Chapter 1: An Arrangement of Aerial Atrocities
View Online
Contributions to The Quill
Chapter 1: An Arrangement of Aerial Atrocities
My ear flicks as my rooster I have in my room starts to coo. I scrunch my muzzle and try to close my eyes tighter as Alarm Clock start to get louder, rolling onto my side I take my pillow and try to cover my head with it. Frowning in annoyance as I can still hear him quite well. I jerk a little as somepony knocks on my door and I hear Sombra's voice.
"Can you please get up and shut up your chicken Aqua? I just got back from the 7-11 and I want to sleep." He says through the door. I sympathize with the poor guy. Working at 7-11 must be a bitch. I let out a soft groan as I pull my head from under my pillow and try to get my covers off of me. My hoof gets caught at a weird angle and I give a quick gasp as I fall out of my bed, landing on the rough stone floors as I hit my head against the night stand, knocking the luckily unlit lantern off and onto my head with a nice thud. "Aqua? Are you alright in there?" Sombra asks, a concerned tone in his voice.
"Y-yeah! Ow... I'm fine. Sorry about Alarm Clock keeping you awake. And he's a rooster, not a chicken." I respond, rubbing my head in pain as I try to unravel myself from my blankets. "It's alright. It happens. and they both look the same.' He said, getting a little defensive. I am not going to argue with him because I do respect him. "Yeah, I guess they kinda do" I responded. "Give me a few minutes and i'll let him out. Just need to get dressed and get some coffee." I said as I stood up, throwing my disgruntled blankets back onto the bed and going to my dresser. "Alright, thanks Aqua." Sombra replied. I could hear his hooves tapping away on the well carved stone floors.
I opened my dresser and took out the only thing actually inside it. An old brown leather New Lunar Republic aviator's jacket. The equestrian flag on the left sleeve and NLR printed on the back with the NLR symbol under it. A nice and soft cotton lining on the inside along with a inside pocket that I have 2 magically regenerating magazines of .45 ACP ammunition. I open a drawer on my nightstand and take out a holster that goes around your torso as a put the jacket on the bed. I take my firearm from the holster. A custom, Griffin made 1911 pistol chambered in Pony .45 ACP, Zebra 45mm Magnum, or Griffin .67 Striker. Also from the drawer I take out a necklace that has a strange black gem on it. The gem corresponds with the firearm so I can use it like a unicorn would be able to. The gun it's self was matte black with sanded wooden pads on the side of the grip and magically glowing night sights that glow a soft blue.
I shook my head a little bit to clear my mind as I returned the gun to it's holster and put the holster on. I then grabbed the necklace and put that on and lastly I put my jacket on. The gun holstered on the right side and the pocket with the ammo on the left. I trot over to the cage that is the house to my pet rooster. Alarm Clock. I open the cage and he walks out of the cage, giving me an annoyed peck on my right fore-leg. "Hey, cool it A/C unit." I said. I just jokenly call him that sometimes and I then pause as I realize I just made a pun. I shake my head, "I really need some coffee..." I commented to myself as I walked to the window that looks out into the courtyard. I opened it for Alarm Clock to go outside then walked to the door, unlocking it then walking into the hall way. I slept in a room on the outer wall of the castle. An old storage room that was once used to house ammo for cannons incase of attack.
I trotted along the hall way, glancing out the cannon ports into the Everfree Forest as I went past them. I went down the staircase and trotted across the draw bridge that expanded over the large cavern being carved under Castle La Quille. Preparing the accessories to make it be able to fly. I stop as I see Silver Quill talking to Corneeta. A black and grey Griffin athlete from the Equestrian Games. I trotted up to my boss and tapped him on the shoulder, whispering in his ear. "Quill, I need to talk to you." Silver stopped his conversation with the good looking athlete and glanced at me then back at Corneeta.
"Please excuse me for a sec sweetheart." He said to her. He then turned and trotted a few feet away with me at his side. "What is it?" He asked, looking down at me a little. "I went over those blueprints you got from the Cloudsdale vault.." I said slightly nervously. "It would take a lot of clouds to get Castle La Quille airborne Silver. It is... Quite heavy. The reason Cloudsdale is able to fly is because it is made entirely out of cloud and rainbow. Both of which are very light material." I said. He puts a talon to his chin, looking down in thought and thinking about the news I just gave him. "Any alternatives?" He asks, looking at me. I give him a smile. "I always come with good news my friend. Cloud alone won't keep it airborne but I was looking for alternatives. And I do have a plan." I said, the smile growing.
