Author's Note

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Once again. If you have an OC or have a friend with an OC, and you or they want to see said character in D.E, Then please, message me the OC's BIO. That being: Their Gender, name, appearance, job, hobbies, favorite food ECT.

As much information related to that Character(S), that that i have enough info to work with when weaving that character into the story.

Enjoy! ^_^

Chapter 27 - Peculiar compounds...

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0930 Hours.

Castle of Friendship.

Twilight sat at her desk, spike had just returned with yet another cup of coffee. The lavender Alicorn had done just as she had promised the humans, and procured every item on the list that they requested. However.

"I Just don't know whats bugging me about this Spike" The princess said in a half groan. "Their list makes sense for the most part. Food. Clothes. Tarps. Medicines. Excetera. But then you reach items numbers Fifteen. Twenty four. and Thirty eight. And it gets odd...What purpose does Brass. Potassium nitrate And Sufferer have to them?

It just doesn't make any sense!" She exclaims to the ceiling.

Spike drags another chair over to the desk and looks at the list. "Well, What are their individual uses?" He questions.

"Brass is an alloy of copper and zink. But the humans have requested it in a ratio which makes it mechanically near frictionless."

"They could be planning on making machines? What about the rest of the items." Spike continues.

"Well. Potassium nitrate has a wide variety of industrial uses from making fertilizer for crops to-" Twilight froze for a moment before Spike noticed a book fly off a shelf at the far end of the room, and to Twilight's side. Looking between the book and the suspect items she discovers the key fact she was looking for. "-A-HAH!" She exclaims.

"What is it!" Spike asks.

Looking over to Spike, Twilight's smile is ear to ear. "I think I've found what those items are for! They humans are possibly making black powder!" She says triumphantly.

"Black powder?" Spike repeats. "Isn't that the thing that makes fireworks... Work?" Spike asks.

"Yes. It is spike!" Twilight says with a sigh. "At least we know that they're planning a fireworks display! And not something with sinister intent." Twilight said relieved.

"Do you really think that they'll try something under the Dirarchs noses?" Spike questioned with a slight tinge of worry in his voice.

"I don't think so... But with their worlds record on trusting relationships i'm sure that they'll at the very least want to protect themselves. So i wouldn't be too bothered by it if they did. After all they'd just be acting on their instinct to protect themselves and their friends. But i just don't like it when Ponie- People lie to me." Twilight replied.

"Are those the only suspicious items on the list?" Spike inquires.

"Yes. From what i can tell anyway. But theres another series of items on this list that are exciting to discover!" Twilight said giddily. Before Spike could question, she answered his unasked question. "The humans have requested a number of vitamins and medicines for pregnancy. I'm excited to say that we may have alot of baby humans running around soon!"

Before Spike could respond his joy. A voice responded from across the library. From the shadows, Luna emerged... Rather, Materialized would suit that better...

"I too am overjoyed for the prospect of the humans foaling. But that only increases the urgency of our working with the humans... You've seen the kind of destruction their willing to cause to keep their friends safe, Imagine what they would do to keep their young safe..." Luna said with a smile. A smile that caught Twilight and Spike completely off guard and caused them great confusion. Luna of course was smiling for the deep rooted kinship that the humans have weaved around themselves. Although none of them are related, they protect each other as if their blood relatives. Just like her subjects. 'That being said, it still troubles me that such a young species in comparison to our own have access to such destructive potential... Tia and I must come to a conclusion on the humans weapon rights... They are not going to like it, but for the safety of both they themselves and our subjects we may have to confiscate or limit the usage conditions of their weapons...'

"I've some to update you Princess sparkle, The human town is coming along on schedule, Enough buildings have been completed to offer them warm shelter form the elements, They have basic industrial capacity, and have prepared their farmland for the winter produce and coming spring. And the list, that you have yet to send, is the last agenda for the winter preparations. I understand that the humans requested more tools, clothing, food, medicinal supplies and yet more brass. As well as more coal. I must admit the sheer amount of brass that they've been requesting is starting to concern me somewhat..."

Twilight looked to the Lunar princess in an all knowing expression. "I know what you mean. I just think I've solved a great puzzle as to some of the stranger items the humans have requested. I think their planning on making fireworks. They've requested half of the recipe for black powder."

