May, 2013

Holding area for previous monthly side stories.
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MagusZeal
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May, 2013

Postby MagusZeal » Tue Apr 30, 2013 11:37 pm

Lucy Took won last months short story contest so look to her for the topic of the month. Usual rules apply submissions are open till the 26th with voting running from the 27th to 31st.

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Lucy Took
Iceberg of Friendship
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Re: May, 2013

Postby Lucy Took » Wed May 01, 2013 12:03 am

OK...this month's topic is...

"What Could Have Been?"

Many of our characters have made decisions at some point in their life that has shaped the course that they've taken. What if they had decided to do something else at that turning point? What would that choice be? Where would they be at now? What would other characters lives looked like if they had taken a different path in life?
~If this should end in fire, then we should all burn together~

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MagusZeal
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Re: May, 2013

Postby MagusZeal » Thu May 02, 2013 3:53 am

Special Equestrian Asset Ponies Team Six

Mare Haven felt like a lifetime ago as the midnight blue mare flew fast and low to the ground a trail of black with a lone brown stripe following just like the pair of pegasus behind her. Yet it was only five months ago when the Draconic Alliance had started it attack, eight months ago when they'd tried to wipe their town from the map like they had two others that day along with something darker. Yet they'd failed, and failed hard due to her and her husband nearly everypony of Mare Haven had been evacuated unlike the small scattered remains of the other two towns.

Shifting to the side the mare streaks past a tree as her eyes remain fixed on the dim horizon ahead. Behind her the dawn was slowly breaking while the rest of her team moved forward aboard the airship Silver's Hope, a name given by her husband after somepony else had suggested they call it the Flank Breaker, followed just as low to the ground. She knew he didn't mean it as a barb, yet it felt like one for with it came the memories of what happened in Mare Haven and their daughter's injuries.

She'd never walk again the doctors had told them, and she'd nearly perished when the dragon had crushed in it's grip. All because of the decision she'd made, not to let them use their daughter as a pawn to control them. At the time the dark colored mare could only think of two ways to keep their daughter from the dragons clutches, killing the beast, or something so abhorrent she'd tossed the idea away just as quickly as it came. For that decision a dragon's skull rested at the prowl of Silver's Hope and her dear girl would likely never use her hind legs again.

The distant rumble of cannon fire sends the mares risking a glance to the horizon. In the distance she could see airships of both sides fighting within the colorful chaotic melee of dragons, gryphons, and ponies. For the first time she felt the weight of her armor against her body, along with the dozen blades she carried, but none carried the weight of the large claymore bearing both her own and her husbands mark on it nor the necklace with her cutie mark. After they'd made their way to Appleoosa she'd wanted to be rid of the blade, but her husband kept it hidden even when they'd made their way to Glitterhoof to stay with his father. The necklace was something more recent.

Neither of them had wanted to join the war after Mare Haven and felt those who called them heroes were mistaken. Both had fought most of their lives against their talent, and even with a war they only cared about their daughter's injuries. Thankfully Pillus never pushed either of them and did everything he could to help them with Silvershine and keep the media at bay. Of course the bonus of seeing her husband finally reconciling with his father and best friend had been a small joy, but that was before the attack on Palomino two months ago.

Blitzkrieg warfare was what her husband had called it, a massive quick strike of overwhelming force. If not for the intervention of a medical ship and the X-Colt's everypony believed the city would have fallen opening a new front in the war. She'd noticed the change in her husbands demeanor as the stories came back from the front. The fact that some of his family had been there only seemed to finally give the red unicorn a purpose he'd been searching for all his life. A purpose she'd only seen him embrace before as the sheriff of Mare Haven, and one she'd felt building everytime she saw her child.

When the stallion Iron Sides had come calling days later it wasn't a question of if anymore, but of how soon. Yet her husband haggled with the stallion even though she knew he'd agree to this Special Equestrian Asset Pony project the stallion spoke with. By the end of it, their daughter would access to the best doctors in Equestria in exchange for herself, her husband and his life long friend joining this newly created branch of the Navy.

With a brief shake of her head the mare had to give it to her husband, he was shrewd. Within a week she was made squad leader, even as he contacted ponies he'd worked with previously in his research days. Within two he had convinced Valence Bond and Gem Shard to join the team. Shortly afterward they'd gotten the Silver's Hope from the X-Colt's and the only pony crazy enough to captain it Moon Striker rolled into the squad. Six ponies strong the team had been given the same designation as their number even as Naval personal were assigned to the ship. Within another week they were hitting the Alliance lines hard, between her own talents and her husband they were a fighting duo to be feared, but once Valence and Shard combined their talents the pair provide just as effective even as they provided her husband's large brown friend with the gear he'd need to make a difference. They'd been so effective that the Alliance now had adult dragons fighting on the front lines, but that only had her husband going back to his research roots without any regrets for the first time in his life.

Giving a slight wing wave to the other two ponies behind her the mare gives a few flaps of her wings sending the mare streaking forward like a cannon shot. Behind her the other two struggle to keep up as she rises into the air angling towards the chaotic air melee above the battlefield. With a quick hoof signal she sends the pair racing towards a squad of chariots being pursued by a dragon before angling towards the nearest Alliance Airship.

