Jump to content

Retracing Old Hoofsteps. (ATTN: Alvida, PM to join)


IceStorm

Recommended Posts

EelWvW1.png

 

 

 

It had been several years since Ice Storm had returned to the Crystal Empire. The last time she was here... was a time that she would remember for the rest of her life. It was a day of fun and friends that quickly turned into a nightmare for many, and awoke the fire inside of her that now drives her to protect Equestria, and the ponies that live inside her borders. The memorial that was in front of her... Was a reminder of just how much was lost that day. The ponies that had no way of knowing what was going on until everything was on them, and by then, everything was too late. This was the spot where the spire fell.

 

She could still remember rushing to the airship, and getting on it just in time before it broke. She could remember the days in the hospital that she spent with doctors swarming her trying to make sure the large gash she had suffered while protecting the princess was taken care of. She could still remember how much that salve stung every single time they had to reapply it to the wound. Still though, she considered herself lucky. Many ponies that day did not recover from there wounds and many never made it out. This memorial had the names of those such ponies. Even if it meant that she still wouldn't have been able to cast magic... she wished that she could have gotten everypony out. As she looked over the list she could feel the rage building inside of her. This list right here, justified everything she was doing. If STAR could prevent this, prevent these kinds of things by taking the invasion to them, and eliminating the threat before it becomes one, then it was worth it.

 

She looked around to many of the other ponies that had came to the memorial... She saw what she could only presume to be a mother and her filly sobbing in front of a section of the names. She could only presume that somewhere on that list of names was the father. She approached the couple and she spoke. "I will never be able to understand the pain of your loss... but I am sorry that I couldn't do more to prevent it. I did all I could... but..." she said trying to hold back her own emotions looking to the wall of names. "It just wasn't enough... I can make you this promise though... The days of whomever did this are numbered, and I can also promise that something like this will never happen again. I will personally make sure of that," she told them resting a bouquet that she had brought in front of them before turning to the wall. "I am sorry for your loss."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 148
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Raven had come to the Crystal Empire for personal reasons, but had decided to tour the area. It was a beautiful city to her unspoiled eyes, but even she could pick up on the currents of sadness that ran through sections of the city. She was curious, following one of the metaphorical threads to find what seemed to be a memorial. Gazing at it, Raven could feel the sense of loss that permiated the air around it, and noticed several grieving ponies nearby.

 

Raven began to wander around the memorial, her head down as she tried to think of what she could do to help the survivors. Soon, however, she bumped into somepony, and raised her head slowly, starting to speak. "I'm so sorry, I was lost in..." She began, before her head whipped up as she realized who it was. It was the one who had invited her to STAR, the one who organized it, who led it... "Ma'am!" She let out in surprise, a little louder than she intended...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

 

 

 

Ice Storm was deep within her own thoughts about the events that had transpired here. The sight of everypony around called to her. This entire part of the empire was filled with the looming sense of sadness and it rankled her. Every day she would think back to that day and wondered if there was anything that she could have done differently to try to get more out. what if she could have made it deeper into the spire? She might have been able ti stabilize it with her magic! that would have been a big might though... and if she tried that and failed... no pony would have gotten out. No, she did everything that she possible could in that situation to save lives. It was just unfortunate that for the names that were on this wall... it just wasn't enough. A few tears fell from the corner of her eyes as she turned away. She may have been one of the lucky ones that didn't loose any friends or family in the disaster, but she felt the weight of all of these ponies bearing down upon her. She was so wrapped up in her own emotions that she didn't even notice the mare walk in front of her as they collided, "Offf," she said from the impact, more startling than anything. 

 

The other mare spoke first starting to apologize and saying that she was lost in before she faded out and addressed her, rather loudly as ma'am. Ice Storm looked at the mare and she immediately recognized her. She was one of her agents. Well, she was one of her agents when missions called for it. Out here they were ponies first unless something happened that they needed to spring into action. Ice shook her head. "At ease, Raven. Out here, we aren't soldiers," she said as she turned around and looked at the memorial. "Right now, we aren't even important. Especially not me... I was here for this. I personally took part in this fight, and I had to watch as the old spire fell... The names on that wall... The names of everypony I couldn't get out. Every single pony on that list is a pony that I couldn't save... In a perfect world, there would only be one name on that list. Mine," she said to the mare next to her.

