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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 4:08:18 GMT -5
"But that's what you're not getting. Even the Three Champions couldn't have won the Dragon Wars alone. Where would they be without the soldiers who fought with them? Who would Silverback be without the Silver Core? It's working TOGETHER that's going to make us win. A legendary team up might not be able to do the trick, but a legendary team up along with a badflank army of well trained soldiers will. We work together as a group and that's where the Diamond Dogs will falter. We will destroy their leadership and they will scatter to the winds just like they did after Silverback died." Watermark said, "We already took out the Warg and another of their generals just up and left them. Don't worry buddy, the Princess has this, easy. This isn't even hard-mode for her."
"In the Dragon Wars we were facing armies ten times this size with thousands of dragons bent on destroying us and the griffons. It's working together that allowed us to win, uniting the griffon clans and the Diamond Dog packs against the dragons that's what made Dreadwing and Silverback what they were. What's a king without a kingdom anyway?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 4:14:59 GMT -5
Hoplite shrugged, "I guess...still, it feels like the army is there only to match their numbers, or to tip the odds less in their favour for legends like yourself to make the difference..." he took another deep swig of the cider, finishing the mug moments later, "I dunno, Watermark, if Percheron and the Sky Titan armour fail...well, quite frankly I'm not sure we stand much of a chance. Doesn't matter how many soldiers we might have, they have Celestia, nevermind their own legions. Plus you already said they have numerous means of countering what few advantages we might have over them..."
Hoplite sighed, "If Percheron should fall..well...let's just pray Percheron doesn't fall, huh?"
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 4:18:13 GMT -5
"Well if you think that legends are the ones making the difference," Watermark said shrewdly, "Then we need all the legends we could get now don't we?" He asked, eyeing the pony wisely over his cider mug. "I think when it comes down to the fate of Equestria, you know to make the right choice." He said again, obviously referencing their earlier conversation and in light of Hoplite's own realization, it made complete sense. If legends made the difference and militia ponies like himself didn't... then the only way he could really defend his friends, his family, Phalanx included, was to become a legend and allow Phalanx to become a legend in turn, like Tesla and Tempest. The legends made the difference, isn't that what Hoplite had just said?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 4:27:12 GMT -5
Hoplite was visibly at odds with himself, his eyes fixated on the ground yet his gaze was distant, as if he wasn't all there anymore. Watermark's words bore deep into his conscious mind, like they were known to do, bursting his little bubble of happiness and replacing it with dread and guilt. He had already left Phalanx far enough behind, he wasn't about to push her back any further. What? Abandon his sister and leave both of them in ruins just for him to have freakish powers like Iron Shoes, or to be a figurehead at the top ranks of an army? He had enough trouble with the spotlight as is, nevermind that he would rather look up to legends like Watermark rather than see them as equals.
Yet at the same time Watermark was indeed correct, Equestria was just about doomed with more ponies like Iron Shoes, Red Charge, the Razorwings and the like if it was to survive. Whether by influence of the cider or not, Hoplite merely shook his head, "If the fate of Equestria resided on me becoming a legend, then it was already doomed to begin with, Watermark. Sometimes the most powerful ponies, some with talents beyond measure, ponies who hold the fate of the world in their hooves...at the end of the day, they just want to live their life like the ponies they are, not the legends folks turn them into."
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 4:38:46 GMT -5
"And there's times for this and times for that." Watermark said, "You can't live your life as a pony if there's no Equestia left. However, you always can after a war's over and you did your part. It's easy for ponies to forget legends, ponies are focused on the now. You think anyone was talking about Field Marshal Starling when he was still on his mission in the Everfree Forest? Not one that I could hear and in the end of the day Starling can just take off his armor and probably not get recognized by most. The purpose of being a legend is not to be a legend. It's to protect everything you hold dear. You pride yourself on your defensive ability and if you fail to protect Phalanx? Sometimes being 'just a pony' isn't enough. Red Charge lost everyone in the Prism Wars. He was practically raised in the palace with Destrier as a foster father, the King and Queen and the Champions as aunts and uncles. Everyone Red Charge ever cared about died in the Prism Wars. Titan Razorwing was killed, Field Marshal Hightower disappeared, Destrier, Silverback, Dreadwing, the King and Queen... Do you think if he was as powerful then as he is today, you think it would make a difference?" Watermark asked rehtorically, "Of course it would. By the time I was a teen colt, I was powerful enough to make a real difference and he was of the same age back then."
