The Lord of the Ponies: The Friendship of Equestria

Ch.23 The Blade That Was Broken

Rainbow Dash sat alone in Zecora's Hut, the newest adventure of Daring Do to keep her company. She read aloud, the action of Daring's daring escapades resonating throughout the hollow hut. The slightest creak of the door alerted her to the entrance of Shining Armor, Twilight's brother and Captain of the Royal Guard in Canterlot. His massive white frame crowded the doorway, his broad shoulders a hair-length shy of the edge, allowing him to enter smoothly. Even trotting, his flowing blue mane jostled behind him, as he approached the stone pedestal where four blade shards lay.

Shining Armor turned to his left, confronting the multi-colored form of Rainbow Dash. A confused expression occupied his countenance, similar to a detective analyzing his latest clue.

"I remember you from somewhere, but I just can't put my hoof on it." announced Shining Armor, hoping to coax the answer out of the reading Pegasus.

"I'm Rainbow Dash, friend of Twilight's. I was a bridlemaid at your wedding to Princess Cadence." responded the cyan Pegasus.

Shining' confused expression left him, as he recognized the Pegasi hero before him, "Yes, now I remember. You also did a Sonic Rainboom after Cadence and I had completed our vows."

Shining Armor glanced towards the pedestal, his gesture drawing the attention of Rainbow Dash. Shining stepped forward, now a centimeter from the stone platform.

"The shards of Narsil."  Shining Armor gripped the handle of the blade, recognizing it as the same piece that sliced The Ring from the horn of Sauron.

Shining's other hoof slid across the length of the shard, reaching the shattered pinnacle of the blade. Touching the tip, the blade cut his hoof, drawing red blood which sharply contrasted his white coat. He stared at the blade, amazed at how the blade wasn't blunt from over three-thousand years of idleness.

"It's still sharp."  resounded the bleeding stallion. Shining gaze faltered to the left, meeting the contempt stare of Rainbow Dash, obviously unimpressed by his carelessness.

"But no more than a broken heirloom." Shining threw the shard at the pedestal, failing to land it on the flat surface. The blade clanged as it contacted the floor. Shining Armor retreated from the building, suddenly feeling choked within the restricting hut.

When Shining departed, Rainbow Dash eased herself from the couch, leaving the Daring Do book ajar on her recent page. She trotted to the fallen shard, and gripped the handle. The shaft formed effortlessly to her hoof, as if it was made for her...or an ancestor. She placed the blade back on the pedestal; the shard returned to its resting place. Rainbow Dash would have nothing to do with what the blade represented: the fallen Line of Pony Kings which she was a part of.

Rainbow still recalled the day when Princess Celestia visited her, in regards to her change of residence.

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Rainbow shuffled through her home in Cloudsdale, forcing mounds of clothes and Wonderbolt posters into a massive suitcase. Rainbow Dash, however, wasn't the only pony in the room, as Princess Celestia's stature and voice dominated the expanse.

"You are Islidur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate." resounded the eclipsing Alicorn, failing to impede the packing of the cyan Pegasus.

"The same blood flows through my veins. The same weakness." responded the cyan Pegasus. Rainbow ceased packing, and stared defiantly at the regal Alicorn, an act worthy of a thousand year sentence on the moon.

"You know that one day the Alicons will leave Equestria, and at that time, you will answer your lineage." asserted Princess Celestia, vainly trying to convince Rainbow Dash of the futility of her relocation.

"Why don't you have your protege, Twilight take over the throne of Canterlot, because I will not have anything to do with my past." resisted the frustrated Rainbow Dash, who returned to forcing her belongings into the cramped suitcase.

Princess Celestia sighed. Rainbow Dash was the true heir of Isildur; stubborn like him too. She was grounded in her resolution of leaving, and Celestia knew that not even the threat of death could shake her roots.

"Fine, if you're so certain of your convictions, I will allow you to leave. But where will you go. What will you do. You don't have a Cutie Mark or any currency of any kind." announced the Princess.

Rainbow retarded the speed of her packing, the force of Celestia's last statement taking its toll on her. Yes, she had no money, and she was too young to seek employment. So, swallowing what amount of pride remained, she turned back to the Princess, ready to ask for some bits. Surprisingly, she found a sack of bits hanging in the air, surrounded by a golden aura.

"Here's a thousand bits. This will cover room-and-board for the month. If you need anything else, just send me a letter. What's mine is yours." said Princess Celestia.

Rainbow was moved by the generosity of the Princess. Rainbow wrapped her small frame around the leg of her kind mentor, which was returned by Celestia in part.

No more words were shared between the two friends that day. Rainbow left lugging her suitcase all the way to Ponyville, a rather secluded town near city of Canterlot. She bought a cloud house which presided over the settlement, and took flight lessons at a nearby cloud camp. And the rest is history...

But history has a nasty habit of repeating itself to those who fail to heed it.