//------------------------------//
// Night's Rook: Part 1, Chapter 2 
// Story: Night's Rook 
// by Ardite 
//------------------------------//


Night’s Rook
By: Ardite

2


“I suppose we’ll need to refit you for armor,” Celestia said as the trio of immortals walked down the hallways of their palace.
“There shouldn't be that much of a difference. I only added a few pounds of new muscle,” Bastion replied.
“Still, we can make a stop at the armory while we talk.”
“What exactly do we know?”
“We know how your wife was killed. And that whoever did it knew what they were doing. The murderer somehow broke into your house, we’re still trying to figure out how. But when the Royal Guards pulled out your bodies--” 
Bastion didn’t hear the rest of the sentence, all he heard was the violent shaking of his wife seizing right next to him. He saw her sprawled next to him, lit by the pale silver light of the bright moon. He quickly snapped himself back to reality, only to see Luna’s observant gaze with a layer of worry focused on him.
“I’m fine,” Bastion silently mouthed.
“They noticed a fungus on the walls,” Celestia continued, oblivious to the traded stares between her friend and sister. “Ordinarily it would be harmless, but we suspect the killer brought in a small sample and used magic to make it spread faster than it should have. It gave them time to get out of the house with no risk of being poisoned themselves. When the gasses released from the rapidly growing fungus, it was in deadly amounts.”
“The gasses were lighter than the air in your house though,” Luna cut in. “So it rose to your room first. That’s how you got Crystal out unharmed.”
“So we have no idea as to who this pony is?” Bastion asked.
“Well,” Luna hesitated. “It would make sense if it was one of the Lorlein cultists.”
“You did manage to kill their leader,” Celestia confirmed.
“I also lead the defense that wiped out half their lieutenants two days--”
“Five days,” Luna corrected.
“Five days, ago.”
“I’d call that a lead, but we haven’t gone through all the bodies yet. We’re not sure which cultists are still alive,” Celestia pointed out.
"If they hired a professional, then it was probably one of the left-over lieutenants,”Bastion pointed out. “But if they just so happened to have a homicidal botanist on their hoofs, which wouldn’t surprise me, then it could just be a random fanatic looking for revenge.”
“What we need to know,” Celestia pushed, “is how they figured out who you were and where you lived.”
“Could we have a mole?” Luna suggested.
“Don’t take this the wrong way Tia,” Bastion said carefully, “But we might in the Royal Guard. For there to be a mole in the Night’s Guard is much less likely. But we still need to be careful and not rule anything out.”
“I understand Bastion. There are more ponies in the Royal Guard. They also pool from a less... dedicated populace.”
As they rounded the corner to the armory, it occurred to Bastion that it might not have been a mole at all. “Have we taken a count of our own casualties yet?”
“Of course we have. It was the first thing we did,” Celestia said with a question in her tone.
“How many M.I.A.’s are there?”
“Two from the Royal Guard and one from the Night’s Guard... You don’t think...” Celestia trailed off.
“I think they could have been tortured for information.” The startling thought caused all three to stand before the door leading to the armory. Silence hung in the air at the untold scenarios running through each of their minds. 
A member from the Royal Guard wasn’t bad, not given the situation. They could only relay information about Canterlot and their daily routines. In fact, the worst thing they could say was something about Celestia’s favored stores and restaurants. Or just as bad mention the Night’s Guard.
Most ponies didn’t even know the Night’s Guard existed for a reason. Each one was extremely familiar with the other. They all practically knew each other’s families. And every Night’s Guard knew just about all of Equestria’s secrets. It was because of this each one underwent rigorous tests to evaluate their loyalty and integrity.
Finally Bastion broke the silence. “Who was it? Who all was taken?”
“Irongrip and Whip Tail from the Royal Guard and Windburn from the Night’s Guard,” Celestia answered, noticing her sister still thinking heavily.
Bastion knew two of them. Windburn was one of the younger guards he commanded: a medicine-pony who saw too much violence in the alleyways as a child. Bastion briefly contemplated whether he could hold up to torture or not, then quickly pushed it from his mind.
Whip Tail was bold. He always practiced dangerous and risky techniques, but they always seemed to pay off. He was slightly arrogant but no more than would be expected.
“We need to get moving,” Bastion quickly decided. Opening the door to the large armory, a massive wave of heat bled out into the hall the three ponies were just standing in. The forges and blacksmiths were working full steam to replace damaged arms and armor from the battle five days ago.
