Blight of The War Horse (Reforged)

Heh…

Hehehehehehehe.

“HaHaHaHa!” Storm Breaker cackled loudly, startling the far-off cutie mark crusaders as she tried not to double over.

What was she talking about? This mutt challenging her was nowhere near close to comparable with herself; its unsure glances and twitchy paws were a sure sign. She knew there were worse things than it- manticores, the rock lizards, Hydras -that she wouldn’t break a sweat tearing its wooden hide apart. The alpha may have hunted ponies before, but she wasn’t one of the weaker versions, and it saw that. It was confused and on edge, far from the attitude of a proper warrior when faced with an unknown creature. And now its pack was watching: pride is on the line.

Right now, the titanic mare felt an all too familiar sense of excitement flowing through her veins, a toothy grin growing on her muzzle. “What are you waiting for? Getting cold paws?” She growled at her cocksure opponent.

The alpha responded to her taunt by roaring furiously and pouncing at Storm Breaker, reeling back a paw readied to tear her to ribbons. Unfortunately for the wild beast, this wasn’t like the scarred pony’s fight with the manticore, Storm Breaker tilting to the side slightly and wrapping her forelegs over its left shoulder and under its right upper leg as its limb slashed thin air. In one swift motion, she let her entire weight fall into the lake and crush the alpha underneath, eliciting a pained yelp as she rolled off and got to her hooves. But as it attempted the same, the alpha was knocked down again by a pair of back hooves crashing into its face, breaking chips of wood off its snout.

However, the alpha recovered and tried to rush her again by zig-zagging toward the hulking pony that backed away, Storm Breaker watching while it closed in. Once the alpha stopped its pattern about two pony lengths away, she covered the distance between them in a single bound, catching the wooden canine off guard.

Unfortunately, it went low, letting the bottom of its chin touch the water before shooting up and ramming into Storm Breaker's chest. But then the feeling of teeth biting the back of its neck was the only warning for the alpha when it was lifted into the air, Storm Breaker throwing her head skyward. Grunting in pain, she sent her head down sharply, slamming the alpha’s surprisingly light body down at her hooves.

While the alpha weakly pushed itself up, Storm Breaker forced herself to step a couple paces away while holding a hoof to her ribs, the alpha finally standing, shaking its head.

She’d been in a considerably better condition than her first day in Equestria, but Storm Breaker still needed rest after fighting a small feral army and a Hydra. Despite her earth pony body’s relatively quick healing, bones don’t fully apply. And putting her already fragile ribs between intense weight and a hard place, scolding-hot pain didn’t describe her chest’s agony.

Suddenly, a snarl snapped Storm Breaker out of her pain-induced trace, but she was too late to react as the alpha successfully jumped onto her back. She let out a muffled scream through her teeth, feeling its claws and maw rapidly tear into her back, blood dripping into the lake.

“You little bastard!” She spat, trying to shake off the wooden mutt.

When it didn’t work, Storm Breaker gritted her teeth and braced for impact as she reared onto her hind legs and let herself fall back. Upon the impact creating a huge splash, Storm Breaker choked a shriek at the ensuing pain, internally relieved at the lack of a foreign pest attached to her back. If the armor and sword Luna gifted her hadn’t gotten ruined, the vermin’s corpse would resolve Applebloom and Sweetie Belle’s punishment.

Yet, as Storm Breaker tried to stand, darkness surrounded her vision like an incoming storm, a sense of mute drowsiness latching onto her mind. Eye widening in panic, a burst of adrenaline helped the warrior mare quickly shoot out of the water, desperately gasping for air.

Shit, she was beginning to pass out!

“There’s no need to worry, dear.” Mrs. Gran sweetly reassured with a smile, “You worked hard for this; you’ll do great!” In spite of the old mare’s soothing words, Flash Freeze nervously glanced upward at the foreboding structure before her, almost terrified.

