15 - Siege of Snow Hill #233
Extended Holiday
Chapter 15: Siege of Snow Hill #233
“Well now, isn’t this a beautiful morning?” Taze commented happily as he looked out at the snow-covered ground while drinking his coffee. The soreness that had plagued his body for the last couple of weeks had finally faded, and the beginnings of tone was working its way into his body as a result.
“Too cold,” Matthew muttered, yawning heavily and wrapped in a blanket.
“As opposed to what, the sun?” Taze asked, laughing. “It’s not even cold enough for a parka yet.”
“It's cold for me,” Matthew grumbled back.
“The winter is the best time ever. You can sled, you can make igloos or have sno-” Taze stopped on the last part as consideration dawned on him. “Oh, Vulpix?”
“Vul?” Matthew asked with a chuckle.
“You think the troops could benefit from some battlefield simulation?” Taze’s mouth split open in a broad grin.
“Taze, we used to paintball in ROTC. Anything that can teach tactics in a fun and non-stressful maner would be a great thing. I don’t think I’m going to join you, though. It would be bad if I get hit by even semi-ice balls.”
“Yes, but I intend to put them against an opponent so devious, so cruel, so completely barbaric in their tactics that they’ve been known to reduce many to a gibbering mesh.”
“Children. Children in the snow are monsters,” Matthew replied. “I should know. I was one once, a long time ago, even if my mother tried to keep me out of it.”
“We all were. Even Shawn, apparently.” Taze snickered.
“That scares me. Shawn as a child?” He pulled himself out of his cocoon briefly to reach for a cup of coco that had been left steaming nearby for him.
Taze drained his cup. “Well, there is a lot to do. I need to gather the foals, talk to the Pegasi, talk to Pinkie, get a bicorn hat,” he said, getting to his feet.
“Taze, the only place that will have a bicorn hat is your least favorite store.”
“This is war, Vulpix. Sacrifices must be made,” Taze said with a face of total seriousness.
Matthew chuckled. “Good luck, then, my friend. I suppose I should pick that as my code name. That would be fun, making codenames for everyone or everypony....”
“I need to get moving. People to talk to, rations to arrange.” He headed for the door with a spring in his step as that grin took on a manic quality. “Fortresses to build!”
“Have fun,” Matthew answered. “I’m going to go put another log on the fire.”
“Should we be worried about that? He seemed a little crazed,” Moonshade commented.
“It’s a cultural thing. It doesn’t matter how cold it got back home, he always had faced colder or deeper snow. I can hear him saying it already, ‘this is just a light flurry.’”
Moonshade just sipped her coffee tiredly. It was too early for this.
“So, what’s a good time to get up for Thestrals?” Matthew asked.
“An hour after dusk.”
“Well, in that case, thank you for putting up with my sleep schedule.”
“Orders are orders,” she said. “The bright light doesn’t help, though. I'll have to send for some sunglasses.”
Matthew snorted and put his head on the table as he struggled not to laugh. At seeing the confused look, he sang out, “I wear my sunglasses at night.” And then the laughter burst from him. “Sorry, it’s just a running gag with some friends who didn’t fall into Equestria.
Moonshade shrugged and kept drinking her coffee.
Meetings between important figures had rules that needed to be followed. Generally, a table and a drink were necessary, usually at least one side having their followers present.
And so it was in the Sugarcube Corner as Taze sat at the table with a milkshake in front of him and a steaming cup of cocoa in front of his guest. Somehow, Pinkie had darkened the exterior. Smooth jazz music played in the background.
In front of him sat Pipsqueak, local leader of the Ponyville Pirates, a sometime ally of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the de facto leader for the negotiations. Button Mash, as the one who vouched for Taze, stood not far off, as well as Featherweight, a small lanky Pegasus, and Rumble, a not-so-lanky Pegasus. The CMC stood not far off elsewhere, with Dinky standing closer than the rest. In fact, given her position of standing almost over Pipsqueak’s shoulder, Taze had to suppress a joke about his “girl Friday.”
“So, I’m told you're the one to see about … foal-based winter activities,” Taze said before casually taking a sip from his milkshake.
Pipsqueak shrugged his hooves. “Some say I am, some say I’m not. What’s it to you?”
“Princess Celestia gave me a bunch of chuckleheads to train for the guard. Thing is, these guys are cocky. They all got big heads, and I need some way for them to learn the … horrors of combat without actual combat. It’s been said there are few as fearsome in the field of snowball battle as your people.”
“People say we cause the most trouble, too. You can’t always believe the rumors, you know,” Pipsqueak said as he took a sip of his coco. “That being said, I can’t help but ask again, what’s it to you if we are?”
“You know, given this is a government-sponsored activity, if you were to help me teach these guys some humility, the local weather team might be … ‘encouraged’ to accidentally overload the scheduled snow load overnight. I’m sure Mayor Mare may even agree that the normal educational schedule may have to be … unfortunately delayed for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”
“And this … exercise of yours. Just how long is it supposed to go on? There are, after all, certain obligations that have to be considered. Mouths that need feeding, hooves that need warming.” He paused briefly and took a long pull from his coco before looking at Taze through hooded lids. “Adults that need … convincing.”
“For starters, I was thinking of starting sometime tomorrow morning, probably take five, maybe six hours,” Taze admitted. “All catered by the kindly cakes and Dame Pie, hot cocoa included. Maybe afterwards, we have a little party, parents get to talk as adults are wont to do. Maybe you all get to stay up later than normal. Who knows?” He shrugged. “I can promise rules your parents would approve of, and even a judge.” He winked. “And you know the forts won’t be going away overnight.” He took a long pull of milkshake. “I might even be able to arrange some … royal personages for a time.”
“You see, this all sounds well and good, Mister … Taze, was it?” Pipsqueak leaned back on his chair, and it creaked briefly as he rocked it before leaning forward again. “But, you see, my friends and I, we still have a … let’s say a little problem that needs to be fixed before any of these other things take place.”
“Go ahead,” Taze said.
“There are these two fillies, you see. Beautiful girls. Pretty faces, pretty manes, pretty jewelry. But … not so pretty, uh….” He turned to Dinky. “What’s the word I’m looking for, Dinky?” he asked.
“Personalities.”
“Ah, personalities. That’s right.” He nodded and turned to face Taze again. “Now, we wouldn’t dream of hurting them, but y’see, they’ve hurt some very good people. Some very close friends. And that, … that requires a certain amount of compensation. Call it a return for a bad investment. The teachers, the adults, the ones who’re s’posed to uphold the law, they don’t do anything. Y’see, they can’t, ’cause these girls, they’re smart. They hurt when they know they can’t get caught. But you, you’re the organizer. That means you can decide who gets to join this … snowball battle, as you call it. Is that not so?”
“Unfortunately, by the way this works, I can’t outrightly say someone’s not allowed in. That being said.…” He shook his head. “I don’t put in with bullies. Now, thing is, once this battle starts, whoever is present on your end is in. Whoever isn’t is out.” Taze gave a shrug. “So, supposing you can keep them from showing up before it starts, fuggedaboutit. But hey, you didn’t get that idea from me. Can’t have people thinking I’m irresponsible, can I?” He snickered. “But rest assured, I will not take anyone picking on anyone else in this. You and your compadres and your lady friends, I got your backs. So….” Taze held out a hand. “Do we have a deal?”
