Light of a Soul

Waking Up

Ugh my aching head...where am I?

Soul's deep blue eyes started to open up, only to find that THEIR body was in chains.

"What. Where am I?"

"Welcome to your execution. Please do not struggle because it is futile and death is inevitable ." The speaker screeched.

I gotta get out of here.

Clink, Clank

The chain's rattled and soon Soul found out that he became himself again. With no time to wonder what the 'other' did, he struggled at the chains that connected to an iron ball. Slowly, he walked and walked until his legs gave up on him.

"Get up you little filly." It was the same guard 4 months ago, now scarred all over, with broken veteran armor and a medium sized mane.

"I'm a col-"

"Doesn't matter. If we can prove ourselves then we can get out of this hell hole. What's your name?"

"Soul Light."

"Ginka."

"Odd name..."

"Well don't get used to it, we're gonna die anyway."

"First you say if we can prove ourselves, and now you lost confidence? That's not like any royal guard I met."

"Well..." The green unicorn said glumly, "Not anymore."

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Four months ago...

I had been charged for leaving a fellow royal guard for dead. The court convicted me because of no evidence to prove my innocence. The only evidence I had...was you. Back then, I didn't think that I needed to obey the code of Hospitality. That proved to be a major crime. Statistics said that more guards are dying from unstable relationships with other guards. The guards hated one another, but kept it a secret. Your father and I were the only one that had kept our sanity. The rest, were removed from their duty. Due to the lack of guards, Celestia hosted a...test that shows 5 attributes.

Strength: A guard must be strong and able to assist guards in nearly impossible situations.

Intelligence: A guard must be smart and able to outsmart any enemy opposition.

Determination:A guard has to be determined when all odds are against them.

Speed: Any pony has speed but the fastest are the Pegasi, which are commonly used to launch assaults.

Magic: Only the unicorns and certain exceptions can cast spells, which are commonly used for protection, healing, and defensive tactics.

Before these 'tests' the age MUST be registered. If deemed too young, he is denied. If deemed too old, he will help on non-direct support. Your father and I passed these tests with ease and earned the right to be a royal guard.

When I was imprisoned, they sentenced me to death, but one person refused. Celestia.

Present day

"Celestia did not wanted me to die just yet. She wanted me to earn the right to become a royal guard again. Should I fail, I shall be sentenced to the death I deserve."  Ginka said.

"So we are going through the tests right?" asked the Pegasus.

Trumpets and horns blared when the blinding light greeted the two from a gate.

" Fillies and gentlecolts ! We have two prisoners that has been the lucky few- Lucky? -that will be put into five tests.

Strength, Intelligence, Determination, Speed, and Magic! The order of these will vary by a vote." A hoof pushed the back of Soul Light and Ginka. The two squint their eyes at the sunlight they were receiving compared to the darkness before. Once their eyes has gotten used to the light, they saw a track with the audience in the stadium. In one of those many crowds, stood Rainbow Dash...Surprised at their chains, but her face shows pure anger.

"What shall the first test be audience?" The speaker was a small filly, disguised as Celestia. The costume was so fake it looked like Paper. The speaker counted the votes from the audience and decided their first test.

" The first test will be...Speed! The two of you will cooperate to get across the track with batons!"

Soul Light sweated even before the contest had begun. To the left of him was a yellow, young, pink haired filly Pegasus. To the right of him was a grey, young, blonde filly Pegasus who was cross eyed.

"On your mark!"

The three crouched down on their hoofs, stretching their wings.

"Get set!"

Soul Light breathe heavily as the other two weren't looking serious at all.

"GO!"

Soul Light dashed forward with immense speed, leaving the two behind. The grey filly flew into a fence, while the yellow Pegasus flew at a slow rate. With the green steel baton in Soul's mouth, he tossed the baton at half way across the track to Ginka. Ginka ran for it like he was on fire. As Ginka finished half of his part, the other two passed their batons to their partners. Come on Ginka. The partner of the grey filly went even faster than Ginka, but he missed the turn. The partner of the yellow filly ran at a smooth but controlled pace. Ginka crossed the finish line.

"And the ex-royal guard wins!" The crowd boo'd at the duo that completed the challenge. "Next up! Intelligence! The two of you will have to figure out this puzzle or riddle. How boring."

Five royal guards bring out three empty canvases and placed them on a table each.

"The goal is to reveal the secret message and say it to me. On your mark!...Getsetgo!"

Soul and Ginka raced to the empty canvas, wondering what message lies on it. Five minutes has passed and still no progress for the three groups. Wait a minute.

"This is soooo boring." The speaker said dreadfully.

Soul Light leaned towards the canvas and...sniffed.

"What are you doing?" Ginka said.

That's it!

"Ginka I figured it out! it smells like lemons!"

"So?"

"So, we need a heater, but we dont have any except..."

"Us!"

Soul Light and Ginka once again out done the other groups, by placing their hoof on the canvas, they revealed the message.

The speaker's yawn was interrupted by the yelling of the message.

"HEAT!!!"

"Finally you ponies got it right! Once again audience, Soul Light and the ex royal guard has passed the test"

Boo's erupt from the audience but they were louder than before.

"Next test, strength! All ponies will compete against one another in a series of challenges. First up! Hold a watermelon."

Easy..

Everypony held up their watermelon in the sky.

"Everypony got it...now a table."