Compared to the massive crowd of earth mares and stallions, young and old, taking up a fifth of an acre’s worth of space, the building was at least six and stood taller than the tallest trees her old mountain-side village used to neighbor. A staircase leading to its pillar-flanked entrance, every cobblestone wall, pony-sized window, gargoyle, and other bits and bobs of detail lining the building surface showed extreme craftsmanship. It nearly sent Flash Freeze’s bumpkin mind into a spiral at how somepony had the time or the resources to make something so elegant.

Mister Carver and Mrs. Gran called it the Hall of Γλύπτης της γης, named after the demi-god of the earth, one of the four servants under the goddess. Flash Freeze didn’t know what the scary building was for, but Gran said it was for an important event she’d attend to be a knight, and she trusted the old mare.

The pre-teen filly suddenly flinched as a hoof touched her shoulder but relaxed when it led back to Gran. “Something is bothering you,” She frowned, “you haven’t been with us for long, but I can tell worries are eating away at your courage.”

Trying to refute her claim with a shake of her head, Flash Freeze remained silent until Gran’s stern expression drew a sigh out of the young mare. “I…miss my parents.” Flash whispered, holding back tears. The memories of her village’s destruction were four years fresh in her mind, her grandpa’s mistreatment following grandma's death even so.

Gran's frown deepened, a look of sympathy and hidden anger held in her wise eyes. “I know,” She muttered. The young mare had unintentionally told her what happened to her village during a not-so-pleasant breakdown shortly after being bought off; Gran became the only pony Flash could trust with her past. Seeing the anger in her eyes, Flash somewhat understood the old mare’s feelings, but having a stranger care for you like a birth parent is strange. “But this, right here-” Gran pointed to the building, “-is a way you can take back the life they stole from you.” She said, confusing Flash Freeze. “I and many others joined because of the scum that wronged us; we earth ponies are tired of living in fear. A part of me regrets telling you those stories of us knights, but if your feelings about going down this path rest in stone, I won’t stop you- none of us will.”

Atop the building's leading staircase and looking down on the crowd, a robed figure slowly emerged from the large double door’s darkness and stopped at the top step’s edge. As they introduced themselves and began a long-winded speech she tuned out of, Flash nervously turned her gaze to the snowy ground.

Releasing a sharp gasp, Storm Breaker narrowly evaded the alpha’s claw aimed at her face by leaning back. When it stumbled forward, she head-butted its snout, causing additional cracks as it barked in pain. Storm Breaker didn’t give the wooden beast a second to breathe, thanks to her unexpected fight-or-flight response driving her body to unleash a flurry of blows upon the alpha.

One-legged bucks, head swings, stomping, tackling, every blow struck her enemy with blinding speed, sending the timberwolf flying away and hitting the far edge of the lake ahead of Storm Breaker.

“What in hades?” She muttered in frustration after a second of silence, more annoyed by her mind's dangerous interruption.

Why was she reminiscing about that? The vanguard introduction ceremony happened so long ago that it became nothing more than a faint afterthought to her- these sudden resurfacing memories were getting tiresome.

But the time for mulling ended as the alpha regained its footing and let out an echoing howl, two timberwolves leaping from the crowd and running to Storm Breaker, fangs bared. Snorting, she ducked under one of the wolves leaping at her, letting it fly over and punching the second in the teeth. Unlike their sturdy alpha, her hoof caused the smaller timberwolf’s head to shatter upon contact, its body dropping like a sack of bricks as the first came back, only to receive a buck that ended in a similar vein.

Stomping a front paw to gain, the alpha returned to battle by running at Storm Breaker again, “C’mon, give me a real fight!” She angrily shouted. This scuffle was taking too long, and she was beginning to fade again! Cupping her hoof under the lake's surface, Storm Breaker threw her limb at the alpha, sending a watery arc at her wooden opponent.

The giant timberwolf recoiled at the distractions touch, stumbling backward, which gave Storm Breaker enough time to unhinge her maw and bolt straight at its throat.

