Considering the events of the day, Canterlot at night, beyond all belief, remained peaceful. The gentle mountain breeze gracing the quaint streets with an almost cozy like quality.
Even further up, to the sky, each star shinned brightly, perhaps knowing their beauty was needed now, more than ever. Individually, they remained a beacon of hope, for anypony who would call them a friend.
Alas, but perhaps to no great surprise, few Ponies were about. The day had been long, and above all, taxing. A pony could easily be forgiven for finally returning home, after a day of pure chaos and unending panic, and just letting their head hit the pillow, and fall promptly asleep.
Not all were so fortunate however. The irony of this night, with its tranquil calm and beauty, was that no equal qualities could be found in anypony this night. Those who chose to remain awake, or rather those who were forced to, had to endure with the failure of consolation from the night, not even its peacefulness capable of soothing an anxious heart.
Many of this ghost like characters were of the current world not out of choice, but by undesired necessity. Maybe they simply couldn’t sleep, unable to contend with memories of earlier, or perhaps they remained awake as a way of dealing with their stress, hoping that deep thought, reflection almost, would spare them from a crueller, far more mentally unstable fate.
The most realistic reason, if mundanely so, was that after a hard day, one either directly exposed to its events, or from afar, most Ponies just wished for a reprieve from an action most thought would never strike them, as violence ever seemed that spectre that would never made its ugly presence known here.
Such a reprieve could take many, if quite similar, forms. Those who took their problems head on fought back the desire to sleep, and either took a walk or continued in whatever task they could. Those who wished to ignore it, as if they could claim ignorance of the day, took to the drink. The varied Inns and bars of Canterlot, given the grim day, were relatively full. The atmosphere however, all around, was predictably solemn in tone though. No echoes of laughter or boisterous cries of joy as would have been the norm on such an inviting night.
This lack of activity, this amputation of Canterlot’s night life, was made only worse with a large portion of the city cordoned off, particularly around the area of the attack. The blast had been large, causing great damage to surrounding buildings, but the sheer extent of the now forbidden area of the city was surely no coincidence. Ponies walked by blocked off, barren streets, wondering why this road in particular was now flanked by foreboding Night Guards.
It was a surety however that most Ponies simply put this down to the shock of the attack, and a fight against complacency that would have ensured a lax, almost lazy attitude to the crime scene.
So that was to be this cool, welcoming night. A harmonious truce with the fury of this new age.
One Pony, a simple patron of a local bar, took a step outside. The air was rich, at least in comparison to the energised heat of the bar. He had heard much about the attack earlier, and like many others, had not been able to deviate their attention from any further news about it. He was from a small nearby town, a commuter area of sorts. This bar was a favourite of his to unwind, and unwind he needed. Tension just felt all too common today, even for those who had no idea of just the sheer amount of dead. Equestria was meant to be peaceful place, free of this type of bloodshed. Few, including him, knew not how to react and respond to this kind of development, and even drinking in his most liked establishment, could not remove that stain that most were now realising they had been unwillingly labelled with. As he drank his drink inside, smiling and conversing with his friends, there came a moment that all would have to contend with.
What now?
What came next? And how would Equestria deal with it?
No Pony even knew who the attacker was. Could it have been the Griffons? They had been itching to initiate a fight with Equestria for a while. Was it yet another ancient villain, come to wreak havoc once more? No word had come from the Princesses, perhaps not so surprising given the persistent rumours of distress and distrust about them. Only the Guards, unusually stoic and unapproachable, had been the response, and they had chosen to be as if they were foreign occupiers, as they stood there, treating any Pony who stepped even ten feet near them as an intruder.
Times were odd, and as this Pony was learning, each individual would have to contend with these dilemmas far more regularly than they would have liked. He stepped out, with little warning given to his friends, in dire need of fresh air. He knew not why exactly he did it, but from how he currently felt, this sudden retreat from life portrayed itself as some abrupt desire to call a time out, and take minute to escape the burdens of the day.
Out there he stood, completely alone, and in near silence. Only a slither of activity from the bar escaped to his current position, until a louder, quite strange noise reached his ears.
At first, he thought it his friends coming out to find him. When he looked back, and saw nopony whatsoever, he looked around. Maybe it was just another group out and about. But no happy go lucky bunch came, and this Pony was left to study the loudening noise in more detail.
It seemed synchronised, whatever it was. As if it had been rehearsed and organised to sound as disciplined as possible. Furthermore, it was a heavy, determined vibration that spread through the cobbled streets. Clearly, this was something large approaching, and approaching it was with unrivalled assurance.
