Chapter 110: Old and New
Part 1: Lichen
TIME: 06:44 GKT
DATE: War Day 898/22 Noneous, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Rose's House, Snowmount Village, Western Empire of Harmony
Breakfast was rations, again, but no matter. We were excited. Rose was getting comfortable with us, and was actually smiling. Toola Roola? Got her good with a joke. Her laughter was what woke most of us up.
Toola, fulfilling the role Pinkie trained her for, healing a fragment of who she once was. When Pinkie left, Toola was but the learner. Now, she was the Master. A master of Laughter.
That was indeed a terrible Star Wars reference, but whatever. I'm only human.
Rose sounded a lot like Pinkie, but her voice was just slighlty different. The cadence of her laugh familiar, but her own. It was going to take a bit of getting used to, but.. it was a good, familiar feeling.
As she led us to Lichen's house, I noticed she took her usual spot with the girls automatically, and they automatically let her in.
Again, not Pinkie, but familiar.
Rose: "Lichen!" She called out as we got to the door.
A very, very fluffy mare slipped out of the front door, and greeteed us.
Lichen: "OH! About time ya got here." She nodded to me.
K: "I see my coming has been foretold several places." I shrugged.
Lichen: "Y'more like.. Crackling made it sound like a monster was headed this way." She giggled. "Rose." She nodded to her.
Rose: "These.. are the original me's.. old friends. And -my- new ones!" She beamed a grin.
Lichen: "Ah'm glad to hear that." She nodded sagely - her own 'Swedish' accent was a gentle lilt.
Rose: "They're looking for the Fortress of Harmony, Lichen.." She looked at me.
Lichen: "Ahhhh. Kind'a figger'd." She grinned a bit. "Be a few days march on tha hoof. An' you'll need a map."
K: "Alright." I nodded.
Lichen: "Now, for th' map, I can tell'ya, Pine Wonders' got one that'll work for'ya." She shrugged. "She's in Icicle Falls, tho' - and that'll be about a day's travel east'a here."
Rose: "I can take them there." She nodded firmly.
We followed her out to the rear of her house, which was basically on the edge of a forest.
Lichen: "..oh! One second." She leapt headfirst into the snow, like a Fox might, and came up a second later with a dead rodent.
Fluttershy slunk back a bit.. like.. she gets the point that this is needed, but she's not at all happy about it. I mean, I pet her mane a bit, letting her know I understood. She had one of the more Vegetarian/Vegan diets before the war, and since, still ate meat more rarely than the other girls.
Rose: "Oh, that's a fat one." She nodded.
Lichen: "Mhm." She nodded, and stuck it in her saddlebag. "Be a fine supper!"
Seven, on the other hand, was 'mirin' that horse plot.
Seven: "You're.. very talented." He smiled a bit.
Lichen: "Thank'ya'sir." She nodded a bit, and started heading back to her place. "Rose can get'cha ta Icicle Falls. Should be able ta make it b'fore dark, too."
K: "Sounds good to me." I shrugged. "Cosmic." I gestured for the radio. C> "Alpha to Snowball. Report status."
Forest Spirit: C> "Alpha Mike Actual.. go ahead." I could HEAR his smirking from here.
K: C> "Get bored, Alpha Mike?"
Forest Spirit: C> "Probably. Status is, Para-One and Whinnysota Militia, along with a Marine Company, have arrived with Superb and the rest of 2nd Mobile, and are expanding Snowball. What's your status, Alpha?"
K: C> "Requesting resupply at.." I got my map out.. it was mostly blank, save some topography features the Griffons had mapped out. "..coordinates J-4, Z-14. We need food, one fresh load of rifle ammo, and a one-person rifleman load." I looked at Rose. "With Knox."
Forest Spirit: C> "Roger that. ETA five hours."
K: C> "Roger, Alpha Mike." I shrugged. "Well, ready when you are."
Rose: "Well, if we're ready to go.." She shrugged a bit. "..follow me."
With that, we headed out of town towards Icicle Falls. We'd seen a sign for it on the way here, so the coordinates I sent would put the supply drop at about that area. It should also line up with where I wanted to stop for mid-day break.
The trip was uneventful. I moved ahead, to let the girls 'catch up' with Rose and figure her out. Norfy, Gaze, and Cosmic were with me.
Norfy: "I'm.. glad to have Rose with us, sir." He shrugged a bit. "She's a new pony. Completely."
Cosmic: "You'd know best. Does she have anything from Pinkie in her?" He asked, as we walked.
Norfy: "Tiny.. fragments? Like, I think if I directly pressed her about, say, Surprise, from The Ancient Ones, she might get a tiny flash of a memory. But, no. Not even Pinkamena is in there." He shook his head. "It makes me wonder who or what Pinkamena really was?"
Gaze: "Wuz I ta guess? Reminds me 'a somethin' me Gram-Gram used to talk about. Like, when a Pony gets a certain way, they's might git another self inside'a them." He shook his head a bit. "Seein' Pinkamena.. I'm wonderin' if she wuzzin't a lost soul're somethin' what gained some kinnae form."
Cosmic: "Seems likely." He shrugged a bit. "She adopted the full name of Pinkie as an identity, but she was a real, actual, soul. Not a personality, but an actual entity. And if Pinkie had chaos powers like we think she did, even before taking Discord's, then it stands to reason she might have had enough 'space' in her for two souls to co-exist without.. well.. more problems than she had."
K: "And Rose is what Pinkie would have been, without Pinkamena or her Chaos powers." I nodded.
Norfy: "Seems about right, K." He shrugged again. "And since she has Pinkie's memories up to the start of the war, I suppose we.. can kinda pretend she was Rose all that time?"
K: "In our own minds. Not to replace Pinkie, but to give Rose an anchor." I smiled a bit. "I wonder how many other Pinkies got away? And where they are, now?"
Gaze: "No idea, K." He shook his head a bit. "Oi! Havoc! How's it look ahead?"
Havoc: "Peaceful." He nodded, slowing up. "Not a sign of anything moving. I spotted some of those Aurochs about half an hour ago, going south-east. Looked like a small herd. I can tell right off the bat, they aren't like us."
