Chapter 56: The Lost Art of Conversation
Part 1: Pax de Florale
TIME: 09:34 Equestria Royal Daylight Time
DATE: War Day 533/22 Noneus, 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Ponyville, Equestria
K: "And then, I found those cans of stuff." I stated to Granny, as I finished the dishes.
Granny: "Goodness!" She gave a small laugh.
Applejack: "Yeah." She moved over to the drying rack, getting the dry dishes out.
Florale: "I am still happy PaPa is home!" She hugged me, tight, around the leg.
Starlight Mint: "You know it, sis!" She handed me a towel.
Mac: "Kinda glad I didn't go, Brother." He nodded. "I wouldn't've held back like Sis did.." He glanced aside a bit.
K: "It's good to have some time off." I nodded.
Indeed. We'd returned only a week ago, and I ordered everyone from the Expedition to rest, then compose after-action reports and distilled discovery information.
Somnambula was in protective custody at the hospital, under Dr. Turner's care and close observation. She was a psychological mess after Coltonville, going between crying and apologizing, not eating much (though Dr. Allcome determined she may not need food in the traditional sense), and sleeping a lot on the ride back.
Celestia had been consulted about her condition.. and if there was some way to safely maintain her life, without sacrificing others. She had no idea, offhand, but put the rest of the Royal Magic Academy to work on it. The team was actually headed by Twilight's mother.
With the breakfast dishes done, I gave Granny a hug and decided to go out for a walk.. with my wife and kids.
Applejack: "Shur is a nice fall day." She nodded. "Be harvestin' time, soon."
Florale: "I shall help MaMa!" She declared.
Starlight Mint: "Me, too! Didn't get to, last year!" She giggled.
K: "I'll do what I can." I shrugged. "I can't buck, but I can shake the trees, and I can carry apple baskets.. and pick the stubborn ones."
Applejack: "Shur can, Honeybun." She nuzzled me.
We strolled to town, and I could see the early fall activities starting to ramp up. War or no war, many of my military were vital workers in an argiculture-heavy society. I had to account for that.
Havoc trotted up with Bella and his pups.. Kay immediately jumping into my arms.
Kay: "Hawwao!" He slurped my face like it was ice cream.
K: *ACKPTH!* "Not the mouth! Aww.. come on!" I kissed him on the top of the head and set him down.
Havoc: "Mayor Mare's got us a place, now. I'm bringing down my platoon.. eh-heh.. for.. Joint Operations." A wolfish grin.
Sacquet and La Selle came up behind him.
Sacquet: "Mon ami." A nod. "I'm as healed as I can be.. I shall return to my duties." He smiled, seeing Florale. "Ah! Bonjour!"
Florale: "Bonjour, Uncle!" She beamed.
Starlight Mint: "Bon-jewer, Uncle Phillipe!" Hey, she tried.
Sacquet: "Ahaha-! Close enough, mes petites."
La Selle: "Commander Harvest-Script has seen to our lodgings.. I am sorry that we take some homes that belonged to those whom passed." She bowed a little.
Applejack: "Aw, it's fine, shugah." She smiled broadly. "It's nice t'have good neighbors.. makes th' place feel lively. Better'n lookin' at empty houses." She glanced at me.
K: "So, I have a permanent detachment of Prench Foreign Legion, and Canidan Rangers, at my disposal." I nodded, shrugged, and gestured. "Believe me, I'm glad to have the friends."
Havoc: "Darn straight, K." He was attempting to herd the puppies.. which was an exercise in futility.
K: "Hah! Let'em run. It's safe, here." I looked at my daughters. "Come on, let's go get cupcakes." I nodded to my friends. "Guys. Feel free to use the Ponyville Ranger Training Center if you're feeling up to some practice or something. Just don't take it too hard, we have plenty of war left, and it won't do, you working yourselves to death. As we say on Earth, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
No need for them to know it came from a horror film.
Over to the Cakes' place. Pinkie was hard at work, squirting frosting from the bag and on to the treats. Toola was designing a cake, putting her artistic skills to good use.
K: "Having fun, Pinkie?" I leaned in on her, and got the frosting bag stuck in my mouth, and squeezed. "Mmm! Strawberry!"
Pinkie: "Totally! Hahaha!" She fired a shot of frosting into each of the girls' mouths, as they giggled at the sight.
Applejack: "Nice t'have some down time, huh?" She hugged Pinkie, and Pinkie hugged back.
Pinkie: "No kidding! I think these'll be my best yet today!" She slid the cupcakes across the counter to me.
I slid bits back towards her.
Mr. Cake: "Ahaha! K, you know your money's no good here." He came in carrying a sack of flour. "Not for the next six months, anyway!"
Mrs. Cake: "Our wedding present, remember?" She gave me a half-hug, as she had piles of sugarcanes in one arm.
K: "Right.. right. Did you two get to meet Florale, yet?" I scooted her forwards a bit.
Mr. Cake: "Indeed! She's come over on days she wasn't so busy at the farm and helped out." He chuckled. "She even helped us with an interesing frosted apple muffin recipie."
Florale: "My.. old MaMa.. used to make zem." She beamed.
K: "How're the kids?" I stepped behind the counter to look into the playpen.
Both of the foals were staring at me, huge grins under pacifiers. They knew I was a soft touch. I just leaned in and gave them both headpats.
Mr. Cake: "Growing like weeds! Haha.. ahh.." He shook his head. "Between helping supply the army, and all our usual work, we stay pretty busy around here." He shrugged.
All of the bread consumed by the Equestrian military is locally sourced, if it isn't canned and made shelf-stable. The Cakes had a contract to supply all the bread for the detachments stationed at Ponyville when they were on active duty, so, at least twenty loaves a day just for them.
K: "Hey, business is business." I shrugged. "Even after the war's over, I want to have all the food consumed by the local units, made locally, not contracted out to huge industrial bakeries and things. Local supports local." I said, getting ready to depart.
Mr. Cake: "Well, that'll sure keep US in business!" He grinned. "See you later, K-and-Family!"
K: "See ya." I waved to Pinkie as we headed out.
Applejack: "Mmm.." She half-nuzzled me. "..see? Everyone likes ya!"
K: "I'm glad. Really." I shrugged a bit.
Florale: "Oui! PaPa is much loved!" She hugged me.
