A Mercenary's Ending

Gregory sat on a hill that overlooked Cherry Hill Ranch. Dengal sat next to him as both leaned against a single cherry tree, relaxing together. The meeting between Majesty’s group and the Equestrian group had gone in a direction neither of them had thought it would go. If what Majesty had said was correct, Gregory mused, then the return of the windigos was inevitable. He knew they’d returned at the end of the series, but that had been because of the three villains, and with one of them out of the picture in the form of a somewhat reformed sexy Chrysalis, he doubted they’d come back in the same way. Still, it wasn’t a pleasant thought, and one he didn’t want to think about at the moment.

As he sat there, relaxing with his new girlfriend, his mind wandered. In a way, he could understand Majesty’s reasoning. Could he condone it? Not really. Still, he had to admit that it felt good to see the ponies in this town getting their comeuppance. He allowed himself a small grin of satisfaction at the thought.

“Talon for your thoughts,” a familiar voice said from behind the new couple.

Gregory and Dengal turned to see the black furred abyssinian tom leaning against the tree, arms crossed and smiling. Gregory shrugged. “Just thinking about the fine line between justice and revenge and how satisfying it can be to see those who wronged you suffer,” he admitted.

Tobias laughed, then sat next to Gregory before curling up next to him, putting his paws on his legs and his chin on said paws. It always surprised Gregory how well an abyssinian could morph and look similar to a normal feline, albeit one that was the size of a lion or tiger, oh my. As Gregory began to absently scratch his friend’s head, Tobias began to purr before he responded. “A fine line indeed,” he said before his eyes fluttered shut and his purring became louder.

Dengal leaned her head against Gregory’s shoulder, and in response the human ran his hand through her black hair. He noted just how well combed it was. “Revenge is a dish best served cold, I think you said once,” she noted.

“I also said that the best revenge is living well despite everything,” Gregory added. “Still, it feels worryingly good.”

Dengal put one of her hands on his thigh and squeezed before looking up at him, her bright red eyes filled with understanding. “You’re not alone in feeling that when people get what’s coming to them,” she said.

“Still, while it may be natural, a part of me feels guilty for feeling that,” Gregory said, his expression sobering.

“Your feelings are valid,” Dengal said. “Didn’t you also say once that it’s what we do with those feelings that matter more?”

“He did say that,” Tobias said, his purr growing louder slightly as Gregory found a particularly pleasant spot to scratch.

“That’s true,” Gregory admitted, “Still, part of me just wants to leave and never look back.”

“Same here,” Tobias said. “I can’t wait to go back home…”

Gregory nodded, then leaned back and looked up at the summer sky. It was early afternoon, and the sun was beginning to head to the west. In all of his time in this world, he had never noticed anything different about sunrise or sunset. There was no sudden motion of the sun or moon, especially at sunrise or sunset. The sun looked the same here as it did back on Earth. The moon, on the other hand, was bigger in apparent appearance in the sky than the sun, and it was completely alien to Gregory’s eyes. He had a picture of Earth’s moon with him, a few in fact, including a pair of images which were in frames. Each was identical with the labels of all the features on both sides. He had hoped to give a copy to Luna, but hadn’t ever gotten the chance. Just like he’d never gotten the chance to give Celestia her gift or the gifts he’d brought for the other Mane Six, Starlight, and especially Spike. Gifts he still had, minus foodstuffs that he’d been forced to eat before he starved to death.

“Nobody would blame you for that,” Dengal said in response to Tobias’ statement about home.

“I would blame me if we did,” Gregory said before he added, “our reputation as a mercenary group with standards would go down the drain, especially if we decide to go to Abyssinia and become adventurers at their guild.”

Dengal chuckled and nodded. “I know how much this means to you,” she said, “but we’ve fulfilled our duty. If we left early, I think the princesses would understand.”

“Probably, but like I said, I’ll remember,” Gregory said.

“He’s stubborn,” Tobias spoke up, “so forget trying to convince him of that.”

Dengal nodded and pressed herself more against him, and Gregory could feel her ample bosom pressing against his side. “We just worry about you, you know?” she said.