K: "Everyone keep your eyes peeled. The Storm King might not know what we're after, but Tirek just might, and he can't let us get it." I wagged a finger.
Havoc: "Oh, for sure." He nodded firmly. "I have Lady and Wisp out ahead."
K: "We should get a good alert, then, if needed." I shrugged.
Norfy: "I gotta say, it's COLD, but.." He chuffed his breath out. "..it's nice. The snowy plains are amazing."
Indeed, we had an excellent view. The plains were totally snowed over, and the low hills in the background, then framed by mountains, were an amazing sight. We had clear terrain for multiple kilometers around.
We managed to find the supply drop alright. Spirit called in long range cargo aircraft to do it - they were all in paradrop containers from Transport Command. The team set about taking them all apart.
Applejack: "Lookin' good, hun." She nodded, getting Rose set up with a Grant Carbine and Knox Grenade Launcher. "There ya go. C'mere's, we'll take some practice shots."
Rose: "Heehee! SOUNDS FUN!" She hefted the Knox, and gently caressed the barrel with a glimmering grin. "You and me, baby, we're going places."
As they padded off for Weapons Instruction, Rarity slid up next to me.
Rarity: "..is it bad, Darling, that I've already come to value Rose as Rose, and wish she'd been with us all this time?" She looked at Rose and AJ as they set up.
K: "Nah. I'm already feeling like that. She's not Pinkie, and my monkey brain is never going to fully be able to split one from the other, but Rose.. as she is? I can't wait to bring her home." I smiled a bit. "She has so many of Pinkie's quirks, so many of her familiar feelings, especially now that she's cheered up and comfortable. And, I have a feeling, Party Grenades will be coming back." And smirked with a cocked brow.
Rarity: "Gauche as they were.. I have missed them. Though, Toola's Paint Grenades have been QUITE entertaining." She put a foreleg around my waist. "Hm. I am most happy, Darling."
K: "You're not the only one. Come on, let's get some grub." I nodded.
We got back to where the others were prepping lunch and getting a fire going. I recognized how important wood, charcoal, and other burnables were, up here. The temperatures were very cold.
These Snow Ponies were an interesting bunch, too. As we ate, another little group of them approached us. A mare and two foals - I recognized one of them.
K: "Greetings!" I said, waving them over. "Care to share the fire? Have some tea?" I asked, getting into the spirit of these harmonious ponies.
Mare: "Oh, goodness!" She snickered. "Of course!"
Filly #2: "OH! Mama! He's the Human that saved us!" She pointed to me.
K: "That must make you Snowfall." I pointed back.
Snowfall: "I am!" She beamed a grin. "This's my older sister, Niveous, an' my mama Wintry Blast."
K: "Pleasure." I motioned for them to get closer and ended up with a pair of fillies in my lap.
Wintry Blast: "Rose." She nodded to her, with a smile. "Mystic said your friends would come one day."
Rose: "They have." She said, smiling.
Wintry Blast: "We're headed to Icicle Falls." She grinned. "Got some things to trade."
Rose: "Oooh.. your necklaces!?" She beamed.
Wintry Blast: "Sure enough!" She pulled a couple out of her saddle bags.
Rarity: "Goodness, darling!" She peered at them. "These are beautiful!"
They were, indeed, obsidian and glass bead necklaces.. fascinating.
Rainbow Dash: "Hey.." She held one up that had the glass and obsidian look like lightning bolts. "..can I trade you for this?" She dug in her saddle bag. "I think I got something.."
And out fell the Rock Candy necklace.
Rose: "..what.." She picked up the Rock Candy necklace.. and looked at Dash. "..happened to Marble?"
K: "Rose.." I lowered my tone. "..they're all dead." I shrugged. "Pinkie is in another dimension, now." I frowned.
Rainbow Dash: "..keep it." She blinked. "You're her sister."
Rose: "Thank you.." She held it up a moment, and stuck it in her own things. "..she was nice."
Rainbow Dash: "She sure was." She looked at me, though..
..after all, we were the only two that knew the truth.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: The Battle of Icicle Falls
TIME: 17:24 GKT
DATE: War Day 898/22 Noneous, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Icicle Falls, Western Empire of Harmony
We finally all arrived at the town. Looking at it from the ringing hills above it, it seemed quaint and peaceful. I was about to start walking down the hillside when a wafting breeze came up from below..
..and ALL of Havoc's Rangers and Seven's Foxes froze, their hackles going up, and they started growling.
K: "How bad." I froze in place.
Havoc: "Bad. They've been here a while." He snorted.
Wintry Blast: "Oh, no!" She whined a bit.
K: "Is there somewhere safe you three can hunker down in for the night?" I asked, getting my binoculars out.
Wintry Blast: "Y-Yes, there's caves-"
K: "Fluttershy, give them some food and water, and get them out of here." I nodded.
Fluttershy: "O-Okay.." She frowned.
K: C> "Alpha to Mike." I called it in, and motioned for everyone to get to cover (not that there was much).
Forest Spirit: C> "Go Alpha."
K: C> "I need.. everything you can spare. What've we got and how fast can you get it here?" I pulled up the map. "..we're 14 kilometers east of the supply drop."
Forest Spirit: C> "I can have the Paras and Aero Marines there in a hurry. Heavy or light?"
K: C> "Heavy. Send the Whinnysota Militia up here on hoof. They should get here by dawn or so." I was scanning for targets. "I'm going to.. es-" I froze, seeing what was down there. "-Mike, we got Porcine and Duregars, backed by Goblins and Raptorians. This is Tirek's doing. Any combat units forward deployed, get them here. Have them rally at Snowball Base. Spearhead units get priority for Zeds. And I want the Air Fleet here for heavy bombardment."
Forest Spirit: C> "Roger, Alpha."
K: C> "Get me reinforced, I want the rest of CAG, ASAP. And get some Engineers ready to jump off when this is over. We're going to have a town to rebuild." I frowned.
Forest Spirit: C> "Gotcha."
