Guide of the hopeful

by AkioDragonlance

Rating: teen
Tags: Profanity, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Spike, Romance
Length: 3481

A young guard wishes to live up to his title as the protector of the weak.

Enter the life of Austere Muse.

A young stallion who was dealt a tough hoof of cards in life, with the passing of his grandmother, he vowed to live up to her expectations to follow his dream. To become a member of the guard and protect the streets as she did back in her days.

But alas perhaps it was not meant to be as he faces the ever present troubles of trying to overextend his capabilities.

From a mismatching cutiemark to broken bones and injured hooves, watch him grow beyond what fate has in store for him to reach beyond

Published 2022-05-02 13:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-05-03 04:18:16 UTC

Chapter 1: The hopeful start

Thwack!

It was that sound that brought forth the emotion that had caused all of this journey to begin. The beating of wood against wood, the heroic cries of a royal guard against the shield of a griffon, One of whom was much too eager to dive into a meal upon spotting weak prey.

Who was this prey, one might ask? Well since you are asking allow me to tell you a story, of a young stallion who wished to explore Canterlot alone, looking back on it. It was definitely a dumb idea for a foal to be wandering the streets before the sun began to set upon the world.

Never mind that, This foal's name was Austere Sapphire Muse, son of Malachite Axe and Diamond Words. Even he could not wrap his head around the names of his parents, even in moments such as these as he watched the mare in front of him work her business around the talons of the criminal.

The royal guard in question, a mare by the name of Malachite Needle, his very own grandmother in fact. Her golden armor beaming with the glory of the sun as her spear clashed against the cloak of the nefarious bringer of evil, in retrospect, he had forgotten the danger he was in to watch the mare work her magic, her spear resounding against the body of her target as if a wolf on its prey.

Forgive me, Every time I tell this story it gets harder and harder to not go on about the trials and tribulations of my Grandmother, she had done most things for me when mother and father passed. Allow me to get back on track.

"Austere! Why are you out here all alone?!" Her voice cried out as she focused on her foe but also on her grandfoal who stood behind her in amazement, she merely shook her head "stay there and do not get in Granny's way!"

The battle between the two was one to remember, well to a foal at least. To any pony in the streets at that time, it was simply a guard doing their work. But to him? He could feel the very pride that hid behind the glamour of that helm, the smiling mare underneath who was glad to be on time.

"My fiance has requested that I tell her my story from the beginning and yet every time she tells it, she merely smiles and lets me ramble on. But alas Here we are my fellow guards, sitting around a table surrounded by friends. Family. The loves of our lives! The friends of tomorrow!" Austere spoke as he stood from the table lifting a mug in his magical grasp, his horn alight with a lilac aura.

"Would you shut up already and get on with it! I swear! by the time the sun falls, we will all be snoring by the time you are done with that very line!" A voice shouts from across the hall, one of the newer additions to the family, A blue mare with a rainbow streak for a mane, a bearer of harmony. A friend who was met at the worst time of his career and yet his first supporter.

"Very well, since there are few who are so impatient, I will go on. Skip ahead ten years, I was just leaving high school at the time when I had experienced the pain of loss-"

The sweet summer breeze, the ever-present sound of nobility complaining that their suits and dresses would be ruined by the filth that dared to walk around them, the ponies of the common mare.

It was there that the young foal had become a stallion, His eyes scouring the street to look for the mare who had taken his bit-pouch. It was until he was approached from behind.

"E-Excuse me, are you Austere Muse?" A stern voice spoke from behind while his ears twitched at the sound, a time when he was least expecting a hoof to touch his back, his horn lighting up for a moment as he turned around to come face to face with a stallion.

The white fur and golden plating were enough to tell him all he needed to know, A guard. One of whom his grandmother had helped while serving, one of whom was now about to change his life in a direction he did not expect.

"That is indeed me, might I be able to ask why a royal guard has approached me in mid-daylight, It is kind of suspicious to see even one outside of the palace at such a time." His voice resounded from his throat while he stared down the guard with a curious gaze, his brow raised with a single line of sweat. Had he done something wrong? had Miss Gear finally gotten her revenge on his graduation prank?

"Your presence is being requested, young sir. It concerns your grandmother." The words that had traveled through the air didn't leave his mind as he thought, the eyes of the guard showing worry, nervousness, anxiety.

Of course a pony didn't know what to expect of such a thing until they had found out the cause. It was that day that Austere had to accept loss of one of his own.

The small trip with the guard did not last long as he arrived in front of the hospital, out the front was a stallion, green in tone with a calm grey mane. His father, Malachite Axe.

"F-Father? What's wrong? Why are you here?" Austere asked, His tone beginning to shape from his calm demeanor to something much more worry filled, the tension in the air almost so thick that even the sharpened edge of a knife could not cut it.

No matter how he had asked, the silence as he was guided inside by his father and the guard by his side. Their words that they tried to mumble not leaving their mouths as the stallion was brought into a side room, a patient's room... His grandmother's room.

What had he expected upon the bed, a broken hoof? a simple black eye from training exercises? not as he lived and breathed watching the broken husk of a mare, her body covered in scratches and cuts, her hooves bent unnaturally as he watched her with bated breath.