Releasing a shaky breath, the now lone Flash Freeze stood awkwardly amongst a cramped, tall hall filled with potential Vanguard Knights, many of whom glared at one another with arrogance. Gran had to leave her behind not long ago, and being the, to her knowledge, smallest one of the bunch didn’t help Flash’s nerves, even when the distraction of more robed figures appeared on a balcony above. However, excited cheers erupted at their presence, only dying down after a few seconds.

“Greetings, fellow children of the earth.” The frontmost figure in a red robe welcomed, flanked by two blue-robed ponies on each side. “Today, you will be tested by us, The Vanguard council, and her holiness to see if you’re worthy of bearing the Earth pony race upon your shoulders!” They added.

Flash had to fold her ears down to avoid going deaf at another round of cheers, the red-robed pony’s raised hoof quickly silencing them.

From what she heard, Gran and Valley Carver knew little of the council like any pony outside or a part of the vanguard. Their existence and identity are known by few, their faces fewer, and they make themselves known only on special occasions or in times of need, if what Gran said spoke true. Personally, Flash cared little about them beyond their ability to grant a pony the title of a knight; her future depended on it. Even though they oppose her worries, Flash couldn’t risk burdening her newly found group if she failed- another mouth to feed out of pity.

“The trials ahead will be gruesome, even fatal to some who cannot bear its toll,” The red-robed pony said, “To prove yourselves, all must live and survive like our ancestors, who braved the wild and its tests to bring us a better future the unicorn and pegasi pests deny us.“ The crowd agreed with angered shouts, “You will live like they did, gain their wisdom over the next three moons in the wilderness with nothing but your will and bodies.” They explained.

It was all Flash needed to know; the rest explained itself.

Return to your most barbaric instincts and survive until you are good enough to bring a better future for earth ponies. Images of the past passed like wisps of smoke in her head: the unicorns raining fire onto her village, her parents throwing her over the wall, and her desperate pleas drowned by the screams of her ponies. She was too weak to do anything then.

She hated this place, but she already failed those closest to her.

Never. Again.

The alpha howled in shock as Storm Breaker’s jaws clamped firmly to its throat, dragging its lumbering frame down with a hard yank.

Due to this, the chuck of shredded bark that was a throat separated from the alpha's body, only to be unceremoniously spat into the water when Storm Breaker wrapped her forelegs around its amber sap-leaking neck. Too bad these things don’t die from ordinary means.

“Look away!” She yelled, not bothering to check if the Crusaders followed her command as she began to arch her spine back.

The alpha clawed at her forelegs, creating new bloody cuts that barely affected the warrior mare, the sound of snapping emanating from underneath her sitting on the timberwolf's lower back. She shrieked in fiery determination, pouring every ounce of strength into her whaling upper body, hoping her mind held out a bit longer. Unfortunately, a second of relief in her hold was enough for the alpha to break free of the injured Storm Breaker, using its head to strike her chin and knocking the large mare on her flank before turning around. A swift pounce and hastened attempt at guarding later, the alpha stood over Storm Breaker with its jaws clamped to her guarding foreleg and tossing it side to side.

Snikt!

Forcing down the repulsive feeling of bile in her throat, the sense of desperate joy and hunger suppressed Flashes disgust at the unmoving rabbit under her, its open jugular staining the snow crimson.

It’d last two fortnights before starvation forced the young mare’s hoof to find other food sources. The nearby lake provided clean enough water, and the few berries she managed to forge lasted until now, but it wasn’t enough for a growing filly. Flash had tried her hoof in hunting the occasional deer or boar roaming the forest with what she learned from her village's hunting parties, but watching and doing were two different things entirely. She would be lucky if her poorly crafted traps snatched a tuft of fur, and preparing a bow was a pipe dream with her undeveloped muscles.

