Pure and utter static, that was all that was running through the young stallion's mind as his eyes began to slowly open. Colors clashing while he slowly adjusted to the sun peering through the curtains of his new found home, one that was graciously given to him and his fellow guardspony the previous day.

Covering his body was a thick blanket, despite its weight it was almost beckoning him to fall asleep once again, to wait for the moon to rise before it hit him. He had to kick his nocturnal nature out of him, the moon was as much of his friend as the sun was now. There were no predators hunting him, nor were there any tribal conflicts occurring, much to his Sanity's benefit.

His eyes close as his horn began to lightly glow, it would not do to panic those under his command so easily with the scars of his torment. of his past. There was a soft embrace as his magic found its target hiding it under his coat. His cloak hovering over and into place as he slipped out of his bed, his hooves making contact with the hard wood floor with a set of clops.

Giving himself a moment to adjust to the unfamiliar weight on his body, he would soon make his way to the door going through into the rather spacious main room of his new home, the other two ponies already awake, Rusted in the kitchen working on breakfast while Chrysanthemum was sitting on a stool sipping at the drink of the gods.

Opting to join them, he slumped on to the stool beside the mare and used his magic to pour himself a cup. Rusted speaking to him. "Look who finally decided to join us, considering how aware you were yesterday I am surprised that you were not the first pony awake." gods there was just something about his cockiness that Austere could bring himself to admire about the mouth of the solar guard.

Cracking a smile at the wit, Chrysanthemum spoke up at the comment placing her cup back down, her feathers maneuvering the cup back on to the table in front of her. "Baring in mind, he did most of the running yesterday, especially from Rarity, something about wanting to replace his cape with something more colorful, I was half tempted to tell her where he went."

"You would throw me to the mercy of a seamstress? I am almost impressed-" Austere commented, his hoof landing on his chest tuft in mock offense before letting out a soft chuckle "But it would take more than just one pony to get me to tidy myself up, I spent years with this beard, and I would rather castrate myself then get rid of it. Helps keep the mares disinterested in the armor." his head gently turned to the mare before he winked, looking back at his now full cup before bringing it to his lips allowing the precious caffeine to enter his system.

There was a short bout of laughter before Rusted took his seat opposite of his two new allies, his wings carrying three plates which he quickly placed on the table allowing the food on each of them to be admired by their to be consumers.

"Are you sure it is the armor that makes the mares desire a stallion and not the other way around?" she commented as her hooves pick up a knife and fork to prod at her meal, pancakes, the classic for one to have when first settling into a new home with absolutely no food in the pantry.

"Chrys name the last stallion you have seen with a full beard in a happy herd with somepony." Rusted commented before stuffing his face with food giving the mare something to contemplate on for the day. His grin all knowing of the mare's preferences, he had been her partner for years after all/

a few hours later.

There was some time before Austere was to get back to the house, opting to see how Twilight Sparkle was settling into the library. His hoof knocking against the door before he entered, who he was greeted with was not Twilight Sparkle but her draconic assistant.

"Hey, is Twilight in?" his eyes wandering around the room at the various boxes that filled the main lobby area. some half unpacked while the rest were all sealed, and the baby dragon? trying his best to reach into the highest box that the purple Unicorn had started on from what it appeared to be some time ago.

"Ah!-" Spike fell back in surprise expecting a harsh fall just to be caught in a gentle blue magical glow, the nocturnal unicorn's horn glowing the same gentle blue. "T-Thanks, no. She is meeting the ponies around town, she won't be back for another two hours." this caused the young dragon to sigh as he was placed down softly on the ground, instead of leaving, Austere would move closer watching the large stack of boxes.

"How about I help you, Never hurts to have an extra pair of hooves unpacking." the offer was met with an uncertain smile, Spike wouldn't deny the help but most ponies didn't offer to help unless they needed something. As the Unicorn approached, he knelt down and offered his hoof to the young dragon which was taken rather quickly. "I am Austere. I just moved here recently with the return of Princess Luna to Canterlot. and who are you, my draconic friend?"

Pointing to his chest with a claw, he proudly spoke "I'm Spike, I am Twilight's number one assistant." this phrase seemed to get Austere to nod in approval before he politely asked. "Would you mind helping with the taller and heavier boxes? I am not quite big enough to deal with them yet."

"Of course, friend. Perhaps you can even tell me a bit about yourself while we work, it is not often one meets a dragon outside of the dragon lands. Especially one as talkative as yourself." Austere commented as he got to work, his horn enveloping the boxes as his magic sorted the books in order, another glimpse would show him taking out some family pictures of the purple mare with her favorite assistant, from the glimpses he could grasp, they were mother and son then boss and assistant.

Taking their time would soon prove useful as the two males would finish the job quickly, the boxes neatly folded and stored in one another. Opting to take a break, the stallion was sitting beside the dragon as he was showing him one of his favorite comic books.

"I wonder what it would take to be a hero like that, to be so fearless, to be so strong." Spike commented as the two were reading, his gaze moving up to Austere before he asked. "What do you think, Austere? do you know what it means to be a hero?"

The unicorn took a moment opting to word it a bit more appropriate for a child of Spike's age. "To be a hero is to be able to believe that you can do right by the world even if it means being hurt to do it. To be able to make the hard decisions when the time comes, to overcome ones fear in the face of danger, heroes come in many shapes and sizes my friend. I am sure Twilight herself would agree that even you can be a hero in your own way."

This causes the eyes of the baby dragon to sparkle with wonder as he thought of a future where he could be the dashing hero saving everypony and getting the mare. The mare in this case being Rarity, there was just something about that mare that he could not stop thinking about, she was just so...beautiful. "You really think I could be a hero? you aren't just saying that?" the baby dragon asked hesitantly being met with a gentle smile and a nod. "Could you teach me how to be a hero?"

The offer caught Austere off guard for a moment before he spoke "The path of a hero is a hard one, but how about I take you on a much better path. Every great hero needs somepony who can keep them on their hooves, to keep them smiling when it is difficult to. Afterall, a hero cannot become a hero without first becoming somepony who stands up for the weak."

"A-Alright! I will try my best." The young dragon could not hold back the grin that was spreading on his face in happiness "Maybe I can become a hero in the end and get the mare as well!" that little comment was met with a chuckle and a confirming nod.

"Let's just focus on one hoof at a time my little friend, after all, you have plenty of time to get a mare, you are still a baby dragon after all. The mare you dream of could take some time to arrive." Austere pat the dragon on the back before slowly pushing himself into a standing position. He felt the a strong feeling of attachment to the young dragon, in his heart he felt a new threat connecting the two of them together, he gave a soft laugh and bumped his hoof against the fist of Spike who eagerly did so.

Just as threads begin to weave into the everchanging bonds of heroes, in the darkness something threatens to snip these bonds. Watching their reflective pool as countless eyes watched the water, there was a soft cackling. "Send team one, we would not wish to break our new toys before testing them out. And my dear, do make sure you do not kill them."

On the other end of the water was a hooded figure who merely bowed to their mistress before leaving through the Chamber door, their eyes gazing back at the reflective waters that showed an image of the nocturnal Unicorn hoof bumping a young dragon. "It shall be done, Mistress."

Author's Note

The start of the bonding moments begin, the episodes that Austere will be involved in will start as few and far between. After all, the job of a guard is never truly quiet, and those who believe it is are fools.

I am glad to see that my story is starting to pick up traction, I will be trying to increase chapter production as I plan for this to have multiple stories in one timeline!

Tell me what you all think! and have a great day.