Will of Fire

Chapter 29 - Parting ways

By: TheXIIILightning

"And don't forget, Rarity! Spike can't eat too much candy at night, or else he'll get a tummy ache." Twilight said.

Everypony, including me and Shining Armor, were at the train station.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Applejack had to go back to Ponyville today. They couldn't waste anymore time around Canterlot, after all, they had their own jobs to take care off.

Fluttershy had to take care of her pets, she said that it wasn't fair to force Angel to feed all the animals, even if the local vet was keeping an eye on them.

Pinkie Pie had to work in the bakery, and since the Cake's wedding anniversary was coming up, she wanted to foal sit their foals and surprise them with a second honeymoon.

Applejack had farm work to do, her brother can't possibly take care of the orchard by himself.

And Rarity had plenty of orders to fulfill, so she offered to keep an eye on Spike while Twilight stayed in Canterlot.

Oh, that reminds me. Twilight told me this morning at breakfast, that she'll be staying a few days in Canterlot. She wants to visit the library here, spend some time with her family. You could say that she's on vacation.

She told me that if I needed to go anywhere, I could ask her to accompany me. I told that I was grateful for her offer, but that I am perfectly fine on my own... sorta. I mean, she's on vacation! Who am I to take that away from her?

"I already told you dear, Spike will be fine." Rarity had already said that three times, but Twilight can't stop worrying. "Spike has a good head on his shoulders, he can cook and organize an entire library on his own. I'm sure he won't be that big of a hoof-full."

"I know Rarity, but what about Sweetie Belle? Taking care of two foals on your own... Maybe I should jus-" Rarity put her hoof on Twilight's muzzle.

"Don't even finish that sentence dear, Spike isn't a foal! He's just as mature as you and I!" Twilight glared a bit at her. "Okay, almost as mature, but my point still stands dear. You need a vacation, if you're not outside with us five you spend the entire day inside the library." She removed her hoof from Twilight's muzzle. "And that is not healthy Twilight."

"I guess... Just make sure he behaves, okay?" Twilight sighed, but with a soft smile.

"I'll hardly need to, but I will Twilight, you can count on me." Rarity turned and boarded the train, passing through Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

"Are ya sure there's no problem in staying RD?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, no problem. I already asked Thunderlane to replace me for a while, I'm sure he can keep my schedule."

"I'm sure he can, but what about yer pet turtle?"

"Tortoise." Fluttershy corrected, peeking out a window.

"Whatever. Is Tank gonna be alright?"

"Eeyup, I left him at Fluttershy's before I came here. I also told him that I'd be gone for a while, so he won't miss me as much."

"Just wait a darn' toothin second! Ya were plannin' on staying all along?" Applejack narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash, scanning her face for lies.

"Y- Yeah, maybe I was... It's no big deal."

"No big deal! You left yer job and yer pet, that's a big deal!" Applejack yelled at her.

"Fluttershy said she's okay with it! And so did Thunderlane!" Rainbow yelled back, stomping her hoof.

"That's not the point Rainbow, ya need to start takin' yer responsibilities serious! Yer not a filly anymore!"

"That's right! I'm not a filly, I'm a young mare! I'm old enough to make my own decisions!" They stared at each other for a while, not minding the attention all of us were giving them.

"Fine!" Applejack huffed and turned around. "But don't come running back to me, if whatever yer plannin' bites ya in the flank!" She stomped her way inside the train.

"Fine!!" Yelled Rainbow Dash.

"Fine!!" Applejack yelled back.

I facehooved and turned towards Twilight.

"Are they always like this?" Twilight sighed.

"Everyday..."

"So, how long can I stay in here?" I asked Shining Armor.

"For as long as you need, the palace is always under the guard's watch, so it's the perfect place to keep an eye on you." He said, not even looking at me.

"What about Sunshine and Trixie? Can they stay here aswell?"

"I don't see why not, as long as you don't mind sharing a room with them." He turned right, leading me down another hall. "I'll inform the maids later, they will prepare your beds and clean your room."

