes were glowing a deep autumn gold. He was obviously angry, but his eyes scared me more than his tense body. They were the eyes of a god. Of an angry god.

“What did I tell you?” he asked in a voice that transcended all time.

“That you would not leave this forest tonight, NO MATTER WHAT.” he answered for me. “I will let you down and unfreeze time, but you will honor your promise.” he warned me. I fell to the ground with a heavy thud, and the Earth's magic became warm and living again. I raised my head as Century landed before me. There was another loud boom in the distance, making me wince.

“If you go now, you won't be able to help anypony.” he said slowly and softly.

“Then why don't you go?”

“It is not my destiny to interfere in this conflict.”

I snorted. “Since when have you cared about 'destiny'?”

He looked at me sadly. “I am sorry, but I speak the truth. But you can help them, however, not now.”

“Then when?” I said sadly and hopefully at the same time.

“After I teach you how to harness your new-found power. Now rise, it is time for you to become a new pony.”

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We spent the rest of the night together with Century instructing me on how to use the Earth's magic correctly and efficiently while I tried my hardest to do as he instructed. He started off by teaching me how to use precision with the vast amount of power, how to focus on the small things like growing grass and how to focus on the big things like raising small hills of earth. The he taught me to use both intricately, fusing the large and the small, like creating a wall of earth that was harder than steel thanks to the grass that wove the massive boulders of the earth together.

Next, Century taught me how to correctly utilize plants as I allowed them to grow and flourish on the Earth's nourishing magic. Small plants could be used to trip up the enemy or ensnare them (like I had done to Shining) and large plants like trees could be used to surprise and stop them. Mixing the plants and the earth together could cause large, intrinsic attacks, but Century stopped me before I could use any of them. He sat me down and looked at me seriously.

“There are three more things I need to mention to you before we go our separate ways.” he told me as the sky started to turn from the darkness of the night to the pale of early morning, before the sunrise.

“First is that the magical energy the Earth holds is enormous. If you feel weak or tired, you can rely upon it to fuel you. However, don't overuse it. It will drain your energy twice as fast as soon as you disconnect from the Earth's magical flow.”

“Second, there is another aspect of the Earth's will you have not used. So far you have used the Earth's will to form and grow, but not protect. Now when you use this aspect of the Earth's will, the magical power will increase, triplefold. But be warned, like using the Earth's magic as fuel, it will put a huge strain on your body. If used for too long, you could die, or worse.”

“There's something worse than death?” I asked jokingly.

Century glared at me sternly. “Yes. Yes there is. Have you ever been to the Royal Canterlot Gardens?”

“Um..yeah? Why?”

“At the very center of the maze is the last pony to stand against Discord's armies alone. He is a hero that died bravely.”

“I remember this.” I interrupted. “Luna told me about him. His name was something weird....”

“Lapis Scutum was his name. His distraction allowed the Princesses to escape from Discord when he first laid wast to Canterlot many years ago. He used the Earth's power, mainly the aspect of protection, and became as he is today.”

“You mean he turned to stone?” I asked, incredulously.

Century nodded. “It is a worse fate than death, because he is still alive. For years, the princesses have tried to undo the horrible magics done to him, but it is all for naught. The only pony who could have saved him died before Discord was even around.”

“So the moral of the story is not to use the Earth's strongest power for too long.”

“I'm glad you understand.” Century said before standing up. The sun started to rise and he walked over to his cloak. He picked it up with magic and started to put it on.

“Wait!” I said, scrambling to get up. “You said there was three things you wanted to tell me. You warned me about two things.” Century scratched his chin for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He tossed the cloak away from himself and turned to face me.

“Sorry about that, sometimes my mind escapes me.” he said as he walked up to me. “The last thing I wanted to tell you,” he said picking up a hoof, “is that you must fight me again before you leave.” he said as he gave me a wicked uppercut.

I pulled my head back and danced away from him before he could hit me again. I spit and tasted blood as I realized the bucker had split my lip. My mouth spread into a large and crazed smile.

“Now you're talking.”

I connected to the Earth's magic as I rushed towards Century. I felt the Earth as it felt me and I readied to attack. However, my dash towards Century slowed as I started to hear Oakleaf's song and started to feel sick.

No! I can't think about 'attacking' or even 'harming'. The Earth doesn't desire to harm, but to grow and nurture, protect and care for. I changed my thoughts from 'attack Century' to 'grow' and immediately felt much better. Strangely, Oakleaf's song kept playing in my mind though.

Century smiled at me and backed up as a ramp of stone grew out of the ground in front of him which I ran up and jumped off of. It was then that Century noticed his hooves were tangled up by weeds and grass, while I fell into a dropkick position. He laughed and cut the plats with his wings, rolling out of the way right as I kicked the ground. But his roll didn't help him. As soon as my hoof hit the ground, a pillar of stone shot up underneath Century. Century yelped in surprise as he was thrown into the air, but he righted himself and dove at me, hooves outstretched.

I rose a solid wall of stone from the ground and jumped out of the way, hoping Century hit the wall, but my plan went awry. Century managed to grab me by my tail and he rose into the air, past the wall, making me hit my own wall with a resounding smack. I heard Century chuckle as I fell off the wall, but it stopped as soon as I bucked the wall and sent two cylindrical stone projectiles right for him. I didn't hear any connect, so I started bucking the wall like crazy until it mimicked a piece of Swiss cheese. I turned around to see if Century got hit, but I saw only my projectiles stickign out from the ground.

“Ahem.” went a voice from behind me. I turned around quickly and stupidly and was hit with a left hook that sent me to the ground. I grit my teeth as I fell on my back and I hit the ground, making two pillars of stone come up from the ground at angles, aimed at Century. He laughed and rose higher in the air, but it was my turn to laugh. He rose so fast in the air that he didn't notice the newly grown, and heavy, tree branch above him. He hit it and his tongue stuck out of his mouth comically. Then he fell out of the sky and to the ground. I got up and rush over to him.

“Hey Century? You ok?” I asked to his knocked-out form. But he wasn't knocked-out, since he bucked me back with his back hooves. I bounced back from him and reared up. I was tired of his playing around. As he got up, I quickly made triangular walls of stone rise from the earth, until they met above us. Then it was just him, I, and complete darkness underneath a dome of solid stone. Unluckily for him, I had been part of the Lunar Battalion, meaning I could see alright in this pitch black. I grinned to myself and silently moved around to the alicorn's back. When I was in palce, I tensed up and lunged.

I was frozen again as the sneaky alicorn turned around and opened up a hole in my dome with a blast from his horn. He smiled at me as his eyes faded to their normal color and I fell down to the Earth once again. Sunlight flooded into the hold he made as he walked out. I slowly followed, shielding my eyes from the bright morning sunlight. I found him slipping his cloak on with a sad smile on his face.

“You passed boyo. Good job.” he said, smiling to the ground.

“So what now?” I asked, truly not sure what to do next. He looked at me smiling sadly, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

“Now, we depart.”

“Just like that? You won't even come back to Ponyville?”

Century raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

“Oh, I don't know...”

“Ok no getting sappy here.” he said as he came up to me and gave me a hug. He let of and slapped me on my back. “You got to go help all your friends.”

“What?”

He started to walk away into the forest. “Don't worry about it right now! Look at how nice this morning is!”

“Will I ever see you again?” I called to him as he started to walk deeper into the woods. He stopped and half-turned towards me.

“Only time will tell.” Even from that distance I could tell he was smiling.

“Hey Crimson.”

“Yeah?”

“Do me a favor and count to 19.” he said as he walked out of sight into the trees. I laughed.

“Goodbye Century Sentry!” I shouted. I shook my head and took a deep breath. He had come like a flash to me in my hour of need, helped me, aggravated me, and even beat me up. Yet, I wouldn't have wanted to meet him any other way. I chuckled at his final words and I started to count to 19 under my breath.

When I got to 15 I started to hear a strange sound coming from the forest. Whump, whump, whump, whump. Then I head a few tree branches snap and I tensed up.

16

Another tree branch snapped, but louder and closer, and it also sounded like it had crashed to the forest floor.

17

I heard a pony cursing fluently and my tension started to disappear as I recognized the voice.

18

“You ok?” asked another pony, making me run off towards their voices.

19

I came through a thicket of trees to find Ditzy rubbing her head and cursing while Solitary Shadow stood over her.

“Crimson!” Ditzy shouted as she got up and tackled me.

“Boss!” Solitary yelled as he jumped on top of us.

“Don'tyoueverdothatagainyouhadallofusworried!Howdidyougetouthere.....” Ditzy sputtered in a stream of words that rivaled Pinkie Pie's normal speech patterns.

“BossIhaven'tseenyouinsolong!It'stheboss!Jollygood!Timeforthebosssong!Bossbossbossboss....” Solitary spluttered out similarly, only with more insanity.

“Ditzy.” I said flatly.

“Don'tyouknowthatwewerelookingalloverforyou?”

“Ditzy.” I said a little more forcefully.

“Andthenyouweregoneforawholethreedaysandthenlastnight......”

“DITZY!” I yelled.

Ditzy blinked and broke out of her rambling and looked at me. “What?” she asked.

“Could you get off of me.”

“Oh yeah.” she said sheepishly as she moved and Solitary slid off of her still singing his 'Boss song'. As soon as I got up, Ditzy gave me a bone crushing hug while Solitary slinked around on the ground chanting “Boss Boss Boss Boss Bosssssss!” he screeched, hitting a high note and standing up with a grand gesture of his hooves.

“You got weirder since I left.” I deadpanned, making ditzy laugh and let go of me.

“It's 'cause I got ta be a good roll model fer the team and all that Cap'n...er....yeah! Boss!” he said as he put me into a hug that almost broke my spine and lifted me off of the ground. I coughed as he lowered me to the ground and everypony laughed.

“Crimson, everypony has been looking for you for the past two days.” Ditzy said worryingly.

“Let's just say I didn't feel to welcome after I caused all that damage.” I said guiltily remembering the earthquake. But that was all behind me. I now knew how to control my magic and I could make sure nothing like that ever happened again.

“I don't think anypony is worried about that anymore......”Solitary said.

“What do you mean?” I asked rounding on him. “And why are you here anyway? I don't mean to be rude, but you're still in uniform, and even though you are you, I know you're not the type to show up unannounced.”

“Dawwww. You know me so well Cap'n!” Solitary gushed. I sighed and felt a comforting hoof on my foreleg.

“Let's get into town Crimson. We'll tell you all about it there.” Ditzy said softly.

“Won't they try to run me out of town again?”

Solitary snorted. “Not with one o' their princesses in town.”

“WHAT?”

“Yep, Luna's here! So is all of Puck. Come on mate, let's go greet 'em!” Solitary said chipperly, but he grabbed my other foreleg a little hard. I knew something was up, and underneath all his peppy energy, something had gone bad.

“What happened last night?” I asked, stopping everypony in their tracks.

“Come on mate, we'll tell you when we get into town.” Solitary said between gritted teeth as he pulled on me harder.

“Solitary, we can't do this. We should at least tell him.” Ditzy said sadly.

Solitary let go of my leg and let out a long, pent-up breath. He turned to face me and his peppyness was gone. His face was strangely familiar, since I had seen this stern and determined expression so many times when we were on a mission.

“Crimson.” he started before looking me dead in the eye. “Ponyville was attacked last night.”

Chapter 20

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 20

Branches and twigs broke, scraped, and stuck in my coat as I dashed madly out of Whitetail Woods towards Ponyville. The second Solitary had uttered those horrible words I broke into a frenzied sprint. I could hear Ditzy and Solitary calling my name from behind me but I just kept running. I had to makes sure Twilight and the other were alright. I couldn't wait up for anypony, this was just too important.

I burst out of the calm woods on that gorgeous morning filled with worry and anxiety. From where I came out, I was quite a ways from the main road to Ponyville, but even from here I could see something was amiss. The biggest sign of the previous night's events: the tower of city hall was burnt and was missing large pieces of roofing, making it look like it would collapse any second. I sprinted even harder onto the road and towards the town. I could taste blood in my mouth, but it felt cold with dread, just like the rest of me did.

I finally slowed when I came into the town's outskirts and gawked at the damage. All around me were large scorch marks on the ground. The homes that my emotional earthquake didn't destroy were blasted to smithereens and the rubble still smoked. I looked around in shock and despair and didn't notice the pegasi that called to me. Finally I looked to the sky, only to find it was Thunderhead Flash. He came down to greet me, but saw the look on my face. Only when he saluted me did I snap out of my revive of shock.

“It's good to see you Capt.....Crimson.” said Thunderhead.

“What happened here?” I asked as Ditzy and Solitary caught up to us. Thunderhead saluted to Solitary and Ditzy as well, but then turned to face me again.

“Princess Luna is in the schoolhouse sir. It's serving as our field headquarters at the moment. Allow me to escort you there.”

I snorted. “You think anypony is going to attack now?”

“Go spread the word that Crimson's back and tell Puck to meet us at the schoolhouse in ten minutes.” said Solitary gruffly.

Thunderhead saluted him. “Sir!” he said, flying into the sky speedily.

I glanced at Solitary with a raised eyebrow. “What?” he said. “I'm the captain now. I gotta do stuff like that.”

“Let's get to the schoolhouse.” said Ditzy. Solitary and I nodded our heads and we all ran through Ponyville.

It took us longer than it should have, thanks to the various obstacles of the last few days. I managed to clear a level path through the convoluted earth caused by my earthquake, but I wasn't able to move the burnt wreckage of buildings and homes. I felt a sharp constriction in my chest when I saw a burnt and collapsed Sugarcube Corner, but was slightly relieved when I saw the library had been untouched, thanks to all of Twilight's flame-retardant spells. Nevertheless, the three of us sped towards Ponyville Elementary school.

The schoolhouse and playground, which was noisily filled with the laughter and joyful squeals of colts and fillies playing was eerily quiet. A swing slowly moved in a breeze that chilled me to the bone. Two of the earth ponies of Puck ( Broken Wheat and Husked Corn) tensed when they saw us approach, but relaxed completely when they saw me. They started to move to greet me warmly, but Solitary handled it for me.

“No time colts and fillies. We have to see Princess Luna!” he shouted, and the stallion and mare saluted, opening the door to the schoolhouse for us.

“She's in the main classroom!” said Husked Corn as the three of us blazed down the main corridor. We screeched to a halt in front of the large door on the left at the end of the corridor. Ditzy opened it up and all three tried to enter at the same time. We ended up tumbling through the door and I rolled away from the huddle and towards the blackboard. I stood up to come face to face with a surprised Princess of the Night.

“What happened here?” I asked quickly and breathlessly as Ditzy and Solitary groggily got up from their slump, dazed about what had just happened. Luna looked me straight in the face and a frown spread on hers.

“Is that really how you greet us? Even after we have not seen you for a full month?” she said as she crossed her hooves in front of herself. I let out a frustrated sigh. Luna looked at me a little peeved off and one of her hooves was tapping on the ground, waiting for me to talk. I started at her, and slowly but surely, one of my eyes started to twitch. A frustrated smile spread along my face and my teeth started to grind together. Slowly, the tapping stopped and Luna's face went from peeved off to a little worried.

“So Ponyville, one of your towns, gets attacked, and you are upset with me because I didn't 'greet you properly'?” I said leaning towards her. “So half of this town get burnt to the ground after I almost destroy it a few days earlier, and I have no idea whether my friends and the only mare I've possibly loved since Oakleaf died are alright, and you are angry because I DIDN'T BUCKING GREET YOU PROPERLY?!?!?!?!” I yelled into Luna's face. She had shrunk down from my angry advances and now shook a little while I still stared at her with a twitching eye.

“Calm down there Crimson.” Ditzy said pulling me away from the quivering princess.