Starlight Mint: "Darn straight!" And, from the other side.
It was good to spend a day with my family. As time had gone on, I had become less and less concerned with the racial differences we had. Between pony and human. Part of me wanted to return to my Earth one day, but another part of me, was just fine if that never happened.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Bright Twilight
TIME: 12:32 ERDT
DATE: War Day 535/24 Noneus, 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Twilight's Library, Ponyville
Two days later, and I went over to Twilight's to check on Bright Eyes. She'd been discharged from the hospital, and Twilight had agreed, eagerly, to put her up at her place.
Teddy was staying with Havoc, as Teddy strongly reminded him of the Big Brothers he once knew. Familiarity was a good thing.
Starlight, on the other hand, was still in the hospital. Not because anything was especially wrong with her, but because Celestia and I really didn't know what to do with her. She absolutely refused to see me, barely acknowledged Dr. Allcome, and was just plain being very negative. I was scheduled to meet with Dr. Well Wishes and Celesita, later.
K: "Knock-knock!" I came in.
Bright Eyes: "Oh! K! About time you came over!" She was in the middle of.. doing metallurgy?
Twilight: "Hey, K!" She had a mask on. "Spike's downstairs - he says this stinks too much for him." She shrugged.
K: "Mmh.. smells like.. melted copper.." I squinted. "..are you trying to make a circuit board by hand?!" I realized what she was doing.
Bright Eyes: "It's not THAT hard..!" She chuckled. "I just needed.. some magical help." She shrugged. "You know, they don't have blank silicon boards.."
K: "No kidding. Have you taken a look at my cell phone, yet?" I held it up. "I know you messed with it a little, on the airship."
Bright Eyes: "Yeah.. it's a.. pretty common sort of model. That I remember. Er, well, sized for humans, at least." She half-nodded. "Just a sec, we're doing a pour."
I stood back and watched as they poured the molten copper into a sheet. Next would come the acid etching, if I recalled properly.
Indeed, I stood there - door open because of the fumes - and watched the two, magic combined with science, pour and etch a circuit board. Minus the circuits.
K: "Okay, now.. how are you going to make the chips?" I tilted my head.
Bright Eyes: "With the stuff scavenged from that lab in.. Quirtbeck, was it?" She looked at Twilight.
Twilight: "Mhm." A nod, as she started prepping the stuff again.
K: "I hate to break it to you, but it was all transistors and vacuum tubes. No microchips." I shrugged.
Bright Eyes: "You assume I'm trying to replicate a 2012 computer from my time frame." She wagged her hoof at me. "I'm trying to replicate a computer from my 1965, actually."
K: "Which should be nearly identical to my own." I nodded. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to compare notes on technology and things. See where, if at all, our timelines differed. And I wanted to know how you knew a human was coming.. and why you thought it'd be after 2145."
Bright Eyes: "Sure." She got down from the bench next to the table they were using and came over. "We'll take a break now, Twi."
Twilight: "No problem! I could do with some fresh air." She put things up as Bright Eyes came outside with me.
K: "You.. know, I just realized you look physically different from the others. More.. more horse-like." I shook my head.
Bright Eyes: "Eight thousand years of evolution combined with the irresistable power of magic, K." She shook her head a bit.. even her mannerisms were more horse-like. "What did humans look like, eight thousand years in your past?"
K: "Uhm.. well.. mostly the same.. but.." I furrowed my brow, realizing.. there WERE differences - subtle, but there were. "..there were some differences, like, facial ones. And, I think, less genetic diversity - or more admixture with Neandertals.." I rubbed my chin. "..and the populations of humans were much more isolated, and there was an assumption that some branches of the genetic family re-mated with others.." Like the Red Deer People and the Chinese. "I see your point!"
Bright Eyes: "And, yet, my society was more advanced." She gestured with a hoof.
K: "There have been accusations and evidence-lacking theories that an advanced human society did exist in our own ancient past, but was destroyed." I frowned, realizing this. "How advanced, though? Probably not like yours."
Bright Eyes: "Okay, then, your last century. What do you know of it?"
K: "Three major wars - one at the very beginning of the century, called the Boer War, that more or less predicted the next war, which we called World War One.. that was from 1914 to 1919. Then, World War Two from 1939 to 1945. Smaller wars after that - the Chinese War of Unification, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, various conflicts of smaller scale elsewhere, Desert Storm in 1991, then the Balkan Conflict from 1993 to 1998.. but three years of largely peace after that, until 2001, when the War against Terror began. It wasn't over, when I left, on 12 September 2012." I listed this off to her.
Bright Eyes: "That's a lot of war." She frowned.
K: "Humans are warlike, but also very creative. A savage beauty.. a cruel kindness.. something like that." I shook my head. "Point is, if I hadn't been an amateur student of war, Tirek would have already won. These ponies didn't have any idea what war was like when I arrived. They'd had some minor conflicts over the years, but nothing even above company strength." I gestured a little.
Bright Eyes: "Well, I suppose I should be thankful." She shrugged. "The pods probably wouldn't have lasted much longer."
K: "No. I don't think they would have." I looked away a bit. "My question is, does the reincarnation cycle dictate death, or is it the other way around?" I looked back to her.
Bright Eyes: "I don't have an answer for that. I do have a theory, though." She glanced back to me. "If you die here, and we don't get wiped out by Tirek, I think there's a very good chance that you'll be reincarnated." She smiled a bit. "My guess would be, as a pony." A small shrug. "Maybe a Griffon, though, but you seem more like a Leader and less like a Fighter."
K: "I've had to be both." I nodded sagely. "I lead from the front. I've been injured for it, too, on numerous occasions." I looked up at the ponies passing by in the town square. "Their risk is my risk."
Bright Eyes: "I'm glad to hear that." She patted my shoulder. "I don't want to think I'd be helping someone that just doesn't care."
K: "How did you know I was coming? And the video games.." I trailed off.
Bright Eyes: "I came up with those as a filly. The name.. just came to me, one night." She shook her head. "My father helped me incorporate my own company when I was 11, so I wouldn't get my rights and profits cheated away from me."
K: "Fascinating. And.. me?" I tilted my head.
Bright Eyes: "I didn't know it'd be YOU specifically, but.. the Wishing Star told me at one time, when I wished to see the future, that a human would arrive and either fix everything, or destroy it." She shrugged.