In a way, it almost unnerved this Pony, who listened to this noise and heard an angry sort of energy, like a slow but giant tidal wave was about to wash over him, and take him as its conviction desired. Only when he heard the occasional shout, did he realise that his turbulence was Pony made.
The Guards maybe? Surely not, for they were already in position and the sun had not yet risen to warrant a changing of it.
Looking up the street, which was aimed towards upper Canterlot, and thus the castle, this Pony awaited the reveal of this new force.
Louder and louder it approached, a march of some sorts, with strong and aggressive orders directing it. The Pony did, admittedly, entertain the fact that Canterlot was now about to be taken over by some enemy that might have caused the attack, but not in his wildest dreams had he thought that the authority now marching down towards him, were of some sinister, dark and utterly dangerous looking mockery of the Night Guard.
It was a regimented group of at least 100 Ponies, or rather, what seemed like Ponies.
Like an army they came, dressed in a black, ominous uniform, quite austere in appearance, yet adorned with finely crafted if intimidating silver trim, with the very occasional dash of deep purple for good measure. Among them, this Pony was sure he saw the serpentine eyes and fangs of a Bat Pony, but closer investigation seemed not possible as they marched past with an unstoppable force of disruptence and bleak determination. Close enough as they were now however, as an occupying force marched past those they wished to instil fear into, this Pony looked upon these near invaders with apprehensive, if curious eyes. Inscribed upon their intimidating uniforms lay a symbol, placed along the collar, and attached to the right foreleg. From left to right, it seemed as if the first symbol were some form of white lightning bolt, but upon closer inspection, it became clearer that this was, in fact, a stylised ‘N’. Following the letter was an odd design, an emblem of some sorts. It was as if the letter ‘O’ had been sliced in half, vertically, and had been joined with two small lines at either cut. In many ways, it looked similar to a horse shoe on its side, but for such a group of menace and goal, this did not seem the case.
Apart from their almost perverse aura of righteousness and order, they were notably not armed. This, combined with any lack of armour, suggested a far from official strength of rule from this group. Yet their great attention to detail, be it in their appearance or regimentally, in addition to their seemingly great will to be noticed, did not advocate a sense of impending doom, or that the populace of Canterlot should run in terror. Unnerving they were yes, and without a shadow of a doubt, an aggressive new sight to the city, but this Pony did not feel the sudden urge to flee for his life. His senses were heightened in apprehension, but his eyes were fixated on the company that spared him no notice as they continued down the street, headed for the direction of the attack. Nothing could stop them, and as Ponies left the bar and opened their windows to witness Canterlot’s newest disruptance, a small if significant crowd of wonder slowly tailed them, in part out of simple curiosity, but as this Pony was beginning to discover, a contrasting alignment to the powers that be.
He hardly even considered his friends as he steadily followed the group in tow. Through streets they marched through, an obvious objective in mind as they considered little if anything on their push into the lower city.
Then finally, the group stopped, and without great coincidence. It was a large square that this strange organisation now found itself in, it’s civilian cohort not too far behind.
Crucially, or understandably very worrying to many, these were not the sole bodies of Ponies found in the square. Two other streets, roughly to both left and right, also revealed a company of these ominous troops, and all three new arrivals now joined a central, larger congregation.
Together, this square now easily bore approaching 500 of these sinister Ponies. A quick shuffling and reordering from the new arrivals, and now, alarmingly, a small army began to form. A corps of black and silver, matching the night sky, standing there in total silence, their eyes fixated with utter distain upon the other side of the square.
For there, with little grace or preparation, was another force. A hastily formed response of Night Guards, rushing to place themselves into formation. Their armour rattled, and their spears were raised high, but not show of strength had the desired effect on their new opponents. This new group did not flinch, for their resolve seemed all the more potent, and despite any lack of military equipment, now seemed the more dangerous of the sides.
The Pony who had followed them, wondering what this protest of resoluteness desired, could see it all. Two blocks of darkness, but only one of confidence and surety. The Guards were panicked, placing them into a position of weakness and lack of sympathy.
No Pony knew what this new group wanted. A fearful ignorance was spread deeply among the gathered population. Yet what was not so opaque, what now seemed obvious, was this mysterious force was here to stay, and they desired only one thing against their royal opposites.
Total victory…
Solar had dreamt of victory…and of defeat.
The night was still young as he woke up from his slumber of only two or three hours. It was limited rest, and Solar would have considered it a great lie if he had said he had awoken full of energy.
A small amount of rest was only possible given the time constraints of the plan, and everything that had happened since he was upon that table under the Luna tower, rallying the troops.
