//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Through the soul of friendship // by ShieldStar //------------------------------// Through the soul of friendship Fanfication by ShieldStar 5 "It's an old promise, but I'll keep it. No excuses." Princess Celestia knew what he meant about keeping old promises. "Aug! I’m being rude. I don't think I've properly introduced my-self. My name is Reed." "I am Twilight Sparkle and this is FlutterShy." "Lutenent Strong Hammer." The guard said snapping to attention. More pleasantries were exchanged and a few jokes shared. Celestia glanced out of the window. "You'll have to excuses me, duty calls perhaps we'll see each other time." "Bye princess." They called as she leave with Lt. Strong Hammer. Suddenly Twilight gasped. "Oh my gosh. FlutterShy I just remembered that I invited the rest of the girls up to Canterlot for the trip. That said they would be here by sunset. And I said I would meet them there!" "Oh my." "I should go! I'll meet you back at the room." "Okay, bye." FlutterShy said quietly. Twilight then left in a flash of purple light and a shower of sparks to match.  After Twilight had left there was a short pause. "I should be going too. If that's okay." "Perfectly fine. It was nice meeting you FlutterShy." "You too." And with that FlutterShy made her way to the door and quietly left Reed alone. Reed sat there for a moment thinking about his new friends, if he could call them that. He got up and finally changed out of the hospital gown. The clothes were soft and a close match to human clothes. He dressed quickly the shirt was a soft pure green and the pants were also soft but made of a thicker material, tan and, thankfully, had pockets. The ponies had even thought to replace his socks and underwear. "How thoughtful." Reed said. He then looked through the rags which looked to be what was left of his pack and supplies.  After salvaging what he could he turned to the shoulder bag. Next to the bag were his boots, or at least they looked like them, and his jacket. He picked up the jacket inspecting it. It had been in his pack when he had become a lager price of shrapnel. Any damage that it had taken had been repaired. He marveled at the repair-pony's craft.  It was a chocolate brown with tan synthetic fur lining the inside. The hood still had his own modifications too. On the back of the hood there was what looked like an open book with a crescent making a bowl at the top and three stars one at each bottom corners. A flame sat at the center of the crescent. The stars were yellow, the outline of the book blue, the flame red, and the crescent a slivery blue.  He put it down and turned to his coffee brown hiking boots. They too had been modified made to take impact when he jumped. The pony had also repaired them and had changed out the laces. He then opened the bag after placing the boots next to his jacket. Made of a thicker material than that of his pants and colored a light brown. A lager central pocket a secondary pocket and four small pockets lining the outside made up the bag. A flap buckled over the primary and secondary pockets. A strap made of the same material was attached to the sides of the bag. Reed wondered at its maker, how could a pony create and know about human luggage? He rummaged through the bag looking for some of his more treasured items. He found them all in one of the smaller pockets.  After looking through the rest of the bag found a small neck pouch that he had made, it had the same symbol that was on the hood. He placed each of his treasures in to the pouch, tide it shut and hung it around his neck, tucking it under his shirt. Reed stood and stretched. The last hour he had organized the bag and taken stock of what he had. The list was longer than what he had expected and he was glad that he wouldn't need to replace anything to expensive. There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Reed called as he sat on the bed. A deep blue alicorn walked in.  Reed continued his stretching. “So thee are Creature thine Sister spoke of? How art thou feeling?” "Good evening your majesty, I doth fair well. How doth fair thee?" A guard walked in and toke up a position by the door. "Good evening sir guard, I trust the going is well?" Reed finished his stretch and turned back to face them and stood. They both looked slightly shocked at his formality that they them-selves only used.  Reed smiled, glad for once that his odd greeting was received in more than an odd look. The guard replied first, "It doth goes well, sir, and you." "Can't complain, for I am alive and well." "I am glad for your." Responded the guard. The princess eyed Reed. "Thee doth speaketh well, we are not used to receiving such a greeting since we have returned." "It is pleasing to hear my greeting are received well." "Tell us, how doth thee come by such practice of greeting?" "It doth be a gift." There was a long pause before all three burst into laughter. "It... It doth be a...a gift!" The princess laughed all formality gone. "Truth be told that was the longest conversation I've had in that manner." Reed wheezed, sitting down. Leaving space for the princess to sit as well. She did and the laughter died way. "You are well versed." "Thank you. You quite good your-self." There was a short pause. "Uh...was there something I could do for you?" "Ah, yes. I wished to see what you were like. My sister told me of your waking and suggested that I meet you." "How kind of her." "Indeed, I also wished to ask about the symbol's meaning that adorns your jacket and item bag." Reed pulled out the neck pouch. Displaying an identical symbol as to the one on his jacket. He guessed she had seen it when the ponies had salvaged his bag. "What do you think it means, may I ask?" "I know not, but if I were to guess I would say each piece has a meaning as does the whole. In short it has many meanings." "Very good, that is the best description I have yet to hear. You are correct it has many meanings. Would you like to know them all now or should I wait to share it's meaning with your sister as well?" "We should probably wait. But I would really like to know about the crescent." Reed smiled enjoying the princess's curiosity. "The crescent of silver blue symbolizes power and truth. In this position it also represents compassion and wisdom." "Wow, all that in just one symbol?" "Yep, it also symbolizes clam and cool or clear mind. If you want I could make you both a copy and detail the full meaning." "I will have to discuss it with my sister after the meeting. Speaking of meetings how did you know there was to be one about thee and this symbol?" Reed grinned mysteriously. "It's a gift. I'm good at guessing someone's intentions and personality as well as history, favorites, and moods." "Interesting. Care to guess when the meeting is?" "Most likely tomorrow night provided that nothing comes up." "True, very good." There was a short pause and Reed tucked the pouch under his shirt again. "Well I must be off, the duty of a princess calls." "Of course, but before you both leave I'd like to know your names." "Sargent Star Light." Said the guard saluting. "And I am Luna, Princess of the night." "It was a pleasure meeting both of you. My name is Reed. May peace be with you forever and always." Reed only hoped that it would as they too wished him well and left. 'For once it would be nice to have peace for real.' ~~ Deep in a pit that was blacker than night and evil not yet see takes its first breath. The shadows move the darkness its-self shifting. Two eyes, the color of a burning night, open. "Harmony." Says the voice that sounds like a mountain rolling and yet is as quiet as the summer wind. A blade the color of blood is drawn only to be counseled once more. The shadow moves like a thick miasma out of the pit. Colorless except for the occasional sparkle of deepest blue and purple. The host yet unknowing to his future.