Sisu

by Ebony Gryphon

Chapter Five of Templar logic and the birds and bees

The man stood at the edge of the castle tower, shoulder length black hair waving in the midafternoon breeze, his features set in a frown as he watched the other humans below labor in what was left of Canterlot. Slowly running a finger around the outer circle of his silver ring, the center of which was a onyx crossed emblazoned over a blood red ruby, the deposed Templar closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, his features softened. All the cities of the home had always stunk, but here...

The soft clack of hooves drew the man from his reflection. Opening his eyes, the templar said softly "Your Highness..."

Smiling gently, the alicorn gently bumped the humans elbow with her nose.

"David, please. The Court is one thing, but I'd rather you called me Celestia when we are alone."

David shook his head.

"I simply cannot your higness. Tis not proper..."

At proper, the mare blew a rasberry. Turning around fully, brows raised, David quipped dryly "Charming."

Waving a hoof imperiously, Celestia said "I enact the Royal privilege to not give a flying fuck what you, Shadow, or any of my staff think is proper."

Rolling his eyes, David turned back to his view.

"In this, as in all you say and do, you are right..."

Giving a slight smile, David added "... Celestia."

Giggling, the mare said cheerfully "See? Was that so hard? Now all I have to do is get Shadow to pull that ram rod she's got shoved up her plot and call me Tia and I'll die a happy filly"

` Standing next to the human, Celestia smile faded.

"So, my advisor, you said you wished to weigh the merit of what is left of my Guard. Have you done so?"

David nodded.

"You rely far to much on pegasi, your Highness. The Kickers are stretched far to thin to be effective, never mind your peoples desire to see them joing the other clans in ash. As for those disbanded, they are far to... shall we say, miffed, to give a tinkers damn what enemy will attack. As for those of Cloudsdale, they are furious at being disarmed and put under curfew by your Guard, and like most of your nation, are outright hostlle to Kickers."

"The earth ponies are strong, but that only means they pull harder for whoever cracks the whip across their withers. While they are honest, like many peons, they lack in discipline and commitment."

"And the unicorns?"

Snorting, David shook his head.

"All but dead meat."

Celestia's scowled as she glared at the back of the humans head, but then sighed.

"Explain."

Turning around, David crossed his arms.

"As soldiers, they lack all around. The heed not the rank, as one must earn, instead relying on bloodlines to determine such matters. They also are too dependent on their enchanted arms and armor. Physically... they're a joke. Bare handed my people have done more in a week then they have a month, never mind their spells do naught against us The most powerful of mana shields means naught if one can merely stroll through it."

Celestia's eyes widened a moment as she rolled her tongue around in her mouth, giving the appearance of one who's deciding whether what their chewing on is good or bad, the with a groan and a facehoof, Celestia nodded. Tilting her head, Celestia said "Dare I ask what you think of Shadow, good sir?"

"I like her. Disciplined, skilled, a paragon of all the is just and ordered. Give me a hundred such mares, and I'd change the world."

Celestia snorted in amusement.

"Figured you two would be two peas in a pod..."

"But..."

"But?"

David rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"In a few decades, all this fury and venom will fade, and Shadow will be revered as is her right. But one must wonder.... is it her ideals they revere, or is it Shadow?"

Again, Celestia nodded.

"Strewth, good advisor. One day some so and so pulls a rainboom or saves Equestria, and the next every mommy and daddy featherhead want their foal to be just like them. Then its standard, then the ways its always been, and then its rooted as tradition. Any suggestions as to remedy our Guard dilemma?"

"A draft."

"Draft?"

David nodded.

"A draft amongst my people. All children from five to nine winters are to be trained as Knights, children nine through thirteen as simple guards, with adolosecents and adults OF at most twenty five recieving the same. The rest will be granted their childrens wages and full citizenship once they have been trained and served a year or two. TThe rest of those too old will continue as they are, either rebuilding or tending the fields.""

Celestia frown, her normally gentle demeanor growing stern.

"What you suggest is nothing short of slavery, David. How can you even humor such a idea."