First, Princess Twilight had left, with no lack of haste. At first, Solar thought this to be unacceptable, given everything she had seen, and how it may affect her. He remembered her reactions well, watching her face appear as if her entire family had just been murdered. Of course her opinions on Solar’s speech and actions was to be predicted, but for safety’s sake, Solar had intercepted her exit, and promptly questioned her.
“Princess, I have to ask…” Solar started, caring little at just how ominous his voice has sounded. “You aren’t planning on informing others of what you’ve heard tonight, of course?”
Twilight had looked upon him, in that moment, with no small amount of fear. Not for her life, nor for her general wellbeing in fact. She was an admittedly powerful Pony, and one who surely understood that Solar would never outright attack her, but for a second or two, that were, undoubtedly, some apprehensive thoughts, to say the very least.
“N-no! Ha! Of course not!” Solar had not appreciated this answer. Her very being here was one born of trust, and equal desire to see Equestria kept safe. In pure and naïve hope, Solar was sure that Twilight shared in this desire, but it today’s world, nopony could be too sure.
“Remember, Princess. Friendship can only continue as long as peace does too. Do not condemn these poor souls to further torment with any…faithless notions. We are in this together, never forget…”
Twilight was no state pony, nor one too experienced in life. Naive as she may be though, she could at least be honest enough to admit when another Pony was right. Or maybe just clever enough to realise what could happen if she betray the betterment of all Equestria.
“Um…Yeah, I suppose so…” Her tone was painfully defeatist. After all, her world had never known such horrors or complications of state. Kept that way, her uses as a popular figure head could be used well. If not, then at least her combat abilities weren’t so profound.
The two then parted ways, as Twilight stated she was needed back in Ponyville, to ensure everypony was ok and to plan how her friends could react to the attack. She had insisted this would only benefit Solar, as they all were well known Ponies, and having the elements to bolster spirits would only be a good thing.
Solar, knowing Twilight to not be infected by the two faced nature of politics, allowed her this privilege. Still, as Twilight had left, she looked back on Solar with a face that told him two very specific things. That she was worried for the future.
And that she was worried for him.
A pointless consideration. Solar, cause fuelling him, and allies to finally be there for him, was better than ever. Twilight may have suspected something, but she could never comprehend just how far his love for Luna would send him, and just how few things would stop him with that energy flowing through his veins.
With her gone, his instructions to the Shadows were clear.
Gather the troops. Call the guardians, and make ready to march on the enemies of Equestria.
Solar, having been up since late morning, thought it best to recoup whatever energy he could, even if it were only a couple hour venture. While his invigorated Shadow’s worked on preparing for the plan, Solar would rest, waking as the figure the Night needed him to be.
So now here he was, sat up in the same bed he had been in since he was initiated into the Night. In the same room. Many of the same circumstances, but not the same Pony who once called them his own.
For when that knock came at his door, and he cleared his mind of anything but the present, he knew what he had to do. He would make Luna proud.
“Yes, come in.” Solar demanded, using this final moment of solidarity to expel any lingering doubts or worries. There was no going back now.
In came Dark Blossom, entering the room curious, and not without a small sense of surprise.
“You should really think about moving to another room, Commander” Suggested Dark, a slight sense of disappointment about her. “Your predecessors place is free, you know?”
Solar had considered such a move. His current quarters were confined to say the least. For the first time in his life, he could experience the true reality of luxury, and unlike many rewards gained in the past, a privilege earned through legitimate effort and cause.
“Yeah, whatever though” He instantly dismissed. “It’s only a room. I don’t want to be stuck behind all day because the décor is nice. That’s why my predecessor now enjoys the design of a cell.”
Readying himself to leave, Solar very nearly missed what the corner of his eye noticed. A smile of approval from Dark, who allowed herself a continued show of support for her commander.
“An honest Shadow huh? Never thought I’d see the day!” Solar shook his head with a laugh, but in some seriousness, there was some merit to her words. In order for Solar to cement his rule, and to portray himself as one of them, doing things out of the ordinary had to become the norm in Solar’s premiership of the Shadows. The status quo had failed them all, mirroring such a pattern now plaguing the rest of Equestria. A risk as it was, leading differently was not something to be dismissed as foolish. After all, it had gotten him this far, and the backing he had earned, just a few hours ago, verified this theory.
“If its honesty you wish, then let me be honest, Dark” Solar then began, his tone turning into quite the beginnings of a warning. “Even if we are successful tonight, things won’t be the same, you know? A victory will still gain us the notoriety of a worthy enemy. If we march down there, there’s no going back from what might possibly happen, you understand this?”
