Shining Armor took a deep breath and pressed his hoof against the doorknob, only to stop. The weight of the acceptance papers, though miniscule, weighed down the stallion. The three thin slips of paper were the only things in his saddlebags, yet he felt the pull of the cloth bag intensely. He shook his head and straightened his back, pushing away the doubt that plagued him.

You are going to go in there, and tell your father that you’ve signed up for the royal guard and that you are leaving in a matter of days and you are going to like it! he thought grimly.

After one last deep breath, he pushed open the door to the hotel room him and his father were staying in. The heavy door slowly opened to reveal their shared room, the scent of cooked vegetables and empty whiskey bottles attacking his nose. It was a small, cozy affair with a breakfast nook and a small area to make food, opposite of him were two large sliding glass doors that revealed the narrow balcony beyond.

His father stood over a skillet, staring down into the food, his mind a million miles away. Shining Armor frowned at the sight and stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a little more force than what was necessary, sending the small box of empty bottles beside the door rattling.

Blinking, Night Light turned to his son and smiled faintly. “Hey Shining, how was your day?”

“Not bad, I, uh…” He wanted to finish that by saying ...got accepted into the royal guard and will be leaving soon, but his traitorous mouth refused to speak the words.

His father didn't seem to notice, having turned down to the skillet, shaking it a few times before looking back. “You say something?” he mumbled.

Shining shook his head meekly. “I was just saying I didn't get any headaches today, I think I finally beat them.”

Night Light smiled a little wider, a hint of genuine happiness threatening to slip past. “That's great to hear, Son. Why don't you take off that bag and sit down? Supper is almost ready.”

Shining Armor obliged, but stopped short as he was putting his saddlebags down next to his bed. “Dad, it's four thirty. Don't you think it's a little early?”

The old stallion stopped his intense scrutiny of the supper and looked up. “Oh, is it…” he trailed off, staring into space for a few seconds before shaking his head. “I was just hungry, is all. Do you want some?”

Shining Armor hopped up on the bed in order to see what was being made. Sure enough his nose hadn't lied and he could see potatoes, onions and a few other vegetables in the pan before him. He smiled weakly, his father had never been a good cook and this was the same vegetable medley he had made for the last three nights in a row.

Looking into his father’s expectant eyes, Shining Armor couldn't help but feel his hunger return. “Yeah Dad, looks good.”

“That's good to hear, your mother was always the cook and I...” His smile faltered and he turned his attention back to the vegetables, staring vacantly as they sizzled.

Shining Armor sighed, glancing over at the small pile of empty bottles near the door. At least six empty bottles of whiskey sat in a small cardboard box, ready for the chambermaid to remove them. Hopping down from the bed, the stallion trotted over to the small pile of plates and deposited two of them and a set of cutlery at either side of the breakfast nook.

He jumped up onto the seat and sat down in his place and just when he got comfortable, his father came over with the skillet. Shining pushed his plate forward slightly, watching as the slightly burnt vegetables tumbled down. He frowned, they were only black on one side, indicating his father had gotten distracted again.

Ignoring the burnt sections, the stallion grabbed his fork and put the least burnt vegetable he could find into his mouth and chewed. Across from him his father had applied a liberal layer of ketchup to his vegetables and dug in as well.

The pair sat in silence for several minutes, both eating their meals, deep in thought. Shining Armor could only guess at his father’s thoughts, but he assumed from the vacant stare that they were dark memories. On that thought, the stallion tensed up and felt courage surge within himself.

“I got accepted to the royal guard,” he said suddenly.

For several seconds nothing happened, his father stared at his plate, unmoving. Until his fork suddenly clattered to the table and he fixed his son with a look that made the small stallion want to take his words back.

“You are bluffing, you are too small, sickly. You’d never get accepted,” he whispered.

Shining’s jaw tensed. “The last physical found nothing wrong with me.”

“That's good!” Night Light smiled suddenly, his mood shifting rapidly. “You should use this to finally get on the hoofball team.”

“I don't want to play hoofball, Dad. I finished my last class, I will be leaving in a few days.”

The old stallion’s sudden cheer vanished. “It's too dangerous, you should be well-aware what the terrorists do! This family knows well enough what those terrorist scum are capable of.”

“Which is why I’m joining the guard, they can help make me strong! Strong enough to protect you.”

“I don't need protecting, Shining, you do! Putting yourself in harm’s way won't help anyone!” The stallion shook his head and muttered darkly, “You can't protect anyone if they kill you too, Shining. Don't you see?”

Shining sneered. “I see perfectly clearly, Dad. I see that you don't want to get the ponies that killed Mom and Twilight!”

Night Light rolled his eyes. “That's not what I am saying at all, one pony isn't going to bring down the terrorists overnight! They have been trying to destroy this city since I was a child. Leave that for the guard and the princess.”

“Even one pony can make a difference! Even if it takes the rest of my life, I will find out who made the bomb and bring them to justice!” The meak stallion slammed his hoof against the table, hardly rattling the plates.

The old stallion sighed and ran a hoof down his face. “That isn't the point. What matters is that it is too dangerous. You can't go putting yourself in danger for some misbegotten sense of justice.”

