51. Section Sergeant No More
Princess Luna had some wonderfully comfortable furniture and I was relaxing on her sofa. The original one had died honorably at my hooves in the daring liberation of Miley. This one was a suitable replacement, though.
From all the proper eating and exercising, I had started turning into a well-built stallion again. Despite that, both the princess and Winterspear insisted that I rest twice a day. So I was resting, on duty, on a couch. Not that I had any official duties currently, but it still bothered me some.
My nerves had also improved considerably. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of having lost ponies but, more or less, I’d accepted the notion that just because they died, I didn’t have to as well. I was still muddled on the fact of responsibility and how to resolve the issue. I needed to sort that out, too, because I was going to be an officer and that could potentially mean sending more ponies to their deaths.
That was part of the job my father had never prepared me for. All of the training had been about being an enlisted guard. About giving your life. I guess he never expected me to become a sergeant and he certainly didn’t expect me to become an officer. That, he had said in a letter, was a shameful waste of my talents. He’d recommended I decline. I’d wrote back that I’d consider it and I did for all of two seconds.
There was a knock at the chamber door and Shadestar opened it. “Princess, courier here for you.”
I poked my head up over the back of the couch. Shadestar had a small pile of scrolls trapped in her magic as she closed the door. Princess Luna levitated them up and towards where she sat opposite from me.
The princess sorted through the pile and dropped them all when she reached one in particular. She quickly broke the seal and pulled the scroll open. Her eyes moved along the lines as she read excitedly… at least until a frown darkened her expression.
“Bad news?” I asked.
“It is a letter from Duke Cassius, our usual correspondence until the very end. He states that Captain Alastair and his band of rogue soldiers continue to elude authorities in Nordanver. He goes on to say that they seem to be backed by a wealthy benefactor. It is turning quite political.”
Slowly, I sat up. “Who would back a murderous brigand like that?”
The princess shook her head. “I don’t know, but we should trust in Duke Cassius. He will make good on his promise to find justice for all those slain.”
“Of course he will,” I replied absently as I slipped off the couch. “If you’ll excuse me, Princess. I think I’m done resting for now.”
“Yes, by all means. I know that you are feeling much better. Winterspear has informed me that soon you’ll not only be completely well but in better shape than before.”
I wasn’t fully paying attention. My mind was focused on reaching out to some sources at command intelligence. We had operatives everywhere, especially in the gryphon lands. Perhaps it was time to aid the duke in finding his rogue captain.
“Yes, Princess. I’m feeling rather motivated at the moment. Have a lovely afternoon.”
She stared at me but nodded. “Yes… and to you as well, Silent Knight.”
☾
“I’m sorry, First Sergeant, you don’t have the clearance for that sort of thing, regardless of who you work for.”
Slowly, I nodded at the pony behind the desk. He was a guard first class and I couldn’t hold it against him that he wouldn’t share classified information.
“Agreed,” I replied and then changed tactics. “Listen, I don’t want to go about this the wrong way. Could you give me the paperwork for the request? I’m not asking who or where the ponies are in Nordanver.”
“Allegedly are,” he corrected.
“Allegedly,” I quickly amended. “All I’m saying is this is a diplomatic matter between Princess Luna and Duke Cassius. If we can help him find his rogue officer, it will be great for the bonds between our kingdoms. You don’t have to give me any information and I won’t pass anything on to him that compromises the alleged ponies’ covers. May I please have the paperwork to request access to those intelligence reports?”
The pony sighed. “If I give you paperwork to request access to the alleged reports, it would be like admitting that such reports exist. The only way to get access to such reports, if they exist at all, is to have somepony vet you and assign it from the top down.”
Beaurocracy was fun. He had a point, though. Finally, I replied, “I’m tracking now. Is there any possible chance you could tell me which pony to talk to?”
“Classified,” he replied.
I took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Okay. I appreciate that you take your job seriously. It is commendable. I also take mine seriously. Dead seriously. I’ll level with you.
"The bastard murdered ten ponies and a gryphon. One friend, three squad members, and some poor ponies that shouldn’t have been there in the first place. If I do anything… anything with the rest of my life, it is going to be to find him and kill him.
"I don’t care what is in my way. I’ll go over it, through it, or around it. So let me ask you something. Am I going over you, through you, or around you?”
The pony swallowed nervously and leaned back a bit.
“Now, is there anything… anything that you can do to help me that wouldn’t violate your position or the regulations? Anything you’re not mentioning that isn’t classified that if I knew to ask about that you could help me with?” I stared at him, my eyes locked on his. He was sweating.
After an intense amount of eye contact, he finally blinked. “You should talk to the sergeant major. I think you two would get along. He is a blue earth pony and usually has lunch at the Spearhead Tavern on Wednesdays alone.”