It was a necessary caution. Such a foreboding, even pessimistic tone, given the possibility of victory, may have seemed overly bleak. On the contrary however, no pony could remain illusive to what would become reality, even with triumph. For this was just the mere opening salvo of a battle, let alone the entirety of the war. Many Ponies, should they rush into this idealistically, may curse this plan, and wish for nothing more than the terrible slow death that was the status quo. Solar could ill afford any of his side not knowing what they were getting themselves into.
“Oh please, Commander!” Dark’s response was quick and sure. With a dismissive wave, followed by an unusually tender and caring hoof to the shoulder, Solar had his response. Confident, loyal and utterly unyielding. “You think we Shadows have been in the dark for so long, that we have lost our ability to even see? Don’t think that we are so passive and indecisive to what needs to be done!”
What needs to be done…
That phrase ever stayed with Solar, as if it were the very words that defined him as a Pony. If that wasn’t the case, then it was certainly a mantra he had lived by, even before all this. While then he had adhered to this belief for selfish ends, now was a time for other Ponies. For Luna and all those who dwelled lovingly in her Night. For them, as Commander, he would do what needs be done, whatever it took.
“I just want to be sure” Solar resolved, his care now extending not just Luna alone. “Failure at this point just isn’t an option, and I won’t be responsible for bringing further harm to your race”. The finer details of politics, once lost upon him, now seemed to have instilled some savvy wisdom into him, regarding the topic. With the power of his standing, came conflict of the likes about to be witnessed today. However, not all of this plague upon the world would be fought with sword or spear. The perpetual plight of the Thestrals was his fight now, and unless he wanted to toss the norms of the world completely over, paying back the privileged races in kind, then this sort of compromise was needed.
But Solar did have to admit, burning the world to ashes, all to start anew, did have its appeal. At what point did one come to realise just how far gone Equestria’s fortunes had gone?
“The honest and kind Commander!” then designated Dark Blossom, distracting Solar from his more morbid predications. “By the moon! What did we ever do to deserve you?” the accompanying wink was of course, eye roll worthy, but it told Solar all he needed to know in that moment, concerning his followers, and it told him that he was one of them.
Wait, is this...
It was.
Genuine banter. Not bickering between rivals. Not the kind of repartee that occurred between he and Victus for example. This was real and proper pleasantry exchanged in joke form, with no ill design nor underlying malcontent.
Solar did not consider Midnight Blossom a friend. There was simply no time for such distractions, and that was just Solar’s almost whimsical thinking. Dark, a tried and tested Shadow, a Pony of death and deceit, would have only laughed at such a consideration.
So while this still relatively new ally was not one belonging to any personal relationship, she belonged to a far more important categorisation.
Because of their shared goals, their almost equal dedication to Luna, banter instead came from what was, in effect, the one thing Solar had been fighting for of late, and now embraced.
A family.
A Night, under Princess Luna, united together as brothers and sisters in arms. Fighting together for a better future and totally reliant on one another.
It was an enduring, warming feeling. One of unfamiliar ferocity to Solar, and above all, hope for the future. Together, strong and bound of shared values of respect and desire, a clan, tightly knit under the grace of the moon and stars.
A family, in all but blood, and that was now everything Solar ever needed.
“Alright then Dark, let’s do this!”
Solar stood atop a balcony, barely even a floor up the Lunar Tower, but still high enough to pedestal himself, in both the literal sense of the word, and the sense of authority given to the NG.
Solar did not know the precise amount that paraded below him. He did hazard the theory that because of the attack, the most brazen Ponies, whom had their ears firmly to the ground, instinctively knew where their duties lie. These were strong hearted Ponies nonetheless, whose loyalty was proven firmly to Luna. As part of the increasing NG, they would uproot the treachery that forced them to this point.
All in all, the small army that now so proudly stood to attention was numerous, and surely enough to make a statement.
“Ponies!” Solar cried out, calling to his forces. He now had their attention. It was a loyal attention, one which would hang on to every part of his sentences, and take them to heart. For they knew they were the underdog here, and in order for them to find any degree of success, they needed the appropriate encouragement. They needed reminding of what they fight for. “I look upon you and see Ponies from all walks of life. Thestrals. Guards. Misfits and vagabonds. But in your eyes I see what we are all thinking. The fear we bear for our families and Equestria, should we fail. We have seen what horrors await us in today’s age, and we have taken it upon ourselves to ensure such things never happen again, even if it is our lives given to be the shield our country so desperately needs!”
