Bronze Tiara

Chapter twenty-two

With a pair of pliers held in her talon, Bronze went to work making sure the stones were set in right to the opposite limb. It didn’t take much to get them cut, a jewelers file and some fine grit sandpaper brought them down to the sizing and shape needed to sit right with in the spaces. Something that certainly helped make the trip pass by faster. As the teeth that once held those before down were brought around, the new stones found their home.

Feeding off the spell in the rest of the limb, her talon started to flex out from the new connections made with the gems, letting the mare grasp the pliers to test out its dexterity. “Not bad…” she pondered for a moment, before noticing the few faces with her.

Those of Seren that joined may have not chatted with her much during the trip, she was far too busy with her work. Never the less though, that same glare she had gotten a number of times in the towns she had come across started to rear its head again.

Avoiding the stares, Bronze turned her attention out the passenger window of the car they all rode in, as she watched the view pass them by…

***

“So, you’re heading out soon then I take it?” Marble asked from his bed, calmly stroking the mane of his kin as she laid in his lap from a food coma.

“It’s a start down the right path… or at least a continuation,” Bronze reasoned, bringing the blanket up for the two of them by a flare of her horn, as she stood by his side. “Besides, the longer that thing is left to wander freely the more of my creations it could make.”

That thought still didn’t settle the colt. He knew she could take care of herself, she had for so long in the past as it was. Though throwing herself in to the fray like this bordered on suicide, especially given what she’d be going up against. Never the less, the colt knew she had to do it, if only for her own penance.

“Do me a favor then…”

“I’ll stay safe,” Bronze answered for him with a snicker, “don’t worry.”

“And… come back in one piece,” he reminded her of that condition as well, “I mean you might be able to fix yourself up, but I’m sure you’d like to keep as much of your parts as you can.”

“Speaking of parts… how’s it doing anyways?” the mare once again looked over the wound on his chest. “Has the doc come see you yet? Grace said she’d send someone to.”

“She did, they left not but five minutes before you came here,” a quick scratch of the wound from his hoof, brought the stallion back to her. “The rate it’s going is healthy, and after some concentrating, I was able to top off the gems inside with my own magic… so it’s a start,” he paused for a second trying to remember all the bigger words they used to describe his heath. “Over all they said it’s about as fit as a normal ponies’, but of course they advised not to stress it too much before I’d gotten used to it.”

The breath Bronze had found herself holding finally released as the sigh of relief escaped. If a doctor had given him the clean bill of health, then he might actually be in the clear. “That’s just… wonderful,” her smile grew wider after the weight of lingering questions finally lifted themselves clear of her shoulders, “Looks like you’ll have to take a rest from playing tag then for a bit.”

They both found themselves chuckling for a moment, leaving the mare longing for when things seemed simpler… even if it was the simplicity of arming a country. “That might be true… but it also means somepony will have to take my place,” his eyes loomed over the mare as her snicker quickly died.

“… Oh fine,” Bronze rolled her eyes, yet at the same time couldn’t help but get giddy over the prospect of playing like a normal pony once again with the filly, “I guess I’ll have to come back then for that.”

“You better.”

“Plus, I have to help you with controlling that new heart of yours,” she reminded him with a tap of his sternum, before letting her faulty limb rest on the bed. “After all is there really any better to learn from?”

Looking over the colt, what he had gone through, and to what she had put the filly through at her fathers’ detriment. Bronze could only imagine the hundred different outcomes that could have resulted. It would take some getting used to sure, but for now they simply remained content listening to the soft breaths of Topaz there between them.

If only for some peace.

How long had passed they didn’t know. Though the door to the med ward opened, and as the mare looked behind her to see the guard there watching. She knew the time was up, “I have to get going,” pulling from the side table by his bed, the mares’ hammer was placed in his lap by the energy of her horn, as he looked at her curiously, “hold on to that for me… will you?”

Marble patted the top of her talon and nodded, “I’ll be looking forward to your return,” he nodded once to her, “as well as the lessons you have to teach,” with a smirk passed from over the mares’ shoulder to him, her tail slipped out of site.

***

“… So, what's her story?” one of the guards asked his companion as they sat a few booths ahead of the mare.

