"Sarge was talking to the Twins," said Handcuffs as he sat down next to Shining Armor in the cafeteria.

"The Twins can talk?" asked Shining with a hint of surprise in his voice.

Handcuffs rolled his eyes. "He was asking about you! How you did on your assignment!"

Shining desperately tried to maintain a straight face.

"This could mean big things!" insisted Handcuffs. "Come on, I know you're excited about this."

Shining displayed no emotion. "It won't be anything big, we both know that."

Handcuffs scoffed. "So Shining Armor, top student at Guard School, most honorable, idealistic, and frankly naive pony in all the Guard, if not Canterlot itself, is not excited about the fact that the Captain of the Royal Guard asked him to carry out a special assignment and is impressed with his results."

Mouth quavering a bit, Shining replied, "That is exactly what I am saying."

Handcuffs smacked him lightly. "Shut up. You're not making this any fun for me."

"What am I supposed to do?" asked Shining. "Prance around shouting 'Sarge likes me, I'm going to be the Princess Celestia's personal bodyguard?'"

"Exactly," said Handcuffs. "Humor boosts morale."

His mind faintly abuzz with worries and hopes, Shining Armor trotted down towards the armory. He had castle duty that afternoon. Generally, the work was excrutiatingly boring (unless some visiting dignitary tripped over his spear), but he did need some time to just sit down and think straight.

That opportunity never came. A familiar golden, red-maned unicorn was waiting for him outside the elevator with her typical harried expression.

"You're needed in the tactical room," said Mighty Pen. "I don't know why, so don't bother asking me. Sarge sent me to find you specifically. Whatever you've been doing, Shining, keep it up."

Ignoring the fact that his heart had nearly leaped into his throat, Shining nodded and thanked Pen, who immediately hurried off back to her desk.

Shining quickly got onto the elevator. A Guardspony must never waste the time of his superiors. Page 78, Line 9.

All I did was bring in some third-rate magician, Shining thought to himself. (Somewhere in an alley, Trixie felt her ears tingle.) It honestly can't have been that big of a deal. Why would Sarge want me for some big assignment?

With a crash, smash, clatter, groan, and squeak, the ancient chain-driven elevator reached the basement. Shining had never really been down here before. The only level that was beneath it were the dungeons (which hadn't been needed in many years). The basement was where the most important planning procedures took place. Shining cautiously stepped otu of the elevator; he didn't feel like he belonged here.

In the distance, he could hear voices and saw flickering torchlight. Praying that he was not too late, Shining trotted into the planning room. There stood Sarge, the Twins, and-

Air Force.

The black pegasus stared back at Shining Armor with distaste. There was a momentary battle of wills, before Shining Armor realized that staring down Sarge's second-in-command probably wasn't the best idea.

"Ah, Shining Armor, you're here. Not too late, thankfully," said Sarge.

"Sir," asked Air Force, "why are we bringining a . . . rookie for an important assignment like this?"

"Simple," said Sarge. "He's known the princess for a long while. He'll put her at ease a bit. He has shown at least some good judgement recently, so I think he'll be able to handle this."

Then it all made sense. Cadance. There was something going on involving Cadance, and they wanted to relax her a bit. Shining wasn't here because of talent, he was here because they needed a friendly face. Well, you couldn't get much friendlier than Shining Armor, unless you wanted to bring Twilight back from Ponyville.

Cadance . . .

In his mind's eye a picture was already forming: a lovely smile, sparkling eyes . . .

His superego quickly shut the mental sluice gate before it opened any wider. Friendly face, he reminded himself. Friendly and nothing more. She's a princess.

Sarge turned to Shining Armor. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza-" (Shining bit down the urge to say "It's Cadance") "-is returning from her royal tour tonight. Seeing as there have been a number of disturbances around the Royal Palace, we've been asked escort her through the city back to her lodgings."

He cast an evil eye around the room. "Now, this request was made by Princess Celestia herself, so don’t screw this up."

“Do you see anything yet?” asked Handcuffs.

“Nope,” said Shining as he stared down the tracks. He was tapping his hoof impatiently.

