I am no hero

by CeresBane

No such thing as coincidence in Equestria

A well believed superstition is that Equestria is permeated with the threads of destiny. Nothing can escape their fate, not even the mightiest of goddesses. That was what it meant to hold a cutie mark on your rump, that was what it meant to live your life using your special talents. So long as you followed the script fate had written for you, you could live happily as a pony of Equestria, content to exist in a grand narrative that was beyond anyone's power.

This was what harmony was, the cosmic force that led everypony to utopia and those who dared write fate for themselves were the enemy of the world. They were never meant to belong in the grand tapestry of whatever higher power had made for this land. Easily willing to abandon them to their fates, with no purpose or reason to live.

As a blank flank, I was long since thought to be another of those outcasts. A unicorn that was beyond the touch of magic and long since thought unable to wield it. But somehow I had found happiness in Equestria, defending the kingdom, captaining the guard and serving my queen with all my being like any good Equestrian.

But in the end, fate had written a tragedy for me. Forced to flee away from what I had grown up to love, I intended to never return for the greater good of everypony. My existence could only invite disaster, that was what I understood so long ago. It was what I had to believe to keep myself strong enough to keep away.

However on hearts and hooves day I found myself in Canterlot again, returning for an obligation I only felt inside than actually had.

Snow White was alive. Impossibly so. And no matter how much I tried to avoid that fact by trying to run away from her, I always found myself to her again, spotting her from afar, watching her journey deeper and deeper into Equestria until I found myself before the castle gates of Canterlot castle.

With apprehension I broke through the threshold.

It looked just like the old castle, built to the last detail as an exact replica. Banners and pennons of the old ancient houses, the various coats of arms upon royal guard's armour and even the same traditional saddle wear of the noble classes.

But something was particularly special. There were streamers and colourful banners intermixing with the colours of old houses. Pink was the dominating colour and ponies wore them proudly as they went about their jobs preparing. They carried foods, barked orders, set up tables, tuned instruments, rehearsed rituals and tested everything for every possible mundane thing.

Not losing sight of my quarry for too long I glimpsed her figure cantering over to the more secluded gardens. Where I attempted to follow her into a maze and perhaps find her objective. I was stopped by wings cross my path.

"Halt! State your business." The guards stationed on either side of the entrance barked out uniformly. I couldn't help but smirk at the display of drilled discipline. I hadn't noticed them until they stopped me. If I weren't alerted to their presence I would have sworn these sentries were statues I had passed by wantonly. They must have been trained by a good captain to hold such astute discipline.

I resisted the urge to salute.

"Is there a reason why I can't go into the gardens?" I asked. It was best if I seemed like a inconsequential servant boy or guest that had presumably lost his way, than a gate crasher that just walked in. After all, Celestia knowing about my continued existence would break this peace to countless pieces to try to capture me.

"It is the VIP area of the Gala and no one is allowed to enter yet until preparations are complete." My eyes turned to the guard to the right as he replied.

"But a girl just past through here..." It was a dumb attempt to convince my way through but I had hopes I could get lucky.

"That mare is part of the preparations staff." The one on the left replied. I knew he'd say something like that and it didn't seem like pretending to be staff as well would work. These guards are just too well drilled.

I tried to walk around to the edges of the hedge maze and sneak to the other side but the security around the perimeter was astoundingly heavy. You'd think they were holding the crown jewels past the wall of armoured ponies.

As easily as it would to force my way through I had resolved to avoid making a scene. In surrender I walked into the castle. Perhaps there was another way in from inside the castle or perhaps I could gather information on what was going on in there.

"Haven't seen you around before." A stallion guard said casually. By his informal tone I found myself quite unimpressed by his conduct. And that purple armour! Why wasn't he wearing the standard issue kind? Who did he think he was, the captain of the royal guard?

"Yeah, I just arrived here. Ummm... can I ask you about the heavy guard on the gardens? What's happening there that needs such a heavy amount of security?" I smiled casually and hoped the lost new guy act would satisfy him from asking any further. It seemed to work as he mainly focused on my question about the gardens. His blue eyes widening in surprise and then narrowing in puzzlement.

"Heavy guard? I never assigned anyone around there. There shouldn't be anything happening there." His brow furrowed in thought while I tried to act empathetic by also looking concerned.

"Is something wrong, errr...?" Dammit, now he's going to give me his name and I'll have to say mine in return.

"Shining armour. Captain Shining Armour. Thank you for informing me about this suspicious activity. I'll have my men check it out." To my relief he was clearly too much in a rush to investigate than to find out my name.

"I'll see you later... errr..." I guess I spoke to soon.

"Silver." I lied. "Just Silver." I said. What a terribly obvious fake name. But the Captain of the guard didn't seem to question the rather literal name within a society of pony names rooting from metaphors and idioms. With a salute he galloped off.

Hastening deeper into the castle, I moved myself away from the Captain as quick as possible should he realise his mistake. I moved quickly, but cautiously and as inconspicuously as possible. All this sneaking around would be pointless if Celestia spotted me.

-------------Ponyville--------------

Elsewhere in a small village on the outskirts of Canterlot mountain and on the edge of the Everfree forest, ponies milled about preparing for the best night ever.

In celebration of the first year of the alicorn of love's marriage, Princess Cadence had organized the greatest Gala in history. Love would be in the air as ponies gathered to find their special somepony among the many across all of Equestria. And all of Ponyville was invited to attend the greatest party of the century.

"This is the gonna be the best night ever!" Pinkie hopped about happily while Rarity struggled to hold her down with the magic of dress-making. not only intending to make the Pinkie pony look a positive Sweetie Belle of the ball but to weigh her down enough so that her excitement wouldn't incite a national incident.

"Ah still can't believe you're not letting me take this chance to try and drum up business for the farm." Applejack sullenly kicked the dirt below her with her ornate boots and hid her face in her hat to express her distaste without exploding from the frustration.

"Cadence wants us to enjoy ourselves. Besides didn't the farm get enough business from the orders the castle made?" Twilight tried to calmly defuse the cow pony and was met with AJ hiding deeper into her hat.

No matter what airs the mare put on, it was clear AJ was in fact on edge for an entirely different reason than the welfare of the family business. For a strong and dependable pony, romance wasn't exactly a subject she could help but be bashful about. And seeing as this night was around the idea of finding new love and celebrating old love, the presumption cemented itself in Twilight's mind.

Twilight was tempted to lift the hat AJ hid behind to reveal the crimson blush within. In the end she decided against it, Rainbow dash however wasn't so kind.

"Come on AJ. Let's make some magic happen tonight. For as long as I've known you, you haven't had a colt friend in your life." A lasso promptly grounded the rainbow pegasus so that the cow pony could get her hat back. The teasing had done the trick and calm her nerves enough to smile at the idea. Donning her hat back on, AJ found the confidence to imagine it. Another addition to the Apple family... just think of the help the extra hooves would give!

"I don't know about tonight. Maybe I should stay home. Angel Bunny seems worried about tonight." The rabbit gave the shy yellow pegasus a blank stare of incredulous scepticism.

"You're right Angel. I should be more assertive." The white rabbit continued his judgemental stare.

"And I'm sorry for trying to use you as a scapegoat." The bunny nodded and hugged the mare while she nuzzled the little bunny.