The Price of Harmony Ch10

                “You girls ready?”
Star Bolt looked down from atop the apple tree as he waited for The Cutiemark Crusaders to reply. As Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle flipped an apple barrel upside down on the ground beneath the tree Apple Bloom looked up at him and replied, “We’re ready when you are Mr. Bolt.”
Star Bolt nodded his head as he replied, “All right then everypony step away from the barrel and prepare to be amazed.”
As the three fillies quickly rushed away from the barrel, Star Bolt gripped his sword then focused on his targets. Using an impressive speed, Star Bolt drew his sword and cut free three apples with one swing. Then continuing his fluid motion, Star Bolt rolled to the side and fell from the tree using gravity to allow him to catch up to the falling apples. While falling Star Bolt with his unsheathed sword, swung three times before landing next to the barrel on all four hooves. After reaching the ground, Star Bolt sheathed his sword as the three apples hit the apple barrel and fell into perfect halves.

                Star Bolt smiled confidently as he spoke, “Well girls… lunch is served. Consider this thanks for your help yesterday.”
As the three fillies approached the apple barrel, they each picked up an apple half and started eating, as Scootaloo replied, “No prob commander. I don’t know why Rainbow Dash is so determined to keep you down. I for one, think you’re awesome.”
Star Bolt smiled as he replied, “Thanks. I know I’m not the best role model for you three, but if anything I’m a good example of what not to become when you get older.”
Apple Bloom asked, “So how come your still workin’ here? I thought Big Mac said you were fired?”
Star Bolt took his sword belt off as he leaned it against the tree, “Well he did… but Granny Smith came by later yesterday and said that she is the pony in charge of who works for your family, so she is the only pony who can fire me. And apparently she supports me since I do such a good job around here so she said that I can still work here so long as I keep up my workload.”
Sweetie Belle asked, “So… things are back to normal then?”
Star Bolt sighed as he climbed into the tree, “Well not exactly… I still get dirty looks when I trot through town, and also Big Mac really doesn’t like me either.”

                As Star Bolt started pulling rotten apples from the tree and tossing them aside, Apple Bloom asked, “Big Mac? That’s funny. He’s not the type to dislike anypony. How can you tell he don’t like ya?”
Star Bolt replied as he pointed to a number of full apple barrels, “Well I asked him hours ago to bring the wagon around so we can load those up and take them to the barn. However, I’ve been waiting for a while now and nothing. I guess I'll have to do it myself later.”
Sweetie Belle looked at her apple half as she sighed, “It’s just not fair… everypony in the kingdom knows you did what you did because you were ordered to and you even came out an apologized for your crime… I wish everypony could just accept your apology and move on with their lives.”
Star Bolt sighed, “Well first of all, I didn’t apologize for what I did… and I never will. I only said I’m not the pony I used to be… and I'll never claim that what I did was the right thing… but I'll never say I’m sorry. Second, many ponies have every right in the world to say whether I’m evil or good. Nevertheless, that isn’t my problem. They can pin me a monster or a savior, but it will never change what I did, and who I hurt. I’m only grateful there are a select few who don’t see me for the demon I once was.”

                As Apple Bloom took a bite of her apple, she saw something that surprised her so she started coughing while Scootaloo looked up at Star Bolt and spoke, “You shouldn’t beat yourself up Commander… everypony does something they regret once in a while. Its just a matter o…”
As Apple Bloom continued coughing on her apple piece, Scootaloo stopped talking as she asked, “Apple Bloom… are you ok?”
Apple Bloom continued coughing as she pointed past Scootaloo at what it was that surprised her. As the three fillies looked away, Star Bolt could hear Apple Bloom coughing so he asked from the tree, “Apple Bloom? You alright… you’re not dying on me are ya?”
Apple Bloom stopped coughing as Sweetie Belle spoke, “Um… Mr. Star? You have a visitor down here?”
Star Bolt continued working as he asked, “Is it Big Mackintosh with that wagon?”
The three fillies shook their heads, as Scootaloo replied, “Um… no… you might want to get down here though.”
Star Bolt finished what he was doing in the tree as he jumped down and looked at the three fillies, “Alright girls… where is my so called visitor?”

                Star Bolt picked up a rag from the top of the barrel as he looked into the distance to see Prince Shining Armor trotting up with an unamused expression on his face. As the prince approached them, he spoke, “Commander…”
Star Bolt looked him in the eye as he finished wiping his hooves and sat the rag down, “Your so-called majesty…”
The Prince smiled, “It’s been a while… hasn’t it… SB… or should I call you Commander Star Bolt.”
Star Bolt glared at Shining Armor, as he replied, “not long enough… I have to applaud Princess Celestia for this loophole.”
“Loophole?”
“Yea, I told her that if she sent any of her guards after me, then I would kill them… so instead of a guard, she sends a prince. Maybe I should better reiterate my threats… then maybe she will understand that I’m not playing any games.”

