The Hammer of the Gods, Canterlot High Parking Lot

The shadows faded away but were suddenly replaced by pinpricks of light and color. The sensation of being pulled through a vacuum hose abated and Fluttershy was able to catch a breath. And she caught a second breath. General geography and topography was starting to form and the first cogent thoughts were starting to emerge.

What just happened? How did we get from the petting zoo to here? Where am I now? Why did Steven ask me to close my eyes? Oh, wait, I think I know the answer to that last one. The experience of an acute temporal-spatial displacement may be detrimental to the psyche of one unprepared for such an act. Should I be losing my mind right now? Well, I guess I could but that delays many of the very reasonable inquiries I have for Steven. Yes, let’s save the hysteria for when I am alone and the only witness to my screaming is Angel Bunny.

She was just getting properly adjusted to her current situation when she started feeling dizzy. A strong yet gentle hand was able to arrest her faint, keeping her standing but peering into Steven’s deep green eyes. That- was a more intimate posing than she would prefer. Albeit, her pulse did have a pleasant but acute acceleration. She wasn’t sure what that meant. She did hope, though, that she was due for a cardiac infarction. She was way to young, and in too good a shape to having a heart attack now.

“Are you okay?” Steven asked.

“Um, yes, thank you for asking,” Fluttershy replied, “um, I think I can stand on my own now. Thank you.”

“Oh, yes, right,” Steve said and released his hold on her. Strangely enough, she actually missed the sensation of Steven’s hand on her back.

“Yeah, sorry about the- abrupt transmit,” Steven sighed, “we could have gone through the crowd like a normal pair of teenagers but time is of the essence. I don’t know if Molly can hold out for a whole two minutes given what she’s facing.”

“I know this seems like the wrong time to ask but, is someone in danger?” Fluttershy queried.

“Yes, they are,” Steven stated, “for now, get on, buck up, and hold tight.”

FLuttershy did as Steven said, hauling herself into The Hammer’s cabin, putting her seatbelt on, but as for the hold tight portion of his request, she wasn’t sure what he meant. A moment later, Steven was also in the cab, behind the wheel and in seconds, he had the truck started.

“Ecumene Actual, this The Grand Archmage. Request access to Bifrost, how copy?”

“Grand Archmage, this Ecumene Actual. Bifrost access requires proper Academy credentials and requisition forms. Request is pending. Is this an emergency?”

“Confirm, Ecumene Actual. I’m responding to a Code Black. First Sage is engaged with Heavy Enemy.”

Fluttershy noted a moment of silence with this- communication Steven was having with whomever was this Ecumene Actual, but eventually they spoke again.

“Confirmed: Code Black. First Sage is engaged, reading- two arcane sources at location? Must be a fault with the scopes… Also detecting DEW discharge. Energy signature confirms Heavy Enemy presence. Hold for twenty. Engaging Bifrost at your 10-40.”

“Thank you, Ecemune Actual, standing by.”

Steven started rolling the truck out of the parking lot and towards the road leading east into the city. Fluttershy, as nonplussed as she was, couldn’t think of how she would start with her inquiries.

“I have so many questions,” Fluttershy announced.

“Grand Archmage, this is Ecumene Actual. Your Bifrost request has been approved, Alpha Priority. You are greenlight to run. Be advised, you are limited to a maximum safe velocity of 242 kilometers an hour. Any excess of that limit will result in Censure and will negate any safety measures for the protection of Mundane property and life. How Copy?”

“Solid copy, Ecemune Actual. I will not exceed 200 KPH; my target is too close for anything higher.”

“Clear copy, Grand Archamge. Maker speed you on and happy hunting.”

“Thanks Ecumene Actual. Grand Archmage out,” Steven stated and then turned to Fluttershy, “When this is over, I’ll answer as many questions as I can,” Steven said, “oh, here we go, The Bifrost is open. Hold tight!”

Fluttershy was so stressed she didn’t think to look out upon the roads until the turck started driving on a shimmering, broad ribbon of colored tiles. She knew they weren’t there before. She had attended this school for a few years and never before had she seen something like this disco era display.

