Assembly - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“Steel? Hey Steel!” Sapphire Song laughed as her brother sat up with a start. “Hello there!” she said, her voice bright and cheery. “The kids told me you were out here,” she continued as he turned to look at her. “Doing some thinking?”
Steel nodded without saying anything and turned back to look out over Canterlot. The perch on the back wall of his sister’s garden gave him an excellent view of the city as the sun slowly lowered, something that he could just stare at as he let his mind wander.
“Hey, hello!?” A vivid burgundy hoof waved itself in front of his face. “Boy, you’re really out of it tonight, aren’t you?” his sister said as he turned again to look at her. Somehow in the moments he’d turned away she’d climbed up onto the wall next to him.
“Sorry,” he said, giving her a sheepish grin. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.” He prodded her with one hoof. “Remember when we used to sit up here all those years ago and pretend it was our own little clubhouse?”
Sapphire laughed. “How could I forget? Mom used to make such a show out of finding us each night, like she couldn’t see us. Is that what you’ve been back here thinking about?” she asked, a quizzical look on her face. “How we used to play back here?”
“It's … It's come up,” Steel said. “I’m honestly still surprised that this wall is as wide as I remembered it.” He gave the stone a quick rap with one hoof.
“Uh-huh,” Sapphire said, fixing her eyes on him. “So what did the Princesses want that’s got you in such a funk you’re out here pretending you’re a colt again?”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s complicated,” he said. She gave him a look that he knew all too well, a look that said "I’m still your sister and I will find out or else."
“They wanted me to come out of retirement,” he said at last, breaking under his sister's advancing look. “They’re putting together a new kind of Guard division, something for really special cases, and they want me to lead it.”
“You don’t sound too enthused,” she said, giving him a concerned look. “What’s wrong with it?”
“I—I don’t know,” he said, turning back to watch the city below. The sun was setting now, painting the city in reddish light and shadows. “It’s just—I retired.”
“So?”
“Well,” he said, running one hoof through his mane. Inspiration struck him and turned to his sister. “Do you remember how we used to sit up here and wonder what our cutie marks were going to be? And then we got them and it was all so exciting!”
“I remember the day you got yours,” Sapphire said. “Mom and Dad nearly grounded you for going in after your friend like that.”
Steel laughed, smiling at the memory. “Yeah, they were happy right up until my teacher told them exactly what happened,” he said, starting to laugh again. “I thought I was never going to hear the end of that. Anyway, though, my point is that we both remember that sense of opportunity when we got our cutie marks. Me for my protection and you for your singing.” His sister's eyes darted to the glistening eighth notes on her flank with a smile. “I remember what it was like when I first got accepted into the Royal Guard Academy. When I graduated. I wanted to protect ponies. And that gave me all the drive I needed.”
He looked back at her and knew she could see the sadness in his eyes. “But it stopped meaning so much after a while. I don’t know what it is, but I just feel a—a longing. Like from before I had my cutie mark, but emptier.” He hung his head. “Work gave me satisfaction, but the longing didn’t go away. I still felt pride in my work, it still had meaning, but the feeling that I was missing something never went away. It was why I retired.”
“Oh Steel …” she said, putting one foreleg around his shoulders. He gave her a small smile.
“It’s not as bad as I make it sound,” he said. “At the time I thought that maybe it was just a sign that it was time to retire. So I did. And the longing went away for a little while, but lately I’ve started to wonder if that’s really what I wanted. And now I get offered this.” He sighed and looked over at his sister. “Do I want to take the job? Of course I do, it’s a chance to do more of what I’ve always wanted to do, protect ponies.”
“But I thought you didn’t want to be on the Guard because, and I quote: The Guard just stands around and does nothing most of the time?” Sapphire said, a mischievous grin on her face.
“It’s not that kind of Guard,” Steel said with a small smile. “It’s something entirely new, as I understand it. It’s why I was out here thinking. I was thinking about whether or not I really want to do it.”
“Steel?”
“Yes?”
Sapphire pulled his head next to hers and looked him right in the eyes. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re thinking about turning down what sounds like your dream job because you got tired of being a bodyguard and bored of being retired?”
They stayed locked for a moment. “You know,” Steel said after a bit. “When you put it like that, suddenly it seems pretty obvious.” He started to laugh and his sister joined in. “Ah, Sapphire, what would I do without you?” he asked. “Sometimes I feel like you’re the older sibling, not me.”
“Well you certainly know how to make someone feel young,” Sapphire said as she fixed him with a fake pout. “You need to get yourself off of your rear and find a nice mare to settle down with, then you wouldn’t have me feeling so old.”
