open An Arrow to the Wing (1x1 with Catpone Cerberus)

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"Is it that they're weak or is it you're just a stronger than the Fironians? You could probably just take over the Fironians if you wanted to. Don't worry, she won't, she is way to lazy to run an entire nation."

"I can tell she's a lazy one. And I wouldn't underestimate a draconequus. Even if it is a weakened one. You two will bend to what she demands."

"You will bend to your face."

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"Hold on a moment! I'm military and they aren't technically military, that does that say about me!?"

"A government is merely a foundation for society, without it, we have chaos and the worst in people come out many times more than it does right now. The difference between me and you is that I work within the law and you work outside of it. I defend and you murder for money. I make money but, I don't do it for the money, as money is merely a tool to me. Due to technicality, I can legally pay you to aid us if it's helps our goal. And my land can try to do whatever but, it is Equestria's choice if they want to listen, we can merely tell you what to do, we cannot make you bend to our will. Rules exist for a reason, and they cannot exist without authority."

"Sky, you should step away for a moment."

Sky walked away.

Myra looked at Ember.

"I apologize for his outburst, and I'm sure that doesn't mean much and I won't defend his actions but, he has a problem when he suspects others of questioning his moral standing. That doesn't make his manner of speech right. I'm sure you mean well as he does Ember."

"Sky lacks restraint and this sort of thing gets many killed, I've seen it a lot. I won't denounce your opinion, I come from a land with many, and while I disagree with many of them, I'll die to protect the right to have these opinions. Just like I'd die to protect your right to your opinions."

"I too have had and will have in the future  leader positions in government, no where near as big as Equestria or other nations but if you wonder why we do what we do and say what we say, you have someone to ask. And I won't feed you nonsense. Perhaps you'll learn something, and I'll learn better ways to lead Dasonia."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
"Not lazy, just uninterested." there was a difference "And while I am stronger than them, they were weak, I was greatly weakened by what was basically a poison, yet they offered less challenge than a single dragon of my kind when I'm in full strength." "And if she wants someone who will blindly bend to her will, you came to the wrong place to look for it, I don't bend for demands, I only do what is asked if it's worth my time." 

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"You kill for money however you word it, you kill and get money for that killing, simple as that." Ember pointed out, she didn't fall for rewording things to make them sound better.

"Reasons don't matter for me, because while ends sometimes justify the means, this is not the case with the earth." "I know lot more than you think, as part of my job is to know things, and the absolutely horrific things done by and happening under this so called good that is the mentioned government, there is no explanation that would justify those actions." "I admit that I couldn't care less what they do in their own world, if they wan't to keep up the suffering and death it's up to then, not much I can do about that, but what I do have a problem with, is that instead of fixing their own world, they want to come to Equestria, a world where factually everyone is happier and generally just better off, and bring their destructive ways here while shouting about good morals and such." 

"I'm not stupid, I know the necessity of government and other such organizations, but they are tools used by powerful creatures to control those under them, and any government who claims otherwise are lying, and most likely hiding very awful skeletons in their closets." "Sky's attempt to reword things is a good example of this, he's better than me because while he does exactly the same thing, he's on the side of the ones in power, same with hiring me, if a wrong person would hire me, they would probably have their life ruined, but because he is on the side of the power, he can do it without problems." 

"So if you want to know what my advise for leading is, do what you say, no matter if it's bad or good, the moment you start trying to seem more good than you are, I have no interest in even humoring what you have to say." 

she then addressed Arrow "There's a difference between working for the military and being military's dog." "Military's dog follows orders without questions and believes that anything their superiors say without any critical thinking." "You in other hoof, not only criticized those commanding you without someone pointing it out first, but your actions show that you are not merely a dog of military." "Because unlike for the other world's governments, Equestria's problem is not what they have done, but what they haven't, and here you are doing it, thus you are actively working to solve the problem instead of defending her majesty Celestia in every chance you get."  

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

The dragon merely laughed.

Attack her pride, yes. Quasi thought.

