Several hours earlier...

"How do I look?" Twilight said, spinning in place as she examined herself in the mirror.

"You look lovely, Twilight," Flash said, doing his best not to stare and fighting a losing battle against a goofy smile. Twilight was dressed in a deep purple dress, laden with sequins that sparkled like stars in the sky of the setting sun. Her mane had been combed and done up, and spilled to her shoulders like a lavender waterfall.

"Oh, you're just saying that," Twilight said, blushing.

"No, you look great, Twilight!" Spike said energetically, dashing up. Upon a purple cushion, he held up Twilight's tiara, which he had just finished polishing.

"Thank you, Spike," Twilight said, accepting the tiara and placing it on her head. She checked herself in the mirror once more and, deciding that she was presentable, proceeded towards the door of the room. "Now, come on. We have to check with Celestia and Luna before the Summer Sun Festival begins."

"Right behind you, Twilight," Flash said, falling into step behind her. Spike hopped up onto Twilight's back. The two proceeded down the hallway of the Royal Palace in Canterlot, guided by the light of lanterns and stars shining through the grand windows. Turning several corners, they came to a pair of large golden doors that opened into the Royal Bedrooms. Two Guards on either side of the door saluted as they approached. Twilight acknowledged them with a nod and knocked at the doors.

"Come in!" a familiar voice called from within the room. Twilight opened the doors and the trio proceeded into the room, a cushiony common room with a roaring fireplace. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were both there, each speaking to an officer from their respective Guard companies. Celestia looked up with a warm smile when Twilight entered.

"Twilight, it's wonderful to see you again," she said, embracing her favorite student. "Thank you for coming to the Summer Sun Festival."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Twilight said.

"Spike, Flash Sentry, it is good to see you again as well," Celestia said to the other two, who had knelt before the Princesses. "I believe you have met Captain Polaris."

Flash snapped to attention and saluted the officer next to Celestia. Polaris, Captain of the Canterlot City Guard, was a black unicorn with close-cropped white hair and deep blue eyes. His cutie mark of the constellations of the Big and Little Dippers, composed of bright yellow-white stars, shone brightly against the dark of his coat. His golden armor was highly polished, the double silver bar on his collar gleaming in the firelight.

"Corporal," Polaris said in an even, but friendly tone, returning Flash's salute with a small smile. "Excellent work so far. You should know that there are a number of ponies here rooting for you."

"Thank you, sir. That means a lot," Flash said with a slightly nervous smile.

Luna stood to greet the friends. "It is a pleasure to see you all again. May I introduce one of my most trusted guards, Lieutenant Silent Knight."

Silent Knight was a white pegasus. His blue mane was short and parted down the center, framing a handsome face. His blue eyes had the look of somepony with a lot on their mind, but was still focused on the task at hoof. His cutie mark was a blue crescent moon and silver sword, partially obscured by the dark purple armor of a Lunar Guard. He returned Flash's salute with a brief nod before looking back down at the map of Canterlot placed before the group.

"I can have this street cleared," Polaris said, tracing out a route with his hoof. "It'll provide a fast route to the castle if necessary."

"Why all this security?" Spike asked, looking over the map and it's markings of routes and guard positions.

"Better safe than sorry," Silent Knight said softly, barely glancing up.

"True," Celestia said. "But I seriously doubt that anything will happen."

"Corporal, we've got you right behind Twilight," Polaris said, lighting up his horn. He extracted a radio and headpiece from his saddlebag and levitated it over to Flash. "Take this. It'll keep you in communication with the other Guards. We're on Channel 3."

"Thank you, sir," Flash said, taking the radio. He clipped it into his belt and placed the earpiece in his ear and the microphone on his collar. Turning the radio on, he spoke into the mic for a test.

"TESTING! IS THIS WORKING?!"

Polaris and Silent Knight, along with every Guard within a half-mile, cried out in pain and clutched the sides of their heads as Flash's voice bellowed into their ears, accompanied by the shrill squeal of static.

"Corporal, turn the mic down!" Silent said.

"SORRY, SIR!" Flash apologized, causing another grimace from the officers. Polaris used his magic to turn the volume knob on Flash's radio down several notches. Flash grinned in embarrassment. "Sorry," he whispered. "I guess it works."

"Sister, it is almost time," Luna said, noting the position of the moon in the sky. She rose. "Come, my friends! The Summer Sun Celebration is about to begin!"

The group headed out of the room, proceeding through the hallways of Canterlot and out into the keep. A small squad of both Solar and Lunar Guards awaited them, simultaneously snapping to attention and saluting at the approach of the monarchs.

"All right, everypony knows the plan," Polaris addressed the Guards. "Let's get out there and have a Summer Sun Celebration!"

"Yes, sir!" the Guards chorused. As one, they turned and dispersed, scattering out ahead of the group and into the streets of Canterlot. Proceeding through the gates, the Princesses and their Guards walked down the main street of Canterlot. A few meters ahead of them, a wide stage had been set up, wide purple curtains stretching across the street. The group stopped behind the curtains and paused.