Pipsqueak peered toward the other foals. Each gave a subtle nod or an extremely exaggerated one, depending on their level of excitement and immersion in the play. Finally, Dinkie gave a subtle nod of her own, and Pipsqueak turned to look the human in the eye. He extended his hoof. “Very well. We accept.” He raised a hoof. “But this ‘accident’ of yours needs to last for two days after. There’s homework that needs doing, after all.”
“Of course! Of course!” He smiled and motioned toward the sweet counter. “Please. Dame Pie’s been asked to provide you and your people with any form of refreshment you so desire on your way out. On me,” Taze said as he downed the remains of his shake in one go. “Unfortunately, I need to go. Things to do, accidents to arrange….” Taze gave a mischievous wink as he got up, flicked a bit on the table, gave the foals a nod, and left.
The squeals of joy and excitement that followed were clearly not from the gang he had just left. And if anypony were to say otherwise, the foals would immediately deny it. They would also deny the malevolent cackling as the pirates and the CMC began to put their heads together to plan for the unfortunate accidents that would prevent their tormentors from participating properly. And best of all, they had the aid of one of the greatest pranksters in all of Ponyville just waiting for them to tap behind the sweet counter.
“Now then, my little Ponies, gather ’round. We have work to do,” Pinkie said in a conspiratorial tone as she rubbed her hooves together. Then she giggled. “This is gonna be so much fun!”
The clock tower was a relatively tall structure by Pony standards. But since Taze had been running for so long around it and other landmarks in the town, it didn’t take him nearly so long to reach the top. Nor did he feel any particularly intense amount of fatigue, barring the usual experience after a good cardio session. Massive gears twisted, turned, and ground together to manipulate the hands on the clock face outside. The side room at the top of the tower was filled with machinery, baubles, and various models in a curious blend of old and new. But, naturally, as was always the case with any Pony whose cutie mark focused on time, the room was positively overflowing with clocks. As always, time, and the study of it, resided with a very special Pony indeed, one who was currently busy working with one such machine whose clock face was shifting forward at an enhanced rate.
“Excuse me?” Taze called inside the tower.
“Yes, yes. Be with you in a minute.” The stallion bore a brown mane that sprawled in messy points back from his head and down his neck. His fur was a brighter color, almost tan, by comparison. He wore a green bowtie surmounted beneath a white collar that wrapped around his neck, and his blue eyes were filled with a giddy sort of wonder blended with the desire to explore the unknown. He peered intently at the spinning of the device, then turned to a beaker and deftly squeezed a pipette to drop three pieces of rainbow-colored liquid that swam in the solution before spinning and merging together to form a solid tie dye mass that floated inert. He hummed and rubbed his chin in thought. “Interesting….” he mused.
“Hello, Doctor,” Taze said, nodding as he greeted him.
“Afraid you have the wrong building,” the stallion said absently as he continued to peer at the result of his experiment. “Doctor Strange is in Ponyville Hospital, a few blocks down that way.” He gestured vaguely with his hoof.
“Not the kind of doctor I’m looking for.” Taze smirked. “The Lonely God, the Eternal Wanderer, Matchstick Man?”
“I’m afraid you’re confusing me with someone else. Catchy titles, though. Ever thought of joining a band?” He turned around to stare at the human, then gaped. “Now what’s all this, then? You don’t belong here,” he said as he frowned at Taze. “What’s a human doing in this universe?”
“You don’t pay much attention to current events, do you?” Taze asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, you know how it is about the present. It’s just so … boring.” The Doctor shrugged. Then his face darkened. “And as someone who’s clearly acquainted with me, I can guess it’s safe to assume you already know my stance on war.”
“Yes, I know your stance, and I know why. I’m not here to get you to kill or anything. Quite the opposite, in fact. I need you and the lady to help me with something. And no, I don’t mean Derpy.”
The Doctor narrowed his gaze. “You know about the TARDIS, then?”
“You could say where I come from, there are stories, stories about a very old man and a blue box who’s sometimes a young man in a blue box. They travel around the universe helping people and saving lives. Some say the greatest question in the universe is, ‘Doctor who?’” Taze noted.
“And I suppose you’ve come here to ask for help getting back to your own universe.” He reached into a small holder full of quills and removed a familiar metallic device that began to hum as it extended and its point glowed blue to scan over the human.
“Nope,” Taze said. “We both know the danger that would put you in, not to mention this world. You’ve got a daughter to think about.”
“Then what do you want, an autograph?”
“I need to create two fully prepared snow forts by tomorrow morning,” Taze said.
“And you’re coming to me for something that simple?”
“It’s for kids? And besides, I’m not talking your average snow fort. Take a seat, Doctor, and I’ll explain what I’ve got in mind.”
That explanation went on for the next half an hour until The Doctor finally raised a hoof to stop the conversation.
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to use my TARDIS to help construct two literal fortresses out of snow and reinforce them so anyone can get inside and trek through them without fear of collapse or any of the other usual risks. And you’re using my own daughter to guilt trip me into doing that?”
“Hey! I’m asking you and the TARDIS. You, of all people, shouldn’t be objectifying here,” Taze said. “I shouldn’t be needing to tell you to have some respect for the old girl.”
“And you should already know I do. Don’t go changing the subject,” The Doctor returned. “We’ve been together far longer than you’ve been alive. Now, will you answer my question?”
“Yes. And? Too small for you? Yeah, it’s not saving a civilization or stopping some interstellar rift, and maybe there are no sapient snowmen to stop or wraiths to imprison, but I’d thought you might enjoy helping something without lives at stake for once. What would the brigadier think?”
“He has nothing to do with this!”
Taze raised his hands and gestured in a mollifying way. “Fair enough.” Then he sighed and shrugged. “Honestly, though, I’m surprised that someone with your reputation would act like this.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry this is so beneath you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to catch the post office before it closes to get an express message to Canterlot. I didn’t want to have to bother Luna with more than an appearance. They do have scribes to help with dictation, right? I can’t write to save my life.” Taze shook his head as he turned to leave.
The Doctor groaned. “Wait,” he finally said as he rubbed at a temple with a hoof. “I can’t do it with the materials I have on hoof in the TARDIS, but I do know a way.” He sighed again. “Meet me after the blizzard finishes planting the snow. Don’t worry about finding me. I’ll find you.”
Taze grinned. “Thank you, Doctor. For what it's worth, I appreciate it.”
“Just don’t go asking for favors all willy nilly. I get enough of those from a certain Gryphon and his friends as it is.”
“I won’t ask.” Taze smirked as he strode toward the stairwell. He waved casually behind himself as he began his descent. “I’ll see you then.”
The Doctor couldn’t help but chuckle. “Indeed, you will.” He sighed and shrugged. “Guess it was only a matter of time.” And with that, he returned to his work.
Matthew sat by the fire, shivering and bundled in a thick blanket with a steaming hot cup of cocoa warming his hands, much as he had when Taze first left. He looked gratefully to Moonshade. “Thanks for keeping my line straight for me out there. It’s tough to work right when my glasses fog up.”
“Should you really be pushing yourself like that?” Moonshade asked.
“I did this back home all the time with my father. He would have gone around the entire tavern and then some while I was forced back inside.” He smiled forlornly. “Still, he’d be happy with what I did just now. I think it’s the most I’ve ever done on my own before in one go.”
“Probably best to keep things small. We don’t need you collapsing,” she noted.
Matthew chuckled. “I might need an extra set of eyes to help with that. I’ve been known to push myself without thinking.”
“I've noticed that. Taze told me to tie you to a chair if I had to.”
