Now, this is fairly important: I like foals of all shapes and sizes. So when I say that Twilight Sparkle provided equal amounts of amusement and terror at the same time, you need to know I’m saying this with as much love as I can for a foal. I’m an Earth Pony. I don’t know magic in the slightest, but I do know how to mix certain ingredients together to get a chaotic mess of awesome and horror.
And little Twilight is the perfect mix of all the ingredients. So imagine my thoughts when during a visit from the Minotaur Embassy she had decided that was the perfect time to show off a new trick to the Princess. I was equal parts impressed, amused and horrified all at the same time.
All twelve Paragon Guards were on duty - half of us at strategic points around the Conference Hall and the other half inside the actual hall itself. It was a full lockdown; no pony, magic or object could get inside or out.
Which didn’t really stop little Twilight from trying. We first knew of her attempts when Swift Bulwark told us he sensed a disturbance in the mana-flows.
A loud popping noise caused two sets of spears to point threateningly at the small little filly just as she materialised from a failed teleport. A small little filly who wore an expression as if she had just soiled herself as the two massive halberds hovered inches away from her face, saddlebags lying just behind her.
Almost instantly I regretted our Paragon training as I flung a hoof to knock the unicorn stallion’s halberd out of the way. “Whoah, Bulwark. Stand down. It’s Twilight Sparkle - Princess Celestia’s protege.” My voice was firm but gentle enough to not scare the poor unicorn any further.
Swift Bulwark’s eyes narrowed for a moment before his magic lifted his weapon away and he resumed his stance at attention. His eyes still remained locked on Twilight, the calculating expression almost expecting her to grow an extra head or sprout wings and fly at us.
“Apologies, ma’am,” Bulwark said stiffly. “The Princess is in the middle of important trade negotiations and does not wish to be disturbed.”
I internally sighed. Swift Bulwark was the only stallion in the Mage-Casters division and an indirect result was him being completely uptight all of the time. Even when off duty he had an alert air about him and it was honestly frustrating at times.
I leaned my halberd against the wall, sliding my helmet off and holding it under one foreleg. The colour enchantment would hold for a few minutes longer or until I willed it to stop - funny things those enchantments were and I’m not going to pretend to understand how unicorn magic works.
“Hey little filly,” I said softly, putting on the friendliest face I could. I knelt down and offered a hoof to her. “It’s okay - we won’t hurt you.” It was the truth - Celestia would probably have our hides if we ever let a single hair on her coat ever come to harm.
Twilight Sparkle stared at my offered hoof with incredibly wide eyes, a look of apprehension in her eyes. I motioned to myself, pressing my smile just a little wider. Hesitantly, Twilight gripped my hoof and hoisted herself up.
“There we go,” I said, giving her one last warm smile before slipping my helmet back on. “Now - the Princess is really busy right now and I’m sure she’d love to see you, but it will have to be later. Okay?”
The filly nodded before scampering off. I chuckled as her saddlebags bounced with her haste. Bulwark scoffed slightly but didn’t say anything, earning a disapproving frown from me.
“She’s just a filly, Bulwark,” I added. “She doesn’t really know any better.”
“Miss Sparkle would do well to learn better,” he said, his voice stiff as his guardspony stance was.
“Hey!” I admonished. “What’s gotten into you Bulwark?” My eyes narrowed at the stallion. “Has Leaf Brambles been giving you a hard time again?”
Bulwark didn’t respond, instead keeping his gaze forward and alert. I sighed audibly, shaking my head and resuming my watch alongside him. Leaf Brambles hated stallions - or at least that’s the impression she gave, considering how many of them kept trying to hit on her. Swift Bulwark being the only stallion among the unicorns often made him the target of Leaf’s ire.
I’d have a word with Velvet Ward later - she could then sort it out, captain-to-captain. And if that didn’t work, I’d challenge Leaf to a hoof-wrestle and a drinking match.
I earned my cutie mark by brewing beer. I don’t think there’s a single pony in the Royal Guard who could ever drink me under the table.
Celestia doesn’t count - she hasn’t been a part of the Equestrian Military for almost twenty years now and even then it was just a formality.
