//------------------------------// // The Guiding Star and his Shield // Story: Pieces of Eight // by GhostQuill //------------------------------// Growing up a bat pony is tough. Growing up a bat pony in a colony of bandits, is tougher. Growing up in a colony of bandits while your special talent has nothing to do with fighting? Let’s just say it was not easy. Alto was an unfortunate foal, blessed with a talent for music, he was shunned by others his age for not having a battle cutiemark. The bat pony colony he grew up in were all bandits, stealing and fighting to survive. Alto had no interest in fighting, which was why when the other foals beat him up, the fight was always one sided. He just wasn’t a good fighter, not as good as them at least. That, and they had numbers on their side. His family did nothing to stop it, saying that it was a way of life and that if he wanted it to stop, he’d have to make it stop. Reaching his teenage years, he was tired and fed up with life in the colony, so he decided to leave. *** Bardley grew up in the same colony as Alto, neither of them had said one word to each other during that time. Barely anyone talked to Bardley. He was unusually large for his age, and for a bat pony. And while he too had a music related talent, nopony picked on him. Nopony wanted to even go near him, afraid he would beat them to a pulp if they accidentally upset him. Bardley didn’t like the colony either, he had a very protective nature, so going out and attacking ponies and stealing from them was not something he wanted to do. He wanted to keep them from harm, not be the cause of it. So when he saw Alto leaving the colony, he didn’t hesitate to follow. *** It was after one of the many fights Alto had with the other bat ponies. They were calling him names, berating him, hitting him. And he had had it. “That’s it!” He jumped away from their kicking hooves. “Go find someone else to abuse! I’m leaving!” “Ha! You won’t survive out there.” “He’ll be back within the week.” “Week, I’d say barely a day.” They all ignored him, choosing to place bets instead. He ran to the entrance of the cave, it was night time when he stepped out. *** Bardley had been lying down near a wall of the cave, bored as he watched all that went on around him. Ponies that avoided him, others that talked with each other, and finally, Alto being bullied. It was a regular thing in the colony. Years ago, he had tried to help, but Alto ran from him, thinking he was there to bully him as well. Soon, he gave up trying to help, it never did anything. However, as he watched them make fun of Alto, he saw the bat pony declare that he was leaving. That pony wouldn’t survive on his own in the world, given that he could barely keep these bullies off him. Instantly Bardley was on his hooves and running after him. No one tried to stop him. He was sure one of the adults would’ve told him to stay, but they weren’t here, they were out attacking unwitting travellers. It was common that they would ask him to come with them, but he always declined, saying he’d rather watch over the colony. Only the teenagers and younger bat ponies were still here. Many were confused, wondering why he was leaving, he didn’t give them a second glance. They didn’t ask, afraid he might step on them for questioning him. Alto was just as confused. He’d heard another’s hoof steps following him and his eyes widen in shock seeing the towering form of Bardely galloping after him. Alto jumped into the sky and flew away as fast as he could. Bardley followed. They flew for some time, Alto unable to lose the huge pony following him. Finally he stopped, out of breath and tired. He flew down to a clearing and waited for Bardley to attack. Not caring anymore for what might happen. Bardley landed and stood there in front of Alto, and did nothing. Alto was confused and angry, staring at the unmoving giant, he shouted; “Go away already! Stop following me!” Bardley merely stared down at him. “What do you want?! Have you come to pick on me as well?! To beat me up?! I don’t care!” Alto suddenly kicked a stone at him, which harmlessly flew to the side. Bardley passively watched it bound away. “What are you waiting for?! Just going to stare me to death!? I can’t fight! I can’t even kick a rock! All I’m good at is music.” Alto was fuming, though he was surprised to see the huge guy start chuckling. Bardley held a hoof over his mouth to stop himself and said; “Haha, I’m sorry. It’s just,” Bardley turned his body and pointed to his own cutiemark, a shield with a treble clef in the centre. Alto looked at it and then turned his attention to his own cutiemark; a bridged eighth note with the stems pointed down, and a four pointed star next to it. “Oh, you’re a musical pony too? I don’t think I ever saw anyone pick on you though.” He added bitterly, Bardley merely outstretched his wings so he looked even bigger than before. “Right…” Alto backed up a few steps. With his ears down turned, his head low and too tired to fly off again, he started walking away, Bardley followed along after him. His persistent follower was annoying Alto, he was trying to get away from the colony, not bring it with him. Turning to Bardley again he yelled, “Argh, leave me alone! What are you even doing following me?!” Calmly, Bardley pointed at him and said, “You need me, they don’t.” He waved backwards, in the direction of the colony they left behind. “I don’t need you!” Suddenly, Bardley pushed Alto with his hoof and sent him tumbling to the ground. Sprawled on the dirt, Alto growled, “What’d you do that for?!” “How do you expect to protect yourself when you can’t even stop the bullies from pushing you down? You need me.” Alto stood up and stared at the ground, he was angry at what Bardley had done. He wanted to fly off right now and prove to him that he could look after himself. But he knew that there were dangers out there he couldn’t face on his own. Finally he looked back at Bardley and said, “Fine.”