K: "Discord said the same thing, though we found out later, he may not have been telling the full truth about such a prophecy." I rubbed my chin with my right hand.
Bright Eyes: "I have no idea who Discord is. The Wishing Star said specifically that a human would come and prevent Tirek from taking over the world, or they'd help Tirek conquer it." She gestured with her hooves.
K: "Which led you to think Tirek would be behind the disaster that destroyed your society." I nodded.
Bright Eyes: "The Wishing Star said he would.." She trailed off. "..though, I have a feeling, the Hero Ponies may have defeated him after Coltonville was destroyed."
K: "Well, it wasn't totally destroyed, just.. frozen in time. You think he directed the Avegir to Coltonville?" I asked, gesturing.
Bright Eyes: "It's possible. I mean, a giant monster battle right in the capital of Harmonia.. it would certainly destroy the country.." She trailed off. "..we had a Herdiet Union, too, and Prance and Germaneigh and all the others. Though, the Herdiet Union collapsed when I was 12." She sighed.
K: "About the same as me." I nodded, listening. "Did the Avegir or the Hydra attack anywhere else before Coltonville?"
Bright Eyes: "I think so. Two days before I got into the pods, my Marelin office stopped picking up the phone.. and the day before, Londinium." She started piecing things together.
K: "And I'm guessing you've seen a map since we got back." I nodded.
Bright Eyes: "Yes! And.. all the countries are.. kinda different, the lands have moved around a bit.." She shook her head. "It's surreal, it's like.. I know where these things should be, and they're not where they should be." She gave a small, distressed, whinny.
K: "My question is, if the Avegir and the Hydra were being directed to attack or do battle in various places.. where would you set them to, if you wanted to collapse your world?"
Bright Eyes: "The capitals of the five biggest nations." She said plainly. "Moscow, Londinium, Coltonville, Marelin, and Paris."
K: "I'm going to make a huge supposition, here. Because about one thousand years after your society collapsed, the Empire of Harmony rose up. You saw where we marked it on the map. I'm making the supposition that the survivors of your megadisaster all headed for the Harmonius Mountains far in the north, from at least Harmonia and likely Germaneigh and other places as well, given the proximity. I think if we go through and examine Herdiet history, they'll have something in there about the Roostian Herd being nearly wiped out eight thousand years ago, having some kind of a kingdom after that, which remained largely isolated, and then collapsed again about four or five thousand years ago." I gestured with my fingers for each point. "I have a feeling that Celestia's integration of the races was only necessary right here, in this geographic region, specifically because of some magic or some event or some person that intentionally drove a rift between them.. some slow rolling ball of disaster, started by a tiny spark at just the right place."
Bright Eyes: "Tirek?" She tilted her head towards me.
K: "Tirek." I nodded. "His goal being to destroy Celestia and Luna, or defeat them and take their powers. But, he himself was again defeated. If I'm right, Tirek has been banished multiple times. It would explain how he isn't making newbie or basic villain mistakes. He's cautious, he's careful, and he's worked very hard to gain the maximum benefit for the minimal risk.. not being blinded by ego or overconfidence, especially after I started showing my ability to defeat his forces. He's only appeared twice - once, just before the war started, when the Elements of Harmony were at Lone Hoof Ridge, and again, when he wanted the Wishing Star, and he tried to kill us in person." I rubbed my hands together a moment.
Bright Eyes: "And you survived." She said this more as a questioning statement, with an incredulous tone.
K: "Barely. He nearly killed me, and he beat the girls up terribly. What we need.. is the Rainbow of Light." I sighed, frustrated. "I was hoping your technology might provide us an alternative solution."
Bright Eyes: "It might. I have an incredible amount of advanced technology from this society's perspective. Aircraft, metallurgy.." She trailed off. "..which would take years to be effective, to integrate and recreate on a large enough scale to matter." She groaned a little. "What can I do, right now, to help?"
K: "One of my biggest hold-backs right now is aircraft. I need a way to make a lighter, more efficient engine running on fractional distillate petroleum. I need fighter aircraft, attack aircraft.. the airships from the Crystal Kingdom.. we only have two large ones. If they simply rebuilt existing designs, it will take them a year to produce one cruiser. We need more of that." I gestured.
Bright Eyes: "Fortunately, we did have airships in my.. time?" She tilted her head. "Whatever. I know how to create a lightweight and tough aluminum alloy suitable for aircraft engines. I can't reproduce the carbon-fiber coatings, of course, but I can substitute that." She shrugged a little. "Why aircraft?"
K: "Because I already have a working navy, we're on the verge of producing our own ground vehicles.. that isn't terribly high tech, and I don't need much more than already exists to make them. If Science is going to be the solution, I need that third dimension. I need to be able to create ocean-going air craft carriers with long strike ranges to hit Tirek when we finally start our invasion, and ground-based aircraft to follow up, possibly. Air dominance, and the ability to strike deep into enemy territory as well as tactical strikes near the front lines. My problem is, I was a navy and army nerd - not air force."
Bright Eyes: "I see what you're saying." She nodded in thought. "Let me get my circuit boards built.. start running some calculations. In the meantime, I can devise the machines needed to construct aircraft on a large scale. Now - heavier or lighter-than-air? We only have enough time and resources for one."
K: "Neutral Bouyancy Aerofighters." I stated. "That removes the need to invent helicopters. If needed, an aerofighter like that can loiter in a near hover over one area for various mission needs." I held my hand up to imitate a floating aircraft.
Bright Eyes: "Alright. Alright. I'll get to it." She got up, and paced back towards Twilight's. "..going to see Starlight, later?"
K: "In just a bit, actually." I shrugged. "Was she always like that?"
Bright Eyes: "The situation never really came up. I know she didn't care for Zebras, much, but.. I didn't think anything of it." She gestured with one hoof. "I don't know what to say. I.. almost feel like I don't even know her." She seemed sad. "Maybe I should have kept Melody close to me in the Last Days instead.. but.. she was.. touring, with her band." She sniffled a little. "Sweetheart was reborn.. so was Ace.. Bon-Bon.." She shook her head. "Did.. did I do the right thing?"
K: "That's not for me to decide, Bright Eyes." I shrugged. "I'm just glad you're here."
With that, I, too, got up and started walking towards the hospital.