Nevertheless, when venturing away from the hollowed tree trunk she called home, Flash Freeze stumbled across a rabbit lying in a small clearing. She felt sorry for the creature as it cried and squealed in pain, the lack of movement in its bleeding hind legs being the cause. The thought of leaving it crossed her mind, but that wasn’t an option in this case.

Her ancestors didn’t survive by crying over injured prey.

They took advantage.

But despite the ordeal lasting a few seconds, it felt like an eternity for Flash, holding a sharp rock she found nearby over its throat while it stared into her eyes. Yet, it was over, and she could finally have something resembling a meal.

“Agh!” She cried, the sudden feeling of a hoof striking her side, sending her sprawling across the ground.

As she tried to stand, the same hoof pinned her down, “Sorry, brat, but that was my kill.” A voice said.

Looking up, an equally thin pony stood over her with a stone blade held in between his crazed smile. She tried to voice a plea, but her weakened body lacked any energy to fight back as the stallion stepped off and walked back toward the dead rabbit.

No.

She didn’t come all this way for somepony to steal her salvation. Weren't earth ponies supposed to stick together? She killed it, anyway! The countless nights shivering under leaves, barely escaping predators, and going days without eating to ration her findings. This was the first good thing that had happened in days, and now it was being ripped away right before her eyes. He was no different than her grandpa, who found her when the news of her village’s destruction reached his and ended up enslaving her when the bits ran dry, stealing her life, just like the unicorns.

They were greedy, selfish monsters that stole everything from those in need, acting no different than her race's enemies.

Traitors!

Making sure to rise to her shaky hooves without making too much noise, she bit down and held the sharp rock she managed to keep hidden with her teeth. The stallion bent down to collect Flash’s reward, and the scowling young mare waited until she was less than a foot behind him.

The council never said anything about killing turncoats.

With a twist of her waist, Storm Breaker’s agony forced out a scream as she ripped the foreleg out of the alpha’s teeth, losing ribbons of flesh as her opposite landed a punch against its lower jaw.

“FUCK!” She spat, quickly throwing her lower half around and ensnaring the alpha’s waist in her hind legs. Before it could fight back, she continued her grapple by biting its face, pulling it by the head into a brutal hug that slowly crushed its chest. She needed to end this quickly, her blood loss worsening with every passing moment, and the threat of the alpha lackeys attacking the fillies becoming more prominent as some antsy onlookers snapped and drooled hungrily at the Crusaders.

She did it.

It was finally over.

“We congratulate those who ascended,” The red-robed pony said, them and a hoof-full of ponies- including Flash -standing in front of Γλύπτης της γης Hall’s leading staircase. In contrast to prior months, the number of ponies dwindled from the hundreds to a measly dozen, either succumbing to the wild or their fellow earth pony’s desperate greed. “And we pray for those who fell, no matter the reason.”

Fortunately, killing other contenders wasn't banned as to test the ‘earth pony bond,’ as the red-robed pony said. She guessed the few ponies who helped her were examples, the few who cared for others and not for their self-interest.

Lifting a hoof to the heavens, a blue-robed pony walked over and placed a rusted sword in the red-robed pony’s hoof before retreating. “Alas, the time for grief has passed, replaced by this joyous day.” They proudly shouted, “Come forth and claim your rebirth!”

This time, the alpha’s inner hope of escape rapidly faded to panic once it felt no sign of faltering in Storm Breaker's grip. Again, the mighty mare arched her back to finish what she started, shards and splinters shooting off the alpha's body.

Throughout her life, Storm Breaker enacted countless things that would make anypony weep at the mere mention of them. When it comes to monsters, she was not an exception, without a doubt. But she used to not care about embracing the visage of an unfeeling beast, having ignored her inner turmoil by masking it in rage and blind anger directed at the unicorns and pegasi.

Storm Breaker: a dead mare walking with a kill count in the hundreds of thousands, whose entire existence is defined by her crimes.

But, recently, she delved deeper into a newer outlook on her second chance at life.