Shining Armor’s muscles twitched, and his anger peaked at what he saw as his father’s cowardice. He had been the one to hit the bottle, even before the accident he had drank to flee from Twilight’s affliction. A problem only exacerbated by the sudden death of his daughter and wife. He had chosen to run from his problems and accept Celestia’s offer of a new house, one closer to the castle. All his father did was run, but he was not his father. Shining Armor would stand up for what was right and fight against the forces that had corrupted his sister and killed her and his mother.

“Danger is everywhere! We know better than anyone!” the colt cried. “If I am not safe at home, or in the castle, where am I safe?”

Night Light froze and for a second, Shining Armor thought he had delivered his point across, only for the old stallion to suddenly get up and make his way to the door.

“Where are you going?” Shining asked incredulously.

“I’m going to check on the movers, they said they were going to be done tomorrow.”

“You can't just run from all your problems.”

Night Light stopped, his hoof wavering over the door handle, only for his head to shake. “You aren't thinking about this rationally. Your mother isn't even cold in the ground and you are already using her death to win arguments.”

Shining Armor staggered back as if struck, only to put a hoof to stop his father. “Wait-”

The door slammed shut, ending their argument and driving a spike of guilt into the stallion’s heart. He hadn't meant it like that, he wanted to…

He didn't know what he wanted.

The stallion crumpled, like a puppet with its strings cut, unable to stay standing. Why did he want to become a royal guard so much? Was it truly because of the recent disaster? Sure, he had desired to join before, but he had wanted to join the Equestrian guard in order to see the world.

He shook the strange train of thought from his mind. He needed to see justice done and even if he didn't find out who made that bomb, he was damn sure he would do everything he could to put a stop to the terrorists.

He may not be able to stop them all, but if he could bring justice to at least one of the animals that had taken his family from him, he would be proud. And if one day he could somehow manage to kill every single last terrorist in Equestria, then he could die happily.

Night Light groaned and rubbed his head, pressing his face into the pillow. He fumbled blindly for the the cup of water he had left on his end table. Once found it, he threw back the meager amount of water and groaned. This was not a good start to the day.

The stallion tossed aside the blankets and stumbled to the floor, standing there for a few moments as the world around him slowly stopped spinning. Once more in control of his faculties, the stallion shook his head. Keep it together, Night Light, you still got one pony left in your life, can't give up yet.

Making his way across the room in his half-awake, hungover state, the stallion was barely able to dodge the various boxes that littered the floor randomly. He had meant to start unpacking already, but days had passed and he had yet to touch the things. Something about the act of unpacking added a sense of finality to the move that he couldn't bring himself to go through with.

He slowly made his way downstairs, his headache subsiding as his body started to wake up. By the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, he felt almost normal. The dull ache in his heart was still there, but at least his head was clear.

He looked around the small main floor, easily able to see everything from his spot at the bottom of the stairs. Where the old house had thick wooden beams that had been left unpainted and exposed for all to see, the new house used some fancy technique to hide the supports that held up the house and covered them up with flat walls that were easy to paint over.

He liked it at first, but everyday he looked at the flat, even, perfectly painted walls of his new house, he couldn't help, but miss the character of his old home. It had its faults, but it was honest about them, but here, every fault and imperfection was hidden behind a thick veneer of perfection.

Musing silently to himself, he turned away from the living room before him and to his right, where the small, humble kitchen sat empty. Unlike the rest of the house, it had been filled first, his late wife’s many pots, pans, cutlery and other kitchenware lovingly put away before he had even so much as looked for the box containing his clothes.

He winced as he made his way into the kitchen, the windows were large and were a nice selling point of the house, but in actuality, everything seemed to reflect into them and blind the stallion every morning. The passing sets of gleaming armor, strapped to the powerfully built guards, seemed to reflect every stray bit of light directly into his eyeballs.

With a flash of magic the stallion drew the curtains and sighed, the darkness doing wonders for his lingering headache. He grabbed a large cup and filled it to the brim with ice cold water and made his way back to the living room. His hangover had robbed him of any desire to eat, so he passed by the small tray of muffins he had bought yesterday without even looking at it, despite a nagging voice reminding him they would go bad soon.

Flopping down into his favorite chair, the stallion breathed a sigh of relief. Even when things changed, something always stayed the same and for him, this chair was that rock. He had it since he had moved out of his parents place and it somehow managed to survive two kids and the rigors of time without gaining more than a few small scuffs.

His eyes closed and lips curled into a grin, and the stallion drank deep from his glass, feeling the cool relief slide down his throat and refresh his very being. Now feeling awake, alert and relaxed, he put down his glass, only to notice there was a folded piece of paper on the small table beside his chair.

Curious, he leaned closer, noticing there was only a single word written on the front. Dad. That wasn't good, Night Light felt a certain sense of unease at the sight of the slip of paper. It was written in the neat and punctual horn writing of his son and after the last argument they had only the night before, the stallion couldn't help, but imagine the worst.

The stallion flipped over the paper and unfolded it, revealing the same neat script nearly covered the other side. Somewhere deep down he knew exactly what this note contained, but he read on, stubbornly hoping it was not as he feared.

I am sorry.

