Sitting here on the rooftop was always relaxing to me. I would look up at the night sky and just breathe for a second. These were the only times I could think about how I got to that point. How I was picked up from the street so many years ago to when I was asked to join the guard to when I was then asked to join that group of specific ponies who were...different. It was all passing by me so quickly, but I am able to grasp onto one thought. I look at all the ponies below me, thinking of how all their lives go on like normal. As if my life was ever normal. I can't believe it all started with Princess Luna. Why would she even care about an orphan like me?
It was all back then, when everything was so blurry. It was back in Canterlot where there was always ponies walking around. I would just sit there while all the other locals passed by. I would stare up at the sky everyday, wishing to Celestia that somepony would come and rescue me. Today, the pegasi had finally outdone their past storm. I watched as the wind picked up and the trees' trunks were bending. All I could do was sit in the spacing between those two buildings. The alley was able to keep the wind out, but the rain just poured straight through the emptiness above. These wings kept against my sides. My wet, celestial mane, covering half my face. It was able to keep the water out of my eyes, but it didn't help. I remember sitting right there and crying my little heart out. Every few moments, I could hear a couple of hooves hitting the stone street. I would poke my head out happily thinking that somepony had finally come to help, I was always wrong. They would just run past me heading for their home. I would crawl back into the the alley and sit. It became very late. The storm was beginning to lighten. The wind had died down, but the rain kept falling. I was feeling tired, so very tired. Sliding down against the wall, I fell to the floor. My eyes closing slowly. The rain falling onto my face now began to blur my vision. A white looking bubble stopped in front of me. A dark figure stepped out of it. I could not tell who or what it was, but it came closer. I was too sleepy to even move. I could feel something pick me up. Opening my eyelids, I could finally make out that it was a pony had picked me up. I couldn't see who, but I was just happy that somepony came for me. I felt the warming embrace of a hug and her muffled words being drowned out by the rain. My eyes closed and I was finally able to rest comfortably. My eyes stayed closed, they hurt from the tears dripping down. I was being carried off somewhere. I was scared, but the feeling I had when that pony held me, it was too soft, too gentle for think unkindly of her. The rain had stopped falling on me. It was so sudden, but I couldn't care less about the rain. A soothing aura had engulfed me. No matter what I was thinking, I just felt like sleeping. I tried to open my eyes. The more I did, the heavier they felt. I was only able to partially see where I was. Inside a covered carriage. I saw a face looking down at me, smiling. I was unable to focus as my vision was blurring. But I did see one important thing, the pony that was holding me, was an alicorn.
That was probably my happiest memory, just knowing that at least somepony cared about me in a world where I thought I was alone. It wasn't until later that a few others decided to show up in my life. Even though I have seen many ponies who usually looked upper class, These others did not seem the same. Heh, I still find it funny the many ponies you can meet when your life changes. There are quite a few who can gain a memory, but then there are a rare few who can make a lasting imprint like....what was that noise? Oh, it's just Yoshi being himself. I never understood his love for blowing stuff up.