Technology was one thing. I had my expert, now. Time was another. I needed it. The next approach would be to try and find the Rainbow of Light.. if Science wasn't the answer, we needed it to defeat Tirek, no question.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Star Light
TIME: 13:28 ERDT
DATE: War Day 535/24 Noneus, 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: City Hospital, Ponyville
I clutched my coat a bit tighter. It was chilly, today. Fall was definitely coming. I wondered to myself how long Tirek was going to play defense? From what I'd read, our campaign in Neighpon was about to take its final form. I'd be setting out, soon, with the Royal Marines and the All-Steel Fleet to take back the main islands.
That was going to either be a very long campaign, or a very short one. I had no idea what the on-the-ground situation was, over there, outside of the reports. And it took us so long to travel there, last time..
I mounted the steps and entered. Redheart, on restricted duty, was beind the desk, messing with some files. I came up behind her and gently ran my fingers over her back. A bit of a massage for a dear friend with a belly getting bigger.
Redheart: "Oooh.. K." She stretched a bit, and turned around. "Such a good friend. Those fingers work better than hooves, that's for sure." She gave me a broad smile.
K: "Where's Forest Spirit?" I glanced around.
Redheart: "Canterlot. Conferring with his officers." She nodded. "Well is waiting for you." She nodded down the hall. "He'll be back tonight, you know." She shrugged a bit.
K: "I might drop in." I nodded back, as I headed up the hall.
Well Wishes was already talking to Celelstia.
K: "Your Royal Highness." I bowed my head to her, a bit. "Well." He got a nod from me.
Well Wishes: "She's not much better from yesterday. Balindra stopped in, but she didn't want to talk." He shrugged.
K: "Figures." I shrugged. "Cel?" I nodded to the doors to Starlight's room.
In we went. I found her in the same position I last saw her. Curled up in a ball, on the bed, holding her 'knees' in her fetlocks, just staring at the floor.
K: "Starlight?" I tilted my head.
Celestia: "Starlight." She got closer, and into her field of view. "I'm the Goddess, Celestia. What's wrong, my dear?"
Starlight: "...." She made some kind of noise, but I wasn't sure what it was. "..don't believe in you." She finally said.
Celestia: "Believe or not, I'm right here." She was still using her Comforting Mommy Voice.
Starlight: "..so?" She finally rolled over and sat up, like a horse does. "You're not the real Goddess." She stated, disconnectively.
Celestia: "You mean.." She got cold. "..I'm not Galactica Spark." And narrowed her eyes just a bit.
Starlight: "She never would have allowed that creature to be part of our society." She didn't look at me, but I knew what she meant. "She enforced strict racial purity. Like it should be. Zebralands for the Zebras, Donkey nations for the donkeys, Dream Valley for us ponies." She stated this in a very, very disconnected voice, like she no longer cared about much of anything, even her own rhetoric.
Celestia: "And what about the differences between Unicorn, Pegasi, and Earth Pony?" She tilted her head.
Starlight: "Still ponies." She just stated, flatly, without emotion.
K: "And Flutter Ponies?" I tilted my head.
Starlight: "Not ponies. Butterflies with pony bodies." She shook her head just a fraction. "Something. Like that. They're not like us, not one of us." She sighed slightly.
K: "Are you afraid.. perhaps.. that society is moving in a direction to eradicate ponykind? Perhaps through societal manipulation, invasion of other races that breed with ponies, things like that?" I tilted my head a bit.
Starlight: *Chuckle* "No. Stupid. It isn't about just that kind of population replacement." She looked at me. "In my time, we outnumbered every other race. But our society was built for us. Built for normal ponies. Not freaks like you, or that cat, or that.. whatever she is." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Breeding with another species is impure. Disgusting. Each act of it sullies us, dirties us, muddies our genetic lines. And what happens when you breed with a Donkey?" She tilted her heaed at me, very slightly.
K: "You get a mule or a hinny." I stated. "They're usually infertile."
Starlight: "There!" She pointed at me, and crawled to the edge of the bed. "That's it!" She shook her head, now animated. "Don't you see?!" She waved a hoof at the window. "Those.. OTHER races.. want us to mix with non-ponies! They want us all to be radical hybrids that can't reproduce.. they want us all exterminated. All Equines." She finally said, then fell back on her haunches. "That's why we have to remain.. absolutely pure.. because if we don't, they'll eventually destroy us with simple genetics."
K: "Name one ra-"
Starlight: "Ympha." She looked me right in the eyes. "Many Gizmonks, too. But the Ympha especially."
K: "She's kinda got me there, Cel." I looked over at her. "The Ympha Scientist I fed to the Smooze was all up about how you needed to be in stables and were nothing more than beasts of burden." Then back to Starlight. "I'm not-"
Starlight: "You MARRIED a PONY, you GENETIC FREAK!" She pointed right at me, and I had to hold Celestia back.
K: "You got me again." I raised my hands in surrender. "But I don't intend to destroy ponykind. I'm working to save it. I'm trying to protect it from Tirek."
Starlight: "It matters not the sinner's intent, only that they sinned." She snorted a bit.
K: "Love the sinner, not the sin." I retorted.
Starlight: "Maybe in your faith." She shot back.
K: "So, your big thing is that any race mixing at all, is participation in an all-Equine genocide?" I tilted my head.
Starlight: "Yes." She shook her head at me. "Explain this. How did Ponies evolve over the last eight thousand years, that they look like they do, now?" She looked at me again. "Genetic tampering, it has to be."
I looked back at Celestia, and pulled up a chair, finally.
Celestia: "Your conspiracy theories.." She started.
K: "They aren't without merit." I leaned in to the back of the chair, it being one designed for ponies, and the only method I found comfortable was 'back-sitting.' "She does have a point that the Ympha have a long standing grudge against ponies, and without any evidence to the contrary, I would not doubt if they've been assisting Tirek on and off for the last ten millenia. If for no other reason that Woebegone, and the terrible suffering they endured and blame on ponykind. I mean, it fits the evidence we have." I shrugged.
Celestia: "You can't be seriously considering her views?!" She actually seemed surprsied.
I wasn't surprised at all.
