Chapter 1. Defender
Defender
By dartmaul15
The proud earth pony stallion stood on the ridge, sun behind him overlooking the small settlement down below. It looked calm and peaceful, almost serene, as it basked in the warm embrace of Celestia’s mighty rising sun; much unlike how it did two years ago during what had come to be known as the first Great War. You could still see the scars from the war here and there; A tree blown to smithereens, a burnt down ruin, an overgrown crater, the occasional trench that hadn’t been flattened yet to make room for orchards. They all told a tale on their own. A tale of war, suffering and chaos. A tale which aftershock could still be felt almost all over Equestria.
Ponies had lost their homes, their dreams and their loved ones. Some had even seen them die in front of their eyes, yet it wasn’t therefore he was here. He was here to bring peace yet again, to be the beacon of hope the settlers needed. He was here as a defender.
He was one of the few, one of the few tasked with being the silent guardians of Equestria. Nopony knew who they were, and nopony knew where they were, most ponies didn’t even know of their existence. Yet they had been wandering Equestria since long before Nightmare Moon. Hoof picked by the royal sisters themselves, neither because of military training nor famous reputation, but because of their skills and abilities. The skills and abilities needed to both bee a vicious warrior, a fair judge and a wise advisor. The skills his father had seen in him, and later also the royal sisters, the skills that had made him what he was now; a defender.
His father. The pony in the world that meant most to him, yet also the pony he never got to really meet. His father had left them when he was barely two years of age, while mom was carrying Applejack. They all thought he had run away from them. He had thought so too all the time until the day Twilight Sparkle’s older brother, and captain of the guard, had shown up on their doorstep carrying a small letter with only seven florid words written on the front.
To my son, Big Macintosh.
Your father.
* * *
It was in the middle of the applebucking season, on an unusually hot day. It was like the sun itself was trying to scorch the very land. The grass was turning brown and burnt under the tormenting of the sun, yet it was under these conditions they had been working all day, or at least he had. The last couple of trees had been bucked alone without, the familiar thump from applejack bucking a tree nearby followed by the rumbling of falling apples.
Applejack had been brought back to the barn three hours or so ago with heatstroke. She had of course quickened again when she got in the shadow and coolness of the barn, which caused her to immediately insist that she needed to keep working. That she barely managing to stand upright, even more trot or walk properly, didn’t seem to strafe her mind. No, she needed to work; she needed to get them apples bucked.
She hadn’t even gotten as far as past the first row of apple trees before she had collapsed a second time, luckily taking the hint this time.
Mac threw the last basket of apples onto his back, and turned his attention towards the path ahead of him. It was a short trek, but the intense heat had taken its toll on him. ‘Hoof before hoof’, the words he constantly repeated in his head as he took one wobbly step after another. It was normally an easy and quick task that now felt like an eternity. Yet the eternity had to come to an end, an end right in front of the barn. A barn filled with soft hay, a barrel of water and most importantly shadow. Lots of it, exactly where Mac wanted it; right where he had planned to spend the few hours left of the day, sleeping.
What greeted him at the barn wasn’t only the cooling shadow, a barrel of crystal clear water, and the soft hay, but also a white unicorn stallion in royal armor. The very same armor known to be made of the finest steel hammered not only to provide protection but also look good on the same time, then covered with a thin layer of the purest gold in all of Equestria. The armor was at last finished with the iconic purple only worn by the captain of the royal guard. Making one took almost three months, and each of them was worth more than what an average pony earned in fifteen years. There was only one pony to own one at any given time, and that honor belonged to Twilight’s brother, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s husband, and his good friend, Shining Armor.
The both shared a mutual respect for each other, as well as a strong friendship. The how’s and why’s it had become like that weren’t clear to them, but a friendly round of hoof wrestling could have had something to do with it.
It ended with a draw…
After 30 minutes…
And 7 hours...
It was the first time ever either of them had gotten a serious competitor in hoof wrestling, and instead of starting a hoof-fight, they had settled as even and walked off for a cold beer at the local pub. It turned out they had a lot in common. Neither of them liked the posh upper class, and both of them were hard workers. But most importantly; they were stallions with all its traits intact, if not amplified.
This was however not the off-duty version of Shining armor. This was a shining armor dressed in full armor, and a stern look on his face. No, he was here in business.
“Howdy Shining. How’s t goin?” Big Mac’s voice drew a reaction from the white guardspony very similarly to Celestia seconds after a successful cake-raid at the royal kitchen. He was, to put it simple, really happy and more than a little relieved.
“Ah, there you are Mac. When your sister told me you were out bucking apples, I feared I had to hunt you down in the acres.”
