Displaced: the grey eyes of the force

The following months saw many new students at the temple John who had visited the other canterlot orphanages have more or less emptied them of force sensitive children and found several adults who were. The children who came in first were a boon in helping the new arrivals settle in and helping them start in their training of the first four were easily recognized as the leaders of the younglings, blitz among them the first to help out, the man noted. John who was impressed with them chose to take them on as his newest students, Applejack,pinkie pie, and Fluttershy having finished their basic training and trial were anointed as knight wardens as had Trixie been.

speaking of the once a braggart shown mare, she took to her mentor role well, no trace of the egotistical and self centered mare was to be found in the mare now. Trixie has taken over as the basic training mentor and was doing a damn fine job at it, the mare had truly shown her colors as a teacher.

As for Applejack, pinkie pie, and Fluttershy they too had taken up rolls at the temple as well juggling between learning new teachings and helping Trixie with the younglings.
Applejack had taken up physical training, helping the children by keeping them in physical shape. Pinkie had basically taken up the roll of temple psychiatrist, she friendly demeanor and approachable attitude made her well liked by the older children while her child like enthusiasm made the younger trusting of her.

John who was teaching advanced courses also kept records of the temples finances and stores. With the old treasury being remodeled and stores in the castle being expanded upon. Of course all the supplies were from his ship so the cost was just in fuel which he found was abundant in a nearby space cloud, the find being considered best news for fuel stores. John was content at this the treasury had a large sum of bits and stores were full. Johns trade deal with equestria was going fine though it did have several….hiccups along the way.

One such problem came from the senate of noble houses. It was at their chamber house that John stood, having been ‘summoned’, more like commanded, to show up before them over some bullshit contrivance. Well he was two weeks late for the summons, mainly because he shows up when he wants to not when commanded.

The guards out front were nervous upon his approach, but relaxed when he removed the helm and smiled.

“Evening guards ponies are they in?” John asked faintly hearing the snobs shouting through the door.

“Yes and they aren’t happy about being ignored sir.” The senior guard said with a sigh.

“Well fuck them I’m not some dumb animal that can be commanded, and I sure an hell don’t take commands from stuck up shit stains like them.” The man said pointing at the door.

“Well they are waiting and the more they wait the longer their rant is going to be sir.” The junior guard said , wincing form a particular shout from inside.

“The do realize I could vaporize this building if not by myself then by my ship right?” John asked looking to the guards.

“It wouldn’t work, the survivors would just force us guards to come after you even if it’s in direct conflict with the princesses orders. If not the dumber guards then their own house guards and mercenaries after you, all the while trying their best to make the rest of equestria hate you.” The senior guard said, getting a nod for his younger companion.

“Whatever lets just get this over with, oh and if you smell ozone take about twelve steps forward and don’t look back.” John said cautioning them.

After he entered the secretary at the front desk up to see who had entered upon seeing the grey lord she sighed and motion him forward.

“You took an awfully long time to get here.” She said grasping a quill in her magic and writing down his arrival while sitting through a pile of paperwork. “They have been ensensed by your actions and haven’t stopped in three days, this is the third time in two weeks.” She said giving the man a glare.

“Well if they’d learn to not treat a dangerous individual like he is a dog to be commanded I would have showed up to humor them. You would think they would be more cautious, my first thought after receiving their first ‘ summons’ was to level the building.” The man said adding air quotes on the summons part.

“All that would achieve is more problems for you and leaving me without a job.” The mare said with a sigh, almost as if she wished he would.

“You don’t like working here do you?” John asked the unicorn.

“No I’d rather leave, but my father says I’d never find a better place to work” she replied looking down.

“Come work for me I have several mines that send in reports. I need someone who can compile the numbers into baseline quantities and statistics rather than trying to culminate it all myself. Whatever they are paying you can’t be close to what I will.” John said enticing the mare.

“Really a secretary job, how do I know that is true?” She challenged. Looking towards the doors.

“How much do you make at this job?” John countered.

“Barely enough to feed myself and pay for my home here in the city.” She said grumbling explicatives under breath.

“How about two hundred and fifty bits an our room and board free just paying for then food.” He asked causing her to stare at him.

“Sold.” She said as she sat down staring off into space.