“That's right mate. You know that ain't no way ta talk to your princess.” Solitary said as he pulled me away with Ditzy. Luna stood there shaking for a minute looking at me, but then she righted herself and coughed.

“Sometimes we might forget ourselves Crimson.” Luna said shakily. “We did not mean any offense and we now see our ply at joking was not taken too well given the circumstance. Please forgive us Crimson.”

My jaw unclenched and I took a few deep breaths. “It's alright Luna. I'm sorry too. It's good to see you.” I said shrugging out of my friends' grasp and giving the princess of the night a warm hug.

“It is good to see thee too.”

I broke away from her and asked the inevitable. “Please, tell me what happened here.”

Luna sighed and rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “I take it Fenrir told you nothing?”

“He mentioned that he had something important to tell me, but we kinda got caught up in something.”

“What could possibly be so important that the fool does not tell you a royal warning?” Luna asked incredulously.

“Well, let's just say his arrival in town wasn't taken to well. Somepony actually tried to fight him off and I got caught up in the middle of it.”

“Ah. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that it is not always the best idea to send a timberwolf to deliver messages, even if he is the fastest in all of the Lunar Battalion.”

“Yes, so what was he going to tell me?”

“That you had you evacuate the town.” Solitary cut in. His voice was stoic and solemn. “He was supposed to tell you to get all the civilians out of town, gather the element bearers, and wait for back-up from us.”

“For what?” I asked, now severely worried.

“It's the Fire-Eaters. They were spotted from Cloudsdale and they were coming this way. They were the ones who attacked Ponyville. They kidnapped every able-bodied unicorn in town and tied to kill the rest. Luckily, most of the townsponies managed to escape, but a few weren't so lucky.”

The room went dead silent and my blood ran cold. I could feel all my anxieties and fears clawing their way up into my throat.

“But, we stopped them. We stopped them.” I pleaded.

“We managed to knock out their main headquarters, but there was apparently one we missed. They used it as a new base and grew in power and strength. The army that attacked Ponyville was 500 strong.” Solitary said. “I'm sorry Crimson.”

I looked around to all of their faces to see if this was a cruel joke, if it could have possibly even been a dream, but it was real. My mouth twitched as I felt the room get smaller and smaller, darker and darker. I sprinted out of the room and heard Ditzy and Solitary try to stop me, but Luna told them “Let him go.” I kept running and burst out of the schoolhouse, scaring my past comrades of Puck and all the other members of Puck that had heard Thunderhead's call to the schoolhouse. They saw me and tired to greet me, but I ran past them. I kept running and running until I ran out of breath by the pond. I took a deep look into the pond's waters and saw my fearful face. I started to cry. How could I stop them? They had taken all I ever had once, and now they were back to take my life again! What could I do?

“Well chap. I was once in the same situation you are now.” said a soothing voice from beside me. I looked into the waters and saw the Doctor's reflection.

“I know that feeling. That the whole universe is ending, that everything you ever loved and fought for was for nothing. That your life will never be the same. But I also know what you can do when you've hit that bottom.” he continued. “You can fight. You can fight for everything and everyone who ever mattered to you. And now you might feel alone, but you're not.” he said waiving a hoof behind me.

I wiped my eyes and glanced up and found all of Puck unit (except for Fenrir and Syringe), Solitary, Ditzy, and even Luna standing at attention staring at me.

“Well what do ya say mate? Give it a go. We're all here to help. I know even more will help you too.” he said with a wink as he took his place in line and saluted, smiling at me. I sobbed once and then stood to attention and saluted them as well.

“We'll follow you to the ends o' the earth Cap'n.” Solitary said.

“This is all of our fight, Crimson.” Ditzy said.

“And we're all scared too Crimson.” Thunderhead said.

“But that doesn't mean we won't fight alongside you, my little pony.” Luna said softly.

I glanced at everyone of them and just cried softly. I was moved by their comradeship, but I was scared to. So very scared. But then I heard a whisper in the back of my mind. It was the memory of Oakleaf's love. Her undying love for all of her friends that gave her the strength to face death alone. I wiped my tears and stood up straighter.

“So every one of you would help me? So everyone of you would face death to save these ponies? Well then good! As I was once told by a certain Princess of the Night, we the Lunar battalion are the troops that rain darkness on our foes while our loved ones are safe in their beds. So what happens when our loved ones are taken from their safe, warm beds? We more that rain darkness on our foes, we give a whole new meaning to the darkness that will make every dishonorable pony fear the night!” I screamed to them. They all agreed in cheers and in Luna's case a silent nod.

“Go to Sweet Apple Acres, Crimson. All the ponies of Ponyville are taking up refuge there.” Luna directed. “There you will find out where the Fire-Eaters went, and hopefully you will find reinforcements as well.”

I nodded to her and I saluted to all of them. “Meet up at the schoolhouse in two hours. For now, prepare for war.” I said before trotting off towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“Hold on a tic mate!” called a voice from behind me as I heard four pairs of hooves follow me. I glanced back and saw the Doctor and Ditzy following me.

“We're coming with.” Ditzy said with a small smile. I nodded and ran off towards Sweet Apple Acres. The scenery passed by in a flash as we headed to Applejack's home and I was caught up in my thoughts.

“Doctor, how did you know that I would be there?” I asked while we ran.

“An. Old. Friend. Told. Me.” he panted out as he ran.

“An alicorn friend?”

“We masters of time 'ave to stick together.” he said with a rouge smile that was contagious.

We reached Sweet Apple Acres and found some Ponyville citizens standing guard armed with simple farming tools. The recognized us and let us though, even though they gave us strange looks. I headed straight to the farmhouse, but the amount of noise from the barn diverted my path. I stood in front of the wide red doors and took a deep breath.

“Don't worry mate. We have your back...er flank. Whatever it is you ponies cover when in trouble.” the Doctor said.

“Withers maybe?” questioned Ditzy.

“Good call love!”

“Thanks Doctor.”

I cleared my throat loudly and opened the doors before they could say anything else.

The barn was cleared out and rows of stretchers and beds littered the first floor and the balconies surrounding the upper levels of the barn. Not every one was filled with a wounded or sick pony, but too many of them were. As one being, all the faces in the improvised medical hall turned and faced me. I got many a horrible look from a few ponies, but they were drowned out by the cheer of “Crimson!” from my friends. I looked around and saw Big Mac, Fluttershy, Syringe, and Spike all up on their hooves tending to the various wounded with some other ponies from Ponyville. They waived me inside, and the three of us walked into the barn and went to the four who now crowded around a few stretchers, holding some more friendly faces.

As I approached I felt my heart leap into my throat as I saw that Fenrir, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were laying in the stretchers. However, they didn't look to worried about their conditions, as they all smiled with our approach.

“How have you been Crimson?” asked my logical medic friend Syringe. I pulled him into a hug and everypony laughed from the look on his face. “I missed you too Syringe.” I said as I released him. He smiled and shook hooves with the Doctor.

“It is good to see you again Doctor.”

“You know him?” I asked.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “I am called 'The Doctor' for a reason.” he pointed to me. “There's always a daft one in every universe.....” Everypony chuckled again, relieved we were reunited. I looked at my wounded friends and my expression turned dark.

“I'm sorry everypony.”

“It is not your fault brother.” Fenrir said. “If it is to be anyone's fault, it is mine. I did not tell you the message fast enough and this is what happens for it.”

“Than ya might as well blame me. Ah was the one who attacked mah now good friend here.” Big Mac said resolutely.

“Ok we can all share the blame!” Ditzy said, stoppimg our little self-pity party.

“So what happened?” I coughed out.

“They attacked around ten at night, starting with an artillery of firballs.” Fenrir said, the group growing quiet at the memory. “Then they stormed the town. Forgive me pack brother, I could not stop all of them.”

“It's alright. What matters is that you are here now, and safe.”

“I fear I might not be able to fight though.” he said raising a foreleg. The paw was covered in bandages, but I realized there was no paw. His paw had been cut off. I didn't know what to say, but Spike pulled my attention away from my wounded friend.

“They took Twilight and Rarity and Shining and Cadence, Crimson. They took them and we gotta go save them!” he cried frantically, pulling on one of my legs.

“We will Spike. That is why I'm here right now.”

“Listen partner, them unicorns put up a mighty fight.” Applejack said. “Us elements of harmony went to the frontline and tried tah stop them with the power of harmony, but they attacked so gosh darn fast.” She held up a hoof in a sling. “One of 'em cut mah arm with one o' their swords. RD pulled me away from the fight, but she went back.”

“And I end up taking and arrow in my leg.” Rainbow Dash said flatly. “How am I supposed to do anything now?”

“Tha only reason we're all here right now is 'cause a Fluttershy an Pinkie Pie.” Applejack continued. “They really saved our bacon.”

“Where is Pinkie Pie anyway?”

“She said something about 'cooking up a brew made by two' an headed off ta Zecora's hut.”

“Ok, ok. Look I need to know where the Fire-Eaters went. We're gong to save them, and soon.”

“That's easy. They went to Ghastly Gorge.” said Fluttershy.

“Thank you everypony.” I said, turning to Syringe. “Do you think you will be needed here for much longer?”

“I managed to treat all the patients, so now they are just on bed rest.”

“Good, because like I said, we're marching out and we could use you. Meet at the Schoolhouse in two hours.”

Syringe nodded and went over to his medical bag that sat on a table and started to put his equipment away.

“Jes' you wait on cotton-pickin' second! You ain't gonna be the only pony goin' along with Crimson. Ahm coming too.” Big Mac said, stepping in front of me.

“You don't need...”

“Shut up Crimson. Ah know yer tryin' to be nice an all, but yer gonna need all the help you can get.”

“Then don't count me out either.” said Fenrir as he got our of bed and stood wobbly on his three good paws.

“That's just ridiculous! Your paw is gone Fenrir! You won't be able to fight!”

“Do you still have those Ursa Major claws I gave you?”

“Yes.”

Fenrir smiled wolfishly. “Syringe, would you help me to the Library? I need to pick up something.”

“If he's goin', than ahm comin' too.” Applejack said as she stood up out of bed.

“Me too! Heck, I'm the element of loyalty! I'll be out there before you even know it.” Rainbow Dash said joining in on the zeal.

“Then can I come too?” asked a timid voice from behind Big Mac. Everypony looked at Fluttershy with wide eyes. “What? I don't like how these unicorns have acted, at all.” she said cracking her neck very uncharacteristically.

I let out a deep sigh. “Thanks guys, but half of you are wounded, and the other half have never been in a war-like situation.”

“You ever fight off the god of chaos?”

“No...”

“Or face and angry and violent goddess?”

“No....”

“Or fight of a whole mess a changelings at yer friend's brother's weddin'?”

“No, but...”

“I think they can hold their own Crimson.” said a calm voice from behind me. I turned to Syringe with a stupefied look on my face. He simple re-adjusted his glasses and looked right back at me.

“Quite frankly, these mares are tougher that what you credit the for and everypony, except for Fenrir, has sustained minor wounds that could be cured quickly by our princess of the night. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a timberwolf to a library; and if you haven't noticed, I doubt I'll ever be able to do this ever again.” Syringe helped a laughing Fenrir out of the barn and they left me there with a group of grinning ponies and and open jaw. Did the most logical pony I ever met, seriously just tell me off? I sat down on my haunches and massaged the sides of my head in slow, steady circles.

“It might be a little tough to handle Crimson, but they're our friends too.” said a buttery-yellow peagsus's voice. I sighed and looked up at the group of smiling fools.

“You know this isn't a game. You could all get hurt, and hurt real bad.” I said solidly to the group. There were a few worried glances from some of them, but Applejack looked me dead in the eye.

“Ah know. Ah think we all do. But this is more important than us. We'll be there tah help ya save our friends.” she said just as seriously. Big Mac nodded at his sister's words and he climbed up on the table that once held Syringe's medical equipment.

“Hey everypony! Listen up!” he called out to the barn. The small conversations and idle talks died down as every head turned to face him.

“Ah know that we're all scared, an some o' us are pretty hurt. But them there cultists attacked us last night, and as many a you know, done kidnapped our unicorn friends.” he paused as some of the face fell and looked at the ground sadly.

“So whaddya say we go get 'em back?” he said before pointing a hoof at me. “Ah'm sure you all know Crimson here.” he said and I felt many pairs of eyes burn into my skull. I stood up and waved slightly, but gazed away from the ponies, not wanting to make eye contact.

“Ah also know that many a ya blame him fer the earthquake a few days ago, but that was mah fault, ya see. So stop it. He's our friend. In fact, he's done and got his old unit of the Lunar Battalion and Princess Luna tah help him get our friends back. But ya'll saw how many a them cultists there were. He's gonna need our help. Me an' some a the rest a his friends are going to help him. Now I know some a you don't rightly like him, but he's a citizen a Ponyville as much as you or me. If ya'll wanna help, then come to the schoolhouse in a few hours prepared for a fight. That's all ah wanted tah say.”

He finished and stepped down from the table and looked approvingly towards me.

“I think that's the most I ever heard you say.” I told him, a little awed at his speech. My friends laughed and he swung a hoof around Fluttershy.

“Eeyup.” he said, dragging out his country drawl. Everypony laughed and I started to lead them out of the barn. I had things I had to go do before we all met up at the Schoolhouse. As we walked out of the barn I felt the eyes on me again, but this time they didn't feel hateful and burning. They felt....hopeful.

The barn doors opened up at my touch and sunlight streamed into the barn, illuminating everything and making me shield my eyes for a second before stepping out into the farm.

“Alright everypony, go home and get whatever weapons and anything to protect yourselves you might have. We'll meet up at the schoolhouse in two hours. Doctor, Ditzy, could you go find Pinkie? Applejack, Rainbow Dash, I want you two to come a little earlier to the schoolhouse so you can get your wounds patched up.”

“What about me?” asked the small green and purple dragon. I crouched down to his level and looked at his face. He was so worried for his sister and the mare he had a crush on, but he was also eager to go save them.

“Spike, a battlefield isn't anyplace for a young dragon. I know you want to save Twilight and Rarity, but leave it to me, ok?

“No! I'm coming too! She's my sister! And there's also Rarity, Shining, and Cadence! I'm gonna help!” he shouted into my face.

“Why don't you come with us to find Miss. Pie?” said the Doctor. I gave him a stern look but Ditzy caught it first and mouthed 'it's ok' to me.

“Go with Ditzy and the Doctor for now Spike. We'll talk about this later.” I said as he sulked off towards the married couple. He gave me one last dirty glance before he left the farm with them and I winced at it.

Slowly, the group broke up with Rainbow Dash flying off towards her house and Applejack stumbling into the farmhouse. However, Fluttershy and Big Mac stayed behind.

“Um, Crimson? I'm not sure how much of a help I'll be.....” said Fluttershy while she pawed at the ground.

“You don't have to go if you don't want to.”

She looked up at me and gave me 'the stare'. “No. They are my friends too.” she said before looking down at the ground again. “I just don't know what I could do to help....”

I shook myself out of the frozen state she had put me into and then scratched my chin. “You helped Syringe while he was helping everypony?”

“Yes.” she said catching on to what I was telling her.

“I'm sure he could use an assistant. He doesn't usually get too caught up in the fighting either....”

Fluttershy smiled at me and looked up to Big Mac. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and rose into the air. “I'll see you at the schoolhouse Biggie. I have to go home to get some things.” she flew off and Big Mac watched her lovingly as she went off but when she got out of sight his demeanor changed to a sterner look.

“A lot a ponies are gonna get hurt aren't they.”

I looked at him and sighed, knowing I couldn't sugar-coat it for him. “Yes. So many.” I said solemnly.

“An all o' them are jest unicorns? No earth ponies or pegasi?”

I nodded my head.

“So we jest need tah worry about their magic.”

“And their weapons....”

