//------------------------------// // 3) Silent Solitude // Story: With Only the Stars to Cradle Us // by Lone Innocence Zevalhua //------------------------------// Ma, If ya could just get Sun Rider to tell Wordsmith to stop yapping in rhymes, I’d appreciate it. Nine times out of ten, I ain’t got no idea what the buck he’s talking about. Also, Swansong brought that angry bird of his to the barracks again. Send help. - Dreamchaser When Buddy accepted Tender Heart as his student, he expected the worst from the newbie. Exploding spells, summoning eldritch creatures, killing someone? He expected it all. Thankfully, the first week that he spent mentoring the cadet ended up without incident in the very least. He found the young colt receptive to his instructions, never proceeding unless given approval though it did feel a bit annoying at times when Tenderheart wouldn’t go through the next phases until he gave the go-ahead. Either way, Buddy found this experience with the younger unicorn pleasant. The only problem that he found was that Tender Heart seemed to have more enthusiasm cleaning the mansion than learning advanced spells. From sweeping the floor to cleaning the chimney, not once did he hear the young unicorn voice out a complaint. Not when he was too engrossed with cleaning every nook and cranny that he could find. Buddy didn’t even need to tell Tender Heart which part of the mansion he should clean. The colt just automatically did it every single day without fail and without having to ask him to do so. However, there was something that Buddy couldn’t wrap his head around, and he was sure that the other members of the Rays of the Sun, especially Argonia, noticed every time the cadet was cleaning something. “… Why isn’t he using his magic?” asked Argonia, placing a hoof on her cheek as she attempted to figure out why the cadet was mopping the dining room floor by holding the mop with his hooves instead of using a telekinetic spell to perform the action. “I’d say he’s angry, like how we unicorns would do things without magic, but with that proud grin on his face? I don’t think he finds anything wrong with doing things ‘manually’,” muttered Buddy before taking a seat beside Argonia who proceeded to fill his cup with tea by lifting up the brass pot with magic and tilting it slightly, allowing the hot, fragrant beverage to flow out into the white ceramic cup. “Do you think he knows?” asked Argonia, placing the pot down on the table as Buddy dropped two sugar cubes on to his drink and stirring it a couple of times. “Know what?” asked the groggy unicorn before sipping at his tea. “That he can use magic to clean?” “Don’t be ridiculous, Argonia, of course he does,” answered Buddy, turning his head to watch the cadet continue his mopping, seemingly unaware that they were talking about him. Both of them stayed silent for a while, staring at Tender Heart who still didn’t use magic to assist him in his task even though doing so would have allowed him to finish much earlier. A few moments later, Buddy and Argonia looked at each other as if realizing at the same time that MAYBE Tender really didn’t know that he was allowed to use magic for mundane tasks. “Hey, Tender Heart,” Buddy called out, causing the cadet to perk his ears up and turn his head towards him. “Yeah?” “Why… Aren’t you using magic?” inquired Argonia. Tender Heart’s brows furrowed in confusion as if he didn’t get what she was talking about. “Using magic… For what?” he asked. “Cleaning!” Tender Heart stared at them, looking as if he was waiting for both Buddy and Argonia to give the punchline to him. “Nope, he doesn’t know,” groaned Buddy before placing his hooves on his face. “Wha? Why should I use magic for cleaning?!” asked Tender Heart who turned to Argonia in an attempt to get her to side with him since the idea of using magic on mundane tasks seemed needless. “Tender Heart… You really don’t know?” asked a cringing Argonia in disbelief and worry, wondering how long did the colt manage to survive without using his magic frequently to hone his skills. Buddy watched the cadet turn his head back towards his mop then back at the two unicorns. After a few seconds, Tender Heart’s horn glowed green and the mop was subsequently encased in the same color, staying in mid-air after he had let go of it, showing that the unicorn was now holding it with a telekinetic spell. The mop then moved downwards, stopping right at the tiled floor before moving about left and right as if an invisible pony was mopping the floor. Buddy swore on that very moment that he saw a light bulb turn on above Tender Heart’s head as if he had just discovered the answer to he greatest mystery in life before chuckling to himself. “… You alright there, kiddo?” asked Buddy as he took another sip from his tea. Instead of replying, Tender Heart opened the nearby closet using his magic with an excited look on his face and took out another mop… And cleaning soap… And another bucket… And a broom… And a feather duster… And a rag… and a can of floor wax. Without responding to his question, the cadet left the dining room followed by floating cleaning equipment, his