In truth, there was nervousness today, even in the eyes of the Shadows, who wisely did not announce themselves as being part of that group. A degree of this was natural, given the cliff they were all about to jump off, but Solar made no mistake. Win or lose tonight, this would be history in the making, a turn in Equestria’s destiny. Whatever happened tonight, it would steer the future of all Ponies in a different direction. Their job, on this seemingly unremarkable night, was to enable that direction was one favourable to the Night, and to always have a hoof on that wheel.
“A night may come, when Equestria descends in chaos and anarchy, and the strength Ponykind bears, fails. But I promise you this, now and truly, that night will not be one we face! From our actions, we may indeed be spared from such a fate!” A cause to fight for, if there ever was one. For that was the strength of the new Night. Patriotism, love and the will to survive. “A day that scorches the earth, and ruins our great cities. That is our fate if we fail! An accursed life of pain and death, all brought down upon you with the incompetence and failures of those who do not join us! But I tell you again, with utter conviction and surety, not tonight!” Heads began to nod, and eyes narrowed as each individual prepared themselves for the struggle to come. A shuffling of life spread from the courtyard, like a field of crops crowing overnight into a proud and mature sight. Here, the forces of the Night began to hold their heads high, as they saw confidence and hope in their cause, and moral raised with the strength of their Commander.
“Tonight, for the safety of our families, for the justice owed to the victorious dead, and for the plain and righteous glory of our Night and Princess Luna, we fight!” The NG now appeared a force to be reckoned with. Volunteers who so valiantly stood up for what was right, and throw themselves into the fray, convicted and unyielding, and now, appeared ready for anything. Solar saw this, and saw the extent of their wish to fight. It was a shared cycle that fed into him, who looked upon his family, and realised how eagerly he would stand by their side, and fight any battle, no matter the cost.
“By the grace of the Moon, and the desire we hold so dearly in our hearts, I ask you now…March! Guardians of the Night, and saviours of Equestria!” Solar shouted this final part of his speech with a vigour he had never felt before. He cried his triumphant words, and was met with a roar of cheering and honest promise of a future that they began to see clearly. Such was the extent of the boisterous booms of roaring, Solar considered it a miracle that his army, reinforced with enough courage and moral to take on the entire Royal Guard, did not awaken the entire city with their fearless and passionate nature that they now bore.
It was a sight to behold. Thunderous hooves slamming in almost synchronised nature upon the ground. Chanting and clamours that instilled an unholy high into oneself. A feeling of unbeatable fortune, and a desire jump among that animated crowd, and fight until the moon and risen and set.
A sight it was, but this was but just the start of this epic song but would echo throughout the land. As Solar descended into the courtyard, sharing a respectful nod with Dark Blossom, who stood there as an officer to this force, along with Silver Sky and other Shadows that could be the leadership the Guardians required. These were his brothers and sisters in perpetuity, and ones he would not fail. Comrades they all were, and they needed no last look at each other, in desperate search of confidence or emotional support.
With a cause like this, and hearts of Ponies that would prove ever unbreakable, the march began, down into Canterlot. The liberation was about to begin.
It was beautiful.
A square dominated by legions of the Night, A part of Canterlot brought to heel by the masses of black and silver, as the hastily gathered remnants of the Guard tried desperately to fall into line.
Solar had initially held back as his cohorts marched down into Canterlot, demonstrating their might to any bewildered civilian, of which many were here right now, totally enthralled to their majesty.
And little wonder that they did. The NG was a fearsome sight, organised and disciplined, as if they were the official force of Equestria. They may have well been, for the contrasted that now existed, one of great shame for any remaining supporters of Celestia, was extreme. An immense part of the square, proud. A beacon of hope and order in a chaotic world. The other, a mess of an order. A tumultuous sign of what had been allowed to come to pass, earlier in the day. A reminder, to all present, of how chaos had clawed at this noble country, and spawned the most treacherous resistance to the new world order that these most terrorised Ponies were in dire need of.
The deceptive and traitorous Guards now showed their true colours. A totally unreliable mess of a force. A disorganised and cruel group of apparent protectors that Ponies were meant to look up to. Yet as they selfishly remove themselves from harm’s way given by the attack, and leave those whom they were meant to serve, to suffer and perish, and as they now showed themselves to be little more than an unregulated disease upon Equestria, Solar had no doubt in his heart that their failures, their inability to serve and perhaps most importantly, their malicious desire to keep Equestria back and deem it worthy of mortal punishment, would now no longer be excusable. The great population of Equestria would see them for what they were. Enemies and frustrators of progress.