 

"Look around... This... This is what we aim to prevent... so that no pony has to feel the suffering that any of these families are now going through. This fight... this battle, this loss... is what turned me into the mare I am today. This is why I made what I did..." she said with a sigh. "However, like I said, we're not soldiers at the moment, we're ponies, and even when we're fighting, I still expect us to be ponies. I don't want to become the monsters that were responsible for something like this..." she said as she turned to the mare once more, regaining control over her emotions, and giving a faint smile to the mare. "With that in mind, my actual name is Ice Storm. It's a pleasure to meet you outside of the agency, even if you've caught me at one of my lower points," she added. She might have control now, but the tear stained fur under her eyes made it obvious she had cried while she was here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven listened closely, a frown on her face as she heard Ice's words. She wanted to hug Ice, but at the same time, wanted to slap her upside the head. Finally, softly she spoke. "Ice... I... I can't begin to pretend that I understand what you feel, but I do know this. There's one part of what you said that's just stupid... In a perfect world, this memorial wouldn't be needed. Your life is not worth less than theirs, and yeah, you couldn't save them, but honestly ask yourself, did you do everything you could of done during that time, acting on your knowledge at that time, to help them?" Her voice had gained a steely edge to it, a conviction that she was right. She knew what it was like to feel guilt like this, after all, she often blamed herself for her parents disappearance, but she didn't want to see others in pain.

 

After taking a deep, calming breath, Raven spoke in a much gentler tone. "Sorry, it... It just sounded like you might throw yourself completely into this, not caring about anything other than the mission... Anyway, I think this is something better discussed with food, and a decent drink, if you want to talk to me that is... You would have to pick the place, though. This is my first time in the Empire..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

Ice Storm listened as she heard the mare speak up, starting off with how she wasn't going to pretend that she understood how she felt, but she said that there was one part that she felt was stupid. She said in a perfect world, the memorial wouldn't be needed because no one would have been lost. That was true, in a sense, but at the same time, it wasn't about who's life was more important. It was about protecting others, and being willing to do so through any means. She then brought up the same questions that Ice had been asking herself the past few years. Did she really do everything that she could have done to try to save them? She still wasn't completely convinced herself of her own answer. "At the time, I believe so. At the same time though, I was so blindsided about getting the princess, who was unconscious, and the other group of ponies around me out... I never really stopped to consider the rest of the ponies in the spire or if there was any possible way for me to prevent the collapse itself," she admitted. She did what she could to the best of her knowledge.

 

"When I'm on a mission, then I will focus on the mission, but at the same time, I will never leave a pony behind. Everypone leaves, everypony goes home. That, is how I work," she replied once again as she heard Raven mention that something like this would be much better discussed over food and a decent drink, if she wanted to talk to her that was. "Now what kind of talk is that!? Of course I'd wanna talk you! Why wouldn't I? Come! we shall find a place that is good together. I'm not very familiar with much of anything here either. I've only been here once myself, and I spent most of it in the hospital after the fight... so your guess about what might be good here as good as mine..." she said with a sheepish smile...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven nodded as she listened to Ice. "I... I see. Alright, not a problem. I'm sure if we head towards another section of the city, we can ask somepony... and hey, Ice... I'm really sorry for taking that harsh tone... I've just kinda been there before, that mindset of it being all my fault... of feeling guilt that nothing can get rid of... I've not really been good at this kinda thing since... since my parents, well, disappeared... Yeah... really need that drink now..." She hadn't meant to get so... heavy with her own history, it had just kinda slipped out, and now she was the one looking sheepish, even as her voice trailed off.

