The christening came and went like any other Canterlot formal. Though, I must say the king is something else. He acts nothing like the nobility I've met in my entire life. He doesn't seem to care for honor, well, social honor at least. Whenever he met with any veteran elitist his demeanor changed drastically. He would asks questions and listen contently, never interrupting. Never pulling on Lunas tail. Nothing but his full attention. It makes sense, if his cutie mark is anything to go by. That has to be a one in a million kind of mark.

Fleur lets out a sigh as she rolls away from me, leaving my underside cold without her. She had a blast yesterday. Party aside, she finally met somepony who could keep up with her. It was embarrassing to say the least, but it put a genuine smile on her face, and I'm happy for that. I don't know what possessed her to share about our infidelity, but it seemed to have worked some kind of favor with the king. I'm fairly certain his name is Miles. The queen called him that once from her shock. I'm not about to start spreading that rumor though. True or not, he's still the king. Plus, I doubt he has any form of relation to the Miles in the tabloids. Given, that Miles is a completely different species.

With a sigh I force myself out of bed and head to the bathroom to start getting ready. I have a meeting to attend to today. A personal friend to the king, I have to make a good impression with him! The very future of the E.E.T. could be determined by this! I will not let my families legacy fail, no matter how small the endeavor.

When I make it to the shower I hear Fleur enter the bathroom. It's a fairly large bathroom, so I don't see her right away. I just wait under the warm water until I hear her slide the glass door open. I can't help but smirk at this. It doesn't matter how long we've been married, how many times we've done this, being close with Fleur will always make my heart stutter... among other things.

"Good morning my love." Fleur coos as she gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning love, did you sleep well?" I ask as she starts to lather up. I follow her lead and begin to wash up myself.

"Yes... well, not entirely," she tells me, looking away slightly.

"The King?"

"I don't know what possessed me to tell him that! Now he probably thinks I'm trying to use him for some kind of magical cure! I can't believe I let that slide so easily! I'm so bucking stupid!" She tosses her bottle down and huffs in anger, looking away from me. I was shocked initially when she started yelling, but once I heard her begin to cry I immediately went to her side and hugged her.

"Fleur, it's not that bad-"

"How could you say that?" she snivels out, looking back to me with pained eyes. "He probably thinks I'm trying to use him! Imagine what kind of rep this will earn for the E.E.T.!? Oh sisters, I didn't even think about that! BUCK!"

"Fleur, enough. If it was really a problem, do you think he'd be asking both of us to be meeting with his friend?" She looks away from me, keeping quiet. "He's an alicorn dear. Ponies everywhere would do the same in your position. He's probably used to it by now. And with the way you two were going at it, I figure he probably will be giving you some leeway."

"... do you really think so?"

"He asked about my size. I don't think he cares." She laughs at that, rubbing the last of her tears away. "Even if he did, I wouldn't care. Let the nobles talk, it won't change anything. I have here, in my hooves, the single most valuable possession in the world. A loving wife. And no sneaky elitist or pompous noble will ever be able to take that away from me. So no more tears, okay?"

"Okay," she nods, looking back to me. We share another hug before sharing a quick kiss. As much as I'd like to take things further we have to get going soon if we're going to catch the train to Canterlot. I can tell that she's still deeply disturbed by everything, but she's masking it all away. Clean coat, flowing mane, subtle amounts of makeup to make her face really shine, and she's Fleur De Lis; super model extraordinaire. I hate seeing her put this mask on but I'll have to deal with it later. We have to get going now.

We rush out of the estate and have our carriage driver rush us to the train station. From there our personal body guards push through the haze of paparazzi and we catch the first train to Ponyville. We have to make it out of the city limits for them to finally back off. This was to be expected though. Fleur had a catalog for some summer wear come out a few days ago, so it's going to be a little chaotic for the next few weeks. But, we've dealt with it before, and we'll make it through again. With the paparazzi off our hides, we head down to the food cart to get a late breakfast. We have to deal with a few fans and what have you, but we eventually get two seconds to ourselves in our cabin.

"This omelet is a little spongy." Fleur says as she pokes at her food.

"We can have it returned if you'd like." I tell her as I poke at my own food. To be honest, I don't really have an appetite right now either. Not with what I have on my mind. I'm sure it's the same for her. She lets out a huff and pushes her plate away from her. One of our guards takes the plate away while another offers her some more water.

"Let's just get ready for this meeting. Do we have copies of last years fiscal report?" she asks with a flat look. I sigh and pull out my briefcase, looking over my files.

"Last years and the year prior."

"Manifest reports?"

"Yup."

"Asset documentation?"

"Hmm... seems so... nope. We don't have any documentation on our newest vessel-"

"That's alright. The Metuendus Canis is brand new. I think we can work with that. The King did put off naming her for some time-"

"And Luna did not look happy with him when he did." I chuckle when I think back to her shocked face. It's a pleasant change from her normally stoic self.