"Because left to their own, they are little more then beasts, your highness. They revel in base desires and ignorance. They may lose their freedom, for a time, but the gain..."

"Hold your tongue!"

David jaw clicked as it shut.

"I shall... take it under consideration, David, but tis foolish to try to stiff hoof to be in my Guard."

"But your Highness...

"That is all, David."

Bowing, David replied softly "As is your will, your highness."

Face softening, Celestia leaned forward, gently kissing Davids cheek.

"You.... ssuffered much, haven't you?"

Pressing his hand to the spot,, Davids shocked gaze met the alicorns.

"You barely eat, barely sleep. Thou believed this world in peril merely by your peoples existence, even yours."

"Celestia..."

Giggling, Celestia ruffled the top of the humans head.

"Be at ease, my little human."

Pushing the hoof away, David grimaced.

"I'm as tall as you..."

And for the frst in too long a time, Celestia nearly laughed herself sick,

.............................

Gale scrunched her muzzle as she opened one eye to look at the human sitting cross legged in front of her, hands folded in his lap, face serene as the human meditated.

"Whens it supposed to kick in?"

Smiling, but keeping his eyes shut, Arron replied "To be at ones best, one must center oneself through meditation and prayer. Caligraphy, bansai trimming, and flower arranging also help one to achieve peace of mind, soul, and body."

Both eyes flew open as Gales jaw dropped. Snorting, the mare said "What are you, a old nag?"

Gale yelped as Arrons arm flew out and whapped the mares head, then in a blur, the arm was back in its resting place, the striking palm folded once more. Pouting, Gale rubbed the spot with a hoof.

"Sheesh, is it thy time of the month?"

Arron face palmed.

"First of all.... wait, where... how do you even know that phrase woman!"

Gale tilted her head, a thoughtful expression in place.

"Well, in Canterlot, nearly all the grown males suddenly left the city and refused to return for several days. When i asked, they merely said it was their womans time and they needed to be left alone."

Shaking his head, Arron said "Its a female human thing, and trust me, those men were wiser then most."

Gale shrugged her wings.

"I don't know, the females seemed friendly enough to me and my mother when we went back. Maybe its just a general mare thing. Maker knows I've gone through my phases."

Arron nodded, then face palmed again, letting out a moan.

"What? Whats wrong?"

"I just got a horrible notion... your mother going through a womans time..."

Gale frowned thoughtfully, then whimpering as her eyes widened in horror, she hissed "If its as bad as your peoples say... I don't think the Gryphon empire can handle the death toll..."

Shaking his head, Arron scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Where is the ever terrifying mare anyway? Off wrestling bears one assumes."

Gale smirked.

"Well... not bears per say...."
..................................

The pony and human slowly circled each other, gazes locked as the two sized each other up. Flexing her wings to adjust the training blades, Shadow turned her head one way, then the other, the motion causing her neck to pop. Undoing his hood and shirt, Carpenter folded the garment and laid it down. Undoing his knife sash, he sighed.

"Really Shadow? A sparring match, here of all places?"

The mare smirked, and fluttering her eyes cooed mockingly "Ah, don't worry love. Mama will be gentle."

Pausing as he removed his hidden blades, Carpenter gaped at the soldier.

"I beg your pardon?"

Spreading out her wings in a stretch, Shadow winked at the human.

"You can back out now, little colt. I wont think less of you for it."

Letting out a low whistle, Carpenter laid down the blades, then his sword.

"Seriously though... why do you want this so bad as to make a bad play at my pride?"

Shadow sighed, and sitting down, regarded the human as he removed his shirt. As the clothing was laid down, Shadow felt a pang of sorrow at the flesh it hid. Clearly the boy was a seasoned soldier, but the scars... Equestria was no fair day, but what sort of place does such damage to one so young. Turning back, Carpenter cracked his knuckles.

"May I have this dance, my fair maiden?:

"Sure you wanna go bare hoofed there ooy? These training blades can really leave a bruise."

"That suggests you'll actually hit me."

Smirking, Shadow flared her wing as she took her stance.

