The Innocent Pony

by thesilentpony

Something Lost

some thing lost

“What are you saying?” Princess Celestia asked Princess Luna in the throne room, having started on the discussion on adding a new personal guard again.

“I’m saying I don’t want another guard to replace him.” I tuned them out not really caring, while Shadow was a great pony to the end, watching his final moments wasn’t something I had overcome yet, much like anyone else that knew him, especially Luna.

“Hey you awake?” I looked at Onyx a dark night guard earth pony. He had also tuned them out. He was probably hit harder than most being a young pony under the direct teachings of Shadow.

Unlike him I was slowly getting into my years, I was a rather old pegasus compared to almost all of the guard, but I still had a least one or two decades before I would be able to retire, so I was still in my prime.

“I’m awake.” I said, we were in the middle of the throne room, close enough to Princess Luna, but enough to give them some kind of privacy. In the handbook it suggested we be almost right next to Princess Luna to protect her, but anyone that tried, would almost certainly get a hoof to the face for pissing her off.

“So what’s going to happen?” I eyed him for a moment and then looked at the princesses now in a full blown argument. It was unnerving to see them argue, not because they were arguing, but because they both keep their cools, even when their words would mean war to any other pony.

“I don’t know, but it’s not our place to decide that.” He looked down. While I said that I was now the hopeful of becoming her personal guard. Not that I wanted to get close to Luna like Shadow had, it was more I wanted to become the caption of the guard.

With Shadow gone and Shining Armor with Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire, I was the next choice for caption of the guard, the thought alone gave me great enjoyment, but at the same time sadness. I loved Shadow as my caption, he was without a second of a pause the greatest military mind to ever step hoof in Equestria.

He would be able to sow a battlefield like a piece of perfect silk cloth, not missing a single stitch. I had learned everything I could and he told me that I was his equal. Which to him was impressive. To me, well let’s say I consider there no better honor in this world, even than protecting the Princesses.

“Guards!” Princess Celestia said and I blinked looking at them staring at me, having been day dreaming. I was probably in trouble now.

“Yes?” I asked and Onyx stood at attention with me.

“Come here.” Princess Luna said. We went over to them and they looked at each other for a moment.

“We have reached a point where neither of us can pass, Luna needs a personal guard, but she won’t take on another, what do you say to adding another to your guarding.” I looked at Princess Luna a little unsure, but she kept quiet.

“Do we need to?” Onyx asked whining, and they looked at him with a little bit of surprise, his answer was childish, but never in a truer form.

“What do you say Night Jasper?” Princess Luna asked me. “You are the current highest rank in the guards at Canterlot.”

“I, agree with Onyx, while I do think we should add another to our ranks, I do not think we should make anyone personal guard of Princess Luna. At least not till she deems it the right time to do so. Shadow was a close friend and I would not want anyone to take that honor while his memory is still a stain on the throne room carpet.” I sneered.

They stared at me rather shocked and tears streamed down Luna’s face. To her it probably felt like seconds, not months since Shadow died. Princess Celestia looked at Luna almost as if her armor had been ripped from her chest and stabbed with it.

“Very well,” Princess Celestia said. “Night Jasper, you will become Luna’s next personal guard till which time you deem right to pass the position onto another.”

“I wouldn’t pass it on till I die, Princess Celestia, please understand I loved Shadow more than anyone, but Princess Luna. Giving anything even related to his memory up to someone else, is not something I would dare to think.” Princess Luna smiled wiping tears away.

“I understand, he was a great pony, I will promote you to Caption of the Night guard, as well as personal guard of Princess Luna. This way you may act according you the memory of your dear friend. I know loss is not easy to deal with.”

“Thank you Princess Celestia.” I said bowing, only one tear slipped from my eye. While it was what I wanted, she had completely missed the point of what I was saying.

“Sister, I guess that will work.” Princes Luna said. I turned and started walking back out of the throne room. Only Onyx saw the tear as I wiped it away. We reached the hallway and she stopped turning to me.

“Yes?” I asked stepping back a little.

“You are not replacing Shadow, is that clear?!” She almost shouted at me, but then frowned when I looked down.

“Why would you say that to me?” My body became limp and my insides paled. I looked at her. “I, um, I mean I understand Princess Luna.”

