After seeing Twilight Sparkle off to Ponyville, Shining Armor locked up his parents' home and went back to Princess Cadance's villa in the Canterlot Palisades. The way to his parents' house had been such an easy walk. The way back was harder. By the time he arrived, it was nearly lunch time. Cadance heard the door open downstairs and poked her head out of the bedroom.

"Hey, you're back! I nearly got the swing put together up here!" she said. Shining walked upstairs as she connected the last few pieces of hardware to the apparatus. "You see? I just lay in this sling here, and strap my hooves in, and voila! Just the right height for perfect access to do whatever you want!" she said. "Ready to give it a spin?"

"That's neat," Shining said as he walked past her. His time in the Royal Guard had taught the stallion many things. Among them was the ability to keep one's feelings hidden. But Cadance had the advantage of being a mare. And her feminine instincts would forever outclass any training he could hope to obtain. She knew something was wrong. He didn't let his face wear the sadness he felt. But neither did he show the elation she expected from such a lewd proposition of hers. "Maybe we can try it out later." He walked over to the bed and flopped in.

"Is something wrong?" Cadance asked.

"No, I'm just not in the mood right now," he said.

Shining doesn't want sex? Something is definitely wrong, Cadance thought.

"Aw, are you sad because Twilight moved?" Cadance asked. Shining sighed into the pillow. It wasn't the main reason why he was upset, but it was true enough.

"Yeah," he said. She climbed into bed beside him and wrapped her hoof around him, rubbing his belly. Her hoof slowly rubbed up and down, gradually moving lower. He reached down and took her hoof with his and just held it against his chest. "Could you just... just..." He felt his throat tighten up.

"Shh, shh. It's okay," Cadance said, content to just hold him. Shining trembled. In that moment, the big strong Royal Guard felt very not-strong. It was the princess's turn to do the protecting. They closed their eyes and just pretended. They pretended that for just a moment, he was just a stallion, and she was just a mare. Shining felt the words on his mind, repeating over and over.

"I love you," he thought as he sighed. He felt his lips move as he breathed, forming the words. His thought escaped his lips, barely a muffled whisper into the pillow. Cadance's ears twitched. There were some words that had innate power. Words strong enough that you can hear them if someone just thinks them hard enough. Those were three of them. But she couldn't be sure, herself, if she had actually heard them, or just thought that she did. But she didn't need to hear them to know it.

Cadance could feel his love for her. It wasn't new. It had been steadily growing for some time. She had been keen to keep herself from feeling the same way for him. She knew that Celestia would never allow it for her. Cadance was a princess. She would never be able to marry her guard. And if she let herself love him back, it would just be one more heart getting broken when her betrothed husband was finally arranged with her.

But for now, she could pretend that she wasn't a princess. For now, her heart could accept his love, and she could love him back. Just a little. It wasn't so hard. And she found that it didn't feel so bad. She hugged him a little tighter.

After joining Princess Celestia for breakfast the following day, Princess Luna accompanied her in the throne room.

"Prithee, what be on thine agenda this day?" Luna asked. Celestia looked at the stack of golden tickets beside the throne.

"I have to send out invitations to the Grand Galloping Gala," she said with mild disdain.

"A gala?" Luna asked. Celestia nodded. "How would Equestria ever survive without your little... soirees?" Luna teased with a roll of her eyes.

"How indeed?" Celestia feigned, turning to walk back up to the throne. Beside the tickets were form-letter invitations and a mostly-completed guest list. All that was left was for her signature, and for each one to be sent out. "First up, I should definitely have one sent to Twilight Sparkle."

"Your student?" Luna asked. Celestia nodded. "Should you not send her two? One for her date?" Celestia laughed out loud.

"You obviously don't know my student. Twilight doesn't 'date'," Celestia said, dipping her quill in her inkwell to personalize and sign Twilight's invitation. "Though I suppose I should send her another one for Spike, at least."

"Spike?" Luna asked.

"The dragon," Celestia said.

"Oh, her familiar?" Luna asked.

"Eh... sort of..." Celestia said. "He prefers the term 'assistant'." Celestia placed the two tickets in with the invitation and sent it out immediately with a flash of her magic. "Now then, who is next on the list?" she asked Luna. Luna took up the scroll of names.

"Next up we have a... Prince Blueblood," Luna read. "Prince? Is he the alicorn colt you have been seeking to mate with?" she asked bluntly. Celestia had a hearty laugh at that one.

"Hardly," Celestia answered. "He's no alicorn. And even if he were, he..." she trailed off, tapping her chin with her hoof as she tried to find the right words. "He prefers the company of stallions."

"Ah," Luna acknowledged the euphemism. Celestia signed and sealed it, setting it aside to be sent in bulk with the rest. "Next we have a Captain Spitfire," Luna read. "Is he our current Captain of the Royal Guard?" she asked.

"Um, no," Celestia answered. "She is the Captain of the Wonderbolts."

"The what now?" Luna asked.

"Uh, it's sort of a long story," Celestia said. "But after you... left, I needed a protective pony platoon to fill in the role left behind. So the Earth-Unicorn-Pegasus, or E.U.P. Guard was formed. On the anniversary of the the first year of... peace, a celebration was held. Not my idea, obviously, but it was what the ponies wanted. Headed by General Fyre Fly, an elite team of aerial performers were chosen to commemorate the auspicious occasion. The first performance was so full of energy, so highly charged, that magical lightning showered down on the crowd. Everypony was so filled with amazement and wonder that General Fyre Fly dubbed them: The Wonderbolts."

"Okay." Luna looked at the section of the list. "So these other names in the group, Soarin, Blaze, Fleetfoot... other Wonderbolts?" Celestia nodded.

Celestia and Luna spent the better part of the hour going through the list of names, stuffing envelopes with invitations and tickets.

"And that's the last name on the list," Luna said.

"Well, we've got five extra tickets," Celestia said, offering them to her sister. "You could make some friends of your own and invite them." Suddenly a wisp of green smoke came in through the window and materialized into a scroll in front of Celestia.

"What is it?" Luna asked as Celestia opened it.

