We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I'm sorry... It's just I had thought he had killed Maple," Woody looked down. "I just... That was my worst fear. I knew already that it was going to do that but I just couldn't help it. I promised mom I'd keep her safe and I just can't take this..." Woody looked like he was ok earlier, but this was how he really felt, Scared, hopeless and drained. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do this anymore.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Listen, Woody, you might feel like you have to take on these responsibilities all alone, but you don't have to, we are all in this together. And you might feel really bad about yourself for how you challenged him but... Is it really something bad? I have been making this mistake all the time, you wouldn't believe how many times You and everyone else had to save me because I let my own nature get the better of me. It's what makes us special." Jack said.

"I am going to ask you something personal Woody, do you want to be a fighter, or do you fight because you feel like you have to make a change?" Jack asked him.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I..." Woody paused thinking deeply "I... Don't want to fight... I only do it to make a change. That or to protect myself or those close to me. I only know a variety of spell for combat, I know a lot more useful magic for non-combat like healing and calming spells. I... Only came to make sure you and mom were ok, and now that I'm here... I don't wanna go back the way I came. I'm sorry everything I've done for combat has been an illusion of strength I shouldn't have lied to myself for this long." He looked at him, the gray eye glistened off the light "I don't intend to keep it up for much longer."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"And nobody is going to think bad of you from stepping away Woody, You have already done so much to help us." Jack said.

"But you have overcome something very important, you now want to do what you truly want, sometimes fighting might seem pretty noble from someone else's view, but for those who do not want to do it, they are doing something against their own will, but you are doing the right thing, Woody, perhaps help out if-if really feel like it, but don't let situations force you to do things like that, sometimes people need to know when they have to step down, i admit i struggle with that myself alot, but i guess i just don't know any better since i never experienced any form of normal life." Jack said with a smile.

"And hey, if you are worried about Maple, do not worry, she is almost unbeatable at this point, and when she does face to much trouble, we will be there to help her with that." Jack said before walking outside to get some fresh air.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody looked at him and processed what he said "I... Guess you're right. I want to help though." He started to walk with Jack "Perhaps I can just help you all through my other abilities? Like my ability to summon rain for example." He was looking a bit happier now but it wasn't truly genuine he was still really worried.

Maple walked up to the two, "Luna just wanted to..." She noticed Woody's eye "Gah! What happened."

"Oh! Maple." Woody said panicked "I... was hoping you wouldn't see that. It's nothing honestly just a small wound."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"That is a good idea Woody, in fact, they would definitely appreciate it in this city if you could actually do that at some point, they would be happy with that, considering this is in a desert and all." Jack said with a nod.

Jack, however, got a bit surprised by Maple's sudden appearance.

"Woody had been telling me his story from his travel through the demon realm, but he got attacked by a vile creature from that place, luckily he managed to vanquish it and remain unscathed from its foul energies, sadly he did suffer an injury which cost him his left eye, some of the creatures there are capable of such feats, which is exactly an advantage for you since you are a robot now." Jack said before Woody could talk further than that.

"Anyway, what were you saying before Maple?" He asked her/

'There, that should keep her suspicion away from it, i left out Valtrek's name on purpose and replaced it with the part where you slew the creature that caused you this injury, but please be quiet about this now, or else she is going to get doubts.' Jack said to Woody via the telepathy thing.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Wow..." Maple said "Sorry to hear about that. Looks pretty badass though." She said trying to cheer him up "Anyways... Luna said that she overheard they know where mom could be, something about a slave trader is the best bet... She's alive at least, but in a pretty dangerous situation. There's going to be an attack force on this trader so we'll be saving Fluttershy."

'Thanks Jack' Woody said back through his teleapthy 'She came outta nowhere right?'

Edited September 23, 2017 by Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

'No problem, and yes I agree, I have a suspicion that the one who made her body made some sort of soft plating which muffles her footsteps a bit because robots are never that silent.' Jack said back via the telepathy.

"I have also been thinking about joining the assault to, I will be asking Karthspire if he could provide me with some things, it's been years since I have fought alongside my own kind, and I guess personal reasons come into play for this assault as well. I will see you around ey? Going to be looking around town for a while." Jack said as he started walking through the city.

As he was walking, he suddenly noticed something, the person with the mask was staring at him again, following his every move.

'Again? Just who is that person? I am getting strange vibes from him, I don't know why.' Jack thought.

