Crimson Fist

Crimson gave a soft smile and then he and Twilight left for their penultimate visit, to the Carousal Boutique. Twilight went first through the door and caused the bell to ring meanwhile Crimson had to duck down a little in order to get in. The main storefront was empty besides Sweetie Belle who was practicing singing arias for an upcoming competition behind a curtain. Crimson intrigued by the singing made his way over to the curtain meanwhile Twilight trotted over to Rarity’s inspiration room and knocked on the door.

A voice came from the room, “hold on a minute dear, I will be with you in a second.” True to her word Rarity appeared in a few seconds and spoke with a start, “oh Twilight to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, perhaps you are looking for a new coronation dress, your current one is just too much like Cadence, you need a more silver and gold approach. I do have several designs ready.”
Twilight, slightly perturbed, reassured Rarity. “No I don’t need a new coronation dress, I am just running around with my personal guard because he wanted to get to know my closest friends.”

Rarity perked up, “A royal guard, huh. Are you sure he doesn’t want to get to know you better, I bet he’s a catch.”

Twilight was astonished “Rarity, that’s not very lady-like, I never expected that kind of talk from you.”

Rarity smiled “I was only teasing, now where is he? I’d love to meet the stallion chosen to protect our dear princess.” Almost if it was timed to answer her question, the singing from the curtain erupted into a glorious duet and ended in a tremendous crescendo. Rarity rushed to the curtain and pushed it back and started blindly berating Sweetie Belle. “Is there a colt in there? You know what I have told you about that sort of activity, I will not allow you to bring in colts to fraternize…” Rarity stopped dead when she opened her eyes to see Crimson holding Sweetie aloft and she retreated a half step overwhelmed with fear and…something else. When the moment based Rarity adopted a quieter tone “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to insult a royal guard like that. I’m so ashamed, this is the worst possible thing.”

Crimson set Sweetie down and addressed Rarity in a sophisticated tone. “Rarity, it’s okay. I’m technically not even a royal guard. Nevertheless apology accepted, you can get up, it’s unbecoming of one with such skill and prestige. If you have time, I’d like to talk to over tea.”

Rarity was shocked by his compassion and was speechless for a second. “Yes of course I would love to host tea with you.”
Crimson removed his duster and set it upon a mannequin. “Twilight, I might be a while and I still need to talk with Rainbow if you could tell Pinkie to prep your hot air balloon I would be most grateful.” Twilight, not wanting to hear any of Rarity’s dress suggestions, was quick to agree.

When Rarity come out of the kitchen to call Crimson for tea she gasped in awe, “your Crimson Fist of the Royal Guards, you must be, I would remember such dazzling armor. I can’t imagine why Celestia believes Twilight to be in such danger, unless of course some ancient evil comes again.”

Crimson sat down for tea before asking his question, he was puzzled by her knowledge of his armor, “you’ve seen this armor, where?”
“Oh when Luna had recovered most of her power and had an influx of guard applications for her, Celestia decided to try and redesign their armor. I was asked on my opinions and so I had to get a baseline of all the armors used and I saw yours in particular which I loved beyond belief, but I realized its uniqueness and decided against it. I did however choose the perfect color for their armor. And now for my question, how did you learn to sing like that, Sweetie has been looking for a duet partner for a while.”

Crimson laid back in his chair, “A close friend mine was a fantastic singer and I learned to honor her memory.”

Rarity’s face deepened, “I’m sorry, if you don’t mind me asking what happened to her?”

“…She was killed, I brought her defilers to justice and have been carrying on her legacy since.”

“Oh my...I'm sorry…If it’s any consolation, I believe you do her legacy justice.”

“That’s very kind, but enough about the past, I want to give you this,” Crimson removed a small golden needle from his pocket and placed it on the table, “it’s a magically activated sewing needle that will bind to thread on command and let go on command as well. I hope it’s enough to garner your good favor, because I need to know how you reinforce your dresses.”

Rarity broke into a smile, “that’s so kind. Yes, I will happily give you some of my blueprints, is there anything else?”

“Yes, if you can I need you to meet us at the castle this evening.” Crimson finished his tea gave a polite good-bye hug and found his way to the hot air balloon launch pad.

At the pad was Pinkie riding on her hover board-the gift left by Crimson-and Twilight was laying down reading a book on combat techniques. Crimson greeted Twilight as he approached “I see Pinkie is enjoying her gift and I see you are prepping for your journey.”
Twilight smiled up at him, “of course, what else would I do? Are you ready to go up, I’ll need to cast the pegasus feet spell on you.”
Crimson shook his head “I’m ready to go, but I don’t need you to cast the spell. My armor has a cloud walker enchantment, I’ll be fine.”
Twilight was surprised, but didn’t ask further, “let us go I’m sure Rainbow is anxious to see me.” Crimson and Twilight boarded the basket and released the ground ties. The balloon began its ascent. After the balloon had cleared the town hall Twilight turned to Crimson her face creased in thought, “Crimson throughout today you have changed your voice several times and what is with the gifts and the challenges? Looking for a friend?”

Crimson broke out laughing, “No, I can’t be my royal self around them they’ll be hostile towards me because they can’t trust me. The last time they trusted a stranger unrelated to you from Canterlot it turned out to be a changeling and if a changeling was on the right hand of their best friend and they didn’t do anything about it they wouldn’t forgive themselves. The gifts are for fun, I read up on everyone and decided to do something nice for them that’s all.”

