Prologue
By: Ace
“Very good everypony. Keep up the good work,” I looked approvingly at the group of ponies I was training to be guardians. Most were stallions, but there were a few mares. My eyes fell on Clashing Soul who was talking to one of his friends. He moved as if he thought he was all that and he didn’t need the training. “Any tips you want to share, Clashing Soul? Since it seems you are an expert.”
He looked at me and I could tell I’m one of the few mentors that actually called him out, “I was just telling Blue Beat here that I already knew what we worked on today.” He seemed pleased with his answer.
“Oh? Then tell me. If you see somepony who could be an enemy what do you do? Attack before waiting for that pony to make the first move or wait for them to make the first move before you attack? And why?” I asked a simple question, one that every mentor stresses.
He straightened up and his eyes leveled on me, “That’s easy. Attack first. You never know how long they are going to wait to attack and you don’t want to be put into a false sense of safety, you could lose the pony you are guarding.”
“Blue Beat what is your opinion?” I asked, looking at his friend, who I knew to be one of the best students in their class. He looked horrified that I called on him and he shook his head. I could tell he disagreed with his friend, but was scared to voice it. I let him be. “Clashing Soul that is the wrong answer. Not every pony that looks dangerous actually is. And we proved that today. And besides all mentors stress this. So maybe next time instead of bragging about things you say you know but don’t, you will listen. Keep it up and you will have to stay longer.” He glared at the ground and I knew I made an enemy out of one of my students and I figured I would be staying late a couple of times. I looked at the rest of the ponies, “Alright you all are dismissed. Blue Beat, before you go I would like to talk to you.”
They all filed out of the gym and Blue Beat slowly approached me, “Y-yes, Ace” He kept his head low and his eyes on his hooves.
“You aren’t in trouble so keep your head up,” I started off and he lifted his head slowly. I continued, “I know you knew the answer to the question. Why didn’t you answer?”
He bit his lip, “I-I didn’t want CS to be mad at me…” So Clashing Soul was calling himself CS now. “I’m sorry…He’s my friend and I didn’t want him thinking I was taking sides.”
I let my eyes soften as I spoke, “To me, he doesn’t seem like a good friend if you are scared of what he would do if you corrected him. I’m not going to make you, but I do suggest you find some other pony to be your friend, one that won’t mind if you correct their answer for them.” He looked at me and I continued, “Blue Beat you are one of the best we have in this class, please don’t let anypony bring you down.” He blushed lightly at the compliment and nodded. My phone started ringing. “You are dismissed, see you tomorrow.” He nodded and ran out as I answered my phone, “Hello, Ace here.”
“Hello Ace. This is Metal Soprano and we were wondering if you could possibly make it to our school and be a guardian to a pony. We will give you more information if you come,” her voice was friendly, but I could tell she was strict.
I thought about it, it would be nice to be a guardian with a charge again, but I had my class. “Can I talk to the headmaster here first? I am honored for the offer, but I want to make sure that they don’t absolutely need me here.” I turned to leave the training room to go to the headmaster’s office.
“Of course. We will be waiting for your call,” with that she hung up. I walked out of the building and down the walk way. I smiled at a few soon-to-be guardians on their tests, following some of the royal ponies around. I remembered doing that myself, about eight years ago. Training to be a guardian made me feel like I had a purpose, unlike growing up royal. But I will get into that later. I trotted into the main building and climbed the stairs. There was an elevator, but I didn’t want to wait for it.
Night Star, the headmaster, was going through paperwork when I walked in. If you didn’t know him you would have thought that he didn’t notice your entrance, but I knew better. This pony noticed everything. He looked over his papers, “Hello Ace. What brings you to my office today? I hope everything is well.”
I nodded, “Hello Star, yes everything is fine. More than fine actually, well except Clash acting up again, but that’s not the point. I got a call from Metal Soprano the headmistress of another school and she wants me to be guardian to one of the ponies there…” I paused taking a breath and flipping my white mane out of my eyes.
“What are you waiting for, go,” Star said, giving me the ‘are you crazy’ look. He looked back at his papers for a moment.
I hesitated and then squared my shoulders, “Star, I would like to finish training the soon-to-be graduating class…not the ones on their tests, but the one I just finished with…But I also want to take this job. Would you be okay if I took them with me if the other headmistress said it is okay?”
He looked at me, “I don’t see why that would be a problem. And you may leave any of the ponies that cause you trouble if you wish. I know Clashing Soul is a hoofful.”
“I will take my whole class. If I don’t take Clash, he will think he chased me off,” I grinned, as I turned to trot out. I paused as I got to the door, “Hey thanks, Night Star.”
He tilted his head, “For what, Ace?”
“For always being there for me, when no one else was,” I smiled at my mentor. “I don’t think I would be here if it wasn’t for you.”
“I’ll always be here. If you need me I will be a phone call away,” He returned my smile. “And I always have time for you.”
I nodded and walked out and to my room in the guardian mentor house to pack. I called Metal Soprano back; I put it on speaker and waited for her to answer. I went around my room trying to get all my essentials. I grabbed my favorite books put them in my saddlebags. Then I grabbed the picture of me and Solar Moon, my last charge, and her locket, that pushed me to work hard and do better. I sighed I wouldn’t think about her now.
Right then, the headmistress answered, “Hello, how may I help you?”