She had caused the ponies’ fear because of her confusion of the world. The alicorn sisters granted mercy despite having no reason to, even if their intentions weren’t fully agreeable. And…the old coot, Olive Branch. He was her first true friend in this sickly sweet hell, an enemy contradicting her understanding of unicorns from the start. Yeah, those chicken-shit guards, Luna (at first), and many of Canterlots nobility pissed her off to no end, to name a few, but she saw not every one of these modern ponies deserved her scorn.

Another rebirth was due.

And no mutt was going to take that away from her!

Ascending the steps and kneeling at the red-robed pony's hooves, they hovered the rusted sword over each shoulder. “For the goddess and her rightful children, you’ve vowed to protect our race until the end.” Looking up with her dulled eyes, Flash could make out a smile in the darkness of their hood. “I hereby declare you-”

All it took was one herculean burst of fleeting strength and a pained roar that shook the sky from its opponent for the alpha to meet its end. With one last cry, its midsection tore like ripping paper, its parted mid-section bursting with sap as its pony adversary released it, leaving its body nearly split in half. Last glimmers of light fleeting from its closing orbs, its divided body sank below the aqua surface.

Rolling over, the warrior stared dully at the dark orange sky, each breath labored, the frantic cries of the Crusaders slightly muffled in her ears.

“Twilight’s going to bitch about this.” Storm Breaker mentally groaned.

“Storm Breaker.”

“Storm Breaker!”

Disregarding the mixed tears of dread and happiness coating her cheeks, Scootaloo watched Storm Breaker stand out of the water for what felt like the hundredth time this evening. Craning her neck to the big timberwolf’s sinking body, which the filly cringed at, she dove her head under and bit its neck a third time, tossing its upper defiled corpse at the smaller timberwolves. The hoard, thankfully too shocked to care about Scootallo and her friends, stepped back as Storm Breaker placed a hoof over her chest akin to when she first met the Crusaders.

“FIGHT AND DIE, OR RUN!” Storm Breaker shouted defiantly, her words distorted and gurgled by the blood pouring out her mouth. Silence hung in the air, tension thicker than ice and just as cold.

In the end, however, none of the Timberwolves met Storm Breaker’s invitation to a slaughter as they quickly ran back behind the protection of the Everfree’s vegetation. Within a matter of seconds, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Storm Breaker were the only remaining creatures in the clearing. Sadly, their relief abruptly ended when the titanic mare’s legs gave out, and she fell to her knees.

“Ma’am!” Scootaloo cried, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle accompanying her as she rushed and swam toward Storm Breaker’s side. “Oh, crud, I’m so sorry; this is all my fault!” She whimpered.

If she hadn’t pestered her…

“Horseapples, what are we gonna do?!” Applebloom panicked.

Sweetie Belle nervously glanced behind herself, “Are we sure they left?” She asked.

The trio of fillies yelped in surprise as Storm Breaker coughed crimson into the lake, “Shut up! That mutt already gave me a good beat to the head- your blabbering doesn’t need to contribute to my headache.” She groaned, standing up. Scootaloo retreated slightly, frowning deeply as Storm Breaker looked down on her. “Let's just get out of here before Twilight and her feel-good pals burn down the forest looking for us.”

Without a word, Scootaloo nodded, the warrior mare letting the pegasi filly and her friends ride on her back as they transitioned from the lake to the path leading to Ponyville, now having removed themselves off her back.

And along the dimly-lit, damp forest trail, strangely quieter than usual, Scootaloo failed to resist glancing at Storm Breaker. If only she hadn’t said anything, she would’ve been fine. The Crusaders and herself had done some stupid things to achieve their cutie marks in the past, but a pony got seriously hurt this time because of it! Oh, what would Rainbow Dash think of her, the element of Loyalty, her idol!? Forget ever getting a cutie mark; becoming a great flier like her would never happen in a million years if she stopped being her coach! And what if somepony like Celestia found out? Wasn’t Storm Breaker part of her sister’s guard, and harming one of them is a super-duper crime worthy of jail? She wasn’t a criminal!

