//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Ouch. // Story: A Brush With Fate // by RadBunny //------------------------------// “You smacked him. He wants to help, and you smacked him.” “I was startled!” “You still whacked your new assistant with a brush!” “It was just a light tap!” “You snapped the brush in half and it dented his helmet! The medic said any harder would have given the poor stallion a concussion!” Luna grumbled as Celestia laughed, waving a hoof at her as the pair dug into a stack of pancakes. “How was I supposed to know he thought my hum meant ‘come in’ when he asked so? I just thought….” “Well, the only thing he’s holding on to is an ice pack. I doubt he blames you. I’ve told him that he has full reign to tease you a bit if that will make him feel better.” “That’s fair enough, I feel awful. It made sense at the time.” “Thinking he could be a noble spy? Changeling infiltrator? Thorax has been handling the counter-insurgency rather well, do you distrust him so?” Celestia teased “What? No! Forgive me for being off guard while brushing an itchy spot on my back to suddenly see a stallion in my room.” “Pfft!” Celestia’s barely-contained snicker made Luna’s cheeks burn. “What? Not like you don’t have a brush for such things!” A rather devious grin now dawned on Luna’s own face. “Or do you get General Seaspray to brush that spot for you?” Orange juice sprayed out across the table as Celestia glared at her sister, Luna nearly falling off her chair from laughter. “WHAT?! How did you-” “Please, Celly. You might technically have a thousand years on me but I’m hardly blind,” Luna replied as she examined a hoof in a dignified manner. “Unannounced absences to the hippogriff kingdom, the magical signature of a personal portal to some land down south…” Celestia’s cheeks began to blush brighter and brighter with each passing word. “Oh, and I did see you two when I was talking with Queen Novo the other week. Concealment spells never were your specialty, but it would have fooled others though. What did he say by the way, after he kissed your hoof and then your shoulder? Something made you blush absolutely crimson…” Celestia grumbled into a stack of pancakes, Luna clearly enjoying the conversational high ground. “I’m waaaaaaaiting!” “I first told him, there’s other parts of me other than my hoof,” Celestia replied as Luna once again struggled to hold in her laughter. “Sister! I had no idea you were …” “WAIT! Not like that! This city has enough gutters, shame on you!” “I know, I was just teasing.” “He actually has an incredibly playful side. I was hoping for a nice kiss, but no, he kisses my shoulder.” “That is rather adorable, I must admit.” “He then said, your lips are for another time when you least expect it.” “Oh, quite a tease! Do let me know if there’s any foals on the way though.” “We’ve barely even hug- ah, joking again?” There was a dull *thud* as Celestia married her head to the table. “I’m a bit sensitive about that topic, it being a secret and all, and rather new.” “Of course, and I’m just teasing of course. I’m quite happy my sister finally has a special somegriff…” Luna then revised her statement at seeing Celestia glance up at her. “Well, or at least an interested somegriff. My lips are sealed.” “Thank you, Lulu. Now back to the original topic; I’ve shuffled the schedules around so he is all yours for half of his shift each day. Now, are you going to smack your new guard again?” “Of course not!” “Good. I think he’s always preferred you over me. I’d hate to steal your favorite designation.” “That was an awful pun.” “But am I wrong?” *Sigh* “No, no you are not.” Helmet? Check. Pillow? Check. Scroll for the Princess? Check. As Steel Heart trotted down the halls, he winced at the still-tender spot on his head. One would not think a hairbrush could do so much damage but when swung by an alicorn, clearly anything was possible. His new schedule was definitely a nice change; half to be spent with Luna as her assistant, more if necessary, but they’d see how things went. Obviously, she’ll need some time to find things for me to do. It makes sense for just half a shift at first. Careful not to drop the scroll in his mouth, Steel rounded a corner or two on the way to Luna’s study. Contrary to popular belief, mouth-carried items were surprisingly sanitary. Considering most had sanitizing spells placed on them such delivered items were cleaner than unicorn-hefted ones that could pass through a cloud of, well, anything. It did make talking rather difficult around a mouthful of scroll, however. Taking a deep breath, Steel adjusted his cranial protection and knocked on the study. Instead of a soft ‘Mmmm?’ he heard a clear “Yes? Come in!” That’s a plus. Trotting inside, Steel looked around the room, now that he wasn’t immediately besieged by a brush. Luna’s study-slash-bedroom was of a simple design. Numerous books, maps, paintings, and even a globe or two dotted the desks and tables along the walls. The colors were muted; blues, purples, dark greens and browns, catering to a more ‘natural’ feel. It was a very peaceful setup, indicating the occupants love of the arts and finer points of literature. Reminds me of what I’d like my apartment to look like eventually. His attention then turned to the Princess, who was looking at him and apparently trying not to laugh. “Is t-that a pillow attached to your helmet?” she asked, gesturing to his additional anti-brush helmet shield. “Mmhmm!” Steel proudly proclaimed, standing at attention with his newest armor addition still securely fastened. “Oh, right, sorry,” she remarked, taking the scroll with a neat pluck of magic. “There, makes talking easier. It is good to see you again, Private Heart, despite my previous reaction,” she then winced, the faintest hint of an embarrassed blush on her cheeks flaring up. “And I am sorry about that. You just startled me.” Making a snap decision, Steel decided to capitalize on Celestia’s previous words. ‘You poor thing! Well, feel free to tease my little sister in response. Nothing too drastic, but I think she’d appreciate a bit of levity, help break apart that ‘act formal around guards’ sort of thing. Now here’s three more ice packs, enchanted of course.’ Steel simply nodded, smiling gently as Luna looked at him. “You are not speaking?” He shook his head, struggling to maintain the pleasant smile. “….my sister put you up to this, didn’t she?” The stallion wagged his head back and forth in a ‘sort-of’ gesture, then wincing as pain thudded through his skull. “This is payback for the brush is it not? Very well, it serves me right. I truly am sorry though.” Steel nodded, meeting Luna’s gaze to let her know that he understood. “Hmm. Did you really ask for this assignment?” Luna ventured, sincerely curious about the guard’s intentions. What she didn’t expect was for him to stare, gaze then drifting to his hooves as Steel nodded again, a slightly embarrassed smile edging onto his face. “Interesting. Perhaps we’ll touch on that later,” the Princess added softly, examining the parchment and signing a few points. “Well, off you go to deliver that to the Supply Office. When you return, I’ll find something for you to do that doesn’t involve talking.” The guard grinned, retrieving the scroll and began to trot out of the room. “It’s good see you again, Steel Heart,” Luna whispered to herself. To her surprise, the stallion seemed to hear her, pausing ever so briefly before continuing onwards. The princess didn’t miss the surprisingly tender smile that flickered across the guard’s face as he left, however. I’m glad to see you’ve chosen a path of growth and betterment, rather than the darker paths events could have sent you down. “So, how is it going?” Celestia asked as the pair ate dinfast together, (breakfast and dinner respectively). “It has only been a day. He managed to stay silent the entire time, so I applaud Steel’s dedication to the jest. It would not surprise me if he kept this up the entire week judging from how amused it seemed to make him,” Luna grumbled back as her sister let out a soft titter. “Well I did give him permission to do so. He may be a tad late today though….” The solar Princess’s tone took a sharp, slightly sadder tone. “Oh?” “There was an incident at the kitchen. It was take-a-foal to work day, and somehow a grease fire got out of control. I don’t think you’ll need to guess who used a shield to help evacuate the group.” Luna’s eyes snapped upwards, seeing Celestia’s mouth drawn in a thin line. “Is he alright?” “Minor burns; the armor absorbed most of it. But you know as well as I do, he’s been through worse.” “I-thank you, sister. I’ll go see him in the infirmary, as a matter of fact.” “I think he’d appreciate that,” Celestia remarked, then pausing. “Sister?” “Hmm?” “He really does care about you. How you helped him those years ago, he’s never forgotten that. Even if it was just another dream added to your usual duties.” Luna opened her mouth to speak, but the alicorn could find no words. She simply nodded, trotting off to the infirmary as Celestia levitated a hidden newspaper back into view. The title bore the face of a familiar guard, the date a few years prior in Manehatten. ‘Local Politician’s son saves dozens during office fire. The badly-burned stallion is being treated at the local hospital…’ Steel Heart examined the thin scars that ran up and down the outside and inside of his forelimbs, matching lines present on his hindquarters and up his flanks both on the interior and exterior of the limbs. They were hidden by his hair, unless when wet that is. But they were an ever-present reminder of how close he had come. It’s by a mere fluke the experimental treatment worked. Unlike so many others, I still have full range of motion, all my hair, and no limitations due to scarring. Then again, after three straight months of magical experiments… The best money could buy of course. I still have some guilt about that, as irrational as it is. Yet father has even more, I imagine, or perhaps not. A few thousand bits saved by that contractor cost a dozen lives, and nearly my own. Maybe I should talk to him again. I’ve put it off for long enough. If only things were as easy to smooth over as my physical scars. Mental ones are somehow worse. If only my mind could be re-built as quickly as the office building. The grease fire had been an easy fix. Throwing down a shield over the worst of it and helping the trapped group out of the cornered-off kitchen as the anti-fire spells began to kick on. The images and feelings it brought back, however, were much more frightening than the incident itself. In this case, his hair had just been singed, but the doctors wanted to double-check him for smoke inhalation. Deep breaths, you’ve been through worse. Much worse. Of course, I had some help. There was a knock on the private hospital room door, Steel sitting up a bit straighter. “Come in.” Wonder who that could be? Another doctor to tell me to say ‘aaaaaah’? His eyes widened on seeing a familiar blue Princess trot in, Luna sitting down next to him without a word. What do I say? What could I say? To the stallion’s surprise, Luna’s own eyes brimmed with tears, the Alicorn tenderly reaching down to wrap Steel Heart up in a hug. “Thank you for saving our ponies, Steel,” she whispered. Steel froze for a brief moment, then finally relaxed and returned the gesture. He didn’t even try to hide the shaking in his hooves, something Luna most certainly felt. “Your dreams won’t be a problem tonight, I promise you that,” the Princess added softly. “Thank you, Princess Luna,” he whispered, voice trembling ever so slightly. The first words I ever spoke to her. “Just Luna, Steel. No formalities,” she replied back. And the first words she spoke to me.