Gregory smiled slowly, then closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before exhaling, sinking back into the tree. “I know,” he said softly.

A shadow passed over his eyes a few minutes later, and his eyes shot open only to see an unusual sight. A human woman stood there, hands behind her back and a nervous expression on her face. He recognized her as one of the women he’d seen upon their first arrival into town. “Um, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” the woman said.

Dengal and Tobias were instantly awake, sitting up and moving protectively in front of Gregory. “What do you want?” Dengal asked, a hint of anger in her tone.

The woman raised her hand and backed away. “I-I’m not here to hurt anypon-anycreature,” she corrected herself. “I just…I wanted to apologize to him.” She gestured to Gregory.

The goblin woman and abyssinian tom relaxed, but not completely. They did move back to their former positions, all while keeping an eye on the pony turned human. Gregory looked at her. The mark on her shoulder showed two cherries still attached to a vine. Cherry Jubilee, he guessed. “What did you have to say?” he asked, doing his best to keep the tension out of his voice.

The woman looked nervous, but then steeled herself and knelt in front of him, then bowed her head low to the ground. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion, “but I want to say how sorry I am for the awful way I treated you before. It was wrong and I should never have done what I did.” She looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I-If you want to hit me or anything, I-I won’t resist.” She then offered her his chin. “I deserve it.”

For a brief moment, Gregory actually considered striking her. A part of him, a darker part, relished in the satisfaction of direct action against one of his tormentors, be they ever so brief. He had no doubt that had he stayed on the outskirts of the town like Jason had in Ponyville, he would have endured the same torment, and potentially worse. No, he thought. Hitting her like that won’t do much. Still, he found that his fist began to relax and reach up towards her, palm up. He brought his hand back, then it slapped her across her cheek. It wasn’t soft, but he had held back a bit. Cherry stumbled back, sitting on her butt and holding her now red cheek. “I think that we’re even, now,” Gregory heard himself saying. He even felt a small smirk forming on his cheek.

She looked at him, then rubbed her chin. Then, to Gregory’s surprise, she laughed. It was soft at first, but then it grew in intensity and she was soon doubling over, holding her sides. And that was when she began to glow. Gregory and the others had to hide their eyes from the glow as it surrounded the laughing human. Only a half minute later, however, the glow subsided, and where a human woman had been, an anthropomorphic earth pony mare lay, oblivious to the changes. The fact that she was Cherry Jubilee was now no longer in doubt. Her two shaded moderate crimson colored mane and tail and her pale yellow fur made that abundantly clear. Even her mane style matched the episode where she appeared.

When she finished laughing, she slowly stood back up. “I deserved that,” she said with a chuckle, apparently not noticing her physical change. She then looked down at him. “Hey, um, this may be presumptuous to ask, but would you and your companions like to come to my house for dinner tonight? It’s just me and my mother at home right now, but I could whip something delicious up.”

“Does that invitation include Sunset Shimmer and Chrysalis?” Gregory asked pointedly.

Cherry hesitated, her ear slowly lowering, and Gregory couldn’t blame her for the brief look of apprehension on her face. She didn’t know Sunset Shimmer, but everyone in Equestria knew the name Chrysalis. “I-If they wish to come, then yes,” she said. “Can changelings even eat normal food?”

“They can,” Gregory said. He’d actually once had a conversation with a changeling mercenary about that, and said mercenary had said that normal food could be consumed, but emotions were better for them, at least, in their former state. Now, however, Chrysalis and Thorax along with the changeling refugees beneath Canterlot were quickly learning that normal food was now healthy for them.

“Then I’ll prepare enough for her,” she promised.

“You know, you look good as a bipedal pony,” Dengal said, abruptly changing the subject.

Cherry looked at the goblin woman with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean? I’m a human now, see?” She held up her hand to show the goblin, only to pause when she saw that the skin she once had was now covered with fur. “What in Celestia’s name…?” Gregory watched as she felt over her face, eyes widening as she felt her equine head. “I-I have to go!” She turned and started running, but then stopped and turned back. “Does six o’clock sound too late to you?”