A pair of gryphons launch themselves from the airships deck as it's guns continue to pound away at the Equestrian line below. Without hesitation her hoof falls to one of the smaller blades drawing it clear even as her free hoof strikes the pummel forcing the fiery ruby in the pummel to ignite the blade. With a flash of fire and steel she sends on hurtling to the ground his cauterized wing tumbling after the creature. The second comes at her harder sending her diving beneath it even with her still moving towards the airship. A dozen shots ring out from the ships deck as the crew tries to shoot her down, yet she avoids the bullets whizzing past her head even as her free hoof draws out a small canister from her saddle bags. Gripping the pin in her teeth she pulls it free before throwing it through one of the ships cannon openings a moment before red smoke starts pouring forth from the canister.

Shoving off the side of the ship she parries the pursuing gryphon's claw with her flaming blade just before a lance of black energy spears through the ship before drawing upward through the upper decks. With a screech of pain the gryphon tries to gorge her underbelly with his other claw only to find air. Behind her the airship seems unfazed for a moment then the sound of splintering wood could be heard. Darting back further the mare parries another strike eliciting a hateful shriek from the gryphon just as the heavier aft section of the ship and it's boilers rips free.


Looking through the spy glass the stallion grimaces, his wife had sent away her escort again to save others even as the pair of metallic tubes to his right slowly spin. Unable to move or pace the red unicorn mutters darkly to himself as the entire harness holds him in place save his head while the weapon cycles. Yet even beneath the harness he could feel the weight of the necklace bearing his cutie mark and what it meant. “She's doing it again.”

Tsking he could hear the older auburn colored unicorn on the other side of the weapon as he inspects it for faults. “She does it because she doesn't want to see anypony else die if she can help it. By the by is she using the water sword?

Rolling his eyes the stallion stares through the telescope maneuvering it slightly as Silver's Hope rises into the air. “The fire one, she favors it still.”

I'm fairly certain she favors the one you gave her over anything we could produce. It just wears her out unlike ours.” Checking over the weapon systems on his left the white unicorn mare nods to herself the softly glowing shoes keeping her and the others anchored to the deck without a rope. Dressed in her white labcoat he could barely catch the similar necklace she ware to his own. “Everything seems in order here doctor, oil and water pressure are stable. I think we can call this a success.

Partially, I think my dear. The obsidian cores already showing signs of wear.

Watching his wife dispatch the gryphon and two of his friends the unicorn gives an involuntary shout as she dodges a gout of flame white flame narrowly misses her.

What is it?

Shifting the telescope the stallion quickly gets a fix on the massive red dragon larger then any adult they'd seen. “Oh Luna, are we ready to fire?!”

What's wrong?

Nearly, the second barrel is still cycling into place.

Shifting his legs the stallion triggers the entire weapon to start moving it's barrel seeking to match his telescopes position. “Big dragon, massive is on her tail... Celestia... I think it's one of those elders...”

With a jerk the weapon stops though with every movement it seeks to follow the telescopes motion even as the auburn stallion keeps muttering to himself before shouting. “We're good, fire!

Focusing the red unicorn's horn flares darkly as crystal bands on his horn glow as well. Still watching his wife's movements he zeroes in on the dragon chasing her even as the darkness creeps from the bands to the crystal tethers running to the weapons obsidian heart. Suddenly the deck darkens as everything goes quiet as if life and sound were being drawn into the weapon. In an instant the stallion could see everything just like he did every time previously, he no longer needed the telescope he could see the dragon clear as day. With a nudge he corrects the weapons aim a second before another lance lashes out catching the dragon in the neck before piercing through another alliance ship. Nudging the weapons aim upwards he cuts through the elders neck and the ships hull beyond before snapping back to mundane normal reality.

Panting he can barely hear the other unicorn's shouting in triumph even as the weapon begins cycling again. Though their joy doesn't last long as first the older stallion notices something. “Blast the obsidian cores shattered... I'll need to fetch the spare.

Doc... about that.

Panting the red stallion's eyes were focused forward just like the white mares. For a moment all fighting had ceased as both sides watched the elder's body tumble from the sky while the airship that had been behind him splits in half. At once nearly every dragon and gryphon shouts as one before breaking towards Silver's Hope.

Oh... oh that's not good at all.

Unable to release himself the stallion knew the gun was likely down for the rest of the fight. “Tack we've got incoming.”

From below the stallion could hear his friend's shout. “I'm aware. Get the weapon stowed Doc. Moon Striker am I clear to launch?” With a click the stallion felt the ship shudder as the entire platform he stood on started lowering itself below decks.

He could barely hear the captain's response over the whine of the winches as the pegasus took to laughing before giving the stallion below decks the all clear. “Go get'em mister Loyalty!” Shaking the crystal harness from his horn he tries to relax. Closing his eyes the stallion's horn again flares darkly though his focus was no longer on the weapon, but on his friend.


Bracing on the platform the massive brown stallion waits his only equipment the necklace bearing a slight resemblance to his cutie mark. Like the others it was recent addition, yet the stallion gave no thought to it as he silently counts to twenty, before jumping out of the ships lowest hatch. His stomach leaps into his throat like always as the wind rushes past him for a moment. Just as quickly it was gone replaced by his friends presence as the black armor and wings took form around him. Tumbling for a moment the stallion points his muzzle to the ground before starting to break into a gallop, all at once his hooves hit what feels like solid ground. Galloping faster then he ever could on the ground the stallion looks up the ground seemingly shifting to mirror his gaze as he looks towards the mass of Alliance creatures rushing towards his nieces name sake. ”Angel will be in bound Tack, and you know Moon Striker and crew can handle the smaller ones. We're on the big threats.”

Grinning the stallion turns towards the nearest dragon star like blades seemingly appearing at his side in droves. “I hear you Mustang, let's show them our friendship.”


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