"It's from Twilight," Celestia answered, pulling the two tickets out of the scroll. "She returned the tickets." Celestia skimmed over the letter. "Hmm, let's see. Blah blah blah. Friendship... blah blah blah. Oh. She needs more tickets for her five Ponyville friends." Celestia took the two returned tickets and added four more making six, along with an updated note and sent it off. "One for Twilight and each of her friends. Well, at least there's one left for you," Celestia said, passing the ticket to her sister.

"What about Spike?" Luna said. "I mean, do we even need a ticket? We live here."

"That's true." Celestia nodded and took the last ticket with a separate invitation sent to Spike.

"Have you considered what you might be doing for the event?" Celestia asked.

"Actually, if it is to be an evening event, then I'm afraid I will be working," Luna said.

"Working?" Celestia asked.

"Verily. The gala will be carrying on long past the bed times of foals. And the dreamscape will need looking-after once again. We took in the power of nightmares to become Nightmare Moon. The worst bad dreams were locked away with us in the moon. That is why you didn't need to look after the dreams of ponies in our absence. But now the we have returned, so too have those bad dreams."

"Do you wish that it were not so?" Celestia asked.

"Somewhat," Luna answered. "We can only hope that our return will bring with it more good than harm."

"You could take one evening off," Celestia said. "At least part of it."

"And do what, pray tell? Show up to the Gala as your date? Is that what this is about? For you to have a pony on your hoof when you are there?"

"Not at all," Celestia scoffed. "I've become quite comfortable being at the Gala stag."

"Well we are not," Luna said.

"Are you asking me out to the Gala, sister?" Celestia asked with a faux swoon. "What would the ponies think!?"

"You needn't be so theatrical, Tia. We know that our relationship would be even more taboo now than ever," Luna said. "Even in these so-called 'enlightened' times."

"Well if you want to ask some other pony to the Gala, I suppose I could live with it," Celestia sighed.

"What of the acceptance of homosexuality these days?" Luna asked.

"Eh." Celestia shrugged. "It's not illegal. But it's still... how to put it... stigmatized?"

"A stallion then," Luna said, with as much enthusiasm as though she were selecting a flavor of ice cream. "Shall we have a contest of suitors?" she asked.

"That's... not really how it works nowadays," Celestia said. "Though I suppose it's only because I haven't indulged in it myself. But stallions have not competed for a princess's hoof in centuries."

"How are we to obtain a... 'date' for the evening?" Luna asked.

"I would imagine that you could just go out and meet somepony that you like, and have an interest in, if you really feel the need to have a date for the evening."

"How does one 'go out and meet somepony'?" Luna asked.

"Well, I'm not the best pony to ask on the matter. But some of the usual establishments would be the local bars."

"Are we to be relegated to alcoholics?" Luna asked. Celestia shrugged. "Forget it. You were right. You are the wrong pony to ask. But it matters little. We will handle this matter ourselves." Luna turned to leave the throne room.

"If you go out, be sure to have my guards accompany you," Celestia said. Luna turned to look back at her and smirked.

"Where we're going, we don't need guards."

That night, Princess Luna stood with anticipation on her balcony. Celestia stepped out onto the balcony of the nearby tower. Luna waited for her elder sister to set the sun. As soon as it was down, Luna's horn glowed and she raised the moon. The two exchanged a familiar glance before Celestia went back inside to turn in for the night.

Luna's shift was only just beginning. She took a sip from her juice of the coffee bean. She walked back inside to her room and made herself comfortable. It had been some time since she had entered the dreamscape. She focused her mind and closed her eyes. The waking world around her melted away and she found herself in the unconscious realm. Bubbles of dreams floated all around her. Tendrils of her magic reached out, sensing for anypony in distress. A few slain nightmares later, the dreamscape was relatively quiet.

"Foal's play," Luna said smugly. "Now for our reward..." Luna looked over the many bubbles until she found what she was seeking. "Ah, what a handsome specimen!" she commented, locating an unmarried stallion she found fitting to be her date for the gala. She entered the dream.

The rugged earth pony was trotting through an apple orchard in his dream. The hue of his red coat matched that of the delicious apples in the trees all around them. She followed him through the trees, watching his dirty-blonde mane flowing behind him on his muscular shoulders as he walked. Luna erred nearer. She knew that she had to be careful about interrupting a dream, or else the dreamer would wake suddenly, without memory of the encounter. She stifled a gasp when she saw the size of what he was equipped with. It may have simply been the stallion indulging himself in the fantasy. But if otherwise, he was a gifted pony indeed. Luna was practically drooling as she felt her loins ache.

Just before she was about to reveal herself, another pony appeared in his dream. An earth pony mare of orange fur and even lighter blonde mane than his. Unlike Luna, this other mare was a fabrication of his dream. She watched and waited to see in what capacity the other was here for. The orange mare greeted him with a kiss and turned around, lifting her tail for him. He disregarded all pretense and mounted her immediately.

"Oh, it was one of those dreams," Luna thought to herself. It mattered not. In fact, it would make things even easier for her to insinuate herself. Many things had changed over the last thousand years. But stallions were as simple as they had ever been. The only thing they wanted more than a mare, was two mares.

Luna walked closer, getting a better look at the orange pony. She recognized her. With a bit of her magic, Luna reached out and assumed control of his dream mare. The orange pony turned to look at him.

"Thou fancy the Element of Honesty?" the orange mare said, speaking in a voice that was most certainly not hers. "A commendable choice. Would you care for another?" She turned to look towards Luna. His eyes followed hers. Luna approached him with a seductive saunter. The red pony panicked at being discovered in such a compromising position. As Luna feared, the dream bubble collapsed and she was sent back to the empty dreamscape.

"Perhaps a less direct approach, next time," she mused in disappointment to herself.

Big Macintosh awoke with a start and fell out of his bed, landing on the heavy wooden yoke beside it. One of the metal pegs stuck him in the side, cracking a couple of his ribs. The silent night in the farm house was pierced with a pained shriek unbecoming of a stallion. He heard the clatter of hooves coming down the hallway. He quickly grabbed his sticky sheets to hide his wilting modesty.

