Shining’s Log-Entry: Friendship and Love
I must admit, there was surprisingly few repercussions from my friends and mine’s adventure. Aside from the guards at the fort, nopony even knew that the wards had failed. Rock, Fiery and I managed to recharge the wards before the windigos, or anything worse could get beyond the very edge of Equestria. And the only effects beyond the fort being attacked, which have been reported is an unseasonal drop in temperatures in the Vanhoover area, putting local temperatures about thirty degrees below seasonal average.Still, that was my first actual bit of combat, and I think I’m still trying to process everything that happened. The fort was pretty badly damaged, the winds and debris from the windigos’ attacks caused a lot of holes in some of the less fortified buildings, and part of the outer wall collapsed, it’s going to take us a while to fix everything. Fortunately, on the personal side of things, most of the injuries were relatively minor, mostly from flying debris from the winds, I think the worst off was Sargent Skipper, who cracked two ribs. With some hard work, and some raw materials, I think everypony and everything will be back to normal in a couple of months.
I have to admit, in the thick of things, everything felt and looked worse than it actually was. If that was due to the influence of the windigos, or just part of the nature of combat like that, I don’t know. And on the mountain, I honestly don’t know if it was the stress of the situation, the windigos or some combination thereof that caused Rock, Fiery and I to argue. It might not have been much of an argument, but I honestly felt abandoned when things were at the worst, we were surrounded by malevolent spirits and my friends and I were fighting. If I hadn’t remembered that little detail from the show…
I don’t know if it’s this world, or just me changing, but I honestly cannot imagine living without my friends, all of them, Rock, Rough, Roll, and Fiery. And I guess that has a power all of its own. It was strong enough to restore the wards, and drive away the windigos. The fire of friendship is amazing, but there is still one detail of what happened that I don’t really get. On the stone itself, the windigos were able to come right up to my shield, it kept them out, but didn’t drive them away, the shield should have been more than powerful enough, concentrated into such a small area, given how they reacted the previous time I used it. Back at the fort, when I used my shield to cover the entire building, it made them retreat, as if they were repelled, but not only that, they were afraid of it. If it was just a repelling effect, shouldn't they have just targeted easier prey, but instead they retreated back to the mountains. Why? I wanted to protect my friends both times, I was, and still am willing to give everything to protect them, so why was that enough at the fort, but not later?
Friendship is magic, that is one of the fundamental truths of this universe, the manifestation of the fire of friendship is enough to dispel any doubt in that. But before I was in this universe, I’ll admit, I never really thought much of friendship, sure I had friends, and I cared for them, but that isn’t the sort of thing that would give a
ponyperson power. But I was a firm believer in the power of love, I belived even in a universe without magic, that love would let the impossible happen. I was a hopeless romantic.Friendship is amazing, friends will go to great lengths, do the impossible, sacrifice everything they have, just to help their friends. But love is more primal. Ponies who honestly love will go to any lengths for those they love, they can go beyond the impossible, can overcome any obstacle. And the best part is, it doesn’t even matter what type of love it is, the love of a mother for her daughter is every bit as strong as the love between two ponies just beginning to probe the mysteries of love. Love between family members, love between lovers, love of home and country. All are powerful in their time.
And I think that maybe that was the power at the fort which repelled the windigos. I care for my friends, but at that moment when the entire fort was in danger, all I could think of was that if I didn’t do something, anything, than those I love, Mom, Dad, Uncle Jewel, Cadence, and most of all, Twily, would be in danger. And I will never let that happen.
Moving on, Lieutenant Shaker has promised commendations for Fiery Hammer, Rock Boulder and me, she even shared that it’s likely that I’ll get a promotion once this tour of duty is over. That’ll only be a couple of months, and I’m told that everypony will get vacation time. I wonder what I should do. I guess I will visit my parents, and Twily, but reading back on this very entry of my log, I think I’ll also make sure to visit Cadence.
Sometimes when you write with the mere power of your mind, you can accidentally made a couple of slips, and reading back on some of my earlier logs, and the wording of this one, I think I might just care for Cadence. Possibly as more than a friend. Heh, can I get more sappy? That was just supposed to be admitting to myself that I think that maybe there exists the potential for an actual romantic relationship to grow between us, and I turned it into some twisted self-justification, which totally doesn’t help me. I guess what I mean to say is that I’m going to ask Cadence on a date when I’m next in Canterlot.
Celestia help me, because this is totally going to blow up in my face. I know it.
Shining Armor, Signing Off