Chapter 1 - Change of Scenery
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The Shadow of an Empire: A Tale of Remembrance

Chapter 1 - Change of Scenery

Barricade quickly trotted to the throne room wondering what Celestia wanted with her. She opened the throne room doors slowly and walked in. The guards closed the door behind her. Celestia stood in front of her throne talking to one her advisors about her trip to Saddle Arabia. Celestia waved off and greeted Barricade warmly.

"Barricade, I'm glad you could come on such short notice. I have a special assignment for you. We have recently aquired a guest to Equestria. He should be waking up soon and I want you to be his escort."

Barricade interupted her by raising her hoof. "I'm a captain of the guard your highness, wouldn't this be more of a job for a regular guard?"

"You remember when you asked for time off to see your daughter?" Celestia continued when Barricade nodded. "Well this is your chance. When our guest is done here, you will bring him to Ponyville and find him accomadations for his stay and your job will be over and you can visit your daughter."

"Thank you Princess Celestia. I don't know what to say." Barricade said excitedly then quickly stiffened her pose as she bowed and left.

Our guest couldn't be to big of a problem Barricade thought to herself. He's probably just a dignatary from Saddle Arabia. She slowly opened the door to see a black alicorn touching his wing. He opened his large wings sharply and flinched in pain.

"We'll that felt great." He said lowering his wings. He turned his head towards Barricade. "So, who might you be?"

"I am Captain Barricade of the Royal Guard. I am to be your escort here. I am to allow you to do as you wish in the palace then bring you to Ponyville to find you accomadations for your stay." Barricade said not showing any emotion.

"By any chance do you have a library of any sort here. I was hoping I could continue my research as soon as possible." He said checking the saddle bag that laid on the table next to the bed.

"Research? What might I ask are you researching?" Barricade asked.

"The Ancients. I was researching them in Manewind but there wasn't many books on the subject so I started to look for books outside of Manewind." He chuckled. "Look at me ranting on about random things, never even introduced myself. Shadow Wing, pleasure to meet you. So what's your name." He said lazily putting his saddle bag on his back. She gave him an odd look. "Oh yes, how silly of me. Barricade is it. So tell me about yourself."

She didn't say anything. Barricade had never been asked to talk about herself, at least not at the palace.

"Okay, fine. You don't have to say anything, but you don't have to be formal or anything. I get enough of that useless treatment back at Manewind. So, shall we be off to the library." Shadow Wing said cheerfully.

"Right this way, though I'll have to ask Princess Celestia if you can enter the Royal Library." Barricade said motioning him to the door.

"Ladies first." Shadow Wing said pointing his hoof out the door as he gave a slight bow.

Barricade smiled and walked out. She couldn't believe she was thinking it, but she actually thought she was going to enjoy escort duty for once.

Shadow Wing was merrily looking through the thousands of books that filled the Royal Canterlot Library. A quill and scroll of paper floated next to him so he could write down the books he wanted to read. Barricade was sitting at a round table in the center of the library asleep. At the same time, Shadow Wing's own book seemed to ceaslessly turn pages as if there was no end. The book suddenly stopped and closed and Shadow Wing looked behind him to see Barricade asleep.

He brought his face close to hers "Wakey wakey."

Barricade woke up suddenly and stood up. "Sorry."

"Your job must be tiring. I hope you don't fall asleep when you visit your daughter." Shadow Wing said empatheticly.

"How did you?" She stammered confused.

"I can read minds." He said boasting just a little. "Don't worry, I don't make a habit of it."

"Well then, shall we be going?" Barricade asked.

"Off we go." Shadow Wing shouted in a very deep voice trying to imitate an adventurer. "To adventure."

Barricade looked at him oddly. "Master Shadow Wing, is that necessary."

He frowned. "Just Shadow Wing, or Shadow for short. I hate titles, especially Lord, Master, King, Prince, and so on."