K: "You.. you don't get it. I understand what she's saying. Why she's saying it. Why she thinks the way she does. I mean, besides the logical, factual reasons we have evidence for. The theory that one part of humanity is being actively replaced and repressed by exterior actors is very common in my world.. and there are people that openly advocate for it." I shrugged, shook my head, took my glasses off and pinched my nose. "Starlight. I understand you. I understand where you're coming from. I know you're not entirely wrong. BUT.." I looked up at her. "..things are different, now." I looked at Celestia. "About a thousand and change years ago, Celestia was forced to integrate Unicorn, Pegasi, and Earth Ponykind, as they had mutually segregated themselves, then began a war with each other. This war doomed the Grundle race to eventual extinction. They were innocent. They liked ponies. Now, we have Tirek, front and center, to deal with. Whatever you have going on up there, I'm asking you, stop for a moment and look at the last eight thousand years. Look at just the last thousand. What's happened, what IS happening.." I shook my head. "..thousands of ponies have died since this war started. More will still die, no matter what I do. Your ideals of purity and race and all that.. they aren't going to matter ONE BIT, if everyone's dead. Are they?"
Starlight: "...no.." She emotionally retreated again.
K: "Good. Now. Bright Eyes chose to save you for a reason. She mentioned she could have maybe gotten ahold of Melody, but YOU were her first choice. Why?" I pointed at her.
Starlight: "I'm good with ponies." She sighed. "I was one of her primary litiagtors and lobbyists." She looked down. "I'm a lawyer, professionally. But I've done advocacy work for all kinds of things. I have a talent for it."
K: "Guess what? I need that." I nodded to her. "I need someone that understands how to get the result I need, out of other peoples, through negotiation and mutual agreement, not force."
Starlight: "..really?" She looked up, her eyes coming to light a bit.
K: "Really. Think of me whatever you want - I didn't want to BE here in the first place. I didn't COME here by choice, and when I GOT here, I was the ONLY one who understood what war meant, and how to conduct it. Tirek would have won by now, had I not come. And finding love and companionship is an important part of being human.. just as it is with ponies." I directed. "I played the hand that I was dealt. And here we are. I could really use your help. You might, in your own way, save a lot of lives. And when this is over.. I dunno.. maybe you start your own religion or something and preach these things, if you want? There's no law against it. Or start a political movement. I don't know. Point is, a lot of people... ponies... are and have had to swallow their pride and just deal with what's going on, and save their reservations for when we have the luxury of time and peace to review them." I looked back at Dr. Well Wishes.
Well: "He's right. I hated him when this war started. I still don't like what's happened, but.." He looked at me. "..he's the least of many, many evils. At least he CARES. Heck, if it'd been up to me, I would have sent you to a Rest Farm out in the country. That's where we send ponies that aren't criminals, but just don't get on with society at all." He shrugged. "K wanted to give you a chance. Even if you hate him." He looked back to me. "He's been there, before."
Starlight: "Maybe.. maybe you're right." She hugged her 'knees' again. "Let me.. rest a few more days. Then, I'll decide what to do."
Celestia: "Alright, child. Alright." She rose up a bit, and with me and Well Wishes, left the room. "You think she's going to help?"
K: "I think so. She doesn't hate for hate's sake. She hates because she's afraid of what, to her, might've been a very real threat. We don't know. We don't have any other witnesses from 8,000 years ago. If it WAS a legitimate threat.. then she has every right to be afraid." I shrugged. "I would be."
Celestia: "So much I've forgotten or never saw.." She sighed.
K: "Not your fault. You're not omnipotent." I shrugged a bit.
With that, Starlight's issues had been addressed. I knew, as a pony, all she probably needed was a conversation. That's how they work. That's the 'laws of the universe' for this world. As long as you do things right, 'right' usually wins. Were her fears unfounded? I didn't know. I suspected it was a bit from both sides - that the Ympha may well have tried to exterminate equines through social manipulation, but that also they weren't as ever-present and successful as perhaps Starlight thought. Still a threat, though - just because the knife is small, doesn't mean it won't cut you.
Whatever she did after the war, I wasn't worried about. I knew that she'd either soften her views and not go through with her preaching, or she'd be ignored. Pony society was too open and accepting to see her way, and Celestia's forced integration had largely helped with that.
For now, she needed rest. And so did the rest of us.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Drain Game
TIME: 09:32 EDST
DATE: War Day 537/26 Noneus, 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: City Hospital, Ponyville
It was a reassurance and an annoyance to me that the hospital in Ponyville was more or less the center of tactical medicine for us. While I appreciated the doctors, I felt like I was spoiling the natural peace and tranquility of the town.. more sins of the war to worry about later.
Dr. Turner: "..she did ask to speak to you." She shrugged.
K: "Mm." I nodded, as I followed her.
It was Somnambula. Her condition had changed since Tirek stripped her of the Shadow Magic he'd given her. She'd been in isolation on the trip back, and was kept in the mental health ward. She didn't require intensive medical treatment, and her life draining ability made her a danger, even if she was 'surrendered.'
I entered her room, with Dr. Turner next to me, and Dr. Allcome behind me.
K: "Som.. nambula?" I tilted my head, she'd changed so much.
Gone was her sun-kissed and perfect olive skin. She was now as pale as snow, and though her body hadn't yet started to significantly age, she had gone from absolutely perfectly chiseled from stone, to more average. She'd gone from Beach Body, to Goth. This was a situation to which Science had no answer.
Somnambula: "K." She looked up at me, her eyes bloodshot. "The only other.. human.." She looked down. "Sort of. I'm not exactly human."
K: "What are you?" I tilted my head.
Somnambula: "Like you, I'm not FROM here.." She shrugged. "..though I think you'd be shocked if I told you where I was before."
K: "Rome." I stated after a moment.
Somnambula: "..h-wha?" She tilted her head. "Fieri non potest ut identitatem meam detraxeris!!" She got BIG MAD at that, and Balindra actually got in front of me.
K: "Gotcha. You're right - I guessed." I smirked. "Meridiana?"
Somnambula: "HOW?!" She hissed.
K: "You're ostensibly human, but you feed on life force. That indicates that over thousands of years, you found an alternate source of food. You're an immortal creature, if you're still around. I even warned that you were more like a vampire or a succubus, than a human. Your genetic compatibility with Tirek and the Jewel Wizard tells me you're NOT human." I looked at Dr. Turner. "Since I'm not compatible, genetically, with any species on this planet. I'm a normal human. Even Magic can't fully explain it, unless you're.. designed, let's say.. to be able to breed with nearly anything. Hence, a Succubus." I gestured. "Specifically, the one that seduced Pope Sylvester in 999 A.D. It fits." I wagged a finger at her. "But, not from my Earth. You're from Megan, Danny, and Molly's Earth."