K: C> "Alpha will check in about every 30 minutes. Alpha, out." I rolled over partly to look at the team. "Drop your heavy packs, combat load only." I nodded. "Doc, stay here." I pointed to Cody.
Dr. Allcome: "Of course, K." He nodded.
Rose: "..the legend.." She drooped, but then looked up. "No. This isn't your fault - you didn't do this. Tirek did!" She fixed me with a gaze.
Applejack: "Stick with us, pardner." She reminded Rose.
Havoc: "What's the plan, K?" He nodded to me.
K: "You and Seven - right flank, get them hemmed in. That town is in a bowl valley with two exits. We block them in, then we take the town, piece by piece. They're set up real heavy in the fields to the north end. I want to rush the town once our backup arrives, and put us between them and the town proper. As we move in, we evac the civvies." I pointed to where I wanted them set up. "Get them trapped. We got this side."
Havoc: "Hunter, moving." He nodded and off his wolves trotted.
Seven: "Ares, moving." He smirked, and his foxes practically vanished into the terrain.
K: "We can't let them out of there." I nodded. "Gilda, set up right here. Rarity, far side with Rose and AJ. Sunset, other side, with Fluttershy and Toola. Dash, right here, with Gilda and me. Everyone else, spread it out." I motioned. "We hold until reinforcements get here. Once they do, everything is going to pop off real bad. Blizz, I want you next to Cosmic - when the Airships get here, I need the two of you calling in fire."
Blizz: "Of course, K." She nodded.
I set up myself, and waited. I knew, sooner or later, they'd get wise to us being here.
TIME: 19:21 GKT
I got lucky. They stayed in the town just long enough.
Webley: C> "Alpha one-five to Actual. We're jumping. Where you want us?"
I took the mic.
K: C> "First, second, and third companies, deploy to the south side of town. Fourth, fifth, and sixth, west side. Armor to the south. Artillery in reserve at the south-west side. And you, with me. Got it?"
Webley: C> "Roger, sir. ETA three minutes to ground."
K: "They'll see them." I nodded. "Get ready to fire."
The planes.. I could hear them behind me. I spared a quick glance, and I could see parachutes and gliders coming down.
K: C> "Hunter. Start picking targets. Fire at will." I nodded to Rarity, then Sunset. "RACK 'EM UP!"
I braced my rifle to my shoulder, and just as the enemy forces started noticing the parachutes, we started firing. The right flank (south side of town) had three machine guns on it, and they had a clear field of fire. They started raking over target in controlled bursts.
I picked off a Duregar trying to heft one of those Goblin 20mm guns off of a cart. Then, the two Goblins that had ammo containers for it. Then, the Porcine that tried to get his hands on it.
Mag dry, I reloaded.
Sombra: C> "Crystal Actual! We are arriving from the south! Two companies!"
K: C> "Reinforce the south, prepare to push. You're the hammer, Crystal. Report when the other four companies arrive." I called in.
In no time, I heard the M-15 Nash half-tracks coming up to my read with the Airborne HHC. Webley dove down next to me, with a Merrill of her own.
Webley: "Happy to see me?" She smiled.
Cosmic: "Always!" He beaned a grin.
K: "We're the Anvil, Webs. Maximum firepower, we need to push them from town." I nodded. "Sombra is the hammer. We hem them up in the raised fields on the north side of town. No artillery into the town unless ABSOLUTELY necessary." I nodded.
Webley: "Gotcha!" She poked some fire down on the goblins trying to get their wounded. "Be back!" She scooted off.
Dusty slid up next to me, along with Firecracker and Slapshot.
Dusty: "Nice date, K." She smirked, and looked over, seeing Rose. "K?"
K: "Not now. Focus on them." I pointed with my rifle at the enemy.
Dusty: "Got it." She nodded.
The enemies in town were completely disorganized. I saw Sombra's Aero Marines landing, and taking positions. This battle would not be a long one. As near as I could tell, the enemies in the town were perhaps a Regiment in strength, and we'd killed plenty of them.
Some were starting to retreat to the north. I leaned over and grabbed the Mic from Cosmic.
K: C> "All callsigns, do not engage the enemy if they flee north - that's where we want them to go. Crystal, prepare to assault. You have the command." I nodded, and got back into place.
Dusty: "They'll sweep in, we keep them from coming this way." She smirked.
K: "Exactly. Maintain fire, but keep it disciplined." I nodded.
I went through another magazine, flicking it into the snow, as one of the Paras brought up a magazine ammo can. He yanked one out with his teeth and flicked it to me as Ochre slid up on my other side with a HMG Team and a Browning.
Ochre: "Cold as Tartarus, sir!" He chuckled, getting the belt from the ammo box.
K: "Disciplined fire, but be ready to move this thing up there.." I pointed to a hilly bit that was a bit exposed, but gave good angles on the fields to the north.
Ochre: "On it!" He nodded.
Sombra: C> "Crystal! We are advancing!" He called out, now that he had his troops ready.
I saw the whole right flank immersed in dark, inky clouds. Incoming fire to that flank almost ceased. Outgoing fire intensified. I watched as the cloud moved towards the center of town, creeping like a deadly fog.
K: "Good." I nodded, and looked at my team. "Get ready to move!" I held my fire, so I'd have a fresh mag for the advance.
The inky smoke got to the center of town, then moved past our location.
K: "ALL ADVANCE! WATCH YOUR SECTORS! GIRLS, ON ME!" I ordered, and rose, picking off a Goblin that was down in a hollow.
We moved in, gunning down all in our path. The cold made the enemy sluggish, I noted. The Porcine especially. They were not a Tundra breed. Soon, we had them pushed to the edge of town, under cover of Sombra's magical Black Fog.
K: "HOLD! DIG IN!" I called out. C> "Alpha to Thunder - fire mission, three minute rapid bombardment." I tapped on Cosmic's flanks for him to finish the call.
Cosmic: C> "Start at range setting two, advance in ten meter increments, 100 meters from our present position to 600 meters, HE and AP, start with one barrage of smoke, end with all HE." He called in.
