//------------------------------// // Arrival // Story: Cadance // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Sunshine, moonshine, all Equestria awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake! Sunshine, moonshine, all Equestria awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake! Sunshine, moonshine..." "Your Highness?" "Oh! My apologies Shining, you took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting you for another 10 minutes yet." "The Captain kept my briefing as short as possible. He knew he didn't want to keep me waiting for the carriage, particularly considering it was way overdue." "Of course. Shall we?" "After you, Your Highness." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor, wearing not his usual night-shift armor but a dress uniform with the two gleaming gold stars of a Lieutenant Captain attached, himself escorted Princess Celestia from her chambers to the castle's landing pad, where at any minute the royal carriage containing Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (also known as Cadance) would arrive in Canterlot. Looking into Celestia's eyes showed Shining that the sun princess shared his nervous anticipation of Cadance's arrival. More than a week had passed since the Summer Sun Celebration, and Shining had recently been treated to the amusing tale of his younger sister trying to figure out how to split two Grand Galloping Gala tickets between six ponies. But Cadance's return and not the Grand Galloping Gala was the main topic of Canterlot discussion and gossip - some ponies even speculating a major blow-up would occur between Luna and Cadance upon the latter's arrival in Canterlot. The speculation was not entirely unfounded. Cadance's unexpected arrival in Canterlot slightly less than a decade before had brought quickly-squashed speculation she was replacing Luna in controlling the moon and the nighttime in general - speculation that had been dredged up again upon news Cadance was returning, much to Celestia's irritation. It didn't help that Celestia had told very little to Cadance about Luna - Cadance didn't know any more than the average pony about the legends regarding Luna and "Nightmare Moon". Shining suspected this was a protective measure - to prevent Cadance from being emotionally compromised when Luna did indeed return from her moon exile. Shining Armor also speculated this was why Cadance was not in Canterlot during the Summer Sun Celebration. Cadance had been sent on field tours before, mostly because her love magic proved a useful "troubleshooting" tool regarding problems in the distant reaches of Equestria. But this field tour had been far longer and more comprehensive than anything she had been sent on before - more than six months touring every corner of Equestria and even visiting other realms such as Saddle Arabia and the Griffin Kingdom. It had seriously crimped Shining and Cadance's courtship, but Shining had rationalized the absence as part of Cadance's duty. Now Shining had to wonder if Cadance was sent away just because having another alicorn anywhere near Canterlot when "Nightmare Moon" returned would've been a very bad idea... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "What was that you were doing when I arrived, Your Highness? That is, if I may ask..." Shining comments to Princess Celestia as the two of them walk the castle hallways side-by-side, trying to make the question sound as casual as possible. "The 'sunshine, moonshine' thing?" Celestia asks, her voice unusually quiet and reserved. "Yes, that. It sounded familiar..." "It should. I taught Cadance a different version of something Luna and I did when we were fillies. You've probably seen Cadance do it with your sister before." Celestia must've seen the surprise on Shining's face, because she lets out a hollow, quiet chuckle before continuing: "There's many things Cadance knows that come from that time. I've never told her where they've come from, though." Shining Armor sees a sad, pained look pass over Celestia's face that speaks more than words ever could. Shining knew how much Cadance meant to Celestia; it went even deeper than the student-teacher relationship that Twilight Sparkle had, as Cadance was a full alicorn and actually adopted by Celestia as her niece. Twilight Sparkle was not (yet) family, but Cadance already was - keeping all those secrets couldn't have been easy, but it would've hurt more to tell of them. All Celestia (and Shining Armor) could hope was that Cadance would understand why those secrets had to be kept from her until now, and that she would forgive "Aunt Celly" for doing so. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The stairs leading to a tower with a flattened top are climbed in silence by Princess Celestia and Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor save for echoing hoofsteps. A pair of unicorn guards open the door at the top, revealing a flat "pad" with a marked off runway used for royal carriage takeoffs and landings. As Shining Armor and Celestia step out into the cool air and fading sunlight, they can see a crew of afternoon shift guards - pegasi with a unicorn or two mixed in - waiting uneasily off to the side of the "pad". Near them are a unicorn and a bat pony deep in conversation - both are in dress uniforms, the unicorn with a two star insignia and the bat pony with a one star insignia. Shining Armor steps beside Celestia as they approach the conversing pair, who turn to face the sun princess with a salute as she approaches. "At ease." Celestia says as she and Shining stop in front of the pair. The duo move to a slightly relaxed standing stance, the pony equivalent of "at ease". "Long afternoon, Fidelitas?" Shining asks the unicorn with a smirk. "Too long, Shining." the unicorn, Lieutenant Captain Fidelitas, replies. "I heard that the chariot pullers are working a double to get Her Highness to Canterlot before it became too dark to fly by. They couldn't even stop in Ponyville to rotate and take lunch, that's how tight the schedule was." "A flying double is quite exhausting, from what I've heard. I hope the Captain will give them a day or two off afterward." Shining comments. "Speaking of the Captain, I still need to get the shift's paperwork to him. Is he still in the office?" Fidelitas asks. "He gave me operational authority for the night, but he was still processing paperwork last I saw him. If you go doubletime, you might catch him before he retires to quarters." "Thanks. Permission to leave?" Fidelitas asks of Princess Celestia, giving a salute as he speaks. "Permission granted." Celestia answers. Fidelitas gives a thank you and leaves toward the door at doubletime pace, leaving the bat pony, Lieutenant Vesper, facing Shining and Celestia alone. "It looked like you were engaged in quite the conversation, Lieutenant." Shining comments. "There is very little even a Lieutenant Captain of the Guard knows of our customs and traditions, sir." Vesper replies frankly in his gruff baritone. "I can imagine there's a lot to learn about. What's the status of the landing control squad?" Shining asks, pointing over at the waiting group of guards. "Held over from afternoon shift, sir. Do you want me to gather enough guards to rotate them out?" Vesper asks, which meant that he would temporarily assign enough guards under Shining's authorization to replace the waiting group. "No, just relieve the Lieutenant there and take charge of the current squad. The chariot shouldn't be much longer, I think. They will be free to return to quarters once they've accomplished their assigned tasks." "I will tell them that, sir." Vesper states, giving another salute before turning and heading toward the waiting group of guards. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor and Princess Celestia pause for a moment to enjoy the view, a panorama of much of Equestria framed in the fading light of the sun. The buildings of Ponyville, as the closest significant population of ponies to Canterlot, was the most obvious sight to see, but there were others: the spreading reaches of the Everfree Forest, the permanent and structured cloud banks of Cloudsdale, and the ridge of mountains called the Unicorn Range that stretched away from Canterlot to the northwest. Shining then looks over at the landing control group, Vesper talking with the unicorn Lieutenant from the afternoon shift. He notices the unicorn Lieutenant giving Vesper a funny look as Vesper takes command of the group. "Did you see that, Your Highness?" Shining indignantly exclaims as he points toward the scene, and Princess Celestia nods. "That kind of suspicion is only marginally easier to change than that surrounding Luna. Make sure you tell the Captain in the morning." Celestia states. Shining is about to give a reply when he is interrupted by a loud siren noise - the signal for something coming into landing on the "pad". In the fading light, it's hard to tell more than an outline in the sky, but it definitely looks like a chariot. Shining and Celestia hear Lieutenant Vesper barking out orders for the landing control squad to assume "turnaround positions" - the standard terminology for a squad to assist in unloading and stowing away a royal chariot as quickly as possible. This was rendered necessary by the fading light, which would soon make flying unsafe for any that weren't bat ponies. "They're coming in hot - probably because of the rush." Shining comments to Celestia as both of them see the chariot approaching. "I see they're coming in hot, sir!" Vesper shouts from across the "pad". "Hold your position! We'll see what happens!" Shining shouts back as the carriage's outline slowly becomes larger and more distinct. A few tense moments pass as the elaborate carriage, its golden trim catching the last of the sun's rays, descends closer and closer. The pegasi pulling it, a team of four white guards, pull up and set down on the center of the pad. Immediately Lieutenant Vesper begins barking out orders, the unicorn members of the landing control squad telekinetically unhitching the exhausted pullers and giving the harnesses a quick check over. Two pegasi start unrolling a red carpet carried between them from the door of the carriage to where Shining Armor and Celestia are standing. As soon as this is unrolled, Vesper takes a saluting position flanking the carriage door. The carriage door opens, and a unicorn guard