------------

"Patriotism and blind following. When I was in power of Myri during the Dasonian civil war, they followed me blindly and it contributed into me becoming a monster. I regret my actions everyday. I served myself and not my subjects in my little rebellion. Never blindly follow an earthly government and never blindly hate one. It'll turn you into either a fool or a foolish monster."

"That's what's wrong with my world, they think everything is one extreme or the other. Never the middle and that is why is what I want Sky to learn so that and rule well. He can lead a group of bounty hunters well but, a country isn't the same."

"Sky has time to learn."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

 

@Lucid_Nightlight
"Laugh as much as you wish, I heard it makes one's life longer." Ruby stated, seemingly not fazed by the dragon's reaction "Though I find it worrying that you see the need to constantly assure us how great your leader is, it indicates insecurity towards said leader, which in turn implies she's weaker than you want us to believe." "I'm not joining the losers am I?" of course she was, this was no doubt to her, she had seen the armies, she didn't believe in the success of Fironians, she didn't join them in believe they would win the war, she had her own motives which she wished to fulfill before the war ended, but as was most likely clear to anyone who knew her, she liked to poke others to see how they react.

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"Hate is not the same as strong dislike." Ember mentioned, feeling that that part was aimed at her specifically "Hate would imply that I want to destroy it, and besides criminal underworld I have no want to destroy any government or other organization." she was emotionally rather unique, her emotions being a mix between two extremes like everything else in her, so it had became important to her to recognize what exactly she was feeling so that she didn't give too much control for either side "And while extremes are not good, neither is constant middle, Celestia is a good example on that, she is very neutral ruler, and that's what causes many of the problems." "There is no such thing as perfect ruler, but being honest is a great start, at least everyone will know why things are like they are." 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

When they eventually reached the castle throne room, the Fironian leader looked at Ruby with a look that stated that she better know her place.

"Quite a strong dragon. Big and red and... oh and you're okay too white one."

-------------

"Celestia is weak and naive as a leader, her military is terrible. And I don't mean deadly and ruthless, I mean terribly weak."

"We've caught Cozy Glow."

"Yeah, you managed to arrest some child that had poorly skilled parents, good job."

Later on a legion of Fironians were seen in the distance. But this time, however, there was some help. Equestrian and American forces. Arrow and Ember were supposed to lead the Equestrians in the defense. Sky would be up in the air, as his jet was brought to him.

Arrow was surprised, he thought Princess Celestia would surely have his head for working with a civilian and criminal but, in times of war, rules aren't always the same.

Princess Luna was also there to lead. Perhaps for moral?

"It is understood you don't like us, Ember but, we will pay you for the defense of the city and issue a pardon. We'll also allow you to... continue you with your... freelance."

"You can do that?"

Luna gave Arrow a look.

"I help lead a nation, of course I can do that. As long as she is going after these criminals and not civilians like some hitmare, we don't care. Well... my sister took a little convincing, naive as she is at times."

"Do I get a raise?"

"I'll give you some boardgame money and you can pretend you got one. The real bits will be going into the royal vending machine you broke."

"Not my fault you use a terrible brand."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Ruby held her head high, refusing to humble herself under the Fironian's gaze "I heard you need someone who's actually competent at something."  "I also have to say that your subordinate didn't exactly give a flattering image of you, I hope you're more competent than they implied." she wasn't distracted by simple praise, and as those who knew her knew, she had no respect for titles, so she treated a leader like she treated their underling's. especially when she didn't know enough to have any reason to respect them. She also wanted to know what reaction her words would create, she was testing her possible new employer like the leader was no doubt going to test them.

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"I wouldn't say she's necessarily weak or naive, she just has her focus on wrong things." 