“Head home I’ll tell them of your resignation and an get the essential items you need like clothes and items packed once your done wait outside this building we will set it all and leave.” John said causing the mare to jolt into action.

When the mare left the man sat down in a chair and smiled, the smile faded quickly as the doors opened and a unicorn pony stallion walked in and spoke.

“They will see you now sir be advised they are not happy, at all.” The stallion said before turning around.

John followed the stallion for about a minute before stepping through the doors and into the chamber where all eyes focused on him.

“Finally the creature shows up.” A noble mare near the back said in a snarky tone getting a few laughs.

“Says the coward in the back who wouldn’t say it to my face.” John simply stated getting appalled looks from several.

“Silence creature, your betters are about to speak.” On near the front said smugly.

“I didn’t know my former master had clawed herself from beyond the grave to see me? All I see are a bunch of stuck up snobs in need of a proper ass whopping.” John said turning to the noble and glaring.

“Insolence! You will be quiet creature we determine if you leave here Ali….” another said before being silenced with a force choke.

“ no you lot don’t if anything I’ll determine if weather I slaughter the lot of you or you get to keep your pathetic lives.” John said lifting the noble up in from of the others, silence encompassing the room.

“My good sir please let him go,he is a fool.” One noble nearest to John spoke. Looking to the stallion he noted wasn’t dressed as gaudy as the rest with a moniker on.

“Hmm because you asked politely and I like your sense of style I’ll oblige your request.” John said releasing the near suffocated noble who fell in a heap on the floor choking and sputtering. “By the way what is your name? I can sense all the snobbery on you that I can in the rest.”

“My name is sir fancy pants, and it’s a pleasure to meet you at last lord mercer.” The stallion replied.

“And a pleasure to meet you as well, after this, come meet me I may have a business proposal for you.” John said shaking the stallions hand.

“Yes yes greeting out of the way let’s get down to business shall we, some of us don’t have forever.” An older stallion said as he called for silence.

“Yes to business.” John said returning to the center.

“Your sir are called here for several issues. One operating mining sites without approval, demolishing buildings and rebuilding without work permits and residing within equestria without citizenship or a work visa. How do you respond.” The old stallion asked after listing off the charges.

“First the mining was granted by the crown more specifically by the crowned sister your superiors, the second the buildings prior were mal maintenances due to this very courts greed I being a more generous that should disposed of the old buildings and built new ones that my workers maintain and repair. As for the last one I was personally welcomed to equestria by the regal sisters, princess Celestia and princess Luna. They gave me permission to do so, in their former home in the everfree mind you where only one other soul lives a zebra named zecora. I am for a lack of a better term in retirement.” John said watching the once smug nobles fuming.

“The most homered regents granted you permission to do as you have said where are the documents?” The court head asked.

John just simply pulled out the papers showed the royal sisters seal on them and opened them to read.

“They read and I quote ‘the holder of these documents is hereby permitted to operate within equestria as long as these operations do not endanger the ponies of equestria and are hereby permitted residence within equestrias borders. The holder is also permitted to rebuild and maintain buildings or demolish building if they are in dire need. As per the trade agreement between the equestrian royal sisters and the extra terrestrial known as John mercer’ , that is me, ‘signed princess Celestia Solaris and princess Luna nocturne.’ Here Sir fancy pants you can read it yourself.. John said handing the letters to the one decent noble.

Fancy took and read the letters and read and read, all the while scanning the documents with his magic. After about ten minutes fancy stopped and rolled each letter back up.

“Well sir fancy is he speaking the truth?” The old noble asked.

“Yes lord hammersmith they are real documents and they say exactly what he is saying.” Fancy said handing back the documents to the man.

“Well if that is it I do believe that concluded our necessity of this farce do you have anything to declare, mr mercer?” Hammersmith asked looking to the man neutrally.

“Yes the reason for my delay in coming here you seen beyond sir fancy pants and yourself I’ve seen very little reason to have acknowledged to summons especially when the summons reads as this ‘creature bring yourself before the benevolent masters of equestria immediately’ that is not something I’m going to respond to kindly next time. This is the first and only warning I’m giving to this council. I’m not some dumb animal nor am I beholden to you, if you want my cooperation then treat me with respect otherwise you will find me a very very dangerous enemy.” John said lifting his have to showing the electricity running up and down his hand and forearm.