Steel gave his sister a mock look of horror and was rewarded with a clop upside the back of his head for his troubles. For a brief moment the image of an emerald mare leaped into his head as he entertained his sister's words, but it was gone, driven from his mind just as quickly as it had come.
“Oh but I couldn’t do that,” he said with a faint smile. “Then how would I find the time to come check on Jammer and Sparkle?”
“You’re well named,” Sapphire said as she rolled her eyes with an old insult. “Completely inflexible.”
“Yeah well, I never break, only bend a little,” Steel said, returning the oft-spoken response, reminded of all the times they’d played together in the garden when they were younger.
“Hey! This is where you got to!” Steel turned as Sapphire’s husband Click Time reached the base of the wall. “I thought I heard voices out here.” Click tilted his head to one side and looked at them quizzically. “How’d you two get up there?”
Sapphire laughed and reached down with one hoof. “Easy, you just want to,” she said as Click wrapped his hoof around hers. Click’s rear hooves slipped at first, but after a few seconds of scrabbling against the stone, he managed to pull himself up on the wall next to Sapphire.
“Oh wow! What a view!” he said, settling himself on the wall. Sapphire gave him a loving smile and leaned against his side. “How have I never noticed this before? Have you been keeping this secret from me?” he asked his wife with a whimsical smile and a wink.
“Seven years and you never looked over the back wall?” Sapphire said with a laugh. “Oh Click, what would I do without you? But you’re right, it was my secret, and now that you know it, I’m afraid I’ll have to kill you.”
“Death will be a sweet release,” Click said with melodrama in his voice, “compared to what Jammer is making for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, tell me you’re joking. Tell me you didn’t tell him he could try making dinner again,” Sapphire said, horror on her face. Real-or-mock, Steel wasn’t sure.
Click chewed his bottom lip and then looked at Steel. “Could you tell her?” he asked.
Steel chuckled and shook his head. “You’re on your own Click. Even I know better than to let Jammer touch food after my last few visits.” He grimaced as Click’s meaning caught up with him. “Maybe I should eat out tonight.”
“Relax,” Click said, turning to his wife and giving her a kiss on the forehead. “I hid all the spices, and if it still turns out bad, we can always just ... get something delivered, or something.”
“Alright you two,” Steel said as he turned on the wall. “I think I’m going to give you some alone time before I start getting tempted to go either help Jammer find the spices or get a hose.” He paused for a moment. “I may do one of those anyway.”
“Oh don’t you da—“ Sapphire’s voice cut off as her husband pulled her into another kiss, waving Steel off with one free hoof.
Steel rolled his eyes with a smile and made his way up the sloped garden path towards the back of his old home, past the rows and rows of colorful flowers that his sister still cultivated just as his parents had. His old home was starting to light up as the last rays of the setting sun turned the Canterlot sky into a burning red. As much as he loved to watch the sunsets from the garden wall, admiring the colors as every bit of the city's white-marble surface glowed with an inner fire, deep reds in the sky contrasting with the vibrant shades of the garden, he knew his sister and brother-in-law would enjoy it more. And if he could keep Jammer and Sparkle occupied so that they could enjoy the moment together, so much the better.
“Hey, Steel!” His sister’s voice stopped him just as he began to push the door open. He looked back at the garden wall where his sister sat with her hooves wrapped around her husband’s neck. “Could it really be so bad to try something new?” She winked at him as her husband looked at her with curiosity in his face.
“Something new?” Click asked as Steel turned back to the door and pushed it open. “What are you two planning no—ack!”
"Forget new, how about something fresh?” Steel heard his sister say before he shut the door with a click. After a second thought, he latched it from the inside. Now they’d either have to come in a window or knock pretty loudly to get in, but that would at least give them some measure of privacy for the foreseeable future.
He trotted down the hallway, his heavy hoofsteps ringing out on the hardwood floor. His sister had refinished it in the last few years, but he could still see some of the old wood in the surface, worn smooth by years of ponies running back and forth across it. Loud laughter and clanging sounds came from the kitchen ahead. One of the laughs was high pitched and giggly, the other more rambunctious. From the sound of things, Jammer and Sparkle were having the time of their lives with their free reign over the kitchen.
“Alright Sparkle, what should we add next?” came a young colt's voice.
“Bananas!” came a high pitched response, followed by a giggle.
“But we don’t have any bananas!” the colt’s voice said back. “Oh, what about that fuzzy brown fruit in the fridge? With the green in it? What’s that called?”
