John Sampson's Story

When should we hit the bank? Late at night would mean fewer ponies but more magic. In the day would be sooner and less chance they had already hidden files but there would be major resistance. In the end it turned out to be decided for us. It would take until after midnight to get enough Guardponies without completely gutting the Castle and nearly that long to round up the right Unicorns. So we go in at zero three hundred.

The strategizing was done. Everything was in motion. So we are having a late dinner in the tower. AJ is has been on a non-stop boil since leaving the Ponyville bank.

I tried reason, “AJ, slow down or you will burn yourself out before you get to hit one of them.”

Didn’t work. She’s mad.

I tried again, “You know they have my money too?”

She is not going to slow down until she sees them squirm.

“AJ, as a Guard officer, as your stallion, and as your friend, if you don’t start acting like you have good sense I am going to lock you in the castle until this is over.

That got her attention, “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would much rather have a pissed AJ than a dead AJ.”

I grabbed Twilight, “Twilight, help me distract AJ. We’ve got seven hours to wait and at the rate she’s going, she’ll blow a gasket before then.”

We got AJ sat down in the main room but she was too fidgety for much grooming.

Time for plan B, “Twilight, is there anything that happened today that you have any questions about?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. I want to know what Smoky was talking about.”

Great choice Twilight, “Which part of it? He covered a broad range in a few words.”

“Start with you being an Earth pony.”

This is one that confuses me sometimes, “Think carefully. Do I have a horn? Nope. So I’m not a Unicorn. Do I have wings? Nope. So I can’t be a Pegasus. What’s left?”

“But you have strong magic.”

“And AJ doesn’t?”

After three false starts I had sympathy on Twilight, “What you are experiencing is the unconscious Unicorn bias. You grew up as a Unicorn in a Unicorn family among Unicorns. Unicorns are the ponies that have magic because you can’t do magic without a horn.”

“Pegasi have magic in their wings. They couldn’t fly without it.”

“Twilight, I have flown in machines larger than most buildings in Equestria. It’s a very common thing on Terra. So I know better than anypony just how much Pegasi depend on magic. But you know what really amazes me? It’s the way they can hold and manipulate things with their feathers.”

“That’s just another aspect of the magic in their wings.”

“Yes it is. But have you ever wondered what might be possible if they worked as hard as a Unicorn to train that aspect of their magic? We know that the feathers are contributing no physical strength at all so there must be some projection of magic going on.”

“I’ve never seen anything about that in my studies.”

“That’s because wings are for flying and nothing else need be known. But back to me and AJ. We don’t have wings or horns so we can’t do magic. Now go ask your brother how he feels about that. He’s a high level Unicorn and he can’t beat my magic.”

“Yes but you’re different, John.”

“And so is AJ? Because you told me that the Elements are highest level magic. Irregardless, I don’t have a horn or wings but I can change bodies at will. Can you do that?”

“You are still different.”

“Okay. A Unicorn can communicate with my mind if they touch me. Fred can do it long distance. Where’s Fred’s horn? I know, Fred is different too.”

“But what does all of this have to do with Smoky anyway?”

“You have to do Alicorn level magic to be Royal. You have to start as Unicorn to get to Alicorn. So only Unicorns can be Royal. I’m not minimizing how hard you studied to get there. I’m just wondering where a Pegasus or Earth Pony could go with that level of study.”

“Pegasi have flight schools and Earth ponies study engineering.”

“And there it stops. At least Pegasi can look at you and say ‘she’s half Pegasus’. How many engineers get invited to magic school?”

“Why would an engineer want to go to magic school?”

“Yeah, that’s as silly as a Unicorn going to engineering school.”

“You’re making fun of me!”

“No, just some of the ideas you’ve been taught. Think hard on this, my Oath was to be the best possible pony that I could be. Without a horn or wings I could only be one kind of pony. So I’m the best possible Earth pony. That’s how the magic of Equestria works and you know it. If I had asked for a horn, I could have got it but I didn’t know to ask so I’m a default Earth pony. Can you find a fault with that logic?”

Twilight had to think for while, “I don’t see anything wrong as far as it goes but why can’t you be some new kind of pony?”

