//------------------------------// // The Second Chapter // Story: Experiments: Shielded Soul // by TRIBOT 4000 //------------------------------// 𝓣𝓔𝓝 𝓨𝓔𝓐𝓡𝓢 𝓐𝓖𝓞 "Please state your name. Last name first, first name middle name last." It took a few seconds, but the mare was patient, thank Celestia, "Gold, Solid." She didn't hesitate to ask her next question. "Job?" "Hoofball player, defense, and...sometimes offence." "Can you vouch for that Mister Charge?" He nodded. "Mister Gold, as you know, exactly twenty-six hours and thirty-two minutes ago a bomb was set off in Celestias School for Talanted Unicorns. We believe the reason for this was to assassinate Princess Celestias Student: Twilight Sparkle. Fortunately they failed, however there have been casualties and we have yet to find the criminals. We are also aware that you lost a friend, Jester Colt, to this tragedy. For that we are sorry. But we do have some questions." She put down her notebook and took off her glasses. Blue eyes. "Mister Solid, do you know what a changeling is?" 𝓟𝓡𝓔𝓢𝓔𝓝𝓣 𝓓𝓐𝓨 I awoke calmly, my mouth filled with the bitter taste of last nights beers, and my brain flooded with the results. It took a moment but I was eventually able to push myself out of bed. As I did so I glanced at the clock. Seven fifty. I woke up late today, not that it matters. Today's my day off. After a stretch of my limbs, I made my way to the small kitchen I own. A box of Oats In A BoatTM sat expectantly and I used my magic to bring a bowl and a spoon to a small table I owned. I ate four bowls, slowly enough that I finished with soggy cereal each time. I drank the last bits of milk I had left and cleaned up. Glancing towards the second bedroom I noticed my roommate was already gone for the day. I thought about laying back down and drifting back to sleep, but decided against it. I might as well make the most of the day. "'A dull moment is a moment you haven't tried hard enough to make exciting.'" Oh, how many times had I heard those words? Too many to count, along with many other euphuisms Jest used to say. He'd want me to stay lively, not sulk, so that's what intend to do. I won't let him down, he wouldn't have let me let him down, if that makes any sense. I left the apartment, but not before checking my mail. Mostly a few bills, magazines I wasn't subscribed to...and a letter from my old coach. Dear Solid It's me bud. I haven't heard from you since the incident, and I thought I'd better check up on ya. I know we didn't leave on the best of terms but I still worry. Are you alright? If you ever need anything, just know that I'm here for ya. I know you probably don't want to hear this but as you know, next Thursday is the day Jester was killed passed, and the team and I are going to have our Annual Memorial Event. I know you were at the last one, no one leaves hoofprints as big as yours. Also, sorry to say this but, the authorities have found nothing on Lillypad's disappearance. So far, it's a dead end. I don't mean to depress you but I know you're the type of stallion who'd want to know. Forever your coach Victory Charge I finished reading the words on the page and contemplated. I'm sorry coach, I thought but I can't come back. The Hoofball field, the other players, it reminds me too much. Someday I'll deal with the grief, but not now. Not just yet. For now I'm going to smile and enjoy my day, like Jester would want me to. Besides, a Royal Guard needs to enjoy his Sundays. ____________________________ The Corner Grove, my favorite place to eat. Good Hayburgers and should I want to take a risk, a Strawberry Cake, the obvious best choice of desert. With me are Thunder Strike, Honey Page, and River Breeze. Thunder's a brown maned, redish purple coated Pegasus stallion. His cutie mark is a purple abstract lightning bolt. It represents his talent for cloud and lightning manipulation. A good skill for a Pegasus in the Royal Guard. He was helpful against a number of Timberwolves about a year or two ago. Next to him sat Honey Page, his marefriend. She's a quiet pony, orange coated with a mane and tail the exact color of honey combs. I've never understood how, no matter what color the honey is, she still matches. Oh, by the way, her cutie mark is a bee with a pencil. Yeah, go figure. Despite her quiet nature she's a great asset and a great friend. She's got a plethora of healing spells mastered. I nearly cut my hoof in half once and she had it fixed in five seconds flat. Why she chose the Royal Guard is beyond me. She's only ever told her reason to join to Thunder Strike. Finally, to finish off our little group, is River Breeze, a unicorn stallion with the most amazing silver mane and tail. Chicks go crazy over him. His blue coat just finishes the ensemble of everything a mare is looking for in the physical attributes of a stallion. His cutie mark is a blue breeze that nearly disappears on his coat. I will say however that his skills as a swordstallion are unparalleled. And that's us. The four musketeers, a Bee caretaker, a drop-dead gorgeous stallion, a cloud seducer, and...an old hoofball player. Yep...that's us...three good ponies and a weak...useless... "Solid!" I awoke from my stupor to see everyone staring at me. "Oh...I'm sorry. Kinda dozed off there for a second." Honey looked at me worriedly, "Are...are you all r...right Gold? Di...did we say something th...th...that bothered y...you?" I shook my head and smiled, "No, no. I was just reminiscing." True, but not entirely true. River Breeze spoke up in that silky voice of his. "Are you sure? If there is anything wrong, you know you can speak with us, right? We're here for you." Thunder Strike nodded in agreement. I smiled a little wider and glanced down at my burger. "No, really. I'm good. Honestly, it's those memories that help me from time to time. It's like what you said in your poem Honey. 