They arrived in Ponyville and Shadow Wing looked around as he saw the other ponies staring at him. He felt awkward having so many faces just staring at him. Then one of them, a pink mare, stopped him.

"Ohmagosh, ohmagosh, ohmagosh. Your new here, that means you get a party. Yay!" She shouted.

"I'm sorry but I have things that I need to do. So if you don't mind." He said politely only to be stopped by Barricade.

"I would just go with it, she won't stop till you do." Barricade said.

"Yeah, what Barricade said." The pink mare shouted latching on to one of his legs.

"Fine." He agreed.

Without warning, she hopped up and began pushing him further into town. They stopped in front of a large store, Sugar Cube Corner. She pushed him inside to be met with large group of ponies shouting surprise at him.

"And I thought I was the Master of random parties." Shadow Wing said jokingly.

"I thought you didn't like titles." Barricade said with a giggle.

"Theres the spirit. For a second, I thought you didn't have a sense of humor." He said.

The pink mare popped up again shoving a group of ponies at him. "These are my friends, Applejack."

"Howdy." Applejack said shaking his hoof.

"Rainbow Dash."

"Yo." Rainbow Dash said stretching her wings.

"Twilight Sparkle."

"Hello." Twilight Sparkle said excitedly.

"Rarity."

"Pleasure to meet you." Rarity said with a slight bow.

"And Fluttershy."

Fluttershy shrunk a little more in his seat. Shadow Wing looked at Fluttershy then back at Barricade. The size and personality difference was unsettling.

"That's your daughter. She seems so, different." Shadow Wing commented.

"She gets her shyness from her fathers side." Barricade said politely. "Come on Fluttershy, say hi. Shadow Wing is possibly the most kind stallion I have ever met."

"Um, uh, hello." Fluttershy said in a low timid voice.

"Pleasure to meet you all." He greeted bowing slightly.

"I have never met a male Alicorn before. Are you a Prince?" Rarity asked.

"No, and I would appreciate it if I was not treated like royalty. I didn't like it back home and seeing as everyone treats Alicorns as royalty here, I will like it less here." Shadow Wing explained.

"So modest." Rarity said taking a sip of her punch.

"So if your not from around here, then where are you from?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"Manewind, and according to Celestia, it's just north of what you call the Frozen North. In Manewind we call it the Iceflow Tundra." Shadow Wing answered.

"What's it like?" Twilight Sparkle inquired.

Shadow Wing thought for a moment. He tried to think of a way of describing it without scaring them. "Harsh, I guess. It's not a place built off of formality but function."

"Sounds interesting." Twilight Sparkle commented.

"Quite." Shadow Wing responded.

"I'm actually supposed to find you somewhere to live, though you might have to stay with one of these ponies for a day or two." Barricade said moving a hoof through Fluttershy's hair.

"Oh, well actually I was going to go visit the library before I did anything to serious." Shadow Wing said.

"That's where I reside, in the library." Twilight Sparkle responded getting a little excited.

"Well I know who I'm staying with. I guess I have to wait till the lady finds me a house to live in." Shadow Wing said making a courteous gesture towards Barricade.

"Oh you." Barricade said waving his hoof away. "Your to kind to a serious mare like me."

For hours they chatted and joked around as the day went on.

-Elswhere-

The Alicorn stumbled onto the porch of a small cottage. One of her legs was holding her waste which was concave, due to several broken ribs. She leaned on the wall next to the door and knocked once. She waited and was about to knock again when a blue furred earth pony clad in winter clothes walked out.

"Help me." She moaned.

"Sweet Celestia! What are you doing out in the cold!" He said quickly escorting her out of the snow into the cabin. He looked out into the raging snowstorm wondering where she came from.

He turned and ushered her to the fireplace. She coughed and layed down next to the fireplace as the pony shedded his coat and threw a blanket on top of her. He went to his kitchen and began making hot chocolate. Her rib went back into place as she sighed in relief. She opened her bright green eyes and smiled.