“Don’t know, all I know is she met up with our detachment from the castle,” if he was trying to be subtle, the guard was failing at it. Looking over his shoulder he eyed the mare, and instantly the two locked with one another before his darted forward, “Shit, I think she heard us.”

“You aren’t very good at this, are you?” Bronze asked out loud, bringing the attention of a few of those in the car back and forth between her and the other pony, “long story short, because I know you’re all wondering… made some mistakes in the past, and am trying to pay for them, as for these…” she held up the talon she’d just repaired and snapped the claws on it shut, resonating the clank of metal through the room, “it’s just what makes me, me.”

A few of the colts that joined them kept their eyes forward, as did the one that brought her attention to the questions that had clearly been buzzing around the heads of those in the car with her. Yet, even with that display, one of the gryphon females that joined their ranks scoffed and turned her beak up.

“Fricken weirdo…” she muttered under her breath, though it still met the ears of the mare.

‘Stay calm, you’re trying to make amends… breath…’ Bronze told herself, as she still felt her body rising out of the seat. Until, a hoof settled on her shoulders and pushed her back down.

“Weird as she might be, this mare could level a whole town if she wanted…” a Pegasus said after coming up the aisle from behind her… with two stumps upon his back where his wings should have been, “trust me, I’ve seen it.”

Several of those on the train turned their eyes towards the mare in a different regard. Whoever this stallion was, those that served seemed to have enough of a reverence for him to take his word for it as they all went back to their respective business. The colt in question, soon trotted up to Bronzes’ booth and sat across from her.

For a number of minutes, they sat there like that, not saying a word to one another as the colt read the paper and the mare twiddled her talons. Until finally, it had to be asked, “You… know me?”

“Oh, very much so…” his eye raised up to hers upon the obvious question, “we have a mutual friend actually, or I guess you’d call him a nemesis… colt, unicorn, good with-”

“You’re friends with Iron?!” Bronze snapped before quickly biting her tongue, earning a hearty chuckle from the stallion across from her.

“Good friends actually, we both served under the crown there for a time,” Free answered as he folded up the paper and set it to his side, “we had a run in with you out in the gryphon kingdom a while back.”

“…the one where the dock got taken out?”

“Bingo.”

With a slump, the mare slid further back in to her seat, staring at the one across from her, “Right… I remember you now, never got your name though.”

Soon after those words, a hoof reached across to her, and with a hesitant talon she took it. “Staff Sargent First Class Freefall…” he wet his tongue once again, having not gotten used to the title, “however, considering that’s a mouthful, just call me Freefall, or Free like everyone else.”

“Bronze Bolt, though you already knew that,” whether she wanted to or not, her eyes started to try and peer around to his back. Taking in the injury that something in her gut told her she’d help cause.

As if sensing it, the colt turned to give her a better view. The joints that the wings would have connected to looked much like her own after she had first repaired her body at Marbles. Each of the open wounds that remained bandaged up and covered instead in a plate of metal to protect them.

“Happened back during a fight with the DDR…” he answered the unasked question, having saw her eyes start to wander, “the chief of theirs was rather, brutal, let’s say.”

“Reinhart did that to you?”

“Yes… didn’t particularly like ponies on his ships,” the visible shiver from living up to his name after that meeting left the colt dizzy as he relived plunging to the ground. With nothing more than a pair of shattered wings to hold him aloft.

Even if she hadn’t been there for that encounter, Bronze knew it wouldn’t have ever happened to the stallion if her talons weren’t in the mix of things. “For what it’s worth… I’m sorry,” her throat clenched, seeing the true face of what she had brought down upon those that fought, “I’m trying to do what I can to make it right.”

It was hollow words to one that had already suffered from the results of her arrogance. Marble lost a heart, Freefall lost his wings… dying in a fight was one thing, having to live with the results afterwards could drive a creature mad. Some of them lost a literal part of themselves, some parts they’d never get back.

“Well… that’s war for you,” Free brushed it to the side, yet even through the nonchalant answer. The pony across from him could still see the heartache of losing them.

Bronze turned to her own wings, something she hadn’t be gifted with at birth, but something she had made. ‘Perhaps, there’d be a way…’ her mind wondered off on her own, listlessly watching the terrain pass by them while lost in thought, “Your friend, has he offered to try and repair them?” she asked after coming back to him, “Like mine?”

