About thirty minutes later, Hestaria left the bar to go look for Ephialtes and Captain Nexus. White Knight stayed at the bar and enjoyed his beer until everypony stopped. He looked back to the front door to the bar expecting to see The Commander standing there. But instead he saw everypony bowing and Princess Luna.

“Please, rise, all of you. Is this not a celebration!?” Princess Luna said happily as the band picked up again.

Everypony started jamming hard to the music as Princess Luna made her way to the bar and sat next to White Knight. He didn’t know what to say. He stared blankly at the wall behind the bar until Luna spoke.

“What is you trouble? Is this not fun?” she asked.

“I-It is your highness. But I just didn’t expect to be sitting next to one of the rulers of Equestria tonight is all.” Knight replied taking a swig of his beer as soon as he stopped talking.

“Well, fear not. I am only here to see what everypony is doing. Waiter? A glass of red wine please.”

The bar keep nodded and reached under the bar for the bottle.

“You drink?”

“Only on special occasions. I don’t drink normally or in exes. Ah thank you.”

The bar keep nodded with a smile as Luna picked the wine up in a telekinetic field and swirled the dark red liquid around in the glass. Before she could take a sip, Hestaria’s panicked voice rang out across the bar.

“Help, Captain Nexus is being attacked!” Hestaria shouted.

Luna stopped and her eyes went wide as though she had never heard those words spoken before. “Lunarus? You heard her, to arms!” Luna commanded.

White Knight dropped his beer and followed everypony to the armory.

The panic was real. No pony spoke as they all stood guard at the academy. From the forest, shockwaves erupted along with flashes of light. The trees would bend back with each one. Then came a bright ball of purple light that enveloped the forest over a mile in. White Knight held back the extreme urge to spread his wings and take flight towards the explosion. It was about an hour later that Commander Nexus came limping out of the forest, leaning on Princess Luna; his back left leg more or less gone and his left eye dripping blood.

"Captain! What's going on? Are you okay?" White Knight said running up next to Nexus.

"It's over now Private. Meet me after my check up. I have something I need to tell you."

"Um, yes sir." White Knight said as Ephilates and Hestaria walked by in front of a half platoon of guard trainees.

White Knight sat nervously in the waiting room of the medical building. The whole place was on shut down on orders of The Captain. Only one pony had gone down the hall to the captain's room. He was a ebony black pegasus with a matching mane with the exception of a single yellow lock on the right side. He had a massive bag strapped to his back and a large tool back in his teeth.

It was around five hours later that The Captain had called for him. White Knight was lead down a hall by a light pink mare with a red cross cutie mark. She only lead him to the room and left him there on his own. Knight was tempted to just walk in but knowing The Commander, he wouldn't take to kindly to that. He knocked.

"It's open Private." The Commander called from inside.

White Knight held his breath and opened the door. On the other side, the sterile white room was bare other then the bed, some medical equipment and its two occupants. Nexus lay on his stomach as a new set of mechanical wings were being affixed to him. Nexus rolled his head over to see White Knight. His left eye was covered in gauze. For some reason they weren't as bloody as Knight had expected.

"Please, take a seat so Spangle doesn’t have to give me a mechanical neck too." Nexus yelped out and jolted as a spark came from his back where the pony White Knight assumed was Spangle. "Speaking of. You mind being a bit more gentle. I can feel that now."

"Shut it soldier boy. I'm doing what I can." Spangle replied.

"I know but still. Anyways. White Knight, you're still standing. My neck hurts."

"Oh, yes sir." White Knight said sitting right next to Nexus' head.

Nexus set his head down on the pillow and sighed with relief. "Now then, I have a few things I need of you."

"What is it Captain." 'Oh Celestia, what's he going to tell me.'

"Now, I've read over the reports of your performance over the past couple of days. Average across the board, strong in both body and seemingly in mind. Overall a standard soldier."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

"Again, I'm not in uniform so cut the sir bull shit."

"Okay, Nexus."

"Good. Now you are above average compared to most of Celestia's soldiers but average by my standards. I have one question to ask you."

"What is it Nexus?"

"If it came to it, and the sisters became divided once more, and regardless of what guard you were in, where were would your loyalties lie?"

"Um, sir?"

"Everyone would have a side. This is only if it were to come to that. It's something everyone can answer."

White Knight thought for a few moments. He wasn't sure if his answer would affect his future to the point of exile. Considering his connections he could probably have that done. "I-I would fight for whomever's ideals fitted my own."

"So you don't know?"

"Yes sir."

"What are your ideals?"

"Well sir. I see the ugliness that is the politics here. Celestia hasn't learned quite as much as I would have hoped. She says they're equals but Luna is still her subordinate. It might not 've been here fault the when Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon, but she had the peoples interest in mind. It would all depend on what started the war. Whomever has the people of Equestria in mind and not their own gain is who I would fight for."

"Nobel. I have good news and bad news White Knight."

'Here it comes.' White Knight thought to himself.

"The bad news is you're going back to Celestia's Guard officially."

"And the bad news?"

"Off record, you still work for me."

"I-I'm sorry, Sir?"

"Yeah, come again?" Spangle asked just as confused as White Knight was.

"I want you to keep tabs on Celestia and her new Captain of the Guard. I can assure you that when your time comes, your loyalties won't lie with either of the Princess'. They will lie with me."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"A war is coming Private. One that Celestia and Luna will start one over its result. When it comes to it, can I count on you to remain loyal to me?"

"Y-Yes sir, Nexus sir."

"Good. Now I have one more mission for you before you leave."

"What's that sir?"

"Luna wants to take me for a little stroll through Canterlot tomorrow after I get out. I would like to have a guard detail following us. Your station is the base of the clock tower. All I need you to do is keep an eye on things and let me know if they go south on your end. Spangle, you have that new device with you?"

"Got it right here." Spangle said reaching into a side pocket of his tool back and pulling out a small ear plug.

Nexus' horn glowed a light blue and the device levitated into Knight's right ear. "Hang onto that. That is how you'll communicate with me during the mission."

"Is it safe?"

"The worse that could happen is it doesn't receive or transmit. Don't worry about it." Spangle said. "Could you move your left wing a bit for me Nex?"

"Sure." The left wing twitched and then extended fully. "Like I said, you'll be going back to Celestia's guard after tomorrow on an official transfer. Until then return to your barracks and prepare for tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes sir."

White Knight sat still for a moment. Not sure if he should leave. Spangle closed his bag and went to the other side of the bed where Nexus' other wing sat waiting to be reattached. Nexus watch Spangle for a second before looking back to White Knight still sitting in his place.

"You can go now." Nexus said with a chuckle.

"Oh. Right. Get well soon Nexus." White Knight said getting up and quickly leaving the room, hoping Nexus wouldn't correct him on his way out.

Author's Notes:

Nexus: Well it's better than the draft you showed me last month.
Me: I guess that's a complement coming from you.
Nexus: Yeah it is.
Dust Storm: Lunar? What are you doing on that thing at 12:45 in the morning?
Me: Hi Dusty.
Nexus: That's my name for her!
Me: I made both of you so can call her what I want.
Dust Storm: I don't know how I feel about that Roman.
Nexus: Go back to bed sweet heart. I'll be with you in a second.
Me: Night, you two. I need to turn in too.