Broad Sword thought quietly to himself. He was still chained up in that Celestia-forsaken cave, and he was starting to think he would never see the sun again. He thought over his life, as ponies do when they think they are about to die. He thought of happy and sad times, of victories and mistakes he had made.
Canterlot, Many Years Prior To Broad Sword's Imprisonment
It was a bright day outside Canterlot High School, several teenage colts and fillies moved to and fro, a general excitement about as thoughts turned to the nearing prom.
A far younger Broad Sword sat just outside the school, a rose coloured mare standing next to him.
“So… what do you intend to do after prom, when we graduate?” Sunny Aura asked Broad Sword.
“Well, I actually sent in an application for the academy.”
“A Solar Guard huh? You hoping to get close to the Princess?” Sunny teased.
Broad Sword puffed his cheeks in annoyance. “No! I just want to be able to protect ponies, that’s all.”
“Well, I think that is very noble of you!”
Broad Sword blushed. “It’s… erm- well I’ve seen you helping plenty of ponies around school! You’re practically considered a heroine around here! You do all that volunteer work, you help your classmates, you’re pretty…”
“Oh, I wouldn’t describe myself as a heroine, I’m not anything really.”
“You know your problem, you’re too humble!”
Sunny giggled. “If you say so!”
“So, what do you plan on doing Sunny?”
“Me? Oh I’ve got an aunt working in the castle and she apparently knows the Princess, she promised to talk to her and get me an apprenticeship there.”
“Well look at you, knowing ponies in high places!” Broad Sword laughed. “Though this does mean, should I become a guard, we may see each other quite often around the castle!”
“Yeah! I would like that! Oh, that reminds me! Have you got a date to the prom yet?”
“Um… no, I haven’t.”
“Well? I haven’t either…”
“Um…” Broad Sword wanted to ask her out so badly, to take her to the prom. But at that moment his brain broke down and he panicked. “SorryI’vegottogoseeyoulater!”
Without any other explanation Broad Sword took off into the air and rushed away.
Sunny Aura took that as a rejection, and was left with tears in her eyes.
Broad Sword sighed, he had never asked to the prom, in fact he never even showed up. Neither did Sunny herself as far as he knew. Ever since then they had grown apart, he barely saw her anymore.
New resolve entered his heart, Sunny was still single as far as he knew, he knew that if he ever got out of this he would ask her out, fix the mistakes of the past.
That was when Serpens entered the cavern.
“Greetings Broad Sword,” Serpens said cheerfully as he shifted back to his true self.
The imprisoned Pegasus opened his eyes a little, and managed to look up at his captor. “What do you want? You’ve already taken just about every ounce of information and memories I possess, what more could you possibly need me for?”
Serpens began circling the restrained pony, ready to shatter his world.
Uh oh... Hope Serpens gets his just desserts...
This is just making me even MORE angry. Poor Broad Sword, he's been used as a cover: made out to be a traitor and a murderer in public, his crush has been killed deliberately ... deary me. I hope that Broad Sword has some small comfort in the end. Serpens, your bad karma is going to come roaring after you and finish you off ... and serves you right.
Mentioned before, luna woulda been able to contact broadsword's mind. Would know the down low here......
Also mentioned that Celestia would take him alive for information too.......
Neither will be taken into account here.
If you're trying to get me to hate Serpens, it's working.
I will burn that bastard in the deepest pits of Hell it's self! He will know pain and suffering unlike any other has before him! His eternal punishment will never be enough to satisfy my blood lust.(To much?)
Now if you guys will excuse me I have to good and read a fun and hart warming story be for I do something that I will really regret.
Read you later-BFBL
Hmm really not liking this broady wordy swordy imposter, can't wait for him to die!
Well, Serpens is dead... and probably Broad Sword as well...
My hate for Serpens has been strengthened a lot.
Serpens just keeps digging his grave deeper and deeper.
lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qvHBL08HqNo/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAADc/vawjd-zVUJI/photo.jpg
Ponies will die now.
I honestly want broadsword to make it through this and get serpens to die by chysalis.
New chapter, yay!!
I'm almost feeling sorry for Serpens, the amount of anti-karma he's accumulated by this point...
do you plan on having broad sword find new love?
7044959 I wholeheartedly agree.
Serpens dies. I don't care how, though I'd prefer painfully, but he dies. End of story. Well, maybe not. He's just the rabid dog, someone else let him off his leash.
7045185 Whoa, that's rather harsh, eh?
Not that I'm against punishing a murderer, mind you. Serpens and Crudelis deserve death. But not at the hooves/hands/claws of a lynch mob. Let's cool down a little and leave this to the heroes of the story, shall we?