“Right.” he said as he shuffled uncomfortably. “Before we go do anythin' I'd jest like tah say ahm sorry for freaking out an' hurting you. It was mah fault that earthquake happened an' nopony can tell me otherwise. It's jest when ah saw Fenrir, he looked like tha one that.....”

“My mah died after she gave birth tah Applebloom, but mah pa....It was horrible. He was out in one a the orchards one day when a timberwolf came outta nowhere and surprised him. Mah whole family was lookin' for him when he didn't come in fer supper. I found his body, an' the timberwolf was still hangin' around his body. He took one look at me and smiled, but then he trotted off offa the farm.” he explained. I put a reassuring hoof on his massive shoulder as his body started to shake. He took a few shaking breaths and he stopped shuddering.

“But now these unicorns attack mah home and take away mah friends. Ahm not gonna let them get away with this Crimson.” he said looking at me fiercely. He trotted back towards the barn. “Ahm gonna get mah wings and a few other things ah've been workin' on and then ah'll meet ya at the schoolhouse.” he said quietly and angrily.

“Hey Big Mac.” he turned around right as he was about to open the barn doors. His eyes were brimming with tears, but his face was set sternly.

“We'll get them back. I promise.”

He nodded at me and went back inside as I left Sweet Apple Acres. My first stop would have to be the home I had been living in while I was in Ponyville.

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The town's eery silence creeped me out as I walked through the town's broken roads, filled with burnt debris and shattered remains of homes. I walked slowly, contemplating this nightmareish reality. It was strange thinking about what had happened here. Ponyville, neigh, all of Equestria was such a peaceful place. It seemed almost impossible for any such things like these to happen. Destruction of a town? Impossible. A town-wide unicorn kidnapping? Only in bad horror films.

My brain snapped back to reality as I heard a loud rumbling howl from the direction of the Library. I went from a trot to a quick sprint in a fraction of a second as I raced towards my residential home. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered that Fenrir and Syringe had gone off to the library, and that made me worry even more.

As the library came into sight, I heard another loud howl and I dashed faster to the front door as everything went silent. As I reached the door, I moved away from it subconsciously as the door was split diagonally by five glowing claws. As the door fell apart into chunks of wood, I heard Fenrir chuckling inside. I ducked my head under the remnants of the door and entered the tree-home.

I found Fenrir sitting on his haunches and happily admiring a withered, yet still sharp, thing set on the end of his leg that was missing it's paw. Syringe sat similarly on the couch and waved to me as I came inside.

“You know you're going to have to pay for that.” I muttered as Fenrir caught sight of me. He laughed and swept me up into a hug.

“Oh brother, thank you!” he cooed as he suffocated me in his confusing hug.

“You're welcome?” I said as he let me down. “What is that on your paw...er leg?”

He shoved it up in front of my face and I saw it was disproportionate with the rest of his leg, but I recognized it.

“The Ursa Major claws?”

Fenrir nodded with a goofy smile. “Yes brother! I was once told a story about a shaman who had his teeth broken in a fight with a Leo of the stars, so when he killed it, he took it's teeth as his own. With the help of Syringe, these claws are mine now.”

One of my eyebrows rose as I looked over to a lounging Syringe. He shrugged his shoulders at my look.

“It was quite the simple operation. His magic did most of the work.”

“Alright, but how are you supposed to fight with them. It's not like they are exactly the best of weapons.” I said glancing down at the dagger-sized claws. Fenrir laughed and motioned for me to step back.

“Now watch as I let my magic flow into them.” he said as he closed his eyes. It looked like he was concentrating, and my eyes grew wide as the claws started to glow. Fenrir opened up his eyes and a smile spread on his face as the claws grew into sword-like lengths. They pulsed with a faint purplish tinge and I could see they were extremely sharp. He waved them through the air and it sounded like they had literally cut the air. He smiled at me again as they went back to their normal size and their color faded back to the dull black.

“So you fought a bear that had four of those?”

“Oh yes, but at that time his claws were about the size of this room.”

“Thank the princesses you're on our side.” I said shaking my head at the timberwolf's laughter and Syringe's smirk. I walked past them into my room and opened up my closet. In the mostly bare closet, hung my oldest friend and below it, my gauntlets sat on the ground. I pulled my uniform off of its hanger and slowly put it on. As I pulled it over each hoof I remembered every time I had been in this situation before. While it might not be the same, each time I felt the same. I was walking into a fight I might not be coming back from. But there was no room for me to worry about that. I had to go and do what was asked of me. In this case, I had to go save my friends and loved ones.

After I zipped up my uniform, I pulled my gauntlets close while I sat down on my bed. I started with my back hooves, covering them in the protecting weapons. Then I put them on my front hooves and took a deep breath.

“We're gonna go save them guy.” I told my uniform and gauntlets. “We're gonna go save Twilight.”

Chapter 21

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 21

Fenrir and Syringe looked at me with respect as I left my bedroom dressed for war. They both nodded to me and I cleared my throat.

“I'll meet you two at the Schoolhouse. Let me just get a few more things.” I said. They nodded again and got up, leaving the library though the broken door. I, on the other hand, went upstairs into Twilight's room. I don't know why I entered her room, but I felt like I had to for some reason or another. I felt like I needed a physical reminder of why I was doing this. I looked around her cozy room, with it's bed covered in purple and pink blankets and comforters, it's various bookcases and the telescope that rested on one wall. I breathed deeply, and I found out even her room smelled faintly of Lavender too. I smiled at the fact and looked once again at room. My eyes came to rest on a note on her end table and I trotted over to see what it said.

I found out it was addressed to Princess Celestia. It read:

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have dire news that requires the utmost care immediately. Two days ago, a large timberwolf came into town. Of course this scared some ponies and some even decided to attack him. Only when Crimson came to the scene did we find out the timberwolf was one of his friends and completely harmless. However, this didn't stop the fight right away and Crimson was hurt so that he had another attack. This time however, I felt a massive magical pulse come from him and he unwillingly cause a massive earthquake in Ponyville, before falling unconscious again.

Later that day, Fenrir (Crimson's timberwolf friend) and I led Crimson out to show him what had happened. Crimson had no recollection of causing the earthquake and he was devastated. He got angry and went off on a walk by himself.

About ten minutes later Pinkie Pie came racing to me crying and upset, saying that Crimson was chased out of town!!!!

Please Princess, we've been looking for a whole two days and still haven't been able to find him. I'm so scared and worried I haven't been able to sleep or eat. I .......I just want to find him and make sure he's safe. Could you help us please?

Your faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle.

I grasped the letter in my gauntlet and felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had caused her to worry so much she was going to ask Princess Celestia for help. I realized that she mus have written this before the town was attacked, and I griped it so hard it started to crumple. I looked at the parchment in my hoof, and I slipped it into my left gauntlet.

“I'm coming Twilight.” I said as I left her room and the house.

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My final stop before I decided to head over to the schoolhouse was the town center. I descended the hills and rose the valleys to make a level path as I trotted back to the scene of my most destructive attack. I found out that my magical connection with the Earth's magic was much stronger, as suspected by Century, since I was wearing my gauntlets. I trotted into the flat ground at the epicenter of the undulations in the ground and I took a deep breath. I combined my will with that of the Earth's and I felt the ground around me and throughout Ponyville go back to normal. The hills sunk, the valleys rose, and the ground became even again. However, some of the houses weakened by the initial earthquake fell, but many others were righted to their original state.

I looked at this and sighed. At least I made up for one of my blunders in Ponyville. But now it was time to make up for the biggest of them all. I trotted away from Ponyville's square and headed the the schoolhouse.

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I arrived at the schoolhouse about an hour earlier than I had told everypony else to, but I found it calming. The schoolyard was silent, but gone was its eeriness. Now it just seemed on edge, like the calm before the storm.

Broken Wheat and Husked Corn saluted me again and smiled at my uniform. They opened the doors again and I strolled down the school's hallway to the last door on the right. I opened up the door slowly and walked in.

Princess Luna and Pinkie Pie, dressed in what could only be described as ancient Romean armor were pouring over a map.

“And there's a catapult here and here.” Pinkie said, pointing to two spots on the map. “As well as flame pits behind them. But Zecora's and my potion should take care of that. It should also stop the catapults from working too, but we should be careful just in case it doesn't.”

Luna nodded her hear, a hoof under her chin. “We agree. We will tell the pegasi to act with extreme caution.”

“Ahem.” I said clearing my throat. Both mares jumped, but smiled when they saw me.

“Crimson, where ya been? Without you, life's been a pain in the shin...” Pinkie sang as she bounced around me. I smiled at her show of happiness and made a mental note to never let her and Solitary get stuck in a room together with me; I'd go insane in a matter of moments.

“I'm glad you came early. There is something I must ask you.” Luna said in a stern, yet friendly voice.

“Woona and I were making plans!” Pinkie interrupted as she jumped around, making the Romane armor clank around.

“Indeed we were. If Pinkie Pie was not the baker of Ponyville and the Element of Laughter, she would be one of top strategists.” Luna said as she smirked at Pinkie's exuberance.

“It's easy Luna! All a good plan needs is some wit, speed, and two hundred gallons of chocolate pudding.” Pinkie said with the utmost seriousness. Luna's face contorted and I smiled, remembering the first time I tried to understand Pinkie's logic.

“So what were you going to ask me?” I asked Luna. She broke from her Pinkie Pie-induced confusion and looked at me sheepishly. Her horn lit up and a small box flew up onto the table on which the map was on.

“It may sound presumptuous of us to ask, especially after so long, but we would like to extend a hoof to you in invitation back into the Lunar Battalion.”

I was stunned. I expected Luna to ask me something about....about anything but that. But it made sense.

“I...I don't know. What if I have an attack again?” I asked hesitantly. Luna just smiled at me.

“We know you won't. From the second you came in here, we felt my brother's magic on you. He changes everyone he meets you know. And it's always for the better. So, would you like to rejoin?” she asked before looking at me pleadingly. “Please, we need you.”

I swallowed hard and tried to think, but my mind was a blank slate. So I did the only thing I knew I could.

“A..Alright.”

Luna jumped up into the air and did a Pinkie-esque cheer. I guess spending so much time with the pink mare rubs off on you. She landed and gave me a hug and a giant smile. She magicked the small box over to herself and her smile faded a little, while a twinkle developed in her eyes.

“As first act of a reinstated Lunar soldier, we request you close your eyes.”

“Luna.....” I said warningly.

“Don't worry. Just close thy eyes.”

I sighed and did as she asked and I heard the clasp of the box open up. I felt something intangible and thick pour over myself and my eyes shot open. I heard a muffled gasp as Pinkie saw me and I looked around the room though a thick, cold, and murky veil. I was about to move around, but Luna's magic held me in place.

“Do not fret. It takes but minutes. Just stay there for a moment.” she told me, sounding like she was underwater.

“Holy midnight, Batmare.....” Pinkie muttered, sounding just as echoy as Luna.

I tried to calm down, but as I stopped struggling I started to feel increasingly cold. I shivered where I stood and I felt the thin sheet of ooze moving on my uniform and seeping into it. When I almost couldn't stand it, it stopped and I started to feel warmer. The veil that covered my eyes became tangible and I put a hoof up to it. I moved it away from my eyes and found out it was a hood that was now connected to my uniform. I spun around in place looking at what Luna had done to my lovely uniform.

The dark gray base of the uniform was no longer gray, but an impossibly dark black and blue. It was hard to tell which color it truly was, since it was swirling and moving like storm clouds in the night. Despite that, the silver edgings of the outfit seemed to glow slightly and the moon on my back was much colder than before. I took a glance at it and found out it was no longer the moon of Puck Unit, but Luna's moon. However, it was a deep crimson. The deep red of a Lunar Eclipse.

I looked away from my uniform, stunned by the change, and I glanced Luna saluting me.

“I now name you General Steelhooves of the Lunar Battalion.” she said with a large smile.

“Hail General!” Pinkie called, doing her best salute which ended up making her look like the ancient Romanean she was dressed up like. I shakily returned the salute, shocked for the umpteenth time today.

“G..General??” I stammered.

“Yes, General. There is nopony more deserving of the title than thee. Be glad; you are the first General of the Lunar Battalion in over 1000 years.” Luna said with a smile. “Now drop your hood again.”

I did as she asked, and saw that the lighted room seemed to be covered in a dark film, like I was wearing sunglasses. But then Luna's horn glowed and nothing happened. In fact, the room looked brighter. I removed the hood to find that the room was in complete darkness. I threw the hood back on and the room was lighted again. I did the test a few times, eliciting a laugh from Luna.

“Now try to move around.” she said with mirth.

I walked around the room, and even hit a desk accidentally while I was playing around with my hood. I ended up standing next to Pinkie, who was looking around dartingly in the dark room. Suddenly, the room appeared darker and Pinkie saw me. She gasped and jumped into the air, ending up shaking on the ceiling of the room.

“How'd you get there?” she asked, pointing a hoof at me incredulously.

“You didn't hear me?”

“No! I didn't even notice you until the lights went back on!!!” she clutched at her chest. “Don't scare me like that!”

I laughed and Luna spoke up. “You can now move silently in the darkness, and even if you accidentally make noise, it will be muffled. Also, nopony will be able to see you in the dark. Even if it is a shadow during the day, you will not be seen while you are in your uniform.”

Pinkie Pie fell down and landed right next to me with a loud 'CLANK'. “You're like a ninja-pony!” she exclaimed excitedly.

I ignored her, other than rubbing my now deaf ear. “Thank you Luna, but why?”

“As my General, you must be a leader to all the members of the Battalion and more. You must be an avatar for me, a creature that is so in harmony with darkness that he can lead anypony into it without any fear.” she explained.

“Now come. You are our general, so you must learn of our plans.....” she said while she lead Pinkie and I to the map.

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An hour later, Pinkie and I emerged from the schoolhouse when Broken Wheat came into the planning room and told us that all the ponies were here. He eyed my outfit with wonder and just gave Pinkie's armor a confused look. Thus, Pinkie and I bid Luna goodbye for the moment and left the room and schoolhouse.

We came outside into the afternoon sun and witnessed something that made my heart race from happiness and worry. There was a large crowd of Ponyville citizens sitting and talking with our friends. From what I could see, all were armed with some sort of weapon, however, they were not weapons of war. Flyball bats, farming spades and hoes, and even some kitchen implements laid next to their owners as they communed with their friends and ours.

“AttenHUT!” I called into the crowd.

Everypony looked up to see me, and most of their eyes went wide at Pinkie's get-up, but the awe they say in my uniform was reflected in their eyes. I had my hood down and apparently nopony could tell it was me. However, the Puck unit noticed who I was by the sound of my voice and rushed to the stairs of the schoolhouse, forming a line and saluting. The civilian ponies looked at each other a little puzzled before some of them joined in, making a line behind the Lunar Soldiers.

“He said ATTENHUT!!!!” shouted Pinkie and the rest of the Ponyville citizens jumped into lines and saluted. I and Pinkie returned it before I said “At ease.”

The Lunar Soldiers relaxed and the rest of the ponies followed suit. I quickly looked at the lines and determined there was about 70 ponies overall. So 60 had come from Ponyville. Impressive, and yet daunting. From all the whispering I witnessed, I knew some of my fears had come true. Right away, those ponies weren't ponies of war, so this would be the most aggressive thing they could participate in.

I took of my hood and all of the conversations stopped.

“You all know me.” I started. “I'm the one who caused the earthquake that killed three of your friends. I'm sorry, I really am; but right now we all have to get ready to steel ourselves. We'll be facing a lot of death tonight, and even more of our friends will die if we can't save them. I am commanding General of the Lunar Battalion and Princess Luna and I have already called in for back-up from the rest of the Lunar Battalion. However, they will not be here until early tomorrow morning. So we need all of you to fight with us tonight.”

Surprisingly, a solitary hoof rose in the crowd. I pointed to it and spoke. “Yeah, you.”

