The Equestrian Honor Guard

by Honored Service

The Short Sword

The Equestrian Honor Guard
Chapter 26
By Honored Service

"And I said that if you want me to do that, it would cost a few extra bits!" Quick Flurry finished his joke and waited for the laughter, but it never came. "Oh wait, I messed it up. Okay so Princess Celestia, a human, and a griffon walk into a bar. Well the pony trots and the human walks, and um... What does a griffon do? Hold on guys, this is a good one."

"Give it up Flurry, your talent isn't telling jokes." I laid back on my bunk, crossing my arms behind my head. We had all been listening to the Pegasus trying to tell the same joke for only the last hour.

"Yeah you're right; I just need to stick to being a fast an agile flier." He launched himself into the air, where he performed several loops and spins.

"As if Slow Flurry. Everypony knows I'm faster and all around better!" Fast Skies cantered her way to the center of the room and bowed. Everypony stomped their hooves in approval.

"That's not fair! You all are just supporting her because she's a mare!" Quick Flurry whined.

Battle Plan laughed at the sad Pegasus, "Actually she's my friend, but yeah, that too."

The door to our happy little abode swung open to show Captain Shining Armor standing there in his purple gold suit of armor.

"Captain on deck!" I hollered and we all stood at attention next to the end of our bunks.

"At ease recruits. I'm here to let you know that Saddle Company will be training with Drill Sargent Sword today at the Buckington Field in melee weapons. Swords and knives to be exact." He looked at Short Blade and smiled. "Some of you may be more practiced than others. You are to report at 1030. Understood?"

We all responded at the same time with an energetic, "Yes sir!"

"Good, I look forward to hearing about the training, Saddle Company is moving up in the ranks. I dare say when the Company Competition begins; this company could easily win top three." And with that Shining Armor saluted and spun around and exited the barracks, shutting the door on the way out in his light purple magical grasp.

We all returned the salute and waited for him to exit. As soon as the door shut, the five ponies all started whopping and hollering with joy.

"Can you believe it? Top three!" Yelled an excited Short Blade.

"I must say I had believed the odds to be against us from the start, but this is certainly a welcomed development." Responded Battle Plan as he cleaned his glasses with a small piece of cloth.

"Pretty cool." Came the calm and steady reply from the large earth pony.

"Oh my gosh! Saddle Company never makes top three! And yet we might! All thanks to me!" Five pairs of eyes stared at the hovering yellow pegasus. "I mean, we all did this together. Hehe sorry"

"I think this is awesome guys! But I do think we owe some credit to our own little human!" Fast Skies swooped over to me and threw a foreleg around my neck. "He's the one who shattered the fun park record, and landed two blows on Lightning Strike."

I was blushing now. I know I joke about being egotistical, but really I prefer to have my deeds go unnoticed and admired from afar. "Oh please y'all, besides today is going to be Blade's time to shine." I extended a hand to the unicorn I was talking about.

He nodded and rubbed his flank with his elbow. "Sure is, this little baby here wasn't just given to me!" He was rubbing his cutie mark like one might rub a precious gem for cleaning. The sword on his flank did seem to get brighter as he did.

"I remember like it was yesterday." He stared off into space.

Fast Skies leaned into my ear and whispered, "Grab a seat Honored, this is gonna be awhile."

I plopped myself down onto my bunk and listens to Short Blade's tale of how he acquired his cutie mark.

************** Short Blade's Story *****************

"But mom, all the other foals are getting to go play!" Whined a small orange unicorn trotting behind his mother through the stalls at the Sunday market. "Please!" the little colt bounced around his mother.

"Oh alright Shorts. But I want you home for dinner. We're having cabbage soup." She leaned down and rubbed the messy yellow and orange mane of the fussing foal.

"I told you not to call me Shorts! I'm Blade, the evil creature slayer!" He jumped into the air in attempt to kick an unseen enemy but only succeeded in tripping and landing on his belly.

"Whatever you say big brave Blade, now run along and play. Remember back by dinner!" The gray unicorn mother called out to the disappearing foal. She smiled to herself and continued shopping.

"Hey guys!" Shouted the young Short Blade as he entered the small park located in the residential area of Canterlot. "I get to stay till dinner!"

