Grogar's Return II: Ponyville
The chariot descended through the clouds towards the fortress-town of Ponyville. Looking at the walls of brown mud-brick, walls as high as a dozen ponies standing on each other's backs and topped with sharp stakes and high watchtowers, surrounding the whole area it was strange to imagine that they had ever not been there, that there had been a time when Ponyville had been a peaceful, quiet settlement. Yet the histories assured Thunder that there had indeed been such a time. In Twilight Sparkle's day, it was said, Ponyville had resounded to the sounds of laughter and song; the princess and the five heroes of Equestria had made it a place of joy and harmony.
No more. Now, Ponyville was primarily notable as a staging point for the Royal Guard, where supplies where stored for rangings out across the central plain, and for being one of the three locations - along with Appleloosa to the south and Tall Lake to the north - where new batches of recruits were based until their training was complete. Even the famous apple orchards, whose fame had once spread far and wide, were mostly gone now, the ground converted to military purposes. Only a fraction of the original ground remained as farmland, while the nation's main breadbasket - or apple-basket - now lay further south.
As the chariot came down, it was easy to see which buildings belonged to Old Ponyville, and which were part of the new military settlement. The older buildings had a rustic charm that could not be completely dimmed by their new neighbours, nor had the bright colours of their paintwork wholly faded, nor the heart motifs been eradicated from all sight. The new buildings had no paint, no charm and certainly no hearts. They were harsh, unadorned and warlike places built for harsh, unadorned and warlike ponies.
Thunder frowned. He had read all the arguments, heard some of them with his own ears from the First Minister when he and Princess Luna...had involved discussions. He knew from his studies every step that Equestria had taken down the garden path to reach this point. He knew all the justifications given for those decisions: the Elements of Harmony where no more, Princess Twilight was dead, there was no champion to defend Equestria and, even if there had been, the survival of the world was too important to let rest upon the shoulders of one alicorn and her friends. The world was a more dangerous place, threats to the safety and survival of everypony where ever-present, therefore the defence of the realm must be ever-present too. With Princess Celestia withdrawn from the cares of state, it was up to ordinary ponies to step into the breach.
Thunder knew all the reasons, and the danger was not wholly illusory: he had accompanied Princess Luna on a ranging along the Unicorn Range, and certainly there were perils out there in the dark and wild: creatures that would devour the unwary, wicked souls who would prey on the weak. But, even when he took all of that into account, Thunder could not help but feel that more had been lost than had been gained.
"This is it?" Kenzi asked from where she sat on top of Thunder's head, holding onto his mane. "This is the town that Princess Twilight came from? It looks terrible!"
"She didn't come from here," Thunder corrected. "She was born in Canterlot, but she lived here in her zenith, when she was at the height of her powers."
"How can anypony reach the height of their powers in a place this run down and miserable?" Kenzi asked.
"It wasn't like that then," Thunder replied. "Not if the books are right, anyway."
The chariot landed, the wheels bumping a little before they scraped across the grass. Thunder leapt off, and saluted the two pegasi who had flown him here. They saluted in return, then took off again, banking back towards Canterlot before Thunder lost sight of them in the clouds.
“So what do you think we’ll actually have to do here?” Kenzi asked.
Thunder shrugged. “Technically you don’t have to do anything; Princess Luna’s instructions were for me. But, to answer your question: I don’t know. I guess we’ll see how prepared they already are once we get inside.”
There was a gate into Ponyville set into each of the four walls, the only ways in or out. Flying over the walls was forbidden. On a post, about a dozen feet from the gate, was nailed a list of all the other things that were also forbidden by royal decree, which Thunder had learned from his time in the palace meant that the First Minister had drawn up a proposal and Princess Celestia had fixed her seal upon it without actually reading what it said.
The list itself was short, the same sort of things one saw in Canterlot: all ponies must be home before curfew, no public gatherings of more than ten ponies except on official business, no private gatherings of more than six, obey the instructions of members of the Royal Guard and Military Police without hesitation, no spreading of malcontent or sedition either by written or by spoken word or any form of communication that could be construed as discontented or harmful to the administration.
Thunder was reminded of something his mother had said to him one day, when she had found him playing soldiers with Lightning Strike. ‘It is a brave and noble thing, to be prepared to fight to protect others,’ she had said. ‘But if all that you can do is fight, if you cannot put down your spear when the battle is over, but must look at once for other battles, then what were you fighting for in the first place?’ He did not entirely agree with her, but that was because to Thunder the question was better applied to peoples than to individuals. For some ponies such as he, who had nothing to live for, it was a noble cause to dedicate their lives to the protection of the more fortunate. But if the whole nation of Equestria did nothing but constantly ready itself for battle then what were its defenders really fighting to protect, and did such a country deserve to survive?