The lines parted slightly and I saw that a blue and white pegasus had held it up. “If the rest of the Lunar Battalion is coming so soon, then why do we need to fight?” Members of the crowd murmured in agreement.

I clapped my hooves together to silence them. “Good question.” I said. “We need you to help us tonight, because we are afraid that the Fire-Eater will leave around midnight, unless we stop them.”

I pointed up to the warm afternoon sun. “We will attack around sunset, so that means we have six hours to train all of you into a semblance of a trained army.”

“First off, Smithy will check your weapons.” I said to my the last earth pony of my old unit. She was a mare with a singed-orange coat and a cool blue mane. She was one of my good friends back when I was in Puck, mostly since she was a smith, true to her name.

“Smithy, how many extra weapons do we have?”

She gave me a wide smile and ran into the schoolhouse. A moment later she came pulling a large steamer trunk. I helped her carry it down the stairs and she laughed as she popped the top. “Before you say anything,” she told me. “You asked for it.”

The top sprang backwards as two large containers on arms sprung out. Each container held a multitude of weapons, not to mention some were strapped to the top of the steamer, and even more were on the bottom of the trunk.

Smithy whistled as she took inventory. “We got ten extra hoof-axes, ten extra hoof-blades, four crossbows, twelve collapsible shields, three hoof maces, and some other assorted goodies.”

“Like?”

“Oh, just about 20 daggers, 300 arrows and crossbow bolts, and a mouth-mace.”

I turned to the crowd. “Ok children. Line up and come up here with your armaments.”

Slowly, a quivering line of ponies formed and started coming up one by one. The first pony to come up was a shaking earth pony who held a cracked shovel. Smithy took it from him and turned it around and around, eventually stopping when she saw the crack in the head.

“Ptbthhh.” went her tongue as she threw it away to her left. She grabbed the stallion's leg, much to his complaint, and she poked and prodded. She scratched her chin and then dove into her treasure chest of weapons, pulling out a hoof-axe and strapping it to his hoof.

“Ok, over there” she pointed away from the line. He stumbled off and I could see what I had to do next.

“Solitary! Split up Puck into groups to teach these ponies how to use these weapons.” Solitary quickly saluted to me, and then quickly and animatedly talked to the other members of Puck. I stayed with Smithy as she sorted through the ponies's weapons, casting away most of them, but finding a few jewels in the rough. Some ponies actually already had a crossbow (for sport) and a few even had some other more interesting weapons. One earth pony who farmed wheat owned a wicked looking scythe, one pegasi that helped make snow had large blades that she would attach to her hooves to shred up ice, and the most interesting was a pony named Octavia who owned an authentic katana, and was very proficient in it's use.

Eventually the larger weapons ran out and we had to revert to giving some ponies the collapsible shields and daggers. Some ponies even flat out refused the new weapons, sticking to their flyball bats and other spur-of-the-moment weapons. They trotted off with the rest of their friends to be trained by my old unit.

Besides the few ponies who could actually fight, was a staggering amount of them who knew nothing about the new weapons they held. Many shook out of fearful respect for the deadly weapons, but Puck got them to become confident, if not proficient, with the weapons. I looked up to the sky to see the sun. It had sunk in the sky, telling me it was around four in the afternoon. I looked back to the ponies training and I hoped for their sake that our plans would go off without a hitch, as it could cease most of the fight before it even started.

“Ah thought ya were a captain.” said an orange country mare as she walked up to me.

“So Luna healed that gash?”

“Eeyep.” she said showing off the faint line of a wound left on her right shoulder. I looked behind her and saw the rest of my friends coming up to me. I looked at Rainbow dash who still walked with a slight limp and the rest of my friends. The bearers of harmony all had their respective necklace on along with some of their own armaments. Applejack wore a long bullwhip on a belt around her flank while Rainbow Dash had a wooden flyball bat with the words 'The Sandman' printed on it's side. Ditzy wore her old Ganymede uniform, which looked almost identical to mine before the upgrade, and the Doctor wore a beat up duster. Pinkie Pie was still in her Romane armor, but now she had her element necklace on and a helmet that funneled her mane onto the top of her head, making a frizzy mohawk that ran down the middle of her head and neck. Flutter shy was probably the most armored out of all of them, wearing layers of pillows taped to herself while she wore hoofball pads and helmet. She had her element of harmony with her, but she carried a bag full of clinking jars and vials of medicines and herbs. Big Mac similarly carried a large satchel of clinking substances, but he also had his magical wings on; his flying goggles hung losely on his neck, ready for when they were needed.

“The promotion surprised me too.” I replied to Applejack.

“Ohh Crimson, your uniform looks like a Nightingale's plumage.” Fluttershy commented.

“Thanks?” I said, not really sure what a nightingale looked like. I glanced over to the Doctor.

“Did Pinkie tell you about how we're going to need you?”

The Doctor nodded. “Don't worry chap. Me an' the old girl 'ave been through worse than this.” he said to me seriously.

“Alright. Do you all know what you're supposed to do?”

“I'm staying near the back with Syringe in the medical pavilion. Or at least until....”

“And I'm going with the Doctor!” interrupted Rainbow Dash. “But I want to be up in the frontlines! Look!” she said taking up a pose with her flyball bat. “I should be on a flyball card!”

“Hey Crimson, ya might wanna take a gander at what ah got here.” Big Mac said, taking the satchel off of his shoulder. He opened it in front of me on the ground and I saw it was full of jam jars. The jam jars were tightly sealed and inside was a thick, gooey, gray liquid.

“So what is it?” I said picking up one of the jars in my hooves.

“Ah made 'em tah patch up holes in the barn. Here lemme jest show you.” he said as he took the jar from my hooves and whipped it at a nearby tree. The glass hit the tree and made a resounding shattering noise. I saw the viscous gray liquid start to run down the side of the tree and it's limbs, but then it grew lighter in a matter of seconds and became immobile.

“Go try tah break it.” Big Mac instructed me. I walked up to the tree and first poked at the now hard gray mess. It was completely solid. I tapped it gently and nothing happened. Next, I hat it quite hard, and instead of it cracking, the tree did. I smiled mischievously.

“Hey Doctor?”

“Yes mate?”

“You have enough room for one more passenger?”

“Plenty.”

I turned around and looked at Big Mac approvingly. “You think you could ride with the Doctor and the pegasi? If not, give the....stuff to the Doctor.”

“Don't worry partner.” Big Mac said resolutely. “Ah'll go with them.”

I nodded happily as Rainbow Dash slapped Big Mac on the shoulder. Everything was going according to plan, more or less.

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A few hours later, when the sun was closer to setting, and after we had fed everypony a Lunar Battalion dinner, they all knew what they were to do. All pegasi would go with Doctor Whooves and Ditzy while all the earth ponies would come with Princess Luna and I. Puck Unit would be the rear guard, or at least until the right time.

As we all finished a meal that was half-solemn, half-panicked joy, Princess Luna finally came out of the schoolhouse. All the ponies there gasped and bowed at her sight. She came out of the schoolhouse not as a demure and peaceful ruler, but a queen of war. She now towered over the ponies like her sister usually did, only she was dressed in shining silver armor. It looked much like the set she wore when she was Nightmare Moon, however this set was much sleeker, and a little more intimidating. Her silver breastplate shone in the setting sun, making her gauntlets, flak covers, and horn all sparkle. She flared her wings and all could see the sharp and protective armors covering the edges, ready to deflect an enemy projectile, or cut them down with little effort.

“There is no need to bow to us my little ponies. We are all equally threatening our lives, so that makes us all equal. Now rise, for we march now.” she declared to all of us.

I rose first along with the rest of Puck and my friends. I nodded to the Doctor and cleared my voice.

“Alright everypony, you know the drill! Pegasi with the Doctor and Ditzy, earth ponies with Princess Luna and I! Let's go, go, go!!!!” I shouted to the crowds of ponies. I saw a many ponies bid farewell to their friends, even seeing Big Mac give Fluttershy a long drawn out kiss, and then the crowd burst into a frenzy of movement. I walked over to Luna and we led the way confidentially to the side of the schoolyard. We stayed there for a moment, waiting for the troops to assemble.

The Doctor and Ditzy rushed by us, the Doctor smiling at us and Ditzy blowing a kiss, as they led all the pegasi in the opposite direction, towards their home. I smiled back at the pair before casting a glance behind me. There stood all of our earth pony troops and many of my friends.

“I think we're ready to go Luna.” I said with anticipation.

Luna took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She began walking in silence and we all followed, letting the silence fall over all of us.

Chapter 22

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 22

Luna and I came to the end of Ghastly gorge with all of the earth pony troops, walking confidentially but cautiously; we were now in enemy territory and we all knew it. The Fire-Eaters knew it too.

Two large flaming projectiles were launched from the end of the gorge from two catapults. They hurtled toward us and the troops started to worry, but Luna just flicked her mane out of her eyes. Her regal horn glowed and a large, semi-transparent blue orb covered all of us. It took the blast of the two firebombs easily, and we started marching again, moving forward at a steady but slow pace.

Our pace slowed to a halt as many unicorns with white, or white painted coats, popped up from the bushes and surrounding woods to batter the shield with their own fireball attacks. Luna yawed and walked forward, making the troops cheer. However, they were cut short as the large firebombs from the catapults started coming faster and faster. Soon, Luna was literally battered to a halt. I could see beads of sweat run down her face and her teeth start to grit.

I threw my head over my shoulder and called to the crowd. “Syringe, Solitary, Fenrir, and anypony else who can use magic, come help Luna!” There was movement in the crowd and my friends and comrades came forward along with the three elements of harmony we had. They each used their own form of magic to strengthen the shield, the unicorns using shield magic, Fenrir letting loose a long howl into the shield's front, and the element bearers sharing their elemental energy with the shield. I took up a good, grounded stance and threw my hood over my head. My eyesight darkened a little, but not by much as I reached into the earth and felt our magic intertwine. I cast my head over my shoulder again and looked up towards the setting sun. Not much longer.

I used my magic to create a large depression in the earth on the other side of the Fire-eater ground troops, trapping some inside, but making sure the rest couldn't retreat. I knew this wasn't the full force of the army, probably 300 out of the 500 though. That was good enough for me. I surprised the hateful unicorns by raising large earthen walls behind the trench I had made, locking them away from the rest of their comrades.

I glanced over to Luna and my friends and watched them become more and more lethargic. They couldn't take this much longer. I looked over my shoulder one last time, and saw the sun was beginning to set. I whistled, giving the 'get ready signal' to Puck Unit. Now we just had to wait. Luckily, I heard what I was waiting for in a matter of moments.

WOOSH.

WOOOSH.

WAACH.

The TARDIS's arrival stopped all of the Fire-Eaters attacks and silenced the soldiers. A long panel on the bottom side of the TARDIS slid open and a cannon-like appendage came out of it. It targeted the catapults and shot the foamy potion Pinkie and Zecora had created hours ago. It put out the fires of the projectiles and got itself caught up in the gears. The Fire-Eaters opened fire on the TARDIS but the doors opened up and out flew all of our pegasi friends.

Big Mac led the way on his mechanical wings, throwing his fast-acting invention at the unicorns legs, with the rest of the pegasi doing the same. Soon the Fire-Eaters were nothing but immovable half-statues.

Luna dropped the shield and called to the eath ponies. “Knock them out! Do not maim, for they will receive justice after we have them caught!” Rainbow Dash flew by over head and I could hear her sandy chuckle at Luna said this. She flew low to the unicorns and readied her trusty bat.

“BOINK!” she shouted as she hit one of the Fire-Eaters not-so-gently. The Fire-Eater slumped in unconscious, but was held up by the solid substance that covered his hooves. With that first knock-out, the earth ponies charged letting out war-whinnys at the surprised unicorns.

“I'm gonna headbutt ya! I'm gonna headbutt ya! I'm gonna headbutt ya!” screamed Rainbow as she did indeed headbutt one of the scared Fire-Eaters.

While the troops took care of the Fire-eater ground troops and catapults, Puck unit and I stayed behind with Luna. We were silent for a minute, but we knew what to do next.

“Go.” said Luna and I bowed to her.

“Yes Princess.” I said as the sun set, making me completely invisible. “Puck into the forest around the gorge. We are going to infiltrate their base and take back the innocent unicorns.” I said starting to run into the forest, knowing they couldn't see me,but at least hear my voice. My hood made the trees seem like they were in the middle of the day, only light streamed up from the ground, not onto it. “They have not only all the unicorns of Ponyville, but Shining Armor, head of Celestia's guard, and Princess Cadenza Mi Amore. There is NO failing this mission.” I directed from my shadow cover.

We sped through the forest until we reached past my trench and walls and slowed down when we saw 20 Fire-Eater troops stationed in a large semi-circle around the main wall. They had their horns poised and ready to attack anypony who would come through the wall. I gave a quite “shhhs” to my team as I walked up to the one closest to us. I looked at him and saw that his coat-paint was startign to run from his nervous sweat. I don't know why a kid like him would want to join a militant suprem ist cult, but he was just as scared as the other ponies from Ponyville.

“You know, you don't have to do this.” I whispered next to him. He jumped and looked around for a pony, but found none.

“All this will lead you nowhere.” I said making him freak out even more. I didn't want to scare the kid, but it was no use. I was invisible.

“Hey Shimmer?” the young unicorn called. “Did you say something?”

A unicorn a little ways away shook his head. “Why Fleet?”

“I thought I heard somepony....” Fleet said.

“You did.” I said making the Fire-Eater jump out of his skin.

“There's somepony there! There somepony there!” called out Fleet, making all the Fire-Eaters to face towards me. The rest of Puck had hidden themselves so the would not be seen, but I no longer had to do that.

“You're just jumpy Fleet.” smirked one of the other Fire-Eaters.

“Are you so sure about that?” I called out, making all the Fire-Eaters to become shocked. They started to fire off fireballs randomly in my direction. I didn't have to move since nothing came even close to me, and I waited until they stopped.

“See? It was nothing. Probably just a......some sort of animal.” said one of the fire-eaters shakily.

“You should have never come here.” I said as I let my magic and the Earth's mix. I felt the trees all around me and let their limbs grow. The surprised screams of the Fire-Eaters acknowledged me to the fact that my magic had worked. They were now caught in wooden prisons, formed by the trees that had once hid them. I quickly rose pillars of earth to cover the wooden tendrils, so they couldn't be set a flame.

“Shimmer!Shimmer! What just happened?!?” screamed Fleet.

“The forest just attacked us!” Shimmer answered back.

“It was a forest spirit!!!!” screamed another Fire-Eater.

I moved away from where I stood and whistled. Puck came out of hiding, all smirking or chortling.

“Lead us on all might Forest Spirit, wherever you may be.” said Solitary mockingly.

“Fine.” I said begrudgingly. “But first...” I paused for a moment and the large earthen wall the Fire-Eaters had been protecting sunk back into the ground. I heard the troops become surprised by it, but they would go and investigate. However I whistled again and we went onward.

Only 180 enemy troops left.

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Puck and I slowed to a halt as we came to the edges of a large compound. Numerous Fire-Eaters hurried through the compound, packing up and carrying things to be taken with them. They were getting ready to cut and run, knowing that they were going to be besieged and that they had already lost most of their troops.

I turned to Solitary and started to speak in hushed whispers. “Solitary. Make a dim light.” he obliged and his horn glowed with the faintest of lights. Now that I could be seen, many of Puck jumped back, not knowing I was so close to them. I ignored it and continued.

“Listen, Syringe, Fenrir you two are coming with me into the compound. We need to get those unicorns out of there. Solitary, you lead the rest of Puck and create a diversion. Lead the Fire-Eaters right into the main force and we can catch them off guard. Can you do that?”