“They’ve never had to do it. But that means they trust you by using some inner circle jokes,” Matthew responded with a chuckle. “Just tell me to sit down and I’ll sit down. You just may have to tell me a few times to make it stick.”
“You aren't worried you’ll push yourself too far?”
“Not really. I think I have a good sense of my limits, but I need outside permission to rest when I need it, because I still try to push myself toward normal folks’ limits. And like it or not,” he sighed. “I … am not normal.”
“Then we’ll have to work on that,” Moonshade commented.
“What part? My stamina or giving myself permission to rest?”
“The Latter,” she noted. “Can’t have you burning yourself out while I'm on watch.”
“Yeah, I just … you might have to order me to rest. That or distract me. Give me a book or a model to work on. That or get someone to talk about history. Those are always good things to pull me out of working.” He took another sip of his drink. “You know, thinking about it now, I guess I just can’t stand to be idle. I feel this intense need to be productive, show I’m valuable, that I can do something to help.”
“No warrior fights forever.”
Matthew nodded. “Yeah, just…. I’ve felt this way my entire life.” He sighed and sipped again. “I want to be helpful, help the family, be useful and not a burden, so … I push myself, do all I can, and sometimes even more. I am a hard worker, just … If I’m asked to do something, I do all I can to do it, even if it might mean hurting myself.”
“Doesn’t mean you need to push yourself too far,” she said. “Sometimes, you need to take a step back.”
“I’ll do my best. With just you, I should get a good view. My mother would baby me, and my father would push me too hard. Mom would yell at him because he wasn’t holding something that I was struggling with, and….” He trailed off into his own thoughts as he stared into the flames, as if they could show him the answers he sought.
“I’m not attempting to do either of those things,” Moonshade finally said. “I’ve seen what you’re capable of. There’s no need to impress me.”
Matthew looked up, startled. “I….” He paused. “You’re right.” He smiled softly then. Pressure from parents and from the rebellious cadets had left him battered mentally. It was good to finally have an ally that saw him for his potential and not just for his weaknesses. “Thank you for listening.” He chuckled. “Sometimes, I just need an ear and time to focus my thoughts. And since the guys have given you authorization, I guess the best thing to do now is make a pact of sorts. From this moment forward, when you think I am pushing it, I promise to take a step back to rest when you tell me to.”
“I’ll accept that for now, yes. But you need to learn to do this on your own, Matthew. I could be reassigned at any time, you know. And your friends can’t keep an eye on you forever.”
“Then I’d better find an Aide de Camp quickly.” He frowned in thought. “Though aren’t your reassignment orders only to come from the Princesses? Or do you mean the nobles can sabotage our efforts by arranging a transfer before the Princesses decide on it?”
“Only the Lunar Guard can reassign me,” she clarified. “Even Shining Armor can’t effect our assignments.”
“That’s at least one concern laid to rest, then.”
“But we’re also the more active guard, save for the border guard,” she noted.
“Could I get access to some of those training manuals?”
“Ours? Maybe. I’ll have to send a few letters to Captain Nightshade. The border guard? No. Absolutely not.”
“May I ask why? As for the night guard manual, if we could get a copy, we might be able to incorporate some of their techniques to help shape up these rebellious cadets.”
“Serving in the Border Guard is such an insanely dangerous duty that many families will hold a funeral before they set out,” she explained. “Everything about them is classified.”
Matthew nodded slowly. “And I’m just an instructor.” He chuckled. “No way I’d ever have that kind of security clearance.”
“I think the only one I know of who’s alive who’s seen it and isn’t still on the border is Captain Nightshade himself.”
“I’m going to guess it’s rare to have folks live to the full tour of this border duty, then?” He frowned. “That … is a volunteer duty, right? Or have there been penal units assigned as well? If that’s considered classified, too, you don’t have to tell me. This is just a new structure in your military that I didn’t know about before, so I’m kind of curious.”
“A single tour pays well enough that it could take most low income families to total stability in a few months,” Moonshade noted. “If you think the creatures we have inside Equestria are bad, you should see the things we keep out. Not to mention Diamond Dog slavers. The guard doesn’t get all of them, but there’d be a lot more around without the Border Guard to catch them.”
Matthew nodded. “Earth has some nasty monsters in our myths, fire-breathing dragons that steal gold, destroy kingdoms, and eat princesses. Sea monsters able to devour ships whole. And with what I see, that is very important. As for what you said about Diamond Dogs? That….” His lips pressed into a thin line. “Slavery is an evil institution that should be abolished from the face of any planet,” he said vehemently.
“Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do. They dig a hundred times faster than we do, save perhaps for a precious few Ponies who have the special talent and skill for it.” She shrugged. “Kill those you can, save those you can. That's what my grandfather always said.”
Matthew sighed. “My nation almost tore itself apart in a civil war to end that practice. And to hear some still do it now just makes my blood boil. Do the Diamond Dogs have a central government or do they function as more of a tribal nation with individual bands?”
“They’re spread so thin that nobody's sure anymore. They haven’t had a king since the Gryphons slaughtered the last one and scattered their society to the winds a long time ago.”
“Maybe we need to do some nation building at some point. A practice my people believed in was that stable nations make for stable borders. But I suppose that’s something that would be far down the road, if we ever have the chance to reach it at all in our lives.” He shivered again. “Say, where is Taze, anyway? Shouldn’t he be back by now?”
“I mean, he did say he planned this all for tomorrow, didn’t he?” Moonshade asked. “Seems like a lot of work.”
“I guess.” He paused to take another sip from his mug. “You think we could go see Rarity to check on that winter gear? I’d like to watch the snowball fight tomorrow.” He chuckled. “Maybe scare some of the cadets into thinking I’m grading their performance.”
“I’m sure Taze would love that.” She nodded. “I don’t know if this plan of his is foolish or genius.”
“When I did my own military training, we used games to train tactics and critical thinking. Taze is just following traditions long in the making. Humans are like otters. We often learn by playing. It allows us to make mistakes without getting killed, so we can be better. We develop muscle memory for moves and tactics, and are able to think of possible scenarios and counterstrategies for those scenarios. It became so popular that we even went so far as to call this method of training war games.”
“I suppose that's something to learn from. Either way, I’m not looking forward to staring down those foals tomorrow.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” He frowned. “I wonder if I can get involved in this in some manner.”
“The foals may need an advisor,” she suggested. “You may be able to help talk them up or something.”
Matthew smiled. “I’d like that. Would surprise Taze; that’s for sure. Can you keep him from learning about it?”
“I can try,” she said.
“Thank you.”
For the sake of the activity, a special cloudbank had been placed over Ponyville to allow enough light through to see without blinding the competitors. The forts that rose from either side of the field beyond the barracks were two grand structures approximately a hundred yards apart. Battlements had been added on either side, along with mounds and mounds of snow waiting to be crafted into any number of devices or weapons. The snow itself had been carefully constructed to allow maneuverability to the foals that desired to take to the field for direct combat. The winds that blew through the area were gentle enough to chill but not enough to push them away from play. Rainbow Dash grinned at the sight as she gazed over the architecture, and Taze patted the walls of one of the structures appreciatively as he assessed the construction. The troops would certainly have a surprise on their hooves soon enough, and he was looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces.
“And so I have become Taze, thrower of snowballs,” Taze said to himself as he looked to the one Pony he’d chosen to act as line officer for this exercise. “You’re Black Rook, right?”
