//------------------------------// // chapter 1 // Story: A soldier's Tale // by Firegriffin12 //------------------------------// A unicorn, Solid Shield, looked out the carriage window and at the passing city of Canterlot. It was his first time riding inside one since it was usually only royalty or the rich ever used them but today was a special occasion. Solid then looked over to his griffin companion, Ava, who was staring down at her bag that held everything she owned. Her feathers where a strawberry red and her fur was a golden brown which, like his own cyan fur, has been washed and groomed but she still had bags under her eyes from the last few sleepless nights they had had. Solid looked back out into the city that was passing by on there why to his family’s home and as they drew closer he grew more anxious. Its been so long since he has last seen his family last but he didn’t know how his family, mostly his dad, was going to react to Ava when they met her but he did know one thing, that Ava would always have his back no matter what happens, and he would have hers. After a few more minutes the carriage came to a stop outside of his family’s home and right before one of the Royal Guards opened the carriage door to revile a banner that was hung on the outside of his Family’s home that read. “WELCOME HOME SOLID!” Then with a flash of lime green light his younger sky-blue color fur sister appeared in front of the door with tears of joy straming down her face, causing the Royal Guard to stumble back in shock. “Solid Shield! Your home!” she said with glee and then jumped up and gave him a crushing hug. “oof. Thank you, Kind Heart, it’s wonderful to see you again too.” Solid said trying to catch his breath. “But I would like to be able to breathe again.” “oh, sorry.” Kind Heart let go of Solid and he stepped out of the carriage. Then his older sister, Misty, came up with his mom, Snowfall, and dad, Magic Swirl, not too far behind her. “Hey their little brother, where have you been?” “Well, that’s a bit of-“ then a explosion sounded behind Solid, knocking him to the ground, and the broken body of a pony landed next to him, there dying eyes looking straight into his. Then his fore-hoof was grabbed and he was pulled up and he looked right at Ava. She had on her battle gear with a black helmet on with mud and blood covering her body, her rifle slung on her back. “Solid!” Snowfall said and waved her hoof in front of him trying to get his attention. “Son are you alright?” “Oh, yes I’m fine.” Solid gave strained smile. “Just got lost in thought. Oh, and I do have someone I would like you to meet.” And Solid turned towards the carriage as Ava hoped out with a small smile. “Hello. I’m Ava, it is wonderful to meet you all.” As she got out Solid heard a gasp from behind him and when he looked, he saw that Snowfall had her hoof to her mouth and Magic Swirl what almost looked like a scowl on his face. Solid’s sisters on the other hoof came up and Kind Hearts first question proved that she didn’t think the same way her parents thought. “Do you mind if I give you a hug?” Ava looked at her in surprise at first but then gave a smile to her and nodded and Kind Heart jumped up and gave her a hug while Misty was a little more reserved but still gave a happy smile. “So how have all of you been? What’s happened in the 3 years I have been gone?” “Misty got engaged!” Kind Heart said. “Happened just last week.” “Really? Anyone I know?” “I doubt it, he’s a Pegasus with golden fur and a short red mane named Red Stripe.” Red Stripe… but he couldn’t quite place where he had heard the name before, so he just said. ”Don’t think I have.” Then Solids stomach grumble and Kind Heart came up back over to Solid. “You know when the messenger came yesterday saying that you where alive everyone was crying for joy and Mom and Dad said they were going to try and cook you tons of different foods!” “Oh, and how did that go?” Solid asked remembering how both of his parents where completely hopeless at cooking. Messing up even the even the simplest of meal. “Well…” Kind Heart continued. “The kitchen is currently out off order, and a plumber needs to have a look at the sink. Again.” Solid chuckle at that. It seemed that Snowfalls and Magic Swirl would never be any good at cooking, especially if they haven’t gotten any better since he has been gone. “So…” continued his younger sister. “Instead, we have chosen to take you to your favorite diner in Cantorlot!” “Sunny Night’s Diner?” Solid said with a smile, his mouth starting to water at the thought of finally getting good food and not what he’s been eating for the last 3 years but if his memory served him right one of their hayburgers where going to be divine to his poor tongue. A small chough from behind him reminded Solid of Ava’s presence and quickly asked. “Oh, would it be alright if Ava came with us?” Magic Swirl turned and looked at Solid but before he could say anything Snowfall said. “But of courses! If she is a friend of yours then she is a friend of ours and we would love if she will join us for dinner.” Ava thanked her then looked back to Solid. “You’re going to have to show me around the menu, I haven’t even been to this place.” “Don’t worry about it, I think you will love it.” They walk up to the diner, using the time to catch up with each other instead of using the carriage that princesses let them use for the day. They also had helped him get ready to see his family again and look “presentable” as they had put it, which was more then generous considering how they met. Solid cringed at the memory and Kind Heart stopped talking about how she, unlike their parents, could cook and was talking about all sorts of food she had tried to make and looked up at him. “what’s up Solid?” “Oh, nothing just thinking my time up in the palace.” “I wanted to ask you about that but the message we got said to try and limit the questions we ask you about what happened to you and to give you some time to relaxed.” Then she paused, then asked. “what are the princesses like? If you don’t mind answering, of cause.” “Of course not.” Solid answered her. “Although, I probably didn’t make a great first impression.” “Why is that?” Solid picked up the device that had brought him and Ava into this hell of a world. Now with the angry crowd trying to breaking down the door chatting “Death to the traitors!”, “For Equestria!” and “For the Princesses!”