“Offered, yes… though I don’t want them to shoot beams, or launch rockets,” Free snickered to himself, “oh no, just a set of normal wings would be nice… though I don’t know if he’s even tried yet.”

“Hmm I see,” she thought once more. Considering her past with the Diamond Dog Republic, Bronze knew they had at least another hour till they’d even reach the border, which gave her nothing but time to kill, “May… I take a look again?”

***

‘They really had fared far worse than I thought…’ Bronze thought as they departed the train.

Much of the town they had pulled in laid in shambles even before the fighting started with her creations. Diamond Dogs weren’t exactly known for their cleanliness after all. Some buildings had been missing parts of their roof, and even the largely clay and stone made structures were missing sections of their walls. While many remained only one or two-story structures out here, much like their capital Opal. As their nature might imply, the dogs much preferred to be underground.

Every edifice here even in this place likely had a few stories to them under the soil the group walked on. For places like their capital the bedrock they rested made it harder to dig further down, except for those areas of importance. Like the stronghold the chief once used.

Bronze on the other hoof, waded through the streets as the group from Seren made their way towards one of the larger structures in town. Guard garrisons dotted much of the countries, and the DDR was no different. Many towns had their own from lessons learned in the past of how much they could trust their neighbors.

Which also made good places for those of importance to meet.

“Hard to believe they already have some sort of group in charge,” Free muttered as he stood side by side with the mare, “I’m just glad we were able to get a hold of them so quickly.”

“Well considering they were left with a rather nasty present…” Bronze bit the end of her lip, “They were probably scrambling for a little command, and assistance.”

The guards at the front of the garrison watched as they approached, and while under any normal case the ponies especially would have been skewered at the end of a spear or shot on site. Those at the door visibly let a sigh of relief out of them. Without so much as a word, the door inside was held open, and the newcomers filed in.

The inside hadn’t been much better than the out, but then again they all expected that. Most of the building itself had the interiors that decorated them match the supply that built them. Stone chairs and stools, clay table bases with shale tops, and even shelves carved directly in to the structure itself. It might not leave much for the creative mind to change up often, but for the dogs it was practical with what they had to work with. For centuries the DDR had always been one for natural materials of ore, gems, and the means to tame them.

Precisely the reason they were here.

“You all arrived fast,” a dog muttered as it stepped out to the main room of those few dozens of Seren.

“Fast indeed,” another added joining.

“Just like-” if there had been a plan to the meeting, it was thrown out the window the moment the third dogs’ eyes met that of a mare in their crowd, “you!” his claw pointed amongst their ranks.

And Bronze could feel the sharp appendage digging in to her chest, “Oh… crap…”

“Wait…” Free looked back and forth to both the dogs and the mare, “You know them?”

“Ahh… you could say that,” Bronze already started thinking about hopping back on that train, and trying her luck with jail.

“Could?! You helped bring this all crashing around us!” the first bellowed to them all, grasping hold of the side arm attached to his hip, “She’s the one who gave our old chief this kind of tech,” he held the firearm for them all to see, “and those blasted soldiers to fight with us, the same ones now tearing us apart!”

“If there’s any that the fault of this fight should rest on,” the second peered down to her as did his comrades, “it’s her.”

Bronze didn’t need to feel it on her spine, she already knew that every eye in there glared over to her. Half she imagined were wondering if the words of the mutts held any weight, the other half she pictured already taking aim at the back of her skull to even the score, ‘There has to be a stronger word than Awkward…’ she went over a mental thesaurus, wondering if the dogs walked with their weapons loaded… given their nature, of course they did.

One pair of eyes however, remained on those that had arrived to greet them, “And that is why she’s a part of this now,” Bronze craned her neck over to the colt, as Free stepped closer to those that stood heads above him, “righting her wrongs… at least trying to.”

“And us having her after the spawns of those talons are dealt with, will more than suffice to add up to the total she owes…” the first grinned, showing off his yellowed fangs from years of poor care, “I can think of a few lava flows close to the surface she’d be able to take a dip in, the temperature is just wonderful this time of year.”

‘Or I bury you in one of those vents and call it a day,” she glared back at him, but with three dogs in front of her, and a number behind likely feeling sympathetic. What was she to do?