“Harmful to the administration,” Kenzi read aloud. “So does that mean if I yell ‘The First Minister sucks!’ I’ll get arrested?”
“I wouldn’t let that happen,” Thunder said. “But, technically, if anypony heard you then yes, they would have to take you in.”
“Good thing there’s nopony to hear me then, I guess,” Kenzi said. “Aren’t there supposed to be guards on that gate?”
Thunder’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the gaping open gateway. There was nopony in sight, either on the gate or the battlements above. He could just walk right into Ponyville unchallenged and unnoticed.
Thunder sighed. “I think this is the kind of thing I’m supposed to make sure doesn’t happen when the princesses arrive tomorrow.”
Kenzi fluttered near Thunder’s eye. “Maybe they’re just on a break?”
“They’re on guard duty, they don’t get a break,” Thunder said harshly. “Let’s go.” He stomped towards the gateway, Kenzi fluttering along beside him, the beating of her gossamer wings leaving a silvery trail in the air behind her. She had given herself blue-green highlights today, which hung down framing her face, while keeping most of her hair inky black. She was dressed in a padded jacket with a red skirt that stopped just before her knees and platform boots. A tiny sword, about the size of a toothpick, was strapped across her back, though Thunder wasn’t sure what Kenzi thought she was going to do with it. He half suspected that it was there simply to look cool.
They reached the gate, and Thunder looked around. “Guard?” he shouted. “Is anypony there?”
Two ponies hurriedly rushed round the corner of the nearest watchtower and into view. One was an earth pony, with a dark green coat and rose-red eyes, the other a pegasus with a light blue coat and a spiky black mane. Neither stallion was wearing his helmet, though they both still had their cuirasses on. Their armour was white, rather than the adorned and gilded armour of the Guard, which marked them out as trainees. Thunder himself was wearing similar armour, but in black trimmed with the slightest hints of gold.
The two trainees, who looked to be about Thunder’s own age but at nowhere near his level of skill, eyed him warily.
“Um, can we help you…sir?” the earth pony asked.
“You can help me by telling me what in Equestria you two think you’re doing,” Thunder snapped. “You’re supposed to be on guard at this post, aren’t you?”
“Yes sir,” the pegasus confessed.
“Then where the hay where you?” Thunder demanded. His whole body was shaking with anger at these two. “Gate wide open, no guard mounted, are you two kidding me? Did you join the Royal Guard because you thought this was a game? Names, both of you!”
The two snapped to attention. The earth pony shouted, “Rosethorn, sir!” Thunder noted that his cutie mark was a rose which did indeed have several very spiky thorns.
“Sketch, sir!” the pegasus yelled.
Thunder scowled. “I trust you two idiots know why this town has a wall. I trust you know why it has a gate that can be shut. I trust you know why the gate has to be guarded.”
“Thunder,” Kenzi murmured. “Maybe you should take it easy.”
But Thunder was in no mood to stop now. “It’s to protect the ponies who live inside the walls from anypony or anything who might want to hurt them. When they see that armour, they trust you to keep them safe. They trust their lives to you. Do you feel worthy of that trust right now?”
“No, sir,” Rosethorn murmured.
“I should hope not!” Thunder roared. “Because if I had been an enemy I could have walked right through here and started killing. That is why you stay at your post, that is why you keep careful watch, because if you don’t then ponies die! Do you understand me?” Thunder fought to keep the memories at bay: the fire, the smoke, the screaming. Lightning Strike crying out for help, his mother telling him to run, all because the watch had grown lax and the vigil had faltered. That would not happen in Equestria, not while he was around.
“Is there a problem here, sir?”
Thunder started at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. He looked around to see a unicorn of the guard – his armour proclaimed him to be a full guardspony, not a trainee – trotting down the road towards him from town. He was a grey unicorn with a fiery red mane and golden eyes that gazed on Thunder with suspicion. The sir he had stuck at the end of his address sounded forced, present as insurance rather than out of respect.
Thunder snorted. “My name is Thunder Shield, I’m Princess Luna’s personal student. This is my friend Kenzi.”
“Yo, what’s up?” Kenzi said.
Sketch gasped. “What is that thing?”
“This thing is named Kenzi,” Kenzi replied sharply. “I’m a fairy, deal with it.”
