Graycoat of Everfree

(Short chapter that way I can start work on other chapters)

Chapter 10

"Who is 'us'? What did you ponies do?"  Twilight asked, angry about their unwillingness to talk. Eagle eye stared at his tea, which was now long past an enjoyable temperature. He took a sip of the lukewarm tea, and cleared his throat.

"We were part of a special task force called the SolarOPs." He took another sip of tea. "It was created after Nightmare Moon's revolution, to handle the stuff that was way out of the guard's league."

"Why would that be needed? From what I understand there were no wars after Nightmare Moon's banishment."

"History is written by the victor, but there was no victor after the uprising. Celestial banished her own sister to the moon for a thousand years nobody would be proud of that."

"That still doesn't explain why it was needed."

"Twilight you live less than a days walk away from Tartarus, and the still very dangerous Everfree forest, and you saw how useful the guard was during the Changeling invasion. This a dangerous land, of course we were needed."

"How am I supposed to believe this, where as all the history books say that those thousand years were peaceful."

"Graycoat was the one who had access to all the information, he would verify everything I've said, if he would even consider talking about it."

"Did he not like his job? It couldn't have been that bad, and I doubt that it was your boss, Celestial is the kindest most understanding pony I know."

"It only happened in the last year of the SolarOPs existence. I'm not sure how but the task force was acquired by a ruthless business man. We were no longer a force for good." He looked sadly at his now cold cup of tea and set it down.

"I still don't see how Graycoat fits into this." Twilight said, eagerly taking in all this new information.

"He was part of a two pony team that created all the technology we used. Everything from the armor to the communications devices we used were hoof made by two gifted unicorns, hoof picked by Princess Celestia herself." Suddenly the door opened and Graycoat stoped in the door way. "You're back, I thought you hated talking about the past."

"I'll manage." He said, closing the door behind him. They sat there in silence for a few minutes waiting to see who would talk first.

"Are you gonna talk, or am I going to have to talk for you?" Graycoat remained silent. "Fine. Graycoat was accepted into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, at the age of 8, for his stable knowledge of general magic. At the age of 10 he was placed under academic probation after creating a spell that made eggs hatch a full grown hydra, and then used it on two other students that were harassing him. At the age of 12 he was placed under academic probation again for using a spell that attracted snakes, on the same students as before. His knowledge of spell creation didn't go unnoticed. At the age of 14 he was pulled from classes and was selected for the SolarOPs' technological development team, citing extensive knowledge in Magic Theory and Technological applications." Graycoat turns his head slowly towards his friend, disturbed by his almost biographical knowledge of him.

"Dude."

"What, did I forget something?"

"Why do you know so much about my life?"

"After the dissolution of the OPs, the biographical files were made declassified. I wanted to make sure you weren't killed."

"Wait why was there a possibility that he was dead?" Twilight asked.

"Short answer: Ethical discrepancies. Long answer-"

"Let's leave it at that." Graycoat said interrupting him.

"What why?"

"Now is not the time to talk about it."

"Goddammit!" Eagle eye flashed with anger. "Its never the time to talk about it with you. Maybe if you talked about it, you wouldn't be such an ass!"

"You know damn well that neither you, or I, or her are ready to talk about what we've done!" Graycoat matched his anger.

"You always say 'we', you had no involvement with the actual missions!"

"I provided you with the technology to carry out those missions, their blood is on my hooves just as much as yours!"

"Dammit whose blood is on your hooves!" Twilight shouted breaking the two out of their argument. The two stared at her silently. The distant rumble of thunder passed, and a light drizzle started outside. "Well?" Twilight said impatiently.

"All you." Graycoat once again left the library. And as Eagle eye stared at the mare, he realized that Graycoat was right, he wasn't ready to talk about it.

"I.. I should go." He said quietly, and made his way towards the door.

“Wait.” She followed but when she reached the door he was already gone. She breathed a heavy sigh and closed the door to the library.