Owch, another hot poker into the feels as that particular scene is revisited from Broadsword's POV.
Er... was it ever confirmed that it was Sunny Aura that died, and not some other mare? Memories are vague when reading a story piecemeal with such long gaps between chapters. Not to say it's any less tragic but this Serpens comes off as a right nasty git to lie about it, just to twist the knife in Broadsword's heart a little more.
It's a beautiful day outside... Sorry I had to
7044863 I don't think so. Luna's main job is to watch over the Nightmares that may form in sleeping ponies dream. Besides, I don't think Luna will be able to locate Broad Sword unless though his nightmares, and we don't know if what this ahole is doing to him is even allow him to dream. As for Celestia, in her mind at the moment, there is no information she needs from 'Broad Sword'. She saw him try to kill Twilight with her own eyes. Therefore, Celestia wants him dead. No other information is needed.
I normally skip the flashbacks because I am more interested in what is happening now. However, something told me to read this one. Right now, I think the most merciful thing for Broad Sword at the moment is death (I know I am going to get a lot of downvotes for this statement). The physical damage done to him will heal over time. The emotional and psychological damage, however, may be too great. As for Serpens, I think the most merciful thing for him is death as well. With everything that he has done, death is too good and too quick for him.
7045471 'only through nightmares' seems a bizaare and very, very specific power for a demigodds of the night.
maybe i am being a bit harsh, but it all just feels like forced darkness at this point. unnecessary and unnecessary plused.
Great chapter. If it is a doozie, then maybe Sunny is still alive and it was just a family member that looked like her. Either a twin or something, that died. Looking forward to the next chapter.
Alright, I know how this is going to work:
a: Somehow (Deus-ex-Machina, whatever) Sunny is brought back. (Less likely)
b: Broad Sword finds someone new. (More likely)
c: If neither of the above happens, I become... perturbed. (It better not happen)
P.S. As a new Cadet at the Military Academy, I would be most honored to lend my sword to the assault upon the fortress of Serpens... as soon as I get it.
Why do villainous twits spill to their prisoner/prisoners like that, and you it will be found out but not stopped.
7046281
Obviously the second.
I was mostly complaining about the other poster making this queen out to be absurdly overpowered, not the general tactic of divide and conquer.
Think this would be better tagged as Adventure than Slice of life?
I don't think the Dark tag was there before I started reading this.
Honestly, I don't like having THIS kind of dark sprung up on me when the tags make me expect something lighter. You better have some way to resolve this particular plotline(though I suspect Sunny coming back is off the table, since she's currently resembling strawberry jam more than a pony), or it might get me to stop reading.
It just feels like forced and unnecessary drama to pile up on what is already a pretty dire situation.
7047041
7046899 This particular story arc is ending, the next arc is back to much more Slice of Life stuff exploring the hive a bit more.
7047041 Maybe Serpens got the wrong mare? While I doubt it, it is possible, but not plausible.
Poor Broad Sword... I do hope he'll survive and get revenge on Serpens.
Please send my regards to Broad Sword, and send the queen of the Monster that tried to murder Twilight its head and a note, revealing that this will never end.
Oooh you poor changeling. Do you realize that in your sub-orbiting arrogance and false confidence that you probably just killed off your hive?
7044889
There is only one punishment equal to his crimes.
-hands off Serpens to the being known as Alondro-
it is done.-
7667267
Truly, that is a fate far worse than death
I know I'm really late to the party, but I feel compelled to say that this chapter really doesn't contribute meaningfully to the story. We already hate Serpens with fiery passion, and know that he must die horribly. This chapter also failed to move the plot forward at all, and it didn't tell us anything new about the world you're writing. Really, you could delete this chapter entirely and no new reader would even notice it was missing.
I'm enjoying the rest of this fic, by and large, now that I'm getting back into it.
This is the feeling I got reading this chapter. The Despair. The anguish. The surrender to oblivion. Knowing your demise is imminent.
7788691
That is why it's called a filler.
Autsch.
God DAMN, give the poor guy a fucking BREAK!
Poor Broad Sword
Also, I just want to say. My name is Sunny and my friend's name is Aqua Aura. So, when I read this:
I felt very conflicted.
And after trying to imagine the mind controlling stuff, I feel so much worse for Broad Sword, Shining and especially Sunny.
My heart aaaaa
Just had to twist that dagger in the heart just a little bit more 😭
You have got to be kidding, this Arthur has some sick sense of humor.
Are you trying to reduce us to tears? Because it's working.