Glancing at Celestia beside her, Twilight was reminded of the first time she saw her, so many years ago. How regal and powerful she had seen, white coat gleaming in the rising sun: the manifestation of magical power, an inspiration to her then and now. And now here she stood beside her!

Polaris paused, his head cocked as he listened to the radio, then nodded to the Princesses. Bowing, he stepped aside, pulling the curtains open with his magic. "Break a leg, Twilight!" Spike cheered as the three Princesses proceeded onto the stage. The crowd before them cheered loudly at the sight, every face lighting up with delight to see the alicorns. In her center position, Twilight could see her friends—Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie—all standing in the very front of the crowd, all of them cheering loudest of all. Her heart soared at the sight of them.

Above them all, a gunpony surveyed the crowd.

PFC Zipline lay atop the roof of one of Canterlot's many shops, double-checking for any suspicious activity through the scope of his .30 caliber Summerfield rifle. He was a white pegasus with a red mane that reached towards his shoulders and pale blue eyes. He wore the sunshine yellow armor of a member of the Solar House Guard, the protectors of Princess Celestia, but lacked the helmet, allowing his mane to blow in the wind. A red circle on both his shoulderplates designated him as a sniper. Seeing nothing suspicious, he spoke into his microphone. "Sniper two reporting, all clear."

The other snipers and the Guards on the ground also gave the all clear, allowing the festival to proceed. With a flourish, Luna floated into the air, using her magic to slowly lower the moon. A moment later, Celestia rose into the sky, carrying the sun up into the sky. As the sun rose above the horizon, the sudden light and warmth dazzled the entire crowd, drawing "oohs" and "aahs" from several ponies.

Among the crowd, a single pony wearing a gray trilby watched the display. Phillip Finder might not have enjoyed many holidays and celebrations, but he made an exception for the Summer Sun Festival. The Festival had come to Sydneigh once when he was young, and left an impression. He had been amazed and awed by the sight of Princess Celestia; not just of her beauty, but because of the ideals she represented, the nobility and grace that she displayed with every step. And now, seeing the Princesses framed against the sky, backlit against the sun, he once again felt that same awe.

But out of the corner of his eye, Phillip spotted a strange glimmer above him. Turning, he saw the glimmer was coming from the sunlight reflecting off of something on a balcony of a building next to him. Instantly, he felt a familiar tingling on the back of his neck: the feeling of something not being right. Forgetting the ritual, he squinted up at the light, trying to figure out what it was.

Zipline noticed the same glimmer. Turning his rifle scope towards the source of the light, he peered through the scope, having to adjust the focus to see clearly.

Both stallions recognized the object for what it was, and for a moment, could only stare in utter shock and disbelief. The glimmering was the sunlight reflecting off of a well-polished rifle barrel, clutched in the hooves of a pony obscured in the shadows of the balcony.

And he was aiming the gun right at Princess Celestia. She was still hovering in midair, eyes shut in blissful concentration, unaware of the danger.

"Your Highness!" Phillip shouted, sprinting forward, pushing his way through the crowd. Heads began to turn his direction, the Guards becoming aware that something was wrong. Zipline opened his mouth, taking in air to shout into the radio.

Suddenly, at that moment, the sky was torn by a tremendous CRACK like lightning. Red mist exploded out of Celestia's chest, illuminated by the sunlight. Her magenta eyes opened wide in shock. Gasping in pain, she collapsed out of the sky like a rock, crashing to the stage. For a moment, nothing moved, everything frozen in horror.

And then, as the echoes of the gunshot died away, the panic started. Ponies in the crowd fled screaming in all directions.

"Sister!" Luna shouted in horror, diving down beside Celestia, who lay unconscious on the stage, a red stain growing across her white chest. At the same instant, Polaris, Silent Knight, Flash and every nearby Guard moved, shock turning into trained reflexes. They dived on top of the Princesses and began to hurry them away, heading down an already cleared street. The unicorns among them cast protective shield spells around the group to protect from further attack, while some of the pegasi and earth ponies hurried forward to ensure the way was clear.

"Sniper, third-floor balcony, Grand Hotel!" Zipline shouted into the mass of confusing voices over the radio as he flew off the roof and to the balcony. Hearing his call, several Guards on the ground began to hurry towards the building. Seeing them on the move, Phillip began to push his way through the crowd, cutting through the currents towards the building.

"Going around back!" a unicorn corporal declared, leading his partner behind the building as a larger detachment burst into the doors. Phil's instincts guided him to go around to the back, and he followed the two Guards around the back of the building into an alley that was empty save for a couple of dumpsters and a back door. Neither of the Guards noticed him.

As they rounded the corner, the door suddenly burst open and a unicorn burst out. He was a dark orange color with steel gray hair and green eyes that glimmered with the desperate cleverness of a trapped animal. His cutie mark was a lightning bolt piercing a red circle. And in a green magical aura, he held a black revolver.

Upon spotting the Guards, he immediately opened fire, sending two shots in their direction and forcing them to duck behind cover. The assassin sprinted away. "He's headed out back!" the corporal shouted into the radio as he and his partner gave chase. "Male unicorn, dark orange! He's got a gun!"