 

Ember stayed as professional as ever when dealing with Luna, she didn't bow or anything like that, but it was clear from her demeanor that she still acknowledged her leadership, because while she refused to take orders from the sisters as a soldier, she was still Equestrian citizen, thus they were still her rulers too. "While I'm thankful for your...agreement on my necessity, and will take the job of defending for now, be advised that I have no interest on becoming official asset of Equestrian forces." "And I'd to like to correct a misconception, it is not that I have anything against you or your sister personally, but instead my problem lies on the system you have created, though I believe you know what I'm talking about, since you seem to agree with the usefulness of my work." while she didn't say anything after that, she almost did comment on the whole going after civilians thing, because not only did she go after criminals as bounties, she also personally hunted down those hunters who went after civilians, and those who hired those hunters.

If she really ended up leading a group though, new side to her would come apparent, as she acted very much like a military leader while talking to her temporary underling. There was a reason for that, her adoptive father was ex-sergeant in the royal guard, and like father, like daughter.

 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"I like you two. Especially you, Ruby, you serve yourself, a strong independent dragon that will bite the head off anyone that looks at you funny. A lot like me but, more serious."

"She's my murder fruit."

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"I'm sure our army is expecting some kinda speech before the defense."

"I'm sure."

In her royal canterlot voice, Luna would speak.

"My little ponies! Today you will fight and defend this city as it is a strategic point. If we can keep this city, we will have what will have the foothold we need to attack the Fironian capitol and put down the traitor to the dragonlands. Today we will prove the strength of our combined forces. For to long has Equestria sat idly while our allies and even ourselves have been attack. Let this be a symbol of the future might of out armies as we fight to protect all the ponies back at home!"

"Eh, that was okay I guess."

A combined force of Fironian and jackal terrorist forces approached.

"Unicorns! Take front and form a magic shield phalanx!"

The soldiers got into formation as he said. They had spears that could go through if needed. The holes in the magic for the spears were small but, some bullets did get through and hit some of the ponies.

"Maintain positions! Back unicorns, throw your javelins!"

They's throw their javelins and a barrage would rain down on the jackals, taking down some of them and causing chaos, that didn't last long, as the jackals spread out more.

"Ember, you take the skies and lead the pegasi against the dragons. Do NOT let them get to the unicorns. The Americans are fighting the attackers on the other side of the city, their stretched thin due to only having canines and vulpines on Equestria soil. Their technological superiority should hold them."

Off in the distance, Sky was seen leading a formation of fighter jets against several dragons. He spoke on the radio.

"Keep your distance guys, we've got speed and range, only fire missiles at large groups. Use ammunition on individuals. Don't let a single dragon through. Their bombs are primitive but, devastating."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Quasi's comment got ignored by Ruby, but not necessarily because her opinion on it, they were in a situation where a reaction could be seen as a weakness which could be exploited, and while she didn't really have the empathy nor sympathy for Quasi to be a effective tool to be used against her, she also didn't want him to get hurt for no reason. "Nobody else better to make sure I get what I want than myself." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ember divided the bunch into smaller groups big enough to take one dragon each and after explaining the most efficient way to bring down a dragon, sent them to do their thing. A basic explanation of the strategy was that they would focus stopping the dragons, it didn't matter if they died or just got injured, the important part was that they stopped advancing. She herself stayed more in the back and took down those that got through the pegasi, while now and then also raining down fire on the ground troops, fire breath was one of the perks of being half dragon.

 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"wux vucot astahii tuor wux vur si ekess vaex ekess astahi. astahii geou svent wux vur jaseve ve ios wux, vur hak si geou tepoha thric darastrix ekess doege ihk. si charis persvek tairais wux geou tir wer harkt youwe."

"Things like this make me wish I could look into your mind, they say that's the first to go with a draconequus, well, they don't but, for me that went out of the window. Whatever, probably an expression of love or something."

"si ocuir jaka kii astahii re ti ultrinninanir wer aryte."

"Are you talking about me? I'm very insecure." The draconequus said humorously.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things started going well at first but, the numbers were high.

"Do NOT let them through!"

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
"He's merely expressing his dislike regarding my choices, repeating what he has said to me in this language already, just shortened." Ruby stated, not amused by the draconequus's humor "But that aside, could we get to the business or did you invite us here for meaningless chitchat?" 