"What in the hay happened?" Applejack asked, opening the door. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Eeyup," Mac answered.

"Fell out of bed?"

"Eeyup." He pushed the yoke out from under him and clutched his side.

"Aww Mac, you gone and hurt yourself right before Applebuck season!?"

"Eeyup," he groaned as he picked himself up and carefully climbed back into bed while Applejack went to get a first-aid kit.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about?" she asked. She turned and bent over to get the bandaging out of the kit on the floor to wrap him up. He was none-too-proud to steal a glance under her tail as she did.

"Eenope," he lied.

For the rest of the night, Luna flittered from dream to dream, seeking a suitor. In hindsight, her first choice was more of desperation than anything. And the more she persisted, the more she came to understand her sister's choice in being single. Even if, rather than it being a choice, it were a lack of options. For Luna it was much the same. None of these ponies could be her choice; Luna had already made hers centuries ago.

Unlike Celestia, Luna's choice of ponies was not trapped in the moon. But she might as well be. For as much as she wanted to be her lover again, part of her, a big part, couldn't see it happening again. She drifted through the dreamscape to Celestia's dream. Her bubble was shrouded in an opaque shield.

"Still keeping me out, sister?" Luna asked of the bubble, her voice falling deaf to the dreaming pony inside the warded dream. Luna frowned and moved on. Her melancholy turned to bitterness as she happened upon the next dream. Luna peered inside at the pink alicorn.

In her dream, Cadance was sitting on the throne again. Her dream versions of Celestia and Luna walked in. Cadance's dream was reliving the memories of that day. Of particular focus to the mare was the expression on Luna's face as she walked by to leave. As soon as she left, the dream started over again. The stress of the encounter was making the pony have a recurring dream, seeking to gain some closure from the experience. Luna looked at herself in the dream. Her expression was, admittedly, not attractive. And that was her first impression upon the young princess.

For as much as Luna resented her sister for carrying on with her alicorn project, she found that she could not summon such vitriol for Cadance herself. Cadance had not ask for this life. Luna looked at the scowl on her dream-counterpart. Cadance had done nothing to have earned such ire from her in this way. Celestia was right about one thing. What was done was done. Begrudging hatred would gain Luna nothing now. It was not the way to make friends and influence ponies.

When the dream reset again, Luna supplanted her dream doppelganger. This time, walking into the throne room beside Celestia. Celestia relieved Cadance of the throne and took her place. Cadance walked down to pass Luna once again. Luna withheld her scowl this time.

"Cadenza," Luna said. Cadance stopped in surprise. "Please, forgive our sour expression," she said. "Our journey home was most unpleasant and we had yet to have eaten. We are not ourselves when we are hungry. It was wrong of us to make you a front of our misplaced anger." Cadance's eyes fluttered for a moment and then re-focused in understanding.

"Thank you, Princess Luna," Cadance said with a polite nod. The room in the dream shimmered and melted away. Luna returned to the dreamscape and Cadance returned to a more peaceful sleep. Luna sighed in her personal accomplishment. It was one wrong that she had righted, with many yet left to fix.

"Ponies needn't suffer us as a nightmare any longer," she breathed, moving on to the next dream.

And so it went, that Princess Celestia presided over the day, and Luna watched over the night. On the surface, it might have seemed as though nothing had changed at all. Ponies saw and interacted with Celestia as they always had. Luna, on the other hoof, remained aloof and nigh invisible to the public. It was as she preferred. As the days and weeks turned to months, the mere concept that Celestia even had a sister at all was no more than a footnote. But Luna no longer resented the ponies for this. While most ponies did still sleep through her beautiful night, the advent of electricity in the intervening centuries had allowed many ponies to relish it as much as the day.

Each evening, Luna would wake to the setting sun peeking in through the crack of the drapes in her west window. Once the sun was set and the moon was raised, Luna would join her elder sister for a brief meeting before Celestia would go to bed. In the morning, Luna was far less forthcoming about her nocturnal adventures. Most dreams were mundane. Some were terrifying. And each night, Luna never ceased to be amazed at the depths of depravity some ponies indulged in the realm of fantasy. Luna spared her sister the details.

Celestia, however, was only too happy to share the event of her day with her younger sister:

"So my unofficial, casual visit to Ponyville had to be postponed because of an infestation of parasprites in Fillydelphia."
"Ponyville finally managed to get Winter wrapped up on time this year without magic."
"The Autumnal Running of the Leaves proved rather eventful in Ponyville this year."
"I was nearly assaulted with a cloud the the Cloudsdale 'Best Young Fliers Competition'."
"Philomena, my pet phoenix renewed itself today."
"Have you a date for the Grand Galloping Gala?"

"... Huh?" Luna asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I asked if you had a date for the Gala," Celestia repeated, offering her sister a cup of coffee.

"Oh, no. We've decide to just not go at all," Luna said. "The dreamscape has been quite boisterous of late. We fear that we will not be able to get away for the evening." Luna sipped her coffee and felt the drowsiness in her consciousness drift away. She blinked a few times and took a deep breath as her heart fluttered. "Besides, are you not looking forward to spending the evening with your most-faithful student? Twilight is all you ever seem to talk about these days. That and her letters that you insist on reading to me."

"They are Friendship Reports," Celestia corrected. "And I only read them to you to demonstrate that I am teaching my little ponies to be a better friend to those they care about than I was." Celestia put her hoof on Luna's shoulder.

"Yes. We get it," Luna huffed. "But she could do better than sending the same stock photo of her friends with it every time. What, did she have some kind of bulk discount at the photograph developers?"

"I think so," Celestia chuckled. "But to answer your question, yes, I am looking forward to seeing her at the Gala. But you should come out just the same. It would be good for you to get a little positive P.R. and show ponies that you're not Nightmare Moon anymore."

"Hmf," Luna huffed. "Ponies come out to your gala to see you, not your recluse sister. Will there at least be jousting and other contests of strength?"

"Uh, no. You're thinking of a fair," Celestia said. "This is an indoor event."