Meridiana: "Well deduced, human." She sat back on her bed, defeated.
K: "You can't feed on.. ehem.. emissions, any more, can you?" I chuckled.
Meridiana: "No. I never did. I fed on.. well.." She sighed. "I was, back then, just a minion of his. When he was defeated, I was absent. When he returned about a hundred years ago, he sought me out. He.. promised me.. to be his queen.. to share the world with him.. so.. he.." She started crying again. "I'm NOT EVIL..!" She sobbed. "And we never actually.. well.. it's hard to explain." She sniffled and hiccuped, and crossed her arms. "My species.. we.." She shook her head. "..we're magical, okay? We come from another plane of existence related to this one. I ended up on Earth.. their Earth, I guess.. ages ago. I thought that perhaps Gerbert (Pope Sylvester II's real name) could get me access to mystical power items and I could somehow find my way back. Problem is, their Earth doesn't actually have magic like that. The items were.." She huffed.
K: "They had so little energy, they were worthless." I continued. "And they only had energy because The Faithful believed they did."
Meridiana: "Yes." She nodded. "By some.. freak chance.. I found The Rainbow, and I came here." She slipped in to hugging herself at the knees. "There are so many other planes of existence. When I got here, I was.. almost powerless. I had almost nothing left. I used what I had to try and retune my mystical energy to this plane of existence. I was ravenous after that.. I know I killed.. probably hundreds of sentient beings, just to feed myself."
K: "Discord didn't exist back then, so, I can only guess one of the previous incarnations of Chaos could've brought you here. And if I'm right, Discord might've used those abilities to grab me, intending to grab someone else from Megan, Danny, and Molly's world.." I trailed off. "..what did you eat before life force?"
Meridiana: "I fed off of love." She lifted her head to look at me. "Kinda like a Changeling does." And a shrug. "But it was almost impossible, here, to get the love I needed. So.." She shrugged. "..the realignment process probably dictated what I fed on. I didn't choose it." She growled a little. "Everyone thought I was a monster, so, I guess I became one."
K: "That explains a lot, actually. I wouldn't doubt for a moment that I'm stuck in a.. call it a river.. of reality.. where the feeding streams actually corellate with some of the cartoons I watched, growing up. Everything here on Equus aligns with one specific cartoon series. If I'm right, you're probably from another."
I briefly considered trying to find a way to the G.I. Joe universe to get Duke's autograph. My wife J would have raped me for days, for that. Duke is her favorite, after all..
Meridiana: "Which one, though?" She tilted her head.
K: "It doesn't matter. I doubt I could navigate them with any precision, even with all the magic this world has. Besides, you realigned yourself to the energies of this world, you're a part of IT, now." I gestured with one hand.
Meridiana: "So.. what.. what do I do? I can't.. I need to feed, somehow.. probably in the next month or so." She sighed. "Maybe longer.. if I let myself go." She balled her fists and shoved her face in them. "I. Don't. Want. THIS!" She almost screamed. "I want to be.. normal.. something.." She started crying again. "I just can't take it any more, K! I've been so.. so.." She slapped her fists on her thighs. "..draining others for so long, I can see their faces, all of them.. all the dead ones.. all the ones I left aged and decrepit.. I just can't take it any longer!"
K: "You were never evil. I think you were driven to a psychosis of some kind, convincing yourself you weren't really killing and eating sentient beings, not sentient like you. Drifting from the service of one evil to another, until Tirek came back, and you latched on to him. His betrayal, leaving you for dead, was the last straw." I shrugged.
Dr. Turner: "Mmm.. need'ta run some more tests, but that's a good diagnosis, K!" She patted me on the hip.
K: "How much do you remember?" I finally got to the tactical point.
Meridiana: "I remember that I starved myself for over a thousand years." She snorted. "After I was defeated, I just.. didn't do anything. I wanted to die. But, I couldn't. Something came along and force-fed me, then I went a little mad.. and I remember.." She looked up at me. "..the Harmonius Mountains. I started sewing seeds of destruction."
K: "You helped bring down the Empire of Harmony." I nodded. "The timeline fits. So, you just.. what.. stayed in a cave all those years?"
Meridiana: "More or less. I.." She curled up into herself. "..so much of it is a haze. I wanted to die. Or just stop existing. I don't know how I stayed alive."
K: "Fascinating." I rubbed my chin a moment, then shook my head. "I'll let you know if we come up with anything. Best I can advise is, don't do much. Just.. try and use as little energy as possible." I shrugged.
Dr. Allcome: "That would be my prescription." He nodded. "Do you want something to help you sleep?"
Meridiana: "No. I.. just, no." She rolled back into bed, defeated.
I exited with both doctors, and shut her door. I waited until we were down the hall a bit, before talking.
K: "The idea that I've had, that Megan, Danny, and Molly's world had some greater connection to here, now makes sense. She's actually probably even older than she appears. Older than Celestia, for sure." I shrugged a bit.
Dr. Allcome: "Where is she from, do you think?" He tilted his head.
K: "Dungeons and Dragons? That's a guess. She feels like someone's Homebrew Succubus class, made PG-13 at first.. er.." I scratched the back of my head a moment. "..she was censored, so she wouldn't be outright sexual. Then, somehow, she ended up in Rome long enough to learn Latin. Probably there for a couple hundred years or more." I shrugged. "See, there was a Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, too, around the same time as Generation 1." I gestured.
Dr. Turner: "Ya think ya c'n use that info to help getcha home, some day?" She looked up at me.
K: "I dunno. Maybe. But it also means that the fabric between dimensions is malleable. By what means, I don't know." I shrugged.
Dr. Allcome: "So.. what.. do we do?" He glanced over to me as we got near the coffee machine.
K: "Keep her.. keep her under observation until we come up with a way to feed her. It's clear that, for whatever reason, she didn't die of starvation. Though I think that might be because of where she ended up." I nodded. "She never did say, but it was somewhere in Ancient Dream Valley. That could be any number of mystical things. Something that might've fed her just enough energy not to die. Just a guess, though."