“What am I holding tight to?” Fluttershy asked, but it would be the last she could speak as the truck, now fully rolled onto the multicolored ribbon, shot forward with such alacrity that she felt her brain sliding ever deeper into her skull. She saw a display projected on the windshield and read the speedometer it showed. 75MPH, 80MPH, 85MPH, 95MPH, 120MPH. It should not have been physically impossible for a truck the size of the Hammer to accelerate so quickly but it was; below it and expanding in front of it was the rainbowy ribbon of light.

Another impossibility: The Hammer of the Gods was not hitting any cars, buildings, or pedestrians they crossed. Like her friend Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy was well versed in the narrative of Daring Do, but what she was witnessing broke the laws of physics and probability in ways that defied all description. She really hoped she wasn’t dreaming. And she really hoped she wasn’t suffering a psychotic break. All that she had spectated thus far was too spectacular to be real and yet she was sure it was all happening even as she sitting here in the Hammer’s cabin.

Before long, the ribbon (Bifrost, she thought the name was,) ended and with a quick shift from drive to neutral, Steve was able to quickly coast the truck in front of- Carousel Boutique? Why were they here? Fluttershy had scarcely gotten to unbuckle her seatbelt when Steven exited the bad and ran around to the back of the truck. All the while, she swore she heard him chanting.

“Lootin’, tootin’, toil, and shootin’, fire burn for rakk ale brewin’…”

The tailgate in back was dropped, she saw Steven through the rearview mirror pull something heavy from the bed of the truck, (the whole machine bounded on its springs as he removed the burden. She watched him until he floated into a blind spot of the truck. Then she heard the back passenger door open and whatever Steven had grabbed from the back was not dropped onto the back seat. The truck groaned worriedly from the weight.

“Gullet and a scythid’s snake, upon my grill to boil and bake…”

Steven then walked around the front of the truck, and towards the window on the passenger side. He mimed rolling the window down and Fluttershy pressed the button the rolled the automatic window down.

“Shy, stay here, stay down, and whatever you do, don’t look into the light.”

“Steven-?”

“Just- just trust me,” Steven said, “roll the window up.”

Fluttershy did, but even the window was unable to silence the chant that Steven was reciting.

“Psycho’s mask and varkid’s sting, Goliath’s helm and rathyd’s wing,

Eye of Tink and fava beans, toe of skag and denim jeans…”

Steven entered the Carousel Boutique. He stopped just within the entrance and threw out his right arm.

“Whiskey, spit, and thresher spittle, thrown upon my Hyperion griddle.

By the tanning of bullymong hides, SOMETHING BADASS THIS WAY RIDES!”

Fluttershy felt the truck spring up, the massive weight suddenly missing and saw a hammer, nearly as long as Steven was tall, slap in his right hand. He kicked upon the door and then there was a brilliant flash of light-

Moments later

The figure stood, heaving breath from their mouth, eyes burning with fury, an unadulterated rage. They turned their head one way, then the next, then looked down. Looked down and locked eyes with the young Molly McAllister.

“You five by, Molls?” They said in a high baritone.

To Rarity's utter bewilderment, the girl responded, “I’ve had better days, Steven. Saints be praised, could ya cut it any closer?”

“Sorry about that,” the one named Steven replied, “I had a guest follow me. I hope I didn’t break her. I was moving with all alacrity.”

“Yeah, yeah, I can see why ye were delayed,” Molly stated, “I was sure me fate was decided. Thanks be to the Maker tha’ I got an assist from the gallery.”

“An assist?” STeven asked.

“Aye,” Molly said, now raising to her feet after collapsing from the strain of her efforts, “Miss Rarity Carousel, this is a fellow Academy student of moine. His name is Steven Ambrose, but he is oft referred to as ‘The Grand Archmage.’”

“Wait, Grand Archmage?” Rarity asked, “you were the voice I was hearing over whatever device Molly was using.”

