Vacation in Ponyvile

by Chaos_Silver

Chapter 3

"I wasn't expecting that."

Thunderclap nodded at his friend's words while he was adjusting recently bought shirt of coat-matching color, under which was hidden his bandaged chest. Pegasus thought it'll be good idea not to shock other ponies to much, especially if wounds open again.

Guards were sitting at their places in the back of the cart and watched ponies filling the train. Lots of ponies. Endless row of them.

"Well.. " Delicious sounded confused. "I wouldn't be surprised to see bunch of nobles. You know, to get some fancy clothes directly from Rarity, as she lives there. But this... " Earthpony waved in direction of crowd with cameras, maps and brochures and sighed.

Though, both guards could guess the reason. Last time Delicious visited Ponyvile it hadn't been residence of the Princess of Friendship. Still, that much ponies visiting small town at the same time, must be caused by something rather extraordinary. On the other hoof, guards were had no way to hear the news for the last two years, except for the most high-profile, like Twilight Sparkle's coronation itself and attack of Lord Tirek.

Train ride from Canterlot to Ponyvile only took a few hours and guards decided to spent this time the most reasonable way. Asleep.

When the train arrived to Ponyvile Thunder and Red were the last to leave their cart, as the tour groups stomed out like a blizzards made of ponies. Delicious lead his friend through the streets, grunting something under his breath and not paying attention to the legs and tails on which he was trampling. Injured guard tried to be more careful but he also received his dose of curses.

Thunderclap was sure that he was distracted for only a second, whether for the aroma of caramel perfume from passing by mare or for the smell of bakery, but when he turned to earthpony again, Delicious was nowhere to be seen, and pegasus found himself on the street full of unfamiliar ponies.

He lost Red.

Pegasus laughed a little as it was truly ridiculous. He still needed to find his way to Apple family residence. Red had said something about a farm on the outskirts of the Ponyvile. It remained only to find it. Choosing almost a random direction in totally unknown town, Thunder turned off the main street.

Soon Thunderclap felt that, familiar to many, feeling of constant staring, which was only weakening a little when he was slowing down to change a direction. He was watched. He heard whispers from behind. Whispers and...giggling?

Pegasus spun around and jumped towards the moving bushes. With his muzzle twisted from pain in disturbed chest, Thunder parted the branches and saw a 'spy'. Or 'spies' - instead of changeling infiltrator, which was already manifested in part of his imagination, there were three fillies, who looked at guard with confusion in their big eyes and unmistakable expression of caught kids. However, apologizing wasn't their first thought.

"Aww, horseapples! We will never get our spying cutiemarks!" Exclaimed yellow filly with red mane.

"We shouldn't came that close." Little white unicorn said. She also was the one to speak with pegasus, who looked at them with raised eyebrow . "Mister, we are sorry that..

"That you find us!" Unicorn was interrupted by orange pegasus filly with small wings and violet mane. "We'll be better next time!"

Thunderclap chuckled. "And why I am so interesting to you?"

"Your cutiemark." Three fillies almost in unison pointed at his flank

"Yes? What's with it?" His surprise was false. Thunder understood, why they were asking. Not everypony had weapons as a cutiemark. Shields of all sorts were much common sight, though. Pegasus just hoped, that they weren't going to ask...

"How did you get it? "

Of course they did. Oh.. Pegasus scratched the back of his head. Well, he'd told this story so many times to others and himself...

"Well.. I say.. I get it while I was fighting the monster. Scary one. Knifes are here because.. I was armed with kitchen knife. And...after I get it, my father came."

"Neat! " That was the orange filly's reaction.

"He saved you?" Asked the yellow one.

"no"

"Yes."

Fillies exchanged looks.

"I am Sweetie Bell and this are Apple Bloom..." Little unicorn said, imitating gracious bow.

"Howdy!" Yellow earthpony nodded to him.

"... And Scootaloo. "

"Hi!" Pegasus filly waved.

"We are cutiemark crusaders! " Said all fillies proudly.

Thunder titled his head a little, to confirm that their flanks were blank yet. Well, now their sudden interest in him was making more sense. Also he noticed that they were wearing cute small saddlebags, matching colours of their coats. He decide to introduce himself in return.

"Ya one of these nasty tourists?"

"Why nasty? They bring your sister revenue. Mine too." Sweetie Belle asked. She scratched her chin and there was an attempt to calculate said revenue visible in her eyes.

"They are loud! And there's to much of them! And they try to steal Rainbow Dash from me!" Orange pegasus exchange looks with her friends. "Good it's only few days per month. Have no idea how ponies in cities like Las Pegasus live with that kind of pandonium every day! "

"Pandemonium."

"I've said that."

"Not a tourist. Just came with a friend." Thunderclap noticed that girls' attention was drifting away. He leaned forward slightly, addressing yellow filly. He was sure that he knew an answer for his next question. "Do you know earthpony named Red Delicious? He is...hm... red, big and..."

Apple Bloom's smile widened when she interrupted him.

"Mah cousin from Appleloosa! Hm... Ya from the Guard too, right?"

