State of Mind and Soul

I awaken to the sounds of yelling outside my door. Desparate Shield sounds like he is trying to keep his calm and live up to his new position. I glance at my watch to see it’s around 20:00. “Let them in Shield.”

I sit up in the bed watching as one door is covered in a gold aura and the other in a dark blue aura, and they swing open. “Pince Minato!” Celestia walks in, frustration written all over her face. “I heard and saw what you did to that guard, the pro-”

“I understand there might have been a ‘proper’ protocol. He insulted me, disobeyed a direct order, and didn't allow a superior officer through the gate.” I stretch.

Luna speaks up, “We aren't military, Prince Minato…”

“Captain Desperate Shield is though.” I look them in their eyes and continue. “As a prince I have right to a personal guard. You saw how effective he was at ignoring the dogma surrounding you two and doing his job, so I want him as captain. I’ll let him handle picking any if he needs help. Also that soldier that insulted me? He’s to be discharged, royal orders.” Celestia’s mouth opens but Luna nuzzles her before she can speak.

“He... is right, Tia… Even in the other reports Sergeant Iron Wall was the one being hostile, outright insulting him. Hes also a devout follower of that accursed religion.” I lay back in my bed knowing I win, one of the two Princesses almost instantly agreed with me. But one thing bothers me most.

“If you agree with me, Luna, why did you also barge into my room?” I look up at the ceiling, waiting for her answer, my previous exhaustion gone.

“I came to see if you would wish to help with the night court... It’s basically where civilians come during appointed times  of the day, or night and ask for favors of the crown. He would wish to include you. To prove your kindness, to prove you’re not a malevolent force!” I sit up and look at both of them. Celestia is looking down knowing that the guard was in the wrong but trying to come up with a way not to harm my brand new reception. Luna on the other hand is fidgeting and looking at me with a sheepish smile.

“Sure, I don't think I can fall back asleep in a while after being awakened like that.” I slide my body off the bed, standing up and stretching. I make sure my Evoker is within easy reach of my right hand. I take a moment to notice the sword on my side, the best one in the game, Lucifer’s Blade. I think for a moment what to do with it but then I notice it disappeared. Celestia and Luna jump at the vanishing weapon. I shrug, “Let's go, Luna. Shield, go home.”

“Yes sir!” He honestly sounds a bit tired, to the point of yawning slightly. Loyal pony to a fault. I pass Luna, my hand going down her mane, stroking her quite soft fur.

“Come on Luna, I guess you have to teach me.” I feel her lean into the pet slightly. No matter what, things love pets.

We walk through a set of doors to show a long thorne room, fabulous banners hang denoting the sun and moon. Stained glass denoting, I guess, major historic events. What looks like each race of pony divided by the land, sky, and mountains, each looking upset at the others as heavy snow falls, sprinkling the lands with white snow. “Ponies were not once united. Only twenty years ago did they look at the other race with hate and spite. The only reason they did not wage war or kill each other was their reliance on the others. The Unicorns to bring advancements, the Earth Ponies to grow and tend the land and the Pegasi to keep the weather in check, to make sure the land gets the water and sun it needs. It wasn’t long before ponies of each race seemed to grow apathetic of the world around them. The doctors of each race tried so much to tell what was wrong, but they didn't even care to feed themselves.”

We walk by, staring at the ponies in the stained glass windows, their eyes seemingly soulless, lacking the drive to do anything. “We couldn’t do anything for them... W-we had to put them down... Dark days in pony history. But as friendship bloomed, brought on by our court advisers, those cases died down. Ponies call it now Disharmony Syndrome, as it rose once more during Discord's reign.”

She looks down and her head hangs in shame. I see a few tears fall. “I know what’s wrong with them.” She immediately stops and looks up. Her eyes wide open, she stares at me, with even a brighter hope.

“C-can you tell us?...”

No easy way to put this. Band-aid’s coming off fast. “They had their soul and mind consumed by their manifested alter egos, their hidden thoughts and feelings. They had their very will ripped out of them by their Shadows... They're better off dead then their loved ones being forced to watch them starve and the bits of food they consume wasted... Because I can’t fix it. ” I reach down, only slightly hugging Luna’s neck, stroking her mane as her body shook in a combination of rage, fear, and sorrow.