I cannot take the job you managed to get me down at Donut Joe’s. I know you meant well in getting it for me, but I can't just relegate myself to a restaurant job when I know destiny has bigger plans for me.

I am sorry for bringing up what I did the other night. It wasn't right of me to say what I did. You were just trying to look out for me, like you always have.

But I can't do this, I can't go back to a normal life. Not after what happened.

I need to do this and I’m sorry you disapprove, but I must follow this through to the end.

One day I’m sure you will understand.

Thank you for all you've done.

We’ll talk more after I’ve completed basic. If you still want to see my face after this.

Shining Armor
Royal Guard.

The cup flew from his hoof and shattered across the perfectly painted wall, sending uneven shards of glass in all directions. The paper followed suit, having been crumpled into a ball and jettisoned across the room, but it did not make quite the satisfying crash that the glass did.

The stallion toppled from the chair, falling gracelessly to a heap on the ground, where he pounded his hoof into the perfectly white floor. No no no no no!

Night Light lurched into a standing position, running towards the stairs and clumsily climbing them, moving too fast for his hooves to catch up to him. “Shining! This better be a joke!”

Careening across the landing, Night Light only barely managed to turn in time to face his son’s door. Throwing caution to the wind, he lit his horn and cast aside the door, charging through into an empty room.

The small, box-filled bedroom was almost exactly the same as it was the day before, save for the absence of a few things. Shining’s bag of clothes was gone from its perch atop the pile of boxes in the corner and the stallion’s favorite hat, along with the pictures of his mother and sister, that had sat on his end table were also gone. Worst of all, the stallion himself was absent, leaving the suddenly very old stallion shocked and terrified.

This was it, the moment he had feared since that hellish night. The moment where he was well and truly alone. His daughter was gone and though a part of himself was relieved at the thought, the rest of him crushed that feeling. He had never wanted her truly gone, only away, somewhere her condition would harm nopony, somewhere they could visit as much as they wanted without suffering as his wife had. Worst of all, his wife had been taken from him by the very daughter he had ostracized, having been seduced by the terrorists into carrying a bomb for them. Despite all the hatred boiling in his heart, he couldn't direct it towards the daughter that had started his family down this dark path.

No, he would never blame an innocent, not when he carried the guilt for all of this happening. If he hadn't pushed her away she wouldn't have been so easily seduced by the twisted tongue of the terrorists that despised their way of life. Even his son, the last living family he had left was pushed away because of him. It was all his fault, everything that had happened had been his fault one way or another.

The stallion surged from the ground where he had lain crumpled in despair, lurching awkwardly on uncoordinated legs as he made his way back down the stairs, only to trip and tumble down the last few steps, landing once more in a heap on the floor. He quickly righted himself again and stumbled into the kitchen, tears pouring down his face and dripping to the floor.

When had he started crying? He didn't remember and it didn't matter.

He tore the cutlery drawer out, the various cooking implements scattering across the floor. The stallion cursed, searching for the one piece of steel that would end all this misery. A glint from across the room caught his eye and hastily the stallion scrambled towards it, grinning madly as he saw the object of his freedom.

The large, sharp knife lay on the ground, waiting for the stallion to reach out and grab it. As he did, he felt a surge of something push through his mind and almost without thinking he found the knife pressed against his own throat. Something stopped him though, something small, just a whisper.

“Take care of them, Nighty, please?”

His hoof trembled and the knife pressed dangerously against his flesh, mere millimeters from opening up his throat. He was so close, all he had to do was push a little forward. It wouldn't be hard, only a moment of pain for an eternity of release, it would be worth it, right? A dark voice within his mind whispered.

“Take care of them, please. For me,” the ghost breathed.

The knife clattered to the floor along with the stallion. Velvet would never forgive him for abandoning them, not when he had one child left. He wasn't gone, not yet anyway.

He remembered the words he had spoken that night so long ago. He had lain on his side, his legs wrapped around his wife, who clutched their newest bundle of joy in her grasp. The tiny filly lay still, her chest rising and falling only faintly.

“I know you will, my love, but please let me hear you say it,” Twilight Velvet whispered.

The words had come to the stallion’s lips without him even having to think of them. “Until my dying breath.”

His wife smiled and pulled the tiny bundle closer to her chest, a small hint of sorrow gracing her features. As the memory faded, Night Light couldn't help but wonder what had brought on the sudden demand. Had she known what was going to happen, all those years ago? Or had she merely been scared of leaving her children alone, in an uncaring world?

Night Light didn't know, and he didn't care. For as long as his promise was left unfulfilled, he could not rest. No matter how much he desired to and no matter how much the dark voice at the back of his mind demanded him to end it.

Shining Armor dragged his hooves down the long hallway that lead to the barracks. The pack on his back was relatively small, but to the stallion, it might have weighed a ton for how much it dragged him down. Every step he took from his home towards the place that would become his new home was harder than the last.

Leaving at the break of dawn had been easy, his steps pulled by an unforeseen force that had dragged him along at an incessant pace. His anger towards his father, his guilt at not being able to help his sister and mother both driving him onwards and upwards. But it were not the steep streets or the few ponies out at such an early hour that slowed him down, but a worry that festered in his soul.

