The Equestrian Warden

Cloudsdale.

In the castle, in the middle of monarch’s hall stood many ponies. On one of the balconies above stood Sombra, flanked by his two guards, and his daughter Radiant Hope.

“-I expect each of you to supply these troops. We must rebuild what was lost at The Castle of the Two Sisters, and quickly.” Sombra said, looking at the ponies below.”

“The Orlesians may wish to take advantage of our weakened state, but we must defeat this darkling invasion with sense and without hesitation.”

“If I may speak!”

Sombra looked down at a male earth pony with green eyes, mustard colored mane with amber highlights, and a light gold coat. It was easy picking him out of the crowd, because all the stallions and mares around him wore wore hats. The stallion in question wore a brown hat and a brown vest, but the other ponies around him greatly respected him.

“You have declared yourself Queen Hope’s regent, and you say we must unite under your banner for our own good.” He practically spat the words out.

Sombra frowned but nodded for him to continue.

“But what of the army at the castle? Your withdrawal let those brave ponies die!” His supporters quickly raised their voices in approval, while Sombra’s supporters booed.

“Everything I have done is too keep Equestria safe. I have not shirked my duty to the throne and neither will any of you!” Sombra said angrily.

“Ponyville will not bow to you simply because you demand it.” The yellow pony said defiantly.

“Know this, I will not stand for any treason. Not from you. Not from any of you.”

Sombra stalked off with his guards, while the yellow pony and his supporters quickly followed him towards the large double doors.

“Lord Braeburn! Please!” Cried Radiant Hope, looking down at the yellow pony.

Braeburn looked up at her with a frown.

“Your Majesty, your father risks civil war. If Sundance were here…”

“Braeburn, my father is doing what is best for Equestria!”

Braeburn just gave her a cold look, and turned to leave.

“Is that what he did for your husband, your Majesty?”

Radiant hope gasped and then placed a hoof over her heart. She remembered staring into her husband’s, King Soarin’s eyes, before he left to fight the darklings. She looked up only to see Braeburn and his supporters marching out the front door. Hope sighed and turned to follow her father deep in the castle.

…

“Wakeup boys. A few more travelers to attend to. I bet that pegasi is the leader.”

The unicorn stallion pointed at me as we crossed the bridge. Soon the rest of his little group was up as well.

“Umm, they don’t look like the others boss, maybe we should let them pass.”

“Nonsense. Hello there!”

“Highway men. Preying on people fleeing the darklings, the cowards.”

Dash growled from beside me.

“How can they be so cruel!” Azura asked, appalled.

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just kill them and be done with it.” Dash said, eyeing her sword.

“Now is that anyway to greet somepony? Maybe if you hand over ten silvers and I’ll forgive your friends rude behavior.”

“How can you do this to ponies? They are trying to survive just like you?” I asked.

“Well some of us have to make a living somehow. Think of us as toll collectors, the only difference is that we aren’t.”

I groaned in frustration and turned to the dog, which I named Fang.

“Sic ’em boy!”

Fang leapt at the nearest pony and quickly tore out his throat. The other highway ponies were stunned for a seconds, and we took advantage of it. I galloped forward and ran one pony through with the tip digging deep into his neck. Their archers tried to draw their bows and aim, but Azura was already upon them. In a flash of light Azura was gone and in her place was a giant spider, as big as a pony.

The archers screamed in fear and fired their arrows, but the spider leapt into the air and landed right on top of one of them and sank her fangs into it neck. They tried to run, but she quickly leapt from pony to pony, either hitting them with her stinger, or digging into them with her fangs. Rainbow Dash was all over them, her lightning fast speed outmatched any of the enemy pegasi. Her sword made quick work of them. The fight only lasted a couple seconds, until the leader of the group and three out of the twelve ponies remained.

“Please, we surrender! We’re just trying to get by before they darklings kill us all.”

“Get by? Youre criminals!” Shouted Azura, who was back to her normal self.

“Y-yes. We are criminals. I’m sorry we ever attacked you!”

“We should turn them into the authorities.” I said.

“There aren’t any authorities, just the Templars! And they’ll execute me.”

“Then I’ll do it now and save you the trouble.” Dash said, grabbing her sword again.

“Wait Dash! Give me a second.” I looked at the bandit. “Give us all the money you’ve stolen.”

“Yes! Of course.” He tossed me a large coin pouch. “A hundred silver, the rest are in the chest nearby.”

“Good, now get out of here. I don’t want to see you bothering these ponies again!”

Once they fled Dash immediately got in my face.

“What the hell was that? We had them! Why would you let them go after what they’ve done to so many other ponies?”

Azura quickly got between us.

“Come on Rainbow Dash, don’t you think enough blood has been shed. It’s one thing to fight someone, but to kill them after they surrender is just wrong.”

Dash growled, but slowly nodded her head.

“I get what your trying to say. But what if they harm some other pony? What if they go to some other village and try to pull this shit again, and maybe with better weapons next time. What then Comet?”

“I…” I looked down at my hooves. “I never thought about it. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Dash looked me up and down before sighing and nodding.

“While it’s good to have your own morals in check remember that we have a war to fight. The darklings won't wait for you to do the right thing.”

When I didn’t say anything Rainbow grabbed the coin pouch and walked towards the chest the highway man was talking about.

Azura gave me a weak smile.

“It’s okay Comet. I know you did the right thing.”

“Then why do I feel like crap?”

“Because that’s how the world works.”

She nuzzled my cheek affectionately before turning and walking away, leaving me to follow along with Fang, who was trying to cheer me up by chasing his tail. At least one of us was having fun.