“This is Ace. I was calling you back to reply to your job offer. I will take it, but I was wondering if I could take my current soon-to-be graduates. I would really like to finish their training. I understand if you say no…” I stopped talking; rambling may make her choose a different guardian.
She was quiet for a moment as she thought, “I suppose that will be alright. How many are in the class?”
“There are ten,” I answered, and buckled my saddlebags. I settled them on my back.
“Alright. You can send them here,” she said. “But before you come here you need to catch your charge. She ran away and we need to get her back. I will send a few of my guardians to help you. I hope you can handle that.” And without another word she hung up.
I sighed as I trotted out to get my class ready to go. I could certainly tell two things right now. One, I wasn’t so sure if I liked the headmistress. And two, my charge was going to be a hoofful.
Chapter 1
By Rose
“Rose! Come on! They’re finally playing SnowBlind in the Theater!” Apple yelled, and I galloped off my porch with my mother waving goodbye.
SnowBlind was a movie about a young Pegasus who was blind, and lived before Princess Luna was banished to the Moon as Nightmare Moon. And it was popular EVERYWHERE! And the Whinny-Sham Movie Theater had finally gotten a copy!
Barley was standing in front of the theater waving three tickets—She had gotten there first and had bought them. Apple and I would buy the drinks and snacks so we all bought part of it.
“I’ll get the drinks this time, Apple. You get the snacks ok?” I said after hugging Barley and taking my ticket and putting it in my saddlebags before the three of us headed in to the snack bar, Apple buying us some popcorn and candy, while I bought us each a soda. With the drink tray balanced on my back, we all trotted into the theater to find a seat and watched the movie.
While we waited for the movie to start, I glanced at my friends, and wondered how in the name of Celestia I had ever survived without them at the School. No one there cared about me, they just cared about using me for their jokes, and I often ate from the kitchen in the dorm then going to the cafeteria for ANY of the meals. I only interacted with the teachers, or ponies who asked me for help on the schoolwork.
I was so glad I ran away. The months of work to save up the money to get home was well worth it—I got to see my friends again everyday, hug my mother and father every time I needed one… I got to be me… I didn’t have to learn about politics or how to properly backstab someone when my rank would never get me to that level of Royalty, or repetitively study how to work the earth when what I’d love to learn is how to control my visions—but then here I don’t need to try and control them. I don’t need warnings for humiliating pranks—the only ones who would prank me are my friends, and even then I’d laugh my rump off with them.
After the movie we all walked down the street with smiles, talking about how awesome the movie was, and how it was sad and happy all at the same time. I could live like this until I die—I don’t need anything else in this world; no husband, no foals, no political position, no large extravagant mansion that all the other Royals had—I just needed afternoons with friends like I just had. My life was already perfect to me—Anyone else could buck off.
As Celestia lowered the sun and Luna raised the moon, I waved goodbye to Apple-Fritter and Barley Flower before I walked inside and joined my parents at the table for supper. Nothing fancy—no butlers, no maids, no cooks. My mother was probably one of the few Royal Ladies who could still cook for herself and her family. And so could I. My mother made sure of that.
After supper, I sat and told my parents about my day, then we sat and read for a little while, before we all said goodnights, hugged, and went to bed… ready for another day in our happy little town…
My eyes slowly opened, and I stared up at my ceiling as a soft smile spread on my face. That is gonna be my life again soon… just one more week of work.
I got up with a yawn, and then proceeded to get ready to head for work. First I spent twenty minutes hoofbrushing my hair. Then I took the time to put it up and make it look nice before getting my work clothes on, and then trotted down the stairs from my small apartment to the outside world.
My soft gray coat was clean, and matched the fog in the air. My blood red mane and tail stuck out slightly in the dark foggy air, but the way I had it up ensured my ears stayed warm.
I worked as a barista at a nearby coffee and teashop, earning money for a train ticket home… a place I never should have left three years ago… but those damn ponies at the place I ran away from…
No. I will stay calm. I will not think about that school. Home… Think about home, I thought as I rounded a corner, noticing a stallion standing at a curb next to a bus stop in the distance.
I thought back to my home. A nice, small, sweet town out on the edge of the desert, built on a rich oasis. Our towns produce were the best in Equestria—well, everything but the apples. Those were a close second to Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville. My parents were the richest and highest ranking ponies in our town… Though in the Royal ranks, we were among the lowest ranking Royals. Not that I cared. I loved my town. I loved my parents. I loved my friends… Apple-Fritter—a distant cousin of the Apple Family in Ponyville, and Barley-Flower, a grain farmer’s daughter who could make the best barley malts in all of Whinny-Sham. I missed them all so much…
That was why I was in this town, and not in that cursed school that I was dragged to “so I would be safe while I learned to control my magic.” What a load of horseapples. If anything all of us “princes and princesses” were sitting ducks if the Shadow Ponies decided to amass their numbers and attack. The number of Guardians would be easily overwhelmed, and all of the students would either be turned or slaughtered.
A brief vision flashed in my mind’s eye, and I paused for a moment to shake my head. I didn’t get a good enough look to know what it was—I hardly ever did unless I was bored and not thinking of anything else.
I took a breath, and kept trotting quietly down the street. As I looked at the stallion at the bus stop, I noticed a shimmer, and I frowned. He was using an illusion spell… making himself appear normal and smaller than he really was, a spell often used by…
Guardians…