First meeting him was definitely a day that I cannot forget. It was two years after Princess Luna had taken me with her to Canterlot Palace from the streets. It was also the day after she asked me to join the Royal Guards as Night Guard. First day of training, I was greeted by this unusual character. I only noticed him after he had a explosive problem. It was about three floors up from the training grounds, a large explosion occurred sending him flying out of the window. Acting off of instinct, I flew up and caught him. Dear Celestia was he heavy. Placing my hooves around him, the best I could do was to slow down his fall. There was sweat dripping down my head as my wings flapped faster and faster. Hearing a thud was my signal that we have finally reached solid ground. I fell over onto my back, panting from carrying his weight. I wiped my head from the beads of water and looked over at him. The pegasus was covered in black spots, probably from the explosion. He was also unconscious. My heart began to race as I thought he was dead. It was my first time seeing someone like that too. Closing my eyes, I pictured me not being able to save him in time. From outside my world, I heard somepony screaming with joy. Those few words caught me off guard, leaving me paralyzed. 'That was awesome!' Opening my eyes, I saw the pegasus flying in the air with a large grin spread across his face. How could that be fun? He could have died then. At least I was able to slow his fall. I got up and brushed off all the dirt from my new armor. First day and I already got my armor dirty? And I haven't even started training yet. Looking around at the others who were still practicing in the obstacle course, they payed no attention to what just happened. It was like that was "normal" for them. Sometimes, I swear that everypony I meet is damn near crazy. Taking my first step towards the guards, I heard my ankle crack. It surged with pain so I had to fly to the medical wing to have it checked out. The doctors told me I just fractured it, nothing serious. Somepony made it serious. It just so happened to be, take a guess, Princess Luna. She barged in, looked the doctor straight in the eyes demanding an explanation. Never saw that side of her. She always seemed like the quiet type. Well, right behind her was that pegasus from before. He was no longer smiling. My guess was that the princess had brought him here to apologize. Princess Luna waked around behind the frozen pony. With a small yelp, he was lifted into the air by her magic. She dropped the stallion right in front of me. He landed with a big thud. Considering how much he weighed, I wasn't surprised. His eyes peered up from under his mane. The look they presented was nothing of what I saw before. He looked energetic and maybe a bit psychotic at first. Now, it was a complete change. Those eyes were apologetic and reserved. I looked up from him and towards Luna. She tapped the pegasus on the back which made him jump a bit. Before he could say single word, I already had spoken up. 'You don't have to apologize. I was just trying to help.' A second later, I heard a quiet yelp of glee. Looking at him, he was smiling like he was when I last saw him. 'Then allow me to greet you. I am Yoshi, the demolitions expert of...' Luna placed her hoof on his mouth to stop him from saying anymore. She then tugged his leg a little and the two left as quickly as they came in. Whatever I saw right then, he was definitely the weirdest pony I have ever seen.
If that wasn't enough, he even continued with his 'explosive' personality, literally. Later on with the training however, I got over it. I think he once fell from the fifth story window and was still fine. Sometimes, I just wish he would stop using explosives as his answer to everything. Any moment can get really out of hoof with him. Huh? Oh great, he blew up another building. Ugh, I wish he would be more subtle. He is just one I can't deal with half the times. There was an upside to meeting him though. He introduced me to Fyran. That stallion is one good leader, even if he can be indecisive. Just something about that pony makes me feel calm. He quelled any arguments we had.
If I remember correctly, it was one month after my release from the medical center. I still remember the cold sensation I would get every time I walked in there. Once when I walked in through those blank double doors, and of course, I was greeted by the ever so hyper Yoshi. He started babbling on and on about something, which I tuned out on, and then he mentioned that one of his friends was in the hospital after breaking his hind leg and a rib. Yoshi barged in, luckily, there was no other pony inside, except Fyran of course. I was dragged inside by the eccentric pony who then proceeded to tell me his name. 'Hey, this is Fyran. He is my best friend. Hey Fyran, this is um...what's your name?' A simple face-hoof showed how annoyed I was. "It's alright, I don't need to know who you are. At least you're keeping him company while I'm in here." At least this new pony wasn't as crazy as Yoshi. Since my first intro with Fyran, I have actually been happy to go into the med wing. Somepony who is sane and willing to talk to me. The other guards who I have tried to start conversation with always gave this confused, stern look. Kind of like they were saying 'Get out of here.' I pretty much hate guards for that. Even though I am one, I wouldn't be considered a normal guard. A memory came to mind. It was about me being positioned with, who I recognized after he mentioned it, Fyran to stand outside the front doors to the royal castle. Every so often a ponies or a group would walk in and out. Fyran would always greet them with a smile. Being as how it was my first time, I thought 'Hey, maybe I should always do this. So then on my second post guarding the front door with a different guard, I would greet the guests that would come in. A few moments later, a higher ranking guard heard me greeting the ponies as they entered. He switched me with a unicorn and pulled me off to the side, away from the others. "Listen, the guards are to be always vigilant and sometimes suspicious of every single pony. There is no need or cause for one of us to greet them at all. That is what we have always done." As a lower ranking guard, I know that I should be paying attention, but it is hard to when it is just a lecture on things. I was tuned out so I didn't notice Fyran had come along. "Night, are you listening?" "Hmm? Oh yes sir!" "Don't worry, I'll explain everything to her." The other unicorn gave a quick salute and walked off. "Hey Night, I know this may sound strange coming from me, since I do greet our guests, but you shouldn't be so friendly just yet." "Yes, sir!" "Also, go saying that when you are talking with just me. I get a bit nervous because then I expect that you think I will scold you or give you an order, etc. Listen, when you become high enough in the guard, be free to say what you want. As for now, just stick the old tradition of just staring off somewhere ahead of you." "Um, yes sir." "Go back to guarding the door and don't worry about any "punishment". You were just trying to be friendly and I can understand, here, let's get you back up there."
