Shepherd of Fire

by ERich935

Ascend

My name is Star Blade, I'm an Earth Pony from Ponyville. I may not look like much, wearing a leather jacket and rusty old watch, but I am full of action and adventure, and the cutie mark shows it. Besides being adventurous, I also had an interest in studying the stars, their constellations, and a lot of their meanings. I may seem like a regular pony, and I thought so too, but as time went on I started being involved in things I never thought possible. And today is the day where all of that has brought me... where it's all been leading me to.

"Wait! Star Blade, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to be down there! Come back here!" said the voice of Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I walked within the cavern, entering an almost ancient comm. room of sorts. I saw a giant monitor, with a control panel underneath. It looked like a computer, but it was much more than that. This was the largest database archive in Equestria, with information of Equestria's past, present, and "possible" future. As I walked towards the monitor, I reached towards a button on the control panel, until I was knocked down, flat on the floor. I looked up to see the faces of 6 mares. These were the Mane Six, all good friends of mine and were always there for me no matter what.

Pinkie Pie, an Earth Pony, and the most cheerful of the Mane 6. She is a very good friend to all the citizens of Ponyville. Any time there was a celebration, holiday, or birthday, Pinkie was there to make a fantastic party, hoping that they leave with a smile on their face. She is also very random at times, which ends up with everypony laughing with her, leaving her as the harnesser to the Element of Laughter.

Pinkie Pie was bouncing towards me with a big grin on her face as usual.
"Happy Birthday Star Blade! I hope you like it!" she said as I was given a slice of cake.

"Thanks Pinkie!" I said, before I took a bite of the cake.
"Mm... Wait a minute... is this a Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream cake?" I said as I realized what flavor it was.

"Yup! Your favorite!" she said, once again, with a big grin.

Of course with my curiosity on Pinkie's almost impossible traits I asked, "But how did you know?"

"Just a lucky guess!" she replied, followed by a cheerful giggle. To me, Pinkie's way of guessing, seems more like reading minds. Although that could just be me. We may never know.

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Applejack, another Earth Pony, and the most hardworking of the Mane 6. She is in charge of the farm nearby Ponyville with her family members, Big Macintosh, Applebloom, and Granny Smith. I learned from her that being honest gets you in the least amount of trouble, and it turns out… it’s true… because she harnesses the Element of Honesty.

"Look at him go!" Applejack said as she and her family watched me help with getting the apples... my way...

"And now, the grand finale... Geronimo!" I said before I launched myself forward, with the help of my parkour skills. I jumped from tree to tree, kicking branch after branch, with more apples falling by the second.

"Woohoo! Great job up there Star Blade!" said Applejack as the last tree was free of apples.

"Thanks, "partner." I replied with a slight western accent, before I jumped off the tree.

"Wow, you sure know how to get those apples Star Blade." said Applebloom with a bright look on her face.

"Well thanks Applebloom. Listen if any of you need help with the apples or anything on the farm, just let me know." I said in return.

"Eeyup." said Big Macintosh as he gave me a small bag of bits.

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Fluttershy, a very calm, sensitive, yet helpful Pegasus. Unlike any of the other Pegasus kind, she spent most of her time on the land instead of Cloudsdale. She’s always willing to help a lot of the woodland creatures in need, almost like a park ranger, which explains so much why she harnesses the Element of Kindness.

I was running for Fluttershy's house. She rang the bell at her house as loud as she could, which meant that an animal was hurt and she needed help.

"Fluttershy, what's going on?" I asked as I opened the door.

She replied to me in a worried state, "Oh it's terrible, Angel hurt her arm. I tried to find something to heal it, but I ran out of things to do that."

"You came to the right pony! Come here Copper!" I said as I called my dog; Copper, who was carrying medical supplies in a small pack.

"I need a cast, pronto!" I told Copper as he searched the bag. He took out a large cast. "That one is a little too large, I need a smaller one." I said, before Copper searched the bag again, with different sets of casts, until I said, "Wait! That one looks perfect. Good job girl!"

"My... you and your dog sure know how to take care of animals." said Fluttershy as I placed the cast on Angel.