“They only appear in times of strife, well mostly. Any Lost that show up and need help, I’ll take care of them ok?” She nods. “It will be quick and painless. Their souls and minds freed as the tie holding them together dies.” I feel her shake worse. I make sure the hallway is clear form others, “I was harsh wasn’t I?”

“N-no..Y-you solved o-one the w-worst m-mysteries about the pony m-mind. N-not your f-fault it’s s-so grim…”

“Take the night off. Do want you want, I’ll cover for you.”

She nods, her emotional state completely unstable and unpredictable as she learned the truth about the ponies she vowed to protect. I hear and see a flash of light as she teleports away, to her quiet spot, her corner or piece of garden where she feels safe.

Moon rank 2.

Wow, that’s fast. “Thank you Prince Minato.” I jump and let out a short yelp. I suddenly turn to where a trio of pitch black ponies stand, slitted eyes seeming to glow with reflected light and leathery wings on the ones that have them. As the head one speaks I see sharp, meat tearing teeth. “Thank you for comforting our beloved Princess. This... has been a matter she dedicated most her free time to. I know we shouldn't be telling you this but you are obviously a creature of night, a hunter. How easily you spoke of taking a life for our Moon. We, the Night Guard welcome you. If you wish, Private Nirvana Oasis could accompany you to night court.”

I nod and beckon to the private.

The small pitch black mare with a horn on her head walks to me and bows. I turn and continue down the hall. “From where I was born, we are called human. I hope your shadows are not like ours.”

Private Nirvana runs to catch up with me as we enter the central throne room. Two chairs stand on top a short staircase, putting the already impressive princess even higher. I see a unicorn sitting at the bottom of the stairs, writing in a book. She drops her pen. “Princess Lun-” She looks up and jumps, “I-I mean, Prince Minato!”

“I'm covering for Luna.”

“Princess Luna is her informal title. Please refe-”

“I'm covering for Luna.” I walk up the stairs, to sit in what I assume is Luna’s throne. “Let them in.”

“Yes sir.” The snobby unicorn will be a problem in the future. I then hear the private’s voice in my ear.

“That is, or was Princess Platinum. Easily the closet with nobility. Clover the Clever, though, is best with the science community. You will be formally introduced at a later date.“ I look to both my sides, even behind the throne. I see no one. I look to the staircase where I thought I left the private. And there she stands, her horn glowing slightly. “I am sorry if I startled you. I have a rare gift for the telepathic spell along with a natural divining skill. Just speak out loud until you learn to speak in your mind.”

I nod to her, smiling a bit. “Thank you Oasis.”

She returns the smile as the doors to the main hall open, showing a line of around 20 to 30 ponies, each completely different from the next in race, coat color and social status on the ladder.

First, from the look of his dirty hooves and unkempt yet clean mane, is a farmer. He eyes me nervously, walking the stairs slowly before bowing. His eyes on the floor.

 “Ki-Prince Minato, please stop looking so scary, sir.” I see the image through her eyes, sort of in my mind’s eye, and I look so badass.

“Speak, Farmer, what do you wish from this royal family?”

“I seek help... help rebuilding my farm. Please... spare any guards you have your majesty, I’ll do anything!” I can see the pony’s body quiver with barely contained tears. “The rule of Discord drove me out of home, destroyed it, but my land is still fertile. Please… One or two strong or smart guards would be enough to raise a barn.”

“Go ahead, a general rural reconstruction project should be formed for events like this. I mean, it’s a shame Celestia and Luna don’t have one. Take a group of 20 guards, each should be strong and intelligent to build farm homes and barns, get the food growing faster. If you need more help, simply ask.” I smile, not to them but myself. Mostly a thing of pride that I just made a charity that would help in the long run.

“T-thank you! Thank you so much…” The farmer got up then runs up the steps before anyone can react and hugs me in a tight embrace. I simply get my fingers to do what they do best. I stroke the farmer ponies mane, holding my other hand up to the advancing guards to stop them.

I let the pony cry himself out, while he mutters thank yous over and over. He then realizes what he has done and passes out. “Someone take him to a trauma center,” I order. A random guard nods, picking up the earth pony in a magical aura while the next one walks in.

This pony is different from the rest simply by his coat, obsidian black with a dark purple mane. His eyes are a dark, almost murky, blue. He walks to the throne and bows with a strange grace. “My name is Somber Obsidian, I am from the crystal Empire and we beg for your help!” His voice rises to a shaky shout, the ponies in line and the guards back away from the small black colored magic that he let off in a shockwave, the strangest purple tint to it.

“Why should we?”

“There is civil war! The farms have been burned, homes destroyed, families broken…” The stallion starts to tear up.

“Prince Minato... He has access to dark magics... I recommend immediate detention.”

“Somber, which side are you on?” This seems to have caught the ponies, especially the black pony in front of me, off guard.

“The rebels... Sir.” He looks down, his voice leaning towards defeat and depression.

“Why are the rebels fighting?”

He stands up quickly, a fire alight in his eyes, “They’re too kind! They give out our limited land like presents! They gave away the farm land I and so many others were born on and promised it to those damned ELKS!” Another wave of purple tinted magic throws some guards off their feet, or is it hooves?

“I agree with you Somber, you can not give out land to others just because they ask, especially if you have little. Better if the war ended quickly, but I cannot just say things like that. Or can I?” I glance to Oasis who is violently shaking her head no. “Is it a voting type thing?” She nods.  “I guess you got my vote, then. Put him in an ambassador's suite, get Luna and wake up Celestia, preferably with the smell of chocolate milk.”

A chorus of “Yes Sir” meets my ears as I get out of Luna's throne. I rub my back slightly as the chair wasn’t built for humans at all. As I get up to escort the ponies out while giving them tickets, I am led to a room where Luna is already waiting. “Minato…”

“Yes, Princess Luna?”

“Why do you support this rebellion? I  have known the Crystal Empire’s ruling family for years! We should be helping them!”

“What they're doing is wrong.” I shrug. “Taking limited land form peo- ponies. They should help find the Elk their own land, not give away theirs.”

“There is no land on which the Elk can live!” Luna stomps her hoof down slightly. “All this hate makes the Crystal heart power wane… They should befri-”

“That's not realistic.” I walk to the chair in the middle of the two thrones while Somber walks in also, sitting on the ground in front of me and Luna. “Give the Elk food and water, then direct them to Equestria’s north border where they can live in peace.”

Luna sighs, looking down, ”T-that seems the most agreeable…” she mutters. “But what if they refuse to leave?”

“Then we drop the hammer, or whatever ponies use as hard hitting weapons. Sure the ones not use to violence may protest, but in the long run it's best to be feared than loved.”

A loud pop and flash of light singles that Celestia arrived, “That’s a dark, grim belief Minato. Now why is that better than being loved?”

Before I could speak Somber immediately responds, “The logic behind it is, even though beloved, they could still overthrow you. But being feared assures you the chances are much slimmer, as they be too scared to oppose you, the nobles would be too scared to ask you for more and more.”

I nod to him, “But the third option is best, the one I am choosing and have been reinforcing. To be feared and loved.” I smile quickly, something that looks unnatural on this face as the sharp teeth that denote the action of tearing meat from flesh. The small glint of them off candle light makes every pony flinch in a primal fear response, “Luna, Celestia. I believe that this pony has the right to try to sway us? Best two out of three now? Or is there more?”

Celestia nods, “We leave it to a vote to the nobles and the other royalty, but...It ultimately it is our decision…” I look her in the eyes, she looks down biting her lip. Most likely catching the very thinly veiled threat and statement. I’m here for the long run, and I won't be stopped. I feel a faint echo of laughter at the back of my mind as a vile aura radiates for it. I think...I know how this power influes my thoughts.

I try my best to imagine the clear notes of Orpheus lyre.

The shattering of glass alerts me to the fact I have him, for a lack of a better word, equipped. The subtle thought of centrifuge and taking over the throne vanish, “Good Celestia. We shall talk in a day's time, is that ok with you Somber?”

“A day means nothing to this long plight Prince Minato.” He nods getting out of his chair. I see a colored mark on his flank showing what looks like liquid obsidian falling to the mold of a gem, then I remember the Sun and Moon on Celestia and Luna’s flanks.

Tower Rank 1

I take a deep breath, getting up from my seat. I walk to my room and lay down to rest till morning.