Gregory looked at the windup pocket watch and noted that it was just past one. “That’s perfect,” he said with a nod.

“Good! Feel free to sample any ripe cherries you find!” With that, the older mare, for mare she was once again despite her anthropomorphic appearance, turned and began running down towards the farmhouse.

“She is quite lovely,” Gregory had to agree as Dengal and Tobias went back to relaxing against Gregory.

“If you believe that mare is lovely, then you should have seen my late daughter in this form,” a new voice said, one which sent shivers down Gregory’s back.

He stiffened, slowly sat up, then put one hand on one of the pistols at his belt before he turned to face the owner of said voice. Majesty stood there, or rather, an anthropomorphic Majesty stood there. On one side was Spyke, although he now appeared as a young teenager, and on her other side was Starfall, but to Gregory’s confusion, the new flutter pony was in an anthropomorphic form as well, her wings larger so as to match her new body. Majesty and Starfall were both wearing simpler clothing, but when compared to what the new ponies wore, they very well may have been the height of fashion. Human clothing, he surmised.

Dengal had one hand on her hammer, her red eyes glowing with anger as she glared at Majesty, and Tobias had one hand on one of his rapiers, mouth open and hissing, his fur puffed up and tail straight. “What do you want?” Dengal snarled, her teeth bared to show her elongated fangs.

Majesty didn’t react. Instead, she raised her hands. “I didn’t come here to harm anyone,” she said, “I simply came to talk.”

“What’s there to talk about?” Dengal spat angrily. “You kidnapped my boyfriend, held him against his will, and forced him to watch you punish ponies!”

To her very slight credit, Majesty’s ears flattened ever so slightly. “I regret what I did to him. Miss Dengal,” she said. “I know that words and my apologies won’t be enough, but I hope that my actions going forward will convince you of my sincerity.”

“If you’re looking for forgiveness, you’ve come to the wrong place,” Gregory said, and he was surprised at how even his tone was.

“I wasn’t expecting forgiveness,” Majesty said. “I know what I did was wrong, and I am deeply sorry for it.”

“Why are you still showing up if you know that I won’t forgive you or even want to see you?” Gregory asked.

“For a few reasons,” Majesty said. “Firstly, I came because Starfall here has something she wants to say to you.”

A bit intrigued, Gregory turned to the nervous looking flutter pony. Her eyes flitted between Gregory, his girlfriend, and his best friend. She scratched the back of one hand in a remarkably human gesture of nervousness. “Sir,” she began, and Gregory was surprised by how clear and concise her voice was, “I know you said that I needed to prove myself to you and your team if I wanted to join, but I really want to be by your side.”

“May I ask why?” Gregory asked curiously.

Starfall’s ears flattened slightly. “Sir…you remind me of…me.”

That caught everyone’s attention, except for Majesty and Spyke, of course. “How so?” Gregory asked.

“Well…” she looked away, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but Majesty rubbed her back with a hand, and the flutter pony stood taller before turning back. “Because I was a bit of an outcast when I was a nox. I was different in a way that only the nox could see. I was a bit…” she paused, seeming to search for the words, “…I don’t know the words. Disconnected, perhaps? Alone?”

Gregory wasn’t sure where this was going, but he put his free arm on his hip. “Go on,” he said.

“Well, sir,” she continued, “I knew that our circumstances were different. There are no natural born humans left in the world, and while there are nox, I always felt left out and alone.” She looked down at her flutter pony form. “Probably even more so now.”

Despite everything, Gregory felt a twinge of sympathy for the young mare. Changing into a new form couldn’t have been an easy thing to adjust to, although that begged the question as to why she was now an anthropomorphic pony. “You saw some sort of connection between us, then,” he stated.

“Yes, sir,” she affirmed.

“Was that the only reason?” Gregory asked.

Starfall shook her head. “Another reason I want to join is…I admit that it’s a bit selfish, but I have always wanted to see the world and explore.” Her eyes lit up with excitement and her wings buzzed slightly behind her. “Whenever I’ve been off duty and when I’m not eating or sleeping, I’ve spent my time reading about the outside world in the caves where Sanctuary once resided. I know reading isn’t the same as exploring it in person, but still, I want to explore.”

