At the north of Equestria lies the Crystal Mountains whose ice feeds the many lakes dotting the northern region in an ever expanding web that ends with the Neighagra Falls.
At the bottom of these mountains, near the shores of one of its many crystalline lakes lies the prestigious Equestria’s Royal Guard Academy where generations of ponies graduated as loyal guards for the greatest princess of them all. With its astonishingly large mess hall anointed with marble pillars and statues of the previous heroes and captains who protected the princess with all their might, all of which lead to a window with a panoramic view of the lakes that dot the landscape.
Despite the awe-inducing view that would fill any pony with pride, one pony sat dejected in one of the mess hall darkest corners as he ate lunch.
“You okay?”
He looked up to see Night Vision giving him a concerned look.
“I’ve been better,” Shining Armor said, wincing at the pain in his side.
This was supposed to be Shining’s golden years, but things turned sour for him rather quickly. The moment he sat on the airship, he met… Her.
“That punch must have hurt, don’t you want to get it checked out at the infirmary?” Night Vision asked.
“He’ll just say that if it ain’t broken, I should walk it off,” Shining replied solemnly, “And then dismisses me for wasting his time.”
“I don’t get it. You’re getting a treatment worse than I am,” Night Vision asked.
Shining Armor gave Night Vision a weird look, “What I don’t get is why you are getting a bad treatment.”
Night Vision unfurled his bat wings and gave Shining Armor a toothy, canine smile while glaring at him with slit, golden eyes. “Does this offer you a clue?”
“So? You’re a bat pony, that doesn’t mean anything,” Shining scoffed.
“It does if by virtue of being a bat pony means you get to graduate to the ranks of the night guard without the tedious examination,” Night Vision lamented.
“Why though?”
“Some one thousand years ago, bat pony population plummeted for some reason, so Princess Celestia gave them… Incentives.” Night Vision shuddered at uttering that word. “Needless to say, that didn’t bode well for the rest of Equestria. So they tend to make us know it whenever possible.”
“But you are top of every class!” Shining said in surprise.
“You think my father would let me pass any other way?” Night raised his eyebrow.
Shining thought for a moment. “Good point.”
“Now that I have told you of my reason for being the outcast,” Night Vision leaned over toward Shining Armor. “What’s your sin?”
“Apparently, the fact that I’m dating Prince Cadence is a sin in and of itself,” Shining said while seething with anger.
Night Vision faked a gasp. “And is she...? I mean is the department of…”
“Perfect,” Shining said with a reminiscent gaze upward, “Just perfect.”
“Perfect enough to endure all this struggle?” Night Vision gave his friend a concerned look.
Shining was about to say yes, but a chill suddenly ran down his spin prevented him from answering. He turned toward its source and saw Moon Chaser glaring at him from the distance.
Night Vision noticed the exchange. “She looks at you as if seeking revenge for killing her father.”
Shining dropped his head in his hooves. “I don’t know how much longer I can take.”
Night vision gave him a supportive pat on the back. “If it is of any consolidation, I’m here for you.”
Shining looked at his friend and gave him a weary smile.
Across the hall, Moon Chaser kept glaring at Shining Armor. Her friend patted her on the shoulder. “What’cha thinkin’,” She asked mouth full of grub.
“We need to break these two apart,” Moon mused aloud, then she turned toward her friend, “Any ideas?”
Butterfly Kick swallowed, “How about I hook up with Night guy?”
Moon Chaser looked at Butterfly with one brow raised, “And how will that accomplish anything?”
“Oh filly,” Butterfly snorted, “Two colts are best buds until a mare gets between them.”
“True,” Moon Chaser then gave Butterfly’s head a gentle slap, “That’s only if both colts are in love with said filly.” Moon Chaser then returned to her glaring. “Things could have been a lot smoother if Shining agreed to sleep with you once.”
“Mare, I know why the big dogs of Canterlot want to break the boy with the princess of love,” Butterfly placed her hooves on her hips, “But I don’t get why you hate him so.”
Moon looked at her friend from the corner of her eye before returning to glaring at Shining Armor. “It’s personal,” She stated calmly.
“Cadet Moon Chaser?” Came a voice from behind them.
“Yes?” Moon said while turning.
“The dean wants to see you,” The private said.
With a nod, Moon left her lunch and walked toward the private. She turned toward her friend and said, “We’ll continue this later.”
After a short walk, Moon Chaser was at the dean’s office. With a single strong knock, she announced herself, “Cadet Moon Chaser Artemis, reporting for duty, Sir!”
