Shining Armor and Spike worked throughout the day and into the night to get everything ready for the Summer Sun Celebration. The fact that it would be the first celebration Princess Luna would be attending had attracted a massive crowd, and while the royal guards were pleased to have their captain with them again, it was clear they were almost in over their heads with security detail.
"Okay, we've finally got all the security details worked out," Shining Armor said to Spike, breathing a sigh of relief. "It feels like it's been forever since I was last in charge of the guards. So, what's next on the agenda?"
Spike examined the checklist carefully, even double checking it to make sure he hadn't somehow misread something. He hadn't. "Actually, we're ahead of schedule, believe it or not," Spike told Shining. "We could probably pop down to Ponyville really quick and see how our friends are getting along. Heck, we could probably stop by the library and say hi to Twilight really quick, I'm sure she'd like that."
Shining's heart skipped a beat at the thought of being able to see his friends again already, but in his head he knew that a visit to Ponyville wouldn't be wise. With a reluctant sigh he told Spike. "That would be lovely, Spike, but we can't. I've got my royal duties here in Canterlot, and I can't just leave them behind at the drop of a hat because I'm homesick. What if something came up while we were away, or what if we were delayed getting back?"
Spike frowned. "You sound just like Twilight. Relax, I'm sure nothing bad will happen."
"You ever heard of tempting fate, Spike?" Shining asked, unaware he was subconsciously flapping his wings. "Fate works in mysterious ways, and the last time I let my guard down, Canterlot almost got overrun by Chrysalis and her changeling army. I have to stay here for the celebration, Spike. My help is needed here, and my friends can manage just fine on their own. If anything happened here in Canterlot while I was in Ponyville, and something went wrong as a result, I'd never forgive myself!"
"But Shining-" Spike protested, hoping to knock some sense into the alicorn prince.
"-But nothing, Spike!" Shining interrupted, while trying not to sound too harsh. "We're staying here in Canterlot, and that's final! We have our responsibilities and it would be wrong of us to neglect them just because we want to see our friends again. Now that I'm an alicorn, these kinds of things are going to happen a lot more often. And we may not always have the option of being able to visit our friends, even just for a little while."
"But Shining-" Spike pleaded.
"-I said no and that's that! Please don't make me have to argue this point any further." Shining insisted, before he banged his head on the ceiling of the royal suite he and Spike were staying in.
"I was trying to tell you to watch for the ceiling," Spike commented, as Shining reluctantly flapped his way back down. "Word of advice, try to work on these freak out sessions. Whenever Twilight gets that worked up she ends up wearing a hole in the floors."
Shining couldn't help but feel embarrassed. "Guess it runs in the family," He commented. "I think Dad mentioned once or twice about how much Mom could lose it when she got stressed. Apparently, she mellowed out by the time Twily was born."
Just then, there was a knock on the suite's door. Not an intrusive or angry knock, but more of a gentle rapping that seemed to be asking "Can I come in please?"
"It's open." Shining declared, quickly styling his mane to look less frazzled.
The knob turned, and into the room trotted Princess Celestia. Shining Armor and Spike instinctively bowed to her. "Now, now, there's no need for such formalities," Celestia insisted. "Especially from you, Shining Armor. We are equals now."
"Sorry, old habits die hard." Shining confessed.
Celestia giggled. "Oh, there's no need to apologize. I suppose I can't be expecting everything between us to change overnight," She then adopted a more somber tone as she added. "I must admit that it is wonderful to actually be looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration for once."
"Whatever do you mean?" Shining asked. "This entire celebration revolves around you, and even now you're still a beloved ruler to almost all of Equestria. Surely a celebration like this would warm your heart year after year."
But Celestia only sighed and looked longingly out the window, watching her sister raise the moon. "For my subjects, the Summer Sun Celebration has always been a celebration of my defeat of Nightmare Moon on that faithful night over 1,000 years ago. But for me... it was always just another painful reminder of the fact that I had to banish my own sister. A mistake I could've prevented, had I not been so blind."
"Gee... I guess I never really thought about it like that before," Shining considered, now he really couldn't help but feel sorry for the pony princess who had always been something of a mentor to him. "But you always put on such a good act, I never would've guessed you felt this way about the celebration."
Celestia nodded. "It is true, I've felt this way for every celebration for the past 1,000 years. But now, it has become a wonderful reminder of my sister's transformation back into Princess Luna, and our happy reunion. I just know the citizens of Equestria will be ready to welcome her back with open hooves again, and I am so pleased to know that you will be playing a role in the festivities tomorrow. I know it must have been difficult for you to see your friends return to Ponyville, and Cadence return to The Crystal Empire without you."
"Maybe a little," Shining confessed. "I know they can manage just fine without me, but it's still going to be hard knowing we're not going to be celebrating the Summer Sun Celebration together. I was really looking forward to it."
"You and Twilight may no longer be my students, Prince Shining Armor, but I hope you will know that I will always be here if you need me," Celestia said in a motherly tone. "Just as I hope you will always be there for me when I need you. If you ever have anything you feel the need to discuss, please feel free to tell me."
Shining smiled, and embraced Princess Celestia in a big hug. "Thank you, princess. I needed to hear that."
Just then, Spike belched out a scroll, picked it up, and read it. "Message for you from Ponyville," He told Shining Armor. "Nothing important, they're just checking to see how everything's coming along."
"Well, that's nice of them," Shining replied. "Just send a quick response back telling them we're managing just fine on our own, and we wish them a happy Summer Sun Celebration. And tell them that, unless it's an emergency, please refrain from sending more letters."
"Alright," Spike vowed, and set to work on writing the response. "Want me to send one to Cadence too?"
"Probably wouldn't hurt, though you can leave out the emergency bit," Shining instructed to Spike. "If she needs to contact me, I'm sure she's got her own special way of doing so. After all, she gets her own train to ride in."
"Right," Spike nodded. "Then we suppose we can check the checklist one last time before we call it a night."
Shining smiled. "You read my mind, Spike."
"I think I'll call it a night as well," Celestia told Shining and Spike. "But I'll see you both bright and early tomorrow morning for the Summer Sun Celebration. I'm looking forward to that big finish of yours, Shining Armor." And with that, the majestic princess of the sun turned and trotted out of the royal suite Shining and Spike were staying in. As she made her way down the royal hallways, the alabaster alicorn was unaware of a mysterious black vine that was sprouting up behind her. Without warning, the vine sprang out from the shadows and grabbed Celestia, who could only gasp in surprise! "Sneak attacked by plants, I must be getting soft in my old age." She thought to herself, while silently hoping and praying that Luna had avoided the same fate.