'We are built by our memories.' Always liked that one." I chuckled as a thought came to my mind, "Ya know, that reminds me of a book I once read, a Moo York Bestseller." and with that I told them a story filled with hilarity. ____________________________ By the time I got back to my apartment, around six 0' clock, my roommate was back. His name is Azure Lore, he has a blue coat, and brown mane. I don't actually know what he works as, but I do know he travels a lot. For most of the time he isn't even here. I think he has a shared apartment in almost every city of Equestria. I don't know why anyone would need a job like that. It astounds me how little I know of him after seven years. "Hey, Azure. What's up?" I asked him as he sat on the couch, apparently exhausted. He noticed me and didn't lift his head, "Hello Solid. I'm just tired." he made a move to get up and lifted my hoof. "No need to rise. I'm off duty and honestly I've got some paperwork I should've done before leaving." "You should really finish it when it is due." I chuckled, "Yeah, I know. I don't get why they let me in the Royal Guard in the first place." He rolled his eyes and repositioned himself more comfortably. After a few seconds I could already hear snoring. Strange pony. Leaves for any time between a day or a month, comes back tired enough to collapse, and then he stays in the apartment for a few days straight. One part of me wanted to ask him what in Tartarus is going on, whilst another part of me says it isn't my business. I didn't want to listen to the latter part but I decided to let him rest. He payed his way at least, so he's not doing anything wrong, as far as I know. I made myself a small snack and went off to my room to do paperwork. The stack wasn't terribly tall so it only took a few hours. Unfortunately, those were a few hours of silence. Nothing puts me off more than silence. Silence is sometimes louder than anything. It's deafening. It provokes thought, and thought leads to memories I'd rather not think about right now. Finishing the last page of a report that was due yesterday, I got up and went to my bed. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. ____________________________ Being a Royal Guard is normally boring...depending on whether you're just a guardspony or part of a tact team, as I am, or lead a tact team, as I do. The Line, we're called, the tact teams. There's Alpha, Beta, Omega, and Delta, the last of which is us. By 'us' I mean River Breeze, Honey Page, Thunder Strike, and myself. Most tact teams have five members, but I guess we came to the field short a player. We made up for it though. We were probably the strangest team there. The Alpha Team is mainly based on offense, the beta does defense, the Omega has spies. Our group hasn't ever been used for anything other than a Timberwolf problem. The females had all gone into heat by accident. Please understand that I use the word 'accident' loosely as I later found that Discord might have been involved. I use the words 'might have been' lightly in this as well. It was a very interesting ordeal though. While Thunder and I held off the Timberwolves (at the sake of sounding like braggart I say we did so expertly), Honey tended to wounded and River both kept the crowd calm and worked them into safer places until we were done. We all became much closer after that day, which was the same day Princess Celestia chose us to be the fourth tact team of The Line. I remember it so well. "I think these four will be perfect." She had said, to the disdane of The Line and the amusement of Princess Luna. "But your Highness, they have no training in this...particular fie--." The Alpha Team Leader said, only to be interrupted by the Sun Diarch. "Then they shall be trained whilst they work." "But they are not of high enough rank." "They are now." "But they--." "Alpha Team Leader, should I hear you say 'but they' one more time, I shall throw you, very forcefully, through that stained glassed window. Am I clear?" Very unhappily he responded accordingly. Things are better now though. We may not get to go on as many missions as the rest of the teams, but after training with them, they at least have respect for us. Today however was not going to be simple. Why would it be? Today was the day new recruits came in to try out for the Guard. Now, with me being the heavyset pony I am, I'm used like a punching bag. New ponies try to bring me down, which is no small fete mind you, and I advise them on the best ways to do so. "Stop falling over when I hit you!" "If you're seeing stars, then don't run head first into me!" "I know magic too bozo!" Needless to say, it's one of the most entertaining things I get to do, side from sparring with Thunder. "Hey, Solid, Thunder!" a voice came from behind me. I motioned for the recruits to start practicing wards and trotted over to Wing Tip. "Princess Celestia demands your presence." she said before turning around a walking away at a steady pace. Thunder and I followed closely behind her keeping the same pace. I spared a glance at Thunder. He glanced back with just as much confusion as me. I decided a new tactic. "So, Tip...how's guarding the Princess's quarters?" I asked calmly as possible. Luckily our escort was in a talking mood. "It's fine...I guess. I mean." She sighed and lowered her head ever so slightly, "If I'm being completely honest, my new partner is getting very annoying. I used to be able to stand guard peacefully. Now I've got some idiot who won't shut up. He just keeps going on, and on, and on." Thunder rolled his eyes, "Well, then maybe you should talk back. Who knows, you two might get into a good conversation." "But