“Thank you. Truly,” I said and meant every word.
I had a lead.
☾
“Well, hello, Silent Knight! You’re looking healthy,” Velvet Step called from behind the counter at Sunridge Sweets.
I smiled and replied, “Hi, Velvet. Thank you. Helping out today?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Mom is busy with the baby so I’m helping Dad while she’s at home with little Red.”
“The baby?” I blinked, then it clicked. “Oh, that is right! Your mother was pregnant when I left. Is it a boy or a girl?”
“A boy!” Velvet beamed. “I’ve got a little baby brother. His name’s Red Velvet, which was a little weird at first, so I just call him Red.” She waved a hoof. “Anyway, what can I do for you?”
“Two things,” I said. “First, since I have you here, I would very much be honored if you would grace us with your presence at the surprise birthday party for Runic Phial. Second, if your father is up to the challenge, I need a caterer that can handle rock candy and rock-themed treats.”
Velvet Step eagerly clapped her hooves. “Of course I’ll come! That sounds like a lot of fun and Dad will take on any challenge!”
Pepper Ridge stuck his head out from the back of the bakery. “I’ll do what now?”
“Don’t worry about it, Dad, I’ll tell you later,” the mare called. “Are you going to ask Crystal Wishes?” She looked back at me.
I thought that was a strange question. Of course I was going to invite her. What sort of pony would invite one half of a couple and not the other?
I nodded. “You bet. Do you know if she is home? I need to discuss the music with her.”
Velvet quickly nodded back. “She is. She has a deadline to meet.”
“I wouldn’t want to disturb her-”
“You won’t!” Velvet chimed. “Trust me. She wouldn’t want to miss out on an invitation and a chance to help. Why don’t you go see her?”
“I’ll go right now, then,” I said as I headed for the door. “Thanks, Velvet! You’re the best.”
Velvet laughed and waved me out. “You have no idea!”
☾
I was a little nervous going to Crystal and Velvet’s condo. Crystal Wishes had spent a lot of time taking care of me while I was injured and I had not been able to see her much afterwards. There was a lot of work to catch up on and I hoped she understood that. Crystal Wishes was always so selfless and I felt like I may have taken advantage of that.
Lightly, I knocked on the door. There was also the slightly awkward fact that I found her very attractive. I already had a thing for unicorns and she was quite a unicorn. She was a petite and proper lady.
That was very different than the mares around me at work, but I tried not to stare when we were together. After all, she and Velvet were an item and I would never, ever, want to hurt Velvet. She was the sweetest pony alive. Plus, the whole barn door swinging thing.
The door opened and Crystal Wishes smiled. “Sergeant, what a pleasant surprise. Won’t you come in?”
“Thank you, please,” I said as I walked into the condo. I took my helmet off and set it by the door. “I apologize for coming unannounced. Velvet said I would not be intruding.”
“And Velvet was right,” Crystal Wishes replied before heading over to her seating area and settling there. She offered me a pillow across from her and I accepted it. “What is the occasion?”
“Runic Phial’s surprise birthday party. I would very much be honored if you would attend and I know he’ll be delighted to see you,” I started and then added, “I also need your advice.”
Crystal Wishes smiled brightly and nodded. “Of course. You can consider me RSVPing a yes. Now, what sort of advice do you need?”
“The party will be held in the palace gardens so we want to maintain a certain level of decorum. Runic is really into rock music right now, though. We were hoping we could find some classical musicians that play rock songs. Can you help with that?”
The unicorn paused and seemed to be deep in thought. “Tough, but I think I can do it. I certainly know whom to ask. Leave that with me.”
“Great! Thank you, Crystal. I knew I could count on you,” I said and started to rise.
“Are you in a hurry?” she asked and I immediately sat back down.
I shook my head. “No. I’m done for the day. I wouldn’t want to impose, though.”
“Sergeant, you’re never an imposition. Besides, it is about time we discussed the tutoring you asked for, is it not?”
She had a great point. “I think you’re right. I’ll be starting at the academy soon and I’d hate to squander any time before then. Did you have the chance to look over the materials?”
“I have indeed,” she said. “I believe you are well spoken and polite enough to skip most of the etiquette items. To be fair, proper Canterlot etiquette isn’t that different from how you treat your officers. Just treat all other ponies the same way. Where I imagine you’re weak, and no offense is meant, is polite conversation, fine dining, dancing, and lying about insignificant things.”
The list seemed a bit longer than I had hoped and I was positive there was nothing about lying on the documents I sent. “No offense taken,” I said. “But I’m not really comfortable with the lying part.”