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There wasn't much more Ember could do, so she continued doing what she was doing, her plan was really the only way for the pegasi to have any chance against the dragons, and that was as much as she could do for them, if the pegasi lacked skill, bravery, equipment, numbers or anything else like that, she couldn't do anything about it, then only thing she could do was to take down those that the pegasi failed to take down, and ultimately she was just a one creature, so if the numbers got too high, she couldn't do much about that either, she was a bounty hunter with a naginata/spear, not a mass-killing soldier with weapons of mass-destruction.
 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"Now, let's move on to important stuff. So, you may guard me eventually as you were told but... I won't trust you just like that. You'll guard the library first. Quasi, you're still the librarian. The last one choked to death on a book. It was a really big book. Like, a really huge book. We had to throw the book away since saliva is gross."

"You know you're losing the war."

"Silly dragon, it isn't about winning, when they march on my castle, there will be much chaos in the battle and I will grow powerful. Unfortunately, I won't grow very durable, I'll be like a glass cannon but, the punishment I can dish out will make up for that. If a dragon like Ruby attacked me, I could maybe die but, I'm a draconequus, we're quite hard to catch."

"Not to underestimate Ruby, right?"

"No, she is quite a deadly challenge but, I got my bases covered." The draconequus said in a slightly sinister tone.

Quasi didn't show it but, that's exactly what he wanted to hear. This was a sign that they were on the right track.

"Now, get some rest, big day tomorrow."

"We best do what he says. I don't wanna fall asleep in the library and get executed."

--------------------------------------------------

The numbers started to overwhelm the dragons and jackals attacked even civilians. the ponies and even the American forces couldn't keep up when suddenly a singing in cadence could be heard. It was ominous and could strike fear into those who heard it. Both sides were silent. Then a howl. Then many howls, thousands.

"DASONIA!" yelled a coyote, it was Myra with many coyotes. An entire legion's worth.

Arrows were fired and exploded in the air, dragons dropped from the sky as if many raindrops.

The coyotes without bows ran into the gunfire of the jackals, many coyotes went down but, eventually the numbers overwhelmed the jackals.

"The coyotes are taking casualties but... they aren't retreating. We can charge the jackals, Ember! Have the pegasi guard the over the city walls! We don't want the arrows to hit them."

A dragon hit Sky's wing, knocking him from the air, though he ejected and crashed the jet into another group of jackals attempting to attack. Most were killed, others retreated. As he parachuted down, he'd fire upon the dragons with his m16. "Can't wait to drop an MOAB on your capitol for that!"

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Ruby seemed uninterested in the draconequus's bragging "So it wasn't just your underling, I'd advice you to reveal less information to those you have just met, it may be your downfall if wrong ears hear it." she didn't sound like she was insulting her or anything, it was a genuine advice "That aside, rest where? we haven't been informed of the location for private quarters, or the library in that matter." as far as she cared, she could rest right there, but she didn't believe it was what the leader wanted "Also, do you not have a title or name? Shall we speak of you only as 'The leader'?"

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"You heard him, the walls, now!" Ember shouted to the pegasi with rather impressive volume for her size, joining the pegasi when they got there.

She watched the situation with the jet and said to her crow "For superior technology, those things are very fragile." the crow cawed as a response. 

 

 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"Two doors to the left for the barracks. The library if down the hall to the right. We were also gonna have movie nights but, we have no signal, so the room there is for storage. I am Gladia and you can address me as such."

Quasi would head over to the barracks, thinking it was weird a librarian would sleep there.

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The earth and unicorn ponies charged. The combined forces were able to decimate the enemy forces with numbers. The Jackals were hopeless since ponies had more physical strength. The jackals attacks were more biting oriented but, it would take more than one to even take down a normal pony from Earth efficiently.

Sky, when he landed went over to the wall.