“Eenope.”
“Eenope? You mean that there is a way to find you down there? It’s bigger than the royal labyrinth!” Big Mac’s reply had exactly the desired effect, leaving the white stallion standing there looking wide-eyed at the acres with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
“Eeyup”
The captain of the guard suddenly remembered all the occasions he had been searching thoroughly through most parts of the acres only to discover that Mac had been about 100 meters away from the barn in the only part he hadn’t searched yet. “Aw come on Mac, tell me how!”
“…Eenope”
To this Shining Armor quickly replied, “Come on. You know how hard it is to find somepony down there,” drawing a frisky yet mysterious grin from the red stallion.
“Aw shoots, ah just can’t keep mah face serious. Ye’r right. All ya need to do is to look for the edges between bucked and not bucked apple trees, and start walkin. Listenin for the thumps from da applebuckin also helps ya.”
Shining armor’s eyes widened as the dreaded realization appeared to him. It was all just common sense, and something he should have thought of as a guard. “It’s really that simple?”
The only reply from Big Mac was his signature “Eeyup” followed by a quick snickering.
“Anyway, I was supposed to bring you this letter. It was left in Celestia’s custody by your father long ago, or so she told me. I have no idea what’s written in it, nor do I understand why she would send me in person to deliver it.”
A flick with the horn later, and the letter floated in the light rose aura of shining’s magic before landing in the hooves of the red farmpony. The parchment wasn’t held closed by a sigil as was the tradition for royal documents. Instead a simple red ribbon with the traditional Apple family sigil, shaped like an apple, attached to the end held it shut. Nor did the parchment hold any clue of its content apart from seven letters stating who it was from, and for whom it was written.
To my son, Big Macintosh.
Your father.
Mac’s heart started to pound violently, and seemingly uncontrolled as the farmpony recognized the distinct hoof writing he had seen so many times in the letters left by his father.
The scroll was unfolded with trembling hooves revealing its content; 12 florid lines hoofwritten by his father.
The memories of that faithful day that started his new life were fresh in mind as Mac ventured downwards towards the small settlement. The path down was hastily made, most likely as a temporary solution after the war, and bore clear marks from such. The road was made from trampled ground, and not stone as per usual on all major equestrian roads. It was thrown together, and was only tolerably constructed; much like his own life and mind had been after Shining Armor had given him the letter.
The first question it had brought to his mind had been about his father. The father he never got to meet.
He had been known as a loving stallion with a real heart of gold. If there was any reason to forgive or lend somepony a hoof, he would not only discover the reason but also make use of it. He had, despite this, been known as a strict pony, punishing mistakes or shenanigans if it was deemed necessary. That creamy stallion with red hair was a perfect example of an Apple, or so it had seemed.
One summer day, quite similar to any day in the season, he had suddenly disappeared without a trace. The only belongings he had brought with him were a small sum of money, the wedding bracelet and a picture of him and his wife. Everything else was left behind, even his signature Stetson.
He had instantly been made a scapegoat, a black sheep, in the family. Mac himself had luckily been young enough to not hear the rumors until years later, but there had been whisperings about him leaving them because he had gotten tired of the marriage. Somepony even said he had left his wife for another mare.
Then the letter arrived, using 9 lines to make him question everything he knew about his father; everything they had told about him. The letter had not only pictured his father as a defender; a protector of the weak and helpless ones, but also called him to the same destiny; A destiny of a life on the move all over Equestria helping those who needed it.
That day he found himself dragged between two lives; to continue his life as an average farmpony at the Sweet Apple Acres, or to follow in his father’s hoof steps.
That letter had given a totally different view of his father. He had been what he called a defender. He had, at first, not understood it. Later, after taking the oath, it had all become clear to him.
Mac quickened his pace to a rapid trot, in order to reach the town as fast as possible, and hopefully get a bit of food before all hell would break loose.
The detail of the landscape blurred past him as his mind drifted back to the day he had taken the oath.
* * *
Deep in his heart he knew what was going on. He had known since he had headed to canterlott castle with Shining Armor, and he had known it ever since the royal sisters, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, had welcomed him in person at the courtyard.
He had heard about their disregarding for formalities unless strictly needed, but he had never expected them to treat him like an equal. They had even exchanged idle talk as they walked through the castle towards a destination unbeknown to him. He could only hope that his assumption was right, that they were leading him towards something involving his duty as a soon-to-be defender. He hated to admit it, but he was more than a little nervous while trotting there between the royal sisters heading deep into a part of canterlott castle he had never been in, let alone knew even existed.
