What does a Hero Truly Need? Vol. 1: A New Age of Heroes

by zelkova48

Chapter 27: Honor Thy Code

What does a Hero Truly Need?

By:Zelkova48

Chapter 27: Honor Thy Code

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“Jester, I mean no disrespect but... that is perhaps the most outrageous thing that I have ever heard” said Luna with an incredulous look upon her face “So what it is that you are trying to say, is that you believe that the changeling queen and her brood aren’t entirely responsible for the invasion of Canterlot?”

“Well that’s the gist of it, yes” Rubick Replied.

“Rubick, do you even have even the slightest clue about what you are suggesting?” Shining asked, wearing the same expression that Luna had “The facts are all there; malevolent changeling queen wishes to capture our capital so that she can cocoon up the whole pony population for food. What about that says that they aren’t held responsible for endangering the lives of hundreds of ponies everywhere?”

“Do you want me answer that?” Rubick asked with a raise of his eyebrow “I may not have irrefutable evidence to prove my theory yet but.... you are far too young and inexperienced to best the Grand Magus in the debate game, Shining Armor” Rubick retorted.

“But Cadence, my sister and I are not” Celestia joined in “We’ve a millenia of debate experience due to political matters our nation faces, do not take us lightly, Rubick” she stated sternly “But, I still don’t know what or why you would believe such a thing. The evidence is all there. Cadence being kidnapped only makes the entire debacle justify the changeling invasion. I’ve yet to see or find anything that disproves the changeling queen’s guilt”

“Have you tried talking to her?” Rubick asked. He waited for a response, but all he received was an awkward silence and some unassuring looks from everyone else “Have you tried talking to her?” Rubick repeated with a more agitated tone to his voice “Are you serious? You haven’t gotten anything out of her?”

“We tried!” Luna shouted “But she refuses to speak! Everytime we come down there the queen just curls up into a ball and hides behind her brood! She’s far too prideful to speak even a word to us!”

“That, or you and your entourage of menacing guard scare her into submission whenever you showed up” Rubick deadpanned.

“We’ve tried going down there alone, believe us when we say that it isn’t any different” said Celestia “We just simply cannot earn her cooperation. And even if we did, what would it matter? The changeling queen has committed a serious offense and this shall not stand. Luna and I will do what we must to protect Equestria from any and all threats that seek to overthrow our fragile balance”

“All in the name of harmony, I presume?” said Rubick sarcastically.

“Yes, all in the name of....” Celestia stopped, taking her time to process Rubick’s sarcasm “I’d stop there if I were you Rubick. Any more wisecracks and I’ll see to it personally that Shining Armor will have you scrubbing the latrines for making such an offensive statement”

“I’ll scrub them to the point where you can practically eat off of them your majesty” said Rubick with a short live smile “But in all honesty, I insist you dine at the cleanest outhouse that Equestria has to offer” his expression turned serious “If you don’t believe me, I’ll just talk to the queen myself. Perhaps then you might see that that not everything is as it seem”

“And what makes you think you’re qualified to give us a lecture on right and wrong?” said Luna, a slight annoyed twinge in her voice “It doesn’t take a grand magus to see what is cut and dried”

“No, but it takes a true hero to see pointless persecution when it comes to it” said Rubick.

“Now wait just a minute!” said Luna, but before she could continue, she was interrupted by the crowd of ponies that were uneasily forming by the corner of her eye.

“What in the name of mother’s mane?”

* * *

“Say that again...” Sven whispered to the pompous stallion that dangled helplessly from his gauntleted hoof “Come on, I dare you...”

“I-I’ll say it a thousand times if it means seeing you lose your position as a royal guard and going back to prison” High Horse spoke hoarsely “Go ahead... hit me. What good would it do for a traitor like you, an abomination to the purity and superiority that is ponykind?”

“How about the satisfaction of bashing deserving filth?” said Sven with fire “Where would you like it? The nose? Perhaps one of your eyes? Maybe I’ll mess us that throat of yours so you can’t spout dribble ever again. I’m in a good mood right now, so I’ll let you pick your own punishment. Not that it will make much of a difference, mind you...”

“Just strike me, you fool” High Horse mocked as he so callously danced with imminent danger “The quicker this is over, the quicker I can see to it that my lawyers and my influence destroy you in every way possible. I’ll be there laughing the whole way as you fall down a hole so deep that you wouldn’t even know which way is up...”

“Heh heh heh...” Sven chuckled, bringing unease to everyone around him, especially to High Horse who was the most perplexed by Sven’s sudden change in mood.

“W-what’s so f-funny?” High Horse asked, contemplating whether or not that he would soon regret asking. Sven stared directly into High Horse’s eye, directly into his soul, and chuckled once more, scaring the poor stallion even further “What? What is it!”