Shining Armor was giving me a tour of the palace, telling me the Do's and Don'ts of the guard, the areas that I'm allowed to enter, and other boring stuff.

He said that we can stay in the Palace for as long as we need to, thankfully I won't have to find an hotel or apartment, that would be extremely painful for my wallet.

Sunshine and Trixie are out exploring the town, Trixie wants to find a job and so does Sunshine. I'm glad those two are feeling better, our lives are slowly going back to normal.

Twilight went to visit Shining's wife, Princess Cadence. Lucky bastard... And Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found, she just flew straight away after fighting with Applejack. Twilight got a bit worried, but we managed to convince her to give Rainbow some room.

Now about me, well now I'm a part of the guard... sort off. I don't get a uniform, badge or anything. I just have to be polite to the citizens and aid anypony in need. That's basically what I did before, minus the formalities and the constant escort.

"... and here we have the barracks..." Great, I wasn't paying attention. "This area is off-limits, except in a case of emergency." He turned right again, this time towards an even longer hall. "Now down this hall, we hav-" Somepony opened a door in front of us, Shining stopped and saluted.

"Good morning, Commander Hurricane!" He said.

In front of me was a tall, slightly old, pegasus stallion. His mane was combed back, sporting a light blue color. He had a beard the same color of his mane, but slightly spiky in the ends. After a closer look I saw the same spikes in his mane.

He was wearing Luna's Nightguard armor, a black armor with an evil looking eye at it's front, it was really intimidating. His white coat under that armor gave him a younger look, but if I had to guess, he might be as old as Mentore.

If I remember correctly, Hurricane gave is superior post to Sparrow so he could join Luna's guard. I don't know why, they are still part of the Pegasi, but more of a combat unit. I'll have to ask Hurricane if I have a chance.

"At ease Captain Shining." He waved a hoof. "We are no longer of equal rank, there's no need for such formalities."

"Sorry sir, force of habit." Shining calmed down, Hurricane rolled his eyes and looked at me.

"What do we have here..." He gave a few steps around me, it was creeping me out. "Aren't you Mentore's kid? Lightning, or something?" He knows Mentore?

"I am sir." I gotta remember that he's a soldier, a very good soldier. "Did you know Mentore?" He laughed, loudly.

"Ah yes, indeed I knew him! We had the same teacher, it's a shame what happened to him." I got a bit silent, but Hurricane kept laughing.

"It's that fools fault for slacking of training." He poked me on the ribs. "What about you son, Sparrow told me that you're quite the fighter."

"I can handle myself..." I don't like this guy. I just... don't.

"There's no need to be humble son! I trained Sparrow day and night, if you can still stand after fighting him, you're strong." He turned towards Shining. "Stronger than him I bet." Shining just huffed.

"I don't know, but I hope the opportunity to find out never rises." He glared at me, I gave him the same look. "Right Lightning?"

"Yeah, I don't want to fight anypony." I answered truthfully, Hurricane scoffed.

"Cowards, if you have the strength to fight, why run from the challenge!? There's nothing better than to fight, except fighting for a cause!" He tapped his armor with a hoof. "I am still to find a worthy opponent for me and my squadron. There's nopony, griffon, dragon or changeling that dares fight me!" He tapped me on the ribs, again. "And those that do... well, let's just say they won't be feeling anything so soon."

Shining and I shared the same look, agreeing that this guy is crazy.

"I heard that you use a sword son, where is it?" Hurricane got his composure back, eyeing me seriously.

"I lost it, I got in a fight with a Manticore and had to run away." He snorted, turning his head away from me.

"Run away? Ha! Come with me, I'll get you a new sword, a good sword." He turned his back on us and went down the hall. I turned to Shining to ask him for permission.

"I'll go check on Twilight, you're free to wander around the Palace until I come back."

We said our farewells and I went to meet Commander Hurricane by the barracks. This guy might be crazy, but he is a fighter like me. I hope we can understand one another, and I need to know how he trained Sparrow. One crazy pony is more than enough for me to deal with...

