It was quite a surprise for the Canterlot City Guards at the local precinct when a Sergeant of the Lunar House Guard calmly walked up to the front desk with an envelope in her mouth and an unconscious Lieutenant bound in bedsheets straddled across her back like a prize fish, and declared that she had caught a spy. The bewildered Guards took her prisoner into a hasty custody and the interrogations began.

The whole affair might have lasted longer if Tandem Check had been a little less intelligent. He could easily have tried to pass this all off as a conspiratorial effort between a murderous lunatic and a weak-willed Guard. Fortunately, he was very intelligent: it was one of the traits that had lifted him to the position of both lieutenant and spy. That intelligence, as well as the vindictiveness that he so prided himself on, guided him to realize that once names and dates started being taken, once his coconspirators inevitably cracked and admitted their crimes and the ponies he'd blackmailed and threatened came forward at the scent of weakness, the game would be up for him. Confronted with the evidence against him, he made a full confession to the Guard, telling them how he had used his position to recruit a spy ring right under the Princess' noses and how Silent Knight had been set up to take the fall. In all, almost a dozen ponies within the Palace staff were arrested and confessed.

Just over a week later, Silent Knight found himself back in court, for much happier reasons. There were no shackles, no cold stares from the crowd around him, and he stood proudly and relieved, no longer bent beneath the weight of his failings. For a moment, he almost thought this was a dream, and knew that if it was, he never wished to wake up.

"Silent Knight," the judge said from the podium, preferring to look at his notes instead of the defendant he had wrongfully convicted. "Based on this new evidence, and the confession of Tandem Check, we hereby rescind the charges against you and reinstate your rank and position as Lieutenant of the Lunar House Guard."

The courtroom erupted in cheers, and the judge didn't even bother calling for order. Crystal was the first to reach him, seizing him in a hug, and then Runic and Miley and Iridescence and the rest of his squad was there, cheering his vindication. Accepting their congratulations, Silent gradually pushed himself through the celebrating crowd towards the one pony he wanted to see more than anypony else.

She was sitting in a bench towards the back of the room, her pose as regal and her face as stoic as always. He sat down next to her and waited in silence.

"I didn't want to believe it," Princess Luna finally spoke softly. "There was always a part of me that refused to accept it. But..." She turned her gaze towards him, shining with regret. "I'm sorry, Silent Knight. I should have been there for you."

"It's all right, Princess," he reassured her with a smile. She pulled her wings forward and covered him with a gentle embrace, and he returned the hug.

All was right with the world.

A proper celebration was in order, and one was held that night in one of the main rooms of the palace. The party, which was attended by the entirety of the Lunar House Guard and both Princesses, lasted long through the night and was filled with much joviality at not just the return of Silent Knight, but at the uncovering of the ring of traitors.

"Crystal, are you planning on letting go of my leg anytime tonight?" he asked with the slightest tone of weariness as he helped himself to some more punch.

"No," Crystal said, nuzzling into his neck happily and tightening her grip on his foreleg.

"What if I get arrested again?"

"Then they'll have to drag me into the cell with you."

Silent laughed softly and he kissed Crystal on the forehead. As he looked up, he felt eyes upon him and turned. A pony in a gray trilby was standing at the other side of the room, seemingly unnoticed by the other occupants, looking at him with a sideways glance. Noticing Princess Luna nearby, he approached his Princess. "Your Highness, would you give Crystal something shiny to play with for a few moments? I need to go speak to a friend."

"Of course, Silent," Luna said, glancing up at their visitor. Crystal pouted, but reluctantly allowed Silent to slip from her grasp. Silent walked across the room, passing several well-wishers on the way, and approached Phillip.

"She's a looker," Phillip said quietly. "Loyal, too, looks like."

"That she is," Silent agreed, noticing that Phillip was moving rather stiffly. "Are you okay?"

"Still stiff," Phillip said, wincing slightly as he took a step. "But it's getting better." He paused, then looked up. "Thanks."

"We both saved each other's lives. I think we can call it even," Silent smiled. "Just do one thing for me."

"What?"

"Next time, duck."

Phillip chuckled softly.

"Are you going to stay?" Silent asked. "You're welcome here."

Phillip frowned, looking towards Princess Luna at the center of the room. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to accept the invitation, but he shook his head. "This is your happy ending, Lieutenant, not mine. Besides, I've got a train to catch."

Silent nodded in understanding. Phillip then straightened up from the wall to a position of attention, suddenly stoic again. He raised his right hoof and saluted Silent Knight.

"Keep her safe, mate. Keep 'em all safe."

"It's what we do," Silent replied, giving him a salute in return. With one last mutual smile and nod, Phillip touched the brim of his hat. "Hoo roo, mate," he said, and left. Silent watched him go, then turned back to Luna and Crystal. This was, after all, his happy ending.

Exiting the palace and returning to the darkened streets of Canterlot, Phillip pulled his vest up and started walking down the cobbled stone towards the train station. Glancing at his watch, he saw that he had just enough time to catch the train back to Ponyville. He glanced back at the palace over his shoulder and smiled softly. This might not have been his happy ending, but it did feel good.

But as he continued on his way, he did not feel a pair of eyes upon him, watching from the third-story window of a nearby building. The watcher smiled, exhaling smoke from his silverleaf cigarette.

"Well played, liebling. Well played."

A clocktower struck out the hour, marking the passage of time until the next day. In the end, he knew, nothing had ended. The game was still on.

Author's Notes:

Well, we did it. Here's to happy endings, and the conclusion of this story arc!

I hope you enjoyed this story arc—I know I had a lot of fun with this, and I am really thankful to the cooperation of Anzel and Crystal Wishes in this! And I cannot wait to get started on the next addition to the Phillip Finder series!