Son of a Shield

~{ Chapter I }~

The whistle of the train sounded, it awoke me from my slumber. To be honest, it wasn’t the best in the world, steam powered trains will never compare to the ones they had in the old Empire. I groan loudly, no doubt putting off a few fellow passengers. Whether I cared or not, it didn’t really matter.

As I open my eyes I felt the light from the sun hit my white coat and the crimson pendent that hung from my neck, and it sent the light of the sun all around the room with a bloody red hue to it.

“Good morning, we are about to pull into Ponyville, I hope the town is a nice as the Empire.” Sounded the Ticket Maid as she began to walk down the aisle.

“Time to start that new life you were always hoping for, hope it pays off.”

I thought to yourself. Yes, a chance at a new life, one away from the memories and bonds of the past, far away from Sombra. Far away from them...

“Hello sir, do you need any help?” Asked the cheerful voice of the ticket maid.

“No, I’m good” I replied with the tone that would wilt plants.

“Are you sure?” Why does everyone feel the need to help every pony in sight?

“Yes, I’m quite sure. Thank you.” I spat those last words out rather harshly.

The smell and the sound of the platform confirmed the Ticket Maids words, this was far away from the Empire, I couldn’t even fell the spell.

“HI!!”

That sudden burst of sound sent me flying back a few feet and forced me to active a strong shield spell.

“Oh, calm do. My name is Pinkie Pie! What’s yours?!” Questioned the voice, this Pinkie Pie was both loud and upbeat. Two of the things I was told to hate, maybe this is the right town for you.

“Uh, Iron.”

“COOOOOOL! I so so so so so sorry, but I’m needed at Sugarcube Corner, I’ll throw you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party later, bye!”

“By Syt- no, I’m never using that name again.”

You think to yourself, and just as quickly she had come, she was gone. Not surprising, all thing considered. You decided that the town hall was more than likely in the middle of the town, and knowing what every pony talking about helps navigate the place.

You listen carefully to what every pony around you were saying. Learning to sift through voices was a talent that you have used for years.

You finale come to a door step, mostly likely Town Hall, seeing as this is a public place, you simple walked in. BIG mistake.

“AHHHHHHHHH!! AHHH! AHH! Who are you!!?? Get out!!” Yelled a very odd voice. Midway between a Filly and a Mare, an older filly, more than likely in her mid to late teens.

“Woah! Calm down! Is this Town Hall?”

“What? No! This is the Town Library!”

“Wait..... *TOWN** Library? Why am I getting kicked out?!”*

“Excuse me? Do you have any Braille Maps?” I asked, trying my best to keep my cool, if I were in the Empire, I could have her beheaded.

“What’s Braille? Why are you here?”

“Are you bucking kidding me.”

“Dust thou have Braille maps?!”

“Uh, no. What ever they are?”

“Can you please show me to Town Hall?”

“Uh, no. Can’t you go yourself?”

“Never mind.” With that, you left.

“Who ever that was, they were now on my sh- no, you’re not in the Empire anymore.”

The rest of the day was fruitless, every guess was wrong, maybe you should ask for directions? The very thought went against every part of my being.

I decided to walked up to a shop keeper, from the smell of the shop it sold flowers, ranging from Daisy to Orchid.

“Hello, how can I help you?”

“I need to get to Town Hall, can you give me some directions?” I asked with the best cheerful voice I could muster at that moment and time.

“Oh sure!, just walk down this here road, turn left, walk for about five minutes, you’ll come to a four way cross, take the left one, walk for about ten more hooves, and boom you’re there!” Replied the mare with a voice that seemed to mimic that of the one I first met on the platform.

“Why thank you very much.” I

“Uh, you know, we don’t get many stallions around here, and the one who do come around are either too regal or busy with work.”

“Oh Dear Syth- noooo, Celestia, that’s the god of this world.”

“If you ever feel like you need to release some stress. Look me up.”

“That smell, THAT is not flowers, it’s something primal, can’t place my hoof on i- WOAH, okay, calm down, no need to be hung like a horse.”

“I’ll think about it, Miss?”

“Rose Luck, my name is Rose Luck, see you around Brony.”

Surprisingly, Rose Luck was right, I followed her instructions to the letter and now I’m speaking with one Mayor Mare.

“Okay, let me get this straight, you. Iron, would like to buy a, no scratch that, the Blacksmith shop in town, and you would like a second floor added to it for you to live in?”

“Why yes, I would, and from the work I have done, it’s should coast about 7,500 bits. 5,500 for the Shop and 2,000 for the second floor. Do we have a deal?”

“7-7-7-7, 7,500 BITS??? You bet your flank we have a deal, I’ll have a team of work ponies get to work right away.”

“Good, that now leaves me with 2-4-6-8 ah, 10,000 bits. Sweet Sythis that is a lot of bit to spend on steel, and o- wait. *Sythis*, looks like forgetting about the past is going to be harder than I thought.”

It was time to take my leave, but I remembered I needed to do something first. You took the paper in you magical grasp, and burned your family sigil into it.

“Thank you.” Said Mayor Mare as she took the paper away from me and seemingly eyed and then sate back down at her desk.

As you we exiting the Town Hall you were attacked by the same mare who you met at the station. Except this time you kinda knew it was coming. After all, she did say something about seeing me again, right?

“Hey you, I setup the party and everything is ready to go! All it needs is the pony it’s for!” Yelled you mare with pure joy in her voice.

“Yeah, sorry. Can’t, I’n not that much of social pony.”

“Aww! Why not?” Asked the mare she started, along with what sounded like sniffling.

“I just don’t like parties, hey enjoy it in my honor.” You place you hoof on her should as you said this. This seemed to make her feel a little bit better.

“Okay, but next time you NEED to come!”

“Okay, fine, I, Iron Shield of the Shield Clan, promise to Pinkie Pie that I shall attend her next party.” As I said this I went through the age old steps of the vow.

“I thought that you were trying to forget about you past?” Asked the mare as she wiped a small tear from her eye.

“I a- Wait. How did you know that?”

“I know alot of things, even things I shouldn’t know, anywho. Bye!” And with that the mare was gone.

“Okay, that was weird. Great work Iron, you just made an Iron vow. Now you need to attend that party.”

The sounds of shouts and the tale tale sound of wood and hammers hitting each other filled my ears. Looks like construction was already underway. Strange, I only talked to the Mayor only a few minutes ago.

“Hey, you! Are you Iron?” Asked the rough voice of a stallion. From the sound of the voice, the stallion was in his late forties.

“Yes, that’s me, what do you need?”

“We’re almost done, just need to give the all clear.”

“REALLY?!?! I’ve only just talked to the Mayor!”

“We are the finest workers in Equestria! We always deliver! That and with that Mail-mare Ditzy, we need to be fast and effective.” Replied the worker as he turned to face his teams handy work.

“I don’t even. When can i move in?”

“In a few minutes, also you received a nice bed from the Mayor’s Office as a token of friendship.”

“A token of what now?”

“A Token of Friendship. Basically it’s a favor you don’t need to repay.”

“Really? That’s nice of her.”

“I wasn’t her decision, it’s the Board’s.”

“The Board?”

“Yeah, the very same that didn’t want a Guard Barracks built to protect the town.”

“Shifty! We’re done!” Yelled a young voice of a colt, or stallion. I couldn’t tell.

“Good! Well Iron, we’re done. All you need to do is buy some grub and settle in. We’ll take out leave.” Said the stallion as he turned and walked away from you new home and work space. No time like the present to start a new life.