For I am a Guard

by StoryBrushes

Chapter 6

Storm stumbled into the stadium, holding the black rod in her left wing while doing so. Storm remembered the crystal moon on the pommel was brighter in the dark forges since it seemed and incredibly dull faded blue in Celestia’s sun. I wonder what type of magic would make that happen.

Still, she shook her head and went up to Crystal Edge. “So, anypony I can practice with right now, sir?” she asked.

Crystal looked down at her, surprised, “Training is almost over, it’s nearly night.”

“No it’s not it’s...” Storm looked up to see that the sun had nearly set, she could barely see anything beyond the mountain that Canterlot rested upon. “Oh...” Now Storm noticed that the pommel of her sword seemed a bit more luminescent, “Guess I got too excited...”

Crystal laughed, “Alright, maybe a bit more practice can be squeezed in. If you don’t mind, can I see your weapon? I’ve known Ironhoof for a while now and I know he makes amazing work. Even if he could be less full of himself when he talks about it.”

“You know Ironhoof?” Storm inquired.

“Yeah, both him and me have been working for over fifteen years for the guard. I’ve known him for a while, we actually joined on the same day! You know what? I’ll get to see your weapon in action. Give me a moment” he spoke, guffawing heartily the whole time.

“O-Oh, that’s...interesting.” It’s hard to imagine him being as nervous as me and everypony else when he first joined. But, I guess that happens when you work here for a long time. Am I ever going to be like that? Hay, I hope not, he seems nice enough but he’s to intimidating.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Crystal Edge calling out to tell everypony to stop what they were doing, “Which one of you bucking featherbrains is willing to fight Storm over here! C’mon, she missed enough practice already so hurry up!”

Storm noticed happily that more ponies were willing now that the rumour had been proven false. She caught Cordial Streak flashing a smile at her and gave a nod and a smile back, acknowledging and thanking her.

From the ponies with they’re hooves raised, one stepped out from the crowd and walked straight up to Storm. She was a white earth pony with a white and light blue striped and carefully styled mane and tail. Of course, Diamond Point would want to prove that she wasn’t a featherbrain by fighting Storm.

“I’d like to fight Storm again, sir” she demanded, her voice clipped.

Crystal looked uneasy, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, give me a moment.” he picked up Diamond’s spear and Storm’s black rod and touched is horn on each of them. Both glowed for a moment, surrounded in a yellow aura, before settling down. He passed the respective weapons to each of them.

Crystal sighed, “Alright, three...two...one...”

I’ve got a strange sense of deja vu...

“START!”

Storm at first didn’t use her rod and kept it firmly in her mouth while Diamond brandished her spear and charged. Storm barely had enough time to dodge as she jumped then hovered in the air. Diamond grinned cruelly, “Not so powerful without storm clouds so you can pretend your powerful huh?”

Oh, so they finally think it was just a stray bolt from the cloud? Well, that’s for the best. Storm dived and charged at her, now holding the rod in both hooves.

Diamond laughed, “How do you plan to fight me with a black stick-” her eyes widened in horror when, at the last moment, Storm concentrated all her energy into her hooves, and from the rod, two twin bolts of ligtning shot out from the rod, now making it a sword with a beautiful but deadly, lightning blade. Diamond pupils turned to pinpricks as she got a full onslaught of lightning.

***************************************************************************************************************************

Diamond was cowering down at the floor, shivering. “You know,” Storm said, rolling her eyes, “That there’s a protection spell on it right? So I can’t hurt you?”

All the ponies in the stadium looked shocked and scared at first but then started laughing at Diamond. Diamond turned red and gave a deadly look at Storm, “This isn’t over. You made an enemy with the wrong pony.” With that, she stalked off and hid in the small crowd of ponies.

Crystal finally managed to calm everypony down as the first stars started to come out, “I’d like to congratulate Storm on winning this fight, but this was quite easy. Diamond, you can’t just start cowering or fainting in the middle of battle, you wouldn’t survive a few heartbeats. “

That earned a few more laughs but Crystal remained as stoic as ever, remaining a straight face. I wonder how he does that, I guess you learn that when you become a guard. That’d be really useful, I should learn how to do that.