His face spread into a wide and goofy smile. He put a hoof to his forehead in salute. “Distraction is me middle name Gen'ral. Don't worry, we'll give 'em a fun lil' runaround, won't we mates?” there was a quite and happy murmur of agreement and I saluted Solitary back.

“Let the night protect us....” I said as I crossed hooves with one of my oldest friends.

“...An' may we find solace and whatnot in its darkness.” Solitary said, crossing hooves with me before he led Puck off to do their job. They rushed through the dark forest, leaving Syringe, Fenrir, and I waiting. We didn't have to wait long.

“OY! YOU BLOODY WANKERS COULDN'T CATCH ME IF YA TRIED! NAH-NAH-NANNAH-NAH!!!” shouted Solitary's voice from the opposite end of the compound. All the Fire-Eaters within sight dropped what they were doing and chased after the obnoxious unicorn with the contrasting black coat into the forest, just as we had planned. I shook my head at Solitary's ridiculousness, but got ready to move. A few more Fire-Eaters rushed by, and I looked around the compound. Everything looked clear.

“Let's go.” I said to the two as we moved silently into the compound.

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We rushed through the compound, the magical lights making me visible for seconds until I stepped into the shadows again. The compound was made of large canvas tents and was much larger than the one we had gone through months earlier. The thought of Oakleaf started to boil my blood, but I again felt her gentle love and thoughts of Twilight popped into my mind. There was no way I would let that happen again.

“Split up. Look in each tent. Find them.” I said gruffly, and the three of us split up to examine the compound. I passed many tents and found them all to be empty, but as I was searching throughout one of them I heard a startled 'yip' and I knew Fenrir had found something. I rushed off towards his voice and heard a blast of fire and a shout before everything went quiet again. I ran faster and met up with an equally incised Syringe and we pulled to a sharp turn as we heard more struggling noises. We rounded into a long tent and found the source of the noises.

The inside of the tent was well lit by magical lights, so the Fire-Eater that Fenrir held at Ursa Major claw-point gasped when he saw me. I smelled burnt and looked around until I saw that part of Fenrir's side had been singed. Fenrir now held the Fire-Eater against a table, his head turned sideways and throat inches away from Fenrir's glowing claws. I strode up to the captured prisoner and took a hard look at him. Unlike the Fire-Eater Fleet, he had an actual coat of white and his mane was of marigold yellow. His large blue eyes shook in fear as I approached and I could see that he was a middle-aged unicorn.

“Where are the prisoners?” I asked him.

He gulped and stopped shaking. “What prisoners, you swine.” he said defiantly.

I sighed and then nodded to Fenrir. He growled and his claws grew slightly, coming closer to the unicorn's throat. The Fire-Eater saw and started to quiver again.

“Where are the prisoners?” I asked again.

“I don't....” he said as he watched with big eyes as the claws grew more. Now they were touching his throat.

“Where are the...”

“There's a secret path at the southern end. Follow it and it leads into the gorge. All the prisoners are there. Please don't kill me.” he stammered out quickly before I could even finish the question.

I nodded to Fenrir. “Knock him out.” All Fenrir had to do was grow his claws a millimeter more and the unicorn fainted. Fenrir let him to the ground slowly and I created an earthen cage around him before we left the tent. The three of us rushed to the southern end and found a rough stairway leading down into the gorge, just as the Fire-Eater had said.

“Let's go.”

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The bottom of the gorge was completely dark and the high cavern walls made it have a very oppressive aura. Every nerve in my body was telling me that something was wrong, but I ignored them knowing that Twilight was down here somewhere. I whistled and led the other two down the winding path of the gorge, trying to find any clue that could lead me to Twilight.

After a few minutes of running, we came to a large fork in the gorge. I looked at both of the paths but neither gave us any sense of which way we should go. I looked as far as I could down the far path and saw that it just led on deeper into the gorge. Then I looked to the path on my right and saw nothing. I was about to lead the way down the long path, when something caught my eye off in the right path. It was a little sparkle.

“This way!” I said as I dashed down the path on the right, knowing I had seen something.

The path curved and became narrower and narrower as we went further into it, and finally it ended in a dead end. I sighed and rested up against the dead end. I knocked on it with a frustrated hoof before I started to turn around.

“Let's go ba....” I started to say.

knock.

My head whipped back to the dead end.

“You two do that?”

“No.” they both said as I inched closer to the wall. I knocked again and waited. Again it was answered and I took a hard look at the wall. I found a small gap and peered through. I quickly pulled away, blinded for a moment. I took off my hood and rubbed my eyes.

“What is it Crimson?” Syringe said noticing my floating head.

“It's this wall,” I said blindly pointing to it. “It's glowing pink on the other side.”

“Move for a moment brother.” Fenrir said as he walked up to the wall. I backed away and he started sniffing intently around and on the wall.

“It smells of ponies.” he said pulling away from it. “And it is not too thick. They are on the other side.” he said with certainty.

I rubbed my eyes one last time and put my hood back on. My heart beat with anxiety and excitement as I connected myself to the earth. I took a deep breath and let the Earth's magic course through me. I let out my breath and the wall sunk into the earth, making a small ramp for the three of us to walk through. A glowing pink light emanated from the hole, apparently enough to show I was there, because when I entered Syringe and Fenrir followed.

The space we entered was large and layered. It was a large earthen made amphitheater, and it was vast and empty. Empty, except for the glowing orb at one end of the amphitheater's floor. I raced over to it as soon as I saw what it was. Like Luna's circular shield that protected us from the fireballs, this one did the same, only held all the unicorns in.

As I came closer to it I saw Twilight on the other side with Cadence and Shining, all pounding on the wall of the shield. I took off my hood and put up a hoof to the shield and smiled. Twilight did the same, and even though we were separated, I felt like we were connected.

“How do I get you out of here?” I asked her. She shook her head and started to speak, but I couldn't hear a word she said. Apparently, the orb trapped sound in as well.

I shook me head and pointed a hoof at my ear. “I can't hear you.” I said.

Twilight stopped shaking her head and pointed a hoof upwards. I looked and my heart sunk. The dome of the orb was holding a large rock outcropping on it. I looked back down to Twilight and she mimed to me what would happen.

If I took down the shield, they would all be crushed.

“Brother! I hear ponies coming.” hissed Fenrir. I looked back at Twilight quickly and threw my hood back on. I quickly made a rock pop up from the ground and Syringe, Fenrir, and I managed to hide behind it as a pony's hoofsteps could be heard.

“Hello my little unicorns.” said a malicious voice. “And other trash.”

Lights blazed down into the open room, startling the three of us and all the unicorns in the orb. I saw Twilight start banging on the wall of her confinement desperately, trying to get out to help.

“I know you are there, you vermin.” the voice said smugly. “And I know who you are General Steelhooves.” it said sarcastically. “Go on get up out of your hidey-hole with your two friends and meet who your end is.”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, and stood up with Syringe and Fenrir. I looked at their faces and saw they held the same grim looks I did. We looked up to see the unicorn that addressed us. He had a white coat, a black mane, and deep red eyes. He wore an elaborate piece of chest armor and a golden circlet on his head, but other than that he looked just like any other Fire-Eater. His gaze turned dark as he saw me and Fenrir and the ring of Fire-Eaters surrounding the amphitheater in a lethal circle tensed at his look.

“You two may call me Master.” he spat at us. “You should be lucky I have not had you killed yet. Every pony of our noble blood knows that timberwolves are nothing but swine to be killed and that earth ponies belong on our farms, working for the superior race.”

His look changed when he spotted Syringe. It went from a nasty look of disgust, to a fatherly look.

“You are called Syringe, are you not? Well Syringe, you could join us. You could not only become powerful beyond your wildest dreams, but you could even be my right-hoofed stallion. I am in need of a unicorn with your ability and wisdom, and you would be second to me in the new world we create.”

Syringe looked at him in boredom and pushed his glasses further up on his face.

“Tell you what?” the unicorn called Master said. “I'll even let you pick your own mates from our little collection.” he said, jerking his chin towards the trapped unicorns behind us.

Syringe took off his glasses and blew on them. “So I can assume that you will kill me if I refuse this preposition?” he said wiping his glasses on his coat.

“I would rather not have it come to that.”

“But you are going to kill my General and Friend here, correct?”

“If you insist, you can keep them as slaves.” the Master said, his face slowly turning into a frown.

“Hmm. Mares, power, and slaves.” Syringe said putting a hoof to his chin.

“Yes, yes!” the Master said happily, his smirk returning.

“It does seem intriguing.” he said, tuning to me with a fake look of interest. “So what do you think Daring would say about this?” he asked me while looking straight at the Master.

“She'd probably just beat you up. And not in the good way you kniky perv.” I answered.

“Daring?” the Master asked.

“Oh, she's my marefriend. She's a pegasi. But that means you would kill her too.” Syringe said flatly.

“You could...” the Master stuttered.

“And all my earth pony and pegasi friends. They would be killed too, wouldn't they? And all the rest of the non-ponies we met on all of our missions. The griffins, the dragons, the buffalo and the camels. You would kill them all.” Syringe said, becoming more angry than I had ever seen him. “And you want me to betray them all, just for some fake promise?” His horn erupted in light and a large iceball shot from it, catching the Master off guard and knocking him down.

“Fire-Eaters! Kill them!” shouted a weak sounding Master.

Fireballs rained down on us, but Syringe was faster than all of them. His magical shield covered all three of us, but I knew that it wouldn't hold long. I reached into the earth and melded my will with its. A large stone dome closed rose from the ground and covered us. Syringe let his shield go and fell to the floor panting. He may be able to heal vast amounts of ponies, but offensive and defensive magic were an ordeal to him. After that last iceball attack, I wondered how many more he had left in him.

“Are you alright Syringe.”

“I....I can still fight. I just need to ration off my magic. Use weaker spells with more precision.” he panted. Suddenly, the sounds of fire hitting my dome stopped.

“They're climbing down.” Fenrir growled, his ear on the dome.

I gulped and took a deep breath. “We have to stop them, but make sure you don't hurt 'the Master'. I have a feeling he's the reason why the shield around the Ponyville unicorns is still up.”

Fenrir and Syringe nodded and I let my magic intertwine with the Earth's. I could feel the Fire-Eaters descending the rock face and coming closer to us. When I felt that they were close enough I gave a silent nod to my two friends and threw down my hood. Then I used my combined magic and blasted the rocks of the dome out in all directions.

Fenrir lunged away from us with a fierce growl, the Ursa Major claws enlarging as he ripped into surprised Fire-Eaters. Syringe created small icicles with his magic, and shot them out at the enemies, hit them in precise spots, immobilizing or killing them. I lept away from the others as I was surrounded by Fire-Eaters and had to fight for my life. I dodged fireballs and other attacks with horns that were meant to gore and weapons like hoof-axes and maces, using Colt Maga, my gauntlets, and our magic to fight.

“RRAAGGHH!!” went a scream from one side of the large earthen battlefield.

“Syringe!” Fenrir and I yelled as we responded to his yell. I tried to rush to my hurt comrade, but I was again surrounded by Fire-Eaters. There was no end to them. A few moments later, a loud howl echoed from the other side of the rock amphitheater.

“NO! Fenrir!” I screamed is desperation. They had gotten him too. I picked up my attacks, my rage fueling myself so much that I didn't notice the feel of an attack until it was too late. I bent over as a terrible pain filled my innards and I fell to the ground gasping in pain.

“Pick him up.” commanded a cold voice and I felt myself being pulled up by uncomfortable hooves.

“Bring him to the others. I want them to see what happens when you oppose us.” said the same voice. I was dragged to one side of the amphitheater and I saw from pain-teared eyes that I was opposite of the Ponyville unicorns. I also blearily became aware that a badly beaten Fenrir was held up by magic on my left, and Syringe was held up on my right. Syringe had a deep gash that rand down his side. I could see the pain in his eyes and his grit teeth, but his horn glowed faintly, so I knew he was working his magic on himself as we were held. Fenrir also had a fire in his blackened eyes. We may have been caught, but we weren't beaten. Not by a long shot.

“Hold his head. I want to see his face when he realizes he will lose this battle.” said the Master. My head was wrenched backwards and I was forced to look up at a snarling Master and the Ponyville unicorns in their magical cage.

“I was generous. I gave you a choice. But you decided to reject my generosity and attack all of us.” he said in cold fury. “So now, you will die. But first, I want you to become desperate. I want you to know that you can't save anypony. That you failed.” he said with a finality that made my coat bristle.

“Know that you failed.” he said as his horn glowed. The magical cage-dome around the Ponyville unicorns disappeared and heavy rocks and Earth started to fall towards them.

Time slowed to a screeching halt. I could see the rocks falling towards my loved ones. Shining and Cadence's horns started to glow, along with Twilight's, but I knew it would be too late. I felt utter desperation as the rocks inched closer to them. I screamed aloud and gazed at the Master. Oh the hate I felt for him. I was about to use the Earth's magic to crush him, but I stopped dead as a I noticed movement that moved faster than all of us in this slowed-time reality. Everything came to a halt as a green and brown unicorn mare stepped out from behind the Master and looked at me.

“Oakleaf.” I said in my mind as she walked up to me. I could feel tears wet my cheeks as she came up to me and nuzzled me. I could feel her, warm and alive, but I knew she was dead.

“Don't hate.” she whispered. “That isn't the stallion you are. That isn't the stallion I love.” I cried silently as she rubbed up against me. She pulled away from me and looked dead into my eyes.

“It wasn't your fault I died.” she said. “I did it to protect you.” she whispered heavily, conveying all her love in those few words as she walked to the Ponyville unicorns who were frozen in time. When she got next to Twilight she turned around and looked straight at me.

“Now protect them like I protected you.” she said sternly, but lovingly.

Time resumed as I connected to the Earth with teary eyes.

“Yes, cry fool. Know your death is here.” said the Master noticing my tears. He grinned but then noticed the look on his soldiers' faces. They looked at the Ponyville unicorns in awe. The Master quickly turned to see what everypony else saw.

The rocks that would have crushed, would have killed, my loved ones were suspended mid-air. All the Ponyville unicorns looked at them in shock, except for one. Twilight stared straight at me and I saw the love in her eyes, but also a worried fear for me.

“This ends here.” I said, my voice deeper and by the magic of the Earth's aspect of protection. The unicorns holding me jumped away as they noticed the flow of power coming from me and how the air around me seemed to pulse.

The Master started to shout something to the Fire-Eaters, but I used the raw power of the Earth to magically teleport all of Ponyville's unicorns, Syringe, and Fenrir out of Ghastly Gorge and to Luna's position. Then I stared challengingly at the Master.

He looked at me shocked, and scared, and his voice trembled as he shouted one command. “Kill him!”

I looked at all of the approaching enemies with one thought in my mind. It was not hate of them, nor anger. Just one simple thing: I needed to stop them to protect my loved ones.

Earth and Fire-Eater flew threw the air as I attacked the attackers, unleashing my overwhelming power on all of them. However, there was a lot. Three hundred unicorns against one pony? Not nearly a fair fight for the three hundred. My earthen attacks beat any thing they could muster, they attacking with fireballs, while I used the very Earth to aid me. Ponies flew around as I flung them away with slabs of Earth, rock pillars, and whirlwinds of dust, coupled along with my own attacks with Colt Maga.

As I continued my attacks I became aware that I was getting heavier. In a small lull in the fight, I glimpsed my hooves and was shocked to find they were becoming stone. I remembered Century Sentry's warning about the last Earth Pony to use the Earth's protecting magic for too long and I gulped. However, my mind was taken off of it as the last vestiges of the Fire-Eater's force charged me and I saw the Master climbing away with a small guard. I grimaced and blasted the rest of the Fire-Eaters away from myself with an attack, and then I concentrated.

I felt the Master running away from Ghastly Gorge through the Earth's magic and I connected myself fully. I then let it all go as I moved through the Earth, teleporting to confront the Master.