“Is there anything I can do for your majesties today?” asked Coal, the head smith, eyeing Bastion like the stranger he seemed with an illusion of a shield where his cutie-mark sat.
“Yes Coal,” Celestia said, barley audible over the roar of furnaces. “We need you to fit our new Night’s Commander with armor.”
“New Night’s Commander? What happened to the last one?”
“Poisoned,” Bastion answered firmly to avoid carrying the subject any further.
“Tragic. Truly tragic to lose such a good colt to such a cowardly devise. Very well then. Come along Commander, let’s get you measured and prepped.”
As much as Bastion wanted to talk about the situation involving three missing guards, it was too dangerous to do so around any one that wasn’t sworn to Equestria and the Princesses.
Even more arduous was the long process of crafting personal armor. Thankfully it had improved in the centuries Bastion had lived through. Instead of one pony laboring over a furnace for days, it was now an entire team taking orders from one master in hours. The final touches were still applied by ponies like Coal, whose eyes could pick out the slightest flaw in metal, the most minuscule bump that would cause discomfort.
As he relayed measurements to his students, they each started beating glowing metal into shape. One team working on each piece, four for the grieves, one for each piece of the chest plate, and one for the helm.
It was almost a poetic sight. One resembling a conductor and orchestra creating a symphony. But by the end of it Bastion had waited enough and quickly trotted out the door, followed by the two princesses.
“You look good in your new armor,” Luna joked, indicating the dark blue and sliver plates. Each grieve had a pristine, opaque stone centered in it to represent the purity of the Guards intentions. The darkness of the metal, to show the discretion he or she must use. And the flared wings adorning the helm, to show their readiness to act when needed.
“It’s a perfect fit,” Bastion replied, slightly irritated by the waiting while three good ponies could be dying, and his wife’s murderer slipped away. “Now can we get to the Hub? We need to brief the rest of the Guard and start figuring out what’s going on.”
“I agree.” Celestia said.
The headquarters for the Night’s Guard wasn’t far from the armory. It was the exact center of the palace. No matter where in the castle they were needed, they could get there quickly this way. Each immortal was content with the quiet that hung in the air for the duration of the walk.
The briefing ahead of them was bound to raise a few questions. Most of the guards probably didn’t even know which of their friends were in the infirmary, and which were in the ground.
The Hub was a set of rooms dedicated to the needs of the Night’s Guard. The large anteroom was circular in shape and domed at the top with a mural of the two princesses in an eternal cycle. The walls were lined with shelves filled with logs and reports. In total there were eight doors leading from the anteroom. Four exits, North, South, East, and West. And four for the connecting rooms.
Off to the left were the small quarters, where several bunks lay waiting for those who worked more than their bodies could keep up with. Bastion had spent more than a few nights, and some days, sleeping there.
Past the quarters was the training room, holding all the equipment needed to ensure martial, magical, and tactical prowess.
Opposite that was the communications room. Several dragon fire torches burned there to keep a constant stream of information readily available.
And directly across from that was the briefing room, with an elevated platform and enough seats for each guard.
As he pulled open the heavy door leading into the Hub Bastion noticed something out of place. It was dead silent. Normally you could hear all sorts of conversations, banter and official reports alike. You could hear the scratching of pencils and quills, the turning of pages, the shuffle of armor on carpeted floor. But in the vast library like room, all he could hear was the occasional shift of a pony in a chair.
“Briefing room everypony,” he said firmly, not waiting for any particular reaction before heading there himself. Most of them had been there long enough to figure out that when a colt walked in and gave an order, it was Bastion’s way of saying “Hello, this is what I look like now.”
For the newer recruits, they could figure that out in the briefing. If they found no other reason to follow Bastion, it would be because he was with the princesses and they didn’t tell them otherwise.
One by one, every Night’s Guard filed into the large presentation room. Bastion recognized each of their faces from the stage. It was ironic that none of them could say the same about him.
