Shield and Shadow Part 1: Rise and Fall

by LucidReverie


Chapter 6: …and Ends

Doubt.

“DOST THOU MOCK US?” Princess Luna yelled harshly. Both Princesses were clearly confused by Spring Mist's statement but Princess Celestia had stayed still. The guard at the door recovered from the sudden shock, straightening himself up.

Completely flummoxed, especially by the sudden outburst, Mist tried to stammer out an answer. “N- no, Princess! Not all! I meant no offence! I… I… ” Mist struggled to keep his composure, terrified that he had offended the royal pony sisters, shrinking himself into as small a space as possible.

“Guard, wouldst thou please excuse us?” Princess Celestia asked politely.

“Your Majesty, I’m not certain that wou— ”

“Please, we shall be fine. This one is no threat to us.”

“Very well, Your Majesty.” The guard exited out the door.

Princes Celestia’s tone changed slightly, then, but it was one of support, calm and soothing, familiar. She must remember. The same tone she had offered him years ago, “I’m certain you meant no offence,” She reassured, “But your answer was rather unusual. Would you care to elaborate, my little pony?”

Mist felt a little better, but it still seemed that he was walking on eggshells. “I’m sorry, Majesty. But I really don’t know. I’ve never been sure. I always guessed that the one part had something to do with my interest in the stars and the night sky, but I have no idea what the other part means.”

Princess Celestia glanced at Mist’s cutie mark while Princess Luna continued to fume slightly. It was interesting, stark compared to his light green coat. A black shield. Over the shield was a dark purple star, wherein lay a white crescent in a blue moon.

“Well, one would tend to agree that your cutie mark is connected to your interest in the night sky, if that is in fact where your unique talent lies,” Princess Celestia stated.

Mist was once again unsure of what to say or how to say it. “Well, I understand the star and the moon, I guess. But the shield still seems out of place.”

“The nature of cutie marks is an unstudied magic, and even I do not fully understand the power behind them, what causes them or what some truly mean. Perhaps knowing the story behind its appearance may shed some light on the subject and its true meaning.”

“Your Majesty, I wouldn’t want to take any more of your time.”

“It’s quite alright,” she smiled, “We have time.”

Spoken too soon, the guard reentered the room. “Your Majesty, there is a line of ponies forming for their interviews.”

“Many thanks. Tell them it shall only be but a few more moments.”

The guard nodded and disappeared behind the door.

Princess Celestia looked between Princess Luna, who had calmed down a great deal, and Spring Mist, who was still cowering slightly. “It seems this should be discussed at a later date.” A golden glow wrapped around Mist’s file and floated towards the Princess. Conjuring a quill, see wrote a few notes on the file. The file disappeared with a ‘pop’, and the quill faded from existence. “Thank you. You may proceed to the next room.”

Mist arose from the floor and glanced at Princess Luna. She once again wore a sad expression, though now it was laced with guilt and anger. Mist offered a nod and a bow to both Princesses, “Thank you, You Majesties.” Dismissed, he backed out of the appropriate door.

Mist exhaled and nearly broke down then and there. Well done, Spring Mist. You managed to insult Princess Luna. Very clever. Good luck not getting sent to the dungeon. But Mist still had one more place to be: the interview with Captain Black Stone.

All that lay before him was a hallway with a single door at the end. Mist trotted to the door and, uncertain, knocked.

“Enter,” Said a deep voice from the other side.

Mist pushed open the door and entered the room. It was similar to the one he was just in. Smaller, perhaps. And no place to sit. At a singular table sat a dark grey Pegasus pony with a lighter grey mane. Clearly powerfully built, he was quite intimidating. Captain Black Stone.

“Stand there,” Black Stone motioned to a spot just in front of him. As Mist walked to the spot, Black Stone read through a file. My file, probably. She must have teleported it. Mist thought to himself.

Black Stone looked over at Spring Mist, narrowing his eyes at the unicorn. “No,” he said simply.

“‘No’, ser?” Mist inquired.

“No. I won’t have you. You may go.”

Mist’s ears fell back and he shrunk for the second time in the last few minutes. He had failed. That easily. No. Why? Why am I not good enough? Ask. Challenge it. “Excuse me, ser, but may I ask why?”

“No you may not. Go.”

Get an answer. Don’t let up. Mist stood taller, “Ser, again, why? Why do I not qualify?”

Black Stone seemed casual with his answer, flippant even, “You were late. You barely pass physical requirements. And I don’t like the look of you.”

Mist was only really irritated at the first problem. True, he barely scraped through on the physical testing; And Captain Black Stone’s opinion was his own. But Mist was stuck with the Princesses, not late by choice. “Ser, my interview with the Princesses was extended. By their volition. Not mine.”

“I don’t care. You wasted my time.”

“Ser, that’s not fair. Faulting me on something out of my control.”

‘That is all you will be faulted for on in this job!” yelled Black Stone, “Too many things will happen out of your control. And you will be faulted for it. Just one price of being part of the Guard,” Mist stood silently as Black Stone continued, “If you don’t like it, you will not be part of this Guard! I don’t need ponies who want ‘glory’ or ‘status’. I want ponies who are able and willing to take action, blame, and responsibility for everything that happens.”

Mist responded slowly, “Ser, I am willing to take the burden.”

“Even if so, you never wanted to be a guard. You were a scholar. I won’t have a Guard filled with ponies who do not eat, drink, breathe, and live this career! Keep to what you do, what you’re good at. Dismissed.”

Argue! Fight it! You have to! Mist could not argue, could not fight. He could barely breathe. Numb from the failure, he walked out of the room, uttering only a single “Thank you, Captain,” on the way out.

Mist wandered out of the castle in a slight haze. His vision was blurred by tears, and all he could do was walk. Walk through the winding streets of Everfree, passing ponies, the market, his tower, finally arriving at his small abode. He pushed the door open and stumbled into the main room. He opened a cabinet in the kitchen area and pulled out a bottle of spiced mead. He carried the bottle to his bed, where he opened a book and tried to read through the tears, occasionally gulping from the bottle. Eventually, Mist began to fall into a slumber, his eyes drooping, the half-empty mead bottle teetering slightly in his magical grasp, feeling spent from the day’s failure.

Failure. “Keep to what you do, what you’re good at.”






Author's Note:

If you have reached this point, thank you. I hope you have enjoyed it thus far. Remember, you, dear readers, are the only thing keeping this alive, so leave your opinions as you see fit - I'm very open to comments and criticism.

Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy what comes!