He didn't intentionally trot out to his balcony, he said to himself that it was to practice his saber stances, but every time Blue Yonder came roaring out of a puff of white clouds, or came around the corner of a building, he watched her fly.
She was new to it, but practically glowing as she tried every trick in the book and outside it. A crash was just another chance to get up and try again.
It would be neat if Blue Yonder was interested in fencing sabers. She had the same passion for flying that he had for martial arts. Tomorrow he was going to be at the PD in the morning. He enjoyed that too and it was helpful for the ponies of Hobby Bluff. But his favorite was sabers.
He pranced back into his apartment, which was set up with a padded dojo in the living room and a separate bedroom.
He thought it would be awkward to sword fight when he first heard about it as a child, but he could fight by swordhoof style, standing on two hooves, or fight with the sword hilt in his mouth for a 4 hoof style. He never seemed to be awkward since the earliest days of learning.
The pony sized training dummy took its cuts as he spent his daily practice time with the 4 hoof style.
Hobbython needed a shake up, maybe Blue Yonder could help make in fresh and new, he thought. Everyone broke off and did their own thing, or even just snacked and chatted. They needed to bring the whole town together.
After his practice, he ran hot water, and took a hot bath, prepared himself for tomorrow, and finally tumbled into a pile of blankets to doze off the night.
It must have been 4 hooves past midnight when his Sheriff pager made a big racket. It shifted from sound to sound, imitating a chicken cluck, a gong, a howl, a rooster, swoosh sounds and finally, "wake up sleepy", which was his aunt's voice.
Saber Artist lumbered out of bed. He loved a new case to chase down. He quickly drank his blueberry wakie juice and looked at his pager.
"Another star, north of Blueberry Ranch -- Auntie Heart."
He strapped on his saber sheath, his dazzler pistol and tie rope. By the time he had leapt off the balcony and landed at ground level, he was galloping at a full pace.
The fog of an early wakeup was replaced with his determination. These random stars falling from the sky were weird and mysterious.
Always they contained a little message and a bizarre item. Auntie hadn't let him get involved before, but he heard from her. The messages were disturbing, and they tried to keep it between herself and the Mayor to avoid alarming people.
Blueberry Ranch was a ten minute gallop east of town, but Saber Artist made it in 8 minutes.
Auntie Heart Warden was standing beside a massive six pointed star, which was glowing.
"The silly-bit wouldn't let me touch it. Says its got a list of letters, and I'm not on the list," she said.
He approached the star, which pulsing from white to blue to brown.
"Saber Artist," said the star accompanied by a humming sound.
"Yes star," he said, placing his left hand on his hip.
"I have a letter for you. It's about the newcomer, Blue Yonder."
"Can I have it," he asked, becoming antsy.
"First, I do have to say, this whole star business was forewarning."
It hummed and pulsed in time.
"What were you forewarning?"
"Me, nothing. But my masters yes. My masters wanted you to know ..."
He waited for the star to spill.
"Did you know about Visitors, Saber Artist? That mare Blue Yonder, She's going to get Hobby Bluffs destroyed! She's connected with Princess Celestia. What if this is all--"
On instinct Saber Artist reacted before the star could (ridiculously) try to move. He used his earth pony skills to instantly wrap the star in his robe, so that the star couldn't move.
"Quick thinking, Saber Artist" said the princess. Instead of the bright happy Celestia, it was Princess Luna in her darker blue mane.
"This star here is part of the Starcity bandits. They are stars who are unhappy with the order of the heavens, and they want to come here to wreck every good and lovely town of Equestria. It is true that they've been homing in on Hobby Bluff ever since Blue started flying this way."
"Oh, I didn't realize they were really smart and smarting," Auntie Heart joked.
Luna cast quite an imposing figure, Saber Artist felt frozen stiff by her gaze.
"Visitors are very important. Especially when we find a visitor that is so miserable in their hometown and so happy here," Luna said.
"Is Blue Yonder going to stay?" Saber Artist asked.
"I think she will no longer be a visitor someday soon. You have to keep this a secret. Princess Equestria looked through all of the small towns all across the land, and Hobby Bluffs was just perfect for Yonder. Make sure she's comfortable and not too awkward.
She loves to explore and try new things, and you may not see it now, because she is transfixed by flying, she loves to solve problems and fix things, if the fix is tricky and interesting. She likes to design games and hobbies too. She's one smart hoof back in her hometime, and she'll be a smartie here to once she settles in."
"That mare will really help liven up Hobby Bluffs. Celestia and I also are certain there is more in store for her and for the town in the near future. I want you to keep an eye on these stars, and take this moon flare. It will alert me that the Starcity bandits are trying again. Don't approach the star, just let me handle it."
"Yes, Princess Luna," he agreed. "I promise not to approach those bad stars," he said, taking the moon flare.
Auntie Heart agreed.
After that, it was back to the Police Department, for some hot cocoa with Auntie.
"Don't think about it too much," she said. "Life has a way of working out, if you stop worrying and start living!"
He could have went back to sleep but instead he and Auntie Heart sat up at her house, had a cup of cocoa and chatted.
“Visitors are kinda like foals. They may not look it but Blue Yonder is discovering who she is in her own way.”
“I heard the Blue Hoof Legion had quite a few visitors. They are quite good at certain things despite being quite young.”
“A lot of trouble with that group, but most of the visitors are nice, like Yonder.”
No comments:
Post a Comment