"Shall there be mares of the night then? Games of chance?" Luna asked.

"No. No gambling, and definitely no prostitutes," Celestia said. Luna decided that she'd had enough of living in her sister's shadow. She'd had enough of being known as 'Celestia's sister'. She was Princess Luna, and she was every bit Celestia's equal. And she needed the ponies to know this as well.

"Your gala sounds lame," Luna said. "We shall have our own gala. With card games and consorts!"

"I will see about helping you with... something like that," Celestia offered with hesitation. She absolutely could not have her sister hosting an official event with such vice. The best she could do is at least guide her event towards something more... legal. "When would you like to have your gala take place?" Celestia asked.

"We shall have it on the same night as yours. We will let the ponies decide which gala they want to attend," Luna said. "The good gala, or yours." Celestia sighed. She could tell that there was no way she was going to be able to dissuade her sister from this idea. As old as they were, sibling rivalry was timeless.

"As you wish," Celestia said. "I will leave the details to your capable hooves. And what about after the Gala?" Celestia asked in an implying tone as her hoof moved down from her shoulder, along her back down to her- Luna pushed her hoof away.

"We- we are not quite ready for that yet. We need more time," Luna said, trotting away.

"Time is all you and I have, sister," Celestia whispered to herself. "Time and each other."

That evening, Luna bid Celestia a pleasant night and set to her own preparations for the night. She slipped off her ebony horseshoes and kept only her crown and collar of office. She draped her body with her enchanted cloak.

"Equestria forgive us," Luna whispered into the empty air from her balcony. The dreams of ponies would go unattended for the night. She spread her wings through the openings in the cloak and took to the air. From on high she could visibly see that much of the world had changed in her absence. But in the time since she'd returned her investigations had found what she had been searching for: Hope.

She flew to the horizon. Her heading took her to the northeast, past the Foal Mountain range. She flew low over the thick forest. Her pupils were pools of black in the pitch dark of the new moon. But perfect darkness would be what she needed to find it.

Just then, there below her, was a glint of light, nearly invisible through the thick canopy of the trees. She slowed her flight and came to a hover, searching for a clearing in the trees to descend. She carefully drifted downwards through the gap in the tree limbs.

Her hooves landed on a simple dirt road amid the towering trees, with but a scant few dim oil lamps to guide the way. She followed the arrow of the sign bearing the town's name. She walked quietly on the soft dirt without her shoes. But not silently. When she reached the edge of town, her ears perked up and pivoted, reflexively turning to a noise just at the edge of her range of hearing. A shrill screech. Followed by a chorus of dozens more. Shadows darted through the trees and in an instant, two figured landed before her, blocking her path. Each wore armor of dark blues and violets. Each of them brandished a spear.

"Halt!" one said in a gruff voice. "Who goes there!" Several more appeared behind them. Princess Luna shuffled off her cloak as it evaporated into magical bats, flying off into the darkness. She held her head high and spread her wings wide. The guards saw her horn, wings and crown. Her collar of office bore her cutie mark. They quickly dropped to a knee and bowed their head. The others behind them followed suit.

"Citizens of Hollow Shades! Thine Princess of the Night has arrived!" she announced in her Canterlot voice.

"Princess Luna!?" one of the villages asked in astonishment.
"Princess Luna!"
"Princess Luna is back!"

The guards moved aside as Luna walked forward through the sea of batponies. Their slit eyes were fixed on her. Their leathery wings shuffled nervously as she passed. Luna's eyes were fixed on the batpony at the back of the crowd, standing firm as Luna approached.

"Mayor," Luna greeted.

"Your Highness," she greeted in return with a bow. "How did you know?" Luna's eyes dropped to the ancient pendant around the batpony's neck, bearing Luna's cutie mark.

"We gave that to thine ancestors' mayor, when this village was first founded," Luna said. "We are pleased to see our name still holds merit."

"Of course, Your Highness," she said. "Most ponies may have forgotten. But we remember. We are your children of the night." A skree of unity came up from the crowd around them.

"Thank you, Mayor..." Luna trailed off.

"Midnight Blossom," she answered.

"Thank you, Midnight. It warms our heart to hear it," Luna said.

"What brings you to our fair hamlet this evening?" Mayor Blossom asked.

"We require the services of your best stallions," Luna said. Midnight blushed slightly.

"Shall I... have a room made up?" she asked. Luna was confused for a moment and realized her wording.

"We require them as guard ponies," she said.

"Ah, keekeekee," Midnight snickered. She turned back to the crowd and made a series of quick squeaks and clicks. Two stallions made their way forward and presented themselves before the princess with a bow. Princess Luna looked over their muscular, toned bodies. She briefly reconsidered the Mayor's initial offer. Both looked to be in peak condition, but for one small detail. Luna pointed at the eye patch one was wearing.

"We trust that... scratch hasn't made thee useless?" Luna asked.

"Hardly, my princess. It's just an eye. Luckily I've been graced with a spare."

"What is thy name?"

"Sunshine Smiles," he muttered and then nodded to the batpony beside him. "This is my brother, Frolicsome Meadowlark." Luna nodded to each of them.

"We do not get to choose our names," Luna said. "Do you not like yours?" she asked.

"I like it just fine," he said. "But it doesn't instill fear in the heart of the enemy." Luna looked back and forth between the brothers.

"Are... we your enemy?" Luna asked.

"...No."

"Do you... often give your enemy a cordial greeting with your name?" Luna asked.

"No."

"Then the only pony that it would be a problem for is you," Luna said. "Embrace your name. Wear it with pride like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you. Do not seek a fearsome name. Seek to make your name fearsome."

"Like Nightmare Moon?" Frolicsome Meadowlark asked. Everypony's fur stood up. Luna turned to him and took a large step closer.

"Are you trying to provoke me, Meadowlark?" Luna asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To see if you practice what you preach."

"Are you not afraid?" she asked.

"Of course. I would be a fool not to be. But I find fear to be more of an inconvenience than an imperative," he said. Luna stared him down. He didn't blink. She looked at the mayor.

