Guardian

Rainbow Dash blew her whistle. I started jogging towards the obstacle course again. I jumped over the bale of hay, climbed the ladder, and used my Spear Musket to blast my targets to oblivion while holding on to a tangled peice of rope.

"Not bad. 1 minute, 7 seconds. You just might be a prodigy." Rainbow said.

"Thanks." I said, panting for breath slightly.

I've been doing this for about 2 weeks now. My dad told Abington that I had to move to another country and might not come back for a while, if at all.

To be fair, this is as foreign as it gets.

"Okay, I'd recommend imagining a battlefield. You got hardly any ammo, the enemy's closing in... bullets flying everywhere..." Rainbow said, placing her hands on my shoulders.

I'd lie if I said that my face didn't feel hot.

I nodded and I went out again, picturing a World War II fight. Troops hidden in trenches, Nazis closing from all sides. I vaulted the bale of hay, jumped up the ladder, shot the Spear Musket, and swung back down.

"So... how did I do?" I asked, panting for breath.

Rainbow was shell-shocked as she stopped the stopwatch.

"50 seconds... that's a new record. The only person who could break it is... me." Rainbow said in awe.

"Good to know." I said as I fell to the ground, still panting for breath.

"James, that's no small deal. How did you do that?" Rainbow asked.

"I have no idea. I just... did it." I said.

"Well, when you're energy's back, you think you can 'just do it' again?" She asked.

"I could try." I said as I felt some motivation.

After training was done, I saw my name be put on top of Rainbow Dash as the quickest course-time.

Man, I felt like a douche.

"You okay?" I asked Rainbow, who seemed a little down.

"I'm fine." She simply said.

I took a seat next to her.

"Look, it was probably beginner's luck. I'll be normal old James Lake tomorrow." I promised.

"Maybe. Even if so, you did a good job. You should be proud." Rainbow said as she playfully punched my shoulder.

I chuckled and did it back. We went our separate ways, and I decided to try whatever I did again. I stood at the course, and I imagined it again. I set a stopwatch up and started shooting again. When I finished, I checked the watch-- same time, to the millisecond.

"That's weird..." I said as I lowered the watch.

I started to walk out to see the others, when I hear one of the sounds I've gotten used to.

Nana's hissing.

"Yeah, Nana?" I asked.

"Something's wrong. They've been talking about you and the record. How did you do that?" She asked.

"I have no idea. I just did what Rainbow told me, and it worked. I just tried again, same time." I said.

"Yeah, that's weird." Nana said.

"I think something's up. With me." I said.

"Maybe... no, there's no way that's the answer..." Nana started.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. Just me thinking about some story I heard." Nana said.

"Alright." I said as I went to see the others.

I knew better than to question Nana. She either never answered or hissed the question off.

Man, I'd never get used to her being a Changeling...

I decided to go visit Rainbow again and check on her, but my dad pulled me back first.

"I heard about the record. No-one's beat Rainbow Dash in at least 4 years. The last guy who did it... he didn't make it in the battlefield. He got cocky from it." Dad warned.

"Look, I'm not going to be cocky from it. I was just on my way to check on her." I said.

"Oh? Alright, I won't stop you." Dad said.

I went to her door and I knocked.

"Yeah?" Rainbow asked as she opened the door.

"Look, something's wrong." I said.

"How's that?" Rainbow asked.

"I tried the course again. I reached the time to the millisecond. I don't know what it is, but it's something. When I talked to Nana about it, she just zoned out." I said.

"Why would she... wait, it couldn't be..." Rainbow started.

"What is the big deal all of a sudden? So I beat a little training course, so what? It's not the real deal. If I go out there, live, and come back, that would be something." I said.

"No, it's not that. It's... you should talk to Luna. I'll go vouch for you." Rainbow said.

"Okay..." I said.

We went to Luna's office, and Rainbow went to the door and knocked.

"Princess Luna? I think James is, uh..."

Rainbow got close to the door.

"The One..." Rainbow whispered.

Luna's door swung open and Luna pulled Rainbow inside and told me to come in.

"Okay," Luna shut and locked the door, "how do you think that James is The One?" Luna asked.

"You heard of the record for the training course, right?" I asked.

"Yes, I've heard that you beat Dash's record by a minute at least..." Luna recapped.

"i tried again, and I got the exact time. I don't know who 'The One' is, but there might be a chance that I can help you find them." I said.

"Well, The One is part of the prophecy we found edged into this place's entrance when we found it. It had... signs of an apocalypse, and The One would stop it." Luna said.

"That's it?" I asked.

"That's all we know. There may be more, but we don't have it. Your father did not talk to you about this?" Luna asked.

"No, not a word." I said.

"I'll go talk to him. Stay safe, you two." Luna said