Aftercase part 2

>”What you think? I got the idea from an old spell I used to use. I kept on loosing bolts from my workbench so I used a spell that will transfer a new bolt from the store. - It saved me a lot of time.”>Walking to Hammer Fells you couldn’t help to wonder what your lecturer had been through.
>’It changed the changelings.’
>You also wonder what he meant by that.
>Hammer Fells seem to have a lot of knowledge on the Canterlot Vaults.
>Maybe asking him might shed some light on the subject.

>You snap out of your day dreaming as you approach the factory doors.
>Realizing you forgot to check you wasn’t followed you quickly scan the area before knocking.

“Hammer Fell?”
>”Hang on boy!”
>The metal door once again wraps in a blue arora and screeches open.
>As you walk through you see Hammer Fell with the biggest smile you have seen.
>”Follow me, shes a beauty…”

>After descending down the hidden hatch you see the new prototype gun laid out neatly on the table.
>”I call it the ‘Hammer Field Rifle’ What you think?”
“I think you’re taking all the credit”
>You quickly replied as you look over the gun.
>”Boy I’ve been working non-stop on this since you left yesterday. I at least deserve most of the credit.”
“Personally I don’t want my name attached to it anyway.”
>You take a moment to admire the guns beauty, most of the gun is covered polished wood.
>By the looks of it Hammer Fell used the stock and a modified barrel from a musket but removed the flint lock and replaced it with the bolt action mechanism.
>You pick up the gun and inspect it.

>”The magazines on the table. Well I do believe thats what the humans called them anyway.”
>You pick up the magazine and notice its loaded five bullets that you designed.
>Upon closer inspection you notice a gem encased in the magazine.

“What’s the gem for? I didn’t think of you for cosmetic design.”
>”Heh. No boy.”
>The old unicorn shook his head.
>”Take one of the bullets out. and watch.”

>You do as he says.
>”Ok now wait.”
>After one minute the gem in the magazine glows brightly and a bullet materializes at the bottom of the magazine.


  “This is amazing! Hammer Fell you really out done yourself.”
>”Wouldn’t of done it without you kid. But you should take note as it requires magic to transfer the bullet, the gem does have a limited number of reloads. I manage to count it to three hundred.”
“Oh so I guess it take more magic if I'm farther away from the ammo stock?”
>”Spot on boy. So I modified a bag so I can carry up to fifty bullets. It’s a little heavy granted, but there an obvious advantage of not having to reload for many rounds. But there's the issue of the time it takes for the gem to charge the spell if your magazines depleted.”

“I’m amazed on how you made all this so quickly.”

>”Thats because it’s his special talent. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant Lock”
>A voice chips in as a figure descends the stairs.
>Almost instinctively, you load the Hammer Field Rifle and bring the stock to your shoulder.

>”Ah, I recognize that voice from anywhere, Major.”
>Hammer Fell didn’t even bother to look behind him.
>As the figure descends further until you notice the familiar face.

“Sir?”

>”Jax. Lower your weapon.”
>The griffin said calmly.

“Whats going on? You two know each other?”
>You keep your weapon aimed at your lecturer
>”Yes we do.”
>The griffin ex major replied.
>”Me and Lieutenant Lock met at the battle of Canterlot. Or as you know him as Hammer Fell.”

>”Boy. Do as he says and lower your weapon.”
>You do as he says and aimed the barrel down.

>”So as we are all acquainted, I can tell you there are guards up stairs. I can safely say both of you are under arrest.”

>Before you can act Hammer Fell spoke up.
>”Just give him the gun.”

>After handing griffin the gun you all headed upstairs to find another griffin and two minotaur guards.
>”Very good Major.”
>The other griffin spoke in low slithery voice.
>”Now, whom may I ask designed the gun?”
>You open your mouth to speak but your unicorn friend buts in.
>”I did.”

>”Good. Guards detain the unicorn and kill the abomination.”

>The two guards start to make their way towards you, carrying battle axes.
>”What!? NO!”
>You hear Major call out, as he flung himself towards the other griffen and clubbing him with the stock of the prototype gun knocking him out cold.
>Suddenly a beam of light fires from Hammer Fells horn striking the guard in the chest, knocking him over.
>You look around to see the other guard moments from swing his giant axe at you.
>You raise your arms and braced for a horrible death.
>Bang!
>A loud ringing in your ears mutes the sound of the ongoing commotion.
>Looking up, you see the minotaur stumble forward then fall on you.

>Darkness.
>All you see is pitch black.
>In a panic you try and flail around franticly.
>Upon realizing you haven't got a body your mind shoots into over drive.
>You Pray to any god or goddess who may be listening.