"These two are your best?" Luna asked the mayor. The brothers shuffled their hooves and glances at each other nervously. Even the mayor looked unsure.

"They're our best... stallions. As was your request," Midnight said.

"But...?" Luna asked. Midnight cleared her throat.

"There... is another pony," Midnight began to say.

"Is he the best?"

"She is," Meadowlark corrected.

"But?" Luna asked again.

"But... she's currently..." he tried to find the words.

"Unpresentable," Midnight said.

"Bring me to her," Luna said.

"Your Highness, I-"

"Now," Luna commanded. Midnight sighed and turned to lead Luna. They walked a ways to the far side of town to the tavern. The placard read 'The Shady Trough'. All of the batpony citizens inside turned to look as the mayor walked in. And then Princess Luna walked in after her.

"Princess Luna," one of the patrons called out in surprise. Among the sea of dark blues and grays of the bat ponies, a lone white pegasus looked at her. His eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Holy shit!" The pegasus grabbed his Royal Guard uniform as the gryphon with whom he was was playing cards grabbed his bits and they ran for the rear exit. The rest of the batponies scattered in a flurry of leathery wings and screeches as they flew up and out of the belfry windows. The only one left at the table was a lone batpony with her back to the door. She wore the same guard armor as the others. She was still contemplating the cards in her hoof.

"That's her," Midnight whispered to Luna. Luna walked to the table. The batpony lifted a hollowed-out mango to her lips and drank from the straw sitting in it. She tossed her cards on the table.

"Well, you just cost me a winning hoof," she said, without turning around. "So this better be pretty damn important." She turned around to face Luna. Her eyes crossed a little as she looked at the two Lunas in front of her. Her vision had been doubled. "Cute Nightmare Night costume."

"We are Princess Luna," the double vision of Luna said with the ironically appropriate royal 'we'.

"Yeah, I can see that. We're not blind. That's a myth, Loony," she said.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry, I tried to-" Midnight apologized.

"That's quite alright," Luna dismissed her, never taking her eyes of the mare at the table. "By the smell of her we would say that it was the..." Luna sniffed. "The mango wine talking. Isn't that right?"

"Well I've already got the mayor up my ass like a stallion on Neighiagra about that, so unless you're my sanguine snack, you can fuggoff!"

"You drink blood?" Luna asked.

"Periodically. Keekeekee!" she snickered.

"She's joking," Midnight assured Luna.

"Yes, we got it," Luna said with a disgusted grimace. "You wear the garb of the guard. Did you not hear the alarm go up when we arrived in the town?"

"I don't get alarmed," she said.

"What's your name?" Luna asked.

"Echo."

"Echo?" Luna echoed. Echo rolled her eyes.

"Never gets old," Echo groaned.

"Echo, we come seeking guard ponies for our service," Luna said.

"I thought your sister already had that covered," Echo said.

"We prefer to keep our own nocturnal company," Luna said. Echo looked at Sunshine and Meadowlark behind the princess.

"Looks like you got some. The hell are you talking to me for?"

"Because some damn foal accused you of being the best," Luna said, walking around to the far side of the table to face her. Echo just looked at her and leaned back in her chair. She casually picked up her hollowed mango and slurped her wine obnoxiously loudly before setting it back on the table.

"I am. "

"Then prove it," Luna said, at the limit of her irritated patience with the mare. "Hit me... if you can," Luna said.

"Keekeekee!" Echo snickered. "And what happens when I send Celestia's baby sister home with a black eye, eh?" It was the final straw for Luna.

"I am NOT her baby sister!" Luna yelled turning to grab a bar stool to throw at her. "I am the Night Princ-"

The instant Luna took her eyes off her, Echo jumped from her seat and kicked the table up to shield the incoming bar stool. Her mango and gold bits were flung up into the air. Echo grabbed a bit from the air and flung it at Luna, ricocheting off of her horn, causing Luna, and her magic, to falter. Echo didn't stop moving, flipping backwards into a flying kick, hitting Sunshine and Meadowlark's helmets with a buck from her hind legs. She disarmed the spear from Sunshine's stunned hoof and dove forward into a rolling somersault bringing the tip of the spear a hair's breadth from Luna's throat, giving her just the slightest nick. With her free hoof, Echo caught her mango before it hit the floor.

"And now... you are dead princess," Echo said. She brought the tip of the spear back to her own lips and licked the tiny dot of Luna's blood from it with a grin. She dropped the spear on the floor and snickered. "Keekeekee." She walked over to the bar to refill her mango. Midnight Blossom ran over to Luna with a handkerchief for her cut.

"I'm fine," Luna said, rubbing her horn. She looked over at Sunshine and Meadowlark. "Where the hell were you two?"

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Sunshine said. "She's the best. But..."

"She's also Echo," Meadowlark finished. "Sometimes she turns into a drunk asshole."

"And when she's sober!?" Luna asked.

"Well... then she's a regular asshole," Sunshine said. "But still..."

"She's the best," his brother finished.

"She also stole your crown," Sunshine said. Luna's eyes crossed as she looked up at her bare forehead. She looked over at Echo, still sitting at the bar, now wearing Luna's crown and raising her filled mango in a toast.

"Cheers, Loony," Echo said. "Keekeekee!" Luna grit her teeth but couldn't help but grin.

"She'll do."

Time and distance.

Time and distance were the two things Shining Armor needed regarding Twilight. Cadance could tell that something was amiss when he had come back from seeing Twilight off to Ponyville. But he didn't want to talk about it. She didn't press the issue. Cadance had her own way of helping the stallion feel better. What did it matter if it made her feel good too? Cadance herself knew that the best way to get over somepony was to get under somepony else. She might never have Night Light again. But having his son was proving to be even better.

Soon enough the worries of the troubled stallion faded away and all was right with the world once more. As the days turned to weeks, the happenings in the princess's life were enough to keep him, and his mind occupied, particularly when the day of the big event arrived.

"I'm gonna go to the Gala! I'm gonna go to the Gala! I'm gonna go to the Gala!" Shining Armor chanted in giddy glee as he hopped in place.

