Monochrome’s broken horn began to glow a dark grey color and the world around them began to twist and distort. Monochrome faded away and the world was replaced. Amethyst looked over himself. His disguise had returned, he was ACE once again. He looked around at his surroundings. He was standing outside a school ground, much like Cheerilee’s. The school bell rang and the young fillies took to the school yard for recess. ACE watched them play, looking for anyone out of the ordinary; one particular pony caught his eye. A young yellow earth-pony mare with an almost mustard colored mane, she was sitting by herself under a tree and three colts were approaching her. ACE couldn’t hear what was going on from where he was but it was abundantly clear that the three colts were making the little yellow pony feel uncomfortable. Was the yellow pony the first candidate? There’s no way she could have been, if what Monochrome said was true the Element of Balance would have overwhelmed somepony that fragile. Suddenly ACE heard a shout from the entrance of the school.
“Hey! I thought I told you guys to leave her alone!” A young light green Pegasus colt with bright silver hair marched out zealously and stood between the mare and the 3 bully ponies. To ACE’s surprise the colt looked almost like a small Lyra, and though very young he had already earned his cutie mark; a black kite shield with a pair of white angelic wings in the middle of it, ACE couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Back off Paragon” one of the bullies demanded.
“Yeah” Added another, “We was just havin’ a bit of fun is all.”
“Yeah, well she’s not having any fun now is she?! Now back off, or I’ll make you regret it!”
The school bell rang again, calling everyone back inside. ACE sighed in relief; the bell just ended what could have potentially been a very bad situation.
“So it wasn’t the yellow one. That Pegasus named ‘Paragon’ was the first candidate.” ACE smiled. Paragon reminded him a lot of himself, and he wondered if every pony he ran into would make him feel the same way.
ACE decided the best way to go about this situation was on the inside, luckily who better to get inside than a Changeling? ACE approached the room the two ponies were in under the disguise of one of the school’s councilors and knocked on the door, entering soon after. The teacher, to ACE’s surprise and relief, wasn’t Cheerilee.
“Councilor Black Board? What brings you here today?” The teacher asked.
ACE cleared his throat. Luckily he was one of the few changelings who knew how to convert his voice automatically and with little effort. He addressed the teacher with a flawless representation of the councilor’s voice.
“I couldn’t help but notice that a few of your students got into a little scrap during the recess period. I was hoping I could have a word with two of them.” ACE’s request seemed to almost shock the teacher.
“Oh my, well yes of course, which two did you need to talk too?” The teacher asked again.
ACE pointed to Paragon “The young Pegasus there and her as well.” ACE then pointed to the small yellow earth pony. The little mare began to panic a little and suddenly Paragon stood up out of his desk.
“Sir it’s my fault that this happened. You don’t need to talk to her!” The Pegasus colt had unflinching determination in his eyes. ACE could already tell what he had to do.
“I think it’s quite important that I speak with both of you, and separately if possible.” ACE objected. The teacher agreed with him thankfully.
“Both of you go with Mr. Black Board and do everything he says.” Paragon backed down at the teacher’s request. He helped the little yellow pony out of her seat and the two of them made their way out of the classroom and into the hall. The room across from them had no one in it so ACE decided that would be the best place.
“Paragon, I’d like to start with you if I could.” ACE opened the door and gestured for the young green colt to enter. Paragon immediately turned to face the other pony.
“Will you be okay by yourself for a second?” He asked her. The other pony nodded meekly. Paragon sighed and followed ACE into the room.
“Why are we doing this here? Why not back in your office sir?” Paragon asked ACE. ACE wracked his head for an answer and one came to him quickly.
“This won’t take very long so there’s no need to go all the way back there. I only have a couple questions for you and your friend, and just a bit of advice.”
Paragon nodded and sat down in the desk nearest to the front of the room where ACE was standing.
“Paragon let me just start by saying it was very noble of you to stand up for your friend. I’m very proud of you and honestly you remind me a lot of myself at your age.” Paragon looked up at ACE. He seemed rather pleased with the compliment.
“No one has ever been proud of me before, they’ve always said my actions were wrong.”
“It’s not your actions that are wrong it’s how you go about them. It was nice of you to defend your friend, but you shouldn’t jump straight into picking a fight immediately afterwards. Fighting never gets someone your age anywhere.”
Paragon frowned. “I just…don’t want to see her get hurt, that’s all.”
ACE nodded. “What does your cutie mark represent Paragon?” He asked the young flyer.
Paragon shrugged. “I got my cutie mark the first time I stood up for Filly. I guess it means it’s my destiny to always protect her.”
“Filly is her name?” ACE asked with a confused tone.
