//------------------------------//
// 10 
// Story: Tales of a Brighton Phoenix 
// by The Stainmore Phoenix 
//------------------------------//

	Luna's recovery was going well. On the five occasions I was in to see her, she was up and walking around. I didn't stay long enough for her to see me as I had to stay on top of other reports. Then again, being a Lance Corporal is a pain. However, I feel sorry for my sister, who's a Battery Sergeant Major.

She's getting the shaft alright. Paperwork, constant BS from the Royal Canterlot Guard and whatever else. The two of us would often eat dinner in her office and spend the time filling out papers, often times, transfer requests.

“Ever want to tell them to just piss off?” she asked me during one of our rushed dinners.

“Yeah,” I said. “Sometimes I wish the two of us were back on the ever familiar grounds of Templecombe, Binegar, Shepton Mallet or even Masbury.”

“True,” she said. “But that's not going to happen.”

“I know,” I replied. “Anyway, let's get this drudgery over with.”

We sat there and read through dozens of transfer requests, all of which we couldn't accept because our team was at max capacity, 40 members. After getting them filled out and send off to the other captains, we sat back and relaxed. Skyla put on some music and I cracked open a book I was in the middle of when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Skyla said.

Nightmare Moon entered, with Luna beside her.\

“Captain, Princess,” we said and stood to salute when Nightmare raised a hoof.

“No need to raise up,” she said. “We came to see you two because Luna wanted to see the two in charge of her return to health.”

“Not a problem, Your Grace,” I said.

“My grace?” Luna asked. “Ponies always refer to me as “Princess”, or “Your Highness”, never “Your Grace”.”

“That's a title from where I come from,” I said. “There's also “Your Lordship”; “Your Majesty”, but that's reserved for dignified royalty, like Kings and Queens.”

I saw her blink and chuckle.

“Unlike here, there were good and bad kings,” I said. “Same with queens, there are good and bad ones.”

Luna smiled.

“I wished to be a queen, alongside my sister, but our mother made us promise to never become queens, because of one queen we have here in Equestria,” Luna said. “It is a shame, but it is the way events have played out.”

“I understand,” I said. “It's not a problem. You are welcome to stay until you are recovered enough to travel back to Canterlot.”

Luna thanked us and pulled up a chair to sit and relax while Nightmare sat on the couch I had been crashing on during me and my sister's late night date with paperwork. Luna was talking to Skyla about the things she missed during her time on the moon. I went back to reading.

“Lance Corporal?”

I looked up, to see Luna glancing over at me.

“Yes, Your Grace?” I asked.

“May I ask you, what are your plans for the Summer Sun Celebration?” she asked.

“Just work guard position,” I said.

I saw Nightmare nod. Luna looked at me and Skyla.

“I wouldn't ask this of any pony, except my own guard, but would you accompany me?” she asked.

I could hear my sister say, “Yes, Your Grace.”

I caught Nightmare out the corner of my eye, standing up and coming to see us.

“I'd be remissed if I said “No” Your Grace,” I said.

By now, Nightmare was standing there and looking down at us.

“Battery Sergeant Major, Lance Corporal, who gives the orders?” she asked, hissing.

“You do, but in this case, Ma'am, we are being asked by the Princess of the Moon,” Skyla said. “When something comes up, like transfer requests, we bring it to your attention, but your orders were “When being asked by royalty, all other orders are to be nullified and we are to receive the orders of the royal we are being asked the favor of”.”

“I never gave such an order,” Nightmare growled.

“15th June, 1925,” I said. “3:20 pm, the chow hall. I was eating a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich while having a vegetable and scrambled egg stew. Battery Sergeant Major Skyla was eating an omelet with pears, lettuce, apricot jam, seasoned with Thyme, Oregano and black pepper. You were having scramble eggs, toast and a banana. As for drinks, I was having a non-alcoholic apple cider, you were drinking Earl Gray Tea and Skyla was on her 5th cup of coffee.”

“How'd...okay, where are your notes?” she demanded. “There's no way your mind would be able to retain that information! It's a blatant impossibility to retain such information and such trivial details!”

“Not really, Captain,” I said. “There are ponies who have photographic memories, which means they can recall every detail. Think of their minds like filing cabinets-Organized and full of every single detail.”

She stared. Luna, looking somewhat perplexed asked Skyla, “What is going on?”

“My brother, showing off his memory,” she said. “He's good, but I swear, he's freaky when he does that recollection of details in that monotone voice, wherein he makes it sound like he's some kind of recording device. It's also very unsettling.”