“Uh, yeah, that would have been me,” Steven said, then he moved into the sales floor lights and Rarity was able to make out the details of his face. His skin was a little ruddy, with a smattering of freckles across his checks that faded out over the bridge of his nose, with a pair of spectacles that looked like the kind of fashion she saw in old photos of her mother and father. The rest of his clothing choices were what she had glimpsed before but the color scheme, while darker than she would prefer, complimented perfectly with each other.

“What’s this about an assist?” Steven asked.

“Methinks Miss Rarity cast- somewut- just ahead of me interdiction charm,” Molly replied, “saved me some exertion though I’m a wee bit outta equilibrium.”

“‘A wee bit?’” Steve asked, “I can see your House Sigil and you dangerously close to being afflicted by magic poisoning.”

“I was really hopin’ ye wouldna catch tha’,” Molly moaned.

“Hold still, I’ll Replenish you,” Steve said, then as he clutched one of Molly’s shoulder, he spoke into his right wrist.

“Ecumene Actual, this is The Grand Archmage. Heavy Enemy is neutralized. Negligible exposure. First Sage is five-by but being Replenished. I need a Sanitation Team and Public Relations committee on my location.”

“Grand Archmage, this is Ecumene Actual. The Sanitation Team and PR Committee are en route. ETA, thirty seconds. Be advised, Primus Legate is on stagger. ETA, 45 seconds.”

“I am advised, Ecumene Actual, thank you. Standing by to receive. Grand Archmage out.”

“Well, I guess that gives me a few seconds to relax bef’re me brother lays inta me,” Molly sighed.

“This wasn’t your fault though,” Steve said.

“Technically, it wasn’t,” Molly retorted, “but I did extend me mage senses and tha’ what set the Adjudicator off.”

“Eheh, excuse me, darlings,” Rarity interrupted, “but could somebody tell what the buck is going on?!”

“Ohdeboi…” Steve muttered, “it’s going to be one of those days.”

“Rarity, Rarity,” came Fluttershy’s voice; both Steve and Molly turned to the figure entering the now smashed sales floor. Fluttershy, still partly blinded by Steven’s Flash Equip but most of her visual acuity had returned, though the shadows were far darker than she believed they should be. SHe stepped gingerly through the door, avoiding chunks of aluminum and some fractured glass. SHe got as far as the Grand Archmage was standing when she noticed the shell of the Adjudicator.

“AGGHHHHHHHH!”

Pirouetting, stumbling over her feet in a backward retreat, Fluttershy almost fell but she landed in Rarity’s arms. She was grateful for the friendly contact, even in a scene as grisly as this. The animal wrangler was beginning to hyperventilate when she saw the young girl in the room, and also the peeping curiosity of the Crusaders.

“Rarity, what-?”

“I’m as baffled as you are, dear,” Rarity began, “I was hoping these two could explain.”

“Explain?” Steven said, then, “Oh, you mean the shell? I wouldn’t worry; that thing was never alive to begin with.”

“But it’s head is off- it’s head is off-!” Fluttershy murmured.

“Aye, ‘tis is,” Molly added, “it’s either that or rupture the power core and with the cold fusion engine these thin’s are equipped with, ye be lucky you didn’ implode half th’ city.”

“I-implode?” Rarity queried.

“Yeah,” Steven breathed, “these Adjudicators are a kind of cyborg. You know, I almost consider them bionic entities if weren;t for the fact that these constructs are vat grown, with synthesized organic tissues that are then subjected to immense levels of cybernetic implants and augmentations. Fuck,the hardware alone of the system unit, the head, could net you an easy fifty grand, with all the gold and silver solenoids used in it’s architecture.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Rarity protested, “that- thing, is some kind of robot? Like something Twilight could cobble together over a weekend or two in her family’s garage?”

“I don’t know this Twilight,” Steven said, “but the kind of parts and equipment in this machine won’t be found in your typical computer store and the power core requires a PhD. in nuclear physics. That said, unless you want to atomize everything and everyone around you for a twenty block radius, you need to remove the central processor from the thoracic core and power supply. That way, you make sure it doesn’t trigger the system’s self destruct protocol.”