The artillery was close enough to manually adjust range settings purely by binoculars.
The rolling barrage did exactly what it needed to do. It broke the enemy completely. Considering they were perhaps a full Battalion.. three regiments.. and we aced one in town.. yeah. We broke them, and outnumbered them.
Smoldering craters were left. And silence.
K: "ADVANCE! SLOW AND CAREFUL! AND I MEAN CAREFUL!" I got up, and reloaded.
We moved over the craterscape.. lots of bodies. Lots of bodies. Porcine, Goblins, Duregars.. and a few Raptorians. Interesting, the numbers present. A few moved, but were quickly shot down.
We got to the 'back' area of the little enemy encampment, and found a shredded tent that took almost a direct hit from a mortar. A partially dismembered Ymhpa was here.. missing a leg. I moved over to him, transitioning to my Dager, and sticking it to his head.
He still lived.
K: "Wake up." I ordered. "DOC!" I called out.
Dr. Allcome: "Yes, K?" He trotted up, and looked at the Ympha. "Those wounds.. almost guaranteed to be mortal in these conditions. What would you have me do?"
K: "Wake him up. I want to talk to him, if he has the strength." I nodded.
Cody put a torniquet on the leg stump, and administered adrenaline and amphetamies - a high powered cocktail, sure to finish the job on him, but..
Ympha: "Urgh." He lifted his head. "Fffuckin.. human.."
K: "What was your objective?" I asked plainly.
Ympha: "Ffind.. rain.. bow.." He winced. "Not.. not here. Lost. Gone." And chuckled wistfully. "Tirek'd've.. done this anyway.." He looked at his broken, bleeding body. "This's.. a mercy.."
He exhaled in a 'death rattle' and lost consciousness. I just set him down.
K: "Well. That was fun. Sombra! Casualties?" I called out.
Sombra: "Seventeen wounded, one critical case, none dead." He nodded to me. "We're MedEvac'ing the critical case, now."
K: "We made out like bandits. Alright, everyone, listen up! Make contact with the locals! Be extra friendly! Offer them some food!" I gestured. "Rapid!" I called out for him.
Rapid: "Yes, boss?" He trotted up, with a bit of blood on his muzzle.
K: "You got a spot, there." I pointed. "See what the damage is to the village, and fix it, then offer to do whatever else that they might need."
Rapid: "You got it." And off he trotted.
Rose: "The legend is coming true. Kinda." She shrugged, then giggled. "I had a FEELING you'd find a way around it, K!" She then jumped up and hugged me.
Dusty: "We got off easy, yeah." She shurgged. "What about what the Ympha said, K?"
K: "Dunno. Gonna leave that be for now, though. Even if the Rainbow isn't at the Fortress, we still have to get there and investigate. Might be, they just didn't know how to find it." I shrugged. "Alright, break it up! Come on. Secure the area, secure these weapons, and start sending back whoever needs to go back."
An easy victory, with Father Winter's help. The enemy was not adapted to arctic warfare, we were, and we beat them, because we were trained and prepared.
Now, we had to help the civilians, and do whatever we needed to, to help them recover.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Wintry Camp
TIME: 23:21 GKT
DATE: War Day 898/22 Noneous, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Icicle Falls, Western Empire of Harmony
We had made contact with the ponies in town. A few were injured when Tirek's forces arrived, but none were killed. They were mostly grateful to see us, though there was some reservation about such a large military force (about a battalion and change) being in their town.
Especially considering they were about 200 or so ponies.
We sent back most of the troops on the Zeds and XY's over the next several hours. It was a long process, given how many there were, and how few Zeds we had, but we did it. I elected to keep Webley and Dex with me, though.
Webley: "You know what's funny?" She smiled to me.
K: "What's that, Webs?" I tilted my head.
Webley: "I'm not getting much reception up here. It's.. my mind is clear." She nodded to Rose. "She's interesting."
K: "One of Pinkie's mirror clones." I shrugged.
Webley: "Yeah, I got the story from AJ. I hear Celestia had kittens over this." She shook her head.
K: "She'll probably have the cave permanently sealed, or something." I shrugged. "The existence of such a thing, though. You know, this might explain Tirek's troops."
Webley: "You think so?" She cocked a brow.
K: "The Duregars, Porcine, and Raptorians. They don't strike me as a species that reproduces conventionally. Like, think about it, we haven't seen any females from their species. They barely talk. They have little culture. What if they're all clones?" I shrugged wide.
Webley: "You know.. that might make sense." She frowned. "If one such pool exists, why not another? And if Tirek can simply duplicate his main forces like that.." She looked at the bodies being stacked for removal. "..when we take a chunk out of him, he slowly regrows his forces. Dips them in a pool or something. Maybe he has a small number of originals? I don't know - it's conjecture."
K: "No idea." I flapped my arms. "It makes as much sense as growing them in a lab."
Webley: "We're still going to the Fortress and all, right?" She looked out over the mountains.
K: "Yep. Even if that Ympha says nothing's there, we have to check it out, just to be certain." I nodded. "He might've lied, might've missed something, might not've known what he was looking for.." I shrugged again, and accepted a cup of hot cocoa from a Paratrooper.
Webley: "And you want me and Dex along." She nodded firmly.
K: "Just to have another two friends. Two more guns. And maybe some inkling about what's going on here." I shook my head.
Webley: "You know we've got your back." She nodded again, accepting her own cup, as we moved closer to one of the fires. "Cold as hell, up here." She snorted a bit. "I think if I move to the Roostian Settlement near Old Coltonville, I'll have to pack extra warm clothes."
K: "It seems to be cool-but-temperate." I glanced at some of the Paras stacking enemy corpse parts. "Seriously thinking about it?"
Webley: "Bright Eyes wants to relocate back up there. It's technically within the state of Mishigami or Whinnysota.." She shrugged a little. "..I dunno." She looked up at me, suddenly. "Every time I think about it, K, I get this feeling like I should know something. Something more. But, I don't." And shook her head. "And, like.. I feel like it's my duty to be there if something happens. Sure, the Roostian defectors are all soldiers, but they haven't seen what WE have. They'll need a leader, if something bad happens."
