Celestia Pov

For the past day Nova had started to talk again, and she would occasionally engage in conversation, but she seemed different, she had a very short temper, especially with anypony she doesn't know, she almost ripped a noble's arm off when said noble called her a bitch, and she seems much more distant and spacey sometimes, she also refuses to say a word about her past or why she is so short tempered all of a sudden, the reasons are obvious but I can't understand why she refuses help.

Equestria has declared war on Griffins, due to their attack on the lab last week, this I've accelerated Nova's combat testing and training, she has proven herself VERY lethal with Shotguns, machine guns, and long range weapons, almost deadly enough to be scary, as most targets I've thrown at her are shot within seconds, all with deadly accuracy.

I've sent Nova to the canterlot shopping plaza with 200 bits to buy weapons, I hope I don't regret sending her alone.
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Nova Pov

I was sent to downtown Canterlot to buy guns for myself, I didn't usually like shopping but in a gunstore it was amazing.
I rounded a corner and passed through an alleyway to get to one of the stores Celestia said may be worthwhile to check, as I walked in the alley I felt something grip my butt.

"I don't know who you are, but if you don't let go you'll regret it" I said threateningly

"Ooh you're gonna be fun to..'WUMP' " he said as I punched him into a wall, he got up with a bloodied face, and booked it down the alley to the main road.

I found the store, it was out of the way and looked like an antique shop mixed with a thrift store, and I did see some guns inside the window, so i walked in.

"Vel allo dere, velcom to our schtore, vat caan 've do forr u" the mare behind the counter said in a thick russian accent.

"I took notice of your selection of guns, I need some arms to suit my needs" I said back to her as I walked to the counter.

"Mai assistant mees scherry blozzom vill help u vit dat, ven u arr ready to check out I will rrink u ahp" the mare said with a smile.

"I am miss Cherry Blossom, I will help you should you have questions," a scrawny tan mare with blonde hair said as she pointed me in the direction of the weapon rack on the back wall. After about 20 minutes of looking undecided on a rifle that looked like the volk from CODIW, except the electronics glowed green and were covered in strange writing, it also had a universal data cord that I could use to program it and it's scope. I also picked a pair of pp-2000s with a magical holographic sight integrated into each, and a simple 8 gauge pump action shotgun. The pies de resitance was a Huge shoulder fired 30 mm anti material sniper, it was a bullpup with a giant top mounted magazine, side mounted scope with some kind of magic based ballistics computer, and a heavy recoil compensated barrel with a huge muzzle brake, it was obviously designed to be fired prone with a bipod but being 7 foot tall had its benefits.

I brought my bounty to the counter and paid about 150 bits for the whole lot, I also took a buisiness card. I made my way back to the castle via 1920's esque taxi and walked inside where I saw Celestia in all her 8 foot glory, giving me a weird glare.

"You didn't kill anyone did you?" she asked staring a hole through me

"No, but I beat the shit outta one that grabbed my butt" I said with some pride that I had a physical reason for beating up somepony.

"Well it's better than unprovoked attacks on random ponies, so congrats you earned some more of my trust" she said probably surprised that I hadn't come back covered in the innards of somepony, especially when the nobles treated me like shit most of the time. "So I see you've done some shopping, how much did you spend?"

" a hundred fifty bits for the whole lot" I said happy that I didn't have to settle with overpriced canterlot shit.

"Well why don't you go put your stuff up and go to my room, I have a couple of questions to ask you so I don't risk too many more lives for dumb reasons," she said letting me in.

"Ok ill be there in a couple minutes" I said nonchalantly as I picked up my guns with magic and walked off. 3 minutes later I knocked on Celestia's door.

"Come in" she said in an almost musical tone. I walked in to see Celestia looking over a cake sitting on a traytable by the bed.
"Ok Nova, before I get deeper into the question just remember that this may sound weird, so please no punching."

"Ok, no punching you if I don't like what I hear, got it" I replied in a confused tone

"Ok, ummm, do you like mares or stallions? Now don't get mad yet but I'm asking because several stallions sent me a letter asking to date you, so I wanted to know whether I should turn them down or not," she said in a hesitant tone

"Since I was a straight guy before this clusterfuck happened, and i haven't really changed my mind, I'd say mares, but that doesn't mean I want to be in a relationship, I'm still trying to wrangle my anger toward that little purple shitsucking bitch.. Don't mean to swear but...yeahh" I fumed a bit at the end.

"I understand completely, I know you are feeling uhh well, to be honest way more than angry at everything, and I'm not trying to get you into a relationship, I am just trying to prevent having to clean up entrails from a bachelor trying to court you, blood stains are hard to clean, and my maids would probably quit if they had to deal with that." she said in a weird joking tone.

"Good, uhh now I'm going to go shoot stuff, seeya" I said as I got up to leave.

"You're not going to stay for cake?" Celestia said as I was about to open the door.

"If this is an excuse to get me to talk about my mental state again, then no" I said still preparing to leave.

"No, I'm just offering you some cake, most ponies would die at an opportunity to share cake with me" she said in an almost pleading tone. I sat down next to her and she cut me a piece, then promptly cut herself about a quarter of the cake for herself, I took a bite of the honestly waaay too rich came.

"Dang, they would literally die at the opportunity, from diabetes and heart failure, how the fuck do you eat so much of this?"
I said as I fiinished the first bite.

"It's my little secret, I'm not telling you until you tell me why you won't accept mental help all of a sudden," she smirked at this

"Its because I don't Want to think about the past! It's too fucking hard to stay sane otherwise! I don't want to be questioned about it! Don't you get it?" I finished my cake and got up to leave "thanks for the cake" I said as I walked out.
***
Celestia Pov

I watched Nova walk out angrily, I guess she was right, she was so against help because she was still grieving, and she is confused by everything, and on top of that she is treated like shit because the nobles are jealous, so she has trust issues,Oh my. I feel bad for pushing her, I need to give her something to do to get out her violent tendencies, she knows enough to receive an assignment, combat and flight wise, although her magic is still a bit lacking, I will need to see to that.

"Oh, maid! I forgot to give this to Nova could you please give it to her for me" I asked the maid who brought the cake, I handed her a manilla folder with Nova's first official assignment.

"Right away princess" she said quickly before leaving the room.
***
Nova Pov

I was loading the magazine of my weird AK thing which I found out enchanted the bullets as it fired, I heard a quick and barely audible knock at the door.

"What is it?" I asked the someone behind the doorI

"The princess forgot to give you a folder of stuff, so she sent me to deliver it" She was probably a maid, so I opened the door with magic and she stepped in, clutching a yellow folder. "Here you go, pleasedonthurtme" she cowered a bit as I took the folder, the label said 'Alicorn mission plan 1' in red ink on it.

"Thanks, by the way I try not to hurt ponies who don't bug me, you don't have to fear me" I said as I looked over one of the pieces of parchment in the folder.

"Okbye" the maid said as she zipped off, apparently I'd earned the reputation of having the shortest temper in canterlot, let them be scared, just means fewer pun obsessed idiots to deal with,(they make it a point to turn everything into a horse pun).

I read the assignment, apparently once I was properly trained, armed, and armored, I would be posted with the royal guard to protect the canterlot airbase, because it was a huge target for the griffins, and possibly changelings, well... At least it's simple enough.

Author's Note

This chapter had to be completely rewritten after it didn't save, but I like how I wrote it this time a little better, so that's a plus.