The Endless

by BloomingStar

{ Act 1 Beginning } Reflection of the past : Companions

Feeling the cool breeze upon his coat as he walked through the plain of nothingness, aimlessly looking at the sky as he went on further. Finding a comfortable spot he laid down taking in the surrounding area. He began to look inward, feeling and reflecting on his past that had transpired over the past years. He could only reflect upon his past that left the aching void in his heart, taking one big breath, he recall the times long since passed.

Remembering the day when they went to high school, everything changed. The time that he betrayed his own relative, as such betraying his one true origin making him feel overcome with grief, there was a time where he had enjoyed his short moments with a certain filly who truly liked him right from the start, the years he had with her he wouldn't give up for all the bits in Equestria.

They shared each others home, their hopes, fears, and love. Now all gone as he felt time crumble into dust as he remembered the day that happened three years ago. When they went to high school, she fell in love with another young stallion, her thoughts constantly on him. He as her friend became to fall into the background of her life. The feeling of sadness and self worth encroched on him like the pegasus clouds warning a heavy rain. He then came to a decision that in order for himself to move on, he must set out all while telling himself.

‘I do this to make her happy always, I’m sure she will always be…’

He packed up his saddle bags and moved out from the house without any notice, he ventured to the one place that he could feel at peace with the possibility of finding his happiness: His hometown. Trotting his way further into the forest for a length of time, when he reached his destination he looked upon the town town of his upbringing, still simple, quiet, and rugged. He walked straight to the tavern he knew, that could be his home, walking inside he looked for the owner. Seeing a burly brown stallion behind the bar he approached him placing his bits on the counter,

“What’s for these bits for? You planned to stay here, young lad?” the owner asked, only to receive a nod in response.

“Do you have any jobs that I can work for every weekend?” he asked,

“Well I do have a job which requires guts and courage. Here.” He showed to him lots of papers with bounties, either killing or capturing criminals with fair rewards.

“These papers were given last week and new ones come every monday, if you ever complete these, proceed back here so I will give you bits for each convict you bring in.”

“Thanks, I’ll pay my rent fee every month,” he replied.

He went upstairs to the room and settle in. There was not much to it, but worth enough for a living. He got what he needed to live, room, food, and work. He placed down his saddle bag and took out his most cherished items which held special memories for him. Firstly is a mug, four and half years ago, he competed against Big Mac in a one night showdown, he wasn’t really fond of drinking things that are quite strong, but he really had to do it for fun, he won in the competition, but paid for it with a lengthy hangover. Second is a ribbon for the time he won in a competition against his father for the first time. Lastly, a picture of him and her when they were still young, the same year when he moved to Ponyville then lived with the family. He shed a tear at picture then wiped it away as he brought out a sigh in hoping that she would be happy.

After an hour, he noticed something in the sky, something that he could not tell since it was so far high, but as it got closer, it turned out to be a carriage with two royal guards, he wondered why they were approaching the tavern, could it be Princess Celestia wanted somepony? If so, then for what reason? He couldn’t think an answer so he decided to lay it low for a while till after a few moments there was a knock at his door. One of the guards said to him…

“Shard, come with us.” the guard ordered.

“Am I in trouble or something? Cause I wanna know why she needs me?”

“You will know when you see her. Now get in at the carriage so we can bring you there.” He didn’t bother to ask any more questions so he went with the guards to the carriage and they flew off. Shard was still confused, but he could care less about it since he will get the answers when he was to get there meeting the princess face to face. He had this feeling of trepidation since after what happened before after the invasion where he woke up in the hospital. What he only remembered were the words from the princess ‘A demon, yet a great ally to us’ and ‘A danger to them, but not responsible for any damage did’. The part where he’s not responsible for the destruction, he could tell that it was his responsibility since he is just like his cousin.

When they got there to Canterlot castle, the guards escorted him in the direction to where he was ordered, he never asked a question as he walked down the path that they had preset for him. It was a long hallway, but he didn’t complain about it as he continued to walk admiring the tapestry and history on the walls. After a while, they stopped at a large door, surely he could just say something like ‘amazing’ or ‘awesome’, but of course, he would not, not in a formal castle. As the door opened, he saw a white mare with a sun cutie mark, he knew it was Celestia by her reagle air about her then beside her undoubtedly her sister Luna with a crescent moon cutie mark. He walked straight as he looked at the battalion royal guards, really lots and lots of them. As he was stopped walking in the middle, he took a bowed and waited for her to ask him to rise. Princess Celestia walked straight to him and raised his head up with her hoof.