“Wow, you’re quite the strategist I had forgotten about the changelings.” The rest of the balloon ride was spent in quiet contemplation, but soon the balloon broke free of the cloud layer. They disembarked and made the rest of the short journey on hoof. When they arrived they didn’t see any sign of Rainbow Dash who was hiding in a nearby cloud. Twilight began calling out for Rainbow when a cerulean blur tackled her and pinned her to the ground.

“You always have to be aware when you’re flying so I want no excuses on why you could see me coming” Rainbow’s straight face gave way under an invading smile and she broke into laughter. “You should have seen your face, you were all worried. And when I tackled you, you gave out the cutest little squeal.” Twilight gave her a grumpy look which went away when Rainbow gave her a peck on the cheek. “Anyway what brings you up into my domain, wanting to lose in a race?”

Crimson spoke before Twilight could respond, “well I don’t know about you but I came here to win. I’m Crimson Fist, Twilight’s royal guard.
Rainbow laughed, “are you serious you don’t have any wings what do you plan to do beat me in a losing competition…oh wait your serious okay, be my guest you choose were to go.”

“We do a lap around the Wonderbolts obstacle course and then we end on the ground at Twilight’s castle, any objections?”

“Seems fine to me.”

“Twilight, if you would do the honors.”

Twilight was jolted from her puzzlement, “Yes, uh 3…2…1…Go!” Twilight starting making her way home.
Rainbow began to ascend with mind-blowing speed and once she reached optimal height started to accelerate towards the first hoop. Before she got there she thought she saw Crimson jump from clouds and through the hoop. Surprised and angry Rainbow pushed herself harder making her blur even more indistinct. She looked down and saw Crimson run across the clouds at impossible speed and make leaps a maximum of fifty feet and land in a roll unhindered. Rainbow and Crimson left the obstacle course neck and neck and began their journey through the heavy cloud cover around Ponyville. Rainbow blew through the cloud layer like a fighter jet, her contrail leaving a bright rainbow behind. Her wings strained and she kept pushing herself, but it was all for not as she constantly caught glimpses of Crimson as he jumped from cloud to cloud and ran with ungodly speed over the clouds. Rainbow took advantage of flight and began using up and down drafts to increase her speed. Again they were neck in neck on the final stretch, a straight down fall to Twilight’s doorstep. Rainbow smirked, since she knew that he would be limited by gravity and he needed a parachute to not die. She didn’t. She slowed to make the ninety degree turn and saw Crimson jump from a cloud and jump head first with his arms flayed beside him toward the ground. She quickly followed expecting to easily pass him but to her surprise he was running down on the air and going faster than he should have been, fast enough to break the speed of sound. He quickly outpaced her and when he reached the ground he slid a few feet and brought his hooves up and Rainbow felt a wave of pressure pass by her. It was now she realized she had descended too far to make a safe stop and she was going to hit the ground…hard. Her body froze she was too panicked to do anything. As she approached the ground Crimson got underneath her and in a fluid motion he cradle her and flung himself with her to the side to drain the excess speed. They bounced in increasing short intervals, Crimson’s armor holding firm under the intense strain. They came to a complete stop a long way from the castle, Crimson had taken all the force and was cradling Rainbow in his forelegs. Rainbow was still paralyzed with fear and surprise her eyes were glazed, while Crimson was winded from the force to his back. Rainbow’s vision soon cleared and she escaped Crimson’s grasp, who quickly righted himself and wiped himself off.

Rainbow was the first to respond, her voice started shaky but soon gathered strength as she remembered who she was. “You saved me I’m…I don’t know what to say. I mean…How did you do that? That was impossible…wait that isn’t right oh I got it. You just caught me an off day…but you’re pretty good.”

Crimson smiled at Rainbow’s pride, “Don’t worry I didn’t just save your life, or just beat you in a sky race, you won handily for all I care. Anyway let’s get to Twilight’s the others will be waiting for us.”

“The others, you mean Twilight and the gang, what…what’s this?” Crimson handed her a series of packages each of varying size.

“They're gifts, you open them. Remember.”

“Of course, I know that,” Rainbow stuck her tongue at him. Since opened one of the packages and found a first edition Daring Do: QftSS. “Oh my god how did you get this? There is only one in existence! You know what, I don’t care how you got it. What’s in the next one?” Dash
quickly tore open the next package to reveal a pair of metallic wings connected with a motor. “What’s this?”

“That’s for Scootaloo, it’s one of my own design it is meant to augment a pegasus’ wings in the case of inadequacy or injury. Now open the last one it’s for you.”

Rainbow did not have to be told and she pulled out two larger-than-ear sized objects that looked like wings attached to circles.

Crimson prepared for Rainbow’s question cut her short. “Those are special devices that go over the ear, they increase hear ability, flying awareness during white outs, and they extend out into a mask that makes you unbelievably aerodynamic.”
Rainbow went wide eyed and placed them around her ears and Crimson pushed the center of one of the circles and a magical barrier constructed itself around Rainbow’s head, turning it into a sleek surface. “This is so awesome, it measures things like wing-speed and location, wow.” Crimson pushed the button again and the helmet slowly dismantled itself.