Gregory nearly smiled, but held it in check. Despite that, however, he found her wide eyed adventurous spirit charming. He hoped that if she ever did find a place to adventure, that her spirit wouldn’t be broken by the harsh realities of the world. “Anything else?” he asked, his curiosity starting to get the better of him.

She nodded, and her tone sobered again. “I wanted to be a part of your team and try and help you live a better life in this world. You’ve clearly had to struggle just to survive, and nobody should ever have to do that. I have years of experience as a maid, a cook, a healer, and I can, or I could I guess, see very well in the dark.”

“You still can,” Majesty interjected. “Flutter ponies always had the very best eyesight in day and at night.”

The new flutter pony breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to Gregory. “I’ll be your pack mule if I have to,” she said, eyes pleading, “but please let me come with you.”

Gregory looked at the pale blue flutter pony with a discerning eye. She certainly seemed genuine enough, but suspicion clouded his mind. “And you won’t be spying on me and sending reports back to Majesty here?” he asked

Starfall bristled. “I wouldn’t be in her majesty’s service if I came to work for you and your party,” she said, sounding a bit insulted.

“I wouldn’t have her do that,” Majesty said.

“Of course not,” Dengal said, “you’d just use your scrying spell on us.”

“I wouldn’t do that, either,” Majesty said. “I know you won’t believe that, and I wouldn’t blame you, but there are ways to deflect or even block scrying spells.”

“Would you take my word instead of my queen’s?” Spyke finally spoke up as he looked at Gregory with a serious expression.

Gregory turned to the ancient dragon in the form of a teenager or young adult. “I don’t know you all that well,” he admitted. “You took the form of Prince Spike just to stop my friends from finding me. How can I trust the word of someone who allows that sort of act?”

Spyke nodded gravely. “I know,” he said. “My queen is a mare of her word, though. Perhaps you could get that confirmation from the Williams siblings instead?”

“I think I can at least trust their word, at least better than yours at the moment,” Gregory agreed before turning back to Majesty. “Alright, if they say you won’t scry on us, I may be a bit more convinced.”

“Same with me,” Tobias replied. “If Megan or the others say that Majesty isn’t a liar, then I say bring this pony on board.”

“I can agree to that,” Dengal said.

Starfall seemed to relax greatly at that. “You won’t regret having me,” she said. “I can cook meals for herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores alike.” She smiled, and Gregory noted that despite her transformation, Starfall still had her nox fangs.

“I wouldn’t bring you on to be our traveling maid or a pack mule,” Gregory said. “You’d be an equal partner on the team. I admit, it will take a while for trust to build, but if you do work hard at it, then you’ll be a part of an amazing team.”

As Starfall smiled at that, Gregory returned his attention to Majesty. “What else were you here for?”

Spyke was the one who spoke next. “I actually wanted to speak with you and ask a favor of a rather…personal nature.”

Gregory raised an eyebrow. “What kind of personal nature?” he asked.

“The young dragon I replaced for a time when you were my queen’s…guest,” Spyke began, “the one who nearly shares my name…I understand that you spent time where he now lives and interacted with him?”

“I did, yes,” Gregory said.

“How’s he doing?” Spyke asked.

That’s an unusual question for him of all people to ask, Gregory thought. Still, a general response might not be a bad thing. “As far as I can tell, he’s happy with his new adopted family,” he said. “He has a doting mother, a devoted father, and a sister who loves having a big, strong dragon as a big brother.” In a way, the relationship he’d seen between Flurry Heart and Spike reminded him of the one that had once existed between Shining and Twilight. Flurry had even called Spike her BDBBFF, or Big Dragon Brother Best Friend Forever.

Spyke’s expression took on a bit of a pained one for a brief moment, but then he relaxed and a look of contentment appeared on his face. “Good,” he said. “I’m glad to hear that he’s living a good life. He’s eating well too, I take it? Not exclusively eating a pony diet?”