K: "And you want to be it." I nodded to her, with a smile.
Webley: "I don't, but I want to be there if something happens, so they CAN have a leader. One that.. might be able to save them." She scrunched her nose a bit. "They trusted us with their lives, after all."
K: "They did." I nodded. "Alright, get the rest of this policed up, I'm going to the town to see what's up, down there." And I paced off.
I got about.. half way into town, and I met Mystic. More that, she was standing there, staring lasers at me.
K: "Ah. Greetings, I'm-"
Mystic: "The Human." She blinked exactly once. "Mystic Glacier. How quickly can I get you out of here?"
K: "I.. need a map to the Fortress of-"
Mystic: "I'll get it for you." She fixed me with a gaze. "Can you leave, then?"
K: "You're afraid more bad stuff is going to happen." I nodded to her.
Mystic: "Yes. I can already see the Legend coming true. And I must protect my town." She frowned. "The sooner you leave, the better."
K: "Unless Tirek's forces are coming back, in which case, you'll be defenseless if I do." I shrugged.
Mystic: "Which is fine. We offer no resistance." She stared, hard.
K: "That doesn't make any difference. If we hadn't come, they would have started eating you the minute their rations ran out, or they got hungry for horse meat." I crossed my arms.
Mystic: "That's ridiculous. We could have fed them if we needed to." She scowled.
K: "Don't matter. They love Pony." I nodded slightly to her. "Besides, Tirek wants you all dead, eventually."
Mystic: "That's outrageous! We're peaceful! We offer no resistance! They wouldn't hurt us for no reason! No one does that!" She snorted at me.
I didn't realize that Sunset had been coming over to see me, and was RIGHT THERE...
Sunset: "TIREK DOES THAT!" She stomped over. "YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT KIND OF MONSTER HE IS! HE FUCKING RAPED ME FOR FOUR FUCKING YEARS, AND MADE ME ABORT HIS FUCKING RAPEBABY!" She stabbed her hoof into Mystic's robes. "HIS MONSTERS ARE SOULLESS, VIOLENT SAVAGES! THEY EAT US! THEY KILL US! THEY WILL FUCKING RAPE YOU, TOO! THEY EXIST TO HURT OTHERS, THAT'S THEIR ONLY PURPOSE! IF WE HADN'T COME ALONG?! YOUR FOALS WOULD'VE BEEN FUCKING SCATTERED, ALRIGHT, AFTER WATCHING THEIR PARENTS GET FUCKING COOKED ALIVE!!"
I.. I had to hold her back. Arms under her forelegs, to keep her from decking this bitch.
K: "Sunset! SETTLE DOWN!" I was seriously pulling her back, now - she did NOT have Twilight's diplomacy, that's for sure, but she sure had some strength!
Sunset: "NO! NO! SHE HAS TO GET IT THROUGH HER FUCKING SKULL!!" She looked back at me, and then to her. "THEY WOULD FUCKING KILL YOU! THEY'D FUCKING ENJOY IT!! YOU DON'T GET IT! KAY ISN'T HERE TO HURT YOU! HE'S HERE TO HELP YOU! HE'S.. he's.." She started crying. "..he's the only reason I'm still alive and I haven't fucking killed myself, yet! HE GAVE ME.. a.. a reason to live. He HELPED me.." She sniffled, almost sobbing. "HE CARES! HE CARES about EVERYONE! He's saved so many.. you don't even know! You.. you.. UNGRATEFUL BITCH!" She wrenched out of my grasp and ran off, crying.
I was just standing there, stunned.
Mystic was, too.
It didn't help that Gaze and Cosmic both heard the commotion and had made their way over.
Gaze: "Th' lass's reight." He shrugged, moving past us, to go comfort her. "K's done ever'thin' he c'n tae save folks." He glared at Mystic. "Even t'th' point'a nearly killin' hisself."
Cosmic: "Yeah." He shrugged. "I've been there for most every big fight. Without K, we would've been stomped into the ground ages ago." He looked down, then up at Mystic. "He's the best of us. One of us. He may have two legs, but he's one of us, where it counts. I don't care what the legends might say - he fights the legends, the fates, the.. whatevers. There's no such thing as inevitability with him. He works very hard to break those legends over his knees.. and he's managed to save so many, do so much.. you might want to consider your own legends as an advisory, but don't put any weight to it - K has a way of averting tragedies.." He looked at me. "..and, yes, sometimes with his own blood. And lots of it."
Mystic blinked, looking around at some of the soldiers looking at her.. and me.
K: "I do everything I can to save everyone I can. I even took the step of denying artillery use until the troops got clear of the town." I shrugged a bit.
She lowered her head a bit, and slowly shook it.
Mystic: "..I'll get you the map. Please.." She gestured a bit with her right forehoof.
K: "Take as long as you need." I gestured. "I'll be around." I gave her a small nod, and headed off to mingle with the troops and help out.
After a bit, a friendly mare invited me into her home. Sunset was in here, too, with Gaze comforting her. She was staying quiet, but she was clearly upset.
Pine Wonders: "There." She handed me a cup of delicious pine-flavored tea. "I'm Pine Wonders, by the way. This is my husband, Granite Glacier." She nodded to him.
Granite Glacier: "You're K, yes?" He nodded to me.
K: "Yes, sir." I nodded to him.
Granite: "Just Granite, man. I may only have three legs, but I still work for a living." He smiled a bit. "Thank you for chasing those monsters out. I'd've done it myself, but.." He shrugged at the stump of his back-right leg. "..avalanche, two years ago. I saved Mystic and another pony."
K: "She.. isn't my biggest fan." I shrugged a tiny bit, and sipped the tea.
Sunset: *Sniffle* "She doesn't know who her friends are." She said, bitterly.
Gaze: "Ach. Relax, Sunset." He gave her a one-foreleg hug.
Sunset: "Heh.. heh-heh." She hugged him back. "Thanks, Gaze."
Gaze: "Enny tiem." He smiled.
