Two months have passed since Kenji has become Cadence’s guardian. And what a two months it has been. While she was in her room studying one day, Kenji was standing outside her room and heard her scream. Thinking she was in trouble, he nearly broke the door down to get in and looked around. Turns out, a crow had flown in through her window and was flying about the room in confusion. He sighed and shook his head, catching the crow in mid-flight and squeezed it into his hands. Cadence didn’t like dark birds, but she looked so upset at him when she thought he had killed the poor thing, only to sigh in relief as he opens his hands out the window it flew into and the bird flew away unharmed. Another time, a noble was giving her unwanted attention. Kenji watched over her as always, not making a move until it was necessary. He always waited until she called him over or unless she looked like she was in dire need of him to step in and made sure that others knew the rules. Kenji was already proficient at this sort of thing. Being a mercenary for hire, you did more than just use your weapon. You used your mind and sometimes, you even used your playful side. One experience was when a noblewoman had to leave for the day and she hired him because of a recommendation from her friend. The child was scared stiff of Kenji. But as the day passed, he and the child were playing in the backyard with a balls that belonged to the little one. They both laughed and played until the mother came home, surprised to see...a gon, male no less drawing with the child in the sand and smiling such a warm and genuine smile. Kenji was known as the ‘Destroyer In Black’ But to a few children, a few families and elders,he was known as a great friend

This day, was like any other day. He was posted at her door, sitting on the ground and meditating. He did this to keep his dark chi at bay by..well..absorbing nature chi. It had a purifying effect as long as he did it regularly. And he had plenty of time to do it when the young mare was doing her schoolwork and leader training. But on this day, something bad will happen that he thought would never come to pass again.

“Kenji, you can come in now! Me and my mentor are finished for the day!”

Shouted Cadence as the teacher walked out the door as it opened.

“Now remember my dear, make sure you look over those notes over the weekend.”

Said the mare as she walked out with her books floating above her. She noticed Kenji glowing slowly as he meditates, but opens his eyes as he hears her call him in. This makes the older mare look at him with a curious gaze.

“Kenji, is it?”

“Yes ma’am.” he said as he stands to his feet and grabs his weapon that was leaning on the wall

“What is it you were doing just now, deary?”

“Oh,I was just meditating. I gather nature chi in order to keep...well I probably shouldn’t really bother you with the boring details.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind it at all-”

“Kenjiiii, come oooon!”

Cadence says as she runs up beside him and pulls at his large hand with both of hers, he looks back to the mare who was chuckling to herself.

“I...better not keep her waiting.”

“Take good care of my pupil for me Kenji. She is precious tome.”

“That is my job ma’am.”

He and Cadence disappeared behind her door. She runs to her bed and plops down on it and stares up at Kenji with a big smile. Kenji only arches a brow and tilts his head as he leans against the wall.

“Seems like you are in a rather particularly happy mood today, Cadence…”

Kenji said as he watched her bounce up and down.

“Mhm, I sure am! Remember the foal that I used to babysit? Twilight Sparkle?”

Kenji nods.

Well,i get to see her again today after she is done with her lesson, and i finally get to introduce you to her! Celestia always has you doing something else whenever I meet up with her, but today you are all mine! And I want you to meet the pony I consider my little sister! I told her all about you. Boy won’t she be surprised when she meet you.”

She giggled lightly

“She thinks that you are a pony that sounds all dreamy and from her little romance novels. Twilight and her books, Silly little mare.”

Kenji chuckles and nods

“They others are still getting used to seeing a huge hulking gon walking around. I am surprised she hasn’t seen me yet. Then again, you told me she spends most of her time in the castle library when she isn’t studying.”

Cadence nods and sighs.

“If it wasn’t for me and her brother. I swear that the poor girl would never have any social interaction with other ponies beside Aunty Tia. Anyways, she should be heading to the library right now. How about we go ahead and head over there?”

Kenji nods and stands up from he leaning on the wall

“As you wish, Cadence.”

