It had been a week since I had arrived in Canterlot with Emerald and Princess Cadance and been chosen as the first Equestrian Ranger in over half a millenia. During that week, I was presented with my badge, something very reminiscent of the badges worn by the Texas and Arizona Rangers from Earth, something that amused me.
Now, I was on a transport with Princess Celestia, Captain of the Guard Shining Armour, and Emerald Breeze. Emerald had to reveal her true appearance as a matter of course during the discussions of the numerous incidents of wrongdoing at the Wonderbolts Academy. Shining Armour was stunned, but to his credit the stallion was able to shake off his shock quickly, and in keeping with being a very good commanding officer, listened to the few incidents that Emerald had been personally privy to, all of which were bad enough to warrant a visit by the Guard's Office of Special Investigations. I could tell that the Captain was incensed over the rampant abuses of authority and bullying, but he kept his bearing well.
Celestia was a harder read however, probably owing to her age and time in government, but her displeasure was there to be seen in a subtle tightening of her eyes and a slight downturn of her lips.
Emerald for her part, wearing a bracelet that was provided by Celestia herself that allowed her to take on her male appearance, was very nervous, her wings rustling and flexing restlessly. I placed my hand over hers giving it a gentle squeeze. She looked at me and I gave her a smile that she nervously returned. Her fidgeting calmed but did not go away.
"I know that this is stressful for you Em, but you are doing a good thing. Fortunately, you have the ability to blend into the background of wherever you decide to go. It will allow you to do what you want and not have to worry about reprisals." I said.
She nodded. "True, but what can I do?" She asked.
"How about a flight instructor for younger pegasi?" Celestia suggested.
Emerald though about it for a moment before replying. "I think I could do that Your Highness. I know that there are plenty of pegasi that do not live in Cloudsdale. I have heard talk of starting local flight schools, or adding classes to the curriculum at local schools, but it has never gotten any traction." She replied.
"So parents have to send their children to Cloudsdale, no matter where they live or rely on local pegasi that may or may not be qualified to teach foals?" I said incredulously. "That has got to hurt their chances to do anything besides basic flying."
Emerald nodded. "Somethings with the pegasi culture are very backwards, now that I have taken a step back and really looked at things." She replied.
I nodded in understanding. It is never easy to take notice of your people's flaws, much less trying to do something that goes against the perception, "Oh, it's always been done that way, so why change it?"
I could see Celestia smiling at us from the corner of my eye.
"Well, I think that the town of Ponyville could use such a program at their school, and I believe that you would do exceptionally well there Miss Breeze." Celestia said, a twinkle in her eye.
'That old mare is meddling. Must be her old age coming into play.' I groused mentally. Though, to be honest, I certainly wouldn't mind having the pegasus close by, given my assignment after this was to go to Ponyville and provide protection to the Element Bearers.
Shining Armour gained a smirk on his face as he cottoned on to the Solar Diarch's intentions. I merely raised an eyebrow and gave him a pointed look, having walked past where he and Princess Cadance had stolen away in the evening hours of the castle gardens a few nights ago. He immediately stopped smiling and pouted.
The pair of them probably thought they were being slick, but if I was a betting man, Celestia already knew and probably approved.
Soon enough our craft touched down at the mesa that the Wonderbolt Academy stood atop.
Emerald and I disembarked first, followed by Shining Armour who was followed by an invisible Celestia. We quickly made our way to the administration building and entered, making our way through the crowd of pegasi and unicorns that ran the base.
We shortly reached the top floor and the office of the Commander of the Wonderbolts, Captain Spitfire.
Our prior planning had Emerald entering first and giving Spitfire her letter of resignation and her uniforms. After that Shining Armour and I would enter with Celestia still under her invisibility spell right behind us.
Emerald glanced at me as she approached the door. From my position next to the door, I gave her a smile and a nod. She knocked on the door with a single solid rap.
"Enter!" Came a scratchy female voice.
Emerald opened the door and stepped inside before closing the door down just shy of the latch catching.
"Soarin! So good to see you alive. What happened?" Spitfire asked.
"I was rescued Captain. I spent the better part of a week in the hospital in Las Pegasus." Emerald replied.
"Who was it that rescued you?" Spitfire asked.
"Someone that understands that you don't leave a teammate behind." Emerald replied firmly.
"Soarin, we had a show to get to. We didn't have time to.." Spitfire started.
"Didn't have time to what? Find your teammate? Make sure that they get medical attention? I'm sure the organizers would have understood that the show would have to be postponed or cancelled." Emerald replied, the hurt and betrayal evident in her voice.
Spitfire tried to stammer out a response, clearly not used to being called out on her bullshit.
Emerald sighed. "Here, just take this and know that I thought long and hard on it. I finally took a step back and took a long hard look at just how far this team has fallen from what they should be. I cannot in good conscience be a part of it any more." She said, her words punctuated by the sound of her bag and a letter being put on a desk.
"Also, there is someone else here to see you Spitfire." Emerald said as she walked out of the office.