“There is no need to have that kind of a bow, Eter."

“Sorry, princess. I’m no longer called by that name, I want to be called as Shard Vine or Shard if you want,” he replied with lines of sweat still running down at his head.”

“I see. Well then, Shard. Do you know why I called you to be here?”

“Uh… Could it be because you want me to join with my cousin at the dungeon?”

Princess Celestia gave out a light hearted laugh.

“No. I called you because I had a talk with your cousin yesterday.”

“What for?” he said defensively.

“He told me that after you defeated him, he sensed that the tribe will send out an invasion soon. We are not sure if this true, but if it is, then we truly need somepony who can stop them,” she said with a serious tone.

“How does this involve me?” he asked with an uncertain look.

“Aside that you are part blood of the draconequus, they also planned to capture you to make you serve their Master.” she said looked down on him.

Shard was speechless, he could not even say the next thing that formed in his mind, just thinking of what would happen if he would end up in serving with the wrong side was terrible to imagine. Princess Celestia calmed him down by placing her hoof at his head.

“Do not worry, we are here to make sure nothing will happen to you, but we are not that strong as them. We will have you in training to make you more resilient against them.” she said matter of factly.

“Princess.” he looked slightly angry

“Yes?”

“Such a difficult thing I will do, I don’t think I can just handle alone” he was angry that such a responsibility was thrust upon him.

“Worry not, Shard. I assigned somepony to be your partner, though, she is not here in the moment, but later, I will tell her to meet up with you. For now, you will stay at your new quarters, the guard will show where it is.” she said dismissively.

After that, he walked out of the area and followed the guard behind him. After being escorted to his quarters, Shard went inside only to see two beds on the opposite sides. Could it be the other one is for his partner? Only time will tell as he went to bed, waiting for his ‘partner’.
Three hours later…

Shard woke up, looking out the window at the sunset. He got out of bed and walked outside onto the terrace to get some fresh air and to look at the view. While looking at the sunset, he felt somepony was watching him somepony behind his back, he turned around to see that shocked him so much. It was a pony with a black mane, wings that were not like any normal pegasus, her ears were puffy, and the eyes were a light brown with slits that looked like a cats. He never knew this one, but at the look at her teeth revealed two very sharped ones, really scared the buck out of him.

‘This could only mean one thing…’ he thought to himself as the creature waved out her hoof at him.

“Hi there. I’m Ve-“ before she could even finishing her words, the teenaged colt jumped high then screamed.

“AHHHHHH!!!! A BAT PONY!!!” he screamed with his eyes widened as he stumbled back over the ledge.

Shard was in free fall look up at the orange sky. The bat pony immediately flew over the railing diving after him quickly grabbing him with her hooves opening her wings slowing his descent considerably before landing on the ground. Shards knees were not fit to hold him up that moment. Rolling here eyes, she put out a hoof to help him get up, to which he accepted it. He scratched his head and said while looking down at the ground…

“I… I’m sorry I flipped out on you like that. I didn’t thought you would b-“ his sentence was cut off as the bat pony lifted his head up with her wings.

“It’s alright, I never got a good chance to befriend a normal pony anyway,” she said with a smile.

“Anyways, my name is Venang. What’s yours?”

“The name is Shard Vine, but you can call me Shard.”

“Okay. So, Shard… did the princess tell you already?”

“What? What do you mean?” he asked with a confused face.

“Oh, well in that case, I’ll tell you then. I’m your partner,” she said

She was met with silence was only thing happened next.

“Shard, are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just that I never thought I would have a bat pony companion,” he replied as he tried not to stare at her.

“Hehe, I feel the same way,” she giggled.

“So, Venang, want to go already to our quarters? We can talk more there privately.”

“Yeah, let’s go,” she said as she joined with him walking while her one side wing was placed at the back of his neck.

Shard noticed it, but he didn’t protest.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note:

Next chapter coming soon...

Comments

[BlueBastard]

I would definitely recommend a pre-reader to help catch some things like missing spaces between paragraphs, and the summary needs work, but it's certainly salvageable from what I can tell.

[BloomingStar]

4323631
How certainly salvageable? Not a hate reply, just a curious question.