"Good thing my jets are paid by the government. I saw the phalanx he made, it was pretty nice, I'd however, suggest a legion. A legion can better encircle an enemy force. Though, I admit, unicorn magic is what keeps it coherent since normal shields would be ineffective against gunfire. Anyway, try sending a few pegasi out forward. If you keep that formation, they'll certainly get through and we'll get many civilian casualties."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Ruby just nodded and made her way to the barracks, she didn't find Quasi coming there weird though, for few reasons, the main one being that it only made sense they would be somewhere where it's easy to keep an eye on them, then there was also the fact that besides the friendship princess nobody actually slept in the library where they worked in, and it was unlikely Gladia would give what's basically a prisoner his own room, Quasi may not be in jail, but he most likely wouldn't be free to go anywhere he wants either.

"nomeno goawy tepohaic thric charis ihk gahhr" [this place has no hope for survival] "gliiwr di malairi nomeno goawy" [full of morons/idiots this place]

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Ember pretty much ignored Sky, signaling one of the pegasi to come to her, she then asked them to get whoever was the highest ranking or most experienced from them. To that pegasus she then gave the authority to command over the others, telling this the others too, her last order being that they observe the situation and go help the others if it seems like that's necessary, or if anypony of rank told them to do something. For non-ponies like Sky, she said that she trusted the pegasus's own judgment on if they should follow them or not.

She then turned to Sky, "Bit rusty with military talk, so you can repeat that to them, I'll go do what I know."  she then took flight and started raining fire on the enemies, she may not be bullet proof, but it was very hard to hit a quickly moving small target, especially when she constantly sent out a thick layers of smoke and fire making spotting her almost if not impossible. 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"My liege, the attack on New York, Washington, San Francisco, and Las Vegas went well. We were pushed out but, we did kill and capture many civilians. Dead in the millions and captured in the hundreds. We will do experiments on them as requested."

"Good, and the death bringer dna?"

"Secured."

"Good, we will have our scientists get to work on artificial growth for armor immediately. Good work, general."

Upon hearing everything said, an expression of anger was on Quasi's face.

"Millions killed in cold blood. And what for, to prove a point?"

"And why are you listening to these guys? Equestria insulted you but, these guys attacked you and tried to murder you. They struck fear into you and attacked your pride harder than Equestria ever had. Even if you don't have a moral standing, with your own logic, you would want to prove your strength and regain your dignity by doing the correct actions."

At this point, they weren't close enough for anyone to hear.

------------------------------------------

"Sky, they attacked U.S. soil. They were driven off but, many civilians were killed and captured. They think it was to prove some kind of point."

Sky lost it at this point. These were the people he fought hard to protect.

"I will kill every one of them!"

Sky started at first firing the dragons in a blind rage. A dragon went towards him and landed he sunk his teeth into the dragon's neck and killed it.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Ruby didn't really care for what she heard, she couldn't care less if 'few' creatures died, and the part about her kind's dna, she didn't know what dna was but if these creatures were smart enough to make armor out of her kind, good for them, they had more brain she had thought, still not much, but more.

"You are simply wrong." she said, almost disturbingly calmly considering the context "Firstly the whole trying to kill me thing, to that I say, welcome to the club, did you forget who you are talking to? Also, it's not like I didn't kill many of them first, between me and them, it's me who started it, there's no denying that." she could have just stayed in Equestria and the Fironians wouldn't even know she existed "And the fear thing, since I don't remember anything, I can't be sure what exactly happened, but based on what I understood from you, yes, they managed to make me feel fear, but they didn't strike fear into me." "I never feared them at any point, I only relived fear I have felt before, fear that was caused by someone else than them, someone who is dead and has rotten away." 

She blatantly ignored the whole millions being killed thing, though was that really a surprise? from her point of view it was the same as bunch of ants in a different dimension dying. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

The use of 'many' was rather concerning to Ember, as it made her believe they were keeping the real number a secret, meaning it was a lot. For her reaction, it was sort of a sympathetic silence, she had no emotional bond to these creatures, in fact, she had never even seen them, she only knew that some amount of creatures somewhere died, so she didn't give any strong emotional reaction, but having empathy, she held a short moment of silence on her own, ending few enemies rather brutally after it as they had tried to take advantage of her momentary stop, she may have not known these creatures, but this was beyond even those she killed for living, and it was principles above all, she would personally make sure that Fironia would fall.