Dr. Allcome: "Given our history, likely a very good one." He nodded sagely as he made himself a cup of coffee.
Dr. Turner: "I'll keep up da talk therapy. Best thing I c'n do." She shrugged, grabbing her own coffee cup (which has a picture of a tiny brain on it).
K: "I'm.. going to go back home and enjoy the rest of my Leave. Let me know if anything else comes up." I nodded to them.
So, her real name was Meridiana. Did she come to Rome when she was very young? Was that the reason she knew Latin? Or was it just something she picked up? I don't know if she remembered. Either way, it proved the Rainbow that brought the kids here, existed ages before them. What was the time dialation like? Did it change, or was it constant?
So many questions, and I was sure, I'd never get all the answers.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Saddle Theo-ry
TIME: 11:34 ERDT
DATE: War Day 540/29 Noneus, 1003 C.S.
LOCATION: Havoc's House, Ponyville
The rest had been, so far, very comforting and enjoyable. Bright Eyes was hard at work on her latest project - constructing the necessary prototype equipment to start producing the machines that would allow us to take our next big technological leaps. I'd put Starlight (who was now somewhat better), Dawn, and Radio Active in charge of sourcing raw material. She was elated to find out that a survey done ages ago identified mineral scandium in a fairly large concentration out west, near Lone Hoof Ridge.
Scandium, for those that don't know, can be alloyed with aluminum to produce an incredibly strong metal that's also incredibly light weight. In short, it's the perfect 'secret ingredient' to add to aircraft aluminum to make it that much better, and allows Scandium Alloy to be used in place of Steel in some places. IF you can get enough of it. The Royal University at Marelin has a small scale Scandium refinery for experimentation. Starlight, now having chosen her path to help the war, was to depart soon to acquire the equipment from the university, or build new equipment, so that we could refine our own Scandium.
In ten days, the Steel Fleet would be ready to go. Tomorrow, my Command Staff and I were heading to Fillydelphia Naval Yards to oversee final fitting-out. Their virgin shakedown cruise would be a combat cruise to Neighpon - we were going to end the low-level conflict there with a massive invasion of the Home Islands.
For now, I was going to see Teddy. He was out back with Havoc, Bella, and the kids.. and the second I came around the corner, Kay launched himself off a table, and into my arms.
Kay: "HAWWAOO!" And he'd start licking my face.
K: "ACK!" *Ackpth!* "GAH! The mouth again!?" But, I wasn't mad, I flipped him on his back in my arms, and raspberried his belly.
Kay: "AAAH! AHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!! MAAAMAAAA! AHAAHHA!"
Bella: "You got yourself into that, sweetie!" She came over, and gave me a short nuzz. "K! How are you?"
K: "I'm good. Here." I passed Kay down to her, and she nabbed him by the nap, and stuck him over with his siblings. "Teddy!" I moved over to him.
Teddy and Havoc were on their bellies, practicing shooting. They had a Hathcock and a Timberwolf - that's the Canidan Heavy Sniper Rifle. Visually, it looked a bit like a properly scaled down (and up) C14 Timberwolf (imagine that!).
Teddy: "K! Finally." He got up, and flexed himself a bit.
I could see that he'd regained much of his muscle mass, but he was still not to the same standards he was in the show. He SHOULD be as buff as Big Mac, but he seemed a bit lighter. He still had his trademark mohawk, but it was a proper mohawk, not a rattail one. It was also a bit shorter, but I wasn't sure if that was because of his job, or because of the stasis pod.
K: "You're looking good. Can you hump a pack, rifle, and uniform?" I nodded a bit.
Teddy: "Darn straight, I can. For twelve.. eh.. kilometers."
K: "Still getting used to the metric system, eh?" I tilted my head.
Teddy: "Ye-hah.." He lowered his head a bit. "Havoc says you know everything about me."
K: "Everything. When'd you lose the bear?" I said, referencing the teddy bear he slept with.
Teddy: "Lost it in a house fire when I was 17." He shrugged.
K: "I thought.. you'd given it up willingly, I'm sorry." I shrugged back. "Have you.. ah.. met Sweetheart's reincarnation?" That was the other touchy subject - his girlfriend.
Teddy: "..I'd rather not discuss that.." He looked down and away.
K: "Okay. That's personal, I get it, but as your Commander in Chief, I need to know, is it because of her reincarnated form, or something that happened with her past self and you?" I raised my head to look him in the eye.
Teddy: "The past, K." He raised his head up to look me in the eye, in return. "I broke a promise to her. I said I'd always be there to protect her. She died." He looked away, again.
K: "As long as you don't misplace your feelings on to Nurse Sweetheart, we're fine." I gestured.
Teddy: "This Sweetheart looks and acts a lot different from the one I knew." He raised his head, again. "My Sweetheart could never have hurt anyone. And this Sweetheart's killed in the line of duty." He smirked a little.
K: "She has. She's actually a fantastic shot with a Ridgway.." I looked to the side, to see her trotting up in her uniform, with target papers in her mouth.
Sweetheart: "You boys are tied, stil- OH! K!" She dropped the papers from her mouth, seeing me.
K: "Havoc?" I looked at him, like, 'Bro, did you set this up?'
He looked back at me, with a head-shake of 'no' and flicked his eyes at Bella Donna.
Like, of course the wife did this. It was natural for this world for the ladyfolk to act like this - try and set up someone and get them in a relationship.
Sweetheart: "What brings you here, K?" She gathered the target papers and set them down.
K: "Just.. ah.. wanted to see how Teddy's doing." I glanced back at Bella Donna as if to say 'REALLY!?'
She gave a slight sheepish grin and kinda duck-winced, like a dog would, fearing discipline.
Sweetheart: "..of course, and the reason everyone's now walking on eggshells..?" She got right in front of me. "K, I'm fully aware of Teddy's issues with my former incarnation. It's okay! Really!" She shook her head. "Norfy set us straight a couple days ago. And you know what? As far as I'm concerned, if we're meant to be, then I should give it a chance. After all, *I'm* the one that pulled him out of his tube, and rendered medical attention.." She looked back at Teddy. "..I rescued him. By all rights of social graces, I have a right to see if we're compatible." She shrugged. "Besides, remember what I told you, years ago? That I NEEDED to be in your orbit? I'm pretty sure this is exactly why."