While all these racing thoughts tore through her youthful mind, the filly pegasus flinched unexpectedly when a gigantic hoof pulled her in. Looking up, Storm Breaker was there, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom walking in front. “Don’t worry about them, they’re too busy arguing about ‘comic books’ again.” She huffed.

“Wha-?” Scootaloo said, tilting her head.

Storm Breaker, in turn, huffed, “Look, kid, you’ve been staring at me for thirty minutes straight, and your face says your heart’s about to explode or you need to take a dump.” She explained, making an embarrassed blush appear on Scootaloo’s muzzle.

After a second to let her redness fade, the pegasus filly’s face fell to the ground, “It’s nothing, ma’am.” It was barely a whisper, but a tone of regret weighed heavily on her voice.

“I ain’t one for mussy heart-felt crap, but take it from me when I say bottling grievances isn’t a healthy lifestyle.” Storm Breaker wistfully warned, returning her gaze ahead. “We’re about thirty meters from where we entered this goddess-awful place, and I think we both can hear the shrill cries of that Rarity pony ahead calling for her sister. Go ahead. You don’t have to make it an entire biography.” She said.

Scootaloo hesitated for a silent moment, not sure how to articulate her woe. Nevertheless, Storm Breaker was correct: the faint sound of Canterlot-esque complaining combined with a hint of Ponyville’s country drawl wasn’t too far, and the night had just begun.

“I just…feel bad for dragging you here. I thought you could teach us something cool and get our cutie marks, but we…I only ended up making things worse.” She sniffled, whipping away a tear.

Something so childish deserved to be laughed at for being such a pathetic excuse- no better than saying one didn’t know any better. But Scootaloo did. Countless times before, told by others or Rainbow Dash and her friends to be careful and not cause trouble when Crusading. She never listened. The poor Pegasi almost got somepony…killed tonight, and all she had as an excuse was her ignorance.

“I’m sor-”

“That’s it? Kid, don’t worry, I don't hate you.” Storm Breaker Interrupted, not bothering to examine the dumbfoundedness carved into Scootaloo's face. “Look, I’ve taken on a billion worse things than a Timberwolf in my lifetime, and just because it was bigger than normal doesn’t mean squat.” She said, smirking.

It took a minute for the young pegasi to find her voice, “Huh? B-But…aren’t you mad…you got worse because of me!” She shouted quietly, not wanting her friends to interject.

Storm Breaker chuckled lightly, “I broke my stitches pushing up a home face this morning. Last week, I shattered my foreleg cast because I was running to deliver supplies. And so on. This isn’t the first time I did something stupid- I should’ve just taken you three and ran.” A downcast expression crossed her features, a sigh escaping parted lips. “But, I didn’t, and you wouldn’t understand because those eyes are sacred grounds; things like violence and war have no right etching themselves in them. I was wrong to do those things in front of you fillies. So, chalk it up to me…burying the hatch on old wounds.” A raised hoof stopped Scootaloo before her mouth went into overdrive. “Also, to tell you the truth, I had no idea what I wanted to teach you- fishing was a last-second straw pick. There was no point coming out here at the end of the day. So, in a way, I’m the sod in this situation.”

“And I’m done…tired of all this muck I birth to because of blind ignorance.”

Fire felt warmest when surrounded by family, more so on happy occasions. The sensation of embracing heat-grazing fur like sun-kissing rays intensified with love by those who give it, and the crackling embers smelt nice.

Flash Freeze, or Storm Breaker now, felt a smile she hadn’t donned in what felt like centuries, full of joy, her Vanguard peers loudly cheering in celebration. When Mrs. Gran and the rest heard of Storm’s integration into the Vanguard order, Blizzard proposed a plan to host their own feast that’d last three days and nights. Of course, none objected- not even the usually uptight Flury spoke up in protest. So, raiding a unicorn convoy for their supplies, the bomb-loving stallion’s wish bloomed, and Storm couldn’t have been happier.