The NG would have to get their hooves dirty, that much was obvious now, but Solar knew this to be sacrifice worthy of Equestria, and of Luna. They would do what nopony, especially the Guard and the Day could, for they would bring order to the land, and make all Ponykind a species to be respected, and to revel in their glory and worth.
For all those watching, and for all those who would wake up and learn the bitter truth of their country, Solar and the NG would prove to them that only the Night could make Equestria great again, and abolish the old fashioned disability that was forced upon Equestria by its adversaries abroad, and its apostate like perpetrators of the all too humiliating status quo.
This was the necessary servitude that the glory of the land and of Luna had been so desperately in need of. This call answered, by Solar and the NG, was a loyalty that most could never have dreamed of achieving.
“All hail Sir Solar Virtue!” Then cried out a voice from among the forces of the Night, instilling further disbelief and near fear among those opposite. “Warden of the Night, Commander of the Night’s Guardians, and protector of the realm!”
Solar has allowed this announcement, if only to legitimise their presence here. But that last description, “Protector of the realm”, when was that even decided? Of course, it wasn’t without merit, for all his action now were indeed in service of the land, but in being anointed with such a rule, one that would undoubtedly suggest more malicious intent to the people who looked upon the Night with distrust, that much was defiantly a surprise.
It did however beg an important question. How far would he truly go, should he be offered such an opportunity. This was a provocative announcement, one of great inflammation to the Day. When Celestia would come to hear of this, and when she learned Solar was taking it upon himself to rule, then how far would he go to persist in his goals?
For all those ignorant to the answer to this question, they need only witness the presence of the Night, here and now.
“Ponies of the Royal Guard!” Solar stepped from among his forces, and stood affront his army. He betrayed no fear, no pressure of the task at hoof. He stood there, a conquering hero to the Night, a beacon of hope and strength to use against their enemies. To such traitors, he appeared a profound disturber of the peace, an inciter of violence and revolution against the state. Solar would surely win no support among them, not while he marched down here as an army sacking as city would. He faced them, across the square, as a rival and an enemy, and never a Pony to extend a hoof of friendship towards them. “I ask this this of you! Only once! Lay down your arms! Retreat from this square, and leave us unopposed. The Night is here to keep the peace, and ensure order is maintained!”
A token speech, and certainly not of the likes he had offered his Ponies back in the Castle.
“Traitor!” predictably came one voice from the Guards.
“Never!” Came another, taking nopony by surprise. For the reason of tonight’s March was not to suddenly and miraculously turn Celestia’s forces against her. After all, why would the Night be in need of such weak and feeble minds that wilfully followed Celestia in the first place? No, tonight was a show of force, and if pushed, a force of strength designed to bring a proper sense of authority to this dying city.
So in the face of such misguided defiance, treachery spawned a higher power, Solar was faced with little choice.
“Loyal servants of the Night” He cried out, no failures in sight as he gained the implacable attention of each and every member of the NG. “See how far lost our great country is? See the damage inflicted by the Day? Ready yourselves!” And with that, with almost machine like timing and reaction, the NG entered a battle ready stance, showing their unbreakable tenacity well enough to the Day.
And it worked.
However well-armed and armoured that the Royal Guard may be, and whatever lies they had been told, they were, at the end of the day, Ponies bound by coin. Solar understood that none wanted to lose their jobs, especially in today’s turbulent economic climate. Money alone however, was not enough, even bolstered by the “love” of their Princess, to face with equal gallantness as their valiant counterparts now showed. They could never even begin to dream of matching the conviction of the NG, and even they knew just how hard such qualities would make one fight.
Then, like dominoes falling one by one, and like a disease spread throughout the population, moral steadily began to break among the Guards. It almost fascinated Solar with its effective results, as confidence abandoned them in droves, and questioning spread through the ranks. This insecurity was the death of their duty, the knockout blow to their confidence, and within a minute or so, all armoured forms rattled uncomfortably, as their one all-conquering desire consumed then. The desire to survive.
The Night had the upper hoof, but never let it be known that any battles in the world of today, would be won so easily.
The confused ranks of the Royal Guard then began to part, allowing a new figure to emerge from that side of the square. Solar thanked Luna that it wasn’t Celestia herself, determined to punish a rebellious Commander of the Shadows, and bring Luna’s favourite Pony to justice. Solar could breathe easily that he needn’t battle a literal Alicorn tonight, but still now was not the time to relent in his vigilance.
