Gleaming Blade - Introduction

The soft clopping of hooves approached down the hallway towards him. "Did you remember your pole?"

"Ugh, yes." He grabbed the pole he had almost forgotten in his teeth and slid it in along his side, securing it in a strap against his body. "Mom, I've been adventuring for a year now, I know how to do it!"

"I know, honey." She did not sound like she was changing her tact anytime soon. "You forgot it last time, and I know you're going to the Broken Chain ruins, on the east side?"

"That's the one," he called out, grabbing his sword and slotting it into his harness so it faced his front, ready to do battle with horrific monsters. "I'll be with my friends."

"That's good. Is little Spring Rain still in your party? She's such a nice little filly."

"She's an adult," he huffed, perhaps wishing his mother would see him as an adult too. "And yes she is."

"Have you ever considered asking her out?" His mother's face came into view, peeking around the edge of the door. "You two get along so well, and now you're party mates!"

"That isn't going to help me today." He nosed open his saddlebag, half-curled on himself as he rooted about with the end of his snout. "Healing potion, check, antidote, check."

"Antiplague." Her horn glowed, though he didn't have one. A bottle floated into the room, wobbling within reach of him. "I can always buy another for the house if you don't have one to take with you."

He glared at the floating symbol of niceness, and his mother's doting nature. "Thanks." He snapped it from the air and dropped it into his bag. "Seriously, mom, I got this."

"My little glimmer-pelt," she sighed out with a soft smile. "I know you're destined for great things. I just want to do my part."

He did shine. He was a gem pony, unlike his unicorn of a mother. Of course, one could be both of those things, but neither had such fortune. "Mom… I love you." He advanced quickly to peck her cheek. "But I'm not a foal."

"I wouldn't let a foal go do such dangerous things." She gently rubbed the side of her snout against his. "I know you're a stallion, but you're still my colt, and I will never stop feeling that way even if we're both old ponies."

He smiled with a little coloring of his cheeks. It wasn't all bad to have a mother that cared. "I'll be careful, promise."

"You do that… I know you will." She took a step back. "Just remember… you're not alone. You have a party, a lovely one last I saw. Work together, keep each other safe, alright?"

"Yeah, 'course." He grabbed a strap and yanked his head away, causing it to clinch several holes. "What's the point of this though?" He gestured with his nose at the pole. "You always say to bring it, but I don't fight with sticks."

"Sticks can be just fine as weapons," huffed his mother. "Mister 'I want a big knightly sword'. But that's not what that's for." She pointed a hoof at the pole strapped to his side. "That can save your life, usually when there's no fight happening."

He raised a brow at her and shook out his body, tail flicking against a fly that wasn't there. "Don't get it. Why bring a weapon besides hitting things with it?"

She reached out, tapping him on the chest. "Does your friend, Sly Glance bring his lockpicks to fight things?"

"No?"

"Does Spring Rain bring her holy symbol to bash a monster over the head with it?" she pressed, a sly grin spreading over her features.

"No… Mom!" He danced in place with sudden frustration. "So what do I do with it?"

Her horn glowed, slipping the rod forward out of the straps it was bound to and into her arcane grip. "Pretend you're a trap, or a sketchy door, or anything you may not want to be close to, but you have to deal with."

She danced back several steps and reached out with the pole, poking at him timidly as if he could explode at any moment. "And that's it. If you were dangerous, this gives me some needed space to possibly avoid being hurt."

"Or I could just let Sly Glance handle it." He grabbed the pole with his teeth when it went in for the next poke. He soon had it attached to his side again. "He's a wizard when it comes to traps."

"It's not always a trap," she warned, shaking a hoof left and right. "Cursed artifacts, things on fire… I've heard stories! Adventurers often have to deal with things they'd rather not be touching, so keep your pole around."

"Alright." He advanced towards her, heading for the stairs leading to the ground floor. "Gonna head out. I'll be back, uh…" He paused a moment. "If things go well, maybe not for a few days. If it goes badly, well, tomorrow."

She inclined her head at that, following at a distance. "Adventuring, the only career where the worse things get, the faster the shift ends. Work with your lovely friends and you'll get through, I believe in you."

They shared a hug by the door leading outside. "I only bother you because I love you and I want the best for you."

"Love you too." He touched noses with her, then headed off into the bright spring day. He had adventure to do! One day soon, all of the empire would know of Gleaming Blade.

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Hope you all enjoyed this, and it could continue if you want to see more of Gleaming Blade's exploits with his buddies. Lemme know below! Also, this is set to patron only for a week before anypony else gets to peek at it.