"Would you calm down," Cadance scolded him. "You don't even know what you're excited about."

"The Grand Galloping Gala. It is only THE event in all of Equestria!" he said. "And I'm going! With you! BOO YA!" he cheered.

"As my guard," Cadance reminded him. "As far as the public is concerned, I'm still an eligible bachelorette. There are going to be bona fide suitors there looking to court me. And you're going to have to let them!"

"Boo- nah!?" he groaned.

"Dukes. Lords. Foreign princes," Cadance cited a few examples. "Celestia would want Equestria to be able to expand its influence by marrying into other royal families."

"But I thought you and I were going to get married some day." Shining said. Cadance looked at him with an expression of pity for his naive innocence.

"Shining, I..." she tried to find the words. "We can't allow ourselves to fall in love with each other. What we have right now, it's fun. But it can't be more than that."

"Says who?" Shining asked.

"Says the princess," she said.

"Which one? There's two now," he said. "Actually, three. You're a princess. Don't you get a say in it?"

"Shining, I do love you. Really," Cadance said as she rubbed his cheek with her hoof. "But I am a princess. Everything I do is political. Including whom I marry."

"And whom will that be?"

"Whomever Celestia tells me too," Cadance said with dismay. "Marriage isn't about love. Not for royalty. It's about power."

"But what about me?" Shining asked.

"You will always be my personal guard, wherever I go," Cadance assured him. "And besides, I wouldn't just be keeping you around to guard me." She fluttered her eyes at him. "Whomever I marry, it will be your foals I raise." Shining's anger faded. He took a deep breath and sighed.

"I guess I can live with that," he said.

"Ugh, I don't even want to go!" Cadance groaned as she looked through her wardrobe. "I hate all of these!"

"I think this one looks pretty," Shining said, pointing one of the dresses.

"Yes, but it's incredibly itchy."

"What about this one?"

"Too small."

"This one?"

"Ugh! That color? On me?"

"Blue and white?" Shining asked. "But those are my colors." He looked at her and grinned. "And I look pretty good on you."

"Hmm, that you do," Cadance said. "You know what? Fuck it. I'm just going to go naked like Aunt Tia."

"Really?"

"Well, no. I'm still going to wear my horseshoes and tiara, like she does."

"Oh."

She walked over to her vanity and leaned on it, looking in the mirror at Shining behind her. "But you know, I could stand to have a little blue and white on me later." He looked over at her and smiled, nearly pouncing her.

"Oh yeah?" he asked as he laid on top of her back. She could feel him prodding at her under her tail. "What about... in you?" he asked.

"Mmm, definitely!" she purred. "But later. We have to get going." Cadance and her guard made their way to the grand Gala ballroom. On their way, another of the castle guards approached them.

"Your Highness," he greeted the princess with a polite bow before turning to Shining. "Captain, we're having trouble with Celestia's menagerie. The animals are attracted to the guests and the food."

"Well, just cast an aversion spell on them to keep them away from everypony for the evening," Shining answered. The guard nodded and went to carry out the order. Cadance smiled and leaned against him.

"Command suits you," Cadance said. "You would have been a fine prince." Shining and Cadance continued to the ballroom. They passed by the royal kitchen. "Wait a sec," Cadance said before ducking toward the kitchen.

"Cadie- er, Princess!" Shining caught himself. They were in public and he was on duty after all. "Your Highness, where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm hungry," she replied.

"There's going to be food at the Gala. What do you think they're cooking?"

"I'm hungry now!" Cadance growled. He knew that look in her eyes. It said that if he did let her get something to eat, he could very well be next on the menu. And not in the fun a la mode, kind of way.

Shining stood and waited outside of the kitchen door, knowing full-well the mayhem that would be going on inside and wanting nothing to do with that kind of anarchy.

"Mister Armor," a stallion's voice said from behind him. Shining turned to see the resident prima-donna, Prince Blueblood, approaching him.

"That's Captain Armor," Shining corrected. "I believe I've earned it."

"Captain now, already? You rise quick... like my dick. I like that in you."

"Which?" Shining asked. The prince smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Actually no. I'm a little busy right now, Blueblood."

"That's Prince Blueblood to you, Captain," he retorted. "I believe I've earned it." Shining snorted.

"How? By being born into the right family?" Shining asked. "Besides, aren't you actually a Duke or something? You're related to Celestia, barely. Like, 52 times removed."

"You needn't worry your simple little head over that," Blueblood teased. "You're just a guard. You just make sure to hit the bad guys with the pointy end." Blueblood walked around him in a slow circle. "Speaking of..." Blueblood glanced under Shining's tail. "Tell me, are you the sort of officer that prefers to be giving orders, or receiving?"

"Oh for fucks sake, I'm not a colt-cuddler, Blueblood!"

"Hmf. You just need to find the right colt," Blueblood said. "Maybe I could put you in for a transfer. Cadance is always saying what a great guard you are. I could use capable a pair of hooves like yours on my staff."

"My hooves will not be going anywhere near your staff," Shining said.

"Come now, Captain. We are both stallions of action. Lying does not suit you." Blueblood walked closer to him, to an uncomfortable proximity. "If it makes it easier for you, I could be on bottom. You could just pretend that it's a mare's ass you're putting it in."

"I think I'd rather stick my dick in an ant hill," Shining said. Blueblood smirked and leaned on him.

"Here is what I'm imagining. Me, on top of you, rutting you from behind. My magic stroking you from below. My thick flare thrusting back and forth across your sensitive prostate. And then, just as I cum deep inside your ass, you cum at the same time, upon a decadent cake, bound for my Aunt Tia's dessert table. And then you and I would be in attendance as we both bear witness to my aunt eating your seed, only you and I the wiser."

"If you want to watch your aunt eat a cake with cum on it, you can do it yourself," Shining said. Blueblood sneered in revulsion.

"Ugh! That's incest! I would never do such a disgusting, horrid thing!" he said.

"Oh, no of course not. You're far too classy for that," Shining sarcassed.