“You all know who I am and most of you know what happened to me,” he began. “For those of you who haven’t heard yet, my wife and I were poisoned.” If that wasn’t big enough of a hint for a pony to know what was going on, then they didn’t belong here. 
“But finding our murderer is second on our priorities. We have three missing guards from the battle five days ago. I’m sure you’ve all noticed it’s a little emptier in here.” Bastion noticed a few ponies glance sadly at empty seats next to them.
“Some of our brothers and sisters died that day. Others are still with the doctors. But one of us, a Night’s Guard, and two Royal Guards went M.I.A. the day of our battle with the Lorlein. We might not know why they’re missing, yet. But rest assured we will find out. I want each of you working on finding one of them. 
“Organize yourselves so we’re not all looking for the same colt. Windburn takes priority over Irongrip and Whip Tail.”
“Windburn’s the one missing?” asked an earth pony mare with a fine white coat. She was a fellow medic and close friend of Windburn’s. She probably hadn’t had time since the attack to go check if Windburn was in the infirmary.
“Yes Lilly.” A look of worry and affliction played across her face. “We can’t assume anything,” Bastion continued. “For all we know, as painful as the thought is, he could be a traitor.” Several ponies looked up in shock at the allegation. “On the other hoof, it’s a possibility that he’s being held captive and tortured. Or he could simply have abandoned the cause.
“It does matter which is right. But what matters more is that we discover which is quickly. You all have your assignments. Follow any lead that comes to mind. Let’s bring our colts home. Dismissed.”
“Remind me again why I don’t just get you to write my speeches?” Luna lightened the overbearing mood.
“Because all my speeches are personal.”
“Which do you think is more likely Bastion?” Celestia asked.
“Whether they’re traitors, have been captured, or simply turned tail and ran? None are good. If they’ve been interrogated by the Lorlein then they’re already in pain. If they abandoned their duties without any warning, then they’re in for some once we find them. 	No matter what, somepony’s coming out of this with scars. Or worse.”
“Well, I have court in half an hour,” Celestia said as the line of guards leaving the room shrunk. “So goodbye for now Bastion. Don’t work yourself too hard.” 
“Half an hour Tia? It doesn’t take half an hour to get to the court hall.”
“You know how I like to be early. As for you dear sister,” she said with an earnest smile, “until twilight.”
They embraced each other in a parting hug, and Celestia left to join the rest of the ponies leaving the room.
“She was serious about not working too hard you know,” Luna said.
“I know. She always is when she says it.”
“Bastion, you just lost your wife. You have to start over, again. I know it’s not eas--”
“Luna I’ve lost count of how many lovers I’ve outlived. It hurts. There’s no doubt about that. But I’ll be fine.”
“Just make sure you sleep in your room tonight. Not the one down here.”
“I will. But I have a few stops to make first.”
“The infirmary?”
“And the cemetery. I have respects to pay after I work on those missing ponies.”
Luna leaned in and hugged him. “Goodbye Bastion.”
“Later Luna.”
As Bastion watched his friend walk out the door, no doubt heading towards her own room to sleep for the remainder of the day, he wondered what the Night’s Guard would find in their search. It was already mid-afternoon and half of them would be returning to their families soon.
When he went to go find his desk, things had returned to normal, mostly. He was aware of the occasional suspicious look in his direction. Everypony in the Night’s guard had at least heard the stories, either from first hoof witnesses on missions or from himself if they asked. But to actually come back to life was... impossible.
They could all see the rook on his flank, they could all see the same cool gaze he had. After a while, everypony would know for a fact it was him.
The sooner Bastion got to work the better. But when he slid open his top drawer he found a small box wrapped in colorful paper sitting on top of the notepad and pencil he was looking for. As he took all three, he noticed the tag on the gift said “Figured you could use a pick me up-- Abby.”
A soft smile spread across his features as he began neatly unwrapping the present. The glass case inside of it housed a beautiful crystalline structure in the shape of a humming bird. Immediately he knew what to do with it.
For now he’d be content leaving it on his desk and getting to work. Taking up the pencil and notebook he moved back to the section of the Hub holding census records. Bastion already knew that Windburn’s family was mostly dead. He grew up in a rough section of Canterlot and at the time his family didn’t have much money. 