“Easy there, I didn’t mean nothing by it,” Sketch said. “I’m sorry, I just…I’ve never seen a fairy before. This is so cool.”
“Oh yeah, you’d better believe it,” Kenzi said, primping her hair and twirling in mid-air. “Coolest fairy ever.”
Sketch leaned in, grinning like an idiot. “Can I ask-“
“Ahem,” the unicorn said. “Perhaps before we get too off track somepony could explain to me what all the yelling was about? Even if you are the Princess’ student, what right does it give you to harass my little ponies?”
“Their royal highnesses, Princesses Celestia and Luna, will be visiting Ponyville tomorrow to oversee the graduation ceremony for this training corps,” Thunder said, side-eyeing Rosethorn and Sketch as he did so. He could scarcely believe that these two would become fully fledged members of the Royal Guard tomorrow. “I’ve been sent here to ensure that everything is in proper readiness for their arrival. So far, I am not finding this garrison up to the proper standards.”
The unicorn stiffened his posture. “If you have a problem with my trainees, you come to me and I bust their flanks over it. You don’t cut out the middlemare and do it yourself.”
“Oh, really?” Thunder muttered. “And who are you?”
“Sergeant Blade Song, 109th Training Corps,” Blade Song said. His cutie mark was a golden harp with a sword running through it. “And if you have a problem you can take it up with me.”
“Okay then,” Thunder growled. “These two ponies give the impression of being lazy, careless and undisciplined. Would you say that they are representative of your unit, sergeant?”
“No, sir, I would not,” Blade Song said formally. “You may rest assured that the matter will be dealt with appropriately.”
“Sergeant-“ Rosethorn began.
“Silence in the ranks!” Blade yelled. “See me after your shift is over and I’ll deal with the pair of you!”
“Yes, sergeant,” Sketch muttered.
Blade stared at Thunder with a level gaze. “Will that be all, sir?”
“For now,” Thunder muttered.
“Thank you, sir.”
Thunder snorted. “Kenzi, let’s go.” He walked off without waiting for her to reply, leaving her to fly after him as he walked into Ponyville.
“Thunder, wait up,” Kenzi shouted. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Don’t those clowns realise how serious their job is?” Thunder demanded.
“I kinda liked that pegasus,” Kenzi said.
“And I’m sure the fact that he gave you a compliment has nothing to do with that at all,” Thunder replied.
“Yup, not at all,” Kenzi said happily.
Not too far from the gate was a signpost giving directions to the barracks, stores, parade ground, town hall and to the Museum of Twilight Sparkle and Friends. Thunder headed for the town hall, Kenzi following along; it was only common courtesy to call first upon the mayor.
The town hall of Ponyville was probably the best maintained building in the whole of the old town. While some buildings had been left derelict, and others had only their own residents to lavish attention on them, there was still some civic resource available to keep the seat of government from though it was going to fall down at any moment. Instead, the hall looked as good as such an old building could be expected too; though it had not escaped the ravages of a hundred years or the fading that seemed to have swept across all of Equestria since Princess Celestia’s seclusion.
Thunder trotted up the steps and knocked on the door with one hoof.
After a moment, the door opened a fraction and a harassed-looking earth pony with a lemon-yellow mane peeked out.
Thunder bowed his head. “Good afternoon. My name is Thunder Shield and I-“
“Ah, yes, Princess Luna’s student,” the mare said. “Yes, Her Highness sent word. Mayor Scootaloo has been expecting you. Loudly.”
“Who is it?” demanded a loud, slightly hoarse voice from inside.
“Princess Luna’s student has arrived, ma’am,” the mare replied.
“Well, show him in here, then!”
The mare rolled her eyes as she opened the door. “Come in.”
“Thank you,” Thunder said, as he followed her into the hall. The inside was already decorated in expectation of the arrival of the Princesses, with royal banners hanging from the balcony and ponies scurrying to and fro to hang up additional decorations. Thunder and Kenzi were shown into a private office just off the main floor, where an ancient pegasus sat in a wheelchair, her orange coat wrinkled and lined, her mane gone so grey and white there was scarce a scrap of purple to be seen. Her cutie mark, Thunder could not see; it was blocked by the chair in which she sat. Her eyes, though, her purple eyes seemed as sharp as that of any younger mare.
“Mayor Scootaloo, I presume,” Thunder said.
“Well of course I am, who else would I be?” Scootaloo snapped. To her assistant she said, “You can leave now, I don’t need assistance to carry on a conversation.”
