In Canterlot-more accurately, one of the less wealthy districts where lesser off nobles, but still nobles, lived as comfortable as they could- Lone, Celestia, and Twilight appeared in front of an old, dilapidated mansion, one that had obviously been around since Canterlot's founding if the moss covered stone walls all over the two story exterior walls were any indication. "Um, Princess, why are we here?" Twilight asked as she looked at the forgotten mansion. "Shouldn't we be at the castle?"

"If we wanted it to be obvious, yeah," Lone replied, arms crossed and annoyance in his voice. I thought she was supposed to be the smart one.

With a glare directed toward Lone, Celestia continued with, "The reason why we chose this specific mansion, Twilight, is because the nobles don't pay it any attention. That, and it is a part of Lone's heritage, so we don't need to worry about any other nobles trying to take it for themselves just because of a loophole in the property laws."

"Wait, just how old is Lone?" Twilight asked.

"Twenty six," he replied. "Before you ask, my parents died when I was ten, and this was the family's never used Canterlot home from a few hundred years back my ancestors got from a friend when he died, or at least that's what I was told by my parents."

"What happened?" she asked, only to get a glare from Lone. Right, avoid asking about that.

"Still, welcome to what will be your new home for the foreseeable future, Twilight," Celestia said. "You can still write to the others when you please, you simply can not say anything of what happens here."

"And the outside look is just a spell to make it look run down," Lone said. "Celestia declared it a national landmark, so it can't be torn down by the nobles. Meaning they can't do shit to out training area."

Twilight looked at the mansion, then the grounds, before looking to Lone. "Isn't it a little small?"

"Who said it was above ground?" he said. "Now come on, need to get your room setup and your training schedule, as well as deciding which full members-as this is where most come for vacation- and Acolytes are gonna help your training, though that's mainly up to Celestia and me. The cell you're assigned is decided by me at the end of training." Without another word, he began to walk towards the house.

As the lavender alicorn looked at Celestia, the solar alicorn said, "Do not worry, Twilight. Every recruit for the Shadow guard has come out alive." Sometimes scarred and potentially with some loss of feeling permanently, but alive nonetheless. Still, what was heard visibly had an effect on the younger alicorn as she nodded, and followed Lone into the mansion. "Good luck," Celestia muttered before she lit her horn, and teleported back to the castle.

Inside the mansion, Lone waited with his arms crossed for Twilight to catch up. "Come on already," he muttered. "I know you're an emotional type, but Celestia gets this is mean tot help protect Equestria, so why's she holding this up!?"

"Just as impatient and a plothole as ever," a voice said next to him. Lone turned, and saw a white unicorn stallion with blonde hair and wearing a tuxedo.

"You're one to talk, Blue, given your public persona."

Blueblood scoffed. "Yes, my public persona. Yours is the same, whether it be public or not."

Lone rolled his eyes. "I swear, every time we have this conversation, it makes me want to make you disappear. Only reason I don't is because I don't want to commit suicide by sun."

A chuckle. "Yes, well, we both know Celestia won't do that for the same reason why you're the leader of the guard," Blueblood said. "So, I hear a new recruit's coming in. Who is it?"

"Twilight," the black unicorn replied. "Starting to regret that. If she's not here in ten seconds, she's-"

"I'm here!" Twilight yelled as she burst into the mansion's main hall. "Sorry, sorry."

"Never mind," Lone muttered before speaking up. "First lesson, Twilight, be punctual, and don't be distracted. I don't give a shit if it's a new book, I don't give two if it's a lost library, and I couldn't give three if it's a spell that lets you make your own little world you can visit when you want. The exception being if those are objectives. Second of all, this is my current second in command," he said, putting a hand on Blueblood's shoulder. "You may know him as the plothole prince-as does most of the city- but trust me, that's just to get in the inner circles of nobles for intel."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," Twilight said.

"Yes, well, I'll see you later," Blueblood said as he went to leave. "Have a lunch with a few nobles in thirty minutes, and the place is a few blocks away. I look forward to seeing you around, Twilight." With that, he left.

"Now that that's done," Lone said, "come on, I want this done as soon as possible." Without waiting for a reply, he went to move, but this is what made Twilight blow.

"No!" she yelled. "You- how did you become th eleader of a guard division Celestia created when you act like an impatient twelve-" her words were cut shot as an etheric sword came into existence and was pointed at her throat.

"Not because of my patience or my maturity," Lone said, his horn lit a dark green, the same color of the sword. "It's because I have both Celestia's respect for getting the job done and remaining loyal to my team mates. I do not hide the fact I am an unbearable plothole, but with the guard, I don't have to, because we're the only ones we can trust, when worse comes to worse." He then turned around to look at Twilight, his face blank of emotion. "You want to know why I act the way I do and how I became the first and only so far captain of this guard? Ask Celestia, because I won't tell you." He strode closer to Twilight. "You haven't earned that from me yet, nor that of the others. You want to know us, then I suggest you keep your emotions in check, because we have failed quite a few for letting their emotions get the better of them."

The sword vanished. "Your room is second sub-floor, room ten. Your first instructor will be there in an hour. You want to get through this, don't give him a reason to be disappointed," he said in blank anger before turning around, and walking off. "And if you need me, I'll be in the sparring room. Get a weapon before you enter it, by the way."

Author's Notes:

Was tempted to call this chapter "A new chapter begins"
And, again, I know Lone is being an asshole, but if I had less control over my temper, I would have snapped there too. And next chapter we see Twilight getting her first practice matches in while she gets beaten across the floor. With Lone, trust me, there is a reason why he's like this in story beyond his parents dying or his color scheme. Just bear with me, and you'll get it.