HOME | DD

Description

  After a few weeks of medical leave for the large scar on her back, Rosie Quartz was more than ready to get back to work. As ordered, she had the wound checked by a doctor, and had the stitches removed before she was given the okay to resume her duty. Rosie arrived at the gates of the castle just as the sun was starting to rise, knowing how long it traditionally takes to be briefed on everything she missed over the last few weeks. The Night Guards guarding the entrance gave her a weary glance as she walked past them. There was a bit of tension still lingering in the air, given the events that happened that lead to Rosie’s injury and her being put on leave.

  During a heated argument that led to a spar with a fellow Eclipse member, Garrett Flint, Rosie had lost her temper and almost killed the guard with an attack from her crystals, sending all of the guard witnessing the event into a panicked frenzy. Garrett dodged the attack with ease and with the illusion, distracted Rosie enough to deliver a blow on her back, damaging her magic armor and then declaring himself the winner. The thought of his pompous grin made Rosie’s blood boil. But as she approached the General’s office, she was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw a familiar figure already standing at the door. The tan fur and long leonine tail with a pink tuft on the end was hard to mistake.

Rosie: …. Father? What are you doing here?

Jasper: *ears perk before turning* R-Rosalind? What… You should be on medical leave!

Rosie: *raises an eyebrow* I was on Medical Leave for the past few weeks. The doctor says I’m fit enough to go back to work… What are you doing here?

Jasper: I was…… Tch.. *goes to Rosie and puts his hands on her arms* Rose, please reconsider going back. You were severely injured, there is no shame calling it quits now while you still--

Rosie: *pushes him off* No, I’m not just going to quit! Ponies get injured all the time, a couple of my closest friends were on medical leave for months and now they are back and they were injured way more then me. I’m not a wimp!

Jasper: This isn’t the time to let your pride get in the way of doing the right thing! After what happened, it is not a good idea to continue being in the guard..

Rosie: *scoffs* What do you know about anything? It was just a scratch, you have come home with plenty of scars, before you wussed out and quit like a coward..! *pointing at the scar on Jasper’s face*

Jasper: *grabs Rosie’s hand* I’m not talking about that! …. *looks around and sees others staring at a distance. He lowered his voice to a whisper* ….. I know what YOU did. What you almost did to that boy…

Rosie: *ears spring up* How did… Tch.. Pierce blabbed to you, didn’t he? That bastard..

Jasper: That’s not the point! You could have killed him, Rose. You promised me you weren’t going to use those powers.. A-and now every pony knows..! You can’t stay here in the guard, you need to come home before this gets out of hand!

Rosie: *scoffs* Why, so you can make me marry Mystic? Are you so desperate for money and power? Or do you really hate me that much that you want to ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for..

Jasper: *ears fold back, his face expression softened* .. I don’t hate you Rose, I’ve never hated you. Everything I’ve ever done was to help and protect you..! Stop being stubborn and listen to me for once! *his face getting angry again* ..It seems the only time you do listen is when I use force… We are going home. Now! *gripping Rosie’s wrist tight*

Rosie: *ears spring up as she tried to pull away* Hey! You can’t make me do anything, you old fart! Let go of me!

Crow: I don’t recall inviting you back on these grounds, Jasper… You best have a good reason.

  Having waited for Rosie to come to her office by now, Crow had come out after hearing the argument. Staring them both down, Crow shot cold glances to the surrounding guards who were eavesdropping, making them turn away sharply and pay attention to their tasks at hand.

Crow: I was wondering what was keeping you, Quartz.. We have important business to discuss.

Jasper: *growls* Demetrius… I am taking my daughter ho- Erk!

Rosie: *twists and pulls her arm out of Jasper’s grip forcefully* Mmph! Yes Ma’am! *as she slips pass the General and into her office*

Jasper: *fluffs up* Rosalind! Get back here this instance!

Crow: That’s enough from you. Now leave, or I can arrange to have you escorted out…! I don’t have time to hear you complain to me, as usual..

Jasper: You are making a mistake! You can’t possibly be this dense, Demetrius! Someone like her has no place in the guard! *pointing at Rosie*

Crow: *steps closer, growling low* I have to disagree on that… I know EXACTLY what kind of pony your daughter is… And I know how to handle it.. Unlike you. Now go, Jasper…! I won’t ask again.. *horn sparks and crackles with magic*

Jasper: *flinches a little and growls* You are such a fool.. You have no idea what you are doing and you are going to get her and other ponies killed because of it! And that blood will be on your hands, not mine! *as he turns to leave*

Crow: *snorts* Spoken like a coward… *turns to go into her office* Give Starling my regards. I look forward to seeing you at the Gala…! *mutters to herself, but Rosie can hear her* Cotton-candy hair bastard…

Jasper: *storms off and leaves the Castle grounds, grumbling* Narrow-minded hag has no place being a General.. *grumble grumble grumble*

Rosie: *lets out a sigh* What a rough start on my first day back, hehehe. It is good to see you again, General! *with a salute*

Crow: *looks up* Ah, yes.. It is good to see you too. And recovered well, as I’m told. You should have no trouble settling back in…. I hope.

Rosie: *smiles wide* Yes, ma’am! I am ready and eager to get back to my training and continue my assignments! … Was any progress made during my absence? I want to jump right back on the missing pony case as soon as possible and find those bastards responsible!

Crow: *sighs, ears folding back* Unfortunately, no.. Trails have started to go cold… And while we did manage to get SOMETHING from Epsilon, it turned out to only lead to a dead end.. A good few weeks wasted.. *hisses lightly*

Rosie: *ears fold back* That is.. Unfortunate. But I’ll be a fresh pair of eyes! *ears twitch* … Have you talked to Beta Squad? Before our spar, those two said they had information, but they weren’t willing to share with me.. *with a growl*

Crow: Oh yes, we had a very lovely chat about that.. *drops a folder onto her desk for Rosie to look* Here is the file you squabbled over. Locations of possible interest for kidnapping sites… All large cities, very packed.. Would be hard to notice some pony going missing, don’t you think..?

Rosie: *ears twitch as she picked up the folder and flipped through it* … This is it? This is the information they had?! *eyes twitches as her horn gives off a spark* ….. Those fucking bastards…

Crow: Hardly anything to start a fight over.. *squints at Rosie* And if you burst shards through my office floor, I will deal with you myself…. *horn crackles and sparks*

Rosie: *squeaks and calms her horn* Eep! S-sorry, I mean yes, ma’am! I u-understand! *looks to the side and sweats a little*

Crow: *huffs* Good… *looks at the file* I will say, I had similar feelings about the whole thing after looking over the file… The one thing I can’t stand more than traitors is infighting… It’s the one thing that’ll break the Eclipse if we don’t start pulling together again after that attack.. *ears twitch* Which is why, I’ve decided to pair yours, and Flint’s squads to work closer together to find information..

