6. The Lecture
Iridescence helped me polish my armor one more time while we stood in the hall of the Royal Guard Training Academy. She had volunteered to come with me for my punishment, which says a lot about her character.
It was our day off. She should have been out doing whatever it was she normally did in her free time. Probably getting her mane done. Her mane was always styled even after wearing the helmet. Most of the mares complained a lot about that. Somehow she’d found a way around it.
Very few things scare me but speaking in public is one of them. Despite how bad I felt for taking up my partner’s time, I was glad that she had come with me. That is why royal guards always work with partners: there is always a pony to watch your back.
“It’s time. Are you ready?” she asked me in a soothing tone.
I nodded. “Yes.”
Which wasn’t a lie. I was ready in fact to go inside the classroom, but not ready to speak. What could be worse than sixty ponies who idolize royal guards staring at you while you let them down?
Oh well. Never let anypony shake your cool. Orders were orders and mine were to give a lecture. Iridescence bumped her flank against my own and pushed me towards the classroom door.
Being stared at has never bothered me. Royal guards are trained for that, but there were a lot of eyes looking at me. The instructor motioned in my direction and said, “And right on time, as all royal guards should be.”
“Listen up, ponies,” he said gruffly. “This is Silent Knight. He isn’t just a royal guard. He is one of Princess Luna’s House Guards and became so right out of this very academy. We should all aspire to achieve what he has. Give him your full attention. Silent Knight.” He indicated to me and stepped aside.
Great. Just great. I wasn’t any sort of special pony. I just did my job and happened to be on Princess Luna’s House Guard because I was stupid enough to volunteer. It wasn’t like I was part of Princess Celestia’s House Guard…
That gave me pause and my head tilted while I mulled over that concept. Actually, why would one House Guard be less than the other? That was what created Nightmare Moon in the first place, right? Ponies not giving Princess Luna her due?
I smiled ever so slightly at the thought. How about that? I am on a princess’s House Guard. My princess was as good as any other princess. The sisters were equals! It was in that moment that I felt satisfied. My dream had been achieved already. Right out of the academy, too! Perhaps I was a special pony after all.
My ears twitched, catching the sound of a soft cough. “Silent Knight,” the instructor repeated, snapping me back to reality. How long had I been standing there without saying a word? I cursed my internal monologue and realized I was, in fact, some kind of special pony.
Okay, it was showtime. Iridescence had helped me with my lecture by drilling it into me. Just memorize this, stand there, and repeat it. That was what she had coached. During each shift change, I had stood next to her and given the speech. It was all in my head, so now it was time to repeat it once more and that was exactly what I was going to do.
I nodded at the instructor. No need for him to suspect me of daydreaming. My silence was just making a point about the weight of my lecture. That was only fitting.
“Thank you.” My eyes fixed forwards.
After looking out at the group of ponies that were not much younger than myself, I began, “As a trainee of this academy, you will learn many skills. You will also learn many procedures. Skills become muscle memory and procedures become routine. They make up two halves of a guard’s knowledge that you must be able to execute without thinking.”
So far so good.
“What challenges us as royal guards is the fact that sometimes we’ll find ourselves in a situation where the hard-trained skills do not apply. As an individual, you’ll face a problem where you must deviate from your routine. That is when you must use your most important weapon.” To make the point stick I lifted my hoof and tapped my helmet. “Your mind.”
I paused for dramatic effect and then paced back and forth in front of the room. “You will not be trained for every possible situation, nor could you be. That is the true power of a royal guard: the ability to think. It is because of that very fact that you must prepare yourself by strengthening your mind. You must have faith in yourself that you can make good decisions with the information you have on hoof.
“When you do face those challenges outside of the norm—and you will—always keep your eyes on what is most important. What is the basis of our duty? To protect!” I raised my voice for that bit, just like Iridescence had, and held that tone just a minute more. “Take responsibility and make a choice! Make the best one you can to ensure that whomever or whatever you’re protecting will be safe first and foremost. Sometimes that may mean deviating from procedure.”
