I sat with Celestia, more next to her as she held court. A pony was asking nicely about some gift to the state of Saddle Arabia. Something about flowers, something about some brothers trying to patch up relations with Equestria.

“Of course, you’ll have my full support.” Celestia smiled down at the red-head pony. “I’m sure this will help you as well.” She smiled knowingly. “Am I safe saying you plan to fill the full order?”

The little red-headed pony laughed softly. “Well, I wouldn’t say no. But if you decide to give the contract to some other pony, I won’t argue.”

I rubbed my face. “Smart bitch,” I whispered to myself, letting a loud yawn cover it as I stretched. “Celestia I’m gonna go.”

Celestia turned and watched me as I stood. “Are you sure--”

I pointed to the red-head. “Go play with your ponies, sorry for interrupt--”

A bright red paper scroll exploded into existence before Celestia’s throne. Celestia snapped her head around and caught it with her magic. “Oh...oh no.”

I stopped dead and bit my lip. “Where?”

Celestia shook her head. “Roseluck, I’m sorry this meeting is going to have to be cut short.” She set the scroll down and stood up. “I need to go--”

I walked up to Celestia. “Where?”

Celestia licked her lips and looked to one of the windows. “Sombra was spotted in the Crystal Spire, he hasn’t done anything, but he’s there with an accomplice--”

I sighed heavily and turned to the guards stationed at the far main door. “Alright gentlemen! You heard the lady!” I felt my chest rise as my voice boomed across the room. “Light Sortie, two pegasus four mainliners, let’s go!” I clapped my hands together and started running towards the main doors. “Come on, pick up your fucking hooves!”

“Um...Able?” Celestia called after me. “Able? Able! ...Able?”

I hit the doors hard as the ponies started down the stairs to the outside world. “Sit down there Princess, you don’t send the most important person in the nation as first responders!”

Her tail whipped to the side as she trotted in place. “But--”

I hopped down the flight of stairs and started off towards the steps out of the foyer. I hit the hard stone floor of the entry with a loud smack. The two guard ponies were already at the main doors, holding them for me as I ran. I stopped at the door and looked the ponies over. “You, arrange a temp guard for Celestia.”

A red pony with show armor nodded and sprinted off into the summer day.

I turned to the grey mane. “Come on, scramble some transport and scouting I’ll get the grunts in order!” I ran out onto the nicely paved walkways through the castle grounds. The air was warm, and the sun beat down just enough to burn my skin. I pulled my jacket off and let it fall against the grass as me and the unicorn guard bolted towards the barracks.

I hurried up to the offshoot of the castle and threw myself into the door. My bare arm scratched roughly against the unpainted wood door. “Fasted four to meet in the track go! High priority, let’s go!” I didn’t stop running as I passed the main lobby of the guard, a few ponies and a human were already running around in the back offices.

I hurried through the clerk areas and the logistical offices. I passed through the herds of ponies in fine white shirts, fine pants and skirts. A loud bustle filled the room as I ran past, only slowing near the doors to the track yard. “Arms and light armor, in the field now!”

A pony looked up at me and nodded idly. “On it sir….” He tapped a keyboard with his hoof tips.

I slipped past a mare in yellow and hurried outside. The field was clear save a collection of equipment sitting in the middle of the track’s green area. A few guards were already hooking up a sky carriage with three pullers. “More than I asked for!”

A bat pony with a tired look about him walked over from a box of equipment. “That’s my fault. You’ll get there faster and it’ll take up less time when you’re dropping in.”

I shook my head and walked past him towards the black cased of gear. I slipped a vest over my shirt as the others got ready. “Fine, sorted.” I ran through the weapons as the other guards were fitted and following me to get armed.

Three ponies and a rather dark skinned girl were getting ready to go with me. A pair of unicorns pulled smaller carbines from the case while the earthpony of the group had a set of rifles strapped to his sides on a strange boxy firing rig hooked onto his neck. The human guard grabbed a long rifle and pulled herself away.

I found whatever rifle was left and pointed back to the carriage. “Lock in, get ready!” I pushed the heavy boxy earth pony aside and went to the pullers. “Listen you fucks, this is a crisis level problem, you pull hard as you can!”

The lead puller nodded and flexed his wings. “Ready to go sir!”

I nodded and turned back to the carriage. The nice green world disappeared to a small two by three meter box with jet black walls. The others were already strapped into the walls, waiting for us to move. I stood in place and brought down a small brace bar at about human height. The ponies were braced against the floor and seemed to rattle much less as we took off.

The earth pony nodded his head in some strange quick tune as we moved.

I spotted the unicorn guards sharing a set of earbuds clipped to their ears.

“What songs?” I asked gruffly.

The unicorn guards looked over at me. “DJ Vinyl Scratch, sir!”

I looked to the earth pony as he wiggled the buds off his ears. “Uh...Waylon...Jennings….”

I laughed softly. “Fucking hick.” I looked to the human guard. She wasn’t listening to anything, she just shook her foot rather briskly against the floor.