Rosie: EEEEY?! You can't be serious! I can’t work with that pompous, good for nothing, CHEATING bastard! That little twink can go shove his pig nose up my ass for all I’m concerned, General!

Crow: *raises an eyebrow* And that kind of attitude is exactly why I made this choice.. You two fought over a few location names, for some petty bet..! We can’t afford things like this to be reasons why no one can work together. So you can either make friends, or you can turn in your badges… Both of you. *eyes narrow*

Rosie: *ears fold back and whimpers* Hrmm… Like hell I’m going to be kicked out over something this stupid.. I’ll work with him, if that is what you wish, General… *with a grumble*

Crow: *snorts* Good… Then you’re already showing more brains and cooperation than your father… I don’t want history to repeat itself, understand..?

Rosie: *snorts* Yes, ma’am…

Crow: *nods* Now then… There was one more thing I wanted to discuss with you while I have you alone.. But first..

Crow’s horn gave off an odd glow before her aura stretched to cover the entire interior of the office. A magical seal appeared on the door, chains rolling across as if to lock it up tight.

Crow: There.. No interruptions and no eavesdropping.

Rosie: *fluffs up and swallows hard* W-what is this about? Why the extra security?

Crow: It’s more for your own discretion.. In case you hadn’t noticed, quite a few guards have been on edge since you arrived. *ears fold back* Because of your little spar, most of the Eclipse is shook to the core after seeing your…. Crystalmancy…

Rosie: *ears fold back* Why? Because they think I’m going to go rogue like King Sombra? You know that I’m loyal to you and the Princesses, General. I would never..!

Crow: I don’t suspect you of treason, Quartz, but not every pony thinks the same as me. Crystalmancy is too unpredictable of an ability, and not too many ponies have been seen using it for quite some time. To see one now is beyond scary for some…. And seeing Jasper’s reaction to you coming back only confirmed the fact you don’t know how to control it that much either..

Rosie: *ears twitch and grimace* … I can control it just fine! And I’m getting stronger everyday. I just need to hold back more when doing spars I guess. If this is about me trashing up the sparring room, I’ve seen Dasher set plenty of training dummies on fire.. *with a pout*

Crow: This is about how you nearly impaled a fellow guard!

Rosie: A-any normal pony would have dodged that attack! He was trying to bait me and distract me! And he’s the one who damaged my armor, why isn’t he--

Crow: And you took the bait! You let your anger do the thinking for you, and look what happened! Flint will get his punishment, but we’re not talking about his powers, are we?! *hisses*

Rosie: *ear fold back, her fist clenched* … N-no, ma’am… Are you telling me I’m not allowed to be angry about what happened? To not get offended about what he said about me… That I have Traitor’s blood.. I have worked so hard to make a name for myself and every step of the way I get my father’s mistakes thrown in my face! It’s not fair!

Crow: *shakes her head* Far from it… Be mad if you need, but when you need a level head, I expect you to push aside any grievance you have so you can focus on the real problems in the moment. *horn glows, opening a small portal in the air* That being said, I have a special assignment only you can handle…

Rosie: *ears perk as she looks into the portal before reaching her hand inside* …?!?! G-General?! *as she pulls out an obsidian bomb*

Crow: *points at her* Don’t drop it..!

Rosie: *internal screaming* Mmhmm! W-why am I holding this?! Isn’t it dangerous? *holds the bomb carefully with both hands*

Crow: Oh yes, very dangerous. *closes the portal*

Rosie: MMMMMMM!! Then why am I-- … Wait.. do you hear that?

As the portal closed and the room became silent, Rosie’s ears twitched as she heard a faint but familiar sound: Screaming. The sound of a pony weeping and crying, screaming out in pain and anger. It was subtle but the sound was like nails on a chalkboard and sent chills down her spine. Rosie looked down at the bomb and held it up to her ear and listened.

Rosie: …. It’s.. crying. Where did you get this?

Crow: It was taken from Epsilon after their attack. We have more, but they are kept locked away in the little space you just reached into. *narrows her eyes* What do you mean it’s crying…?

Rosie: *raises an eyebrow* What are you talking about? Can’t you hear that? It’s faded, probably because of this bubble containing the crystal, but definitely sounds like there is a pony trapped in there.. *as she examines the orb carefully* … I wonder how they made this. It seems like a force field of some kind.

Crow: That’s what you are going to find out. *rubs her chin a bit* You might be even more cut out for this than I thought…

Rosie: *stops and looks confused* .. I mean, I did go to college to study magic, b-but so did a lot of other ponies. I didn’t even finish my degree…. Are you sure you want to trust me with something this sensitive?..... In both senses of the word. *as she carefully cradles the bomb*

Crow: Positive. When examining the bombs after the attack, Commander Tempest confirmed that these were not like the ones she used years ago. These bombs have been modified, with the purpose to freeze ponies AND take whatever magic they have, be it unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony… We guessed that such modifications were possibly made by other Crystalmancers.. The fact you can hear what we couldn’t, helps that theory..

Rosie: You can’t hear it? …. I see. I think I understand now. You want me to figure out how they modified the bombs.

Crow: And if possible…. Maybe turn it into something we can use against them… I have no interest in shattering them to pieces, but if we had something remotely as strong, maybe we’d have an advantage against whoever we are facing.

Rosie: *nods* I’ll… do everything in my power. I will probably need a safe space to work, j-just in the worst case scenario. *grimaces*

Crow: *ear twitches as she thinks* I will have to see where it would be suitable… But there’s one more thing I need to ask of you. While you do this assignment, I want you to do what research you can to learn how to control your abilities better, maybe see if you can learn anything new that might help us… *grimaces* There isn’t a lot to go on that doesn’t involve using them the way Sombra did, and try as she may, not even Princess Twilight could wrap her head around the power… But maybe you will have better luck than she did.

Rosie: *tenses up* T-that is a lot of pressure you are putting on me, but I’ll do my best! I uh… have one question though. How am I supposed to do all this research, work on the bombs and continue my training and look for the missing ponies?

Crow: Well…. This side of the investigation is more of a desk job.. *looks to the side*

Rosie: ………… Excuse me?

Crow: I don’t believe I stuttered..

Rosie: Yes, but I believe I misunderstood you.. You can’t possibly be.. re-assigning me to a desk job, right?

Crow: *siiiiigh* I know it doesn’t sound ideal right now, but it’s the safest position for you right now.

Rosie: SAFEST?! I’m holding a bomb!!

Crow: *deadpan stare* You know what I mean…!

Rosie: NO I DON’T! I should be out there in the streets with my Squad, tracking down these bastards! Not stuck behind a desk!

Crow: …… *reaches out to take the bomb from her* ……….. *horn glows before zapping Rosie with small amounts of power*

Rosie: *fluffs up* OW! You bitch! ………… I mean.. Ma’am..

