John Sampson's Story

I am standing on the familiar white floor. Celestia is with me and we are admiring my memories all neatly lined up on the horizon.

“You’re right, John. This new system is better. Now can you show me what happened?”

I select for order by time, latest first and there are several that I don’t want to look at for some reason then the bank. I start with leaving Steel’s office and play it through until I lose consciousness.

“It was a nest of demons. Every damned one of them was demon. I pushed eighteen into the sun before you arrived and toasted the last four.”

“That wasn’t me, John. We’re having this conversation so we can find out who it was. What exactly were you thinking?”

“The instant I realized what they were, I sent Civil out of there. They must have realized that I had identified them because they all charged me. I started grabbing them and tossing them into the sun from behind a shield but I figured out that they were sucking energy right out of me faster than I could get rid of them. I modified the teleport spell to keep it open continuously so I could shove them into it faster and be done with them. It was working but I had lost too much before I tried that. I could see that I wasn’t going to last long enough to get the last of them and I wished help would come. That’s when the sun came down the teleport and fried them. I didn’t know if it was going to fry me or not but I didn’t care. I welcomed the sun because it fried them for certain. I was hoping you had enough control to spare me.”

“John, that wasn’t me. Whatever happened in there, it was all you. I felt a disturbance in the sun and came as fast as I could but when I got there you were laying there alone in the bottom of a smoking crater. I had to lift you out because it was so hot that nopony could get near the hole.

“Celestia, there are sure to be more of them. I realize now what the tendril was trailing behind Blueblood when we fed him into the sun. He was in communication with the nest so they knew what I was there for. They’ve had generations to infiltrate and take over herds. We’ve got to have a way to detect them. I recognized them when I grasped them in my magic. They feel slimy and cold. Until then all I knew was that they hated me.”

“Twilight is working on a way to detect them remotely. Steel, Civil, AJ, and Swift are tracing all of the Blueblood herd holdings. Luna and I are watching them carefully. If they turn up another nest we are going to blast first and ask questions later. You have a lot of healing to do. Just save your strength for that. We will all visit you when we can.”

She is gone but I feel better. No matter what else, I have eradicated that nest and gone a long way to making Equestria safe.

“Finally! Doesn’t anypony in this place ever talk to patients? They give me fruit juice every once and a while but I need protein. Give me broth or meat.”

Twilight is with me on my favorite white floor.

“What are you talking about, John? Celestia was here this morning. You’re right about getting fruit juice. They tell me you need it to keep up your energy but you are getting it nearly continuously. They want me to ask you why you need so much.”

“Twilight, from my point of view Celestia was here last week. I was in high speed mode when I lost consciousness and I guess I must still be. Let me see what I can do about it.”

I told my speed and strength to return to normal and suddenly felt better.

“Twilight, I think that was it. I feel better now.”

“Good. Alicorns have spectacular healing so you should get better quickly. I’ll tell them about the broth and be right back.”

We are in Luna’s kitchen drinking tea and talking.

“How art thou feeling today, Friend John?”

Luna seems concerned for some reason. Then I realize, no shadows.

“Weak, my Darling Luna, weak. How long have I been asleep?”

“Two days, Friend John. They have asked me to check on thou. Thou needs to awaken and take nourishment. They told me to tell thou ‘broth awaits’.”

“Let’s try it.”

It’s dark but I can feel something touching my mouth. I bite and I’m rewarded with the taste of meat. This is good stuff, closer to pureed meat than soup.

Luna joins me on my white floor.

“I be instructed to tell thou that thou will get more later but they wish to start slowly lest thy stomach become upset.”

“Has anypony explained to them that I am an Alicorn with extremely high energy usage. I eat five normal portions per meal. They can stick a tube down my throat and pump it in if they want.”

“They will be advised, My Stallion.”

“And Luna, tell them to give me room. Do not tie me to the bed or put rails around me. I have an option other ponies don’t. If I can get up enough strength, I will change bodies then I can edit or reload this one to fix it.”

“That would be most wonderful, Friend John. I will warn them of this also. But be thou most careful. Thy injury be as much to thy magic as body.”

They did give me a bunch more meat and fruit. That helped a lot. Maybe I can even talk them into some tea.

Eat, sleep, repeat. I feel the strength slowly returning to my body. I still can’t see or hear but I can twitch in places. My image list is complete and I can see no damage so if I can make a switch,I should be cured. I choose my inner pony and step into him.

“AHHHHH!”

I switch back as fast as I can. The pain is incredible but I made a noise and I heard it. There are many good possibilities here.

Luna has just arrived on my white floor.

“Friend John, what has happened? The nurse said thou screamed.”

“I switched to my inner pony and the switch was successful but the pain is unbelievable so I switched back.