"Yes. And you're an Apple. "

Apple Bloom nodded, smiling.

"Then tell me, please, where do you live? Red, kinda, invited me."

"Friend of family is our friend! " Stated filly proudly, but then suddenly frowned. "Ya can't go to the farm now "

"Why not?"

"Friendship tour is going through the farm. Not much time for guests now... But ya can help us instead! "

Before Thunderclap could react in any way to Apple Bloom's words Scootaloo waved her hoof dismissively.

"Rainbow Dash says that guards are useless! " Orange pegasus claimed. "Em.. No offense, mister.. "

Apple Bloom facehoofed.

Thunder chocked.

"Of course she is."

Luckily, Sweety Bell was way more diplomatic than her friends and changed the subject swiftly. She looked at guardian with the most adorable eyes he'd ever seen. Unicorn even fluttered her eyelashes, which turned to be a little clumsily, as if she was imitating someone's gesture.

"We were thinking that maybe you can help us."

"You've said that." Thunderclap made an effort not to sound offended by Scootaloo's statement, even if it was only a quote. He doubted that he'd succeeded, though.

"Oh? Well, yes.. Maybe you, sir, with your experience can help us with little venture through the Everfree."

Everfree... Was it the forest? The one he'd seen from train window? Why did they need to go to the forest at all? That was strange. Pegasus remembered hearing something from it but couldn't remember what exactly.

Sweetie Bell, who took initiative in this 'negotiations', took small stone from saddlebag and levitated it to Thunderclap. Or maybe it was a shard of dark glass? Whatever, the object was black and warm. Even being a pegasus with no magical abilities, Thunder felt energy radiating from it.

"We found this thing in the forest. And we saw more!" Said unicorn filly with wide smile. " Twilight will be glad to study it."

"Cutiemark Crusaders - geologists! " Shouted two other fillies.

He shouldn't. First of all, they'd just met. Taking responsibility for these fillies wouldn't be right? Or would? Thunderclap was somehow sure that fillies would go to the forest anyway. Of course, it was forest near Ponyvile and all possible threats were already blasted to tartarus by rainbow magical beams... But wasn't he a Royal Guard? Did he not solemnly swear at the initiation in the face of the Princess Celestia herself to protect the inhabitants of Equestria? He was and he did. And he wasn't useless!

So, ignoring part of his mind, convincing him to ran away from this fillies for some reason. Thunder nodded.

"Curiemark crusaders - negotiators!" They exclaimed and immediately turned to check their flanks. Marks didn't appear.

Fillies jumped around him a few times and rushed away. Pegasus followed, smiling. They were simply adorable. Help a bunch of young ponies find their cutiemarks - that should be fun.

After a few hours had passed, Thunderclap thought that he made a right choice. He walked trough the forest behind the fillies, keeping the eye contacts with them. Fillies were joking and talking about their previous attempts to find cutiematks. Some of this stories sounded really exaggerated. Only one thing really troubled him.

His thoughts again and again were slipping to one topic. Royal guard. Being useless. It hurted him. It make his chest twitch in pain more then after blade stab. Thunder took his pride in being guard, even if service at the border was violent from time to time. Thats why ponies thinking that way were getting under his skin.

The worst thing was that they were actually right.

Not taking into account such threats as Discord and Tirek, which were clearly not in the competence of the guards, there were still a lot of things where his colleagues were able to disgrace themselves. Infamous Royal Wedding was the first thing to came in mind. Double shame on heads of thestral Night Guards, who in full force slept through the entire attack along with their mistress.

That time the main work was done by element bearers and Shining Armor and Princess Cadence themselves. The battle could have been avoided altogether if the guards had performed their duties better - half of the guests and spectators were changelings. Entire half!

Negative thoughts aside, he did learn why Ponyvile was so popular today. It was logical, denizens of Equestria wanted to meet their heroes, the element bearers. After coronation of Princess Twilight, amount of pony visiting Ponyvile. Apparently, princess Twilight Sparkle decided to organize that process a little, to put some order in it.

Now huge friendship tours were held twice in month with a beginning in Canterlot. Tour included visiting the edge of the Everfree near Fluttershy's cottage, Carousel boutique, Sugarcube Corner and some other places. Huge feast in Sweet Apple Arcs was held at the end of the day. Meeting the elements was of course possible. However, fillies told Thunder that only half of them were always present - Princess Twilight, being the main organiser, Applejack, as the one in charge of preparations in Sweet Apple Arcks.

And Rainbow Dash of course. With an expression of sincere admiration on her face, Scootaloo talked about the queues lining up to get an autograph from rainbow-maned pegasus, who was glad to perform aerial stunts and pose in front of cameras all day.

Thunderclap could only guess, how this tours should've looked like originally, but he saw the chaotic result. At least princess was glad. Maybe.

After a few more hours of slow walking through the forest, he noticed that the evening was soon to came. Pegasus was ready to call the fillies but unfortunately for him they were making their way through dense thickets He didn't have any other choice but to follow.