The mare rolled her eyes as she backed out of the room, closing the office door behind her. Thunder stood still as any statue in the palace gardens, Kenzi hovering quietly beside him.
"So, you're Princess Luna's student," Scootaloo remarked, after observing him quietly for a while. "I can't say I'm impressed."
Thunder heard Kenzi growl, but for himself he said nothing.
Scootaloo turned her gaze on Kenzi. "And who is this?"
"Well at least you didn't say 'What is this' like some ponies," Kenzi spat. "My name's Kenzi, and do you have to be such a jerk to everyone?"
Scootaloo chuckled. "Probably not, but if you'd had to watch your home change as much as I have you'd be a little cranky too." She sighed, looking at one wall and, by her action, drawing Thunder's gaze there too. A flight suit hung there, one of the old Wonderbolt suits from before they were disbanded if Thunder remembered his history correctly. Beside it hung a gilt-framed photograph showing a pegasus whom Thunder recognised as Lady Rainbow Dash in her prime. Beside her stood a young filly who must have been Scootaloo. Despite that it was Rainbow Dash wearing the Wonderbolt uniform, complete with a captain's wings upon her collar, it was Scootaloo who was doing all the smiling in the picture. Rainbow herself looked distinctly sombre, a melancholy in her eyes that Thunder recognised from when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
"Lady Rainbow Dash," Kenzi murmured.
"Just call her Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said. "She'd have hated being called Lady. But yeah, that's her. My adopted big sister, captain of the Wonderbolts. It should have been the happiest day of her life and she couldn't even raise a smile. Then she quit after two years. After that day, nothing could really make any of them happy."
"Princess Twilight died a hero, saving this land from a great evil," Thunder said. "Wasn't that enough to comfort them?"
"Dead is still dead," Kenzi murmured. "Knowing it was a brave end doesn't help your best friend live without you." Thunder shuffled his hooves a little, unable to meet her gaze.
"Your fairy friend gets it better than you do," Scootaloo said. "Twilight was gone, the how didn't matter. It left a whole in all their hearts. In all our hearts." She looked downwards, her eyes darkening with misery. "If she'd lived, things would have been different around here. She would have stopped a lot of what Equestria has become."
"No matter what mistakes have been made by this country, in the end it still is a country full of living ponies," Thunder replied mildly. "If Twilight had lived, Grogar might have destroyed Equestria. I don't mean to criticise, but I can't help but feel that her friends should have honoured her memory better by living in her name."
"Hah!" Kenzi scoffed. "Say that again when you start to enjoy your life."
"I-" Thunder began, but found he was unable to tell the outrageous lie.
"Exactly!" Kenzi cried triumphantly.
Scootaloo chuckled. "Giving advice is easier than taking it, isn't it?"
"Very much so," Thunder muttered.
Scootaloo chuckled again. "Look at this," she said as she opened up a draw of her desk, and took out a six-sided box, shaped like two hexagonal pyramids stuck together, with six keyholes one on each side. With one trembling hoof, Scootaloo set the box upon her desk.
"What is it?" Kenzi asked. "Looks pretty secure, do you keep your gold in it or something?"
"This box came out of the Tree of Harmony, after they all gave the Elements back," Scootaloo answered. "Twilight was sure that there was something valuable inside, something useful too, but she never did figure out how to get it open. When Grogar came, she thought that what was in the box might give her the key to defeat him, but he didn't give her the time she needed. He moved too fast, hurt too many, Twilight didn't have time to sit around working on the problem."
"Did anypony ever manage to open it?" Thunder asked.
Scootaloo shook her head. "None of Twilight's friends really cared after Twilight died. Me and my friends took the box, we thought we might get our cutie marks if we could get it open, but we lost interest after a while. Apple Bloom kept it as a curiosity, then Sweetie Belle had it, then it came to me. When I go it'll probably get thrown out as worthless junk. I suppose it is worthless junk after all this time, unless you want it?"
Thunder shook his head. "No, thank you madam mayor. I don't need any more ghosts."
"I suppose you're right," Scootaloo said, putting the box away. She affixed the pair of them with a stern gaze. "Tell me, you two, do you believe that the path Equestria has taken is the best road that could have been chosen?"
Thunder and Kenzi looked at one another.
Thunder said, "Honestly, no, I don't."
Kenzi shook her head. "Everypony's so grim, they need to lighten up."
Scootaloo smiled. "If Equestria can be changed for the better it will be up to you young ponies to change it. Remember that."
Thunder nodded. "I will."
"Now, if you'll excuse me," Scootaloo muttered in between yawning loudly. "I'm very old, and I need my nap."
