//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Destiny // Story: The Princesses' Quill // by AtrumVenator //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Destiny “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” “A guitar?! No daughter of mine will play something so common and unrefined as the guitar, why the very thought is appalling. No my dear, you shall play the cello, and you will be the type of pony everypony should know.” Her mother’s stern voice caused the young gray filly to cringe a bit in fear, but she was determined to change her mother’s mind. “But Gallant plays the guitar...” Her mother’s changing facial expression indicated that this was absolutely not the right thing to say. “And Gallant is a bad influence on you, he’ll turn out no better than his father. You mark my words.” Realizing she could not win this fight now, the filly turned away and went back to continue her studies in her room. Later... “Gallant?” The filly questioned her older brother from the doorway to his room, he was occupied in writing something. “Hmm?” He was distracted, not fully noticing her for a few seconds, before realizing she spoke, meeting her magenta eyes with his steel blue ones, “Oh hey, what’s up, is something wrong?” The filly giggled at her brother’s absorbion in his work, before frowning again, “Mom says you’re a bad influence... And that you’ll turn out no better than your father.” Gallant Quill was visibly saddened by his sister’s words as he sat down on the bed, “Don’t listen to her okay? Do you think I’m a bad influence?” She giggled climbed up next to him and shook her head no, “See that's settled then, and he’s your father too.” “I know, but where is he Gallant?” She questioned him, curiosity lighting her eyes in reference to her lost father. “That’s... complicated. You’ll understand when you’re older and I promise I’ll tell you the whole story. Besides, you’ve got me and I’ll always be by your side.” This answer seemed to content her and she smiled, eyes clearly showing tiredness. “Thanks big brother,” She paused, attempting to phrase the next question properly, “Do you think I’m destined for greatness?” Gallant gave a wide and true smile at her, “Of course, we both are!” She was falling asleep next to him, “Okay. That sounds nice.” He threw a blanket over the both of them and laid down next to her, “It does, doesn't it? Goodnight Tavi.” Gallant awoke promptly as Reveille played, as he had done everyday for the past eight weeks. He got out of bed, neatly making it with magic as he stood and waited for the Drill Sergeants to inspect his area. After a few moments, he realized that they weren’t coming to inspect. Instead they were standing at the end of the bunks. The often absent but still very much in charge Sergeant Spectre spoke first, “Gentlemen, today is the day of your graduation, today you become guards in the service of the Princesses. At present time, we are not at war.” The bat pony’s golden eyes seemed to pierce each of the recruits individually as he gazed over them. “But we may be some day and it’s important for you to remember that some of you will not make it, that some of you will not come home. It's what we have prepared you for. It is not easy. It is never right, but it is the way of the world. Today you are all proud guards, and I am proud of you. PFC Quill, lead your men to graduation.” The Lunar Guard saluted Gallant directly with his right forehoof. Today, Gallant noticed, Sergeant Spectre had strapped to his right arm a rather large blade, and was wearing ceremonial black plate armor, as opposed to his standard functional black hooded leather armor. A look passed between the various Drill Instructors that did not go unnoticed by Gallant. Something about the salute was different than normal, though Gallant could not place it. Regardless, it was time to begin. As he admired the look of the royal guard armor on him, Gallant was greeted by the familiar form of his bunkmate and comrade for most of basic training, Rogue Scholar. The light green pegasus stallion with the cutie mark of crossed swords over a book, was wearing his usual cocky grin. They had gone through thick and thin when the Sergeants had seen fit to throw even more work at Gallant, forcing not only him, but Rogue as well, into even more difficult situations. Time and time again they had proven an effective unit. Unfortunately, as is the way things worked, they would be going their separate ways. “Congratulations on making PFC Gallant.” Rogue held out his hoof to his friend and leader. Arrogance had been beaten out of Gallant through rigorous training, and though he was still proud, he recognized the contributions that Rogue had brought, “I couldn’t have done it without you, I mean that.” “Hey man, don’t get mushy on me.” The few heartfelt words from Gallant was the single largest display of affection that he had ever seen the gray unicorn exhibit. Whether from the harsh training or from his nature, Rogue wasn’t sure, but he knew that Gallant Quill did not smile. Ever. So when he shook his hoof with a smile and said, “My friend I wouldn’t dream of it, go on, your family is waiting. We’ll meet again someday, just look me up whenever you’re back in Canterlot.” Rogue Scholar grinned, “Is that an order?” Gallant laughed, another foreign sound to Rogue, “No, Rogue, just a request. Now go, your parents are waiting. That is an order.” Rogue mock saluted Gallant and gave a wave disappearing to speak to his parents. Gallant let the smile drop from his face, as he once again resumed the serious demeanor. He had several days off before-. “Gallant Quill!” Gunnery Sergeant Spectre’s voice was easily recognized among the myriad of voices of the surrounding ponies. Sighing, Gallant turned to the Sergeant, and saluted, “Yes Sergeant?” Spectre returned the salute with his left hoof, “Princess Luna would like to see you regarding the next phase of your training. Report to her at once.” With another sigh at having his time off stripped from him so quickly, Gallant did as requested without hesitation. When Gallant knocked on the door of Princess Luna’s chamber,s he was not prepared for the sight that greeted him when he was given permission to enter. There, facing the window, at an unusually early hour for her, was Princess Luna. But she was wearing the same kind of blade that Spectre had been wearing earlier, and had saluted Gallant with. Along with that, Luna was wearing purple hooded armor, with leather straps that criss-crossed over her chest. Metal armor that appeared to be of the same unique substance as the blade covered her shoulders, flank, and legs. Her wings were tucked neatly at her side, with her long starry blue mane billowing behind her. She looked positively beautiful, in the eyes of Gallant Quill. Gone was the mare who had at times seemed insecure, in her place was a confident and capable leader wearing her traditional armor. Gallant was unfortunately given little time to admire the Princess, as she teleported next to him in an