//------------------------------// // Gibraltar's Story // Story: In Praise of Twilight // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Now listen up Aten, this took place back when you were still just one of many pegasi in the lower ranks... 6 years ago now, I think it was." Captain of the Guard Gibraltar says to Lieutenant Captain Aten as the two sit in the former's office. "Yes sir." Aten replies, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. From time to time, Aten would find himself drawn into what he called "storytime", which he was sure was a codeword for "a reason why Twilight Sparkle and anypony related to her were the best ponies EVAR!" Not only did this go against his general worldview in principle, he felt it was insulting to his intelligence and competence to be "lectured" in that manner, no manner how many times he was subjected to it. This time would be doubly bad because it would have Twilight Sparkle as a cute, eager young filly and her big brother as the very model of a young officer in the Royal Guard. Whatever the truth actually was Aten didn't really care - if it made him gag from sweetness, he wanted nothing to do with it... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 YEARS AGO... "You nervous?" Gibraltar was asked by the pony he was replacing, the previous Captain of the Guard in Canterlot who had hit mandatory retirement age and thus had been forced to resign his post, as the two traveled to a meeting with Princess Celestia - what would be Gibraltar's first with the sun princess. "Not so much nervous as trying to deal with a bunch of new stuff. The only other time I've ever been in Canterlot was Academy, and that was many years ago." Gibraltar replies as frankly as possible. The other Captain chuckles before replying: "It is different here than in the field. You can serve with honor at every point of the compass in the field, as you've done, and you still won't be prepared for serving in Canterlot. It's a slower pace here - mostly just policing the city and castle." "I'll be honest, that sounds much better for an old stallion like me than long, dirty patrols in desolate wilderness." Gibraltar says. "That's probably why you're following the long tradition of honored Captains spending the last years of their careers here. Nice and quiet, and you even get a cushy office! Nothing like that in the field, that's for sure!" "With my sore and worn joints, I'll be glad for a cushy office chair instead of a hard sack at the end of the day!" The two Captains share a chuckle as they approach the office of Princess Celestia, only stopping and assuming a serious expression again when they stop in front of the office doors. "The Princess has been expecting you." one of the guards in front of the doors says to the pair of Captains. The doors are slowly pulled open by the unicorn magic of the guards, and the two Captains slowly step into the office of the sun princess... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Out of so many "new things", what Gibraltar saw in Celestia's office surprised him most of all. He was expecting it to be as sumptuous as the throne room, but instead it looked rather like the office of a business executive - albeit one with a more historical taste, judging from the historical artifacts mounted on the walls. Shortly afterward was the first image Gibraltar ever saw of the living, breathing princess of the sun, also looking rather like the overworked and worn-out executive as she shuffled papers with bright yellow magic across her desk. He was certain his staff record was among them, so he stood as straight as he could manage as he and the other Captain stopped in front of Celestia's desk. Looking up from her work, Celestia flashed a glimmering but too-brief smile indicating an obvious long day. Like all other Equestrians that had opportunity to meet their ruler, Gibraltar was awestruck and filled with questions, but military protocol dictated he remain stone silent. He also found himself attracted to her in a manner he was sure was inappropriate, and hoping against hope his mate would understand... "At ease, gentlestallions." Celestia says to the two Captains, and as he shifted to the at-ease pose Gibraltar found to his mortification he was attracted to even the voice of the princess. He was an old and married stallion, he shouldn't be feeling these things! "As you two are well aware," Celestia begins to explain in a manner consistent with a military briefing, "Captain Castile here has reached mandatory retirement age and I have chosen Captain Gibraltar of the Western Field Command to replace him as Captain of the Guard in Canterlot. I trust Castile has been rigorously detailed in his explanations of how things work around here, Captain Gibraltar?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Gibraltar answers, nerves not permitting him to say anything more. "Now, as is traditional for every new Captain of the Guard in Canterlot, you are permitted to ask one question of me. Do not rush, take your time." Celestia continues with another tired smile. Captain Castile looks over at Gibraltar as the latter shows a surprised expression - clearly the latter had not been expecting this to happen, and it would take a few moments for Gibraltar to compose a question. Gibraltar sweats for a moment as he tries to compose a simple, and hopefully good, question to ask the sun princess. Finally, he manages to push it out before his nerves cause him to swallow or stammer it out: "What do you consider the most valuable thing in your kingdom?" Celestia gives a thoughtful look at the question, then smiles - with more energy than before - and gives a bit of a nod to Gibraltar as she slowly rises from her position. "Follow me, Captain, and I will show you your answer." was all the princess said, speaking in a tone of cryptic knowledge that Gibraltar would eventually become all too familiar with... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thus began what Gibraltar would later call the "most bizarre tour of his life", as he slowly followed a princess who seemed determined to cover every section in Canterlot Castle in no particular hurry. As time went on, Gibraltar became more and more confused as well as convinced the princess was deliberately leading him on a circuitous path between places - as Gibraltar would eventually learn, it was unusual for "Princess Celestia" and "straightforward" to be in the same sentence. Even years later, Gibraltar remembered crystal clearly some parts of the tour. First, they traveled through the royal zoo and aviary, passing incredible birds and creatures - including the phoenix Philomenia in all her bright plumage majesty - that Celestia admired in passing, but did not stop in front of all. In fact, her golden shod hooves never stopped moving the whole trip, which added to Gibraltar's confusion and unease. Next, they passed the Royal Treasury, showing gold bits and bars of precious metals stacked high as well as artifacts of ancient history, some predating the founding of Equestria itself. There was also the "Luna Vault", the impromptu museum which held many of the birthday gifts that had accumulated during Luna's exile, as if Celestia herself still treated "Nightmare Moon" as something more than a legend. Again, Celestia admired in passing but did not stop. Gibraltar followed Princess Celestia past the Canterlot Guard barracks, where hundreds of stallions worked in faithful service to her. They were representatives of patriotism to the utmost, the most visible arm of an army that would've fought and died in her name had she asked them to, even though Gibraltar already knew she hated war. Celestia admired the stallions arrayed in rank but did not stop. Gibraltar followed the sun princess past the Royal Kitchens, the smells of the greatest chefs of Equestria at work tickling his nose and adding to the surrealism he was experiencing. He caught a glimpse of a towering cake several ponies were working on, then a glimpse of Celestia smiling at their work. But her hooves did not stop in their tracks and soon he was out of range of those hunger-inducing smells. After several more minutes of seemingly-aimless wandering, Gibraltar began to wonder exactly what point Celestia was trying to make to him, and at first he thought that the point was that she treated everything in her kingdom was equally valuable. But as he tried to figure out how to initiate a conversation with the princess without looking rude, he was surprised to hear the clear, refreshing laughter of a little filly at play. More sounds of play entered Gibraltar's ears as he followed Celestia onto a balcony overlooking a little courtyard. It was only once on the balcony looking on the courtyard that her hooves stopped moving, and she gestured to Gibraltar to look down over the balcony. He gives a very confused sidelong glance at the princess, who acknowledges his uncertainty by nodding and gesturing to look down again. Gibraltar moves to the edge of the balcony and propped forehooves on the railing. He looks down to see the source of the laughter he previously heard: a young unicorn filly with a bright purple coat, being held up and swung around in a circle by a stallion of a pure white coat standing on his hind legs. The stallion wore a uniform of a guard with the rank pin of an Upper Class Guard - Gibraltar thought he had seen this stallion in the arrayed ranks at the transfer ceremony an hour or two earlier. The stallion gets dizzy and stumbles down onto his back, both he and the filly laughing with great mirth as they lay on the grass. Both the stallion and filly roll over and look up at Princess Cadance - the only pony Gibraltar knew about at this point of those down in the courtyard - chuckling and shaking her head at the antics of the two unicorns. Beside Cadance was a small purple shape that shocked Gibraltar completely - he had seen a picture of a baby dragon in an Academy guidebook long ago, but an actual dragon in Canterlot, even a baby one...?! Gibraltar's expression mixes shock and confusion as he looks back at a gently smiling Celestia. The sun princess lets out a small chuckle in response - she must've anticipated his confusion. "There are many things I value highly in this kingdom, but those four down there are who I value most of all." Celestia begins explains in a soothing, almost maternal tone to Gibraltar. "They are the ones chosen. There is great power yet untapped in all of them, most of all in the filly. One day, they will save this kingdom, yes even the baby dragon will be a hero." "But... I can't imagine keeping a baby dragon in the castle would be... safe, Your Majesty." Gibraltar rambles out, unable to contain his confusion any longer. "The dragon has a purpose in the future. He is still a little too young yet, but one day he will have a part to play. That is why he is here, and why they are all here now, so that they may play their part." "Their part in what?" At this question, Celestia looks at Gibraltar very somberly, with almost a haunted look in her face. When she does answer the question, it's a very low and serious voice: "We all have our own terrors that need to be faced. Mine will need to be faced in your lifetime and maybe in your service time here, Captain. That is why they are here, and why they are not to be disturbed. You understand, Captain? Perfectly clear?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Gibraltar replies, giving a very somber salute as he speaks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BACK IN THE PRESENT DAY... "Sir, I've heard all those stories about Twilight Sparkle and her brother being 'chosen ones' a thousand times before." Aten says to Gibraltar after the latter finishes his story, clearly (and somewhat uncouthly) making a big show of trying to stifle a yawn. "Tell me something I don't already know." "The only thing you need to know, Lieutenant Captain, is that the dragon is not to be disturbed while here. Now come, we'll see how he's doing." Gibraltar replies as he rises from behind his desk and moves to leave the office. "Right now? But sir, I have paperwork to do yet before the shift's over!" Aten objects, hoping that excuse would get him out of the situation he'd found himself in. "Yes, right now. You're coming with me, and that's an order!" Gibraltar answers, cutting off any hope of easy escape for Aten. Aten hurries to catch up to the already-moving Captain, and an unseen snarl briefly crosses his face. The paperwork excuse was legitimate, but mostly it was that Aten did not like being treated like a cadet needing to be corrected. His conceit of being deliberately "counter-cultural" was blinding him to the truth, and as long as his conceit remained so would his blindness...