Crystal crossed her forehooves and said, “We’ll call it a creative interpretation of the truth, then. No outright lying. Now, as I see it, we’ll need to work on these things together. Since I’ve had time to fully study what all is required, I think initially you should come to see me twice a week after hours. Is that acceptable?”
It was to me but I hedged, “That sounds like an awful lot of your time being invested in me. I really don’t want to be an imposition… and I certainly don’t have any way to pay you back. It would just be me taking advantage of you.”
“As I said, Sergeant, you’re not an imposition.” She then laughed, “And you are not taking advantage of me. I want to help you with this. Helping ponies fit in in this awfully fickle city has been a labor of love for me since I was a filly. Consider it my second calling in life. I have no idea what that cutie mark would look like, but I’d have it if I weren't a writer.”
“Then I accept,” I replied. “I’m yours two nights a week.”
Crystal Wishes’s eyes glimmered and she replied, “Excellent. Would you care for some tea before you left?”
I started to rise. “I should really be going.”
The mare shook her head. “First rule of polite company: you cannot go until you’ve politely said no. You should allow your host to offer something twice. Refuse it both times if you don’t want it and once if you do.”
The look on my face probably displayed my confusion because she explained, “You refuse once to show your host that you don’t want to be a burden to them. They will then insist and you may accept. If you truly don’t want what they’re offering, refuse a second time.”
I slowly sank back down to the pillow. “Thank you for the offer of tea but not this late in the evening.”
She nodded and offered, “Are you certain? Perhaps just a half cup to warm you for the road?”
This was going to be challenging. Not to learn but to execute. If I had to do it too often, I might be spending a lot of time in the gym punching the heavy bag.
I smiled and shook my head. “I really shouldn’t. I need to get home to Winterspear. She’ll have my special dinner waiting.” I then slowly started to rise again. Halfway up, I paused and looked at her. She nodded and I got all the way up.
“Thank you,” I said.
She just giggled.
Mares. My whole life was ruled by mares. Crystal Wishes saw me out and I headed home. In all fairness, I felt like mares ruling the world wasn’t that bad. Especially when they were cute unicorn mares.
Silent Knight is starting on his new path!
Crystal's Wishes Companion Chapter: Private Meetings
If you are enjoying this story, please consider taking a look at Crystal and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, an Ask Us form to submit questions, responses to said questions, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon.
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He's going to become a proper gentlestallion and woo all the mares? I bet Golden Pants is available.
Silent Knight is forever an oblivious dork, isn't he? I'm sure it's been said a million times, and will be said a million times more, but that's just how true it is.
A good stallion must always remmebr to be polite in the pres- oh whats the use
PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hehe, another great chapter, Anzel!
A new path, a new mare...
Sweet chapter. I think you are doing a great job. Good luck with the next chapter. I can't wait to hear more of these lessons.
I love how Silent Knight thinks Velvet Step and Crystal Wishes are a couple! That just makes me crack up every time. He is so clueless!
I hereby declare that the third menu option Silent Knight in all his dialogue selections is, regardless of the situation, "Mighty Lance."
Exactly what that means is up to you to determine, but it would certainly make some of those interactions much more interesting, don't you think?
Ah, the polite society of the upper class. Where's a bucket? I need to puke.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
5861691 In all fairness, everyone else thinks the same thing.
i.imgur.com/E0Kh7J7.gif
derpicdn.net/img/2013/7/14/373805/full.gif
He has still some vengence thought. At least he has his strong moral and sense of duty.
Poor clueless SK, he will probably realise CW and VS are not an item when VS will have her own relationship
I feel like a well placed a or the would make this sentence make a little more sense, but that's probably just me.
All that said, Silent can be almost as dense as the stones his cousin is obsessed with.
Atleast he understands how Equus works eh? haha A good chapter. and its gonna be interesting to see how frazzled he'll be after learning everything. AND I'm curious to see Runic's birthday party hehehe
5861914 I second this comment
5861965 that'll be an awkward conversation though.
"Broke up? We were never an item!"
Yet another interesting chapter, Anzel. I'm looking forward to how things progress from here.
Oh, Silent... You really need to get over that thing with Alistair... If you really wanted him dead, you should have done it right the first time. It's out of your hooves now and you know as well as everyone else that he'll probably never be caught. But on the plus side, he'll also probably die alone in the woods somewhere, so there's that at least.
I thought ALL of the gryphons the duke sent with them were killed, not just one. Did I misread something somewhere?
And seriously, Crystal needs to just jump Silent already. He's never going to figure it out on his own. Literally never.
5862176 Those were the people on the good side that died.
5862404
Yeah, but I thought the duke sent more gryphons than just the one Silent made friends with and they were also killed in Alistair's ambush.
Are we going to see Equestrian Special Forces? That would be interesting.