He got out on the other side of bushes and saw the ruins. The old castle from which only the side wings remained and the center was almost completely destroyed. it was partially separated from the rest of the forest by a chasm through which a dilapidated heath bridge was thrown.

"We shouldn't be here."

"This ruins are prohibited? " Thunderclap titled his head, looking at the old castle. It seemed familiar somehow. Like he'd saw it once. Maybe in a book?

"No, it's just.. We were heading in opposite direction." Sweetie Bell rubbed her chin. "Let's go back..."

"I-is it me, or it became colder?" Apple Bloom shivered.

Then they saw it. Dark silhouette walking through the gape between the trees. It looked like a ghost from a scary tale - shape of a pony, an earthpony, but constructed of smoke and shadow. Empty black eyes stared at nothing. At first it might have seemed that the creature would pass by, but it stopped by tilting its head in their direction.

Thunderclap did a few steps forward, shielding crusaders from it. He lowered his stance and spread the wings. His nostrils flared, so do his instincts.

"Em... hello?" It was Scootaloo who squeaked from behind pegasus.

"Back. " Said Thunder, watching the creature carefully.

"B-but.."

"Go back. " Guard tried to sound as.. as he can. "I'll follow "

Creature hissed. Its empty eyes found a stones what fillies were holding. It took a step. Another and another, ready to break into a gallop. Black eyes were focused on girls' saddlebags.

Thunderclap jumped to intercept, ignoring pain in chest. In the moment before the strike he wondered - would he stop literal shadow with a punch?..

The thud of a blow dispelled his doubts. His opponent was material enough to be kicked. Good Pegasus slammed shadowpony into the tree. There was no scream of pain, just silent whisper of shadows, regaining their shape. In the place of Thunder's punch dark crystal fell to the ground like a drop of blood.

"Run! "

Thunderclap looked in black pools of shadow's eyes. From his peripheral sight he noticed that fillies didn't move, numb with fear. That means he had to take this fight, to push that thing back from them. Pegasus leaped at the shadow, taking initiative and aiming his hooves at the head. Without weapons, he could only kick and ram the enemy. After missing a couple of blows, the shadow hissed again. But it wasn't going to be a punching bag

Claws appeared on the black hooves. They weren't long, but it was enough to rip open his shirt and grab him. Before Thunder could scream, the shadow pulled him along as if on invisible wings. he waved his own wings in vain, but only succeeded in increasing the pain. Few seconds later he was frown on the ground near the castle walls.

Pegasus jumped to his feet, noting a new source of pain in his wings. He used a second to look around while his opponent was slowly descending to the ground. He didn't like that he saw. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were running. In his direction and not away! They were already crossing the bridge.

Thunder tried to drive the girls away, but at that moment the shadow creature attacked again throwing aside the castle scratching with its claws. All his thoughts slipped back to combat.

This time Thunderclap just tried not to get hit. He couldn't keep this up, but he couldn't escape either, while fillies were still around. That's not what a guardian would do. That's not what a pony would do.

This sudden thought gave him strength. With a successful kick, pegasus stunned the opponent for a second and jumped back, closer to the castle. Yes, this place was forgotten for Celestia-knows how many years, but the should be something weapon-like inside. Heck, even big brick would be better better than nothing.

Guard didn't expect that his wish would manifest itself so literally.

A moss-covered boulder sliced through the air and struck the shadow's chest. It lost its shape again, for a brief moment turning from pony silhouette to the smoke cloud.

On the ruined wall above him thunderclap saw the fillies. Scootaloo was picking stones out of the wall and tossing them to Apple Bloom who was already aiming with the second improvised projectile. And Sweetie was levitating something in pegasus guard direction. Something shiny?

He examined the object. Rusty armored greave with a folding hoofblade attached. The blade shone with novelty as if it had just come from a forge. Snowflakes swirled around the sword, exuding frost. Was it enchanted?

Creature also noticed fillies, instantly forgetting about the pegasus guard and once again leaping at fillies. Thunderclap wasn't going to have it.

With one flutter of wings, to which his whole body responded with pain, thunderclap rose into the air, appearing above the creature. Double kick of the hind hooves sent the shadow to the ground. Then steel flashed in the light of the beginning sunset.

Whether it was a spell on the blade or the creature used up all his ability to restore itself, but the very first sword blow became the last. The shadow froze at place and collapsed to the ground, crumbling into fragments and spreading into a smoky black liquid.

Thunder coughed, his lungs jumping in his chest. He tried to fold the sword, but the ancient mechanism refused to work and he just threw the blade aside. Breathing heavily, he turned to the fillies, trying to smile.

"Deal... with it..." He managed and went into another coughing fit. "Thanks."

Crusaders didn't respond. They were looking at him from above with wide terrified eyes, shaking a little.

Following their gaze, pegasus lowered his gaze to his chest. The shirt was torn and so were the bandages. Blood was slowly flowing out of the opened wound and new cuts left by claws. There were red spots on the floor where he had just coughed.

Experiencing a strong sense of deja vu, Thunderclap slid down the stone wall.

"Just need to keep my eyes open."