We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"If there is one thing Maple, a leader asking for help is not showing such a weakness as you think, having a leader who doesn't know what to do and falters shows weakness because the soldiers that serve under the leader will question their loyalty, in the end, they will much rather have a leader who ask help and shows he or she is willing to not make mistakes. And I am going to give a good advice here, don't hesitate to ask to one of us, in our culture its a sign of respect in willing to learn things from one of us, it would only depend on WHO you ask, some are capable of teaching only specific things in what they excel at, while others can teach alot of things, I guess the question just really is, what do you want to learn? If you can narrow down what you want to learn then I can help you find a good teacher." Jack said with a smile.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I... Guess what I'm hoping to improve is my ability to lead... and to help other grow to the point I'm at... Ponies usually look at me and think "Oh wow! She's so strong... Too bad I'll never catch up to her." " Maple sighed and shook her head but then looked at jack "So... you know anyone who would be willing to help with that... Plus why didn't you know. You're the one who said I need help in the first place..." She laughed a bit

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"I do know a good amount of people who could teach you that, Karthspire is an excellent strategist but he is usually very busy from what I have seen. I do know Kiran could teach you, he is not exactly a commander or anything, but he has lead lots of others into dangerous missions, though I do have to mention that he doesn't like those who question his actions or methods alot, he really prefers those who are capable of performing orders without questioning. But I do really vouch for him, he doesn't really train many others since not many people either like him or understand him, but he taught me so much." Jack said with a smile.

"Ok yeah, he might be a bit of a strict mentor, but he really means it well, and he really is eager to train others in the most challenging ways, because in the end it really pay's off. I remember him training me in the middle of a battle, his way of teaching is something I do like, because he never really blames or gets angry at me, but rather does it in a way that I seem to understand, he understands what I like and what I don't like after all." He explained.

"But anyway's, I think I should head back to Evelyn now, I was planning on doing that in the first place so please don't think I walked away because I was angry at you guys or anything, perhaps a bit agitated at first, but that happens when I remember certain things that I just can't really stand. Anyway, I will give you a heads up when he is available, it will take a few days before we reach that conversion center, so he will want to talk some things through with me before I can give you a final answer on it, but I will keep you up to date about it." Jack said to her as he gave her a thumbs up.

'Evelyn, could you please come to me for a moment? We really need to talk things trough for when we arrive at that conversion center.' Jack thought to her, but it was pretty obvious that he really needed to talk about it, something was worrying him after all.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I think I like this Kiran... Perhaps they'll be the best option... Anyways I'm gonna say bye to Woody I won't be seeing him for a long time after we leave but I will see him again..." Maple heads over to Woody letting him finish cheering up a soldier who looked nervous.

Evelyn tapped Jack on the shoulder she'd been right by him since the thumbs up. 'Clingy... I know...' She thought 'Also should I tell Festus to leave? He's on my back reading a map of the field around the center.'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack had a bit of a surprise shock when Evelyn tabbed him on the shoulder.

'Wow, you scared me a bit there, I have to admit, you had approached very silently to the point I couldn't hear you with my ears.' Jack thought to Evelyn with a laugh.

'Also, i think that might be a good idea, tough i am not sure if he is done yet.' Jack tought back.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Evelyn turned her head "Festus... Could you go show that map to ember... I don't think she's seen it yet..." Festunodded and hopped down dashing off quickly, 'so... Waht exactly is it? worried about your sister again? Or maybe something else? Either way, I'm here for you.'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"I am worried about what we will face there, how are we going to do it, and how dangerous it will get, normally I don't worry about this so much but now... I just can't help but feel something bad is going to happen, we are going to attack one of the biggest and most defended positions on this entire planet. I mean, how will we act in battle? I am just not sure how to feel if I don't know how we will do things.' Jack thought to her.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

'We'll just do what we always do. Fly, freeze, and strike. I like that combo because it's hard to survive. Only really resilient ones can.' Evelyn said the next part aloud "But if you're really scared perhaps tell that to the others... Maybe they can do a bit more than I can..." She then thought to him again 'Sorry I just... I do feel you need to do that I didn't mean to say it aloud. Still though... Don't worry about this too much. What happens, happens ok?'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'I was more talking more talking about how we do things in specific situtations, it is not really that i am afraid to go there, but more of the fact that we might end up in a situation for like when one of us gets wounded and we don't know what to do. I am talking with you about this because we are also partners in battle.' Jack tought her.

