The Best Night Ever (Private with The_Pariah)

"A... Stallion... If you could call him that."

"Mysterious." Harmony smiles. "As good as an army, is he?"

"Some would say better..."

"Even more mysterious now." Harmony grins and latches onto Paladin's foreleg. "What's his name?"

"That would spoil the surprise..." He said, writing a letter and sending it. "He'll be here soon..."

"Aw." Harmony pouts. "Fine. What's he like, then?"

"He's a git. He will hate you on sight."

Harmony blinks. "Then... why are you inviting him here?"

"Well, to be fair, he hates everyone. So I can hire him."

Harmony raises her eyebrows. "You... want to hire somepony who hates everypony." Her eyes widen in understanding. "Oh, I see. A mercenary."

"Mhmm... One of the better ones, though he does fight just for money."

"The mercenary who hates everypony is one of the better ones." Harmony frowns. "What kind of mercenaries have you met, anyway?"

"Not many actually..." He shrugged and kissed her. "You don't need to worry~"

"I hope not." Harmony huffs. "He'd better not do anything bad to you. Or me, I guess."

The door swings open and a stallion in a trench coat walks in. "Paladin, what do you want?"

"I wish to hire y–" he started.

The stallion cut him off. "I know that. What. Do. You. Want?"

"Go across the eastern sea. Meet a group of guard there. Do what you do best."

He nodded and walked out.

Harmony raises an eyebrow. "I'm surprised. I thought he'd at least stick around to discuss the price or something."

The door swings open again. This time, a zebra mare wearing a plain brown cloak with a short sword at her side steps in. "Paladin."

"Uh..." Harmony jabs a hoof at the zebra. "Who's she?"

"I have no idea. Who are you?" He asked, head cocked.

The zebra gives him an amused smile. "Really, Tactician? I thought you might recognise your High Alchemist. Or perhaps I don't venture out of my brewing room nearly often enough..." She bows. "My name is Quimia, High Alchemist of the Royal Guard. Consider this a formal introduction, if you will."

"Alright, what can I do for you?"

"The situation report you have, there." Quimia points at the document. "It has been circulated around the Guard. It is my duty to bring my skills as an alchemist to the field. That, and..." She pauses for a moment. "Almost a hundred flasks of healing, magic-augmentation and incendiary potions."

"And how do you propose to get there?" He asked quietly.

"That mercenary of yours." Quimia says quietly. "How is he going to get there?"

"I believe he is running across the ocean floor."

Quimia frowns. "Ah. That may prove to be a problem for me." She cocks her head. "How did Ician make this travel, then?"

"Airship, which would be exposing."