Chapter 15:
Consequences

I sat alone on the roof, backpack next to me with ammo boxes open as I diligently filled my emptied magazines back up with ammo. Precious little of the assault rifle’s ammo remained, but a few rounds sat in the box leaving me with only my current magazines.

From here on out my role would be better suited at a distance where none could challenge me.

Below me, the ponies of Manehattan were going about their day, though the atmosphere was much tenser than when I’d been here before. The happenings of the last few days had shocked the entire country, perhaps even the world, as newspapers printed bold headlines in an attempt to catch the eye of ponies and increase sales.

“I was told I could find you here.”

I turned ever so slightly as princess Celestia took a seat at the edge with me, placing my rifle to the side and stashing away the filled up magazines. “It’s a good place to think,” I replied, turning my gaze back to the pegasi that were working the clouds in the distance.

“You know you couldn’t have saved him, right?” the Princess tried comforting. The batpony corporal hadn’t even made it close to help when he bled out from internal bleeding in the chariot.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” I gruffly replied, silence falling between the two of us for a bit before another topic came to my mind. “What’s the situation in Trottingham?”

“Unknown. The guards we sent over to regain control faced the same weapons you warned us of,” Celestia replied, her face remaining passive as no emotion on the matter was betrayed.

“Casualties?” I pressed, sensing that the impassive mask was to hide her true feeling on the matter.

“Too many.”

That told me all I needed to know about what had happened. “Shouldn’t you be in Canterlot managing the situation then?”

“My healing magic is unmatched. I sent my stallions into a situation which I knew would be perilous and they paid the price for me not heeding your warning seriously enough. I owed them to give my full attention to relieve their wounds and it’s not like my sister and our captains are not capable while I spend my time here.” Celestia looked out over the city with a haunted look. “I’ve never seen this kind of serious damage done against my guards and their protection by an ordinary foe.”

“Starting to understand why I didn’t want you to get a hold of my weapons in case you wanted to study them?” I inquired.

“Yes… And I fear that’s a request I will have to make of you regardless now.”

“And what if I refuse again?”

“I need to protect my ponies, specialist Grey, and I will point at the oath you took to my sister,” she stated, looking me straight in the eyes.

“The only reason I felt even remotely comfortable taking that oath was because I don't see your nation ever even interacting with mine. And once you’ve gained those weapons, Pandora’s Box has opened, no closing it again,” I replied.

“This defeat will make us look weak, creatures fear and respect me but that’ll help us only so much. If the guard cannot hold back a group of griffin rebels then what’s going to stop the Saddle-Arabians from eating away at our southern borders? The dragons from landing on our eastern shores? What about the yaks in the north?”

“The cost you’ll pay in blood for these weapons will be extreme. Maybe not tomorrow, or in my lifetime, but the debt will come due.”

“If what the griffins have made is an indication then we’re already on that path,” The princess pushed on.

I shook my head and sighed. “There's something else. Let's say I helped you build more advanced weapons, what would you do with them?”

The Princess looked at me strangely. “I'd take back Trottingham of course?”

“And Griffinstone?”

“It's part of the realm so yes,” she confirmed for me. “I fail to see why you ask this, I don't think you aren't able to deduce that would be my goal.”

“The griffins have been suffering, Princess. Gilda showed a place she called the pits, explained to me what they were used for,” I told her. Celestia immediately got a look of revulsion on her face.

“I shut that barbaric place down over half a century ago, did they start them up again?”

“Maybe from your perspective they are barbaric, from theirs they were a tool. A tool to do things like settle grudges,” I pointed out to her. “And no, the griffins though discontent with the status quo honoured their agreement… well, until now probably.”

“I see. Though I still do not understand why they would need them to settle grudges among other things, talking things over is far more efficient.”

“From your perspective as a prey animal maybe, griffins are predators. You may not see it their way since your way of thinking is fundamentally different to theirs. When you're a hunter, traits like aggression are much more common than when you're on the opposite end.”

The Princess remained silent as she mulled over that proposition. Behind us a flight of pegasi dragging a chariot landed on the roof's landing pad, doctors immediately carried a wounded pony on a stretcher into the hospital below.

“They never came to me directly to complain,” she finally spoke up. “I do remember overhearing the consul in Canterlot bothering the nobles...”

“I don't know about what agreement they signed, but they might have felt honourbound to not complain. It's just one example I know of but I'm guessing that it's not the only change you made in Griffinstone,” I provided, the Princess nodded.