Shining and I took that cue and made our way inside the office, Celestia trailing behind. Spitfire jerked to attention when Shining came into view, and her eyes darted over to the right. I followed her gaze and noticed a filing cabinet.
'Gotcha.' I thought as I walked over to the cabinet, which had the key still sitting in the lock. As I opened the cabinet, Spitfire spoke up.
"Hey what in the name of Tartarus are you doing?" She asked heatedly.
"Captain Spitfire, I am Ranger Talisman Stryke of the Equestrian Rangers. I am here to investigate the claims of maltraining, abuse both verbal and physical, and reckless disregard for life." I said not turning to her as I pulled out a thick folder. Opening it, I found a standard feedback form used to report issues or offer suggestions. Reading it over, I smirked. "And it looks like I found all the evidence that I need." I said handing the file over to Shining Armour, knowing that Celestia would read over his shoulder.
Spitfire tried to rally a defense. "Evidence of what? Some kind of trumped up charges?"
It was at this point that a very pissed of Princess Celestia dropped her spell. "Captain Spitfire, you are hereby relieved of duty and will be remanded into custody of the Office of Special Investigations while they conduct their investigation. As of now, the Wonderbolts and the Wonderbolt Academy are stood down until further notice." She said.
Spitfire was stunned speechless. After a moment, she slumped in defeat.
I glanced out the window and noticed two more transports setting down.
"Princess, it appears that the teams from OSI have arrived." I said to Celestia.
"Thank you Ranger Stryke. Captain Armour, please escort Captain Spitfire to the brig." Celestia replied.
Shining nodded as he pulled out a set of cuffs and put them on Spitfire, her arms behind her back.
Celestia and I left the office and closed the door.
"I do hate having to do things like this." Celestia said tiredly.
"The downsides of being in charge. You want them to succeed, but sometimes they use the rope you give them to hang themselves." I replied as I waved to the agents that had entered the corridor.
After showing them the file cabinet that I had located the evidence in, the agents began to photograph and document everything as they began boxing up everything in the office. It was at this point Celestia and I took our leave of the area.
As we exited the building I saw Emerald next to the transport that brought us to the Academy.
Walking over I stood next to her.
"How are you holding up?" I asked quietly.
"Still in shock I think. When we get back to Canterlot, can I stay with you? I don't think that I want to spend tonight alone.
"You don't need to ask." I said with a smile as I bumped my shoulder against hers gently, eliciting a small smile from the disguised mare.
"Thank you." She said quietly.
That night I was finishing up my shower when there was a knock at my door. I pulled on my shirt and headed to the door.
Opening it, I saw Emerald at the threshold. Stepping to the side, I gestured for her to come in.
She gave a small smile and came in. She set her bag down on one of the tables and pulled out her night clothes.
"Mind if I use your shower?" She asked.
"Go right ahead. I'll be reading when you get done." I replied as I held up the book I was reading, another in the Daring Do series. Yes it is a children's book, but the series is addicting so don't judge me.
A little while later, Emerald exited the bathroom wearing a tshirt and baggy sleep pants.
I marked my place and put the book on the bedside table before pulling back the blankets next to me for her.
She climbed in and almost immediately latched onto me as she began sobbing.
I didn't say anything as I pulled the blankets up to cover us up before wrapping my arms around the distraught mare. I ran my hand up and down her back between her wings while the other carded through her mane as she let out her pain.
'Sometime doing the right thing can be so frustrating.' I thought as Emerald began to wind down.
Soon enough her sobbing became emotional hiccups. Squeezing me, she said. "Thank you."
"It's no problem. You need someone to lean on. I'm just happy I can be that person." I said as I continued to rub her back.
She looked up at me with red, tear filled eyes.
"You had no reason to do anything for me, yet you rescued me and have stood by me ever since. You are a good man, and don't let anyone tell you different." She said firmly.
I smiled as I wiped the tears from her face gently.
"Thank you for saying so. But as to why I stood by you after you got out of the hospital, that was because I had come to see you as a friend, not just someone that I rescued. That night we had dinner, I discovered that you were a funny intelligent mare, a little pie obsessed, but some one that I truly enjoyed spending time with. Even if Celestia hadn't come up with a way to get you to come to Ponyville with me on my new assignment, you would always have been welcome in my home, whether as a friend, or something more if you wish to pursue it." I said.
Apparently this was the right thing to say as Emerald pressed her lips to mine in a watery kiss. While chaste compared to the kisses that we shared during our night in Las Pegasus, it conveyed more than just lust.
"I think I have fallen in love with you Talisman Stryke." Emerald said after breaking the kiss.
"And I you Emerald Breeze." I replied as I touched my forehead to hers.
Soon we settled down into the bed from our position against the headboard, my arm around Emerald as her head lay down on my chest. The emotionally exhausted mare was soon asleep and snoring gently.
I smiled as I ran a hand through her mane. If anyone had told me that I would have been transported to an alien world, given the ability to use magic, and would fall in love with an alien I would have told them to go and get their head checked. Now though, I feel like I can handle anything that is thrown at me, and the slumbering pegasus next to me would be there at my side.