Teleporting through the Earth was much different than that of teleporting with raw magic, as Twilight and the unicorns do. While they use magic to teleport themselves fully, the Earth moves you, not the other way around. It pulls you in and tunnels you through it's magic to the destination IT knows you should be. It feels very strange not being in control of where you are going, but also comforting for some strange reason.

I came up out of the Earth farther ahead of where the Master was running and I waited for him to come into sight. They ran through the dark woods on the edges of Ghastly Gorge, coming straight at me, but never seeing me in the dark shadows of the night.

As the first of the Master's guard came into sight, running as fast as he could, I protruded a stone pillar from the ground, sending him tumbling down the side of the gorge. The others saw and rushed to the side of the gorge, yelling his name. I noticed how the trees grew around the gorge, and with my magic, I accelerated their growth around us, creating a arced wall of plant life on the left side of the path, the gorge on the right. The Fire-Eaters noticed this too late.

Trees attacked the guard as they fired fireballs in every which way, setting some of the trees aflame, but still, the tress moved, grew, and attacked them, responding to the Earth's command of protection I issued them.

I saw the fear on the Master's face as he shot more flames, until he shot one past my head and onto a tree behind me. It set ablaze and he saw me from the light it produced. He tripped and cowered back as the trees trapped the rest of his Fire-Eaters in cages of their limbs. I walked slowly towards him. He frantically shot a few more fireballs at me, but they all missed, his aim failing him in his fear.

“You are a demon!” he screamed at me as I approached.

“You have no right to call anypony that.” I responded. “You have led these unicorns to pillage, destroy, and kill. You are the only demon here tonight.”

The Master gave a scared laugh. “I am not the one using the darkness as a shield. I led my Fire-Eaters on the path of righteousness.”

“I may be a creature of the night, but I am not the monster that you are.” I said coldly as I threw back my hood. He trembled when he saw my face.

“You hurt and destroyed the lives of numerous ponies, caused terror in Equestria, and killed my late wife and unborn son.” I said without malice as I leaned in closer to his face. His eyes grew wide in terror.

“But most heinous of all,” I said slowly, flatly. “You threaten the ones I love. The ones who still live, and you tarnish my beloved's memory with all your hate.”

“But we are the superior ones.” the Master whispered.

“Really?” I said. “Then become like one who thought he was superior. One who thought he could rule all of Equestria in his chaotic hands.” I said as I raised a hoof to touch the Master's horn. I noticed my leg was almost completely stone, but I willed myself to do this one last act of protection.

I touched the Master's horn and let the Earth's magic course through me. The Master gasped as he saw the stone spread up my leg, but it also spread down his horn. His mouth opened in a silent scream as his lower body turned to stone and his whole body became encased in it's final prison. I let go of my magical connection with the Earth knowing that my deed was done. I protected all my loved ones by stopping him.

I sighed with relief, which quickly became a sharp gasp of pain as I looked down at my hooves. Even though I had stopped using the Earth's protection magic, the stone still spread up along my body. It was slow, but I knew it wouldn't stop. I hobbled over to a tree and sat against it laughing to myself.

I would become just like the very unicorn I had just stopped.

“No.” I told myself. I knew I wouldn't become like him. I knew I might turn to stone, but I'd never become him. I had a whole town of loved ones, and I had let go of my hate while he still held onto it. In truth, I didn't even hate him for his actions. I was just disappointed, but I forgot my disappointment when I thought about my friends.

“Maybe I'll make a good statue for the Library?” I said aloud before laughing hysterically and fainting from the pain.

Chapter 23

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 23

Bright lights and searing pain woke me up from what I thought was to be my eternal slumber. I moaned as I felt a sharp sting on my left side. I heard a grating sound coming from one of my sides and I opened my eyes.

“Crimson! He woke up Doctor!” said a voice half happiness, half frantic nervousness that I recognized as Fluttershy's.

“Hey there chap!” said a Trottingham voice. “This will hurt for a bit, mate.” he said as I felt an excruciating pain. I screamed and tried to move, but was pulled down by a strong hoof.

“Keep him there Macintosh.” directed the Doctor. “I told you this would hurt for a little. Now hold still.” he said waggling a hoof in front of my face. Then he dropped out of sight and the grating noise returned along with the pain.

I looked around while I panted from the pain, trying to keep my mind preoccupied in any way. My searching revealed I was in the Ponyvile hospital, in what appeared to be an operating room. Harsh white lights blazed down onto me on a gurney as Big Mac held my convulsing body down. I caught glimpses of a few other ponies, but I couldn't be sure who they were since my head was restrained. I heard hoofsteps and a familiar face came into sight.

“Don't worry Crimson, we stopped the spread of the stone, so now we just need to free you.” said a tired looking Syringe. I tried to answer, but I knew if I opened my mouth I would end up biting my tongue clean off. The grating stopped, as did the pain, and the Doctor popped back into view, waving his sonic screwdriver up and down my body.

He looked at it and put a hoof to his chin. “Hmmm. That can't be good......”

“What? What can't be good?” I asked, a little scared.

The Doctor looked at me and smiled. “Oh nothing at all!” he said throwing the sonic screwdriver away. I heard it clatter against the opposite wall as the Doctor continued. “Don't worry about it! We're just in a bit of a sticky wicket right now....... But don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time!”

He started to dip out of view again, but I stopped him. “Wait! “ I shouted. “What's wrong? Last I remember I was in the forest around Ghastly Gorge turning into a statue.”

The Doctor smiled sheepishly. “Exactly. That's you're here.”

“Let me out.” I commanded.

“Look chap, it's best if you....”

“Doctor, let me out now.”

“Crimson, we're trying to help.” said Fluttershy's quiet and calm voice.

“Thanks, but let me up. What you're doing isn't working.” I replied flatly.

“Crimson, be logical here.”

“No Syringe.” I said stubbornly. “If you don't let me out of this brace right now, I'll use my magic and then truly turn into a statue.”

“Garsh partner. Yer as stubborn as a rock in the tillin' field.” said Big Mac's voice as his hooves pulled off of my chest and the head restraint loosened.

I sat up and looked around, confirming my suspicions that I was in the Ponyville Hospital. I glanced down and saw that I was out of my uniform and gauntlets and that my lower half was covered by a white sheet, which was held up near the end.

“Who took off my uniform?” I asked.

Fluttershy blushed and raised her hoof. I snorted and looked back to my uncovered hooves. My front legs appeared clear of the stone, but I could tell they weren't from their weight. I pulled my heavy legs up and bent them slowly, felling my stone elbows try to fight the movement before eventually succumbing to my will. I pulled the sheet from my body and just stared blankly. My whole lower half was encased in stone. I tried to move my back legs, but they gave nothing more than a slight twitch. I stared blankly at them.

“Fenrir and I went back for you after you teleported all of us to Luna. We appeared right in the middle of her troops and surprised everypony. At first they thought we were Fire-Eaters, but then they saw our faces and colors. Fenrir and I told Luna about what you did and we all went out looking for you. We found you because Fenrir smelled the smoke and then we saw the Master and you were up against that tree.........Luna did some sort of magic on you and the stone stopped creeping up you, but then she teleported away to Canterlot saying something about getting help. Then we brought you here.” Syringe said solemnly.

“So I won't be able to walk again.” I said stunned.

“From what we can do, I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry Crimson.” said the Doctor.

“Could I get out of this bed?” I asked in a whisper, swallowing the implications of what this meant. And to think I joked about turning myself into a statue but a few minutes ago. The Doctor nodded and Syringe picked me up with magic. Fluttershy brought a wheelchair and Syringe placed me in it gently. I wanted to walk out of the room with a such a longing I've never felt before, but I knew it wouldn't come to pass. I was now a cripple. That was the price I paid for protecting my friends and loved ones.

I was slowly wheeled out of the room by Big Mac through two large swinging doors and down a long hall. I heard the others in the room follow quietly as I was pushed down what seemed to be a never-ending hallway. Finally, we came to another set of doors, but Big Mac stopped in front of them.

“Everypony's out there Crimson.” he said guiltily. “If ya want me ta clear 'em out...”

“No. I need to get used to this.” I said with finality.

“Alright partner. Ah'll go first.” Big Mac said as he wheeled me around. I gave a flat smile to my friends who followed me from the operating room as I was pulled backwards into the waiting room.

A chorus of “Crimson”s cheered through the room, but I closed my eyes at their calls. Slowly, the room became quiet as they saw the wheelchair and Big Mack turned me around to face everypony.

I opened my eyes and saw all of my friends with sad eyes, but my gaze was taken off of them as a purple flash blasted from the crowd of waiting friends and kissed me straight on the lips.

Twilight hugged me and pulled out of the kiss, sobbing on my shoulder.

“I thought you had died.” she cried as she held onto me. I raised a heavy hoof, shocked, and patted her back.

“Ow.” she laughed as my hoof landed on her back a little heavily. I looked at my fore hooves and then down to the ground.

“Maybe it would have been better if I had.” I whispered.

Twilight let go of the embrace, picked up my head with one hoof, and smacked me with the other.

“Don't you dare say that!” she screamed at me as I massaged my jaw. “Do you know what I would do without you?” she said sobbing. I pulled her into a tight hug as she cried against me, and I just held her. I kissed her as she stopped crying and I looked into her teary eyes, never wanting to let her go. Unfortunately, a sly cough from Rainbow Dash made me painfully aware that there were a lot of eyes watching us. All of my friends from Ponyville, all of Puck unit, and a few other ponies I recognized from Ponyville were waiting there for me. I slowly let go of Twilight as she became aware of the amount of ponies watching us. We both blushed as they looked at us smiling.

“They do make a cute couple don't they?” said Rarity slyly to Cadence.

“One of the best. I can tell.” the alicorn princess replied, smiling.

“Ah'll bet ya two barrels a Sweet Apple Cider that they're married by tha end a tha year.” Applejack said, not-so-discretely.

“I'll bet that they're married in six months time!” said Rainbow Dash.

“Ooooh! That means I get to plan the party! Yay!!!!” said Pinkie Pie throwing streamers and confetti everywhere.

“GASP! And I get to design the bridal dress! And new dresses for all of you!” Rarity, un-ladylike.

“The only thing I wonder is that if that stone spread and made somethings rock-hard, if you know what I mean.” Ditzy said elbowing Shining, making his face lose all blood at the thought.

“AHEM! Ok, that's enough.” I said clearing my throat while everypony in the room laughed.

“We're just playing Moony.” Ditsy said with a goofy smile.

“Plus we already know how you are Cap'n! Especially from all the noise you an...” Solitary said happily.

“SOLITARY! I SAID THAT WAS ENOUGH!” I said as my face turned as red as my mane.

“It's ok.” said Twilight as she nuzzled me. “No pain, no gain, or so they say.” she said, silencing everypony in the room. We all looked at her incredulously with wide eyes, her friends with dropped jaws.

“What?” she said, blushing as deeply as I did.

“Hawhawhawhawhaw!!!” Big Mac laughed, leading the rounds of laughter that swept throughout the room. Even I laughed harder than I ever had before. I looked back at my hooves and laughed again.

It was worth it.

I was home and my loved ones were safe.

My hate that had plagued me for so long was gone, and I was finally happy and in love once again.

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Two weeks later, Twilight received a letter from Princess Luna, while I was wheelchair-proofing the Library with my magic. I could stand out of my wheelchair, but not move, so I would stand statuesque in the middle of the Library while I used my magic.

“Crimson! Crimson!” Spike called from upstairs, running down the half-stairs, half-ramp I was working on converting into a ramp.

“Wait! Spike, don't...” I called as he tripped on the last step and rolled down the ramp, landing in front of me.

“Look!” he said, unfazed by his tumble. He held up a letter. I looked at it undaunted, until I noticed it held Luna's Royal Seal instead of Celestia's.

“It's for you!” Spike said excited.

“Really?” I said as I used my magic to grow a podium of wood out of the floor in front of me. “Put the letter on it.” I instructed Spike. After he did so, I grew it taller so it stood right in front of my face. I had perfected this method after being stuck in the Library while Big Mac made a self-moving wheelchair for me.

“What does it say?” Spike asked excitedly. We hardly ever got letters from Luna, and this one was addressed to me, so it just made both of us excited.

I started to read aloud.

“Dear Crimson,

Come to Canterlot. Now.

-Luna”

“That's it?” Spike asked incredulously.

I nodded. “Spike go get my wheelchair. I need to find Twilight and go to Canterlot. Luna's only ever informal when it's an emergency.”

“Ok Crimson.” Spike said with a salute he learned from Puck Unit.

Shortly, I was outside the Library in my wheelchair traveling through Ponyville with Spike walking beside me. I looked around the houses that were being reconstructed and all the damages being fixed as I went straight for the one place I knew Twilight would be: the construction site of the new and improved Sugarcube Corner.

“Twi!” I called as we approached the construction site. The new Sugarcube Corner was little more than a foundation, but I knew Twilight was doing the best she could along with the rest of the ponies who decided to help out.

“Crimson?” her voice called from inside the building, in the basement that was being re-done. A second later she popped into existence next to me. “What's wrong?” she asked nuzzling me when she came close. Spike made a gagging motion with his finger and mouth, but I ignored him.

“Luna sent a message to me. We have to go to Canterlot. Now.” I said quickly.

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

“Let's go then.” she said, her horn starting to glow.

“Nonononononono.” I said quickly. “We're going my way.” I said as I pushed myself out of the chair.

Twilight frowned. “Crimson you know...”

I cut her off by throwing a hoof over her shoulder and pulling Spike into our hug. I concentrated for less than a second and we were off.

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“Never again.” Twilight said after she threw up into a garbage can outside of the Royal Castle.

“It couldn't have been worse than your way you know.” I said as I floated above Twilight's head. She frowned at me and lowered me to her gaze.

“Never again.” she said seriously. I shivered.

“Ok. I get it.” I said, and she floated me to the right of her, just a tad off of the ground. Spike giggled at our exchange until Twilight shot him a stern look. I looked at him and shrugged.

We traveled through Canterlot Castle, earning a lot of strange looks from the guards, which turned into stranger looks when they found out that the Element of Magic was carrying the General of the Lunar Battalion throughout the castle by magic. After what seemed like forever, we came to the large twin doors that entered the throne room.

“I got it.” Spike said as he went to open the doors, but the doors beat him to it, opening before he could knock.

A midnight blue alicorn wearing glasses, looked back and forth until she saw me. She dashed out and grabbed me from Twilight's magical hold, taking me into the throne room. I saw Twilight and Spike shrug and follow us into the room.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, until I saw the ponies standing in the room.

There was ,of course, Celestia, Shining Armor,and Princess Cadence, but there was another pony I thought I'd never see again: Century Sentry.

Luna set me down in front of them and Century smiled.

“I thought I'd never see you again.”

“In a different time, you wouldn't have. But here I am.” he said, raising more questions than answers, as always.

Twilight's eyes grew wide as she saw who stood before me. “Who is this Princess?” she asked to her mentor.

“He is our older brother, my little pony.” she answered.

“What?” she shouted loudly.

“Yeah, it's a long story for another time.” Century said offhoofedly. “But I can see you have yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place.” he motioned towards me.

“Real funny.” I deadpanned at his stupid joke.

“Well? Go on brother. You said you could help him.” said Luna guiltily. She glanced towards me, and her stare said it all. She thought this was her fault.

“Well sister, I said I could try. We all know I am no Princess of the Earth.”

“Yes, but it's not like we have any other choice here.” Celestia replied. “You're stronger with this stuff than either of us.”

“Stuff?” I asked.

“Earth Magic. You know.” Century said, waiving a hoof around.

“Are you saying what I thing you're saying me?” Asked Twilight.

“You don't mean.....” Spike said.

“Yep.” said Century.

“So you're gonna heal me?” I asked in a whisper.

