I sat on a stool in the small saloon that could be found if one walked all the way to the poorly lit end of main street in Ponyville and proceeded to go into the basement of the small restaurant that operated by day. I swished the small glass of apple cider I was sipping from. It wasn't hard, I was a sober stallion, but there were few places where I could enjoy myself. The company I sought was not common in Ponyville. I was a deputy sheriff for the Ponyville police and I would often find myself wandering the town at night, as vigilant as I was in the day. I never rested, never came off the job. When I should be relaxing I was in the bar, waiting for a fight or a disturbance to break out. Yet nothing would ever happen in this small town.
Sometimes a stall owner would catch a foal taking that which was not theirs and they'd call me or one of the other deputies to make an impression on the kid. We tuck em in the back of the constable's carriage and escort em to the small concrete cell. We'd let em sweat it out for a few and then their parents would come; all sorts of ashamed. Being the softie I am I'd tell the parents not to worry and I'd let their tyke out and give em a stern talking to for a moment. Then the excitement for the day would be done.
Once there was a rash of thefts. We might not get a lot of opportunities but we're always practicing and preparing. Running drills and simulations. We decided to set up a sting op, and that's when I met her. She wasn't a Princess then, and perhaps was within reach. She was so kind letting us set up in the basement of her library and spreading rumors through out town that the Princess has sent her a valuable one of a kind book. We placed forged copies of the library's floor plan in the town hall which indicated there was a safe in the basement. So we cleared out the house and the unicorn in our ranks conjured up an illusion of her setting about her house, and preparing for an evening of sleep. Once we identified the suspect we put the illusion to bed and within an hour he came creeping into the dark, deputy filled basement.
The look on his face was what made my job worth it. He was so utterly confused. He never would have though we were a step ahead of him. So we nabbed him good and we gave the soon-to-be Princess our many thanks.
After that she ascended. I still see her from time to time, it doesn't seem like Princess-hood has changed her much, but I still wouldn't approach her.
I sighed and swirled my drink around.
“Still nursing that cider, eh, Vigilance?” The bartender held up the carton he poured my glass from, I could see Applejack's face on the carton. Their brand really took off when those elements appeared.
“Need a top off?” I waved off his offer.
“Naaaah... I'm about done for today.” I threw back the rest of my drink.
“Actually I think I'm gonna head out for the evening.” I slipped down from the stool and placed the glass on the counter.
“Alright, we'll see you tomorrow friend.” The bartender nodded to me. I grabbed my hat from the hook it was on and pushed my way through the door. One outside I flared my wings and let the cool crisp air wash over me. I looked up at the dark, clear, sky and found myself appreciating Her Royal Majesty’s night sky. The stars glowed so brilliantly and my mind connected them at numerous points. Pseudo-constellations formed in my mind for a few moments, but I shook off my idleness. I gave my wings a few cursory flaps and then took off into the air.
I flew for a ways. My path deliberately set to take me around Ponyville once; you could never be too sure.
I felt the vest I was wearing fluttering in the wind, and I could feel the heavy badge pinned to the vest occasionally strike my chest. I thought about my life until now as I glided over the peaceful town. My years as a quiet young colt. My years in college studying Celestia's and Luna's justice system. My time spent preparing myself physically and mentally in the ranks of the royal guard. I had become a deputy for Ponyville only a short three years ago. Before that I had the honor of being a part of a detachment of guards led by Shining Armor himself. That was before his several leaping promotions. After learning that she was his sister I though maybe I could strike up a conversation with her, I did and while she was interested nothing ever became of it.
I angled my body to keep on course. I could see Rainbow Dash's house in the distance. She was perhaps one of the few 'problems' we dealt with on a regular basis. We all know she's good in nature and means well but the amount of property damage complaints brought against her is staggering. When I am sent out to ticket her she is always so apologetic and willing to put up the bits without reluctance. Her loyalty doesn't just extend to her friends, she feels loyalty for this town and its inhabitants because she too lives here. Often times, unbeknownst to many folks in the town and even her friends, she offers to do community service. She spends a little time each day doing small tasks with efficiency that rivals the court clerks of Celestia Herself. Whenever she comes to me to tell me she's starting for the day I ask her why she does it, and she tells me, seemingly selfishly, that it's to build up brownie points so the consequences of her actions don't impact her too hard, but I suspect she does it simply because she's wholesome in that manner. She puts up a front, like I do, but she's still slick enough to get away with doing 'sappy' things without breaking her cover.
