//------------------------------// // Amber's Core (RB, KTK And BS) // Story: The Humble Prince // by Lighting Ace //------------------------------// "I still can't believe it," Commander Hurricane exclaimed out loud. At this time, she and Amber admired a mural displaying King Sombra's head terrorizing the crystal empire as they waited for the return of Stellar from her session with Dr. Wolf. "That colt grew up just to do all that damage?"  "I'm sorry, Commander, but that's how things ended up. Once he assumed the throne, King Sombra didn't waste any time in turning the kingdom into a dictatorship, one so big and dangerous that it risked the peace of all Equestria. The royal sisters didn't have any choice but to intervene and put a stop to it."  "You realize that that only makes things more uncomfortable for me, right? I saw that tyrant as a baby, for pony's sake! I held him in my hooves! And he didn't exactly have a difficult childhood; what could have happened that made him do all of this?"  Amber could only shrug in response, "No pony can predict the future, ma'am. Things sometimes simply happen. Having a nice childhood doesn't guarantee that you will choose right from wrong, correct? Growing up with too much privilege can lead to the risk of making you too prideful."  "Yeah, you're right," Hurricane nodded with a sigh, "I just think it's sad, poor Penumbra. The stars know how ashamed she would be if she had seen her child become that monster." "Such can be the cruelty of fate, madam," the voice of Sharp Shot alerted both mares as he made his way towards them before giving them a short bow. "Please excuse me, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation," he apologized with a small smile. "I just wanted to speak with you; after all, it's not every day when someone has the opportunity of meeting not only a member of the most elite of security forces in the world but also one of the founders who are credited with the creation of Equestria itself. I believe saying that 'it's an honor' is entirely lacking in describing my joy right now."  "And we certainly appreciate the praise, Sir Sharp Shot," Amber acknowledged him with a calm and professional voice. "Although I'm afraid you are praising us a bit too much. We only did our job as defenders of Equestria and its relationships with the rest of the world. A feat which you have contributed to in no small amount. The weaponry and armor your family business has donated to the crown over the years have been of great use."  "Oh please, Miss Amber, there is no need for such formalities. After all, although retired, I also served the crown."  "I'm aware of that, yes. Ten years of service as a royal guard, five as a Wonder Bolt, and two as a drill sergeant before retiring and taking control of your family's arms manufacturing business," Amber listed, earning the attention of Hurricane.  "You have read my file, I'm touched," Sharp Shot confessed, bringing his right hoof toward his chest. "And I'm impressed," she said with a smile, "Royal Guard, Wonderbolt, Drill Sergeant…all with not a single visible scar on you," she mentions while inspecting his body. "Either battles here have gotten soft, or you have become a fast learner on the field Rusty" She nicknamed him with a smirk.  "Or I was simply luckier than the bastard who was on the other side of my blade," he remarked with a smirk of his own. "Just as you always told your troops, twice as fast…"  "…Or a blade to your eye," she finished the expression with a chuckle. "So you have read about me, too, eh?"  "Of course I did, I don't believe there is a single pegasus on the force that doesn't know the tale of Commander Hurricane, the matriarch of the military forces of Equestria and teacher of the sky. Meeting a legend such as yourself could be enough to make the child in me to do a backflip."  "Heh, OK, Rusty enough with the kiss ass, didn't you say there was something you wanted to talk about it? Or was that just an excuse to approach us and ask for an autograph?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, making him chuckle.  "Oh, if only it could be both, but you are right. I had the intention of speaking with you, particularly my classmate," he said, looking at Amber, "About the incident with the assassin some time ago."  "And what pray tell, would you like to talk about Sir? That is a particularly sensitive subject," she asked with suspicion, taking a step closer.  "I just want to collaborate in the apprehension of the perpetrator, I assure you. But I was hoping that I could talk with you and your partner about it."  "She is busy at the moment."  "A real shame, perhaps at another time then. I'm sensing that our interests are the same, and my help could be of use in your mission," he said before giving them a polite bow. "I will be near the savior statue if you wish to speak with me. Until then, good day miladies." He waved them goodbye while marching away, Amber still keeping an eye on him until he disappeared.  "What do you make of him, soldier?" Hurricane asked in a severe tone.  "I'm not completely sure, ma'am, I didn't detect any form of hostility or deception on his posture or voice. He seems legitimately interested in helping us arrest that criminal, plus despite being an extremely influential noble, I don't sense any form of manipulation from his part. Other than the possibility of using Stellar and I to promote some new creation of his. He is, after all, a business stallion."  "I'm detecting a 'but' coming up."  "…But something about him just doesn't feel right. I can't exactly put my hoof on it, but my gut is telling me to be on alert when around him."  "Good instincts; mine assessment is the same. I have only met a hoof full of stallions who have as many titles as he has, and none of them were as calm and collected as he is after that. Sure, that was before we had psychologists on the force, but that only goes so far. With such a dangerous and violent lifestyle we lived, maintaining that degree of calm, especially when deciding to move from one force to another, can come across as a bit unnerving for me. Either that guy has one of the best psychologists on Equestria that help him with his PTSD, or he's hiding something," she mentions, unsure of what to make out of him. "I will keep an eye on him if that helps you."  "You would do that, ma'am?" Amber looked at Hurricane in surprise, earning a shrug out of her. "Sure, I mean, it's not like I have anything else to do. Besides, Rusty there is a fan, so I bet it would make his day if I spent the day with him," she said with a chuckle. "I will let you know if I find anything else, but for now, isn't it about time for your appointment?"  "Indeed, Stellar must be wrapping things up now. Thanks, Commander."  "Don't mention it. Now off you go before that wolf guy chews your ear off for being late." "Will do, ma'am." Amber gives her a salute, and both mares went in different directions. After a short walk, the mare found her companion marching toward her with a small skip in her step and a smile on her face, earning a smirk from Amber. "Do I even need to ask how it went?" Amber asked her friend, who was too absorbed in her mind to notice her until she spoke, earning a small 'eep' and jump backward on her part.  "I will take that as a no," Amber replies before chuckling at her friend's antics, earning a roll of the eyes from Stellar, yet her smile never faltered.  "It helped me get things into perspective." When Amber heard that, it was her turn to do a double-take as she stopped laughing to see her friend in complete shock. "Did-Did you just say a whole sentence...out loud?"  Her friend just feigned ignorance as she looked away. "Sure, now you decide to go back to normal," Amber grunted in frustration before smiling again. "Been a long time since you got that confident, the doc must be just that good at his job."  Stellar nodded eagerly at her question with a smile of her own.  "Well, as long as it helps us speed things up here," Amber shrugs before both mares see a couple of stallions passing through carrying a punching bag and heading to Dr. Wolf's room. Immediately Stellar knew what was going on and looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow. "What? You know me, I can't talk much about my past without punching something. You have your way of relaxing, and I got mine," she defended herself before continuing to see Doctor Wolf. "See you later, Star! Oh, and the Commander is trying to dig up information on a creepy fan of ours that claims that he can help us with our mission, in case you want to take a look at that as well," she informed her without looking. Stellar nodded a couple of times before going to enjoy the rest of the day, her mind still plagued with questions and thoughts that needed to be addressed before doing anything else.  Once the accommodations were installed, Amber entered the room where Dr. Wolf was waiting, and right next to the sofa, just as she wanted, was a punching bag ready to be used. "Nice," she nods while inviting herself in. "Ah, you must be Amber, correct?"  "That's me, and I see you got my request. Thanks, Doc, this baby will make things easier for me," she said with a smile as she inspected the equipment. "When talking about my feelings, I like to let off some steam while doing so. It helps me stay at peace; I hope this doesn't bother you, Doc."  "Not at all, we all have our methods of relaxation, and I had seen this one before…ah, just don't ask me to hold the bag while you hit or buck it, please," he mentions her with a hint of fear in his voice.  "Nah, relax, this is for talking, not training. I will just be hitting it at random, so just a fair warning before we begin, I have a bit of a temper so that I might yell here or there."  "I will keep it in mind." "OK then, fire away. What do you want to know, Doc?"  "Why don't we start by telling something about yourself, maybe your past or how your childhood was?"  "Oh my childhood, that is quite the story, alright," Amber said with a sigh as she approached the bag until she stood right in front of it, then closed her eyes to reminisce. "My childhood is not something as spectacular as what Stellar most likely told you about, but it wasn't a walk in the park either. Being the next in line of two long lineages of royal guards, serving the crown since before Nightmare Moon, you could imagine that my future was kind of set in stone. Introductions to self-defense training at year five, discipline lessons at eight, extended history lessons of Equestria at ten, the introduction to weapon training at thirteen...you get the picture," she said in shame before getting angry throwing two jabs at the punching bag.  "I never had any control over my life, growing up. I was just another piece on the board. My future was set; my education was planned, my entire fucking life! Set in a suit of neat and shiny armor, ready to smoother the ever-living daylights out of me!" She yelled in an outburst as she kept saying, "' We are only doing what is best for you, Amber!' 'Your parents know best!' 'You better not disappoint your family!' 'On your shoulders rest more than 100 generations of pristine and noble guards!' 'Heavens forbid you to think on your own!'" She wailed, making out the voices of her parents as she hit the bag over and over in a rage until she calmed down and took break to breathe "My parents…the on-so-lovable yet strict unicorns that they were, always with something to say, always pushing me to my limits, always expecting me to be the perfect toy soldier! And I, the little six-year-old filly that I was, just bought all of their shit and only nodded and smiled while they kept working on their life project that was my childhood" She sniffed and held back tears, as one of her frontal hoofs trembled. "It was a freaking miracle that I didn't simply snap and slit their throats while they were sleeping."  She confessed in a fit of anger before her eyes widen and she looked back at Dr. Wolf who was getting increasingly, more concerned and scared of what she was saying  "By the stars!" That is the only thing the doctor could say, shocked for what he just heard. "That is…that is horrible! No kid should live that! The idea alone is just inhumane!"  "Don't worry! Nothing happened; everything was solved; things never escalated that far!" She quickly and rapidly in an attempt to ease the tension on the room  "Everything was solved? Amber, they conditioned you to be a soldier! That is no way of living. I can't even picture how any pony could function after that sort of treatment!"  "Yeah, I know!" She agreed with a nod, "I was this close to being placed in an orphanage, and my parents nearly went to prison for crimes against pony rights. Heck princess Celestia herself was particularly enraged when she heard the story." She casually replied, only serving to confuse the doctor even more. "Long story short, the inevitable happens. I got angry at the world. I felt like I couldn't breathe and…in a fit of anger put a kid in my school in the hospital because of that, 3 broken ribs, a bleeding nose and a broken hoof, yeah not my best moments." Amber confessed in shame, "You could imagine the rest; compensation for medical and psychological trauma, expulsion from school, family therapy, anger management sessions, parenting lessons. That whole song and dance, it was a mess I got myself and my family into it” She got angry and started punching the bag again “And as a result, got even less control over my life, by the stars, every pony wary or on edge around me. Constant surveillance, by the stars there was a moment I thought if I ever heard the phrase ‘how are you feeling?’ one more time…” She snap back to reality, and see the doctor again “…It's cool! It water under the bridge now, no need to panic” She tell the doctor trying not to scare him off again  “I-I can see that” He clears his throat once he is more relaxed “Please proceed”      “Anyway, after 2 years of that mess, and having a particular chat with the princess herself things started to improve, and for the first time I felt like I was breathing again. Mom and dad, finally got into their heads not to push a filly too hard and let her have a life. Even though the training never stopped."  "I'm sorry, did you just say that after all that, they still keep pressure you into becoming a guard?" Wolf asked, not believing what she was saying.  "Are you starting to see why the subject of the control is not something easy for me, Doc? But don't worry, things got better and believe or not, I was as tired of all that drama as my parents were. I just wanted to rest, give them a chance, and compromise, somewhat. Were they harsh? Heck yeah, but it wasn't to the point where I would prefer taking my chances with some set of strangers out there. So I give them another chance, and that paid off…eventually"  "I can see that you and your parents didn't exactly have the best of relationships growing up."  That comment managed a laugh out of Amber "Not in the slightest, no. But as I said, it got better, and we buried the past. They were never monsters. They just didn't know how to raise a kid, and well. As corny as this might sound. I still love them." She admitted with a little smile.  "Well, I'm glad that the incident was resolved and that things were never progressed to the point where something irreversible had happened then…the child recovered right?" Dr. Wolf asked for concern for the incident that started it all.   “Oh yeah, full recovery…ok maybe he developed a slight bit of venustraphobia for a while  but I worked really hard to help him overcome it, which I did by the by I did. So no pony can’t say I don’t clean my own messes”  “I see that, a sense of guilt, wishing to repent, and owning to your mistakes. A treat that I’m sure, were ingrain as part of your soldier training”  “Call it what you want doc, I just felt bad and wanted to make things right, and let me tell you. That kid was the bigger pony of the two for giving me a chance after all that happen” She states with genuine admiration.     “After hearing that story? I complete agree”Dr. Wolf nods, calming down a bit. "And with a start like that, I could imagine that your teenage years were a notch rebellious as a result?"  "Oh, you bet they were doc." Amber admitted without any hint of shame as she recalled the memory "when I entered that phase, I went hard, I might have overcome my aggressive behaviour, but mom and dad were not out of the woods with me, not by a long shot" she looked up and reminisced. "Purple mohawk, piercings, black make-up, torn up jackets, the whole package. I sported it all and did it with pride. At first, I was just acting out, getting under my parent's skin, but the sensation of freedom, the feeling that I didn't need to earn my happiness, being in complete control of my own life. Oh, Doc, it was euphoric," she sighed in happiness before looking back at him.  "Do you know what I'm talking about?"  "In a way, I do. It sounds like you find a form of inner peace during your rebellious phase, a very unusual method, I have to add."  "Heh, yeah, you could say that. And well, it's kind of obvious by looking at me, but thankfully it was a phase. A certain event that happened to me during that time opened my eyes to the reality of the world to see how bad I was screwing with my life with that lifestyle" She looks back at the punching bag. "Pika…that son of a mule ex of mine," she whispered in a tone full of venom as she hugged the exercise equipment, or more accurately, it looked like she was trying to split it in half with a bear hug. "Now, he was a real piece of work."  "Amber, if the subject is too sensitive for you, we don't need to talk about it right away," Dr. Wolf said to her with a concerned voice. "We can change the subject if you want. By the stars, the adventure with your parents alone sounded like quite the odyssey you had"  "Nah doctor, I'm a big filly, I can handle it," Amber was quick to answer back. "Plus, you might want to hear this story," she defended, trying to keep it together. Dr. Wolf was still a bit nervous but let her continue. "So there I was, a naive and gullible sixteen-year-old runaway troublemaker in love, willing to do anything for her sweetheart, with nothing but a dream of a "happily ever after" and her life savings to start our new life. And yeah, I'm aware of the hypocrisy, of robbing my family after I gave them a chance, and they changed for the better" She chuckled while shaking her head and sniffing a little. Because she had her back to the doctor, he couldn't see it, but it was pretty apparent that she was holding back tears.  "I should have known better during that time, despite being so young, we somehow managed to land a decent apartment on the rich side of Canterlot. There was food, electricity, water. Nothing was out of the ordinary. It was too good to be true, and yet, I was too blind in love to question anything. 'Do the chores' Pika told me, even hurting others for him that wanted to hurt him because 'they were just against me,' I thought that I got away with my wish until he grew tired of having me around, turns out that I was only muscle for him, and then a scapegoat for when the law got too close. The spineless swine didn't even have the BALLS to look me in the face when he broke up with me. Instead, I simply woke up one day hearing a pony starting to break down our apartment door. When trying to look for Pika, I only found a 'dear John' note an open window near our room while the royal guards started banging on the door of our room, yelling something about some drug possession."  She smiled and looked back at him. "A drug dealer. Of course, he was a drug dealer, who simply got lucky in finding a rich stallion willing to be his client. Can I pick them or what, Doc?"  "Amber, it was in the past you didn't know any better," he tried to console her but stopped when she hit the punching bag as hard as she could, making it spin everywhere, she then continued before he could say anything else.  "Of course, I was no longer blinded by love after that. No, instead I was seating with white-hot fury ready to turn his skull into mush, but then my parents arrived and…" she sobbed and this time hugged the punching bag "…they didn't have to do anything. I couldn't even be mad at them any longer. They could have just let me rot in jail after being such a pain in the flank… And yet they came to my rescue. There was no obligation, but still, they did, and when I asked them why they did it, why they paid for my sentence after everything I have done? They simply looked at me like I just asked why the sky was blue and just told me that they loved me."  