"I just want to know what it means." Fleur adds, getting a nod from me. "Other than that, we should be fine. Unless he wants to read over precise, exact details."

"I highly doubt that." I tell her as I sit back. Our guards take my plate away and let us have a moment to ourselves. I look out at the country side and watch the scenery go by. It's been far too long since we've escaped the city. Maybe a day out will do us some good. Maybe after this is all said and done we'll take a small trip to escape for a bit-

"The orphanage in Ponyville is suppose to be one of the best." Fleur comments, breaking my train of thought. "I hear they somehow got sponsored so they could take in ponies from all over Equestria."

"Oh... that's... good." Adoption. We've had this talk before. I don't know why, but it doesn't sit right with me. No matter how many times doctors tell me otherwise, I always hold out on adoption. I can't explain it beyond a gut feeling, but it always tells me to wait it out. As if our miracle will come someday.

"Do you... do you think we could stop by... and take a look?" I don't have to be looking at her to know she's on the verge of tears right now. Every time she brings this up, things get more and more heated between us. She wants to be a mother so badly, and I can't give that to her. Today though... I don't have that feeling. It's not there for whatever reason. Maybe I've finally grown tired of waiting as well. Maybe it's time to accept that good luck can only give you so much. "Fancy?"

"After our meeting we can... we can take a look around." I tell her quietly. She doesn't respond. She just looks out the window and stares at the scenery. It's like we're admitting defeat. That we're both giving up. I'm sure the colts and fillies there are wonderful, but finally accepting that we can't have our own... it's never easy. We tell ponies that we're past that point, that this doesn't bother us anymore, but it's a lie. This has always bothered us, and always will.

We make it to Ponyville and begin our trek through the small town. We put on some hats and sunglasses to try and hide our faces, but that quickly backfires when we realize we're the only ponies here wearing clothing. Luckily Fleur had put on a light yellow dress, so her mark was hidden from view. Still, all of the attention was getting to be a little much, so we ducked inside the public library to lay low for a moment.

"You would think with such a small town that finding a specific building would be easy." Fleur says with a huff.

"Actually, the problem is that it is such a small town." I tell her as I dust my sunglasses. "Small town means more specialized stores. Instead of going to one location for shopping, you end up having to trek all over to find what you want."

"Yeah, but specialization means better goods and services." We both jump slightly from the new voice. We look over in shock when we see the dragon standing by the stairway. Even stranger is that he's wearing black pants, a black shirt and a white jacket with a red scarf. Our guards move in front of us and eye the dragon cautiously as he just stands there, staring back at us. "So, here to check out a book?"

"Are... are you wearing clothes?" Fleur asks out of confusion.

"Yup. Made by the greatest seamstress in all of Equestria," he says proudly. We were about to question him further when a scoff from behind the dragon cut us off.

"Oh please Spike! You're making me blush!" A familiar white unicorn walks out from behind him. Those purple curls seem so familiar. Where have I seen you-

"Rarity!" Fleur exclaims as she trots forward to hug the mare. Rarity! That's right! The mare that was housed with Celestia! And had the rustic friends, now I remember!

"Fleur darling! What are you and Fancy doing here in Ponyville?" Rarity asks in a surprised tone, sharing a hug with the mare. They exchange kisses on the cheeks before stepping away from one another. I shake my head and step up beside Fleur, putting on my best smile for the two of them.

"We're here to find a gym." I tell them, getting confused looks from the two of them. "It's... a rather odd story." The two of them share a look between them before looking back to us.

"Did the King send you?" Spike, the clothed dragon, asks. We look around quickly to make sure there aren't any prying ears before nodding to him. "Relax, it's safe to talk about him here."

"Are you sure?" I asks cautiously, glancing towards the window quickly. "I wouldn't want somepony to get wind that we're here on his behalf."

"Fancy, darling, the King lives here." Rarity tells me. Fleur and I stare at her for a moment as we try to process what she told us. We both begin to giggle at the thought of the King of Equestria living in Ponyville. Nothing against the small town! It's quaint with its rural charms and all. But... I wouldn't think this would be the place for Royalty. Especially of that level. "I know how silly that sounds, but it's true."

"Rarity, dear, nothing against the King, but-"

"Trust me." Spike cuts her off, raising a claw to silence her. "I've known the king for a long time now, Luna too. They chose to live here to raise their colt. They didn't want to chance him growing up like Blueblood. Nothing against Canterlot or the castle staff, but the King has a special connection here."

"He has friends here." Rarity chimes in cheerfully. "Not to mention he prefers to keep a low profile, understandably. Though I do find it odd that he's requesting you, no offense."

"None taken. We met him at the christening yesterday and now we're here to speak with a friend if his. Speaking of which, we have to get going if we're going to catch them in time. Where did you say this gym is?"