I roll my eyes in the direction of her lofty cloud mansion. I angle so sharply I my wings form a line perpendicular with the ground and I swing around heading over the Apple family's farm. Perhaps Dash's house was out of the way, but she was a Ponyville resident, just like the rest of us and I couldn't bring myself to cut her out of my off-duty, nightly, beat.
I looked down upon the rolling hills of apple trees and kept my eyes open for stray spots of lights. On occasion I would spot an apple thief bucking trees in the darkness. The telltale signs, like thudding and lanterns, were not present so I assumed all was well. My eves traveled to the farmhouse where the three displaced siblings and their grandmother lived. Applejack never spoke about her parents, but consensus of the town rumors says they died. I can't help but suspect that the reason Applejack is so stubborn is because of her loss; if there even is one, perhaps that's just Applejack. But you can't deny; in a family where family is so important, one wonders where the most important part of the family has gone.
I could see a small cottage in an alcove on the edge of the Everfree. The forest was threatening to swallow up the small home, and I knew it's inhabitant would be terrified if it did. I asked her about her proximity to the forest one day. Once I adjusted to her light whispering I gathered that it was a sacrifice she made to do what she loved. That I could understand. If protecting ponies from criminals and generally bad things meant living in or near that terrible forest I too would find myself hunkering down in that small cottage.
Sometimes I found my mind wandering to Fluttershy just as much as it would the young Princess. A smile tugged at my lips. I'm sure once she adjusted to me she could find me very comforting, but I was, perhaps, just as socially inept as she was. I could stand before a crowd of ponies, barking orders and maintaining the peace, but if had to sit down with a pony and make friends with them I too clam up. I shook my head in mid air and gazed down on her property, looking for mischievous wild animals. Of course I would never find any, her connection with nature was astounding, I knew that no animal, from cockatrices to chickens, would dare try to harm her. Be that as it may I have heard some interesting stories I don't entirely believe. Apparently she managed to un-petrify herself from a cockatrice's stare by staring the animal down and scolding it, but then again I have seen someone offend one of her friends in the market, and shortly I began to doubt my doubt about that story.
I careened across the sky banking towards the center of Ponyville. From a distance, and even in the night, I could make out the sickly-sweet sugary abomination that was the Sugarcube Corner. Though I knew it was merely decorative the house looked entirely too much like a real gingerbread house for my, now aching, teeth's taste. Sugar was great and all, but just like the house's pink inhabitant, it was only suitable in moderation. I had met Pinkie Pie upon entering town, just like every other inhabitant that moved in after her. It was as if she had this extra sense that told her when someone new was on their way in. Planned or un-planned guests would always arrive to town in an explosion of streamers and confetti and that jubilant, and admittedly, pretty face of that crazy mare.
I was in full guard regalia when I disembarked the train. I strutted off and in a sheer matter of moments I was engulfed in confetti and streamers and being led across town by the pink mare, who was talking non-stop about how great of friends we were going to be. Not one of my objections were heard by her so I stopped moving and sat down in a display of obstinate rejection. I though a some 90 pound mare would never be able to push a 180 pound stallion in 30 plus pounds of armor around but not only did she but she spun me on the spot and all my armor disappeared. Thankfully a part of her understands that life is going on around her and I had an appointment to keep. I knew not where she was leading me, but she took me to the Sheriff's office, where I had an interview, and she danced me through the door, twirling me around and causing my armor to appear, on me, and making me collapse on the ground. I could hear my future boss chuckling lightly from behind the newspaper he didn't even bother putting down.
I adjusted my feathers and pointed myself towards the small carousel themed building. I often worried about this establishment because I knew inside there were priceless gems and creations by the very eloquent mare who lived inside of it. I knew she would not take to being plundered sitting down, but her place was 'high profile'. I eyed it from above and tried to spy the glow of lanterns or magic light, and just like every night before I saw none. As I winged over the boutique I thought back on the first time I had met miss Rarity.
After the fiasco with Pinkie the boss hired me right there. His logic was 'Pinkie only ever wants to be good friends with new residents. You must be a new resident, which means you must have a reason to stay. Seeing as the job is a good reason to stay, then you must get it... So I'm not gonna even bother interviewing you'. His logic at the time seemed so flawed, but who was I to question it, especially seeing as it made everything so easy for me. He placed a badge in my hooves and sent me off to 'Madame Rarity's' to get fitted for a law keepers vest, and so to Madame Rarity's I went.