“And me having the gift of flight back from your chief would be more than enough payment for us to cough her up,” the colts eyes glared up to the lead dog as if he was still a pup, leaving two to his side jarred at the remark to their dead, “No? good, then you’ll have no further issues with how Seren is taking care of this I trust…”

“Or-”

“Plus, after the immediate threat is dealt with, there’s really nothing to stop us from pulling out and letting your remaining soldiers fight what still stands,” after those words passed by Frees’ lips, the dog dropped his shoulders and weened, “Her majesty isn’t holding punches this time around,” each point he made followed with it a step that pushed the dog back on his feet, “we work as one, or we work as none… take your pick.”

Faster than expected, the paws of the lead dog were thrown in front of him, “Easy now, we get it… although many that will be working with you won’t like it, if they recognize her,” the venom from his words lingered in the air, “After this matter discussed in the letter is taken care of, she isn’t allowed anywhere near this country… far too much blood has been spilt by the means created by her.”

‘As if I’d want to step hoof in this place again,’ Bronze muttered in her mind, “more than happy to.”

After that, and a few fleeting breaths of everyone getting readjusted back to a slightly less tense surrounding. Those of Seren settled down for the afternoon and brought their bags, plus gear for the fight, to any open cot available. Which to say was a fair number of them as the mare counted, wondering how many had once been filled not too long ago. It wasn’t a thought she had much time to don on, there were other matters to discuss.

Back to the room where the three dogs entered from, the mare pushed the door open and joined the rest. Greeted by the trio of canines, Freefall, and a few of the other heads of their group, “Now that that’s out of the way,” Free leaned on to the center table, “why don’t you introduce yourselves?”

“Each of us was something in our hierarchy before, and now we’re just trying to keep our country from completely collapsing… far easier said than done,” The first one started to grind his teeth, before he pointed to his comrades, “He’s Grumble, over saw the manufacturing,” the same stone-grey dog grunted almost with the sounding of his name, as the impromptu leader went to the next one, “this ones Shaleflake… largely in ore production, and probably the best one to talk to about the mines.”

Bronze looked over said dogs coat, and couldn’t determine what color it was underneath all the flaking patches of hardened dirt, ‘Wonder if they get their name before or after being born,’ her eyes rolled at the irony.

“I’m one of the councilors… or I suppose ex-councilors of the DDR, under the late Chief Reinhart,” his eyes slowly started to twist to the mare, “call me Patches.”

‘Well… that explains that,’ the mare answered to herself, knowing she must have run in to this particular pooch sometime while she was around the Chief.

“Staff Sargent First Class Freefall,” said colt introduced, and started leading towards those around him, “Sargent Applebranch, Sargent Luster, and Sargent Frostfire,” Bronze had her ears point up immediately at the one that sounded familiar.

Across from her, there stood the Pegasus mare from the mine, the one that saved her skin after running in to the same creation they sought after even today. Though the armor she wore then was now relaxed, showing off her charcoal coat, and the nearly glowing yellow irises… that were glaring at the mare over the room.

Bronzes’ neck nearly snapped when she turned her attention back towards the others, ‘What was that about?’ she asked, trying her damndest not to make eye contact with her again.

There at the table, Grumble pulled from a sleeve a detailed map of the DDR as he laid it across the table. If Bronze thought the ones Marble kept of his operations were impressive, he probably could take a few lessons from the dogs. All across their nations lied various colors of lines mixing across like soggy pasta, some meeting up with larger colored areas, and others out right ending.

Together, the dogs held down the large parchment as a few of the sergeants placed something to hold the edges down. With the full extent of the country’s lands drawn out, all those present truly saw the amounts of work that had been put in by the DDR to carve out their own territory. Few areas remained without any line through it, the only ones left free from digging were shadowed by some sort of water source.

“Most of our tunnels and mines are linked with one another,” Shaleflake dragged his talon across the written landscape, “some excavations deeper than others… depending on the color.”

Grumble brought out the corner that started to fold in on itself, as he pointed to the legend on the side, “deeper the shading, the deeper the tunnel or area that was dug out.”

A simple enough key to follow, and certainly made the map making easier on the creator. Though Bronze examined a few of the various hollows that have been carved out, and many of them were vast enough to be on par with the caverns that were done in Marbles’ own mine. “Has there been anything brought back to you on one of them being taken over?” she asked aloud to any of the three that might know, “That’d be the first place to start.”