"Well.. What is it?" He asks, seeming cautious of my excitement because other pony's excitement usually end in pain for him. Sometimes with me as well. "We can get Magically Powered Thrusters. Well, make them. I already have designs in mind and on paper. We can have 4 of these thrusters on each corner of Castle La Quille with a sort of Magical reactor under the center of the Castle. They all run on this magic and they never need to be refueled. I can have my Pegasus teams cover the area with clouds so it still looks like it only floats on clouds." He thinks about this, looking at me then at his fortress. "Sounds sweet. How expensive will that be?" He asks, looking down at me once more. I give him a shrug. "I am not sure yet. Not done with the designs. The most expensive part is probably going to be getting all the right workers.. The reactor it's self is probably going to need... 30 strong unicorns to use their magic on it to get it powered and that might result in magical burnout for a few days which would probably require a bonus on how much i'd be paying them. That or a alicorn... I have enough engineers on stand by to be able to make the reactor and thrusters. Powering it is the hard part..." I trail off a little, thinking as I face away from Silver. "Don't you have a sister that works at Celestia's school for gifted foals?" My ears perk and I glance up at the castle.
I lean back in my seat on the train on my way to Cantorlot, straightening my reading glasses as I look over my prototype blue prints. The designs for the magic thrusters are honestly more like Generators. Using magic to make a thrust, The same design of thruster were used on a Galactic Exploration Craft a few years ago. But technology has advanced since then. My basic plan is to have a Magical Reactor, much like a Nuclear reactor but with out the Nuclear Waste and threat of Nuclear Annihilation. The Crystal Heart is like a Magical Reactor. It's used to power a powerful shield spell to keep the cold out of the Crystal Empire. My MR is going to be used to power 4 large rockets to keep a literal fortress in the air. The Reactor is going to cycle the Magic between the 4 rockets. Deciding the level of thrust at a decided altitude limit. If one dips to low then more energy is cycled to that engine. If it goes above then less energy is cycled to it.
I was working on my blueprints by the time the train rolled to a stop at Cantorlot Central station. I put put my stuff in a suit case and got up, holding the suit case in my mouth I head off the train, taking flight and taking a direct flight to Celestia's school. Land with a soft clop of my hooves as I land on the cobblestone path up to the castle. A School Guard standing at the front of the school. I trot up the door, looking at the guard. "Hey bud." I said, he looks at me. Looking me up and down.
"You are Obsidian's brother, right?" He asked, the stallion was a dark gun metal grey with a black muzzle and a brown mane. He had a deep voice and a strong stature. "Indeed I am. How do you know me?" I asked, first smiling then with a small frown. "You are wanted by the Royal Guard." He stated. "Something about trespassing on royal territory?" He asked. My ears lower a little as I was on Royal Territory for... Certain reasons. I carefully start to slip a Platinum bit into his pocket. "Well.. Maybe I am... But you wouldn't tell the Guard that i'm here to see my sister now would you?" I give him my best smile, his eyebrow lifting a little then he sighs. "Yeah alright.. Make it quick." He mutters. I smile and go into the School, trotting to my Sister's room, I glance in at her walking around the room while her students do magical experiments. I knock on the door and she plus a few students look over. I smile at her and her eyes widen a little then she rolls them. Walking over to the door and opening it.
"What do you want Aqua?" She asks, whispering briskly to me. I return with a small smile. "You seem unhappy to see me. I am here to ask for a favor. Mind letting me in?" I ask, tilting my head a little. She nods to me and walks in, sitting at her desk and looking at me. I walk in after her and close the door behind me, Walking over to her. "So what kind of favor do you need Aqua?" She asks, talking quietly. "I would like 30 powerful unicorns. It... May involve Magical Burnout for a few days." I say as calmly as I can. Obsidian is actually my step-sister. She is a black unicorn that has some dark purple in her mane. Her eyes widen and her jaw drops a little. "30 unicorns with the possibility of Magical Burnout? What the hell are you doing now Aqua..?" I give a soft chuckle then she looks over at one of her students. "Yes?"