chuckling turning into slightly crazed laughing when he closed the door behind him. “We unleashed a cleaning gremlin…” commented Argonia with worry as she listened to Tender Heart’s laughing fade in the background. “Well, at least now our group now has someone who willingly does dirty work,” replied Buddy nonchalantly, his lips quivering as he tried his best not to laugh as Argonia beside him suddenly went silent and he could feel her gaze burning a hole through his skull. “Will you please just betray me already so I can stab you in the face?” asked the mare beside him whose voice was seething with anger. “Sorry, your highness, puns are not a crime,” chortled Buddy. “They should be.” “Why? So you can give me a punishment?” It was as if I woke up for the first time in my entire life. Using magic to clean? Just think of all the things I can do all at once! I’ll have so much time to spare that I can clean the other rooms today, or better yet, the entire mansion! Followed by my protégé of cleaning items and utensils, I entered Buddy’s office and was immediately greeted by the the dusty air that seemed to have lived there for far too long. When I arrived at the Whinnychester Mansion, the dustiness of the place wasn’t this pronounced, but now that I have the proper gear to rid the place of this foul, sneeze-inducing particles, my target couldn’t be clearer. The other rooms were easy to clean since they were mostly vacant or unused, but Buddy, unless he was eating with Argonia and Haymaker, rarely left his office, hence why I couldn’t start with that area. I asked him a few days ago if I could do a quick sweep on his office and he gave me his permission to do so when he was not in the room. While that was a good thing, I made sure to ask him if I should stay away from anything, like certain bookshelves or items that he didn’t want anypony to touch, or if there were any sensitive or classified documents that a cadet like me shouldn’t look at. His response? ‘Depends, do you have enough knowledge to understand the basics of condensed high-speed multi-layer spell casting?’ The mere fact that he said that to me with a straight face before returning to his paper after two seconds told me that he wasn’t lying. Even if his office was filled with valuable books or documents, what were the chances that I, a mere cadet, could understand their contents? Much less use them for my own personal gain? But he couldn’t be THAT careless, right? There was no way that all of his magical secrets were all easily accessible in his office like that. Sure, a mere cadet like me couldn’t begin understand his concepts right away, but what if someone smarter than me came into the room? No, it was probably just a test of character, Buddy wouldn’t just leave important stuff for anyone to take, he’s definitely trying to see if I’m brave enough to take initiative. For now, however, I had other things to take care of. “HEAR YE! HEAR YE! YOUR TIME OF TERROR, RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, AND SLIPPERY FLOOR BOARDS HAS COME TO AN END, FOR I! TENDER HEART! HAVE RISEN BEYOND THE CONSTRAINTS OF MY OWN ABILITIES!” I shouted as I prepared all of my cleaning equipment with my magic, guiding them beside me like a legendary knight bringing forth every mystical weapon he had acquired in his journey to face his fateful adversary. “No longer will you caution others where they step, for they will no longer fear of slipping, nor will you catch them off guard with puffs of dust the moment they sit, and no longer will you give these walls a ghostly and haunted aura… For I will turn them once again… into a CLEAN place of dwelling!” The next few minutes, or perhaps hours, were a blur for me. Windows were opened, book covers were cleaned, floorboards were waxed and shined, vases and trophies were polished, and rugs and curtains were dusted out. I think Buddy or Argonia might have opened the door slightly and peaked in at one point but I was too busy with my work to find out who it was or if it was just a figment of my imagination. My mind turned back to the barracks and the academy, just think of all the work that I could get done now that I know I can use magic to help me with my tasks! I’ll be able to clean up the place in no time! Maybe even General Armstrong’s annoying, disorganized, messy, and trash-riddled office. Oh god, all those documents that I have to sort through. Alphabetically… Or by date… OR PRIORITY! I just CANNOT wait until I return from this mission to get started on that place! Meanwhile, although Buddy’s office seemed neat enough, there was actually a lot of dirt hidden under the furniture as though he did try his best to make the room look like it was being tended to but not much effort was given. It was an ‘okay’ job at best, but the surprising amount of dust and dirt under the rugs and sofas proved told me otherwise. If there was someone whose definition of cleaning was sweeping things under the rug or furniture and then calling it a day… No, Buddy can’t be that lazy, he probably just had too much stuff to do prior and that’s why he could only do the bare minimum and that’s why he’s put so much