“While as obvious as that seems, no we haven’t heard anything,” Patches scoffed at both the mare and the loose leadership that had been created to try and help the country along. News didn’t always travel fast in the DDR, and all three of those present knew it could be days before hearing anything, “unless it comes late… until that time though, there are other places to check.”

Frees’ brow raised as he looked at the map, “and that might be?”

“Not all tunnels and caverns are linked,” Grumble showed them as he brought his claw to a few lines that abruptly ended, “some rock is too difficult to go through, or too close to water to keep together…”

“… so, a few areas are left on their own,” Patches finished up as he started running through the couple that were set apart from the others, “given what was described in the letter, it’d have to be a larger cavern to work out of,” He placed a claw on one.

“One that was further way from attention, or at least abandoned,” Shaleflake carried on, putting his own digit on a separate area.

“And one with a decent number of encounters near it,” Grumble added his own two cents, and a claw to the map.

All three pointed to different locations, all of which remained fairly close to one another yet still unconnected. “We had discussed it previously to your arrival here,” Patches explained as he looked around the room, making sure everypony there was following, “trying to pinpoint where they were coming from was on our growing list of concerns, though knowing now it would be seeking materials… there really weren’t many to choose from.”

Having gone down the rabbit hole once of a mine, and done her research prior to, Frostfire looked at the three in question. Sure, they were alone, at least unconnected below the surface, but there on the map were still a few close to it above ground.

“Why would it go to these ones though?” she asked, drawing the dogs’ attention, “if it was looking for materials to keep building, why would it go to a group of abandoned mines… or is there still ore present?”

“There is… though it’s also closer to thermal vents, and magma flows, that dot some of our lands,” even at the sound of those, Shaleflake started to sweat, “fur isn’t the best when it comes to keeping cool, so after the upper part was stripped, the rest was left.”

“Were there gems present?” all eyes turned to Applebranch as he piped up, “from my understanding these things are enchanted and need a stone to hold the spell… so if there’s gems as well, then it would still be of use.”

Collectively the trio looked at one another, and nodded towards the group, “it may have been a while, but there were still a few stones here and there that were likely left.”

“Splendid…” Free cracked his neck, glad to have that kink out since the train, “so, we have a place, or three, to start then… considering the time, I’d say tomorrow split up and head out,” without any sign of disagreement, the ponies in question returned to the rest of their group.

“Our own will join as well,” Patches stated to Free as his own cohorts started to head out, readying themselves for the coming day, “many of our fighters are lost due to these… abominations… and others want payback.”

Even without turning her head, Bronze could still feel his gaze trying to eat away at her. Yet, no matter how much he tried, the mare was silently grinning at the fact the DDR was suffering from her creations. For all their boasting over the years of how inferior ponies were, and how little they got along with the bunch, it was sickly satisfying to her to see them nearly begging for the help with a tail between their legs.

“Most of ours will have to be taken from various occupations,” the dog groaned, knowing that as vicious as his kind may be at times, not all of them had that instinct. Some never even truly saw a lot of fighting over the years, and only supported the effort.

“As long as they can hold a rifle, or a butter knife, I’ll take the help,” Free nodded to him as Patches returned the gesture and headed out.

Bronze however, remained, and examined the map. The caverns weren’t far from them, maybe half a day’s march, and if they left here by morning. They’d surely have more than enough light to come back to base with.

“Assuming we come back,” a nervous chuckle escaped her lips.

“Now what do you think?” she heard the half Pegasus ask as he approached, “I know you have to have a better idea of where to go.”

“… Sort of,” she examined from her point of view.

All three of those caverns were relatively close to one another under the surface, the dogs likely avoided connecting due to those vents that Shaleflake mentioned. Yet, a number of paths leading to those in question met up with other still active digs. All of which they’d noted running in to her creations, some more than others.

‘So why wouldn’t have any of them seen it?’ as dense as the citizens of the DDR might be at times, they wouldn’t have let something that obvious go unnoticed so close to their own lively hood. Two had connections leading to other veins and shafts, only one however, was completely isolated with its own ducts.

“That one,” Bronze placed her own claw, “That’s where it has to be.”

“And you’re sure…” Free saw the conviction in her eyes, though still ask he did, “why?”