 

To save face, she picked a direction at completely random and pointed it out. "Let's go that way, that sounds good, right?" There was a bit of nervousness in her voice and step as she headed off, worry leaping to the forefront of her thoughts at how she had rambled on. To be honest, perhaps if she knew why she had been picked to join STAR she would be calmer, but all she could think about was how her past had made her a mess. She hadn't done anything impressive, after all. Was it just because of her legacy, of her parents? She had to know, but didn't want to risk pointing out how she didn't fit...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

Ice Storm listened as the mare next to her spoke as they left the memorial. It really was time for her to leave the place anyways. The more she would have stayed there, the more agitated and upset she would have became herself. When she heard Raven apologize for a harsh tone she kind of raised her eyebrow a bit. That was her being harsh? she thought to herself. It wasn't a bad thing by any means, but it definitely wasn't harsh. Just simply on point with what she felt. She remained silent as the mare continued though, dropping a hint that she as well, lost her parents at a very young age. Something that was getting to be all too common. Hopefully not for much longer. When she suggested a direction Ice nodded and she followed.

 

"That is one thing that I can honestly say that I know how you feel about. I'm still just into adulthood myself and already my own life has been a complicated mess, that started, when I was but a filly. The spire is just one of many things to add to a list of things that have gone wrong. It is however, what turned me into the mare I am today and gave me the desire to protect others. Before that I was just a humble little shop owner. I still own all or my store fronts, but sadly I can't be as active with them as I would like to be anymore," she said to unicorn next to her. "Heck, honestly if it wasn't for these..." she said pointing to her necklace. "That's probably all I'd still be. I was strong, but no where near capable of making a difference like I feel I can now," she said as she looked at some of the places that were apparent eateries. "Hmm..... Should we ask somepony around what's good here? Like I said, I've only been here once myself and don't remember much of anything after the fight."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven stared at the necklace, noting how the orbs that had once floated around Ice were now bound in it... They looked amazing, and Raven could only dream of what it was like to have something boosting you like that. Then she remembered what Ice had said. "If there has been one thing I've learned as I've wandered Canterlot is that it doesn't really matter how strong you are, just how you use it... and yeah, that sounds good." 

 

She looked around at the restaurants,  and after asking some ponies nearby, decided on one. It was really odd, she didn't know how to feel about this... Ice seemed to struggle with self-doubt and worry, just like Raven herself was. It was... interesting, and to be frank a little scary. She had all these fantasies about what it would be like to serve in the REA, and while STAR wasn't like it, she had expected a similar concept, and never really thought about how her CO would feel...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

"That is true. There is a lot of ways you can shape the power that you have, but i still felt like there was only so much that I could do. Canterlot is a unique city in that there is a lot of different ways a pony can have power there. Either in status, strength, or wealth, and all of them are equally as dangerous if you upset the wrong pony. Take Upper Crust for example. Not many listen to her anymore, but she used to be one of the nobles that could destroy a business just by opening her mouth," Ice told Raven as they asked a few of the locals what was a good place for food here. Deciding on one they moved up to it and was seated.

 

"That being said, I know I got a lot of information on you from your files, but paper only conveys part of what actually happened and what went on in a filly's or a mare's life. Tell me a little bit about yourself, and your family. I know your family has a long history with the REA. I'm interested to hear what you take on everything is," Ice stated questioningly. She wasn't hoping for a full bio or a recap of what happened in her past. If she lost her parents at a young age she didn't want her to relive those, she just simply wanted to know what her views on things were. She wanted to know her as a pony, and not as whatever the documents on file said about her. Just because you know about the pony, doesn't mean you know the pony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven cocked her head to the side in confusion. She was trying to figure out what Ice wanted her to say, afraid that the wrong words would get her kicked out of STAR. She burried her head into the menu to buy some time, but finally, she sighed. "There's not much to say...i suppose I could start with the fact that I know my destiny is to help others, to protect them... The reason I am not I  the REA is... well, they would put me in a desk job, but not on the frontline. They claim that they couldn't trust my casting ability..." 

 

Raven finally decided on something to eat, and ordered a pitcher of cider,  before resuming. "It was really draining that day, when I woke up in the hospital, but it gave me a new purpose, to learn how to cast around my... disfigurement. I've learned a lot about magic sense then, and I figure I wouldn't have to worry about losing focus in the field..." 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice Storm waited for a bit for the mare to start speaking to her. The delay and watching her look into the menu, and then the sigh. She was nervous. It made Ice a bit uncomfortable. Would she be this intimidating outside of the world of star? Yes she ran out, but she still wanted to be the mare that anyone could approach. She didn't want to be seen as an oppressive type. Then Raven started, stating that she knew that her destiny was to help others, but the reason she didn't join the REA was because of her horn. Ahh... That's right, perhaps I can help her like I'm looking into helping Tempest... she thought to herself. She wasn't going tho bring anything up though. The last thing she wanted was to get somepony's hopes up and not be able to deliver. Still though, she had some ideas. 