They give us a quick description before saying goodbye. Spike and Rarity warns us that the group is a bit out there. That they're not like anything we've seen in Canterlot. We thank them, but continue on with haste. I'm a little worried about who we're about to meet, what with all the warnings. I have no reason to doubt the King, but Rarity is a friend I trust. With her warning me to be wary of them... I can't help but question what we're about to get into. I shake my head clear when we finally make it to our destination. The establishment isn't very large, but from the loud music and the sign with dumb bells on it, I can tell this is the place.

We step inside and are immediately assaulted with the musky heat of sweat and hot breaths. The room is filled with various training equipment and workout mats. A couple posters cover the walls depicting various athletic topics, from Air Ball to the Wonderbolts. There are a few occupants in the room, most of which are in the back corner with the free weights. I don't get a good at them though, because a large, muscular earth pony steps in front of me.

"CAN I HELP YOU!?" he yells with enough force to blow my mane back slightly. I look over to Fleur before holding my hoof out to him.

"Good morning. My name is Fancy Pants and this is my wife Fleur De Lis. We're here to meet somepony." I tell him calmly. He squints his eyes at me for a moment, as if he didn't understand what I just said.

"WE HAVE MEMBERSHIP PLANS FOR FAMILIES!" he bellow out at me. I cock my head in confusion as I try to process why he yelled that at me.

"What? No, I don't need a membership. I need to meet somepony." I try to explain. He brings his head back for a moment as he returns to his thoughts. I really hope this isn't the pony the King sent me to meet with. I have no clue somepony like this could possibly help anypony.

"Uh... well... WELCOME TO DUMBBELLS GYM! CAN I-"

"CAN IT ROID RAGE!" Somepony in the back yells, getting the stallion to cringe a bit. "Come over here you two!" I glance to the stallion before inching around his massive body and walk towards the group in the back. With them in view now, I pause to steel myself before them. Most of them are ponies a few pegasi, a couple of earth ponies, even a zebra! The others though... aren't. In the back corner is a massive orc lifting large free weights. Beside him is a gorilla and two chimps doing the same. What looks to be a green diamond dog and a moose sparing with one another in front of the group. Some griffins and pegasi are with them as well, lifting weights with their wings. The group of ndividuals look well trained and toned, showcasing top physical prowess for their species. Fleur coughs to get their attention as she removes her sun hat and shades, prompting me to do the same.

"I-I'm sorry to disturb you all, but-"

"Wait, I know you." The cream colored unicorn mare says as she sets down her weights on the bench press. "You're Fleur De Lis, the super hot model."

"Oh, thank you for that. I-"

"Can I get an autograph?" she asks, having a bit of arrogance in her voice and a smug look on her face. I normally don't mind it when ponies ask her for autographs, but when ponies like her ask... It ticks me off.

"Oh... of course-"

"Great!" she scoots down the bench so her hind legs droop off and spreads her legs wide, showing us... everything. She levitates a marker over herself and wiggles it. "Right here, left and right tit."

"Oh... my." Fleur murmurs as we stare at the unicorn before us. This... is a first.

"Butterscotch, try not to whore it up too much." One of the pegasi stallions yells at her, making the others chuckle.

"One of them is loving it." One of the other pegasi stallions mentions, making us look to each other. As much as I am enjoying the show, I doubt he's talking about me.

"Doesn't matter, you're a Spartan, act like it!" One of the apes yells as he continues his exercise.

"Nothing in the codex against asking for an autograph." The mare, Butterscotch, replies coolly as she stares at us with half lidded eyes. "Right Jonathan?"

"Well.... technically there are only moral guidelines and parameters for the social conduct of on duty Spartans. Nothing specifically states direct ethics or-"

"JUST SIGN THE HARLOT ALREADY!" The orc in the back yells, making the two of us jump slightly. Fleur quickly grabs the marker with her magic and signs the mares teats. The mare sits up and examines her work, scoffing smugly to herself.

"E'Claire is going to flip when she sees these."

"Alright, enough from you." The moose says as he ends his fight with the green diamond dog and walks over to us. "Sorry about that. She's a good pony when you get to know here. She's just a bit..." He tries to search for the right word, but loses to the mare in question.

"Slutty."

"Right. Anyway, I'm Private Frank Moose of the Spartan Regiment, first battalion, beserker squad. How can I help you?" I let out a sigh of relief, inwardly thanking the moose for being so civil.

"We're here on behalf of the King." Every weight in the room drops as all of their eyes turn on me. A moment of silence takes over the musky room as the stare at me, making me sweat slightly. Without a word being said the other occupants of the gym vacate the building, turning the open sign over. The diamond dog rushes over to the door and starts to keep guard as the others surround us. Our own guards try to cover us, but are easily outnumbered. "U-uh-"

"What did he tell you?" One of the apes asks as he bares his teeth in a snarl. I try to think of a what he told me, but it suddenly slips my mind.