Tasting meat and fresh fruits after so long felt like a goddess-send.

“How’s food?” Valley Carver asked, approaching from behind, his deep voice shaking her core as he sat beside her, a mug of mead in hoof.

Chewing and swallowing a bite of turkey leg, she hummed in satisfaction, “It’s good…Sir.” She happily said, barely above a whisper.

Chuckling, the overwhelmingly towering stallion’s plate-sized hoof gently landed on Storm’s uncut, rat nest mane and mangled it further, earning a whine in return. “Glad to hear it, Storm Breaker. Soon enough, you’ll be as strong as me!” He boasted, grinning in encouragement but frowning once the young mare did.

Storm Breaker clutched the turkey leg in her hoof tighter, “Did I make the right choice?” She asked.

Still, lingering doubts remained in the back of her mind. What if she wasn’t strong enough to pull her weight? Did she have what it took to kill? There was no possible outcome of her ever defeating a unicorn and pegasi- she barely had an ounce of muscle on herself. It wasn’t like she had striking attributes beforehoof. She only joined the Vanguard introduction ceremony to make Gran proud and to enact revenge on the bastards who ruined her life. However, upcoming Vanguard training would eat her alive before she set hoof onto a battlefield. Maybe the nagging, taunting voice in her skull spoke truths or lied; it was hard for her to tell anymore. She wasn’t cut out for it, right?

A weak filly like her didn’t deserve to leave slavery’s cold grip- she’d be better off working in some field, freezing to death. At least there, she would know her place as dirt, void of delusions of power and vengeance.

The fire felt colder now.

Suddenly, the downcast filly unexpectedly received a tight embrace courtesy of Carver, her body refusing to resist in contrast to her yelp. “That’s for you to decide, not me.” He said, hardening his voice in a caring manner. “All you can do now is look forward and choose who you desire to be in life, unbound by outside influence, to make your path as a knight.” Another chuckle reached Storm’s ears, “My Grandpa used to tell me when I was lost: “Take life by the balls and make it do what you want; don’t run around like a chicken without its head when something bad happens.”” He said, imitating an elder’s scolding tone.

In spite of the hot tears soaking her cheeks and Carver's stomach fur, a laugh bursted from Storm Breaker, who tightly hugged him in silent thanks.

The warmness was becoming overwhelming, but she didn’t mind a bit.

Stepping out of the Everfree’s treeline, the three fillies and a heavily bleeding Storm Breaker were short of a meter before a sight caught their attention.

“THERE YA ARE!”

The young fillies recoiled from the distant, enraged country voice, especially Applebloom, as the figures of five mares quickly approached the group.

Yep, she wasn’t the only one getting an earful tonight. Scoffing, Storm Breaker stood in front of the fillies, waiting abroad as the elements of harmony grounded to a halt before her, visages ranging from ire to fear- except for a bouncing Pinkie's neutral smile. The warrior mare never truly figured out whether the bubblegum mare was a demon or some creature hades-bent on getting others to like her.

Not saying a word, she let the raving comments flow over her.

“Oh, dear Celestia, Sweetie, your coat is absolutely ruined!”

“Where in the hay did guys go?! I flew all over Ponyville to find you!”

“Storm Breaker, I swear on Granny Smith's life, if you two did anything stupid…”

“Man, I’m hungry. Good thing I brought snacks!”

Over and over, each emotion-filled inquiry slammed into the Storm Breakers’s ravaged body like falling chunks of hail during a terrible blizzard, all the while showing no sign of her inner feelings. Thinking back on the flashes of memory she had tonight as the cold air wafted past, the twinkling stars above, Storm Breaker never had many situations where she needed to explain herself. She was unprepared, in simple terms. The middle-aged, battle-hardened mare grew out of her tentativeness and into what she was before waking in Equestria, developing a sense of apathy in her feelings toward wrongdoing.