"Awesome!" Yelled a brown colt with a green mane. "We are just about start playing cowponies and buffaloes."

"No we played that yesterday." Said a small pink coated filly. Her white and pink mane bounced as she trotted up to the group of foals. "Let's play house!"

Collectively all the colts sighed and groaned save for one sage colored unicorn colt who nodded so excitedly, that his glasses fell from his face.

"How about knights and dragons?" Short Blade spoke up.

"What’s that?" Asked a light red Pegasus filly with an orange mane, who was hovering a few feet off the ground.

"There are the knights who have to defend the princesses from evil dragons!" Short Blade stood on his bid legs and gnashing his teeth like a dragon would. "I read about it in one of my fantasy books."

The group of school foals all agreed to this game.

"So who are the knights?" Asked a large, light blue earth pony colt from the back of the group.

"Ummm." Short Blade tapped a hoof to his chin. "Umm you, you, you, and me!" He pointed to a bouncing yellow Pegasus, the large blue earth pony, a unicorn with glasses and himself.

"Hey, I want to be a knight!" Said the light red Pegasus.

"You can't be a knight, you're a mare, and you can be the one of the princesses." Responded the yellow pegasus.

"But... I want to fight dragons." The filly slowly dropped to the ground and hung her head while walking away.

"I say she can be a knight too!" Short Blade smiled and stepped up to the filly. Her mood snapped back into happy as she leapt back into the air, where she stuck her tongue out at the other pegasus. He just crossed his forelegs and returned the gesture.

The other fillies climbed to the top of a small hill that was declared the castle, while the rest of the colts took off in different directions to be the evil, nasty dragons.

"Okay knights! Let's defend the princesses!" Shouted Short Blade as he levitated a small stick in his weak orange magic field. He nearly dropped it, but kept it up.

One 'dragon' made a rush towards the little colt. He smiled at his easy prey and leapt at the young hero. Short Blade nimbly side stepped out of the incoming hostile's path and lightly tapped him with the stick.

"Oh man! I am slain!" said the evil dragon, as he rolled over onto his side with his tongue flopping out of his mouth. "Bahhahahhah"

"I have beaten you evil creature! Hehe good attack dragon." Short Blade said the now dead beast.

"Hey thanks!" Replied the dead beast, who laid his head back down.

Dragon after dragon attacked the castle but the band of knights kept them at bay. But slowly the knights numbers began to dwindle as the dragons were able to capture the valiant heroes.

"I need some help over here knights!" Shouted Short Blade as he waved his massive sword at a ferocious dragon that was preparing to attack. No response came to the lone hero. He turned to see he was alone, facing this dragon.

"Your fellow knights have been imprisoned in our dungeons! Surrender your princesses to me!" roared the great beast!

"Never!" Cried Short Blade as he lunged at the dragon, prepared to give his life to guard the princesses.

"Then prepare to be defeated!" the dragon rushed at the charging knight. The knight jumped through the air, his sword spinning with him as he landed behind the ferocious beast. He blocked a claw with his sword and jumped aside as the beast made another lunge. Using his trust weapon he blocked another slash from the sharp claws and plunged the weapon into the dragons chest.

"Ahhhhh I am defeated! Curse you brave knight!" screamed the young colt as he kept the stick held in place under his foreleg. He collapsed backwards onto the ground giggling.

Short Blade walked over to slain 'dragon' and pulled his stick sword from the slain beast. "Have no fear princesses, for Blade has saved you!"

There were several gasps and awwws as something shone brightly from Short Blade. He turned his head to see that now resting on his orange flank was a sword slashing up through the air. Short Blade bounced up and down repeatedly giddy with excitement at his new found mark.

“Wow that’s amazing!”

“You're goning to be a real knight!”

“I wish I had my cutie mark!”

Short Blade said his farewells and ran all the way to his home to show his parents the cutie mark that now adorned his flank. His symbol of bravery and skill with the sword.

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

I looked at the still spaced out Short Blade. He had a dopey smile on his face, while everypony else was in different stages of sleep and or boredom. “Wow, I can’t believe you all knew each other before coming here.”