When I finally found the building I entered into its well lit interior and was shortly bombarded by a flock of measuring tapes. The gorgeous white mare with her flawless purple mane approached me, with a brightness in her eyes. I felt sorry for a moment after asking for a simple vest, she seemed to be eager to prepare more. She was kind and constantly complimenting me. She would levitate fabric pallets next to me and say things like 'This shade of purple would really bring out your eyes, darling? What do you think.'
I would nod courteously and she would tsk, tsk me, 'You are such a dapper gentlecolt, you are going to break some mare's heart some day.' and she eyed me up and down again and gave me a sly smile. I balked at that point, I would not prefer to think she was suggesting what she was, I thought it not possible for me to be deserving enough for such a beautiful and refined mare. How I regret not flirting back. Not because I was interested, albeit I was, but simply because no mare had ever put me into such an explicit situation. Perhaps I would have developed a backbone through her subtle playing, and I wouldn't be as lonely as I was now.
I certainly thought I had made the best of living in this town, but usually around this time of night I would begin to wonder if I really had. There were six of the most beautiful and eligible mares in the world in this town. All of them were my age and perfectly amicable. I knew if I stepped into miss Rarity's shop and mumbled something about a suit I would have a very delightful evening on my hands, even if posing was uncomfortable, it was worth it to see her eyes light up the way the did. And after masterfully crafting a wonderful suit she would, politely, inquire what I had in store for it; wondering what lucky mare would spend an evening in my company. Perhaps my smile wouldn't be a sad one as I told her it was simply so that I had one when I needed it; I know she would find it too much a shame that it was to go unused.
Or I could simply go inside the Sugarcube corner and ask for a cupcake. Pinkie Pie herself was liable to pop out of it were I to take a bite of it, and I know she would, without much resistance, drag me into spending the day in her exuberant company. Perhaps that benign sense of hers would pick up on what I was really looking for.
I could give a 'howdy' and tip my hat to the lovely Applejack and offer to help her with her stand or even bucking apples in the field with her brother. I know they would appreciate the help and they're awful thankful. They would shower me in food and company. I would have a whole family to laugh and enjoy the day with, all in a simple visit.
I could wander out towards the Everfree during the mid-afternoon and catch Fluttershy wading through the clear waters of the river that passed through her property, casting hoof-fulls of fish food into it. I could explain to her how my home was so empty and how I could really use some company. She would know just the perfect pet for me, and perhaps she could even hear the touch of sadness in my voice that told all who would listen that a pet wouldn't even scrape the surface.
Or every morning I could do my daily exercise regimen in the same park that Rainbow Dash spent all day practicing in. I could congratulate her on her prowess. She would say 'You think that was awesome? You haven't seen nothing yet.' and she would rocket off to awe me some more, while I though to myself, 'you're right, I- I haven't seen anything at all.'.
I don't know how or why but I found myself on the ground in front of the Golden Oaks Library. My wings splayed out onto the ground. Shuddering rocked my body as I internalized these fears and this sadness that was beginning to take a hold of me. I made small gasping noises as I struggled to contain the tears that were threatening to flood from my eyes when light washed over me.
“Hello?” A soft voice washed over me. I stamped my hoof and shoved all the emotions down.
“Evening Your Majesty. Sorry if I disturbed you.” I said, stoically.
“It's quite alright Vigilance. My many offers to come in still stand.” She told me, and the tears welled up in my eyes.
“And I've told you before, you can call me Twilight.”
“I'm sorry Princess, I should go.” I said, Struggling to raise my wings.
“Vigilance-” I didn't hear what she had to say because I had thrown myself into the sky.
I knew that I could turn around right then and knock on her door. And she would sit down before me, with all of her majesty and her face would be filled with concern. She would ask if everything was alright and I would crumble. Her kindness, just like all of her friends, would shatter my front. I knew she would desire nothing more than to help me. All of them would, but tonight, just like every night for the last year I turned her offer down and took to the skies. But Twilight had something else in mind.
I was blinded in a brilliant flash of magic and I felt hooves wrap around me, I knew who is was, and I knew I wasn't falling to my death, so I relaxed in the embrace of the Princess. As we neared the ground I let go and dropped free of her grasp, and she fluttered to the ground beside me. She turned to me with a wide smile.
“Vigilance would you like to come inside?”
I fell back on my haunches. I sat still for a long moment, and then I looked up to her and silently nodded. She got up and extended a wing over me and guided me into her home.