“Sapphire bought kiwis?” Steel asked as he rounded the doorway into the kitchen. Both Jammer and Sparkle looked up in surprise, but then massive smiles beamed across their faces.
“Uncle Steel!” Jammer was the first to move as he bounded off the stool he was standing on, completely forgetting that his hoof was still sitting on the mixing spoon handle. It whipped over the edge of the large bowl as Jammer jumped down and, leveraged by the weight of his young body, and flew across the kitchen to land on the linoleum with a clatter. The colt didn’t even notice as he shot across the room and barreled into Steel’s chest as hard as he could, letting out a loud “oomph” as he hit.
“Hey there Jammer,” Steel said as the electric blue colt wrapped his small forelegs as far around his neck as he could. “Still trying to knock me over I see.”
“I’ll do it one day!” Jammer said, grinning. “Just you wait! Pow!” He stepped back and danced up on his rear hooves, shadow boxing with his front hooves and almost losing his balance.
“You keep trying, and you will someday,” Steel said with a smile as his niece mimicked her older brother, barreling into his side and smearing something wet and sticky into his coat with her face.
“Uncle Steel!” she said, giving him a grin that was missing a tooth as well as stained in what looked suspiciously like strawberry juice. “We’re making fruit salad! Wanna help?”
“Fruit salad huh?” he said, lifting the laughing Sparkle onto his back with one hoof. “Let’s go see what you’ve got in it.” He wandered over to the bowl where it sat on the counter as Jammer hopped up on the stool besides him, a new mixing spoon already held in his teeth. “So what have you put in it so far?”
“Ah sorts oof goo’d stuft!” Jammer said. He stuck the spoon into the bowl and pointed with his hoof, a proud look on his face. “We’ve got strawberries and grapes and apples and oranges and pears and even a lemon!” He looked up at his uncle, grinning. “We were just about to get those green fuzzy things out of the fridge! The um-um...” His forehead creased and one of his ears flitted down. “What did you call them again?” he asked, looking up.
“Kiwis!” Steel said, grinning as Sparkle repeated the word from his back.
“Yeah, kiwis!” Jammer said, jumping off of the stool once more and galloping across the kitchen, completely failing to notice that in his haste one of his hind legs had kicked the mixing bowl as he’d jumped. Steel’s hoof shot out, intercepting the bowl before it slid across the kitchen island and onto the floor.
Seconds later Jammer was back, this time with a small paper bag in his mouth. He hopped back up onto the stool, completely ignoring—or not noticing, Steel wasn’t sure which—that the bowl with the rest of the ingredients had moved a foot back. What he did notice was the grape that suddenly hopped out of the bowl under its own violation.
“Sparkle! You can’t eat it yet!”
Sparkle giggled as the grape glowed and sparked in a golden glow, hopping into the air towards Steel, only to be snapped up by the butter-yellow unicorn filly as she jumped off of his back.
Steel laughed and pushed the bowl back towards the edge of the counter. “Alright then you two. Let’s get this thing finished so we can eat it.” He looked into the bowl and his brow furrowed. “Um … Aren’t you supposed to cut some of these?” While the oranges had been peeled and pulled into segmented pieces, the rest of the fruit was whole.
“I’m not allowed to use the knife for cooking yet,” Jammer said, giving him a wide-eyed look that said it was the simplest thing in the world. “Mom said she wanted me to get a little bit better with my magic before she let me do that.” The colt tapped his horn with one hoof. “Hey, could you do it?”
Steel smiled at his nephew. “You bet. And tell you what…” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspirator's whisper. “I’ll even help you find where your Dad put all the spices as long as you promise to only put them on his plate and help me find a camera. Deal?”
“Deal!” both Jammer and Sparkle yelled at the same time.
* * *
There was no waiting the next morning when he arrived outside Princess Celestia’s study. Both sets of Guard were waiting outside the door—a different pair of Royal Guard but the same two Night Guard—and they ushered him inside as soon as he had walked up.
“Ah, Steel Song!” Celestia said, greeting him with a smile on her face. She and her sister were once again seated behind her massive desk, although this morning it was clear save for a few files.
“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna,” he said as he bowed low in front of the desk. “It is an honor to meet with you again.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Princess Luna said as he took a seat before the desk. “Have you come to a decision?”
“Yes,” he said, his mouth suddenly dry. “Yes, I have.” He straightened himself upright, assuming the same rigid posture he had been taught so many years ago at the academy. Was it his imagination, or had the two sisters leaned forward slightly in anticipation? “I’ve decided to accept your offer.”