"Ms. Velveteen.. Who is that? I do not believe i've seen him around here before.. And nor have my friends." Says one of her fillies. "He is my brother. Class, this is Aqua. Aqua, as you already know, this is my class." Obsidian responds, she then looks over back at me and whispers. "Why do you need these unicorns?" She asks. "I need them to power a magical reactor. That is all I can tell you." I said. She looks at me. "I could do it with one Alicorn. But that is impossible" I said, waving it off. "Why so? I could... Try and get you in a seating with Princess Cadence. She does say that life is boring often. Maybe she'll be free." She says, I smile at her. "That would be amazing." I kiss her on the cheek. "Contact me later." I turn around and trot away, leaving the school and flying back to the train station. I head to the ticket booth and get a ticket for the Crystal Empire. Getting on the train when it arrives.
Chapter 2: An Accomplishment of Aerial Atrocities
View Online
Contributions to The Quill
Chapter 2: An Accomplishment of Aerial Atrocities
The world around me shook violently, as if a large quake cast a tremor through Equus. A blinding light flaring before my eyes as I hear a million voices of strong stallions around me crying out in anguish. I felt my hooves lift from the ground and joined in the screams of my bretheren. The light died down and my eyesight returned to a vast grey wasteland, accompanied by stallions of the Lunar Republic. I heard one cry out in fear,
"Where are we!?" that question was soon answered as I turned my eyes to the sky and saw Equus floating in space. An utter escaped my lips that quieted everyone around me and in turn the entire battalion.
"We're on the moon.."
I awoke to a tap on my shoulder, jumping a bit from the initial contact and I looked towards my assaulter. Which luckily was just the Conductor, he looked down at me with a mix of concern and annoyance.
"Sir, we've reached your stop. Also you were... Talking in your sleep. Something about.. Being trapped on the moon?" He looked me in my eyes and I gave him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry Mr. Conductor!" I reached up and patted his head with my hoof, which caused him to back up a bit in surprise. I rose from my seat and nommed down upon my Suitcase's handle. I give the confused stallion a muffled 'Farewell!' and exited from the train. I show the Messenger pony at the train station my I.D since I am from a different empire. I then turn my attention to the depressingly long path that leads to the actual empire it's self since the train station is like, 2 miles out of town. But haha! F*ck you I have wings, which I spread and promptly take off. I head the way the pegasus flies and right in the direction of the Crystal Castle. My suitcase's handle is starting to get uncomfortably slobbery.
I think I nodded off at some point in my flight since I don't remember some of it but as I looked down I could see I was above the city potion of the Crystal Empire, as I looked back up I could see a building. Wow, that's a really big building! Oh wait... THUD I flutter backwards, little Alarm Clocks flying around my head as my suitcase fell from my mouth and I slowly drifted to the ground. The thought comes to my head, 'Wait, Roosters can't fly..' just as my hooves made contact with the ground. I stumble my butt into a wall which causes me to sit down. I grab my head in a fruitless attempt to stop the spinning as a crystal pony trots into the alley way.
"Oh my gosh, are you alright sir? I saw you fly into the building and I think you dented the wall!" The mare seems concerned for me and trots over, I shake my head a bit to clear it and look at her, feeling my tender forehead. Pulling my hoof away I see some red liquid on it, cool! That's my blood! That's not supposed to be outside of my body.
"Oh, oh please ma'am i'm much more concerned by the fact I think I dented my skull." It's clear she's unsure if that was a joke or not. I then point at my hopefully noticeable wound. "Can you get me some Gauze or something?" Her head quickly bobs up and down and she spins around, trotting away. I pull my suitcase over as I wait for her return and open it, checking inside. Luckily, everything looks fine. I close the suitcase back up and lean my head back, now having a RAGING headache. I hear the hoof steps of the mare before she comes into my sight, next to her is a levitating piece of Gauze. I lift my wing and take it, rubbing up some blood on my forehead and firmly planting the Gauze on my wound. I stand up and grab my suitcase with my other wing. "What direction is the Crystal Castle?"
"Oh, right that way sir. It'll be.. Hard to miss." She nods softly and a hesitant smile and points me left out of the alley way. Hard to miss was the truth since I crashed right next to main street. It was a straight shot down to the castle and I didn't plan on hanging around staring. I started my way down the side walk, unable to fly due to my wing holding the Gauze but I still made good time. This is the tough part, convincing the Crystal Guards to let me through. Alright.. I have one more Platinum Bit but there are two guards, maybe I could do something for them--and they both moved their spears away? I looked at them both in obvious confusion.
"Really, you two are just going to let me in?" The two guards looked at each other and one looked at me as the other turned to his stoic position.