***
The next place Thunder and Kenzi went was the storehouse, to make sure that there were enough supplies to put on a good show for their highnesses. The stores were kept inside a hollowed out tree, that looked as though it had once served a different purpose judging by details like the balcony which had no place in what was a glorified warehouse. On said balcony Thunder could see stacks of lances leaning on one another, roped together with points sticking upwards towards the clouds.
“This doesn’t look like any of the other buildings the guards have put up,” Kenzi said. “For one thing I can actually look at it without wanting to flinch from how ugly it is.”
“They’ve definitely appropriated something else for this,” Thunder muttered, frowning a little. “I think…no, it can’t be.”
“What?” Kenzi asked.
“I think this is the library where Princess Twilight lived,” Thunder said, his jaw tightening. “Yes, a living tree, it has to be.”
“Really? I would have thought it would be a museum or something,” Kenzi said quietly. “I wonder what they did with all the books.”
“I wouldn’t put it past the kind of ponies who would turn a library into a quartermaster’s stores to have burnt the books,” Thunder said, his voice cold.
Kenzi flew out in front of Thunder, turning in the air to look back at him. “This bothers you, doesn’t it?”
“A society without culture doesn’t deserve to survive,” Thunder growled. “If Equestria is nothing but row on row of soldiers then what are they defending? One another? What’s the point?”
“You’re the one who trains like a maniac,” Kenzi remarked, pointedly. “You tell me what the point of it all is. What is it for? Why do you do it?”
“I train so that I can fight to protect others, but I would gladly fight all alone as the sole champion of Equestria if it meant that everypony else could live peaceful lives,” Thunder said firmly. “Strength is only strong if it’s being used in the service of something greater, something finer. To admire strength for its own sake…that way lies horror.” Thunder’s green eyes closed for a moment, memories threatening to overwhelm him.
”No! Why are you doing this?”
“Why? Why? You ask me for a reason? Does the worm ask the bird why he is being devoured? I am the superior mare, set apart from ordinary ponies, elevated by greatness above the petty laws and morals of this world and given the strength and will to transform it! My ability to slay all of these pathetic creatures…is proof that they deserved to die.”
“I don’t want to live anyplace where that kind of attitude is considered normal, or good.” Thunder sighed, shaking his head slowly from side to side to dispel the memory. “Come on, let’s make sure everything is in order.”
As Thunder walked towards the door, Kenzi said, “Do you think Princess Luna wants Princess Celestia to see this? Maybe she thinks that, if Princess Celestia sees what’s going on here, then she’ll put a stop to it.”
Thunder considered that. “That might be what she’s aiming for, but I’m not sure how much even Princess Celestia can really do about this. A hundred years is a little late to try stuffing the toothpaste back in the tube.”
The door to the storehouse was open, so Thunder went straight inside without troubling to knock. Kenzi followed, hovering just over Thunder’s ear. The main chamber was round, one set of stairs leading up to the second floor and a door leading down to the cellar. The room was dark, lit by only a single orange lantern, and cobwebs had made their homes where the walls met the ceiling. Barrels and crates were piled up against the walls, the labels HARD TACK, APPLES, HORSE SHOES or BANDAGES written on the sides in thick black letters. Spears were tied up in bundles like bales of hay; tents were rolled up and piled on top of one another. Everything was covered in a layer of dust which made Kenzi cough and splutter.
“Do you want to wait outside?” Thunder asked. “You might feel better.”
“I’ll be fine,” Kenzi said, though her coughing gave the lie to it.
Thunder heard somepony coming up the cellar steps. Unfortunately, that somepony turned out to be Prince Dusk Shine, levitating a large crate with PROPERTY OF THE MILITARY POLICE written on it in front of him.
“I wonder how the Military Police ended up leaving stuff here,” Prince Dusk murmured to himself before he caught sight of Thunder. “You,” he half whispered, half snarled.
Thunder bared his teeth. “Yes, me.”
Kenzi rolled her eyes. “Oh, boy, here we go.”
Dusk Shine dropped the box he had been carrying. The Prince of the Crystal Empire was a lanky stallion, taller by a head than Thunder was, with a dark pink coat and a purple mane streaked with gold and – one of the few signs of Prince Shining Armour in his appearance – blue. His uniform was pristine, absolutely untouched by the dust all around. Some thought the prince handsome, though Kenzi said his face was too long and Thunder could see what she meant, even allowing for the fact that Kenzi was the only person he knew who thought that ‘he has a face like a horse’ wasn’t a compliment. His lavender eyes narrowed as his posture stiffened.