It was a large, well-muscled Pony that stood as his practical counterpart now. A Pony of obvious experience in the art of war, and an authority in the use of violence. For this was the Pony Solar had looked upon with a suspicious eye earlier, with Victus. This was the Pony of the Day that had been inspecting him and the other Human’s as if he were a spy in the open. Furthermore, this was the Pony, as told by Evening Primrose in the hospital, which had abandoned the citizens of Canterlot, and left them to a cruel fate, while the Ponies of the Day retreated to a safe distance.
In conclusion, this was more than some brain washed Guard. This was everything the Night was fighting for, and a spawn of the true evil of Celestia.
His appearance, as Solar had noted earlier, was not one to underestimate. Apart from his obvious strength, the Pegasus was notably one of Celestia’s. In contrast to his relatively light appear earlier, he now bore an almost beautifully adorned set of fiery red and golden armour. Unlike his compatriots however, this was no simple set of Royal Guard armour. As was the theme on display, in terms of colour, the metal plates here almost gave way to flame like detail, a flaring look that made the metallic contours of the suit look as if it were real fire emerging from his body. Whoever he was, he was either rich or quite important, given his finely adorned look.
And Solar knew, from the current situation, it probably wasn’t the former.
“Commander Virtue!” He spat, his voice filled with distain that matched quite nicely with his opposing position, opposite the Night in more ways than one. “Your namesake fails you. I suggest you lead by example, and follow your own demands!”
Solar instantly disliked the deep voice of this new character. It was clear he was not only no friend of his, but an enemy at that. Narcissistic demands, meant only to give justification to their actions when their demand inevitably was shot down, was not winning Solar over. So already, on a more personal, almost inconsequential level, this new Pony was not appealing.
“Stay out of this! Go back to whichever fire pit you emerged from!” Solar shot back, emulating the obvious feelings of the NG. “Matters of state do not concern you!”
Of course, challenge always incited challenge, and as villainous as he could, this new Pony gladly took up such a thing.
“MISCREANT!” Shout was too weak a word. Solar thanked Luna that they were all in an open square, and not amidst a row of tightly packed buildings, structures that would have surely collapsed as if an earthquake had just happened. That was the extent of the anger in that voice, and the amount of that very feeling meant exclusively for Solar. “You should be on your damn knees, you fucking turncoat! Consider yourself lucky that Princess Celestia graces you with the rights you clearly don’t deserve!”
Yikes.
Solar’s initial conclusion was not false. This Pony, clearly one of Celestia’s, took the Night’s “transgressions” against the Day, very personally it seemed. This could only mean he was some dedicated follower of Celestia’s and surely not just of the state of Equestria. Solar had neither seen nor heard of this Pony prior to today, so it begged the question. Who exactly was he, and why was he now in apparent command of Royal Guards? What was his exact vile relation to Celestia?
“No.” Solar replied simply, willing to test this hulking figure a little more before things got bloody. “I don’t think I will.”
And to plan, an instantaneous reaction. One of frustration, further anger, and a hatred of everything Solar stood for.
This was why he could not lose. Not if he wanted to keep his head.
“Ponies of the Guard, ready yourselves to remove these traitors from the face of the planet!” Solar had no idea one with so deep a voice, could somehow screech. Anger was a powerful thing, and it seemed this alone fuelled the Pony as water would a mill. And it was all meant for Solar.
Flattering.
A gift for his ego for sure, but not one great enough to distract him from reality. Through either hope or fear, a decent portion of the previously rattled Guard now recovered a sense of duty about them , and formed themselves into a, comparatively, formidable line. Not enough to fend themselves from the NG, but enough to make it a proper fight.
Still, as leader, Solar needed to act as so.
“You would condemn these poor Ponies to death? “ Solar asked seriously, a new challenge to the Pony.
“The alternative is to let you live!” The Pony shot back, already true to his bitter form. “When I command your death, then I swear by glorious Celestia, it will be so!”
Solar had noted the dedication shown towards Celestia, from this Pony that appeared his counterpart. In more ways than one even, for on the surface at least, he appeared to contain the same amount of passion, the same drive to serve, as Solar did with Luna. Solar could only pray that this too wasn’t some forbidden love of a Princess, as love lost, especially by force, rarely incited anything but vengeance of the most severe kind.
Whatever cruel, possible mockery now tried to intimidate him, this Pony remained an adversary to be defeated, and Solar was confident he would follow through in his path to victory.
“Then come try it!” This was not just a chance for the Pony to put his money where his mouth was, but a potentially quicker, far more bloodless route. All it took was for this blockhead to be cocky enough. “You and me! One on one! Single combat to decide what our Ponies do!” Solar couldn’t help but attempt at smile, confident that his relative distance was far enough from the Pony to not spoil the plan.