"Blueblood!" Cadance yelled from the kitchen doorway. "Get your hooves off of my guard, or else they will never touch anything else, ever again." Prince Blueblood quickly removed himself from Shining Armor's proximity.

"Your highness," he bowed in deference. He cut his eyes at Shining Armor. "Who's guarding whom?" he whispered, just a bit too loudly, at the stallion.

"Another word from you, and my horseshoe will have to be removed from you surgically!" Cadance said. Blueblood quickly made himself scarce from the princess's glare.

"You didn't have to do that," Shining groaned.

"Shiny, I love you. But I do not get what he sees in you," she said.

"His dick, apparently. Or the other way around," Shining replied.

"You should oblige him," Cadance said.

"What!?" he blanched

"Yeah. Don't ask me how, but I've seen his. And yours is waaay bigger," Cadance said. "If nothing else, it might knock his ego down a peg. And who knows. It might be fun to see him try to explain a ruptured colon to the Canterlot General E.R." Shining just stood there and stared at her. He could usually tell when she was joking or being serious. And in that moment he was finding it difficult to figure out which it was.

"... I'm not doing that," Shining said.

Cadance could see his expression fall. She hadn't been looking forward to the gala at all. And now he wasn't either. Both now for the same reason. "Come on, cheer up. We can still make this the best night ever!" Cadance said as they headed to the main foyer. Princess Celestia was waiting at the top of the entrance's stairs. "Aunt Tia," Cadance greeted.

"Cadance," Celestia greeted back. "Captain."

"Your Highness." Shining said as he bowed.

"Al fresco, tonight?" Celestia asked of Cadance's lack of apparel.

"I couldn't find a dress I liked," Cadance said. "I'm sure it won't deter the male dignitaries' advances."

"Actually, there has been a change of plans," Celestia said. "You see, my sister, Princess Luna, has decided to have her own Gala this very same evening. And unfortunately she has grossly mismanaged its advertising." Celestia motioned to the rather small, hoof-painted sign by the stairwell. "I fear that it will be dead down there."

"Down there?" Cadance asked.

"The castle grotto," Celestia said. "So I was hoping that you could attend her Gala to help her feel some measure of success."

"If it means not getting hit on by visiting princes, then sure," Cadance said, turning to go. Shining was about to follow.

"There are ample guards here. Captain, if you wish to remain behind for my Gala, Twilight should be in attendance," Celestia said. "She speaks very highly of you in her letters. She may wish to see you tonight."

Shining felt his fur stand up. He knew he would not be able to avoid Twilight forever. And sooner or later they would have to address how they left things off last time they spoke. But the Grand Galloping Gala was just about the worst place he could think of for that conversation. At best it would just be awkward. And at worst... Well, he knew how unpredictable Twilight could get when she was all worked up. Celestia waited patiently for his answer.

"Well, uh, yeah, but I mean, like you said, it sounds like Princess Luna's gala needs as many ponies as it can. And you know, the more the merrier, right? Plus I'm sure I'll see Twilight soon anyways. So it's no big deal. I should stay with Princess Cadenza anyway... Your Highness," he said. Celestia kept her expression neutral.

"A wise decision, Captain," Celestia said. "Oh, and you will need this," she said, giving Cadance a purse of bits. She watched them walk to the stairwell closer together than could possibly be considered professional. Celestia could not keep the smile from her face. Outside, Twilight Sparkle and her friends rolled up to the Canterlot castle. Each of them full of hope for their own vision of what was to most certainly be the best night ever.

Cadance and Shining made their way downstairs to the castle grotto. The natural cavern had a small pool of water, lit by the many sconces on the walls. The main area had several tables set up, covered in green felt. All were vacant but one table. There sat Princess Luna and three others. They all looked at the two newcomers.

"Gah!" Shining jumped just a little. He had only ever heard of batponies before. To see one in real life was a different matter. The leathery wings and slit eyes just looked so unnatural. Echo smiled at him, brandishing her fangs and enjoying his discomfort.

"Ah, Princess Cadenza," Luna greeted, rising from her seat. She gave her a polite nod. The batponies followed her lead. "We see that you decided to go to the good Gala. We were just about to begin. Please, join us won't you?" Luna pulled out a couple of chairs at the table for Cadance and her guard. Sunshine Smiles fetched another round of ciders from the bar for everypony as they took their seats. Luna began to deal out the playing cards. "The game is Appaloosan Hold'em. Blinds start at ten and twenty bits."

"Oh, is that a card game?" Cadance asked innocently as she fluttered her eyelashes. "I hope this is enough bits." She emptied her purse onto the table.

"Um, Princess, maybe you should let me-" Shining tried to say.

Cadance stomped on his hoof with hers. It was the kind of stomp that said: "Shining, dear, I know very well how to play cards. It's called a hustle. Now be a dear and shut up." But, you know, in stomp form. Shining got the message.

"M-maybe you should at least let me shuffle?" Shining tried.

"Oh, okay!" Cadance said as she whimsically teased her mane with her hoof. "Cards, how do they even work? Am I right? Oh well, I'll just figure it out as I go." Sunshine and Meadowlark just grinned, eyeing her stack of easy bits. Cadance split the pile roughly in half and pushed some over to Shining. "Try not to lose it all," she teased. Shining looked across the table at Luna and Echo, staring back at him.

"I won't," he said with determination.

And then he did.

After several hooves of cards, Shining sat desperately at the edge of the table, playing with his last two ten-bit coins. Echo snickered at him.

"You can rub them together all you want but they ain't gonna breed, keekeekee," she said. He glanced at his cards. They were single-digits, non-sequential, and off-suit. In other words, trash. The flop was straight paint. He put on his best poker face.

"I'm all in!" he said confidently, pushing the two meager bit forward.

"I don't know," Sunshine sarcassed, "That might be too rich for my blood-I-call," he said.

"I'm in."
"I'm in."
"I'm in."
"As are we."

A Turn and River later, Shining had nothing. But then neither did Meadowlark.

"Ace high," Luna groaned.

"I've got a pair," Sunshine said said. Echo snickered.