“Yes apologetically the pony who wrote that will be dealt with immediately as for further issues I expect the lords and ladies if this council to respect the laws as well.” Hammersmith said glaring at the noble who John nearly choked to death earlier.

“Then by your leave lord hammersmith..have a wonderful day.” John said bowing to the stallion who stood and gave one, although not as deep, back. Afterwards he left to find fancy pants standing in the atrium waiting.

“That was an impressive show you put on.” The stallion said as he followed the man outside. “For a moment there I thought you would have killed several of them in there.”

“I would have.” John said shocking the stallion. “But they were smart enough to stop so they live. As for my deal let’s walk and talk I have to pick up my new assistant. On that note you may have to find a new front desk worker for this place the last one quit.”

The two walk for ten minutes before stopping outside an apartment complex right as the mare in question stepped out, shocked that her new employer was at her now former dwelling and the fact that she expected to be back long before the end of the hearing was done.

“Sorry sir I just finished with packing the essential stuff pictures and clothes as well as a few mementos. My bed and everything will be shipped to where ever I need it when tomorrow my former landlord agreed to that at least.” She said with drawing a quill and note book.

“We won’t wait that long I have a crew to move you in a minute.” John said as he signaled the team, one he had in waiting shortly after she left and he entered the chamber.

Confused by his words the two jumped as they saw a large ship arrive and several jumpsuited clones disembark walking into the building. One came over and relieved her of the carry bag. Looking to the man who merely smiled and waved her to follow.
The two finding it prudent followed the man into the ship where other clones awaited them.

“Welcome aboard my lord is there anything we can do for you?” One asked surprising the two.

“Yes I need a spare long range data pad brought here and an a spare com link as well my new assistant will also be needing someone to bring her up to speed on what her job details and teach her how to work her pad as well as operate the com link.” John said as two clones left and a third stepped forward and approached her.

“This is fascinating, old boy you really do keep rolling out the surprises.” Fancy said watching as the clones all roamed around doing their jobs.

“If you like this you should see the main ship the harbinger of fate. That is a sight to see.” John said as he spoke with another clone who was informing him they had stored all of the cargo.

“If so then I hope one day I may see this ship if it’s as magnificent as you say. “Fancy said as they watched the young mare was receiving her impromptu training for her equipment.

“Now miss just speak your whole name to the pad and your occupation and it will be linked to your station.” The clone mare said.

“Ok my name is silver quill and my station is assistant for lord John mercer.” The young mare had said as she held the device. It flashed a few times before lighting up with panels and lists, some had numbers, and notes already on it while several reports were highlighted on the pad.

“Ok so for how the pad works is you’ll get updates for projects and alerts from the various ships and sites we currently have your job is to read through them in less they are marked urgent, the easiest way to know which is which is the colors. Red is emergency, yellow is an alert but not as important, and green is minor issue or updates. There are two others they are purple and orange. They both are used for ground work, mostly expeditions purple means they need supplies that on doesn’t need his express notice but mentioning it was cleared is always smart. Orange means the expedition found something, this on will have a number system from 10 to 1, that being least important to most. Depending the number will determine when you should alert him to it.” The clone said watching the mare lookover the screen memorizing everything.

“Right now that you're equipped for the job let’s head on out as I have some discussions with my friend here on trade and imports.” John said as the two followed behind. Upon exiting the ship it took off leaving the two watching and the grey lord silently chuckling.

After the two got over their shock of seeing a ship take off the three headed off towards the market row, namely because John had things he was after and so that silver quill could get a few furnishings for her room back at the castle. While they walked John spoke with fancy about a trade deal lucrative to only him, which ame in the form of various tools and equipment john had planned to sell mostly involving things he had traded with the crown now he wanted to to be more available for the farmers of equestria.

Fancy who saw the advanced nature of Johns technology was willing to be the middle stallion for the transactions, mostly because the ponies he had planned to market them to were not in the city and were the poor farmer most vehemently taxed by his, in his eyes hated, fellow nobles. John who was content that fancy was more than willing to help, shook the stallions hand before the stallion branched off heading to do his own things. The rest of the day was spent shopping for various items, either for john or for silver, so with pockets slightly emptied and several new item being shipped to ponyville for pickup John called for his personal speeder ship and the two headed for the castle.