Crow: *zaps her again*

Rosie: OW! Ow! Stop! I… I am not happy with this arrangement! With all due respect, I think that my talents could be more utilized elsewhere.. I don’t reaaaaallly need to do research, if Princess Twilight couldn’t find anything, I doubt I’ll find anything new.. *looks to the side*

Crow: I don’t expect you to be happy about it. But there isn’t anyone else with abilities that even remotely match yours that I can trust with this..! If this assignment even gives a little push in the right direction, it could mean we have better chances at finding those missing ponies and those responsible for taking them. *walks closer* Princess Twilight only tapped into the Dark side of Crystal magic… But every good aspect she failed because she lacks the power to hear and see what you can. *holds up the bomb, the cries only continuing in Rosie’s ears*

Rosie: *ears twitch as she looks at the bomb* …. Hrmm.. I understand. Then I have no choice but to agree…

Crow: *hands over the bomb* It will all amount to something, Quartz…. I believe in your hands, we may have a better chance than we have now.. I will do what I can to assist, and give you more time needed. I just need you to trust me…

Rosie: ...I do trust you, General. I always have. You have my word, I'll do everything in my power to help you..

Crow: Good to hear it… Now here… *holds out a small bag* You can hold onto this while you do your research. The bag is enchanted to reach into a special pocket space where the other bombs are kept. This way it’s not just sitting on your dresser and waiting to roll off.. *raises an eyebrow*

Rosie: *eyes go wide as she takes the back and opens it* …….. You are giving me all of them!?

Crow: Of course not! The bag is simply for your convenience. Call it a Pocket Portal, if you will.. The space that occupies it is simply a back door into where all the others are being kept here in the castle. It’s a safer space to keep them than in your own house…

Rosie: B-but this is going to be in my house.! If this would get in the wrong hands.. This is way more dangerous than just giving me one bomb! Why would you trust me with this?!

Crow: Because you aren't your father…! *ears fold back flat, a somber look on her face* …… Talented as he was, he’d sooner stab me in the back than trust me…. But you aren’t him… If anything you’re better than that…

    Rosie’s cheeks would get a little pink at the complement, as she finally started to calm down. Holding the transparent orb kept secure in Rosie’s arms, Crow noticed that even now, the ominous green swirl mist seemed to disperse and fade. Could it be that Rosie’s crystal magic and the magic that made the bomb are somehow connected?

Rosie: *tail twitching like it wants to wag* Hmm... T-thank you, ma’am! I.. I won’t disappoint you~ *with a smile*

Crow: *watches the mood change and the bomb’s calm activity* …. I’m sure you won’t.. N-now, put that away for now. It’s high time I brought in your new co-squad… *horn glows as she brings down the shield from the room, unlocking the door*

Rosie: *carefully puts the bomb in the back in the bag with the others and closing it* …. I don’t have to worry about shaking this, do I?

Crow: *waves her hand* It’s a portal, so no. It only activates when you open it.

Rosie: *stuffs the bag in one of her leg pouches* Good to know! Hehehe! Alright, I’m ready! I can’t wait to tell Saanvi about this, she’ll flip~

Crow: *grimaces* I wouldn’t speak of this too boldly around others… While yes, I want our faction to cooperate more within the ranks, we still have a traitor issue thanks to Epsilon.. So keep this close…

Rosie: *ears perk* Yes of course. I understand, ma’am.

Crow: *nods and touches her badge* Beta, I require your presence in my office, right away.

Garrett: *over the badge* Yes, General. We will be there right away!

Rosie: *cringes* Oh yeah, I almost forgot…. I still have a few words I like to have with them before I’m willing to work with them…

Crow: Whatever you need to get off your chest, do it now. I won’t tolerate it during your hours…

After a little bit, the Beta squad, the second highest ranking squadron of the Eclipse, made their entrance to General Crow’s office. Upon entry Garrett Flint and Terran stood at attention.

Garrett: *giving a side eye to Rosie before saluting* General Crow, ma’am. What seems to be the matter?

Rosie: *picks up the folder from Crow’s desk and smacks Garrett across the face with it* You lying, punk ass little twink!

Garrett: *fluffs up* Ack! W-what the hell?! *looking at the General*

Crow: *has her back turned a bit, cleaning her nails*

Rosie: *huffs and baps him a few more times* This is all the information you had?! THIS is why you tore threw my suit and STABBED ME?! Where is all the important information you recovered? The pictures of the guys responsible! You are so full of shit!

Terran: *reaches and grabs Rosie’s wrist to stop her* W-We didn’t lie, there are plenty of good leads in there about possible places that correspond to kidnappings in that area.

Rosie: *pulls out a map with red marks all over it* IT’S THE WHOLE FUCKING CITY! You made it sound like you had concrete information!

Garrett: *rubs his head and looks to the side* No, YOU made it seem like we did. You were so desperate for information that you were willing to throw yourself at us to get at it. I knew you Quartz’ were known for you gambling, I figured why not have some fun with it~ …*mumbles* .. Heaven knows you’d probably wouldn’t be so uptight if you actually got laid…

Rosie: HRMM?! You are such a lying sack of shit! You lied to me and then you cheated during the spar!

Garrett: *fluffs up* I did NOT cheat! I beat you fair and square!

Rosie: You damaged my armor!

Garrett: You tried to impale me!

Terran: *sighs and gently pushes them apart* Look, can we just agree that you are both at fault here and put our difference aside? A-and not get in a fist fight in front of the General..!

Garrett: *fluffs up a little and folds his arms* … Fine.

Rosie: *grumbles and looks away* You are so full of shit… But I promised the General that I would work with you.

Garrett: *ears perk* Is that why we are here?

Crow: Yes. Your little show in the training grounds made it painfully clear you all need to learn to cooperate better….. So consider this as one of the Princess’s fruity Friendship Lessons.. *squints her eyes at them* Unless you have a problem with that… *horn sparks*

Terran: *ear twitches* We understand, ma’am. Perhaps working together we can make some real progress…

Garrett: *scoffs* Mmhmmm… But I’m not doing this because of some stupid Friendship Lesson…

Rosie: *glares at Garrett* Sounds like you could use one…

Garrett: *shoots her a glare* ….

Crow: I expect cooperation all around, and no more petty fights. Otherwise, the only thing you’ll be turning into me besides your evidence and notes, will be your badges..! We don’t have time for squabbling like little brats. Do I make myself clear?

All three of them: *in unison* Yes ma’am.

Crow: *snorts* Good. Now out. I have security measures to look over for the Gala coming up… *grimaces* Always fun arranging things for a party we don’t need in this place…

  The three guards took their leave and walked together to the training grounds. The floor that was previously damaged by their spar weeks ago had been repaired since then. Now that the sun was higher in the sky, more Day Guards had begun pouring in and started their daily prep for their shifts. Among them, Saanvi was taking part in morning exercises as usual, doing push-ups and squats before going for a run around the training grounds. As the three got closer, Saanvi caught sight of them, her tail wagging before she ran up to Rosie to give her a hug.

