//------------------------------// // Chapter 6- Canterlot Nights // Story: Sunlit Shadows // by Inucroft1 //------------------------------// Private Weld ushered Star Watch through the castle compound. A small number of ponies wondered around, traveling between different buildings. From the summons and the route they were taking, Star Watch surmised they were heading to the administration centre. A few minutes later, Star Watch as pushed into the office he previously visited. From what was a relatively empty office from his pervious visit, the room was now filled with various piles of books and documents that overfilled the shelves. Those that could not fit into the shelves were spread across the floor and desk like an ocean wave spilling across a beach. “Hello?” weakly spoke Star, “Officer Maille?” Muttering could be heard behind the desk, quickly followed by paper cascading off the desk to reveal the rather tired face of Warding Maille. “Can’t you see- oh it’s you, sorry for the mess, still trying to organise it. Iron Flank would have stayed… however as you can see there isn’t much room”. “yyyyeeesssss, so what in Equestria is all this? More importantly, why am I here?” “Oh you know, this and that, mainly records and forms relating to you Luna Guardsmen. As to why you’re here,” at this Warding Maille rummaged through the papers on his desk. Finding what he sought, Maille passed over a sealed envelope, “this should provide the answer. It’s a new set of orders for you, and only you”. Star turned over the envelope a few times taking note of the crimson coloured wax seal. The seal itself was a simple shield in design, with an embattled stylisation across the centre. “Simplistic seal,” mused Star, “what about briefing?” “Iron Flank was going to…. but he said the contents of the letter should be enough for you. Before you ask, no I have no clue as to the contents of that letter”. “Alright, do you need any help here? You seem a, well, a little overwhelmed sir”. Giving Star Watch a puzzled look, Warding Maille proceeded to look around the office. To Star, the office appeared even more chaotic than when he first stepped into the room. Shaking his head, Warding looked back to Star Watch and smiled. “No I’m fine. Goodbye Sargent- also don’t show anybody else that letter”. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As the eclipsed sun set, darkness reigned over mountain. Without the light, the work gangs could not accomplish their work along the walls. Cries of officers echoed off the mountain cliffs as tried ponies retired to their barracks. Others however, choose to make merry in the little free time they had and travelled into Taverns of Canterlot. Drunken songs poured out into the darkness of the streets while the ponies within drank their sorrows and fears away. Star Watch sat in one of the smaller taverns, watching his subordinates and fellow Lunar Loyalists make fools of themselves in their drunken antics. The Prancing Pony had become the unofficial watering hole for them, as more of them were allowed to roam free. Aside from them, the only other ponies within was the barstallion, Bill, and a couple of ponies from the local watch. Undoubtedly there to keep tabs on any potential problems. His eyes rested on Typhoon Chaser, the auburn Pegasus had decided to stand upon one of the tables to help embellish her story. One drunken swing, while dramatizing her story toppled her off the table to land on one of those who had listened in. A drunken cheer dominated the tavern before the other ponies returned to their pervious conversations. Shaking his head, Star Watch picked up his empty tankard and made his way over to the bar. “Another pint of beer?” enquired the barstallion. “No thanks Bill, I’m going to head off” replied Star. “You sure? What about a gill or two of beer then?” hope firmly etched across his face. “No more tonight Bill, you won’t be getting any more bits off me tonight”. Nodding his acknowledgment the barstallion turned to serve other ponies more willing to part with their coin. Stepping out into the cool night, he paused to feel the cool autumn breeze. With it colthood memories surfaced. Smiling, Star shuck his head dismissing them. Now is not the time, thought Star Watch, for now it is the time for action. Star Watch wondered through the empty streets of Canterlot, muffled discussions and sobbing echoed through the shut windows as he passed. Canterlot was not the most elegant town at its founding, built for practicality over aesthetics as an industrial town. With the onset of the war and the numerous refugees the town had, it had grown exponentially. Combined with the issues that came with such rapid expansion. Shelters were built in haste and whatever materials available to hoof. Built densely and with no organised layout, the new construction rapidly turned into various slums. The law of the land held no sway within those narrow lanes, the layout simply made patrolling the areas untenable for the local Watch Houses. As such, the Watch sort to govern the main thoroughfares and leave the management of the slums to those whom resided within them. Star Watch entered one of the older slums in Canterlot. The narrow lanes and high building felt increasingly claustrophobic for him. What little light the moon made no impact upon the darkness of the street, Star Watch found it increasingly difficult to see his own hooves as he placed them on the cobble stones. What felt like hours of wandering through the various lanes and the occasional dead end, Star Watch finally reached his destination. The house had no visible difference to those around it, a small single story house build of stone quarried from the mountainside. Tentatively, Star Watch approached the door and knocked. A few moments later, a rather angry looking moss green Unicorn with a warm black mane opened the door. “What do you want?” asked the Unicorn. A stallion. “Hollow Tears?” spoke Star. “Who’s asking?! It’s one in the morning for Celestia’s sake”. “The stallion that cries in the night”. The unicorn seemed stunned by Star Watch’s statement. Shock quickly left his face to be replaced with a disconcerting smile. “You’re late”. “I’m sorry, this place is a rabbit warren. I got lost” Star Watch sheepishly replied, “Shall we get started?” “Yes. Come in”. Hollow Tears steps back from the door, allowing Star Watch to enter. A small candle illuminated the room behind the door. Bar the bed, a chest and a firebox for cooking, the room was empty. Dust and dirt covered majority of the room. “Sit, I’ll make us a cuppa”. Looking around, Star Watch decided to sit down on the bed. Silence reigned as Hollow Tears lit a small fire and gathered items he needed for the pair to have some tea. He watched as the unicorn drops a few tea leaves into a kettle, then placing it on the firebox. Minutes passed until Hollow Tears seemed satisfied and he poured two cups of tea. Hollow Tears levitated a cup over to Star Watch. “Take a drink”. “Do you know why I was sent here? My orders only told me to meet you here” inquired Star Watch, as he took hold of the cup. “Tea now, business later”. Silence returned to the room, Star preoccupied himself by partaking in his black tea. It must be close to midnight, though Star Watch, can’t blame him for not being talkative at this time of night. When he had nearly finished his tea, Hollow Tears looked up from his own cup. “Do you have any ideas as to why you are here? No? Well, I could say my work is that of a blow you see. It stumps up, better than working as a dollymop” a grin crossed the unicorn’s face, “You have no idea what am saying do you?” Star Watch shook his head. “Don’t be poked up about it, it’s my upbringing that did it. Sure I sound like I come from the area, but I was from Trottingham. Anyway, the reason to why you’re here…. I’ve been hunting for any agents of Nightmaremoon in the rookeries- slums to you. I’ve located a rather large cell and seems like Ironflank has decided that I need some help in dealing with it”. “So I’m here on a sting operation? “You could say that. Come on, we’d best get going” With that, Hollow Tears stood up and made towards the door opening it with this telekinesis. Following his lead, Star Watch got off the bed and joined the unicorn waiting by the now open door. Taking the hint, Star Watch crossed the threshold back into the small cold-de-sac. The cool of the night washed over as he stepped out of the small house. Failing to hear Hollow Tears follow, he turned to see what was keeping the unicorn. Something hard hit, Star Watch in the back of the head. Searing pain was all he could feel as he collapsed into the cobbles below. Darkness quickly overcame the injured Earth Pony. The sound of a kettle being dropped was the last thing he heard before Star Watch fell into unconscious.