Author's Notes:
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Common Era Chapter Two/Post Lunar Rebellion Chapter Three: A New Sharp Sword
“In the name of Celestia! STOP!” shouted Masao and the guardsponies stopped their advance. some of them looking rather sheepish.
“I apologise, Ser Masao, we forgot ourselves, I am captain Sharp Sword, we have been tracking the Lunar Remnants and the Day’s Legion for months now and yours are the first nocturnal group that we have come across that hasn’t seemed partially hostile at our appearance” said a guardspony as she stepped forwards, Masao took a moment, a moment for which he would later deny, to admire her curves and blue fur over her taut muscular structure, as well as the red hair with yellow tips on her mane and tail. which caused the mare to blush slightly at the open appraisal,.
“Don’t worry about it captain, I—ahem—will not hold it against you” Masao managed to say after a moment. the youth of the bat pony clan, for whom he called his own, were also gawking at the mares and stallions in front of them for which Masao quickly apologized…
- - -
Later that night further down the trail, with Captain Sharp Sword’s guards with them, Masao relaxed a bit, his instincts telling him that they were safer with these guards around than without, something he mentioned to the Stout Wing whom took his advice to heart when he announced that they would welcome the guardsponies to travel with them if they so desired. Which the youth of the clan were highly thankful for as almost as soon as they set up camp several of them started to flirt with the guardsponies.
“I wonder, Ser knight, why you didn’t take the train? From what I heard about you, you knew about these things long before they came into being here in Equestria” asked Sharp Sword a blush on her cheeks from drinking with Masao some of the bat ponies special liquor, something he had warned her against, multiple times.
“Several of them were put off by it, so rather than split the clan, we traveled together.” he answered ages of drinking allowing him to keep from slurring his words, he was very drunk tonight, something he knew was going to happen, tonight was the anniversary of Evening Star’s death, he never spent the night alone, no, both the Gryphon Clan and the Bat Pony clan wouldn’t allow it, saying that he had mourned her enough, that it was time to move on, sometimes those ponies, or gryphons that kept him company would end up being bedmates and a small relationship would start, that never seemed to last, either because of battle, in the case of gryphons, the awe factor, in the case of the bat ponies, or because it just didn’t feel right to either party, for both of them. Tonight his current drinking buddy was Sharp Sword having cut her off, not wanting to have to explain to the ponies under her command that she was drunk off her ass cause she was trying to out drink him, something no pony had ever been able to do, except Luna and Celestia. he was soon leering at her, admiring her curves once more something the mare started to hint at more and more that she didn’t mind him looking even encouraged him putting a hand on her mane. Yeah he wasn’t going to wake up alone tonight…
- - -
When Masao awoke the next morning, he noticed he had been correct, sleeping beside him, and still impaled upon him, and a little bit of drool coming from her mouth, almost reminding Masao of one of the nights with Evening Star, after he remembered that he waited for the shot of pain in his heart he expected to come, but none came, he pulled himself away from the mare and kissed her on the cheek before going to wash up, he did leave a note on the ground beside her, in a way that would not escape her notice should she wake up before he returned…
- - -
Upon returning Masao saw that Sharp Sword had awaken, and Masao frowned slightly remembering how they had met.
“So how did you know me? Unless you were there when I arrived at the docks you should not have known who I was” asked Masao and the mare froze, she had been brushing her mane and tail, something instilled into her by her parents long ago, but she froze. “Well?” he nudged and Sharp Sword heaved a stuttering sigh.
“I was once a member of the Lunar Remnants, one of the cult groups responsible for attacking your group, some of my fellow guards can say the same, anyway, when we were sent out to kill a group of Day’s Legion forces we found out some of our friends were in this legion, so rather than kill each other, both groups decided to turn ourselves into Celestia.”
“And Celestia, in her infinite wisdom saw fit to form your two parties into one group, a group of guardsponies? How long has the fighting been going on? I would have thought that yes there would have been a few months more of skirmishes but over nine centuries worth?” at that Sharp Sword looked away a look of annoyment on her face.
“And where were you, then, Ser Masao? If you had been there you could have stopped this, or at least stopped it sooner than this!” she shouted at the human who then frowned at her before standing to his full height which brought him to twice her height.
“Where was I? I was blasted to some frozen tundra of this godforsaken planet and believed myself dead before I was found by a member of the Razor Talon Clan and effectively nursed back to health! Had I the skills then I would have returned to Equestria sooner than this, I would have aided in stopping this foolish war a lot sooner!” Sharp snorted at the comment, “What? Do you—”
“This isn’t a war, hasn’t been for centuries, the Lunar Remnants are holding on to maybe four strongholds in Equestria, and the Day’s Legion maybe five, but Celestia has them contained, for the most part.”