“Yes, Sir.” Black Rook remained stoic and patient as he stared at the human.
“Calm down, man.” Taze chuckled. “It’s just us here, and this is a military exercise and a game.” He smirked. “I hear you're really trustworthy. So tell me, what do you know about foals?”
“Other than we’re supposed to protect them in the event of an attack?”
“You ever snowball fight when you were little?” Taze asked as he placed a cinnamon stick in his mouth.
“Is the sky blue?”
“Then I imagine you remember what foals will do to win a snowball fight?” Taze asked as he looked over the wall to the other fort.
“I’ve seen some things,” Rook admitted. “Done some worse.” A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “You know we’re gonna get pounded, right?”
“With these idiots? It would be a miracle if we didn’t. The difference is those foals won’t kill them … on purpose. An actual enemy will.”
“... You have put in the proper safety precautions, right, Sir?”
“I’ve put rules in place against using ice, if that's what you mean,” Taze said. “I’ve done what I can.”
“Permission to put the cocky ones on the front line, Sir?”
“I’d be angry if you didn’t.” Taze snickered. “You have to understand, Rook. The idea is that you will see live combat eventually. And currently, when that day happens, less than half of you will survive the first ten minutes. I’m hoping getting beaten by children will start making them think.”
“Given the fact that they’ll be dead and buried quite literally in the snow, I think we can arrange to get that through to them. That or to cool the hotheads, at least.” Rook smirked. “How long do we have to prepare?”
Taze checked his clearly watchless wrist. “Oh, about as long as it takes them to finish eating and get out here.”
“Are you talking about the kids we’ll be fighting or the kids you’re browbeating into maturity on our side?”
“Yes.” Taze chuckled. “Part of my deal involves a cutoff time for foals joining the fight. A couple of bullies apparently need to learn a lesson or two,” he explained. “But also, Rook, the enemy won’t always be obvious and won’t always warn you. You need to be ready to adapt at a moment's notice.”
“Of course, Sir.” Black Rook tapped his hoof and a chunk of snow plopped onto the human’s head. “I understand completely,” he said with a perfectly straight face.
“You can laugh. I’m not gonna punish you. It's funny.” Taze rolled his eyes as he wiped the snow off.
“All due respect, Sir, the last several weeks we’ve been under you have said otherwise.”
“Rook, I punish disrespect. It’s not disrespect to laugh at a funny situation,” Taze said.
“Even if that situation may have been caused by careful manipulation of structural integrity?”
“I let my guard down.” Taze shrugged as he tossed a snowball at Rook’s face.
The Pony sputtered the snow away, then smirked. “I suppose we’ll have to stop there. Friendly fire isn’t exactly the best thing to have in a combat situation.”
“See, now you're thinking.” Taze smirked. “Now, do you think yourself capable of assisting me and Major Moonshade in commanding this exercise?”
Rook smirked back. “Sir, yes, Sir.”
Taze grinned. “Then come along. Let’s whip these Ponies into shape.”
An hour later saw the troops somewhat lined up in front of their fortress as the last of the foals seemed to get in front of theres. Not far off, Twilight sparkle sat in a chair alongside Mayor Mare, Octavia Melody, and Vinyl Scratch, who had volunteered to help fill the panel.
Taze approached the center in a black and gold bicorn hat and a black cloak flanked by Rook on his left and Moonshade on his right. He approached Pipsqueak, who was wearing the fanciest outfit he owned, the dread pirate costume.
“And so we meet on the field of battle,” Taze said, smirking at the foal. “One will win, and one will lose. I take it I have the pleasure of addressing the Dread Pirate Pipsqueak the Terrible?”
“And who might you be to dare speak so fearsome a name with such boldness?” Pipsqueak returned with the gusto and bravado that such a title deserved.
“Oh, child, I be the Captain Kid, and this be the crew I used to take the fort behind me. And by t’under, I’ll be takin’ your fort and your loot before next dawn.”
“Over our dead bodies! We’ll send ye straight to Wavy Bones’ locker!”
“Aye, well I suppose we’ll decide that through combat, won’t we?” Taze gave a one-eyed glare. “And may the best pirate win!”
Pipsqueak drew a wooden sword. “Ready the guns and prepare to run about!” He reared dramatically, and a ray of sunshine poked through the cloud cover to bathe him in its glow before he raced back toward his fort with the rest of the foals. Rainbow Dash casually whistled as she returned the chunk of cloud she’d cleared for the moment before zipping back toward the sidelines to watch with her friends.
“This is gonna be so awesome!” she crowed.
Pinkie Pie emerged slowly from the snow next to her friend, garbed in a rounded pink helmet with camouflage netting. She took a deep breath and sighed explosively. “I love the smell of snowfall in the morning.” Then, just as quickly, she sank back into the snow again.
Taze led his followers back to base racing a hail of snowballs that followed close behind from the contingent of foals who remained behind to cover Pipsqueak and the rest of the group’s retreat.
Black Rook grinned at the sight of the troops as snow spattered liberally over their manes and backs. “What was that about this being an easy match?” he teased the troops. Then he grew serious. “Form up! Get in the fort and let’s get to work! Earth Ponies, get to those snow piles. We need ammo. Pegasi, coordinate reconnaissance and cloud detail. If we need a restock on snow, you give it. Unicorns, if you want to earn your posts, then get to work on forming battlements. Shift off projecting shields to brace against while the others build up the barricades around them. I want to get a bottleneck set up for enemy ground troops ASAP. Let’s move, people!”
And thus began one of the greatest snow battles in the history of Equestria.
On the dawning of the second day, the ponderous groaning of heavy wheels creaked and wheezed with the grunted effort of four young fillies. Applebloom leaned her back against the back of the mighty engine of war as she dug her rear hooves into the slushy path to struggle for proper footing. Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle yanked on ropes from the front and Dinky used her magic to try to keep the ground solid enough to prevent the wheels from sinking in and leaving the catapult completely immovable.
“Girls, ah need a break,” Applebloom gasped as they stopped for what had to be the tenth time. “This just ain’t workin’.” She shook her head as she worked to moderate her breathing.
Dinky sighed. “I did try to warn you.”
“But it was such a good idea!” Sweetie whined.
“And it would’ve been way cool,” Scootaloo said. “Are you sure we can’t figure out another way to get it to the field in time?”
“Daddy said he can’t help, so we’ll have to figure out another way.” She smiled. “And if you girls don’t mind, I think I know someone we can ask who’ll do it no problem.”
“Who’re ya thinkin’?” Applebloom asked.
“Shawn’ll help. He helped you all when Big Mac’s back went out, right?”
Applebloom’s face lit up with excitement. “That’s a great idea!”
“Not really,” Shawn spoke up as he made his way over to the group. “But, given you don’t really have many alternatives, it seems to be the best idea.” He gave a brief chuckle as he picked up the ropes and began to pull. The machine lurched into life behind him as he furrowed through the ground and pulled it toward the battlefield. “Where do you four want it?”
“Over here, right behind this wall,” Scootaloo said as she zipped to a spot behind some of the snowbank that the foals had built up the previous day. “I can’t wait to see the looks on those soldiers' faces when we hit them with this!”
“It’ll certainly be a sight,” Shawn remarked as he moved the catapult into place.
“Even better if you fight on our side,” Dinky offered. “You can be our secret weapon!”
Shawn blinked as he looked to Dinky. After a moment, he shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’d be some good payback if we could hit Taze with this.”
“Payback?” Sweetie cocked her head. “How come?”
