Grey Little Pony

by Dusty Miller

Let The Game Begin

Chapter Five: Let the Game Begin.

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“Actually loneliness has a kind of fascination;

It’s a state of egotistical, inner grace that you can achieve only by

standing guard on old forgotten roads that no one travels anymore.”

--Aarturo Perez-Reverte, The French Master 1988.

Luna sat just inside the palace entrance, her music stand to the side as to not block the view and cool breeze. It was too windy to practice on the veranda. She would have to use her magic to hold the pages down while concentrating on the music. It was complicated enough just playing and turning the pages. Luna was out of practice and she accepted it.

Grey stood on his flat rock facing the field. The wind blew his mane and tail to the side.

Luna thought as she practiced. The stray is back. Nothing brings the stray quicker than a few notes of music. All I have to do is start my scales and he comes running. Look at him pretending to stand guard. If I move to the far corner of the veranda he’ll come over and stand guard at that corner just to listen. The curse of the princess. Never alone, never far from a Royal Guard.

Luna sighed internally. Please, that’s not even a guard pony. This is still the best possible spot to put my palace as he calls it. I have solitude and a place to go through my exercises. He has lasted a month without being eaten. That is an accomplishment in itself. What does he want? Need? He has nothing.

Do I have time to take on another project? Sister and I rule together as it was meant to be. She can have most of it. Bureaucracy, meetings, requests and public appearances. What she gives me to do is just busy work anyway. She’s good at it and it passes the time for her. A project? A game? One of the old Alicorn games? Hmm, which one? Stray, how would you like to be the high priest of the ‘Cult of the Night Princess’? You have cited some of the old pony tales in your eagerness to please me.

Parameters: A few kind words in his ear, spread a few rumours about him in all levels of society. The cult builds naturally.

Disadvantage of this game: The bloodshed is inescapable. The High Priest is killed by a subordinate. The cult splits into many cults and there are wars. I’ve had my fill of that kind of war. Sister will be annoyed, again.

‘Fox Amongst the Hounds.’ This has possibilities, legs. A grey fox among the white hounds? Does he hear the call of the warrior?

Parameters: A lot of rules, also a disadvantage. He will have to be given a clue and a way out to be fair. Making him faultlessly loyal shall be simple. May take years to come to fruition.

Variables: Prey maybe emotionally scarred. He walked into the Everfree forest, perhaps to die. May work in favour or be wild card. Makes game more interesting.

Mental note: visit Ponyville during upcoming Nightmare Night.

Advantages: He will do most of the work. The game will strengthen the Royal Guard and route out traitors regardless of who wins. That cannot displease sister. Easy victory is good for confidence after the last incident. Irritate The Six.

He shall face crises. Win or lose; the realm will be strengthened.

Reward: If he wins, he lives. My reward, I shall choose later.

Disadvantages: Brings nation to the brink of war. Hard feelings from sister.

Oh Uncle Discord. From chaos to chaos begets chaos. You through the chaff into the wind but you already know where it will fall. Where is the wonder, growth, development, betterment?

Chaos: When the present determines the future,

but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future.

-- Edward Lorenz.

Possibility of loss: Not bloody likely. But I do enjoy, nay crave surprises.

It is decided. What was his name again?

Luna unclipped her bow from her shoe and put away her violin in its case. She packed up all of her music and set it aside. Luna walked down the stairs and turned to face Grey.

“I have come to a decision about you.” Luna looked at Grey’s face. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’m sorry your majesty that last song you played. Well it went all dark at the end and it really spoke to me.”

Luna thought. Well it seems you have been given your first clue already although unintentional as it was.

“I have a proposal for you. Right now you are the pony at the gate. If you have a beginner’s mind and are willing to work very hard I will make you into a warrior. Don’t get excited pony it is not what you think. This will not make you a hero. This will not fix an injured soul or emptiness in your heart, this is not counselling. You are an earth pony you will never have magic. I will not give you any magical short cuts. You will never be a Wonderbolt. I will give you the severe side of the training and it will hurt. Your mind, body and spirit will grow and they may be scarred. You will be challenged, evaluated and tested. Do not expect to be promoted. You will be in it for the long haul. You will spend the rest of your life climbing the mountain and it will only get steeper. You will never graduate; you may never be a master. You will do most of your training in solitude; solitude is not healthy for a pony. In battle I will not help you I will not look for you, you would mean less to me than a blade of grass. In all honesty I say to you that it would be better for you to start walking home right now.”

There is your second warning and your first opportunity for escape.

“What say you?”

“Yes, a million times yes. I feel I’ve been waiting for this moment for my whole life. I have an empty mind and I work very hard. I know I will never fly and I don’t care about pain or solitude I’ve always been alone. Do I have to sign my name in blood?”

“I wonder how much of that speech you heard. If your word is your honour you do not sign your name in blood.”

“Thank you thank you thank you. What do I do now? Do I bow? I don’t know even when to bow. I saw the Royal Guard in Ponyville but they never bowed to Princess Celestia. I told you I had an empty mind. Can you teach me etiquette too?

“Calm down pony. Royal court etiquette is part of the training. A beginner’s mind is preferable. Can you read?”

“Yes your majesty.”

“First lesson, I am Your Highness. Princess Celestia is Your Majesty. I will loan you a book on court etiquette.

Next I will find you an instructor so prepare yourself. I see you run every day. Continue that and exercise as much as you can. You must eat more than grass. The apple tree my sister gave me has now settled after its transplant. You may eat three apples a day from it. You have one week to prepare while I find you the appropriate instructor.”

“Thank you Your Highness.”

“Now you bow your head lower than mine because your princess has given you a gift. But not too low because you are still on duty.”

Luna turned away from Grey and walked up the steps.

It was quite fortuitous that you gave me that particular type of apple tree, was it not sister?

Luna snapped a look back at Grey.

Gasp sister! Have you engaged me in a similar game?

Luna stared at Grey. She quickly ran through her calculations. No sign of deception or intent. It was just a simple gift more for the starving earth pony her subject.

Luna collected her musical equipment and disappeared, the palace doors closed with a click.

Every nerve and muscle in Grey’s body vibrated. For the first time his life had meaning and direction. He felt as if he finally belonged. He would do anything, anything for Luna. He stood there thinking of every exercise he had ever done.

Every waking moment for the next week was spent exercising. He developed a routine of running after waking, stretching, thinking of any pregame exercise that he had ever done. His reward for a hard workout was an apple. He knew that rest was important too. He rested by standing guard or exploring the Everfree forest.

The noises from the forest kept him alert. Or at least brought his wandering mind back. He built all kinds of scenarios in his head about his possible instructor. From the secret invisible society to a plain old drill sergeant.

A general from Canterlot? She is a princess after all. Not likely. But definitely military. Probably a Royal Guard Pegasus in their gold armour and brush helmet. Doesn’t matter, anypony, even the story of the nanny and the prince, where the nanny had a hundred knives in her dress comes to mind. Cool, I’m going to learn how to throw knives! Page |