That notion seemed to disturb the assembled ponies. It was opposite from what they were taught day in and day out. In some ways, the academy offered little more than a foundation. Everything else was learned on the job.
Pressing on, I continued, “That very idea was frightening to me and it should be to you as well. Fear is okay. Fear keeps you alert and alive. It heightens the senses. Terror is your enemy. Terror will paralyze you with indecision and no decision is the greatest danger.
“Control your fear, and as long as you use your mind and keep your eye on your duty, you’ll know the right thing to do.” I paused once again to let that point sink in. “But, and I do want to stress this, do not make it a habit of breaking procedure. If you do so, you could be relieved of duty, imprisoned, or even be required to speak in front of trainees. Although you probably shouldn’t say that last part.
“Thank you.” With the lecture finished I turned and walked out of the classroom without looking back. There would be no question and answer session. My commitment was done.
In the hall, Iridescence was staring at me wide-eyed. She had both hooves against her mouth and looked like a pony that desperately needed to laugh but was holding back out of politeness.
“What?” I asked.
☾
My best attempts to blend into the wall were usually not successful. Royal Guard armor just wasn’t the greatest of camouflage. But that didn’t mean I didn’t try. The more I blended in, the less I’d be engaged.
Princess Luna had been busy with decorating and, to quote her, “making the space her own.” Her office and chambers were now a light shade of purple. It didn’t quite match my armor but it was close enough and I willed it to be more so. That way I could blend in better. Of course, it should also be noted that white pegasi tend to stand out against purple walls.
“Silent Knight?”
Blast, my camouflage attempt had failed yet again. Perhaps next time I’d stand guard from inside of a cardboard box. “Yes, Princess?”
The princess levitated a parchment my way and asked, “Wouldst thou read this and tell us what thou thinkest?”
What I thought? Who cared what I thought? I’m just a guard. I don’t have any opinions on official documents. It would be inappropriate for me to—“Yes, Princess,” I replied and then mentally swore at my mouth. The parchment arrived and I lifted a hoof to catch it.
The words on the page were intelligible, but it certainly didn’t have the format of any sort of paperwork I’d seen before. That was as utterly confusing as the princess asking me to check her work.
“Well?” the princess asked, a hint of… nervousness in her voice.
I was quiet for a moment longer and then replied, “Princess, it seems like a very interesting account of somepony named Daring Do and a dragon. Are we at risk of a dragon attack? When did this occur? I’ll inform the captain after my shift.”
Princess Luna floated the parchment back to her desk, smiling a bit. “Thou likest it, then?”
Liked it? It was a report. Typically reports are either well written or not. “It was very accurate and clear. I don’t know that I like the idea that a dragon may attack. That is more concerning than anything else.”
The princess laughed. It seemed to me that a lot of ponies around me laugh when I speak. “Fear not, Silent Knight, ‘tis but a work of fiction.”
“A false report, Princess? Who would do such a thing?”
More laughter. It was nice to see her laugh since she was usually so serious. Although why she was laughing at me I didn’t understand. “Thou art too serious, Silent Knight. We wrote this. ‘Tis fan fiction.”
Was the princess admitting that during all the time she seemed to be working she was, in actuality, just writing false reports? That didn’t seem right. Surely she did some work. I sensed that she saw my confusion, mostly because she said, “Thou still lookest confused. Perhaps we should elaborate?”
“Please, Princess.” It was time to get to the bottom of this. Filing false reports was a crime, after all, but arresting the princess would probably not look good. Plus her sister could just pardon her. She might be able to pardon herself, actually.
“It is stressful for us now that our royal duties have been resumed. We also do not…” She paused and thought for a moment before continuing, “We do not have many social engagements yet. As such, we write stories to entertain ourselves. ‘Tis truly for fun, not mischief.”