“Long story short, there were some expensive repairs, as it turns out.”
Scootaloo grinned. “Just wait till Pipsqueak hears about this!”
The four grinned and ran to each other, raising their hooves together for a united equestrian equivalent of a high five. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Recruiters, yay!”
And so the trio successfully recruited one of their greatest assets for the coming battle. And they didn’t even get sap on their coats.
The first day had ended about as well as Taze predicted internally. His troops were practically slaughtered in a mass of tiny hooves lobbing snowballs from every possible angle and at varying levels of trickery. Near the end of day one, he had been surprised when Pipsqueak threw up a flag of truce to parley. After a brief discussion, a second day was agreed upon, and it was obvious the foals wanted to prolong the troops’ suffering a little longer. Which led to the current position with Taze standing before his troops.
“So, had yesterday been a battlefield, you all would have been dead. How’s that feel?”
A low and unenthusiastic murmur mulled its way through the crowd.
“Well now, that was almost impressively unimpressive. Let's try it again, with feeling!”
“Not very good, Sir!” The barking replies varied between the cadets, but Taze understood the core sentiment.
“A battlefield is chaos. I know you’ve all been taught about honor and the rules of warfare and other things, but I’m telling you right now, that degrades the second you hit the battlefield. Wars are won by creativity, tenacity, and most of all, luck.”
“So you actually … want us to act like foals?” one of the cadets asked.
“I want you to think creatively. There are few things more creative than a foal who wants to win at a snowball fight. Weapons, equipment, numbers, these can give you advantages, but they can just as easily be rendered useless. Has Matthew ever mentioned Thermopylae to you?”
“The battle with the three hundred soldiers?”
Taze nodded. “Did he explain that those three hundred Spartans killed over a hundred thousand persians in their time there?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“That was because King Leonidas and his people were more creative than they were. How about Waterloo?”
“The one with the boats?”
“Yes.” Taze nodded. “Napoleon Bonaparte nearly conquered most of the landmass he was born on, but his entire conquest was routed by the fact that the duke of Wellington outthought him.” He gazed intently at them. “Your breeding, your training, none of that will spare you if you spend all your time thinking how much better than everyone else you are. I want you to look to your left.”
As one, the troops did so.
“And now your right.”
Again, the troops obeyed.
“The person you saw next to you in both those directions is family now. You all are connected on any battlefield by a common bond superseding tribe, belief, and yes, even station.”
“You’ve been pounding that into our heads basically from day one, Sir,” one of the troopers noted.
“And you still haven’t learned it. You think I didn’t notice you, son of the Marquis de Mustang, attempting to order Earth Ponies to shield you? Seriously?” he asked one of them. “Or you, Snowstorm Thunder, using flight to flee and leaving the non-flyers to fend for themselves?” He looked to another. “Divided, we fall.”
Taze considered a moment and cleared his throat. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in Equestria now abed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, and hold their stallionhoods cheap whilst any speaks that fought with us upon this Snowball Fighting Day!”
Some few were caught in the fervor of the passion which Taze displayed with his oration. Unfortunately, the majority seemed more confused than they were impressed.
“Um … yay?” one of them ventured.
“Well, maybe this will cheer you up. I know their use of Pinkie Pie on the battlefield made life difficult yesterday, so I thought of a little surprise of our own. However, I’m going to require all of you to work with me here.” He produced a small roll of parchment and unrolled to reveal the words Cloud Cannon MK.1 on the top.
“Sir, you’re not suggesting we use lightning, are you?”
“No, but I'd assume clouds would eject whatever they’re loaded with?”
“If it’s weather-related, yes.”
“Isn’t snow weather-related?” Taze asked, grinning.
“Yes, but the systems for distributing the snow in large amounts is based in magitech. I don’t know if we can rig clouds to fling snowballs for us if that’s what you’re thinking, Sir.”
Taze pointed to one of the Unicorn mares nearby. “You there! You’re the niece of Count Betawave Blessed, one of the leading names in magictech research, are you not? And their company just did a retrofit of the weather factory in Cloudsdale. What have you got for me?” Taze asked as he signaled her forward.
The mare gazed at the plans. “We don’t have the tech to produce the clouds like we normally would in Cloudsdale. That means we’ll have to rely on what we have on hoof,” she mused. “Most of the technicians in the city produce each flake to load. We don’t have that benefit. The cold temperature is definitely in our favor, but given the lack of tech to use, our best bet to make a functional weapon out of the clouds would be to saturate them with moisture and force it all out in one go, rather than the gentle downpours and thunder squalls we normally plan.” She stroked her chin in thought. “A sufficient enough surge of magic combined with the proper bucking could feasibly produce that effect, but it would be a one-off, essentially converting all of the cloud’s moisture and substance into a single explosive burst. It wouldn’t be snowballs, but it wouldn’t break the rules either. Give me enough time to R&D, and I might even refine enough to actually make the snowballs, too.”
“How long?” Taze asked.
“Won’t know till I actually start working with the material. Different clouds have different compositions depending on the source we get the water from and how it’s processed.”
“Any of you Earth Ponies from the Apple Family?” Taze asked.
The group remained silent and still.
“Very well. You and you.” He pointed to one Pegasus stallion and one Earth Pony stallion. “You’ll be helping her test and getting her the materials she needs. Now then, for the rest of you, who are our stealthiest fliers?”
“Did you want camouflage or speed, Sir?”
“The less the enemy knows of what we’re doing, the better. I’m looking for low detectability.”
A number of paler Pegasi stepped forward, along with one Unicorn, who promptly saluted. “Lucky Cantrip, Sir. I’m no flyer, but I can cast some of the best glamorous you’ve ever seen. If you want these Ponies to blend in, I’ll make sure they do.”
“Okay, you all, this cannon is your main concern. Work together and get it done. We’ll buy you time.”
“Pardon me, Sir, but … I got some plans for the defenses if you wanna hear ‘em,” a Pegasus noted as he cocked his training helmet to the side. “We said no ice balls, but nopony said anything about using ice on the barricades.”
“Now you're thinking.” Taze smirked and rubbed his hands together. “What are you going to need?”
The wild-eyed colt that raced into Taze’s command center was panting heavily and almost completely coated in snow. He carried with him the phoenix down feather that had been provided to each team, one for each side. He did his best to dislodge the clumps of snow that had stuck to his mane and tail.
“Sir!” he cried to the human. “Sir, it’s horrible!”
“What's wrong?” Taze asked.
“Sir, it’s … it’s Lord Shawn! He’s brought a catapult, and the foals are slaughtering the soldiers with it!”
“Has anything hit the cannon?” Taze asked.
“Not yet, Sir, but it’s only a matter of time if we’re not careful. We need to divert their attention toward the field instead. If I might make a suggestion, Sir?”
“Go ahead,” Taze said.
“Perhaps you can parlay with him, find out why he’s there? At the worst, you’ll make a good distraction to the foals while the team keeps working on the secret weapon.”
Taze sighed, but finally nodded his head. “If anything happens to me, Moonshade’s in charge, followed by Rook. No matter what happens, keep that cannon going, all right?”
The stallion saluted. “Yes, Sir!”