"On three, milady?"

Shadow bellowed and rushed the human,, Off put, Carpenter stumbled back a couple of steps as the mare attacked, pulling his head inches from a blow.

"Cheat!"

Feinting to the left, Shadows wing lashed out sideways, catching the humns in a glancing blow.

"You should know better boy. Enemy don't play nice, and neither do I..... fuck!"

Shadow leapt back from the human sudden strike. Rubbing a hoof against her now pained muzzle, the mare winced, and regarded the blood on her fur.

"Don't little humans mommies teach them its rude to strike a lady."

A smirk of his own now in place, Carpenter raised his arms in a blocking stance.

"She did. Good thing I'm not fighting one, wouldn't you agree?"
..........................

Arron upturned his waterskin over the bruised and bloodied mass of fur and feathers in front of him and Gale. Shaking her head, Gale waved a hoof over her mothers face.

"Didn't even make her flinch... This season has her bad..."

"Season?"

Gale blushed slightly as she looked down, her hooves shuffling as she stammered "Yeah... sort of a mare thing. When we can't... you know, when it hits, it screws with out heads. A lot of earth poniies prance, unicorns spontanelously spout of spells and start speaking prench, and pegasi either find the nearest warm body to hold, and failing that, fight till all that pent up energy is out...."

"sO.... She... what? Want's Carpenter to put a foal in her?

"Oh maker preserve us, no! First, being in season and foaling are different. While were in season in the spring, we can foal pretty much any time of the year. Secondly, ew! And finally, she likes Carpenter to much to use him like that."

"Wait... so... warming her bed is bad... but being beaten bloody by him is fine?"

"I'm surprised he could do it! I heard from grandma that during her first season she beat half of cadet roster then dragged the biggest one off to her room by his tail."

"How old was she?"

Gale hmmed a moment, then squinting in thought said "Fifteen I believe."

"Wait... her parents..."

Gale grinned sheepishly.

"We pegasi arth rowdy as youth, good Arron... My mother was decidedly tame compared to many of her friends. And she's more in charge of her... quirks now."

Seeing the look on Arrons face, Gale huffed.

"hey, she's not like that anymore! You bruise the hell out of some wuss stallions shins one time, and suddenly your a harlot or tramp!"

Crossing his arms, Arron asked "Dare I ask how you handle yours?"

"Romance tomes, crying, and stuffing my muzzle with as many sweets as I can get."

Arron grinned evilly, and giving the mare a playful nudge, said "Well Gale, if you ever need help, I'll be behind you all the way."

A muffled thump echoed through the night, and neither Shadow nor Arron would awaken till the morning

........................
the next morning

Shadow winced as she slowly rubbed water over her bruises, the sting of the injury doing little to put the mare in a good humor. Gingerly tapping a hoof against her muzzle, Shadow was pleased to find it unbroken, but still sore as buck. Taking a breath, Shadow dunked her head under the water of the pond a moment, then jerking her head back up, shook her head vigorously.

"Well, someone seems to be in better form today!"

Shadow yelped and whirling around, glared at Carpenter. As he raised his hand in greeting, the mare pointed a hoof at him accusingly.

"Pervert!"

"What?"

Stomping from the pond, Shadow stuck her nose snootily in the air.

"Deviant male, just like the rest! Waiting till some innocent thing is nude so thou might slake thy foul desires!"

Rolling his eye, carpenter grimaced.

"First off, if you're innocent by any standards, I'm a speckled hen! Second, you don't usually wear clothes."

As Shadow stood next to him, Carpenter patted her head.

"And finally, your tits are lousy."

Grinning, Shadow shook herself dry, soaking her friend in the process. Wiping his face, the human sighed.

"Seriously.... during our bout, you got pretty fresh, Shadow. I like you, but friends is all we are."

Shrugging, Shadow agreed with a nod.

"Of course. Cry pardon for yesterday.... you know, just a moment mixed with the sparring."

Patting her neck, Carpenter added cheerfully "If I was interested, you'd be the only mare for me Shadow."