"U-uh... he uh... told me to tell you all... to tell you..."

"Go ahead dear, just tell them what the King told you to say." Fleur tells me with a slight kick.

"I... can't remember what he told me, do you remember what he told us?" I ask quickly, starting to panic.

"What!? No! I thought you wrote it down!" she replies just and quickly, visibly panicking as well.

"You understand that we can't let you leave until we hear that phrase, right?" One of the earth ponies tells us, making me gulp. I try to rack my brain over what he told me, but for the life of me I can't remember!

"ATTENTION! CAPTAIN PRESIDING!" The Diamond Dog yells from the front door. The group immediately moves behind us and snaps to attention. I look over to see a group of five ponies walking towards us. Three pegasi, a halfling unicorn, and an earth pony. They are all clad in black armor with helmets hanging on one side and a weapon on their other. They look over the room for a moment before moving to the side as another figure moves into the building.

I've seen this being before, but never thought I'd see him in the flesh. At first I thought he was just a tabloid myth, but soon it became more and more evident that he was real. The Knight of Ponyville. The Bane of Darkness. The Burning Man. The Human from the Forest.

"Spartan." I mutter as he walks up to us. His armor adds to his overall stature. The large claymore resting on his back catches my attention for a moment, sparking my memory. "The King seeks a sword." The being nods to that, though his face is hidden beneath his black helmet. He looks around the room at the others, as if he's waiting for something.

"Well?" His voice comes out oddly. I didn't think it's his actual voice, but rather a recording of sorts. "The King seeks a sword."

"OUR ARMS, OUR MINDS, AND OUR SOULS ANSWER!" Everypony else yells back in unison. Even though I can't see his face, I can see the pride well up in the being before me. He nods a few times before looking back down to me.

"We have many things to discuss."

The next few minutes happen in a blur. He orders my guards to stay behind as he takes us through a secret tunnel beneath the gym. From there we go down a long narrow corridor until we end up at a stone wall. With the wave of a hand, the wall fell to reveal some work shop of sorts. It's filled with various contraptions that baffle me. He sends his guards to various places to prepare for some trip before we're finally left alone with the being. It starts out quiet as he stares at the wall of glowing windows, but eventually he mutters something and turns back to us.

"You can call me Captain. For the time being my rank should suffice."

"Of course. I'm Fancy Pants and this is my wife Fleur De Lis." I inform him with a slight bow.

"Greetings." Fleur adds with a bow of her own.

"We don't have a lot of time. I have a mission to run and we're leaving later today for it. So excuse me while I cut to the chase." I remain quiet, waiting for him to continue. "Everything we talk about right now stays between us. I don't care if someone is sawing off your spouses horn or burning your flesh. If you speak out, the King will deny everything you say and we will hunt you down. Understand?"

"We would never speak out against the crown." Fleur tells him confidently, giving me an edge of courage.

"You have our word, nothing said or done here will be leaked. Now, what is it you wish to discuss with us?" I ask, standing a bit taller and sounding more confident. The being looks between the two of us before nodding.

"Good. War is coming, or so the King believes. As of right now Equestria would be conquered within a few days by almost any opposing nation. The king has realized this now,and seeks to gather arms. But, he can't do that without gaining attention from the world stage. So, that's where you two come in."

"Us? We trade merchandise and ferry goods. We're no armorers." I tell him.

"That's not what we're looking for. Your company has the largest fleet of air and sea vessels in the world. The King wants you to arm up those vessels to make them war ready."

"Equestria wants to take our fleet and arm them? I don't-"

"No no. You will arm your fleet. You will pay for every upgrade, weapon, and enchantment you put on your ships." I blanch at the idea of upgrading our entire fleet to be war ready. I can't even fathom how much that would cost. I don't know if we'd be able to even accomplish such feat. "If Equestria were to start mobilizing a military fleet, the world would turn on you guys instantly. But, something we learned from the goblins, is that the private sector is not under such scrutiny. The idea is that you get your fleet ready for way, so that if it happens the Equestrian government would lease the ships from you to fight the war."

"If?" I ask, looking to him in disbelief. "If!? What if there isn't a war? What then?"

"Then... then you have a well armed fleet-"

"If there isn't a war then we'd go bankrupt! Not to mention the losses from ending current trades routes to do the upgrades would put us in a choke hold-"

"The King understands this is a lot to ask for. Your very lives could be uprooted by this. But it is necessary, trust me. I cannot guarantee that there will be an attack on Equestria, not one hundred percent-"

"What percent can you give me then? Eighty?" He stays silent. "Seventy?" More silence. I glance over to Fleur before looking back to him. "Sixty?"