Teddy: "Aha-ha-hah.." He was NERVOUS.. and blushing.
K: "Okay! Okay.. not none of my business, now." I held up surrender hands. "As long as you're both going in to this with your eyes wide open, and no one's having mistaken feelings, or anything like that, I'm not going to say 'boo' about it."
Sweetheart: "That's better!" She gave me her trademark sweet smile, and gently tapped the side of her head on my hip - the pony equivalent of a social one-arm hug.
K: "So, Teddy." I nodded. "You want in, eh? Alright. Bright Eyes made you her Chief of Security. How many ponies under your command?"
Teddy: "Total of thirty-seven, K. Spread out over two campuses, four shifts." He nodded. "Plus, we had cameras and sensors and the whole works."
K: "Platoon or better. Got it. I'll get you commissioned as a Lieutenant. For now, I have the authority to make you a Warrant Officer. Consider yourself ranked CWO-2, for the time being." I nodded. "I'm adding you to my General Staff as advisor on advanced technology and security."
Teddy: "Works for me." He shrugged.
K: "When you have a chance, draw a uniform and a set of gear from Harv." Golden Harvest-Script.. heh.. married. "You pick your weapon. Whatever you feel most comfortable with."
Teddy: "Mm.. I'm pretty good with all of them." He nodded, thoughtfully. "Thanks."
K: "Also, my birthday's soon. I'm having the party tomorrow, since otherwise, we'll be at sea." I shrugged. "I'll be 34.." I looked at Havoc. "..Havoc sent away for some Canidan delicacies." I shrugged a bit.
Teddy: "He told me. Moose Burgers." He grinned. "I've had meat every now and then."
K: "Well, I'm human, and we're protein-leaning omnivores." I gestured. "Anyway, everyone's invited."
Teddy: "I'll be there." He noddded. "I understand we're leaving for Neighpon, soon. I want in."
K: "You'll have it." I returned the nod. "Havoc's coming with - listen to him, he'll get you squared away."
Teddy: "Sounds great. It's time I paid Tirek back for destroying my world.. my time." He grit his teeth a bit. "I had a life. I had a lot of things. He took that away - or played a part in it."
K: "Something like that. Anyway, see you at the party." I gave them a wave and headed out.
Lieutenant La Selle intercepted me about halfway back home. She was.. not wearing her Legion uniform. Instead, a skirt and a very 1940's-style blouse, fit to a pony.
La Selle: "Bonjour, mon Marechal.." She started in, ALREADY giving me the eyes.
I just.. stopped, right there, and shook my head. I was about to speak, when the whole scene was interrupted by Toola Roola.
Toola: "Oh, hey, K!" She sauntered up, and GLARED at Lieutenant La Selle. "Sister, just, no. No. You do NOT anger the Monkey Sex God unprepared. I did it once, and I wasn't walking right for a full day after." She narrowed her eyes at her.
La Selle: *Faux Butthurt* "Moi? Why, what ever do you mean, Mademoiselle?" She batted her eyes at me.
Toola: "Oh, come off it. You're trying to bed K." She pointed right at her. "Rarity told me how you acted when you all first met. Heck, Dusty told me how you'd been hanging around him after the big fight. You have a crush on him. He's MARRIED, girl. The paddock is CLOSED to newcomers." She raised her head in a very haughty - and unlike her - dismissal.
La Selle: *Hmph!* "And what say do you have in the matter? Hm? Hm? He is his own stallion, is he not?" She got snooty right back at her.
Saved by the Sacquet, he came trotting up, in his field uniform, PA MASE over one shoulder.
Sacquet: "Lieutenante.. Mon Marechal! Ha. I see you at the party tomorrow! Happy birthday." And a nod to Toola Roola. "Mademoiselle Toola, you're looking lovely today, as usual. Why do you look so distressed, though? Such a worrisome face will put lines on your beauty!"
Toola: "Your Lieutenant's trying to make moves on K. And this isn't the first time!" She shook her head. "Totally, absolutely, patently uncool, sister."
La Selle: "As I was saying.." In a much more pleasant tone. "..to Mademoiselle Toola, Marechal K is his own stallion. If he decides he wants my company.. who are you to stop him?"
K: "Okay. Julianne, I think you're an incredibly brave and capable officer. You were a logistician, and you took the front lines, willingly, initially armed with only a pistol, and risked your life for this whole planet. BUT. Toola's right, I'm married, and my wife would greatly prefer my paddock, as it were, not be open to newcomers. I have.. ENTIRELY.. too much of the finest.. ladies in Equestria.. in there already. And as much as I find your personality, looks, and attitude, charming and attractive, I am trying my very best to remain loyal to my vows and my social circle." I put my hand to my chest, and bowed to her. "I have no doubt that whatever stallion - OR mare - you finally end up with, will be the luckiest in all of Prance."
How to let a girl down easy.. or as easy as you can.
La Selle: "Oh, K.. you are such a charmer.." She shook her head, but lowered it. "Comme tu veux. C'est la guerre." She nodded to me, and then looked to Saquet. "Mon Colonel. Would you leave a lady without an escort to lunch?"
I gave him a look like 'Hey, she's not in uniform! Go for it!'
Saquet: "..Non, Lieutenante! Et.. Julianne." He sidled up beside her, and headed off for Rose's Cafe..
I was left standing there with Toola Roola, who was still a bit steamed.
Toola: "I get it. You're a hot piece of monkey dick. Applejack told me you've gotten around some. Heck, I was even a victim of that.. *Drizzle* special something.. *Ahem* ..but I still can't believe so many mares find you attractive." She snorted a bit.
K: "You know what, Toola? It used to annoy me. Then I just accepted it. Now that I'm married, I actively ignore it the best I can. I have Applejack, and.. apparently.. to an extent.. some of the rest of you girls by default. But, really, I don't want any more. I didn't want anyone but Applejack to begin with. The rest of it just happened.. you know.." I sighed. "Did you want something?"
Toola: "Oh! Yes! I want to give you a special birthday present, but I need your help." She was all business. "I want to paint your portrait!" She beamed. "Come on! I want to show you the art studio that Rarity helped put together!"
And off we went.
It was a nude painting.
Remember Alamo Island? We did more. Happy Birthday to me! Er, I guess?
{End of Chapter 56}