He just shrugged his shoulders. “Heal? Maybe. Make it so you can use your legs; Yes.” His horn started to glow and he closed his eyes. “Stand back everypony.” he commanded as he opened his eyes. Like back in Whitetail Woods, they glowed and showed an eternity of time and space that would drive a pony insane if they looked at them for too long.

I felt time stop once again. I glanced around and saw that Twilight, Shining, and Spike were all frozen, along with Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. No pony, not even alicorns, could escape time. I felt my flank pulse with energy as I was surrounded in Century's magic. He walked closer to me, bending the very fabric of reality around himself as he moved.

“You'll need to connect yourself to the Earth.” Century said in his god-like voice. I obliged silently and I could feel that his energy was connected to the Earth as well. It felt unnatural, yet like it was there from the beginning. It was a raw, coursing power, that threatened to overwhelm Me and the Earth itself, but it didn't. Century managed to control all of it. I could also feel that his energy combined with that of my own, and like the Earth's seeped into myself, however it felt unnaturally strong.

“Yes, I know.” Century said flatly as I shifted uncomfortably. “So how has life been?” he asked, his tone becoming more friendly as he did.

“Well I can't use my back legs, I've been in a wheelchair for the last few weeks, and almost died from petrification.”

“Not since I last saw you.” he said shaking his head, his god-voice echoing through my mind. “Since you left the Lunar Battalion.”

“I had PTSD you know.” I said angrily. He knew my story, I had already told him everything. “And it was all my fault.”

“Yeah, but if you could go back, would you change a thing?”

I thought for a second before a large smile came to my face. I remembered Oakleaf, which brought a pang to my heart, but my smile grew wider as I remembered her true last words, what she said to me in Ghastly Gorge. Then I thought about all the friends I made and were reunited with, and how even if the world seemed to be filled with hate and destruction, there's always love. Always.

“Never.” I replied to Century.

He smiled widely. “Good.”

Epilogue

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Epilogue

When I came back to Ponyville, I came back on my own legs. My friends all cheered and decided to celebrate in their own ways. Pinkie Pie threw the biggest party Ponyville ever knew, Applejack brought the best cider and apple treats Sweet Apple Acres had to offer. Rarity decorated everything in town with such elegance, I thought I was back in Canterlot Castle for most of the time. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy spread the word of my return, getting all my friends she could find, even the ones from my old days in Puck along with Puck unit. And finally, Twilight......well she gave her own gift, but I was happy to just be here with her.

Shortly after the week long party (which brought fame to Ponyville and to all of my friends), I became the topic of interest by many high-ranking science-ponies who wanted to study my earthen legs. While they still appeared to be made of stone, as did most of my flank, they moved and lived just as I did. Many of them wanted to meet the one who helped me, but I chose not to speak of Century. I had a feeling he had a reason for not being known, and I respected that. In fact, after he had healed me, I never saw him again. But sometimes, just sometimes, I hear his voice on the winds of my subconsciousness.

Oh that's right! Sorry, let me get back on topic..... Ok, so somehow, Century's magic had brought my legs out of their petrification, but it hadn't returned them to the living flesh they once were. But that didn't matter to me. I kinda like how they look, and everypony was amazed (especially Rarity) that my cutie mark became a living gemstone.

Plus, I do like how some things are stone.

Like my legs. I can now buck trees easier with the weight of my hooves alone. (Get your little heads out of the gutter, you silly readers.)

The princesses visited during the party, and Luna and I discussed my position as General. Apparently, “the general is too important to send off on various missions willy-nilly. He needs to stay close to the Princess of the Night to be truly effective” or so says Luna. All I know is that she wants me to stay in Ponyville, and I'm completely fine with it. I love the orders.

But most of all, I love here and now. I love Ponyville, I love Twilight (Rainbow Dash made four consecutive Sonic Rainbooms when she found out she won the bet between her and Applejack about when we would get married), and I still love Oakleaf with all my heart. Sometimes I'll go walking in Whitetail woods, and I'll find that place, the place I first met Century Sentry in my hour of need. I'll sit there for hours and just connect to the Earth and feel the flow and ebb of the Earth's energy, its consciousness, and I'll feel a faint whisper of my late wife. It's never a whisper that scares or saddens me, it just reminds me of why I live my life. For love.

I know Equestria is a land of magic, what with “the magic of friendship” and all of our unique talents that all of ponykind, or otherwise, posses, but there's a magic stronger than that. It might not even seem like it's strong, but letting go of your bad emotions is a type of magic. Realizing that all your anger and hate is petty before the love you feel for all your friends and loved ones IS magic. It might take a while to learn this magic, but it's there. Why?

It's the magic of love.

