Dangersignal-The history

by The Stainmore Phoenix

An Offer to not be Scorned

Time passed slowly. However, King Sombra II had taken control, but was not yet his dictatorial self. It was three days before my thirteenth birthday when news came.

“Your sister has some kind of rare medical condition that the doctors here haven’t seen before, but they know only one thing, she’s slowly dying,” our father said.

“But…she only just came into the world,” I heard my brother protest.

“There is nothing we can do,” father said. “It’s fate’s will.”

I consoled my brother to the best of my ability. Now, we faced a problem-my parents were out of a job and we needed some way to get money so we could see if there was some way we could save our little sister.

If any pony ever heard the phrase “Every cloud has a silver lining”, please tell me how my silver lining came to me in the shape of a dark blue Alicorn with a moon cutie mark?

It was late Sunday evening, heading towards eight pm and dinner time. My mother could easily cook a dinner that was both filling and satisfying. Anyways, there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” father said.

I heard noises, then I saw my father come into the kitchen and dining room.

“A pony by the name Luna has come here,” he said. “To see our sons, dear.”

“Really?” she asked. “What’d you do to bring a princess down here?”

I heard my father swallow his tongue. I deadpanned and mentally gulped. My brother fell straight over, his legs sticking straight up. My sister’s eyes widened. My mother gave me a dirty look.

“I swear, if you’ve gotten into another fight,” she said. “You’ll be scrubbing toilets with your tail for the next eight years.”

“Let’s hear her out,” I said. “Then we can go from there.”

I watched as father went *I will continue to call him father as it’s my affectionate nickname for him and I hold him in high regard.* for our guest, who was invited to join us for dinner.

“I must thank thee,” our guest said.

“No problem, Princess,” we said, bowing.

I watched as my little sister attempted to bow, but collapsed. I went over and helped her up.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” I said. “I’d much rather have you in one piece.”

“Your way too caring,” my little sister said.

“Just doing my job, Rose Link,” I said.

My parents hadn’t told me she had a name and I just took a lucky guess there, but our attention was turned to our guest. She smiled and looked at me.

“I must ask where thou learned to fight?” she quizzed.

“Oh, you saw that little performance?” I quizzed in reply.

She nodded.

“I learned from having to deal with a good number of bullies,” I said. “I always got into fights and trouble, sometimes over the silliest of things, like enjoying books.”

“I must say, I don’t really approve of you fighting, but I came with an offer from my older sister,” Luna said.

I gulped. Now Celestia knew about me getting into fights? Great. My main concern was what would this offer be? Luna smiled.

“Ever since we started a Royal Canterlot Guard, we’ve had problems with equipment going missing,” Luna said. “There has been speculation amongst the guard that some members have been stealing supplies and selling them on the market. We would like you to take up guard position outside the supply rooms.”

“But don’t you have any guards already in that position?” I asked.

Luna shook her head.

“Afraid not, young one,” she said. “Many guards who protected the room were the ones suspected of the thievery.”

“So you want me to stand guard, and make sure that the guards withdraw only the materials they have clearance for?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “As of right now, this is a proposal from Celestia herself. She set the wage at seventy five bit’s an hour. She also set the hours that you’d work-10 am to 10 pm.”

“Hmm…12 hours at 75 bits. Lets see 12*75=900 bits per day,” I said. “Figuring that I get paid on Sunday-900*7=6,300 bits a week. Taxes would be one third so 6,300/3=2,100 bits to live on, that would be sufficient to work for. I’ll consider while we eat and give my answer before you leave.”

Luna nodded in response to me giving her an answer before she left, but gave a wry chuckle.

“There are some taxes, but they’ve already been calculated,” Luna said. “You’d only be paying 150 bits in taxes.”

This time it was my turn to swallow my tongue. I’d keep most of my check?! I took one look at my family who were all giving me the look. I swallowed food and not my tongue, then spoke.

“I’ll take you up on your offer,” I said. “I do have some other questions, but they can wait until we’ve finished. I’d be rude to keep us from enjoying dinner.”

I will say one thing, our dinner must have tasted like it was something cooked from the heavens. Even Luna complimented my mother on her cooking. While my younger brother helped my mother clean up the dishes, my father, sister and me were sitting with Luna.

“You said you have questions,” Luna said. “Please ask them.”

“Okay, my first question is when do I start?” I asked.

“If your family can spare you, you’d start tomorrow,” she said.

My father nodded. I asked my next question.

“Will I be taking the train to Canterlot and back?” I asked.

“Actually, my sister has you staying in the guest room at the castle,” Luna said.

“Okay, now I have a question,” my father said. “What about his education?”

“He’ll be enrolled in Canterlot Academy,” Luna said. “Along side my sister’s niece, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“Uh, I though that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was born right now,” I said, remembering something I read in a newspaper. “I mean, how can she be my age? It’s physically impossible.”

“Actually, she was born at the same time as you, young Pegasus,” Luna said. “As an Alicorn herself, her aging is different. If you were to ascend yourself, then maybe you’d understand it yourself.”

That’s dreaming if I ever did that. There was no way in Tartarus that I’d become an Alicorn. However, Luna interrupted my thoughts.

“When we get started, we’ll need a name,” she said. “Do you have one?”

I looked down, very shamefaced.

“We don’t have a name for him or his brother,” father said.

Luna gave a chuckle and looked at me.

“Ever heard the term hoofticuff?” she asked.

“Yes, Princess,” I said.

“I was thinking that we could call you that until you give yourself a proper name,” Luna said.

My father grinned at that, and said that if I couldn’t come up with a name, then we’d use Luna’s name for me.

“That sounds good,” I said.

With that, Luna departed and I packed what materials I needed and waited for the morning.