What came to Sky, she kept her distance from him, because while she wanted to go and try to comfort him regardless of how much she disliked him, she didn't want get hit by a bullet, she still didn't trust him regarding that.

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"Remember, with my capabilities, I can see what they really want. I cannot tell you everything, not immediately. I was told to give you a prophecy from that dragon though."

"When the moon blocks the sun, the right thing will be done."

Quasi went on with this.

"You owe nothing to Equestrians, but, you owe death to the Fironians. How do you know this isn't a trap?"

"You're complacent."

And with that Quasi went to bed.

----------------------------------------------------

The battle went on for a while until the Jackals and Fironians took to many casualties and retreated. A few jackals were captured, the dragons were to big to capture and were made to retreat with the rest. If the they attacked, they would be killed.

Later, Sky could be found hurt mentally from what happened.

"Millions," he said to Ember.

"Millions of civilians murdered. Hundreds captured. That's what I'm told. Ace told me everything. They thought this would make us scared by killing the civilians. They aren't the first to thing that. Y'know, when I was very little, an infant, a man once ordered an attack, a suicide mission to strike terror into the U.S. Ace, like myself was angry. He was there when those two towers were destroyed. He was angry and tried to join back with the airforce. He sustained an injury and Afghanistan and was sent home, the day he got out of rehabilitation, he saw me on his way to join an agency built weeks after the attacks."

"I was at my worst that day. I couldn't take the abuse in the orphanage and I jumped into the street to let an oncoming vehicle end my pain but, Ace jumped in just in time and pushed me out of the way. I told him everything and he walked me down to that police station himself. They raided the orphanage that night, the caretakers were arrested, given life due to how serious the abuse was. Turned me into something terrible coyote overrun with the feeling of having something to prove. To this day I've felt worthless. Had to hide from it. I hung out with a bad crowd until Ace came along and pointed me into the right direction, this bounty hunter agency."

"It turned my life around in many aspects but, that feeling of worthlessness still remains. And I know my actions are inexcusable but, I don't know what else to do. And now here we are, today many more suffer like I have. Probably even worse. Honestly, I half-hoped I'd die in this battle." 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Ruby just rolled her eyes "As I said earlier, I acknowledge the potential of a trap." "I'm just not so simple minded, sometimes you need to take a step back to go three steps forward." she didn't care if Quasi listened or not, and after saying it she found a nice spot for herself and laid down there, she wasn't big on beds, she preferred the hard and cold floor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ember stayed quiet the whole time, not showing any reaction, but not in the cold way, rather, it was obvious she was purposefully hiding her reaction behind a serious neutrality.

"You need a a therapist, that's for sure." she said after a moment of silence "And I don't say that to insult you, I say it because I want you to get help." she sat down next to him "I was barely old enough to be in school when I found my best friend's body, my only friend's, dragons weren't liked back then." "She had fled from home after a robbery gone wrong, timberwolfs got her, case closed, the house was gone next month, didn't even try to find the perpetrators, I don't think they even reported it correctly, there's no records of it." "I knew there was more to it, nobody listened, what would a half-dragon kid know?" "My adoptive parents were dismissed too." 

"Such experience had strange effects on my young mind, didn't help that I'm half predatory dragon and I was hitting puberty." "Violent clashes with bullies, fire, crow attacks, it's a miracle I didn't kill anyone, I had to be homeschooled for a while, didn't help." "I was the freak of the area, didn't help that crows followed me everywhere, more violent clashes, more crow attacks, I got my first taste of meat during this time, it was sickening to realize it tasted good" "I lost most fights, I didn't know how to fight, but I always got the sole blame every time, regardless of who did what, they sure liked to say how there was no special treatment and other such nonsense, but somehow it always came back to me being part dragon." "My father was later discharged for looking into my friend's fate, though they of course told fake reason for it."