“This- is beginning to sound like the pulp sci-fi novels that Zephyr Breeze pretends to read when he’s really looking at the pictorials in Playcolt,” Fluttershy commented.

“Oh, look,the Sanitation Team is here,” Steve stated, “come on in, you guys.”

The “guys” that stepped into the ruined store were actually six gangly teenaged girls and one even ganglier teenaged boy. All were clad in coveralls, hardhats, work boots, and were carrying toolboxes Rarity imagined belonged to a carpenter or other handyman. Fluttershy took note of the tallest of the gangly girls looking upon the corpse of the thing that Steven so ruthlessly slaughtered. She was chewing gum, this girl, and her straw colored hair poked out of her hardhat. On her shoulder was a symbol of broom, spatula, feather duster, and riding crop arrayed in a cross pattern over a magnolia leaf.

“Wow, ain’t seen one of these in some time,” the girl spoke, “looks like a standard HK-206 model- might be some customized equipment in there- House Hephaestus is going to blow a load over this one- We’ll get this cleared out and this place put together as good as new in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Amber,” Steven said, “is Jolene on duty today or is it Perry?”

“Neither,” the girl named Amber said, quietly directing her teammates to various places to effect repairs, “Jolene is proctoring an exam; Perry is on DL after that student at The Furnace.”

“Oh, damn, I almost forgot about that,” Steven mused, “so who’s on?”

“Testerola,” Amber answered, “the ambitious bitch is looking for an elevation, so she volunteered for duty station. I don’t think she expected to be running The Asylum during a hot take, but I guess she’ll prove what’s made of or wash out.”

“I wish her well,” Steven muttered, “I wouldn’t wish that route on my worst enemy.”

“Yeah, I think she’s about to get a taste of what authority is like- Oh, hello! What are you?” Amber said. The straw haired girl lifted a bulbous, translucent piece of plastic with a bit of detached wire hanging from it.

“What is that?” Molly asked.

“I think,” Amber mused, “it’s part of the self-destruct.”

Well, fuck em Freddy sideays,” Steevn commened, “I must have struck theis bitch just shy of the acuator for the SD. Dumb luck?”

“Maybe,” Amber stated, “the boys and girls in Hephestos are going to cream themselves silly tonight.”

“W-wait,” Fluttershy stammered, “this is- this isn’t a- body? It’s more like- a machine? A robot?”

“Uh, not quite,” Steven explained, “more like a- well, I’m not sure it qualifies for a cyborg, really. The organic components are flash cloned then grafted onto a carbon-calcium fiber endoskeletal frame… I guess the better designation is- assassin droid?”

“It dunnae matter what it's called or what it is,” a voice called out from the boutique foyer, “all tha’ matters is done near kill’d me sister and now it’s naught but scrap.”

“Danny,” Molly breathed.

“Fare ye well, Munchkin?”

“As well as can be,” Molly said, “Steve was able to Replenish me but all in all, thin’s could be worse.”

“I’ll say,” Danny spoke, “Steven, well met.”

“Hail fellow,” Steven said, “I can’t imagine you bothering to oversee the Sanitation and PR Committee on a Saturday. There’s already two Pillars on scene. What gives?”

“‘Tis me sist’r,” Danny explains, as if there is no other reason for him to be here, “I was sworn to keep h’r safe. An’ where were ye be playin’, boyo? Of sowin’ wild oats, was ye?”

Fluttershy gasped at the accusation and Steve was glaring daggers at The Primus Legate.

“Danny boy,” Steven growled, “the pipes be callin’ but they be callin’ at yer funeral if’n ye don’t take. That. Back!”

“Ye hadn’t even answ’r’d me when I ast where ye were!” Danny roared.

“Did it ever occur to you that Molly is perfectly capable of defending herself? ANd fuck off, there were NO SIGNS that Adjudicators were prowling Canterlot City! The last time they did, there was a trail of bodies and signs of carnage… For all we know, this was a scout or recon drone!”

“Fellas,” Molly interjected, “none of this testerone dump is gonna get us any closer to figurin’ out where this un come from ‘r what it’s doin’ here. Can ye maybe save it fer the sparrin’ mat? Yer making a spectacle of yeselves.”