Saanvi: Rosie! I forgot you were coming in today! I thought you were just sleeping in and didn’t hear me leave the apartment, heheheh!

Rosie: *hugs her back* I told you I was last night, silly! I wanted to come in early so that the General could update me on everything that happened while I was gone….. As well as clear the air about some other things… *as she turns and glares at Terran and Garrett*

Garrett: *waves and winks at Saanvi* Hey there cutie!

Saanvi: …….. *whips out her baton and turns it on*

Terran: *sweats a little and holds his hands up* Hold on, Crow gave us orders to work with you two. We are here to help with the missing ponies case..

Garrett: *gives Rosie a side eye* I guess we are going to be working pretty intimately with each other from here on out~ *with a grin*

Rosie: *scoffs and throws the folder she was still holding at his face, papers flying* I’d rather sit on a cactus then work with you.. I have more important things to do with my time then deal with a pompous asshole like you!

Garrett: *griiiins* Hey, it’s your badge then, not mine~

Saanvi: *ears perk* Wait, what?! We have to work with these jerks or lose our jobs?! *tail frizzes up*

Garrett: *smirks* Pretty much! You have to play nice with me, or I’ll tell the General you aren’t taking part of her stupid Friendship lesson, and it’s back to Saddle Arabia to you--

Terran: *steps in front of Saanvi* Flint, cut it out.. Crow said we need to all work together, not just them with us. We aren’t making nearly enough headway on our own so give it a rest already. We need all the help we can get..

Saanvi: Hrmmm… *puts her baton away* Your attitude change is appreciated… But does not explain why you were so against helping in the first place..! *folds her arms and pouts*

Garrett: *huffs and folds his arms* We told you already. How trustworthy is a Quartz? We know there are ponies in the guard who would use the information we had against us. And if I’m being frank, I still don’t know if I can trust you..

Rosie: *ears fold back* The General trusts me and that’s all that matters! I don’t need you or your shit information, I can do research on my own just fine!

Garrett: What research? …… Wait, is that why you were there before us? Did you get demoted to a desk job or something?

Rosie: *ears turn red* … The General has entrusted me to a very important assignment….. That may or may not require me to sit at a desk all day..

Garrett: HAHAHAHAHA! Oh that is just rich!

Rosie: SHUT UP! Ugh! You know what, forget it. I’m not wasting my time with someone so stupid..

Saanvi: *face turns red* Eh-!!! You’re just gonna leave me to these…! These- chucklefucks!?

Garrett: Pfft, Excuse you! I was accepted into Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns!

Rosie: Do you want a medal or something? Go fuck yourself, Flint.

Terran: *sighs* Guys…

Garrett: *huffs* I’m not dealing with this. I’m going to go train.. Have fun making “friends” with these losers, Terran.. *as he turns to leave*

Rosie: Hmph! I’ll be in the Record Room if you need me Saanvi. Doing important research!

Garrett: *from a distance* Keep telling yourself that, Desk Jockey! Maybe I should start calling you Scribe Quartz~

Rosie: UGH! *storms off*

Saanvi: *siiiiighs, then looks up at Terran* ……. Uhm….. Will you…. Spot me…? Did I say that right..?

Terran: *ears perk before bending down and starts picking up the pieces of scattered pages from the ground* You mean like, lifting weights? Hehehe, sure. I haven’t really gotten a chance to stretch and warm up yet…. *pauses as he picks up the map with red marks all over it* …. Flint isn’t a bad guy, ya know. He’s just as frustrated as I am with how slow we are progressing..

Saanvi: Hmph… So are me and Rosie.. We want to help those missing ponies just as badly as any pony here…….. If we could cooperate, I think it might help greatly… I don’t know what Rosie’s assignment is, but it must be important..! Even for a desk job..

Terran: *nods* I’m sure it is if it was given by Crow.. Maybe after we warm up we can go over--

Garrett: *across the training grounds* Terran! Get over here and spot me! You can flirt with Spots later..

Terran: *grimaces* Or not….*ears perk* Since Flint and Quartz are going to be difficult about this… Why don’t we meet up sometime after work?

Saanvi: *nods* That might work better, heheh.. I can tell you all I can about what we have so far, but.. I wouldn’t expect much… *ears droop back*

Terran: *picks up the rest of the papers and stands* You seem really passionate about this, hmhmhm. I’m sure if we work together, we’ll make some headway. Maybe cross notes over coffee or dinner, I know a few good restaurants that are quiet~ *with a smile*

Saanvi: *ears perk* That sounds very nice, but… Is it really a good idea to share sensitive information in a public place? *not getting it*

Terran: *waves his hand and chuckles* Don’t worry, if we make it seem like we aren’t talking about work, no one will pay us any mind~ Plus, I think I can trust you more than anyone else here to talk about sensitive material with.. I misjudged you when we first met, and for that I’m sorry.

Saanvi: *tail twitches a little* Hmm..~ Thank you, heheh. And you are not like I expected. Much more pleasant and not so…. Uhm, what is that phrase… For very muscly and big, but not bright….

Terran: *grimaces* Hmm… Meathead? *with a pout* I am strong but I still know how to use my head..

Saanvi: Yes that! Er… Sorry.. *smiles nervously* It was a thought in the moment..

Terran: *grins* I guess I’ll just have to work at changing your mind then~ There is more to me then just muscles~ *with a wink*

Saanvi: *blushes a bit* Th-then I look forward to finding out more, heheh..!~ *tail wiggles*

Terran: *grins and his tail wags*

Garrett: Terran!

Terran: *ears fold back* I… gotta go. But wait for me after you get out. I want to give you my number so we can keep in contact~ *as he trots away before Saanvi could say no*

Saanvi: Ah- uh..! O-okay. *a bit at a loss because she couldn’t answer quicker, but returns to her exercises*

  Off at the exit to the training grounds, two sneaky bat ponies stayed close by. Wanting to make sure Garrett and Terran didn’t cause any more problems for the girls, Victor and Damion watched carefully for any sign that they should intervene. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, but it was the obvious signs of Terran flirting with Saanvi that really caught their attention. Well, at least it caught Victor’s.

Damion: Huh… He seems nice.