Turn after turn was made as they ventured deeper and deeper into the castle, continuously putting an increasing distance between them and the rest of the castle. The crimson stallion had long lost any sense of time as he continuous pursuit into the seemingly endless hallways went on.
* * *
A small chuckle escaped from his lips as he recalled the events that followed. It had of course been nothing but a test by the royal sisters. A test designed to test his faith in them. It was simple actually. They had been walking in circles for several hours, and he hadn’t doubted them a second. They had eventually arrived at their destination; a large wooden door, simple yet magnificent.
Despite this, the best had still been ahead of him. ‘Ah, that day,’ he thought as he let his mind wander again.
* * *
The large wooden door slid up as the magic glow from two alicorns illuminated the room. The sight wouldn’t have been spectacular if it hadn’t been for the door itself. Hinges forged form the strongest of steel, wooden boards riveted together with iron rivets blacker than the void itself, and the wood itself; it never seemed to rot, despite being thousands of years old. The door was oozing with ancient and powerful magic designed for one purpose; to keep the door shut for anypony else than Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.
Three ponies, two alicorn and one earth pony, stepped through the door and into the unknown beyond revealing a small yet large room best described as intimidating. Large parts of the walls were decorated with photos or paintings of ponies, and bellow each picture were a weapon rack holding a sword and a shield bearing the crest of its owner. He managed to identify a few, among them Starswirl the bearded.
His heart practically skipped a beat as his eyes landed on the paintings of two familiar ponies. His grandfather, Pokey Oaks, and his father. Both of the pictures portrayed two proud ponies kneeling with their blade in front of them. There was something about their face, something he couldn’t quite put his hoof on. They looked… hardened.
‘His own grandfather and his father! here? But how?’ Looking even further down revealed yet another familiar face among the pictures, Happy trails. ‘What? We were always told they abandoned the Apple family.’
What, despite the magnificent sight of his family among the hundredfold of other heroes, caught his eye was the stallion shaped mannequin equipped with a saddlebag, a large gold trimmed shield bearing his own crest, his signature apple, and finally a large double edged blade featuring a hilt covered with the purest gold.
His gaze on the magnificent equipment was quickly cut short by the royal Canterlot voice booming across the room and leaving an echo hanging for several seconds
“Thou know why we have summoned you?”
The stallion turned towards the princesses replying with a simple yet fitting “yep” signaling that he knew very well why he was here. He was to take the defenders oath, to take up arms for Equestria in order to defend it from all kinds of danger, and follow in his father’s hoofsteps as a defender.
“Step forth, Big Macintosh Apple and take your oath as a defender!” Hearing the royal Canterlot voice used by one of the queens was amazing; hearing it from both of them in unison was stunning. Their voice filled each other perfectly further enhancing both the volume and the power in the voice.
Big Macintosh stepped forth towards the two princesses now standing right in front of the mannequin that had caught his eyes mere minutes earlier.
Looking up on the princesses revealed two the alicorn, seemingly just as proud as the first time he had managed to buck apples properly. Looking even closer he could see several traces of seriousness, traces that grew bigger for every split second. He wasn’t the one to use big words, but even he would say that the seriousness was hanging in the air as Celestia started to speak.
“Bow before us, and receive your appointment as a defender,” the royal sister both said in unison. It wasn’t a demanding voice, nor was it the voice of a ruler. It bore the tone of a request between equals.
Mac gently lowered his head into a bow, still in having the same old respect for the two royals in front of him. Not because they held power capable of killing him, but because of their wisdom, and experience.
The aura of Celestia’s magic enveloped the blade next to the mannequin, and removed it from its sheathe. It then gently hovered towards the big, red stallion.
A shiver went through his spine as the blade was lowered onto his shoulders, resting on them. A few seconds later the blade lifted from his shoulder, and hovered right above him before repeating the process on the other shoulder. Despite being prepared for it, another shiver ran through his spine and all the way to the tip of his hooves when the blade touched his right shoulder and back.
The aura surrounding the sword glowed with newfound energy as it rose from his back, and was placed in an upright position, with the edge down, In front of him. The blade was practically shining as it stood, taking Mac’s attention completely away from the princesses.
“Arise defender Big Macintosh Apple, and claim what is given to you. May it serve you well in all your endeavors”.
‘The blade in front of him, the words by the princesses…’ the advices from Shining finally made sense. He firmly placed his right hoof on the blade, placing most of the weight over it, before bowing his head even deeper for the princesses.
A simple nod from Celestia was all that was needed to tell him he was doing it perfectly.
“And now it’s time to undertake the oath. Repeat after me”. The royal voice sounded calm, yet tense as she spoke. It was like she had done this hundreds, even thousands, of times before, yet she was still as tense as if it was the first time.
