PreCommon Era Chapter Six/PreLunar Rebellion: Chapter Six: Beginnings of His Self Discovery/Learning of the Hatred of the Privileged
Masao stood there looking at the white mare as he kept himself from gritting his teeth as he turned to the guard captain, intent on getting the information he needed to get to his destination.
“Captain, how do I get to Trottingham?” he asked and the guard winced as she wished he had not asked her.
“Thou can wait for someone to take thee Ser Masao.” said Celestia but the human shook his head.
“No I can take myself, after all you and Luna have done for me, it is the least I can do to get there on my own.” said Masao which made the white alicorn frown.
“Why doest thou need to go? Could thou not wait?” she replied which caused Masao to frown at her odd behavior. Once again he turned towards the guard captain.
“I really need those directions captain, Either way I will be leaving tonight,” he said and Evening Star looked at him a little hurt that he would choose to continue with the mission right away rather than stay with her one more night, he managed to catch the sight of the look. “I’m sorry Evening, but I need to go now, rather than put a bandage on now only to rip it off later.” he said hoping to explain the situation but the analogy was lost on her, due to there not being self adhesive bandages just yet. never-the-less she nodded at him. With a look towards the solar princess the guard captain took a breath before giving Masao the directions he needed, much to the chartigan of princess Celestia who stalked off annoyed at the captain’s choice. “Thank you, captain, I will be back, Evening, just wait and see.” he said with a smile. Before he knew it he was walking down the path alone, worrying about several things, including the lack of ponies on the path, while he was not usually up during the daylight hours as he was now, there seemed to be a distinct lack of ponies on the path…
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Several times as he walked down the path he noticed carts along the side, some of them ransacked, once or twice he noticed what he thought were pony tracks only for them to disappear into thin air, and a frown grew on his face. Returning to the path he found a crossroads the signs pointing to various locations including Fillydelphia, Baltimare, and Trottingham. so he stepped off the path and started to pull out something to eat from the pack he was carrying when he left the castle, While he ate, he heard the sounds of hooves on the road behind him, turning around he saw what looked to be an earth pony, but something about the pony wasn’t right, there was a green and black coloring about its golden fur and its amber eyes seemed to be elongated at the pupil. There was also what looked like fangs protruding from its mouth. Part of Masao wanted to say it was a changeling, but from what he knew of changelings he shouldn’t be able to tell that one was a changeling if he didn’t know the pony in question well enough. He stood up and walked over to the pony, a mare from the looks of it, who having heard the noise was stock still as she turned her head towards it, and noticing the human she took steps back, apparently knowledge of his existence was not well known.
“Wh-what art thou?!” said the mare as she backed away in fear. her hooves scrambling against the path as she tried to regain her footing.
“Calm down, I am not going to hurt you, I am…” he paused realizing he would have to use his full title now that he was outside of the castle. “I am Ser Masao, royal knight of princess Luna.” he said with a grimace, it was not that he didn’t like the title, but in a way it sounded a little strange to him.
“Knight of Princess Luna?” asked the mare suddenly excited and Masao nodded hesitantly not liking how the mare was acting. The mare started to walk towards him a look in her eyes, not unlike the look Evening Star sometimes had, though it seemed more predatory than sexual in nature. She stalked towards him as a green flame started at the tip of her tail and worked its way up to the tip of her snout revealing her to be, exactly what he thought he had seen.
“Changeling” he said his voice now firm and his hand drifting to his sword. The changeling looked at him with a small amount of surprise, the human had not reacted in the way it had expected. In fact he had remained calm and was obviously ready to fight.
“So thou knowesssst what we are? We art ssssurprisssed, we did not think that the royal princessessss knew anything about what was going on in the world beyond their wallsss,” hissed the changeling and Masao frowned at it obviously not amused. “fear not creature, we have no ussse for thou, we hath been sssseeking an audience with the princessssessss.” Masao narrowed his eyes but relaxed his stance a little, but did not remove his hand from his blade.
“How do I know you are telling me the truth, after all you were just in disguise,” the human challenged before motioning to the changeling, “You also seemed ready to attack me, until you realized I was not afraid of you.” the changeling glared at him baring its teeth.
“Thou hast no idea who thou is messing with,” it said as it buzzed its wings now at eye level with the human who drew his sword, “Queen Latis’s swarm shalt not be threatened!” said the changeling before it charged at Masao, haphazardly and the human dodged out of the way. However instead of hitting the tree like he expected the changeling twisted around and pushed off of it with its feet and charged again this time far more controlled and Masao slashed at the bug with his sword, intending to end it quickly only for it to dodged the sword strike quite readily, much to Masao’s surprise. Trying to stab Masao with it’s horn Masao dodged to the left hitting a tree trunk with his back before he dropped and rolled away from a quick buck from the attacking changeling. Standing up Masao blocked with the flat of the sword as the changeling tore a branch off of a tree with it’s magic and Masao groaned, he was starting to hate magic.