K: "You're a good man, Gaze. Er.. stallion." I nodded.
Gaze: "D'awww." He rubbed the back of his head.
Granite: "She was raised on the more fatalistic idea of the legend." He shrugged. "We never saw eye-to-eye on that. I mean, you saved the town and everyone in it. And no one got hurt, really." He shrugged. "Moreover.. all this new stuff?" He smiled a bit. "I'm hoping we can.. reconnect with the world." He nodded to his kids. "I'd love to see them go to a real school, like the ancient days. A.. what did you call it, Gaze?"
Gaze: "University." He nodded.
Granite: "That." He smiled. "Ponder, over there, is real smart. Problem is, we're running out of things we can teach her."
K: "I want to.. help you all in any way I can." I nodded.
Granite: "I can see that." He smiled a bit. "Honey, why don't you give him Gradnpa's map?"
Pine Wonders: "Sounds like the thing ta do!" She grinned, chipperly, and made her way over to a chest.
Pine Ponder: "Soo.. does this mean.. a real school, papa?" She sidled up to him, with them big ol' eyes of a filly, blinking them in his direction.
Granite: "Hafta ask Mister K, over there, sweetie." He smirked.
K: "I'll see to it." I nodded, with a smile.
Sunset: "Yeah." She smiled a bit. "S-Sorry for the outburst like that, Kay." She shrugged. "Just.. when peop-ah-ponies get like that about you, I get so mad!" She pawed the ground a bit. "You've.. done so much." She sighed.
K: "I get it." I patted the back of her head.
Pine Wonders: "Here ya go!" She handed me a linen map, carefully drawn, and well illustrated.
K: "Thank you." I nodded to them both. "I will do what I can for your community." I shrugged a bit. "Even IF Mystic thinks I'm going to end up burning it to the ground."
Granite: "I have a feelin' that even if that DID happen, you'd see we had new homes in a week!" He beamed a grin.
K: "Less, if Rapid Bearing and his Engineers have any say in it. But, let's make sure it doesn't come to that, eh?" I shrugged, and finished my tea.
Now, we had hte means to get to the Fortress, and a map to show us where it was.
The question, however, lingered: Was anything actually there, or was this a needless disruption of the lives of peaceful ponies?
Only time would tell.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: In Heaven, Love Comes First
TIME: 13:33 GKT
DATE: War Day 899/23 Noneous, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Western Empire of Harmony
By the map's own admission, we were some distance from the Fortress. My expanded team was on target, though. What had started as a simple exploration, had turned into a military operation.
Mystic, I admit, was happy to see us go. She'd gotten a second map - she didn't try to decieve us or anything, it was a legit copy of the map that the Pines gave us - and had only agreed to keep to herself while we bedded down for the night. She wasn't happy about us being there, she made that clear.
That was fine, she was outvoted, the rest of the town - seeing the very real threat of Tirek - wanted a full scale military base right there. I sent word back to Tree Hugger that someone with her mentality needed, perhaps, some personal assurances about things, and a friend.
And trainers, and military equipment, and.. they wanted to form a government so they could apply to join NEIGHTO, in union with the Eastern Empire, even.
The majority of the town - despite the legend about ME - feared Tirek and the Storm King FAR MORE. Especially Tirek. He was basically a nigh-immortal Satan allegory for them. They would stand against him, eagerly.
More friends.
Sunset: "Ugh.. done clearing up from Lunch, Kay." She sighed and stretched. "This is.. quite an expedition."
K: "Yeah." I nodded. "Next part is pretty much vertical. According to the map, there's a narrow road that should take us the whole way up the mountain. They named it Rainbowfrost Peak, here." I tapped the map.
Rarity: "As much as I like winter fashion, darling.. I will be VERY glad to get out of this cold!" She snorted a bit.
Fluttershy: "It.. it is pretty chilly out here." She frowned.
Olivine: "Make sure you make use of the hoofwarmers." She nodded.
Blizz: "Yeah!" A smile. "I gotta admit, though, this is about as cold as I've ever been."
K: "Same." I pulled out the pocket thermometer. "It's reading negative sixteen." That's a balmy 3 degrees Fahrenheit. "At least there's very little wind." I shrugged. "Come on, let's get moving. I want to get to the base of the mountain by nightfall." I pointed.
And off we went. I could hear chattering teeth - it was incredibly cold, and getting colder as we progressed. We kept our pace even, and just kept walking, taking frequent breaks. At least nothing had decided to pop up and say hello, out here.
TIME: 17:13 GKT
K: "Break time!" I called out, slowing down, and finding a rock to sit on.
Applejack: "So.. so cold out here." She shivered, and got real close to me. "Hope there's a cave're somethin' when we git there."
Blizz: "Yeah." She was looking through binoculars. "We're going to be against the clock, here, K. That cliff face is at least another two hours' march, and the sun will be down in 30 minutes."
K: "Hm." I nodded. "Break out the ropes, and everyone tie off in squads." I pointed.
Dex: "Man, it's so cold out here, I bet even a sonic boom would freeze." He started tying his rope off.
Blizz: "Eh." She shrugged. "I know our bullets will travel at least 50 meters-per-second slower, and have a more pronounced drop."
K: "She's right." I nodded to her. "Everyone, be careful." I gestured to everyone. "And once we get there, we need a fire for sure."
Rarity: "Indeed, darlings.. I fear my horn will start growing icicles!" She giggled a little.
The march for the next two hours was body-numbing. The wind coming off the mountain picked up as we got closer. It started pushing us back. Progress was slowed, and even after two hours, we'd barely crossed half the distance.
K: "BREAK TIME!" I called out, the wind now eating my words. "HUDDLE UP!"
We all got as close to each other as possible, with Havoc and Seven's wolves and foxes circling the wagons, with us in the middle.
Havoc: "Okay.. NOW I'm cold." He murred a bit.
O'Fang: "Yeah.. I never been 'dis cold before!" He frowned.
Sunset: "God.. I'm.. I'm moving to Florida, if I go back!" She snorted. "I never, EVER want to be this cold again!"