His brother died of disease earlier in his life, around the same time as his father was murdered. But his mother saw him get into the Night’s Guard, and his sister was, to Bastion’s knowledge, still alive. Finding the book with information on Windburn’s family he started looking. Roughly fifteen minutes later he had an address for both Windburn and his sister.
It was as good a place to start as any. Bastion would find a few more places he would visit tomorrow then call it a day, a depressingly uneventful day.
A thought struck him as he made his way back to his desk, causing him to detour. “Lilly,” He called out to get a bearing on the mare he was looking for.
“In here,” she replied. Following her voice, he found a distressed earth pony mare in a study office. There were two books and her helmet in front of her, allowing Bastion to see her soft pink hair. One of the books looked more personal, the other was a detailed list of every store and restaurant in Canterlot.
“What have you got there?” he asked gently, aiming to comfort his sister-in-arms.
“A description of a few places Windburn took me,” she moved the odd book closer to her, as if to hide it from Bastion. Her diary. “I’m hoping I can get the names of them and go see if there’s anything... out of place. Or maybe just ask the owners about him.”
“That’s a good idea. I didn’t know you two were that close.”
“It was something we didn’t want spread around.” She looked even more distressed now, not quite to the point of tears, but close.
“If you’d like, I can go instead. Maybe give you some time to just take it in.”
“I don’t want time off. I want him found.” There was a short pause, as if Lilly was trying to figure out if she was up to the task. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d go though.”
“Sure thing.” It wouldn’t be the first time Bastion went out of his way to help a friend. And it certainly wasn’t going to be the last. “In the meantime do you want any help with this?”
“No,” Lilly replied flatly. “I’ll drop off whatever I find in half an hour.”
“Alright. Take it easy Lilly. We’ll find him.” After getting no response for a few seconds, he quietly left the study room.
Almost as soon as he left that section of the Hub a colt called to him.
“Hey Commander! I think you should take a look at this.”
At this rate they’d find these colts in no time. “What is it Jump Start?” He asked the blue pegasus.
“Apparently those two Royal Guards were brothers. You think that’s a coincidence?”
“It’s not a coincidence unti--”
“I know, I know,” Jump Start interrupted. “‘Until we make sure there’s no other explanation.’”
“So what do you need me for?”
“I was going to ask you if you wanted me to go around and ask their platoon if anything was up with them that night. Figured you might want to grill their C.O.”
“If you’re reading my mind that well, what am I thinking now?”
“‘Why the hell are we standing here if half the company is about to leave?’”
“Again, why do you need me?” Bastion asked as he gestured for the pegasus to follow him to the Royal Guards’ barracks.
“Well aside from it being a little hard to be in two places at once, you actually know the C.O.”
“Wait. Which company is this?” Bastion asked hesitantly.
“The four-oh-first.” Jump Start hadn’t even gotten the entire number out before Bastion let out a sigh.
“Of course.”
“No trade-backs.”
“I wouldn’t recommend getting cocky with me Jump Start.”
“Sorry Bastion. You know I don’t mean it. I’ll take the one with the pole up her ass if you like.”
“And have another of my guards go missing? I’ll pass.”
“Aww, you do care!” The quirky smile on his face fell into one of apology after seeing Bastion’s glare.
“Just make sure you ask everypony in that platoon if something was odd that night. For the past three nights actually.”
“Got it.”
“And I want you to use your brain on this one. If you can tell some one is lying, do not just leave it at that.”
“I know Bastion. I was trained on how to question a pony. The gloves come off along with the smile and the jester hat.”
“Good. I wish some of the screwballs in the Royal Guard were more like you.”
“... Was that a compliment or an insult?”
“You’ll never know, now will you?” A sly grin crept across Bastion’s features as they found the door leading to the Royal Guards’ parade ground. Just on the other side was the barracks they were about to head into. Although barracks was putting it mildly for Bastion. Hornet’s nest sounded more accurate.
“You ready for this Commander?” Jump start asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The Captain of the four-oh-first had a tendency to be... intolerable. Both in her demeanor and in the way others thought of her, Bastion especially. More than once they had gotten into arguments about a soldier’s well-being. She was a tough luck, tough love kind of pony. And not in the traditional sense. 
She was cold, some would even say heartless. But for some reason her soldiers revered her as their savior. No matter what she put them through, they thanked her for making them strong. Even if she happened to kill off the “weaker” of their platoon during training. It was her ideal that the more hardships somepony faces, the stronger they become, no matter how many times they broke, or how badly.