“Wait what?” Short Blade shock his head to clear up his old memories. “What are you talking about? We meet here a little less than a week ago.”

Fast Skies and Quick Flurry both hovered in front of me, “Yeah, what are you talking bout?” Asked Quick Flurry as he landed down in front of my bunk, the red pegasus mare joined him.

“Well in the story, the five knights that defended the princesses had descriptions just like the five of y’all.” I gestured to each one of them.

Short Blade tapped a hoof to his chin. Slowly his eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth to say something, but just closed it. Finally he spoke, “I think hes right.”

“What?” was heard from four other ponies.

“Well think about it, we all came from Canterlot, and you all matched the descriptions from my memory. I guess I just never pieced it together, till Honored here caught on to it.”

“I do think I remember it!” Quick flurry jumped into the air and hovered above me and pointed a hoof at Fast Skies, “Besides, I would never forget a face like yours.”

Fast Skies turned on him quickly, “Was that a ‘I'm pretty’ or ‘I'm ugly’ joke?” She wore a neutral expression on her face waiting for Quick’s response.

“Um can’t it be both?” He tried to make a convincing lie.

SMACK

He rubbed the spot where the red mare had slapped him. “I may be a recruit, but I'm still a lady damnit!” She ‘hmphed’ and wandered out the door towards the training field.

“I guess we should get moving,” I said getting up from my bunk and began to suit up in my armor, “Let’s get after here and make Saddle Company look good.” I clipped the belt together, and holstered Spike and sheathed Bad Bertha. I slipped on my armored duster and flipped the collar up. Swag. Let’s go play with some swords.

“Alright listen up, this training course will run for the entire time you're in this camp. This is a no fooling around class. One slip up and instead of falling into a mud pit, you'll slice off somepony’s head.” The instructor Sword marched in front of Saddle Company. Since melee class was so important, the instructors made it a one company training class more one on one time with the Drill Sargent to master the blade.

“Some of you have your own weapon to use, but untill I'm confident in everpony’s skill, you will be using these dummy swords.” He tipped over a barrel and a dozen wooden swords spiled out and onto the grassy field. “Any question? No? Good, then pair up, and we will begin with the basic stance in close range bladed combat.”

I watched as my friends picked up their chosen weapon in their mouths or magical grip. I walked over to the only remaining dummy sword. It was about four feet long and hand a grip I could hold with both hands. It looked like an Italian two handed broad sword…oh this just got a lot better. I actually took an Italian two handed broad sword class on Sundays when I got leave. Kick ass. Watch out Short Blade, I got some skill.

“Well looks like you're with me human.” Short Blade trotted up to me, twirling his sword behind him in his orange glow. Show off.

“Alright, go easy on me Shorts.” I smirked at the new knick name he had given me to use on him. And judging by the reddening of his face, he didn’t really like it.

“Oh that’s gonna cost you.” He said while wiping the sword around and brandishing it.

“Totally worth it.” I smiled and took a broad stance holding the sword at my side dipping towards the ground at a 45 degree angle. The fact that apparently I was holding the sword with some type of knowledge behind it, caused Short Blade to stop his advance for a second. It seemed that he couldn’t really float the sword to far from him, or it would be disconnected from his magical grasp. I’ll keep that in mind.

He made a quick thrust at me, which I countered by making an ‘n’ shape with my sword and sending his off to the left side of me. I then brought the sword up intending to strike across the chest and neck. But as I moved up he side stepped around my wooden blade. I swung around bring my sword to a straight up and down stance and blocked his slice he made while moving around me.

“Good block Honored.” Short Blade panted as he backed up a few steps to gain some distance from me.

“Good side step and return strike.” I replied equally out of breath. I followed him as he moved away, I was going to keep my distance, not let him get away.

I was hatching a plan in my mind on how to beat him, and it would involve getting his fake sword, out of his magical grasp. As long as he had it in his magical field, he had more control and striking ability than I did with my weapon. I lunged at him hoping to take him by surprise, but was only blocked easily and Short Blade passed by me with ease.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that everypony else had stopped their practicing and were now fixated on watching the two of us spar it out. Even Sword had stopped to watch. He ran a hoof through his gray hair and watched with intensity at the duel taking place.