“At ease,” The Dean said.
Lieutenant first class Hard Horn is an old stallion, but for those who first meet him, he doesn’t look a day over thirty. His training regimen earned him the title ‘harder than steel’ and nominated him to become dean of the royal military academy.
“You wished to see me? Sir?” Moon Chaser asked.
Knowing the routine, Hard Horn immediately went into the subject, “The captain of the royal guard is coming tomorrow for an inspection. So I expect you to postpone any plans you have for cadet Armor till after he leaves.”
“And the light scuff from this morning?” Moon Chaser asked.
“If he can’t do training, we’ll send him to the infirmary,” Hard Horn scoffed, “end of story.”
“Anything else? Sir?” Moon Chaser kept her posture straight, her face neutral. Just like he taught me, she thought to herself while thinking of her father, and how much he would disapprove of what she is doing right now.
Hard Horn motioned to her to come closer, which she did. “Did you send the money?” He asked.
“Today’s message confirms the transfer to the hospital,” Moon Chaser, “They scheduled your daughter’s operation for this weekend, you’ll hear about it this afternoon.”
Hard Horn gave a firm nod. “Just so you know, I don’t really approve of what you and the nobles are doing.”
Moon Chaser took a step back and kept her posture straight. “With all due respect, Sir. As long as you don’t get in the way, the nobles don’t require your approval.”
Hard Horn gave a dry chuckle. “Trust me, I know that better than any pony.”
“Anything else? Sir.”
“No, you are dismissed,” Hard Horn waved, “Though, I was wondering, would you satisfy this old colt’s curiosity?”
Moon Chaser was taken off-guard, “Off the records?”
“Off the records,” Hard Horn affirmed.
“It’s personal,” She replied.
Hard Horn gave Moon Chaser a long look, “You liked the colt, didn’t you?”
“Something similar,” Moon Chaser said.
Hard Horn gave Moon a long look. “Ah,” He said all-knowing, “Alright then, good chat. Now get back to class.”
With a nod and a salute, Moon Chaser left the office.
When she was admitted into the military academy, Blueblood came to Moon Chaser with a proposal; there was a pony that the court wished to get rid of, and wanted a coordinator with someone inside the academy. Of course as the coordinator, her job was simply to relay messages to and from those who will actually do the dirty work.
It was supposed to be a safe job with a good pay. Until they told her the name of their target. Moon Chaser was more thrilled with the prospect of her getting her own hooves at Shining Armor than anyone else. She never liked the colt from the moment she saw him. Taking her Cadence out to dinner and being all goofy and adorable, making Cadence fall in love with him.
She absolutely loathed that.
If anyone was to make him pay for it, it was her. Her plan wasn't to take part of anything that was done to him. No, she left the actual bullying to the teachers, and her fellow cadets, the ones with an actual problem with him. All she did was, every time there was a scuffle, every time he was being punished, at every juncture where he was being bullied; she would walk by and made sure he sees her smiling at his misery.
That was her way of letting him know a single fact. She was in charge.
As she went to class, she walked by a group of ponies in gilded armor. “Moon Chaser,” One of them greeted.
“Duke Golden Hoof,” She returned the greeting.
“So what’s on the agenda?” He asked.
To which she replied, “Nothing.”
“What?” He exclaimed, “Why?”
“There is an inspection coming and bullying the guy might blow our cover,” She explained.
Duke Golden Hoof is what one calls of old blood. His family is responsible for founding three out of four cities in Equestria, including Manehatten which he owns the city center. Inheriting the title of Duke at a young age, he became keenly aware of his responsibilities rather early on, with one of them being advancing the family name.
When Princess Cadence came to be, he knew there and then that he is the only one who can fulfill the role as her charming prince, but because she lives in a different city, a chanced meet on the street and in high-school never came up. So he devised a plan to become the captain of the royal guard and charm her then.
But what he didn’t count on was the competition.
Of course, the aristocracy is always here to help.
“Alright,” He conceded, “but we need to up it a notch, the colt isn’t budging.”
“I have a few ideas,” Moon Chaser said, “We’ll talk later.”
With that, Moon Chaser went her way.
The rest of the day was unoriginal.
After the drills, which Shining was unable to complete due to his morning injury, they all had a class on squadron formation and other military tactics, which bored Moon Chaser to pieces, then they all had dinner before the day ended.
However, Shining had night guard duty. And so he strapped on his armor, grabbed his spear and walked outside to greet his peer who will be standing with him the rest of the night.