“What do you want?” Dusk demanded, his voice stuffy, rich and full of Dusk’s great importance and high status.
“Princess Luna sent me to make an inspection ahead of her arrival tomorrow,” Thunder said, running one hoof across the lid of a dusty barrel. “So far, I’m not impressed.”
Dusk’s eyes widened slightly. “Princess Luna is coming here?”
Thunder smiled. “And Princess Celestia, too.”
Dusk swallowed. “Sergeant? Sergeant, get up here!”
“What is it?” a low, grouchy voice demanded, accompanied by the sounds of heavy hoof-falls. “And where do you get off giving me orders?” The quartermaster sergeant hauled his decaying bulk up the steps and glared at the young prince.
“Their highnesses are arriving here tomorrow,” Dusk cried. “We have to get this place presentable.”
The quartermaster rolled his eyes. “Princesses, that’s just what we need. Why can’t those stupid mares mind their own business.”
Thunder’s hoof came down so hard it cracked the floorboards underneath it.
“Now you’ve gone and done it,” Kenzi murmured.
“Hey, old guy,” Thunder snapped.
“Yeah? What?”
Thunder’s voice was sharp as a knife. “My name is Thunder Shield. There are a lot of things I hate, but ignorant and ungrateful ponies showing disrespect to Princess Luna is definitely one of them. Say something like that again and I’ll bounce you down those steps so hard you’ll be out cold for a week.”
The quartermaster opened his mouth, but before he could speak he was silenced by the power of Thunder’s murderous glare. He wilted beneath it, seeming to realise that even a peep out of him would invite an attack.
“I, uh, I’ll go see if I can find a broom,” the stallion muttered, retreating out of sight back into the cellar.
Dusk looked at Thunder. “So, how’s your temper nowadays?”
“He’s handling it,” Kenzi said. “The same as your ego.”
Dusk sniffed in annoyance.
“I see you’ve found somewhere comfortable to spend your training,” Thunder observed.
“Comfortable? Comfortable?” Dusk scoffed. “You think carrying heavy loads around a dusty room is comfortable? Maybe you should try it sometime. Still, I can’t deny that it’s better than being out there on the parade ground. But once I graduate top of the class and join the Military Police, then I’ll be able to experience true comfort, real luxury.”
“Yeah, because defending Equestria is for rubes, am I right?” Thunder asked.
“Just because you’re in a hurry to get yourself killed doesn’t mean the same goes for everypony,” Dusk snapped. “Anypony here would do the same in my position.”
“Then no wonder Equestria is in the state it’s in,” Thunder muttered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dusk Shine demanded.
“If you don’t want to fight, then that’s fine, but don’t become a soldier so that you can avoid battle and live the easy life!” Thunder shouted. “Anypony who thinks like that is nothing but a coward!”
“Why you impudent little-“
“Ugh, for crying out loud can you guys give it a rest just this once?” Kenzi asked. “Listening to you argue over and over is exhausting! And it’s really boring too; you never come up with anything really new to say to one another.”
Thunder did not concede point, but he didn’t respond to Dusk’s parting shot either. Instead he looked around the stores. “What with all the buildings that have been built for the Royal Guard, why couldn’t you have built a real storehouse and left the library as a library?”
“What do these rustics need with a library?” Dusk asked. “This isn’t the Crystal Empire, it isn’t even Canterlot. What do they want with books or learning here?”
“A society that writes books remembers everything,” Thunder said. “A society without books remembers nothing at all.”
Dusk snorted. “Was that supposed to sound wise?”
“That was a quote from Buttercup the Brilliant, Clover the Clever’s apprentice who wrote down the first records of Clover and Starswirl’s teachings and established the first public library in Equestria,” Thunder said. “You might have known that if there was still a library here.” He turned around and walked away before Dusk could respond.
"Very good," a familiar voice said once Thunder and Kenzi were outside. "But, for the record, the actual quote goes, 'A society that writes books remembers only what it chooses to write down, but a society without remembers nothing at all; every generation must learn anew all the lessons of this world.' Still, I'm surprised you knew even the misattribution, Buttercup the Brilliant isn't well known these days."
Thunder turned around to see Lieutenant Stargazer watching him from around the corner of the storehouse.
"Oh, good, you're here," Kenzi said without enthusiasm. "Awesome."
Thunder smirked. "Did you think that I was just dumb muscle, Lieutenant?"
Stargazer chuckled. "The thought had crossed my mind, but I suppose it was foolish to think that Princess Luna's student would be completely uneducated."