Luna, making sense of Skyla's words turned back to the scenario unfolding between me and Nightmare Moon.

“It's true, what you say, but...” she began.

“You had jobs for us on the day, correct?” I asked.

“Well, you were supposed to be Celestia's guards,” Nightmare pointed out.

“Well, I can't help that,” I said. “If I could, I would tell Night's Knight here to “Find somepony else to be your guard, we're protecting the Sun's Knight” but sense and honor dictate that being respectable comes first. Also, she's asking us to do this to repay us for looking after her while she recovered.”

“Fair enough,” Nightmare said.

I could sense she was deflated, so I looked at her.

“If you want, after the whole Celebration is over, you can hand out extra detail and cut my pay for a week,” I said. “Or longer, should you see fit.”

I should have seen the fit coming.

“I will not do such a thing!” Nightmare protested. “It isn't in the code of honor!”

“It's how the higher ups from where me and Skyla operate, screw over the lower ranks,” I said.

Nightmare eye ticked.

“If a Princess wasn't in the room, I'd tell you what I think of your commanding officers and the leadership in your military,” Nightmare grunted.

I ignored her grumbling and turned to Luna.

“Your Grace, I was wondering if you have a dress to wear to the celebration?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “Normally, when I attend, I don't wear a dress or anything fancy. It'll be a change to show up in something unique.”

Once Nightmare had agreed to the arrangements, I took Luna to the local shop, called Carousel Boutique. The owner came to the door once we entered and looked at us before blinking.

“I must say, darling, who is this you brought into my shop?” she asked.

“This is Princess Luna. I need you to make a dress for her,” I said. “Can you fill the order to her specifications? As for the bill, send it to me.”

The pony, a marshmallow white unicorn with three diamonds on her flank, stared.

“Are you asking me...to make a dress for Princess Luna?” she asked, at last.

“Yes, I am,” I said. “I trust there is no trouble in understanding my orders?”

“Uh...no, there isn't,” she said.

“Good,” I said.

The mare took Luna into the back room and began working. I sat in the lobby, reading the same novel I had been trying to finish when a white pegasus, chocolate mane, ice blue eyes, and dressed in Royal Canterlot Guard armor strode in.

I looked up as he glared down at me.

“Oh, a villain, ready to aide in Nightmare's plan,” he growled.

“Does my slouched, rather comfortable position say I'm here to cause harm?” I asked, returning my attention to a rather interesting paragraph.

The fact I had waved away his accusation and had basically showed that a book was enough to piss him off and make him stand above me. Luckily, a fight was avoided by having the store owner come and summon me to the back room.

Standing there was Luna, in a rather smashing dress. Dark midnight blue with white and midnight black streaks, with gold and silver bands around the middle of the dress and a rather fluffed collar.

“Your look absolutely...well, I have no words to describe how stunning you look,” I said.

“Thank you,” she said.

The shop owner came back and looked at me.

“How much?” I asked.

“22,000 bits,” came the reply. “It's a little on the expensive side, but since it is for a princess, I had to give it my all. I hope the price isn't going to be too steep for you to handle, sir.”

“No,” I said and opened a small portal to bring out a small bag.

Placing it on the table, I looked at her. “There's 40,000 bits in there. Added to the price is a 18,000 bit tip,” I said.

To say their eyes popped out of their sockets would be an understatement. The white mare fell over in surprise and Luna stared, wide eyed and her jaw muscles loosening.

“That's too generous,” they said.

“I wanted to show my appreciation for this unexpected turn of events,” I said. “Normally, I like to give advanced notice, but with a second Celebration, this time, to also commemorate the reinstallation of a new guard force, I wanted this to be a memorable event for Celestia, who hasn't seen her sister for years.”

I saw Luna smile and help the unicorn to her hooves. After that, we went about our business. Luna looked at me and after we alone in my quarters, she unleashed the pain that had been walled up behind her two dams that can see into the soul. I wrapped my wings around her and let her cry.

“It'll be alright in the end,” I said. “I'm sure Celestia misses you as well.”

She kept crying and I stayed up until she cried herself to sleep. Being careful, I undressed her and put the dress away and then crawled into the bunk and let her cuddle close to me. Skyla, seeing that, smiled.

“Looks like your going to take the older sibling role a little farther,” she whispered.

I nodded softly and even invited Skyla to join. She did so, allowing Luna to use her wing as a blanket. Smiling, Skyla coasted into sleep. I glanced at a photograph on my bedside stand.

“Thank you, 53810,” I mouthed and drifted off.