“I’m sorry, the wound is still fresh, and for me, I forget not a single moment, feeling or thought.”

“Princess Celestia didn’t understand me, or maybe she did, but I didn’t want anyone to take the position.” She stared at me. “While I will admit I wanted to become a caption, I didn’t want to become your personal guard, I suppose now we can, not care about it again, no one will ever need to become your personal guard.”

“That’s, great.” She smiled. “That’s great!” She almost cheered realizing what I had meant.

“I’m glad.” She paused.

“I’m sorry, to you, I imagine it would be the same if I lost Princess Celestia forever, I cannot imagine the pain.”

“Shadow, and I, have lost many on the fields of battle. It just has been so long since I’ve lost anyone to death.”

“We, should get ready for bed.”

“May I ask for leave?”

“For how long?”

“A few days, I wish to get new armor, and maybe get drunk for a while.” She nodded. “I will finish the night duty for tonight.” We took her to bed and Onyx looked at me as the day guard came to relieve us of our posts.

“Can I come?” I looked at him.

“Sure, but after I buy new armor I’m going to get so wasted I can’t remember much.” He smiled chuckling.

He had done that for almost a week after Shadow’s death. Every pony understood and let it go, especially now that he stopped. Shadow while he was his teacher, he was also the first pony to be lost to him in some kind of battle.

The day guard just took our spots and we started walking. We went to the royal blacksmith and I looked around. His armor looked simple like the one I was wearing, in fact none of the armor was different from the next.

“Can I help you?” He asked coming to the counter. He was a unicorn like any other blacksmith in the world.

“Yeah I’m looking for a special armor set, something more flashy, I got promoted to caption and I need something, good. All the rest are kind of, well every guard has a set.”

“Sorry what you see is what I got, you night guard and your armor, I swear.”

“Excuse me?”

“First your other caption complains about my other job fixing his armor, and now my work isn’t good enough. Why don’t you go somewhere else for once.” I slammed the counter with my hooves crushing it and making him back up frightened.

“You dare speak ill of my caption again and I'll kill you!” I snarled.

“Whoa calm down,” Onyx said and I looked at him. “He didn’t say anything bad, just that Shadow didn’t like his work.” I let out a breath looking at the counter, it was smashed beyond repair.

“Well next time you’ll learn to do better.” I snapped looking at the blacksmith, and he made a mare-ish screech scared of me.

I turned and Onyx followed me as we went to all of Canterlot Blacksmiths. It being day time was nice, but as Shadow told me once, only the good ones were open at night. So I never bothered going into the ones only open during the day.

“We’ve gone to every single one, and it’s almost sunset.” Onyx whined as we sat on a bench.

“Go get something to eat before you get some rest, I’m not going to come in for a few days.”

“Right, I'll see you in a few days.” He left and I sighed being in the downtown area of Canterlot. Not a good area at night to be, the night guard had to patrol this area more because of a few reported break ins.

“You look down.” I looked at a dark green earth pony with soot spots, holding a paper bag.

“Just hasn’t been my day.”

“That sucks.”

“You look like you’ve been in a fire, where did you come from?”

“Oh, I always look like this, after a while of being a blacksmith your fur just sort of dyes like this and you can’t get it out. I was really bright green before I started.”

“Did you say blacksmith?”

“Yeah?” She answered unsure.

“I’ve been looking for a good blacksmith.”

“Well I’m the best in Canterlot, that’s for sure, I’m also the only one to make magically enhanced armor sets.” She pointed at a store. Hammer’s blacksmithing was on a sign over a door. “I’m normally open somewhat during the day, but most of the time I’m only open at night because without the cool air of the night I burn up.”

“Really.”

“Yeah, well I’m opening up, come in and check it out.” I followed her into the store and looked around. Armor sets covered the left wall and the right, with a hallway and stairs behind her counter to the right side. Her work as impressive, she had all kinds and styles, not a single one was the same as another even though each as just as fine as the next.

“Wow.” She looked at me from behind a metal counter.

“Alright, now how can I help you?”

“Rare for an earth pony to be a blacksmith, how do you use a hammer?” She flexed her front legs.

“Stronger than I look, also I use special tools. I don’t just use the normal ones I have other things that I made special.” She set her hoofs down. “Now how can I help you today?” I looked around, I couldn’t decide, every piece looked perfect for a caption.