"A little," Thunder murmured. "What brings you out here?"
"Are you stalking us or something?" Kenzi demanded.
"I'm here on official business, just like you," Stargazer replied. "The First Minister will be joining their highnesses at the ceremony, I need to make sure that he won't see anything less than perfection."
"That's a repetition of my task," Thunder said, a touch of affront entering his voice. "Don't you trust me?"
"The Military Police doesn't trust you," Stargazer said. "My personal feelings have nothing to do with it."
"I suppose you're going to tell Dusk Shine he needs to clean up the storeroom then?" Thunder asked.
Stargazer smiled. "I think that the Military Police will trust you to have done your job properly on this occasion, Mister Student."
"Thank you," Thunder said. "Have you done anything that I can trust your judgement on?"
"I've been out to the parade ground, the stands for the dignitaries are almost complete," Stargazer said.
"I won't need to go out there myself then," Thunder said. "I'm not sure I'd want to."
Stargazer's eyebrows rose. "You don't want to see what they've made of the apple orchards? A scholar and a sentimentalist?"
"Call me a pony with a sense of history," Thunder said.
"But, as I understand, you aren't originally from this country, are you?" Stargazer asked. "You're a survivor of the fall of Hipparchia, aren't you?"
Thunder snorted. "Yes." His tone indicated very strongly that Stargazer would not say anything more about it if she valued their detente.
"Then, may I ask, why you care about things like this library or the apple orchards, or any of this. It isn't your country."
"No, it's not," Thunder said sharply. "But it is Princess Luna's country, and I owe her a great debt that can never be repaid. Therefore, her cause is my cause, for as long as I draw breath."
Stargazer regarded him in silence for a moment. "I see. Well, I should get back to work. So should you, probably."
Thunder nodded. "Right. I'll see you around, Lieutenant." This time, he moved first and let her check out his flank as he walked away.
He and Kenzi completed the rest of their inspection, finding that everything was by and large in order, and where it wasn't whoever's responsibility it was was left hastily trying to get it in order before the arrival of the princesses the next day. By the time they were done, it was the early evening, and Thunder was on his way to the barracks to commandeer a bed for the night.
On their way, they past what was unmistakably one of the old Ponyville buildings, a house constructed to look as though it was made out of cake or gingerbread, complete with giant candlesticks on top and a roof designed to look like chocolate sauce. A lot of raucous sounds were coming from inside, and the light that spilled out of the windows was constantly interrupted by the shadows of many ponies.
"Someone's breaking the rules," Kenzi said. "Do you want to do anything about it?"
Thunder frowned. He wasn't in any mood to go and break up anypony's party, but he was a little curious as to who felt so bold as to flagrantly flaunt their disobedience to the law in a town full of guards. "We'll just take a look inside and then we'll go."
He trotted up the steps into the antique building. His green eyes widened as he pushed open the door a little and saw that it was full of guardsponies. They were all wearing trainee white, and they were all eating cakes, cookies, ice cream or various sugary snacks and sweets. Some cider barrels had been stacked up in one corner and were flowing freely, while ponies of all races laughed and talked in perfect happiness together. Thunder watched them in silence for a moment, soaking up the revelry and the contentment coming from inside while he stood outside in the cold, standing at the crack in the door, a sliver of light, warmth and good cheer falling over him in stark contrast to the empty darkness all around without.
At the centre of the merry-making was a blue-black earth pony with a dark grey mane and bright blue eyes dancing on one of the tables, juggling cakes while singing a comic song. Nearby a big red stallion was playing a fiddle, providing accompaniment. Everypony around was stamping their hooves in time with the rhythm of the dance, cheering the pony on as she juggled more and cupcakes without hesitation. The song wasn't bad either.
"This looks like an awesome party," Kenzi said, shaking along with the music. "Why don't we go inside."
Thunder hesitated for a moment. There was a time when he would have gone straight in without a moment's thought, when he would have expected to become the centre of attention, when he would have laughed and sang with the best of them. But that you colt, that young prince, was dead now. A more sombre stallion had taken his place.
"No, we'd only make them uncomfortable," Thunder said, turning to go. "C'mon, Kenz."
"But Princess Luna told you to try and make friends," Kenzi reminded.
"And I will try, in my own time," Thunder said. "Come on, let's go."
Kenzi sighed in frustration. "And it sounded like such a cool party, too."
Thunder began to walk away. He had gone about ten, maybe twelve paces when the door flew open and somepony yelled after him, "Wait, don't go!"
