//------------------------------// // (3) Loverbuck // Story: The shield of Equestria // by Senseisteel //------------------------------// Dawn stumbled through the tavern door wiping his hooves as he entered. Sky was already sitting at the bar when Dawn cantered toward him and took the stool next to him. “Nice place” Dawn said as he slowly surveyed the room. The walls were plain wood covered in ornaments while the floor consisted of rather rudimentary planks decorated by an assortment of rugs, the whole place had “wild west” written all over it. As Dawn brought his eyes back to the bar the pair was approached by the bar mare “What can I get y`all?” she asked, Sky, remembering who she was and threw his hoofs in the air “Applejack! It’s been too long” he shouted gleefully, her face lifted with a smile as the pair shared a hug over the bar before Sky introduced Dawn “This is Captain Blade of the royal guard” he stated proudly pointing to Dawn with his hoof. Dawn Blade had spent the last few minutes with his eyes glued to the orange earthpony. Sky gave him a nudge that snapped him out of it. “Ahem... Pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Applejack” he said with a deep voice trying to hide his embarrassment. “The famed shield of equestria huh, thought there`d be more metal on ya” she responded. “He’s here on forced leave by orders from the royal sisters themselves” Sky butted in “Ah so y`all be the fellers who had the room reserved?” applejack inquired. “Indeed we are” Said Sky, a smirk slowly growing across his face as he noticed Dawn gawking at Applejacks golden mane “Celestia really needs ta find a way to warn ponies when she sends one of those fancy Dragon scroll thingies. The one she sent us earlier nearly took Big Mack`s eye out” She ranted as she served drinks to the ponies further up the bar. While she was preoccupied Sky leant over to Dawn and whispered in his ear “You like her don’t you?” Dawn scrambled to find his voice “I don’t know what you’re talking about” He argued, sinking back desperately trying to find something to change the subject of conversation. “Ha, there is many a thing your good at captain, but lying isn’t one of them” Sky snickered as he tilted a freshly filled tankard into his mouth. With little information of what they were serving at the bar, Dawn pulled the oldest trick in the book “I’ll have what he’s having” After a couple of hours (and around a dozen pints later) the dignified guardsponies had became sloshing drunkards barely able to stand, exchanging slurred stories of their past. “So... what’s the story with you and Princess Luna?” asked Sky as he stacked empty tankards clumsily using his telekinesis. “Funny story, around two weeks after first getting to the palace I got lost in the upper halls. Trying not to make a foal out of myself I pretended I was on guard duty, eventually coming across a giant door. Curiosity getting the better of me I peaked inside to find what looked like a mare having a massive case of the night terrors. It being my duty to ensure the wellbeing of everypony who lives in equestria I tried to see if I could wake her. Turns out her nightmare came to an abrupt end just as I stepped beside her bed. I saw her eyes open then all I can remember is waking up in the clinic with a broken leg and wing.” “You find out what happened?” “Yea, apparently when the princess screamed I got sent hurtling through the window and onto the cliff face about two hundred hoofs down” “How did you survive that?” asked Sky, his eyes immediately drawn to Dawn as he mentioned the great height. “After bouncing a few times I was caught by Luna, who took me straight to medical” Explained Dawn who flexed his right hind leg and wing. “How come the rest of us didn’t hear of this incident” poked Sky “We decided to keep it all on the hush hush, to keep up appearances’, plus it wasn’t all bad” “Besides you know the part where you nearly died” Said Sky as he returned to his structure, gently placing another empty tankard at the peak “Yea that was pretty nasty. Took weeks for some of those wounds to heal...” Dawn laughed as he ran his hoof along a barely visible scar that ran its way from the base of his neck to the bottom of his chest. Eventually Sky`s tower of leaning tankards toppled, one of the empty alcohol vessels hitting him square in the face. “And I believe that’s my cue to leave” slurred Sky as he began to stagger his way upstairs. Dawn remained at the bar to finish his drink (and to get another look at the bar mare) taking the last swig he saw her shoot him a glance, her eyes beaming through a crowd like they were on fire. Dawn began to freak out inside his head; he had never felt like this around anypony before and it was getting to him. He began to ponder if it was the drink effecting his judgement. Dawn continued to fret inside his mind until he felt something approach; he turned into the irises’ of Applejack, who had snuck up beside him. As soon as their eyes met Dawn`s mind descended into a swirl of bright colors and the taste of alcohol. ... ... ... Dawn forced one eye open. And immediately he had the biggest headache he had ever endured, it felt like there was somepony inside his head trying to smash its way out with a hammer, each pulse just as painful as the last. He sat up realising he was in a bed. “I am probably in one of the reserved rooms” dawn thought through the haze of sleep and pain. Mustering the energy, Dawn pushed himself off the side of the bed and slowly trotted out the ajar door on the far side of the room. When Dawn made it down a floor he found Sky drowning himself in a bowl of what smelt like a thoroughly spiced stew. “Morning loverbuck” Sky giggled, his voice muffled by the bowl surrounding his snout “Wha?” Dawn responded groggily barely able to think strait. Sky rolled his eyes and slid him a second steaming bowl to the closer end of the table “Get some of this down ya” urged Sky as he lifted his head. Dawn loomed over the bowl with suspicion. “It’s an old family recipe; knock the hangover right out of you”. The smell emanating from the liquid inside was rich with exotic spices and rich herbs. Just wanting to be rid of the headache Dawn took a hearty gulp of the mystery substance. The headache disappeared as fast as it arrived, however Dawn could feel a little burn on his tongue that suddenly spread all the way down his throat and around his mouth. He began to canter around the room, his tongue stuck out and his eyes watering. “Ny tongue, ith burns!” Dawn yelped through his gagging. “Hah, I bet it does!” Sky could barely contain himself; he was on the floor in hysterics for a few seconds before he levitated a tankard full of milk over to Dawn who was also rolling on the floor but for a totally different reason. After consuming the entire tankard of milk, Dawn could feel the burning sensation receding eventually disappearing completely. “What was that?” Dawn asked with a dry mouth as he brought himself to his hoofs. “Family secret” Sky said tapping the side of his snout with his hoof “you don’t get generation after generation of heavy drinkers without a cure for a hangover popping up somewhere along the line” “I can see the truth in that” Dawn muttered as he poured himself some oatmeal, turning he realised that the room had two separate beds. “Umm, Sky?” “Yea?” “Was this supposed to be our room?” “Yup” Sky answered with a quick nod followed by a smirk as he realised where Dawn was going “So where did i...” Dawn started before being cut off by Sky “Sleep?... follow me” Sky proceeded to quietly trot out of the room, up a small set of stairs onto a small landing where a door hung open, the sunlight beaming through illuminating the specks of dust that floated through the air. The room itself was larger than the one they reserved and was more... homely; Sky shoved Dawn back through the door while whispering in his ear. “Welcome to Ponyville”. The first thing Dawn saw was the bed. A large double, the same he woke up in earlier except this time he didn’t have a brain crippling headache. On one of the posts lay a brown cowpony hat. “Oh sweet Celestia” Cursed Dawn under his breath as he observed the other mass gently breathing beneath the sheets. It was Applejack.