“Wonderful!” Luna exclaimed in a loud voice, rising up on her hind hooves, her wings and forehooves spread wide. “We are most pleased that … you … ahem.” She gave a small cough. “My apologies, my excitement has gotten the better of me.”
“Not a problem at all, your highness,” he said, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Celestia had turned to one side and appeared to be hiding her laughter by faking a cough. “I do have a few questions however,” he said, dropping his shoulders and assuming a more relaxed position.
“You may ask,” Luna said as she settled herself behind her sister’s desk once more.
“Who will I report to?” he asked. “As I understand it, the Night Guard primarily report to you, while the Royal Guard primarily report to your sister. Who is the Dusk Guard to report to?”
“You will report to Luna primarily,” Celestia answered, her face once again serene and composed. “As this was her idea and her project. However, you may also choose to report to me as the situation and time of day warrants.”
"Additionally,” Luna added. “the Dusk Guard shall have an additional avenue available to them. You have the authority to refuse any mission requested of you unless both myself and my sister make a unified request.”
“That is ... unusual,” Steel admitted. “Is there a particular reason for that stipulation?”
“It is in the event that my sister and I ever disagree on the particulars of something, as not to unduly unbalance the Guard,” Celestia said. “In a situation where neither my sister nor I can agree on a case of action, should such an event occur, you are free to choose for yourself a proper course of action, even if that action is to withdraw and do nothing, provided that course of action is within your duty as a Guard of Equestria.”
“I desired to make certain that the introduction of a third Guard division, no matter how small, would not create undue tension between my sister and I,” Luna said, answering his question before he could voice it. “Additionally, as a separate division of the guard, neither the Night nor Royal guard will be expected to follow orders from your command under ordinary circumstances, just as the Dusk Guard members are not to accept orders from them unless situation warrants and the orders come from those of a superior rank.”
“I understand, and I agree,” Steel said, nodding his head.
Luna cocked one eyebrow. “You agree?” she asked. “What do you mean by that?”
He nodded, smiling as he saw the confusion on her face at his words. “It’s not enough for me to simply understand what is required of me,” he explained. “If I agree with it, if I believe it, then I am ever more likely to follow it.”
“I told you he was perfect for this position,” Celestia said, looking at her sister and then back in his direction. “To think that I tried for so many years to recruit you to the Royal Guard, only to have my sister succeed.” She shook her head, sending her multi-colored mane cascading through the air behind her.
Steel shrugged, as it was the only thing he could think of doing under the circumstances. “Am I to assume that my rank will be the equivalent of the other Captains of the Guard?”
Luna looked back at him and nodded. “Yes, you will be granted the rank of Captain of the Dusk Guard.”
“And those under me?”
“You may assign them ranks as you see fit,” Luna said. “After all, they will be your charges. Have you decided on the five ponies—” her eyes glanced at her sister, “—you wish to recruit?”
“I have, your highness,” he said as he pulled his saddlebags from his back. They were heavier today; he’d brought a few extra things with him in addition to the files he was now pulling out. “As requested, one of the five is the pony personally asked about by Princess Celestia—” he gestured at the Solar Princess, “—and the other four are my own choices. Not only do I believe that I will be able to convince each one of them to join the Dusk Guard, but each of them has valuable skills that I believe will contribute to the team as a whole.”
“Speaking of my request,” Celestia said as she levitated the file out from the spread he had placed on the desk. “Do not be afraid to deny it if you fear that it may not be for the best.”
He shook his head. “I’d be a fool to turn down such an asset, even if he does prove difficult to work with. Besides,” he said, “from what I’ve seen of his file I have reason to believe he may prove a much better choice than the pony he replaces.”
“Really? In what way?” Celestia asked.
“He’ll have a much harder time saying no than my original choice would have,” Steel said with a grin. “I assume that I'll receive some sort of documentation to aid in his release?” Celestia nodded an affirmative.
“When will you depart to gather these ponies?” Luna asked as she looked over the remaining files.
“As soon as possible,” he said. “In fact, if I leave this morning I can catch the noon train to Ponyville and meet with the first of the five tonight.”
“Excellent,” Luna said, "We can have the castle staff prepare the barracks for your—“ She stopped as Steel shook his head.
“My pardon, Princess Luna, but I would prefer that the Dusk Guard share the responsibility of preparing their own quarters. Many of them will already be used to it being required of them, while those that aren’t ... Well, it will be their first taste of their duties.”