                Shining Armor placed his hoof on his sword as he replied, “I’m not here by order of anypony other than myself. I came here because we have a score to settle.”
Star Bolt nodded his head as he replied with little concern, “Hmm… I see. Sweetie Belle?”
Sweetie Belle stood up from the barrel and asked, “Yes Mr. Star?”
Star Bolt replied, “Can you get me my sword? I'd do it myself… but I don’t trust that the minute I turn my back, this… prince wont dig his sword into it.”
Sweetie Belle nodded her head as she rushed to the tree, “Ok Mr. Star… I got it.”
After Sweetie Belle grabbed his sword belt, she galloped it to Star Bolt as he grabbed it from her, “Thank you Sweetie Belle now take your friends… and go back to the house.”
Scootaloo stood up and spoke, “But Commander! We want to he…”
“No… this is something I can settle on my own. Just go back to the house and wait there until somepony comes to get you.”
The three fillies looked at each other as Apple Bloom replied, “Um… ok Mr. Star… we will go back.”

                As the three fillies slowly trotted back to the apple family home, Shining Armor smiled in an insulting way, “Well, well, The Great Commander Bolt has traded in his army of soldiers, for an army of fillies instead. I didn’t think you were that low.”
Star Bolt replied with little concern for the insult, “Careful… if it wasn’t for one of those fillies, and her advice. You probably would be spending your time chasing your own tail in hopes that it would miraculously lead you to me. But I digress. If we are here to do this… then might I suggest finding a more open area to do it in?”
Star Bolt started putting on his sword belt as Shining Armor replied, “Fine by me commander… please, lead the way.”
Star Bolt trotted past Shining Armor and began leading him into a part of the apple orchard that had fewer trees in the area. As they continued Shining Armor smiled, “I thought you were supposed to be better trained; since you started leading me I could have killed you three times by now.”
Star Bolt smiled, “Don’t be so full of yourself your majesty, if you had noticed, my wings aren’t completely against my body. Any unexpected movement and I’m ready to dodge in any direction I need to. Remember… a good soldier prepares to be unprepared.”

                The two ponies continued trotting until they reached a clearing, then Star Bolt turned towards Shining Armor and spoke, “This will do.”
Shining Armor nodded his head and drew his sword, “alright… then I believe its time to settle this, here and now.”
Star Bolt nodded his head and griped his sword, “I couldn’t agree more.”
As Star Bolt drew his sword from its sheath and held it in the air, Shining Armor asked, “Alright, so who will strike first? Should I? Or do you want the honor?”
Star Bolt smiled at first then his smile faded from his face as he replied, “No…”
Star Bolt then flipped his sword upside down and stabbed the blade into the ground as he spoke, “This is where things are settled. If you want to strike me down… then go right ahead. I’m already dead anyway.”
Shining Armor was surprised at Star Bolt action, “What? Are you really giving up?... just like that?”
Star Bolt shook his head as he turned around to trot away, leaving his sword sticking out of the ground, “If you will excuse me… I have work to do.”

                Shining Armor yelled out in anger, “WE’RE NOT FINISHED HERE!”
Star Bolt continued trotting away as he replied, “Last I checked, we were. Strike me down if you want… but I have no reason to fight you.”
“So The Great Commander Bolt just gives up.”
Star Bolt stopped in his tracks as he replied without looking back, “I’ve lived for over a millennium… I’ve seen my fair share of death and misery. So if you want to gain some stupid title for taking me down… then go right ahead.”
Shining Armor charged towards Star Bolt as he replied, “THAT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!”
With the distance between the two getting smaller and smaller, Star Bolt turned and stared at shinning armor with a look that showed he wasn’t going to do anything to defend himself. When Shining Armor saw this look, he froze just as the blade was in the air to make contact with Star Bolt’s neck. With Shining Armor holding his sword just inches from Star Bolts neck, He looked into his eyes as he spoke, “So… you really are going to just give up… without a fight and without any concern."
Star Bolt replied, “What else is there? You of all ponies know my reputation. So what purpose would I be to you?”

                Shining Armor slowly lowered his sword, “To me?... Don’t flatter yourself Commander! You’re of no use to me at all! The reason, the whole purpose that I spent a year and a half searching the four corners of Equestria for you is because Princess Celestia wanted you to help her!”
Star Bolt shook his head, “Figures… I’m still nothing but a tool to them.”
With no concern for his life, Star Bolt turned around and continued trotting away from Shining Armor as he continued, “If Princess Celestia wants me so badly… then I'll tell you the same thing that I’ve told her guards that have ever gotten close enough to even see my face. She has to come to me. I won’t be summoned like some dog.”
Shining Armor glared at Star Bolt in anger as he raised his sword again, “You think you can just disrespect Princess Celestia just like that?”
Star Bolt turned around and yelled “YES!!! I think I can! And do you intend to do something about it! If so, go for it! I’m standing right here! Unarmed and unindenting to defend myself so feel free to take your best shot! Because frankly, I couldn’t give two bits as to your concern. And I wouldn’t even give the crap on the bottom of my hoof to Princess Celestia’s concerns either. You don’t know what she put me through… she, or that monster that corrupted her sister’s heart.”