His father had been strange and distant since the bombing and Shining couldn't help, but worry that the old stallion might do something rash in the heat of the moment. When he had passed through the enormous gate to the castle, his worry compounded, how long would it be until he could see him again? Would the self-destructive path he had already been on only get worse? Would he be responsible if…

“Recruit Armor?” a voice asked gruffly.

The scrawny stallion blinked and looked up to see a tall, imposing royal guard clad in gold armor looking down at him with obvious disgust on his face.

“Yes?” Shining answered awkwardly, unsure as to what he had done to deserve such distaste.

“Come with me.” The stallion turned, not waiting to see if the colt was following him before trotting off down the hall.

“Wait! I haven’t put my stuff away!” Shining Armor pleaded, running after the taller, longer-legged stallion.

“You won't be putting your things in this barracks anyway.”

Shining Armor took his saddle bags in his magic and placed them on his back, moving all the while in order to not get left behind. The guard’s quick pace carried them down several halls in no time at all, leaving the shorter stallion scrambling to keep up. The guard turned suddenly after taking a few steps up a winding spiral staircase, casting a curious eye at the stunned stallion, who had stopped short of the steps.

“What is it, Recruit Armor?” he asked tersely.

Shining Armor gaped. “But that's towards the officer barracks. Surely there must be a mix up.”

The guard shook his head. “No, the princess, in her infinite wisdom, has selected you to be fast tracked for officership. You will be stowing your gear in the third floor with the others training to lead.” He took a few steps up the stairs, but stopped when he didn't hear Shining Armor’s hooves. Turning back, he frowned at the short stallion. “Is there a problem, recruit?”

“Yes, there is. I won't accept nepotism. I know Celestia pities me for what happened to my family, but this isn't right. Tell her I do not accept her offer.”

The guard blinked, his mouth opening to speak, only to close, his opinion of the small stallion soaring. “I... well then.” He tapped his chin, suddenly unsure of what to do. “I was ordered to bring you to Celestia regardless. So... you should bring up your refusal with her. For now we can skip stowing your gear and we will make it directly to the royal suite.”

Shining’s confident appearance melted at the thought of denying the princess to her face. He gulped and stepped after the guard, who seemed to eye him with a burgeoning respect. Together, the pair climbed to the third story, passed a security point, then entered a different set of spiral stairs and climbed an additional two stories, only to repeat the entire process one last time.

By the end of it, Shining Armor was left wheezing and his heart hammered in his chest. His legs felt heavy and he couldn't help, but curse whomever had designed this section of the tower with so many spiral staircases. A part of him knew this was because most ponies were right hoofed and the construction of the staircase ensured the defenders had the advantage, but the rest of him was too busy wheezing and trying not to collapse to the floor to care about that little nugget of information.

The guard stopped, waiting patiently for Shining to crawl up to the last security post. “How… how many stories was that?” Shining wheezed.

The guard snorted, amused by the smaller stallion. “We are on the forty-second floor.”

Shining Armor gasped. “What? But... what?”

The guard chuckled. “We took the enchanted stairs, since our identity was confirmed. An invader could get lost for days in the maze of stairs if they didn't know where they were going, so keep that in mind if you ever think you are going to sneak somewhere you’re not supposed to. Now come on, the princess’ suite is just up ahead.”

Shining Armor nodded, pulling in a few last frantic gulps of air and silently hoping the wobbling in his legs wouldn't get any worse, he would hate to fall over in front of the princess. They trotted past one last pair of guards that appeared to be identical to the rest. Tall, stoic, powerfully built and with the same gold armor and sleek white coat as the rest. The unicorn and pegasus guards didn't even look at Shining or their fellow guard, their eyes staring straight ahead, unblinking.

After passing through the archway, the hall suddenly shifted, growing far larger than the narrow tower they were now in should allow. Within several feet, the hallway opened to the left and right, both of the new hallways extending a dozen meters over what would have been the outside of the tower, numerous doors along their paths. That was of course assuming Celestia’s suite obeyed normal laws of physics, which it clearly didn't.

As such they passed numerous rooms, antechambers, a lounge and even what appeared to be a smoke room before they hit the end of the hall and were forced to take the stairs. There they again passed by numerous rooms, each more oppoulent than the last. A sauna, a pool, an art gallery, an enormous library, a private spa, a gym, Shining shook his head in disbelief. There was more space in the two floors he had seen of the tower than the entire rest of Canterlot Castle.

The entire time he walked he was flanked by ancient and renowned art, from paintings to statues to stained glass to ornate and antique weapons. He had no doubt that what little he could see from his current angle would be enough to keep him and his entire extended family in exorbitant wealth for generations if they were to be sold. That was also discounting the sheer amount of gold and jewels that lined the decedent halls. Vases of what looked like pure gold were inserted randomly into the endless sprawling halls of Celestia’s suite. The door handles were almost exclusively made of gold and many of the ornate doors were made from some ancient tree and were inlaid with gems of a size the stallion had never seen before.

The sheer scale of Celestia’s wealth would normally look gaudy, but there was such artistry in the placement and such perfection in the subtle blending of color with the natural light, that somehow streamed in from seemingly everywhere, that it all worked perfectly.