“I-I can’t decide, I love all your armor, but I can’t decide.”

“Well what’s the need? I have desert armor, fire armor, water armor, even camouflage armor if you need. Also know all my armor is battle ready it’s not meant for show, only real battle.”

“Cool, well I was just promoted to caption of the night guard.” Her eyes lit up.

“Really, how’s Shadow?” I looked at her shocked. “He never came in for the rest of his armor and it’s been a few months.”

“Y-you made armor for Shadow?”

“Yes, wait why do.” She paused.

“Shadow passed away a few months ago.” She looked down. “But if you made armor for him I will most certainly buy it from you.”

“Well I'll also give you a discount. He was actually the one which basically taught me how to make magic armor so.”

“Then I'll take your best armor, painted black.” She chuckled.

“Alright.” She went into the back and came out with a black armor set. It was without a doubt the most beautiful piece of armor I had ever seen. It looked much like the armor set Shadow wore on his last day.

“This piece is just like the one he wore when he died.” She stared at me as I touched it, I couldn’t believe it.

“He died my armor?” Tears went to her eyes. “No one has ever died in my armor.” She started breathing a little faster.

“Well it wasn’t that simple, he actually did great in it, so great that he was going to beat his enemy, but then, to save Princess Luna he was hit with a very powerful magic blast. It caused the armor to crack, normal armor would have completely evaporated from the blast. He fought to the end with it, it was amazing.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“Yes it is.”

“I still have his old armor in the back.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I still have it in there gathering dust.” I followed her into the back and I stopped looking at his old armor set, his messed up helmet to the side. It had a glow to it that seemed somehow unnatural but oddly fit it.

some thing forgotten

“Why do you have this? Explain.”

“Well what he said is if he died that I should give it to Princess Luna if he did. I don’t know why I didn’t return it right away, maybe something about holding it gave me hope, but anyway you can take it.”

“I see.” I picked it with the helmet. I turned starting to leave.

“Wait, don’t you want the armor first?” I paused.

“I’m not sure.” I looked at my armor. It was an old set and I would have to replace it sooner or later, and this armor wouldn’t make Luna feel that much better to have, well all things considered it was the only armor left, the first one was thrown out, and the other one disappeared along with him. “Actually yeah, let’s get the armor.” I went around the front.

“Since you are Shadow’s friend I'll give you a discount and just do the base cost, it will cost about a thousand five hundred bits, it would cost six thousand to anyone else.” I chuckled a little bit.

That was three times the normal price for even the best set, but then again this was the best sets I had ever seen. I pulled out a backpack and we counted stacks of gold ending at a thousand two hundred gold bits.

“Damn I’m three hundred low, how about a check?”

“How about this, I'll trade you your old one, and those gems.” I pulled out a few dozen random gems I had found. Some were expensive if cut, it would more than easily cover it if they were cut, uncut they weren’t worth much.

“Alright.” She put them in a bag putting them under the counter. I took off my armor and she came around.

“I need to measure you.”

“Oh.” She started measuring me and I blushed a little making her blush.

“Don’t blush, you’re making me blush.”

“Sorry, I just don’t normally get this close to mares.”

“No special pony in your life?”

“Ah, no, my job requires me at night so I sleep during the day, no mare is normally up at the time I have off or doesn’t have a job.” She lifted up my hind leg and measuring. “Being alone is a guard’s plight.”

“Sad, then how about a date with me?”

“What?”

“You seem like a nice stallion.” She went back around the counter making a few adjustments to the armor. “How about it?”

“Um, sure, but I have to go give this to Princess Luna, she’ll be awake by now and will want to hear this.”

“How about you come by my shop anytime you like, I live upstairs and we can go out then, you won’t catch me sleeping, so knock as loud as you can.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I said smiling. She helped me take off my armor and I exchanged it for the new one.

She fitted it perfectly, including hoof guards which protected my lower leg perfectly without having the weight of it. It wouldn’t slow me down at all, in fact the armor over all was lighter than my old one, I would be able to move and fly faster.

“One second.” She tightened a strap on my stretched out wing making me grunt a little as a feather or two was pulled out.

“Ow.” She strapped another harder, making me hope she was finished.