Which left us with the little filly in front of us again. Her earlier fear had all but vanished, her purple eyes looking up at us with a tentative curiosity. Wait - where did she come from? I could’ve sworn she was -
Bulwark’s firm voice cut off my train of thought, his magic levitating a purple filly from behind him. “A valiant attempt, Miss, but trying to bypass us with illusion magic isn’t going to work.”
I looked back down at the Twilight Sparkle in front of us and then the one held aloft by Bulwark. I could only imagine the incredulous look I gave them as I tried very hard to process the facts.
“Awww...I thought it would work,” Twilight - the REAL Twilight, not the apparent illusion in front of us - murmured. With a poof of anti-magic, Bulwark dispelled the phantom. I watched stiffly as he set the filly down again.
“Now, run along young miss,” he said. I caught the hint of a smile on his usually stoic face. After making sure Twilight Sparkle was out of earshot I turned my attention to Bulwark.
“You’re smiling,” I said. Indeed, he did have that dopey smile he got when he was either scheming, day-dreaming or just thinking of something completely unrelated. Okay, not really a dopey smile - but still.
“She’s barely younger than my daughter but knows teleportation and illusion magic,” he said, that smile starting to creep into his eyes. Aha, so that’s why his smile was so dopey. He was thinking about his pride, joy and whole meaning of his life: his daughter.
I’ve met her only once - and I instantly fell in love with Bulwark’s little filly; and that’s not because I love all foals. Little Lyra was as sweet as ever and she had such talent with music. I’m surprised she hasn’t earned her cutie mark in it yet.
Okay, I’m putting the beer before the barrel here. Twilight was apparently able to impress even Swift Bulwark now. She had already caught the attention of his captain, but now Twilight was spreading waves through the rest of the Paragon.
“She’s that strong, eh?” I asked him, careful to keep my voice low. I didn’t really want the dignitaries outside to notice anything going on right outside their door.
“She almost has as much magic as I do... It’s scary.”
A wistful look was about to come over his face before I cleared my throat. The look overcoming his face immediately vanished as his eyes snapped forward again. It made me sad but I’d have to report that to his team captain, Leaf Brambles. We’re not supposed to waver in our duty - ever.
The rest of the watch was uneventful, which made me worry deeply. When the town drunk wasn’t drunk, then you knew something was very wrong.
Or, in this case, when the chaos-causing little filly of disturbing magical potential had seemingly abandoned her plan to break into the single most secure room in equestria.
I’m not sure whether to count myself lucky or unlucky, but the sudden swell in shielding magic signaled the meeting coming to a close. For now, us Paragon were more for show than anything - but it always paid to be prepared.
What we weren’t prepared for was when Celestia strode out of the meeting room.
With a happy little purple filly bouncing right next to her.
My jaw wanted to drop to drop, but I remembered the circumstances. The past half hour had been spent trying to keep little Twilight out, and yet there she was with a broad grin on her face practically glued to Celestia’s side.
As per Minotaur tradition, the Minotaur ambassadors left out a separate entrance. To walk away from each other is their way of properly concluding business. Two Paragon Guards remained in the meeting chamber to close the doors and ensure the meeting was in final closure.
Eight of us followed behind Princess Celestia. The remaining four patrolled the area around.
Curiosity was starting to overwhelm my common sense. I kept glancing over to Twilight, now having a heated conversation with Princess Celestia about the different types of Minotaur sub-cultures.
Velvet Ward, the earth-pony captain, must have noticed my confusion (Which was surprising as the last time my poker face ever slipped I was fifteen beers into ‘utterly blackout smashed’ territory) as she leaned in to whisper into my ear.
“She asked the Minotaur guards nicely,” she said, a hint of amusement in her voice, before resuming a stoic expression alongside the rest of us.
I remained silent, still maintaining my march alongside the rest of the Guard towards the debriefing room. Even once inside I still held my tongue, waiting for the proper debriefing.
Princess Celestia stood at the head of the table, the three captains to her immediate left, little Twilight to her right. Her curious eyes scanned the room with a level of curiosity I hadn’t noticed before.
The remaining four Paragon joined us shortly after with reports of all clear. The actual debriefing itself was pretty simple and boring. We covered all basic areas of the earlier meeting and trade negotiations.