Shadow bolts= wonder bolts Black ops
10th guards = Matte Black Armor
Pie Brigade= Sadistic Reality Warping earth ponies
Cutie Mark Commandos= when you need it gone with Extreme Prejuduce
5861914
Every time someone put that gif up I always hear Sweetie Belle's "Oh come on!
5863640 but of course
Damn it, Knight!
i.imgur.com/UDoSdpM.gif
Need Pinkie to bring me another bowl of popcorn.
Every time I read this (or similar), it reminds me of this song.
Hmmm, SK is a man on a mission! This should be interesting how he goes about finding that illusive Allistar. And then SK thinking CW and VS are dating, well that explains him never making a move on Crystal...Oh boy once he finds out she actually likes him, heh I wonder how quickly he will try to sweep her off her feet...
5864408 I certainly hope to keep it interesting ;D Also, CW and Velvet are totally dating!
5864389 Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying it.
5864216 More interesting things tomorrow!
5864176 ;D
5863289 Clever pony ;) Never trust the CMC with a mission!
5862683 We just might ;D
5862458 5862404 Silent Knight didn't seem to take the deaths of the escort as personal as he took Altons and/or he isn't sure any pony would be motivated by their deaths. Either way, yes there were other gryphons there and most of them were killed too.
5862109 Glad you enjoyed the chapter! More on the way ;D
5862008 I am personally very happy with Runic's birthday. I hope you all like it as much as I do.
5861974 Much appreciated ^_^
5861968 It works either way really. He can be a dense pony for sure ;D
5861965 CW and Velvet are totally dating! I don't know why you all think they're not!
5861914 LOL
5861891 They think that because it is true!
5861884 Officer ponies have to fit in!
5861795 That sounds like an attack or the intro to an adult film. Either way it might work.
5861691 I just think you and everyone else are ignoring the OTP! CW x Velvet OTP!
5861677 Thank you =D
5861652 A new path for sure ;D
5861624 Thank you sir! :D
5861621 There will be a party next chapter!
5861609 Perhaps someday he'll see the truth and admit his love for Shining Armor.
5861606 I don't think he could handle the Golden Pants!
5864477 Mayby the romance works this time... |D
5864477 Please tell me that you are joking. It's great reading these two stories from two different characters' perspectives, but it's getting hard to keep track every once in a while what is going on. And if I remember correctly Velvet said so herself to Crystal that she doesn't have feelings for her like that when Crystal asked her.
5864477
It certainly would have put a different spin on things when he was asked to join Luba's Guard.
"Silent Knight, I'm glad you're... excited for this opportunity, but please put that away!"
5864477 Oh you're welcome. :P
Oh lordy, Silent. I wish something would happen to let him know that the relationship he thinks exists doesn't actually. An offhand comment about it to someone who knows better, maybe Velvet suggesting he ask out Crystal, anything!
5868441 or catching velvet making out with another stallion
*Intarticulate Rage sounds* SSSSSSIIIIIILLLLLLEEEEEENNNNNNTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10/10. Favorite line of dialogue ever.
I would just like to point out the gryphon body guard and my home town share the same name. Awesome coincidence
Having read Crystal's Wishes... wasn't this supposed to be the chapter where Crystal accidentally says something along the lines of "It's not taking advantage of me if I'm willing" and the entire conversation is made a lot more awkward (and hilarious)?
He's so dense that if I hit him with a pot I'd end up with a frying pan.
7105367 This comment
7004075
Old post, but I didn't see a reply and I think I know the anwser. I've noticed slight difference in the two stories, when I asked Crystal about it in her story I believe she mentioned they write their own take on bits of the story that cross over. There's a number of small difference in them. That way it's just not a copy paste scene but something new for the reader.
A corrupt Silent Knight is a scary Silent Knight.
I thought that was a strange question. Of course I was going to invite her. What sort of pony would invite one half of a couple and not the other?
OMFG YOUR SO THICK
That poor stallion is so dense he floats a foot above water.
Silent Knight is starting on his new path!
if you are talking about the path to officer, i think you are wrong. he started on that path the moment he alone stepped forward. he unknowingly became an unofficial leader for all those who would choose to guard Princess Luna. and he would show it time and again whenever ponies would instinctively follow him and his orders in an emergency.
*pounds head against wall*
8970553
Dang it; I'm sorry but I HAD to say this because it physically hurt to see that...but dense things sink...
5864738
Celestia and Luna both: *Disappointed Princess noises* Silent Knight, please put that away... Now is not the time.
Hm. According to the author, CW and VS are dating. Getting vibes from CW about being interested and VS being encouraging or at least accepting. Open relationship? I’d say herding but we haven’t seen that established in the story yet.
11263241
Boy are you in for a surprise.