It was hot. Really fucking hot.
The sun beat down heavily on the two guards stationed in Ponyville Park. Life here was dull, usually any crimes reported were hooligans trying something stupid or the accidental vandalism caused by the three school fillies trying to get their cutie marks. Sword resisted the urge to wipe the sweat from his brow as he wished for something to allow them to move from their post.
"Psst, hey Shield Brand... " He whispered to his partner.
"What?" the stallion whispered back.
"Ya ever wonder why we're here?"
"It’s one of life’s great mysteries isn't it? Why are we here? I mean, are we the product of some cosmic coincidence, or is there really a God watching everything? You know, with a plan for us and stuff. I don’t know, man, but it keeps me up at night." Shield whispered philosophically.
"...what? I mean why are we here, in Ponyville!" Sword whispered. Shields eyes widened a bit at that. "What was all that stuff about god?"
"Nothing..." the gruff stallion answered back.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"No...no..." An awkward silence filled the air between the two.
"Seriously why are we here? I mean as far as I can tell this is just some little town in the middle of no where." His partner just let out a small 'mmhmm'. "I mean the only reason I can tell we set up guards over here, is because there are monsters over there, which only come out, because there are ponies over here!"
"That's because we fight each other." His partner responded dully.
"Yeah, but if we left today, they would have a forest and an empty town. Whoopdee-fucking-do!"
"What's up with that? I signed up to fight changelings. Next thing I know Shining Armor blows up the whole damn changeling armada and I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere yelling at a bunch of kids about the fountain." Shield shifted his head slightly to look at his friend.
As Sword was about to respond a blood curdling scream was let out from nearby. They smiled to each other and ran toward the source of the screaming. When they arrived they saw a small group of stallions ransacking what looked like a family outing. An orange mare, a pink mare, a cream colored filly, and a old green mare were watching as a red stallion tried to fend them off, till they drew daggers.
"STOP CRIMINAL SCUM! YOU'VE VIOLATED THE LAW!" Shield yelled at the attackers as they were about to slash the large stallion who was holding one by the neck. The gang turned their attention from the stallion to the guards.
The thugs smirked and rushed the guards, who in turn smirked at the thugs. As the first stallion came at Sword he brought his leg to groin level. Stumbling over holding his nethers the stallion didn't see the guards armored fist coming toward his head.
The force of the blow sent him backward into the stallion attacking Shield, slashing vigorously at the air a front the guard. The sudden impact of the falling stallion knocks the thug toward Shield, who grabbed the stallion and performed an overhead flipping leg hook belly to back suplex on him.
Sword saw his partner falling with the stallion and decided to use it to his advantage. He pushed the stallion he was currently fighting over the back of his companion who was just starting to get up. Shield saw the stallion laying on the ground and deftly delivered a punch to the stallions gut, causing the stallion to double over in pain.
Sword helped shield off the ground in just in time, as more attackers ran toward them from down the path. "It appears this really is a family outing!" Sword yelled before pulling his long sword.
The attackers for the most part wielded only short swords, with a long sword mixed in to the bunch. When the first swipe came for Sword he did a downward facing block, using the momentum from the strike to land a blow on the attacker. The stunned stallion regained his senses just in time for Sword to redirect the tip of his sword from downward to upward and bring his sword blade down into the stallions neck.
Shield was having a rougher time, as three stallions charged him at once, he rolled to the left where he had discarded his scutum during the brawl. Grabbing it he brought it around just in time to block a downward strike from one of the chargers. As the attacker recoiled from the block, Shield brought his sword up and stabbed it through the thugs unarmored stomach.
Jumping up he joined Sword fighting another one of the bandits. Bringing his shield up he mashed the stallions side hard and forced him into an oncoming slash from Sword, the all together impact forcing the sword through the stallions neck, separating his head form his shoulders.
Back to back the duo fought the large group of stallions, joined now by the earlier group who'd awoken. Just when they thought they were about to run off the thugs, Sword blocked a strike from an attacking stallion, who pulled a dagger and stabbed into his ribs from the small gap in armor on his right.
Sword fell clutching the wound and screaming in pain. Shield turned and upon seeing his partner fall, stabbed the stallion through his chest. A stallion grabbed him from behind and held his arms to his side.
Shield saw a stallion with a sickly looking dagger walking toward him. Just as he got in arms reach Shield kicked off of him and rolled to land. Springing from the roll he leaped to stab the downed attacker with his boot knife. Mid air he felt a blinding white light envelop him.
When he regained his vision he saw a tall unicorn mare walking toward him with a lavender coat and dark purple hair with pink high lights. As she approached she spread her wings and looked over the battlefield with a worried expression. "oh dear... this is bad." She said to herself before noticing Shield. "You! Guard! Help me with the wounded!" The princess declared. He nodded before quickly jumping up and grabbing Sword, slinging him over his shoulder. Grabbing another one of the bandits he nodded to the princess who had many of the bandits in her magic.
Shield glanced at his wounded friend... he'd never believe this.
