//------------------------------// // Another day in paradise? (old) // Story: Ramblings of an Unknown Soul // by Quite Quiet //------------------------------// This is the Original version of the fic and have nothing in it that the new one doesn't. Reading this is completely optional as the story restarts completely at this point. If you still want to read it, feel free to now. Ramblings Have you ever felt like you were meant for more? That your life didn’t turn out like you wanted it at all? I have. The Canterlot Royal Guard, supposedly the most honorable of positions to serve. The Guards with the highest of standards, to uphold throughout your service. The hardest of Guards to get selected from, thousands of disappointed souls declined every year. I disagree. I spent weeks, months and even years to get into this position I am in now and I couldn’t loath it any more. A decade of service under an immortal ruler, guarding Her every move, Her every meal, every sleepless night spent guarding Her room while she slept, every Day court spent standing in place guarding Her while She is taking time to talk to Her subjects. Times where nothing would happen, nopony to stop and nothing to act upon. Times… times we stood guard, intimidating every soul to lay their eyes on us, those times they would stop looking at the ground or on Her soft expression as She spoke to them. Were we ever of any use to Her? During all those years, all days, the nights, the meals, the strolls through the Statue Garden, not once did I ever do anything. Never a threat to subdue, never a pony out of order, never a criminal to apprehend. Not once did I do what She had appointed me for. All I did during those days, those lonely days of duty, was to stare. Stare at the walls, stare at the crowds, stare at the petitioners, stare at the table, but most of all stare in the general direction away from Her. A decade and I’ve yet to see Her in Her full glory. Pieces, a wisp of Her mane, a glimpse of Her horn, wings or a leg, but not Her. Ponies say I’m lucky, spending my days with Her, living Her life and protecting Her life with mine. They don’t know what they’re talking about. A decade of dedication, a decade of conviction, of loyalty, of trust and yet I haven’t saved Her once. Protecting Her from the great nothing, saving Her from the empty rooms, rescuing Her from the bad weather. Not once did I act upon anything, following orders, doing my duty. Twice She sent us away, and I feared for Her safety, but nothing happened. Nothing ever happens. There are no criminals, there are no oppression, no cultists out for Her head and no uproars to silence. There are no challengers to the throne, for no pony could ever compete with Her might, the Supreme ruler, the Bringer of Light and the Immortal Watcher. The benevolent Ruler, always watching, watching Her ponies. The constant in a world of changes, a single stone which all of us throws our hooves at the ground for, as no pony could ever dare to compete with Her. The unobtainable ideal, forever unstained by time itself, expected to stand until the end of time. I believe She will. Once a year leaving the castle, deciding on a town, city, village or settlement to journey to. The Summer Sun celebration. Introduced to inspire hope in Her ponies, the captain, and history, explained. Believing She wishes for Her ponies to strive for the best they can be, never thinking of things as impossible. A tribute to Herself, as is Nightmare Night a tribute to Her Sister. Her Sister, the mysterious unknown in the equation of the Royal Sisters, never seen, never heard from but existing all the same. I fear Her. Not Her Sister, but Her. She created a celebration of light, believing it to spread inspiration and hope, conviction and determination. It fills me with fear. Once a year, leaves the caste to travel, placing the celebration in a different place every year. All for a showcase of Her grace and power. A display of Her raising the Sun in public, reminding ponies of Her power, Her strength, Her unobtainable standing. She shows the world why She rules and the world shies away, forever suppressing its dismay and disagreements with Her. Nine times. Nine times I’ve seen Her display, seen Her silhouette against the Sun and sky. Nine times I’ve been under Her spell, the intimidation, the brute force, the grace, and Her unwavering gaze. Nine times to soak in as much fear as possible, bottling it up inside never to show anyone. Keeping up appearances of contempt and resolution, showcasing no fear of Her, Her power or Her influence. Guarding Her with our lives, regardless of fear, for the purpose of calming Her little ponies. Her ponies, not theirs, not ours but Hers. She alone watches over Her ponies, Her family of thousands. Family. I can’t remember when I last saw my biological family, but it doesn’t matter. They aren’t my family now. My family, the Guard, expect me to be on duty, or ready for action at all times. On