"It's such an honor to be your personal guard for your vacation, your majesty."

"Please, just call me Sapphire."

"But your majesty, you're a princess and I'm just a guard, hence I must pay you the proper respect due to you," said a brown pegasus stallion by the name of Foggy Shores who was a Royal Guard assigned to be Sapphire's bodyguard. It was a week after Sapphire's coronation, where she spent a quarter of the day making public appearances that she later learned would have been attended by Cadance or Celestia before she showed up. The rest of the time was spent on lessons over politics and Equestria's government, including what Sapphire can or can't do as a Princess, which included the inability to banish Blueblood to some remote farm on the outskirts of Equestria.

It was also decided that at the end of her first official week as a princess, that Sapphire would be taking her vacation, albeit under the guise of a royal visit. However, since Sapphire wasn't allowed to go Ponyville for her vacation, the princesses offered their own suggestions, Luna suggesting Fillydephia, Celestia with Baltimare, and Cadance offering Applewood. However, upon getting her hooves on a map, Sapphire surprised them all by selecting Vanhoover as her destination. While Cadance and Luna were confused at this sudden decision, Celestia only frowned, probably due to knowing that Sapphire had chosen that destination to be a different choice that was still quite far away from Canterlot.

Hence, Sapphire was in the Royal Train Car with just Foggy, feeling comfortable though a bit nervous at the stallion that was a bit too over enthusiastic for Sapphire's tastes. "Umm... I don't think you have to be so... 'respectful' to me when it's just you and me," Sapphire replied, as she wondered if Celestia purposely chose this particular pony to torment her.

"But, your majesty, you're an alicorn princess! To dishonor you in a fashion would be an insult to the crown!" Foggy stated with horror apparent on his face as he stared at Sapphire with his bright blue eyes.

As she tried to resist the smash her hoof into her face, Sapphire muttered, "At this rate, you'll be starting a religion to worship," only to hear Foggy gasp in shock.

"You... you wish for me to start a religion in your name, your majesty! It... it'll be an honor for me to sta—"

"I was joking!"

"And this is when you take on the trident maneuver, where you gracefully turn the attention of the noble away from your posterior and onto the wedding cake that you secretly n—"

"Wow, this is what you dream about when Luna isn't around?" Veritas asked, causing Sapphire to jump out of her chair and cling to the ceiling.

"What the buck did you do that for‽ And where the buck have you been‽" Sapphire hollered after noticing that Veritas was below her, who was taking on a form that looked quite similar to Applejack's, with only her signature hat missing.

Staring at Sapphire for a moment, Veritas looked around at the classroom setting from her desk before resting her eyes at a dream where Celestia, who had a suit on as she stood next to a blurry chalkboard, was still going on with her lecture despite Veritas's interruption. "The bigger question here is why are you dreaming this of all things."

Noticing her surroundings, Sapphire frowned as she dropped to the floor before glaring at Veritas, replying, "Don't change the topic! You owe me an explanation for disappearing after I became an alicorn!"

Raising an eyebrow, Veritas countered, "Do you really think I actually owe you something? You silly alicorn, I don't owe you a thing since the plan was ruined thanks to Celestia's meddling."

"What plan?" Sapphire growled out as she walked towards Veritas. "And why are you here now finally?"

"Well, for the latter question, it's because you're currently taking a nap on the train during the middle of the day, where Luna isn't actively checking on you. As for the former, figure it out yourself," Veritas responded before leaning over to pat Sapphire's head in a mocking fashion.

Slapping Veritas's hoof out of the way, Sapphire pointed a hoof at Veritas, saying, "Like buck I will! I want answers, and as a resident in my head, I will have them! Are you the reason why I saw that crowd on fire?"

Taking on a look that vaguely looked like anger, Veritas answered, "No, that isn't my doing, nor will I do something like that to you, ever."

Snorting, Sapphire replied, "And why should I believe that? You've been messing with me since day one. So for all I know, you could just be lying just for your own amusement!"

Rolling her eyes, Veritas replied, "Believe whatever you want, but I'm here to do you a tiny favor. I'll answer one question truthfully since I'm appearing as the Element of Honesty. However, there are some things that I won't answer, so be careful with your questions."

Cocking an eyebrow, Sapphire decided to try Veritas's offer as she asked, "Where did I come from?"

"Not telling, try again," Veritas answered as she leaned back to fold her hooves over her chest.

Frowning, Sapphire asked, "What relation do I have in regards to Arulas?"

"Still not telling, please try again," Veritas replied, causing Sapphire to scowl. "Try thinking about things you've been curious about."

"...Why do you want me to be miserable?" Sapphire asked, causing Veritas to quirk an eyebrow at her.

"Not the question I thought you would ask, but it is one that I can answer. And to that answer to that, its to toughen you up," Veritas answered.

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Sapphire said, "That, I really doubt. How would being miserable toughen me up?"