Nothing could stand up to her; why should she bow down and show weakness? Her job was to defend ponies, not to grovel at other ponies' hooves and beg for redemption.

In training she received from the council after her introduction, discipline was heavily enforced, and she knew just the right amount to get out of most trouble with her comrades. She had occasional disagreements with Carver or any other squad member, and plenty of strangers nearly died when a simple argument turned bloody because she was too prideful to say sorry.

Never had she openly admitted to being in the wrong.

But that was the warrior.

“Blame me, Celestia guard dogs,” She spat, quickly flinching at her involuntary response and coughing into a hoof, “No, ‘Elements of Harmony,’ I...caused you all...panic. I’m sorry... for making you all worry.” Storm Breaker said awkwardly, instantly silencing the ranting mares into a stupor.

The first to break their shock was Twilight, understandably, who- somewhat -relaxed her furrowed brow and took a step forward, peering up at Storm Breaker.

“What happened?” She asked.

Storm Breaker, switching to the fillies huddled underneath, Scootaloo's pleading eyes sparked amusement in her heart before she returned to Twilight’s gaze, taking a deep breath. “I escaped that insufferable hospital and happened to stumble onto these three by chance. They wanted some idiotic thing called a cutie mark, but I turned them down. But after the ankle biters begged me, I decided a foal’s game would soothe their energy, playing hide and seek in the forest nearby. Sadly, I failed to realize its dangers and fell down a hill.” She explained.

Crouching to the fillies’ level, she rested a hoof around Scootaloo's shoulders. “In the end, it was these three that helped this fool. Take up your bitching with me.” She said sternly.

She didn’t care if the four mares behind Twilight gawked in aberrant shock at her defense nor of the Crusaders ‘Oh’ing’ at her use of vulgar language. Really, she meant it. Right now nothing existed but Twilight and her locked in an invisible battle to see who would falter first, show signs of giving. To say she hated Twilight and her friends, or Ponyville in General, wouldn’t be a far-off statement.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t hate she felt…it was fear.

Vanguard Knights are, or were, ponies unfeeling and cruel in their profession for the sake of Earth Ponies and their future, and they would gladly die for it in a heartbeat, herself included. Broken down and built back up to survive and adapt to any situation, there was no need to form bonds past comrades and allies; things like love and friendship had no use on a war-torn plain. She had thoughts and feelings for colts in her younger years, but it never stuck, or the receiving end of her love died in a unicorn or pegasi raid. She formed friendships with enemy races supposedly neutral to the war, but it ended when their intentions of being a spy met the end of her blade.

Things like love and friendship brought only pain and problems- she knew that since day one.

Then she woke up in Equestria. Now she’s one bad day from breaking down…

…And she was scared.

Olive Branch: her first friend. Sky Slicer, the bird: her first loving connection not involving benefits or use. Celestia, Luna, and even Twilight: Ponies who foolishly yet kindly took a monster under their wings. And she could never understand it. Places of Ponyville terrified her deep down, like having a fear of the dark and imagining what could be resigned within regardless if there was or wasn't. It was new to her; she wanted no part of it, but she also didn't shy away.

Storm Breaker missed being Flash Freeze some days, and others, the warrior mask she secured so long with hate. Neither of which she could go back to. This new world did not need a warrior: that fact was ever so clear, as was painful; such a peaceful land shouldn’t know the horrors she experienced. Flash Freeze…she died three thousand and forty-odd years ago.

This new, inexperienced mare, thrust into an environment she knew not of, was a middle ground and a foundation to resculpt a bloody legacy.

She was Storm Breaker, a rebirth.

Releasing the titanic mare from her self-induced trance, sighing in exasperation, Twilight shook her head, “It’s…been a long day, Storm Breaker. Me and the girl’s been running around all day, and we’re tired. Let’s talk it out in the morning, okay?” She requested a hint of desperation in her bloodshot eyes.

Yeah, she likes the sound of that.

And so, she promptly passed out face-first into the dirt.