Victor: *claws scraping the doorway* Aw HELL no…!
------------------------------------------------------

After a long hiatus, we are back with a new arc to start off the new year! We have lots of fun events planned for our cast and we hope you enjoy the boards as much as we do! Be sure to catch up at and if you haven't be sure to join the Capricorn Reef Discord where me and post art and give snippets about the story: discord.gg/QDMf3hj

Previous:

Next:

Description

  After a few weeks of medical leave for the large scar on her back, Rosie Quartz was more than ready to get back to work. As ordered, she had the wound checked by a doctor, and had the stitches removed before she was given the okay to resume her duty. Rosie arrived at the gates of the castle just as the sun was starting to rise, knowing how long it traditionally takes to be briefed on everything she missed over the last few weeks. The Night Guards guarding the entrance gave her a weary glance as she walked past them. There was a bit of tension still lingering in the air, given the events that happened that lead to Rosie’s injury and her being put on leave.

  During a heated argument that led to a spar with a fellow Eclipse member, Garrett Flint, Rosie had lost her temper and almost killed the guard with an attack from her crystals, sending all of the guard witnessing the event into a panicked frenzy. Garrett dodged the attack with ease and with the illusion, distracted Rosie enough to deliver a blow on her back, damaging her magic armor and then declaring himself the winner. The thought of his pompous grin made Rosie’s blood boil. But as she approached the General’s office, she was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw a familiar figure already standing at the door. The tan fur and long leonine tail with a pink tuft on the end was hard to mistake.

Rosie: …. Father? What are you doing here?

Jasper: *ears perk before turning* R-Rosalind? What… You should be on medical leave!

Rosie: *raises an eyebrow* I was on Medical Leave for the past few weeks. The doctor says I’m fit enough to go back to work… What are you doing here?

Jasper: I was…… Tch.. *goes to Rosie and puts his hands on her arms* Rose, please reconsider going back. You were severely injured, there is no shame calling it quits now while you still--

Rosie: *pushes him off* No, I’m not just going to quit! Ponies get injured all the time, a couple of my closest friends were on medical leave for months and now they are back and they were injured way more then me. I’m not a wimp!

Jasper: This isn’t the time to let your pride get in the way of doing the right thing! After what happened, it is not a good idea to continue being in the guard..

Rosie: *scoffs* What do you know about anything? It was just a scratch, you have come home with plenty of scars, before you wussed out and quit like a coward..! *pointing at the scar on Jasper’s face*

Jasper: *grabs Rosie’s hand* I’m not talking about that! …. *looks around and sees others staring at a distance. He lowered his voice to a whisper* ….. I know what YOU did. What you almost did to that boy…

Rosie: *ears spring up* How did… Tch.. Pierce blabbed to you, didn’t he? That bastard..

Jasper: That’s not the point! You could have killed him, Rose. You promised me you weren’t going to use those powers.. A-and now every pony knows..! You can’t stay here in the guard, you need to come home before this gets out of hand!

Rosie: *scoffs* Why, so you can make me marry Mystic? Are you so desperate for money and power? Or do you really hate me that much that you want to ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for..

Jasper: *ears fold back, his face expression softened* .. I don’t hate you Rose, I’ve never hated you. Everything I’ve ever done was to help and protect you..! Stop being stubborn and listen to me for once! *his face getting angry again* ..It seems the only time you do listen is when I use force… We are going home. Now! *gripping Rosie’s wrist tight*

Rosie: *ears spring up as she tried to pull away* Hey! You can’t make me do anything, you old fart! Let go of me!

Crow: I don’t recall inviting you back on these grounds, Jasper… You best have a good reason.

  Having waited for Rosie to come to her office by now, Crow had come out after hearing the argument. Staring them both down, Crow shot cold glances to the surrounding guards who were eavesdropping, making them turn away sharply and pay attention to their tasks at hand.

Crow: I was wondering what was keeping you, Quartz.. We have important business to discuss.

Jasper: *growls* Demetrius… I am taking my daughter ho- Erk!

Rosie: *twists and pulls her arm out of Jasper’s grip forcefully* Mmph! Yes Ma’am! *as she slips pass the General and into her office*

Jasper: *fluffs up* Rosalind! Get back here this instance!

Crow: That’s enough from you. Now leave, or I can arrange to have you escorted out…! I don’t have time to hear you complain to me, as usual..

Jasper: You are making a mistake! You can’t possibly be this dense, Demetrius! Someone like her has no place in the guard! *pointing at Rosie*

Crow: *steps closer, growling low* I have to disagree on that… I know EXACTLY what kind of pony your daughter is… And I know how to handle it.. Unlike you. Now go, Jasper…! I won’t ask again.. *horn sparks and crackles with magic*

Jasper: *flinches a little and growls* You are such a fool.. You have no idea what you are doing and you are going to get her and other ponies killed because of it! And that blood will be on your hands, not mine! *as he turns to leave*

Crow: *snorts* Spoken like a coward… *turns to go into her office* Give Starling my regards. I look forward to seeing you at the Gala…! *mutters to herself, but Rosie can hear her* Cotton-candy hair bastard…

Jasper: *storms off and leaves the Castle grounds, grumbling* Narrow-minded hag has no place being a General.. *grumble grumble grumble*

Rosie: *lets out a sigh* What a rough start on my first day back, hehehe. It is good to see you again, General! *with a salute*

Crow: *looks up* Ah, yes.. It is good to see you too. And recovered well, as I’m told. You should have no trouble settling back in…. I hope.

Rosie: *smiles wide* Yes, ma’am! I am ready and eager to get back to my training and continue my assignments! … Was any progress made during my absence? I want to jump right back on the missing pony case as soon as possible and find those bastards responsible!

Crow: *sighs, ears folding back* Unfortunately, no.. Trails have started to go cold… And while we did manage to get SOMETHING from Epsilon, it turned out to only lead to a dead end.. A good few weeks wasted.. *hisses lightly*

Rosie: *ears fold back* That is.. Unfortunate. But I’ll be a fresh pair of eyes! *ears twitch* … Have you talked to Beta Squad? Before our spar, those two said they had information, but they weren’t willing to share with me.. *with a growl*

Crow: Oh yes, we had a very lovely chat about that.. *drops a folder onto her desk for Rosie to look* Here is the file you squabbled over. Locations of possible interest for kidnapping sites… All large cities, very packed.. Would be hard to notice some pony going missing, don’t you think..?

Rosie: *ears twitch as she picked up the folder and flipped through it* … This is it? This is the information they had?! *eyes twitches as her horn gives off a spark* ….. Those fucking bastards…

Crow: Hardly anything to start a fight over.. *squints at Rosie* And if you burst shards through my office floor, I will deal with you myself…. *horn crackles and sparks*

Rosie: *squeaks and calms her horn* Eep! S-sorry, I mean yes, ma’am! I u-understand! *looks to the side and sweats a little*

Crow: *huffs* Good… *looks at the file* I will say, I had similar feelings about the whole thing after looking over the file… The one thing I can’t stand more than traitors is infighting… It’s the one thing that’ll break the Eclipse if we don’t start pulling together again after that attack.. *ears twitch* Which is why, I’ve decided to pair yours, and Flint’s squads to work closer together to find information..