Thunder looked around. The cherry-red mare stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the light spilling out into the evening. Behind her, Thunder could see other ponies crowding around, straining to look.
The mare's blue eyes were large and puppyish. "Aren't you gonna come and join the party?"
Thunder shook his head. "No thanks, I don't want to put you to any trouble."
"It's no trouble at all, mister," the mare proclaimed, her voice high-pitched and happy. "What's your name?"
"Thunder Shield," Thunder answered slowly.
"Well my name's Blueberry Pie, and my great great aunt was named Pinkie Pie and she lived right here in Ponyville with Princess Twilight Sparkle," Blueberry said, talking fast and never pausing for breath. "This place is called Sugarcube Corner and it's where Great Aunt Pinkie used to make all kinds of cakes and hold some of the best parties in all of Equestria! So when I got posted here I just new that I had to fix it up and turn it into somewhere we could have our parties! Pretty neat, huh! Now why don't you come on it and I can introduce you to everypony and we can all become great friends. Then you can have some cake and ice cream and punch or cider or whatever you like because we've got a great selection of everything, most of it baked by yours truly, Blueberry Pie!"
Thunder blinked. "It's a very kind offer, miss, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. I'm not a huge fan of parties."
"But everypony loves parties!" Blueberry cried.
"Leave him alone, Blue," the big red stallion came to stand beside her, his voice surprisingly soft for such a big pony he practically blocked the doorway all by himself. "He's said he doesn't want to come inside, he doesn't have to."
"But come on, Red!" Blueberry yelled. "Just when somepony doesn't want a party that's usually the time when they need one most! Look at him, doesn't he look like a pony who needs to turn his frown upside down?"
"I said no thank you," Thunder snapped.
Blueberry's face took on a hurt expression. "But why not?"
"Yeah, why not, jerkface?" The window opened and a brown pegasus with a pale, spiky mane squeezed out, his voice loud and angry. "I've heard about you. You're Princess Luna's student, aren't you? Going around telling everypony to work harder." He flew right into Thunder's face. "What's the matter, think you're too good to spend time with us?"
Thunder frowned. "What's your name, I don't think we've met."
"Greatheart," the pegasus said. "Remember that name, cause one day you'll be hearing it everywhere!"
"Will I?" Thunder asked, his voice deadpan. "Frankly, I don't think you've got much of a future in the guard if you can't control your attitude."
Greatheart's face contorted into a snarl. "Why you little-"
"Hit him, Greatheart!" somepony yelled from inside as Greatheart swung at him.
"Yeah, knock him off his perch!" Thunder could have sworn that was Rosethorn shouting.
Thunder shifted his stance, ready to beat Greatheart into the ground, but before he could there was a blur of movement, a squawk, a thud, and Greatheart was lying on his back on the ground while a grey pegasus, her mane dark and her eyes golden, stood between the two stallions.
"Greatheart, that's enough," her voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "Do you want to get in trouble the day before graduation."
"But, sis," Greatheart began.
"It doesn't matter," the mare said. "That's enough." She glanced at Thunder. "I'm sorry about this. But I should warn you, if you try to take this further, I will hurt you."
Thunder grinned. "That's quite all right. I've every intention of letting it lie, Miss-?"
"Sentinel."
"Thank you, Sentinel," Thunder said. He looked at Blueberry Pie, then glanced towards Kenzi. "Miss Pie, I'm sorry to have upset your evening. If the invitation is still open my friend Kenzi here would be more than happy to join you."
"Wait, what?" Kenzi said.
"You said it sounded like a cool party," Thunder said.
"Yeah, for both of us!"
"Are you really that shy that you can't go anywhere without me?"
"No," Kenzi said. "I just...what are you going to do?"
"I think I can manage on my own for one night, mom," Thunder replied. "Go on, enjoy yourself."
"Come on in, Kenzi!" Blueberry shouted. "Then you can tell us all about yourself, because meeting new friends is the best."
Kenzi looked at Thunder, her eyes almost as filled with concern as they were surrounded by mascara. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
Thunder nodded. "I'll be fine, I promise. Now go have fun."
"Okay, see you later," Kenzi waved goodbye as she flew towards the door, open and inviting. Soon she had disappeared into the light, with Blueberry Pie closing the door behind her. Greatheart and Sentinel also went back in, and soon the sounds of partying had resumed inside Sugarcube Corner.
Thunder stood still for a moment, alone in the dark, listening to the sounds coming from inside. Then, a small smile playing across his face, he spread his wings and flew into the night.