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// Chapter 28 
// Story: The Inheritors of Friendship 
// by NgKQ 
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A week passed since I saw Meadow Charm distributing out the female royal guard enrollment flyers. According to her, she’s going to distribute them everywhere around Equestria. At least five of them should arrive in a few days or so.

As usual, I was in my patrol duty. Again, I was passing by the main door when I noticed five figures gathering here. Well, they must be the mares Meadow’s looking for. I just went on with my duty.

“Orion Galaxy! Is that you?” Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice calling me. My ears straightened up. I immediately galloped to that direction.

“Honey Drops?” I was surprised to see my childhood friend here. “You’re here, too?”

“I actually longed to be a royal guard. After seeing those flyers around Ponyville, I decided to give it a shot, although Dad objected me a little.”

Discord can’t be blamed, though. I feel that he’s just overprotective.

“Honey Drops! Prince Orion your friend?” The remaining four mares all joined us.

“Why, yes he is! Orion, how about I introduce my new friends with you?”

I looked at the four mares. “So you all have come here, too for the admission of the female royal guard?”

“Yep,” said the green, pink-haired one who was a unicorn. “My name is Leafie Sweet, and I’m from Vanhoover.”

“Call me Noxxa,” said the ultramarine blue, silver-haired pegasus. “I’m from Cloudsdale.”

“Fluorescent Glow’s the name,” spoke a bright yellow, green-haired unicorn. “I hail from Manehattan.”

“I’m Scarlet Glaze,” introduced a maroon, black-haired earth pony. “I’m from Fillydelphia.”

“Wow, such new faces,” I gasped. “You all are ready to defend for Equestria, huh?”

“Yup! We’re ready whenever we are!” replied Leafie proudly.

“Ah, I see about that.”

“Oh, wow. I’m glad that everypony came.” I heard Meadow Charm’s voice coming from behind. “Orion, you’re checking them out?”

“Uh, yeah, I think so.” I gestured to Honey. “And she’s my childhood friend, anyway.”

Meadow looked at her. “Oh, so you’re his friend? Nice to meet you. You’re one of the daughters of the Master of Chaos, Discord, huh?”

“Heh-heh, you must be the first female royal guard Orion’s been talking about, huh?”

“Of course! And starting today, I’ll be your trainer.”

“You’re our teacher?” gasped Noxxa. “Gosh, I’m excited!”

“If you excuse me, girls,” I excused them. “I have to resume my duty. Good luck in your training!”

“Oh, have a nice day!” wished Fluorescent.

“Don’t work too hard!” called Meadow.

“You know, I hadn’t seen him coming back for two months,” Honey told her after I left.

“He’s working too hard lately. Got no rest for him.”

“Oh. If you had the time, can you let me be with him?”

“We’ll see about that. Depends on my big boss Captain Apollo’s decision. Watch out for him, though. He’s not a nice guy as you think.”

“Got it!”

For the next few days, my daily life went on as normal, but seeing Honey Drops being one of the trainees did raise up my spirits a bit. I was determined to put in my work properly so as not to embarrass her. As I pass by the group in training every day, I could see Honey Drops and her new friends training hard.

But there was some things I was concerned about Honey. Since she had chaotic skills, she would let them out by accident. During meal time, I sat with the princesses while Honey sat at the table opposite to ours. Suddenly, I heard a sneeze. The next thing I knew, her table, and everything on it was suddenly levitated into the air, leaving her table-mates shocked! Fortunately, Princess Celestia, who was there managed to restore the situation.

As she giggled due to embarrassment, I could see others glaring at her, with some gossiping.

At another moment, I saw the girls doing their training at the garden. Another sneeze from her uprooted every plant that was in front of her in one straight line, annoying the gardener. Again, Princess Celestia, who was standing from the balcony had to restore the situation.

One time, Captain Apollo called me to talk to me about something.

“Prince Orion, let me tell you something. Don’t you ever get near to that Honey Drops mare. As far as I know, she has been giving me a lot of trouble, and I sense something not right with her.”

I felt annoyed. “Why shouldn’t I get near her? Don’t you know that she’s my childhood friend?”

“Do you dare to oppose the captain!!?” He bellowed.

“O-okay…” See? It’s very hard for me to deal with him.

For the rest of the day, I could see the other guards walking away, ignoring her whenever she called them. I could only give her a quick smile, fearing that Captain Apollo would be around to punish me if I talked to her. Really, I hardly even chatted with her.

“You seem to be fine, huh?” Noxxa asked Honey during their break.

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

“Looks like you still have some chaotic skills need to be tamed, though,” commented Fluorescent.

“Well, at least she’s handling them better than when she’s a filly,” said Leafie.

“You’re right. But honestly, I longed to talk with Orion.”