instant, bringing the blade strapped to her foreleg to his neck. Distracted as he had been by the Princess’ form, he had not reacted in time to realize her movement until she was already next to him. “What?” Gallant himself teleported rather quietly and rapidly, but this was on another level. There had been no gathering of magic, she simply was at the window one moment, and beside him in the next. “Thou are slow, though perhaps thou were too busy staring at us to notice we had a blade at thy throat.” Luna spoke playfully, masking whatever intent this meeting was for. “Why are you dressed like that?” Gallant ignored the jab at his actions, and got right to the heart of what was on his mind. “Today, Gallant Quill, thou begins the training to become a Lunar Guard. From this day forward, every other day, thou will train with me in the art of magic. Thou will learn how to hide in plain sight, how to teleport across entire nations without so much as a sound, how to cast combat spells, how to create wings for oneself, and most importantly, how to become one with the night. On each of the remaining days, thou will train in bladework with Sergeant Spectre and in strategy with Corporal Stand, on alternating days.” Luna removed the blade from his neck. Gallant had a feeling that she would be a harsh teacher. The Princess of the Night had kept herself in remarkable condition during her exile, which along with her immortality, granted her enormous strength, easily capable of putting Gallant to shame. With that in mind, Gallant was surprised when she threw him a set of leather straps, matching those of the blade on her leg. “What’s this for?” Gallant was puzzled why she would give him a blade holster without the actual blades. Luna giggled, sending Gallant’s brain into temporary shutdown from shock, “This, is your graduation present. I am actually proud of you for graduating, especially so highly recommended by your drill instructors.” “Uhhh, Luna, I mean no disrespect, but what use am I going to get out of a blade holster?” “None,” Gallant snorted at the response, but Luna continued before he could express his incredulity, “which is why you’re going to make the blade.” This did nothing to quell his confusion in the slightest, “But I am not a blacksmith, I don’t know how to make blades...” “That is why we will teach thou. The blade thou make for thyself will be an integral part of thou for a very long time, it needs the love and care that only it’s rightful creator and owner can give to it. That is why we make our own, because they serve us well, and it is only right that we do not do them a disservice by making cheap or of poor quality.” Luna smiled as realization dawned on her protege, and she could not help a feeling of pride as he looked eager to begin. Lunar Guards have a long history of making their own blades. Generally, in recent years, because Princess Luna was not around, the blade-making was diminished in the scope of the metals they were capable of using. Many of the secrets of the master blacksmiths who had forged the adamantine and mithril blades of past guards were lost to the flow of time, and the metal itself drifted into obscurity. But, Luna not only remembered the secrets to bending these metals to her will, but she also knew where great stashes had been hidden centuries ago. Luna did not mention these as a possibility to Gallant as being something he could use for his blade however, as teaching an ordinary pony to work with them would be nigh impossible. But this was Gallant Quill, who was one of the few ponies well aware that steel was not the strongest metal available to them. Thus, when Luna questioned what he wanted to make the blade out of, a request for a hybrid blade should not have surprised her. “Luna, I know it will be difficult, but you said that it was to be my companion, mine and mine alone. Steel and iron break. Adamantine does not, and mithril can be used to channel my magical energy. Combining the two is logical.” Gallant was vainly attempting to get his point across to his Princess and teacher. “We know that, but the time it will take for thou to finish the blade correctly is far too long.” Luna’s own blade was actually made of an adamantine, mithril hybrid alloy, in fact all the unicorn Lunar Guards had one like that. “How long should it take?” “Give or take, two months. It will cut too far into thine training. At most we would give thou three weeks, one metal or the other, combining both is a tremendously difficult task.” Luna attempted to discourage her headstrong apprentice once more, but the tenacious stallion would challenge her notions, and not for the last time. “Then I shall do it in three weeks, show me how.” True to his vision, Gallant forged ahead with the making of the blade. Where Luna had said it would take two months, he really was able to do it in three weeks. Spending countless hours refining, folding, and shaping the blade, slowly it came to match the one that Luna wore. Working nearly around the clock, the Lunar Forge in which he was making the blade became like a second home, and each day, he would simply pass out on a small cot in the corner, and rise to continue working. On the last day that he had been allotted, Gallant could feel himself getting too tired to continue. He had been working feverishly on his blade for nearly twenty-five straight hours, with only a few hours in between used to eat and keep himself alive. It was so close to completion, he could not help but working at a blinding pace. Luna had long since left him to his own designs while she took care of royal business, occasionally checking up on him to find that he was indeed still working. With the final hammerstroke on the completed blade, Gallant set it to cool, went to hang up the hammer on the wall of the Lunar Forge, and promptly passed out. There he would remain dead to the world for the next sixteen hours, but his blade was complete. And that was all that mattered. Luna had watched as he smote the metal for the last time, finally completing the blade. Gallant had not known she was there, given his state of mind and exhaustion, that was not altogether that surprising. Smiling to herself as the unicorn stallion passed out, she reflected that he had done exactly what he had said he would do. Luna picked up the now cool blade, examining it. It was longer than her blade, though Gallant himself was around the same height as her. The blade itself was exquisite, Gallant had followed her teachings to the letter. Though the design itself was rather simple, as many of the Lunar Guard’s blades were, it was sharp and strong, and hummed with the magic of the Lunar Forge. Gallant had not, and could not have known that weapons created in the Lunar Forge took on the strength of the moon, aiding those who fight in darkness. For all her doubts about the validity of Gallant’s vision of completing the blade in three weeks, he had defied the odds and done it. Now his body just had to survive until he could actually learn to use the blade correctly.