“Sorry, your wings are larger than the normal so I had to add extra to the wings, but take off a heavy piece or two, plus those bat wings are weird and stupid.” I stretched out my wings looking at them. I had normal wings this time, those bat wings were more for night flying and kind of like covers, it helped when it was cold, and they didn’t stick to the feathers.

“You know I will have to fly through ice right?”

“Don’t mock me, you could fly through a cloud made of ice and not have any build up at all. Heck you could fly though a volcano and not feel the heat on your feathers. My armor is magic, it’s made for the extreme.”

“That makes me feel better.”

“Fly around a bit and tell me how it feels, if I need to adjust it come back and I will make any that you want.”

“Sweet, thank you again.”

“No problem.” I picked up Shadows old armor and it glowed a little brighter. “Take care.” I walked outside and flew into the air flying back to the castle landing in the court yard. I walked to the dining hall where Princess Luna as eating quietly. Onyx looked at me being the only other pony in the room.

“Princess.” She looked at me and paused. She got out of her chair and came over to me as I set down the armor set. Tears went down her face.

“Where, did you get this?”

“At a blacksmith I found, apparently Shadow left this there and had a request to have it returned to you upon his death.” She sat down staring at it. “I’m sorry if this brings back memories, but I thought you should get it as soon as possible.”

“No, thank you, this means, so much.” She picked it up and we went back to her room, she had me set up a wall plaque with Onyx and we hung the armor on her wall. She shot it with a magic bolt making it so other than when she was in the room, it would be invisible.

“Princess, I still want my leave if that’s alright.” She looked at me.

“Yes, that will be fine.”

“Ah, it’s probably not a great time, but how do you like my armor.” She stared at it for a few moments.

“It’s great.” She said wiping a few tears away.

“I must ask, may I get another guard to stand in for me? Having only Onyx here while I’m gone is, dangerous.”

“Of course.” I walked outside and I heard her start sobbing as the door closed. He room was sound proof, even the loudest of noises couldn’t be heard while in there. At times I was grateful for it, at others, I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Everything alright?” Onyx asked.

“It’s fine, thank you for helping.”

“Great armor by the way.”

“Thanks.” I walked pass him. I went to the guard post and walked inside. I paused seeing the six other night guards playing cards. A fury like no other went through me and I let out a breath. Night duty was boring, and for them which used to be day guards, this was a demotion, not a promotion.

“I told you I am going to win this pot.” An unicorn said smiling.

“Really now.” They all looked at me. “I didn’t realize that being a night guard for Princess Celestia was so boring, that you would forget your duty as guards and slack off.” All of them chuckled.

“Come on Lieutenant, Shining Armor isn’t here, you don’t need to act all high and mighty anymore.” A earth pony said.

“Really now.” An unease went through them when I didn’t play along, making each of them nervous.

“I’m going to fold guys, and um, get back to my post.” The unicorn said setting his cards down and I put my hoof up stopping him.

“No, please play all of your bits, I wouldn’t want to cause you to fight over the pot later on.”

“Um, all in.” He said now even more nervous. A few folded leaving only two as they quickly played out the game, the unicorn won and they all put away their bits.

“Fall in.” They all fell in line in front of me. “First of all, shining armor has been gone for near four months, two months since we’ve not had a caption in Canterlot. Now can anyone tell me what that means?”

“No sir!” They all said.

“I means you’ve gotten lazy, and I’m going to fix that being now the highest military rank in Canterlot!” I shouted at them. “I was promoted this morning to caption!” Fear went through all of them. “ANY PONY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!” I shouted at them and all of them straightened up. “I didn’t think so, now get to your posts!” I grabbed the unicorn before he could run scared.

“Caption?” He asked with a slight tremor.

“Since you were the smartest one, you’re getting promoted, report to Onyx for further command, we cannot have a missing spot in Luna’s guard, she should be at her bed chambers right now, this is your new job, so get used to it.” He nodded running.

I sat down looking at Shadow’s window seat, he used to watch the far side of the mountain in case dragons decided to fly by Canterlot. I got up going outside and flew back to Hammer’s shop. She looked at me as I walked into the shop.

“How’d it go?”

“Great, just I’m going to go get a drink, probably going to pass out for a while, you want to come?”

“Sure.” She came around locking the door behind us leaving

Author's Note:

editing and reuploading chapters

Comments

[Vibrant lies]

Good start I think you meant CAPTAIN not CAPTION tho.