“It be evident that something has happened. Thy bandages be much disturbed.”

“Luna, get the alleged doctor in here and tell him to remove all of the bandages.”

Luna disappears for several minutes while I fume quietly.

“Friend John, the doctor says thy wounds must remain bound to prevent loss of thy blood.”

“Luna, please tell the educated idiot that less than one second after someone tells me there are no bandages, there will be no wounds.”

Luna is gone for a while this time.

“Thy body is clear, Friend John.”

I switch to inner pony and suddenly life is wonderful.

“Hello world! Damned it’s good to be back.”

“I be very happy for thou, My Wonderful Stallion.”

I look seriously at the doctor, “Stand by. I’m going to try to go back to Alicorn. My internal image looks undamaged but changing an injured body is new territory for me.”

I switch to A-Pony and wham! Everything is back but I can hardly hold my head up.

“Bring me food! Now! The pain is gone, everything works, but I’m not sure I have enough strength left over to stand.”

Two big bowls of fruit went buy in a few minutes.

“Bring me eggs, fish, chicken, oatmeal, potatoes, carrots!”

I am told that there was a party in the kitchen when my order came in. They knew I was back. Of course, the inevitable followed. All that food wanted back out. I’m still shaky but gliding pony can carry most of my weight so I made it. The nurses are mad at me but that just makes us even. They won’t tell me how long I was out of it. Swift, AJ, and Civil walk in and life is better. I’m buried in cheek rubs and hugs.

“One of you can tell me, how long have I been locked up in here?”

Swift answers, “Several weeks.”

“How many several?”

Swift is gentle, “About five. You kept getting excited and fighting with things we can’t see.”

“I couldn’t see them either, Darling. I just felt them and knew it was them or all of us.”

AJ smiles at me, “The farm fillies are doing well other than Big Mac has trouble walking when they’re around.”

“Tell Big Mac he has my blessing and encouragement to steal as many of them as he thinks he can stand.”

AJ likes that idea, “Two of them have been teasing him mercilessly. This could be fun to watch.”

Civil is looking serious, “You knew, didn’t you?”

“Yes. About one second after I picked the two up, I recognized the feeling. When I sent you out, they knew I knew and the battle was on.”

She’s clouding up, “You almost gave your life to save mine, didn’t you?”

“Nope, I sent you to get help to save my life. The sun thing was unexpected.”

AJ says, “Steel wants to talk to you when you’re up to it.”

“And I want to talk to him. I want to know what was in the bottom of that hole.”

Swift answers, “I know that one. The rest of the nest. When the sun fire bored through the building it probably killed thirty more.”

“Have you guys found any more nests?”

Swift says, “No but a bunch of noble leaders have vanished. Steel thinks they have left Equestria to build their numbers back up before they can try again.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Celestia spoke of hunting them down once before. Now they’ve got two extra heavy duty Alicorns after them. Coming back would be an uphill battle.”

We visit a while then I have to go to the toilet again. This time I walk without magic assistance. I start walking the halls to build my endurance. Passing an open door to a courtyard, I decide that some sun would do me good. Walking out, I look up to feel joy and comfort, and strength flooding my body. I just stand there loving it.

“Your Majesty! You shouldn’t be out here.”

I whirl, “Wrong. This is where I should have been all along. Tell the doctor I am checking out.”

It doesn’t take long at all. I don’t just feel good, I look better than ever. I look like a sun god in his prime. Celestia has some explaining to do.

She is waiting for me in her kitchen. Apparently somepony from the hospital alerted her.

She can’t meet my eyes.

“You knew. Me lying there dying for a month and you knew. Give me a reason.”

“John, do you know how many ponies have raised the sun over the years? Hundreds, maybe even thousands. You know how I got the job? They all died.”

“You are not making sense, Celestia. It was walking out in the sun that gave me my strength back. And you have told me yourself that I would help you with the job.”

“It burned them out, John. It gave them more than they could stand. I wanted to build you up to peak strength before I exposed you to the power of the sun.”

“So you feared that in my weakened state I would be unable to control the energy and burn up?”

She nodded.

“Celestia, the sun and I made our peace when the demons were mobbing me. I said it could have my life as long as it killed all the demons and I was comfortably watching demons burn when I passed out. I’ll bet good money that it was the hot ruble that cooked me.”

“I think you got really lucky, John. Just walking into a nest of demons like that and surviving is amazing.”

“I had help. That’s when the sun came, when I wished for help. I thought it was you but now I understand. If I had asked for help sooner, I wouldn’t have a scratch on me.”

“Spend some time catching up, John. Get used to your new status. We’ll get your clock started one day soon. And be sure to see Luna. She was frantic until you talked to her.”