“It's a lot to take in, huh?” the guard asked.

Shining shook his head in disbelief. “This is crazy.”

The guard snickered. “When you’re around for as long as the princess, you tend to collect a few things. I shouldn't have to tell you, but don't touch anything. Most of what you see is worth more than your life’s salary and that's assuming you somehow make captain of the guard.”

Shining snorted. “That will never happen.”

The guard laughed and motioned towards a seemingly random door in the middle of the hall. “Let's go, the princess will be waiting for you.”

The younger stallion breathed deeply and straightened his spine, standing tall and unafraid. “Right. Ready when you are.”

The guard nodded and smiled faintly before opening the door with a hoof and beckoning for Shining to enter. The stallion did as asked and proudly trotted into the room. That pride didn't last long and his step quickly faltered as he looked around. It had a bed in it, but Shining wasn't sure if that was enough to classify it is as a bedroom. The ceilings were high enough to allow a whole flock of pegasi room to fly and it was probably large enough to hold his entire childhood house within its four walls and still have enough space left for the yard to fit as well.

The roof itself was a piece of art unlike anything the stallion had seen. From one corner to the other was a great painting that depicted hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller pictures. From his brief glance he could tell that it was a history of Equestria, but he could only guess at what half the scenes were meant to show as history had never been his forte. Even then he saw scenes that he was pretty sure no history book would ever depict. Blushing madly, the stallion pulled his gaze down and looked around the room.

Several doors exited the main room, though they were all closed, leaving Shining to guess at what new and opulent room lay beyond. A walk-in closet with room for hundred dresses? A bathroom large enough to have a small pool in the center while still having room for the necessities? Shining pushed the thoughts from his head and forced himself to look away from the gleaming gold and red that covered the room from top to bottom and towards the thin line of yellow that fell across the room from the open archway to his left.

Upon noticing the thin line of sunlight, Shining Armor’s ears perked up and he realized that the room beyond was filled with the sound of music, so much so a small tune could be heard. The soft plucking of a harp intermingled with the hushed tone of an enchanting songstress carried the stallion past the arch and onto the large balcony before he even realized his hooves had moved.

To his right were the sources of the music he had heard, a tall elegant looking earth pony mare plucked at a harp while an equally as elegant, but slightly leaner pegasus sung beautifully. The sound was like the burbling of a brook, indistinct, but relaxing and utterly enchanting.

Closer to the balcony’s edge was her. Celestia herself, the Unconquered Sol, the Empire Maker. From her perch atop a small mound of pillows, she gazed out at her city, while a pair of younger ponies stood nearby, a unicorn filly waited close at hoof, levitating a fork full of angel food cake. The princess opened her mouth and the unicorn dutifully placed the cake into her mouth and quickly cut off another piece and readied it. The other foal appeared male and like his counterpart, he was dressed in a silky, yellow and gold dress that dusted the floor.

Shining gulped, noticing the pair of musicians eyed him cautiously, though not overtly enough to interrupt their song. Without turning her gaze from the city below, the princess spoke, “You may go, Sun Speaker and Whisper Wind. Please, find some breakfast and return in an hour.”

The musicians nodded and left without a word, the absence of their song leaving the stallion despondent for its loss. Shining opened his mouth to speak, but Celestia beat him to the punch.

“Come to me,” she whispered huskily, while smiling warmly and patting a spare cushion she had pulled from the pile she sat on.

Shining Armor blinked, his hooves moving as if of their own volition, carrying him to the pillow and plopping him down near the edge of the balcony, his head just barely enough to see over the railing. Celestia’s smile widened and her eyes sparkled as she beamed down on the stallion.

“Good. Now before you ask anything, I want you to look out over Canterlot and tell me what you feel.” The alicorn slipped in closer to the stallion, rubbing a hoof down his back and drawing a shiver from the much smaller pony. “Tell me what stirs within your heart when you look out over our city.”

The stallion gulped, every fibre of his being calling for him to move away from the enchanting alicorn, but there was something about her presence, the closeness, that soothed him. He relaxed, leaning slightly against the mare’s leg, feeling worries of protocol and politeness flee from his mind.

He cast his eyes out over the city, looking down upon the great spires of gold and marble that dotted the cityscape. He marveled at the great and ancient city, his mind awash with numerous emotions. To the point that he almost forgot about the alicorn’s request, so lost amidst the seemingly endless towers, roads and numberless ponies that walked and flew amongst them.

“I feel… nervous,” Shining mumbled.

The alicorn raised and eyebrow and leaned closer to the stallion. “Why do you say that?”

“It looks so fragile, like the boats in bottles my father used to make when I was little. It’s perfect, too perfect,” he muttered darkly, his gaze lingering on a particular set of towers that were so small he felt as though he could reach out and snap them off with his hoof.

The alicorn hummed in thought, looking out over the city and sitting in silence for a few moments. “Do you know what the terrorists feel when they see our fair city?” Shining Armor shook his head. “Greed, envy, and the all-consuming desire to take. To them, Canterlot is a great treasure chest, filled with the spoils gained by thousands of industrious ponies over generations. They see our great work and they envy us for it.”