Short Blade circled around me as I prepared to put my new plan into action. It would have to get me within an arm’s length of his horn. That’s right, I was going to hit his horn and disrupt the magical flow just as Sweetie Bell had done to Rarity. That should cause his weapon to fall and give me the opening to end this match.

I moved to the left than immediately cut right and slipped past his sword which was coming in to get me from the left. I found myself closer to him and moved in to deliver the tap to the horn. I saw Short Blade’s eyes go wide as he noticed what I was doing.

TAP

I slapped his horn with enough strength to see the glow around it flicker and fail. The wooden weapon fell from his grasp. I made my move. I tilted my own weapon down so that it came to rest against the back of his neck.

But to my surprise I saw that I had me fake blade’s tip resting against the front of his neck, while I felt a point pressing against mine.

Short Blade was panting hard through his nose while clamping his mouth on the grip of his wooden sword. He had caught it in midair and turned so fast that we had ended up ‘killing’ each other at the same time.

We stood froze in that ending position for what felt like hours until Sword stepped forward and stomped his hooves against the grassy worn out training field. “I’ll say recruits that that was one of the absolutely best sparing matches I have ever seen in my entire training career. Shining wasn’t lying when he said that Saddle Company was becoming something great. I’ll make sure a report gets to him. Good work everypony, next course, make sure you bring your assigned weapon, as next class is live metal.” The dark green unicorn turned around and cantered off towards another Company that was stepping onto the training field.

“Well human, I guess nopony should ever underestimate you. That was the first time someone ever tied with me. Good show.” Short Blade levitated both of our weapons to the barrel and extended a foreleg. I reached out my hand and bumped his hoof with my balled fist.

“You were amazing Blade. That was a lot of fun, but I sure could use some rest.”

“Yeah, I second that.”

The new and improved Saddle Company marched off to the mess hall to get some dinner and to retreat to their respected barracks for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow would be another day rigorous training.

Comments

[reader238]

im afraid that bad bertha might have to sit the bench for the training because there is a high probability that he might slice through every ones swords if it wasn't

[JeremyPunk]

869605 But that would get amazing/hilarious reactions from all of them

[reader238]

869756 yea true so maybe it will only be used once and hopfully it doesnt cause an explosion when his special blade makes contact with the normal blades

[AggroViking]

funny if there were lightsaber sound-effects

[DezzarTac]

"Whatever you say big brave Blade, no run along and play. Remember back by dinner!" The gray unicorn mother called out to the disappearing foal. She smiled to herself and continued shopping.
-- no should be now --
"Okay knights! Let's defend the princesses!" Shouted Short Blade as he levitated a small stick in his weak orange magic field. He nearly dropped it, bit kept it up
-- bit should be but--
Dragon after dragon attacked the castle but the band oh knights kept them at bay. But slowly the knights numbers began to dwindle as the dragons were able to capture the valiant heroes
--oh should be of--
Well in the story, the five knights the defended the princesses had descriptions just like the five of y’all.” I gestured to each one of them.
--the should be that, missing (") at beginning--
“Well human, I guess nopony should ever underestimate you. That was the first time someone ever tied with me. Good show.” Short Blade levitated both of our weapons to the barrel and extended a foreleg. I reached out my hand a hoof bumped his hoof with my balled fist.
-- "hand a hoof " should be "hand and" leave out hoof cuz hoof-bump would be hoof to hoof like fist bump is fist to fist--

oh sorry, kinda being picky there

[Honored Service]

872683
always appreciate the edits! good finds!

[DezzarTac]

776754 wheres the elite riot gear at! MUST.HAVE.

[sirraf]

872581 funnier of honored was making them as he fought. would probably throw all the ponies off guard.

[Hat and clogs guy]

I slipped on my armored duster and flipped the collar up. Swag.

xD
Man... that cracks me up

[Genesis1212]

actually the scene where they both ended in a draw and 'killed' each other is very reminicant of the student/teacher spar in 'the last samurai' very nice!

[damnaion]

dam i love it

[Shadow Faith]

3279850 stop it

[brax001]

3279850 how did it end in a tie he slipped PAST shorts sword so that would put him in between short and the sword so he couldnt have possibly caught it.