"Try fifty. The other half being against the Soviet Bear Union." I sit down on the cold floor as I rub my eyes, letting out a long sigh of frustration. "I know, it's asking a lot."

"No, no it's not asking a lot." I mutter, still rubbing my eyes. "It's asking everything. We would be stagnant during the entire down time of renovations. Not to mention the loss of business from dropping out from contracts so suddenly would blacklist us on the market. I doubt we'd be able to get half of them back afterwards. And if there isn't a war then by the time the last ship sets sail we'll be out millions! What you're asking is... is..."

"What you are asking for is insurance without any form of protection on our part." Fleur finishes for me. I look to her again before nodding to the being.

"Not entirely. Your King understands that the burden on your shoulders is heavy, but it's not without merit. Should the war never come and you do lose your business, we will be there for you. A home has been set aside in Mooseden for the two of you. It may not be to the standards that you are accustomed to, but it's a roof over your head and food on your table. Terradisia look after its own." I shake my head a bit from thinking over the logistics before perking up at the end part.

"Terradisia?"

"As of now, you two are citizens of Terradisia and will have access to all of its perks and obligations. Report to Ponyville on the first of August to finalize your documentation and to learn more about your duel citizenship. Welcome." He holds his hand out in what I assume is the human equivalent of a hoof bump. I go to return the gesture and jump when he grabs my hoof and shakes it. Must be a human thing. We let go and he moves to do the same gesture with Fleur. She takes his hand more quickly, but when she goes to pull back he holds her there. "This might sting."

"Wha-"

SHINK

"AH! WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT!?" We both yell when he suddenly stabs something into her foreleg. A bright blue light is forced into her as he holds her there. I begin to ignite my magic to pry him off when a set of hooves grab me. I look over to see two of the armored pegasi holding me back. I try to break free from their hold, but am out numbered and out matched by them. "What did you do to me!? Answer me!"

"Don't worry. It's simply a vaccine," he tells her as he pulls the strange syringe out from her foreleg. The wound only bleeds for a moment before healing up. Even for magic, that was fast. "We had the two of you scanned when you entered the gym, and you had a little something floating around in you. Nothing Terradisia hadn't already found a cure for. As a citizen, it was my duty to treat you."

"How do I know you aren't lying to me?" Fleur demands as she yanks her hoof free. The two pegasi let me go, allowing me to rush to her side. Everything seems fine with her, but I still begin to usher her towards the exit.

"You'll learn when you come to the meeting. Remember, the first of every month. I'm sure we'll see you two again real soon. Dash, if you could escort them out. We leave in ten." One of the pegasi that grabbed me nodded and began to lead us out of the underground workshop. Once we were out of earshot of the human, I turned my attention back to Fleur.

"Are you alright Fleur?"

"I'm fine, I think. It hurt like crazy when he stabbed me, but it faded quickly enough," she tells me, leaning into my slightly as we walked.

"The Captain can be a bit extreme at times, but he means well." The pony, a mare apparently, tells us. "Normally in Terradisia there aren't any secrets, but with what the King is asking us, it's forcing our hooves a bit. That's why we couldn't let you become citizens immediately."

"I'm sorry, but your voice sounds familiar. Do I know you?" Fleur asks. I take a moment to look her over more closely. Rainbow tail, light blue fur, mare. I know a pegasis like this, but from where?

"Heh, you probably know my friend Rarity more than you know me. I'm just a Spartan." Fleur and I look to each other for a moment, letting the pegasi walk on her own.

"No... that couldn't be." Fleur mumbles.

"I thought she was a Wonderbolt... then again, I haven't seen her with them in so long." We follow after her, trying our hardest not to barrage her with questions. The tabloids used to be filled with Rainbow Dash, but that was so long ago. How did she get caught up with this group? When we make it back to the gym we take a moment to gather our things. Ms. Dash simply waits for us to put our disguises back on before bringing us to the front door.

"Look, I know what the King is asking for is crazy." Rainbow starts out, getting us to pause by the door. "But trust me, Equestria needs it. Even if nothing happens, Equestria needs to be ready for the storm ahead."

"Don't you believe in Celestia?" Fleur asks, getting a confused gesture from the other mare. "Celestia has always taught that love and friendship will always prevail. You even helped teach that lesson! How could you be getting ready for war like this? Have you forgotten everything you've learned already?" The mare stares at her for a moment. I don't know if she was just thinking over her response or if she was trying to figure something out, but all she did in the end was chuckle.

"Love and friendship. Yeah, I believe in those still, trust me on that. But, there's more to the lessons than the answers. I've learned that now. If you want to know more, then come to the meeting next month and ask the Captain yourself."

"The... Captain?"

"Who better to teach on harmony, than the guy who perfected it. I have to get going now, please consider everything said here today. Bye." Before we could ask anything further, she turned and trotted her way back inside. We both stood there for a moment in some sort of shock. I didn't know what to expect from this meeting. But this... this was something on a completely new level of odd.