Celestia gently placed a hoof on the stallion’s chin, caressing his cheek and pulling his eyes up to meet hers. “Which brings me to you, and why I want you among the officers of my royal guard.” He opened his lips to speak, but Celestia placed a delicate, lilac scented hoof over them. “I know what you are going to say and I know how you feel. You think you don't deserve it, but you also have something that my guard sorely lacks. Do you know what that is?”

The alicorn lowered herself until her face was mere inches from the stallion’s own, their muzzles nearly touching. It took every ounce of willpower Shining Armor had not to look away. He just shook his head, unable to make the words reach his lips.

“Drive.” She smiled and stood tall once more, allowing the stallion to breathe easier. “Most of my guards are here out of obligation, they cannot see the big picture and they strive for nothing. They have seen our society and they have grown fat and lazy, confident in our power. To them, guarding the city is an afterthought to their wants and desires, something to keep themselves busy with while they pursue other interests.”

The alicorn frowned and stomped her hoof, the two foals shirking away from the small tremor that ran through the balcony. “They have not visited the border cities or seen true strife. They care little of the fledgeling nations that edge closer to our borders every day. But you! You have seen the danger lurking within even our fair city. I can taste the powerful will within you.” Celestia smiled and pulled the stallion closer to her. “You will succeed because you have the vision and the drive that my officers seem to lack and you will set an example to the layabouts that clutter my guard. Now, do you understand why I want you inside my guard?”

Shining’s mind felt hazy and though he wasn't quite sure if he agreed with a promotion so soon, he couldn't help but find himself agreeing with the alicorn. Most of the guards he had met seemed unconcerned, lacking the fire he expected to see in those brave few who were tasked with safeguarding Canterlot and Her Majesty Celestia.

“Do you… do you really think I have what it takes?” he whispered, turning his head and staring out over the city, unable to meet her gaze.

Celestia smiled, he couldn't see her lips turn, but he could feel her confidence. “I know you do.”

After running his eyes over the cityscape one last time, he sighed. “Then I will not let you down, Princess. You have my word.”

The alicorn gave him a gentle squeeze, subtly shifting his body even closer. “Good, you just have to do one little thing for me.” Celestia’s grin grew twisted, her tongue slipping from her mouth and licking her lips.

A small, demure unicorn with soft blue fur and a purple mane and tail sat nearly motionless, a book held in her dainty hooves and a small frown on her lips. She shifted slightly in her seat, her cutie mark of two deep blue moons visible for only a second, quickly hidden behind her saddlebags. From her elegant and flowing mane style to the well-manicured hooves, everything about the pony screamed the fact that she belonged here.

Moonlit Echo sat silently on the bench across the street from a newly refurbished home, deep into the most expensive part of town. She flipped the page of the book she held, though she had not read the contents of its pages. All around her the street lay silent, occasionally broken by the sound of laughter or the chatter of ponies from inside one of the many houses. It was a peaceful calm, one brought about by the closeness of the castle, an object that brought an intense paranoia to the lounging unicorn.

She didn't care about any of those things though, the enchanted glasses on the end of her nose allowed her to see the house across from her as if she were standing just outside the window and it took every ounce of her attention.

Night Light stumbled in front of the window at the bottom of the stairs, tossing back the bottle in his grip only to stop, look up at the empty bottle, only to fling it aside. Moonlit could all, but hear the clatter as the glass was thrown, hopefully into a garbage bin. The stallion stumbled up the stairs and entered his room, made evident by the flickering glow of his horn. Within seconds the light disappeared and the stallion no doubt passed out.

The mare sat quietly on the bench, her head moving slightly from left to right, giving any passerby the assumption she was reading while her eyes stayed fixated on the window. After counting for several minutes, she turned the page and placed a bookmark in her place. She placed the book, Nothing to Envy, in her saddlebag and stood up. After a brief stretch and the subsequent series of pops that came from her back, she turned away from the castle and began to trot towards lower Canterlot.

Her steps were measured, each one timed and perfected in order to give off the air that she was aloof, yet confident. Any passerby would take one look at her and judge that she was meant to be there, from her perfect stride to her well-manicured mane and tail, everything about her was just so.

She made her way down, her hooves carrying her for nearly an hour before she reached the gate that divided upper Canterlot from middle and lower Canterlot. The traffic had increased, as did security, the now numerous guards overlooking her from the parapets above as well as from the gate itself. Even with so many eyes on her, including the many ponies coming and going, she did not break stride or spare them a glance.

Not a single pony, guard included, gave her so much as a second thought as she passed through the gate. The hidden charms and wards passed over her, hardly even noticed by most. Once past, she let out a small breath of relief, her countercharms, wards and enchantments had all worked flawlessly, but the gate still made her anxious no matter how many times she walked through it.

The mare dodged around a small family making their way towards upper Canterlot, picking up her pace. She danced her way through the crowd and quickly slipped into one of the less trafficked streets that went even lower. Middle Canterlot passed by quickly and transitioned seamlessly to lower Canterlot. Gone were the sprawling apartments and towers that housed the general population, replaced by plentiful market squares and shops that covered every street corner. The third and least reputable section of Canterlot was still opulent by the standards of someone who grew up in the frontiers though and even the smallest home was still at least two stories tall and polished to a shine.

