Twilight entered Rainbow’s quarters. Spitfire was in the kitchen and heard somepony enter, as she came into the front room, she saw Twilight and came to attention.
“Princess Twilight!” said Spitfire shocked, “sorry about not being in uniform, I just got up.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Twilight, “where’s Rainbow?”
“She’s still in bed, Princess.”
“Alone like this, Twilight is good enough.”
“Thank you, Twilight. Would you like me to get Rainbow up?”
“No,” said Twilight, she had a wicked smile, “I’ll handle this. But you may want to watch.”
Spitfire snickered. Rainbow had told her the things the two friends had pulled on each other in the past.
Rainbow was warm and snug under the covers. She was awake but hadn’t opened her eyes yet. She knew Spitfire was cooking breakfast. But after last night’s love making, Rainbow was surprised that Spitfire could be up that early.
But soon she felt a pony getting back under the covers. It was dark in her room so she didn’t see clearly the pony that had joined her. Rainbow smiled and reached out and embraced the pony. Rainbow’s hoof was sliding down and caressing her breasts, then was rubbing her marehood.
“Ready for more, Fire my love?” asked Rainbow.
“As fun as that might be, I don’t think it’d be appropriate,” said a familiar voice, “Spitfire is watching and I’m a married pony after all.
And I don’t think you’d want Luna to be upset with you.”
Rainbow’s eyes shot open, as Spitfire turned on the light. There, very close to her, embraced in Rainbow’s forelegs was Twilight with a smirk as she gave Rainbow a small kiss on the muzzle. Rainbow almost fainted from embarrassment after fondling Twilight.
Rainbow panicked, backed off and fell out of the bed.
Twilight and Spitfire were laughing.
“That’s not funny!” said Rainbow trying to get her composure.
“Actually it was,” said Spitfire.
“What if I had tried to do something?” said Rainbow.
By now Twilight had got out of the bed.
“You mean more than fondling my goodies like you were?” said Twilight, “Rainbow, after Luna, you couldn’t handle it!”
“Is there a problem?” said Rainbow, “or are you bored and just here to harass me?”
“Rainbow,” said Twilight, “you and ‘Fire’ have two hours to gather all your troops. If there are any on leave in Canterlot, recall them, this is important.”
Then looking at Spitfire.
“Two hours,” said Twilight still smirking, “make sure your commanding officer and marefriend is on time and properly dressed.”
“Yes ma’am,” said Spitfire with a smile.
As Twilight was leaving, she heard Spitfire having fun with Rainbow.
“Why did I find you in bed with and feeling up another pony?”
“Fire!” said Rainbow, “I didn’t…”
Twilight chuckled as the door closed behind herself. She was sure that Spitfire would have plenty of ammunition to tease Rainbow with for a long time to come.
It was two hours later. There was a large flat field outside the city, it was Canterlot’s mustering grounds. On a platform at one end of the field stood Princesses Celestia, Luna and Twilight. Luna and Twilight were in battle armor. This was a first for Twilight and she felt uncomfortable. Andromeda was on the platform as well, feeling very out of place as well. Rainbow had loaned a pair of her sunglasses to Twilight for the nocturnal mare.
Before them was standing, rank on rank the armies of Equestria. In front of each formation were the commanding and executive officers along with a standard bearer. There was the banner of the Sun, the banner of the Moon with a Six Pointed Star and the banner of a Six Pointed Star with a Moon.
Celestia’s horn glowed in an amplification spell. She called out to the troops.
“Guard!”
“Of the Sun!” called out Colonel Strong Hoof.
“Of the Moon!” called Lt Col Night Wind.
“Of the Stars!” called Major Rainbow Dash.
“Attention!” called out Celestia.
There was an almost thunderous sound of troops stomping their hooves to attention.
Luna walked forward and with her amplification spell called out;
“Report!”
“All troops of the Sun are present or accounted for, Your Highness!” called out Colonel Strong Hoof.
“All troops of the Moon are present or accounted for, Your Highness!” called Lt Col Night Wind.
“All troops of the Stars are present or accounted for, Your Highness!” called Major Rainbow Dash.
“Stand at ease!”
It was visible that all the troops relaxed, but attention was on the princesses. Luna addressed the troops again.
“Armies of Equestria,” said Luna, “thanks to you, Equestria has been at peace for decades. Yes there have been some issues like the Changeling attack and others. But you have always stood firm. Your training is perhaps the finest in the world.
Now comes perhaps the greatest challenge you may ever face. Before we go into what is to happen, we have a representative from a small colony on the outskirts of our great land. Their existence, families and way of life is threatened by a great evil that, alone, would have no chance of defense. If they fall, it would be a foothold in our land that would be a stepping stone to the invasion of Equestria.
Andromeda?”
The dark pony stepped forward, Twilight’s aura struck out to the pony’s throat and her voice rang out loud and clear, which startled her at first.
Andromeda addressed the gathered troops. She told the history of the Demon of Light. How he’d come and try to coerce the ponies of The Shadow Land to proclaim him their ruler. How he wanted to change their peaceful nocturnal lifestyle to an alien one of diurnal toil and servitude.
She told about the final visit a little over a moon ago and the forewarning of his next coming. Then with tears, she spoke of the murder of her innocent mother and sisters who were doing nothing more than sleeping in their own house.
This last part enraged a great number of the gathered. The Commanding officers not the least.
Celestia came forward again as Twilight and Luna comforted Andromeda
“This is the warning and the issue before us. Don’t think this enemy to be stupid but it is very possible that they wouldn’t expect them to call out to us.
And their call we will answer!”
There were cheers from the troops, Andromeda smiled at this.
“My sister?” said Celestia.
Luna came forward and addressed the troops.
“As you would be aware, we cannot empty our kingdom of the full might of our armies. There’s a slight chance that this could be a diversion and we should be ready. Being these are nocturnal ponies our nocturnal troops will answer. That is the Guard of the Moon and of the Stars.
The larger contingent, the Guard of the Sun will be in reserve and at high alert while we are away, There is a detachment of Chrystal Guard already on the way here led by Shining Armor to help shore up your depleted numbers. Being they are at the opposite end of Equestria, the Crystal Empire can almost be sure of being secure from any attack that would come from there.
We’ll be leaving on the troop trains in the morning.
Commanders, make sure your troops have a full kit and are equipped for battle. This is not a drill!
My sister?”
“Orders will be given to the commanders,” said Celestia. Then she called out again:
“Guard!”
“Of the Sun!” called out Colonel Strong Hoof.
“Of the Moon!” called Lt Col Night Wind.
“Of the Stars!” called Major Rainbow Dash.
“Attention!” called out Celestia. “Commanders, Take Over!”
The company commanders bowed and the banners dipped. Then the troops were marched off the field, back to their barracks. Ponies in Canterlot cheered and were impressed with the military ranks that marched through the streets. They were thinking it was some kind of parade. They would soon become aware of the reason for this.