"Oh, there are many ways, but it really depends on the personality of the pony and what is going on with them that is making them miserable. In your case, your recent rise to being an alicorn has placed you into a role of responsibility that you never wanted, along with a rather manipulative mare that is trying to mold you a bit into being an exceptional princess. But you don't want to wallow in misery, you want to break out of it, hence your mildly defiant attempt at spurning Celestia by getting as far away from her as you can, at a location of your own choosing. You're now showing some backbone to the mare that once had you shaking on your hooves. Now if only you had the will and audacity to slap her face, now that would be a sight to see," Veritas explained with a chuckle to herself.

Staring at Veritas with an expression that was fighting over whether to be surprised or suspicious, Sapphire replied, "That was your goal all along, just for me to get more assertive for myself?"

"As Applejack's brother would say, eeyup! But you have a long way to go before you get to become a fiesty one," Veritas answered.

Blinking at the last part, Sapphire echoed, "Fiesty?"

Raising her head in alarm, Veritas said, "Opps! I think I said a tad bit too much, so it's time to wake you up!" before she reached over to her side to grab the chair that Sapphire was sitting on before her appearance. Before Sapphire could get a word out or even light her horn up to stop Veritas, she swung the chair over the desk and slammed it right on top of Sapphire's head.

"Gah! By the light of the moons!" Sapphire exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat, startling Foggy who was reading a book.

"What is it, your majesty? Are we being attacked?" Foggy asked as he flew up into the air, scanning for any signs of an intruder.

As she came down her shock, Sapphire shook her head as she said, "No... no... it was just a dream. Nothing to concern yourself with, Foggy."

Looking at Sapphire with concern, Foggy asked, "Are you certain your majesty? I'm here to serve, and I'll do anything to help ensure your safety.”

Resisting the urge to let out a sigh of frustration, Sapphire had an idea that almost made her smile evilly. Looking Foggy dead in his eyes, Sapphire replied, "Oh, there is something you can do then. Stop calling me 'your majesty'."

Rearing his head back, Foggy said, "But your majesty, reme—"

"You said that you'll do anything to ensure my safety, so for the safety of my mind, you won't call me 'your majesty', or 'your highness' or anything like that! And make that an order!" Sapphire interjected, causing Foggy to look at her for a moment before letting out a dejected sigh.

"As you desire, Princess Sapphire," Foggy answered as Sapphire felt the desire to twitch her left eye till the end of time.

Shaking her head clear of that feeling, Sapphire was about to amend her order when a raggy feminine voice called out from behind the cabin door, interrupting her as it said, "You need to be careful about what you say Private, cause if the princess worded her request carefully, she could be asking you to accompany her to her bed for the night."

As Sapphire gaped in utter shock at the door, Foggy blushed as he replied, "H-how dare you to accuse of such a thing, Corporal Midnight! Princess Sapphire is an alicorn of divine virtue, and such desires are beneath her!" as the door opened to reveal a female thestral dressed in the armor of the Lunar Guard, her coat being gray while her mane was a dark turquoise as she looked at the pair with orange slitted eyes that had a mischievous glint to them.

"I was just stating an example of how your declarations could be used against you, Private. And I didn't mean to offend you, Princess. I doubt that you're one of those kind of mares, unlike some nobles," Midnight stated as she walked into the car before taking a seat next to the blushing Foggy. Looking at Foggy, Midnight stated, "Time for you to turn in for the night, you fanatic."

Scowling at Midnight, Foggy jumped out of his seat before letting out a huff as he trotted out of the cart as Sapphire started to regain her composure. Looking at Midnight with some surprise on her face, Sapphire asked, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Giving Sapphire a mild salute, Midnight answered, "Corporal Midnight Fang of the Lunar Guard. Princess Luna assigned me to be your guard during the night shift since most guards can't keep an eye on you twenty-four seven, your majesty," as she pointed at a window, causing Sapphire to glance out as she saw that the sun was setting.

"Oh... alright... but please don't call me your majesty..." Sapphire said with a groan as she rubbed her forehead as she felt a headache starting to crop up.

"No problem there princess. I heard what you said to Foggy before I arrived, so I just called you that just to stick to standard protocols until you gave me the same order. However, I do request to address you as princess. I may not have a stick up my rear like the private does, but I do want to follow some formalities," Midnight replied with another salute.

"Well, at least you didn't put up as much of a fuss with that like Foggy did," Sapphire noted as she looked out the window once more, drifting her eyes towards Midnight's wings briefly as she remembered that the thestrals make up the majority of the Lunar Guard. They tend to come from the few colonies of thestrals littered around the outer parts of Equestria. "I have to ask one thing, why did Luna pick you to be my guard? I don't mean to offend you or anything, I'm just asking you out of curiosity."

"Oh, that's because I'm part of the group that volunteered for this, and if you're wondering why I volunteered, I just wanted to see what kind of princess you're going to be," Midnight answered with a shrug. "It's the same with the day shift, but in Foggy's case, I think you might have a secret admirer," Midnight added with a toothy grin, showing off her fangs.

Sapphire shivered, but not from the sight of Midnight's fangs. She, in fact, shivered at the thought at Foggy being infatuated with her, something that she didn't want to deal with due to all the things she had put up with so far. Thus, she thought the only thing that she could at that moment, thinking to herself, Oh buck me.