The saying goes that war is hell. In the case of snowball warfare, however, hell had frozen over. It was a frigid wasteland that burned from the lack of heat and blossomed pain born of the impact of compacted snow. Worse still was the devious nature which the foals employed in their tactics. As Taze emerged from the fort and into the fray, the cries of medic and mercy melded with screams of fear and great war cries. The foals had quickly adopted the techniques that had been employed by the adults to fortify their own positions, and had even gone so far as to miniaturize them to create ice shields to protect against aerial bombardment. Due to the nature of the defense measure, however, it had been mutually agreed that the shields would only hold for a certain number of hits before they would need to be discarded and considered destroyed by the enemy. Massive snowballs the size of small boulders whistled through the air in great arcs, and the frequency with which they launched spoke either to immense efficiency on the part of the colts or the more likely option, a certain human noble known for the unusual strength he had displayed during his short stay in Equestria.
Taze held up a white flag. “Parlay! We wish to talk!”
A shrill whistle carried over the field, pulling up all the fighting short. As Mayor Mare pulled the whistle back out of her mouth, she nodded to her fellow judges, Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch. Then she cleared her throat and called in a ringing voice. “In accordance with the rules, for the duration of parlay, all fighting is to be suspended! As the caller, you have the right to request whom you wish to parlay with, Taze. Who among the foals’ team do you wish to have a discussion with?”
“Send out Pipsqueak and Shawn,” Taze said.
It didn’t take long to set up the negotiation table, courtesy of Pinkie Pie. The mare had already been unleashed on the adults the previous day, and from that point forward was forbidden to participate directly for the remainder of the campaign. Her ability to defy the laws of physics and even magic had been construed as an unfair advantage, especially given the power of her Pinkie Sense. The young foal had decked himself in a tricorn hat and a white shirt with frills over the V-neck. A wooden sword was strapped to his side. Shawn remained in his formal wear, a set of boots to keep his feet warm, and his coat to ward off the chill as he maintained the catapult. However, such finery blended perfectly in this world of pirates and seamen.
“And what does Captain Kid want to talk about?” Pipsqueak demanded as he folded his forelegs together and laid his rear hooves on the table with a cocky smirk.
“Bad form.” Taze slammed a fist on the table. “Bad form, I say, bringing in catapults.”
“A ship has its guns, and a fort has its catapults. I don’t see a problem with that,” Pipsqueak noted idly as he polished a hoof against his shirt. “If there were, Lord Shawn would have objected and kept us from using it in the first place.” He looked pointedly at the lord. “Isn’t that right?”
“More like you would have found a way to take it in either case.” Shawn raised a brow.
“Aye, and ye bring the navy into this, too.” Taze eyed Pipsqueak. “Tis against the code.”
“Not if the code doesn’t cover it,” Pipsqueak noted. Then he grinned, and one of his teeth seemed almost to flash. “Besides, they’re more like … guidelines anyway.”
“I still say a catapult be unfair,” Taze said, keeping an eye out for a signal from his people.
“You said, yourself, that you wanted us to push your troops to the limit,” Pipsqueak countered. “What better way to do that than with real artillery? Shawn’s just here to make sure we don’t break anything or hurt ourselves while we use it. Isn’t that right, Shawn?”
“Correct. And fix alignment if something goes off.” Shawn nodded.
“You realize you’ve opened Pandora's box, right?” Taze asked Pipsqueak.
The foal cocked his head in confusion. “Who’s Pandora?”
“I mean you’ve presented catapults as an allowable step on the battlefield. Meaning catapults and similar things can be used by both sides going forward,” Taze explained.
“That’s if you can get any of your troops to the depot to carry them onto the field.” Pipsqueak smirked. “Then there’s also the time it takes to put them together after you get them in place. Do you really think you can spare that much time and power while we’re attacking your base?”
“Maybe,” Taze admitted. “But first rule of combat, always assume your enemy is smarter than you are.”
“I’ll make sure to remember that.” Pipsqueak smiled. “Any other words of advice?”
Upon noticing a slight Glimmer off a nearby mound of snow that was not naturally occurring, Taze shrugged. “Just be ready for anything,” he warned again. “I guess we should get back to it.”
“If you’re ready.”
“Then shall we say five minutes after we leave the table?” Taze asked.
“Sounds fair. When Mayor Mare blows the whistle, we’ll start again.”
“Very well,” Taze said, standing up.
“And may the best team win.”
The addition of the catapult granted a significant boost in firepower for the foals, devastating many of Taze’s troops and driving them to have to rely on new tactics to avoid being struck by the deluge that was to come. Truly, the end was nigh for the adults.
“Is it ready?” Taze asked of his engineer as soon as they made it out of earshot.
“She’s rarin’ to go, Sir. The water content isn’t enough for us to get off many shots, though. We only have one, maybe two bursts before the cloud will break apart.”
“Will it be devastating?” Taze asked.
“It’ll clobber them, Sir.”
“How long till deployment?” Taze asked.
“We can get it into range whenever you give the word, Sir. There’s just one problem.”
“Yeah?”
“The foals will see it as we’re moving it into position.”
“So I’d assumed. Guessing the fear is they’ll focus on it?”
“One good buck will unleash it, but one good hit from that catapult might break it apart before we can trigger it.”
“Well then, I’ll get Rook to rally who we have left. We’ll attack in two flanking rushes as you position it. Fire when ready.”
“We’ll need aerial cover, too, Sir. How many forces does Major Moonshade have left?”
“Send the word. Get Rook and the major into the command center. We’ll consolidate our numbers and do our best to cover you.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Over on the foal side, one Diamond Tiara and her cohort Silver Spoon were busy helping to distribute coco from a stand they had set up. The problem, they only were willing to offer their wares to Ponies who had already earned their cutie marks, an issue compounded after an incident that led to a certain yellow filly with a red mane getting drenched by a cup.
“Oops,” Diamond said insincerely. “So sorry about that. But look on the bright side. I’m sure a few snowballs will wash that right out.”
Applebloom grated her teeth and nearly lunged for the table before she noticed the stains that had formed over the surface of the table. “Looks like my fur’s not the only thing that needs washing,” she said. “Have fun hawking that coco. I’m gonna get back in the game!” She grinned and charged onto the field of battle, gleefully diving into the snow to make a bee line for her pride and joy, and the human that was maintaining it.
Meanwhile Taze had attacked the right flank while Rook led a combined effort on the left. In the air, Moonshade led a squad to keep them busy. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the numbers to keep all the foals’ attention. Still, they were trying their best to pull it off. Taze was leading the charge from the front, dodging snowballs before returning fire. They only needed a little more time, but at this point, that might need a miracle.
Applebloom emerged from the snow like a true tunneler next to Shawn as another load of snow was stacked into the cup of the catapult. Pipsqueak turned briefly from the field to call back as he gesticulated toward the sky, where a darkened cloud was being escorted. His orders were obvious.
“What’re they doin’?” Applebloom asked the human. “Why all the fuss over a cloud?”
“Multiple reasons, though in this case, it’s likely because it’s being escorted, and is potentially hiding something,” Shawn replied with a shrug.
Applebloom pursed her lips. Some of the dark stains from the coco could still be seen in her fur. “Mind if I line up the next shot?”
Shawn raised a brow before shrugging. “Sure. Still remember how it’s done?”
Applebloom nodded. “Perfectly.” As the filly began the preparations, Taze shouted over the hubbub toward his friend.
“Hey Shawn, you know what made the catapult extinct?”
“Plenty of things,” Shawn called back. “Which one are you hiding?”
“Oh, just a little invention first used in open combat by the Ottoman Empire.” Taze smirked. “They called it the basilica,” Taze Stated. “Find the range!” he ordered as the troops pressed their attack.