>A few moments pass.
>In the distance you see a tall dark figure emerge from the blackness.
>You come to realise it’s a black and blue unicorn with wings.
>Luna?
>You think back to seeing images of her back in class.
>The only difference is that in the images she lacks any scars which seems to cover her head to hoof.
>She only stands there looking at you completely emotionless.
>Her horn starts to glow brightly before you are engulfed in a blinding light.

>As your senses comes back to you, you find yourself in a throne room.
>Looking around you notice the banners of the princess’s hanging from the ceiling.
>You look around once again to find Celestia herself calling for her guards.
>You can hear an ongoing battle taking place in the hall leading out of the throne room.


>”Oh so you know what it capable of. Now imagine the Vaults gets a second blast inside the glowstone stores?”
>Chrysalis let out another wicked laugh.
>”Imagine the devastation...Celestia...Think about it”
>A few guards pile through the doors at the side of the throne only to be engulfed by a green flame.
“Those must be changelings”
>You thought to yourself.

>A wicked laugh comes from the bottom of the hall.
>Following by an appearance of a bigger changeling.

>”Chrysalis…”
>Celestia spoke up.

>”Celestia, we once again meet again.”
>Chrysalis replies with an evil grin.
>”I got a proposition to make.”

>”I’m not interested.”
>Celestia horn start to glow as she charges a powerful spell.

>”Ah...ah...I wouldn’t do that if I was you..Let just say if I die, everypony in canterlot dies with me.”
>With the spell still charged, Celestia wait for Chrysalis to continue.
>”Now Celestia, my proposition is this. You send the human’s home and everypony lives.”

>”I don’t think so. I don’t know how you got past the guards or even get into Canterlot, This war is won Chrysalis. The human army is pushing in to griffin territories as we speak. I suggest you surrender.”

>”I don’t think you get it do you...Canterlot Vaults...Does that ring any bells? We changeling has acquired by some of OUR human friends some glowstone... or uranium the humans like to call it.”

>”You wouldn’t…”
t it, We know where you mined the glowstone, for thousand years this city has been sitting on a time bomb.”

>Celestia locks stares with Chrysalis as she runs over different outcomes in her head.
>A single tear runs down her face as her horn glow brightly once again engulfing your vision.


>You jolt awake can look around in a daze.
>You feel that you are being pulled along in a wooden cart or something.
>Every now and again the cart will hit a bump causing you to smack your head on the wood.

>You here your lecturer and Hammer Fell talk amongst themselves.
>You peep an eye open to find he is pulling the cart you're sat in.
>Looking around you find that you are being pulled along a dark tunnel, that being dimly lit by Hammer Fells horn.

>You hear the old unicorn speak up with disbelief in his voice.
>”So lets get this straight, you followed Jax to my factory, then called the guards once you saw him enter.”

>”Correct.”
>Major replies.

>”And when you found out we developed human weaponry, you wanted Jax to admit he did it so the NU will take him away so he can help advance theirs?

>”I was hoping they would give him a well paid job and a nice life.”

>”Ok so at the expense of my life? They would’ve killed me!”

>You didn’t realize your lecturer cared for you that much.
>Then again he was willing to kill your only friend.
>You glare at Major not sure what to think of him anymore.

>Major voice dropped into a snarl.
>”I wanted you dead anyway. You killed many good soldiers of mine, Lock”

>Hammer Fell snaps back
>”And you killed all of mine...”

>You could feel the tension between the two ex-soldiers.
>This probably be a good time to wake up.
>You stretch out and fake a loud yawn.
>You yelp in pain as you clutch your ribs.

>Hammer Fell looks back at you and spoke in a chirpy voice as if the argument never happened.
>”Ah, boy. I was getting worried. Try and not move around too much. I got a feeling you have one or two broken ribs.”

>Major remains silent and just looks at the floor not to make eye contact with the unicorn.

>You speak up with a dry throat.
“Where are we?”
>”Manehatten Tunnels my boy, also take a swig of water from the canteen, It should be somewhere in the cart.”

“Tunnels? Does every city have them or something?”
>You reply as you fumble around (with your injuries protesting)  in the dark looking for the water.
>You finally find it then took a few big swigs of the fresh cool liquid.

>”No, no. It’s a old supply tunnel made before the war. As manehatten grew in size the supplies used to be shipped to the old factory through here.”

“Where does it lead?”

>”To the old northern docks. I got a contact there to get us out of this city.”

“What are we going to do now? Killing guards and an officer, I bet the whole city is after us by now. We’re going to end up being caught!”

>”Not to worry, we got at least a day or two before they find their bodies and worked out what happened.”
>The griffin finally spoke up.
>”And on top of that it’ll take more time to identify the officer after being in a furnace for a few long while.”

>”Like what he said boy, nothing to worry about. I’m taking you to a rebel camp hidden in the mountains, you’ll should be safe there but I’m not sure what bird brain over there is doing once we’re out of these tunnels”

>”I’m coming with you. How much I hate to do it. I have no other option, I have more chance of surviving with you two.”