'It seems best to me that we discuss this now, so we willl understand eachother better when having to deal with a specific situation, and don't have to think about it when it already happens, i think that is a very importmant aspect of teamwork, do you feel the same about that?'

'That is what i was trying to say, perhaps i used a bit of wrong words to tell you that.' he tought to her.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

'That is very important. Yes, I think I did pick up on it wrong wording. Sometimes being straight up is the best option. Anyways, The sitaution will be bad if one of us gets hurt... If you do I'm leaving the center... I know you want to be the to fell your sister if she's no longer herself but I did already tell you I was leaving if you got hurt... The problem is if I do you're stuck were ever I land Try to use my as a shield... Hide inside my wing... something just don't let them get you... We... Just can't let them get you...'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'You are right there, safety is more important then what I really want. If we do end up landing, could you cover me with your wing? I do remember a good detail about your armour, the magical barrier that covers your entire body like a cloak, that very barrier is made of Eldritch energy, which means i can use my magic to strengthen it, so in cases if it takes so much damage to a point where its about to shatter, i can reinforce it to keep it going.' Jack tought.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

'Yea that sounds like our best plan. No matter what, however... we can't let you get hurt even if I die doing so. I know that... I hope you know that too.' Evelyn smiled 'Though if I do die at least it'll be for the right cause... Not that you'd just let me or anything.' She chuckled aloud. 'That said... If something... DOES happen to me... who'll protect you in my place? I think I want that Festus to do it... Or Maybe Maple since she's effectively bulletproof. It's up to you but we need this backup plan. It's been bugging me that we didn't speak on this and it's kinda the reason I snuck up on you.'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'You got a good point there, Maple is pretty good, but I am not sure if she is the best candidate in really protecting me, you would see her on the frontlines faster then anyone could blink an eye, I guess she really is an offensive type of fighter, or atleast I think. Festus is perhaps a good candidate since he really is more of defensive type person, his shield-wielding skills confirm that a good amount, though at the same time I am not sure if he would rather stick to Embers side, its a difficult decision.' Jack admitted in his thoughts.

'I can, however, confirm, that Kiran will be teaching Maple some new things, which mostly involves leading, and from what i know of Maple, she can take on alot, so this training will go very well for her I think.' Jack thought with a smile.

'Damn straight.' Kiran's voice rang through his head.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

'I think Festus likes to be around you more than ember Jack... I thought you noticed,' Evelyn shrugged 'But I agree Maple's a little... hot-blooded... As she put it. Though Kiran she seems a bit... Emotional. Mostly about failing, So I'd watch that. Not saying you shouldn't acknolage mistakes but don't be too harsh there... Might mess her up like how she did Jack by acciddent.'

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'Don't worry I will keep that in mind when I first met Jack he was in an even worse state, yet I managed to make him inspire hope in himself.' Kiran thought back.

'But yeah, you are correct, Festus really likes to be more around me, he is also a really good friend. Even though age doesn't really tend to matter, he is the same age as me, which does mean he and I are more likely to have common interest and things. I guess that part is settled, Festus will the one. I think its better if Maple doesn't have to worry about someone like me with protecting when she is having it difficult her self at the moment.' Jack thought.

He then looked at the other groups.

'It seems we will start to move soon, we should mount up.' Jack thought as he then looked at Evelyn.

Edited November 11, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

'Well hop on up then I'm glad we're going now. Was getting pretty bored sitting here.' She smiled to him 'I think Maple was too being honest here. Plus the sooner we leave the soon we can save your sister!' Evelyn gave a thumbs up and lowered her wing as she normally did

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack smiled, then climbed via her wing onto her back and then made himself comfortable on the saddle.

'We should reach that place in a few days, i can remember last time i had to travel trough the desert, it was awful, i am very glad i can travel through this desert without just getting all miserable like back when i and some of us escaped from that slave center.' Jack thought

'We can do this!'

 

 

Everyone seemed to be getting ready, the army itself was very big, numbering in over 400 soldiers.

"Alright let's move out!" Betamor called out, as the entire army started moving.

Suffice to say it was going to be a long trip, and the sun would be shining very hot, very very hot.

 

'Well, here we go.' Jack thought.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Out of everyone the least effcted by the heat were Maple, Festus, Ember, and Evelyn that and any other dragon. Everyone else seemed to lose a bit of their drive in the intense heat.

"Oh come on Bro. It's not that hot..." Maple said to Woody before leaving.