But he just decided to walk further, trying to ignore it.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple looked at his eye again, thought about being sceptical but she figured that Jack wouldn't lie to her. "So... Let's go meet some of the attacking force here. Figured we should meet a few of them here."

"Yea sounds good. Let's go." Woody said happily "glad you're calm about the injury. I worried you'd freak out."

"Well you did already kill what caused it so it's fine."  Maple said as she went to the barreks

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack had started to walk around again, he was still feeling a bit confused about the whole situation, he was not used to this kind of places where so many people were at once.

'I met up with Woody and Maple a few moments ago, but where are the others at? Heh, I don't even know my way around here.' Jack thought as he started looking for them.

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In the barracks, it was rather busy, the soldiers ranged from all the different species that were stationed in the city.

Some were checking up on their weapons and gear while others were talking with each other.

One of the commanding officers was scolding a rather young soldier, who could not have been older than 16 years old.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Jack saw Celestia and Luna speaking with each other they had a lot to catch up on. "Jack! There you are" Celestia said "I was about to tell Luna about how we got us out of that prison."

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Woody was looking around while walking, he looked at something specific someone he thought he recognised in front of him, and tripped over a spear that was laying on the ground, crashing into the rack of weapons "Ow... Ow Ow Ow." he had landed on a few of the weapons getting minor cuts from the weapons. His half blindness had caused him to not see the spear on the ground which had tripped him in the first place "Oh no..." he said quietly.

Maple was a distance away from him and didn't really hear him crash.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Ah, it's great that you 2 are catching up! Should I perhaps fill in some parts of the story as well?" Jack asked.

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There was a masked person standing over Woody out of the sudden, it was almost like he had crept on him as his movement had been entirely silent.

He was staring at Woody for a few moments before stretching out his hand.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Celestia smiled "You go ahead and tell her. I've been telling her a lot of how we got there so why don't you tell her some of the things

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Woody looked at the masked stranger when he popped up. Since he had come from seemingly nowhere he flinched "I... I'm sorry." He said quickly, standing up, moving away from him "I didn't mean to knock over those weapons I... I tripped and fell onto the rack. I'll pick it up I promise." He said quickly starting to pick up the weapons that, some of which had lightly cut him.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack nodded and then looked to Luna.

"Could you perhaps explain what happened while we were gone? I only heard things partly but I rather hear the full thing from you." Jack asked with a smile to her.

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The masked stranger shook his head, and with 2 fingers at Woody's his wound he had got from tripping over those weapons.

He a quick hand motion saying *Get those treated*.   But when Woody then turned around again he was suddenly gone.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Not a lot happened while you all were gone. We finished Maple's body and after that, there was a minor attack on us, however, I did manage to vanquish the enemy leader in equestria. I belive..." Luna said. "My sister here said that you all walked past about 1000 or so infected, how'd you all do that?"

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Woody looked at the new cut he had got. "Ugh... Medic?!" he said a bit loudly, He was going to need one now, with the injuries he got throughout the demon realm plus that one his body couldn't take a lot more damage. "Help? Anyone? Please..." His voice got weaker as he spoke.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Well, we actually flew over them, and instead of 1000 there were around a million, those herds tend to be very big. I had actually been planning on walking through the entire thing myself at some point out of desperation. I had seen someone do it in the past and I knew it was possible, the only way to get something like that done is that you need to have a specific DNA implanted into yourself, usually, it can be achieved by injections. But then it becomes a bit gross as you have to cover yourself with an infected blood completely, since they won't be able to smell you and with that DNA they won't see you as a potential threat as long as you can act like you are one of them, that's how I was planning on doing it." Ja

He then thought for a moment.

"Luna, what do you think about me joining this assault? Please be honest with me." He asked her.

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Some of the soldiers came to his aid as one of the others was getting a medic, who eventually walked up to Woody.

"Someone get me some painkillers, he is going to need them." The medic ordered as he was bandaging Woody.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I don't think it would be a good idea." Luna said waving a hoof to him"I don't want to lose you again since we only just got reunited. I know you'd rather not hear that from me but you did ask me to be honest with you"

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"Thank you." Woody said weakly, he hadn't noticed again but he'd started to cry again, he was so sick of how he felt, he felt weak and tired. "I... Need some rest. Where can I go for that? Is... there some sorta medical area?" He asked as he tried to move a bit.

Maple noticed the commotion and felt bad for Woody he wasn't used to stuff like this so he was probably overwhelmed by everything she stood and watched what was happening for a bit.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"i know, its-" Jack however interrupted by someone.