Hundreds walked the streets even with the sun setting, confident in their safety and uncaring of the hour. Moonlit couldn't help but grin, thankful that she worked in such a place. Amongst the frontier towns it was dangerous for a mare to travel to such places alone at such an hour, but here, in the heart of Equestria, it didn't even occur to most that their safety might be in jeopardy. As such she still did not bat an eye, even when she slipped down an unmarked alley and behind a dumpster that nearly occupied the entire alley.

The mare cast a quick glance back and forth, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she reached down and gripped two cobblestones a few feet apart from each other that rose slightly from the otherwise flat ground. With a slight heave and a grunt the ground between the stones lifted, revealing a ladder down into the darkness. The mare set aside the fake cobblestone road section and got onto the ladder. With one last grunt she lifted the circular block of fake cobblestone back into place with her magic, the faint click of the hatch like music to her ears.

After a moment spent catching her breath, the mare began descending the ladder, deeper into the darkness. Though it should be nearly impossible for anyone to see in such an environment, she had no such issue. The smell of stagnant water and mold tickled the mare’s nose, but she had long since grown used to the scent and easily ignored it. Eventually, she made her way to the bottom and stepped out into a narrow circular hall that hung low, meaning she was forced to crouch down slightly.

Turning right down the hall, the mare passed by several other intersections that branched in either direction. After counting off three intersections she took a right, then a left and finally after counting off fifty steps she stopped and turned left in front of what looked like a completely normal brick wall.

The mare breathed a sigh of relief, the catacombs that served as the city’s old sewer were supposedly completely sealed save for their secret entrances, but Moonlit couldn't help, but imagine a monster or royal guard around every corner of the ancient underground, despite all the hours spent crawling through the moldy passageways without any issue.

She placed her hoof against the wall and after a short wait, her limb glowed blue for a moment before fading. Smiling softly to herself, the mare took a step back, and on cue the wall slid away soundlessly, slipping neatly into the side to reveal two determined-looking stallions standing with spears raised, barely illuminated by a small crystal overhead, only their thick black robes and shining spears visible.

“Identity?” one barked.

“Moonlit Echo, back from my mission overseeing the Sparkle residence,” she replied back calmly.

The stallion nodded. “Password?”

“Love burns eternal.”

The pair breathed a sigh of relief and lowered their spears. “Thank the stars you are back. We have been hearing a lot of noise coming from the catacombs and one of our patrols hasn't returned yet.”

Moonlit made her way inside, chuckling all the while. “Was it Twitch and Daisy?”

The stallion cocked his head. “How did you know?”

She rolled her eyes and placed her glasses and saddlebags on a nearby table. “Those two have been making goo goo eyes at each other for weeks.”

The stallion snickered and hit a lever on the wall next to him, causing the wall to slide neatly back into place. Only then did the other stallion seem to relax and place his spear along the wall as his partner had done already.

Moonlit took a few steps forward and hit a button on the wall opposite of the one she entered, causing the crystal to glow much brighter. After blinking a few times, the mare looked around, noting her companions had shed their enchanted robes and were placing them on racks next to the entryway. One was smaller, a little leaner and much younger with a quill for a cutie mark and with a pair of wings on his back. His coat was a soft yellow and his mane and tail a deep auburn.

The older stallion was much bigger built with wide, powerful shoulders and an impressive stance. The horn on his head was filed to a deadly point, adding an extra layer of intimidation that the bloody spiked club on his flank already did an amazing job of.

Moonlit smirked as the pair moved to the table in the room, the older stallion drawing a pair of cards from somewhere. “They stick you with the newbie again, Mace?”

The older stallion snorted and settled down at the table, his chair squeaking under the weight. “Unfortunately. Didn't even let me take Lavender with me. Said it scared the newbies too much.” The stallion snorted again.

Moonlit chuckled and moved to the door, casting one last glance at the old bruiser before shaking her head and stepping through the portal. The next room was much larger and much busier than the small guard station. Tunnels crisscrossed every ten feet and ponies trotted to and fro, carrying boxes or stacks of paper or the occasional odd weapon. Maneuvering through the mix easily, Moonlit made her way through the horde of ponies and deeper into the headquarters, only stopping at the several security stations before coming to a large iron door.

The mare drew herself up and took a deep breath before knocking. “Just a second!” a distinctly feminine, but oddly gravelly tone answered.

Moonlit looked around, spying the odd thestral and even a minotaur hauling boxes and bags. “Must have finally gotten that resupply…” she muttered.

“You can come in now!” the strange voice yelled again.

Moonlit pulled the door open and quickly slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. “Ahh, Moonlit. Come to report directly to me again, despite being asked to submit a report like everyone else.”

Moonlit snorted and plunked down in a chair, shaking her head at the alicorn across from her. “I don't do paperwork and this is news you would want to hear.”

Across from her the alicorn smiled gently, her cut up lips revealing far too much of her teeth. “Why don't you drop that disguise first, you know my policy on changing while at base.”

The mare rolled her eyes and did as she was asked, dropping her disguise and revealing her black chitin-clad form for all to see, rolling her solid blue eyes in annoyance. “Now can I tell you?”