“Good luck in there Commander, and remember--”
“The day you tell me to remember something, Jump Start, better be the day I’m senile. And at this rate, that’s not coming any time soon.”
“Right, good luck just in case.” Jump Start didn’t waste any time going to question the guards of the four-oh-first.
When Bastion knocked, he noticed a ball of contempt build up in his stomach. When he heard the gruff yet somehow feminine voice beyond, he did his best to let that ball drop to the floor. Opening the door, he realized that weight would be there for hours.
“Well well, if it isn’t his un-deadliness.” It wasn’t exactly a greeting, but it was probably the closest he could get. “Come to grant me your presence?” she asked, disdainfully taking her eyes off of her paperwork.
“I’m not in the mood Stone. I’m here fo--”
“Not in the mood? Why is that? Because you died again?”
“Because my wife died with me!” Bastion snapped. That took Captain Stone aback. She clearly didn’t expect that. A long silence followed the outburst, one Bastion refused to be the pony to end.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Captain Stone finally said, red showing on her face through her grey coat.
“I’m not here to mourn Captain. I’m here to find those M.I.A.’s. The ones you claim to care so much about. So why don’t you help me and answer my damn questions.”
It took her a moment, but eventually Captain Stone sighed and gave in. “What do you want to know?”
“The two Royal Guards that went missing, they were brothers. Did you stick them in the same squad during the attack?”
“I did. They made a good team, and they wanted to be there to back each other up.”
“Did anything seem off about them in the past three nights?”
“Nothing. What are you getting at?”
“If one of them left, would the other follow?”
“Left? You mean abandon their duty?”
“I mean leave, mysteriously. Get captured, run away, disappear in a bad magic trick, any of it.”
“If Whip Tail was captured and Irongrip found proof of that, he’d follow the lead instantly. If he left and Irongrip didn’t know anything. He’d come to me and report it.”
“Are you sure of that?”
“Yes I’m sure,” Stone answered, getting frustrated.
“And what if it was the other way around?”
“Irongrip wouldn’t go A.W.O.L. He’s a good soldier and follows orders to the letter. But family comes first in his eyes. But if he was captured, Whip Tail would go after him without thinking. Like I said, family first.”
“What were the odds they both were captured?”
“I was commanding an entire unit of guards against a ruthless enemy. I didn’t have time to check on each individual soldier.”
“That’s not what I asked.” Bastion was starting to get irate now. The Captain seemed to think he was trying to accuse her of 	something he wasn’t.
“They were probably sticking together! So I’d say damn likely if one got captured, so did the other.”
“Last question--”
“Good!”
“Did you send them anywhere alone?”
“Pardon?”
“I want to know if you sent them anywhere on their own, or if you kept a group with them at all times. If you did I want to know who!” Bastion said, letting his voice raise an octave or two.
“Of course I kept them in a full squadron! What sort of--”
“Where are they?”
“Six feet in the dirt.”
“... The entire squad?”
“All ten of them.” Another silence came around as Bastion sat there putting as many pieces together as he could.
“That’s all I needed Captain Stone.”
Pacing outside the small office, his mind was in full swing. If their entire squadron was killed by Lorlein zealots, how likely was it that those two were the survivors? Bastion wasn’t liking where this was headed. All the odds pointed to two traitors killing their squad and ditching. But it was still a possibility they were just lucky. Or unlucky, if the Lorlein that captured them were looking to torture. He needed to get back to the Hub.
Halfway through the parade ground Jump Start caught up with him, hovering just above the ground. “Commander. Bastion, nothing was out of the ordinary.”
“You’re sure?” Bastion wanted this to lean in the direction of innocence, but he couldn't let that get in the way of facts.
“I am. Each member of the four-oh-first was telling the truth when they said Whip Tail and Irongrip were acting one hundred percent normal.”
This was good. Better at least. “Thank you Jump Start.”
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going back to my desk to pick a few things up, then I’m going to visit some ponies.”
“Well, I’m calling it a day. Have a good one Bastion.”
“You too Start.”
Bastion spent the rest of the walk back to the Hub pondering over his new information and writing down a few notes in his pad. By the time he got to his desk however, that train of though had completely changed from the Royal Guards, to his own missing brother.
He picked up the piece of paper lying on his desk, folded in half. 