And it will always be withing all of us.

~~~~FIN~~~~

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For everyone who stayed with me and read along through this long story, thank you. Seriously, thank you. You guys are the best.

Hit up my page if you have any comments or anything, ESPECIALLY if you have and criticism. I mean it in all seriousness. I can take anything, positive or negative, and boy I would love a lot of feedback.

Ok, personally, this was one of my favorite stories to write. It might be my first fanfic, but I've started a few others, and I have prior experience from writing fiction articles and short stories for a small, local, free-lance writers magazine/newspaper. It's like a culmination of stories from different writers of all styles and walks of life. It's actually pretty cool, and if anyone's interested, I suggest starting one of your own. All it takes is a couple of people and some signatures.

So that's enough about my past. Currently, I have a few other fanfics up right now. None of them are done yet (I really need to find the time) but that's what happens when random ideas all pop into your head at one time, or when you have semi-drunk bets with friends. :p

So thanks again for reading, and I hope everyone can learn something from this. I never meant the story to make everything seem hippy-like, I just wanted to explain one thing: You don't need to hate or be angry to be powerful. Somethings that are the seem small to everyone else can mean the biggest thing to someone else. That's what love is. That's why I wrote this.

So thanks for reading. Hope to see you guys reading another one of my fanfics, or I might even be caught nose-deep into one of your fanfics.

---The_Last_Centurion

Chapter 8

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Also a little note: the <> are used just for when things get a little sketchy. I think it's mostly clear in the beginning, but near the end they are needed to designate a change between story/current time.

Chapter 8

“It was right after last year's Hearth Warming eve and my unit, Puck unit, was stationed in Stalliongrad. I was pleasantly surprised to find this out since it meant I could spend the holiday with my folks. Now, nopony else in my unit came from Stalliongrad, and they were gonna just lounge around in the hotel we were assigned to stay in while Celestia's diplomatic ambassadors wrote up a treaty for the Clan-Federation between Equestria. After it was written up we were supposed to escort the ambassadors 400 miles north of Stalliongrad, out of Equestria, and into the heart of Timber wolf country.”

“Weren't you scared?” Twilight asked

“Nah. The Timber wolves were the ones who requested the treaty. Plus they're big ol' softees for a pony with determination. They love underdog stories and stuff. Real dramatic they are.”

Twilight and Spike gave me incredulous looks.

“Well I know ponies down here see Timber wolves as huge monsters that would eat them in one gulp, and you'd be true. They used to do it all the time a couple hundred years ago. But that was when ponies lived further north. The only reason they attacked ponies was because our Earth Pony farms took up fertile land. Up north, that's pretty scarce and the Timber wolves need it to feed their herds. With a lack of land for their herds, they, how should I put it, changed the dinner they put on the table parse.”

“So why a treaty? Why would they want it after the ponies moved south?” Spike asked intelligently.

“Well, up north, at half of the year is spent in total darkness.”

“What?” Spike said.

“Remember what Princess Celestia said about how the sun affected countries away from Equestria differently.” Twilight gently reminded him.

“Oh yeah. So why would they need the treaty?”

“Well, Timber wolf populations have been growing and they were running out of food to comply. They needed more room to grow their crops of arctic shrub and grasses to feed their herds, which in turn fed them. So they struck up a deal with Princess Celestia and Luna. They would move down south, closer to Stalliongrad during the winter. In turn, they would ally themselves to Equestria and even help us fight if we ever got in trouble.”

Twilight and Spike sat there with open mouths.

“So you're telling me that Timber wolves, a creature that would terrify most ponies to death, literally, would fight in an Equestrian army?” Twilight said.

“Yes, as long as the negotiations and treaty were finished and accepted by both sides.”

“Twi, think about it! Great big Timber wolves that could help us beat up the bad guys! They'd be awesome!” Spike said enthusiastically.

“Actually, there is a contingent of Timber wolves working for the princesses right now, but I'll get back to that later.”

“So there we were in Stalliongrad, my unit starting to go stir-crazy, and the ambassadors stilling hammering out the final draft of the treaty. Being the captain of my unit, and also host in my lovely hometown of Stalliongrad, I couldn't let my family of nine go crazy. So I talked with my parents and invited the unit to spend the holidays with the Steelhooves family.”

“That's sweet of you Crimson.” Twilight said, gushing cuteness.

“Ew. Get a room you two.” Spike said “But after you finish your story.” he caught himself.

I chuckled as Twilight blushed a deep red and continued on.

“So there we were all having a good time at my parent's house, and their phone rings. My mother picks it up since my dad was telling us a story about how he and a few other of his metalponys had gotten in trouble for trying to make this big old metal suit for a pony. 'But their working on one in Neighppon. Something called a mehaygazord....' he told us, but my mom interrupted the story and called me over to the phone. 'It's for you honey. Sounds important.' I put the receiver to my ear and listened. A few minutes later I went back to the room where my unit was half-listening, half waiting for my return. 'Well colts and foals, it's game time. Sorry pa, ma, but we gotta go back to the hotel to get ready. We're leaving in two hours.' My mom came and gave me a hug, a kiss, and some food she had somehow gotten ready for me. 'Make sure you have your lucky gauntlets darling.' she reminded me. Then she went and gave the rest of my unit the same hugs and kisses and had two of the mares from my unit help her pack a larger casement of food to share between the unit members. My dad gave me a hug and told the unit he expected them all to come back within three days, so he could finish his story. They laughed and we left my parent's house in high spirits.”

“We got back to the hotel, got suited up, checked our essentials, and went over our sit-rep. We would be taking an light airship 200 miles north, and then be dropped off at an LZ which had our convoy of magic sleds ready to take us the rest of the way. Without a hitch, the trip was supposed to last only 6 hours, and then we'd stay a day with the Timber wolf chieftains. We would leave at a time my unit, nay, the whole Lunar Battalion was so comfortable with: Midnight.”

“Why would you need so much secrecy if it was just a simple escort mission?” Twilight said.

“Twilight, haven't you ever seen a Jame Bit movie? Bad guys always attack the good guy when they are escorting somepony, duh.” Spike said.

“Spike's right, surprisingly.”

“Hey!”

“If the 'bad guys' tried to stop us, they'd have a hard time, since you could barely see anything on the trip up there. Also, It was winter season up north, so if we left in darkness, we wouldn't have to adjust to a world of darkness, and we'd be that more alert.”

“Ok. I get it. So what happened next?”

“Well, we got to the LZ without a problem, and got moving fairly quickly after we were go to our sleds. Nopony attacked us as we traveled through the dark night. I remember the dark arctic winds whipping around my face and parka, chilling any exposed skin to the bone. We rode like that through the night to witness the rise of the day. It was amazing. Where there should have been sun, there were bands of colors that arced across the sky in waving cosmic motion. In fact, they remind me of Celestia's mane. I later found out the Timber wolves considered the lights as spirits of a long-dead culture. They said the lights were caused by the dancing of the dead culture's spirits. But to get back to the point we rode on and the lights became stronger as the day dragged on. Their beauty was multiplied by the glossy snow reflecting them along with the inky-black sky. When we reached the village where we would meet the timber wolf chieftain, we got off of our sleds and walked around on the snow. Our boots crunched in the densely packed snow and it felt like we were walking in oblivion. Nothing but the heavens, the heavenly-lights, and their reflection could be seen for miles.”

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“Whoa. Awesome.....”

“It sounds so beautiful.”

“It was. But then we were greeted by something even more beautiful.”

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From the village, two large timber wolves loped out and stopped in front of us. They we much larger than us and they were frightening. But at the same time, they were awe-inspiring. Like the first time I saw Luna, I couldn't look away. They were terribly amazing.

'I am Swiftfoot' said one 'I am called Triscar' said the other pointing to three long scars that ran over his front shoulder. 'We are guards to the great chieftain White Fang; thus we are also guards to his esteemed guests.' he motioned for us to follow into the village. Swiftfoot led us to a large meeting hall set in the middle of the small village. 'This whole village was set up three days before your arrival' he said. 'It is not grand, but will become a site of celebration for our generations to come.' Swiftfoot was leading us into the hall, but Triscar stopped him and us. 'Ponies,' he said solemnly. 'Be warned. Not all of our people agree to this treaty, Lord White Fang's son being the most prominent dissenter. He may try to cause you trouble, or even stop the treaty from being signed. However, rest assured knowing no harm will befall you.' Swiftfoot nodded in agreement to Triscar's admonishment, and then led us into the hall.”

“The hall was lined with tables that held Timber wolf nobles, all sitting in a large U so that Lord White Fang sat at the end of the hall. In the middle a peculiar bonfire was crackling away. But it seemed almost impossible to be real. This fire glowed blue and it used logs of ice as fuel. It also kept the hall warm, not by giving off heat, but absorbing it. It was the strangest fire I had ever seen. Even stranger, it seemed to give off a calming sensation.

We were led to the end of the hall, all the time being watched by the Timber wolf nobles, to stop in front of a looming gray and grizzled wolf. He gave us a predatory grin, showing off his large, bright, white teeth. His smile also scrunched up an eye patch the wolf wore over his right eye. His teeth told all of us who he was, and it suddenly made us feel like very small ponies, far away from home. Despite this, I wasn't scared. Sure, I felt small, but the Timber wolf chieftain's smile wasn't one of the hunt, but of friendship.”

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“You should write a letter to Princess Celestia about all you learned with your friendship with the Timber wolves.”

“Not now Twi.” Spike hissed. “Go on Crimson.”

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“'Welcome, friends!' he boomed out. 'It gladdens me to know that our peoples will be friends forever more. Hopefully one day ponies will be living amongst us without fear, and Timber wolves will be able to travel through Equestria without being feared. Let's hope this treaty is a new start for both of our people.' His jovial hopefulness made me feel great knowing that this would be a quick and easy mission that would help two people into a lasting friendship. However, this was not to be. The timber wolf who sat next to the great chieftain spoke up. He was smaller and also younger than his counterpart, but he was much more fiery than him. 'Father, why would we sign a treaty, when we could just take the land by force?' to my horror, a few of the nobles nodded and muttered in agreement. White Fang seemed surprised by his son's outburst.

'Fenrir, do you wish to start a war between the Clan Federation and Equestria?'

'No father, I would not be so foolish.' his son said. 'I do not believe we should serve these.....ponies for land that should belong to us. We have no reason to serve them in times of need, seeing as they have never helped us in times of trouble.'

'Fool!' White Fang shouted loudly. 'Celestia of the Sun has not only risen the sun each day, but managed to convince her subjects to move out of our crop lands over 400 years ago. You were not born yet, but it ended a long period of strife and hate that would have destroyed us all. Never forget that, cub.' his father said, each word seething with malice.

'Never the less father' Fenrir said steadfastly 'I will call an Ogiarpok.' At his words there was a wave of muttering and whispers that went through the hall.

One of my best friends in my unit, and my lieutenant, was Solitary Shadow. He's a snarky unicorn who has a black coat and a mane of salt and pepper hair. When the Timber wolf prince said 'Ogiarpok' Solitary strode up to White Fang and asked politely 'What in hell is this bucking 'oggiepork' thing?'

White Fang gave him a smile that failed to hide his annoyance with his son. 'Ogiarpok means dog fight in our language. It is an ancient custom used to settle large problems between Clans. My foolish son already has his own Clan, and he has issued a fight to your Equestria. Until, someone beats him in this fight, his clan will not go by the treaty, and I fear cause trouble to all of us. I am sorry for this idiocy. I should have beat the 'listen to your elders' lesson into him when he was a pup.'

Solitary turned slowly to face me with a foolish smile on his face. 'Guess who gets to have fun on this mission cap'n....”

I sighed. 'Damn it. And I thought we'd get out of this easy.' I went over to the ambassador and asked him what would happen if I didn't succeed. He started mumbling something about how I shouldn't even try to fight Fenrir since it would put our diplomatic relations in trouble. I told him 'If they got a problem, they can take it up with the Lunar Battalion.' Then I turned to the muttering crowd of nobles and one Timber wolf prince who didn't look like he cared about the challenge he just issued.

I called to him as he was inspecting his claws. 'Hey bitch.' The muttering stopped and White Fang looked at me with amusement. I continued to Fenrir. 'You just issued a challenge. So if I beat your scrawny ass, will you accept the treaty?' I taunted. Fenrir looked surprised at first, then pissed off, as he gave me a nasty growl. White Fang burst out laughing. He motioned to Swiftfoot and Triscar.

'Go set up the ring outside. The challenger and my son will fight in five minutes.' he said. Then to us and the hall. 'Fighters prepare thyselves. You will fight until the other competitor or thyself cannot fight any more. However, you may not kill each other. I don't want to start a war with Equestria, and I need my son's Clan. Now go prepare. Meet outside in the ring in five minutes. Go.'

Fenrir glared at me as he walked out of the hall with the rest of the higher echelon of timber wolves. The Great chieftain stopped and talked to me before he went outside.

'I want to see my pompous son get the shit kicked out of him. It's a good lesson to learn. So on that note, good luck.' he said as he patted my wither and left the hall.

My unit all came up to me and cheered me on, slapping my back and wishing me luck. I told them to all go outside and wait for me. The ambassador followed my unit, nut said 'I hope you know what you're doin..'

'I never do child.' I replied to him with Luna's manic grin. He almost fainted right there and then.

I readied myself physically first. First I took off my parka and felt the freezing air hit my muscles, and I started to stiffen up. I had to move quickly. I reached into my saddlebags and found my gauntlets. I put them on and started to dance around, shadow sparring to warm up.”

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“So you were going to fight a timber wolf prince in the freezing cold? Are you insane?!” Twilight sputtered out.

“It happens when you spend so much time with Luna. Where do you think the word 'lunatic' came from?”

“Wait. Why aren't your gauntlets here with the rest of your keepsakes?” Spike asked me.

“I'll show you them some other time, but they're still in my suitcase.”

“But I..”

“Don't worry about it Spike, I'll show you them later.”

“So why were these gauntlets so special?” Twilight asked.

“Well when I joined the Battalion, my parents wanted something that would remind me of home, my family, and would protect me. So my dad made the greatest things ever. He first got the strongest metal he could create in the factory, Colossus steel and forged together with the most flexible metal he could find, Quicksilver. He then formed the new metal into four gauntlets that would fit over my four hooves and cover up to my fetlocks. Not only did he craft them for protection, but he also crafted them beautifully. The have the Puck unit insignia intertwined with the Steelhooves family crest, which is two crossed hammers with horseshoes on the opposite ends of the hammer heads. The crest traced out from the tip of my hoof, where I'd be hitting, but then traced up along the gauntlet, making interlocking lines. It all looks like a Ghaylic carving, but in metal. After my dad finished them, he sent a letter to Princess Luna asking her to infuse the gauntlets with magic that would prevent rusting, wear, tear, and also help me pack a punch with them. She happily obliged and I used them the whole time I was in the Battalion. If I made my uniform sound like a close friend, then my gauntlets are actually part of me. We couldn't be closer.”

“Wow, that's so intimate Crimson.” Twilight said transfixed.

“Twilight, don't ruin the story just cause you'd rather have Crimson sleeping in your bed than in the couch.” Spike said grumpily.

Twilight turned Big-Mac-red and said something under her breath, while looking at the ground. I was amazed at Spike. When he misses his bed-time, he turns into a monster!

“Spike, say your sorry.”

“Why?”

“Do it or I end my story here.”

“Ok, ok. Twilight I'm sorry.”

“And?”

“I didn't meant it.”

“And?”

“You're the best big sister ever.”

Twilight grabbed him and gave him a hug that made his eyes and tongue comically bulge out.

“Good. Ok, where was I.”

“Abouttofightthebigbadwolf!” Twilight said in one breath energetically.

“Woah...:

“I love a good story! Come on, finish it!”

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Alright. So there I was in the hall warming up. Physically, I still felt a little cold, but I was limbered up which was good. I had a few precious minutes left, so I started getting mentally ready. I started thinking about fighting. The way it makes my heart race, the feel of dodging attacks, the way I feel when I win the fight. I was riled up. I started to think about the fight conditions. First off, it would be colder than it was now, so I needed to use my inner fire. Inner fire is a technique that my Colt Maga master taught me, and it helps me raise my body temperature, my pulse,etc at any given time. It's usually for emergencies only, but I needed it to function then in the cold.

I had just raised my body temperature, and felt my inner fire truly spreading throughout my body as White Fang called both fighters to the ring. I walked out of the hall briskly, not wanting to spend any more time in the cold than I had too. Apparently, my lack of snow-gear shocked some wolves and one ambassador who chose that time to faint, but I didn't notice. The only thing I saw was Fenrir. He was walking to the center of the ring like me, but he wore a smug grimace on his lips.

When we came near each other he whispered to me 'I will show my father that we souldn't be serving weak ponies like you, after I beat you six feet under the snow.'

'Funny. I was gonna say the same thing.' I said annoyingly to him. His hackles raised and he growled at me.

White Fang cut off our banter when he directed us to follow the correct way to start the Ogiarpok. We each took an ice pole that had some of that blue fire on it and went around the ring, lighting equally spaced ice poles stuck in the ground. They blazed and gave the circle an eerie glow, their light reflecting off the snow like the heavenly-lights. We brought the lighting torches to White Fang who took the torches and told us to go to our sides. We departed one another with a glare and waited for the start.White Fang held the torches, opened his mouth, and dropped them in. He then blew a gout of fire into the sky and howled after it. The fight had begun.

In the beginning I underestimated Fenrir's speed. He was on me quicker than I could defend, so I just attacked back. He was incredibly fast, almost dodging my kicks and punches, while I luckily sustained minor cuts and scratches thanks to his swipes with his claws and bites with fangs he must have inherited from his father. After a long barrage by both of us, we separated and circled each other. I kept my eyes on him, but also checked on my injuries out of the corner my eye. Fenrir was foolish enough to look at his wounds directly, leaving me an opining. I took it and charged in at him with a zigzag approach. He spotted me, but it was too late. I was already up close and personal with him, returning the speed attack from earlier that caught me off guard. I manged to kick him in the chest, sending him backwards and making him fall on his stomach. I walked over to check if he was out, but he surprised me with a lunge to my legs. He got his maw around my right back leg. I bucked him off, but the surprise attack broke my rhythm. We both knew, were it not for my gauntlets, I wouldn't have a back right leg. I got angry, and even though I shouldn't have done it, I reached inside myself again for another burst of inner fire. My body temperature increased with my pulse, making me more flexible and alert in the cold arctic air. I created a plan right there to beat him. We were circling each other again when I feinted toward him. He reacted and started to come at me to defend by attacking, but I forced him into the offensive with my feint. He started to attack me with his swipes and bites, but I bobbed, weaves, and evaded all of his attacks. I left my left back leg a little open to see if he would see it. He did after a while, an must have thought nothing of it. He went straight after it. Before he could bite into my gauntlet like he did with my right back leg, I kicked his muzzle upwards away from the ground and my hind legs that I was standing upon.

His face was that of utter surprise as I punched it. Then before he could react I followed up with an uppercut, some hooks, a few more jabs, and some other mish-mash for good measure. Then he started to regain his composure. He was a resilient one. However, it was nothing a well placed buck couldn't solve. Before he could attack again, I turned around and bucked him square in the chest. He went flying as he did before, landing on his stomach with his legs sprawled. I took a few careful steps toward him, but then I realized I didn't need to. He was whispering something to the snow.

I held my breath as he rose his head and said 'I submit. I can no longer fight.' to the crisp and clear arctic air. My unit cheered and White Fang shouted 'We have a Champion! Now my son's Clan, Clan of the Star beast, will submit to the treaty. And as is custom, our Champion will receive the blessing of the tundra.

I wondered what he meant by that, but then I saw him look at me and breathe in deeply. He howled and ear-deafening howl straight into my face. My eyes snapped shut, but I opened them again when I felt something strange happening. When I looked around I found White Fang still in his howling position, but he was breathing the blue flame onto me. I started to panic, but the flame's calming magic soothed me. I soon stood within the raging inferno, letting the fire wash over my body, even breathing in the flames. Then in an instant it was over. I examined my body and found all my wounds were gone and I didn't feel cold anymore.

White Fang walked up to me and said hoarsely 'Let us celebrate in the great hall. We will have a feast!' he passed be me and picked up his battered son by the scruff of his neck. When they passed by me, I could see dejection in his eyes, but also something else. Something like respect. I turned to follow White Fang in, but my team tackled me in a large unit ponypile. They were all happy I had won the fight, but I was a little tired.

'Could we save it for after I get my clothes back on?' I asked.

'Cap'n, you know it ain't fun if you ain't naked!” Solitary Shadow said.

I facehoofed and my unit laughed, but we all went into the hall.
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“Ok so you beat the Fenrir guy and fixed the treaty?”Spike asked.

“Yep.”

“But what was that fire? Some sort of healing magic?” Twilight asked.

“Don't know. We could always call up Fenrir if we needed anything.”

“WHAT?” Spike and Twilight exclaimed.

I chuckled. “Let me finish the story.”
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White Fang had thrown us a huge party, and someone had managed to wake up the fainted ambassador, so the treaty could be established. He now laid in one of the sleds pleasantly drunk off of a beverage the Timber wolves called “Hearth's draft” because it kept you warm. My whole unit enjoyed a job-well done celebration and now we were packing up to leave. Before we could go, and Timber wolf came sprinting out of the makeshift village. I didn't recognize him until he stopped about ten feet away. It was Fenrir.

“Captain, may I have a talk?” he said politely. My team noticed and started to slowly take up offensive positions.

“Lieutenant!” I called in my military voice.

When I called it that voice, Solitary stopped his fooling around. “Yes sir?”

“I'll be back in a minute. Make sure everything is set to go. Remember, our ETA at the extraction point three hours from now. We need to leave as soon as I get back.” I told him as I walked over to Fenrir.

“Yes sir!” he replied as he got the unit working again.

Fenrir and I walked out of earshot from the unit.

“What is it, Timber Wolf?” I asked him.

He looked at me with an honest face. “I am truly sorry.” he apologized. He sounded like a changed pony, er wolf. Where was all the confidence and princely attitude he had not 2 hours ago?

“I was a fool when I said we shouldn't help one another. I just....I wanted to show my father I could do things on my own. I may have my own Clan, but I need to make my clan strong, and thus make myself strong. I thought if I rejected the treaty and did everything myself, I could become a better leader than my father. But you showed me I was wrong.”

I was skeptical of what he said, but from his face it was coming from the heart.

“I appreciate your apology Prince. I forgive you. Everypony wants to be strong, and they all have trouble finding their way. They always get there in the end though.. They aren't always strong physically or mentally, but there are as many types of strong as there are ponies.”

Fenrir gave me a genuine smile. “Thank you captain. I'd like to give you something. As a token of my devotion to the treaty, but also my friendship with you.”

That's when he pulled the claw necklace out from around his neck. He handed it over to me.

“That is a claw from an Ursa Major. The Ursa Major that I killed and granted me my clan.”

I looked at it shocked and disbelieving.

“This is an Ursa Major claw? But they're huge!”

“Yes, but not many know that when a great star beast dies, the cosmic magic that is infused within it leaves it's body, shrinking the creature and leaving a material that is much like the stars that fall to the tundra. I believe your people call them meteorites?”

“But you actually killed an Ursa Major?”

Fenrir gave a throaty laugh. “Yes, but it put up on hell of a fight. You know the magic my father used today? The howl and the fire?”

“Yeah he healed me with them.”

Fenrir chuckled again. “He did much more than that friend. But he can also use a much stronger magic than that. I can too. I slayed the creature that was terrorizing a clanless village by using one of the Timber wolves' strongest magics: cosmic magic. It's like what your princesses use to raise the sun and moon daily, but ours is less potent since it cannot be focused as well. However, I may have solved that problem.”

“So you know how to use a magic that is stronger than that of two immortal princesses?”

“I do not think I know how to completely use it yet, but I am learning to. I can focus the energy because after I killed the Ursa Major, it's energy left it, to come to me. I can already augment myself like I did in the fight.”

“What?”

“I made myself faster, like you wore your gauntlets of strength. I tried to do more, but I am still figuring it out.”

“Well, I'm glad you're on our side.”

Fenrir smiled and I noticed something.

“Know what? We were never properly introduced.”

I started. “Captain Crimson Moon Steelhooves of Unit Puck, 7th Unit of the Lunar Battalion.” I put out my hoof.

“Fenrir Fang, Song of Great Chieftain White Fang, Chief of Star Beast Clan.” he said as he took my hoof in his paw and shook.

I left knowing we'd be lifelong friends.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

“Crimson, you're soooo coooll.” Spike said whit a great big yawn.

“Thanks kid. I think you should hit the hay. I gotta job to get to tomorrow morning, so I should go to sleep too.”

“Wait!” Twilight said to me, clearly energized by the discovery of a new form of magic. She started barraging me with questions, until I reached out and gently grabbed her face, and put a hoof over her mouth and brought her face close to mine.

“Shhhssh. I can get Fenrir to come over here sometime and he can tell you all about the magic. But look over there.” I said as I pointed to Spike who laid curled up in a little dragon-ball on the couch. “Take him to bed. I have to go work at the Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow morning to.”

I let her go as realization came over her and she gave a meek smile. I noticed she hadn't moved away from me yet. She looked into my eyes and I looked back, knowing that we were going to share a kiss. I went in, but a tiny draconic voice stunted my efforts.

“hnnghsn....get a room..nnnhszzzzzz.” Spike snored in his sleep.

Twilight pulled away from me and picked up Spike with magic an started to ascend the stairs.

“Hey Twilight.”

She stopped and looked back at me, her face flushed red from almost being caught by a sleeping dragon.

“Goodnight.” I said.

She smiled and her embarrassment fled, leaving nothing but a genuine loving look.

“Goodnight Crimson.” she said as she ascended the rest of the stairs.

I moved the coffee table out of the way, careful not to knock anything over, and I pulled out the couch. I went around the room and blew out the candles and stood there with my eyes closed, as I had been trained from day one. When I opened them again, I could see clearly in the dark and I found the bed. I laid down to find sleep and dreams of showing a beautiful mare and energetic baby dragon the heavenly lights of the north.

Super-Shameless Plug

It's been a while folks. After the good feedback and just the lovely mushy feels I get while reading my own story, I realized it couldn't end here...well, for me at least. I'm not done with the Lunar Battalion, Puck Unit, or the power of Earth Pony magic just yet.

So an idea formed in my empty skull.

Maybe I could make a sequel.

If anyone's interested, here's a link to the aptly named Enlisted. It may or may not live up to expectations, as I'm still figuring out which way it will go. Nonetheless, it would make me really happy if any of you readers went out and gave it a look. If it's not your thing, don't read it. But if you guys just can't give up the Lunar Battalion just yet, this is the thing for you. I know, because I'm one of those people.

Thanks, kisses, ponies, hand grenades, and all other sorts of goodies.
-The_Last_Centurion