 

Raven then told her about what bit she remembered about that day. That she woke up in the hospital and it was really draining. She could imagine. She liked that the mare could take something negative and attempt to make it somewhat positive. There were a few things she did that with herself. "It's always good when you can turn a negative into a positive. The fact that you cast differently than other unicorns means you're harder to counter. And if you want some help with owning more advanced stuff, is tall to Tempest. I'm sure she'd be willing to show you a few things. As far as focus goes... A battlefield is constantly changing, so being able to change your focus and gameplan on the fly. And that's not from CO to a soldier, that's from mare to mare. Out here, I'm not the commander. I'm just a pony. Just like anypony else," she said as she looked over her menu. "I don't even know how to pronounce half of these..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven bit her lip, just barely managing to hold back a retort about how it didn't matter, Ice was still her CO, but she knew that was the wrong way to approach this. "Actually, regarding the whole... focus thing, I'm actually here to look into making a spell focus for myself... I... I took a mutual friend of ours, the one who's spent a lot of time here, into my home for a bit, and he suggested using crystals from here to store whatever enchantments would be necessary. You know what, I think hearing about your... necklace's beads... would be helpful, might give me an idea where to start..."

 

She looked down at the table, the beginnings of an excited smile crossing her face. Magic was a passion of hers, one she may never had found had it not been for her accident. Ice was right about how she had turned the cracks from being a disadvantage into an advantage. She'd learned to weave spells, instead of just casting them, something that normally took both more power and time spent learning magic. She was starting to warm up a little to Ice, but was still afraid of getting her chance at her destiny ripped away from her, and it showed in how stiff she was at times...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

The mention that she had brought Sombra into her home for a bit was one that did not go unnoticed by the blue unicorn. In fact it piqued her interest quite a bit. However, she wasn't naive or insensitive enough to bring up his name or anything that could be remotely associated with him here in the Empire. Based on her previous meetings with Luna, she could still confirm that Sombra was something that the Crystal Ponies here feared, and with good reason. However, plus, everything here was different than what happened with Luna. They were banished with Sombra. Everypony here was subject to his will at some point so everything, the physical, emotional, and mental trauma that was present from his very name was still very real. She was at least a bit happier to see that the mare in front of her was starting to crack a smile.

 

What she mentioned though, when she talked about having Sombra in her home though, was something that could help her focus her magic better. She further went about hearing about her own beads would be helpful in that regard. Ice nodded. "Unfortunately, I'm not the one that made the orbs themselves but I did play a role in making the necklace for them. The Opalus Spheres were made but apparently a group of mages from a friend of mine, and they were made using my Aether. They are Aetherically bonded to me. I do know that because of that they are specifically attuned to amplify Ice and cold magic. I made this necklace for them so that I could house the Orbs in it when they weren't being used. They still channel their energy into me and whenever I need them, I can easily just activate the necklace to release them, like so," she said as the orbs broke away and orbited very close to her as to not draw any more attention then needed. After a few seconds, they returned into the necklace.

 

"I've also been speaking with Princess Luna on a few matters of magic. Similarly, a way to help the other casters out in my ranks. I can't go into full details of what we've been discussing because well, I don't want to get hopes up in case of what we're planning doesn't work, but there's a couple of ponies that really stand to benefit from what I'm trying to accomplish. Aside from that though, that's all I can honestly say about the orbs, cause I don't know how they were made.. However, I do know they have one major drawback to them. If one of them is every broken, and not inside my new armor... it can cause an explosion of ice that will... yeah, I don't think I need to finish that, they are as deadly as they are beneficial. Thankfully Swift Squall said that they've been strengthened to the point to where they could withstand three hours of straight dragonfire. I pray that he just wasn't hyping them up and they are more brittle than realized," she commented as a waitress came by. "A Strawberry soda please, and.... a number five... I can't pronounce it, but it sounds good," she ordered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven couldn't keep the excitement off of her face as Ice releashed her... Opalus Spheres. She was giddy as well when she heard they were bound to Ice's natual magic. Something like that would help her... but Ice didn't know how they were made, just something about a team of mages, while Raven was trying to make a focus on her own. Shd tried to keep the disappointment out her voice, but failed to completly remove it. "I... I see, so they give you a boost to certain types of magic, the ones in which you're naturally aligned. But, on the flipside, they're highly volatile, causing a wide area of damage if destroyed..." 