“The Minotaur Embassy is overall impressed with the performance and structure of the guards,” Stone Craft began. He wore a stone-serious expression on his face, which usually meant he hadn’t had a snack-cake in at least a week.
Princess Celestia held a motherly expression - something I don’t think I’ve ever seen in all my days serving in the Royal Guard. Her one wing was extended out, gently touching Twilight’s back.
It was an awe-inspiring sight, to be honest. In a way, Celestia was a mother to all of us - to all of Equestria. But here she was truly shining.
“Well done, my little ponies,” the Princess chimed in. “I’m very proud of your performance today and we’ve secured a great asset for Equestria: with King Turras’ coal mines available to us, this treaty will help fuel industry for our land and promote growth in our economy.”
We all bowed our head slightly in response. The meeting was quickly dismissed, all twelve of us resuming our normal patrol schedules. We’d wind down to half once the Minotaur ambassadors had left Canterlot.
There was still a very pressing question stuck in my mind and it had the better part of the entire day for an opportunity to ask it.
“Okay, Velvet,” I asked the stodgy earth-pony mare, “I need a little clarification: Twilight Sparkle simply asked the guards to let her in?” I was a little skeptical, considering my experience with every minotaur guard and soldier so far only reinforced my belief of how bull-headed they are.
Six of us retreated back to the barracks, winding down for the day. The Paragon Guard were back at half-readiness, with only six on duty needed at any time. The rest of us could kick back and relax at the barracks for now.
“Hey!” Velvet exclaimed. “I’m just as surprised as you are!” She pulled her helmet off, a quick shake of her head dispelling the colour illusion. I joined her, shivering slightly at the tingling sensation as my coat returned to it’s normal deep rose red.
Darn unicorn magics - how do they work?
“I don’t understand it,” I continued, shrugging off the rest of my armour. “We’d been trying to keep her out for over half an hour!”
“The Princess gave her a very warm welcome and King Turras was very impressed with Twilight’s knowledge.”
I flunked my flank down onto my bunk. “Permission to speak freely?”
Velvet raised an eyebrow at me, grabbing a chair and sitting down on it. She turned to face me fully, sending an uneasy shiver down my back. I never liked it when Velvet gave her full attention like this - she usually held an open air about here, always jovial when off-duty.
“Permission granted,” Velvet Ward stated flatly. I very suddenly didn’t want to have this conversation and judging by the way her eyes locked onto mine, I think she didn’t want to have it either.
Shifting slightly, I met her eyes dead on. “I have never seen Princess Celestia act this way. I’ve never seen her act so...motherly, Velvet. Leaf Brambles has her brother on a shortlist of Paragon candidates. Celestia clearly sees the same potential in Twilight.”
The other mare took a deep breath, shaking her head as she exhaled. “Yeah, well, I’m inclined to agree with the Princess. She knows illusion, teleportation and enchanting at her age. We’re probably looking at the next Starswirl at this rate.”
“I still don’t get how the minotaur guards can be so lax about letting her in, though,” I said. The subject change was abrupt but the look in Velvet’s eyes told me she was glad. “Seriously - she just asked?”
“Nicely,” Velvet added. “It’s a good learning experience for all of us, I think.” She got out of her hair, neatly folding up and hanging her suit of armour on the available rack. “I’ve got a tactical report scheduled in two days time. We need to address this issue - it’s a potential vector of attack against the Princess if foreign nationals simply allow in random visitors.”
I shrugged, getting up from the bunk as I started to fold my armour up and move it to the rack. Velvet Ward was right, of course. Any unknown threats against the Princess had to be sorted out before they became an issue.
“Unless Twilight used mind-control magic,” Swift Bulwark added. All heads slowly turned turned to the stallion laying lazily on his back. “What?” he asked, eyes wide in sudden apprehension. “She’s too young for that - and plus, all forms of mind-altering magics have been outlawed as per the White Feather Treaty.”
We all shared a nervous glance. Was Twilight seriously capable of using magic to alter somepony’s state of mind?
I shrugged. “Nah, she’s too young. I reckon we’re all safe.”
Flomping back down onto my bunk, I settled my head onto the pillow for a well-earned rest.