"Well, for me it was easy. Copper needed some training to know what to do. She's pretty big for a beagle, imagine her being small and carrying that many supplies." I explained.

"That wouldn't be very good." Fluttershy said with a slightly worried face. "Anyway, thanks for helping you two." she said with a smile on her face.

"Ah not a problem. Anyway, I gotta get going. I still have to continue working on the mechanical wings prototype." I said as I gave Copper a treat.

"Ok, well good luck with that. Goodbye" said Fluttershy as she waved with Angel.

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Rarity, a unicorn that happens to be very good at making dresses. While she enjoys making dresses, she also loves to find jewels that she can collect and use for her dresses. She tends to complain at some times, but don’t let that fool you, as she harnesses the Element of Generosity.

"How do you want your suit to look darling?" asked Rarity as she was grabbing supplies.

"Just something casual, nothing too fancy." I replied as I leaned against the wall. The Grand Galloping Gala was coming up, and besides the Mane Six being invited there, I was also invited personally by Princess Celestia herself.

"What color do you have in mind for it?" Rarity asked as she looked into a drawer with differently colored threads.

"The color that best "suits" me." I replied, pun intended.

"Ha ha, very funny." Rarity said sarcastically.

"I would like it to be black." I said, actually answering Rarity's question. "Also, do you think you have a light blue necktie?"
I asked her afterwards.

Rarity took the black thread out, while also grabbing a blue necktie as she replied, "Most certainly, anything else?"

I looked at her as I said, "How about a nice hat, maybe a fedora?"

"Very well then. I will most likely have it done by tomorrow, see you then darling." Rarity replied as she started her work.

"Thank you Rarity, oh and if I don't see you after that, I'll see you at the Gala!" I said just before I walked out, only to stop for a moment as Rarity asked,

"Do you plan on taking anypony there with you?"

"Maybe... I haven't though about that..." I replied very nervously, before walking out.

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Rainbow Dash, a Pegasus from Cloudsdale and the closet friend of mine from the Mane 6. She has a lot of potential when it comes to activities such as racing, flying, etc. She’s never appreciated losing to ANYTHING… While she has an attitude at times, she always is willing to help anypony when told, as she harnesses the Element of Loyalty.

"WHOOAH! INCOMING!!!" yelled Rainbow Dash as she was falling, with her wings tied up.

"Don't worry, I got you!" I said after catching Rainbow Dash.

"Why is it you get the wings here and not me?" asked Rainbow Dash with a bit of an attitude.

"Well that's a way to thank someone. Oh and to answer your question, these mechanical wings are the reason I'm up here teaching you, and making sure you don't fall to your doom." I said after she asked the question.

"You don't need to worry about me. If I'm ever falling like that, I'll know how to handle myself." said Rainbow Dash as she got back on her hooves.

"I hope you're right, because I may not be there to save you one day." I said as I landed.

We were both silent for a moment, until Rainbow Dash said, "Thanks..."

I looked towards her as I said, "I'm sorry?

"Thanks... for saving me back there. I know I was a bit of a jerk back there. But you're right, I should be thankful for you saving me." said Rainbow Dash with a smile.

"That's what I like to hear. You know what's best, even if you don't want it to happen at times." I said, also with a smile. "Anyway, lesson's now over. How about a race to Ponyville?" I said as I prepared my wings.

"Do you even know how to fly fast with those?" Rainbow Dash asked. "*snicker* BAHAHAHAHA! If you think you do, you can have a head start!"

"Very well then!" I said before launching myself, flapping my wings. If there's one thing I know about most ponies, it's that they learn things from experience. Me however, I learn just by watching, and Rainbow Dash just realized that after being friends with her for months.

"Alright Mr. Cool, show me what you've got! said Rainbow Dash as she started to fly towards me.

"With pleasure, Ms. Awesome!" I said as we began the race.

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Lastly, Twilight Sparkle, an Alicorn Princess of Canterlot. Originally, she was a unicorn until she was brought into a Dream World where Princess Celestia used her magic to transform Twilight into an Alicorn, and become a Princess. She's been by Celestia's side for quite a while, and has learned to use her magic for the greater good, which is why she harnesses the Element of Magic.