Left, right, right, left, stab, parry, block, stab, duck, lean right, lean back. Every time Masao thought he had a chance the Changeling’s style changed completely. Stab, stab, dodge right, jump back, slash, block, block. This fight was slowly beginning to whittle at his endurance, occasionally he could outlast Princess Luna, but this changeling seemed to have an endless supply of energy and tactics.
“How art thou still alive?” yelled the changeling starting to get frustrated at it’s lack of progress against the human, sure, it had ripped more branches off the trees in the area as the one it held was damaged beyond repair. “Doest thou not realize that it is futile to keep fighting? Just give up, and I promise thee a quick death!” Masao snarled, and reached out for the changeling, getting his arm smacked for his troubles, and luckily, even with how hard the changeling was attacking him, the bone did not snap.
“How, pray tell, will you grant me this so called ‘quick death?’ If I am not mistaken all you have is a bludgeoning weapon!” Masao cried as their weapons met, this time when he grabbed at it, he managed to yank it out of the changeling’s grasp, only to be hit from behind for his troubles by a rock that the changeling flung at him. Soon Masao started to slow though, and the changeling began to gain the upper hand, knocking the human’s sword out of the way when he went to attack. Just as the changeling pinned Masao against the trunk of the tree with yet another new branch, it yanked the sword out of Masao’s hand and started to swing it downward when there was a twang of a bow as two arrows flew through the air, one knocking the sword away from the changeling and the other piercing the changeling’s carapass killing it.
“Now what do we have here?” Asked a pegasus as it hovered a little ways away while Masao stood there trying to calm his nerves, he had nearly been bested by the changeling and was saved by the pony now hovering above the path. “Art thou alright, creature?” asked the pegasus which prompted Masao to get a good look at his savior, it was a stallion with green fur and a lighter green mane, in its hooves it held a bow with obvious familiarity, something that struck him as odd, but brushed the thought aside.
“Greetings, I am Ser Masao, Royal Knight of Princess Luna, and I thank you for aiding me—” started Masao, which made the stallion laugh, obviously finding what Masao said funny.
“Aiding thee? I suppose that is one way to say, ‘saving thy life’ but I suppose thou can not just admit that now can thee?” asked the stallion and Masao frowned a little at the remark, but shook his head in response.
“I know you saved my life, but that doesn’t mean that I am without gratitude, nor am I without the skills to defend myself.” he said as he reached into the small coinpurse he had started to carry around and withdrew several gold bits. Though as he walked towards the stallion, the pony kept his distance. “Is there something wrong good sir?” Masao asked and the stallion leveled an arrow at the human.
“Thou will empty your coinpurse, and be on your way.” he said which made Masao roll his eyes as he picked up his sword, and pulled his shield from his back. Unlike with the changeling the fact that the stallion did not seem to want to kill him outright gave him the chance to get his shield ready for combat, even if he was still tired from the previous fight.
“I am still willing to offer you a good amount of coin for saving me, just put the arrow away and let me pass.” the stallion nickered as he shook his head at Masao’s words.
“Thou couldn’t even take on one of those bugs, what makes thou think thou could take me on, creature?” scoffed the highwaypony which in turn made Masao scowl, he had hoped that it would not come to blows with the ponies of Equestria, but it seemed that some were determined to live a life of crime.
“A knight is sworn to valor, his heart knows only virtue, his blade defends the helpless, his might upholds the weak, his word speaks only truth, his wrath undoes the wicked.” stated Masao as he readied himself for combat.
“What does thou know of wickedness, creature? Thou lives in a castle, free from the troubles of this world!” countered the stallion as he pulled the string back on his bow. intending on ending the fight right there, that and steal the money that the creature was carrying.
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, but Princess Luna sent me out here to find what troubles her subjects and I will do just that.” as soon as Masao said that the stallion froze and loosened the tension of the string.
“Why dost thou care? As I said thee lives in relative comfort, as the pet of the princesses.” Masao almost growled at the stallion’s remark before taking a breath to calm himself, it would not due to lose himself in a rage, not when the possible enemy was using a ranged weapon. Nor while he was unarmored, save his shield.
“I am no pet. However, so long as Luna wishes me to protect her ponies, I will. I have sworn to do whatever it takes to make her happy.” again the stallion relaxed his grip, however this time he lowered the bow so it was no longer pointed at the human.
“Thou acts as if thou doest not answer to Princess Celestia.” said the stallion and Masao laughed at the remark as he shook his head. the highwaypony looked at the human in confusion.
“I don’t, Celestia is my friend. However I answer only to her sister, Luna, and to my very close friend, Evening Star.” said Masao, purposely leaving out the fact that Evening Star was his lover...