Even though it was barely eleven in the morning, the both of us were beyond tired. We immediately made a beeline to the train station and boarded the first ride to Canterlot. In our private car, the two of us shared a seat together, Fleur laying against my side as we softly nuzzled one another. We wanted to take a break, but the day was still ahead of us. Fleur had a photo shoot to attend, I had several meetings to attend, not to mention I should at least get some perspective on the cost to do what the King has asked.

"We forgot to go to the orphanage." Fleur mumbles quietly, bring my attention back to her.

"Oh... so we did." I mumbled back, still lost in thought.

"That's probably for the best. We both have too much to do this week." She sounds so distant. So... lost. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I frown for a moment before I get an idea. If there is one thing I know that will cheer her up, it's... that.

"You know, there's a small town nestled in the valley before Canterlot along the way that is supposed to have the finest bed and breakfast in Equestria." I tell her quietly, trying to sound as enticing as possible. She doesn't respond, so I continue. "I hear they have a... public tea room." Her ears perk up, instantly telling me she remembers our little mishap at the last bed and breakfast. "We could escape for the day, send one of the guards ahead to reschedule."

"I don't know Fancy. I'm not quite in the mood for a rutting-"

"*fake gasp* Mrs. Fleur De Lis! I simply wish to partake in some of Equestria's finest teas! You know how much I love the feeling of some hot tea running down my tongue, the way it burns and cools in all the right ways." She giggles at me, blushing ever so slightly. I lean in and start to nibble on her ear, getting her to sigh in relaxation. "Just a day trip to escape, just the two of us, no worries. Nopony else."

"Maybe we should save it for later. You know my heat is coming soon." She's trying to be reasonable, but I'll have none of that. I move down to her neck and start to peck and nibble at it, making her coo softly.

"I don't know, tea sounds great right about now. What do you say? A little sip and bite as we play hook-y for a day?" I ask, moving back to her face. She thinks about it for a second before smiling and kissing me on the lips.

"No. I want to gulp and gobble while we play hide the flank in the curtain again-"

"You naughty filly!" I growl as I move to kiss her neck more roughly, getting her to gasp out a laugh. Business can wait until my wife is back to her cheerful self again.

---

It takes a bit to separate myself from Rarity, but eventually I manage to do so. Kisses, hugs and plenty of promises of returning have stalled me long enough. My flight to Miles' shed went by quicker than usual for some reason. I am nervous to be going back to the Badlands, but it didn't really hit me like this before. I knew well before that would be going there, and not just because Miles asked me to do so. I've known I'd have to return there ever since I met her. I guess I just didn't realize I would be returning so soon.

When I made it to the shed I found it opened with Dad waiting there. We shared a quick nod before he lead me down below. I guess he knows something’s up. He can always read me so quickly, as if he has some minor Pinkie Sense with me. It has to be on that level. If our poker games are anything to go by at least.

"'Bout time you made it." Rainbow teases when we meet up with them by the computer station. "Give Rarity a good poking before you left?"

"Easy Dash," Dad warns her as I try to force my blush away. "Only Twilight and I can tease him about Rarity." Gee, thanks Dad. The rest of the Spartans start to form up around the computers as Miles taps away at the screens, caught up with something. We all greet one another in various ways. Head nods, claw shakes, a few hugs here and there. It's good to see most of them outside of the training grounds after so long. Given, I only got to see them when I went to train with magic.

"Everything alright Captain?" Butterscotch asks, getting Miles to shake his head.

"Someone was able to make it in here today, but I have no records of them."

"Someone broke in?" Tiber asks in his deep voice. "Did they take anything?"

"No... no. Nothing was taken. And they didn't break in either. Whoever did this knew the password in and knew to ask Easy to erase their log commands. I only know they were here because of the command to delete their commands." He continues to swipe and poke at the screen furiously, obviously angry that someone was able to break in.

"Maybe we should leave it be for now and move on to our next objective." Night Fury says, sounding rather annoyed. Miles gives a few swipes before sighing in defeat. He gives a few final pokes before bringing up a picture of the Southern Badlands. The pictures were obviously taken from the air and show the land in great detail. Miles zooms in a bit before turning to the rest of us.

"Alright, this is an escort detail. Our objective: To get Spike to his liaison in the Badlands and provide a spot for retrieval. At this point, all trainees will hereby be considered full Spartans and will be providing over watch for the dragon-"

"OOH-RAH!" The now Spartans cheer, bumping hooves and shaking hands with one another.