>”What so you can kill me in my sleep and offer Jax as a token for your life?”

>”I would never do that. I have honor. Only killing you in a fair duel would satisfy my hate for you.”
>”Same here, griffin. Same here.”
>Hammer Fell sighs after a moment of silence.
>”Anyway I guess having somepony with wings would be useful for our journey. But after we make it to the mountains, we’re finishing this.”

>A good while later you finally make it to the end of the tunnel.
>You had to walk the rest of the way as Major deemed you fit to walk.
>Even though a sharp pain shot through your chest every time you took a step.
>Hammer Fell agreed with him saying it’s ‘good character building’.

>The pain got worse as Hammer Fell dumps an ammo bag on your back and made you carry the prototype rifle.
>The other two carried their own share of supplies in saddle bags as well as a NU musket slung over their backs.

>You step out into the old docks through a rusted iron door.
>You look look up to see a orange sky.
>It must be sunset.
>The docks is completely empty and void of life.
>Nothing more than a few abandoned cargo crates and decaying boats.

>”Keep quiet and follow me”
>Hammer Fell whispers with authority.
>You guess he instinctively turned soldier due to many years in service.
>You and Major follow the unicorn to a old boat that has seen too many days at sea.

>”Skipper!”
“Thats cliche.”
>You mutter quietly.
>”Quiet boy”

>Hammer Fell speaks up a little louder
>”Skipper! its me Lock, I’m calling in a favour”

>The boat hatch opens and a dusty grey earth pony drunkenly stumbles out onto the deck.
>”Well... I be bucked. I-I thought I was hearing things. Lock its really you!”

>”Yeah, I’m glad to see you too. Even though I saw you only a week ago…”

>”It gets lonely here.”
>Skipper brushes his hoof on the deck.

“The cliche strikes again.”

>You get a jab in the thigh from Hammer Fell.
>”Shut it,”

>”Skipper I need you to get us across the water towards north.”

>”Su- Sure.. thing, You're in luck too there a south wind too. Hop aboard.”

>”I think I’ll take my chances and fly across.”
>Major speaks up as he backs away from the boat.

>”Just get on board you stupid cat.”

>”No no no….”
>Majors back arches up like a house cat.
>”That thing is a death trap. It will bucking sink as soon we leave the dock!”

>”Are..are you really that scared of sailing. Or is it true about the griffins fear of water?”

>”What!? NO! I mean I know a death trap when I see one.”

>Hammer Fell trots beside the sacred griffin and speaks to him softly as he magically lifts the musket from his back.
>”Now look at that boat and a tell me what's unsafe about it..”

>Major points his talon at the decaying hull
>”Well for one th-”
>SMACK.
>Hammer Fell hits him on the back of his head with the stock of his musket.

>”Boy, help me get this scaredy cat on the boat.”


>You can hear the waves gently hitting the side of the boat.
>Skipper sings old human songs of war as he sails the boat.

#~We never give you up, we never gonna let you down…
#~We never gonna turn around and desert you!....

>You watch the moon rise from the horizon as you rest your arms on the railings on deck.
>You often wonder who really raises the sun and moon.
>You were taught in school the sun rises due the emperor's will.
>What ever that means.
>Maybe the princesses of the sun and moon has something to do with it.
>It’s not that hard to make that connection.
>Then again there’s only one left, to your best guess.
>You think back to your dream or flashback or what ever that was.

>Why did she want me to know what happened?
>And why did some humans choose to help the changeling queen and betray Celestia?
>Other questions start to form in your mind.
>The only thing certain is the first princess was Luna and she may still be alive.
>You continue deep in thought as the boat sails northwards.

>”A bit for your thoughts boy?”
>Hammer Fells voice startles you.

“Hammer Fell...right...sorry…”

>”Heh, didn’t mean to startle you, but whats up? You’ve been looking out over the water for a hour now.”

“Oh…”
>Has it been that long?
“Hey Hammer, What happened to Luna?”

>”Boy, honestly those questions will lead you into some trouble. But the short story is, no-pony knows. As Canterlot fell into the NU’s rule, Luna took off with her soldiers of the night...Well thats the last time anypony seen her I guess.”

>Great that poses more questions.
>Maybe its time to catch some sleep.
>Hopefully you will see her in your dreams again.
>As you turn around, you notice Major sprawled out on the deck still out cold.

“Is he going to be ok?”

>”Him? He'll be fine, I hit him harder than that in the battle of Canterlot. See that scar under his wing?”
>The unicorn motioned me to take a closer inspection.
>You can just make out a long scar running down the underside of his wing in the moonlight.
>”Got him with my spear. But the main reason I knocked him out because he wouldn’t of made it to the other side of the water. Flying long distances would probably prove fatal to him.”