Woody rolled his eye. "Well if you melt out there it's not my fault." He chuckled "Good luck... Come home in at least a few pieces... One piece is.. a little too much to ask..."

"Challenge accepted!" Maple said "Watch me!"

Ember tapped her shoulder "Hey... We gotta go." Maple nodded and hurried after the others

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Back in Equestria, it was also rather tense, the armies itself who had been ambushed earlier had managed to escape the onslaught, a good victory nonetheless.

It was now about a week later

In Canterlot, Zecora was lying on some sort of table as she was still awake, but there where devices connected to her that was registering her heart pressure, overall status etc.

Caerson stood around that table along with 3 or drones, they where scanning Zecora from the inside out with their build in eyes.

"Would you look at that." Caerson said as he was watching a screen which was displaying Zecora's body with some sort of x-ray scan, which showed the progression of the virus and her attempted cure which was in her body, he had not yet injected her with that thing he had talked about earlier, because he wanted to be sure it would be necessary or work for that matter.

"It seems like your cure is working to an extent, but there is a problem with it, it only stalls the virus, but not removes it. The virus itself had attempted at first to move around your cure, but that first attempt seemed to have failed, now it is trying to merge together with your cure, in order to make it become part of the virus itself, it does take a very long time, but it is happening slowly and subtly." Caerson noted.

"It is as I feared, and not only that, but there could be a possibility you could change in terms of your personality and overall health when I would inject you with that blood sample..." He said.

"It was a very big gamble, a very very big gamble, it is always a big risk to inject something like this into someone from another species..."

He was pacing back and forth, he was very good when it came to engineering, but he only had a limited knowledge when it came to the more body-related type of science with cures and DNA.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Zecora sighed "I know these risks.. But It's better than meeting my demise... For certain... Please I'm asking you to do this... It really is a risk that I want to take... i'm not making enough progress on the cure so I need more time to work." She sat up. "I'm not gonna beg you but I really want to make this cure... I'm so close..."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'Hearing someone else say those lines again does strike a bearing resemblance in terms of situation, how ironic... The one who used to say this line, and now I am giving his very blood to the one who is saying these lines now.' Caerson thought.

"Of course, this will save more than saving one life, it is for the better of us all in the end." Caerson said, meaning he was going to do it.

He then held up the blood sample from which he had a few more, instead of having that yellow afterglow in it, this blood was purely dark grey, which did raise the question if it was really blood if you would judge it by the colour.

He then took a deep breath and then injected her it.

"Alright... it is going to take a few days before we will notice any changes, it will travel through your body slowly, you might at first feel very comfortable or get a shaking feeling, but that is normal with this specific blood injection." Caerson said.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Zecora felt the latter and shook visibly the blood that had entered her was cold. "Well... I should get back to work then. I needn't waste more time... the longer I wait the more ponies that get infected..." She tried to get down but she felt weaker than before and fell to a knee "Oof... I... actually think I need a minute... Feeling a little weak."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"You might need to get a bit of rest before you do anything, your body needs to get used to this change, and a big change at that. Once you are able to stand better again, try to work at a comfortable pace and then work full time when you are feeling better." Caerson advised her.

"Excuse me, I need to go see the others." Caerson said as he started outside the room, trough the halls of the Canterlot castle, his hood draped tightly over his head to hide his exposed upper head.

He looked at one of the decorated windows, which showed the mane 6 and their victory decorated on the massive window.

'Must have been a rather good victory, if only I could experience one that doesn't involve another world having to pay the price for it.' Caerson thought.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I will rest... for now... I think it's the best..." She climbed back onto the table and laid down on her side resting and letting the blood take place in her own.

Twilight approached Cearson recognizing the voice "Well..." She hesitated to ask him "How'd it go? Is Zecora ok now? If she's not ok is she going to be?" She set a hoof on his shoulder

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"She is currently still rather fine, the virus had still been contained but even then it had started with attempting to merge with her cure and consume it in the very end, so I injected that blood sample into her, and now it is hoping, I don't know myself for sure how she will end up, or how her body will respond to this, by doing this i went in uncharted territory, but if I didn't the infection would spread through eventually," Caerson said.

"It is hard to say... there is *very* slight chance that her body might actually build up a resistance to the virus by merging that trait from the blood sample i gave her, but there might also be a chance her personality will take a drastic turn. The thing is Twilight, when you merge such things from another species, you may never know how it will end up, sometimes its good, sometimes not, all we can do is wait and hope." Caerson admitted as he looked to the ground.