faith in me to clean up his mess without judging him. As his apprentice, I HAVE to do this unconditionally, and unconditionally I will. As I went to put back the numerous volumes about spells and alchemy back to their respective bookshelves, making sure that they were perfectly aligned and by order I noticed a hole on the right side on the middle row shelf. I thought that perhaps termites managed to eat through the lacquered wood but upon closer inspection the hole was neatly cut, and on the wall was a neat recess that housed a number of items. If this was a trash bin then it certainly wasn’t a convenient place to use. Curious, I reached out for the contents of what I thought was a hiding spot with my magic, causing five items to glow green before floating towards me. One was an opened box containing a stylized eight-ray golden sun medal with a sword and quill crossed against each other with a jeweled staff standing upright in the middle as a background while the words ‘Others Above Self’ emblazoned in shiny fancy gold letters were written below inside an inverted chevron. No doubt this was the Celestial Cross that Princess Celestia had granted to Buddy after the Changeling Siege of Canterlot. The very same one that he was supposed to get in a ceremony that he chose not to attend. But why would Buddy hide it in a hidey hole instead of displaying it on his desk or on a pedestal? Or heck, if it bring him that much prestige to have a general worry after him, then wouldn’t it feel more at home being worn by him to show how much he’s given in the service of Equestria? The next item was a faded sepia picture depicting three young ponies comprised of two unicorns and one pegasus standing in front of a school somewhere. Of the three, two had their faces blocked out hastily with ink, leaving only one unicorn staring in the camera. This unicorn, even though he lacked the aviator glasses that is almost always on his face, was undoubtedly a much younger Buddy Guard, only here, his eyes were filled with sadness. I turned the photo around to find clues about when or where it was taken but the backside of the picture had no writing present, causing me to sigh as I went to check the other items. A part of me wanted to put these items back where I took them but I’ve already gone this far to wuss out. At best, maybe this would help me understand Buddy more. I mean, the general couldn’t have sent me here for no reason, right? Sure, Buddy seemed to be fine and well when I arrived, much better than what General Armstrong described him to be, but surely there was a reason why he was picked for this particular mission instead of the more capable cadets or knights that he could send. The other items were: a purple book with a thundercloud insignia on the cover that I couldn’t open for some reason, probably locked with a spell or something; a small potion bottle filled with a glowing bright red liquid; and a scroll with a broken red wax seal of… The Captain of the Guard? “Oh, you found my stash,” said Buddy behind me, causing me to jump in place and let go of the scroll before I could unfurl it and read its contents. “S-Sorry! I shouldn’t have poked through your things-” Buddy stopped me with a shake of his head before I could finish my sentence, approaching me and picking up the scroll from the floor with his magic, the object covered in a light blue aura that was the same color of the glow of his horn. “You’re fine, Tender Heart, I was worried because you suddenly went silent after all the… Uh…” “Racket that I was making?” “Evil laughing and monologuing, yes.” Okay, a bit rude, but believable. “You are seriously eager to clean the dirt off this place, huh? I thought it was just you trying to look good on your first day,” he commented before putting back the scroll on to the recess on the wall along with the other items. “It helps me keep my mind off things, otherwise I’d go berserk from boredom.” I replied, moving to take all of the books that I had put on the side with my magic, carefully placing them back on the shelves in alphabetical order. “Have you tried practicing your spells instead?” I chuckled a little at my mentor’s question. Although the sarcasm was there, I’m sure he still meant well. As a unicorn, there seemed to be a lingering expectation that I should be practicing my magic or spells as much as I can to improve my grasp on it. For a cadet or future unicorn Royal Guard, being able to utilize a variety of offensive and defensive spells in response to a situation was a must. Spells to stun, to blind, to slow down, to speed up, to shield, nullify… You name it. I did what I can to learn every spell that I was required to cast and sustain to a certain standard. But to cast something as ‘perfect’ as Prince Shining Armor’s anti-Changeling spell, where the range was the entirety of Canterlot and yet only affected his targets without needing them to be in his line of sight to ensure that no innocent pony was hit… It’s beyond my reach… Not unless I cheat… “I can only do so much, Buddy.” I replied after a few seconds before moving away from the other unicorn and closing the windows of the office