                As Star Bolt turned to continue trotting away, Shining Armor said his final words before striking a nerve in Star Bolt’s already enraged heart, “Commander… I understand that she pu…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Star Bolt unexpectedly turned around as he opened his wing flat out, striking Shining Armor’s face as he dropped his sword in shock. Before he could react, Star Bolt jumped up and kicked the unexpecting prince in his face tossing him a few feet as Star Bolt quickly picked up Shining Armors sword, rushed over to the stunned unicorn and held the blade to his throat. As soon as Shining Armor realized what happened, he held still as Star Bolt glared into his eyes with a look that would terrify even the bravest of soldiers, “You don’t understand jack… you will never understand what it’s like. The day you do, will be the day you hold that princess of yours and look into her eyes as the light slowly fades and she mumbles her last words before she passes away in your arms… I love you. Until that day… you better not say that you understand me… because until you feel that particular pain… you will never understand. So… how clear am I… your majesty?”
Shining Armor didn’t reply, instead he only held his tongue as he looked into the rage filled abyss that was the eyes of the legendary Commander Bolt. Star Bolt pressed the blade tighter against Shining Armors neck making a small cut as he asked a second time, “I said… How clear am I… Answer me!...”

                Shining Armor swallowed his pride before replying, “Crystal clear… Commander Bolt…”
“Star Bolt STOP!”
Both Star Bolt and Shining Armor looked up as Princess Twilight, Applejack and Rarity rushed up to the site as Rarity called out, “Please Mr. Bolt! You said yourself that you are no longer this kind of stallion!”
Star Bolt nodded his head as he calmed himself down and stepped away from the pinned prince, “And I meant every word. But if you want me to keep my word… then keep this prince out of my sight.”
Star Bolt raised Shining Armor’s sword in the air and stuck the blade into the ground next to his head, making the three mares flinch, as he began trotting away from the grounded prince, and towards his own sword. As Star Bolt reached his sword and pulled it from the ground, Twilight sighed as she started to speak, “Star… can you at least hear the situation that Princess Cel….”
Star Bolt turned around and held his sword up to reveal his cutiemark that is painted on the blade, “You see this? I had Zecora paint this on my sword… that way every time I drew it… I could look at it and remember who I am. I am no longer Commander Bolt; I will not take orders from any princess. And if she needs my help for anything… then I won’t hear it, unless she says it to me herself. Otherwise, I wish she would just get it through her head; I won’t be a tool anymore. I'd rather fade away and live in the shadows then to be under her wing again.”

                Shining Armor picked himself up from the ground and yelled at Star Bolt as he was sheathing his sword, “So you’d rather live in the shadows where ponies despise you?”
Star Bolt turned around and began trotting away as he replied, “Better then to live on the pedestal, where they use the term loyalty as an excuse for murder.”
Shining Armor yelled back, “A life in shadows is not a life!”
Star Bolt continued back into the orchard, as he replied, “Not true… because death in shadows is still death… Now if you will excuse me… I have to get back to work.”
As Star Bolt continued into the orchards, Shining Armor mumbled to himself, “I can’t believe that guy. He’s going to trot away from me just like that?”
Twilight replied, “Well, I took a look over his history last night, and to be honest, I don’t blame him. Sure, he is a little rough around the edges, but when he first arrived here, he was a kind gentle pony who wanted to help those in need. I bet if we give him time, that pony will return to the surface.”
Shining Armor sighed, “If you say so Twilly”

                Applejack watched him trot away as she spoke, “Ya know…we might have to take him up on his offer. I bet he will at least hear her out if Princess Celestia comes here herself.”
Shining Armor argued, “And give him the satisfaction of…”
“She’s right… if Star Bolt says he will only listen to Princess Celestia, then we will just have to call his bluff. He’s too proud to turn her away if she comes to him right?”
Shining Armor sighed, “Well whatever you do, I hope you just drop it. If I never see that stallion again, it will still be too soon.”
With that said, Shining Armor picked up his sword and sheathed it with too much pride to admit that he technically lost that fight.