Luna nodded. “Your choice is sound, we shall refrain from interfering with your assigned quarters until you return.” She looked down and examined the files for a few more moments, silent and stern, but then looked back up at Steel and pushed the files back towards him. “I also find your choices most intriguing, and look forward to meeting them in person. Now, will you need to make any arrangements at home?”
"In Canterville?” Steel asked, surprised. “No, not really. I don’t have much.” Was it his imagination, or did Luna seem to have a very critical look in her eye? “I’ll say a few goodbyes, arrange for someone to keep an eye on my cabin, but otherwise, I don’t—” His words paused as Cappy’s face came to mind. Forget it Steel, he thought. She’s half your age, and she’ll be fine. “No,” he said, taking a breath. “I don’t have anything that won’t take more than a day to take care of.”
The odd look on Luna’s face vanished as quickly as it had come, making him wonder if he’d imagined it. Luna gave her sister a sideways glance. “Very well. Tia, do you have any objections?”
Celestia shook her head gently. “None whatsoever. I wish you luck in your recruitment, but there are a few more pressing matters we must cover before we can let you go,” she said, leaning forward with a childish grin on her face. “We need to discuss budgets.”
Steel grimaced as the meaning of the words sank in and Celestia pulled a massive folder brimming with paperwork from her desk. The only consolation thought Steel had as Celestia begin to unfold reams worth of charts and figures was that Luna looked as desperate to escape as he did.
* * *
It was nearly an hour later when the door to Celestia’s study opened from the inside. The Guard snapped to attention, turning their eyes to watch the pony that emerged. To their surprise, it wasn’t the same pony that had entered earlier, not exactly. That pony had trotted into the office like any other pony, his face full of thought. This pony was striding out with his head held high, a look of joyful determination on his face, his hooves striking the marble floors with a faint ring.
And he was wearing armor. Dented armor, dulled and worn, purely outdone by the armor of the Guard around him, but there was no mistaking that he was wearing it with pride. One Guard's mouth dropped open as the stallion moved past. There was a fire, a feeling coming from him, almost burning from his eyes. Had he stopped at that exact moment and called them to order, the Guard knew that he would have snapped a salute without a second thought.
The olive-green earth pony didn’t stop or make conversation, but simply strode down the corridor towards the exit at a brisk trot. After a moment he turned the corner and was gone, and only then did the princesses appear at the entrance, Luna with a yawn and Celestia with a brilliant smile on her face.
“Young Light,” Celestia said, addressing one of them. “What did you think of that stallion who just left?”
“Your highness,” he said, bowing. “I think I understand now why so many of the older Guard were talking about him last night.”
“But what do you think?” Celestia asked.
“I think … I think he looked like a pony driven by something powerful. Someone very determined that I would not want to be on the opposing side of.” His memory honed in on the size of the pony and he almost shivered. “What was his name?” he asked.
“Steel Song,” Luna said, brandishing a large smile as she walked up beside her sister. “Captain Steel Song of the Dusk Guard.”
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I'm hoping that's popcorn of approval!
Then again, with those glasses, void popcorn.
I like how you said Celestai's personel choice was improsened without actually saying so, very well played.
I think I have a better soundtrack:
The dialogue between Steel and his sister is sweet, hinting to his past for motivation, but allowing it to be vague in case you want to go into detail later. Her simplifcation is hilarious, and bad cookery is rampant in kids apparently. These scenes set up a nice background for Steel, and eases the reader into whatever is going to happen. A whole world of difference compared to the darker fics I tend to frequent (Bioshock/Fallout/XCOM crossovers)
How big are the guard divisions anyway, if so small as a six pony squad can cause a ruckus from the other two. And it's too bad that it's only ponies. T'would be interesting to throw in a griffin or some other creature.
Would Twilight and co have a military rank, or are they just civvies? I would assume the latter, since they have no formal training. Closest would be Twilight, who must have at one point observed the guard in my headcanon.
Poor Cappy. Have her join as an auxilliary messenger.
Armor, How I laugh at their cerimonial armor. They really need to update to something allowing for more mobility. Now to see who the recruits are going to be.
Well, well, well, now I'm even more curious about Celestia's mysterious pony. From the dialogue it would appear to be a convict, which makes me wonder what did he do to end up in the slammer.
I have an idea for a new leitmotif for Steel Song
Because he is a Captain, is he not?
>“What did you think of that stallion who just left.”
y u no kwes-chin mark
I'm surprised to see a link to a song here. Why no epic theme songs for the characters in the sequel?
What was the story that this was crossovered with