"After that my father took care of my education, also teaching me to fight in hopes to give me a way to let out my more....active side easier." "I ran away from home few times, I was disgusted by my own face, I hated everyone, I especially hated the dragon that was staring me from the mirror." "It took years to find a therapist willing to talk with me, it's not easy to deal with an angry dragon." she looked towards the sky and sighed "The anger never goes away, the pain never leaves, I only learned to redirect it." 

"Dad found lot things that didn't add up, corruption and criminal connections, so many of the so called 'morally good' ponies were everything but that, those who spoke about it most were the worst, it had managed to get so bad because Celestia was doing the job of two princesses alone, she hadn't noticed it being so busy." "He reported his findings straight to her, and the guard got cleaned up, but there was someone who didn't meet justice, few of them actually, those who had attacked my friends house,....my first kills...." she got up ".....since then I have focused my life on hunting those who are too well hidden or too powerful for the claws of the law...." she turned to Sky "...and as much as I don't like you and those you serve...." she offered her hoof to him "....I'll be damned if I don't help you kill those *********"

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

It was the dead of night, Quasi was asleep when he was visited in a dream by Luna and the dragon that gave him the dream visitor gem.

"It was a tight but, I managed to make it. They offered me sleep in their castle."

"The plan?"

"Simple, I shall appear to Ruby."

Luna disappeared and went into Ruby's dream, while Quasi and the dragon would speak with each other about getting Ruby to do the right thing.

"Ruby Shine. Or is it just Ruby now? Your banishment was unfortunate. But we have our reasons and if all goes well, you understand."

What she was doing was secretly digging into her mind. Did this dragon care for Quasi Nix? Was it possible for her to care for him? These were crucial to the plan, a part Quasi knew little about.

With this information, Luna would figure out what to do next.

-----------------------------

"I cannot handle it anymore, I've put up with this for years and now, this. I'm tired. Tired of this feeling."

He looked at his pistol intently.

"I'm torn. That could solve my problem but, it would hurt others, scarring them with grief. Do you think it's painless?"

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
Luna would quite rudely be told to leave Ruby alone, and that would be all the red dragon would say, and she wouldn't be afraid to get violent if need to be. She knew it was a dream, and she had no interest in dealing with ponies again, ponies had burned that bridge, and Ruby wasn't going to build it again, no matter how much they invaded her mind. The dream itself wasn't too interesting, it wasn't even really a dream, as she was simply laying down in a room mirroring the one they were sleeping in, the only difference being that things that didn't have movement, smell, or sound, or in other word the furniture, were featureless blobs of material roughly the shape of the thing, while things that did have those, things like Quasi, were more detailed. This what it looked like in her head when she slept 'one eye open', her dreams were just her senses telling her what was around.

Luna would find that it was hard to read someone who didn't know themselves what they felt, but if she could get past the language difference, she would eventually find that while there wasn't strong certainty/proof that she cared about Quasi, since Ruby herself wasn't able to recognize it if there was, there was certain appreciation towards him that she felt towards nobody else. 

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Ember wasn't a therapist, so she didn't know the correct way to do things, so she did the best things she could come up with, she took the pistol away from Sky "It wouldn't solve your problem, especially if you are one of those unlucky ones who become undead, miserable bunch those are." "You have someone who loves you, and there's those who look up to you to do the right thing, you want to be useful? Stop self-pitying and let that anger out, use that rage to go after those who deserve your wrath." "Stop trying to impress others and focus on satisfying yourself." 

 

(sry for delay, life happens)

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"I see. Let me show you something."

The room shifted, the draconequus stood over Ruby, the castle was in chaos. Quasi was fighting overwhelming enemies.

"I have no use for you, dragon. I no longer need your services."

after this, she would be shown the many ways she was killed in each timeline. Some brutal and some humiliating.