“Who was compelled to use Earth pony magic like the heartbond almost immediately? That’s what Smoky was saying. The other Earth ponies feel it. Even the Pegusi recognize it. I feel like an Earth pony to them but I have no trouble competing with a Unicorn. Then I start covering Alicorns. That gives every Earth pony and Pegasus in Equestria hope. If they try hard enough, maybe they could do it too.”

“But that’s always been true.”

“I’m not the one you have to convince.”

AJ was snoring lightly so we slip off to the kitchen for some tea. Both of us can draw on magic resources so while rest would be nice, it isn’t necessary. We talked about the Royal Herd and where the future might find us for quite a while. Then it is zero two hundred. We woke AJ and poured some tea into her. I got dressed in my work uniform and small sword. And we head out to Celestia’s office for the final assembly.

I lined Twilight, Swift, AJ and Spike up, “You will stay together and watch out for each other unless called for a specific purpose. I will be with you and we will all be with Celestia. The combat teams are experienced working with their teammates and strangers will just endanger them. I may get called for a breaching and Twilight may get called for magic but most likely we will go in after the building is secure and safed. AJ and Spike, do what Swift says without argument. She knows the military drill and will keep you out of trouble. Twilight, you are in charge of transportation. Let’s go find Celestia.

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Steel were waiting just inside the main gate. The first squad is flying out as we arrive. They are all Batponies from Luna’s Guard and will take positions in the shadows where they can watch doors and intersections all around the building. Their job is to keep civilians out and enemy in.

The second squad is an Engineers group of Earth ponies with Unicorn and Pegasus overwatch. Their job is to get the doors open as quickly as possible. When the Batponies are set Cadance and Luna will teleport them to the doors.

The third squad is Recon. When a door opens Celestia will teleport them to right in front of it and they will go through the building as fast as possible. As soon as they have cleared the building the Expert Unicorns will start checking and releasing evidence for transport to the Castle.

There are shields to prevent teleports in and out of the building and we don’t want to disable them. We will have to guard the building and contents until some resolution is reached.

Shining, Steel, and I have Princesses to protect and will stay with that unless something goes sideways.

Squad two just vanished. There is now an active assault in progress. In an amazingly short time Squad three follows them. Then we’re all in the street half a block from the building. The squads all report clear. It was too damned easy.

I cautioned, “Everypony watch themselves carefully. Stick to the buddy system. This is too easy.”

Steel called me over to a door between the offices. It opened onto stairs leading down. The basement is possibly bigger than the building.

Steel said, “The horn says there’s something going on down here but I can’t find it.”

I looked through every room and found nothing but old boxes of old paper and furniture that should have been thrown out. But I agree with Steel. Something is missing. Then I realize what it is, a whole quadrant of the basement isn't accessible.

I bring Twilight down, “There’s something behind this wall. I can’t find a door anywhere so there must magic hiding it or a magic method of entry. Find it.

After twenty minutes Twilight said, “I can’t see a hole anywhere. I agree with you not because I see anything but because I don’t. If there was rock or dirt there I’d know it. I see blank.”

Shining had joined us. I said, “Everypony out but Shining. I’m going to make a hole and we have no idea what’s in there. Shining get ready to catch it if it’s bad.”

I took a deep breath and concentrated. This time I went way down and brought up something big. I set myself and anchored with my hands against the wall. I pushed. I felt a little bit of give to the right so I moved there and push again. Somepony pushed back.

“Steel!” And he came sailing down the stairs. “I’m getting active resistance. Somepony is fighting back. That means they know we are here and don’t like it. Expect trouble.”

“Yes, sir:” And he was gone.

I wait a few seconds then move farther right which put me near a wall. I push again but this time I add my speed. I change directions at random and my foe has to adapt. I realize there are several of them because they don’t all react at the same speed. Suddenly I twist and put my feet against the side wall and push sideways like I want to slide the wall. It works. Some blocks move and I've opened a gap. I get my hands in the gap and pulled the blocks out. To the tune of much shaking and a bright flash the wall gives and opens up. I stop and stand back.

Shining is wide eyed, “I’m glad you told me to have a shield up.” He is staring at two very large stone blocks that have come out of the wall aimed right at his chest.

“Come over here and make a light.” He did and what I saw changed my view of Equestria and Blueblood.