Dear Princess Celestia,

As you know, ‘Operation: Balefire’ was a success. It was a hard fought victory, but a victory nonetheless. We estimate that the Frontier Watch had eliminated 90+% of the League of Justice's fighting force, and are now doing joint operations with the Royal Guard in tracking down the remaining forces in the unpopulated areas while Director Brisk Wind is investigating the populated areas. However, records show that two major figureheads are still alive and currently on the run. The first being their leader, Roar Shock, and the second being one of his Lieutenants, Adanz Sky. I have attached detailed profiles of both of the terrorist leaders to this letter.

We are currently working through the testimonies of the soldiers that participated in the operation and captured enemy combatants as well as cross referencing fallen enemy combatants to clarify if, in fact, Adanz Sky is alive. However, the evidence pointing towards Roar Shock’s survival is overwhelming and I strongly believe that he fully intends to carry out his original plans against the Solar Empire of Equestria. All government agencies need to be open towards one another if we are to contain and eliminate this threat as quickly as possible.

Also, after the successful assault on the League of Justice’s headquarters we discovered technology that surpass ours by decades, possibly a century. We have sent their vehicles and weapons to the Ironhide Weapons Facility in Hoofington for further testing. What we have discovered will revolutionize technology if we are able to reverse engineer what they constructed. I am recommending that you put more funding into the Research and Development Department for such a task.

And my request for a full investigation of the Equestrian Investigation Bureau still stands. Director Brisk Wind has been more open in releasing some of the requested files, however, there is evidence that that she manipulated the copies is keeping the originals stored. As Captain of the Royal Guard it is my responsibility to protect Equestria from threats, both foreign and domestic, and I sincerely believe that the EIB is violating the laws of the land, and therefore, poses a threat. I have listed grievances against the EIB and Director Brisk Wind to the letter, and this time I am requesting you actually read it instead of dismissing it as “paranoia”.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Cpt. Of the Royal Guard Shining Armor Sparkle

Shining Armor’s ear twitches when he hears a soft melody seep into his ears. The sweet music like candy for his ears, and it puts a smile on his face. A smile stretches across the Captain's face and he shifts his position under his silky blanket, bringing his fluffy pillow closer to him for a loving hug.

Then he remembers that he does not have a silk blanket or a fluffy pillow in his office, and his eyes snap open to see the ugliest, frilliest green pillow he had ever seen taking up all of his vision. He pushes the pillow away like it is a carcass and carefully climbs out of the bed, making sure his bandaged hoof is the last to land on the carpeted floor, which he realizes is also green. Just like the walls. Nothing more, nothing less. Everything is green with really boring oil paintings of natural scenery framed in frames that look like dried vines wrapped around tree bark. Frankly, he thinks the room looks tacky and thinks whoever designed the room has poor taste.

The stallion sighs and looks at his grumpy reflection in a leafy mirror propped up on a dresser that appears to have be overly aged. He doesn’t even care that his mane is a mess or that his eyes have sickly bags under them. He wants to know whose house he is in and why he is not in his office getting his important work done.

Shining Armor glares at the radio next to the bed, the music now pissing him off, and uses his magic to shut it off. Just that simple spell is like getting stabbed in the forehead, causing him to hiss out a swear and rub his horn. After his pain subsides, he limps out of the room and sees... his living room.

Shining Armor looks back at the ugly room and then back at the living room, completely confused as to what is going on.

Everything is where it should be. There is the large oil painting of his parents, him, Cadence, and Twilight over the fireplace. Photos of him and Cadence over the years. The expensive furniture is exactly where they were placed when they were brought in, and even their expensive radio-phonograph is looking as good as when they first bought it.

“The government don't got a right to spy on us. It ain't ever had that right and it should never get that right, just like it should not force the countries in its union to do what they don't want to do. Especially with housing obvious illegal agencies,” says Applejack over the radio.

Shining Armor ignores Applejack's tangent and limps towards the kitchen with every intention of finding Cadence and asking her why he was in such an ugly room. Upon entering the kitchen, Shining Armor is once again blindsided.

His sister is sitting at the dining room table with Cadence, and both of them are talking quietly while drinking some kind of tea with a fresh pot of coffee simmering on the back counter. The smell of coffee and the wonderful sounds of the machine working its magic is enough to jolt Shining Armor awake, and speaking of awake, Twilight is the first to see him up from his slumber, and she beams and gallops towards him. When close enough, she leaps and hugs him tight, but is careful enough not to touch his injured hoof.