She didn’t like it when he said ‘As you wish’. It made her think that he did not want to really go with her. But she knew that wasn’t the truth. He has even admitted he enjoys her company when they have free time, but he never really...loosens up around her. Could lit be that he feels he is more obligated to being her charge first and friend second? Or maybe even he feels like being a guardian doesn’t really make him feel on the same ground with her, considering she is royalty? She could never really read Kenji, even though they were friends, he always seemed...so serious. The only time he has ever really shown a different side of himself to her was when she comforted him in the cell he was kept in that day. Other than that, he is like a closed book locked with over fifty magic seals. But no matter, she was is mare of determination. She will break through those seals one day!

“Alright,let me change into something a bit more casual, these royal clothes are always...so uncomfortable.”

Kenji’s eyes widen and feels that is his cue to quickly make an exit out of the room, but is stopped by her.

“Kenji, where are you going?!”

“Well I can’t just stay in here and watch you undress!”

“...Why not?”

She asks with a tilt of her head. His mouth agape and his eyes widen at her question.

“Uuuh...what do you mean ‘why not’?! Cadence, out of all the mares in Equestria, how are you comfortable with me, a male noless seeing you completely nude?!”

She was wondering why he was making such a big deal out of it, but told him anyways.

“Because I trust you, Kenji. Simple as that. I know that you won’t do anything that would compromise my innocence. Sure, you might stare, but that is natural for a male isn’t it? To stare at a developing mare who will one day become a full adult and he will know that he got to see her beauty blossom?”

“Okay...now I KNOW you are just messing with me. Fine, I will stay in the room, but I'm not going to peek...as much as I want to.”

He said as he plops down on the floor and crosses his legs, going into meditation again so that his mind was fixated on gathering energy. Cadence could only giggle at his reaction.She was a little disappointed that he wouldn’t look, but at the same time admired his discipline. She began to change into her casual attire, luckily Kenji couldn’t hear the fabric of her clothes fall to the floor so he couldn’t be tempted while gathering chi..After awhile, she had finally gotten dressed and leans forward in front of him, lightly proking his cheek to get his attention.

“Iam ready to go now, mister serious and stoic.”

“Hey, until things change otherwise, I wouldn’t feel right ogling you while you were in nothing.”

“Ppph so you ogle me when I am not naked?Good to know.”

Kenji only buries his face into his hands and stands up, he walks over to the door and waits for her to follow. She only giggles again and walks out, he closes the door after she leaves. As they walk through the courtyard of the courtyard, Cadence looks up at Kenji every now and then. He still must have been a bit embarrassed by the teasing she gave him earlier.

“Um..Kenji? Do you find any of the mares here pretty at all?”

“Well, with all of your different colors and such, you all do look rather pretty I suppose.”

“NoIi mean...do you find of them...attractive?”

“For the last time Cadence, I am not gonna hook up with Princess celestia. What would she want to do with me anyways? I am not a pony.”

“Well, I just had a funny thought.Wouldn’t it be funny...that one day when I'm older, you turned out to be the stallion that I marry?”

Kenji stopped frozen in his tracks, then all the sudden bursts out in laughter at her idea, nearly falling on the ground as he does.

“Me, marry YOU?! Oh man that’s a good one. A lowly mercenary with uppity royalty, that is just too too funny! I am sure there is someone out there more qualified to your kind of status Cadence.And look at me, why would anyone here want to marry someone like me? I am still considered a monster remember?”

“I don’t see you as a monster! Maybe a little stuffy and too serious maybe, but not a monster!”

She said as she pouted adorably and folded her arms under her very generous C cup bust. He finally recovers from his laughter and catches his breath.

“Come on Cadence, be realistic.Who in their right mind would want to be seen being romantically involved with me?”

“Well i think-.”

“Get away from my big sister you monster!!!”