That made more sense and was far less treasonous than I originally imagined. “You write stories like mothers read to foals,” I said in understanding… or so I thought.
“Nay, Silent Knight!” she said quite seriously. “Our stories are not for foals! They are for ponies of all ages who like adventure and intrigue. Even royal guards may read them and enjoy!”
Literature was not really my strong suit. When I was at the Canterlot secondary school I focused more on easily applied skills. Reading and writing are clearly important. I mastered them but never took an interest in poetry and fiction. There wasn’t a lot there that translated into Royal Guard skills, but if the princess said they were for everypony, then it was so.
It was sensible to just nod and, instead of just leaving it at that, for some reason I said, “You called this fan fiction, Princess, but I did not recall a fan being in your story.”
“Thou art being quite literal,” she replied. “The character Daring Do is not of our creation. Nay, a wonderful writer by the name of A. K. Yearling created her and crafted many books about her heroism. Those books are known and beloved all across our land.
“We are a fan of these books and it is not uncommon for literary-minded fans such as we to take a character and write our own stories. It helps grow the fiction and many build communities around these stories.”
That was interesting to me, that you could take somepony else’s work and expand on it. “And that is acceptable to do, Princess? Even though you didn’t originally create this Daring Do and your stories may not be what the original creator wanted?”
The princess nodded happily. “Verily! This is so, thanks to Equestria’s weak copyright laws and the absence of a giant mouse corporation that compels bureaucrats to extend such rights well beyond what is reasonable.”
There were giant mice and they were able to form corporations? That was a frightening thought. More so the corporations than the mice. Beyond that, to be honest, I didn’t understand half of what the princess had just said but I think I got the gist: “Score one for the little pony.”
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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Great idea for this chapter. I wonder what will happen next to silent. Good thanks for the update.
5308541 Glad you liked it. I thought it would be fun to go with a bit of a comedy slant for these two.
nice jab at mickey mouse though it is true
Another Glorious chapter!
5309137 It is sad that it is! I figured a little fun with that isn't too much trouble ;D
5309593 Thank you kindly =)
Copyrights and the House of Mouse. Well done, though to be fair, I found his speech, the end especially, hilarious. Well done.
Ah a Metal Gear Solid reference! Hmmmm, this chapter has revealed a bit of a VERY dense side of our protagonist...He's as sharp as a Katana but about as dense as lead...But that is what happens when one lives a life where one's major influence teaches but one thing- how to be the perfect soldier.
Reference to FiMfiction, Hasbro and copyrights. And pulling it without Lyra and her humans - a masterpice!
Silent Knight, it is my honor to award you with all of my yes.
*pins ribbon on armor*
Carry on.
I seriously question Disney's methods. When one of its' parks closed, they gave minors drugs to keep them at the company.
Daring Doo fanfiction written by a priness who is part of a fanfiction herself. You like messing with us don't you?
5590345 fanfiception, well, almost
Oh my word, Silent Knight is adorably hilarious in this chapter. XD I love it. It took me a minute to catch what happened at the end of his speech because I was reading so fast, and I didn't catch the Disney jab until I read it in the comments. Pfffff. (That's not a jab on you, I woke up, like, half an hour ago, plus I'm not as clear on Disney's policy about fanworks.) Luna writing fanfiction is also adorable.
Silent was a dead ringer for Idol Hooves, from Changeling of the Guard, in this chapter. It was great.
A fanfiction inside a fanfiction?
Fanfiception!
5757179
Not only that it's a fanfiction in a fanfiction of a nonfiction in a fictional story!
5764600 Actually, it's a fanfiction of a fictional nonfiction book being passed off as fiction, inside a fanfiction.
5782560 it's a story.
Princess Luna writing fan fiction within a fan fiction?
We need to go deeper.
fanception
I died. Damn Disney and their new world order.