“Shining, I’m glad you’re awake!” says Twilight.

Shining Armor smiles and returns the hug. “Jeez, you make it sound like I was in a coma.”

Twilight giggles and leads him to the table, but when he tries to go for the coffee, she forces him to sit down using her magic and grabs the coffee for him. Shining Armor sighs and looks down, feeling worthless.

Cadence sees the uneasiness in his expression and moves next to him and hugs him with her wing, and Shining Armor returns the smile while Twilight puts the cup of coffee in front of him. The smell of coffee and the fluffy feathers rubbing against his back are enough to make him at ease. He closes his eyes and his stiff body feels like it melts as he slouches over from the great feelings he’s getting. He completely forgets about the hideous room and all the troubles for the time being. It is just him, his beautiful wife, and his amazing sister, and, of course, his coffee.

“Did you sleep well?” asks Cadence.

“It was good,” says Shining Armor. “But can you explain why I was in a room I’ve never seen before?”

“Oh, that was me,” says Twilight with a nervous smile. “I arrived at Canterlot early this morning to see Rarity and Celestia, and you as well. With all the stuff going on I figured you’d be in your office and I was right. But you were sleeping and your assistant, Case Study, told me you’ve been there for almost the entire week, only leaving for lunch. So we called a cab and we brought you home before I went to see the others.”

“And the room?”

“Like that when we dropped you off. Cadence told me she wanted to test the bed so we decided it should be you to hold that honor.”

“I redesigned the room, myself. Isn't it beautiful?” says Cadence, smiling proudly.

Shining Armor wants to cry on the inside. “Yeah, honey. Its... beautiful.”

“See? I told you he would like it,” says Twilight.

“Yeah, I, uh, I love it.” Shining Armor coughs in his bandaged hoof. “But what did you mean by redesigned?”

Cadence sighs in mock annoyance. “Oh Shining, I can’t believe how dense you can be at times.”

“And how dense was I, this time?”

“Actually, I can’t really blame you since you’ve been working so hard and you’re barely home as it is. But then again, this is a whole room we’re talking about.”

“Cadence...”

“That room was the study we never used, so I turned it into a guest bedroom.”

“Oh.”

Shining Armor sips some coffee and immediately regrets it. He doesn’t know which one of the two mares did it, but they somehow managed to ruin a cup of coffee beyond salvation. He feels poisoned by it, but he can't spit it out because Twilight and Cadence are looking at him and smiling expectantly. So, he forces the vile fluid down his throat and feels a part of him die on the inside, but neither Twilight or Cadence seem to notice his green face.

“I knew he would like it,” says Cadence to Twilight.

“Do you want a refill?” asks Twilight, levitating the coffee pot to Shining Armor.

“NO!” says Shining Armor unintentionally loud, getting a shocked look from the mares. He quickly clears his throat and smiles sheepishly as he gingerly lifts his cup for another dose of poison. “I'm trying to cut back on my coffee. My old heart can't handle the caffeine as well as it used to.”

Twilight frowns skeptically. “You're fifty five.”

“That's senior age. I even get senior discounts at the buffets.”

“Its true, he does. My cute old coot,” says Cadence, grinning and playfully rubbing his mane.

Shining Armor waves Cadence's hoof away, grumbling to himself while she and Twilight giggle, and then he notices the time on the miniature grandfather clock hanging on the wall.

His eyes grow to the size of saucers and slams his forehooves on the table with enough force to shake the table to stand up. “I’M LATE!”

What happens next it a shattering pain that takes up his bandaged hoof and surges all along his spine and up his horn, like super growing electric thorn vines. He swears even louder and slumps in his seat while rubbing his damaged hoof with his good hoof.

Twilight and Cadence cringe and Twilight immediately wraps his hoof in a some kind of magical purple blob thing that numbs the pain while Cadence rubs his shoulder. He doesn’t want to look at them, though, despite their kindness. He just feels too stupid right now.

“Relax, Shining. I told Celestia that you need some time off and she gladly gave you a week,” says Cadence.

“We should call a doctor to see if you hurt yourself,” says Twilight, controlling the blob so it massages his hoof.

“I did hurt myself,” growls Shining Armor.

Twilight rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Can’t you just use one of your seventy-ish spells to fix this?”

“I may be the Element of Magic, but I would feel more comfortable if somepony who’s actually trained in medical magic came by to check up on you.”