Shouted a lavender mare with a purple mane and tail with a hot pink stripe running down the middle. The young mare running up to Kenji and pounding her fists on the side of his leg. He looks down at her, then to Cadence.”

“Uuum, you know this one Cadence?”

“Twilight stop! He isn’t a monster!”

“Not a monster?! Look at him Cadence, he is huge, scarey and has eyes that could give a cocatrise a run for it’s money for turning other to stone!”

Kenji looks to Cadence again and holds his hand out.

“See?”

“Twilight, this is Kenji! He is my guardian!”

She said as she purple the unicorn away from him, the filly still trying to take swings at him.

“I am sorry for her behaviour Kenji...didn’t think she would react like this.”

“This is Kenji?! He isn’t even a pony!”

“You are right, I am not a pony. I am a gon. And proud of it little missy.”

“Little?! Why you…!”

“Ah, I see that you have already met my most faithful student.”

Kenji and the others turn to see Celestia walking over to them, smiling warmly.

“Aunty Tia!”

“Princess!”

“Afternoon Princess.”

They all greeted in their own way. She walks up to the group and looks between Twilight and Kenji, who was still trying to swing at him.

“Looks like she doesn’t really like me all that much.”

“You bet I don’t bub! How could YOU be the guardian of my big sister?!”

“Twilight Sparkle,you will address this gon with respect. He has been protecting Cadence, and has been doing a fine job of it. Don’t be so hard on him.”

“I respect him for what he does. That doesn’t mean i gotta like him!”

Kenji just shakes his head and laughs.

“Fair enough little Sparkle.”

“Stop calling me little!”

“Well,to be honest Twilight, you, Cadence and I. We are all little compared to him.”

Celestia said as she looks upto him as if saying ‘I got your back bud.’. He nods and shrugs.

“Looks like you got outvoted there.”

Cadence couldn’t help but giggle at both Celestia and Kenji double teaming the poor little filly.

“Ah I almost forgot why I came out here. Cadence, Twilight, I have free time this evening and i would be happy if you both could join me for dinner.it has been awhile since i have sat down with good company.”

“As always aunty!”

“I would be honored Princess Celestia!”

She then looks up at Kenji.

“Will you be joining us as well Kenji?”

“Well, I really don’t think it is my place to dine with royalty… but I will still be there to-”

Suddenly out of nowhere, that familiar pain builds up and starts to rack through his body, he grabs at his chest and falls to his knees, beginning to breathe heavily and roughly. That familiar dark chi radiating from his body and that dark purple ethereal rose slowly rises from his back.

“KENJI!”

Cadence shouts in horror as she sees this, running over to his side, as does Celestia. They noticed Kenji’s eyes moving around, as if looking for someone who may be causing this.

“Kenji, what is going on?!”

Celestia yelled as she looks around for what he was looking for.

She...isn’t here. So why is this happening now?!

He thought to himself, trying to rise to his feet, but failing miserably.

“The dark chi that is in my body...it has ahold of me physically and it’s going to...keep doing this…”

He coughs up a bit of blood onto the the white pathway. Twilight only watched in horror at what was going on until Celestia called her.

“Twilight, get the medical ponies out here, now!”

“Of course princess, right away!”

She said as she ran off to get help.This time, he starts vomiting blood.

“No medical treatment is going to fix this...only light chi will stop the grip that is tearing me apart from the inside. If we don’t find it soon. I will be dead within the next couple of hours…”

He said before he starts coughing roughly, the two alicorns trying their best to support the large man. His vision starts fading in and out. His eyes getting very heavy.

“Getting...sleepy…”

Cadence was getting even more worried after he had said that.

“K-Kenji,stay awake, please! We will get you help!”

She doesn’t get a response, his body suddenly goes limp as he becomes dead weight.he falls out of their grip and hits the ground hard.

“Kenji...Kenji wake up,please!!!”

She said as she kneels beside him, trying to shake him awake

Author's Note

Making this a two parter, to leave you all in suspense :P

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May the darkness grant you peace.