"Professor Velveteen sent a letter via dragon. We were expecting you even if not pleased that you were coming." He then turned back forward, I'm not too keen on.. You know... Starting a fight or anything. So I left it and trotted through, entering the castle. Rubbing the Gauze against my wound a bit I threw it in the trash and started walking towards the throne room, pulling a tie out of a jacket pocket and loosely putting it on just in time to reach the door. I put the suitcase down and flattened my hair back a bit with my wings then picked up the suitcase with my wing once more, pushing on through the door.
Trotting into the Throne Room I looked around, the rug leading up to the throne was lined with guards, a guard spaced 5 metres apart up to Cadence sitting on the Throne with Shining Armor sitting next to her on her right and Sun Burst with Flurry Heart on her left. Wow, totally no pressure at all. I started to walk along the path, constantly looking over my shoulder in case this wasn't all for me. I stopped when I reached the Throne, looking up at Cadence. She looked down at me and I quickly bowed.
"Your majest--" I started, before she quickly cut me off.
"Oh don't start." She said, verbally waving it off even though she didn't even lift a hoof. My ears perked and I looked up.
"Uh.. Beg my pardon?" I tried to hide the confusion in my voice, I think I failed.
"Ms. Velveteen told me exactly why you came. You want magic power for some sort of Magical Reactor, right?"
"Uh... Yeah, that's right."
"Is it something for Silver?" I gave no response. "Why would I help Silver with his antics? He already broke in and invaded my privacy once..."
"And look what you got in turn!" I motioned my hooves to Flurry Heart with a smile that probably says 'Please don't arrest me.' I at least got a chuckle out out the foal, her horn surging a bit. Cadence herself groaned in annoyance.
"What would I get helping Silver other than more troublesome antics? A magical burnout?" That did make me pause for a thought... I mean Silver does abuse one of Cadence's Royal Guards, Invaded on sexy time with them, among other things, probably. My eyes then drifted over to the giggly filly with the horn arching bolts of magical power, and idea spurring in my head.
"Flurry Heart looks like she needs to release some magical energy. Why don't you... Let her fill the magical generator? You don't have to do it yourself and you don't need to worry about Flurry Heart blowing up your castle!" Cadence pondered this, looking over to Shinning, who agreed not having the castle blown up would be a plus, then over to Sun Burst. He seemed on board with it, mainly because he doesn't like being electrocuted.
"Fine. Where do we go?" A smile grows on my face.
Later that same week i'm sitting outside of Silver's masterpiece. I glance back into the sky as Cadence comes down in a flying carriage with Sun Burst and Flurry Heart. Silver Quill himself was sitting next to me and he turned his head my way, a hard hat sitting on his.
"How did you convince Cadence to fill up the Reactor?" I gave him a smooth smile.
"I am very charismatic." He just chuckled a small bit, not saying a thing I point Cadence and her accomplices to one of my workers, who leads the way into the large caverns beneath the castle. "You ever actually expect to see this Fortress fly?"
"Of course I did. I'm just happy today is finally the day I get to see it happen." I nod in agreement. Alarm Clock walks over to my and lays down in front of me, I start to pet the rooster. Silver and I sit silently, admiring all the work we've put into the castle already. 10 minutes later Cadence, Sun Burst, Flurry, and all of my underground crew exit the caverns. They all don sunglasses, I am the last to put a pair on. I mutter softly to my self.
"T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Lift off." The entire ground shakes, the entire Everfree seeming to awake. Cracks on the ground start to form as the Castle la Quille starts to lift from the ground, magical blue flame bursts from venting tunnels that were dug under ground as all the engines apply magical thrust. The castle starts to lift out of the ground and go airborne, hovering 50 metres above the ground. The entirety of my pegasus crew starts to crowd in and cover everything below the castle with cloud to give the illusion it's floating on only that. All the ponies gathered around, even myself, start to clap. Joyed that our months of work just entered a new stage or progression. As I learned when I originally returned from the Crystal Empire my Mechanic Crew already created each of the thrusters due to their down-time and not being the ones digging. Energized and ready to work they built the Magical Generator in the 2 days before Cadence and Flurry were set to arrive. I lifted a wing to my mouth an yawned.
"Well Silver.." I said as I rose up, putting Alarm Clock on my back, "I'm tired as hell. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He nodded, still in slightly shocked awe of the flying fortress. I spread my wings and took off, flying up to the castle to get some what I think is well deserved sleep.