Luna's shock was noted by Twilight, and was starting to make her nervous. "Exactly how much have they requested of these ingredients so far?" Luna asked nervously.

Her worry's mounting, Twilight replied with the information from latest send outs she kept on her desk. "After adding it all up they've requested... One hundred kilos of sulfur. And three hundred kilos of Potassium nitrate." Looking back up from her paper, the princess of the night responded in kind by having her warehouse managers stock ledger -poof- into existence.

"The humans have had one hundred and twenty kilos of brass sent out to them thus far, and theres another request for a further eighty kilos." The Princesses looked at each other in concerned confusion. The sudden realization of the amassing small orders of the strange items sprinkled in amongst the various others being requested. "What would they need over half a tonne in black powder for? What are they planning?" The blue Alicorn questioned aloud.

It was then that Spike's attention was pulled away from a gold shimmer on the desk, Leaning forward so that he may reach the item in question, he picked up a small metallic tube that was closed off on the wider end. A neck narrowed the opposite end significantly. Turning the object around in his clawed hand, Wonder glimmering in his eyes, the drake turned and asked Twilight what the object was.

Twilight turned form her conversation with Luna once she noticed the princess's attention divert from their conversation and not return. After staring at the object her assistant held in his claws. Most of the pieces clicked into place. "No... They could, but that isn't what they meant is it?" Twilight mumbled to herself. Once again awarding her with Luna's attention.

"Twilight. Do you know what the humans are planning?" She inquired. After receiving no acknowledgement. Luna addressed Twilight by name two more times, each rising in tone before Spike left his seat. Twilight lets out a surprised yelp when spike nudges her.

Luna repeats her question and Twilight looks from Luna to the ground regaining her thoughtful expression. "I... Its just a hunch. But... The mass order of brass and black powder ingredients may be the humans... Attempting to rearm themselves with their peoples real ammunition..."

Luna looks taken aback before her expression changes to one of a far more serious nature. "Are you certain this could be a possibility? Not just an event of the slightest chance, but an actual method to this madness?" The Lunar princess questions. Already fearing that she knew the answer.

Giving a shallow nod Twilight continues as Luna closes her eyes in a mix of betrayal, frustration and sadness. She keeps her eyes closed as Twilight continues the explanation behind her conclusion.

"When the humans were protecting us from their possessed comrades during the battle for Ponyville. I heard quite a few of them wishing that they 'wished their makeshift rounds were as accurate as 'gunpowder' rounds'. Could this 'Gunpowder' be derived from a similar manufacturing process as black powder?" Twilight mused aloud.

"What else have they requested that seemed odd to you?" Luna asked with a tinge of regret.

"I've had a mass order of cotton... About two tonnes of it. As well as three orders for twenty liters of Glycerol over the past three days... These wouldn't have seemed odd had they not gone in with the sulfur orders, but theres also bulk orders of Olive oil, Vegetable oil, Coconut oil, and Lanolin... At first i though it was for cooking or scenting soaps, but then i saw the lanolin, thats such an odd thing to ask for..." Twilight said in a confused, frustrated tone.

"Lanolin?" Both Luna and Spike questioned in unison. Causing Twilight to cease her mental tailspin.

"Its a type of wax that sheep produce to keep their wool in good condition." Twilight explained. Earning nods from the two opposite her.

"There is little chance for coincidence, the humans are up to something. And all these odd and exotic ingredients are adding to that suspicion, but its just that, suspicion. It would be most unwise to act upon a perceived threat... Especially is our only reward for that reaction would be an angry mob of confused and scared humans... Especially a well armed mob of angry confused and scared humans... But if they are in the process of cooking up something of concern in our midst we simply cant allow them to glide under our noses and complete their objective..." Luna though aloud.

It was then that a third voice joined the group from the shadows in the library. A familiar and exotic accent not native to Equestria clung to each word. "Well then its in my opinion that the humans cant Possibly be trusted, and also in 'my' opinion the humans should be observed without the guard intervening, as this may cause 'trouble'."

Everyone in the room turned to see the distinct form of a human walking form the shadows with his arms crossed.

"Care to have to common decency not to talk behind me back?" Johnna questioned through a glare.