Pony Joe’s Traditional Doughs
2456 Klondike Ave.
Canterlot Theatre Hall and Opera House
The hill about a Kilometer East of Canterlot

Please find him and bring him back safely Bastion.
-Lilly


Bastion silently thanked the medic mare and wrote the locations down in his pad on a separate page from the Royal Guard notes. 
The only reason he knew which hill Lilly was talking about was because it was a popular spot for children to play. As per the others, they were known throughout the city. Pony Joe’s had been around almost as long as Canterlot itself. 2456 Klondike Ave. was the bar the street was named after. And the Canterlot Theatre Hall and Opera House was a self explained tourist destination.
Tomorrow he would go visit those places. Tomorrow he would get at least one step closer to this. Tonight however, he was just going to see some ponies in the infirmary and cemetery.


* * *


The infirmary trip wasn’t long due to the fact that most of the guards Bastion knew there were unconscious. Now he was stepping through the entrance to Canterlot Cemetery. He knew exactly where he needed to go inside the gates. On the far side of the hallowed ground was the section dedicated to the princesses’ guards. 
There were four new tombstones in the row for the Night’s Guards. The epitaphs simply read the ponies’ names and the traditional “Here lies the body of a brave soul, Our shield from mortal sin, Our eyes when lights go dim, Here lies the body of our brave patrol.” The quote was stamped into every guards tomb stone, Night and Royal alike.
Bastion knew the princesses reserved this row for the Night’s Guard, even if no one else did. He knew the names on the four new stones. And they were four more he would eventually forget. As he knelt down to say a silent prayer he felt another presence. Looking up he could see the full moon cresting over the horizon. He still had one more grave he needed to visit before he left.
It took him a while, but he eventually found the marker he was looking for. “Here lies Vega, faithful wife, loving mother, and dedicated friend.”
“I know I should be looking for your killer. And I know I should have told you what I was. But there are more important things than me and you. At least that’s what I tell myself to keep sane,” Bastion scoffed. “I’m not going to sleep well tonight, but at least I’ll make the most of my time and see if I can’t find anything at our house. Crystal’s safe by the way. I at least made sure of that. The Fiedleys are taking care of her. I’ll keep an eye on her Vega, just in case.”
For a long time Bastion just sat in the grass, not ready to move. Eventually he heard soft steps behind him. He quickly turned around to avoid any sort of attack. Just as quickly he regretted the trained reaction.
Luna stood behind him, hoof half extended in a show of compassion. Bastion couldn't help but turn away in embarrassment.
“I’m sor--”
“It’s fine Bastion,” Luna’s set her hoof on his shoulder. “I know you’ve trained yourself for things I don’t want to think about.”
“How long have you been standing there?” A panic started to rise inside of him. If Luna heard that he was still watching over his daughter, they could take her away. No, that was ridiculous. Celestia wouldn’t even be that coldly professional, let alone Luna.
“Only a few moments.” The panic subsided and Bastion felt himself compelled to look back at Vega’s grave one last time. “She was my friend too. I know I don’t miss her as much as you but... If it helps I do miss her.”
“As kind as that is to say, it doesn’t help bring her back Luna. It makes a difference knowing you’re here for me though.”
“Tia is too. She might put effort into not showing it, but it’s only because she feels like she has to.”
“I know. I’ll talk to her tomorrow before I go to the Hub.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
Bastion stood up to leave and felt Luna’s hoof fall from his shoulder. They walked in quiet peace until they reached the gate.
“Where are you going?” Luna asked.
“I have one last stop before I get some rest.”
“Remember you promised me you wouldn’t stay up working all night.”
“It’s not work,” Bastion assured. “And I’ll be back before midnight,” he said glancing at the moon’s position in the sky.


* * *


Bastion knocked three times on the door in front of him. As he removed a helmet borrowed from a Royal Guard, he reminded himself to change his word choice so the Fiedleys didn’t get suspicious. Better safe than sorry after all.
When the door swung open Mrs. Fiedley stood in it. “Yes can I...” She trailed off evidently surprised at the armored guard in front of her. The illusion of a white coat and blue mane, would hold up so long as she didn’t try to touch him. “Help you?” She finally finished.
“We understand you’re looking after Bastion's daughter. Is that correct ma’am?”
“Yes, we’re looking after Crystal.”
“He was a great colt ma’am.” He took the crystalline humming bird out from one of his saddle bags and handed it to her. “The princesses and the Royal Guard figured she’d like this, as a last memento.”
“Th... Thank you,” Mrs. Fiedley said taking the glass case in both hoofs. With that, Bastion nodded and left in the direction of his old home.


(Author's note: Feel free to comment on any errors you noticed or even just a suggestion you have. All I ask is that you not upload or recommend this to any other sites.
Here's the link to the original Google.doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-xRclrCNUnrHjDbN2xh8-TRW-3GTugrW9-jKsl65IlM/edit?hl=en_US )