"Shut the fuck up!" Miles snaps at them, quieting them, though their joy is still present. "Si Ye and Tiber, you will both be on high altitude surveillance in their own AA-20s. You will be alternating between days at your own discretion, so work something up between the two of you. Beserkers and Jumpers, you will be holding down the fort; which will now be referred to as Fort Corium Gutter. Dust and the rest of the Praenuntius will be on scav duty. Gather what you can that can be useful, but do not endanger Corium Gutter. No large scale hunting, no risky runs; you should be back before nightfall every day. Am I clear?"

"Sir!" Several of the Spartans sound off. I've given up on trying to figure out all of the specialization groups. Every time I think I've learned them all, a new one pops up. I think I go to... around... ten? That sounds a bit less impressive now that I think about it.

"Let me reiterate something. We're only there to provide a refuge for Spike. Under no circumstances are you to interfere with his delegations. Once there, he's on his own until he returns onto campgrounds. Understood?"

"SIR!" I gulp at that. I know I have to do this on my own, but it's still daunting to think about. I just hope none of the other dragons try to burn my scarf.

"At the low end, expect to be there for at least one week. That's when the moot is to begin. From there, it's unknown how long it will take before Spike can return. Because of the indigenous beings in the A.O., we're going in with the full nine yards. Two Aquilas will be deployed with you as well as six utility bots and six military bots. Twin High grades will be on stand by here should the shit hit the fan. Hopefully if we keep a low profile there shouldn't be a need for that. Understood?"

"SIR!"

"Alright, where are we going Spike?" Miles moves aside and every eye turns on me. Or, at least they would if it wasn't for the helmets covering their eyes. I move up to the screen and look over the map. I remember it was inland, near some really tall mountains. I press a claw closer to where I think it's at, and the picture zooms in on the location I pressed at. I few landmarks seem familiar, but not quite right. A few more presses, and I see a large cave on the side of a cliff. I stare at the cave for a moment before I feel a fire build up in my chest. Something... primal, coming out.

"There. That's the cave I need to get to. You can set up fort on the north side of the mountain. It'll provide better cover for you guys."

"THAT'S IT SPARTANS! I WANT TO BE OUT IN THREE MINUTES, SO MOVE YOUR ASSES!" I don't flinch when Miles starts yelling at the others. I just stare at the cave, feeling that warmth wash over me. I remember looking back at it three years ago, thinking it was the last time I'd ever see it. "Spike?"

"What?" I turn away from the screen to look to Miles. He puts a hand on my shoulder and gives me a firm squeeze.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. Just... nervous is all." I tell him, not entirely lying. Over the years I've learned that Terradisians are simply the best liars. If you ask, they'll tell. But you have to ask. They've mastered the art of putting everything on display without having you look, and I've picked up a thing or two. "I mean, Bolas is a powerful dragon. He'll sense me before I even make it to the moot."

"Good, then you won't have to wait to speak with him." Miles tells me with a smirk. "And don't be nervous. We've got your back."

"I know you do, but... butterflies in my stomach, you know?" He tilts his head slightly, making me frown. "It's what you get before you perform. You know, pre-game nerves making you jittery."

"... oh! Pebbles in your gullet, I've got you. Let's get going already, we don't want to keep them waiting." That's the other thing about Terradisians I've learned, they can only reference three things. Rocks, gems, and metals. Understandable for a people who were buried for over a thousand year, but... pebbles in your gullet? How did that ever become a thing?

We move to the launch platform and wait alongside the others as the first set of jets get ready to take off. The walls come to life as lights appear all over. Some are to show the entire tunnel before us while others form a shield between us and the ships. Si Ye is first to go up along with the two Aquilas. Bots emerge from behind slates in the walls and run over to finish prepping the ships, moving with an eerie precision. It's like watching a ballet of bots moving gear and weapons into position. Never flinching, never budging, no matter how close they get to one another.

I really need to stop going to those ballets with Rarity. They're starting to get to my head.

The room suddenly fills with a loud roar as the engines burst to life, shooting out blue cones from their backs. The bots move aside and with a loud crack the two Aquilas rocket down the tunnel with tremendous speed. A moment later the large white craft zooms off after them, leaving the bots to move aside as yellow lights begins to spin on the ground. The floor rotates suddenly, setting the empty floor below and showing two more aircraft. These are the Infantry Transit Aircraft, or I.T.A. for short. The illogical boxy aircraft that ferry the Spartans as well as other materials. The shields stay up as the bots run to prep the ships, but it only takes a minute or two. Once the shields drop, we run over to the ships and quickly take our seats, having bots strap us in.

"Nervous?" High Flyer yells over the din of the engines. I shake my head at him, making him laugh at me. "Don't worry about it, if you fall out I'll get you!"

