Celestia has been preparing for Luna’s return in exacting detail, most of which is being kept from the other ponies. Unfortunately, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

Shining Armor wakes up one morning to discover that the entire Day Guard has quit, save for a single Pegasus named Cloud Skipper. Their reason: anger over thinking they're being replaced by the Night Guard, made up of a single Night Pony named Midnight Blossom. Before he can pull the situation together, Nightmare Moon returns. Still, one can only make the best of a bad situation.

But even after Princess Luna is restored, the problems don't stop. It's nearly impossible to recruit any more Guards, leaving the reparations in the hands of three ponies. Nightmare Moon isn't entirely gone, still haunting the dreams of Skipper and Midnight. Certain warlike cultures may notice Equestria's weakness and invade. And the old commander of the Day Guard, Cumulus, may have had other motives for his disbanding them...

Truths will be uncovered, identities will be questioned, and nightmares will come to life. But maybe, even in the eternal night, a light can be found and followed to the dawn.

Notes: British spellings used for all except names. Also, Hasbro owns My Little Pony, and Cloud Skipper and Midnight Blossom were originally created by Equestria-Prevails on Deviantart. The only thing I own is this particular story.
Rated Teen for blood and occasional uncensored swearing, but no detailed gore and no sex.
Written with pre-Season 4 information.

Feature dates: 17/08/14, 26/08/14, 13/09/14
Wait, how the hell did I get a feature by posting an omake?