"Rest assured that he will be fine, I would have to borrow him for a moment though." Karthspire suddenly said from behind them.

"Jack, if you would be so kind to follow me, I need to show you something." He said as he turned his head.

"Zukir! You're with me!" He called out, which caused Zukir to walked after them outside.

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"Of course, someone gets him to the infirmary!" The medic called out, which caused one of the Vernomian soldiers to pick up Woody and bring him to the infirmary.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Luna intervened putting her leg in the way of Jack's path, "Are you implying that you have the desire to send Jack into combat. This I, of course, will not allow" She said a bit angered "I will let you show him whatever you desire to show... but I'm going too." She was staring directly at Karthspire "I know that this is your home but Jack's under my care so I'm not going to let him down this time."

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Woody tried to sing something, trying to heal himself but as he started he coughed a bit and lost concentration.

Maple watched the 'dragon' carry woody off she sighed and was assuming they were helping him. She noticed that a commanding officer was still scolding a soldier, she moved over to the officer "Hey... Hey... take it a bit easy on him. He's just a kid." She said to them

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Your terms are acceptable by me, I guess we will do it your way, as I am a figure of reason, but you should know that letting him not fight in this particular battle would perhaps not be the best, you may even join the assault if you feel like it, but I can guarantee you that he will be safe, if I can't persuade you with words, then you will have to see it for yourself." Karthspire said in a calm tone as he looked at her.

"Follow me." " he said as he let the group into some sort of big building, which looked like a training zone.

"Zukir, could you bring Evelyn here? She is the person we are looking for." Karthspire said with a small smirk.

"Right, just give me a moment." Zukir responded back as he walked further inside.

'I have never seen Luna this defence of me.' Jack thought with surprise.

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The officer looked at Maple with a raised eyebrow as he saw her in her robot form.

He then gave a sign for the young soldier to leave, which the boy complied all too happy with.

The officer then turned back to Maple.

"Sorry, you had to hear that, little bugger thinks its a playing paradise outside these walls, that he is going to be fighting easy opponents and have the time of his life. Anyway, who are you?" He asked her.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"That means Jack doesn't have to fight... But I'll save judgement until after I see what you are talking about." Luna started "I mean... I too am reasonable but forgive me I did just reunite with him after all."

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Maple smiled at the commander "Captain Maple, of Luna's royal night guards. You can just call me Maple, however and you are?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Your word is final in this matter, and I am only the recommender, but should Jack go to the fight, you 2 would still have a pretty good amount of time to catch up, and after the battle to for that matter, because he is not going to die there, I think we can agree on that final part?" Karthspire said.

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"A captain rank? You outrank me by that fact, but what are your combat statistics? Do you operate solo in missions? Do you prefer to lead as a commanding officer in battle? The name is Jiro, second Lieutenant." the officer said back.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"We can agree there. However, I must ask what exactly are we going to fight? As much I wish to trust you it's hard for me too especially since you wish to throw Jack into th ethick of combat." Luna said with a small bit of anger in her voice "Show me what we are fighting and I will make the final choice here."

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"Hehe, I worked hard to be Captain, My combat stats? I don't know then exactly but it's a good number of battles and such. Yes, Mostly solo missions. No, Leading isn't my strongest trait I leave that to my brother..." Maple looked the way Woody had been taken "I'm going to go check on him. Good luck and keep up the good work."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"As of now, we still don't have the exact location of your friend Fluttershy, but that doesn't mean that we have no fights, however, by taking out small enemy outpost we can already get a better grip against the enemy. But i would be fool if would send Jack to send to fight somewhere alone. He is going to be with someone who is very experienced, and also knows a good bit about our enemies. Can't say to much until you actually see her, because i am not someone who is going to send a 13-year-old boy into his grave." Karthspire said as pulled his cigar out of his mouth.

"So you will have to wait a bit before i can show you."

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"Same to you Captain Maple, may we all live in the end." The officer said before he walked trough the barracks.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Very well. I did trust that this wasn't you sending him somewhere to die, but I just don't want him to be involved in anymore fighting. He really has been through enough." Luna started "That said, as long as you guarantee his being ok then I'll be willing to allow such action to be taken."

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What Jiro had said sorta upset Maple. She wasn't sure if she was 'Alive' or not at this point she shrugged it off and went to find Woody, figuring it would be easy since there would be a few people surrounding him because of the injuries. "Y.. Yea see ya."