 

Raven sat in silence for awhile after that, long enough for their food to arrive. It wasn't until the 3rd or so bite that she realized something. "Maybe... maybe you could describe what it's like to use them? That would give me a direction to start in as far as what enchantments to look into..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Yes, that is correct. I'm sure most focuses would have a similar effect with being tied to a magic that you are connected with and amplifying that specific type of magic. I don't know if all of them are as volatile as these are, or if it's just because there are four of them that causes them to be so destructive when damaged. I don't think we have to worry about that too much though, cause they have to get close to me to break these. That's not happening on the battle field, plus I can control their orbit radius or just pull them back," she said as their good arrived and she began to eat.

 

When she heard Raven ask is she could describe what out was like to use them, Ice Storm smiled. "Actually, if we can find a practice hall or perhaps an area of the Empire designed for arcane practice, then I can show you what it's like. I can't put them on you persay, but you could lessen a little bit about how they work. I know that when I cast from them, the aether bond can be seen channeling from all four at once," she replied.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven nodded absently, disappointment on her face before it quickly turned to excitement. Smiling the biggest smile she'd had since meeting Ice here, she struggled to not put too much volume into her voice. Here was her chance, to prove to her commander that she was capable of fulfilling her destiny. "Wait, I just had an awesome idea! We could spar! I mean, I don't remember if the file said anything about my training, and if it did, it was a long time ago... but I did just spend a week going back through my routines, familiarizing myself with what my mom had taught me." 

 

Raven's food was forgotten as she waited egearly for Ice's answer, while she looked to be almost ready to race out to the... She didn't know where, actually. Maybe the Crystal guard training grounds? "We might be able to use the Crystal Guard's training grounds, I mean, you're probably known to them, and they might've heard of House Dupone... Oh, I'll need to run by my hotel, you know, grab a few things."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EelWvW1.png

 

Ice Storm wasn't so sure if sparring was such a good idea or not. Ice was still learning where the threshold was on her own magic, and she didn't want to accidentally hurt somepony by accidentally going much harder than intended. Ice didn't want to immediately shoot it down though because she could see the excitement that formed in Raven's eyes. She didn't want her to get that excited just to tell her no. She added that she didn't remember what the file had said about her training, and to be honest Ice didn't remember either. However, the Dupone house according to records were always pretty well trained so she doubted that this mare was a slouch by any means. She mentioned that they might even be able to use the guard training grounds. That they probably knew herself and They had probably at least heard of the Dupone name.

 

"Even if they haven't I'm sure I can get us into the training grounds. I'm not really super well known up in this region, though apparently many of the guards remembered me from, well... the incident, and through a technicality, I am a part of the Lunar Guard now as well, and answer directly to Luna herself. I've even started training with her recently to further advance my own techniques, and learn things that they've faced so I know how to counter them. I'm still learning a majority of it, and there's a lot of overall tactical combat training as well. I will say this, Princess Luna is a tactical genius. If I can plan strategies even as remotely as good as her for a mission, then there's no reason we should ever lose anyone. Not with Tempest as my second in command and being the mastermind that she is as well," Ice commented as she slurped some of the soup that came with the meal.

 

When she heard that Raven would have to stop by her hotel, Ice nodded. "Take all the time that you need. Normally  I'd have to as well in the future, but my armor is still in it's finishing stages. It should be ready by the time I get back to Canterlot. Then I can really start training hard. So for today, I'll just be training with my armor of ice today. It's now where near as durable as my new stuff, but still gets the job done. I will warn you though, I'm still very much getting used to the power spike, so you will have to tell me when I'm getting too agressive. I don't want to accidentally hurt somepony by getting to aggressive without realizing it," she spoke. She wasn't going to tell Raven no, but she had to make sure Raven was aware of what she could be stepping into.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven smiled as she dug into her food faster, eager to show her abilities. When Ice mentioned not being used to her new power levels, Raven almost smirked. "You don't have to worry too much about me, ma'am." She said, her tone clearly showing that she was being playful. "I'm more durable than I look, and besides, sparing like this is one of the quickest ways to get used to throwing spells at the right strength... or something like that, it's been a long while since Mom trained me..." Raven's tone dropped towards the end, but still was mostly upbeat.