“You're asking me if I will enforce the status quo if you help us build weapons,” she stated, going back to the initial point.

“Yes ma'am,” I replied. “Because I promise you that if you do it's only a matter of time before they get their claws on any design you make and turn it against you. I will have no part in that.”

“I… have some things to think on. Thank you specialist Grey, I'll make sure transport is arranged for you while I work out how to proceed.” Celestia stood back up, turning to leave.

“And my weapons?”

“I’ll have the guard ready your 'rifle' and other gear that is in Canterlot so you can pick it up when you’re done with your business in the capital. We'll resume that discussion after I have confided with my sister.” Celestia took a step back towards the entrance down into the hospital but paused. “I should also inform you Rainbow Dash was looking for you too.”

“Thanks.” I didn't really want to see the pegasus right now but it was probably unavoidable if Celestia had managed it too. The Princess disappeared into the hospital while I stashed my remaining bullets back into a bag. I considered jumping off the roof and gliding down to the ground to avoid the pegasus but decided against it as I didn't know if I could reliably do that without splattering.

“Hey Jack! I've been looking everywhere for you!” Rainbow called out as she finally found me on the roof.

“I heard,” was my curt reply, not even turning to look at her.

“Oh come on, still mad? I was the fastest flier there, it made sense for me to get you!” She exclaimed, I only replied with a huff. “Hey it's not like I was trying to get caught!”

I shot her a withering glare, standing up to make for the door inside. “Follow me.”

Rainbow grumbled as she followed me through the stairways of the hospital down towards the basement. The further we went down the more confused Rainbow became.

“Hey, what are you doing down here?” one of the staff called out as I barged into the morgue, he immediately tried blocking my path. Quickly rummaging through my saddlebag, I pushed the scroll sealed by the two princesses that was supposed to be my 'get out of jail free' card in Griffinstone into his forelegs and went on with what I was doing. I knew the exact freezer I’d needed to open as I’d been down here earlier in the day as well.

Rainbow tried to avert her eyes from the tables with tarps that covered up deceased ponies as I slid out another one out of the freezers in the wall and gently pulled the cloth covering him. “Jack, can’t we talk somewhere else?” Rainbow said, looking away from me as I uncovered the dead pony.

“No,” I simply replied, stepping out of the way so she would be able to see the pony too. “Look at him.”

“Jack-”

“I SAID LOOK AT HIM!” The shout echoed through the room, the staff member that was looking on from a distance looked like she wanted to bolt but didn’t as he didn’t want to leave us alone here either. Rainbow finally looked up at the motionless pony, his eyes closed as his chest didn’t rise and fall. I hadn’t pulled back the cloth far enough to expose the hole in his torso, I didn’t need to to make my point. “This is corporal Comet Mist, he was part of the scout force observing Griffinstone that was captured. He has a girlfriend up in Canterlot, wanted to propose to her sometime soon from what I heard from his comrades in arms. A good pony that just wanted to help keep his country safe.”

Rainbow looked ready to throw up as she stared at the dead pony.

“I can assure you that he was not trying to get caught, not trying to get killed, yet he’s dead now anyway.” I locked eyes with her. “And now I’ve been trying to think of ways how to talk to that poor mare who has no idea her lover has passed, or how to approach his parents. I could of course just leave that to the Night guard to do but they’d most likely send someone who wasn’t there since the others are still in this hospital.”

“Jack I-”

“What if you were struck Rainbow? Would I be the one having to tell the girls? Would I have to go to your parents to explain why their daughter had died?” Rainbow’s hind legs collapsed, putting her on her flanks as I covered the Corporal with the cloth again and pushed him back into the freezer.

“I’m heading off to Canterlot now, don’t follow me. I’ll see you in Ponyville.” Leaving Rainbow to stare blankly at the wall, I passed the staffer who was still clutching the opened scroll and headed up to the main entrance and left the hospital for the train station.

I was positive that I’d never forget the wail from the batpony’s mother as I handed her the folded up equestrian flag. If I’d been in a more clear state of mind I’d have made the connection to the very similar human tradition. The corporal’s marefriend, too, had broken down, I was very glad at that moment Luna had sent a pony along to either location for support.

After having talked at length to all three of them I had left the capital again and gotten the train to Ponyville as the sun was going down. I was still wearing the dress suit the guard had given me for the occasion, my gear sitting on the bench across from me. I’d wanted to take a nap on the way back but couldn’t manage to shut my eyes.