Rosie: EEEEY?! You can't be serious! I can’t work with that pompous, good for nothing, CHEATING bastard! That little twink can go shove his pig nose up my ass for all I’m concerned, General!

Crow: *raises an eyebrow* And that kind of attitude is exactly why I made this choice.. You two fought over a few location names, for some petty bet..! We can’t afford things like this to be reasons why no one can work together. So you can either make friends, or you can turn in your badges… Both of you. *eyes narrow*

Rosie: *ears fold back and whimpers* Hrmm… Like hell I’m going to be kicked out over something this stupid.. I’ll work with him, if that is what you wish, General… *with a grumble*

Crow: *snorts* Good… Then you’re already showing more brains and cooperation than your father… I don’t want history to repeat itself, understand..?

Rosie: *snorts* Yes, ma’am…

Crow: *nods* Now then… There was one more thing I wanted to discuss with you while I have you alone.. But first..

Crow’s horn gave off an odd glow before her aura stretched to cover the entire interior of the office. A magical seal appeared on the door, chains rolling across as if to lock it up tight.

Crow: There.. No interruptions and no eavesdropping.

Rosie: *fluffs up and swallows hard* W-what is this about? Why the extra security?

Crow: It’s more for your own discretion.. In case you hadn’t noticed, quite a few guards have been on edge since you arrived. *ears fold back* Because of your little spar, most of the Eclipse is shook to the core after seeing your…. Crystalmancy…

Rosie: *ears fold back* Why? Because they think I’m going to go rogue like King Sombra? You know that I’m loyal to you and the Princesses, General. I would never..!

Crow: I don’t suspect you of treason, Quartz, but not every pony thinks the same as me. Crystalmancy is too unpredictable of an ability, and not too many ponies have been seen using it for quite some time. To see one now is beyond scary for some…. And seeing Jasper’s reaction to you coming back only confirmed the fact you don’t know how to control it that much either..

Rosie: *ears twitch and grimace* … I can control it just fine! And I’m getting stronger everyday. I just need to hold back more when doing spars I guess. If this is about me trashing up the sparring room, I’ve seen Dasher set plenty of training dummies on fire.. *with a pout*

Crow: This is about how you nearly impaled a fellow guard!

Rosie: A-any normal pony would have dodged that attack! He was trying to bait me and distract me! And he’s the one who damaged my armor, why isn’t he--

Crow: And you took the bait! You let your anger do the thinking for you, and look what happened! Flint will get his punishment, but we’re not talking about his powers, are we?! *hisses*

Rosie: *ear fold back, her fist clenched* … N-no, ma’am… Are you telling me I’m not allowed to be angry about what happened? To not get offended about what he said about me… That I have Traitor’s blood.. I have worked so hard to make a name for myself and every step of the way I get my father’s mistakes thrown in my face! It’s not fair!

Crow: *shakes her head* Far from it… Be mad if you need, but when you need a level head, I expect you to push aside any grievance you have so you can focus on the real problems in the moment. *horn glows, opening a small portal in the air* That being said, I have a special assignment only you can handle…

Rosie: *ears perk as she looks into the portal before reaching her hand inside* …?!?! G-General?! *as she pulls out an obsidian bomb*

Crow: *points at her* Don’t drop it..!

Rosie: *internal screaming* Mmhmm! W-why am I holding this?! Isn’t it dangerous? *holds the bomb carefully with both hands*

Crow: Oh yes, very dangerous. *closes the portal*

Rosie: MMMMMMM!! Then why am I-- … Wait.. do you hear that?

As the portal closed and the room became silent, Rosie’s ears twitched as she heard a faint but familiar sound: Screaming. The sound of a pony weeping and crying, screaming out in pain and anger. It was subtle but the sound was like nails on a chalkboard and sent chills down her spine. Rosie looked down at the bomb and held it up to her ear and listened.

Rosie: …. It’s.. crying. Where did you get this?

Crow: It was taken from Epsilon after their attack. We have more, but they are kept locked away in the little space you just reached into. *narrows her eyes* What do you mean it’s crying…?

Rosie: *raises an eyebrow* What are you talking about? Can’t you hear that? It’s faded, probably because of this bubble containing the crystal, but definitely sounds like there is a pony trapped in there.. *as she examines the orb carefully* … I wonder how they made this. It seems like a force field of some kind.

Crow: That’s what you are going to find out. *rubs her chin a bit* You might be even more cut out for this than I thought…

Rosie: *stops and looks confused* .. I mean, I did go to college to study magic, b-but so did a lot of other ponies. I didn’t even finish my degree…. Are you sure you want to trust me with something this sensitive?..... In both senses of the word. *as she carefully cradles the bomb*

Crow: Positive. When examining the bombs after the attack, Commander Tempest confirmed that these were not like the ones she used years ago. These bombs have been modified, with the purpose to freeze ponies AND take whatever magic they have, be it unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony… We guessed that such modifications were possibly made by other Crystalmancers.. The fact you can hear what we couldn’t, helps that theory..

Rosie: You can’t hear it? …. I see. I think I understand now. You want me to figure out how they modified the bombs.

Crow: And if possible…. Maybe turn it into something we can use against them… I have no interest in shattering them to pieces, but if we had something remotely as strong, maybe we’d have an advantage against whoever we are facing.

Rosie: *nods* I’ll… do everything in my power. I will probably need a safe space to work, j-just in the worst case scenario. *grimaces*

Crow: *ear twitches as she thinks* I will have to see where it would be suitable… But there’s one more thing I need to ask of you. While you do this assignment, I want you to do what research you can to learn how to control your abilities better, maybe see if you can learn anything new that might help us… *grimaces* There isn’t a lot to go on that doesn’t involve using them the way Sombra did, and try as she may, not even Princess Twilight could wrap her head around the power… But maybe you will have better luck than she did.

Rosie: *tenses up* T-that is a lot of pressure you are putting on me, but I’ll do my best! I uh… have one question though. How am I supposed to do all this research, work on the bombs and continue my training and look for the missing ponies?

Crow: Well…. This side of the investigation is more of a desk job.. *looks to the side*

Rosie: ………… Excuse me?

Crow: I don’t believe I stuttered..

Rosie: Yes, but I believe I misunderstood you.. You can’t possibly be.. re-assigning me to a desk job, right?

Crow: *siiiiigh* I know it doesn’t sound ideal right now, but it’s the safest position for you right now.

Rosie: SAFEST?! I’m holding a bomb!!

Crow: *deadpan stare* You know what I mean…!

Rosie: NO I DON’T! I should be out there in the streets with my Squad, tracking down these bastards! Not stuck behind a desk!

Crow: …… *reaches out to take the bomb from her* ……….. *horn glows before zapping Rosie with small amounts of power*

Rosie: *fluffs up* OW! You bitch! ………… I mean.. Ma’am..