“All of them still have some use to it in terms of materials, they’re all further from anyone with a prying eye… yet this one isn’t connected to the others in any way,” with her talon she drew it out for him and traced the lines that marked the various digs, “If it had retreated to one of the other two, some dog would have seen it, and there’d likely be even more encounters.”

At fair point to be made, and one that left Free pondering as he nodded his head along, “True, true… still a safe bet to look at the others as well though.”

“Plus, that’s where it originally called home,” that threw the Pegasus off balance for a moment, “I had to put my plans in to motion somewhere,” Bronzes’ eyes rolled at him and turned back to the map, looking at all the places she could have chosen to start building it from, “and the DDR did have a number of mines they’d never really paid attention to.”

‘That explains how no one found her before everything started,’ Free had one of his unasked questions answered, “would it really be foolish enough to go back there then?”

“I wouldn’t… but it would be a place it was comfortable with, and knew well… so I’d like to go with the party to check this one out,” she looked at the cavern, its own entrances lied further from those other suggested. Plus, there weren’t many ways out besides the ducts that gave air, should worse come to worse, ‘Still not much of an escape route…’

“And you’ll get that chance,” he agreed, while tapping the hilt of his sword, “Besides, I’ll be along for that ride…” she twisted her head towards him as a smirk started to grow, “I mean if this thing keeps on living we’re all boned anyway, might as well go where the action is.”

With a cock-eyed glance, Bronze watched as the colt chuckled to himself and headed for the door. ‘Odd colt… then again, I know the company he keeps,’ her eyes turned back towards the map and looked it over. Judging how long it’d take to get to her destination, a further walk than the rest had to go, but nothing she couldn’t-

“Is it true…?”

One called to her from the doorway. The mare turned to see a familiar face there, Sargent Frostfire. Though the stoic face she had worn all meeting, and even while in the mines before was wiped clean. This time replaced by what Bronze could only explain as a pony reaching the end of their rope. Frostfire clenched her jaw, tightened her tongue, and winced her eyes to hold back the tear.

Yet still, one fell.

“About what you did? That you’re the cause behind all this?” she asked more clearly.

All Bronze could do was slump her own head, and stare at the floor in forfeit. She had nothing to hide at this point, and if her creations didn’t get her by the end of this fight. She half expected to get a blade to the back on the way out by another in their own company, “It is…” there wasn’t much more she could say.

“And now… you’re trying to make up for it, by killing your own creations?”

“… yes.”

It didn’t take long for Bronze to hear the sounds of hoof steps heading towards her, whatever was going through the Sargents’ mind couldn’t have been the kindest of thoughts. Though, instead of face her, all the mare did was keep her head down and let her counterpart say what she needed to say. Action however, spoke louder than words. A hoof collided with the side of her jaw, sending her to the ground.

Bronze had her fair share of beatings over the years. Be it from Marble, or while scavenging parts for her plans. Hell, she’d been in the thick of it a lot lately, though very little had hurt more than a hit from this mare. Whatever Seren was feeding their troops, it was surely keeping them hearty enough to take and dish out a thrashing.

“Ugh…” she groaned and rubbed the spot on her jaw.

“Bunsen Blaze…” Bronze couldn’t be sure if she had heard the mare, or if it was said out in the other room. Though as her eyes looked up and met Frostfires, she heard it once more from the Sargents’ lips, “his name… was Bunsen Blaze,” it sounded painful for her to say the name, “My brother… died in a fight with the DDR… thanks to you.”

‘… I deserve this,’ the mare on the floor remarked to herself, now fully anticipating another punch.

But it didn’t come.

Instead, a hoof grabbed hold of her talon and picked her back up to her own legs, as the two mares stared at each other’s eyes. Frostfires’ digging deep through the metal of the mares, “it was senseless how he passed, and now here you are trying to do better and make up for it…” hearing those words didn’t seem to hurt much anymore, and that made Bronze even start to worry if she had gone numb to the reminder of her mistake, “… you will make up for it… or so help me in his name I’ll find the deepest crevasse in that mine, and send you all the way to the core.”

With that, Frostfire whipped around and walked from the room. Bronze could feel that there was so much more she wanted to say to the one that helped take her family member, someone she cared about. Yet, now she was alone, with a sore jaw to help remind her of the pains she put on other families.

“As if I needed any more reminders…”