“You want to fight me?” Questioned the other Pony, studying Solar as if to find any weaknesses. “You ready to break Luna’s heart?”
Excuse me?
As was the case with Twilight, precise knowledge of what he and Luna shared, remained somewhat illusive. Unless spied upon, it wasn’t possible for the extent of such a bond to be publically known. Granted, this was literally the perfect time to taunt one another, thus was the reasoning behind Solar’s valiant attempt at keeping a plain face. But alas, this Pony’s words hit true, and caused only the most distressing pain in his heart.
He could not avoid it however. Images of Luna, alone and heartbroken, after losing such a loved one. Painful enough for any Pony, but this relationship was surely above the pleasantry filled accords felt by another other Ponies. Luna and Solar loved each other dearly, and placed hopes and world defying desires upon each other. Their love wasn’t just a personal thing, it was possibly the bond that would decide the fate of Equestria.
In having that bond violently ripped away, then who knew what would become of the land and its destiny, when a Pony with power enough to wreak true vengeance, decided it needed punishment.
“So…that a no?” Solar said, somehow bringing the conversation back onto track. “You think your Ponies will fight for you, when they now know you won’t fight for them?”
A deadly blow indeed, one this Pony had not anticipated. Accusations of cowardice were always enough to provoke an individual, but shame, as labelled by others, was an infliction few Ponies could withstand. The Dayling officer attempted to keep his cool, his movements kept to a minimum as if to seem unfazed.
But Solar could see, behind those holy unnatural blazing coloured eyes, the ugly head of fear was on full show. After all, what would Celestia say when she learned that she had not only lost, but had lost her Guards, without even a casualty forced upon her enemies? Truly, this Pony thought as Solar did towards Luna.
So now, without worry giving up secrets, Solar smiled. He had forced, upon this Pony, only two choices. To take up Solar’s offer of a duel, and potentially die in the process, or foolishly commit to a pitched battle, with a now high chance of charging into the fray completely alone, as the Guards refused to follow one who could not lead.
So moments went by, with the Night happy to watch the force opposite wrestle with internal dilemmas and the decline in moral that came with it. Their leader was humiliated either way, and whatever now happened, surely the best they could hope to accomplish was a pyrrhic victory. All they now needed was a push to decide if they would fight or not.
“Ponies of the NG!” Solar cried. “Take these Ponies into custody, by the command of Princess Luna! We shall spare them of any of their blood spilled today!” With this command, the NG, as one, gave a short but almighty battle cry, and literal took their first steps forward into battle.
Solar, a little ahead of the herd, stood his ground. As a stampede rattled the ground, the synchronised formation marching that steadily approached him from behind was a terrifying feeling, but perhaps only for the enemy. To see probable death fall upon them, their eyes fixated on whichever soul the NG wanted dead, brought no courage to the shaking and lonely Guard. Whatever, if she ever had, Celestia had told was not powerful enough to force a very real threat back.
Solar was already planning on his victory speech, on his celebratory news given to Luna upon their victory, when his forces had to abruptly stop.
“CHILDREN OF THE SOLSTICE! NOW!”
These were not Solar’s words, nor any of his NG’s. Dismally, they came from the very Pony Solar had thought too flustered to fight back.
Only now did Solar realise he needn’t have been, for the Night wasn’t the only group with a plan tonight.
Solar’s heart stopped, and his stomach seemed to almost emerge from his throat when blood red and golden trimmed armoured forms emerged atop the buildings surrounding the square, and from amidst those very structures that had not been searched before hoof. They were dressed sinisterly, in no form appropriate for a Guard. For they were no Guards, but seemingly deranged and aggressive servants of the leader Solar now faced off against. Quick they were to action, clad in flaming like armour akin to their commander, and before the NG could even react, they were now surrounded. On all sides.
To make matters horrifically worse, while trapped in by these savage looking beasts of woe and death, the only other success the Night had found, that in shaking the Royal Guard into near submission, now receded from their near victorious grasp. Bolstered with dangerous appearing reinforcements, regardless of their own individual skill in battle, moral returned. It would not save them, but it could only make the position of the NG worse, as they now would have to content with ambushing enemies on all sides.
And on all sides they were. Outnumbered. Stuck in an open area with little defensive potential, and worst of all. The one thing that could only make spit of Solar more.
The leader of this group,, the Pony whom had seemed near defeated, now returned Solar’s smile, and raising a hoof, started to move in on his trapped pray, enclosing them ever more, and with each step, getting closer to a total defeat of the Night…