At least they didn’t blame me for what happened…

The train slowly came to a stop at Ponyville train station, only a few ponies getting off with me before the large train drove off again to it’s next destination further to the south. No-one was at the station to get me so I made my way through the dark streets towards the library. It’s windows still showed lights being on as I arrived and knocked on the door.

“Yes?” Twilight asked as she opened the door. “Oh.”

“Am I still welcome here?” I asked, looking past her to see Rainbow sitting at the library’s central table. She nodded and got out of the way, Rainbow averted her eyes from me as I stepped in.

“I should be going.” Was the only thing she said as she squeezed between Twilight and myself before flying off into the night.

“She told me what happened,” Twilight informed me as we both looked at where she’d disappeared to.

“All of it?”

“All of it. From how she followed you to Grifinstone to the Manehattan hospital.”

I sighed and stepped deeper into the library, placing my gear to the side. “And?”

“Well, you got through to her pretty well.” Twilight levitated a set of cups over to the two of us along with a tea pot. “Tea?”

“Yes please.” Twilight poured the two cups and took a seat across from me. “You disapprove of what I did.” I could see Twilight’s opinion from the way she carried herself.

“Rainbow Dash is one of my best friends, Jack. You hurt her pretty badly… though I agree she needed to understand that she can’t just go everywhere she wants, I would like to think there’s a better way you could have done it.”

“Maybe,” I said, taking a sip from my cup of tea. “But how long would that have taken?” Twilight didn’t answer that question. “She needed to see what could happen, Twilight, before something truly went wrong.” I finished my cup of tea and placed it to the side. “I’m very tired Twilight, mind if I go to bed?”

“No, go ahead. I should get to bed as well.” Twilight sighed. We didn't exchange any more words as I dragged my stuff up to the guest room and simply fell onto the bed.

Three taps came from the window.

Rainbow was flying in front of the glass, she looked like a mess. Dragging myself off the bed I went over to the window and opened it. “Come in.” Dash stepped in as I let myself fall back onto the bed. “Close the window behind you, it's cold outside.”

She did as I said before turning and waiting at the foot of the bed. “Jack, I…”

“Do you understand why I said what I did?” I asked her, sitting against the headboard of the bed.

“I-I think so. You wanted to make sure I was safe, even if that meant you'd be in more danger,” she answered with a hoarse voice.

“Exactly. You very well might have been the fastest way to get out of there, but you'd have to put yourself in the line of fire to do so.” I showed her the stray line from the musket ball that had grazed my right leg. “If the musket ball had moved a fraction more to the side I wouldn't be walking at all right now. It only takes a single lucky shot, Rainbow. Just one and it can all be over.”

Dash still wouldn't look me in the eyes, tears falling on the wooden floor.

“Rainbow, please come up here.” Dash hesitantly stepped onto the mattress with me, the moment she was in reach I pulled her close. “I want you to swear to me that you'll listen to me next time I order you to do something like that.”

“I-I will.”

“Thank you.” I sighed, Rainbow finally looking up at me. Before I could move or say anything else, Dash had shot up and planted a kiss on the tip of my beak. I froze, a shiver going down my spine as I processed what just happened.

“I- sorry, I shouldn't have done- forget I did that. I should go,” Dash tried getting out of my grip but it was firm enough that she couldn't. The panic on her face was plainly visible. “J-Jack, I-”

I placed a talon on Dash's muzzle, silencing her. “Rainbow...”

Rainbow might not exactly make the most rational decisions at times, stubborn to an extreme… but she was loyal and her heart was in the right place. I could, of course, use the excuse that I'd be going home at some point again, but for all I knew that'd never happen. Twilight had been working herself to the bone and as far as I knew she hadn’t really made any progress on the subject in the slightest.

So either I could remain alone and wait things out, possibly forever, or take the leap and hope the landing wouldn’t be a horrendous crash.

Dash probably has a way larger crush but that doesn't mean we can't make it work... Damn this beak, not being able to kiss her right now.

“...You don't have to go.”

Rainbow Dash immediately stopped trying to run away, looking up with a hopeful gaze. “Are you saying…”

“I'd kiss you but I don't think I can with this beak.”

Dash let out a snort and barked a laugh, tears in her eyes accompanied by a smile. “That flexible beak of yours definitely can. Guess I'll just have to teach you how, won't I?”

“I guess you will.”

Author's Note

I almost forgot it was Friday
Happy New year everyone! Let's hope 2021 will be a more positive year!

Also...


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