The alicorn nodded. “Yes, but remember we shouldn't be ashamed of ourselves, not down here at least.”

Moonlit sat a little easier at that, normally a pony saying something along those lines would have made her annoyed, but Cadence was different. Her pink fur only covered parts of her body, the rest of her skin was a dense web of scar tissue. One leg ended at the knee and her horn was broken, but she didn't seem to notice, her singular eye was open wide and she smiled unashamed at the small changeling.

“Hungry?” the alicorn asked in her strange, gravely voice.

The changeling shook her head, only to stop and blush as she felt just how much the day had drained her. “Maybe a little. Do you mind?”

Cadence scoffed. “Of course not.” Then, before the changeling could change her mind, the alicorn lowered her head, pointed her shattered horn at the changeling and poured an ample amount of love into the mare.

The changeling shivered as she felt the love wash over her, drinking deeply. Her eyes fluttered open a few seconds later, having drunk from the intoxicating well of love Cadence seemed to overflow with. “Thanks, boss.”

The alicorn waved her stump leg dismissively. “Don't worry about it. Now, what is this info I couldn't wait to hear?”

“Well, as you know, I’ve been tasked with watching the Sparkle residence and it turns out this morning Shining Armor left in order to join the royal guard without telling his father.”

Cadence grimaced. “That couldn't have gone well.”

“That's an understatement, the old pony nearly killed himself.”

The alicorn gasped and reeled back. “No way! Shiny would be devastated.”

The changeling rose a non-existent eyebrow at that, but said nothing on the subject. “Yes, well, it doesn't stop there. After he nearly decided to end it all, he left the house suddenly and donated pretty much everything he owned to charity, only keeping sentimental stuff, and the things his kids left behind. After that, he threw out all his booze except for one last bottle, then drank it and passed out.”

Cadence shook her head. “What do you think he's planning on doing?”

“I don't know, but he seems like he's in a slightly better place now. Could be a good time to contact him?”

“I could use my public persona to talk to him. Maybe feign me interest in Shining and inquire as to where he has been, which would confirm a few things for us at least.”

The changeling nodded. “Perfect. If we do manage to win him over, his help would be invaluable as I don't think we have ever managed to get into the royal observatory before.”

Cadence rubbed her chin with her stump leg. “It could be useful, but I doubt my dear old aunt really has anything too nefarious hidden up there.”

Suddenly, the iron door swung open, startling them from their thoughts. “Ma’am! News from Ponyville!”

Cadence tsked. “Knock first, remember? We went over this, Swift River.”

The blue and green stallion shrunk. “Uh, sorry about that.” The changeling shot him an angry glare and pulled herself off the ceiling, slinking back into her chair. “You just wanted to know the minute we got news from Ponyville, so I thought…”

“It's okay, Swifty, just remember to knock next time.” He nodded and the alicorn smiled. “Well, what are the news?”

Swift shifted nervously, taking a step back. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Nothing terribly important, go on, Swifty.”

“The supply mission was a success as you know, but we also managed to recruit a few more wayward changelings.” He winced. “They are in bad shape, but the doc says they’ll live. Might have to amputate a few limbs though, a couple had some bad chitin rot.”

Moonlit winced, a shiver running up her spine, Cadence’s cheery tone breaking the horrid images that threatened to invade her thoughts. “That's great news! Was there anything else?”

The pegasus stallion nodded. “There were rumours of an outsider that wasn't one of ours, who appeared in Ponyville, only to vanish again.”

Cadence blinked and looked at Moonlit, who only shrugged. “She's not one of ours. All our changelings are needed here in Canterlot.”

“What did this outsider look like?”

Swift scratched his head. “Well, reports are sketchy. The only pony who got a real good look at them was the town drunk and she rambled on and on about how terrifying this pony was, but when we pressed her for details, she didn't sound scary at all.”

“So what did she have to say about this scary… mare?” Cadence asked.

“She just said she was tall, a little lanky, awkward and with a strangely long and curved horn. She had purple fur and-”

“Short, clean cut mane and tail that was a deeper purple then her fur with a strip of pink and lavender running through it?” Cadence finished.

Swift River blinked. “Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”

Cadence’s torn lips turned up into a huge grin and a sudden burst of laughter dashed forth.

“Uh…” The two other beings eyed each other worriedly, both wondering about the state of their commander’s sanity.

“You alright there, boss?” the changeling asked.

Cadence’s laughter slowly stopped and she breathed deeply. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Swifty. Get our best agent to track her, but don't interfere.”

The changeling reached across the table and gripped the alicorn’s head, staring into her lone eye with a strange intensity. “You alright in there, boss? No way you just told me what I think you did.”

Cadence chuckled. “Yes, I did. I want you to pull Queenie off whatever she is doing and stick her on this.”

Moonlit’s eyes narrowed, only to pull back and shake her head. “You are serious. And not completely nuts. What's going on, boss? Who is this pony?”

The alicorn’s eyes sparkled and her lone wing twitched at her side. “Someone special. She's going to close the circle, Moonlit, after all these years, Twilight Sparkle has returned.”

Editing done by the wonderful everfree pony!
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