“S-,” Celestia tried to speak but found her voice had left her requiring a clearing of her throat before speaking.

“Sergeant Bolt, please go and fetch some wine for us and please be quick,” she requested from the forgotten Sergeant near the entrance, that who look at Shadow with pity and pride.

“Yes Ma'am,” was the quick reply as he saluted and left. For a minute no pony moved after the Sergeant left before Shadow moved.

He stood back up on all four, settled his wings uneasily against him and stood at a sloppy position of at ease with his eyes closed. With slow movements he tilted and turned his head to the sides as he took a deep breath and let it out.

When his eyes opened again they showed a range of emotion, fury, hate, exhaustion, and resolution as he looked at Celestia and clenched his jaw as she met and held the stare.

Celestia was able to hide her reaction both her face and body through her centuries of experience. That didn't stop her from being taken back by the look she saw in the Sergeant's eyes.

Celestia recalled memories from Luna's rebellion and the look on the face of Luna's guard and soldiers. The Princess of the Day knew she had lost the Sergeant's loyalty, respect, and service. Shadow Walker now presented a possible threat, one she would need to remove.

The problem she was facing now was how to do so and not have it appear to punitive.

While Celestia was thinking Luna moved back to her seat next to sister avoiding looking at the Guard she had threatened, however her movements couldn't completely hide how shaken she was from the experience.

Cadence and Twilight sat silently and uncomfortably moving restlessly and shuffling their wings while they tried to figure what to do or waited for another to act.

Shadow broke his stare with Celestia after a minute before looking over the three alicorns behind the table before lazily looking around the rest of the room without much care. This continued for several minutes before the doors behind Shadow opened.

Shadow turned his head lazily to see Sergeant Bolt coming back into the room carrying a tray with magic,on the tray were two bottles of wine and half a dozen glasses.

Bolt walked past Shadow and placed the tray on table in front of Celestia before she dismissed him and he walked back to his post near the door.

Celestia took a wine bottle with her magic and opened it before pouring the contents into five glasses. Using her magic she moved the glasses to in front of her, before her sister, Cadence, and Twilight last

“Wine, Sergeant?” Celestia asked offering a fifth glass to Shadow before taking a sip for herself, to hide a small smile. Shadow's eyes narrowed judging the wine as he ran a wingtip through his mane.

“No, still on the clock,” he snapped with anger as he looked directly at Celestia, “you wouldn't be trying to get me to drink so you could justify what you may have planned would you?” Shadow asked with condescension narrowing his eyes. As he did he caught a glimpse of Cadence and Luna.

Cadence looked to be mimicking Celestia taking a sip of her wine, while Luna had already downed her glass and looked to be eyeing the open bottle.

'Wait, did that miss her up too?' Shadow asked himself as Celestia sat her glass down on the table. When the glass clanked on the table he heard a small gasp from outside his field of vision.

“Of course not Sergeant. I simply offer to help calm your nerves after what was a stressful situation. With that would you like a glass?” Celestia explained with a level smoothing voice before offering the glass again.

“No. Your sister looks like she needs it through,” Shadow countered lazily pointing with a wing and half shrug. Luna's eyes darted from the glass to Shadow before going back to the glass, while Celestia gave a small frown.

“Sergeant, it is considered rude to refuse a drink from the throne,” Celestia gently told the Sergeant as he shuffled his wings.

“So is threatening somepony with death, but that didn't stop you,” Shadow spat with venomous hate with narrow eyes, wanting to see how Celestia would respond. Before she did Cadence and Twilight gave another gasp at Shadow's bold choose of words.

A pregnant pause filled the room that lasted a minute before Celestia relented and passed the glass to her sister. As Luna drink the maroon liquid her sister cleared her throat before speaking.

“Indeed, let us move back to the matter that brought us here, your punishment,” Celestia said with an air of sadness and downcast look on her face. She held up a hoof to stall the yelling rant the Sergeant had taken a breath to begin.

“I believe what you have recently gone through was indeed more then enough punishment for your actions,” Celestia began which caused Shadow to let his breath out and the other princesses to relax.

“However, your actions to afterwards have demonstrated that you are no longer able to serve in the Solar Guard,” the Solar Princess informed Shadow with her tone continuing. The four princesses could clearly see Shadow's jaw clench as his wings slowly raised off his body, his anger seeming to roll off.

“So let me get this straight, my reward for doing my duties and acting like a normal pony is a fucking discharge?!” Shadow demanded through his teeth as his wings twitched between flaring out and resting on his body, his voice full of anger and confusion.

Celestia gave a small shift of her wings as she answered with a frown and disapproving look.

“Unfortunately, yes Sergeant Walker. Your time with the Solar Guard has come to an end,” Celestia simply stated with a neutral tone carrying no emotion. The Sergeant's reaction was not what she was expecting.

Shadow simply stood without much change to his physical response, Celestia thought he would explode with an emotional fueled rant. Instead he simply narrowed his eyes as his darted around as he was deep in thought. After several seconds he spoke.

“Fine, don't think I could serve in your Guard after this any ways, however, I'll still be serving in one the Guards,” Shadow responded with a small smug grin before holding up a hoof to stop Celestia from responding as he continued.