“Can you confirm for me that there was more nest under the bank?”

“There was. I guess your first impression of their basement was better than we knew.”

“It also explains why the sun kept going through the building after the four I saw were toast. Now just explain to me how the sun knew they were down there.”

I want to see Steel next. There are a lot of loose ends dangling.

“Whoa! John, I love the new look. Did you get the whole package?”

“And then some. The sun and I have made a deal. Now all you have to do is find me some demons. Do we have a count on the outstanding?”

“Yes and no. We have a list of missing and we have a shorter list of seen after the bank battle and now missing. There was a lot of overdone meat in the bank basement and no way to guess how much of it might have formerly been one of the missing. At least twenty six are on the run.”

“I don’t think they’re on the run. Steel, he brought guns to the challenge. They don’t understand guns so theirs didn’t work but sooner or later they will figure out a way. He would have won that challenge if they had known one more little thing.”

“John, you’re scaring me.”

“Good. Because demons with guns loose in Equestria is the absolute worst case scenario.”

“You know about guns. What’s the defense?”

“Shoot first.”

“That’s it? Kill them first?”

“Equestria is millennia from being able to produce materials that will stop bullets and weigh less than the pony wearing them. The good news is that they are trying to copy my guns. Equestria is nearly that far from being able to produce the metals and precision needed to make them work. We need to thoroughly investigate all the high level metalsmiths. They have figured out by now that they need more than what they have and that’s where they’ll get it.”

“Can you give me anything specific?”

“The tube has to be perfectly sized from end to end and perfectly straight. Think of it like a survey. How big an error does it take to miss a pony sized target when you extend a half yard long line out to a hundred yards? And they need a lot more velocity. That means more pressure. Their tubes will have to get much thicker. You will probably find some injuries or deaths from exploding tubes when they experiment.”

“Those sound like a good start. There won’t be many ponies capable of that kind of work and the injuries should be different from anything else.”

“How are my new recruit/mares doing?”

“Mostly about average but you got one that’s going to be stellar, if she survives.”

“Good, How about Swift? I intended to be helping her with her promotion but life happened.”

“She’s using your old office and has turned some of the apartment into another office. She has two Unicorn helpers and they are scary efficient. She may have my job next year.”

“I’ve been trying to think of a good way to promote her in the Guard to match her Herd status.”

“Just tell my clerk and it will be done.”

“You’re her Commanding Officer. Doesn’t it have to go through you?”

“John, you’re my Commanding Officer. You can promote her just like Celestia did.”

“Steel, I didn’t grow up in Equestria so I bump into nuances that other ponies take for granted. I value our friendship enough to make damned sure I don’t bump into any of yours. So keep humoring me when I ask silly questions. It’s a kindness I appreciate.”

“I’ll take care of it. That way nopony can claim you’re favoring your own mare. Shall we say, Major?”

“Just what I was thinking. I might even talk one of those Unicorns into something.”

My next stop is Luna. She’s sitting in her main room just staring at the wall.

“I guess your spies aren’t as good as Celestia’s. She . . .”

I am hit by a large high velocity Alicorn.

“Darling John! Thou hast come through thy ordeal stronger than ever.”

“I’ve learned some things, My Darling Luna. I think I have come into my full powers now. I have more help than I imagined and I have love. What more could a stallion ask for?”

Luna is showing me the answer.

“Luna, Darling, I’m shocked. Here I am, an invalid barely minutes out of my hospital bed, and you want to drain my strength.”

Luna giggles, “That be not exactly my desire. I be very happy to see thou hale and hearty. We must find a time to celebrate soon.”

I agree, “Yes, we must. Perhaps some cloudy morning right after sun raising. We could spend a day dancing across Equestria.”

Luna says dreamily, “It would be a sight long overdue.”

“And coming closer every day. . .

“Luna, I wish you would join our pile occasionally. You need the connection and we all want you to be happy. The times can be worked out. When I relieve you and Celestia more often and foals come into the picture, it will be necessary. Why not get started now?”

“Friend John, thou knows that I can't neglect my nightly duties.”

“And nopony would ask you to. I have come to you during the day. Others could come with me or alone. I could tend your moon for a night to give you rest. Mostly you need to be less isolated.”

“I be forced to admit that I be never so rested as in thy embrace. Perhaps thy might bring a few Friends on thy days with me.”

“I believe I will do that, Friend Luna. And now I have a question. Do you know a way to find demons without having to touch them? Could your moon feel their presence?”

“I know of no way, Friend John, but I have never asked my moon. I will do so this very night. Perhaps Twilight might be more knowledgeable.”

“I will have to ask her soon. There is one other question that you might help me with. How many ponies have helped Celestia raise the sun?”