>You try and imaging the fight between Hammer Fell and the Major.
>It’s funny seeing two enemies having to work together.
>Yet you worry about them butchering each other constantly.

“Are you worried about him waking up. I think he’ll be pretty annoyed.”

>”Heh, that the reason I left him on deck. Hopefully he’ll freak out when he see’s the water and forget I hit him.”

>You let out a yawn.
“I think I’m going to hit the hay.”

>After asking Skipper where you can sleep, you make your way to your ‘bed’
>Skipper called it a bed, but it more like a pile of old sails.
>You let out a groan and bunch up the sails so its at least comfy enough to lay on.

>Sleep over came you quickly.
>Once again you are surrounded by blackness.
>You keep calm and wait for Luna to arrive again.
>She doesn’t appear this time, but once again a bright light fills your senses.
>You find yourself in a different place and time.
>You see Luna and Celestia talking in what seems to be a war room.

>”Art thou sure about this dear sister?”

>”We have no option.”

>”Will the humans helpeth us?”

>”Oh, I’m sure. I’ve been watching them for a long time. I can safely say they almost admire us”

>”Thou said almost….”

>”I did indeed. Maybe Obsessed would be a better word.”
>Celestia giggles.
>”Anyway to important matters. What do you think of this letter or ‘opening post’ as they call it.”
>The white Alicorn clears her throat.
>"Anon, I don't know if I should ask this of you, but I fear that desperate times call for desperate measures. The Griffons, the Minotaurs, and the Diamond Dogs have already conquered our allies in Saddle Arabia. The Crystal Empire is facing internal turmoil. Equestria stands alone. Humans are well versed in warfare. We need a weapon to change the outcome of this terrible war. Please, will you help us?"

>”The letter does not soundeth very official…”

>”Like I said I been watching them for a long time, I have found they prefer if you get straight to the point on your opening posts.”

>”Very well, send it.”
>A loud squawk cuts your dream short.
>You lay there for a bit gathering your senses.
>Another loud squawk pierces your ears.
>In a panic you get to your hooves and stumble on deck.

>”MAJOR calm down!”
>You see Hammer Fell, trying to calm the terrified griffin down.
>”Listen! look over there, land is only ten minutes away.”
>The disgruntled unicorn fires a hoof towards the land.

>”How can I calm down! You put me on this deathtrap! I’m going to tear you apart.”
>Major looks fuming, so much for Hammer Fells plan.

>”Ok fine, come and get me you bucking catbird.”

>The griffin looks like he was going to pounce but a freak waves hits the side of the boat cause it to creak loudly.

>”GET ME OFF OF THIS FUCKING BOAT!”
>Major pathetically covers his face with his talons and starts shivering.

>Hammer Fell turns to you and shakes his head.
>”Boy, believe it or not he was the most feared griffin on the battlefield...”
>A smile breaks out on the unicorns face.
>”Now look at him”
>Hammer Fell eventually breaks into a whole hearted laugh.

>You look over towards the approaching land.
>The sun is now halfway over the horizon bathing the land in orange light.

>”We will be landing in a few minutes!”
>You hear Skipper call out from the wheel taking a swig from a bottle.

>”Sweet Celestia…”
>Major mutters out still shivering.

>”Huh, never thought I’d hear a griffin say that.”
>Hammer Fell shrugs.

>Shortly the boat pulls up to a old dock.
>Not much remains other than a floating harbour and a old shack.
>Gathering all your belongings you and Hammerfell make the way off the boat.
>Major quickly flies off the boat onto dry land and praying to any god who can hear him.

>Hammer Fell turns and shouts towards Skipper whom is still preparing his sails.
>”Listen Skipper! I wont be seeing you for a good while. There will be no shipments to make anymore. So...uh...see you I guess.”
>You kind of feel sorry for old Skipper, he face looks like he’s heartbroken.

>”I’ll, I’ll be alone again?”
>Skipper quickly makes his way down the hatch and you hear crashing and banging from the hull.

>Hammer Fell looks at me in confusion.
>”I didn’t think the old Skipper would of taken it so hard.”
>A hint of worry falls on his face.
>”Skipper are you-”

>Skipper leaps of the boat onto the harbour and makes his way towards you.
>You notice the packed saddle backs and a old rusty spear strapped to his back.
>”Lets go.”

>”Skipper...no. You're not coming with us. Get back on your boat an-”

>THUNK!
>BOOM!

>The whole boat erupts into flames and slowly sinks as Skipper salutes it goodbye.
>”You did me well girl.”

>”In Celestia’s name Skipper!”
>Hammer Fell yells at him.

>Skipper looks down and spoke softly in a low tone.
>”I was planning to go down with that ship last night.”
>Quickly pushing past the unicorn, Skipper makes his way along the path out of the old dock.