Anything to wake him up from this nightmare as his mother sat by his grandmother's side, the machines beside her slowly rising and falling along with her chest, the air she was breathing soon to be her last.

Author's Note

What will happen next I wonder, but then again. I have like five more of these chapters to release soon so do be kind and tell me what you think of the chapter.

What happened to Austere's grandmother, Why is he telling his story to his fellow guardsmen?

I would love to hear all of your theories on the matter!

Chapter 2: Emergence of hope

The deafening silence, a feeling of dismay, the quiet breaths of the mare that rested in her own hospital bed. Her helmet resting on the small table where some flowers and cards rested.

Austere could only hold his tongue as tears crawled down his face, only to get a soft hoof on the head that soon began to caress his mane. He froze up at the touch and swallowed his tongue refusing to sop as he stared down his grandmother whose gaze had turned to him.

"look who it is..." That ever-familiar tone had spoken, although the quiet it had brought along with it was uncomfortable as ever.

Austere had become quiet for that quick moment as he became lost in his memories, His expression was a weak smile as he thought to the reason he had come to the guard in the first place.

"She was an inspiration and yet there she lay, battered and bruised. When she needed it, she did not have one who could protect her. She merely smiled, looked me in the eye and said. Austere, I have a favor to ask of you." The stallion spoke opting to continue his tale.

The gazes from around softening as they listened intently to what he was telling them, his lips soon curling into a smile that was widening by the second.

"I want you to follow in this foalish mare's hooves and become an inspiration to the masses!" He spoke as a tear trailed down his face while he continued "To protect those who are powerless to save themselves, It will be hard. There will be times where you will feel as if you have been abandoned and broken, Times when you will want for nothing but to cry about how unfair it is. How hard it is to travel this path."

There were a few chuckles in the present crowd, the truth of the words coming to light among the company he now held. "There will be times when you are to do acts that will tear you up inside. Times when you must move past your personal feelings, times you will need to disobey even the princesses themselves...But it is when that happens that you do not lose that spark that you carry inside that precious little chest of yours."

Upon looking up, he had noticed that the dining hall of the barracks were now open. Standing beside Rainbow Dash was now a familiar orange mare, her trademark hat resting on her head. on the other side of the open door. A small collection of ponies and nobles. Friends. Loved ones.

"I had left not long after that, with a heavy heart, a burden on my shoulders. And yet, I would do it all again." he finished.

Another stallion had spoken up from the side, his helmet resting on the table in front of him. His red coat matched only by his fiery personality.

"It was around the time that he had met me, by Celestia. We all thought he be ejected from the guard within the first week." his voice gruff and loud, the pony gazing to Austere with that fire in his eyes. Merely to receive a nod while he sat down allowing the newcomer to continue the story.

The following week was torture to the young stallion as not long after that did his grandmother pass. His confidence stricken by the grief and yet he kept moving on, Nothing was to bring her back, nothing was to prevent such a thing.

He had occasionally visited his grandmother as she was getting off of work in the past, the steps familiar to him as his body carried him to the upper crust of Canterlot's society. Towards his fate. And into the path of his first friend.

The line at the recruitment office was short, for being the jewel of Equestria. There weren't many who would do the dirty work of cleaning the streets for the common-folk. and yet as he stood there, he could hear the nervous shaking of the pony behind him in the line.

"Hey, are you alright?" Austere said as he turned to face the pony behind him, his eyes meeting those of the fire red pony who appeared to freeze up at the interaction.

"H-How can you stand here and not feel anxious?" The stallion asked, his voice almost losing itself in the middle of his words, only to get a brave smile in response.

Austere took a moment to gather the words in his head, he had not thought of the nervousness of those in line. Their bodies tense, pleading for a way for the wait to end, their ears flicking.

"Because as I stand here and wait, I think of why I wish to serve, the reward for doing so. The happiness of the ponies you are protecting. One can only put on a brave face and give their fate a smile." The cyan pony spoke, his thoughts coming from his heart instead of his mind. He opted to continue.

"Because if I leave at the door, how will I be able to face my loved ones and say I tried." the words resonating within his heart as he put a hoof to his chest with a smile. "Everypony is nervous, but who does it help if we don't stand up and carry on."

Wait. Was it just his imagination or did the stallion stop shaking, and why was he staring at him like that? Had he overstepped his boundaries?

"Well spoken." He spoke with the brightness that even Celestia herself could not rival, he held his hoof up allowing Austere to bump his own against it. "I'm Metal Flame. What's your name?"

"A-Austere. Austere Muse!"

"I think it was his words that have brought many of us here today, the reminder of who we are, that we came here to help." Metal spoke as he took his mug in his hoof raising it to the air. "And yet he couldn't back those words up in basic training. the first time he picked up a spear, Celestia forbid anyone was near him at the time."

There was a round of laughter and applause as Metal continued on after drinking from his mug. "I learned that there is no point in hesitation when it comes to one's dream. Because there will always be one who will support you, and push you forward in your goal. The hopes of another are a strong dampener to doubts."

