“Here’s the rules, first to draw blood from the body wins.” Nexus stood on his hindlegs with his metallic wings spread and held the lance against his right foreleg with the tip in the stone floor.

The tip of the lance was similar to a regular spear, but at the base of the tip, the metal was forged into a crescent moon curved up towards the tip. The edges of the moon were razor sharp and arching with electricity. Wait, electric lances? Hestaria spread her wings and stood in her fighting stance. It was odd that it mirrored Nexus’ almost perfectly.

“Ready?”

“You’re not going to use your horn are you?”

“No, I won’t use any magic so long as you stay in or above the plaza.”

“Okay then. Go!” Hestaria said launching at her commanding officer.

Nexus however was ready and threw he rover his head with the shaft of the lance. Hestaria flapped her wings and hovered over him.

“You’re quick.” Nexus said launching himself into the air. “But let’s see just how quick.”

Nexus was the first to make a move this time; he charged towards her faster than she had ever seen a pegasus fly from a standing start. The Iron Icarus’ on his back must be supercharged or something. The tips of the lances met in a shower of sparks and electrical arcs. Nexus locked the crescent moons together and threw her over his shoulders back towards the tower she had just come out of. Hestaria recovered and rebounded off of the stone tower.

She was going faster than Nexus had anticipated and instead of parrying her attack, Nexus simply leaned left and let her pass. That didn’t stop Hestaria from holding the lance at its base and swinging it as she went past. That, Nexus was able to block. Hestaria didn’t need a lot of room to pull a full one eighty and get back at Nexus’ level. She held the lance like an ax and swung it over her head. Nexus blocked the blade with the shaft and spun it to get it free of Hestaria’s lance.

As fast as she could, Hestaria thrust the tip at Nexus’ side, only looking to cut into his side instead of impaling him. The Captain was able to easily push himself to the right and dodge the attack. Nexus then preformed a quick front flip and planted his right hindleg into Hestaria’s left shoulder. The force of the kick wasn’t his full strength, she could tell. But it was still enough to throw her towards the ground.

Hestaria was able to land on all fours and Nexus brought himself down around fifty yards in front of her.

“Why do you want me to join you!?” Hestaria shouted in mild anger.

“Because.” Nexus lunged at her with his wings wide and glided at full speed towards her. When their lances made contact, he locked them together again and held pushed back on her. “You’re not like the others. You’re strong.”
Nexus released her and she unleashed a barrage of attacks, all Nexus either dodged or parried before locking them together again. “You’re cunning.”

This time Nexus released his inner Brave Hoof and started to strike at her with great speed and accuracy. Hestaria blocked as much as she could and only let two hits from the shaft get through to her “You don’t give in. And more over…”
Nexus pushed her back about five yards and took his stance. “Your heart is never void of hope.”

Hestaria locked their lances together this time and went nose to nose with Nexus. “What do you mean!?” She shouted.

Hestaria forced Nexus’ lance into the stone floor and watched as the heads of both snapped off in a shower of splinters and sparks. Nexus was shocked (metaphorically) and stumbled back. Hestaria took the chance and picked up the head of one of the lances and used it as a knife. Nexus saw this and narrowly escaped having his chest slashed open. The “dagger” only nicked his dress shirt and cut the left lapel on his coat where his captain bars were pinned.

Nexus was weapon less, he did his best to try and keep Hestaria at a distance with her dagger. But when he caught her right hoof with his left to bock a strike, she dropped the dagger to her left and slashed Nexus across his chest. The blade clanged off of a metallic plate and sparks erupted from the metal on metal contact.# Hestaria was shell shocked as she saw the large metallic plate under his dress cloths. She dropped her weapon and backed away.
“Well, it seems you’ve won.”
“What?”
“If I were normal, you would have opened my ribcage and I would be dead. You’ve won.”
“Wait, so that’s it? You’re just gunna to walk away?”

“Yep, I’m a man of my word. And my word is the best thing you could have next to a written agreement. You’re free to do whatever you want.”

Nexus turned and began to walk towards the steps leading away from the ruins and into the dark overhang of the forest.

“Wait!” Hestaria called.

Nexus was nothing if not three things, a patriot, honorable and a gentleman. If somepony called for him he would answer. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, his metal plate still visible under the hole in his shirt. “Yes?”

“Tell me more about the Evening Guard.”

Nexus smiled lightly and started back towards her slowly. “We’re a group of highly trained soldiers, all of whom act on their own. You never apply for the Evening Guard, you’re chosen. You have to be born to be a part of Luna’s army. You and I aren’t so different.”

“How’s that?” Hestaria said sitting back on her haunches.

“We’ve lead very similar lives.” Nexus replied sitting in front of her. “Social outcasts, born fighters, strong characters and even our lineage.”

“What’d you mean?”

“The only bat ponies that lived were in Luna’s Armada a thousand years ago. And my great ancestor was the General of her forces. Our lives have been crossing since before we were even conceived. We were meant to be a part of something greater; something that could be used to make the world a better place for us all to live for generations to come.”

“That’s a bit much don’t you think?” ‘I’m starting to have second thoughts about having this guy as my boss.’

“You’re free to have your opinion but you’re made for something greater than what you would never know.”

“What ever you say weirdo.”

“That’s not something you say to your boss.”

“What?”

“You want to join right?”

“Well, yeah. But I haven’t yet.”

“You accepted when you wanted to know what we were. And I think you’re not the least bit upset about me knowing that.”

“I’m more just surprised.” ‘How did he know?’ she thought.

‘I’m more than just a normal unicorn.’ his voice said in her head.

Hestaria jumped not seeing his lips move with the words. “How did you?”

“Telepathy. I do much more. So, you in?” The Captain said holding out his right hoof.

Hestaria looked to it and saw that it was made of shimmering metal as well. He didn’t just have Lunarus Corp. wings, he had his legs too! She looked back to him and smiled. “I’m in.” She bumped her hoof with his and watched the smile grow on his face.

“Well then. 0300, Lunar Building. Be there or don’t come back to base private!” Nexus shouted like the commander he was.