Finally, Crystal dismissed everypony to go to the break room and have dinner. Storm sighed warily. This day feels like it lasted forever. Storm noticed almost everypony seemed exhausted except for Diamond Point, who just seemed to be embarrassed.

Storm rushed into the room with everypony from the stadium. Some other ponies were already seated and having dinner. Storm looked around and spotted a familiar blue unicorn.

“Healing Springs! Can I sit with you?”

“Oh, of course.”

“Thanks.”

Storm walked up to get some food and wrinkled her nose slightly. Why is everything so healthy? Where’s a good hayburger when you need one?

Storm sat back down next to Spring again. She started eating dinner and saw yet another familiar face in the crowd.

“Cogs! Over here!” Storm called. Cogs looked around the crowd for a moment before spotting Storm. She quickly got her food and rushed over there.

“Hey, Storm. Who do ya have with you here?”

“I-im Healing Springs...”

“What’s that kid? You gotta speak up.”

“I’m Healing Springs...”

Cogs smiled, “That’s better, Spring. You’re okay if I call you that right?” Spring nodded her head in return, “Ma name is a secret as Storm here found out. But call me Cogs.” Spring nodded once more but stayed mostly silent.

Storm suddenly felt rather awkward and cleared her throat, “Umm, yeah, great introduction.” she struggled to find another topic, “You don’t seem to be eating much, Cogs.”

Cogs looked scared for a moment then gave a casual shrug, “It ain’t ma type of food.”

“It’s not mine either. There’s no hayburgers...or candy. Wait, they don’t have candy, that’s a crime. How the hay am I supposed to survive without candy.”

Healing Springs stepped into the conversation, “We’re allowed to get out of the castle for a bit on the weekends and you can get candy then. I don’t think there’s any candy here.”

Cogs chuckled, “Ya only have to survive five sunrises without candy. You’ll manage kid. And I’m not eating a lot of food, ‘cause I’ve got...interesting tastes. This is fine though,” she said, half-heartedly eating her salad.

Storm sighed, “I guess.”

She finished eating her salad and started chewing on her hay and carrots, albeit thinking about eating anything else while she did.

Electric Storm finished her food quickly and then attempted to leave the cafeteria quietly but then was shoved to the side by a pair of white hooves.

“Ow, watch where you’re going...” Storm looked up to see Diamond Point yet again.

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I in your way? I’m sorry, I must not be good enough to speak with you, you’re obviously favoured. I’d fight amazing too if I got super-powerful weapons so I didn’t even have to do anything, just let my weapon fight for me.”

“Leave me alone.” Storm growled. Buck, why won’t she leave me alone?

“You and what army?” Diamond sneered.

Storm looked back but Cogs and Healing Springs had left a while ago. Storm opened her mouth for a witty remark but was interrupted by a smooth voice.

“Perhaps me? I think you should leave her alone, it’s not her fault that her skill makes you look like a snivelling filly.”

“Who are you?” Diamond asked, not that politely.

“I’m Cordial Streak.”

Cordial is here?! Now?!Storm turned around to be face to face with the green pony again.

“Whatever.” Diamond sniffed, “I’m not gonna waste my time with you.” she trotted away and down the hall, and disappeared in her room as she slammed the door.

“Uh...thanks.” Storm said to Cordial, unsure of what to say.

“Don’t mention it.” Cordial smiled, “She annoys me too.” and with that, she also walked off to her room and closed the door. By now almost nopony was in the room. I guess I better get to my room. Room 101 if I remember correctly.

Storm entered her room and placed her new sword on the small nightstand, next to the globe with the tornado. She had a little trouble falling asleep, she was a bat pony after all, but had been trying to force herself to sleep in the night ever since she sent the letter to join the Royal Guard when they asked for more guards after Nightmare Moon and the infamous Discord attacked Equestria. She finally managed to fall asleep at 3:00 in the morning. The last thing she saw as she fell asleep was the small electric tornado that was given to her.

**************************************************************************************************************

Boom.Boom.Boom.

Storm awoke immediately and looked around her room. What the hay woke me up?

Boom.Boom.Boom.

Storm looked around the room. Where’s the sound coming from?

Storm looked at a small vent in one of the corners of her room and walked over there. She was about to reach out for it but then the vent exploded and a furry grey ball tumbled out.