Austere nodded as he leaned his head back for but a moment before he put his hooves on the table before he spoke "Alright Everypony, we have an early morning tomorrow. Let us continue this little story tomorrow, Shall we?"

There were a few disappointed mumbles as they began to file out of the dining hall, Austere not moving from his seat as he stared into his cup, it had been a while since he had thought of this story, his own life story.

His expression softened into a smile as a small group of ponies approach his table before a question was posed by the one at the head.

"Tell me, my little pony. Was this path a blessing? Are you pleased with the outcome."

Author's Note

Funny how the words of one can support the journey of another.

If i had a message for you within this chapter:

When it comes to your dream, do not hesitate. Because only you can keep yourself from continuing down your own path.

well enough of the cheesy quotes from me, do tell me what you thought of the chapter, but i leave you with a question.

Can the words of one person, change the future of another? Can you help someone become the best they can truly be?

the next chapter, the split timeframes will merge as you learn of Austere's journey

what will his answer be to our ever-familiar princess. one can only find out by reading

Chapter 3: Hope of change

Was this path a burden?

That was indeed the question that one would often ask themselves after everything was said and done. But to Austere that was a question he had always kept in his mind buried deep away from his true thoughts, for the fear that all that he had done was not fulfilling to the young unicorn.

One question that he feared would break him long ago as he faced upon his days of the basic training as he walked alongside his new friend.

Austere could merely sigh as he placed his bag down in the barracks by his bunk, He had been assigned to training group two. His body barely functioning as his mind mulled over the traditions of the royal guard, how they were to be the stalwart defenders of honor and peace.

"Dude how are we to learn from that?! Here's the rules now watch this door for an hour, let nothing distract you!" Metal mimicked, his eyes landing upon the cyan unicorn he was assigned with. It was by chance that the two stallions were grouped up from day one.

"Not even I know, But how are we supposed to protect everypony if we focus on only one thing?" Austere commented, his hooves lifting himself up the small ladder allowing him to settle in the top bunk, the other ponies scattered across the barracks of the recruits seeming to nod along in agreement.

"Its to teach us that every problem does not escape the eyes of the royal guard." An older pony in armor spoke as she walked through the door. "That everypony has a part to play even when they think they do not."

Austere sputtered for a moment as everypony began to scatter into their positions to pay attention but alas a wave of the older mare's wing causes the others to relax if only but a little.

"But questioning such things will indeed bring change that we all welcome, the ones who can see beyond the initial problem while paying attention on their tasks are bound to succeed within our ranks...Do rest well young ones, Tomorrow will be harsh. You must be ready."

There was a sense of silence as Metal poked his head out from under Austere's bunk to make eye contact with the stallion above him. The door closing to give but a single message. 'what had they gotten themselves into?'

The next Morning

The next morning had started before the sun could even rise. The ringing of a bell, the groans of ponies galore along with the rattling of armor as ponies rushed to place it on themselves in the short time-span they were given.

Austere groaned, his horn ached as he began to levitate his armor on. The golden staple of a guard now felt like a boulder as he slowly trudged out of the room, Metal stumbling around as his wings get caught on a latch. It were better the red stallion be late then both of them.

'Why can't anything be simple?' he asked himself silently as he followed the large group with a few paces behind, A mare walking up beside him. She seemed rather confident about herself as she spoke.

"Gotta love when they wake us up like cattle. Almost makes you want to go home doesn't it?" Her tone was one of an overly confident but sassy mare, under the glamour rested a purple mare with a maroon mane. her eyes a soft cyan.

"Almost. Sadly we are all in here for the long haul, I didn't come here just to go when it gets tough." Austere smirked back allowing his helmet to rest snugly on his head while giving space for his horn, his fur changing color to a calming white and his mane to a gentle blue.

"Didn't expect you to, wouldn't be here if you were going to." her words merely affirming what he had said, although one might see a small smile at the corner of her lips. "So what's your name? you can call me Lilac."

"Austere. It's a pleasure." The younger stallion responded as he focused ahead of him, his armor clinging to his hooves even as they began to leave the palace towards the courtyards to be trained, from what he had heard, it was different from what a student would have to do in school.

Lilac stuck by him to ensure he did not fall behind, her personality allowing morale to stay high for the young unicorn. It felt nice to have someone who would stay beside him during the laps that Metal had earned the group, the red stallion looking just about ready to complain about all of the work.

"The rest of you can stop, Private Metal you are to continue for five more laps then we are to begin on combat drills" The harsh voice of the instructor echoed across the course as the red stallion was panting his head off barely struggling to run along the track.

Austere merely held his tongue before he split off from Lilac's side as she was leaving the track.

"What are you doing Private Muse?" the harsh tone targeting Austere as his hooves made contact with the track. "You were not ordered to join Private Metal!"

"What's the point in leaving one pony to do the work all on their own. Ma'am. When the first line of the guard code is to represent unity." He stated sarcastically joining the exhausted stallion using his magic to lift him up if but a little.

Slowly but surely, The others began to trickle in. Although one look in the eye of the instructor merely spoiled the moment for Austere.

He was in deep shit.