 

As Raven finished up her food, she thought of something. "Oh, I should probably mention I applied to join the Twilight Guard, though I don't know if I'll get in. I'm sure, however, if I do, we could approach Princess Twilight if we needed to... I mean, she's been helping Equestria for how long, right?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice was relieved a bit when she was told that she didn't have to worry to much about Raven. Still the worry was there. Ice knew there was a power gap, and she didn't want to hurt the mare. The fact that she was more durable many she could push her normal magic though. At the very least during the sparring session, she would leave her orbs in the necklace. “At the very least keep it in the back of your mind,” she told Raven as she left the bits on the table and they moved to the exit of the cafe. The foods, despite begging unpronounceable was quite tasty


When Raven brought up the fact that she was becoming a member of the Twilight guard, she nodded. “The willingness to be able to do something like that pleases me. After all. If they fall Equestria as we know it falls. However, I must say… do not bring STAR up to Princess Twilight. I don't think Twilight will be as understanding and as willing tho support STAR as Princess Luna was. Speaking of, we have the full backing of Princess Luna. She'll help us when she can,” she replied, waiting for Raven to lead the way too her hotel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven nodded, a serious look on her face. "I... I understand. I just thought with how much of a hero... Ah, that's actually the problem, isn't it... That's great about Princess Luna though. Means we have an ally." She said as she began threading her way through the city, her hotel close to the new spire.

 

As they were walking, a thought struck her, and she appeared worried by it. "What... What are we going to do if my duties conflict? I mean, my loyalty ultimately is with Equestria, I'm pretty sure I made that clear before, but what if I can't decide and STAR is the guard's enemy... or you need me when I'm supposed to be on duty..." 

 

Soon, they were outside Raven's hotel, and she started to head in. "I just need to grab a case, won't take long..." With that she shot up to her room, grab the case, and was back, a cheesy smile on her face. This time, she let Ice lead, thinking of how lucky Raven was to have somepony like her in Raven's life, somepony who could help her fulfill her dreams...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice listened again as Raven spoke. It at first she wondered why telling Twilight would be a bad idea. As she spoke though she stayed to answer her own question. Ice nodded. “As much as I love Twilight, she is a closer friend of mine, and she's actually the one that taught me how to control the orbs… I cannot trust her with the existence of STAR. Being the princess of friendship… as well as her and her friends being the bearers of the elements… I fear she's been blinded by the right that friendship can solve every problem, and that when friendship isn't enough… they can deal with it then. By then though it's usually too late and damage that could have been prevented with swift action has already been done,” she spoke of the princess. “Not to downplay the importance of friendship, and a lot of times it does work. Others the only thing that works is a swift kick in the flank to remind others that we won't be taking the threats or invasion lightly anymore,” she finished on the matter.


When she brought up potential conflicts Ice nodded. “STAR will never get to a point where it is an enemy of Equestria. I've sworn an oath of loyalty directly to Princess Luna herself. If there is something that will require the immediate full force response of STAR, I'm sure Luna could pull some strings. Plus if it's that dire, Twilight's guard would be there to. When I'm not commanding STAR, I am a member of the Lunar Guard after all. But severe threats to Equestria come above all. The post doesn't matter if there's no post to guard,” she spoke as the mare supplied into the hotel and then back out. Ice nodded and started to lead her to where the training grounds would be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven nodded a bit as she walked, understanding dawning in her. "I... I see, She refuses to see that sometimes other solutions are needed." She said in a gentle tone, mostly to herself. "It's not a bad idea, but there are some threats that require quick and decisive force." 