"What about this one?" I asked Hurricane, he eyed the sword I was holding carefully and gave a step back.

"Let's see if you know your steel son." I already knew what he was about to do, and stood still. If I moved just a bit, could die. After a few seconds of waiting, I only heard the sound of metal clattering on the floor. I looked down and I saw a bit of the sword I was holding.

Hurricane cut through it without making a sound! Like he did to the other twelve swords before that... The poor pony that was with us, the blacksmith I assumed, was in the verge of tears!

"Weak, these weapons are pathetic! You couldn't scratch a dragon's hide with this stuff!"

Commander Hurricane has the strongest wind sword in the entire guard, there aren't many weapons that can withstand a veterans technique and many less that could withstand his! The blacksmith and I knew that, but that numskull of a pony has too much pride to give up. And by that I mean give up until he finds a weapon that can.

On the way here I managed to ask him about Sparrow and his promotion. He said that Sparrow is a strong pony, but after I left he lacked motivation to improve. Hurricane gave him his former rank so Sparrow would get stronger, and by that help protect Canterlot. And Hurricane as a member of the Nightguard, leads a team of specialists against any dangers that threaten Equestria, be it pony or not.

From what I can tell, Hurricane is a freak that lusts for battle, but he treasures Equestria above all else. Even his own life.

"Follow me Lightning, I know where we can find a sword for you..." Hurricane sighed and left the armory without a word.

I followed him and only looked back once... why? Because nopony wants to see a grown stallion cry.

That poor guy has a lot of forging to do...

"Now THIS, is a sword worthy of your talent." Hurricane said.

Commander Hurricane told me to wait by the training grounds, while he went home to grab something. And what he brought was amazing.

It was a beautiful sword, extremely well sharpened and in perfect condition. It had a golden hilt with bronze colored, fake-leather straps. The hilt had a small string attached to the end, in case the user wants to wield it with a hoof. It looked like a normal sword, but it had some strange black metal covering half the blade. It made half the blade near the hilt, blunt, and the other half razor sharp.

"My family didn't like killing, but weren't less deadly for it. This blade is proof of that." Hurricane spoke with pride." It's reinforced with a mixture of diamond dust, bronze, metal, literally everything you can think of. It doesn't matter what it is, if it hits the black section of this sword, it won't break. On the other hoof, if it hits the anything else, well..."

Hurricane approached a small pony shaped scarecrow, the ones you use for training, he did a quick movement with his head and cut the dummy in half.

"It's no different from any other sword, but in capable hooves like your's it's a deadly weapon." Indeed it- wait... My hooves?

"Hurricane, sir... I'm sorry but I can't ac-" He threw the sword towards me, impaling it on the ground.

"Just take it." He flared his wings open. "I have no use for it, my wings are my weapons. I have no son's, the guard is my family. I only have my name, and even that will die with me." He moved towards me and gave me his hoof. I bumped it.

"That sword has been in the Hurricane family for generations, and each and every one of us served in the guard to protect Equestria. I could give it to Sparrow since he is my pupil, but I'm giving it to you because you can use it."

"I- I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything, just fight! Fight for yourself, fight for your family and fight for Equestria!" He yelled.

"Show no mercy to those that defy you, because they will be ruthless. They will try to kill you and only you can stop them. That's why I'm giving you that sword, I want you to fight for those that can't."

I grabbed the sword with my mouth, it was incredibly light and the balance was perfect. I took a few steps back and did a number of swings, testing out my new weapon. But then I felt something blocking the sword and a ton of wind hitting my face.

Commander Hurricane was blocking the sword with his wing, grinning like a madman.

"I'll do my best, sir."

End of Chapter 29

I can swing my sword, sword!~
Cuz I am the lor- *gets shot*

Now for the Hype. *Ahem*

Trixie gets a job!
Will she be a plumber or a french maid?

Find out in the next chapter of...
Will of Fire!