The Quiet Quarter (closed)

[moonshineTheleocat]

“Bit for me thought's hm...” The mare began with a perplexed tone. She began to mull over everything that she had seen. The teaching method was nearly standard, yes. And she couldn't really say it was possibly better than the School for the gifted. But she did give him credit for teaching some valuable lessons to the kiddies. And... also for promptly talking them down from the talk of medical work with magic at such a young age. She almost could see the X-Rays when she thought about it. Bones twisted and bent out of shape.

 

And the amount of respect the pony commanded. Well, it's not really unexpected however. The stallion went completely out of his way and against orders to protect a school, while under the wrong tactical assumption. Still Credit went to that.

 

And lastly, he had been proven so far to be an effective teacher. Though, she was going to raise the question on how that was the first accidental time that he fell flat on his face. Perhaps it was to court a mare or so. Or to cheer up his little girl.

 

“Welp. I'ma say this.” The mare chuckled, giving the buck a surprisingly hard punch to the shoulder. “You've proven to be more effective than most parents.” Starbreezer's smirk grew into a broad smile. She rolled back, remembering the good ole days when Jaded Skies, her mother, tried teaching her. It wasn't much longer she burst into laughter.

“Me own mum tried teaching me! Makes me wish I had you. She tried to teach me a simple little cantrip, and I'd have half the house blown to tartars and back.”

She rested her elbow on the ground to look up to the kiddies, “Ye doing a good thing here. And I'm glad to see ye avoided lying to foals telling them they could do anything with magic.”

[BeGoneThots]

Stormstride nodded, "Oh. I believe anything is possible with magic. I haven't displayed to them what I am fully capable of. I can control a tornado. But Just because I can, does not mean I should. I would rather they learn reason and purpose before skill. Take today's example. The Yo-Yo. its a simple foal's game. I know most of these kids can do so much more. Heck, many of them are able to fly on magic wings. I have seen them. But their magic is mostly powered by imagination. I think that imagination is the greatest power behind magic. But we have to understand how to control that before we learn to use it."

 

He chuckled at her speaking of her mother's attempts to teach her. "Sounds like fun." he said softly. Sitting down he looked at his armor a moment. looking back at the foals, he sighed. "When did we loose that innocence? When did the world become so clouded by such a fog that keeps us from seeing what was most important?"

 

He sat quietly and watched them practice. "I'm prejudiced. I was almost court marshaled for disobeying orders. The only thing that saved my career was that it was the first and only offense on record. Until that day I had a perfect record. I earned many awards. But when I look at the fact they were willing to leave the common ponies unprotected... There were a lot of injuries that day. most were outside the palace. broken bones, cracked horns, snapped wings. You can believe what you want Captain. But I was here. I watched some of the changelings get vicious. And I refused to let that happen to the teachers and foals that trusted me to protect them. I swore an oath... just like we all did when we took this armor. To protect the crown and all it stands for. I've never seen Celestia or Luna. At least not close enough to actually see their faces. And that suits me just fine. Maybe they have the weight of an entire kingdom on their shoulders. But I have the weight of these lives on mine. And I'm sure that soon enough..... I'll get a transfer. I've already heard the rumors. I'm a problem. insubordinate. I expect it any day now."

 

He smiled all the same, but it was hollow. "I dont resent the good in any creature. Changelings included. But I resent the evil in the systems we live under. The privileged will always get their way. Some how or some way. This will end when im shipped off with my daughter to some far off post where there are no other foals for her to be friends with and I have no ponies to protect. That's what I fully expect from my superiors. When the lives of the subjects are sacrificed to protect a princess that hasn't walked in this section since it was built..... No I just dont care what they think anymore. And I don't want to set these foals up for the sudden disappointment of the moment when their innocence is ripped away from them and they suddenly have to look at the world like we do. I would rather them know that there are limits and rules and... injustices. I made sure everyone of them knew that I was going to lose my position for staying to protect them. But that it wasn't their fault."

 

The colt flicked his braided mane aside and sighed softly. Looking over the helmet he muttered, "My own parents hated the thought of me becoming a guard. Words were said when i announced I passed the physical and entry process. That I was accepted into the training program. Words that could never be taken back were said. I haven't heard much from them since. just a few letters. One telling me I had a baby brother some years back. He would be almost a stallion himself now. And another saying they were sick and wanted me to come home. They never bothered to come visit.... Never asked how I was. just wanted me to come to them and do things for them..... And So I sent the letters back to them with a "return to sender" stamp. I tried to tell them I was married, that I had a daughter. That I was doing good work as a guard and all they said that it was all just one huge mistake." 

 

He dropped his helmet on his head and let it settle into place. using magic to clamp the rest of his armor on he stood and picked up his spear. "Captain... Thank you. It's nice to hear a friendly soldier once in a while. If you ever want to talk... I'll be here or down the block at my home.." He turned on his hooves. "And now ma'am.... I'm going home. I need to get a nap in before my daughter gets out of school. If you want, you can come by for dinner and we can discuss more if you like. Unless you have something else to say Ma'am."

 

((I think we are just about at the end of this thread. Unless you have another idea you want to try.))