Unable to hold back tears, she almost choked while continuing. "That night, everything was put on the table, how even after all the therapy I still found discomfort, my pleading to be completely free, even my fears of not knowing what to do if not a royal guard. Things were said, tears were shed, and in the end, we hugged it out, and I was done with that ridiculous phase of mine and decided to do what I wanted to do."  "And that led you to being a royal guard?"  "Eventually, yeah." She cleared her eyes and her snout before turning around to face the doctor. "I tried my hooves at other things first, you know, see what I could do and got my hooves wet. I was able to be free with my decisions, with no pony controlling me. Sure, in the end, I decided to follow the family tradition, but it was my choice and mine alone. The fact that I could chase down and subdue the rat that left me was just going to be a sweet, sweet bonus."  "You entered the guards…searching for means for revenge?" Dr. Wolf asked in worry.  "At first, yeah. That bastard didn't just leave me to rot. There were scars still fresh in my mind, traumas that wouldn't let me rest until I had a couple of words with him…scores to settle at last." For each word, she kept punching the bag, making it spin faster and faster, and Dr. Wolf could even start to see scorch marks on it until she stopped and resumed.  "But as time went on, I discovered that I liked being a guard. I was a natural, and better yet, I discovered that just because you followed orders doesn't mean that you lost your freedom, it just was another job. A dangerous and strict job sure, but a job nonetheless, and it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with." she boasted in pride. "Plus, Stellar saved me from doing something I would have regretted on my first assignment, and after that, I was able to put all those thoughts behind me and prove myself to be the best of the best."  "Excuse me. You said Stellar saved you? Amber, did you almost…kill Pika?"  "Heh, if only things had been that easy, Doc, but that is a story for another time. Anyway, you can picture the rest. I rose to the top of the class, got the attention of Celestia, job offers rained down nonstop, and finally, my proud parents could see their baby at the top of the food chain." she proclaimed with pride before her expression turned somber. "All by my own choosing and hard work, without the influence of anyone."  Glaring at the floor, she returned her attention to the punching bag. "And then that assassin came around and used me as a puppet again! Robbed me of my control! Forced me to hurt others! Cost me my job, hurt our rulers, and…"  "Amber!" Wolf has to yell to snap her back to reality, and when she comes back to awareness, she noticed the remains of what once was the punching bag and her own panting from exhaustion. "It's OK, you are in a safe place here," He said, calming her down.  "Sorry," she whispered in shame and with some heat in her cheeks. Once she regained her breath, she went and sat on the chair. "So you see, what is my problem now? One thing is what he did, but making me hurt others? That is a sensitive subject for me. It reminds me of old wounds."  "I can see that. Tell me, Amber, was the situation of your ex-boyfriend ever resolved?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  "What do you mean?"  "I mean, was he brought to justice? Or is he still out there?"  "Oh, he was captured, alright!" she said with a happy tone. "One of my very first arrests!"  "Good, and after he was put in jail, were you able to move on from when he abandoned you?"  "Wasn't that implied when I told you that my parents and I talked it out?"  "Yes, you did, and I'm delighted to hear it because it means you and your family managed to work your differences and grew as a result. But were you able to do the same with that drug dealer?"  "What!? Why in the nine circles of Tartarus would I EVER even consider speaking a word to that worm?!" she asked, getting defensive. "You already answered that question, the trauma that he left you with, the words that needed to be said. Where were those words ever said?"  "Of course they…they were."  "Telling him his rights, exchanging insults and dragging him into a jail cell doesn't count," Dr. Wolf listed while crossing his arms and looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "So I will ask again, was the subject resolved, or at the very least addressed?"  "What else needs to be said? It was a stupid mistake, and he is no longer part of my life."  "But Amber, don't you see, it is part of your life. Being in control is indeed a sensitive subject for you. By the stars, you and Stellar had developed a bond with each to avoid your problems."  "We what?!" Amber asked in alarm, yet Dr.Wolf raised his paw at that.  "A subject for another session, because that is something else that needs to be addressed properly later on. For now, we need to talk about that trauma of yours and how you are avoiding it."  "I do not!"  "Yes, you are, and we both know why. But those feelings you have for Pika and that assassin, it's not anger, isn't it?"  "I…I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with these accusations," she looks away, starting to get nervous. "Amber, please, you need to stop getting defensive. You can't get better until you are honest with yourself and admit what you are feeling."  She doesn't respond, instead, she withdrew into herself, holding tears, not wanting to admit the truth.  "You are only making things worse by not saying anything, Amber, and this incident will repeat. No matter how much you work or try to avoid it until you say it, it will still hurt. And Celestia knows who will be harmed next because of it, your friend…your family…the royal family..."  The comment managed to snap Amber out of it, and she imagined herself in the middle of a crater with her friends on the ground severely injured and looking at Amber with fear. Biting her tongue, Amber closed her eyes in frustration.  "F-FINE! OK, I admit it! I'm not angry. I was never furious at what I am…what I am was afraid!" she yelled in frustration with tears in her eyes, as she heard herself in surprise. "I'm afraid," she repeated to herself in realization.  "And that is the first step." Dr. Wolf smiled and clapped his paws. "I'm proud of you, Amber."  "No, I can't be. If I'm afraid, how can I do my job?" she asked, looking at the doctor for answers.  "One step at a time," he tells her with a smile. "And at your own pace, you can deal with the trauma that this pony inflicted on you. Unfortunately, I don't know if it will ever fade completely, but it is clear that to overcome it, the final step on your journey will be to confront him directly."  "Yeah…yeah, you are right, Doc! Until I talk with that rat, I will never be free of him!"  "True, but not yet." he shook his head.  "What? Why not?"  "You are still too emotionally fragile," he remarked while pointing at the remains of the punching bag. "Confronting him now could result in some terrible consequences. What you need right now is a ton of soul searching and a way to channel all that pent up frustration you have. Put your mind at peace in a sort of way."  "Oh, please don't tell me I have to do all that meditation stuff," she complained like a filly not wanting to eat her vegetables. "Doc, I can't stay still. I'm a mare of action! I need to keep moving!"  "That is not an issue. You can meditate and do just that at the same time."  "Oh no, I am not going to fall for that Tai-Chi, mumbo jumbo thing either. Stellar tried on me once, and didn't work."  "I was thinking of something more of your comfort zone" Dr. Wolf opened a drawer and passed her a CD case.  "What is this?"  "Adrenaline music. Tell me, have you ever trained with headphones before?"  "No, not, as far as I recall," Amber confessed.  "Excellent, then this might help you start with your recovery. From now on, each time you exercise or have any angry thoughts, I want you to go take a lap while hearing this, and don't stop until you hear at least three whole songs."  "You want me to train to work on my issues?"  "Trust me, we all have our methods of relaxation and for what I have seen, and you have told me, I'm pretty sure this one will help you relax. I know a bit of a contradiction, but trust me, it does. Feel free to add any other song you want. As long as it keeps your blood pumping, it will do the trick."  "Well, sounds unusual…yet enticing," She confessed, looking at the CD as a smile slowly appeared on her face. "Ah what the heck, beats smelling candles and moving at a snail's pace, I will give it a go. Thanks, Doc."  "Don't mention it." He then looked at a clock on the wall. "Our time is almost up, but I would like to have more sessions with you if you don't mind."  "You want to hear that story, don't you?"  "And I would like to address this relationship you and your friend have developed over the years, yes. But that decision will ultimately be yours."  Amber thought it over before she comes up with an idea, "You know what, let me see how this music thing works out first, and then I will give you my answer." She then goes to the door. "For now, there's a lot I need to unpack. Don't worry, Doc, I will keep the offer in mind. Until then, later!" She waves goodbye, leaving Dr. Wolf alone as he sighed.  One is an introvert while the other is an extrovert, and they use each other to hide their problems. They don't seem to realize it, but unknowingly, they have developed a cage for their friend. I just hope their friendship can support the truth and that they can work through their issues.  He sighed again and looked at both of their pictures on the table. I hope they decide to continue our sessions; there is still too much to heal…and damn it now, Amber left me with a question. What precisely happened with those two? He admitted in frustration while looking at the door and then chuckle and then takes a deep breath and hold his chest with one of his paws "It good to be helping" He comments to no one in particular.