Danny looked like he wanted to continue quarreling, but Steven took a breath and turned to the two Canterlot natives.

“Apologies for our rudeness,” Steven said, “Danny and I are- well I guess the kind way to put it is ‘friendly rivals.’ If you needed clarification- we at Imperial Academy call creatures like this, Adjudicators. Synthetic organic material grafted with top flight cybernetics ten generations removed from current technological sophistication levels. These things seek out those with arcane prowess through the use of finely tuned and sophisticated sensors and hunt them down. They, when confronting a magic user of any skill, will either attempt to drain the magic from the nascent mage- or exterminate them. More often than not, the draining attempt kills the mage. They have been after casters like Amber and her crew, Danny, Molly, and myself for as long as is there a recollection of them existing. Miss Rarity, you should count yourself lucky that it didn’t try to track or drain you. Knowing these things as I do, it doesn’t wahat School of Magic you belong to, they will seek you, chase you down, and- murder you.”

“My- my word!” Rarity gasped.

Fluttershy then stated, “Are you feeling, Rarity? Should I get one of your fainting couches?”

“No, no, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, “I shan’t be fainting. Not just yet. I’m pumped on adrenaline but that should fade soon enough… Correct me if I’m wrong but, aren't androids and- and assassin droids not currently unable to be produced?”

“That is true, for most of the major industrial firms,” Steven answered, and Danny continued, “but the folks that built these things stole Academy tech an’ research and hav’ been usin’ it to make our lives hell.”

“But, why?” Fluttershy asked.

Steve, Danny, and Molly looked at each other, as if in a silent conference. Rarity shared a look with her animal loving friend, one of doubt or may be uncertainty. When the trio of Academy students resumed their regular postures, it was Steven who spoke.

“Molly made some comment about some arcane ability in use. And, as of late, the Academy has been detecting magic emissions in and around Canterlot City. I- don;t want to be accusing anyone of anything or for that matter, speak about things that are beyond my understanding. But, if you would like, members of the Academy could come into town, maybe Sunday or late Friday the next, and discuss this with you all. Our scientists and engineers will go over the Adjudicator with an electron microscope and a fine toothed comb. I would advise that if you know of others, no need to name names, with similar ‘powers,’ that they keep those so called abilities under wraps until The Academy can confirm that we aren’t under a covert assault.”

“I’ll- I’ll see if I can gather my friends,” Rarity began, “this Sunday should work for all of us. There’s neutral ground at Sugarcube Corner, if you know where that is.”

“I can find out,” Steven said, “wait, your friends?”

“Uh, it’s not something I would openly admit,” Rarity explains, “but I am far from the only one in Canterlot with, uh, ‘supernatural abilities,’ shall we say? A gathering of those with ‘powers’ might help in determining whether there is an underlying threat to Canterlot in general.”

“I see, I think,” Steven said, “okay, I think we can swing that. You’re friendly with Fluttershy, I assume?”

“Why yes,” Rarity said, giving the quiet girl a very shrew glare, “is that an issue?”

“Not at all,” Steven replied, “when you and your compatriots are ready, you can have Fluttershy text me. We can be there in thirty minutes, maybe less, depending on who is awake by that hour and how much caffeine some of us have ingested.”

“We’ll be waiting,” Rarity said, “oh, your people are very fast!”

“Aye, they are,” Danny spoke, “we at Imperial Academy pride ourselves with our efficiency and alacrity.”

“Well, I guess I know who I can call if I need to build a stage for a showing,” Rarity mused.

“We ain’t mercenaries, miss,” Amber stated.

“Oh, my apologies,” Rarity cooed, “well, Sunday then?”

“Aye, Sunday,” Danny said.

“Steven,” Fluttershy began.

“Text me later,” Steven said, “I have to make sure that all the memory altering charms are effective and lasting. I will keep my promise, though. Everything- everything you would want to know.”

Author's Note

Lot's of exposition, but I did try to throw in some humor there. Let's see if it worked…