I huffed and took a deep breath. “Alright, so Sombra is back. He’s not being violent yet, but we’re prepping for the worst. Weapons locked down until I say otherwise, understand me?”

The tiny room lit up with a sharp yes sir.

“Good. Now get ready. We go in fast and hard, clean up this mess before it gets any worse than it is.”

The ride went by rather quietly, with the ponies listening to their music and the human just standing there, waiting patient as could be.

I had been in things like this too often to be stirred up. And in my life since I moved to Equestria, not one thing had matched the combat back on earth.

I felt the floor shake rather hard. “Music off, let’s go!” I lifted my brace and turned to the door. My rifle met the sky as I twirled out and held the door for my team. I spotted Shining sulking over, his horn covered in black bumps. “Where?”

Shining sighed heavily. “Down below, there’s only one way….”

I sighed and let the door go. The air was crisper and much colder than I’d expected. “Seriously...did he at least sneak up on you?”

Shining sighed again. “I didn’t think he’d ever actually come back...then he just-- Look, just go fix this, that’s why you’re here.”

I twirled my hand in the air and bolted with my team over towards the main castle doors. Crystal ponies were already on scene, holding things down and keeping others away. The Canter Guard took the main room, a large crystal cover carved with a large vaulted ceiling. A set of blue and green crystal guards were waiting by a rather narrow entryway.

I hurried over, keeping my rifle low as I walked past them. The steps down were immediately a pain, and the narrow walkway had zero cover.

We all stayed quiet as we descended the huge staircase. Little by little the twirling seemed to lead downward to a rough noise. Breathing and grunting filled the air as we started off towards the hard crystal floor.

I raised my rifle up and hit the ground. The guards got into position around me as a man stayed crouched down over a dark charcoal pony. “Canterlot Royal Guard! Let’s see some fucking hands!” I pointed my rifle at the man’s back. “Hands, now!”

The man didn’t answer, he hunched over and stayed still for a few moments.

I glared hard as the grunting stopped. “...Are you fucking serious?” I held my hand up. “Two go, we’ll cover.”

The unicorn pair broke off and walked around either side. The one on the right lifted a hoof in disgust. “Oh dear Cadance...we need a blanket or a towel.”

A gravel filled voice coughed into the air a few times. “Really...I didn’t do anything this time….” The charcoal pony leaned to the side and looked at me. “...I’m not counting the idiot, neither should you…. Would have been a better cock slave than guard….” He laid his head back against the ground.

I sighed heavily. “Sombra?”

The charcoal pony grunted. “Who else?”

I hugged again. “Alright...why shouldn’t I shoot you?”

“Because I literally haven’t done anything illegal.” He wiggled back and rolled onto his side. He walked towards me with a very heavy limp. “I’m not attempting a coup, I’m not using my magic, I’m simply taking care of something personal--”

I pointed to the ground with my rifle, stopping him in his tracks. “Getting fucked in the ass is hardly business!”

The human in the back was slowly tucking himself away and surrendering to the armed guards. Sombra coughed roughly. “I took care of my business...this was more of an afterthought--”

“You still incapacitated Shining….”

Sombra’s eyes fell flat. “They boy can pull off spells decently, but aside from that, what use is he? I think you’re trying to make me feel bad for doing something extremely easy.”

I glared at him. “Well if you’re not doing anything wrong surrender--”

“I am.”

I licked my lips. “...Okay.” I held my hand up and pointed to Sombra. “Tie hooves, cap his horn.”

The human guard slowly approached, with the earth pony and I covering her move. I cleared my throat. “So...why does everyone hate you?”

Sombra groaned loudly. “Because in a past time I was a dictator, and in a magic fueled rage I tried to take my land back…. And for abusing Shining, but I’m not sure that was documented.”

The human guard capped his horn and went to work tying his hooves. “Wait...like s--”

“Do you really want to know?” Sombra held his hooves out. “Now this is getting ridiculous. Who even sent you creatures?”

I sighed heavily. “I did…. Sounded like a bigger problem than it actually was.” I slung my rifle and stood up.

The earth pony guard grunted. “Well ‘ta be fair, he was a real big ‘ol issue a while back...nearly took out a princess.”

Sombra cocked his head. “Do I look anywhere near the same? Do I--”

“Ya do.” The guard shot back. “Ya really do.”

Sombra grumbled and growled. “I don’t. I’m actually a normal pony right now....not some sickly smog monster--”

“Close enough.” The guard finally eased his posture. “Ain’t really the smoke that scares ponies, more your face.”

I shook my head. “Take them up, they’re royal guard property now, not Cadance’s.”

Sombra looked up at me. “Really? You’re taking me--” He stopped himself and looked away. “Actually this might be better...I can’t imagine Cadance would be too pleased seeing me.”

I grunted and looked to the stairs. The guards were escorting everyone up and away.

An eerie whisper came from behind me. The large circular room seemed to drag a rush of air around the central spire. I looked back and felt the rush shoot down the back of my shirt. Come on.

I walked slowly towards the bend in the spire. I followed it around and found nothing but a door. It opened rather slowly. Hi there.