“Hmph” Sven finally spoke “You make it sound as if you’ll actually still be around when I’m through with you”

“W-whuah? What’s that suppose to mean?” said High Horse. Sven tilted his hoof and brought him face to face with High Horse, grinning behind his helmet with a wicked aura permeating from every fiber of his being.

“Tell me you dumbass, do you really think you have that chance?” Sven asked, knowing full well that High Horse understood what he was thoroughly implying.

High Horse pissed himself.

“What is going on here!” Celestia cried out as she broke through the crowd of stunned ponies. She, along everyone else that was with her, took a glance around the courtyard and was simply appalled by what she saw.

Sven was holding one of the premier representatives of the Descendant charity group with a death grip around his neck, threatening to harm him, or worse. Sure High Horse can be unbearable at times but that was no reason to throttle him. If her coat weren’t so white then maybe she could’ve properly hid the red blush of embarrassment and a poignant strain of aggravation that glowed brightly on her flawless coat.

“Sven, put him down, now!” Celestia shouted, but her voice did not reach him. Sven still held High Horse, posing to bash him at any given moment. She walked closer, heat radiating from her being as she approached the Rogue Knight “Sven, as your princess I hereby order you to release High Horse! I brought you out prison, and I can send you back if you act so brazenly!”

“Uh...Sven, Ah think you want to listen to the princess on this” Applejack spoke up “Ah think you don’t want to do anything that might ruin your positive image”

“Yeah, I mean the guy was a jerk to you but that doesn’t mean that you have to...” Rainbow Dash stopped, not wanting to finish her sentence.

Sven still didn’t listen, rather he ignored everything around him. He was in his own world now, and High Horse was unlucky enough to be trapped there with him. But before the situation could escalate any further, his friends stepped in, just in time too.

“Sven, we overheard everything. Don’t do this” said Aiushtha, her pleading eyes piercing through Sven’s steel like exterior “If you do this, then we’ll never get home” she place her hoof onto his shoulder, causing the tense feeling to melt away “Please, stop”

“She right, Sven. Think about the long term effects that your action might cause. Control your emotions” said Rubick.

“Leave him, let karma cast misfortune upon him and his ways” said Rhasta “I can assure you that the universe already has something in store for this cur”

“They’re right. He ain’t worth it, even if he did have money on his head” said Gondar “Just let it go. Think about of your code”

The words of his friends had reached him. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. His better felt lighter than before, and all the tension that had been building up within him disappeared. His coat’s redness faded back to the cool blue that he was accustomed to, the lightning in his eyes quelled like a smoted flame.

He released High Horse, letting him drop to the floor unceremoniously as the greedily inhaled precious oxygen that he selfishly took for granted minutes earlier.

The angry and vengeful Rogue Knight failed to make an appearance, and for that, a wave of relief washed over every individual that was there. The crowd slowly began to disperse itself, leaving behind only the heroes, the mane six, the princesses, the newlyweds, and the practically purple High Horse.

The mane six, who had been hiding behind the crowd the whole time, watched in awe as they witnessed the heroes stop their friend from going berserk. But among those who were awestruck, it was Twilight whose eyes lit up with fascination at what she’d just seen.

This was friendship of the type of which they’ve never experienced before, the kind that can only be accumulated through unspeakable years of combat and hardship on the battlegrounds. One that they probably never will know given how extreme the trials and tribulations that the heroes had to endure back in their own world, a world that was far too different from their own.

They were thankful for that, but were also interested to know what it is like if their bond with each other was greater than the ones they currently had. Then maybe, just maybe, they can pull off the impossible should it ever come to it. But for now, they were just glad that everything was over.

“Hmph, be grateful that my friends showed up when they did you pompous ass” said Sven, his voice more subdued than before “I will honor my rogue’s code and let you live... for now” he stated “But know this! This will be the only time that I will show mercy to an arrogant fool such as yourself. Tarnish my honor or slight me and my friends again, and I will make you wish that you were dead...” he finished with quiet rage seething behind his helmet “Do I make myself clear?”

“Bah! Your mercy means nothing to me you freak!” High Horse yelled as he picked himself up “For associating with criminals, mongrels...” he turned to give a death glare towards Aiushtha, who recoiled at the animosity that was directed at her “...and verdant whores, it only proves that you and your allies are unfit to call yourselves pony!”

“You’ll never be one of us!”

* * *

A young Sven, no older than seven years old, watched fearfully with puffy tear soaked eyes as he watched the vigil knights storm into his home, armed and hostile with a mission to accomplish. He could do nothing but hide, body frozen with fear as the sound of breaking pottery and and clattering echoed around him. It wasn’t until he heard the screaming that he could feel his blood grow colder than a winter night.