"It's easy becoming a legend after you've lost everything, but the trick is not to lose everything in the first place. If you want to truly protect Phalanx, then that's your answer, clear as crystal." Watermark finished decisively.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 4:47:17 GMT -5
Hoplite frowned angrily, no matter how many times he went out of his way to say he wasn't ready to advance Watermark just didn't seem to get it. Was Watermark that thick? Was Hoplite's words just that subtle as to not be noticed? Was the cider just messing with him? He couldn't be sure, but he was still entirely too angry at this.
Hoplite turned to Watermark, "If I 'truly' want to protect Phalanx, then my place is by her side, not off fighting as yet another member of a legion. A shield is nothing without somepony closeby to protect, and doesn't mean a thing if what it's trying to protect is out of reach. I get that you probably hate my sister, but I would ask you to at least *try* not to split the two of us."
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 4:55:40 GMT -5
Watermark flared up so quickly and so suddenly that it seemed what Hoplite was saying was all around offending.
"You think I am trying to split you out because I hate her? I don't HATE anyone, not even the Diamond Dogs, but I DO love Equestria. This has been more of a home to me than the tribe I was born in ever was. I was entrusted by the Royal Advisor to locate ponies just like you and put them on the fast track. Why? Because Equestria needs you, not because I want you to be split from your sister. But because as citizens we all have a duty and that duty is to Equestria. No one's saying you should drop everything and just walk up to Iron Shoes. But the recommendations have been passed along and all you need is the ability to say yes when the time comes. So many great ponies gave their lives to make sure you and I could live in peace. All I'm asking for is the smallest willingness to give a little back. So long as you hold yourself back you can never truly protect each other. Like you said, it takes a legend to destroy an army and they have it. If you face one of their generals, your shield won't stop them from killing either you or Phalanx." He held a hoof to his face for a moment.
"Your sister is a good pony, YOU are a good pony. I am not trying to split you up and even if you do get split up, you realize it would be a temporary situation right? You're a smart pony, you know that and like I said a million times, it doesn't happen immediately, but it needs to happen." Watermark said, finally calming down. he took another sip of cider.
"Please, try and understand."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 5:07:57 GMT -5
Hoplite snarled, "I am giving back! I have been giving back since I signed on for this job with Fal. I never expect to destroy armies, or take on generals, I'm just here to make my contribution side-by-side with Phalanx and to protect my home. We were happy, we were content with that. Now that the Diamond Dogs have invaded and Equestria is holding it's breath, suddenly everypony is coming by finding new ways to pull the two of us apart, convinced that 'oh, it is only temporary. You two will recover and things will be right as rain.' It doesn't work that way, okay?"
Hoplite looked to his empty mug with a grumble, setting it down on the table and starting to trot for the exit. "I'm gonna call it a night before I do something I regret, I'll see you at tomorrow's drilling," he commented. More than anything right now, he just wanted to be home, away from this nonsense. At least while he slept, he wouldn't have to deal with Watermark's antics...or these invitations to ascend.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 5:14:12 GMT -5
Watermark didn't call after him, he let him leave, lifting up the cider barrel and carrying it to his office. What a stubborn pony, but even stubborn ponies have to give in eventually. He's not an immovable object yet.
And so, only a few days of training later, Hoplite recieved another summoning to an after-training meeting with Watermark. This time, he was preparing food over Tongs' forge. Of course if Tongs knew he was using her forge for such a thing she'd smack him upside the head. But what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
The militia training was going as well as could be expected, they didn't have another large scale battle, but they did work on tactics and techniques for the ponies, still training against icy diamond dogs but with every passing day the diamond dogs they were training against became tougher, more cunning and far more dangerous. Today's training was a sort of capture the flag match where each side worked to steal a flag from the others' base and return them to their own. If a soldier with a flag got tagged, the flag would be returned back to its post by the team who owned it. It was hard, much harder than they thought. They ended the day on a 1-1 draw and were all exhausted. This time Watermark gave him some time to rest, asking him to come by only after sundown.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 5:19:07 GMT -5
Hoplite sighed, taking in his surroundings. It was far too familiar. Here he was, standing just outside the headquarters again, having been invited by Watermark for a social event he wasn't fully comfortable attending, having only hours ago come from a gruelling and intense training session that left him battered and ragged, and just like before he had a poor feeling in his gut. One that told him things weren't going to end the way he'd hope.