"So what is it like to be a princess?" I asked Twilight during our stroll through Canterlot.

"Well, it's not as easy as it looks. Being a princess requires a lot of training, and I've been taught those things by Princess Celestia when I was her student." said Twilight as she looked at Princess Celestia's tower.

"How long have you been her student?" I asked.

"Ever since I was a little filly. I remember like it was yesterday, and when I look at myself now, it feels difficult that I've changed so much... but in a good way..." Twilight said, looking in the direction to where Ponyville is.

"It must be..." I said.

"Must be what?" she asked.

"It must feel difficult to realize that you've changed, and when you look back, you think to yourself, how did I become this... but like you said, in a good way." I said, looking at Twilight straight in the eyes.

"Indeed. Anyway, I should get going. I have a meeting with Princess Celestia. See you later!" said Twilight as she walked towards the castle.

"See you too!" I said as I walked in the opposite direction.

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And here they were… my own friends, holding me down, in hopes of preventing me from knowing a fact far worse than any other disaster… my own future… and yet they never even knew what it was yet…
Twilight stood in front of me, preparing to use a spell that would make me forget what I saw within the dark caverns. I closed my eyes, waiting for my mind to go blank…

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We were called upon by Princess Celestia to discuss what we should do about what was destined to happen today. As the carriage brought us to Canterlot, we made our way, while also talking about the day ahead and what they were told about it.

"What were you told of the Day of the Descension before?" I asked the Mane Six as we began walking.

Twilight was the first to answer, "All we were told was that this day was supposed to happen at some time after you met us. We were never told specifically what was going to happen, besides, "Nothing will Happen." It’s all he told us. Well, correcting myself, all that you told us."

"When we were told that on this very day, nothing will happen, we actually thought you meant nothing was going to happen at all." Rainbow Dash added

"Who wouldn't?"

"But of course, the proper way of explaining what he meant by nothing will happen, is that everything that once happened or anything that will happen will disappear at one specific moment of one specific day." Twilight said, ending her explanation.

"But what about the prophecy?" Applejack asked.

"From what the database archive said, was that one pony would enter the gateway to the ancient realm, linked within the Space-Time Continuum from the void and the paradox will close." I said in response to Applejack's question.

"But how does the gateway to this realm open?" Rarity asked me.

"The prophecy mentioned that the song of "The Divider" must be played to open the gateway." I replied.

"But… um… how would we know what the song of The Divider is?" Fluttershy asked me, making me stop walking. I started to see flashbacks of my life, different points, points where I would hear a certain song, no matter where I was, there it was.

"It’s hidden in plain sound. Wherever you go, you may just hear it being performed by a number of ponies, yet you just don’t know it." I said just before we continued walking.

"Alright everypony. This is it." said Twilight, as we came to a complete halt.

After walking for a while, we found ourselves standing at the door to the throne of Princess Celestia. The doors opened, and we walked into the room, to find her awaiting our arrival. Also in the room were Princess Luna; Celestia’s sister, Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence; rulers of the Crystal Kingdom. We came to a halt as we were in front of the throne to Princess Celestia, and made our introductions.

"Good morning, Princess Celestia. It’s very good to see you." said Twilight, making her introduction to Princess Celestia.

"Hello Princess Twilight Sparkle. It’s good to see you too." said Princess Celestia, returning the favor.

"Twilight, good to see you!" said Prince Shining Armor as he gave Twilight a hug.

"Good to see you too!" said Twilight, doing the same. "Cadence, I can see that you are doing well." said Twilight, to Princess Cadence.

"Indeed I am doing well." said Princess Cadence, replying to Twilight.

We all bowed towards Princess Celestia after the Mane 6 made their greetings. Afterwards, she made her announcement; "We will be discussing our situation in the meeting. Also Star Blade, a very close friend to Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, will be joining us for this meeting, as he is very involved in this situation as we all are."

By then, the Princess looked at me for a good five seconds until I finally spoke, "Well… It’s all been leading to this…"