"So, how's life in Canterlot been?" asked Cadance.

"It's alright," said Shining Armor. He had resolved to be more verbose around Cadance following the awkwardness of the escort mission. His attempt had met only mixed results. Of course, it didn't help that he had been invited to a private audience with the princess in a secluded corner of the castle gardens.

"I feel like I've missed so much!" said Cadance. "You were just about to start guard school when I left, and now you're doing special missions!"

"I'm only a private," said Shining, fighting the urge to blush. "That was just a one-time thing, I think."

"And not mention all that Twilight's been up to," Cadance went on. "Saving Equestria twice! And bringing back Auntie Luna, too! Celestia had told me about her, of course, but I only just met her last night! It's an entirely new world!"

"Well, if it's any consolation, things aren't completely different," offered Shining. "That old ice cream shop on Twelthbit Lane is still open."

Cadance let out a little squeal of delight. "I remember when we used to take Twilgiht there int he summer! I can't believe it's still going!"

That joyful smile shone brighter than the sun above them to Shining Armor, worth more than a million bits . . .

"Shining? Hello? Are you alright?" said Cadance.

The spell was broken, and Shining realized that he had been staring.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Just, uh, thinking about, uh, guard duty."

"Must be exciting!" said Cadance. She flashed another breathtaking smile, but this time he was ready for it. "Anyway," she went on, "I was just saying how I should go down and see Twilight in Ponyville."

"That . . . sounds like a good idea."

Cadance sighed. "But I think Auntie Tia's trying to make up for lost time while I'm gone. She's got me going to just about every ceremony or event in a fifty mile radius."

"Ceremonies! What a huge price to pay for being an immortal princess," teased Shining Armor.

"I know, I know," said Cadance. "But you try being royalty and see how you like it."

"Because that's going to happen," said Shining.

"You never know," said Cadance. Shining bravely tried to ignore the possible implications of that statement.

"And I suppose you're going to be at the Grand Galloping Gala tomorrow?" Shining asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"The biggest social event of the year?" said Cadance grimly. "There's no way Tia's gonna let me miss that one."

There was a rustle in the bushes behind Cadance.

"I'm even supposed to bring an escort, but I think I can get her to drop that part," Cadance continued. "Unless . . ."

Shining wasn't listening. He was more focused on the blue orbs in the bushes that were almost certainly eyes.

"You're doing it again, Shining," said Cadance, but her voice was distant.

Shining lunged at the bush. The eyes retreated almost immediately. Then Shining realized he had jumped at a rose bush.

Pain? Shining laughed at pain. Lots of pain from a thousand different directions? He gave it a little snort and tried to get up as fast as he could without losing face. Still, through the stinging, he heard the sound of a large animal running away, almost certainly pony-sized.

"Are you okay?" asked Cadance immediately, reaching down to help him back to his hooves.

"I'm fine," insisted Shining. "But I think we'd better get back to the palace."

"Yikes," said Handcuffs. "What happened to you? Was a thumbtack robbing a bank?"

"Not now," snapped Shining, striding purposefully towards Sarge's office.

"I need to talk to Sarge," he said to Pen.

"No can do," said Pen, nonchalantly leafing through some files. "He's in a coordinating meeting with the Princess. No way he's going to elt anypony interrupt him."

"It's really important," said Shining desperately.

"Disrupting-the-Princess important?" asked Pen skeptically.

"I need to talk to him now," Shining insisted.

Pen looked him in the eye, then sighed. "I trust you. Besides, it's your hide."

She stood up, trotted to Sarge's office, and opened the door. Shining couldn't see what was going on, but he could catch snippets. Pen said something about "rookie" and "insisting to see you". Sarge said something in response, and he didn't sound ecstatic to be disturbed. Then a soothing, maternal voice spoke, and Sarge trotted out the door scowling.

He caught sight of Shining and sighed deeply. "Please impart to me why you felt it neccesary to pull me out of a security planning meeting with Princess Celestia about the largest and most complicated guarding job of the year."

"We need to increase security around the castle, and especially Princess Cadance's rooms."

Sarge flashed through a range emotions in a matter of seconds. He scowled, knitted his brows, sighed, and finally looked at Shining with a slight air of despondence.

"Look, kid, I know-"

"There was somepony- something watching her. Inside the palace walls. I saw it."

"And what, pray tell, were you doing inside the palace walls?"

"I had been invited there by Cadance." He sensed what the Captain would say, and cut him off. "It's not an isolated incident! We've got ponies snooping around there after dark, and the wagon, from two nights ago! You yourself called it a possible assassination attempt!"

"Let me talk," said Sarge, with a surprising amount of patience. "Look, kid, you're a good guard. You're smart. You've got potential. And I know you're doing what you think is best. But I can't ignore the fact that you're young. You've known the Princess for years. And she is very beautiful."

"That's not-" Shining protested, but Sarge cut him off.

"You're just a little . . . overeager. I was when I was young. Perfectly understandable. We've got the palace well protected, and I can assure that your princess is perfectly safe. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the Princess to get back to."

He turned to leave, but then paused.

"Although, if you're really eager to protect the palace," he said, grinning a bit, "I suppose I can find a place for you and Private Handcuffs on gate duty under Commander Air Force during the Gala."

" . . . Gate duty?" asked Shining, his jaw dropping. "Under . . . Air Force?"

"Are you questioning your orders, Private?"

"No Sir," said Shining quickly.

"Good," said Sarge. Then he trotted back to his office and slammed the door.