. He could hear the screams of his fellow solders from inside the throne room on the other side of the door they were behind now as they were beaten to death by the ponies they had been celebrating with just a few minutes ago. A group of Solids fellow soldiers, all of them wearing the Black Guard Dress uniforms, and all of them stared in fear at the door that was being held shut by Ava and another solder as others pilled whatever they could fine to hold the door shut, but it still moved and strained as the ponies on the other side bucked the door trying to get it open. “Solid?” Solid snaped back to where he was and looked back at his younger sister. “I’m sorry what Kind Heart, what was it?” She gave him a odd look then repeated herself. “Why do you think you made a bad impression?” “Lets say I dropped in on them at a bad time.” Kind gave a knowing smile to Solid. Then Ava came up on his other side. “So, do they sell anything meaty at this diner?” “Oh yes.” Kind Heart answered. “The diner usually don’t have griffin that come and eat there but the owners figured that if they did come that it was best not to disappoint!” “Sounds like a smart move to me!” “Been a good policy to have for him in the past, so…” They turn the street corner and could see the little diner in front of them now with only a few creatures inside eating. The diner had a sign that hung above the door with a image of a Moon with little sun flares surrounding it and the name of the diner written under the “sunny moon”. If he remembered right they once thought about changing the name to the Eclipse Diner but seeing that hasn’t happened yet it was unlikely for that to happen. As they opened the door to the Diner a small bell rang, and a waitress came up with a smile on her face. “Welcome to the Sunny Moon Diner! My name is Meadow Stream, and I will be your waitress today.” She then picked up a few manus then looked back at them and said. “If you would follow me, I will show you all your seats.” After they where all seated Misty looked over to Solid and Ava. “So where did the two of you meet?” “You remember the lab I was working at? As one of the guards?” “Oh yes, I do.” “Well she was one of the other Guards there with me and we where often given the same spots when on duty.” “So you both had sometime to talk with each other during the job?” Kind heart asked. “No, honestly I found her to be a bit annoying after a while.” Ava gasped as Solid said this and playfully punched his foreleg then said. “Well, I was bored and you where my biggest source of entertainment I could get on those long hours.” Solid rolled his eyes and smiled. “I’m sure. But the two of us have each other's back through our troubles.” Then Snowfall spoke up. “But that doesn’t explain where you where you have been for the last 3 years.” Solid sank back into his chair and Ava looked over to him, they both knew the question would be asked eventually but they had hoped that it wouldn’t be for a bit longer. Ava then looked back to Snowfall. “Well-“ Ava was interrupted by the glass of the build they where in shattering, pelting both of them in the shards, as gunfire erupted outside and some of Solid's fellow solders fell to the ground. Someone from behind yelled “grenade!” and Solid jumped up to Ava and activated a Shield spell as the bomb went off behind them. Then there was a tap on Solids foreleg from Ava's claw and Solid became aware of his soundings again. There was no gunfire, the glass was still intact, a pair of servers picking up dropped dishes and shattered glass and Solid could hear the sound of laughter behind him coming from a pair of foal from behind him. Then he looked at his family. Shock and concerned faces looked back at him covered there faces and then Kind heart knocked on his light green shield that he had thrown up and asked. “Solid, are you ok?” Solid dropped his shield and look towards the ground feeling his entire family staring at him and he took a breath. “I’m sorry about that, I don’t know what came over me. I just reacted.” “Solid, are you have blanked out a few times in front of this and just had a wide eye look on your face and now this? Are you sure your fine? I didn’t want to say anything but you, and your friend, look tired.” “Mom, I’m ok. Just a little-“ “It's the griffin.” Magic Swirl suddenly spoke up catching Solid off guard. “W-what?” “You heard me. The griffin has done something to your head son I’m sure of it.” “Dad, I assure you that-“ “They are all the same son, don’t you know that son?” Magic Swirl started to rant. “They come here only to take what isn't theirs and to make chaos.” Then Misty tried to speak up “Dad lets not-“ “I’m not done!” Magic Swirl cut her off then turn to face Ava, who was sitting there stunned with her beak slightly hanging open. “Do you have some spell over my son to make him think he’s your friend?” “Dad, stop!” Solid spoke up rising his voice. “I am not under any spell and Ava has helped me get through more then you could ever image and I trust her with my life!” Magic Swirl stopped for a second and looked at Solid with shock as his son finished his sentence. Then, with renewed anger looked back to Ava and said with a snarl. “Now listen here griffin. I want you to end any charade you have with my son and I want to neave- AHHH!” Magic Swirl pressed his hoof to his head where a saltshaker just hit him