Author's Notes:

As promised, chapter seven. Please tell me your thoughts.

It had happened in an instance. The lights flicked on, the large banner unfurled, party streamers fell down, and ponies jumped out of the hidden sides of the library with Pinkie Pie holding a large cake were all pushed back as Shining Armor leaped into the room with a wide shield expanding outwards with a smaller one covering Luna, who he had pushed behind his body.

There was a shout of surprise and pain as everypony was thrown backwards into the walls, with one pony laughing at having a cake smashed into her face.

“Shining Armor, what do you think you’re doing?!” Twilight moved to slap her brother again, but was pushed back by a strong hoof.

“My job.” He glared at the ponies in his magical grasp, frowning as the scene had changed when he blinked. Somepony was gone…

“But Shin-”

“Not NOW Twilight!” He snapped, sending a magical aura to push her back, trying to find the missing pony.

“Well, he’s kinda right Twilight.” A voice giggled from above his head, a pink face was looking down at him. He nearly lost his magical grip, but thanks to his training he was able to keep his focus and concentration. “I mean, I don’t think-”

Shining Armor grabbed the mare off of his head and threw her onto the ground with a hoof pressed down on her barrel to pin her down.

“Who are you and what is the meaning of this!” He shouted, his full attention was on this mare now. Somehow, she had slipped out of his magic grasp and snuck up on him without him noticing at all.

He labelled her as an extremely dangerous pony and one whom he needed to watch out for.

“I’m Pinkie Pie, and this was your guys surprise welcome party!” She laughed, somehow she had squirmed out from under his hoof and was now standing next to him. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, he would have asked her to train his soldiers to escape like that in a heartbeat!

“See!” Twilight snapped at him, glaring as if he had done something wrong. “There was nothing to worry about!”

“Horsefeathers Twilight!” He was amazed at how dense his little sister was being. “I don’t know or care if you trust these ponies, but I don’t know them at all and thus I can’t trust them!” He glared at Twilight, who was gasping at him, ready to hit him with her magic. “It’s my job to protect Princess Luna, and having a full house of unknown ponies is not acceptable at all!” He turned his attention back to the ponies whom he was holding against the wall, and moved them to the side. He moved Luna behind him as he walked in a tight circle, to keep his eye on the crowd as he moved them towards the door. Looking at the bouncing earth pony that he knew he could trust due to the fact she was an Element, he bit back a sigh and said, “Miss Pie, next time you wish to have such a party for the Princess, I will need a full list of those attending in advance so I can conduct a proper interview of the pony in question.”

“Okie dokie lokie.” She smiled, nodding her head as she walked ahead of the floating mass of ponies who were ejected from the library. With a thud, the door was closed, leaving the eight ponies and one young dragon in silence.

There was a pregnant pause before the mayor coughed, and turned to address the ponies. “Well, it is late, and I do need to prepare for tomorrow’s town meeting.” She shot a look at Shining Armor, “It is for the adults to be aware of the Princess and the importance of their silence on the matter. I am leaving Miss Cheerilee and the parents to tell their kids about Princess Luna. If you wish to attend, it will be ten in the morning.”

Shining Armor nodded his head slightly, saying. “We’ll see.” He was going to go, he had to get a feel of the town and the ponies, but he wasn’t sure if it would be good for Princess Luna to go for herself or the town’s ponies.

Nodding her head back to the Captain of the Royal Guards, Mayor Mare turned her attention to the ponies and drake around her. “Goodnight then, Captain Shining Armor, Miss Twilight Sparkle, Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy, Miss Applejack, Miss Rainbow Dash, Mister Spike, Your Highness.” She gave each a proper, respectful nod ending with a deep bow to Princess Luna, who was standing still, free from the magic shield. With a click of the door, the mayor of Ponyville left the library.

There was an awkward silence which filled the room, with Twilight glaring at her brother, Shining Armor sighing as he attempted to get his breath back, Rarity looking at the mess with an annoyed tsk, Fluttershy was looking off to the side, Applejack rubbing her eyes, Rainbow Dash was fluttering in the air slightly uneasily, Spike was rubbing his tail and Princess Luna was shuffling on her hooves slightly, biting her lip as she drew into herself again.

It was Rainbow Dash that broke the proverbial ice. “Sorry Princess, you really missed out on a totally awesome party.” She rubbed the back of her neck, looking at the destroyed party favours. “Pinkie Pie has the best parties ever!” She laughed, picking up some food that wasn’t too destroyed and wasn’t on the floor face down and started to munch on it..

“Yes, and the darling always put her heart into it.” Rarity started to move the furniture back into their upright position with her magic, using a simple spell to direct the brooms to clean up the mess.

“W- we see…” Luna mumbled, looking at the floor sadly. She felt terrible at ruining a celebration party for her friend. She looked at the torn welcome banner, seeing part of it welcoming Shining Armor to Ponyville. Pinkie Pie had gone to such lengths and she had ruined it!

“Don’t worry sugarcube,” the apple farm pulled her into a hug, chuckling softly. “Ah’m sure that Pinkie Pie is already planning another one for the both of ya.” She bit back a yawn, really needing to get some rest so she could tend to her chores in the morning properly.

