Somewhen, Somewhere

by Leftover of Saikano

Moments of Kindness

Somewhen, Somewhere
Chapter 6: Moments of Kindness
By Leftover of Saikano

Among the dunes of the sediment depository, there were only two stallions. One, Flash Sentry. The orange pegasus wore an old Royal Guard armor, cracked and missing pieces.

The other stallion was an earth pony with blue coat and black mane. He wore an armor that was different from those of the Royal Guard, covering more the sides and legs, but offering less protection at the back of the neck. Under the armor, the pony seemed to wear a kind of chiton. A helmet covered his head, and sported a long, orange plume on top. The center of the chest of the lavender and blue armor sported a stylized windmill.

“Answer, Flash Sentry,” said the blue pony, with thick accent and booming voice “why you, who swore loyalty to Princess Celestia and Luna, oppose them now?”

Flash Sentry recognized the accent and armor style as coming from Hipponia. “You must be Grinder, the foreign noblestallion who won Luna’s favor and got an honorary Captain rank in her guard. Are you one of Twilight’s suitors?”

“Yes,” answered the blue stallion, “I am Captain Grinder, and I will marry Twilight Sparkle, as Princess Luna wills.”

Grinder descended from his dune with no hurry. His steps were as firm as if he was walking on solid rock. “Now answer my question.”

Flash Sentry knew trying to run in his state would be useless. Trying to fly, even more. The only thing he could do was try not to start a fight with the bigger pony. “I am not against the Princesses. I am just on Twilight’s side.”

“Twilight Sparkle is not a princess anymore,” said the captain. “Also, she will obey the Princesses from now on.”

“It’s not about her being a princess or a goddess or any title. It hasn’t been in long time. You wouldn’t un-”

A heavy hoof hit Flash Sentry across his left cheek, throwing him against the closest dune.

“I don’t understand, you say!?” Grinder jumped in front of him. “You really think you are the only one who has felt like that!? Oh, no, Flash Sentry. I do understand you. But the will of the Princesses is supreme.”

Flash Sentry couldn’t avoid a fight. He looked at Grinder’s legs, and kicked one in the knee. It was like kicking a marble pillar. Grinder didn’t move an inch.

“As a pony who challenges the Princesses, and is responsible for all this unrest,” Grinder raised his heavy front right hoof, “I expected you to have at least some strength to back your acts.”

Grinder dropped his hoof over Flash Sentry with so much force, that he could not stop it completely when a yellow blur blocked its path. Even at a fraction of its initial speed, it got a pained squeak out of Fluttershy, who had covered Flash Sentry with her body.

Grinder recoiled. “You. Leave this place… please.” His voice weakened for a moment, noticing the mark left on the mare’s shoulder by his horseshoe.

Fluttershy turned to look at him with a pained expression. Grinder couldn’t look at her in the eye, and lowered his head. “I am so disappointed of you,” she said, with the tone a mother would use to say the same to a foal. “You are bullying a pony who can’t defend himself. I expected better from you, Noble Mills.”

“That… I go by the name Grinder, now,” he said. He recovered his firm standing, but still couldn’t look at the mare, focusing instead on Flash Sentry, who was trying his best to stand up.

The orange stallion tried to make sense of the situation. “You two know each other?”

“Yes,” said Fluttershy, “we have known each other for over two years. But it seems some things have changed since we lost contact with each other.”

Memories came to the front of the minds of Fluttershy and Grinder. Memories of a big stallion coming to Ponyville short after arriving from a foreign land, looking for a life more simple than that of a noble. Of him scaring off a couple of ponies who seemed to be mocking a shy mare. Of the mare and the stallion becoming friends. Of the stallion wishing to protect the mare at all costs.

Both Fluttershy and Grinder sighed.

With those memories, came some that Grinder kept mostly a secret. Of him going to the Town Hall for the Summer Sun Celebration. Of him encountering a spectral mare in the way, and trying to question her. Of the spectral mare easily overpowering him in combat, leaving him paralyzed with fear. Of him later learning that the delicate mare he so wanted to protect defeated that same spectral mare, who turned out to be the fabled Nightmare Moon. Of him wanting to become stronger, so the mare wouldn’t have to face such big threats. Of him imploring the newly returned Princess Luna to let him be her bodyguard, so he could be stronger. Of his fear at later discovering that his Princess and Nightmare Moon were one and the same, and of those feelings changing slowly.

“You are right. While my motivation was once solely to protect you,” said Grinder, “I have witnessed Luna’s glory, and now I know my devotion to her is all I need. I am not the same pony I once was”

“Will you hurt me, then?” asked Fluttershy, not moving from her place.

“Please, don’t make me do it.” Grinder walked towards Flash Sentry, and Fluttershy moved a little to the side to stay directly in his way.

He stopped in front of Fluttershy and, after thinking for a couple of seconds, shoved her aside with a single hoof. He then used his teeth to grab Flash Sentry by the skin of the back of his neck, making him yelp. Then started galloping up a dune.

Grinder wasn’t sure what he wanted. Serving Luna was the most important thing in his mind, but he also understood Flash Sentry's feelings. He wanted to see how far he could go with that love. “You want to see your princess?” he managed to say, even with Flash Sentry’s neck still in his mouth, “Then I will take you to her.”

Grinder dragged Flash Sentry up a mountain of dust that had deposited against the wall of some building. Finding a window, he tossed the pony inside. The sound revealed Flash Sentry fell several meters and landed in a shallow pool.

By then Fluttershy had recovered, and had seen what Grinder did. She decided to retire and find some other access to the building.

Author's Note:

What? Took around a year and delivered just this? I feel like I'm following the steps of my sensei.

Comments

[AstralFlare42]

6581275
I agree. I'm a flashlight shipper, but I want to see Flash Sentry get beaten some more.

[AstralFlare42]

When are you going to update?

[AstralFlare42]

Please update.

[Pinky1]

Update