Boy was that awkward. Having someone I wanted to be like tell me to wait until later. I guess now would be considered later. I miss those days of being told what to do then for the group to receive a lecture on some topic that we had discussed the day before. I tuned out most of them, which gave me time to think of what it would be like to be in that unicorn or pegasus's hooves. Sometimes I would get caught for daydreaming because I wouldn't say 'Yes, sir!' with all the other guards in the line. I would have to either sprint or fly about ten more laps around the course. It was one of the few things that the instructors always complimented me on in their reports. It was easy for me, I have been doing stuff like this since I was small. If I wanted to, or if I could, I could run around all of Canterlot maybe two or three times and still have enough energy to keep running. Flying, well, let's just say I broke the record, a few times. The night sky, always so beautiful, so distracting, so thought consuming. Staring up at it makes me feel like all of my worries have been washed away. "Fyran, have you found the target yet?" "Yea, he is about to walk by with his small entourage of mercs." Why do the usually protect themselves with guards. They need to step up, a lot.
"Thanks Fyran. Hey, I was thinking about the times we spent together, you know, as guards for the royal princesses."
"Yea, I remember most of it. I had to get you out of trouble every time you stopped paying attention to the drill sergeant."
"Never really liked him. Always too pushy. But, I was talking about how we first met."
"Yea, he can be a real lunatic at times, but Yoshi is a great stallion to know. He always has his friends in mind first, then explosives second. I still remember how I got stuck in the hospital, when I was first introduced to you. Yoshi invited to his room for a surprise. Next thing I knew, he was standing in front or me with his legs out. Something must have gone wrong with his so called "surprise" and we ended up falling from the fifth story of the living quarters. I was lucky to only break a leg and a single rib from that."
"I don't know, maybe he did something. Do you hear some screaming?"
"From the street behind us yes."
Of course without a single warning, there was another explosion. "Ugh, he is so clumsy when it comes to sneaking around."
"Hey guys! Sorry about that, I dropped one of my small, harmless ones and it landed in a fruit stand so the only thing that got hurt were fruit. Whatcha talking about up here?"
"Just memories of the three of us."
"Ooo, I love going through memories. I remember when I accidentally had a crossed a couple wires in an explosive when Starry was in my room. I wanted her to see my newest invention. It would have been great, except the fact that it was hard to put together. I wanted it to be done, so I tweaked it a bit so I could skip over a few of the steps that I would have followed, but I was just too excited to do that."
"I know, I had to fly out the window when you first said "Whoops...""
"Hey Starry, they should be walking by soon. Are you ready to do your part?"
"Always am." So the two left. Fyran teleported off somewhere and Yoshi flew off. Again, I am alone on this rooftop. Well, since they already did their part, there is no turning back now. Now where is he? There he is, just turned the corner. Unicorns are always so persistent on fighting back even though they can't. Time to end our operation and then head back to Canterlot for a break from these requests. Three, two, one. The wind, remind me of when I first started flying. So exhilarating. Always before I actually kill them, I always want to ask them a question. "Hehe, do you know why I am here?"
"Get her!"
"Wrong answer, Shadow Ink."