Anyways, caught up with Crystal's Wishes so I'm reading again.
I realize this is an older chapter, but I going to go ahead and mention this anyway.
Your use of quotation marks when a single characters speech spans multiple paragraphs is incorrect. If a speaker ends a paragraph speaking, and begins a new one still speaking with no interruption, then you do no close the quotation of the first paragraph.
Like this:
If you close of the first paragraph with a quotation mark, and the second paragraph begins immediately as more speaking, it's implied that a new character is speaking.
Aside from that little annoyance I'm enjoying things thus far.
Quick edit. I feel I should mention that if there is an interruption, like another speaker or the narrator describing action, you end the speech with a quotation mark as normal. You only leave it out if its continuous speaking spanning a paragraph break.
This is covered (as of the last time I looked) in the site's writing guide (under FAQ on the top bar).
*glares at hasbro and every other media based company* LEARN FROM THIS YOU CORPORATE FUCKTARDS!
6047489
*extends the glare to include Congress* Get a frickin clue, you guys.
Princess Luna teaches Silent Knight about Fan Fiction.
Please let there be a gaming session!
That Metal Gear Solid reference!
That fourth wall break thou
5747258
The humor is strong in this one
This is easily the most caustic thought Silent has had yet, doubly so since it is such a wound for Luna still: the idea that she's not legitmate; equal in name only. That her house is a token measure mirroring the reality of Celestia's. Ask yourself, how many guards would have come to her service in these early days, believing this stance as a given? How that would hurt her so...
I'm very glad Silent checks himself so admirably. How many others would have? It's a brief moment and entirely in Silent's head, but it's a significant battle won, all the same.
I like to think that when Luna's leaning on the fourth wall, she's just speaking in memes that are a thousand years out of date. And Celestia was the only one who'd get them now, but she was never one for memes, perfect graceful sunshine she is, and trying them on her would just make Luna feel let down and foolish, and there's already enough complicated filial baggage there, let alone ringing hollow jokes over a wide canyon...
That escalated somewhat in my mind.
Anyways, Luna is pretty brave and trusting to show fanfiction off. Y'alls own up: how many of you would show, in person, your writings to one of the uninitiated?
Like I said: brave and trusting.
7444515
Careful, the Mouse owns that now...
Now there's a meta-fanfiction and a Disney reference... is this kind of thing going to occur regularly in this story and its sequels as I keep on reading? I can tell you're a technically good writer, but stories that intentionally and mercilessly shatter my immersion for the sake of IRL references and memes are the bane of my existence.
You're clearly doing something right considering how highly rated this story is, but I'm pondering if it's simply not for me.
7879434 you have more danger doing something Star Trek then Star Wars.
5308895
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/662/195/11b.jpg img.clipartfest.com/c91ec0101de77fcc254253c1ebbf9fae_cardboard-boxes-cardboard-box-clipart-metal-gear_651-481.png
7893614 Same...
Criticizing a fan fiction in a fan fiction? My my aren't we getting contradictory now.
This guy i swear to god he's a fucking robot lol
5747258
ikr. i think you could switch their brains and even Topaz and Iridescence wouldn't notice any difference. also, if you haven't yet, watch comic dub "Shrinking Is Magic". i swear that is Topaz. COTHG author agrees.
8960233
not a robot, just...not that smart...
My god. This paragraph killed me. xD
aparantly luna has some pinkie pie in her there....that bit of metahumor there at the end was a little 'too' on the nose i think.
...
He reminds me of Idol Hooves.
9921616
I know right!
I have been thinking that since chapter 3.
Heheh.
Oh, Luna, NOOOOOO!!! That is a rabbit hole that, once entered, can never be exited.
...wait...
9054687
Heh that's true, isn't it? Ya know it's nice, coming back to something that has stayed the same...only to look back and see how much you have changed.
7893614
I’m very late to this party but the unexpected 4th wall breaks also feel detrimental to me.
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