"This is because the draconequus gained power because you did the wrong thing. Yourself and 10's of billions will pay the price. When the battle begins, do the right thing. I cannot show you the right outcome or else it will not happen. We needed you to get on the inside. Now, after you see this, you will forget this to a point but, subconsciously you'll feel something. I don't know what it is. Dread maybe? A sense something isn't right? Distrust?"

"This is due to the draconequus magic blocking warnings. We've cleared a way to break it, I cannot tell you, it'll be pointless to do so. Quasi knows what he must do but, must figure out how. Now after this you will forget the dream. Do you understand what I've told you?"

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"You're right. Although I do not hate them, it is against my beliefs to do so. I hold no anger just sadness but, they are a threat and they must be eliminated to save many innocent lives. We still have that prophecy or whatever, and if I die, more will die. It would be selfish of me. Shall we call a truce to our bitterness towards each other and turn our attacks to the Fironians?"

After a moment Arrow showed up.

"Guys I've got word from Princess Luna before going to sleep only for us to know. This is all part of the plan to defeat the Fironians. This is for us to know. Not the other soldiers or civilians."

"We will destroy the illegitimate land of Fironia. I did not expect my kin to appear but, I am glad. They fought bravely and so have you. General Canarious will lead the Dasonians to fight. She is a great warrior."

Sky's last name is Canarious but, Myra wasn't referring to Sky.

"Yes, she is my birth mother. I was born in Dasonia, a Highlanian general wanted revenge for someone important to him being killed in battle by her. He sought to kill me. So, my mother knowing death would eventually find me if I stayed sent me off to an land unknown by the Nomadikans at the time. I was dropped off at a doorstep that turned out to be a police department. I was checked out and sent to the orphanage. That's what I've learned. My father, he died when the Highlanians came looking for me. I never got to know him. Now Ace, he is like a father to me."

 

 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
"I have no interest in your words moonflank." Ruby stated coldly, seemingly unfazed by what she had seen, scratching her claw against the ground "You are the ones who made sure I no longer have reason to care about your kind, and in your attempts to fix your mistake,  you keep underestimating my intelligence." she kept scratching the ground in the same pattern again and again, this would go on until she woke up "You also show that you really don't know me, it is bold for you to assume that I fully trust anyone." she raised her volume "Now get out of my head!" she then scratched herself in the leg until the pain was enough to wake her up. 

She looked around bit confused about her self-inflicted injury, not remembering what had happened, but she then looked down where her claw had been, there was symbols scratched on the floor, they were letters in her language, and while they didn't really mean anything in the correct grammar, this was a message from her to herself, and it roughly translated to four letters, 'L' 'U' 'N' 'A'. She let out a quiet but audible growl in her native language "xsio othoke" (Damn parasite)

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"Sadness is often the cause of anger." "Truce it shall be, but only as long as things stay professional." Ember stated, this was basically what she had tried to do from the start before Sky started to attack her livelihood. 

And speaking of being professional, almost like from the flip of a switch, she turned to be just that again, quietly listening what was said before asking "So what now?" 

 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

"Good morning, murder fruit."

"Are we a thing yet?" He joked playfully.

-------------------

"We're gonna wait for orders. I need me a beer. Or a lot."

"Sky. No drinking on the job."

 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Catpone Cerberus

So what do we wanna do about Ruby? Will she do the right thing for her own reasons? Maybe she starts to care for Quasi?

What do you think we should do? In terms of Ruby and the final battle?

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Lucid_Nightlight
"Well I haven't killed you have I?" Ruby pointed out "I would have killed most males at this point already, take it as you will." she got up and stretched "What's this 'murder fruit' thing you suddenly started saying, does the word fruit have meanings or implications I am not aware of?" she didn't sound annoyed or anything, she was just asking a question "And have you seen Gladia, I have something to mention and a small request." 

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"Any idea how long it'll take?" Ember asked "Because if it will be a while, I'll go get something to eat."