“Basilica….” Shawn hummed to himself as he thought the word over. After a moment, he shrugged. “Direct impact of some kind.”
Twilight frowned from her place at the sidelines by the judge’s table. “What is he talking about, Matthew?”
Matthew's expression fell. “Something that…. And they already miniaturized it?” He shook his head. He motioned Twilight closer and whispered in her ear through cupped hands. “Something that was originally thirty feet in length and could take down walls with one blow.”
Twilight cocked her head. “Seriously?”
“Well, the set out there isn’t thirty feet long, but just observe.” He frowned. “Hopefully, I can consult in the bunker next time.”
Shawn turned back towards Applebloom. “Done aiming the catapult? After all, you don’t have too long to deal with their weapon.”
Applebloom grinned. “She’s ready to go, Shawn.” She reached for the lever. “Fire in the hole!”
The cry filled Taze with dread as the aerial defenses dove in front of the cloud in an attempt to save it from the onslaught they were all but certain would come. The arm released, with a fatal twang, and the snow launched in a mighty arc. The shrieks of dismay that rose from the target were music to Applebloom’s ears, and she grinned savagely. “Target destroyed.” She beamed at the sight of the stand that had been buried in snow. Spatters of coco were strewn amidst the pile of snow. Diamond Tiara’s namesake was coated in the sticky brown liquid, as was much of her face and torso. Silver Spoon took it to her flanks instead, having not been directly behind the table at the time the assault landed.
“Welp,” Shawn remarked, nodding to himself, “you’ve doomed us all.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Applebloom said.
“Fire both salvos!” Taze shouted as the boom of thunder cracked the air. A swarm of snowballs shot from the cloud as two of the aerial troops bucked heavily. They rained upon the foal’s fort and across the field with the ferocity of a blizzard and hail storm blended together.
“Yup. You’ve doomed us all,” Shawn reaffirmed.
Before the first wave even hit, a second boom played as more snowballs filled the air. The cannon dissipated into so much vapor, leaving only the vast payload behind. For a split second, the sky went dark over the foals’ base before the dreadful impact began. The cries of shock and death throws surged in a wave of startled fright.
Much like the sea captains of old, Shawn looked with a stoic acceptance upon the onslaught and welcomed his frigid demise as a snowball pelted directly into his face. The human then stumbled backward dramatically as he flung a hand flailing into the air before finally toppling over and letting the cold embrace of his make-believe death take hold. “You’ve … doomed … us … all,” he croaked, holding the last word in a death rattle as he looked to Apple Bloom, then let his arm fall limply to his side as he closed his eyes.
“Back to the keep!” Pip shouted. Rally the reinforcements! Call in the Big Mamma!”
For some reason, that name alone chilled Taze’s blood. “I think winter is coming,” he murmured.
Two things happened next. First, a flag embroidered with a set of beautiful white bubbles rose on the pole of the foals’ fortress. And then, somepony began to cry.
The clouds burst asunder, casting radiant sunlight over the mighty buffeting wings of the goddess of wrath as she descended from on high. Her misaligned golden eyes glowed with inner fire as she spoke in a deadly quiet voice that hissed over the gathering and sent fear into every fighter. In either hoof, masses of cloud swirled, siphoned and gathered from the bank that she had just torn apart, waiting to unleash death on the enemy.
“Who hurt my baby?”
“Men, it’s been an honor,” Taze said at the sight of the oncoming storm.
Derpy Hooves rained tenfold what the cannons had fired. It didn’t matter if her vision was off center. The bombardment was so thick and heavy as to blanket the whole of the guards’ side in a bullet-rain of white powder. Those who sought refuge within the armature of their fortress faced the reality-defying power that was Derpy’s rear as just a few bumps sent towers topling and whole ceilings caving in on the combatants. Of course, this was Derpy. She was never so cruel as to kill someone. But there would be legends told of this day for many years to come. Wo be unto those who should make the bubbly one their enemy, for her wrath was swift indeed.
The battle was definitely over.
The atmosphere surrounding the Punch Bowl and Sugarcube Corner was light and airy as parents and foals mingled with drinks and other treats provided courtesy of Pinkie Pie, the Cakes, and even Berry Punch. A grinning Mayor Mare approached the humans as they nursed their wounds and warmed themselves with coco and other hot drinks.
“Well, that was an incredible performance, gentlemen,” she praised. “I haven’t seen this much entertainment at the town since the Summer Sun Festival.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Taze gave a short bow. “Seems like a good time was had all around.”
“A good time is an understatement. Barring that incident with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, every foal has been raving about how much fun this battle of yours has been. The cunning, the strategy, the ingenuity and intrigue. It’s more fun than watching a sparring competition at Canterlot, and that is saying something.” She beamed at the trio. “And because of this fact, I would like to submit a little proposal to you three. Most particularly to you, Lord Shawn.”
“Oh?” Shawn hummed questioningly.
“With your permission, I would like to make this event Sir Taze planned into an annual affair, complete with codified rules of engagement and themes as organized by delegates from Ponyville and you or your representatives.”
Shawn hummed as he thought it over before glancing at Taze. “What do you think? Think you can manage a little annual event?”
“I think I can.” Taze smirked. “If anything, it’s already shown improvement in the troops.”
“Then I believe we have an agreement,” Shawn replied, looking back to Mayor Mare.
The mare grinned. “You’ve just sealed yourself as a hero to the foals in Ponyville for life.”
“That’s a title I’ll take with pride,” Taze laughed.
“I can hardly wait.” Matthew grinned. “I’d love to join in at the beginning.”
“As long as you feel up to it,” Taze said. “I’ll have to start making plans for next year. Maybe three days, instead?”
“That’s something I’ll leave to the committee that’s formed to decide. For now, I think it’s best that you take the time to rest on your laurels. You’ve certainly earned it,” Mayor Mare said.
“Actually, I think I owe some victorious foals a story,” Taze said. He stretched as he got to his feet.
“We may need some braziers to ward off the cold,” the mayor noted. “Would your troops be willing to help us set up the supplies, so the foals can listen?”
“I think they’ll be happy to. Just ask for Black Rook,” Taze said.
“I will,” the mayor promised. “And I’m certain the whole town is looking forward to your story. A few foals mentioned just how good of a spinner you are when it comes to tall tales.”
“A good story can change many hearts.” Taze smirked. “And a great story is never lost.”
“So, which one are you going to tell this time?” Shawn asked.
Taze laughed. “You know me well enough to know I don’t think that far ahead.”
“Says the man who nearly outflanked the foals and buried me in a snow cannon bombardment.”
“Hey, that was the troops. I just gave them a kick where they needed it.”
“Is that so?” Shawn smirked as he took another sip of his drink. The warm cider spread that tingling through his system to help ward off the chill with the sweet tang of the fruit blended with just a hint of cinnamon for flavor.
“If you really want to get them hooked, you could always try reading one of the books we brought from Earth,” Matthew suggested.
“Not good at dramatic reading.” Taze shook his head and tapped his temple. “Store them up here and work from there.”
“Well, you’d better think fast. It looks like they’re using Spike to light the braziers. You’re going to have an eager audience before long.” Matthew chuckled as the word began to spread.
“I have it.” Taze smirked. “I’ll tell them the story of the Polar Bear King.”
Shawn raised a curious brow. “Don’t think you’ve mentioned that one before.”
“Probably not. It’s based off an old movie I watched as a kid.”
“Is this going to be a saga?” Matthew asked.
