The Winning Pony and the Templar

The next morning

Cloudkicker and Garret wandered through the market, the human decidedly the more disgruntled of the two. Holding the cloth sack in his hands, he raised his eyebrows.

“You mind telling me again how I ended carrying your shit?”

Cloudkicker shrugged her wings, perusing the apples in front of her.

“Mysterious powers of all females mixed with humans disposition for chivalrous acts?”

Tossing a few bits towards big Macintosh, Cloudkicker giggled.

“Ok, I got one. How do you know a humans been through your yard?”

Garret shrugged as a few apples were added to his load.

“Your dogs pregnant and all your trash cans are empty.”

“Charming. Ok, how do you know a Kickers lost their spear and wingblades?”

Rolling her eyes, the equine wandered to the next stall.

“We switch to the stick up our plots as a back up. Come on, that one goes back to the Rebellions.”

“Gotta respect the classics.”

The mare gave a nuzzle to Rose, and whispered something in her ear that made the mare blush and knock her away.

Giggling , Cloudkicker looked over her selections.

“Ok, how do you hide money from a human?”

“Uh, no idea.”

“You hide it under the soap dish.”

Snorting, the human followed the lavender furred mare to her next destination.

“All right then. What do ten Kickers say when they come up against a single human soldier?”

Cloudkicker hmm’d, tapping her chin with a hoof.

“I give up.”

“Correct.”

“Hey, what do you call a human who graduates from kindergarten at the age of fifteen?”

“I don’t know…”

“A genius.”

“Hey, what do you call a pony mixed with a flower? A blooming idiot!”

Cloudkicker shook her head, snorting with amusement.

“Ok wise guy. Whats two miles long and has an IQ of six?”

“I don’t know.”

Cloudkicker giggled.

“A Templar parade procession.”

The human smirked.

“Ok, why do Kicker’s encourage their foals to join them in exercises?”

“No idea.”

“So their soldiers can beat someone in hoof to hoof drills.”

…………………………………………………………………..

Chane walked mutely behind Fluttershy. Humming softly to herself, she looked up into the air as she considered the future of her newest charge.

“Oh, lets see. You’ll need some new notebooks, a saddle bag, new pens… hmm…”

Chane looked up, and tilted his head.

“For… what?”

Looking over her shoulder, she gave a encouraging smile.

“For school of course, silly.”

The zebras brows knitted together a moment, then he ahhed.

“Oh yes. The place where your offspring learn.”

The Pegasus gave a nod. Chane gave a derisive snort.

“I already know how to read and write. And I already speak your tongue. What more do I need?”

Fluttershy giggled, and shrugged her wings.

“Oh Chane. School is so much more then that! Theres preparation for festivals, playing with your friends, learning something new everyday…” the mare jumped and down excitedly in place a moment, and walked back to Chane to give him a nuzzle.

“Oh, your just going to have so much fun!”

Chane chuckled, still tensing slightly at the affections of the Pegasus.

“Did you like school, Ms Fluttershy.”

The yellow mare took a step back, her smile fading…

Clutzershy!

Hey look, it’s the failure…

Ms. Shy, would you please step in her and close the door… Yes, there is something you can so I won’t call your mother…

We’re sorry ma’am… the damage was too much… she’ll never be able to have foals…

Hey Eepysqueak… wanna try something new? No its ok, I promise its fun… trust me….

There was nothing we could do… Your mother…

Fluttershy jumped slightly from the nuzzle under her chin. Chane, blushing furiously from being so forward, looked at her, blue eyes wide with concern.

“Ms. Fluttershy… are you ok?”

The Pegasus smiled, and gave a nod. Turning around, she walked down the road too her cottage. Chane shook his head sadly. That same look as those mares his father married. His little heart heavy, he followed Fluttershy.

……………………………………………………………….

Cloudkicker slid the saddlebags off her back, and flopped on the couch with a groan. Garret sighed, and shaking his head, walked into the kitchen, and began to put the various products away.Smirking, the mare lifted her head to wink at him from her reclining spot.

“Its so nice to have a woman who knows their way around the house.”

“Oh, ha ha.”

Giggling, Cloudkicker sat up on her haunches, continuing to observe.

“Seriously though. You certainly know your way around the kitchen.”

The human shrugged.

“Was raised in orphanage. No mom to help. Had too relearn everything when my wife died.”

Cloudkicker jumped slightly.

“Oh Celestia…. Garret…”

The human turned his back too her, putting boxes away.

“She was… carrying my son at the time…”

The mare gasped, and looked down at her saddlebags.

“Oh geez… I’m so sorry Garret…”

She looked up again.

“How…?”

The human paused, then put the last box of of one bag in place.

“Bandit raid. First settlement got razed, I was out on patrol. We got ambushed, and I was the only survivor.”

“The village…”

“Everyone dead…”

Cloudkicker snarled, and lay down again.

“I hope you caught the bastards.”

Garrets eyes widened, and his hands shook.

Within the day court, Celestia looked over the bills and treaties, when a Pegasus burst through the door. Weeping, he prostrated himself before the princess.

“Princess, Princess, please! You must help me!”

As the guards moved forward to remove him, the diarch stilled them with a glance. Rising from her throne, she extended her

wings to their fullest.

“Leave us.”

Bowing, the various servants and guards quickly emptied the room. Smiling gently, the mare walked down the steps. The pegasi winced, and looked up, eyes wild. What was that? Something in the rafters… no, no. He was safe… he was ok.

“What is wrong my little pony?”

Tears streaming down his cheeks, he cried, “Milady, the clan… something is hunting us! Sixteen have already fallen, my comrades sit and do nothing! My family will not heed my words! I know I am next! Please…” He looked up, eyes wide with hope, then gaped in horror.

“Please…” Celestia repeated no smile graced his regents lips, her eyes were a cold fury.

“How many, my little pony, said please..,” the equines entire body locked, his eyes widening in horror. Suddenly, from far away, he registered some weight on his back, and as he collapsed his wings were pinned beneath two knees.

“My little pony…” He looked over his shoulder behind him, and saw a covered face, and piercing green blue eyes. His ears ached with the heaviness of his princesses next words.

“I am… very disappointed in you…”

The equine jerked as the curved throwing knife jabbed his throat, slicing through artery and muscle as it sunk inward. As the blade was drawn out, and his blood gushed out over the carpet, his last thought was…

“But… I did it for you…”

Garret frowned, and began to put the rest of the groceries away.

“Yeah, I did.”