“Contained! Do you call what we went through yesterday contained?! Oh I have half a mind to smack Celestia when I see her!” as the two of them argued one of the other elders chuckled as it reminded her of the relationship she had had with her own husband, her herd sisters and husband long since dead. It also reminded her of the stories Masao would tell about his relationship with Evening Star…
“Would the two of you just kiss and make up already? I swear you two could wake up the dead with your arguing, or is it foreplay, eh, Masao?” she said as she hobbled into the tent interrupting the duo. Masao blushed as did Sharp Sword.
“Star Burst, I am sorry, did we wake you?” asked Masao as he reached over and poured the old mare a drink of water, while Sharp Sword started to mumble something about readying her forces.
“Sit, youngin, Do not think I don’t know how to deal with troublesome unicorns!” said the mare and Sharp sword went wide-eyed as she plopped her flanks to the ground. “Good, now, Masao, as Grand Elder you should know better than to have this very shameful display of immaturity” said the mare and Masao chuckled. “Yes, yes, I know, “What is the use in being grown up if you can’t act like a child sometimes” I have heard you say to excuse many a parent when they played with their foals and made fools of themselves. However you are held to a higher standard, and you know it! You are our only link to the past, not once have you lied to us, softening the blow of what our clan had done in the Lunar Rebellion, but neither did you judge us for it. And before you go and say that you have done worse than we could have done, the young ones of the clan look up to you! and now this mare here, she obviously was smitten enough to sleep with you, and what do you—”
“Enough, Star Burst” said Masao his voice firm which stopped the elder bat pony mare cold, “I know your clan looks up to me, but they shouldn’t I have told them time and again that they will find better council with the stars than with me” Back and forth the argument went, with Sharp Sword being forced to sit through it, they were only interrupted once by one of the guardsponies who were quickly run out by shouts and since then they continued arguing which soon turned to Sharp Sword.
“Captain, if you had the chance would you stay with Masao here?” asked Star Burst and Masao reddened with annoyment and a little bit of anger, followed by embarrassment when the young captain nodded. “Masao, wouldn’t you like to get to know this mare a bit better?” asked the Star Burst and Masao grumbled a bit but nodded never-the-less. “Don’t worry, Masao, you are just out of touch with arguing with a mare, I am sure you would have had better luck against someone of the Captain’s age” teased the old mare and Masao scowled at her but said nothing…
- - -
The next day Sharp Sword and Masao were seen grudgingly spending time together their singular expertise in tactics coming to light as the group was attacked again by Lunar Remnants. Masao striding into combat with a single minded ease that scared the enemy as much as it scared his allies, any who attempted to harm the young of the clan were removed, Masao’s eyes glaring at them with a hatred that scarred their souls the moment before his sword severed their life cord. Worse happened to the Day’s Legion, in their single minded drive to kill off all that had allied themselves with Princess Luna, or those that aided them, they were met with a ferocity that truly became the stuff of nightmares, luckily, the ones that would have been affected by the nightmares were dead before they could ever dream, and the young of the bat ponies were well hidden during the attacks, the youth who thought there was glory in combat soon came to the realization that if there was any glory in war, it was as Masao had said, quoting a book he had read in the past, “If there is glory in war it was protecting others from harm, fighting so that they will not have to.” Every night Sharp Sword and Masao stayed up watching the camp, talking and were occasionally caught snuggling with one another. Soon however the group made it into sight of Canterlot and the attacks ceased and so did the reasons for Sharp Sword to remain with the group…
- - -
“Stay, please” asked Masao not looking at the mare who smirked slightly, even if on the inside she was thankful he was asking her to stay instead of running her off.
“Could you repeat that? It sounded like you were asking me to stay?” she teased and Masao scowled at her before he looked at her.
“I just now realized why you annoy me so much, you carry the same name as an arrogant guard I once met back before the Lunar Rebellion… He was an arrogant fool who thought he knew better than the princesses, and fought me to the death. He lost, obviously, but he and his friends were part of the reason for the Lunar Rebellion, all rich snobs trying to cause strife between the two princess, to what end I know not, but in the end I guess they succeeded” said Masao and Sharp Sword looked at him in surprise. “Of course he was no where near as attractive as you are, and you carry the name far better than he” said Masao and the mare blushed slightly as a few bat pony foals rushed past them as Sharp Sword and Masao stood there.
“Do you mean it?” asked Sharp Sword in a quiet voice much to Masao’s surprise.
“Well yeah I mean it, I mean he may have been a good looking stallion, I dunno, but as far as I am—”
“No! Did you mean it when you asked me to stay?” she asked Masao as she looked up at him and Masao knelt beside her before cupping her face causing her to look him in the eyes.
“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t mean it, Sharp Sword, besides, Star Burst was right about one thing,” said Masao and the look on Sharp Sword’s face grew curious, “I should have just kissed and made up” with that Masao pressed his lips to hers as several foals started fake gagging or sighing dreamily, as well as several youth egging them on hoping for a free show. The adults however were grumbling saying that it was about time And Star Burst, the old girl, was grinning like a mad mare. Oh Masao knew he was never going to hear the end of it, but looking back at Sharp Sword, he decided he didn’t care…