comes out telekinetically carrying a small scroll of parchment. He also assumes a flanking position such that he and Vesper are facing each other across the carpet. The parchment scroll is unrolled, and the unicorn loudly reads from it: "Presenting Her Most Royal Majesty, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Out of the carriage and onto the carpet steps Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, wearing both her usual royal accessories and a flowing sky blue dress. With practiced poise, she slowly opens her wings and then gives a gracious smile to each of the stallions beside the carriage. She steps with slow regality down the red carpet, the previously-mentioned stallions beside her escorting in lock step. Princess Celestia, with Shining Armor escorting beside her, moves in the same regal manner up the red carpet. The two alicorns meet in the middle, with Celestia and Cadance touching noses and crossing horns - the only acceptable public display of affection between them. "Good to see you again, Cadance." Shining hears Celestia whisper. "Same to you, Aunt Celly." Cadance replies in the same whispering volume. The two alicorn princesses briefly hold the gaze of family members seeing each other again after a long separation before Cadance looks over at Shining Armor. She shyly smiles at him, which provokes an immediate blush in Shining's face as he tries to maintain his composure. "Shining, you don't need to be so formal with these things." Celestia gently corrects through an amused chuckle. Celestia's comment just caused Shining to blush even more. The fact that he and Cadance had been courting since their high-school years didn't make these formalities any easier to deal with - Shining was just glad there wasn't any pony around that would give jealous and/or disapproving stares, like he had gotten back in the days when he was still in the main ranks of the Royal Guard. A few moments of awkward silence pass, while in the background the other guards are at work unloading baggage and preparing the chariot to be stowed away for later. Cadance breaks the awkward silence with a comment about Shining wearing two stars on his dress uniform instead of the one of a Lieutenant. "Oh, yeah. I got promoted again, Cadance. Lieutenant Captain, in charge of the night shift." Shining awkwardly replies, his cheeks still showing a blush. "Night shift? There hasn't been a separate Lieutenant Captain of the night shift for a thousand years now. What's changed?" Cadance states, her face showing confusion and surprise. "Cadance, I want you and Shining to come down to the resting chamber. There's a lot we need to talk about." Celestia states, her face suddenly turning into a pained and worried expression. "Aunt Celly, is there something wrong?" Cadance asks as the surprise and confusion on her face become even more pronounced. "Just come down to the resting chamber, I'll explain everything there." Celestia somberly answers. Cadance's expression changes to puzzled worry, but she does not make any statement or motion to object. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Princess Celestia reluctantly turns and begins walking back toward the door leading down from the "landing pad". Cadance, the puzzled worry still on her face, begins to follow, and the unicorn beside her hurries to catch up. Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor and Lieutenant Vesper are still together on the pad, while in the background some pegasi guards are being hitched to the chariot to fly it to the "garage" where it would be stowed away until it was needed again. The blush slowly fades from Shining's face as he and Vesper watch the princesses depart, and Shining clears his throat to help in putting his military manner back on. "Not a word of what you just saw to anypony else on the shift. Understood?" Shining firmly states. "Yes sir." Vesper answers with a firm nod. "Can you handle the rest of the affairs up here? I have a feeling I'm going to be tied up for a while with the princesses." Shining states, looking back at the pair of princesses as he speaks. "Affirmative, sir." Vesper answers again. "Very good. I will be with the princesses in the royal resting chambers. When the turnaround is finished, leave your report at my desk and return to your regular duties. Acknowledged?" "Acknowledged, sir." "I am done here then. Get back to monitoring the crew." "Yes, sir." Vesper says with a salute, before turning toward the busy group of guard unicorns and pegasi behind him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shining Armor decided it was best to make as discrete an exit as he could. Slowly he went down the stairs inside the tower, his thoughts flitting from one topic to another seemingly at random - Cadance, Celestia, Luna, Lieutenant Vesper and the other bat ponies, the jealous pegasi he knew would capitalize on any opportunity to take him down, his sister and the other new bearers of an Element of Harmony... "Oh Twily, if only you were here right now instead of me." Shining says just under his breath as he walks on toward what was certain to be a critical moment in the recovery and reintegration effort surrounding Princess Luna...