Dex: "Weh.. can't deny it. Just gotta deal with a hurricane every now and then." He was shivering.
K: "Everyone holding up?" I asked into the little circle.
Applejack: "Ah'm okay." She smiled a bit. "We got you, K."
Dusty was also grinning at me.
Dusty: "Yeah, this is absolutely frigid. I have never been this cold. But, I'm okay. The hoofwarmers help A LOT. Thanks, Olivine!" She grinned.
Olivine: "Hey, no problem!" She smiled back. "I'm glad to help!"
K: "Alright, not much further. Come on." I nodded.
TIME: 21:31 GKT
Two more hours of marching.. and finally, we did see a cave at the cliff face. We kinda.. moved faster to get to it, and once we were inside, everyone stopped, and sat down, panting.
K: "That.. was amazingly cold. I bet it's magic." I nodded.
Sunset: "One hundred percent, that's magic!" She snorted. "I could feel it. It's probably protection for the ruins." She shrugged.
Applejack: "HEY! There's some froze-ta-death baddies back here!" She said, pointing.
Indeed, there were several dead Porcines, and a Gizmonk, all clearly dead of exposure. There's also some supplies, here. Likely from Tirek's expedition. I noted the corpses had been stripped, though.
K: "See if there's some burnable stuff, let's get a fire going, and get some hot food in us." I nodded, directing everyone.
It didn't take long, with so many hooves, paws, and hands at work. We got a nice, hefty fire going, right where the smoke would be carried out of the cave. Can't have us smothering to death!
We all were very close to the fire, and we were cooking food. Oats and bacon, warming up some bread, things like that, and some hot drinks. I had Applejack in my lap in short order.
Sunset: "Man.." She sipped some hot tea. "..so good." She smiled a bit. "So, AJ.."
Applejack: "Yeah, sugarcube?" She looked at her.
Sunset: "..you and Kay. What's the whole story?" She leaned in a bit.
Applejack: "Ah.." She blushed. "..kinda.. he appeared in Eqeustria.." She nodded to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy found him out at th' edge'a the Everfree Forest, brought him to Twilight, an' she kinda showed him around some." She rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. "Pinkie threw a party 'n all.. and.. I kinda got drunk. He.. ah.. kinda got pulled around at th' party.. Ah didn't see much'a him.. then, it was over.. an' I was drunk." She blushed harder. "Real drunk. And he walked me home.. an'.. we.. jes'.. kinda.." She was red - maroon, even - all the way through to her ear tips. "..ended up in th' hay. But.. not lahk.. jes'.. physical." She beamed a grin. "'Course, th' next day, Mac thought he kinda had his advantage on me, an' tried ta kill him. Didn't work!" She nuzzled me. "Now him'n'Mac're thick as thieves."
K: "It.. was a very romantic night." I shrugged. "Once I connected with Applejack, I was.. absolutely committed. Yeah, we've.. had.. some extra fun.." I looked at Dash with a smirk. "..but, we're fit to each other like puzzle pieces."
Sunset: "That's awesome." She smiled. "I'm still trying to get used to four legged males."
Rarity: "Yes, Darling.. and some are five legged." She smirked with a blush, looking at me. "Or a tripod."
Applejack: "RARITY!" She shot back, shocked.
K: *Mumbles* "I'm not THAT big.."
Sunset: "Eh." She blushed. "I've had him both ways. He's good." She smiled at me. "I know he's not mine, and wont' ever be, mine-mine, but.." She gave a cheeky grin. "I have to admit! I'm enjoying the 'extra fun' portion of things!"
Applejack: "Mmm.." She nuzzled her ass into my crotch. "MAH stallion's got what all th' mares lahk." She dripped those words like honey.
K: *Humming* "Oooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, heaven is a place on earth. They say heaven, love comes first."
K & Sunset: "We'll make Heaven a place on Earth. Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth.."
K: "When the night falls down, I wait for you and you come around, And the world's alive, With the sound of kids on the street outside.."
K & Dex & Sunset:
"When you walk into the room
You pull me close and we start to move
And we're spinning with the stars above
And you lift me up in a wave of love.."
Sunset: "Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth!
They say in heaven love comes first.
We'll make heaven a place on earth.
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth.."
Havoc & Bella: "When I feel alone,
I reach for you and you bring me home.
When I'm lost at sea,
I hear your voice and it carries me..!"
K, Dex, Sunset, Havoc, Bella, Seven:
"In this world we're just beginning,
To understand the miracle of living.
Baby, I was afraid before.
But I'm not afraid anymore..!"
Sunset & Bella:
"Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth!
They say in heaven love comes first.
We'll make heaven a place on earth.
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!"
K, Dex, Sunset, Havoc, Bella, Seven:
"Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth..!"
[Belinda Carlisle - "Heaven Is A Place On Earth", Copyright 1987, MCA Records]
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Peaked Performance
TIME: 14:22 GKT
DATE: War Day 900/24 Noneous, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Fortress of Harmony Ruins, Western Empire of Harmony
It took us until the next afternoon to get up to the peak of the mountain. Once we crested the top of the peak, though..
Fluttershy: "Woooooooooooooooooooooooowwww!" She stared in amazement.
Seven: "Incredible!"
Havoc: "Aaahh...!"
Gilda: "Oh, my Stars! By the Grand Nest..!"
The Fortress was still mostly standing. A large breach in one wall told the tale of its fall, but the rest of the immense structure stood tall. The fortress castle had no outer wall, but it was instead a massive Keep. One wall was broken in, but the gate near it remained standing. The structure was at least four stories tall.
K: "There's no way in HELL they managed to explore this completely!" I spat.
Dr. Allcome: "Indeed. I doubt it." He nodded.
Blizz: "It's about as cold as it can get, up here." She shivered. "Now.. NOW, I'm officially cold."
K: "Let's get inside the Fortress. Weapons ready - just in case things in there aren't friendly!"
Gaze: "Oi." He hefted his Grant. "I hate when they dinnae wanna be friends!" He snickered.
Norfy: "Indeed. It means we must deal harshly with them." He smirked.
