Prolouge

In the long winding halls of Canterlot a unicorn stallion his coat matt black and his horn shining to perfection as he trotted along. His mane was a perfect deep orange like a sunset and was closely cropped. Despite his confident look his usually serious steel gray eyes gave away the fact he was extremely stressed and frustrated. This particular pony was named Quill Edge and he was not in the best of moods. He strode nervously, pacing his way towards the guards barracks. Today was his first day as a royal guard and it was exactly what he thought it was when he was training. There were hundreds of majestic soldiers clad in gleaming golden armour. All races and creeds had joined these fabled ranks and Quill was glad to serve among them to protect Equestria.

However only minutes into the job and he was already chasing down rouges. His partner in crime or partner in crime prevention as a better idiom was missing from the ceremony where both princesses officially decree them royal guards! He had noticed he wasn’t alongside him when the bell to get up rang throughout the whole barracks. Now he was forced to trek along winding corridors to find him.

“Honestly Jackle when I find your ass you better have a good excuse” Quill muttered. He increased his pace and soon ended up just outside of his teammates door. He shoved in the spare key Jackle had given him into the door and began to twist the lock. Entering he found said pony was sprawled out on his bed contently snoring his head off.

Jackle was short for Jackleoquolis a name given to him by his traditional cloudsdale family who seemed to adore old customs and traditions and prefered very unique names to regular ones. Compared to Quill, Jackle was the polar opposite in looks. Jackle had a completely burnished white coat and was a pegasus with his wings currently spayed out in front of him. His long green hair was covering his face which held a set of very uniquely colored brown eyes.

In terms of personality Quill was very forward in nature. He wasn’t overly impatient but once his patience was tested it became an ugly sight to see. He had joined the army to clear the streets of the all the thieving pieces of scum that inhabited it. Jackle was more laid back and preferred to let Quill do the talking. He wasn’t overly shy but he also was not really the most outgoing. He had a knack of managing to persuade other ponies to do things. It was his special talent and while he didn’t talk much when he did it was usually important. Despite his calm demeanor he could also goof around if he wanted as evident in some of his past pranks, However these moments were few and far between.

Most would think them to not have anything to do with each other due to their differences but that was not so. During the training of them both they had sparred to improve their senses. Everyone knew Jackle as an introvert and when they clashed everyone thought Quill would easily beat him as his talent was paralysis spells. But Jackle had surprised everyone by constantly dodging and using his own special talent to break his opponent's concentration while throwing in small jabs. Eventually the pair both collapsed unable to beat each other. Quill had newfound respect for the quiet pegasus and their friendship soon became a brotherhood.

But right now Quill was focussed on the present and the snoozing pegasus in front of him. Jackle suffered from a condition that made him faint easy and made it impossible to wake him up without a major stimulant. He decided to pay him back for having to come and collect him even though he knew it was cruel he couldn't resist He walked up close to the pegasus’s ear and took in a deep breath. “JACKLE!” Quill shouted his deep voice reverberating through the startled pegasus’s ears as Jackle took flight in surprise and hit his head on the ceiling knocking him back to the floor. Quill chuckled at the squirming pegasus as he got to his hoofs.

“Ugh Quill what are you doing!?” Jackle exclaimed holding his head.

“Wake up call you twit” Quill said smirking.

“Wait… weren't we meant to be at the initiation ceremony?” Jackle said as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes.

“Yes we were, Five minutes ago! You overslept now hurry yourself up and get your armour on we're going to have to sprint there.” Quill grimaced at the thought of more running.

Jackle merely nodded now fully awake and back to his calm self. Quill who had been wearing his armour the entire time slipped on his golden helmet he had been carrying on his back. His eyes changed to a dark orange and his mane turned from deep orange to salmon pink and blood red in alternating stripes. His coat then lightened to the dark grey of the royal guard. Jackle finished putting his armour on and equipped his helmet. His eyes turned into a icy blue and his mane turned to frost and marine blue in the same striped pattern as Quills.

“Ready to move?” Quill asked.

Jackle nodded and after exiting Jackle’s room and shutting the door the pair flew and galloped to their destination.

The pair arrived right when the last of the line was entering the great hall that contained the thrones and the princesses themselves. After a quick pat down and a disapproving look for arriving so late the two ponies joined the back of the line.

The armoured ponies slowly filed into the cavernous hall. Tapestries and divine stained glass windows depicting the most pivotal moments in equestria’s history. The almost guards looked around in wonder never having the privilege of being in the presence of this beautiful room. A long red carpet flawless in every way led to the equally as flawless ornate thrones. Sitting on those thrones were the princesses themselves.