Crow: *zaps her again*

Rosie: OW! Ow! Stop! I… I am not happy with this arrangement! With all due respect, I think that my talents could be more utilized elsewhere.. I don’t reaaaaallly need to do research, if Princess Twilight couldn’t find anything, I doubt I’ll find anything new.. *looks to the side*

Crow: I don’t expect you to be happy about it. But there isn’t anyone else with abilities that even remotely match yours that I can trust with this..! If this assignment even gives a little push in the right direction, it could mean we have better chances at finding those missing ponies and those responsible for taking them. *walks closer* Princess Twilight only tapped into the Dark side of Crystal magic… But every good aspect she failed because she lacks the power to hear and see what you can. *holds up the bomb, the cries only continuing in Rosie’s ears*

Rosie: *ears twitch as she looks at the bomb* …. Hrmm.. I understand. Then I have no choice but to agree…

Crow: *hands over the bomb* It will all amount to something, Quartz…. I believe in your hands, we may have a better chance than we have now.. I will do what I can to assist, and give you more time needed. I just need you to trust me…

Rosie: ...I do trust you, General. I always have. You have my word, I'll do everything in my power to help you..

Crow: Good to hear it… Now here… *holds out a small bag* You can hold onto this while you do your research. The bag is enchanted to reach into a special pocket space where the other bombs are kept. This way it’s not just sitting on your dresser and waiting to roll off.. *raises an eyebrow*

Rosie: *eyes go wide as she takes the back and opens it* …….. You are giving me all of them!?

Crow: Of course not! The bag is simply for your convenience. Call it a Pocket Portal, if you will.. The space that occupies it is simply a back door into where all the others are being kept here in the castle. It’s a safer space to keep them than in your own house…

Rosie: B-but this is going to be in my house.! If this would get in the wrong hands.. This is way more dangerous than just giving me one bomb! Why would you trust me with this?!

Crow: Because you aren't your father…! *ears fold back flat, a somber look on her face* …… Talented as he was, he’d sooner stab me in the back than trust me…. But you aren’t him… If anything you’re better than that…

    Rosie’s cheeks would get a little pink at the complement, as she finally started to calm down. Holding the transparent orb kept secure in Rosie’s arms, Crow noticed that even now, the ominous green swirl mist seemed to disperse and fade. Could it be that Rosie’s crystal magic and the magic that made the bomb are somehow connected?

Rosie: *tail twitching like it wants to wag* Hmm... T-thank you, ma’am! I.. I won’t disappoint you~ *with a smile*

Crow: *watches the mood change and the bomb’s calm activity* …. I’m sure you won’t.. N-now, put that away for now. It’s high time I brought in your new co-squad… *horn glows as she brings down the shield from the room, unlocking the door*

Rosie: *carefully puts the bomb in the back in the bag with the others and closing it* …. I don’t have to worry about shaking this, do I?

Crow: *waves her hand* It’s a portal, so no. It only activates when you open it.

Rosie: *stuffs the bag in one of her leg pouches* Good to know! Hehehe! Alright, I’m ready! I can’t wait to tell Saanvi about this, she’ll flip~

Crow: *grimaces* I wouldn’t speak of this too boldly around others… While yes, I want our faction to cooperate more within the ranks, we still have a traitor issue thanks to Epsilon.. So keep this close…

Rosie: *ears perk* Yes of course. I understand, ma’am.

Crow: *nods and touches her badge* Beta, I require your presence in my office, right away.

Garrett: *over the badge* Yes, General. We will be there right away!

Rosie: *cringes* Oh yeah, I almost forgot…. I still have a few words I like to have with them before I’m willing to work with them…

Crow: Whatever you need to get off your chest, do it now. I won’t tolerate it during your hours…

After a little bit, the Beta squad, the second highest ranking squadron of the Eclipse, made their entrance to General Crow’s office. Upon entry Garrett Flint and Terran stood at attention.

Garrett: *giving a side eye to Rosie before saluting* General Crow, ma’am. What seems to be the matter?

Rosie: *picks up the folder from Crow’s desk and smacks Garrett across the face with it* You lying, punk ass little twink!

Garrett: *fluffs up* Ack! W-what the hell?! *looking at the General*

Crow: *has her back turned a bit, cleaning her nails*

Rosie: *huffs and baps him a few more times* This is all the information you had?! THIS is why you tore threw my suit and STABBED ME?! Where is all the important information you recovered? The pictures of the guys responsible! You are so full of shit!

Terran: *reaches and grabs Rosie’s wrist to stop her* W-We didn’t lie, there are plenty of good leads in there about possible places that correspond to kidnappings in that area.

Rosie: *pulls out a map with red marks all over it* IT’S THE WHOLE FUCKING CITY! You made it sound like you had concrete information!

Garrett: *rubs his head and looks to the side* No, YOU made it seem like we did. You were so desperate for information that you were willing to throw yourself at us to get at it. I knew you Quartz’ were known for you gambling, I figured why not have some fun with it~ …*mumbles* .. Heaven knows you’d probably wouldn’t be so uptight if you actually got laid…

Rosie: HRMM?! You are such a lying sack of shit! You lied to me and then you cheated during the spar!

Garrett: *fluffs up* I did NOT cheat! I beat you fair and square!

Rosie: You damaged my armor!

Garrett: You tried to impale me!

Terran: *sighs and gently pushes them apart* Look, can we just agree that you are both at fault here and put our difference aside? A-and not get in a fist fight in front of the General..!

Garrett: *fluffs up a little and folds his arms* … Fine.

Rosie: *grumbles and looks away* You are so full of shit… But I promised the General that I would work with you.

Garrett: *ears perk* Is that why we are here?

Crow: Yes. Your little show in the training grounds made it painfully clear you all need to learn to cooperate better….. So consider this as one of the Princess’s fruity Friendship Lessons.. *squints her eyes at them* Unless you have a problem with that… *horn sparks*

Terran: *ear twitches* We understand, ma’am. Perhaps working together we can make some real progress…

Garrett: *scoffs* Mmhmmm… But I’m not doing this because of some stupid Friendship Lesson…

Rosie: *glares at Garrett* Sounds like you could use one…

Garrett: *shoots her a glare* ….

Crow: I expect cooperation all around, and no more petty fights. Otherwise, the only thing you’ll be turning into me besides your evidence and notes, will be your badges..! We don’t have time for squabbling like little brats. Do I make myself clear?

All three of them: *in unison* Yes ma’am.

Crow: *snorts* Good. Now out. I have security measures to look over for the Gala coming up… *grimaces* Always fun arranging things for a party we don’t need in this place…

  The three guards took their leave and walked together to the training grounds. The floor that was previously damaged by their spar weeks ago had been repaired since then. Now that the sun was higher in the sky, more Day Guards had begun pouring in and started their daily prep for their shifts. Among them, Saanvi was taking part in morning exercises as usual, doing push-ups and squats before going for a run around the training grounds. As the three got closer, Saanvi caught sight of them, her tail wagging before she ran up to Rosie to give her a hug.