 

As they walked, Raven carried the case with her family's armor in it nearby, her magic flaring every now and then, causing the aura around the armor to flicker. She smiled as they walked though, used to this effect of her disability. "I do have to admit though, my training is woefully incomplete... I had my accident before my mother thought I was ready to move to using weapons, so I never moved past hoof-to-hoof combat..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice was happy to see that Raven seemed to understand where she was coming from in regards to Twilight. She would never talk down any princess, but knowing Twilight, there were somethings that she didn't think that she would understand. She was a very logical pony, but that never meant that the logic was always sound. It also seemed that she was able to alleviate some of the worries that she had about possible conflictions as she didn't bring them up again. She did however bring up the fact that her training was woefully incomplete. that her accident occurred before she had moved on to weapons training, and up to that point her mother hadn't been sure she was ready yet.

 

"Well then, we'll have to see where you stand then. While knowing how to use a weapon is important, it's not essential. I myself have very little weapons training, but that doesn't make me any less lethal. I'm a combat mage, and I know enough weapon training through telekinesis that I can keep an attacker away while I let my magic do the work. To put simply, don't try to force yourself down a single path. Let your ability take you down the path that it chooses," she told her as one of the guards stopped her at the entrance for the grounds.

 

"I'm sorry, this is a... Oh, Miss Storm. It's nice to see that you've recovered. Last time any of the guard here saw you, you were still healing," the guard told her.

 

"Indeed I was, but I'm no longer the same mare that was here that day," she said tapping the small insignia on her necklace. One that a pony would miss at a glance but could easily see if pointed out. "We're here to use the training facilities, and I would request a private area for it."

 

The guard looked at the necklace and then back to her. "The Lunar Guard? A bit far north don't you think, and you aren't in the armor," He started.

 

"That's because my armor is still being made, and I'm on leave. It should be ready for me to pick up by the time I'm back in Canterlot. Plus, I have full access to any training Facility I choose from being an agent of EPIC. At least a few of them need to know how to fight. If you have any questions, I would implore you to ask the Princess of the Night herself. She's the one that put in the order for my custom armor," she countered. The guard nodded and stood to the side.

 

"I can't guarantee privacy, this is a public ground, but I can advise others to give space." he told her.

 

"That's good. I wouldn't want to accidentally hurt someone. As I said, I'm not the same mare I used to be..." she said lifting her hoof to ally Raven to enter before her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raven smiled at the guard, happy they weren't turned away. "Well, the thing is, House Dupone has a unique style of fighting, which extends to utilizing swords. It's actually seems like explosive force, captured in a flowing river. Once I know how to wield a sword, I can start integrate it into my hoof-to-hoof. Magic's good, but it can be countered, or focus can be broken. Your body will continue to fight as long as you continue to fight..." Raven said as she walked in, her tone shifting to almost a lecture like tone, the lesson clearly hammered into her.

 

She located a ring nearby, and headed over to it, setting her case nearby. She started to put on her armor, each peice seeming to change her personality. Each piece seemed to drain out her excitement and joy, and made her a proud warrior. She stood tall as she strapped on the chest plate, no helmet in sight. She wore an almost cocky grin, one that spoke of conviction and self-confidence. "Ready?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ice Storm heard what Raven said, that the Dupone fighting style figured swords into the equation and when done right can wield them with explosive force while still being able to flow like a river. She added that magic was good, but magic could be countered, or focus could be broken. This wasn't entirely inaccurate, but it was also why she specialized her magic the way she did. “That’s why I'm happy I'm gifted with ice magic. You might be able to counter the arcane bolts from a mage like twilight, but when I start raining from the heavens, I'm raining razor sharp stalactites of Ice from the sky. It's very hard to counter a magic that crafts a physical entity because most magic isn't designed to do that,” she commented


When she watched as Raven dawned her armor, she smiled and stepped into the ring. As she did, the orbs dislodged themselves from her necklace and her own armor of ice instantly morphed around her. She could see the ferocity in her eyes. The kind of fire that she wanted from a soldier. Her own armor nothing overly flashy and perhaps not something a commander would normally be seen in. The fact that it took no effort for her to make this though some volumes about her strength. “This armor isn't anywhere near the strength of the armour that's being crafted, but will have to do for now…” she said as the orbs began to orbit above her at great speed. When Raven asked if she was ready, she nodded. “Ready when you are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...