Everypony held a table up with their head and hooves. The grey filly loss balance and collapsed, the yellow filly wasn't strong enough and toppled over. 4 colts still stand.

"Now...a piano!"

As SoulLight held a piano in the air, he could not help but sweat and shake his arms. Ginka held the piano without effort, while the other colts were sweating.

"And the finale! A...set of heavy armor!"

SoulLight put on the white cold steel armor and tripped when he tried to get the hoof armor on. One colt was lying on the ground, too weighted to stand. Ginka, being an ex royal guard, held the armor still and with ease. The last colt shook and finally gave up on standing.

"Ex royal guard wins!"

Instead of hearing boos, people were getting used to Soul's and Ginka's succession.

"Next up! Magic"

Oh shit.

Soul Light had forgotten his capabilities as a NON-unicorn. The only 'magic' he has up his sleeve is

"Everypony must perform a type of magic! Nopony can copy one another or you will recieve a penalty in the next test." 'Celestia' said.

If Soul Light was going to make this work, he has to focus and learn instantly. He has to learn...to swap genders.

"On your mark!"

But that's impossible

"Get set!"

No! I have to do this!

"GO!"

Ginka's horn shined in a bright light and suddenly a transparent ball engulfed the caster's surroundings.

The other colts failed due to lack of participation. The other Pegasi had no magic of their own so the grey one ate a muffin.

Soul Light was focused into doing the one thing he didn't want to do. Let loose the 'other'. Soul Light exploded into a dirty mist. Literally Dirt-y. When the mist disappeared, out came the filly, Soul Blood.

"Now look what we got ourselves into Soul." Soul Blood said, facing nothing in front of her.

I'm awake now?

"Only until we switch places again, you get to watch my every move."

Oh Celestia...

"Soul wins! He casted the spell-"

What spell?

"-in order to change gender!" The speaker drumrolls. " And for the finale! DETERMINATION!" The crowd burst into yay's and woohoo's. Rainbow Dash still looks mad.

"You don't get fillies, don't you Soul?"

What do you mean?

"She really-" Soul Blood was interrupted by the 'Celestia' at the top of a tower.

"This is where you travel across Equestria!"

WHAT?!?!

"I, Celestia, will follow the three of you across Equestria!"

Celestia my flank.

"Oh shush you" Blood whispered to her other self.

"You will have three checkpoints: Canterlot, Ponyvile, and Cloudsdale.Each of you will have a location and some DEATHLY HAZARDS OOoooo. So...good luck!"

"On your mark!"

"Ginka, I have something to tell you." Light knew what she was going to say and tries to resist.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? BLOOD STOP!!!

"What?" The ex guard said.

"I lo-"

"GETSETGO!"

Ginka raced on foot to the landmarks assigned to him. Soul Blood flies after him to Canterlot.

Clue One: I have one line and no sides. What am I?"

"A circle"

"Ginka wait!"

The clue transformed itself into a compass, and read "To find the next clue, seek what goes moo." Ginka raced to the farmland...where Blood is slowly following up.

Guess you need more cardio huh?

Ignoring Soul Light, she flew to the farm in Ponyvile. Since there are rarely any farms in canterlot, there is only one possible place in mind. Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyvile. When Blood arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, Ginka had already solved it and the clue took the shape of a rectangle. The rectangle read " To be fair, one has to see what's in the air".

Ginka was quick to solve these puzzles, he used to be an espionage solider, which helped him decode many of the messages. He looked up at the sky and saw a blimp above him.

"Hey! How ya doing?" An actor like voice impersonating Celestia means the speaker is there.

"Next clue...Now" A demanding voice came from the unicorn. The speaker dropped a square down to the unicorn, just as Soul Blood caught up, breathing heavily.

"You sure do have tons of stamina big guy." Blood fixed her messy mane and winks at the ex guard.

"The 3rd clue reads: To find the final part of the object, you must find the cloud that ejects."

"Cloudsdale!" Both of them say in union.

"But I can't fly." The unicorn frowned.

"That's easy I'll just" Blood struggled to pull Ginka off of the ground and fails."I guess not...I'll go up there alone."

Just like before, Soul stretched her wings and went upwards like a cannon. Until a rainbow bullet hit the side of Soul Blood. Slowing down, Blood knew who had charged into her side, Rainbow Dash.

"Dash, I know the grudge you hold against Soul Light, but we have to do this."

"Not after what you did to me!" Dash broke the wind and hit Blood in all sides with the speed of a bullet. Blood dodged and weaved several attacks but several had connected. Soul began to spit out blood after what seemed like hundreds of strikes. When she nearly finished her off, Dash was blocked by a transparent shield that came from Ginka. Soul dashed up at Cloudsdale and found the final piece of the puzzle. Ginka on the other hand, was being swarmed by the attacks of a rainbow Pegasus. Ginka had cast another shield and made him invincible to certain attacks. Soul connected each piece of the puzzle, and with a great light, it transformed into the key that releases them from their imprisonment.

"Well! The two prisoners has the key! Congratulations...I guess." The speaker said.

I guess??

"Thank you very much...eh..whatever your name is. Now what was it you want to tell me Soul Light?"

"I'm Soul Blood."

"Right. Soul Blood."

"I-...I..lo-"

BOOM

"Hey I'm back to being me again!" Soul Light said.

"Oh..." Disappointed, Ginka turned away feeling ashamed.

"What's wrong?"

"Did Soul Blood had any..feelings?"

"What?"

"Never mind."