Having never met the princesses before all the guards were even more enraptured by them then the great hall they were in. Princess Celestia sat upon her throne wearing a calm but masking expression. She seemed to radiate a complete aura of kindness. The effect was like a muscle relaxant towards the ponies all of them visibly relaxed as they drew nearer.

Princess Luna was a different matter however. She looked completely impassive and didn’t even react to the guards. The trained Ponies could tell she was on edge by reading her body language. It was no secret that the princess was still adjusting to modern life and it had been tough on her.The soon to be guards all kneeled in a perfect line as they came to the foot of the thrones.

“Rise my faithful subjects” Celestia spoke her voice the pure epitome of calmness.

Celestia and Luna both raised with the guards who each took a solid upright position.

“Today your long hours of pure dedication and work will finally pay off” Celestia spoke again. “Each and every one of you has inspired themselves to push past any trials and difficulties that may come your way in the name of justice. That is what we need from the royal guard. On this day you will go forth and strive to bring peace to the lands in the name of Equestria.”

Luna suddenly spoke up. “There are many dangers outside the castle walls and the land can be perilous even for the most experienced pony. So we give you are blessing to go and protect others.” The royal sisters closed their eyes as magical energy flowed from their horns. Quill gasped, it was like being burnt and frozen at the same time without the pain.

Celestia continued once the energy had disappeared. “We have given you a small part of our magical energy know this will guide you whenever you are in need.

All the ponies present then bowed to the sisters thanking them and at command of their captain filed out in an orderly line. They kept their composure as they walked away. But once they were out of earshot all of the guards broke into chatter and relieved smiles as they made their way back towards the barracks. Jackle slowed down and fell into step with Quill.

“So where do you think we’re going to be posted?” Questioned Quill.

“I don’t mind as long as its less violent than the training we have been through i’ll go anywhere” Jackle replied as he shifted in his armour eyes glancing around nervously. Quill picked up on this nervous tick immediately.

“Something wrong?” He asked.

“It’s just…” Jackle began but sighed halfway through his sentence.

“Just what?”

“What if we get separated I don’t feel like befriending a total stranger most likely one I can’t trust”

“You know what Jackle, You’re too paranoid they ain’t gonna separate us. Hell, Everyone knows we’re a team. Remember when we were accused of colt-cuddling?” Quill laughed.

Jackle chuckled quietly. The memory of seven trainees approaching them and asking if they were colt- cuddlers.

Quill sniggered. “I remember their faces were oddly red when we asked them why they wanted to know!”

“Hmm yeah those were the days” Jackle said quietly.

The pair trudged towards the foreman's office to receive their assignments. They sat down and waited for a while. Quill constantly fidgeted but Jackle remained still as they waited. Other guards got their assignments until Jackle and Quill were the only two remaining.

After a few more minutes the foreman called out their names. “Jackle, Quill you’re in ponyville, Its small so you're the only two there.  so quit sittin there and move” He barked

“Ponyville ain’t that bad from what I heard” Quill said relieved that they were together for their assignment.

The foreman sniggered. “You wait rookie, You just wait” He walked off laughing as Quill and Jackle shared a look shrugged and moved off to pack for their trip.

One hour later Jackle and Quill were on the train heading towards Ponyville. The forests and rivers rich and bright zoomed past as the Guards Ponies their armour in their bags watched the scenery from the windows. Trees seemed to blur at the speed they were traveling and the two guards sat in silence both contemplating their assignment and what life as Ponyville’s only guards would entail.

“I always wanted to work in somewhere like Ponyville” Jackle spoke up suddenly.

“Oh really?”

“Yep, I never did get on with Canterlot to be honest” Jackle said with a smile.

“You're very happy, What's got you in the mood?”

“Just relieved we’re together in this thats all”

Quill shrugged and they passed the rest of the journey in silence the only sound the chatter of other passengers and the slow chugging of the steam trains engine. Quill slowly drifted of to sleep in the rhythmic motion of the train.

A couple of hours later Quill was awoken from his nap by someone shaking him. Jackle looked down at him.

“We’re here get up and lets go” Jackle said.

Quill yawned and stretched as he collected his luggage and exited the train. Oddly they were the only two ponies on the train station but it was midday on a work day for normal ponies so it was to be expected.

Jackle stepped off behind him using a foreleg to shield himself from the sudden change in sunlight at the open station.

“Hey Jackle something just occurred to me” Quill said.

“What is it?”

“What do we do now?”

Jackle lowered his foreleg and was about to reply when a sudden pink mass assaulted his vision. He shouted in surprise as he was lifted thinking he was being attacked and opening his eyes to see pale blue eyes staring right back at him with a physics defying grin to go along with it.

“It’s just going to be one of those days” Jackle sighed in his mind before his medical condition took effect from the shock and he passed out.