that Solid had thrown. Solid sat there with a hoof outstretched and with anger on his face and eyes and his family stared at him in shock. Then he lowered his hoof and said starring only at his dad. “Don’t, just don’t. You think all griffins are low lives that only live to cause you problems. The only things you think they can be are greedy, selfish, and vile. Well I have something to tell you, the only reason I’m alive and in front of you is because of a griffin! And I won’t hear you say another word against them!” As Solid finished up he noticed that most everyone in the diner was looking in their direction but as he looked over them try quickly went back to their meals but their ears where still perked up in his direction. Then Ava got up and looked at Solid. “I think it’s best if we go.” “Yes… I think it would be. Don’t want to cause more of a scene.” And he got up and started to walk to the exit. Then the door opened and a group of ponies came into the diner with a overly joyful pink earth pony in front saying. “Come on girls, lets get something to eat!” Almost everyone that lived in Equestria knew who these ponies are and they where beloved by them all, but for Ava and Solid they both of them stopped and shared a worried look with each other. The elements stopped when they felt the mood in the room and could see everyone was looking at the unicorn and the griffin, both with tired looks on there faces like they haven’t been sleeping well for the last few nights, that where staring at them. “Uhm could someone tell us what’s going on?” Asked the purple alicorn of the group, Twilight. “Nothing, we where just leaving.” Solid said and then tried to walk around the group but was stopped by Pinky Pie. “Hay now what’s going on? And are you feeling okay?” “I’m fine, just had a bad day.” Solid answered. “A bad day!” Pinky Pie exclaimed. “Now that won’t do! What exactly happened?” “I would rather not say.” “Alright! Oh there’s a party that we where planning on going to go to after we eat would you like to join us?” Both Solid and Ava looked at each other and Solid looked back where his family was sitting and he could see his Mom tearing into his Dad and Misty was joining in but Kind Heart was looking at him. Solid felt his heart tore a bit by the scene, he hadn’t believe that when he saw his family again that it would have been a easy reunion but this had gone terrible and he wanted to get away from it all. “You know what?” Solid turned, trying to keep his emotions in check, and looked at the group of friends. “I might take you up on that offer but I am still leaving right now.” Pinky pie jumped up with excitement. “Alright! I will find you after in a few minutes then! “Sounds good.” Solid said and then quickly walked out the door with Ava on his hoofs. They both walk in silence for a bit until they came to a alley way and Solid quickly turned into it and Ava followed him in, knowing what was probably about to happen. After getting away from the street Solid stopped. His legs started to shake and he put a hoof on the wall trying to steady himself as tears began to run down his face but he still fell to the ground. Ava quickly came to his side and got down in front of him to look him in the eye. “It’s okay Solid. You are fine and so am I and I don’t blame you for what your father said. You had no control over that.” “I-it's not that. I keep seeing our friends that have died and listening to my dad didn’t help with that. I've missed my family so much over the last three years! But I can’t tell them what I have been through. What we have gone through. They don’t deserve that.” Ava looked at Solid then sat down next to him and placed her wing over him to comfort him. “I can’t say that my advice is worth much, but I think you should tell them. So they can begin to understand why you aren’t the same as you where three years ago.” “Your… your probably right.” Solid started to calm back down and, after he took some deep breaths, looked back to Ava. “You have been such a good friend to me, I don’t deserve you.” “Don’t say that-“ “But it’s true! You keep helping me get through my days, you support me when I need it but you always seem so strong about it all while I break down.” “Solid, you have saved my life more times than I can remember. When I froze in battle you saved me, when we where being shot at you protected us with a shield. You healed any injury that I or anyone else had with your spells. It is only right that I help you get through what has happen to you.” Solid looked up to Ava and wiped a few tears from his face and gave Ava a sad smile. “Thank you Ava. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Ava helped Solid up then kissed him and he returned it, forgetting his troubles for just a moment. They had both grown exceptionally close to each other over the last 3 years. Traveling war torn lands, making new friends only to have them vanish the next day, with the only consisted being each other and their Commander, Grater. Ava pulled back after a bit and smiled at Solid. “Come on. We still have one thing to do before we figure out what we should do before we figure out what to do for the night.” “That’s Right!” a pink mare said suddenly appearing next to them with a sequel. Both Ava and Solid jumped up from her sudden appearance and causing Ava to reach for a weapon that didn’t exist and Solid to catch the pink mare in a telekinesis spell. “Wow! That was a fast reaction! We will have to see how well that translate into a party!” Solid let go the giddy mare and gave himself a second to calm down before saying. “You really shouldn’t sneak up on people pinky.” “But it is so FUN!” then started to bounce away towards the street and Ava gave a sigh, letting her feathers settle down, and said. “I don’t agree with her on that one.” “I agree with you on that.” Solid said as they both followed Pinky out of the alley.