“Possibly.” Taze shrugged. “We’ll have to see how the parents think.”
“After the two days of fun you just gave their kids, I wonder if they’ll even care.” Matthew chuckled. “That snowball fight was legendary.”
“Good.” Taze smirked. “Then they’ll remember it. That’s what's important to me, giving them some good memories.” Then he rose from his chair and strode toward the growing waiting throng.
That morning, the humans, Moonshade, and their two guests gathered in conference in their quarters. True to form, Matthew was wrapped in a shell of blankets while Shawn and Taze stood in slightly cooler gear to counter the increased temperature in Matthew’s room.
“Do you really think it’s wise to go to the castle now when there’s still so much snow to clear?” Matthew asked. “I mean, that little ‘accident’ you arranged from cloudsdale buried most of the usable roads.”
“Matthew, I grew up where worse blizzards than this were common winter weather,” Taze said. “I know how to travel in the cold.”
“Okay, then just for the record, what’s this particular mission going to focus around? Are you checking out the paths? Are you planning to enter the castle itself? What did you have in mind? And how long were you planning to be gone?”
“Checking out the path there, yes. Also noting the wildlife we may encounter. I’ll probably do a short look inside, just to be sure of the condition, so we’re not bringing several dozen Ponies into a situation we know nothing about.”
“Just make sure to be careful about timberwolves. We don’t know whether winter will put them into a hibernative state or not.” He frowned, then turned to Moonshade. “Does winter affect that particular species?”
Moonshade shrugged. “I wouldn’t be the one to ask.”
“Is there anyone we can before Taze goes into the forest, or have you already done that research yourself, Taze?” Matthew asked.
“According to the locals, they’re always active, like real wolves, but I don’t think they’re as much of a threat as we’ve been led to believe,” Taze noted.
“It is still not advisable to go alone,” Mutatio spoke up. “This is the castle of the two sisters, after all. A hive is always changing, always able to deter intruders and mislead them. Your structures need a different way to protect when breached or infiltrated. I believe you call them … traps?”
“I’ll get Black Rook to come along,” Taze said.
“That’s a start,” Shawn spoke up as he reached inside his coat. “Given your current plan, I’ll add on something to help act as a deterrent.” He pulled out an additional flintlock pistol and offered it to Taze. “Even if you don’t hit, most creature's will be wary of the bang.”
Taze’s eyes widened as he took the weapon gingerly. “Wow. You’ve been busy.”
“Once I was able to get back into the forge, I started work again.” Shawn reached into his coat and pulled out a pouch and holster for the flintlock. “You’ll have to adjust the straps, but it should work well for you.”
“I appreciate it,” Taze said, reaching for the holster.
“I’m still unsure of the significance of these weird shaped objects. Are they magical?” Moonshade asked.
“To explain it simply, these are what we used in place of magic, bows, and crossbows for ranged defense,” Shawn started. “Quite a complex device, but its whole purpose is almost the same. You don’t want to be in melee range, so you use it.”
“It doesn’t seem all that dangerous,” Moonshade commented.
“Are you aware of how a locomotive steam engine works?” Taze asked.
“Not particularly,” Moonshade responded.
Taze sighed and looked to Matthew expectantly.
“You need to heat up the water in a tank in the engine. Once you do, that water eventually turns to steam. The Steam will go through pipes and drive the wheels forward with the pressure that is produced by that steam. This stream will eventually turn back into water, but some of it will escape. That is why steam trains always stop at water towers to restock. The more steam it produces, the more powerful the load the train engine can take and the faster it can go. Now imagine all of that buildup occurring faster than a blink, and that same force that moves the engine at full speed pushing out ammunition in one go, faster than a crossbow bolt, and with more durability.”
“Basically, we harness that kind of power to send a projectile out.” Taze adjusted the holster. “I take it these are the extra cartridges?” he asked, holding up the pouch. “Bite and pour?”
“Just make sure the arrow on the cartridge is facing the right direction. It points into the barrel.” Shawn nodded.
“Okay, I’ll be working on getting everything ready, probably head out by tonight or early tomorrow,” Taze replied..
“I’d recommend going during the day.” Shawn frowned. “Given the unknown terrain, adding on the inability to see would make things way more complicated.”
“Either way, I’ll be working on getting gear together today. So probably be gone tomorrow.”
Shawn nodded, “I’d say keep us updated, but we don’t really have a method of contact.” He sighed.
“I’ll be fine. Just a couple days out in the cold. It’s not a big deal,” Taze said.
“Just like home, I’m guessing?” Matthew teased.
“Cold weather, tall trees, dangerous animals no more than a hundred yards away?” Taze smirked. “Pretty much.”
“Master sergeant!” Taze called out as he entered the camp area.
Black Rook jerked to attention immediately, a shovel gripped in his hooves as he tossed the snow out of the perimeter of one of the building sites. He quickly embedded the shovel in the snow and saluted the human. “Sir!”
“How would you feel about taking a trip for a few days with me on a scouting mission?” Taze asked him.
“I wondered when you planned on going in there.” Black Rook nodded. “I’m game, Sir.”
“Okay, then. We’ll probably be leaving first thing tomorrow. Not to treat you like a beast of burden, but would you mind pulling a cart?” Taze asked.
Rook smirked. “You do realize that’s a large part of Pony work, right?”
“Hey, I may be your superior, but it doesn’t mean I'm going to assume you're gonna do the work. You’re a soldier, not a slave, after all.”
“You … do realize you’ve been ordering us to do work for the last several weeks, right?” Rook pointed out. Then he chuckled.
“I’ve been working to make your bodies fit for what's ahead of you. This is different.”
“Fair enough.” Rook shrugged. “So, I’m guessing we’ll need to requisition a tent or two, stakes, some rope and a grappling hook, some rations. Anything else you need me to grab?”
“No. I’ll take care of the food and whatnot. You take care of the gear, okay?”
Black Rook nodded. “I’ll see it done.”
“Make sure you have an active weapon with you, just in case.”
“I’ll be ready.”
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Bad capitalization in the first half... Otherwise, awesome!
4659872
Thanks for the notification, I'll get to work on that later tonight, should be fixed by tomorrow.
5015017
Thank you for the information, the story has been edited to include the information and fixed the link needed.
31.media.tumblr.com/c663894d053cfb3f7b630c848fbf58ef/tumblr_mvsvqoy6ez1sl9kiqo3_400.gif
6009050
I am a bit confused by this comment, as I know this is the correct spelling.
Still, I guess you liked it and have some humor from it?
Thank you very much for your comment and I hope you enjoy reading more of the story. Also do not be hesitating to speak, nor to speak up on the comments.
thank you again and We all hope you continue to enjoy reading.
Also, the image did make me laugh.
Okay, I'm going to stop here, continue my research on the show, write (or try to write) a bit more of the first chapter of my story, then I'm going to give another good story some attention, then, if there is still tome left in the night (perhaps even if there isn't. I have been known to forego sleep entirely on occasion.) I'll come back to this story then.
In other words, this comment was completely unnecessary and there is no reason why you would read it.
Edit: I just thought of a sad story I read, and now I am sad, so I didn't get to do a single thing I said I would. Except for come back. I hate being sad. I'm still thinking about it, which is making me more sad. I need to stop thinking, partially, without giving myself the thoughtless feeling I get when I don't think, then I need to read this story. No! Brain, stop it!
Edit: That helped. And now I thought about it again. ****.
their
This