Unnoticed behind them, Phillip leaped up onto a dumpster, then sprang onto the low roof of a building. Cutting across the roof, he jumped across the alleyway, seeing the assassin pass beneath him and turn right ahead. The gunpony had a headstart and was fast, but Phillip still knew the layout of the Canterlot streets. Hurrying across the rooftop, Phil glanced beneath him to see the gunpony turn another corner, forcing a pursuing Guard to back up with another two gunshots. Leaping across the alley once more, Phillip ran over the rooftops, jumping obstacles and cutting corners to stay a few feet behind his quarry.

"I've got him!" a shout sounded from above. This shout was followed by another gunshot, then a cry of pain. Halting, Phillip looked over the edge of the roof to see a Guard, a gray earth pony, lying on the ground, clutching his bleeding shoulder in pain. The assassin was already several feet ahead. Phil hesitated, torn between pursuing the assassin and aiding the injured pony.

"Guard down!" a pegasus Guard shouted, flying down to aid his injured comrade. The decision made, Phillip put on speed. The gunpony had a bigger head start now, but Phil knew that the alley ahead cut into a T. And the left turn went straight into a dead end. If the assassin was smart—and Phil anticipated that he was—he would turn right. Recalling the assassin's speed and estimating where he was, Phillip sprinted forward, glanced over the edge, and leaped.

He'd timed it perfectly; he landed on top of the assassin, who collapsed beneath him with a great "Oof!" To his surprise, the unicorn reacted instantly, shoving him off him with a blast of magic. Rolling as he hit the ground, Phillip got up to his hooves in time to see the unicorn, a vicious snarl on his face, raising the pistol and aiming it at him. Phillip dodged just in time, feeling the heat of the bullet carving through the air inches above his head. He sprinted forward at the assassin, who adjusted his aim right at Phillip's face. At this range, there was no chance of dodging. As if in slow motion, Phillip saw the chamber of the gun rotate and the hammer rear back, then snap forward.

BANG!

Phillip halted in his tracks, astonished. The revolver clattered to the ground; the assassin followed a moment later, his jaw slack and his eyes wide as if in surprise. Blood trickled out of the hole in the dead center of his forehead. Turning, Phillip saw Zipline standing at the end of the alley, lowering his rifle. "You okay?" he asked, hurrying forward.

"You shouldn't have done that," Phil said, scowling at Zipline.

"He shot Princess Celestia, and he was going to shoot you!" Zipline said, taken aback by Phillip's hostility.

"No, he wasn't," Phil said, snatching the revolver up. He opened the chamber and shook the gun. Six empty brass cartridges fell out, clattering as they hit the ground. "He was out, I was counting."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Zipline snapped back.

Phillip scowled deeply but didn't reply, realizing that Zipline had a point. Two other Guards ran up to secure the scene.

"What's happened to Princess Celestia?" Phil asked.

"We're taking her to the local hospital," Zipline said, his voice falling grave and tense. "Last I heard, she was still breathing, but..." He broke off, swallowing.

"She'll be all right, mate," Phil said softly. "We do what we can."

Taking the body of the assassin, the Guards exited the alley just as the rain clouds rolled in to chase the last of the crowd into cover. So consumed in their own thoughts, that none of them noticed a single raven sitting on a lamppost, watching them.

Now...

Flash chewed on his lip, standing outside the door to Celestia's hospital room. Every instinct told him to go inside, to be with Twilight, to see Celestia with his own eyes, but he was restricted by the protocol of a Guard. The waiting, the inability to do anything, was agonizing.

A quiet cough at the end of the hallway caught his attention. Turning, he saw Phillip striding towards him. "Where've you been?" Flash said, his voice a rough mix of irritation and relief.

"Autopsy of the assassin," Phil said softly, his voice soft with weariness. "Is she still alive?"

"Yeah," Flash said. "But it's not looking good. She's still unconscious."

Phil sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "And the Guard who was wounded?"

"It was just a flesh wound. He's fine."

"What about you?" Phil asked.

Flash paused, considering the question. "I'm holding up," he said. But just barely. He felt like an egg about to brought down on a countertop edge.

Phil gazed at the younger stallion for a moment, long enough to see through the facade and see the frightened colt beneath. He strode forward and put a hoof on Flash's shoulder, his touch rejuvenating him.

"Go be with Twilight," Phil said. "She needs you now. Maybe more than she's ever needed a friend."

Flash nodded. "What about you?"

"The Guard has its way of getting information. I have mine." Phil pulled his hat down lower on his face and turned to leave, steely determination in his voice. "I'll be back when I have something."

"Take care of yourself," Flash called after him.

Phil paused at the end of the hallway and turned briefly. "You, too." And with that, he turned the corner and exited.

Flash entered Celestia's room, taking in the sight of Luna and Twilight watching over the wounded Celestia. Striding up to Twilight's side, he sat down next to her. She placed her head on his shoulder, taking comfort from his presence. The three sat in silence as the rain continued to pour down on the window.

Author's Notes:

The Princess of the Sun is wounded and dying. What is going to happen now?

Polaris and Zipline are my own OCs, appearing in previous stories The Blue Moon Brings Death and The Face in the Darkness, respectively.

Silent Knight belongs to Anzel, used with his permission.