Paragon shook her head. “Her full name is Filly Steak. I know it sounds silly, but she comes from a family of
professional chefs. She’s really good at cooking too, but everyone constantly makes fun of her for her name, and because of that she’s really shy and not very confident…”
ACE nodded. “You know Paragon; I don’t think your cutie mark means you’re only meant to defend her.”
“Really?” Paragon looked up at ACE a second time.
“Mhmm” ACE replied. “I think your cutie mark means you were meant to protect those who were weaker than yourself. One of these days little Filly will learn how to take care of herself, and when she does you’ll need to find someone else to help. Who knows, maybe your destiny will lead you to the Canterlot Royal Guard.”
The thought made Paragon’s eyes light up and his entire body twitched with excitement. “You think I could be a royal guardpony?!” He asked excitedly.
ACE nodded “I’m sure of it.”
Paragon’s face lit up and he smiled excitedly. “Thank you sir, I’m sure one day I’ll make it there!”
ACE nodded in agreement. “We’re done; head back to class and send in Miss Filly please.”
Paragon made his way to the exit but before he left he turned to ACE. “Go easy on her please.”
ACE agreed and Paragon left. Filly Steak entered, and slowly made her way to the front of the classroom.
“Your name’s Filly Steak right? Paragon tells me you’re a great cook.” ACE gave Filly a warm smile, but the mare sat down and looked away.
“What’s the matter?” ACE asked her.
“Nothing…” Filly said softly.
“If nothing was the matter you would be looking at me and not the window right?” ACE asked. To his surprise Filly turned and stared straight at him. She had a determined look in her eyes but she was also crying, after a bit she looked away in the opposite direction.
“I know it’s hard for you right now, but you have a really good friend who wants to keep you safe.”
Filly nodded her head meekly in response to ACE’s comment, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.
ACE knew this would be harder than the first one. He got up and walked over to Filly Steak, slowly placing his hoof on her shoulder.
“If something is bothering you, you can tell me. That’s why I’m here.” ACE assured her.
Filly sniffed a little still crying. “I…I don’t want to be dependent on Paragon…I want to be able to stand up for myself…”
“What’s preventing you?” ACE asked the filly.
“I’m scared.” Filly confessed. “I’m scared that if I do they’ll just be meaner to me.”
“You won’t know until you try Filly.” ACE pointed out to her. “And one of these days there will come a time when Paragon can’t protect you. What will you do then?”
“I don’t know…” She answered weakly.
“You’ll have to stand up on your own.”
Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise. ACE and Filly ran back to the classroom to find an entire wall was missing. The sky had grown dark and covered in black clouds, and In front of the hole stood three Timberwolves. ACE noticed something different; these weren’t the average Timberwolves that stalked around in the Everfree Forrest. Their bark was a dark, almost midnight black, and they radiated a wicked misty essence. The class of children was backed up against the corner of the room with the teacher in front of them, and in front of the teacher was Paragon.
“Get back!” Paragon demanded. “I’m a future Canterlot Guard and I won’t let you hurt them!”
The black Timberwolves marched forward slowly. Paragon backed up a bit but spread his small wings out, determined to shield his classmates. One of the wolves lunged forward at paragon who jumped into the air and dived down kicking the wolf with his hindlegs.
Filly Steak looked around frantically. “Mr. Black Board you have to help him!” ACE was nowhere to be found. Filly looked forward in complete terror and watched as the irritated Timberwolf furiously swiped at Paragon with his claws just missing him every time as he dashed and dodged through the air. Suddenly one of the other wolves jumped up and hit Paragon with his paw causing him to crash to the ground with a loud THUD.
“Paragon!” Filly Steak screamed. The wolves were slowly closing in on the now unconscious Pegasus. Filly looked away in terror, but something suddenly hit her. Something that Councilor Black Board had told her just a few minutes ago.
“One of these days there will come a time when Paragon can’t protect you. What will you do then?”
“Stand up on my own!” She answered herself. Filly wiped the tears from her eyes and jumped forward blocking the wolves from Paragon.
“Do not touch him!” She demanded.
The large wolves began to snarl at the young pony, and tears began to form in her eyes again.
“No!” She told herself. “I’m not scared. This is for Paragon, so I’m not scared!”
Seemingly out of nowhere, three black cards fell before Filly Steak. She wasn’t sure what they were but something inside of her, a voice in her head, told her to use them. Picking up the cards, she threw them one at a time one at each wolf. As the cards connected with the wolves they let out loud howls before fading away into a black mist and vanishing. As the wolves faded away the sky cleared up, and Paragon began to regain consciousness. Filly Steak hugged Paragon, relieved to see him alive as the entire class began to cheer for them. As ACE left the school, he could hear the three bully colts apologizing to Filly Steak. Filly Steak forgave them, and the group agreed that from then on they would be the best of friends.