The Guard And His Sword

by Himntor

To Need A Father's Smile

The rest of the day passed slowly. I woke up as the train arrived in Ponyville, which was back to having one Pinkie Pie, thank Celestia. I would have gone to Canterlot for work, but after what happened in Manehattan, I needed the rest of the day to myself. I wasn’t needed in Canterlot until next week anyway.

I stared blankly ahead as I made my way through Ponyville, hardly taking notice of the ponies around me or where I was going. I wasn’t sure what a day to myself meant. Was I supposed to do whatever I wanted, like go to a party or get an ice-cream sundae? A pineapple one sounded good right now… but no, that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to be left alone to think, because I still wasn’t sure if what I had just done was right. It felt right at the time, but now I wasn’t sure.

Wait, why was I on the doorstep to Twilight’s library? And why was I knocking on the door!? Sweet Celestia, this isn’t where I wanted to go! Yet I could remember my subconscious deciding it was where I’d go. Why in Equestria…

The door opened to Twilight, looking surprised. “Lieutenant Shield? What is it?”

I blinked. Right, I still had my armor on, and was standing here with my mouth agape like an idiot. I cleared my throat, trying to think of an excuse for being here. “I was just looking for a book.”

Twilight smiled. “Ah, I’m sure I can help with that.” She turned aside and invited me in. “What book are you looking for? I have a few of the Tacticians books, if you’re interested, or are you looking for something more like Fence and Form?”

I stepped inside and scanned the high wall of books. Yikes. “Um… actually, I’m looking for a book about enchantment magic.”

“Oh, then you’re in luck! I’ve got at least a dozen textbooks about enchanting. I’ll see if I can find them.” Twilight moved over to one of the bookshelves and began looking through them with her magic. “Is this for your sword?”

“No. Well, yes, but—” Was that the reason I had come here? “—actually, I think it might be better if you studied it instead. I’m not very talented in enchantments.”

Twilight stopped her search and looked back at me curiously, though there was definitely a glint to her eyes. “Really? Are you sure?”

I levitated my sword out and shaped it back to normal. Yes, this was why I was here. I needed time to myself, and for some reason I felt I should be free of my sword meanwhile. There was something about it that made me feel… not alone. Maybe Twilight could find out why.

“I’m on break until Monday,” I said, levitating the sword toward Twilight. “You can study the enchantment until then. There’s something weird about it I can’t put my hoof on.”

Twilight took the sword into her magic. “I’m sure I can learn something about it. Thank you. I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

I gave her a nod and walked out the door. I took a deep breath and sighed. It was going to be weird not having my sword, even if it was only for a day and a half. And what might Twilight find? Maybe the crystals I used were already enchanted in some way, or I underestimated my own spell. Neither seemed likely, I should’ve been able to tell if they already held an enchantment, and only young unicorns don’t know the extent of their capabilities.

I needed some lunch.

I made for Hay Burger, but halfway there I spotted three fillies trotting through town, one on a scooter. The Cutie Mark Crusaders. I glanced at Hay Burger with a frown then moved to intercept the fillies.

They saw me coming and froze, looking hesitantly between each other. Good, they knew what they did. Their eyes went down and ears drooped back as I strode up to them. Good, they knew it was wrong. That would make things easier.

“Crusaders,” I said, making them wince, “I know how much effort you put into getting your cutie marks, and I admire your determination, but I hope you’ve learned that determination can sometimes take you too far.”

“We know,” Scootaloo said, and she and her friends managed to meet my eyes. “We’re sorry for writing that paper about you.”

“Really sorry,” Sweetie Belle said, nodding slightly.

“We promise not to do anythin’ like that again,” Apple Bloom said. “Can you forgive us?”

I gave a nod. “Of course. I’m glad you know what you did wrong. You can go, now.”

The trio sighed with relief and began to trot off.

“And for the record,” I called after them, “I’m not afraid of bugs!”

They giggled as they disappeared around the street, and despite how the day had gone, I smiled. Good fillies.

My stomach grumbled. Right, Hay Burger.

I spent the rest of the day subconsciously reaching for my sword and wanting to hit something. There was nothing to do, nowhere to go! I felt so useless. I could have gone to Canterlot and just patrolled a wall, but without my sword it would’ve felt… wrong. So instead I began patrolling the outskirts of Ponyville. It wasn’t the same, but it was something, and…

How dare he be angry at me!? He’s the one who forced me to do all the work, all the training. Did he ever lift a hoof to help? Was it my fault to like magic more than fighting? Hay, I went through every single magic test or exam without him being there, and I passed. I didn’t need anything from him for that! And now he thinks it was all him. Buck that! He won’t even smile that I bothered to pay him a visit. Not one smile, or a greeting, just another sun-forsaken question! What are you doing here?

I screamed and threw my weight into the nearest tree, scratching the bark and shaking leaves free.

I hit it again. “Why,” and again, “can’t you,” and again, “just,” and again, “smile!?”

I slumped to the ground and cried. When I looked up, I searched for the one who was supposed to come and tell me everything was going to be okay. She wasn’t there.

I wasn’t surprised.