shift? Ready for action. Sleeping? Ready for action. In the infirmary after failing a sparring session? Ready for action. You are always ready for action, there is no option, or the Captain will have a chat with you. The Captain. The Captain of the Royal Guard. The highest position to strive for, a position once held by my father until his passing. A position that will never be mine. Served under my father, the Captain, for a while. A relentless soul, never contempt with anything, always wanting more from me, from everyone. Except Her. She was perfect in his eyes, the flawless piece in this broken bowl of shattered dreams. A soul to truly fear. He never scared me. I could not fear my father, for all his fear, all his pushing, he still died. She lives, She presses on and She will outlive me, my family, my blood and my country. The successor. Our new Captain, not feared, but admired. A true swimmer in a sea of fear filled with drowning ponies. Respected, admired, trusted, loved but never feared. A true Captain. A superior shield caster, the second most powerful unicorn alive, fourth most powerful pony alive. Shield spells shielding all of Canterlot, all of the Caste, and Me. Shielding me of the fear, the nightmares, the pain. Giving me moments alone, moments to think. I stopped being around his shields. I need my fear. My fear keeps me going, shows me what I am protecting, tells me why I stay, proves to me why I can’t leave. His sister. The most powerful unicorn alive, and fourth most powerful pony in history. Personal student of Her, the Protégé. Tutored by Her, shown secrets behind our backs, as we stared. Stared, but listened. Hearing Their every word, Their conversations, Their lessons and Their secrets. Secrets never to be revealed, because I, we, the Guard, don’t know them. We hear, we listen, but we don’t remember. Failures had, from Her, and the Protégé, never to be told. Forgotten, like secrets. Failures. Three times did it happen, Her life in danger. Three times I, we, the Guard failed. Her Student, proving Her power, Her superiority, Her grace and Her determination. Untrained in the art of combat, trained in mind, soul and skill, superior in battle. Defeated Her corrupted Sister, turned Her greatest enemy to stone, saw through the Deceivers disguise. An unmatched force, a living legend in her own time. One mare. One lonely pony, sent on a mission by Her, proved superior to our force. The Guard, beaten by a single mare, with five companions she hadn’t known for a day. Three times She bested us on our own field, with Her tactics, Her knowledge and Her friends. Six symbols. The Six, the greatest force in Equestria, five completely normal ponies and Her Student. None of them skilled in combat, none of them trained in strategy. None of it mattered. Our training useless, wasted and unrequired. Six mares, doing what hundreds of I couldn’t, because of fear. The fear, my greatest enemy. I cannot function without fear, my fear is my source of will. Facing foes that defeated Her doesn’t give me fear. I don’t fear them, I fear Her and Her alone. Her foes, regardless of their might, are relatable. She wronged them, and they want revenge. Revenge isn’t fear. Revenge is a reason to cross the fear, but I never revenged Her, for She can’t die. Her life isn’t Her body, Her death isn’t marked by Her last breath. Her death doesn’t exist. She lives, and She will keep on living forever. Her during breath leaves when Equestria falls, the Sun burns out, the Moon collapses, the seas evaporated and the land in ruins. Defeating Her body isn’t defeating Her soul, Her defeat isn’t final until the end of Day. When the Day end, I will stop fearing Her, Her power and Her gaze. When the Sun blinks out, I will fear. I will fear as I never feared before, and I will fear everything. Everything will fill me with fear, for it outlived Her. My life. I sold the rights to my life when I joined the guard and gave them to Her and the Captain. I follow orders, I obey commands. I do what they say, believing they have a reason. Following Her of fear, and the Captain for his nonexistent fear of Her. I would follow Her Student if She gave me orders too, because I fear Her. Not like I fear Her, but because the Student have Her fear. I fear the Protégé as I fear Her, because Her Student will always be around now. She will die, but She will live on in our souls. She lives on in history, as the twilight who brought the Sun and the Moon together. History. My part in history won’t exist. When I die, I die as the Guard, with the Guard and in the Guard. I will live my life for the Guard, Her, Her Student and Her Sister, and I will lay down my life for the same. I spend my days, protecting Her from nothing, and will end my days protecting Her from nothing. Such is the way of the Guard, such has it been, and such will it be. So when I lie down and die, I will die like Guards did before me and like Guards will do after me. Just another Guard.