I don't wa..." Tip stopped speaking as we passed a superior officer. As soon as he passed she went on in a lower voice, "But I don't want to talk to him. I want to guard in peace. Is that so much to ask for? I mean really, if I wanted to talk, I would've, if I don't, I won't. I'm not the rude one in this situation. He's the one who keeps going on about his uncles and aunts and siblings, as if I care. No one should have to talk so much about anything. He--."I bumped her with my hoof. "What?" "We're here." She looked at the door we'd nearly passed and blushed. Deciding not to address what she just did, Tip opened the door and announced our presence. We stayed at the door until she bade us in. I took in my surroundings. I'd been in this room before but with so much paperwork scattered around. Looking around I noticed that a purple coated unicorn was in the room as well. She looked awfully familiar. "Delta Team Leader Solid Gold and Deputy Thunder Strike at your service your Highness." I said as Thunder and I saluted. "At ease." We relaxed. "Do either of you know why I called you here?" she asked us. "No ma'am." we replied simultaneously. The Princess began pacing the room slowly. "I called you two here because I wanted to ask you a few questions. Captain Solid Gold, you are in a chariot, and it has gone out of control, you cannot stop, but you can steer. In the road are three ponies, a filly, a grown stallion, and an elderly griffon. There is no way to maneuver around them. What do you do? Answer truthfully, for I am monitoring you." At first, I was nothing but confused. We're summoned at the first thing we get is a quiz? It didn't make sense but I answered in utmost confidence, "I would blow up the chariot." Princess Celestia seemed surprised by my answer, a small flash from her horn and she smiled. That must have been some truth binding spell. She then looked to Thunder Strike. "Deputy Thunder Strike, if you had the choice, would you stop fighting permanently marry the pony of your dreams, and live in a small peaceful village?" Thunder spoke immediately, almost offended, "Absolutely not!" He paused and cleared his throat, speaking more respectively, "...your Highness." "Why not?" "Because I'd go crazy. I'm an active pony. I need to do stuff, take risks, and explore new things. I could never be happy just...just...dying slowly. Letting age wisp me away after years of pain and suffering. If I die, I'm gonna die doing something great." The Princess seemed happy with this answer and turned back to me, "Captain Solid Gold, am I a perfect ruler?" I thought about my answer. I wanted to say yes. Oh, dear did I want to say yes, but I felt she was looking for a completely honest answer. So I said, "No. No one pony nor alicorn is perfect in every way. The Nightmare Moon incident proved that. You have however experienced more than any of us ever could, and you have led Equestria very well, so I find that you are the wisest choice for a ruler." Dear Faust I hoped that was okay. Luckily I could see the hints of a possible smile on her lips. "Thunder Strike, do you agree with this?" "Yes, your highness." "And why is that?" Thunder didn't answer right away, instead he looked at me and smiled, "I've known Solid for years now, and in those years I've known him, both I and the rest of my team have found that our respect and trust is well placed in him." He looked back to the Princess, "We'd die for him." I don't know how that made the Princess feel but it certainly gave me a mix of emotions. I'd already lost someone to the jaws of death. I didn't want to lose another one. But then again, these were friends who I knew would be in dangers way because of our job description. In some ways I guess that prepared me more for the day I'd say goodbye to them. Jester wasn't supposed to be at risk in the first place. "Then you two will be perfect." Princess Celestia lifted a file out of the large number of books and gave it to Thunder, "That is the profile we have on a Pegasus mare who has been causing disturbances and has been the cause of a number of deaths." I looked at the file as Thunder opened it. It displayed grey coated mare without a mane nor tail. Her eyes were solid blood-red spheres, no sign of white. Thunder commented, "She doesn't look that dangerous your Highness." Celestia responded, "Looks can be deceiving." She pulled out another file and handed it to me, "In there is your debrief, read it later. In short, I want you two to go to the Badlands where she is said to be hiding. You will find her, and attempt an arrest, if you cannot arrest her, I want you to come back and give us all the information you could gather. No one we have sent has returned. We need to know what she's doing and then we can work on a solution." Before we left I had to ask, "Your Highness, I know it is not my place but...why the questions? They don't appear to me to have any connection to this particular mission." Celestia chuckled, "That is for me to know, and you to find out." she then waved her hoof, "Go now. Prepare, I have business to attend to." We saluted and left, leaving Princess Celestia to her...ward, I guess, and leaving Wing Tip to her partner. We went back to the training grounds and had someone from the Beta Team replace us. Luckily, they'd been informed that we would be leaving on mission, so they didn't say anything over the matter. I doubt they knew what was going on though. Thunder and I got our stuff ready to leave the next day after letting the Delta Team know what was happening. Honey nearly had a mental breakdown. We left the next morning, early. Azure was gone again, so I ate breakfast with Thunder. from there we left. Little did we know what waited for us. I really wish we'd been more prepared.