Nodding numbly for a moment, the alicorn looked up at the mare next to her confused. “Both?”

There was a subtle gasp from the ponies, all looking at each other worried. Before Luna could even think what that meant, another one of the Elements leaned in to comfort her.

“O- of course, your Highness.” Fluttershy said calmly, her usual meekness fading away. “Anypony that comes to Ponyville gets one.” She nuzzled the alicorn of the night, who seemed to breathing heavier now. “And I’m sure that she will be making a new party for both of you right now, and it will be even better than this one."

“B- but why, we were here before…” She muttered, biting back some tears. She was not a little filly, she was not going to cry!

“Well, I don’t think that time really counts, Luna.” The dare-devil mare rolled her eyes as she laid about on the sofa. “’Sides, she won’t stop until she gives ya one. Nothing can stop her when she was wants to throw a friend a party!” Her chuckles were stopped when she heard the soft sobs, turning her head to the princess.

“She dost consider Us a friend?” She asked, hiding behind her wings, but she was peeking out from her feathers, looking straight at her. Weird, only a foal would do that –wait, the princess was looking at her! Looking around the room for what to do, she saw Shining Armor wave his hoof in a way that meant continue.

“Well, ya,” She rubbed her head, more than a bit confused to see Princess Luna like this. “I mean, I’ve know Pinks for a long time now, and she only really gets that excited when she’s planning a party for a friend.” She was not good with emotions but she felt some sort of protective instinct inside her, telling her to nuzzle the mare and wrap her wings around her. Which she did. “A- are you ok, Princess?” She blushed, wondering why the bucking tartarus she just did that!

“Ye- yes, we art most fine, my little pony.” Luna mumbled, lying poorly, moving away from the comforting mass of ponies and to the solid wall. “We – we, require the lavatories. If thou may guide Us towards thy location to relieve ourselves…”

Spike pointed to a door to the common bathroom, to which Luna numbly stepped into and slammed the door shut with all the grace a princess could.

With a soft click of the door and the sound of running water, Shining Armor looked at the confused ponies and drake in front of him. Whispering softly, he smiled gently and sadly, “Thank you girls. I know it might not seem like it, but that really helped her.” He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He was aware that Luna was either crying again or listening at the door, certainly not using the bathroom to relieve herself.

“What the hay is going on!” Rainbow Dash angrily pushed a hoof towards him, her wings lifting her up in the air. She let out a yelp as Applejack grabbed her tail and yanked her down.

“Dash!” Applejack glared at her friend, and then at the stallion. “Ah’m sure he can ‘xplain what the hey is going on here.”

“Outside,” He narrowed his eyes, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get rid of them but it wouldn’t do Luna any good to hear what they were going to talk about. Using his magic, he opened the door and started a mental count-down as he stepped outside.

The Elements followed him out, gesturing Spike to stay inside. Shining Armor would have felt better if somepony with the ability to do magic had stayed, but this was good enough.

“Do any of you have any idea how Luna spends her time at the palace?”

“Uh, ain’t she with her sister?” Applejack rubbed the back of her head confused.

“Yes, sometimes.” He rolled his eyes, keeping his attention to the library. “But that’s usually only at dinner or breakfast, as their duties keep them busy and apart from each other.”

“Duties?” Rainbow Dash blinked, for the first time really thinking about what a Princess did.

“Yes, signing bills, meeting dignitaries, but the biggest part of their duties is the public court.” A lie, but it was a needed lie to get the mares thinking.

The mares gave him an understanding nod, as they all heard about the Day Court.

“So Princess Luna has opened her own court?” Rarity purred out, curious how the night princess would run her court. Princess Luna was from a time when strength and straightforwardness was dominant, so ponies trying to play mind games with her would be in for a rude awakening.

“Yes, and it’s a good time for her to finish a ton of bills as no pony has come to see her yet.”

They gave a surprised gasp at this.

“Those meanies!” He looked surprised at the frowning yellow pegasus. “Why would they do that to her!”

“Think for a moment who she is or was.” He frowned, staring back at her. There was short period before they all blushed and looked to the side ashamed.

“Are ponies that afraid of her?” Twilight asked, looking at her hooves, still trying to figure it out. Why would anypony be that mean to Princess Luna; didn’t they know that Nightmare Moon was gone and that staying away from Luna was what- She gasped, as the thought hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Yes Twily.” He nodded his head, wondering if she realized. “Most ponies are scared of her, as all they have is old mare’s stories about her and they base all the correct Princess-like attitudes on Princess Celestia and they are not that alike.”

“The poor dear.” Rarity was dabbing her eyes, getting rid of her tears and starting to seethe with anger. “And to think those brutes at the motherbucking bureaucracy dared to for-”

“Miss Rarity, this, as you no doubt read in the paper, is her decision.” Shining Armor frowned, leaning in close. The timer in his head was nearing zero, he would need to go inside quickly. “They wanted to help her, and I think this is going to help her.” He smiled a bit, thinking at how much more the Princess was smiling already, seeming to be at ease now. “Look, I need to get back inside and it is late.” He smiled more, feeling a bit more at ease. Of any of the ponies in this town, the Elements were the ponies he knew he could trust the most with Luna’s… problems.

Bidding them all good night he walked back inside with his little sister and closed the door.