“As you just stated Princess Celestia my punishment for my actions was the threat you and your sister made towards me,” Shadow added and saw Luna polish off her glass of wine in embarrassment.

“As a result of that, no other punishment my be added afterwards, which would include my discharge from service in the Solar Guard. Now the question is whether you forgot that or tried to work around your rules and regulations of the Guard?” Shadow added before he purposed his question with a large satisfied smug smile.

Celestia kept her neutral facade as she looked down on Shadow and gave her reply.

“I'm surprised at your knowledge of the rules and regulation of the Guard Sergeant an I am thankful for it, as you have helped prevent a tragic mistake by reminding me,” Celestia voice carried a tone that brought back members of an mildly upset mother to everypony present causing Shadow's smile to waver slightly.

“Now the question is which Guard will accept you into their ranks, Sister?” Celestia acknowledged then turned to her sister and asked.

Luna shifted uncomfortably on her chair as she sat her glass back on the table and avoided looking at Shadow.

“Nay, we doust not think it is advisable that Sergeant Walker serve us after the actions we have made towards him,” Luna gave with discomfort and truth in her voice as she offered a pathetic smile.

“Very well sister, how about you Cadence? Will you accept the Sergeant into the Crystal Guard?” Celestia accepted Luna's answer before turning to the alicorn.

Cadence too shifted with comfortably an unease as she looked of the Guard in question. For a several seconds she thought before speaking.

“Ah, I don't think I can take Sergeant Walker into the Crystal Guard from what I've seen he would be a poor fit and Shining wouldn't approve if I did, I'm sorry Sergeant,” Cadence answered and explained with some uncertainty.

“Sadly Sergeant, it seems that neither of the other Guards will accept you into their ranks and,” Celestia started to tell Shadow before she was cut off.

“I'll take him!” Twilight blurted out with caution and curiosity with a tilted head as she looked at Shadow. For a second no one spoke before Shadow spoke up.

“Problem solved,” was his simply almost arrogant reply with a body posture that matched. Celestia looked over from Shadow to Twilight before speaking.

“Twilight, you do not have a Guard and sadly as a result can not take the Sergeant.”

“Precisely Princess Celestia, I don't have a Guard. I believe Sergeant Walker, despite all his flaws, will make an excellent Guard,” Twilight began explaining her position to her mentor.

“From what I've seen he has a great knowledge of the rules and regulations and workings of the Guard. That knowledge would greatly assist in the formation of my own Guard,” Twilight continued with a voice a teacher would use on her students.

“More importantly he was willing to um, potentially ah, stand up to Princess Luna even though he knew he wouldn't fair well against her,” she reminded with small embarrassment present in her voice.

“Indeed sister, Twilight doust make excellent points. We support her decision with regards to her forming her Guard,” Luna chimed in looking down the table to see her sister and Twilight.

“Auntie, as much as it pains me to say, I have to agree with Luna and Twilight,” Cadence added to the conversation. Celestia looked over the three alicorns before turning back to Shadow.

“Well, it would appear that you have the support of three princesses, it would be foolish and small to not allow their request,” Celestia acknowledge as she looked at Shadow and showed a brief glimpse of disappointment.

“Sergeant Shadow Walker, effective immediately you are hereby discharged honorable from service with the Solar Guard to allow transfer to the as yet named Guard of Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia declared with authority.

“As such you are required to returned any and all materials, supplies, and documents back to the Solar Guard that were issued to you. Do you understand?” Celestia finished before inquiring.

“Yes Princess.”

“Twilight it will be your responsibility and task to form your Guard as you see fit within the limits of the law. Do you accept to bear this?” Princess Celestia asked her student with a regalia tone.

“Yes Princess Celestia, I accept,” was the meek distressed answer from Twilight.

“Very Well my student. Shadow Walker you now answer to Princess Twilight Sparkle. I believe that concludes the matter that brought us all here and we may move on to others,” Celestia confirmed and informed Shadow before letting the issue drop.

“Sergeant Bolt, assist Mister Walker with preparing his transfer and then carry on.”

“Yes, Princess,” Bolt acknowledged with a salute before opening and holding open the door for Shadow.

“Ah, I guess I'll meet you at the train station at five before returning home. See you then?” Twilight told Shadow awkwardly as the rubbed the back of her head with a hoof.

“Understood Princess, train station at seventeen hundred, I'll be there,” Shadow replied with a crisp salute before dropping it and walking to the desk.

When he got there he reached out with a wing and picked up his service jacket and started to turn to leave. Half way through it he stopped and turned back to the table.

“I'll take that drink now actually,” Shadow said with a playful trouble making smile. With his other wing he grabbed the second unopened bottle of wine from the tray.

“Don't want to be rude to a Princess after all,” Shadow quipped with a tilt of his head and shit eating grin before turning and walking towards the door.

As he did he heard a groan, sigh and restrained chuckles from behind him.

Author's Notes:

Boom, new week, new chapter. Wonder how long i can keep this trend going? Thanks once again for taking the time to read the story. Take it easy until next time.