Taking in a familiar breath, he stepped into the headquarters, heading into the back. There he was, Watermark the Aquamancer, standing over a forge and preparing...food? Course, he'd always find a weird way to do something as mundane as cooking. Figuring this couldn't possibly end well, he approached the zebracorn. "You wanted to see me, Watermark?" he asked.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 5:27:42 GMT -5
"Made you a stew, have a taste!" Watermark said with a grin, pointing at a vegetable stew sitting on the table. "It's good, I promise you." He assured, pouring some into a bowl of his own and sitting down next to Hoplite.
"Training looks like it's getting rough. I'd have let Phalanx get that last capture, but the drill instructors didn't allow me to let up." Watermark said, "The way that big one plowed through you and Bodkin seemed painful." He said, speaking of the Diamond Dog berserker he had placed on the enemy team. Those were pretty much Wargs minus the speed and corruption. Massive Diamond Dogs usually fighting with large weapons and using their massive bulk to their advantage. The one earlier today had plowed through Hoplite and Bodkin in an attempt to get to Phalanx. Unfortunately for the pegasus he did, belly flopping right on top of her and trapping her underneath him while a smaller quicker ice dog took the flag and returned it to the post.
"But the differences in skill from now to when you guys started are incomparable." The unicorn commented, lifting the stew to his lips and taking a sip. "Ah that's the ticket. Flame Fruit stew, put in a little bit ground ghost chilli just the tiniest fleck." He said, and immediately his ears turned completely red and steam came out of his nostrils, making him look like a very odd looking dragon.
"Go ahead, try it." He urged.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 5:39:01 GMT -5
Hoplite blinked, Oh good, a stew that makes smoke come out of my nostrils, he thought to himself. He held up a hoof haltingly, "I think I'm good, I'm not looking to imitate a dragon tonight," he replied.
"Actually, about that Diamond Dog..." he continued, trying to shift the subject away from the food, "If it's feasible, I'm hoping we can have more things like that in our training sessions: unique opponents. Y'know, opponents where our usual strategies don't work and we have to adjust accordingly, would do well for making sure the militia is ready no matter what's thrown at us at the end of the week."
"As for Fal...yeah, I'm on the side of the instructors on that one. Best not to 'give' us a victory, moreso let us 'earn' one."
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 5:44:27 GMT -5
"Um, I made that stew for you, don't tell me you're not going to eat it." Watermark said, a shocked and offended look on his face that made it clear that refusing his food would not be taken lightly. "Back where I'm from refusing food someone prepared from you is pretty much the worst insult." He said, "Have a try, you won't know until you taste it."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 5:48:32 GMT -5
Hoplite grumbled. Of course Watermark wasn't going to settle down to business so quickly, just like always Hoplite would have to leap through hoops just to try and talk with the pony on the matters he intended to. Yet even then, he knew after all this only *some* of Hoplite's concerns and questions would be properly addressed. This was Watermark, after all.
With a sigh, he took a small spoonful of the stew and tossed it back into his mouth, waiting for what was probably going to be an overload of spice or something else Watermark generally put in his food to try and make it 'irresistible'.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 5:54:47 GMT -5
It was delicious, he felt warm and fuzzy, sort of like having a hot soup on a rainy day. The flame fruit flavor was deliciously accented by the ghost chili and even though it was spicy, the flavors blended together so well that Hoplite barely noticed the steam erupting from his mouth and nostrils and his ears going red.
"Gives you a good delicious kick doesn't it? All the travelling with Prof. Rainlock paid off just to be able to know these recipes." He said, "What more, the flame bush is known for it's regenerative properties."
It was true, Hoplite already felt less battered and less bruised. Mind you it was not a healing potion and the bruises didn't fade in the slightest. But some energy did come back to Hoplite and it wasn't that the wounds and bruises were getting smaller, it was more like his body considered them to be less severe.
It was however delicious. Hoplite supposed that living on the go for so long and gaining recipes from all over the world are bound to make one a good chef, but being able to cook such a delicacy over a forge and using such volatile ingredients truly made Watermark's nature show. Even cooking stews apparently was considered art with water for him, just like snow cones.
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