"Keekeekee! Of cards at least," she said. Sunshine glared at her with his one good eye. "But I've got three," she said showing off her jacks.

"Pity," Cadance said, throwing down her queens on top.

"Me thinks the pink one has played before," Meadowlark said.

"Oh, whatever do you mean!?" Cadance feigned, pulling the rather small pot to her much-larger pile.

"Well Captain, it would appear that you are busted," Luna said. She pointed at the pool. "Make your way to the loser circle in hopes that it might wash away your shame." He looked at Cadance. She nodded for him to go. "Shun the loser. Shun!" Luna taunted.

"Shun. Shun," the rest of the table chanted as he walked. He stepped out of his armor and into the pool, finding that it was actually quite warm, apparently from a thermal spring. He slunk into the water and relaxed. It wasn't like it was even his money that he lost. Cadance gathered the cards and deftly shuffled for her turn to deal. Luna glanced over at Shining and then back to Cadance.

"He seems quite taken to you," Luna said, keeping her voice low enough to keep from Shining's range of hearing. The others at the table looked at the pink pony. Cadance didn't react. She knew the first rule of cards. Leave emotion at the door.

"What stallion isn't?" she asked in a neutral tone, glancing across the table at Sunshine and Meadowlark. They quickly averted their eyes.

"Do not be coy, Cadenza. You know it's true," Luna said. Cadance finished shuffling and dealt out the cards. After the first round, she played the first three cards. Ace, King, and Jack of hearts. Cadance looked at her cards, and then at Luna.

"True? Yeah, maybe," Cadance said.

"I bet," Luna said.

"Do you?" Cadance asked. Shining had busted out, but Luna was not far from a similar fate. Luna pushed in one of her stacks.

"Fold," the three batponies said. Cadance met Luna's bet. The 10 of hearts hit the table. Cadance put in another stack that would force Luna to go all-in.

Luna looked at the cards. Then at Cadance. Then at the bits. Then at Cadance.

"Bah!" Luna said, throwing away her cards. Cadance took the pot. "Did you have it?" Luna asked. Cadance gathered up the cards and shuffled in her hoof and smirked.

"Sorry, Auntie... I don't remember."

Shining nearly nodded off in the warm water a short time later when he heard chanting from the card table.

"Shun. Shun. Shun!" Luna trotted over, dejected, and slipped into the warm water.

"The agony of defeat," she groaned.

"Mhmm," Shining commiserated. Luna moved a little closer.

"Princess Cadenza seems quite taken with you," Luna said quietly. "She told us so."

"Yeah, I learned how to interrogate ponies too. Don't try that with me," he said.

"Perhaps not in so many words. But we can tell," Luna said. "Do you not also desire her?" Shining opened one of his eyes just a crack and looked at her.

"What I want is of little consequence," he said, closing his eye again. "It's not enough to merely want something. Wishing does not make it so."

"But you do wish it," Luna said. Shining opened his eyes and turned around to look at Cadance over at the table. Her back was to them. He settled back into the water and sighed.

"I do wish it."

"You strike us as a stallion of action, Captain. If you truly love her, what is stopping you?" Luna asked.

"She said that she'll probably be married off to some other prince or duke or something. But not me. I'm just a guard," he said.

"Says who?" Luna asked.

"I dunno. Princess Celestia?" he said. Luna smiled, admiring the stallion's body in the water. She moved beside him, touching his leg with hers.

"Mayhaps we could convince our sister to allow such a thing," Luna said quietly. "If, perchance we were to be persuaded to do so," she whispered into his ear. She placed a hoof on his lap under the water, moving it up to his-

"P-Princess!?" he gasped.

"Shh, shh," Luna hushed him. She looked over at Cadance. She was still focused on playing cards. "We're just talking." Her hoof teased his sheath. "But perhaps there is something that you could do for us you persuade us to... talk to Celestia on your behalf."

"Please, I love Cadance," he said through his teeth, trying not to yelp.

"We are not asking for your love, Captain," Luna purred. "Only your- ah here it is!" she cooed as his shaft emerged. She began stroking it in the water. "Only your... gratitude."

"I can't!", he whispered harshly. Luna grinned.

"You are not Cadenza's stallion yet. We are royalty, we will do as we please, as Celestia does. Do not tell us that she does not seek the comfort of her Captain on occasion."

"What!? No!" he said. She could tell he wasn't lying.

"Pity. But you needn't fret," she said moving in front of him to straddle his lap. She brought his broad tip to her hot pussy, rubbing it against her wanton entrance, nearly getting the tip inside. "By the end of this..."

"YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE ME!" a booming shout came from upstairs, preceded by a loud crash and followed by a thundering rumble.

Luna sprang from the pool and ran to the stairs as Cadance quickly bagged her winnings and followed after. As soon as Cadance was out of the room, Shining climbed out of the pool and grabbed his armor.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Shining cursed. The three batponies at the table watched him struggle to get dressed as his erection swung and bobbed about under him. "The fuck are you looking at!?" he said, tucking himself into his armor. The other two males looked away. Echo just snickered and gave him a slow clap. He finished getting dressed and ran up the stairs after the princesses.

"I can see why she likes him," Echo said.

"Well, this has been the worst night ever," Shining groaned as he joined Cadance to help the other guards sift through the rubble that was once the Gala ballroom. He had just gotten a situation report from the other guards. "My sister's friends were here less than a half hour. And apparently her pink friend had managed to harass just about everypony. I've got a prince assaulted with cake, property damage and a damn stampede!" he huffed. Even as he spoke a few stray animal continued to run amok.

"What in Equestria!?" Princess Luna said as she walked through the destroyed ballroom.

"Everything happened so fast," Cadance said. "When we heard the commotion it was over by the time we arrived."

"It matters not. Where is our sister in this hour of need!?" she asked the room. Nopony answered. "Splendid! So then, it falls to us once again to clean up one of her messes!?" she fumed. "Oh, that is just classic her! She is probably off stuffing her fat face somewhere!"

Across town, Princess Celestia was sitting with Twilight Sparkle and her friends in Joe's pastry shop, sharing a laugh and a plate of doughnuts.