The Guardian

I press myself against the building holding my pistol in my right hand. I look across to Sunny who was standing on the opposite side of the main door. Sunny nods and I move to the buildings door. I place my left hand on the door and give Sunny a glance. Sunny nods again and in one move I push open the door and move in pointing my gun in several directions.

“Clear.” I say lowering my gun.

Sunny steps beside me sheathing her sword. “What is going on here?”

“I'm asking myself the same question. This was the last building to check and there's no sign of the townponies.” I walk over to a crate. “Sunny, this crate was going to Canterlot.”

Sunny walks over and gives the crate a look. “It seems this is the holding area for the town shipments before they send them out.”

“Then why haven't they-” I stop when I hear a sound behind me. I raise my pistol. “You hear that?” I ask Sunny.

“Sure did.” Sunny pulls out her sword.

Sunny and I walk forward in the direction of the sound. I glance to Sunny. “You're the ranking guard here.” I gesture with my head.

Sunny nods and steps forward. “Come out. We know there's someone in here. Come out by the order of the Royal Guard.”

Sunny and I snap our weapons down a bit when unicorn foal no older than about four or five steps out from behind a crate.

“P-Please don't hurt me...”

I look to Sunny as the unicorn filly trembles. “I think we found one.”

Sunny looks up to me. “Looks like it.” Sunny puts her sword away and gives the filly a smile. “We're not going to hurt you. We came to investigate when a passing trader reported you're town was empty. Can you tell us what happened?”

The filly starts to cry. “T-The bad ponies came. Took my mommy away and hurt daddy.”

“Bad ponies?” I ask.

“The one's l-like h-her.” The filly answers pointing to Sunny.

“Like me? You mean unicorns?” Sunny questions.

The filly shakes her head and I realize what she meant. “She means Royal Guard Sunny.” I gesture to Sunny's armour. “Were the bad ponies wearing armour like this?” The filly nods. “Damn...”

“That's impossible! Royal Guard don't foalnap entire towns.” Sunny states. “She must be mistaken.”

The filly back peddles when I hear hoofsteps behind me. I turn to see the royal guard captain walking in with the rest of the guard behind him. They all had their weapons drawn. “Captain?” I ask in worry and place a hand on my left side pistol.

The captain chuckles and shakes his head. “I was hoping my guard would find her first and avoid this situation.” The captain gestures and the royal guard move to circle us. “If you don't want the filly to die I suggest removing your hand from your weapon.”

I hesitate and look down to the little filly who was now cowering under Sunny. I slowly remove my hand and put both up in surrender.

“Good! So you can follow orders like a good dog.” The captain stabs his head in my direction and I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head.

I wake up with Sunny looking over me. She had been crying but smiled when I sat up. “Sunny?..What happened?”

“One of the guard hit you knocking you out. They took the filly and our weapons. We got thrown in here after.”

I look around and notice many other ponies around us. They hugged each other in groups while some just mainly mares just lay still as others stroked their manes. I go to get up but fall down grabbing my head. “Ow..”

Sunny places a hoof on my shoulder. “You shouldn't get up. You took a big hit.”

“I thought you guardians were tough?” I turn to look at a young stallion nearby. The stallion was holding a mare that was crying. “You should have killed everyone of them for what they have done.”

“I'm not an executioner. I kill when I need to not because I can.” I reply.

The stallion shakes his head. “They took everything from us. Locked us in here and take our mares for entertainment. My sister was the last one they took.”

I look to the mare in his embrace. The mare glances towards me and I spot the large black eye. I frown and stand up. I look around and spot the door to our 'cell'. I walk over and peer through the doors only hole. I spot a unicorn standing outside wearing light armour and carrying a sword. He screamed bandit.

I turn away and think. I look up when I spot a young colt playing with a shard of metal. I smile and walk over. A mare nearby grabs the colt as I kneel down. “It's ok. I'm not here to hurt you or your colt.” I point to the metal shard. “You mind if I borrow this?” The colt shakes his head. “Thank you.”

“What are you upto?” Sunny asks eyeing the metal in my hand.

I give her a smile and tap my nose. “Patience my young padawan.” Sunny tilts her head in confusion. I walk over to a nearby wall and place the metal down. I start to bend the metal shard into an arrow head shape. I almost jump when a unicorn mare appears next to me. She gives me a weak smile and lifts up a small bundle of strapping. “Thank you.” I return her smile and she walks away. I spend the next two minutes shaping the shard and when I was finished I wrap the strapping around the unbent side and create a handle. I hold up the makeshift shiv and nod. “Should work...” I say to myself.

“You made a knife?” Sunny asks sitting nearby.

“It's more a shiv really but it will do.” I look to the door and think about how I'm going to get the pony in here. I rub my chin before looking to Sunny. “Sunny how is your acting?”

Sunny's ears flatten a she gives me a worried look “That depends on what sort of acting.”

“I need the guard to come in here...”

“Oh...that acting...ok.”

“I'm sorry Sunny but the others here just ain't upto it.” I kneel down and place a hand on her shoulder. “I'm sorry but to them you're a pretty unicorn.”

Sunny nods. “I know...just give me a second.”

I nod and stand walking to the door with the shiv in hand. I watch as Sunny walks towards me and stands on her hind legs to peer through the door.

“Hey you...What's a mare got to do to be mounted huh?”

“You'll have your turn soon enough.” The guard outside replies.

Sunny turns to me and I gesture for her to continue. “But wouldn't you like first dibs before I get too weak to be fun?”

I look at the door when the guard doesn't reply. “I do like a mare that can give as she gets.” I silently cheer when the door unlocks and the guard walks in. “Ok nopony moves while I show this mare what a real stallion can do.”

I walk slowly forward with the shiv raised. “Hey..” I whisper and the guard turns. I dash forward and stab the guard in the neck stifling any sound he makes. I hold the shiv until I feel his body go limp and his eyes go glassy. I let the shiv go and pick up the guards sword. “It'll do..” I turn to Sunny and give her the sword.

Sunny takes the sword in her magic. “You don't want it?”

I shake my head. “You need it more than me.” I pull out and hold up the bloody shiv. “This will do me just fine.” I turn to the other ponies and spot them glaring at the dead guard. “We'll come back once we make this place safe.” I turn to Sunny and gesture towards the door.

“Good luck.”

I stop and look over my shoulder at the young mare still lying in her brothers lap. She was giving me a little smile which I return with a nod. I give Sunny a look and hold up my shiv. “Ok let's go.”