“Really?” Meadow Charm suddenly appeared. “I understand you. He’s your childhood friend. After all, it’s a waste not to talk to him.”

“Captain Meadow, can you arrange a time for me to be with Orion?”

“I’ll try,” she smiled. “Let’s see what I can do.”

Later that night, I was alone in Princess Celestia’s room, studying a huge book. It was my usual routine to study in Princess Celestia’s room after a hard day’s work. But at some nights, I couldn’t study, but Princess doesn’t mind, for she knew my situation.

I was engrossed in reading the page that I was startled by a knock at the door.

“Come in!” The door opened to reveal Meadow Charm.

“Orion, Honey Drops wants to see you.”

“See me? Where’s Captain Apollo?”

“He’s out with many of the guards for the bar. I think he won’t be back until very late.”

“Did Princess Celestia allow that?”

“Well, she wants to see you as well.”

“Oh, good then.” I wedged a bookmark on my book. “I’m coming.”

As I arrived downstairs, I saw Honey already ready, with Princess Celestia beside.

“Ready, Orion?”

“I’m surprised, actually.”

“Since both of you are childhood friends, I’ll make sure that you’ll use this once in a moment chance,” explained Princess Celestia. “I’m also concerned about Captain Apollo’s attitude as well, but don’t worry. I think I’ll sense a change in him.”

“Thanks, Princess.”

“Now off you go. Don’t be very late.”

We flew away from the castle and chose a very nice spot in a meadow. There, we lied down and gazed the stars.

“Whew! Can’t believe we finally found some time to be together.”

“Yeah. I didn’t expect that, too.”

“Well, anyway, how’s life back in Ponyville?”

“Everything’s okay. Mom’s taming the animals as usual, Chaos and Beryl are doing fine. In short, everything in Ponyville is going on as usual.”

“Then what about Melody?”

“She says that she’s beginning to miss you for not coming home for about several months already. Princess Twilight doesn’t mind though. After all, she knows your condition.”

“About her relationship with Chaos Control, how’s it going?”

“Pretty smooth. Just a couple of minor disagreements, but they just get them over quickly.”

“Oh, I see.” I paused, thinking about her condition during training. “How’s training, actually?”

“Ah, pretty fine. We managed to know each other quickly. Noxxa tells me that I deserve to be Princess Luna’s guard because of my bat wings!”

“Hah hah. Close enough, though. But, aren’t you tired of this everyday training?”

“Huh? No. I don’t have anything to complain. My days are just normal.”

“But your chaotic abilities…”

“I don’t care either. They just seem annoyed about it at first. But a while later they got used to it.”

“How did your captain treat you?”

“Captain Meadow’s a nice pony. Whenever we did even a teeny-weeny mistake, she would just correct them patiently. At some times, she would just give us treats.”

“Wow! Meadow was pretty nice. Not like my Captain Apollo…”

“I feel a bit annoyed by his behavior as well. I think it’ll be better if your father was alive.”

“!!!” The moment Honey mentioned my father, I was stunned for a moment.

“Err, Orion?” She asked me after a minute’s silence. “Did I offend you or something?”

“Uh, no, no, no,” I replied hastily. “Yes, it would be different if my father was still alive…” I gave out a sigh.

“Orion, do you miss your father?”

“I do. I kept thinking about him every day.”

“Have you ever dreamt of him?”

“The last time I dreamt of him, it was one week after Melody was born. I cried loudly when I saw him. He just told me to be brave and strong.” My eyes actually watered. “Before my dream ended he told me that he’ll come back soon, so I’m still waiting… waiting to meet him in my dream again…” With that, my calm speech turned into sniffles.

I could feel Honey turning over to comfort me.

“Your dad’s really a great stallion. You must have loved him dearly.”

“Every pain and agony I went through during my days, I just wished that he was by my side, to help and defend me…”

I hugged her for a few minutes until she called out.

“There’s a shooting star up there! Quick, make a wish!”

I looked up. It was indeed streaking through the night sky. I immediately clasped my hooves and started praying.

“I wish my life would be better for me, and may my burdens end!”

After finishing my prayers, I looked at Honey. She, too was praying.

“Well, what did you wish?” I asked her when she finished.

“Praying? Oh, I was hoping that everypony should live well. That’s what I always do. What about you?”

I told her what I prayed.

“You’ve worked too hard, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I barely got to see the outside world often, with the exception of royal visits and expeditions.”

“Oh, poor you.”

“Anyway, let’s get back to the castle now. I fear that Captain Apollo should be back now.”

“You’re right. Let’s go!”

As I lay on my bed upon returning, I recalled our conversation. But there was some strange feeling developing from me, yet I don’t know how to say it out. Am I in love with her? No, please, no! I’m too young to confess my love, but this feeling’s somehow strange…