Saanvi: Rosie! I forgot you were coming in today! I thought you were just sleeping in and didn’t hear me leave the apartment, heheheh!

Rosie: *hugs her back* I told you I was last night, silly! I wanted to come in early so that the General could update me on everything that happened while I was gone….. As well as clear the air about some other things… *as she turns and glares at Terran and Garrett*

Garrett: *waves and winks at Saanvi* Hey there cutie!

Saanvi: …….. *whips out her baton and turns it on*

Terran: *sweats a little and holds his hands up* Hold on, Crow gave us orders to work with you two. We are here to help with the missing ponies case..

Garrett: *gives Rosie a side eye* I guess we are going to be working pretty intimately with each other from here on out~ *with a grin*

Rosie: *scoffs and throws the folder she was still holding at his face, papers flying* I’d rather sit on a cactus then work with you.. I have more important things to do with my time then deal with a pompous asshole like you!

Garrett: *griiiins* Hey, it’s your badge then, not mine~

Saanvi: *ears perk* Wait, what?! We have to work with these jerks or lose our jobs?! *tail frizzes up*

Garrett: *smirks* Pretty much! You have to play nice with me, or I’ll tell the General you aren’t taking part of her stupid Friendship lesson, and it’s back to Saddle Arabia to you--

Terran: *steps in front of Saanvi* Flint, cut it out.. Crow said we need to all work together, not just them with us. We aren’t making nearly enough headway on our own so give it a rest already. We need all the help we can get..

Saanvi: Hrmmm… *puts her baton away* Your attitude change is appreciated… But does not explain why you were so against helping in the first place..! *folds her arms and pouts*

Garrett: *huffs and folds his arms* We told you already. How trustworthy is a Quartz? We know there are ponies in the guard who would use the information we had against us. And if I’m being frank, I still don’t know if I can trust you..

Rosie: *ears fold back* The General trusts me and that’s all that matters! I don’t need you or your shit information, I can do research on my own just fine!

Garrett: What research? …… Wait, is that why you were there before us? Did you get demoted to a desk job or something?

Rosie: *ears turn red* … The General has entrusted me to a very important assignment….. That may or may not require me to sit at a desk all day..

Garrett: HAHAHAHAHA! Oh that is just rich!

Rosie: SHUT UP! Ugh! You know what, forget it. I’m not wasting my time with someone so stupid..

Saanvi: *face turns red* Eh-!!! You’re just gonna leave me to these…! These- chucklefucks!?

Garrett: Pfft, Excuse you! I was accepted into Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns!

Rosie: Do you want a medal or something? Go fuck yourself, Flint.

Terran: *sighs* Guys…

Garrett: *huffs* I’m not dealing with this. I’m going to go train.. Have fun making “friends” with these losers, Terran.. *as he turns to leave*

Rosie: Hmph! I’ll be in the Record Room if you need me Saanvi. Doing important research!

Garrett: *from a distance* Keep telling yourself that, Desk Jockey! Maybe I should start calling you Scribe Quartz~

Rosie: UGH! *storms off*

Saanvi: *siiiiighs, then looks up at Terran* ……. Uhm….. Will you…. Spot me…? Did I say that right..?

Terran: *ears perk before bending down and starts picking up the pieces of scattered pages from the ground* You mean like, lifting weights? Hehehe, sure. I haven’t really gotten a chance to stretch and warm up yet…. *pauses as he picks up the map with red marks all over it* …. Flint isn’t a bad guy, ya know. He’s just as frustrated as I am with how slow we are progressing..

Saanvi: Hmph… So are me and Rosie.. We want to help those missing ponies just as badly as any pony here…….. If we could cooperate, I think it might help greatly… I don’t know what Rosie’s assignment is, but it must be important..! Even for a desk job..

Terran: *nods* I’m sure it is if it was given by Crow.. Maybe after we warm up we can go over--

Garrett: *across the training grounds* Terran! Get over here and spot me! You can flirt with Spots later..

Terran: *grimaces* Or not….*ears perk* Since Flint and Quartz are going to be difficult about this… Why don’t we meet up sometime after work?

Saanvi: *nods* That might work better, heheh.. I can tell you all I can about what we have so far, but.. I wouldn’t expect much… *ears droop back*

Terran: *picks up the rest of the papers and stands* You seem really passionate about this, hmhmhm. I’m sure if we work together, we’ll make some headway. Maybe cross notes over coffee or dinner, I know a few good restaurants that are quiet~ *with a smile*

Saanvi: *ears perk* That sounds very nice, but… Is it really a good idea to share sensitive information in a public place? *not getting it*

Terran: *waves his hand and chuckles* Don’t worry, if we make it seem like we aren’t talking about work, no one will pay us any mind~ Plus, I think I can trust you more than anyone else here to talk about sensitive material with.. I misjudged you when we first met, and for that I’m sorry.

Saanvi: *tail twitches a little* Hmm..~ Thank you, heheh. And you are not like I expected. Much more pleasant and not so…. Uhm, what is that phrase… For very muscly and big, but not bright….

Terran: *grimaces* Hmm… Meathead? *with a pout* I am strong but I still know how to use my head..

Saanvi: Yes that! Er… Sorry.. *smiles nervously* It was a thought in the moment..

Terran: *grins* I guess I’ll just have to work at changing your mind then~ There is more to me then just muscles~ *with a wink*

Saanvi: *blushes a bit* Th-then I look forward to finding out more, heheh..!~ *tail wiggles*

Terran: *grins and his tail wags*

Garrett: Terran!

Terran: *ears fold back* I… gotta go. But wait for me after you get out. I want to give you my number so we can keep in contact~ *as he trots away before Saanvi could say no*

Saanvi: Ah- uh..! O-okay. *a bit at a loss because she couldn’t answer quicker, but returns to her exercises*

  Off at the exit to the training grounds, two sneaky bat ponies stayed close by. Wanting to make sure Garrett and Terran didn’t cause any more problems for the girls, Victor and Damion watched carefully for any sign that they should intervene. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, but it was the obvious signs of Terran flirting with Saanvi that really caught their attention. Well, at least it caught Victor’s.

Damion: Huh… He seems nice.

Victor: *claws scraping the doorway* Aw HELL no…!
------------------------------------------------------

After a long hiatus, we are back with a new arc to start off the new year! We have lots of fun events planned for our cast and we hope you enjoy the boards as much as we do! Be sure to catch up at and if you haven't be sure to join the Capricorn Reef Discord where me and post art and give snippets about the story: discord.gg/QDMf3hj

Previous:

Next: