Star-Strider

Flash Magnus stood at attention at the head of four hundred ponies. The first group of the day to be inspected was the 4th royal magic guard. These ponies were the heart of Canterlot, expertly trained many by Celestia herself. Star Strider stood next to Magnus, facing the crowd with Starswirl on his opposite side. The sun was barely up, and no food shop had been open. None of this seemed to impact the posture of anypony in the battalion. Star strider lowered his voice to Magnus, “Is this everyone?”

“Yes sir, these are some of Equestira’s finest. I’m sure they won’t disappoint. Any that do are getting toilets for a month.” He chuckled as he stamped his hoof. “BATTALION! Columns! Double wide!” The entire battalion moved in unison, forming orderly lines head to tails with enough space for two ponies to walk between them. Star Strider began moving through them until he reached the center. He raised a hoof, flicked it, and a large aura of brilliant blue descended on the group. He began sweating as he kept the spell under control. Starswirl joined in with his horn, casting small arms from the sphere into every guard’s cutie mark. The soldiers didn’t move an inch as their bodies were coated with a light blue glow. The sphere shrank as its magic was absorbed, until it vanished from sight. Every guard’s glow slowly faded until they were normal looking again. Star Strider sat down and breathed heavily as Starswirl rushed to his side.

“I believe it worked. Starswirl, if you would, please nullify this guard’s cutie mark.” Starswirl turned to a crimson coated pony in the gold attire of the army. He cast a spell directly at his cutie mark which bounced off immediately. “Very good, the spell is in place, albeit not as strong as I had hoped. But at least it is permanent.” He walked back to Magnus’s side. “Run them through their combat routines, I need to see their capabilities and weaknesses.” Magnus nodded and again stamped his hoof.

“BATTALION! Form up into combat groups! Starting in twenty, we are doing sparring until deemed otherwise by…” He turned to Star Strider. “Uh, what’s your rank in the military?” Star strider chuckled.

“Never got a formal rank son, but in my village, I was one of the last surviving ponies. De facto commander if you will.” Magnus smiled at him and turned back.

“Until Commander Strider deems you worthy! Now FALL OUT!” The battalion saluted and began moving into smaller squads around the field.

Commander Strider? Not a bad ring to it. Luna watched from above in her tower, exhausted but unwilling to sleep. Or perhaps unable. The magic she had just witnessed again impressed her. She wanted so badly to learn from Star Strider, and to know him better. She watched for hours as the troops battled each other using their magic, Star Strider at the head of the group inspecting every pony for their stances and casting. She failed to push what had happened the day before out of her mind. Was I acting as a fool? Or did we share that moment? “AGH how did I let myself be thrown head over for a stallion I barely know? Or do I even like him that way or just find his mystery attractive? What would Celestia even think of my feelings? And so close to retirement, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF LUNA!” She shouted so loud that the three ponies in charge below her looked up to see her watching. Star Strider cocked his head at her and shouted, no, that was just his voice slightly raised?

“Doing alright princess? Notice any flaws I missed?” Luna blushed so hard she thought she would turn red for the rest of her life.

“Ahh—Nope! All good from here, just… trying not to fall over the balcony is all!” She blushed even harder and cringed away from her balcony.

Star Strider laughed and faced Starswirl. “Charming student you’ve founded old friend, though I sense she has much to master of her own being.” He leaned to Magnus again and whispered something in his ear. Magnus stamped and ordered his men to return to ranks.

“Commander Strider has been impressed, but not too impressed. He would like to demonstrate something for the battalion. Any sparring volunteers?” This seemed to shake the battalion as they all looked around at each other, no one knowing what was next in store. A hoof shot up from the middle right of the regiment.

“I’ll take the old pony on! But don’t worry sir, I’ll make sure to go easy.” Magnus sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Fine… Ember Arrow get up here.” A pony with a pearly black coat and fiery mane strode to the front with a large grin across his face. Star Strider approached him with a kind smile.

“Ember Arrow, a fascinating name. I assume aptly so because you seem to have a knack for pyrotechnical spells and an aim that never falters?” The grin slightly diminished on Arrow’s face.

“Uh, yes. I mean yes sir. My first spell was an arrow made of fire. Almost burned my farm down doing it.” Star Strider patted him on the shoulder.

“Very good my boy. Now, take your place across the sand from me. Your only goal in this fight is to knock me on the ground. Think you can handle that?” Arrow scoffed and backed up.

“Well sure, I mean no offense, but I am one of the top fighters here and you barely have more than farm boy training in combat! So, I’ll definitely go easy on you.” Star Strider smiled wide again. He had failed to mention his importance to any of the soldiers other than his fights with the dragons in his youth.

“Very well! You may not want to take it so easy, but you know your strength better than I. Let us pace.” The two moved to opposite ends of the hastily drawn sparring ring. Star Strider bent his legs in a pounce-like stance, while Ember Arrow crouched down in a running position. Flash Magnus moved to the center.

“The name of the fight is to knock Star Strider down. This will qualify as any of his body other than his legs touching the ground against his will! Fighters! Are you ready?” he motioned to both of the ponies. Star Strider nodded and closed his eyes. Ember arrow scoffed again and rolled his shoulders.

“Born ready sir.”

“Very well. Let the fight begin in 3…

“2…

“1…

“GO GO GO!”

Flash Magnus rolled out of the way as Ember Arrow began galloping towards his opponent. His horn lit up with a crimson glow and he began to unleash a flurry of bolts directly at Star Strider. Who had not even begun moving? This shook Arrow’s confidence for a second but kept on his pace. The first bolt was about to make contact with his foe, when suddenly Star Strider leaped up above the barrage and angled one of his hoofs down. He slammed into Arrow, knocking him off course and sending him tumbling over the edge of the ring. The wind had been knocked out of him from such an impact as he struggled to stand back up. Star Strider landed without even making a thud. Arrow regained his composure and began to get angry.

“Alright, I see how it is. You wanna use strength magic? I got some of my own. Rematch!” Flash Magnus set a hoof on Arrow’s chest.

“Woah there hot shot, he didn’t use any magic. Plus, he has to agree to the rematch first so don’t go too far.” Arrow was huffing in anger as Star Strider walked up to him.

“Your general is correct, young stallion. I used no magic. But I am more than delighted to indulge you in a rematch. Perhaps this time you don’t hold back?” Arrow huffed in annoyance.

“Oh, believe me, you’re going to feel this in the morning.”

The two set up back in their spots for another fight, Magnus in the middle again.

“Fighters, the rules are the same. Are you ready?” both ponies nodded. “Alright, 3… 2… 1… FIGHT!”

Ember arrow reared his head back as he charged a spell that unleashed a whip. It soared with extreme haste towards Star Strider. As it did, Arrow dug himself into the ground, ready to wrestle the beast to the ground if he had to. Star Strider walked towards the energy whip, ducked, and stepped to his left, causing the beam to overshoot and slam into a tree far outside the ring. It wrapped itself around the false target as Arrow began struggling. Star Strider calmy approached him. Arrow finally released the spell and rolled away from his opponent. He cast another conjuration that projected a lance aimed at Star Strider. Magnus shifted uncomfortably as he knew the lance could seriously injure someone if it wasn’t a blunted spell. This didn’t affect Star Strider in the slightest. He stepped aside to the lance and thrust his hoof into it, causing the spell to shatter. Arrow’s eyes went wide as the stallion began running at him. Come on Arrow, think! Bring down this guy! He’s not even using his magic you can beat him! He jumped up and shot a beam directly from his horn at Star Strider. He traced the path he ran as he fell back to the earth. He held the beam as long as possible, trying to predict his foe’s every move but always coming short. The beam cut out as he lost his energy to hold it. Star Strider came face-to-face with him. In a last-ditch effort, Arrow grappled the stallion round his neck, and threw his whole weight to the ground. He had no belief he could tackle such a creature but was surprised to feel his target falling with him. No, not falling, he’s spinning himself! He realized all too late that Star Strider had control over this fall, not him. They spun a full circle as his body slammed into the ground. He felt his hips crack as he forcefully stopped against the sand, crying out in pain. Star Strider stepped back as Ember Arrow was bleeding from his hip, the broken fragment of his pelvis bone jutting out above the skin.

“FUCK! How the Hell did you win AGAIN! You have to be using magic you son of a bitch!”

“Ember Arrow! That is enough! You two, go get the medical team. And for that little spat Arrow? You’re on toilet duty anyway!” Ember Arrow moaned as a gurney was brought out for him. Star Strider stepped in and lowered the gurney.

“Please, allow me, friend.” He lowered a hoof onto the injured stallion’s hip. The tip glowed and the skin mended back to its natural state, the bone no longer sticking out. The only trace of an injury was the dry blood and sand mixed on his coat. Arrow stopped his squirming and looked in astonishment.

“How did you… it feels brand new? That kind of healing magic doesn’t exist! What did you do to me?” He backed away from Star Strider as he raised his hoof off the young pony.

“Fear not, my friend. I have many magical elements at my disposal. It was the least I can do after you put up such an amazing bout of combat. You had many powerful spells that take much training to conure. Well done.” He reached his hoof out to help the pony to his feet.

“Yea… I guess. Thanks, I mean. I didn’t mean that stuff I said I was just, well you know.”

“I know. You have nothing to be sorry for.” Star Strider turned to the battalion. “But let this fight be your first lesson: your magic is not your greatest tool. Far from it. If you have not mastered yourself, you have not mastered your magic. Starting tomorrow, you will all join the earth pony companies for their physical training. You will not use magic for a single task around the castle unless deemed otherwise, and you will spend time meditating on what magic is to you. I shall be leading these thoughtful classes at sunset daily. I expect everyone to attend at least a few until you feel as though you have a better understanding of who you are. You don’t deserve your magic if you are nothing without it. I am proud of the work and discipline you showed today, but for the threats Equestria will face you must be better. That is all I have for you today.” He turned to Magnus. “You may dismiss them general and bring in the next group.”

The training went on like that all day—normal sparring, a demonstration against a powerful unicorn, and Star Strider beating them without magic and giving them his lecture. Luna watched in awe every hour of the day. How could he beat them so easily without his magic? She had seen Applejack buck plenty of times to know earth ponies were strong, but she had never seen one actually overpower a unicorn alone while the magic user was using their full strength. She was caught up in his demonstrations until she was disturbed by a royal emissary.

“Ah, your majesty. Your sister has requested your presence for the changing of the times.” Luna was startled by the shrill mare that entered her room. She had lost track of time watching the battalions come in and out.

“Yes of course. My deepest apologies. I shall be right there.” She shooed the mare away with the flick of her tail. She turned back to look at Star Strider once more, his commanding presence shifting the atmosphere of the groups of ponies that came before him. He had a way of keeping everyone’s attention on the littlest of details, the shortest of phrases. He knew that he could command and so he did. Luna stood up and caught his eyes wandering up to her balcony. The first time all day besides her embarrassing outburst. She blushed as they made eye contact again, and he smiled. His warm inviting smile almost to say to her you should come on down. Perhaps it was just the whims of her heart speaking, but as she turned to leave, Star Strider felt his heart sink. Just a little.