“I’ll call Dr. Oath,” says Cadence.

Shining Armor groans and when Cadence is out of the room he slumps in his seat table and stares straight ahead at the wall, fuming and his hoof feeling like it has a throbbing heart inside it while Twilight works her magic.

A couple of seconds later, the silence between Shining Armor and Twilight becomes awkward, leading to Twilight looking away and Shining Armor to look at the blob covering his hoof, which, admittedly, feels really good. Like a cool liquid pillow that is applying just the right amount of pressure to his wound.

“So...” begins Shining Armor, “how is it Ponyville? Are things getting better?”

Twilight sighs and looks at the floor, visibly upset. “No. We’re still trying to fix the damage done by the League, and Applejack is being stubborn as a mule.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, after Celestia signed the Equestrian Farm Enhancement Act, Applejack flipped her lid. She’s refusing work on ‘Government Acres’ and is even getting the civilians riled up.”

“Government Acres, huh?”

“Yeah, that’s what she’s calling Sweet Apple Acres now that it’s in control of the state. I’m glad that Celestia sent in more Royal Guards, though, because after EFEA was signed, Golden Harvest authorized Applejack to rally the town militia to create a blockade to prevent the agents from reworking the farms. Thankfully the Royal Guards were able to clear them away before anypony got hurt.”

Shining Armor's heart tightens. “The Royal Guard was involved?”

“...You didn’t know?”

“No, I wasn’t told,” says Shining Armor, his vein throbbing and face turning red.

“I thought you knew. They are your ponies after all,” says Twilight, her ears drooping slightly.

“Well, I know what me and Celestia will be talking about today,” says Shining Armor, his head now plopped on his hoof and his eyes glaring at a picture of Celestia blessing him and Cadence at their wedding.

“But the Princess said you needed to rest,” says Twilight uneasily.

Shining Armor looks at Twilight again. “I know what the Princess said, but this is unacceptable. The Royal Guard is my responsibility and if what you said is true, then I cannot afford any rest. And if I have to chew out a goddess for using my soldiers without my knowledge then so be it. Is there anything else I should know about Ponyville?”

“But you need your rest! You’re going to work yourself to death if you don't take it easy!”

Shining Armor’s eyes narrow and he leans forward while Twilight shrinks back a bit. “Twilight, what else is there?”

Twilight is silent, but she is sweating and fidgeting in her spot. Shining Armor continues to stare at her, and he can hear Cadence talking to someone over the phone. He can’t hear exactly what she’s saying, but he can tell by her tone that she’s almost done.

“Twilight,” says Shining Armor sternly.

“Princess Celestia requested that I allow an Equestrian Investigation Bureau hub to be built in Ponyville,” says Twilight quietly and after a slight pause.

The news makes Shining Armor’s eyes widen and his heart fall in his stomach.

“She also put me as a liaison between Everfree Country and Canterlot, and I had to convince Golden Harvest to allow the EIB and CDA hubs to be built there as well,” continues Twilight.

This time Shining Armor’s coat becomes even more pale and his jaw drops.

“I successfully convinced Golden Harvest, too,” says Twilight meekly.

“You did what!” yells Shining Armor furiously.

“Shining, I know how you feel about the EIB, but with their presence in Ponyville, ponies will be safer.”

“No they won’t! Twilight, I can’t believe you would do that!”

“It’s not like I had much choice! Everything is falling apart and you and I both know that we must make sacrifices to keep Equestria safe!”

“The ponies you 'convinced' Golden Harvest to let in will not make make anypony safer, Twilight. They are more dangerous than any crime ring or terrorist network, and if Applejack is getting civilians riled up over a farm takeover how do you think they will react when they find out that they are being spied on?”

Twilight doesn’t respond, so Shining Armor leaves the dining room as fast as his injuries will allow, completely storming past Cadence and ignoring her when she calls after him.

“Where are you going?” calls Twilight.

“My room!” says Shining Armor.

Luckily, none of the mares follow Shining Armor, and when he reaches his room he slams the door shut behind him, goes to his dresser and pulls out a sheet of paper and a quill pen with his magic. He ignores the pain in his horn as he furiously scribbles a simple note, and when he’s done he slams the pen down and prays that Brisk Wind will understand his message.

Director Brisk Wind,
Stay away from my sister and family. This is your only warning.
-Shining Armor

Author's Notes:

Added 05 Dec 2015