The moment he stepped outside, however, he felt a chill run down his spine as blue eyes glared at him from their post.
Moon Chaser was also picked for night guard duty. However, it was more her decision than anything else. For if the plan to work, it was time to introduce a carrot.
“You’re late,” she said.
“By only a couple of minutes,” Shining whined, “Don’t report me for just this.”
Moon Chaser simply turned her head forward. Shining Armor took his place at the right side of the front gate. In front of them is a road that zigzags around the lakes, and somewhere at the end of that road lies the train station home; something Shining misses dearly.
Silence between them stretched.
“Cold night,” Shining commented, trying to break the ice. But Moon didn’t respond and kept her gaze forward.
Shining sighed in defeat. In his last letter from his father, his dad gave him the advice of being empathic toward his bullies. Everyone who ever bullied you must have been bullied in return, his father wrote, showing them kindness is the best thing you can possibly do.
It was hard living up to those words. For Shining Armor, Moon Chaser is the instigator; she never really did target him physically, however, she was present at every scuffle, and at every abuse, she would watch calmly from afar, glaring at him.
Shining was determined to make her talk, but the way she looks at him made her all the more unapproachable.
Shining opened his mouth wanting to say something, but words eluded him. He couldn’t figure out what to say. Think, Shining, Think. He said to himself.
“You should probably give up.”
Shining’s head snapped in attention toward the source of the voice.
“Whatever they want from you,” Moon Chaser continued, “Just give it to them and move on.”
Shining Armor hesitated, “And what about you?”
“I’m in it because I’m getting paid,” Moon Chaser confessed with a sly smile, “In fact, a lot of people are benefiting from it.”
Shining was at a loss for words, he knew, more like intuitively, that they were organized. But the confirmation still shocked him. “Why should I give up on my love just for this?” He replied.
“When something becomes detrimental to your health and your future prospect, you’re given a choice,” Moon Chaser shifted the spear and with her free hoof, she grabbed something out of her pocket. “You either endure it, or you give it up.” She held her hoof to Shining Armor.
“What’s this?”
“Pain reliever,” She said, revealing the pills. But when she was met with a look of skepticism, she sighed. “Consider them a gesture of good faith.”
Shining hesitated, then took the pills with his magic. “What’s your angle?”
“I have a proposition,” Moon Chaser said, “You promise to break up with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza on your next leave, and no one will bully you or your friend until your leave at the end of the month. I guarantee it.”
Shining looked at her unsure of what to say, then returned to his guarding posture, gazing at the oblivion. Then an idea came to him. He needed to appear more genuine to her if he ever wished to gain her trust, and the best way to do that is with a story from his own life. “My little sister joined the school of gifted unicorns this month,” He said, “She met up with a young colt which I think she’s infatuated with, his name is Sun Light…”
*snap*
The sound caused Shining to jump. Moon Chaser had broken her spear in half with her grip. Scary!!! Shining gulped the moment Moon Chaser turned toward him very slowly, her once ice cold eyes were ablaze.
“And?” She said in a tone that made the temperature drop.
“She um… She…” Words eluded Shining once more as he grappled with finding his thought.
Moon Chaser didn’t give him the chance though, “Sun Light is the name of my younger brother, should I be wary of anything you are planning to do to him?”
“No!” Shining immediately answered, “No… I was….” He removed the sweat from his brow, “I was going to say…” He gulped, “Should I stop her from seeing him just because they’re from different social class?”
“Oh,” Moon felt a pang of guilt for overreacting.
“I didn’t even know you had a younger brother,” Shining concluded once he felt the change in her attitude.
Moon Chaser looked at the lake in front of her. “I raised him when our mom died,” She said, “He is a big part of my world. I will never forgive myself if a single hair on his head is hurt.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Shining smiled inwardly, he never thought his dad’s advice would work.
“To answer your question,” She continued, “It depends on whether such relationship is detrimental to him or not. If I felt that it is bad for him, I will do my best to stop it.” She gave Shining Armor a compassionate look, “Which is why I think it's high time you should give up on the princess.”
Shining was unable to reply to that at all, was he wrong about her all this time? “I’ll think about it,” He said.
“Good, that’s all I want to hear,” She replied, “Now take your medicine before the night shift ends, otherwise you’ll oversleep tomorrow and end up in trouble.”
“Alright,” Shining didn’t think twice and swallowed the medicine whole, “What about you? You broke a spear.”
“I’ll probably end up cleaning the armory till my leave,” She said, “Nothing that can be done about it.”
With that, the two continued their shift in a much more bearable silence than before.