“I did see him eating meat if that’s what you’re asking,” Gregory replied.

Spyke smiled wider and inhaled deeply. “That’s all I needed to know. Thank you. Now then, if you’ll excuse me.” With that, the dragon spread his wings and flew away, heading towards the new forest.

That was weird, Gregory thought, unsure why Spyke was so concerned with another dragon who shared his name and looks and-he paused in thought, a realization passing over him. It can’t be…are they…? He watched the pink dragon who had dark green spines fly away and out of sight. They weren’t that far apart in appearance…and genetics being what they are…

He cut that thought off as something he shouldn’t dwell on before he turned back to Majesty. “Was there anything else you came here for?”

“Yes,” Majesty said, her expression sobering. “You know things. Things that not even the Williams siblings know. Things about our world that no human from Earth should know.”

“Like I said at the meeting, that is my secret,” Gregory said, his hand wrapping around his pistol.

“And I understand that,” Majesty acknowledged, “but I wasn’t lying when I said that if things don’t change in Equestria, the windigos will return. You may disagree with my methods, and I accept that, but as you humans would say, we are on the clock.” She paused to take a deep breath. “What do you know about windigos?”

“They’re equine shaped spirits who only appear during times of great hatred and strife,” Gregory said. “They create eternal winters and blizzards in their wake and their presence only exacerbates the hatred. They’re silvery white and have glowing eyes and transparent bodies.”

“They appear as equines only when they are dealing with equines,” Majesty corrected. “They have been silent as far as I can tell, but with how things are in Equestria now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a resurgence. The bond of friendship between all three tribes hangs by a thread. Thankfully, even after the ugly death of that poor stallion, no windigos have come. That doesn’t mean they won’t, though.”

“What point are you trying to make?” Gregory asked.

“My point, and my question, is what exactly do you know that might help this situation?” Majesty asked.

Gregory thought about his response. He wasn’t entirely sure that there was something he could add. All of what he knew from the show had either been tossed out due to Jason’s death or might not even happen. The Storm King hadn’t attacked, yet, and from what he had heard, the Storm King’s had been dealt with by someone during this early spring. He wouldn’t have been surprised if that had been Majesty’s doing. Still, the hippogriffs had begun to return to Mt. Aris. He had no idea what Cozy Glow might be up to, if she was even out there.

His show knowledge aside, there were things he had heard as a mercenary that the show hadn’t told him. For example, the fact that goblins existed in this world. They were apparently a tribal race of people who lived in scattered villages in a large forest on a continent east of Equestria. He shook his head. “All I know about windigos is what I just told you,” he said.

She nodded. “Understandable,” she said, “but you talk about them as if you believe they’re real. Nearly every other modern day creature believes them to be mythical in the modern day.”

“Not surprising,” Tobias said. “Who wants to think about the possibility of them being real?”

“I’ve heard tales of them from my old village,” Dengal said, “only we called them frost giants. They’ve apparently been responsible for the destruction of our own mythical kingdom.”

Gregory rubbed her back reassuringly before looking back up at Majesty. “If you’re looking to hire us for something, then you can forget it. I wouldn’t work for you if the two of us were the only ones on Erda to face off against all the wickedness in the world.”

“I’m not hinting at that at all,” she said. “The windigo threat is real, Mr. Graystone.” She nodded down at the two cylindrical items hanging from his belt, then at the two pistols at his belt. “With those two weapons and with the unique power I sense from those metal cylinders, we may be able to do more than stop them.”

Gregory looked down at one of the lightsabers, then unclipped it from his belt and looked at it carefully. He slowly reached out and removed a panel he’d discovered, revealing the shimmering kyber crystal inside, its blue glow bright even in the bright summer sun. Putting the panel back, he aimed it at the ancient alicorn and ignited the blade. The blue saber hissed to life, its hum familiar. To his satisfaction, Majesty actually flinched ever so slightly. “What are you suggesting?” Gregory asked softly but firmly.

Majesty stared at the blue blade of the ignited lightsaber, her eyes reflecting the light. She gave herself a shake, then looked back at Gregory. “The windigos need to go. Permanently.”