since the room was sufficiently aired out of dust now. “On my own, I can cast rudimentary spells that you’re required to learn and master as a cadet sufficiently, but beyond those things, I’m pretty much bland. No matter how much I try, I’ll never be as talented as Miss Twilight Sparkle, or better yet, I’ll never be of the same caliber as former Captain Shining Armor.” I admitted, huffing as I went to fix the curtains and adjust the lighting of the room to Buddy’s liking as he listened to me. “I mean, yeah, I can try and be like him, I can work hard to be as reliable and hard working as him, but no matter how I try, I’ll never come close to the real thing. At best, I’ll just be an imitation” I continued. Buddy was silent, his head turned towards the row of books where his stash was hidden. After a few seconds, he went towards the sofa and slumped down on it casually with a sigh. “Who knows… You could be better,” he said nonchalantly. On that moment, it was me who stopped and turned to look at him. Buddy said that so casually that it could be considered as an off-hand comment or innocent musing. However, I could feel that there was a tinge of real sincerity underneath that carefree mention of it. I was about to open my mouth to say something but the audible sound of the windows rattling stopped me. From where I stood, I could see through the transparent glass of the windows that the sky dimmed considerably as a thick sheet of clouds rolled over the mansion and a strong wind caused the windows to rattle louder. “What the heck?” I muttered as I approached the nearest window to check on the weather. Behind me, I heard Buddy prop himself up from the sofa and take a few steps towards the windows as well, the clip-clopping of his hooves being muffed slightly from the freshly dusted rug beneath him. “Tender Heart, step away from the windows,” said Buddy, no, rather, he ordered me to do so with a stern tone that demanded my obedience immediately. But against my better judgment, I ignored him and opened the window with my magic and poked my head out, furrowing my brows when I saw that the town proper was free of clouds while a thick sheet of clouds was only present above the entire area of the Whinnychester Mansion as a powerful strange wind engulfed the place, causing a lot of leaves and small debris to fly around with a few of them entering the office that I had just cleaned. “Uhh, Buddy? I think we have a bit of a problem-?!” My sentence was cut short as I gasped loudly in shock when a powerful wind blew into the office, pushing me and Buddy off-balance, before that very same wind moved outwards, lifting me off my hooves and sucking me out from the windows as books from the bookcase, among other things, were tugged out of position by the vacuum. Without a moment’s hesitation, I enveloped myself in magic in mid-air, stopping myself from falling down to the courtyard with a levitation spell. In my upside down state, I tried to look around to see where was Buddy, worried that maybe he got pulled out as well and maybe fell to the ground. Thankfully, when my eyes returned to the opened window, I saw the golden brown-colored pony standing back up, seemingly uninjured. Sighing, I readied myself to change my position as the blood was already rushing towards my head and the pressure that was building up was becoming uncomfortable. But before I could rotate myself upright, I saw a fast-moving winged figure blast through the clouds right above me, crashing into me and knocking the air out of my lungs. The tempest that followed caused the windows on Buddy’s office to slam shut on the hinges as I landed forcefully on a haypile on the ground, causing the stringy material to burst all over the place while something hard and sharp pressed against my throat. When I regained my bearings and adjusted my vision, I saw that enumerable hay was falling everywhere while a night blue-colored pegasus wearing a full set of armor that was similar to the Captain of the Guard armor that Shining Armor wears, minus the helmet, but with the coloration being lavender and silver instead of the iconic purple and gold was standing over me, keeping me down by pressing his greaved hooves against my forelimbs. On the chestpiece of the armor was a silver crescent moon that seemed to be that of Princess Luna’s cutie mark. As I tried to catch my breath and assess my assess situation, I discovered that this pegasus had his wings crossed against my throat, his feathers as hard as steel with the longer ones digging through the soil like sturdy daggers instead of being soft and fluffy like they should be. Looking up, I saw the pegasus scowling down on me, his eyes filled with unrestrained hostility as though warning me that he wouldn’t think twice about cutting my throat if I tried anything funny. “Ah don’t know what or who ye are, boy,” said the pegasus without taking his eyes off me, pressing the feathers of his wings a little harder against my throat, stressing out that he had full control of the situation. “But any funny movements, anythin’ at all, an’ it’s a new breathin’ hole fer ya,” he hissed. Oh no… Did I get found out?