“Hey, calm down some,” said Handcuffs. “I know you’re anxious to see your girlfriend, but she’ll get here soon enough.”

“She’s not- we’re not- shut up!” hissed Shining, making Handcuffs break down with laughter.

“You can’t joke about that sort of thing!” insisted Shining. “She’s royalty! What if somepony heard you?”

“And that makes it even funnier that you think you have a chance with her,” replied Handcuffs, smirking. "Look, if you didn't want me joshing you, you wouldn't have asked them to let me come." Shining just scowled.

In the distance, a plume of smoke rose from the valley. Handcuffs and Shining hurriedly assumed their positions. Sarge stood at the edge of the platform, with Air Force by his side. The pegasus glared suspiciously at them, but was unable to find any fault and turned back to the track.

The train drew into the platform with a rattle. Shining Armor noticed that his heart rate was starting to speed up, and his superego had to run down and give it a quick talking to.

The door opened, and she stepped out.

She descended the steps gracefully, like a ballerina. Her flowing mane perfectly framed a beautiful, lovely face, which was already flashing that amazing smile at everypony she saw. Her eyes were perfect, purple orbs, so deep that there was no bottom. She seemed to almost radiate light . . .

Handcuffs casually leaned over and pushed Shining's jaw back into place.

The Sarge bowed his head. "Hello, Princess."

"Hello," she replied, pleasantly, and her voice was like the tinkling of a thousand bells . . .

"Have you really gone to all this fuss just for me? I'd hate to have caused you trouble."

"It's nothing," said Sarge, and Shining found himself nodding emphatically in agreement.

The guardsponies got into defensive arrangement, and Shining found himself shoved, whether through accident or design, right next to Cadance. Focus, he reminded himself. You're here to keep her safe.

As the party left the station and headed into the streets, he tried not to notice that Cadance was looking at him. "Do I know you from somewhere?" she asked at last.

"It's- it's me," he replied, "Shining Armor."

Cadance's eyes widened. "Shining? I haven't seen you in ages!"

" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yeah."

Air Force gave a derisive snort.

"So, how's Twilight?" asked Cadance.

"She's . . . fine. She's in, um, Ponyville now," replied Shining slowly.

"I heard about that!" said Cadance. "But then, who didn't?"

"Yeah."

"And how about you? How's the Royal Guard treating you?"

"Yeah."

Then, mercifully, Handcuffs smacked the back of his head.

"Ow! Uh, I mean, it's fine," said Shining hurriedly. Cadance nodded knowingly as they rounded a corner.

Then a wagon came barelling out of nowhere, heading straight for them.

Shining's self-preservation instincts blinked on for a millisecond before they were overridden by the urge to protect Cadance. He and the other guards shoved her off the road, and they all flew into a pile of rubbish, which provided a soft, if smelly, landing.

Despite his age, the Sarge was the first one up. He was already on his feet by the time Shining had realized that he wasn't dead. By the time Shining had hastily unwrapped his front legs from around Cadance, the Sarge was barking drill orders.

"On your feet! We've just experienced a possible assassination attempt, and you're ust sitting there on your rumps? I ought to revoke your helmets!"

With much confusion, the guards hurriedly stood up. Five seoncds later, they remembered to check that the Princess was alright.

"Wait a second," said Shining, "where's Handcuffs?" He looked around wildly, but there was no sign of his friend.

Then, thankfully, Handcuffs trotted out from the alley, rubbing his head.

"Handcuffs! You okay?"

"I'm fine," said Handcuffs. "I think I got pushed a bit too hard. I'm gonna have a headache tomorrow, though."

"Come on!" snapped Sarge impatiently. "It isn't safe out here!"

The guards reassembled around Cadance, and continued towards the palace, albeit at a much faster pace.

"Are you alright?" whispered Cadance.

"Me?" asked Shining. "I'm fine."

"Good," said Cadance. "I don't want you to get hurt."

There is absolutely nothing that can be read in that statement, Shining reminded himself.

"It's been, what, two years since we've seen each other?" said Cadance. "We have some catching up to do."

Is fate trying to tempt me?