                Further into the orchard, Star Bolt continued back to the tree he was working around with his thought spiraling over what he just dealt with, “That pampered little noble… he doesn’t know the first thing about being a guard. And then he goes and marries a princess of all mares. I wish he would go bac…”
Star Bolt froze when he felt the presence of another around him, so he just stood very still and listened to his surroundings for a few seconds. Finally Star Bolt quickly drew his sword and threw it towards a tree, but just before the blade could bury itself into the stem, the tree jumped completely out of the way of the flying sword as Star Bolt braced himself, “WHO’S THERE! SHOW YOURSELF!”
As Star Bolt glared, at the tree that had just dodged his sword, he heard a voice, “Wow… you detected me before I could even do anything to make myself known. Well, I should have suspected as much from The Great Commander Bolt.”
Slowly, the tree began to turn into Discord as he continued, “I guess I should introduce myself… my name i…”
Star Bolt took a step back and continued glaring at him as he interrupted, “Discord!”
Discord started clapping his hands as he spoke, “Oh goody! You do know who I am… I thought I would be a simple nopony talking to my idol. I hope you won’t see me as a bother, but I’m a huge fan of your work Commander… can I call you Mr. Bolt? You could say I’m a fan boy of your work I mean, your artistic quality on the thunder grounds… your devilish charms for flirting with Princess Luna, and I’m also a big fan of how you like to make a small raincloud destroy countless others…”

                Star Bolt continued looking at Discord as he interrupted, “So… you’re a fan… of what I did? Remembering Luna’s stories, you only like the chaos that followed me don’t you?”
Discord made a Nightmare legion shield appear in his hands as he continued, “Well of course I do! The chaos you brought is nothing to the chaos I could have. And trust me… when I returned from my stone prison, I tried… Can… can I bother you for an autograph?”
Star Bolt bluntly looked at the shield then back at Discord who was holding out a marker. Then Star Bolt sighed and turned back to his path, I don’t have time for this.”
Discord made the shield disappear as he made Star Bolt’s sword appear, “Hey! Wait up sparky! You forgot your sword. Oh… it feels so neat to say that. Can I call you Sparky from now on Mr. Bolt?”

                Star Bolt yelled back as he continued, “No! You can call me Star Bolt and nothing more!”
Discord caught up with Star Bolt as he continued, “Well… how about Commander… is that fine?”
Star Bolt replied, “No.”
Discord pouted, as he complained, “No fair… I heard Scootaloo call you commander earlier. So why can’t I?”
Knowing that he probably wouldn’t be able to get Discord to leave him alone, Star Bolt sighed, “Fine… go right ahead.”
Discord continued, “Oh how about Starbie?”
“That’s the line!”
“Alright, alright commander it is. Say commander… what was the best thing about being the great commander… the army, The lighting orb, or was it the princess… you dog you.”
Star Bolt grabbed his sword form Discord and sheathed it as he replied, “hey Discord?”
“Yes Commander Bolt?”
“Shut it!”
Discord smiled, “Whatever you say commander.”

                Later that evening, Princess Celestia stood on her balcony as she slowly lowered the sun then paused to wait for the moon to rise, but when nothing happened, she sighed, “Sister… are you still made after this long?”
Feeling disappointed, Princess Celestia started to trot inside as a scroll magically appeared in front of her. Knowing Spikes work when she saw it, Princess Celestia used her magic to pick up the scroll as she started reading it:

Dear Princess Celestia

                Sorry but there is no lesson on friendship tonight… however I do have a report on Commander Star Bolt’s progress. I know you told us to leave him be… but I can’t stand idly by while a valuable asset to our crisis just sits idly by. What I mean by that is that Commander Bolt can help us, and I think he should, especially since Shining Armor took it upon himself to come to Ponyville and pick a fight with him. Luckily, Shining Armor is ok (other than his pride) But when he tried to explain to Star Bolt about why we need his help. Star Bolt refused to hear it. He said and I quote “If Princess Celestia has something to ask of me, then she should do it herself.”
Okay… so that’s a better version of what he actually said, but overall I believe that if you come here and explain to him the problem, I think that he will show his true colors and help us. I read his story and I know there is good in him, since I’ve seen it first hoof. So please, I implore that you come to Ponyville yourself and reason with him. And if he won’t be convinced by you… then maybe Princess Luna can convince him. But that’s saying if she will even talk to him. After looking through his story… its anyponies guess.
Thank you and I hope you will consider this option since I don’t think we have any others to choose from.

Your faithful student
Princess Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Discord is here too and he has taken a liking to Star Bolt. So much in fact that he won’t leave him alone. Star Bolt doesn’t react much to it, but I still don’t think that is the best formula for a friendship. Then again, I could be wrong, with Discord on our side now, I have seen the impossible.
 
                 Princess Celestia smiled at the ending to the letter as she mumbled to herself, “Discord and Star Bolt… a funny combination when I think about it. Perhaps I should pay him a visit. I know Twilight sees good in him still, and he didn’t kill Shining Armor so that’s a sign too. If I can convince him to join us… then our chances of victory will be increased greatly… but I still have to wonder. Will it be enough?”