With every ounce of courage that he muster, Sven peered from out of the cabinet of the kitchen. Shakily, he exited the room and walked around, looking for his parents. He walked out towards the porch, covering his eyes with his hands as the morning sun assaulted his eyes with it’s radiant glare.

The sound of crying drew his attention to the side of his home. He followed the sound wiping the tears from his face until he found the source of the bawling. To his immediate horror, it was his mother. She was on the ground, dirty, bloodied, and bruised. Sven walked up and brought her into his embrace, comforting his injured mother, hoping that he tears would stop. When it finally did, she stood up on her own and pointed to the forest.

Sven ran with all of his might, ignoring the burning in his legs that begged for him to stop. He moved on regardless, running pass countless trees until he came upon the vigils knights.

Laying on the floor beside them in a pool of his own blood was none other than his father. He laid motionless, soaked with blood that flowed from the gash from his throat. He was killed, killed for violating the vigil codex, killed because of Sven’s very existence.

One of the knights took notice to Sven’s presence and unsheathed his sword. The knight then slammed his pommel directly at Sven’s face, breaking his nose and bruising a good portions of his face.

Sven cried out in agony as he held onto his nose, doing his best to stop the bleeding. All the while he was doing so, a burning anger of the likes that he had never felt before was born. He stared at the knights, eyes locked with hate and indignation.

All of the vigil knights simply laughed at his futility and inability to retaliate. They only continued to beat him, one by one, each taking their time to savor in his pain. It wasn’t until he could no longer move that the knights stopped. They soon left, uttering only one last message before eventually becoming a stepping stone upon Sven’s path of vengeance:

“You’ll never be one of us!”

* * *

Everyone looked at High Horse with an incredulous look plastered all over their face. They had expected High Horse to at least take what was given to him and leave, yet he continued to poke the burly bear with a sharp pointy stick. It was as if he wanted to die.

Sven said nothing. Nothing at all, there wasn’t anything left to say. For the time being, his hooves will be doing all of the talking. He shot High Horse a glare from behind his helmet and then let out a deafening warcry. He pulled his right hoof back and then threw a weak jab.

*CRASH!*

Sven’s hoof collided with the ground below him. The force of the strike may have been one his weaker ones but it was so forceful that every guest present at the reception felt a small tremor shake them just a bit. A crater the size of a small tree welled directly into the earth. Cracks webbed out from all sides causing loose dirt and vegetation to slip and fall into the thin darkness of the cracks.

Celestia found herself tipping over just slightly after Sven punched the ground. Luna quickly sprang into action and did her best to balance her sister to prevent her from falling. Cadence and Shining clung to each other after the shake threatened to trip them up. As for the mane six, they all stumbled and fell to the ground, shaking their heads to clear the stars that were orbiting their respective noggins.

While the heroes were the ones that were unaffected, High Horse was most certainly the one to experience the full brunt of the blow, even if he wasn’t directly hit. In any case, he tripped and stumbled over too, catchin a mouthful of dirt and a greater blow to his already damaged hygiene and pride.

Sven pick his hoof up and returned to back to a more calm and composed standing position.

“Consider that, your final warning...” said Sven.

High Horse wasted no time picking himself up and bolting back into the castle. A scent of urine and shame trailing him from behind as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He avoided most of the looks that ponies were giving him, but he breezed right past them as he made his way back to his little group.

“Well, that was something” said Cadence, unsure of what to actually say “This has certainly been an... interesting reception”

“Interesting isn’t exactly how I would put it, honey” said Shining Armor.

“OUTRAGEOUS!” Luna angrily shouted “This is unacceptable behavior for a member of the elite royal guard! Absolutely unacceptable!” she yelled directly at Sven “You’ve violated a very serious part of the royal guards code! Never do harm to those that you are sworn to protect, let alone a member of the Descendants! What’ve you to say for yourself?” Sven merely gave a curt shake of his head before speaking.

“...I need a drink”

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Chapter 27 End

Author's Note:

Sure it's a shorty, but I felt like I left the last chapter uncompleted. This chapter fills that hole with cement.

Comments

[Reisentanith]

Are... the sisters really that blinded by the descendents?

[Lobisomen616]

Thank you for making my day.

[Blaze rod]

3459509
Mind control I say!

[Daequo]

If you wanted to you could have done something when Celestia said how she had so much experience because of how old she is since Rubick is immortal or at least very long lived since he remembers Invoker from back when he was known as the Arsenal Magus.

[Flamester]

I expected a Equestria shattering boom, where is the boom?

[Xeravon]

Raigor Stonehoof would be proud, Sven.

High Horse...

i.imgur.com/peuHwXt.jpg

[Heinrich Schreiber]

I'd murder High Horse (PFFFT) if I could too.