Cosmic: "Eh. Better us deal harshly with THEM, than they deal harshly with US." He shrugged.
We advanced to the broken wall, and we could see that.. this place wasn't always frozen like it was. There were frost-covered bones and bits of corpse from thousands of years ago, clearly visible. Preserved perfectly. As though the frost came in an instant.
Once we were fully inside, though, the temperatures went up significantly.. to about 7C/45F.
K: "It's magic." I nodded.
Sunset: "I can feel it. Dancer?" She nodded to her.
Moon Dancer: "Yeah, I feel it, too." She had her horn faintly glowing. "K, I'm pretty sure the frost spell is a result of a totemic device that.. was some kind of failsafe." She shrugged. "I mean, this is the tallest peak in the region, buuut.." She paced a bit to the left, then the right of the group as we advanced in further. "..it shouldn't be as cold as it was outside."
K: "I think the Ympha and his team got about as far as the peak, saw the frozen bones, concluded nothing was left of any value, and left. I don't see any foot or hoof prints anywhere in here, and we're leaving them behind us." I pointed out.
Dusty: "Mm. I back that - there's no evidence they got this far." She shrugged.
Gilda: "Maybe it's another magic - illusions, like, the illusion that this place was encased in ice or something?" She shrugged.
Moon Dancer: "And the only thing dispelling THAT.." She pointed to my sword. "..the Sword of Rainbow's Light."
K: "Makes as much sense as anything." I shrugged.
Havoc: "Plan?" He nodded to me.
K: "Split up. Dancer, go with Havoc and Seven's teams, scout that way and go up as high as you need. Search everything, stay in radio contact. Webley, Dusty, Gilda, Doc, and the girls and I will head down over this way. Gaze, Havoc, Cosmic, set up here with Dex, Rapid, Olivine and Blizz." I nodded. "Something happens, I want the Back Door secured for a hasty retreat."
Gaze: "Aye, K." He nodded.
Havoc: "No problem, ol' buddy!" He grinned.
With that, we were off. The Fortress was what one might expect from a place that was part home, part military-like facility. We ended up exploring mostly living quarters.
The fun thing, was, everything was almost untouched.
Rarity: "..I suppose several thousand year old fashions aren't chic.. buuuut... these square-neck cut shirts are SUCH a hit with Tree Hugger and her friends!" She hummed to herself, taking notes.
Sunset: "I didn't realize you hung out with hippies, Rares." She smirked. "Then again, you are the ol-"
Rarity: "-d fashioned type." She finished, harshly, for her, but ended that with a smile. "Yes, I am."
Toola Roola: "Actually.. Sunset.." She wagged a hoof at her. "..when IS your birthday?"
Sunset: "14th of Decemus, 973 C.S." She shrugged.
All the girls started giggling.
Sunset: "What?!" She shot them a bemused, slightly annoyed look.
K: "You're almost 31, Sunset." I shrugged.
Sunset: "Wh-WHAT?!" She was surprised. "But.. I.. spent four years as a human teenager! I was banished when I was 21! NOT FAIR!" She frowned. "I should be, phyiscally, either 21 or 25!"
Rarity: "Yes, darling." She gave her a side-of-head rub. "Buuut.. on the calendar, YOU are the oldest!"
K: "Rarity's birthday is 17 Quartus, 975." I gestured.
She gave ME a poke.
Toola: "Oh, come on, Rarity! It's not like we didn't know!" She giggled..
..then stopped.
And whipped out a little postage card-sized canvas and paced away.
K: "Webs?" I cocked a brow at her.
Webley: "Nothing on MY end!" She shrugged.
K: "When you're done, Toola." I nodded.
Everyone was instantly tense.
She came back a moment later, and handed the picture to me.
It was.. clearly me.. zooming through the.. sky? With the Sword of Rainbow's Light ahead of me.. aiming at something. It was hard to see what this "something" was, as it was just a shadow at the very edge of the canvas. But, it was big and clearly supposed to be scary.
K: C> "K to everyone. Toola's had a vision - expect unfriendlies. Something big." I nodded.
Havoc: C> "Hunter, roger that."
Gaze: C> "Rogah that, suh!"
K: "Come on, everyone." I gestured. "Webs, are you getting anything at all?"
Webley: "Mmm.. just general articles on everyone, if I focus real hard." She shrugged. "And, yeah, actually.. Sunset was supposed to be even older." She poked her, playfully. "You'd be 35 right now, or something like that. AND suck in Humanland! As a teenager or college girl!"
Sunset: "Hmpf." She grinned, though. "Alternate You was always in the Computer Lab.." She shrugged. "..if I have to go back and fix THAT place, TOO? I'll make sure to make myself friends."
Webley: "You mean it?!" She seemed really happy.
Sunset: "Sure!" She shrugged. "I mean, you're some kind of tech wizard, over there. Maybe alternate you can help me with some stuff, and maybe I can get alternate YOU.. a date!" And meaned a grin.
Webley: "Aw! Sunset!" She had little tears of joy in her eyes.
K: "That's real nice of you, Sunset." I shrugged.
Sunset: "..Tirek helped me figure out who my real friends should have been all along.." She sighed.
Rose: "I wonder if I exist over there?" She asked, suddenly.
Sunset: "Eh, didn't see you.." She shrugged. "..chances are, if you're there, you'll probably be a bit different, and, like, just moved to town or something." She gave her a little head-tap. "I'll look you up. We'll plot something together."
Rarity: "If you don't settle down, here, darling." She nodded.
K: "I'll be curious about that." I nodded.
I could then hear distant gunfire.
Havoc: C> "HUNTER TO ALPHA! WE GOT A BIG PROBLEM! SECOND FLOOR, CENTER AREA! GET OVER HERE!"
K: C> "RESPONDING!" I looked at the others. "Let's GO!"
And off we ran. Not knowing what danger awaited us, but knowing that we had to protect our friends. As we got closer, we could hear the gunfire. Everyone was shooting, and it was all our weapons, nothing Tirek.
Soon, I would be meeting destiny.. I just didn't know what that exactly meant.
{End of Chapter 110}