"Thanks High." I yell back dryly, making him laugh some more. The doors suddenly slide forward and lock us inside. My shut my eyes as the red lights flick on, telling us to get ready for take off. I've never flown like this before, and it's taking its toll on my nerves. "Wh-"

BOOOOOOOOOOOM

I slam into the back of my seat as we take off. My seat shakes as I feel the vehicle lift ever so slightly off the ground. A few of the other Spartans yell and cheer on the craft, some even edging it to go faster. I just grip the shoulder bars and wait for it to end finally. Of course, that doesn't come easily. Without warning the ship pulls back and starts to gain altitude. Luckily, something about the ship keeps my ears from exploding. But that doesn't stop me from being plastered in my seat. It takes a few minutes, but eventually the force subsides and the light turns from red to green. I melt in my seat as I let out a long breath.

"You alive Spike?" Storm asks from my side.

"Next time... I'm walking." Everyone laughs at that. I just catch my breath and try to keep the contents in my stomach within myself. I doubt Miles would appreciate molten gems in his ship.

"We have a few hours before we make it there, try and rest up." I nod to Dad and close my eyes, still trying to catch my breath.

"Anything you want to tells us about your liaison?" Miles asks. I look to him for a moment before resting my head back.

"Whatever she does, whatever she says, don't shoot her." They all go quiet when I say that. I know it's a bit of a surprise, but I didn't think it would garner complete silence. Honestly, I thought there would be a lot of teasing.

The next few hours go by both quickly and slowly. It only takes us four hours to get there, but it might as well have been four years to me. I kept quiet the entire trip. I think everyone understood that I was freaking out over this. More so than they could ever imagine. After what happened after Discord altered my mind, seeing her again is going to be difficult. She was there for me, somehow understanding what happened without needing prompting. But... we have a lot of unfinished business to attend to. This moot will work perfectly for me in that regard. Assuming I can get her to talk about it.

When the lights finally turn back to red, I steel myself for what's to come. The descent goes easily enough, much more smoothly than the take off. The Spartans go quiet for the descent, becoming serious as the job comes to them. The jets outside roar as we near the ground, sending violent quakes through each of our seats. The ship veers to the left and goes in a large circular motion as it continues down. I glance to the others as they hold onto their seats, unfazed by the rigorous landing. Seeing them so calm helps me relax a bit, knowing that they have my back during this means a lot to me.

The red lights go out and the doors slide forward as the shoulder bars fling up. Without a word being said the Spartans move out of the vessel, having their weapons drawn at the ready. I take a few breaths before standing up and walking after them. The sun light blinds me for a second before my eyes quickly adjust to it. We're not on the side of the mountain like discussed. Instead we're on the flat plateau just below the cliff side of the large mountain. The two I.T.As and two Aquilas have landed to form a impromptu barrier with the rest of the plain. The Spartans have moved to the edges to check if the coast is clear while the bots frantically move to unload the ships. I move around the ship and stop beside Miles as we stare out at the Badlands together.

The landscape goes out for a distance before meeting another mountain range. Just below them is a large lake that has hundreds of various wildlife at its edge. Our left view is obscured with wild plant life that has rambled over itself into a practical wall while our left is a massive rocky plains. Spots of golden yellow grasses fill the bland landscape. There are several spots where there were obvious fires with burn lines connecting them. I look up at the blue sky and note the last two aircraft circling over us, like vulture over its dying prey.

"Welcome back Spike." Miles mutters to me.

"Yeah." He gives me a pat on the shoulder before turning back to the formation, yelling at the others to begin making camp.

I close my eyes and listen to my surroundings. I can hear the Spartans start to magic up a camp while shouting orders to each other. In the distance I can hear the wildlife stampeding together, sounding as if they are running away from us. A sharp crack catches my attention. It's the kind of crack you get when you smash two rocks together. It happens a few more times, forcing me to look in their direction. A few slates of rock have broken off from the entrance of the cave on the cliff side. I stare at it for a moment before I notice the steam coming from the top of the cave.

"GET DOWN!" I yell before a deafening roar fills the air. All of the Spartans and bots point their weapons at the entrance of the cave as the air goes quiet again. The smoke coming from the cave intensifies as the ground begins to shake. Everyone spreads out as we wait for the inevitable to happen.

"MAL SAHLOJOOR!" The air heats up as the deep intimidating voice erupts from the cave. I glance to the other Spartans, who start to take cover, when another loud boom fills the air.

"Monah." I mutter to myself. Before I could do anything further, a massive dragon launches itself from the cave entrance. It takes to the air with ease and circles around our position, roaring back down at us. It's light purple scales reflect the sunlight while its light pink undertone shine through the bright haze. Everyone starts yelling to each other as they keep their weapons trained on the large elder dragon above. "PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN! THAT'S WHO I'M MEETING, PUT THEM DOWN!" I rush to the others and start to force their weapons down, but they only listen when Miles gives the order.

"Zeik?" I look back to the dragon as it lands nearby, lowering her head to look down at me. I walk closer to her, looking up to her massive pale pink eyes with a smile. "Zeik? Los tol hi?"

"Hey Mom, long time no see."

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