“I, Big Macintosh Apple hereby take The Defenders oath…”
And so he repeated what Celestia said, down to every single detail. “I, Big Macintosh Apple hereby take The Defenders oath…”
Luna then continued with the second part of the oath “…and swear to live by the codes of The Defenders,…”, before it was repeated honorably by Big Macintosh.
“…and swear to live by the codes of The Defenders…”
Celestia then continued the pattern by reciting the third part “…to put the needs of others before my own, to defend the citizens of Equestria with my own life,…”
“…to put the needs of others before my own, to defend the citizens of Equestria with my own life,…”
The volume of their voices built up for each change in their pattern, sending echoes throughout the room before finally reaching dangerously close to royal Canterlot levels as Luna started on the final part of the oath.“...to help the helpless ones, who all look up to you.”
“...to help the helpless ones, who all look up to you.”
Every single item in the room resonated under the sheer volume and power of Celestia’s voice as she spoke the last line in the oath, of course using the traditional royal Canterlot voice. “And to defend them to the end.”
Big Macintosh raised his head, and looked the princesses directly into the eyes as he repeated the last sentence. “And to defend them to the end.”
A feeling of warmth spread through him as he uttered the last words, knowing it marked the forsaking of his life as a farmpony and the beginning of a new life. A life with only his mind, his blade and his shield to trust, and only the wellbeing of Equestria in mind. The words marked the beginning of a new life as a defender.
* * *
The inn he was going to stay at drew closer as he mentally returned to current time. The memories clear in mind kickstarted a chain of thought he had taken one time to many. A search for answers he didn’t have; why in Equestria he did it.
The only thing he knew was that deep within him there had been a grinding sentiment for his entire life; a sentiment constantly challenging him to wander the world, trying to push him away from the farm.
Keeping it in check hadn’t been any problem earlier. Hard work in the orchards, a bit of excising and the occasional trouble in ponyville had taken care of it. Yet despite this, it had still lingered within him, only suppressed.
The letter from his father had changed all that. It had brought back the need to wander, now with a greater force than ever. Working had been almost impossible, as his eyes and mind constantly wandered towards the great mountains surrounding Ponyville, and sometimes even towards the great beyond that lay behind them. His longing to explore only grew stronger every day, further enhanced by his desire to discover the true legacy of his father. In the end, it reached the point of which it was impossible to ignore. Yet he knew it would be to chase nothingness.
Chasing nothingness: to venture out in pursuit of a goal unbeknown to the chaser, usually without any clue of where to search, what to search for, and in some cases also chasing a goal that doesn’t exist.
Yet it was exactly this he had done; Chased the nothingness that was his father. Mac hated to admit it, but it was among what tipped the scales. That he got the chance to head out in the world and discover what his father really was, why he left and possibly even restore his legacy.
This was how his journey had begun, but not how it would end. His journey had gotten a new purpose the moment he took the defenders oath. It had answered all he knew about his father, and challenged him to walk in his fathers’ hoof steps. His purpose of life lay within the defenders oath; to be the silent guardian for those ignored, and fight for all of Equestria.
His mind returned to this plane again as his journey came to a halt outside the Frisky Feather inn. It was, despite its name, known for being a nice place. The owner, Frisky Feather, a pegasi from the outskirts of Fillydelfia was known among all the defenders for her hospitality.
He really liked to stay here when he was in the area. The food was good and. the beds were comfortable and free of fleas. It was furthermore quiet to be an inn, mostly because its residents consisted of locals wishing to chat with travelers and catch up on the latest news from Equestria, wayfarers like himself in need of a cold beer, a good meal and a bed and the occasional guard on patrol duty in the outskirts of Equestria.
He stretched his hoof forwards, and applied pressure to the door knob, making the door swing open with a gentle squeak from its wooden frame. An aroma of hay soup, baked potatoes, and other treats hit him instantly. But among them there were one that stood out to the pony. The unmistakable smell of Frisky Feather’s baked apples, and his personal favorite.
‘Ah might as well get me some food, and sleep before the marauders show up.’ The large stallion trotted over to the bar and ordered the usual, one plate of baked apples and a mug of apple cider, before walking down to his usual table allowing him to have a full view of the bar.
His fur brushed gently against the wall as he leaned backwards, his head resting against the wall. He still had a bunch of marauders to deal with, unicorn marauders to be precise. He hated unicorns when they were bad guys, always so haughty with their horn and fancy magic. Yet he intended to prove them wrong. He let out a satisfied sigh as a familiar Pegasus arrived with his food.
‘This was going to be a long day’.