“None, Friend John. Many raised it before Celestia but they all died young. Thou art the first she has considered able to try. I fear its power. I be both proud and afraid seeing thou hast undertaken to harness it.”

“I thank you for your love and concern. You have given me much to think about. Good day, Friend Luna.”

It’s a short stroll down the hall to Twilight’s tower. I guess I’m going to go back to calling it that now that I have become an inhabitant of the entire Castle. Twilight is in the second floor library with a large stack of books I’ve never seen before.

“Hello Twilight.”

“Joh. . . . John, what have you done?”

“I’m happy to see you too, Twilight. What I’ve done is battle something close to fifty demons and live to tell about it. There is a price to pay, though.”

“I can see there have been some changes. How did this happen?”

“I gave my life to the sun in return for protecting Equestria from the demons. They were overwhelming me and I had no chance of killing all of them so I asked for help and got it. This seems to my reward for embracing the sun.”

“Then why did the sun burn you?”

“The sun didn’t. I was standing in the sunfire watching it burn the demons off of me with no discomfort. But I passed out while it was boring through the building into the nest below. I lost my shield against the hot rubble. All I had to do to get my full health back and then some was to walk out into the sunlight.”

“How is Celestia taking it?”

“I’m afraid I scared her earlier. When I stepped out into the sun and went from barely able to walk to this in an instant, I was pissed. Why didn’t somepony just wheel me out to the courtyard a month ago? I confronted Celestia and she admitted knowing at least from when I explained how I asked the sun for help. She explained her fears to me and I accept them as valid. But I haven’t forgiven her for not letting me make the decision. We are going to spend tonight working that out whether she wants to or not.”

“John, sometimes you scare me when you talk about Celestia like that.”

“Twilight, remember that I was made to order. Celestia summoned a stallion to be her helper and mate. Since when is the stallion weaker than his mares? Expect fireworks. They’re certainly long overdue.”

“Please try not to wreck Canterlot.”

“I won’t. Wreck Canterlot, that is. Meanwhile, how can I find some demons to burn?”

“I haven’t worked that out yet. The best idea so far is a requirement for regular hugs by known clean ponies but they’ll just hide from that.”

“Well, I have one clue for you. The sun knows. I didn’t know there was more nest below the basement until the sun went after them. I just said ‘kill them all’. I’m going to work on that myself but there is something that signals their presence.”

“That is useful information. That means that they show through solid rock and great distances. That limits the choices.”

“Good. You want to take a break and have some fun? I’m going to see Swift next and tell her she got promoted.”

“Oh hell yes. She has earned it. When you put her, Civil, and Rich together you made something wonderful. Those three could wind up running Equestria.”

Luckily, all three were in when we got to my old office. Or was it luck? They seemed to already know I was out of the hospital and making my rounds.

“Hello my Wonderful Swift. And Civil. And Rich. I’ve been hearing stories about you three. Steel thinks you’re out for his job and he has some paperwork for you. I just wanted to check in and get some of my old stuff out of the way.

Swift says, “We’re making pretty good progress on finding all of Blueblood’s old bank accounts despite some asshole blowing the main bank to pieces. We’ve got a long list of all the properties. You know by now that all the mares you decided to keep are doing well or better. The only problem we haven’t solved is how to find demons.”

“Have you done anything with the leftovers of the bank building?”

“Not yet. We have a contamination problem so it’s roped off and waiting.”

“Okay. Expand the barriers as far as you can. Block streets as long as you don’t block anypony’s access. Get a heavy demolition crew in place and tell me when you’re ready. I’ll take care the decontamination personally.”

“John, there’s been no opposition. All of the Nobles that we expected opposition from have vanished. They’re all on Steel’s demon list. If you need money there’s millions sitting around waiting for a purpose. It’s like demons hoard the dragon way.”

I have been sorting out some clothes and personal effects and stowing them in my ‘pocket’ while we talked. When I get to my old Major’s brassards I take them out and pass them to Swift.

“Here, keep these. Show them to Steel when he brings the paperwork."

“John, don’t you dare play games with me.”

“Why would I dare to do that. Everywhere I go I hear stories of the invincible team. I would never want to get one of them mad at me.”

“John, say it or I’m going to . . . .”

“Congratulations Major Swift Trail. Remember to act surprised when the official notice arrives. I’ll try to make your party but I have a very serious Celestia problem to tackle.”

Twilight giggling through the entire performance was something of a give away but we are all happy and that’s what matters.

I have one more item on the agenda, “Rich, if you were to ask Steel, he could sign you up and I could sponsor you through Officer’s School. Under the circumstances you could get credit for field experience right here and take classes part time. You'll have to pass the tests but I know where to find some really good tutors. We’ll need somepony to take Swift’s job when she takes Steel’s.”